500pt CSM Army List

[Dezzick]

Well, I've been working on a 500pt army list for chaos, and as they're expensive pointswise, and you only get 8 CSM in a box, >.>, it's sorta small.

HQ-
Chaos Lord -
60 Chaos Lord
+25 Terminator Armour
+25 Dark Blade
+15 Combi-Melta
+15 Daemonic Essence
+10 Daemonic Resilience
+10 Daemonic Strength
+5 Mark of Chaos Undivided (M.O.C.U.)
165 Total
Troops-

Chaos Space Marines -
112 8x CSM
N/A 6x Bolter+CCW
+13 Asp. Champion-
+5 Daemon Fire
+1 Frag Grenades
+5 Heavy Bolter
+10 Plasma Gun
+8 M.O.C.U.
154 Total


Chaos Space Marines -
112 8x CSM
N/A 6x Bolt Pistol + 7x CCW
+13 Asp. Champion-
+10 Power Weapon
+5 Teleport Homer
+5 Melta Bombs
+10 Plasma Pistol
+10 Plasma Pistol
+8 M.O.C.U.
+8 Frag Grenades
181 Total

500 Army Total

My tactic for this army is to rush the CCW squad into combat, and use them as tank hunters at the same time, (<3 plasma weapons), and use the ranged squad to support them. I'm leaving my lord to teleport in, on top of the CCW squad, and help them to kill everything. Any improvements you could make, to either the tactics, or the list itself? (weapons options would be hard to change, since I'm in the middle of painting them. >.>)

[Pisces]

In my opinion teleporting is too unpredictable for a 500pt battle, ditch the teleport homer and give both your aspiring champions demonic visage for -1 leadership to enemies in close combat, you may not need it for your shooting squad though, swap dark blade for a powerfist, a powerfist gives you 9 strength rather than 7 and you don't have to roll for mastery, it will mean you lose your chance to strike first, 9 is just a much more useful number than 7, especially against another lord; ultimately it depends whether you expect to face more toughness 3 or toughness 4 opponents.
I think it would be good to trade your less needed upgrades in for some more marines but then you would have to buy another box so I won't suggest it, there is a few other things I could suggest but they're not in the box either. Everything else I think is wise, it would only be an extra 5 points to upgrade that powerweapon to a powerfist, but there isn't much to spare in the way of points, except maybe some marks, or demonfire since you will probably only get 1 shot with it anyway, assuming you decide to charge an enemy. If you give a powerfist to your aspiring champion then you can leave your lord with dark blade, its just you need 1 instant killing guy in there.

[Dezzick]

I might switch to a powerfist with the asp. champ, but not with the lord. and, it makes it easier for my lord not to get shot up on the turn he charges. even though with 4 wounds, T5 (but not for instant death, so lascannons, and missile launchers are a great danger to a lone T4 character like him >.>) and a 2+ save, he won't die easily. I'm only painting the shooting squad ATM, and I've finished the lord. so I can only easily chop off the champions arm. or hand.

[Pisces]

Just leave your lord in your C/C squad and he should be fine, the reason why you shouldn't use deepstrike is because your lord may not appear until your aspiring champion is in close combat which would mean he would be destroyed instantly if you tried to teleport him to your C/C sqaud, or worse, I have seen reserves not arrive at all!

[Dezzick]

hmm, if my C/C squad dies, and my lord with it, because I'm facing a lascannon/missile launcher heavy army, and in the other case my C/C squad dies but my lord doesn't because he's in reserve. which is best? I'll switch from the tele tactic after a few games with this army, and see which works best.

[GenocideAlive]

Why are you buying them new? Ebay sells sets of 1500+ pts for ~$100.

[Giggilyomeromicon]

Why are you buying them new? Ebay sells sets of 1500+ pts for ~$100.

If you buy them new then you can paint the the color scheme of your army. It's kind of like sports teams, you just have one you like the most. Also, people customize armies and units based on their preferred style of play.

[kongurous]

Besides, buying them new has a certain feel to it that buying it used doesn't have.

[Pisces]

Metal models tend to better to buy on ebay because they are harder to craft (meaning the previous owner probably didn't cut them up), easier to remove the paint from, and expensive to buy new, just make sure they have all the parts, including the spare parts (many models come with different weapon options). Second hand plastic models tend to be cut, glued and painted in just the way you don't want them with none of the many many spare parts they come with new, so you have to be careful when buying them second hand.