Are Chaos players spoiled for choice?

[The Man They Call Jayne]

I have been looking at lots of CSM lists, trying to find a single combination that stands out to me as exceptional and fluffy, and I just can't. Im not looking for powergamy lists, but just lists that have lots of fun to use fluffy units that I like, and I have having a hell of a time picking them because honestly, I like almost all of them!

Everything seems fun to play and fluffy in the right places. Nothing seems too over powered or unneeded. And I anm really strugging to make lists simply because I have too much to choose from that I want to use.

Anyone else finding this? The CSM dex is in my mind, on of the best all round codexes I have seen in a long time.

[Narric]

Personally speaking, I thought that of the previous codex. And from what I've seen of the latest (quick glimpses when talking to a young lad about Lightning Claws), there is more choice.

Are Players spoilt for choice? most likely, but if you have a set theme or playstyle in mind, then whats the problem?

[The Man They Call Jayne]

The issue arises in that I want to try lots of things. My Tau have basicly 1 list. However I find lots of ways to make a fun playable army that I would enjoy. I have themes in mind and then I suddenly think "Oh! What about adding X!" then I end up on a tangent and I have to start eliminating things. There are no obvious choices other than Nurgle Obliterators I think. And while that is a good thing. It makes list writing really tricky.

[Waaaghpower]

I haven't actually read the CSM codex, but I have played against it and DAMN! They have a lot of choices. Perhaps there aren't any more unit options in the codex, but with four different options for blessings or whatever (The buffs from your god of choice) it means they automatically have a kickass option no matter what they want to do. It's pretty cool. (Not over-powered, though, just cool.)

[The Man They Call Jayne]

There are options up the ying yang for just about everything. Even the basic CSM squads can be insanely cheap or super expensive.

[LinnScarlett]

From all the positive noises I hear around me (and on here just reading the comments of you two), perhaps this Codex Of Awesome is the start of a very good edition of codexi all around? Would be nice, wouldn't it? The CSM codex sure seems a good kick-off of 6th. Hope they keep it up on other releases too.

Would make chosing an army and list even a bigger hell than it already can be though. Hehe. I keep jumping around with what I like and want to play already.

[Arguleon-veq]

I really like it as a generally well balanced Codex.

There are some overpowered choices although even there you have some choices as most are in the Fast Attack slots [Bikers and Helldrakes].

I think its great that you have genuine choices to make between almost of the troop choices [and possible troop choices]. Every one of them has things about them that make them very appealing for both fluff and gaming reasons.

I think the main problem is that because a lot of the different cult units are all pretty cool that its difficult to stick to a mono god list and you will get some whiney players complaining about it, but just ignore them and play what you think is fun.

There are very few complete duds in the book although I think Warp Talons are pretty poor. Even the HQ choices are all very tempting besides the Daemon Prince.

[LinnScarlett]

I think the main problem is that because a lot of the different cult units are all pretty cool that its difficult to stick to a mono god list and you will get some whiney players complaining about it, but just ignore them and play what you think is fun.

When I get around to it, I fear I'll go with 'Chaos Undecided'
And just run with whatever is fun regardless of god. If Abaddon gets to champion them all... thensocanI!

Fluff-wise, I am sure there's creative ways to have multiple gods featuring, especially in a larger force.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

I have totally lost the ability to stay loyal to Tzeentch. I have Ahriman, and I love my Thousand Sons, but a Nurgle Warpsmith and Obliterators, Slaaneshi Raptors and basic CSMs are all going to be common sights in my army unless I have to be loyal for whatever reason.

Warp Talons, I am very torn on. If you can make them work, and give them a Mark of Slaanesh, they are going to walk through any non TEQ unit with impunity. And they can meet the Eldar on their on terms speed wise. It's just making them survive long enough to get there because they cannot assault after deep striking. If they could I would happily pay an extra 30 points for the 5 man unit.

Bikers, I wouldn't say are overpowered, but undercosted. Heldrakes, I havnt used but I have heard they can be nasty, but then so can all fliers.

HQ is currently drawing all my attention. I have Ahriman, Warpsmith and a Deamon Prince from last edition when they were good, I want Lucius, Abbadon, Typhus and Kharne aswell though.

[Aun]

The new chaos book is certainly something of a renaissance for chaos. The book has been brought into line in such a way as maximize effectiveness and fun. One of the reasons why I think the new chaos book has been so well received is that its fun to play against, which is a bit of a novel concept for a lot of the new books.

[Lord Sotek]

I'm a big fan of the degree of variety in the new Chaos codex. I absolutely hate hate hated the crippling paring down of options you saw in some 5th and especially 4th edition 'dexes compared to their previous iterations.

The more options I have, the more ability I have to enjoy using the codex to represent something or create a force that works in a way its authors didn't necessarily think of. If everything's super constrained, (Cough, DA dex!) it feels like the tabletop equivalent of having to write only using someone else's 40k fan material.

With the new Chaos dex, I can do straight up old school black legion style force, marines everywhere around a big towering nasty scary Chaos Lord. I can do Lost and the Damned. I can go Specific Deity Cult Themed. I can field one of  the proper Traitor Legions in their full, blighted glory for the Long War; or I can field a band of more recent renegades, or a splinter warband.

I can represent an idea as specific as Da'Kath's Chosen, a cadre of elite Chaos Marine warriors with a philosophy of combining flesh, spirit, and steel as one; backed by their brainwashed militia fodder and the daemon-engine creations of their powerful daemonologist-technologist leader. And which I came up with as a concept before I had any inkling of a new Codex with Warpsmiths and Forgefiends. Last codex, even the 3.5e one? Not really so much.


Our hobby community spends a lot of time discussing whether or not something's a sin in 40k, but I'll go out on a limb for once and say confidently that viable customizability is a virtue, and 6th ed Chaos has it in spades.

[Irisado]

It's good to read a thread praising a codex .

I'm pretty much in agreement with you all here, in the sense that I too think that the book is a good one.  Most of the choices are viable to a reasonably wide extent, and they've done a good job with making the HQ section, in particular, more dynamic, so that the Daemon Prince is no longer a default choice, which is good news for me, as I don't field one.

The only slight fly in the ointment is that Thousand Sons still seem a bit off to me in terms of how their rules work, but I still think that they are better off than they used to be, so I certainly don't find this as problematic as some.

Finally, the two Chaos Spawn I purchased for appearance sake back in fifth edition actually now have a use, so I may try them out properly one of these days.

[Narric]

Its strange that on DeviantART, I've seen comments that say the new codex is "Lackluster"

That just sounds like they can't be bothered to change, or they WANTED some OP and ridiculous codex material.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

I find the codex to be well made in every way. Rules. Fluff. Art. Even the quality of the materials used.

@Linn, what do you mean about the Thousand Sons?

[BigToof]

I think one of the issues is that it is not a very powerful codex.

My circle was hoping that it would be an "anti-GK" codex that was very strong against elite-type Imperials (perhaps even bringing assault back as a viable option), but being vulnerable to fliers or hordes, creating a balance of some type.

The fact that tactically, it still isn't quite there, is kind of frustrating on a certain level.

You could see that if some models had "slightly" better rules than they would be much better at their job, and they do suffer from having no really useful builds that are thematic and also will let you crush your opponent, while needing skill and technique that would make it fail utterly if not practiced well.

So, yes, I do like the book.  I've seen it, read it, and think it's a good mid-tier Codex that brings up a lot of balance.  But I'm a bit sad that it will not be the destroyer of GK's like I had hoped...

Best,
-BT