Where to begin with CSM?

[TheHiveKing]

So i am starting a little side project since i am getting tired of painting gaunts. im looking at starting a cheap CSM army at 1000 pts. All i have right now is the dark vengeance set and i want to know what kits to buy to make a good 1000 point army. i am thinking about getting the start collecting CSM box and a box of terminators. that should be enough, but at the same time im not sure i need 2 helbrutes. what do you think?

[bolk]

If I were you, first thing I'd get is the codex and the traitor legion book. With the new legion rules deciding for a specific legion will decide what you buy.

[TheHiveKing]

Feb 27, 2017 10:35:18 GMT bolk said:

If I were you, first thing I'd get is the codex and the traitor legion book. With the new legion rules deciding for a specific legion will decide what you buy.

Is there like a formation for each legion?

[bolk]

Hehe so much more, my friend, so much more. Each legion has their own detachment with special rules for each for example.

[TheHiveKing]

So, i dont have the traitor legions book, but what do i get for playing Iron Warriors. they have been my favorite since i read the book about them.

[gigasnail]

Feb 27, 2017 16:41:24 GMT TheHiveKing said:

So, i dont have the traitor legions book, but what do i get for playing Iron Warriors. they have been my favorite since i read the book about them.

not much in the traitor legions book is awful, but, IW aren't really at the top end of the loot distribution cycle this time around. most of the things they would be good at, someone else does better.

to sum up:
no unique characters
no units that require a mark of chaos (i.e. cult units like berserkers, plague marines)
cannot take marks
any unit that can take VotLW must take it, but at no cost
any demon of (X god) and is a psyker can take all of their powers from their god's discipline if they want to

obliterators are troops
units with VotLW can reroll hits in all rounds of combat w/ Imperial Fists, but IF gain Hatred (IW)

everything with VotLW gets FNP 6+ (note this doesn't stack up like IH FNP bonuses do)

penetration rolls on buildings that don't glance/pen may be re-rolled, and add a +1 when rolling on the damage table. yes, by every IW unit.

oblits, havoks, and mutilators have tank hunter.

and have the usual special relics and warlord traits to choose from.

if you take their decurion, all non-vehicle units get stubborn, and non-vehicle units on or in a building have fearless. barrage and/or ordinance weapons scatter dice can be re-rolled, and the decurion has a formation that is 1-3 fortifications (and in ITC you can take 2 forts now, if that matters to you). the chaos warband has obsec on everything in it, so it's not awful at all it just lacks the crazy points advantage of the gladius.

none of this is bad at all, but the cool stuff doesn't stack up well vs. say death guard T5 fearless FNP nurgle oblits for example, or 4+ FNP T5 I5 slanesh biker + cabal deathstar.

one cool thing they can do is take their fortification formation, and take the vengeance weapon battery + battle cannon for 85 points each, giving a 72" S8 AP3 ordinance large blast w/ rerollable scatter. that's pretty damn good. does it make a good list? eh, jury is out.


if you are going to play CSM, get the traitor legions book. it's honestly awesome, and what we should hope for from a hive fleets supplement.

hope that helps.