Hey everyone, it’s Adam from TheDiceAbide again, back for more punishment. Hot on the tail of my Heretics and Renegades First Impressions, it’s now time to properly read through the book and talk about the specific vehicles that jumped out to me and why. I’ll probably do a more in-depth review at some point in the future to go over them all individually, but for now, here are my favorites.
Chaos Relic Sicaran Battle Tank
I think putting the Sicaran at the top of the list is a safe place for it. Chaos has for a long time struggled with skimmers, especially now that Dark Eldar also get those lovely 3+ jinks… Well fear no more! A reasonably cost fast vehicle with armour that will make a Wave Serpent cry, and a main armament dishing out 6 twin-linked rending autocannon shots a turn that ignore jink. This can even serve as anti-air in a pinch. I’m sure that we’ll see these fairly often in Chaos armies, though it will require a Warpsmith, Abaddon or Sorcerer with Maleficic to take more than one (as an Infernal Relic).
Chaos Hell Blade
I loved the Hell Blade before, now it’s even better. It’s down 15 points, but for coincidentally a 15 point fee, you can upgrade both of it’s Reaper autocannon to heavy 3 and rending. It also has a nifty rule where it can move D6+2″ in any direction before it moves (but maintaining the same facing), which can be used to move backward so that you can turn earlier and shoot something that you flew past. They’re lightly armored, but are strong competition with the Space Marine Storm Talon now. Definitely worth considering as a cheap source of anti-air, that can even put the hurt on most land-based vehicles.
Chaos Fire Raptor Gunship
The big daddy gunship, they were experimental before and are now finalized in all their glory. They compete for Heavy Support choices, but they bring a nasty punch with a twin-linked avenger bolt cannon, plus two Reaper autocannon batteries (heavy 4, twin-linked), and it’s useless Hellstrike missile can be upgraded to far more handy Balefire incendiary missiles (S5 large blasts that ignore cover).
Chaos Dreadclaw Drop Pod
This guy has been called all sorts of dirty names by the community at large, who seem to have wanted a carbon copy drop pod (boo-hiss). I really think that there is a lot to be explored with the Dreadclaw though. It doesn’t have internal guidance, but since it lands in hover mode, it can flat out 18″ after landing, meaning you can deep strike to a spot you find safe, then zoom over to where you wanted to be. Additionally, you’re not forced to disembark, so after you zoom to the spot you want to be in, you can relax in the relative safety of your AV12 HP3 bunker. If you get shot down, you’re not a zooming flyer, it’s no different than being in any other skimmer, so you’ll usually be unharmed. If you want to play it risky, you can deep strike closer to the enemy then deal a S6 hit to every enemy model within D3+3″, though personally, I probably wont do that. Like the Space Marine drop pod, it’s objective secured when taken for a Chaos Space Marine squad, but unlike the Drop Pod, it can move around capturing objectives, not just the one you dropped near. Finally, it’s an assault vehicle, so if you get shot down or not, you can still charge the following turn. Sure, it costs 3x as much as a Space Marine drop pod, but that’s because it’s actually capable of far more.
I like the utility that this book provides.. much needed for the chaos brethren. Hope we see more 🙂 nice article as always adam!
Biggest winner imo is the CSM Rapier with Cyclotrathe pattern Conversion Beamers (24-48″ S10 AP1 5″ pie plate artillery for the cost of an obliterator, in squads of up to 3)!
double shot blastmasters on sonic dreads and plague hulks as heavy support for CSM deserve an honorable mention.
If the renegade list is included: S8 (not 6!) AP3 ordinance barrage pinning large blast ignore cover bombards, decent 3ppm troops like 4+FnP zombies and spawn for 60% the cost of the CSM version.
Definitively a looser is the giant chaos spawn, which went from being a popular CSM elite option to heavy support, daemons only – though the stamps propably just got mixed up with the spined beast, so here’s hoping for a FAQ…
The conversion beamers are alright, though I think they’re a tad on the expensive side. The Sonic Dreads do seem interesting and I’ll be adding a couple to my army, but at nearly 200 points for an AV12 HP3 model, I’m a bit worried how fragile they are. The plague hulk is as good as ever, though now doesn’t require Plague Marines to take, same with the Blight Drones, so you’ll probably see more of them around.
I do feel bad for the giant chaos spawn, I’m hoping that they got the stamps reversed (since previously, they had the opposite FOC slots). At least they get the far worse Spined Beast in the meantime to use our conversions as? Bleh…
Dude I love the Rapier with butcher cannons. Adds crimson slaughter sorcerer with divination and watch out
Just laser destroyers, on the rapiers are awesome too. And not super pricey!
The more I think about it, the more i’m liking those conversion beamers… 9 of them for 675 points, dishing out 9 S10 AP1 large blasts… 12 wounds, T7 3+… something about that just feels good.
The downside to the zombies however is that your warlord needs to be an arch demagogue with the covenant of nurgle to unlock them. 🙁
Downside is that they are much less powerful at close range. Fast/Drop lists or Reece’s scout bullshit is going to chew that up 😛
3 is probably a good place to be, 9 just seems nuts to me!
Article is great. Need to get a base for my hellblade, and get it up and running. Rending plus an extra shot is just what it needs to compete.
The dreadclaw is my favourite change. Hopefully we get a GW plastic model! Seeing as FW have no model any more. Or a FW kit to convert the SM droppod as a base, into a dreadclaw.
Deep strike, plus the turbo into cover is going to be brilliant. And the price is pretty good too. As a skimmer it can claim objectives, too, right? So it’s obsec on a troop choice? For eldar light shenanigans?
My Scouts resent that statement! Lol
Sweet now I can finally make a nightlords army!!!!
Finally will be able to field my night lords sicaran outside of 30k! praise the dark gods!
When my book comes in, I think it’ll be all I will fap to for a week. I already play a heavily mechanized CSM list, and I am drooling at all the things I’ve heard. Nice to know those two hell blades will find some use.
Also, link to more army pics that fire raptor came from? It’s gorgeously converted and painted.