FW Chaos Book: Any Standouts?

[Khornestar]

It's been a bit since 8th and the subsequent FW book of chaos units. How has everything been going? Do any units stand out as good or terrible? Any good combos? Unexpected gems?

 

I think I'm beyond buying anything new at this point, but I've got lots left to build and try out. Leviathan is my current project, but I'm gonna get around to Blood Slaughterers, a contemptor, scorpion, and so on.

 

Thoughts? Experiences?

[OPTIMVSCHRISTVS]

I ran a Hellforged Predator with the flamestorm cannon and heavy flamer sponsons in my last game- it didn't quite make its points back, but it did manage to tie up a squad of Deathwing Terminators in melee for a good 2 turns after melting one of them, and subsequently blew up and killed 2 more from containment breach. Overall I was happy enough with it that I'll be running 2 of them this weekend.

[Khornestar]

Yeah, the range seems like a tricky thing for that tank. Very easy to tie up.

[OPTIMVSCHRISTVS]

The range actually doesn't bother me so much- I treat it as a suicide unit, run him right next to my Berzerker Rhinos (12" move really helps in this case) and drive him straight into the enemy- if you're lucky, he could sit there all game tying up something important as he eats models and heals himself (and let's face it- vehicles are generally pretty tough to kill in melee this edition). The trick is to find an appropriate target- in my case, I just wanted those Terminators distracted for a bit while my Berzerkers overran my opponent's deployment zone and he did that job perfectly.

 

As a bonus, just be being there you force the enemy to make some tough decisions on their initial shooting phase (especially if everything pops smoke) because 4D6 heavy flamer hits (doing 2dmg on the flamestorm cannon) is really something you'd generally not want to get hit with. I think it synergizes quite well in an assault army.

[Marqol]

Leviathan is so much fun to use. First game I used it, it marched up a board edge, half destroyed a chrimera with the butcher cannon array and then cut through a number of squads before getting to the deployment zone. Second game it destroyed an intercessor squad first turn, second munched up a terminator squad that deep striked then helped finish off a dreadknight in the third before dying. It's tough to kill and can output damage in shooting and melee. 

I'm looking at getting some rapiers and the whirlwind to try next. Heard good things about the rapier though not heard about the whirlwind yet.

[Dallas Drake]

Loads of the book is strong/fun.

 

Rapier batteries are dirt cheap & very good.

 

Decimators, for their points cost are great. I tried 2 with C beams & they cut tanks to pieces, Soulburners are more expensive now but still very good weapons. Mark them Tzeentch and stick the Changeling next to them.

 

Hellforged Contemptor is good with chainclaws & soulburners; for me it's overshadowed by the Leviathan with Grav-flux or Butcher cannon array, both are amazing dakka.

 

Hellforged Scorpius is okay, a touch over-priced for me but 6D3 S6 -2AP D2 shots that don't need LOS is good if you want a gunline, stick a Lord next to them for re-rolls.

 

Fire Raptor is very good, kicks out an insane ammount of firepower.

 

Giant Chaos Spawn is a very cost effective bullet magnet/distraction carnifex.

[OPTIMVSCHRISTVS]

Anyone run dual Kheres Contemptor? I'm picking up an extra plastic Contemptor sprue this weekend and will have all the bits to build one.

[Dallas Drake]

Anyone run dual Kheres Contemptor? I'm picking up an extra plastic Contemptor sprue this weekend and will have all the bits to build one.

 

Sadly not, I've always gone for the butcher cannon for the extra range, S & D. But then, the Kheres is 20 points cheaper than the butcher. 166 points for 12 S7 AP-1 D1 shots isn't bad at all.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Dallas Drake

[Khornestar]

Leviathan is so much fun to use. First game I used it, it marched up a board edge, half destroyed a chrimera with the butcher cannon array and then cut through a number of squads before getting to the deployment zone. Second game it destroyed an intercessor squad first turn, second munched up a terminator squad that deep striked then helped finish off a dreadknight in the third before dying. It's tough to kill and can output damage in shooting and melee. 

 

I'm looking at getting some rapiers and the whirlwind to try next. Heard good things about the rapier though not heard about the whirlwind yet.

 

Butcher cannon seems like the gun to choose, given the range and debuffs. Though, against vehicles, that grav sounds like the business.

[dakkamasta]

I've used the quad-heavy bolter rapiers to good effect. They put out loads of dakka for the points and are quite resilient with T5 W4 and 3+ save. Been meaning to try the laser destroyers, they're expensive but their damage potential is downright insane.

 

A good and bad thing about them is now is that the crew and the weapon platforms count as separate units once the game starts. This can be bad for kill points, but the plus side is that if the enemy destroys the guns, you now have a small marine unit for objective camping.

[Brother Aiwass]

Don't forget the Hellforged Deredeo with butcher array and the greatly overlooked flying laspredator aka Xiphon Interceptor, with 4 lascannons and a mortal wound dealing missile launcher.

[Azekai]

Anyone run dual Kheres Contemptor? I'm picking up an extra plastic Contemptor sprue this weekend and will have all the bits to build one.

I ran two of these beasts... proxied 'em using old Space Crusade dreads :P

 

They are wickedly effective for their cost. Not great at anti-armor of course, but the sheer volume of fire is hard to beat. I have since picked up a pair of Betrayal at Calth Contemptors. They feel really good sitting next to a daemon prince who can get them to reroll the inevitable 1's.   

[sargoso]

so far i used the hellforged heavy typhoon and had great fun with it (killed a landraider and mephisto) and the hellwright which i didnt mange to use him alot, my next game gonna use scorpius and dorito dreadnought

[OPTIMVSCHRISTVS]

My extra Contemptor arrived almost a week early- going to convert him and my existing claw/gun one into dual soulburners tonight and run them both tomorrow.

[Plaguecaster]

Doritos Dreads are amazing for the amount of firepower they can dish out especially since you can target stuff you can't see with the missile launcher, been using one of my Horus Heresy ones as a proxy until I can finish converting a Nurgle one up as I got one mostly done just ran out of hellbrute spines :(

 

Contemptors are just as good runiing two with butcher cannon and chain claw and they chew through marine units like crazy though I'm awfully sad we can't give them twin las hopefully FW change it

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

Been seeing some batreps where the Sicaran does great.

 

Have the following that I'll be trying out soon:

 

2 Hell Blades

Storm Eagle

Typhon

Sicaran

Rapiers (some actual old Laser Destroyers from the RT days and some other Rapiers converted from Kataphrons)

Old Mk I Land Raider from the RT days that I run as a Proteus (it's basically the same tank).

3 Dreadclaws (converted from Drop Pods)

Decimator built from Defiler parts

2 Hellwrights

4 different Contemptor builds (Multi-Melta/Chainclaw/Combi-Bolter, Butcher/Deathclaw/Combi-Bolter, 2 Multi-Melta + Havoc, Deathclaw/Hellflamer/Ectoplasma)

 

I'll comment on how they fare.

 

Not strictly CSM, but I'm also investigating using Renegade Cultists backed by Enforcers instead of CSM Cultists in certain armies that don't need to share buffs. Huge Cultist units that don't run seem to be quite nice for the points (and cheaper Renegade Flamers.....7pts instead of 9).

 

Also built some Defiler and Basilisk bits into counts-as Basilisks and I'm investigating Renegade Griffons.

Edited July 28, 2017 by GreaterChickenofTzeentch

[Kaspar]

I think a Hellforged Contemptor may replace ONLY ONE deathclaw with a Kheres!?!

[Sonoftherubric21]

I think a Hellforged Contemptor may replace ONLY ONE deathclaw with a Kheres!?!

 

Negative; FAQ'ed as it was meant to be both. 

 

The duel-kheres contemptors are great if you need volume of decent shots. 12 shots, -1 ap, d1 is nice for what you are getting at a reasonable price point. i use one frequently in my thousand sons to help with volume against....horde armies >_>; 

 

I have used a Sicaran, they are fantastic if expensive. Great threat to basically any target, obviously great at Anti-Air with the turret.  Mine is Las-sponsons to help with AT. 

 

The Scorpius whirlwind is kind of ridiculous to be honest, It should probably be more expensive. Its number of shots doubling every turn it doesn't move hitting on 3's before buff and ignoring LOS. Its almost to good for what it outputs, but given that I have no other options for any legit artillery...ill take it.

[THUNDERFISTS]

I think a Hellforged Contemptor may replace ONLY ONE deathclaw with a Kheres!?!

I believe that was FAQ'd so they can have double dakka

 

*Edit: ninja'd 

Edited August 3, 2017 by THUNDERFISTS

[Galron]

Scorpius is awesome and worth every point vs armor and infantry. Sicarian seems pretty good. I tore up a LR pretty badly before a shadowblade put its tread around the corner of a building give it LOS(cough cough BS! cough). A Sicarian cannot take that kind of firepower even as cool as it is.

[Iron Sage]

Anyone run dual Kheres Contemptor? I'm picking up an extra plastic Contemptor sprue this weekend and will have all the bits to build one.

Are you sure that is allowed? I have been looking at the Forgeworld book, and it says you may exchange 1 weapon with kheres etc.

[Khornestar]

 

Anyone run dual Kheres Contemptor? I'm picking up an extra plastic Contemptor sprue this weekend and will have all the bits to build one.

 

Are you sure that is allowed? I have been looking at the Forgeworld book, and it says you may exchange 1 weapon with kheres etc.

 

I think a Hellforged Contemptor may replace ONLY ONE deathclaw with a Kheres!?!

 

I believe that was FAQ'd so they can have double dakka.

2 posts above yours.

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2017/07/15/new-and-updated-forge-world-faqs-july16gw-homepage-post-2/

Edited August 3, 2017 by Juggernut

[Galron]

Typhon isn't worth its points IMO. Yeah it has a big gun but you can find better big guns for quite a bit cheaper. What it hits will likely go boom but as been said numerous times in my readings, the age of the giant horde destroying pie plate is over. Its 500+ points for a 2d6 shot gun. Ill take one of the other superheavies instead.

 

Cerberus looks like it could be mean, especially when you toss in the command point reroll. Whats the leadership on most vehicles 7 or 8?  beating that on 3d6 shouldn't be hard and it will be 4d6 drop the lowest after that first shooting phase. Doing up to 10 damage per hit is nasty. Its also cheaper than a Typhon and you can add lascannons for added AT work. It is a dedicated long range AT vehicle.

 

We still don't have a Glaive in 40k. Where the hell did they all go? I have one painted up nicely in IW colors since I think its the coolest looking marine superheavy. Oh well maybe one day I might get to use it for something.

[Sception]

Rapiers are fantastic for the points, the quad bolter ones are especially nice for thinning out huge units of conscripts or gaunts

 

I haven't played with them, but I've played against Doritos and Contemptors, and been very impressed by both.

 

 

From the FW imperial guard index, there's also a number of nice options for chaos out of the Renegades & Heretics, stand outs being:

 

- Malefic Lords (dirt cheap smite spam HQs)

 

- Marauders (not great exactly, but they're cheap, and our only source of sniper rifles; though it takes like 10 elite slots worth of them to drop even a single commissar a turn, so.... *shrug*)

 

- Enforcers with Cultists or Mutants - screens that don't run.  poxwalkers or brimstones are probably better screens, but if you're looking to fill troop slots for an R&H detachment, or just don't want to sully your army with aligned units, these are fine.

 

- Quad Heavy Launchers - moderately less killy quad heavy bolter rapiers, only with longer range and ignore LOS blocking terrain

 

- Earthshaker Batteries - dirt cheap immobile basilisks, as if basilisks ever needed to move in the first place

 

- Scout Sentinels (also requires GW's imperial guard index) - a great way to block potential enemy deep strike zones before the first turn starts

[Paradigm]

They've said a couple times Volkite weapons are supposed to be strictly 30k. Though the regular design studio has given a few out here and there despite this, I don't think FW is going to be going back on it themselves.

 

The Renegade Marauders are a good source of snipers. They're super cheap for a full detachment, and can help remove those pesky buffing characters. A commander or malefic lord is cheap enough to make it very viable. I feel like this edition you really need a good way to handle characters, and marauders despite their huge melee nerf seem to be well suited to shooting it out.

 

Ah ninja'd.

 

I agree they won't do a ton, but I feel like for their points they are still a worthy inclusion. If for no better reason than creating bubbles where people won't want to put their characters.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Fortnight