Possessed Core... Again

[MegaVolt87]

The thing with possessed, to me on paper, they seem to need too many external buffs/aura's to work with more fire and forget/stand alone units like zerks on the offence or plauge marines camping the home objective etc. They need some bolted on trade mark thing on the unit card to make them more mobile/killy independent of extra buffs. Plus the old sculpts are terrible compared to the greater possesed and Gal Vorbak. 

[Prot]

 

 

I think the mix is inherently dysfunctional in the current meta. For the majority of codexes.... shooting is still king. I think over committing, like I did, is a deal killer. 

 

 

Dealkiller is a strong word.

 

Given the current state of the meta, CSMs are in a tough spot.

 

We are a mid-range army with few weapons capable of firing more than 24 inches. A lot of our offense is tied up in melee units with poor armor saves. We have very few vehicles worth taking and our Dreads are expensive for what they do. Characteristically, our psychic powers buff a single unit and our auras are only good for 6 inches. Our chaff units are less points-efficient than those of other armies, so we can't get much going for us on the horde front.

 

It's true to say 8th edition has shifted more towards gunlines. The question is how do we deal with it. I used to play a Black Legion gunline, switched to Bloodletter Bombs, and I'm probably going psychic with TSons next.

 

 

 

I don't disagree. The aura/support thing is something marines do too, but it does feel over cooked for Chaos. Just too many buffs doing different things which are all trying to compensate for core unit issues. It's just a little much. It's hard to simplify because it gets weak, fast. 

 

My goal when making the list was to not use external sources... at all. So no Forgeworld even. 

 

TSons is my home, and they can work but you better start to like about 3 core units because that's how they typically work if you're in a competitive environment (specifically speaking). I just burned out on Goats and Ahriman.

 

Black Legion is still something I try to make work. With the new release of Marines though, I'm sure it's going to get a lot quieter in Possessed town. ;)

 

 

 

From your description, I can see why running up and smacking things seems like a bad idea. My own analysis is it's essential for armies moving forward. Like, it's essential because we don't have anything better right now.

 

 

If I go outside my own rule, then 'something better' usually includes Chaos Knights. It shores up some of our short comings. But it's still tough. The list I played won't work in my meta. Too much spam, hiding hardcore units. I knew it when I built it, but I tried believing the bikes could clear massive screens... they can't. I needed more clearing power to drive into the heart of the Orks. 

 

Orks are a super good army now with a lot of builds, and I hate to play tailor made lists, so I guess I have to re think my approach.

[McElMcNinja]

Chaos has lots of buffs they can give Possessed, it's trying to figure out which ones are more crucial to making them work. I was buffing them with + to hit, Str and + to wound, but the more I play them the Str doesn't offer as much if anything. As far as I can tell, +1 to wound is so much stronger then +1 Str. I try to hit them with prescience or have a DP nearby for re-rolls and then VothLW and or Blades. I am trying them again as DG so I can use Cloud of Flies and they have synergy with my Nurgle detachment.

I know they aren't the best unit, but if I can get them into combat, they do very well.

[MegaVolt87]

Chaos has lots of buffs they can give Possessed, it's trying to figure out which ones are more crucial to making them work. I was buffing them with + to hit, Str and + to wound, but the more I play them the Str doesn't offer as much if anything. As far as I can tell, +1 to wound is so much stronger then +1 Str. I try to hit them with prescience or have a DP nearby for re-rolls and then VothLW and or Blades. I am trying them again as DG so I can use Cloud of Flies and they have synergy with my Nurgle detachment.

I know they aren't the best unit, but if I can get them into combat, they do very well.

 

If something needs that many buffs to work it never really worked properly in the first place. You should not need a flow chart to get a unit to work at an acceptable level of performance. Hopefully psychic awakening gives us a possessed re-work. 

[Closet Skeleton]

If something needs that many buffs to work it never really worked properly in the first place.

 

Tell that to Ynnari Dark Reapers with Jink and Doom at the start of the edition.

 

The best buffs for Possessed are still the Slaanesh aura for advance and charge and delightful agonies. All the new stuff doesn't really help too much.

[40kChrista]

 

The best buffs for Possessed are still the Slaanesh Herald aura for advance and charge and CSM delightful agonies.

 

 

You could also use the Chaos Demon(CD) Delightful Agonies to keep the character count down, but it's not as good.

 

I would also add CD Hysterical Frenzy is great if it goes off*. Once you're just 1" away from the enemy, being able to fight in the Psychic Phase and then the Fight Phase is pretty juicy if you get Prescience* and have re-rolls of 1 nearby.  Especially with exploding attacks from Flawless Host.

 

 

*The only thing I count on to buff my Possessed are persistent auras.  Everything else is a nice bonus if it goes off.