CSM Brigades? Pro's and Cons

[Relic]

The Brigade I think to be fair is the lesser taken road when it comes to Chaos Space Marines (CSM). I have considered it recently as the brigade detachment gets you a lot of CP which CSM need to make units sing. However, you need some large and expensive squads like possessed, bikers, obliterators and so forth to really make use of the CP. CSM also need support pieces like lords, sorcerers and dark apostles which tend to be HQ options. Finding the balance between CP, support pieces and your bully units is a tricky aspect of making a decent CS/Chaos list. 

 

Finally, Chaos armies tend to soup and use all three detachments as it is a super faction with a lot of cross synergy. Enough that sometimes you end up going down a rabbit hole! On the other hand I think mono CSM, and even more so - mono legion is likely playing on hard mode. 

 

So why am I considering a brigade? Well I think CSM have nice options in each slot and you can get away with 3 HQ slots in a brigade, meaning more points to spend on your frontline units. I like more toys and models to play with rather then hero hammer. 

 

So i'd like to get a discussion going on whether people have played around with CSM brigades in 8th edition and what units you are/were taking to fill out slots?

 

 

 

 

[Tallarn Commander]

I have yet to try out a CSM brigade. But the 2019 Chapter Approved points drops sure makes it tempting to try. Especially now that my Night Lords and World Eaters got all sort of nifty yet CP-intensive Stratagems in Faith & Fury.

 

One possible "bare bones" brigade configuration: 6 squads of 5 Chaos Marines, 3 Spawn, and 3 Greater Possessed would run you just shy of 600 points and it would fill up you Troops, Fast Attack, and Elites slots nicely. In a 2,000 point game that leaves you with a little over 1,400 points for heavies, HQs, and whatever else you want. If you take Cultists then you have even more points to play with.

[techsoldaten]

Let us know how your brigade does.

 

I've found it's hard to be points-efficient filling elites, fast attack and heavy support slots. Always end up burning a hundred points or so on sub-optimal units that don't add anything to the game.

 

I'd rather run 2 Battalions that are hyper-efficient than a single Brigade that's a little bloated.

[MegaVolt87]

I have yet to try out a CSM brigade. But the 2019 Chapter Approved points drops sure makes it tempting to try. Especially now that my Night Lords and World Eaters got all sort of nifty yet CP-intensive Stratagems in Faith & Fury.

One possible "bare bones" brigade configuration: 6 squads of 5 Chaos Marines, 3 Spawn, and 3 Greater Possessed would run you just shy of 600 points and it would fill up you Troops, Fast Attack, and Elites slots nicely. In a 2,000 point game that leaves you with a little over 1,400 points for heavies, HQs, and whatever else you want. If you take Cultists then you have even more points to play with.

I would take cultists as troops, for narrative reasons in such a brigade in that setup. The HQ's hiding behind the wall of throwaway troops/ they are in the second line with the rest of the CSM etc.

[Relic]

Let us know how your brigade does.

 

I've found it's hard to be points-efficient filling elites, fast attack and heavy support slots. Always end up burning a hundred points or so on sub-optimal units that don't add anything to the game.

 

I'd rather run 2 Battalions that are hyper-efficient than a single Brigade that's a little bloated.

 

I think your legion is probably going to dictate units for those slots. As an Iron Warriors player the heavy support slots are easy enough to fill with havocs and oblits. World eaters probably can't do as good a brigade as the neutral god legions.  

 

Fast attack - bikes and warp talons are standouts as min or big units. Elites - Cult troops of your choice or greater possessed. I'm considering 3x5 squads of berzerkers . Means you need two rhinos but you can fill the last five seats in a rhino with a havoc squad (chaincannon variety most likely). 

 

I think we have good choices in each slot but forgoing the super faction buffs in probably the largest downside. I think everyone appreciates that souping in some thousand sons or other legions brings some cross faction synergy whilst not giving up doctrines cause CSM don't get them unlike our loyalist brethren.