Unit of the week Unit of the week: Chaos Lord

[Cpt.Danjou]

+++Unit of the week+++

 

Chaos Lord

This thread is only for tactics for Chaos Lord, not for pictures, there are other places for that.

How to best use Chaos Lord?

• Warlord trait?
• Spells?
• Relics?
• Legion?
• Marks?
• Which stratagems are worth throwing out?
• Any solid unit combos?

[Cpt.Danjou]

Many feel that the Chaos lord is not the best HQ choice for us. We have so many other HQ that are clearly better point-wise. There is a good discussion about him here Chaos lord discussion. How should GW improve him so he became a viable option for us. Myself do use him, but only in our Narrative crusade, In a proper game he is benched, because of MoP, Apos, LoD, and Dp are so much better.

 

Cpt Danjou

[Relic]

I think they are a very viable option - just as you say overshadowed by our other stellar HQ options. Taken In isolation, a CSM Lord is a good utility character who can also punch face with the addition of a Relic/Warlord trait. 

 

That said - the lack of a jump pack/bike hampers the delivery of a CSM lord to a fist fight, which is a niche he used to cover previously. Now the Lord is stuck in an awkward position between the D.Prince and other utility characters. 

[Slave to Darkness]

2 hours ago, Relic said:

 

 

That said - the lack of a jump pack/bike hampers the delivery of a CSM lord to a fist fight, 

To get around that I have gotten into the mindset that chaos lords are doing the 'let the lesser warriors do the fighting, Im to important to get my hands dirty' tactic. 

[Toldavf]

He brings the 2nd least to the table because he is too slow. 

 

[Verbal Underbelly]

A lot of ground has already been covered in the linked article. I always take a chaos lord; always have. Yes there are better options and I don't think anybody disputes that. However, in this codex they can be a force to be reckoned with. It's worth noting we do generally play on smaller tables now so the loss of jump pack isn't that horrible; I always manage to get my dude into a scuffle. 

 

In terms of battle tactics, it's great to use this unit as a bully, take on targets you can destroy easily. They tend to be glass cannons so avoid people like the Swarm Lords etc. but they can one shot dreadnoughts easily enough. 

 

I've had loads of fun with Chaos Lords with this codex. 

 

Crucially, they're one of the few models where you can model it to your desires. I HATE HATE HATE that the other HQ choices are equipment locked. Even down to chaos sorcerers apparently forgetting how to use plasma pistols. It's TOTAL HORSE POO.

[techsoldaten]

Chaos Lord almost requires a dedicated transport to be useful in 9th. Footslogging means you might get 1 or 2 turns of effectiveness, rushing him to the front line means you might get more.

 

This is important to consider when comparing CLs with other HQ options. Daemon Princes and Disco Lords may be more expensive, but when you add the cost of a Rhino, it evens out.

 

One CL + Rhino tactic is to advance the Rhino and try to get an opponent to surround it. As long as they can't completely wrap the Rhino, the CL can disembark and wreck face. 

 

 

 

 

[Verbal Underbelly]

Building on that you can load up a rhino with support characters and / or red shirts. You're taking them any way so bring them to the party at the frontlines. 

 

Maybe chaos lords aren't the front and centre of your force but the seasoning. 

[Iron Father Ferrum]

My solution is to use them in a way that doesn't require speed: as a gunline buff bot.  The codex as a whole is geared for close combat, yes, but some Legions have rules that benefit having a base of fire -- in my case, the Alpha Legion, whose Trait & some strats are geared for having a backfield presence.  A cheap Lord providing rerolls for Havocs, Legionaries, or Helbrutes with heavy weapons improves their lethality and doesn't "miss" not having a mobility boost.  It's an uninspiring use of a beatstick, perhaps, but that's what DPs and Discos are for I suppose.