Unit of the week CSM 10th edition Unit of the week: Chaos Lord

[Cpt.Danjou]

 

CSM 10th edition Chaos Lord

 

This is a topic about Chaos Lords in the 10th edition.

 

• Do you use them?
• How are you using them?
• Do you think they perform well?
• How do you equip them?
• Do you attach them to any specific unit?
• Is there a detachment that they are extra crucial?
• Any Enhancements that you like to use with them?

Edited July 10 by Dr_Ruminahui

[gaurdian31]

I love the chaos lord and try to have him in all of my lists. I think he performs pretty well for a beat stick. I have kept mine with the standard load out of hammer and plasma pistol and generally attach him to a chainsward squad of legionnaires, though I want to try him with a brick of chosen. I've only used him in the current codex in the Renegade Raiders detachment and he works well there. I like him with Despot's Claim for the CP gen, if not fielding a MoP Mark of the Hound is fun for the scout move at the start.

[legoman]

I also use with my 5 man legionnaire chainsword squad, and also with the hammer and plasma pistol. I use mark of Slaanesh (playing Pactbound Zealots) so more likely to get sustained hits, and then more likely to get some dev wounds with the hammer (which the legionnaires re-roll wound roll of 1 also helps with).

[spiros14]

I don't have any huge complaints about Chaos Lords. I main the terminator variant, but I did watch a power-armoured one with Thunder Hammer go through a unit of chosen like they weren't even there in a previous game.
One great combination I like to use with Veterans of the Long War is Eye of Abaddon on a Chaos Lord. You destroy your focus of hatred, trigger Eye *immediately* after it dies for +1CP, then *immediately* use the Chaos Lord's ability to reduce the cost of switching focus... to 1CP, which you've just conveniently gained with the eye of Abaddon.
 

[spiros14]

Another thing, before I forget: I army my terminator lord with a Chainfist and Combi-Weapon. It started off as a Black Crusade RPG thing to represent my character, but I stand by the loadout as good for competitive play. Anti-Vehicle is a godesend on a strength 8 weapon, and unless you're fighting a monster army like Tyranids or Daemons, you're going to be wounding most things on 3's, which is great when you have five attacks base with access to sustained hits through Dark Pacts. Between the lord and his attached chainfist terminator "helper" you are getting around five wounds total against any tank. That isn't going to solo anything but the lightest of vehicles, but it can reliably take down wounded vehicles, or if need be, pin a heavier vehicle in place in combat (and again, that's five wounds against any vehicle, so you should quickly get a good idea on what sort of chip damage you're getting) 
Combi-weapons are the weapon of choice for Terminators and Chosen for their real role in this edition: Anti-elite killing. The BS degrade is a little naff, but with a Toughness bonus to Terminators and Gravis armour (T6 on gravis!) being able to both wound them on 3's and deny their saves is what you want in life. Let your legionnaires deal with the chaff, Terminator Lords hunt the more dangerous game.

 

Chaos Terminators: For when the hated Imperium deploys full Gravis and expects an easy fight.

[Brother Nathan]

lords... so so. they hit well and decent stats to help a squad out. their boost brings them to a decent standard when you need it. and the CP stuff is great and all but then they dont do as much with their squad. is a free strat(or rather reduced) making up for the boosts to the squad itself that other options add? likely is. 

adding on the important i feel like the weapons dont get anywhere special as standard... enhancements liely end up as standard on him.

as an iron warrior in fell hammer bastion plate is near auto include but also iron artifice is very tempting on a hammer lord for those crits on 4s to devastating wounds against veichles...

[MadEdric]

I've pretty much used the Terminator variant exclusively. Armed with chainfist and combibolter. He led squads of 10, squads of 5, and has run solo as well. In the squads he's a great addition with the -1CP ability meaning greater flexibility. I've found the chainfist being a little off most times, but know it's not meant to be used against troops, but often the terminators are hacking through those guys. Did have one game where the Lord and chainfist champion carved 16 wounds off a Gorkanaught. 

The solo Lord is the same makeup, though I am itching to build a new one with either twin claws or accursed weapon with combiweapon. This guy is meant to drop in somewhere where he can cause the most disruption for the opponent. He's tough, was great in index times and should still be great with Pactbound. I'll be trying him as a solo  in a Renegade Raiders list with  Dread Reaver this Sunday.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

We should probably keep this discussion the "regular" chaos lord only, as the terminator lord has its own datasheet and will (presumably) have its own discussion at some later point.

 

Myself, I have a hard time fielding my lord - this may be in part because I simply prefer my painted models for other the other chaos character choices.  That said, there are other reasons as well:

 

1.  His discount on stratagems is situational and I always have a hard time remembering which ones are battle tactics and therefore it can be used on.  I think this is just me being lazy and not wanting to put the headspace into figuring out how to best use him, but it is a barrier.

 

2.  I tend to forget about his once-per-battle melee buff.  Again, something I just need to put some time into thinking about when to use it best.

 

3.  Chaos has a ton of competition for character "slots" and the lord is up against some of the better ones, such as the Master of Executions (who is about the same in melee [or a touch weaker], but has a squad buff that benefits melee units where the lord doesn't), or the sorcerer who has an excellent defensive buff.

 

4.  I really only have 1 squad that I like fielding to which to attach a lord at this point, though I'm working on adding another.

 

Now, one thing I do think is handy is using the Deciever's stratagem to give a MoE or a sorcerer the lord's abilities for a turn - allows you to benefit from their innate abilities for most of the game and then amp up their melee for one round when that might make a difference.

Edited July 11 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Metzombie]

13 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

1.  His discount on stratagems is situational and I always have a hard time remembering which ones are battle tactics and therefore it can be used on.  I think this is just me being lazy and not wanting to put the headspace into figuring out how to best use him, but it is a barrier.

Good news. You can now use it with all stratagems.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I've only played one game under this codex so far, but my Chaos Lord with Daemon Hammer, Cursed Fang, and in a squad of infiltrating Legionaries killed a Terminator Captain and Helbrecht in one game.  Rerolling wound rolls (from the Legionaries) is great when you're fishing for Devastating Wounds, and Cursed Fang lets you hit characters without spending CP on Epic Challenge.  It's just a fantastic way to snipe out characters from their bodyguards.

[Cpt.Danjou]

In my last game, vs Votanns, my poor lone Chaos lord was about to be tank shocked by that tine dwarf transport. It only had one wound left, and as I already had over watched earlier, I thought. Why not? I manage to hit, manage to wound, and he fails his save, tiny buggy gone. I also manged to win the match overall 47-45 with the Fellhammer Siege-host detachment. 

 

I do bring at least one in every match.

 

Cpt.Danjou

[Muskie]

I only seem to paint, because I try to field painted models only, so I will rock the hammer and plasma pistol lord, when I get him finished and likely use him for most of the edition, because I still hold out we will run a campaign. The rules for the model seems fine, what is more important is striding forward across the battlefield looking like a total badass.