Reveals galore! What are your plans?

[Volgon]

2026 is shaping up to be a great year for Chaos fans with all of the new kits! So far we know for sure we're getting:

1. Raptors/Warp Talons dual kit
2. Huron Blackheart and Command Squad
3. Reave-Captain
4. Raider Squad

 

After that, we know the Iron Warriors are getting a release:

1. Mutilators/Obliterators (all but confirmed based on teasers, though which it will be is not as clear)
2. Defiler (rumored, heavily hinted at from the teasers)
3. Iron Warriors upgrade sprue (hinted at from the teasers)
4. Some sort of Cataphractii Terminator model (not part of any rumors I've heard, so seemingly came out of nowhere)

 

So, which, if any, kits do you plan on picking up? I'm not sure myself. I think the Corsairs are fantastic; the Raider kit in particular is one of the coolest kits I've seen in a long time. Every sculpt has so much individual flavor which is something I'm always aiming for with my army. It really feels like a "pre-kitbashed" kit to me. However, as much as I like them, I'm not sure they fit particularly well with the design aesthetic I've been trying to cultivate with my homebrew recently. Maybe I'll grab a box at some point and see what I can do with them. One thing I had been considering is making a squad of "Wight King" themed Marines, so all with fur pelts, cloaks, chainmail, etc, and a number of models in the Corsairs release have some of those aspects. Originally I had been considering the new Wolf Guard Headtakers for the task but now I've got more options!

[Redsun]

Will definitely be picking up the raptors/warp Talons as I also play kill team

 

The red corsair models don't interest me, might kit bash something though to fit something to my army's aesthetic 

 

Might pick up the mutilators, defiler and warsmith depending on what they look like though

[LSM]

One of my projects last year was some kitbashed Raptors and Warp Talons made out of Nemesis Claw + Khorne Berzerkers + Raptors bits, so I won't be picking any of those up. (And even then... I'm not a huge fan of the new kit, from what I've seen. I was already of lower opinion on the old kit - hence the extensive kitbash - and these new ones are very much the same design language. Now, if they had been sculpted more towards the 2002 designs, I'd have bought two boxes easily, but...)

 

I love the Raiders, and will definitely be picking up a box; some will get turned into Chosen for my Iron Warriors, others will be built with whatever custom loadouts Raiders have (Hand-Flamer, etc.) so that I can run my current Legionaries as Raiders if I so desire. I'll likely hold off on that until I can get my hands on the Iron Warriors Upgrades, though, so that I can include those bits.

 

(I also have a Vindicator for my IWs that I put on pause in case the rumoured IW Upgrades had any vehicle bits on it. And I'm waiting on the new Cataphracti to be available to convert them into a unit of 40k IW Terminators... so that's in holding pattern too. Ugh, I hate having so many projects on pause like that, but with the way stock issues persist I've been feeling the need to grab stuff while I can and then sit on it.)

 

Of course, I'd also like to use the Raiders for my Emperor's Children, but I already have more Tormentors and Infractors then I'll likely ever field... so maybe I'll just restrict myself to turning a Reave Captain into a Lord Exultant/Flawless Blade.

 

A new Defiler will be a likely pickup, though it will be really tough to decide on where it goes. Traditionally, my Tanks/Linemen have been IW while my more Possessed/Melee stuff had been EC. So it feels like I really should do the defiler for my IWs... but the EC really need any new unit they can get, and access to a Defiler could be game changing for them. Decisions, decisions.

 

(A new IW character will be an automatic pickup.)

 

Edited January 19 by LSM

[sitnam]

I'll likely get the new Raptors kit to round out my old Raptors, but nothing else revealed really speaks to my army. I love everything, but my collection is Tzeentch Renegades. The baseline CSM kit serves me better then Raiders, and I got more then enough characters.

 

That said, if I can find the Enforcer and her hound of eBay, I definitely will. They might go to my Kroot army, but I just love that kit.

 

Now if the upcoming Iron Warriors stuff pans out, I could definitely see a new Darmon Engine in my future.

Edited January 19 by sitnam

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I'll probably pick up the raptors kill team, to use as warp talons and use the new sprue to convert some of my old metal raptors to the new squad loadouts.  Plus, I don't have the jump pack lord model, so it would be nice to have one of those.

 

The various red corsair models are cool and all, but at the moment I don't really see how I fit them into any of my current chaos armies, so they'll get the pass for now.

 

The new models I'm actually the most excited about are those AoS Tzeentch floaty obelisk things - the moment I saw those I thought "man, I bet those would look nice in my slanneshi colours".  Wouldn't really have a place as anything other than objective markers or decorative terrain, but I still think I'll pick them up just because I think they'll be fun to paint.

 

As for the rumoured next wave, I'm not one who normally gives much credence to rumours - my hobby projects are so far behind I have a hard enough time on planning for things that do come out, so I don't really have the energy to build hobby hopes and dreams around what might come out.  That said, unless the model is pants, I'll probably pick up a new defiler if/when there is one if it keeps the current rules (as I like the rules) and is about the same size as my scratch build (unless I hate the model) - for the other stuff, I'll have to see what I think of the models and their rules.

Edited January 19 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Tallarn Commander]

We sure are spoiled for choice as Chaos!

 

I might buy the Huron Blackheart and the Masters of the Maelstrom kit...

 

-Huron Blackheart

becomes Drago Deathmetal, Warpborn Chaos Marines Lord Discordant. He would be chopped in half and be stuck on top of the AoS model on Chaos Lizard, Abraxia

 

Captain Sargotta

becomes Renegade Commander Birna the Huntress in the Nostroman 9th Traitor Guard

 

-Garreon the Corpsemaster

would become Hazar the Child Skinner, House Nightfall Night Lords Apothecary (counts-as Fabius Bile)

 

-Garlon Souleater

would become Anarchist, a Plague Marine Champion in my Dooomfevers Nurgle CSM army (he would give his very nice staff to Sorceress Valkia in my Warpborn Chaos Marines)

 

-Katar Garrix

becomes Crutian of Midnight, House Nightfall Night Lords Chaos Lord with daemon hammer (he already looks very Night Lordsy)

 

-The Enforcer

becomes Mercygiver, House Nightfall Night Lords Chaos Raptor Champion, I'd chop off his bottom half and give him some sort of  green-stuff metal snake torso and tail

 

-The Barghesi

would become Kezef, Nostroman 9th Chaos Hound with las-, blade-, and demo-charge mechatendrils. He would go on a Rough-Rider-sized base and be a proof of concept for a counts-as Rough Rider Chaos Hounds Squad. I'd have to stick him on some terrain so he attains the 6 centimeter height of a Rough Rider

 

 

Although my pile of shame contains 55 unpainted Chaos Marine models and 38 unpainted Traitor Guard models. So maybe I should focus on that instead.  

 

 

[gaurdian31]

Will be getting all of the Red Corsairs, they are my CSM of choice. Will probably pick up some new raptors/warp talons, but I'm not in a hurry for those kits.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Its kind of funny, the very thing that makes many CSM players like the new corsair models - their subdued "chaos-ness" with reduced trim and gribbly bits - is what makes me shy away from them.  Don't get me wrong - I think its great that we are finally getting chaos marines with that look, its perfect for the corsairs and the new models look great.  Rather, personally I just prefer the high-trim (though I don't always enjoy painting it) more gribbly models of the existing CSM line.  Plus, the new EC models are also doing the low trim thing and my adding of cloaks kind of brings them in line with the cloth/fur elements of the new corsairs, making me reluctant to dilute that visual point of distinctiveness of my CSM by putting the new models into my existing Heretic Astartes force.

 

That all said, I'm really looking forward to seeing what all you guys do with the models.

Edited January 21 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Indy Techwisp]

I'm still holding out hopes that you can take Huron's Crew Piecemeal so I can add Captain Sargotta to my Chaos Cult 99% Mortals list.

[sitnam]

7 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

Its kind of funny, the very thing that makes many CSM players like the new corsair models - their subdued "chaos-ness" with reduced trim and gribbly bits - is what makes me shy away from them.  Don't get me wrong - I think its great that we are finally getting chaos marines with that look, its perfect for the corsairs and the new models look great.  Rather, personally I just prefer the high-trim (though I don't always enjoy painting it) more gribbly models of the existing CSM line.  Plus, the new EC models are also doing the low trim thing and my adding of cloaks kind of brings them in line with the cloth/fur elements of the new corsairs, making me reluctant to dilute that visual point of distinctiveness by putting the new models into my existing Heretic Astartes force.

 

That all said, I'm really looking forward to seeing what all you guys do with the models.

 

I have the same feeling. Love the new Raiders, but they didn't quite fit my homebrew army of very Chaos guys. But for renegade enjoyers, Alpha Legion fans, or even certain loyalists they are a great kit.

 

One of the best comments I saw was that they'd be great for Marines Malevolent, and that really got my gears turning since I do enjoy MM.

[Volgon]

I think there's a good chance the Raiders kit goes down as one of the best kits of all time. That initial flurry of posts upon the reveals was pretty telling. The flexibility it offers seems incredible: 30k? Mid Heresy traitors, check. Blackshields, check. Shattered Legions, check with an asterisk (some people may not like the trim), Ashen Claws. 40k? Where do we even start; Red Corsairs of course, Space Wolves 13th Company, generic renegades or warbands not roided up on Chaos (First Claw, anyone?), Badab War, Firstborn in general. I wasn't around for the introduction of Primaris, but this kit is what I think people have been asking for for a while now; better proportioned Firstborn with updated old armor marks (albeit mixed). Really excited to see what people do with the kit.

 

@sitnam I'm with you, I love the Marines Malevolent color scheme and this kit would be absolutely perfect for them!

Edited January 21 by Volgon

[Xenith]

I'm loving the new warsmith, and that apothecary is gorgeous - Fabius stand in for sure!

[Casual Heresy]

The Red Corsair reveals means I'm throwing my lot in with the Tyrant. I was considering Iron Warriors but I see more fun modelling opportunities with the Corsairs and I love the new kits and their upgrade sprue. 

 

I already have some CSM kits in the pile of potential so can add a a couple of havoc squads, a couple of Deimos Predators from a failed loyalist project and another 5 Terminators to the battleforce and Huron, which feels like a solid core of a collection with the units I'm immediately drawn to.

 

My current dilemma though is do I go matte red with metallic black trim or full metallic red and black?

[HeadlessCross]

22 minutes ago, Casual Heresy said:

The Red Corsair reveals means I'm throwing my lot in with the Tyrant. I was considering Iron Warriors but I see more fun modelling opportunities with the Corsairs and I love the new kits and their upgrade sprue. 

 

I already have some CSM kits in the pile of potential so can add a a couple of havoc squads, a couple of Deimos Predators from a failed loyalist project and another 5 Terminators to the battleforce and Huron, which feels like a solid core of a collection with the units I'm immediately drawn to.

 

My current dilemma though is do I go matte red with metallic black trim or full metallic red and black?

Just remember paint jobs don't matter and just make everything close enough to proper wargear representation. It's why I freely go between this place and the Loyalist Scum subforum.

[Volgon]

@Casual Heresy So my homebrew warband uses a similar color style as Corsairs; I do blue armor instead of red, but keep black as my secondary color for things like trim and certain armor panels. I definitely prefer my armor matte; I just like the style, and to me it makes in universe sense. Corsairs are always depicted as matte rather than metallic armor, so I think if you want to stick with the general aesthetic, that's the way to go.

 

Trim (and other black armor) is something I have hemmed and hawed over for a while now. I would say my favorite style is a hybrid: matte black, with weathering (browns for rust) and dark metallic chipping/edge highlights. I really want things to read as black, which is a difficult style to research as most people like to paint black as dark blue, high contrast grey, or NMM, none of which I care for much. I've experimented a few times with doing "warm black" which I think is pretty decent, progressing through off blacks (neutral or warm ones like AK's Smoke Black or Rubber Black), up to warm brown/green greys like Skavenblight Dinge. To me it reads fairly well as a very matte black or a softly lit black, letting you maintain a color progression and volumes without going too bright so that it starts to read as something other than black.

 

Bit of a ramble, sorry  To me, Corsairs trim also reads as matte black rather than metallic, though because of the nature of trim (being the pieces you generally edge highlight on CSM rather than armor panels), it can often look metallic with the specular/point highlights being colored/painted quite bright. Either way, I think you would want to pick one style and stick to it, so that both the trim and armor panels share the same finish.

[Arikel]

If I can swing it I would like to add some reavers and the masters of the maelstrom to my chaos collection (of unpainted unbuilt plastic). The lady captain would make a wonderful base for all kinds of models to represent officers, rogue traders, cult leaders etc from either side of the imperium, and the raiders are fantastic brutal looking dudes without being all chaosified.

 

Oh interesting thought for the reaver captain and modelling choices, he is one of the few characters that can equip two pistols. It says he can equip a plasma pistol, not that it replaces the bolt pistol, so as currently worded he can have both too use. No pirate lord worth his salt would be seen without a brace of pistols right?

 

 

[MDops]

With the faction packs updated, has anyone had a go at list building?

[Tallarn Commander]

Both the Renegade Warband and Huron's Marauders look fun. Here is a Night Lords Renegade Warband list I put together...

 

It's more of a fun casual list which has 4 new tricks:

-the buffs and choppiness of Huron and his retinue

-A Master of Possession who grants +2 to advance and charge to his unit of Possessed

-A Warpsmith who grants ignore cover to her Havoc Squad

-2 units of Reavers who get infiltrate. Huzzah!

 

 

House Nightfall, Renegade Warband

 

CHARACTERS

-Huron (120)--his buffs and AP3 and damage 3 look spicy!

-Masters of the Maelstrom (115), this retinue of 5 looks nifty. They would hang out in a Rhino with Huron and provide buffs and choppiness.

-Master of Possession Ruven Godslayer (75), I would give him the Empyric Symbiote Upgrade (+1 to advance and charge). I'd attach him to 2nd Claw, a squad of 10 Possessed. So now that squad of Possessed gets +2 to advance and charge since the Master of Possession already gives a unit +1 to advance and charge.

-Esmerelda Hoth, Warpsmith (85), I'd give her the Eyes of the Hunter Enchancement and attach her to a squad of Havocs. Now the squad ignores cover. Not the most effective, but it is fun.

 

 

BATTLE LINE

-7th Squad, 10 Cultists (50), the Cultists would sticky my backfield objective

-2nd Squad, 10 Cultists (50), secondary action monkeys

-Hatred's Harbingers, 5 Legionaries (90), they would hang out in a Rhino with Huron and the Masters of the Maelstron, giving them their re-rolls to wound buff

 

TRANSPORTS

-Dragonne, Chaos Rhino (75), Huron, Legionaries, and retinue go inside

-Murcielago de Muerte (75), Chaos Rhino. Chosen go inside

 

OTHER DATASHEETS

-Bats Out of Hell, 3 Chaos Bikers (70), a thematic unit that is a good action monkey.

-First Claw, 10 Chosen (250), my best assault unit

-Second Claw, 10 Possessed (240), they are a fairly durable melee unit that will benefit from Ruven's buffs

-Blood Howl, 10 Possessed (240), another fairly durable assault unit 

-Third Claw, 5 Reavers (110), we finally get a CSM infiltrator unit again

-Fourth Claw, 5 Reavers (110), yay for infiltration!

-Venomcrawler (110), runs around the board shooting and doing actions

-Night Snipers, 5 Havocs, 4 lascannons (125), outflanks with Esmerelda and shoots stuff

 

Total=1,990 points, 68 infantry and 3 vehicles

 

 

I'd outflank the Havocs and Warpsmith. I'd infiltrate both Reaver Squads and then move up 2 Rhinos full of choppy Chosen, Huron's Retinue, and Huron up a flank. Up another flank I'd run up 20 Possessed and a Master of Possession. Cultists and Bikers and Venomcrawler would do Cultists and Biker and Venomcrawler things. A competitive opponent would easily shoot this army to bitz, but against casual or melee enemy armies the tables would be more even.

 

 

For my Reavers, Third and Fourth Claws, I'd rebase my old prone Chaos Marines

These troopers used to infiltrate back in 3.5 Edition when Night Lords could pay extra points to gain infiltration on their CSM. Now they can infiltrate again!

 

 

 

What are you all thinking of running in the new detachments?

 

 

House Nightfall, "Curze died for our sins"

[HeadlessCross]

10 hours ago, Tallarn Commander said:

Both the Renegade Warband and Huron's Marauders look fun. Here is a Night Lords Renegade Warband list I put together...

 

It's more of a fun casual list which has 4 new tricks:

-the buffs and choppiness of Huron and his retinue

-A Master of Possession who grants +2 to advance and charge to his unit of Possessed

-A Warpsmith who grants ignore cover to her Havoc Squad

-2 units of Reavers who get infiltrate. Huzzah!

 

 

House Nightfall, Renegade Warband

 

CHARACTERS

-Huron (120)--his buffs and AP3 and damage 3 look spicy!

-Masters of the Maelstrom (115), this retinue of 5 looks nifty. They would hang out in a Rhino with Huron and provide buffs and choppiness.

-Master of Possession Ruven Godslayer (75), I would give him the Empyric Symbiote Upgrade (+1 to advance and charge). I'd attach him to 2nd Claw, a squad of 10 Possessed. So now that squad of Possessed gets +2 to advance and charge since the Master of Possession already gives a unit +1 to advance and charge.

-Esmerelda Hoth, Warpsmith (85), I'd give her the Eyes of the Hunter Enchancement and attach her to a squad of Havocs. Now the squad ignores cover. Not the most effective, but it is fun.

 

 

BATTLE LINE

-7th Squad, 10 Cultists (50), the Cultists would sticky my backfield objective

-2nd Squad, 10 Cultists (50), secondary action monkeys

-Hatred's Harbingers, 5 Legionaries (90), they would hang out in a Rhino with Huron and the Masters of the Maelstron, giving them their re-rolls to wound buff

 

TRANSPORTS

-Dragonne, Chaos Rhino (75), Huron, Legionaries, and retinue go inside

-Murcielago de Muerte (75), Chaos Rhino. Chosen go inside

 

OTHER DATASHEETS

-Bats Out of Hell, 3 Chaos Bikers (70), a thematic unit that is a good action monkey.

-First Claw, 10 Chosen (250), my best assault unit

-Second Claw, 10 Possessed (240), they are a fairly durable melee unit that will benefit from Ruven's buffs

-Blood Howl, 10 Possessed (240), another fairly durable assault unit 

-Third Claw, 5 Reavers (110), we finally get a CSM infiltrator unit again

-Fourth Claw, 5 Reavers (110), yay for infiltration!

-Venomcrawler (110), runs around the board shooting and doing actions

-Night Snipers, 5 Havocs, 4 lascannons (125), outflanks with Esmerelda and shoots stuff

 

Total=1,990 points, 68 infantry and 3 vehicles

 

 

I'd outflank the Havocs and Warpsmith. I'd infiltrate both Reaver Squads and then move up 2 Rhinos full of choppy Chosen, Huron's Retinue, and Huron up a flank. Up another flank I'd run up 20 Possessed and a Master of Possession. Cultists and Bikers and Venomcrawler would do Cultists and Biker and Venomcrawler things. A competitive opponent would easily shoot this army to bitz, but against casual or melee enemy armies the tables would be more even.

 

 

For my Reavers, Third and Fourth Claws, I'd rebase my old prone Chaos Marines

These troopers used to infiltrate back in 3.5 Edition when Night Lords could pay extra points to gain infiltration on their CSM. Now they can infiltrate again!

 

 

 

What are you all thinking of running in the new detachments?

 

 

House Nightfall, "Curze died for our sins"

I understand your idea with Possessed, but unfortunately they gain little nothing going into Warband since you don't get their main rule. 

 

I'm in the process of creating a list. I originally put Huron with Terminators, but not getting their rule with an enhancement caddy either makes them less enticing. 

 

It's actually hard to say how good Warband will be. I think, if you build around it, it'll be in the top 3 Detachments for CSM. However, as we typically build the army, it's less damage overall. Yeah we would hit a Knight or Primarch a lot harder, but for armies that like multitudes of units it's a lot less than just getting the regular ol' Sustained or Lethal. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I think Possessed are better for Warband than you are giving them credit for - sure, they don't benefit from Assault, but they do get advance or charge if it passes a battleshock test.  Not the best, but not the worst either.

 

Not sure if I'm sold on the detachment - its kind of like Renegade Raiders and Veterans of the Long War had a child and... it seems at best a kind of side grade of both.

[HeadlessCross]

9 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

I think Possessed are better for Warband than you are giving them credit for - sure, they don't benefit from Assault, but they do get advance or charge if it passes a battleshock test.  Not the best, but not the worst either.

 

Not sure if I'm sold on the detachment - its kind of like Renegade Raiders and Veterans of the Long War had a child and... it seems at best a kind of side grade of both.

So they actually don't have to pass the first time. The way I read it, you take the test and get the rule regardless. It'll just affect what happens afterwards. 

 

I don't think it's a sidegrade but, like I stated, it has to be built around in the same way Loyalists have to build around their army rule. 

[HeadlessCross]

I tested a game for Warband, and I don't think it's as strong as I initially thought. It definitely feels like a sidegrade you build into. I'll post that list a bit later but it was focused on Vindicators and Obliterators at the same time. 

 

I'm planning to test Mauraders now in the next couple of weeks (unfortunately I have to prepare for a court statement for work). I'm looking along the lines of:

 

Huron

Bile

MoE w/ Voice of the Tyrant

2×5 Legionaires w/ two Heavy Melee Weapons + two Chainswords + Lascannon

×5 Rubrics

×10 Chosen

×10 Terminators

2×6 Noise Marines

2×2 Obliterators

×2 Rhinos

 

Normally I'd run Vindicators instead of Obliterators, but I want to see how much I enjoy the +1 to hit on them.