A Thousand Points of Light: Chaos Space Marines (Part 1) by Patrick Eibel
I've come up with lots of lists for Chaos Space Marines using the new codex, so let's get right to them. In this article, I'll present lists for the World Eaters (who slay in the name of Khorne), the Death Guard (followers of Nurgle), the Thousand Sons (slaves to Tzeentch), and the Emperor's Children (who serve Slaanesh). In follow-up articles, I'll present lists for other Chaos Space Marines. 

Remember, these lists--like all the others in this series--are meant for brand new players or for players looking to start a new army. These lists are not meant to be "killer" lists for winning tournaments or trouncing people at the local gaming shop. Rather, they are foundations that players can build upon as they desire.

World Eaters--What To Buy

Juggernaut	$20.00	£10
2 Khorne Berzerkers boxes	$60.00	£30
3 Chaos Rhinos	$75.00	£36
1 Champion of Khorne	$7.00	£4
Defiler	$45.00	£25
Total	$207.00	£105

All prices are from the Games Workshop website and may vary. Prices do not include taxes and are meant only as a guide.

Note: Games Workshop will release the Defiler model in June, 2003. If you don't want to wait until then, you can convert a Defiler yourself using the following parts:

• Chaos Dreadnought ($35.00/£25)
• Vindicator Demolisher bit ($3.00/£2)

Glue the Vindicator Demolisher cannon bit in the center where the head used to be. You may want to use some “green stuff” to hide the join, depending on how smooth you were able to get the sarcophagus plate. Let the model dry and paint as normal. If you want to add even more character to your “Living Defiler,” you could get a Bloodthirster head and horns (about $10) and stick them at the top of the Dreadnought to act as the new head of the vehicle.

You may want to create a unique figure to be your Chaos Lord. Instead of using the rider that comes with the Juggernaut, use parts from the spare Khorne Berzerker to create a rider with a really huge weapon (there will be one spare Berzerker figure because of the separate Champion figure).

World Eaters--1000 point list

World Eaters Tactics
This is a typical “Rhino-rush” army with the added bonus of having a bunch of bloodfrenzied Berzerkers in the transports. The Defiler will provide fire support, concentrating on vehicles. The Lord is your close-combat beast and you will want to get him there as soon as you can. Be forewarned that since he can’t join a unit, he will be Target Number One. Use the three Rhinos to screen him from the line of sight of the enemy for as long as you can.
 

Death Guard--What To Buy

6 Plague Marine squad boxes (U.S.) or 14 Plague Marine blisters (U.K.)	$75.00	£70
4 Plague Marines with plasma guns	$28.00	£12
2 Champions with plague swords	$14.00	£8
Champion with plasma pistol	$7.00	£4
Great Unclean One	$45.00	£25
7 Nurgling bases (or 4 blisters of two)	$40.00	£21
Total	$209.00	£140

All prices are from the Games Workshop website and may vary. Prices do not include taxes and are meant only as a guide.

Note: The plastic Plague Marines are still available in the U.S., but were not listed on the U.K. website. You will need to add a sword to the left hand of the champion with the plasma pistol. Nurglings are available in blisters of two bases in the U.S., which means you will end up with an extra one, or you can order them individually, as you do in the U.K. 

Death Guard--1000 point list

Death Guard Tactics
I call this army “Creeping Doom” as it is slow, ponderous, and will unleash much carnage when it gets to its destination. The Plague Marine squads are large to absorb enemy fire and the extra point of Toughness will help as well. While the Nurglings cannot screen your troops, they can act as a vanguard that may keep the enemy occupied while your army advances. The Havocs will be your only anti-tank unit, so deploy them wisely. They are equipped with plasma guns so that, in the event of a dearth of vehicles, they can be effective at thinning out troops instead. Choose one of the two Aspiring Champions of the large squads for the Great Unclean One to possess, as the plasma gun squad will want to stay put at some point to rapid fire. 

Thousand Sons--What To Buy

Thousand Sons regiment box	$35.00	£18
Thousand Son Lord Retinue box	$40.00	£26*
2 Chaos Rhinos	$50.00	£30
2 Screamers boxes	$80.00	£45*
Chaos Dreadnought	$35.00	£25
Total	$240	£144

All prices are from the Games Workshop website and may vary. Prices do not include taxes and are meant only as a guide.

Note: The UK online store does not list the Sorcerer’s retinue box set, so you will have to buy the Thousand Sons box and Ahriman separately (listed price is for both items). Also, the UK online store does not list a boxed set for Screamers, so you will need to buy them individually. The Screamers boxed set comes with five models, so you will have one extra Screamer. Save the extra one to use as a Disc of Tzeentch if you ever decide to give your Sorcerer that Gift.

Thousand Sons--1000 point list

Thousand Sons Tactics
Use the Rhinos to get your squads into position, then unload the troops and start firing away. Keep in mind that the Thousand Sons can rapid fire even when moving, so you only need to be 24" away to be in range. You may need to sacrifice some of that shooting if your Sorcerers have to go on tank hunting duty. Hopefully, the Dreadnought will be of use in keeping the vehicle numbers down. The Screamers should be used as a rapid assault unit or to take board quarters as necessary.

Emperor's Children--What To Buy

Emperor’s Children Lord	$10.00	£5
18 Daemonettes*	$80.00	£36
2 Chaos Rhinos	$50.00	£30
1 Chaos Space Marine box	$25.00	£12
1 Emperor’s Children box	$30.00	£15
2 blastmaster bits	$8.00	£3
2 sonic blaster bits	$8	£3
Chaos Predator Destructor	$35.00	£20
Total	$246	£124

All prices are from the Games Workshop website and may vary. Prices do not include taxes and are meant only as a guide.

Note: The Emperor’s Children “favored” number of 6 means you will end up with several spare figures. On the bright side, since this list favors mutations, you will have lots of spare parts. The Daemonettes are available in the US in a box of 10, so two boxes will get you 18 with two left over.  In the UK, they are sold in groups of three, so you can get to 18 with no extras. 

The two plastic kits (Marines, Emperor’s Children) yield eight figures each, so you will end up with spare parts with which to further mutate your Possessed squad. You will need to order extra blastmasters and sonic blasters for your Havoc squad, which has been listed above. Hopefully, the plastic left arm will work with the metal gun bit, otherwise you will need to order the metal arm bit as well for another $2.

Emperor's Children--1000 point list

Emperor's Children Tactics
Form a cluster of the three tanks and move them together towards one end of the opponent’s line. Because of your small squad size, you do not want to split your army up if you can help it. Once the Daemonettes arrive, have them join the Possessed and the Lord in on massive hand-to-hand frenzied mob (all with Talons, ewwww!). The Havocs can switch to providing cover fire while the assault units chew up the enemy. 

Related Pages
Introduction to the series
Other lists in this series
 

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© Copyright Patrick Eibel, April 2003. Used with permission.
 

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