Adepticon 2010 Revised CSM List

1850 Pts - Chaos Marines Roster - Adepticon List 2010

HQ: Abaddon the Despoiler @ 275 pts

5 Plague Marines @ 135 pts
2 meltaguns

Chaos Land Raider with Daemonic Possession @ 240 pts

HQ: Chaos Sorcerer with MoS and Lash of Submission @ 125 pts

7 Plague Marines @ 269 pts
1 Meltagun
1 Plague Champion with Power Fist
1 Rhino

7 Plague Marines @ 269 pts
1 Meltagun
1 Plague Champion with Power Fist
1 Rhino

5 Plague Marines @ 160 pts
1 Meltagun
1 Rhino

2 Obliterators @ 150 pts

3 Obliterators @ 225 pts

Total Roster Cost: 1848 pts

First,I am going to have to eat a bit of crow. I tried to make a list without the Lash but my latest draft includes one. Here are a few things I learned so far:

1. Berzerkers as Abaddon's escort really didn't add that much to his effectiveness and they died pretty easily. Plague Marines did not die as easily and with 2 meltaguns were able to pop armor or force a couple of Invulnerable saves on tough units prior to assault.

2. Daemon Princes need terrain. At Adepticon terrain is, let's face it, sparse. During play-testing my DP fell time and again to mass/rapid fire shots. So I switched to a Sorcerer and hid him in a unit of Plague Marines. Success! The trick here was to keep him cheap and effective, hence Lash. It is truly game changing as it dictates movement directly and indirectly.

3. Thousands Sons. Expensive and die just as easily as a 15 pt Chaos Marine to rapid fire. Cover saves are abundant which really reduce their effectiveness. They are good at tying up CC heavy hitters, but they can't kill them. If there was a way to get a hidden powerfist in there....

4. Vindicators. I scatter way too much! My vindicator would usually scatter twice then be taken out.

5. Defilers. I play-tested these to death and just could not get reliable results out of them. Whether I tried to "run" them or shoot with them (scatter problem again); field one or a couple; reserve them, it didn't matter, they just died. Armor 12 just doesn't cut it with a model that big.

6. Chosen (5 man meltagun squad w/ rhino). Actually, this is a decent unit and performs well as long as you don't out flank unless you really have too. The only reason they were cut is that they are not scoring.

7. Scoring units win games. No duh, right. I found in my early lists that I couldn't handle missions with multiple objectives. I could contest, but not win. Plague marines are one of the best objective squatters out there.

This list evolved with Adepticon terrain in mind and sadly, some of my favorite models/units didn't make the cut. I know that there are those who would say this is power gaming or what have you, but this is a highly competitive tournament and I don't want to get my teeth kicked in every game. If I was a true power gamer I would play IG and the 14 lascannons of death list (It's brutal and I still have nightmares about that game) !)

The main thing I learned through out play-testing is that the game is so much more challenging with good, thought out terrain pieces/placement. It also gives those less optimal units a chance to shine which opens up a codex and adds variety making lists less cookie cutter. That is the way I prefer to play.

To borrow a word from Will Ferrel, Strategery, that's what this game is about; not a turkey shoot. Ok people, get some more terrain on those tables!

Ash