I don't know all the rules in testing currently, but I read somewhere that Chaos Cultists would be lead by a Chaos Marine?

If so, why not something similar with the Marines?
Take the Marine Scouts and add 0-2 Elite or something for Marines in Power Armor?

It adds some flexibility that if you want marines you can start with scouts and add the power armor marines later or have them from the beginning.

Only down side is your entire squad wouldn't be pure marines, but I guess I given the nature of DeathSquads I'd expect the needed flexibility of the Scouts to provide the needed help.

YES! The Chaos Cultists are lead by a Traitor! Not only this fits the fluff, where after a rebellion (read Imperial Renegades) finally cross to the heretical side, usually a small detachment of CSM is sent to lead, and on their success a full blown CSM Army invasion is imminent.

For us, the CSM is allowing us to see how the Astartes will behave in Death Squads. One of the challenges that NOBODY has been able to overcome is the introduction of such powerful units at a skirmish level. Without going to specifics, I can tell you that we have succeeded. The revision of TLRB v0.5.0 is in fact to tweak the core rules (behind the scene math) for the introduction of the Space Marines!

Every game has a scale. For example, 40k works very well between 750 and 2,000 points. Games played with 500 points break down, and so does games over 2,000. For games over 2K is best to play Apocalypse, which has some rules to deal with the larger scale. Until , skirmish's scales could deal with everything, except with the Astartes... they 'break' the scale. When they are introduced, the game stops working and nobody can deal with the Astartes, except other Astartes. We managed to tweak the scale, so it can incorporate these 'super-humans' fairly. Preliminary tests have demonstrated that well equipped IG (with a sound strategy and some luck) can defeat a SM Squad... they do it by 'replicating' the 40k fluff... strength in numbers!

The Space Marine Scout Squad (SMSS) will include one Space Marine (with a super cool twist!!!!) and will take the Scouts of of the 'blah!' spot they are on 40k game, into their super cool place of honor in the 40k universe!

Also, we plan to create the Space Marine Chapter Squad (SMCS)!!! Think, 40k Combat Squad! It will be AWESOME! But first, TLRB v0.5.0 has to be done, then the Chaos Cultists (CC) and the Kroot must be finished and published. So it would take some time... but I would like to have the SMSS ready for play-testing (if not released) for this summer campaign!

So... stay tuned!

I'm excited to see what you guys have planned. I have ideas but will reserve comments until seeing v0.5.0. Still, as I'm new here, I can tell you guys can take construtive critism. Thanks for the heads up!

Our pleasure!