Yesss.... I'm digging this air. Slaanesh!

Anyone who's known me for a while knows I always play the good guys. I've been told it's a sign of maturity when you allow yourself to dabble with your dark side. And I've been sold on Slaanesh since reading 'Fulgrim'.

So here goes! My very first bad guy army/band/whatever! How can something so wrong... feel so good?

Here's the plan. I plan to go themed, so all Slaanesh (particularly the Flawless Host ). The good news is that all my officers will be very fast. The bad news is that my recruits won't be! I'm not sure yet how to make this work ingame. I foresee a splitting of the force that make it vulnerable. Yet if I slow the officers' pace to that of the recruits, the extra M is wasted! Suggestions are very welcome (I'm looking at you, DoZer ).

The CSM and the Champions will be fast and shooty. So they'll serve as mobile firing platforms, with the Champions supporting the CSM in laying down a hail of fire, where ever it is needed most. The Chosen will be the support counter-attack CC force, the recruits meatshield.

Officers

Chaos Space Marine [112]
Mark of Slaanesh [25]
Sonic Blaster [37]
Bolt Pistol, Sword, Combat knife [-]
Notes: He's fast, he's agile. And he shoots a lot. Not to mention he can take a lot. He's the centre of the line and needs to take out a lot of guys.
Total: [174]

Aspiring Champion [38]
Mark of Slaanesh [25]
Autogun [22]
Sword [18]
Combat knife [-]
Notes: Agile and fast, too. Part of the mobile firing platform, but also equipped with CC weapons to counterattack and utilize his WS of 4. The other options would be to give one of the champions an Undivided mark, opening up heavy bolter options. Thoughts?
Total: [103]

Aspiring Champion [38]
Mark of Slaanesh [25]
Autogun [22]
Sword [18]
Combat knife [-]
Notes: as per above.
Total: [103]

Chosen [34]
Mark of Slaanesh [25]
Sword [18]
Autopistol [15]
Combat knife [-]
Notes: Counterattack, CC focused.
Total: [74]

Chosen [34]
Mark of Slaanesh [25]
Sword [18]
Autopistol [15]
Combat knife [-]
Total: [74]

Total cost officers: [528]
Possible options: more armor, especially for the champions.

Recruits

Annihilator [34]
Autogun [22]
Combat knife [-]
Note: The fluff says these guys fire at their own dudes, yet there's no rule to reflect that. Maybe something for a future edition? Gamewise: meat with some ability to shoot.
Total: [56]

Annihilator [34]
Autogun [22]
Combat knife [-]
Total: [56]

Saboteur [33]
Autopistol [15]
Combat knife [-]
Note: CC meat
Total: [48]

Saboteur [33]
Autopistol [15]
Combat knife [-]
Total: [48]

Total recruits: [208]
Total squad: [736]

Let rip! Pull it apart! Any and all suggestions welcome!

Well, you already know how I feel about the Saboteurs. As for 42 points you could equip a crappy cultist with an autogun, have that extra shot on the move (rapid fire) and longer reach (24") for less than the cost of 48 points, shooting only once when you move, and can only reach out to 12", and is marginally better at CC. You are really hampering yourself with having all 4 upgraded recruits, which would be my target #1's, because thats only 4 recruits protecting your officers. Lets face it, if you loose one, its not easy to replace. If I take all four OOA, you've got a 33% chance to loose each one (probability says you will loose 1.32 of them).

Drop the autopistols on your Chosen. Give them autoguns. Use the sword as your primary hand your combat knife as your secondary. This should give you a little more firepower.

I like the idea of Undivided with a Heavy Bolter, but if you only run one like that, then you don't stand a very good chance of getting that strength increase which is all important to use the Heavy Bolter. I would suggest, if you intend to get that Heavy Bolter, to run both Aspiring Champs with Undivided as it exponentially increases your chance to get it. Even if you only get the HWS skill, remember you can still use the Heavy Stubber.

Slaanesh I feel should really be about Shooting and Scooting, and they just so happen to also be good at CC. Everything should be laying down a withering amount of firepower, and only get into CC when it is absolutely necessary. Keep the CSM floating in the middle of your line, counter-attacking any units that get to close to your recruits and Officers (think of him like a sweeper in football (soccer for us Americans), cleaning up on the defense wherever he is needed).

Really your CSM should be enough to withstand any close combat charge, as he can lay a pretty good beat down. Just ask Mord about his 4 officers and an Ogryn attacking my Plaguemarine.

Other than that, again my only comment is really more meat for the meat shield!!

So... what ARE Saboteurs good for? Do I buy them later on with specialized equipment? I'm imagining you put them in the list for a reason... hehe.

So stealing from that idea... how about this (stealing Laney's much better annotation):

Officers
Chaos Space Marine 112, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Sonic Blaster 37 (Power Armour, Combat Knife, Boltpistol, Sword) [174]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [98]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [98]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]

Total officers: [528]

Recruits
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]

Total recruits: [215]

TOTAL: [743]

Question: why is a Chosen almost as expensive as an Aspiring Champion, when the latter has way better stats? And can an officer with the Undivided Mark take another Mark later on? Is switching allowed at all (say i.e. Nurgle to Slaanesh)?

I don't NEED a saboteur... was just wondering why they were there.

A flamer... good one. Didn't think of that. Of COURSE I need a flamer. Burns for the burn god!

Officers
Chaos Space Marine 112, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Sonic Blaster 37 (Power Armour, Combat Knife, Boltpistol, Sword) [174]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [98]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [98]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]

Total officers: [528]

Recruits
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Annihilator 34, Flamer 27, Combat Knife free [61]

Total recruits: [233]

TOTAL: [761]

Gotta lose 11 points... lose a Cultist and buy something else? Give two of them autopistols?

Ended up starting with this:

Officers
Chaos Space Marine 112, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Sonic Blaster 37 (Power Armour, Combat Knife, Boltpistol, Sword) [174]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free, helmet 20 [108]
Aspiring Champion 38, Mark of Chaos Undivided free, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [98]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]
Chosen 34, Mark of Slaanesh 25, Autogun 22, Sword 18, Combat Knife free [99]

Total officers: [548]

Recruits
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Cultist 21, Autogun 22, Combat Knife free [43]
Annihilator 34, Flamer 27, Combat Knife free [61]

Total recruits: [190]

TOTAL: [738]

Note to self: Champions need armor! I got them both carapace (after one got an I upgrade) after the first game, so they wouldn't get shot to bits in the first turn.

Busted! Hhehehehe... cheater! HAHAH! You should learn from me an my FIVE attack Ogryn! That was ... subtle!

Worse thing is, I told him before the game: "Are you sure, does he have some kind of special rule that allows him to have an item with high rarity?

And he was all like: "I posted the list on the Forum and Dozer didn't mention it when he commented on the list..."

I shouldn't have been that lazy and should have checked the rules....cheater! (yes, yes, I accidentally started with a lieutennant with a shotgun, but still....)

LOL! I think ALL of the players in our group have mistakenly taken weapons with a rarity that was too high. We're stupid...

So how did these guys perform in their first two games? Not bad at all... even though I lost both games.

The first game was against Prius' 10-game veterans. It wasa breakthrough game and I was attacking. You can guess what happened: my guys were slaughtered. The staying power of the Chaos Marine was proven, though: he spent a great deal of the game knocked down or stunned, but he didn't go OOA! In fact, he was assaulted while down, survived, stood up and subsequently clubbed his assaulter to death... epic!

The second game was Defend the Find... and I was defending. Against Toyama's Orks (he's on this forum somewhere!). The noise marine did not move for the entire game, hehe. He stood in the middle of the objective building cracking off shots with his sonic blaster. He took four enemies OOA and caused many more wounds... nice.

That game only went south when Toyama managed to sneak in a flamer (he had THREE in his squad) and torched two guys and put a wound on my Marine. He shot another cultists and two turns later he had more dudes in the objective zone than I had... dang it.

So yeah, the CSM ROCKS! He truly is the pillar of the squad, because the rest isn't worth much (including the Aspiring Champions). Sure, the marks help (though not if you keep forgetting the Undivided Mark special roll AND you keep rolling leg wounds for your Mark of Slaanesh Chosen!), but other than that your guys are wimps. Hmm... I need some dark gifts.

@Arachas: all the players from our group are stupid? tssk tssk Don't call me stupid because of your own mistake! Don't spit on my honor...

I demand justice! Next DS brawl will be your downfall.

...
..
.

Seriously, you don't want to pick this fight with me.

You know what we call Telruna in our group? Jar Jar Binks. That's how stupid he is.

Here is 76 free credits, two rarity rolls of 9, and two +1 S increases for you Aspiring Champs for your next match against Telruna. Use them wisely!