Tuesday, September 1, 2015

What I would like to see in a 7th ed Chaos Space Marines Codex/2015 release

First and foremost, I am going into this post blind of nearly any current rumours out there. This is just my wishlisting/speculation. However, I realize there are some rumblings and they are one of the last 6th ed codices left. This is one of the most, if not THE MOST, Iconic factions in Warhammer 40k. This release will need to be done right, and if done amazingly, has serious potential for both new players and veterans alike.

1- New Cult Trooper Plastic Kits. ALL of them need new kits. Khorne Berserkers the most IMO, but every type of cult trooper needs to be redone.
2- Legion Tactics- Get it, it is like chapter tactics, but for Legions. Give Iron Warriors tank hunters USR. World Eaters Furious Charge, and Death Guard FNP. Something like that. I get this might conflict with Marks, so maybe have part of the Legion Tactics be that anything already marked get a bonus. So lets say you are doing World Eaters, and you Khorne Bersekers already have the MoK, so they gain +1 Initiative instead.
The current codex
3- Less Daemonengines. I have blogged about this in the past (last time CSM were released).This may be an unpopular opinion, but to me daemon engines belong in the Daemons book, and now with Daemonkin books coming out, in those as well. Especially with allies and battle brothers in 7th edition, there is no need what so ever to mix the concepts. Each codex should be razor sharp on a faction/concept and allies used to make the blends. CSM should be the fallen forces of the Astartes. Not weird flying dragons and oversized horrific gorillas (maulerfiends). Allow possession of vehicles, but not vehicles that are more creature than tank...
4- DOOOOOOOM RIDER! This character needs a new kit and to come back. He is 80s awesomeness in miniature form. I would get him just to paint and build. Personally, if this is the only thing that happened from this list, I would be happy. I know that everything else here is more important, but in the words of a great man "So?"

5- Awesome psychic offense. These guys should be really potent in the psychic phase. But really only theirs. The trade off would be a weak defence some how or increased risk for perils or something. A Chaos giveth and Chaos taketh away sort of thing.

6- Old school vehicles. This kinda ties into my point about Daemon engines. As the lost forces of humanity, these guys have some cool ancient relics. I'd rather see these on the tabletop than a heldrake. The problem is that Forgeworld already covers so much of this, I don't know what they would do. I mean, a Spartan is perfect for CSM since it can hold up to 20 models, but there is no way that is getting ported in at this time. Maybe just make some cool weapon kits for the existing vehicles. Conversion beamer predator anyone?
7- Bring Dreadnoughts back. I like the idea of Hellbrutes, but they should be a "possessed" sort of upgrade for a Chaos Dreadnought. There is no way they have all become these crazed engines of destruction over the years. I know a lot of Night Lords factions wouldn't sink to that level (eg ADB's Night Lord Series). I want the flavour of a dread back, and there are plenty of potential ways to differentiate the two (stat lines, differing USR, better shooting on a dread vs CC on a hellbrute. Take your pick). And FW has a tool of cool dreadnoughts to boot.

8- Something to counter ATSKNF. I don't think CSM should have ATSKNF. It isn't that they are cowardly, it is that they are selfish. They think about preserving themselves over anything else (in general). But they also have serious LD issues when it comes to CC. Maybe make CSM universally Stubborn?
9- A REASON TO USE CHAOS SPACE MARINES- So number 2, 3 and 8 tie into this one well IMO. Currently nothing comeptitive uses CSM in the CSM codex. Everything is monsters, daemons and cultists. There really needs to be some big incentives to taking CSM again. IMO they should dump the other stuff into a general "Forces of Chaos" book (where you can make lost and the damned and traitor guard a viable list), but that won't happen. So instead GW at least needs to focus on making Chaos Marines the core of the Chaos Marine book again.
10- Make Terminators worth taking. These guys are the veterans of veterans. They are the oldest and hardest warriors in the galaxy. Squads of CSM terminators should be a terrible thing to behold. This could easy be done by giving them access to a wider variety of equipment (TH & SS) and legion tactics. Also, some sort of reliable delivery system. These are some of the coolest models, with all their tusks and what not. Give me the player a reason to buy them though.

So what do you think of my list. Anything you want to see?

If you are undecided, I'll leave you with this
HOW COULD YOU NOT WANT THIS IN THE GAME!!!!!