Crafting Your Chaos Space Marine Army for Warhammer 40K

A dark counterpart to the Space Marine Captain, the Chaos Lord offers a discount on Stratagems to their unit once per turn and can step up their melee prowess once per game. Position one to lead your strongest unit and watch the chaos unfold.

Your eerie support caster. This unit makes it tougher to hit and can target nearby enemies with Infernal Gaze. Additionally, if they damage an enemy, that enemy must pass a Leadership test or suffer Mortal Wounds.

While Chaos Space Marines take the spotlight, their loyal cultists spread corruption. The Dark Commune consists of five models: the Iconward allows you to reroll Leadership tests for Dark Pacts, the Mindwitch can eliminate infantry with Psychic attacks, the Blessed Blades excel in melee, and the Demagogue grants a modest Invulnerable Save and a one-time mobility buff.

Using this unit with a large group of Cultists transforms them into more than just expendable troops.

A towering Daemon craving destruction. They cannot join any unit nor utilize Lone Operative tactics, making them more fragile than they might seem. However, they deal considerable damage and can bolster adjacent units. For full speed, equip them with Wings, which sacrifices their aura for increased movement, Deep Strike capability, and Mortal Wounds on successful Charges.

Their stats shift according to the Chaos Mark they embody: Khorne boosts melee strength, Tzeentch enhances shooting, Nurgle increases durability, and Slaanesh adds speed.

The standard Chaos Space Marine unit, versatile enough to swap Boltguns for Chainswords and Bolt Pistols. They excel in melee and serve as solid support for a Chaos Lord, enhancing their effectiveness.

Devoted followers of the Dark Gods, useful for holding positions while the Space Marines engage enemies. Though fragile and often unreliable, they can become more formidable under the leadership of a Dark Commune.

Your supercharged melee fighters. Chosen are stronger, more resilient, and quicker than Legionaries but come at a higher cost. Use them as assault troops to confront elite enemy units directly.

Cunning specialists in ranged damage. Despite being a melee-oriented army, they prove remarkably agile and dependable. Their Stabilizing Talons negate penalties and allow firing while moving. Focus them on particular tasks: Lascannons or Autocannons for heavy targets, Heavy Bolters or Chaincannons for infantry.

Sturdy walking artillery with Deep Strike options. Position them in cover, ready to attack a range of foes, including vehicles and elite troops. They also excel in melee, and can utilize Indirect Fire once per game after making a Dark Pact.

Their appearance may be modest, yet they’re surprisingly robust and quick. Among them, the larger Torment units have multiple wounds and can threaten even Space Marines.

Sometimes, even members of the Astra Militarum succumb to the pull of Chaos, resulting in a reliable unit perfect for securing Objectives. They gain additional cover when holding an Objective, and their trio of special weapons allows for precision shots.

These terrifying Chaos Space Marines utilize Jump Packs for mobility. A versatile threat, they can debuff enemy Leadership Tests and work best alongside a Jump Pack-wearing Chaos Lord to maximize synergy. They’re also ideal for capturing distant Objectives.

A reliable battle tank with a place in many army lists. The Annihilator specializes in hunting Vehicles and Monsters, while the Destructor excels at taking down Infantry. You can adapt the Destructor to handle light Vehicles and heavy Infantry effectively.

This vehicle wields the powerful Demolisher Cannon, which is especially effective for a melee-focused army that prefers close encounters.

The ultimate transport for Chaos, large and intimidating. It provides exceptional transport and considerable firepower, making it ideal for delivering a variety of melee units.

Your sole Dedicated Transport, a capable unit with a self-repair feature and upgraded weaponry. If you need to swiftly insert a unit into the fray, a Rhino is an excellent choice.

Giant Daemon Engines termed “Dinobots,” these serve two distinct roles: the Forgefiend acts as a potent gun platform, while the Maulerfiend is a melee powerhouse.

Both are excellent at destroying Vehicles, with options for dealing with Infantry as well. They tend to draw attention quickly, making Warpsmiths effective add-ons for healing, or choose units that can assist in their survival.

Black Legion

This general-purpose detachment lets you choose a unit as your Focus of Hatred, allowing rerolls against it. This mirrors the Space Marine Army Rule and comes with modifications for defensive abilities.

Any

Alpha Legion

You can give some Battleline units Infiltrate, enabling early objective control. The rest focuses on evasion, maneuverability, and weakening enemies before striking.

Legionaries, Cultists

Red Corsairs

Pirate-like raiders that prioritize speed. All their weapons gain the Assault ability, and they become deadlier against targets on Objectives.

Any

Night Lords

The Dread Talons capitalize on psychological warfare, forcing repeated Leadership tests, gaining perks when foes fail.

Raptors, Warp Talons, Chaos Lords with Jump Packs

Iron Warriors

This Detachment minimizes incoming damage while amplifying your durability, making your Chaos Space Marines tougher to eliminate.

Legionaries, Havocs, Chosen

Word Bearers

This Detachment specializes in Dark Pacts, granting buffs based on loyalty to specific Chaos Gods. It can be complicated and is better suited for experienced players.

Any, Helbrutes

Any

This Detachment turns your army into a chaotic melee force, focusing on reliance on Traitor Guardsmen while allowing for additional mobility and melee enhancements.

Dark Communes, Dark Apostles, Cultists

Any

This Detachment emphasizes heavy metal warfare, enhancing all vehicles and granting Daemon Engines formidable Dark Pacts.

Warpsmiths, Maulerfiends, Defilers