HELDRAKES!
So, my CSM project has been coming along pretty well, if a good bit behind the schedule I originally intended. In the mail today I got 2 Heldrake kits, and I intend to throw them together tonight and tomorrow. I am hoping to build one in the style of the FW flyer, the Hell Talon, as Krautscientist demonstrated quite adeptly. Once these two are built, they will be added to my Red Corsairs forces. Since my Death Guard have 2 Blight Drones, I don't plan on giving them a drake any time soon, probably until I have the time/money to buy the Terrorgeist and do a conversion.
The Drake in question that will serve as my inspiration
The addition of 2 Heldrakes does spur me to get off my rump and work on my Red Corsairs. Currently my Huron has some paint, but I don't want to run him yet, as I am focused currently on a mixed list with my Death Guard in tow. This means, bare minimum, taking 2 different groups of troops and HQ's, as I feel a representative of both forces would be present to lead them. Since my background fluff has the Death Guard warband seeking to use the influence of the Red Corsairs to fulfill the prophecy about their leader, I don't have any issue with the units running together.
So, the most obvious choice for this list is a Lord with Mark of Nurgle on a bike. I like to give him a lightning claw and gift of mutation for some up close killy, and if I can find the points I usually give him sigil of sorruption and blight grenades. This choice unlocks Plague Marines and gives me a fast threat. For my Red Corsairs I have yet to really develop a "bench" of HQ models, I pretty much have Huron and then gobs of troops and support units. This means my choice for my base list will decide my next chaos modeling project (well, technically I'm still in the middle of making 10 Death Guard terminators so I can eventually run a 2+ of Doom list for my Death Guard). A Dark Apostle would be very easy to convert from the Power Maul chosen from DV, which I already used to make a Nurgle Apostle.
Spreading the word of the father of pestilence
I could also use this as an excuse to buy the striking Warpsmith model, which believe me is planned either way, but I'm trying to get this army on the table in a little over a week (going backpacking this weekend so I won't be playing till the weekend after). That leaves Daemon Princes, which have to be marked so are less interesting in an undividided force, and a sorcerer. So, I will be making and painting a Chaos Sorcerer this week.
My less-than-inspiring Warpsmith
For the rest of the list, I want the 2 Heldrakes in tow, and a unit of bikers (who are painted as Red Corsairs) to run with the lord. Add 2 autocannon Havoc Squads, and I've got a fairly optimized tool kit. That just leaves troops. I am a big fan of Plague Marines, since they can take 2 special weapons in small squads and generally eat small arms fire like champions. As such, I start with 3 squads in Rhinos. I like to give the champions power axes, since their I3 generally has them going last against units where survival counts anyway. I give the champion gift of mutation to go along with it, and I put a havoc launcher on the Rhino. 2 squads with plasma guns and 1 with melta. I then take 2 minimal squads of Chaos Space marines, give them a plasma gun, and the champion a plasma pistol and lightning claw. Put them in a Rhino with havoc launchers, and you have 5 mobile scoring units, one of which will host the Sorcerer.
Now, this does require some modeling work from me. I will be using some existing AoBR marines that I gave CSM backpacks as the 8 normal CSM. I would like to eventually build some CSM that have the BP/CCW combo that I prefer for CSM that aren't sporting ccw. I generally don't run them with ubergrit because those 2 points are better spent elsewhere. The champions with plasma pistol and lightning claw present a fun opportunity. I have 3 Chosen with a pair of lightning claws, so 2 of these will have an arm lopped off and replaced with a magnetized arm, allowing me to run them with plasma pistols or bolt pistols. I can also use the spare lightning claws to make a PF/LC lord or two from the power fist Chosen models. I am planning to cut the power fist off one of those models to use as the basis for my new Sorcerer, I am going to give him a power axe.
Anyhow, here is the list:
CSM 2k
| Unit Type | Name | Points |
| HQ | Chaos Lord | 155 |
| Lightning Claw | ||
| Mark of Nurgle | ||
| Bike | ||
| Sigil of Corruption | ||
| Blight Grenades | ||
| Gift of Mutation | ||
| HQ | Sorcerer | 120 |
| 2 Mastery Levels | ||
| Gift of Mutation | ||
| Troops | Plague Marines | 222 |
| 2 Plasma Guns | ||
| Power Axe | ||
| Gift of Mutation | ||
| Rhino | ||
| Havoc Launcher | ||
| Troops | Plague Marines | 222 |
| 2 Plasma Guns | ||
| Power Axe | ||
| Gift of Mutation | ||
| Rhino | ||
| Havoc Launcher | ||
| Troops | Plague Marines | 212 |
| 2 Melta Guns | ||
| Power Axe | ||
| Gift of Mutation | ||
| Rhino | ||
| Havoc Launcher | ||
| Troops | Chaos Space Marines | 167 |
| Plasma Gun | ||
| Lightning Claw | ||
| Plasma Pistol | ||
| Rhino | ||
| Havoc Launcher | ||
| Troops | Chaos Space Marines | 167 |
| Plasma Gun | ||
| Lightning Claw | ||
| Plasma Pistol | ||
| Rhino | ||
| Havoc Launcher | ||
| Fast Attack | Chaos Bikes | 165 |
| 4 Bikers | ||
| 2 Plasma Guns | ||
| Power Fist | ||
| Fast Attack | Heldrake | 170 |
| Fast Attack | Heldrake | 170 |
| Heavy Support | Havocs | 115 |
| 4 Autocannons | ||
| Heavy Support | Havocs | 115 |
| 4 Autocannons |