I have been trying to get on with Chaos Marines since the codex dropped October last year and now it is doing my fruit in. Every time a 6th ed codex is released Chaos Marines drop further behind and become an even weaker codex. It frustrates me that Dark Angels get split fire and twin-linked for Deathwing and hit and run and Scout for Ravenwing while Tau get supporting fire, night vision on Battlesuits and an Ethereal who has a special rule bubble, then you got Eldar with the cool bladestorm and battle focus rules. Even Chaos Daemons get some action with the random warp table and interesting grimnoire and portalglyph. Don't get me wrong, I am not hating these armies, I am just fed up of Chaos Marines getting the short end of the stick. Before I even got the CSM codex someone told me it is like the original codex with a few new units and that I would be wasting my time. Nine months later and I am starting to agree with that person.
I previously wrote a post discussing that CSM doesn't have any cool rules like those mentioned in the above codices, hell CSM have to pay for their army wide rule, which sucks ass. The post concluded that CSM need brute power in order to get things done: CSM Raw Power but still I don't think this is enough. The funky rules the other books have but them one step ahead of the CSM codex.
I still think using Rhinos is the viable and perhaps method. I know vehicles are weaker due to hull points and have other negative factors, but the Rhino gives protection to the squad inside and additional mobility along with useful tools such as LOS and movement blocking. I just cannot see a foot list working well at all if I am honest, but then again I play Dark Eldar and I understand the impact D.E have on infantry and perhaps I always have this in mind?
Looking at the units I only see a handful which are awesome units, and that's fine, codices shouldn't be chock full of awesome units. It's that lack of spice on things which annoys me. I see the Chaos Lord with mark of khorne, blind axe and bike as a competitive HQ choice. Units of 10 Chaos Space Marines in Rhinos would be ok maybe along with some Chosen, though I still think Chosen are meh. Heldrakes are the best unit in the codex period. For heavy support you have Auto-Havocs, though they have limitations and Obliterators, though the daemonic possession Vindicator is nice. The rest I see as meh and just taken from the old CSM codex and re-printed into the new book.
It's not like those above units are picture perfect either; Chaos Space Marines do not have ATSKNF, which means they can be destroyed by sweeping advance, do not auto regroup and have to take fear tests. It is even worse when Grey Hunters are 15 points a pop and get that rule along with a pistol, ccw and counter-attack. Even normal Tacticals aren't too bad at 17 points each. Heldrake in baleflamer mode is really only good against infantry and Havocs with autocannons can only threaten so much.
What shall I do? I am at that point where I am ready to throw the towel in. To add salt to the wound Eldar are once again attracting me and my previous Eldar list is now even more deadly thanks to mass Wave Serpent spam - hurray!
Thoughts, tips or if you also want a general moan, then hit the comment box