I feel like an idiot for not asking earlier because I jumped on the comparisons, but Rumple, what style are you looking for? We'd be able to help you better I think if you tell us what you want, whether something competitive, unpredictable, solid or whatever.
I was being a bit sarcastic.
As a long time chaos player, there have been some ups and downs. We are currently on the down.
Down indeed. Not the worst codex, or the second worst, but it takes effort these days.
I knew as a Chaos player you were being a bit sarcastic. You make Chaos Marines work better than I ever did. I'd probably learn a thing or two about what I was doing wrong. I love this conversation, because it's forcing me as a Xenos player to look harder and learn more about Space Marines, which I've needed to do.
Unit by unit, Chaos would seem to hold up to their Imperial counter-parts. It's just that Space Marines have what I feel is better synergy.
Terminators. Chaos Terminators are cheaper, Termicide (combi-meltas) was a big-on-the-Internet Chaos strategy a while back. Space Marine Assault Terminators can take Storm Shields and Thunder Hammers. ... I don't know, I always roll 1s playing Terminators like they're going out of style.
Chaos Troops choices. These units are considered "elite" in the sense that they are individually exceptional but also very expensive. I ended up preferring Noise Marines, but 25+ points a pop to make them effective was pricy. Plague Marines... I ran into too much plasma and melta in my day, plus a couple of power fists. They need the T(5) to make up for Init 3. Thousand Sons, very expensive, and with more psychic defensive hitting the table these days, they're tough. It's hard to argue against AP 3 bolters and +4 invulnerable save, until one factors in the lack of reliable anti-tank options. The trouble I had with Berzerkers, and I love them, is that they were
too good in assault. They'd decimate the target and get left out to take a round of shooting from the enemy.
5 man Raptor squads with 2 meltaguns, 120 points. That's good stuff.
Oh, Daemon Princes. So hard to take cover from the inevitable barrage of shooting. I loved running DPs in my Chaos Marines lists. It's part of the reason I play Daemons, because I can't quit Monstrous Creatures. I just wish they could hide themselves in a 10-man squad like the wimpy humans... Kharn could hide in a squad, for at least a little while. (Chop!) For me, Kharn guaranteed Warhammer awesomeness, by causing untold damage and dying a glorious death.
