Chaos Review: Headquarters

I am super thrilled that GW has finally understood that if you're going to make HQ choices hand to hand monsters, that you need to make them cheap! Some characters in the list can get pretty pricey, but it comes with some force mulitpliers.  

Abaddon

This guy should not lose a challenge to anyone or anything.  Having two different weapons that suit different purposes like instakilling wraiths to wholesale removal of terminator units is really neat. Combining his preferred enemy warlord trait with the boatloads of special weapons that chosen can bring to field is entertaining. He counts as having every mark so will benefit from Icons FYI.

Huge price tag and slow movement are his downsides.

Rating: 4/5 (build specific)

Huron

Not the greatest in combat and no real extra survivability, but his real advantage comes with the guarantee of Master of Deception. The Hamadrya is a cool bonus giving access to Divination. Hes reasonably priced as well.

Rating: 3/5 (build specific)

Kharn

Close combat monsters are a dime a dozen in this codex and can be done for cheaper than Kharn. If fighting space marines, the betrayer rule shouldn't come into effect thanks the VotLW. His utility effectively prevents his unit to be targeted with psychic powers. The warlord trait makes his unit more killy. How dead do you need a unit though? 

Rating: 2/5

Ahriman

We have our first masterly level 4 psyker (didnt take too long). Im happy its him though. This guy is 230pts and worth every penny. Master of deception as standard warlord trait for the force multiplier, fearless for cultist bunkering and a disgusting arsenal of psychic powers to have. 

I wish they updated his model though.....that's my only downside.

Rating: 5/5

Typhus

Here is another one of my personal favourites in the HQ slot. He's a beatstick that's also a level 2 psyker. He unlocks arguably the best cult unit in the codex (noise marines make a good case) and plague zombies. I cannot stress enough how much it irks me that I can only take ten man squads of zombies. How does a model company think that restricting squad sizes is a good idea?! Rant for another post. He is incredibly resilient, just keep him away from anything strength 10 and he should come out on top.

Rating: 5/5

Lucius

One of my favourite HH characters that is a nonissue in 40k. No extra survivability, Can't kill terminators effectively, only decent in challenges. Upsides are that he does have a doom siren and unlocks Noise Marines. Chaos Lords are cheaper taxes to pay for Noise Marines.

Rating: 1/5

Fabius Bile

165pts for someone who buffs one squad of CSM, and cannot preform well in a challenge when he has to. I dont see value. Slaanesh sorcerer will provide a better buffs.

Rating: 1/5

Chaos Lord

Already have daemon princes from 5th? Too bad, they made Chaos Lords the best buy. The options that these guys have is awesome. They come with fearless standard so you can save 25 points off Icon's of vengeance or can use a cultist squad as an escort into battle. Lords are the only choice (outside of thousand sons and sorcs) that unlock the cult units as troops. Daemon Princes dont, They can buy mounts like the juggernaught and slaanesh for quick delivery into the enemy army. Take the juggernaught btw. Or a Palanquin to make a nurgle lord near impossible to kill. Lots of versatility. BTW, there is simply never a reason to take a lord of tzeentch.

Rating: 5/5

Sorcerer

110pts for a level 3 psyker. Tzeentch has some great destructive spells, but are better utilized on a daemon prince. You generally want to keep these guys away from combat. They lost a wound and dont have the combat prowess to guarantee challenge survival. If you're looking to run an undivided force this guy should be the first thing you look at.

Rating: 4/5

Daemon Prince

This guy has limited builds and racks up points very quickly. I like nurgle for the mark with some CC ability. Keep in mind he is only ld 9 so if you want to buy psychic powers make sure to pick up that spell familiar. His stats are the only thing redeeming this guy. WS9 means marines are hitting him on 5
's and his In8 makes sure they dont run away just to shoot you.

Rating: 3/5

Dark Apostle

I dont think there is any reason as to why you would take this guy over a lord or sorcerer. He is priced too highly. Shouldve been an elite slot.

Rating: 1/5

Warpsmith

Same thing with the apostle. The chances of him actually doing anything useful is slim to nil. Too expensive. Wish he was an elite slot, or at least allowed a second fortification.

Rating: 1/5

Conclusion

I think they did a real service to lords and sorcerers. With the changes to fearless, chaos lords in a squad of cultists is not a liability, they can reliably get up the board and after the lord wipes a unit they can take the ground and let him wander off to do his thing. The return of wargear gives these guys a much needed 4+ invul. The availability of the 3rd mastery level to a generic sorcerer is a cool perk and makes telepathy and slaanesh excellent lores to use. Daemon Princes, Apostles and warpsmiths were left out in the cold due to poor pricing.

Up next: TROOPS!