Army lists for Arcanacon are due in a couple of weeks so it’s time to start thinking about 
what to take. Before Christmas I was all set to take Ultramarines. The list doesn’t need any work, I know the kit and it is a balanced combined-arms force.
So, in a near re-run of last year, I’m going to take Chaos.
I’ve drawn up a new list with three design constraints in mind. I want to:
– use an Arc bound list
– paint a minimum of models
– minimise upgrades
By using Arc bound I get an extra 10 points and I need all the help I can get.
Minimum upgrades is because I inevitably get to the end of a game and find I’ve been playing with a self-imposed handicap by ignoring up to 100 points of goodies. This is not a good look. So WYSIWYG and not too many extras to remember will help make things cruisy. This can be particularly important on day 2, especially if the weather is hot.
Draft list for The Coven Malleus
The Apostate found the Sorcerer’s commitment to a single Chaos deity somewhat distasteful, but the Word Bearer needed him for the moment. The Slaneeshi sorcerer had promised to teach the Word Bearer some of his warp knowledge and in return the Dark Apostle has for the moment bound his war band to walk the path of excess.
Sorcerer level 1 psyker with mark of Slaneesh (terminator armour)
I’ve been enjoying the psychic phase and a psyker will be a bit of fun
Dark Apostle with the black mace
basically a delivery mechanism for the black mace
Two squads of 10 cultists, each with a flamer
for objectives but mostly to soak up damage around the DA
7 Noise Marines; three sonic blasters; icon of excess
flavour, because I haven’t used them for a while
15 Chaos Space Marines; icon of vengeance; champ with power sword
these guys will be hard to get off an objective
5 Chosen; aspiring champ with lightening claws; 4 flamers; veterans of the long war;
rhino with dirge caster
this squad is very effective with its toasty goodness and a bit of choppy-chop
Landraider with twin-linked las
for the NM and Sorcerer to ride about in
Vindicator with siege shield
S10 AP2 pie plate; don’t leave home without one
The sorcerer is the only model I need to paint. This is a plus. No daemonettes, but given the slap allies recieve in comp I’ve tried to keep the Slaneesh vibe by using the noise marines. There are two things I don’t like about this list. I’ve made the Sorcerer the warlord so the noise marines become a troops choice; this feels cheesy. The other is no fast attack. The chosen in a rhino will fill this role but it detracts from a more balanced org structure.
Discuss.
Faith&Steel 
Just to double check. I think the Noise Marines as troops with Mark of Slaanesh only works for the Chaos Lord (as with Nurgle and Khorne). The sorcerer with Mark of Tzeentch is the one to make Thousand Suns troops. So, you aren’t being cheesy!
Honestly, it doesn’t mess with your list too much, since you have 3 other troops units anyway.
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Stirling service, as usual. Five points for Griffyndor. That solves two problems at once – the Dark Apostle is the lord, keeping things as Word Bearers with a Land Raider full of Slaneesh Marines. Thanks.
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No worries. If I could make one other suggestion overall.
Noise Marines are great, they have brutal firepower, but it is hampered by mobility. Their nifty guns are all Salvo, meaning when you move there are fewer shots and the range is reduced to half. Also with the Termi sorc attached, they are slowed a little with combat (no sweeping advances).
Perhaps making them a larger squad (possible room for a blastmaster) to be more defensive with the sorceror around and then making the basic marine squad smaller to go in the raider with the DA instead. Optionally giving them the slaaneshi mark to boost their basic combat potential.
The noise marines have potential to be useful against light flyers with their nifty guns ignoring cover too (denying Jink saves).
Idle gameish thoughts. 🙂
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good thoughts, and for once, not so far from my own. I’m concerned that the noise marine unit is too small, but have become attached to the idea of the large squad of chaos marines. Less than 15 doesn’t feel like a committment to big. The sorcerer has terminator armour because the model comes in it. I might drop one squad of cultists and the terminator armour, buy two more NM and more sonic blasters; change will go to adding extra cultists to the remaining unit. The NM will ride in the Land Raider because that is how it is painted.
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No anti-air attack, do you think that will be a problem ?
Like your list I am just going to ignore them….(sitting in corner fingers in ears…lalala..lalala..hopeing their wont be much…lol…)
NIce list Dave.
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I agree about the anti-air, but I find that air only rarely makes a really big difference. For lighter fliers a dozen or more bolters snap firing will be surprisingly effective and twin-linked las on the land raider is an expensive back-up. Mostly I’m hoping to head to the objectives and dig-in. In short, fingers in ears, as you suggest.
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