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Chaos Cultists?

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  Mossy Toes 
#1 ·
I have 40 chaos space marines and 10 noise marines currently as my infantry choices for my chaos space marines army and I was thinking about picking up some cultists so I have cheaper options in the troop slot. I was wondering how people commonly run them, and if they are actually good or not. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I generally prefer taking marines as they are more versatile and more importantly tougher. But I know the large proportion of lists I see online have fairly big blob of cultists for the majority of the troops, as once they are in cover they can be a real pain especially when you can take 4 for the price of a marine, as some armies just don't have that number of shots.
 
#3 ·
Cultists tend to be a unit who can be cannon fodder, giving your marines a cover save from body cover. Or can be used as a cheep method of holding back field objectives.

A slightly better option is spending a few pts for a nurgle leader of a vraks army and taking zombies at 3pts a model with a 4+fnp
 
#9 · (Edited)
Well, cultists are a real workhorse unit, more than chaos marines.
If you compare the cost of 10 naked marines (140 pts) you can see that you could have been able to bring in 30 cultists with 2 flamers. This means that you get more bodies, more attacks on the charge, more resistance to morale checks due to shooting....

Marines should have a purpose in the army, cultists can just be trown in droves to try and kill stuff.

I usually run them like this:
-10 with 1 flamer & ccw / pistol
-20 with ccw / pistol
-30 with 3 flamers & ccw / pistol

if i run 30 of them i usually join Huron or a slaanesh lord on steed to infiltrate/outflank them and make them fearless.

The shooty configuration works better in multiple small units: this allow you to better direct your fire without overkilling and give the cultists more survivability.
So, if you want to shoot:
10 cultists, heavy stubber, 5 autoguns (60)
10 cultists, heavy stubber, 5 autoguns (60)
10 cultists, heavy stubber, 5 autoguns (60)
10 cultists, heavy stubber, 5 autoguns (60)
Lots of bodies, 4 units, lots of basic dakka.
This configuration can be extra funny if you take the Helcult formation, where you have fearless cultists units and meatshielding a raging helbrute. It's a formation, so no objective secured, but fearless and 3+ cover is gold.

20 Cultists, 15 autoguns
20 Cultists, 15 autoguns
(210)
1 Helbrute, power scourge, multimelta
(115)

And you have 24" covered against hordes and even vehicles.

As a side note, i suggest you to ally with Renegades and Heretics and field the truly performing Renegades platoons. They have better special weapons, better options, cost less and can have autoguns for free...

Allied detachment---

renegade command squad
autocannon
(55)

renegade Platoon (270 pts total)

20 renegades
chaos sigil (auto pass the first morale or pinning test each turn!)
3 grenade launchers
autoguns
Militia training (BS & WS 3)
-90 pts...

20 renegades
chaos sigil (auto pass the first morale or pinning test each turn!)
3 grenade launchers
autoguns
Militia training (BS & WS 3)
-90 pts...

20 renegades
chaos sigil (auto pass the first morale or pinning test each turn!)
3 grenade launchers
autoguns
Militia training (BS & WS 3)
-90 pts...
 
#10 ·
renegades are a forgeworld thing if I am not mistaken? I have never actually owned a forgeworld model so I was wondering if they are legal at most tournaments and if the renegade upgrade packs or the cadians that they go on come with 3 grenade launchers for the suggested build? Thanks for the great responses everyone!
 
#12 ·
Your smaller scenes, not so much. Players report all the time about how their local shop doesn't allow FW. Quit living in the past, shitbirds.
Seriously. We all know GW has abandoned all forms of reason and balance.
 
#13 ·
90% of the time when I run cultists, it's as a single minimum-cost, minimum-size unit with no upgrades (Whether I'm playing CSM or KDK). They'll camp on a home objective and go to ground any time anybody sneezes at them, basically.

I've actually been kind of impressed with how many decent attacks the KDK cultists can throw out, since there are usually higher priority units in whatever combat I've thrown them into so my enemies pay them little heed... until their Initiative step rolls around and they kill 3 Tactical Marines. Still, if you don't have to spend points on a mark for them... don't.

The thing about buying them autoguns is that makes them cost more points than a guardsman, their nearest equivalent--without the option of commissars, priests, orders, heavy weapons, etc. They get some mediocre mid-ranged low-S shooting if you want to pay more points into them, ok--though become significantly worse in combat.

The way to run cultists if you don't want to take them in tiny sizes as a troops tax to hold down the home fort while everyone else surges forward*, as I see it, is in a 35-man blob with Kharn stuck in there to make them Fearless/not to suffer that badly when he kills one of his own dudes. Maybe a Juggerlord with the AoBF if you're feeling picky, but 35 cultists (less however many splatted to incoming fire) with Hatred on the charge and you'll be rolling fistfuls of dice as if you were an Ork player--then rerolling them.

*and you've already said you're taking Noise Marines, so if you're taking the main reason to take NMs (read: Blastmasters), that unit/those units should be standing still already.
 
#14 ·
I'd say the way to run cultists is the same way any Nid player runs Gants (like myself). Effectively you string them out in front of something a hell of a lot more valuable than them (EVERYTHING ELSE) and run them at enemies as a bubble wrap shield. Either they distract people or provide a free cover save. You do however get the aforementioned extra ability to just ditch them on a home objective as let's face it your opponent has other fish to fry.

I think Cultists, like most "crap" units, are only ever appreciated after using them. Personally since using Gants in nids I do try to find other units that can provide a similar function in other armies.
 
#16 ·
I think Cultists, like most "crap" units, are only ever appreciated after using them. Personally since using Gants in nids I do try to find other units that can provide a similar function in other armies.
I'll be honest, after running up against a unit of 30 Gants with 20 Devourers (behind a meatshield of 10 Fleshborers at the front of the unit getting into their shorter range) ...it's not that I respect them, I actually kind of fear the dakka they can put out. I lost 8 Seekers to Overwatch, damn it! That shouldn't happen!

Combine that with the Troops Tervigon they enable, plus being alongside a block of 3 dakkafexes--whew.
 
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