First Codex of 6th Editions: Chaos Space Marines Part II or “Abaddon has more look-a-likes than Eldrad!”

In our next installment of reviewing the CSM codex we will mention a couple universal rules while we review the baddest of the bad…Abaddon.

Abby is good enough to almost become an auto-include in any competitive list.

 His list of special rules is long and you need to take a moment and consider how he can impact your force with the CSM goodies as well as what’s new in 6^th edition.

He weighs in at 265 points. Seems high at first…until you do some math on Demon Princes. But his point cost is really quite a bargain.

His Stat line: WS7 BS5 S4 T5 W4 I6 A4 Ld10 Sv2+

Unit Type: Infantry (Character)

WarGear: Terminator Armor

Chaos Artifacts: or Weapons, of which he has two and can use one or the other.

1.       Drach’nyen: S+1 Ap2; Melee, Deamon Weapon, Specialist Weapon

2.        Talon of Horus: Sx2, Ap3; Melee, Shred, Specialist Weapon

We will review how these work in a minute as they must be discussed with his special rules.

Warlord Trait: Black Crusader

All Warlords roll on a d6 table found on page 28. “Black Crusader” is a d6 roll of 1 and arguably the best.

Black Crusader: “The Warlord and all friendly units within 12” of the Warlord have the Preferred Enemy (Space Marines) special rule” It goes on to say … see “Designers Note” an inset same page which outlines that this will apply to following codex’s: SM, BT, BA, DA, GK, and SW’s.

Review “Preferred Enemy” BRB Page 40: … “A unit that contains at least one model with the special rule re-rolls failed To Hit and To wound rolls of 1 if attacking a preferred enemy. This applies to both shooting and close combat attacks.

This is a huge buff to your force. With correct deployment most of your units will reroll rolls of 1 To Hit and To Wound on 60% of the armies you will face. Remember only a model or two needs to be within 12” of Abaddon. In reality you have about a 25” circle to make this work. This gem alone can make Abby worth his points.

Special Rules:

Champion of Chaos (allows you to roll on the boon table, you don’t want him to turn into a spawn, you don’t want him to turn into a DP either, but many other boons would be very nice…such as +1S, +1 Wound, etc.)

Eternal Warrior: No insta-gib

Fearless: With 6^th any unit he joins will benefit from this as well. Very useful if you put him with big squad of Cultists or CSM’s.

IC: usual benefits

Verterans of the Long War: This is a codex wide option. Aby comes with it, but is somewhat redundant, as this rule grants +1LD and Hatred(space marines as defined earlier). Hatred grants re-rolls of To Hit rolls in the first round of any combat. This further buffs the first round of close combat by re-rolling all misses, and rolls of 1 there after from Preferred Enemy.

Lastly He has Mark of Chaos Ascendant: Aby carries all four Marks of Chaos.

• ·         Mark of Tzeentch improves his invul to 4+
• ·         Mark of Slaanesh improves his I +1; included in his profile
• ·         Mark of Nurgle improves his T +1, included in his profile

This is noted for all special characters on page 30 at top of inset table.

·        

•  Mark of Khorne; ah you have to dig a bit for these perks. Mark of Khorne grants “Counter Charge and Rage”

Counter Attack as you recall grants with a LD ship +1 attack when charged and Rage grants +2 Attacks when charging as outlined in BRB.

Let us review with his weapons his attacks now:

With Drach’nyen: 4(base)+2(Rage)+1(two specialist wpns)+d6 S5 Ap2 I6 attacks…gives 8 to 13 on the charge and 7 to 12 when charged, 6 to 12 later rounds.

With Talon: 4+2+1 S8 Ap3 I6 attacks…gives 7 on charge, 6 when charged, 5 later rounds…no risks with Demon wpn. Reroll to wound vs all.

Keep in mind he will re-roll to hit and wound versus all marines variants with all attacks as well. 

Yeah, he is a marine beat stick.

The Mark of Chaos Ascendant will also allow him to join and lead any unit with any mark. Your other lords/sorcerers will only be able to join units with similar marks. Keep this in mind in later rounds with generic vs marked lords

But, wait…there is more. 

Aby unlocks the most point efficient unit in the codex as troops…Chosen.

Page 92 “ In a primary detachment that includes Abaddon, units of Chosen are troops choices instead of elites” This is clearly written and limits you to six units of Chosen and also tells you that you can take further elite units.

Chosen is the only CSM elite (now troop) unit that can take a heavy wpn in a 5 man unit other than Havocs, have the best LD, 2 attacks base, and almost unlimited special weapons. 

Case in point:

4 Chosen +1 chmp, Auto Cannon, and 2 plasma cannons rocks in at 130 points. Chosen can take up to 6  special wpns if you count the combi you can give the chmp.

 And remember rolling ones versus Marines is a small risk when you can re-roll to hit within 12” of Abby….start to see the magic?

In conclusion, Abaddon is worth every bit of his points. He can buff any CSM army you can concoct. He can hang back and buff most of your force then gobber stomp just about anything that gets to your lines. He unlocks a great unit for troops.

He comes with a few rules that will buff the squad he joins: Fearless (makes unit fearless), Preferred Enemey(unit rerolls to hit/to wound shooting and CC of rolls of 1). Counter Charge (applies to unit) This significantly changes how a unit will work when you look at how a 35man cultist or 20man CSM squad will fare with him attached.

I will also go so far as to say, he is better for a CSM/Epidemious team up than Typhus. He has mark of Nurgle and buffs your army so much more for only an extra 35 points.

Abaddon is the man. You may see him as much as you see Eldrad.

Thanks for the read,

BDS