# Chaos Space Marines Battleforce (Contents)



## Snake40000 (Jan 11, 2010)

Ok this is confusing me on the gw website and on the box of the Chaos Space Marines Battleforce box it says 

This boxed set contains 15 Chaos Space Marines (includes 1 Chaos Space Marine Champion, 1 Chaos Space Marine Icon Bearer, 1 Chaos Space Marine with heavy bolter and 1 Chaos Space Marine with plasma gun), 5 Possessed Chaos Space Marines (includes 1 Possessed Chaos Space Marine Champion), 8 Khorne Berserkers (includes 1 Skull Champion) and 1 Chaos Space Marine Rhino. 

Lets just say i were to get a normal pack of 10 Chaos Space Marines. what other things would i get in that. or does the Battleforce include all that?

And is there anything else missing?


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

It says there's the options for those two weapons, but there's also options for a Meltagun and flamer. But disregard that, just build your army from scratch without the Battle-Force, Possessed are useless, and Khorne Berzerkers are only really useful if you want to go Khornate.


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## killmaimburn (Mar 19, 2008)

You get the equivalents of a 10- man chaos space marine box, and the 5 man chaos space marine attack squad (which doesn't include champion sprue, special weapons, icons, etc.) Also despite what the listing says, you will get weapon options of a heavy bolter, flamer, plasma gun, melta gun, 2 plasma pistols (from regular marine options) and either 2 or 4 more plasma pistols from khorne berzerker options. Oh, and a combi-flamer can be built from the vehicle sprue pieces. 

the berzerker frames are the equivalent of 2/3 of 1 normal berzerker box, enough sprues to make 8 models. For power weapons/fists you need to go to the CSM champion sprue. 

the possessed sprue is very nice for conversions given the number of parts and unique pieces; a possessed champion has no wargear difference so that really doesn't matter in terms of pieces. 

and rhino's are always useful, and the chaos vehicle upgrade sprue is full of nice gribblies for conversions later on.


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## Snake40000 (Jan 11, 2010)

Ok even if i ignore the Possessed I still save money. But since i am going undivided does that make Khorne Berzerkers totally useless or are they still good melee fighters? And i am always up for extra gribblies for conversions (i love converting and unique units).


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## killmaimburn (Mar 19, 2008)

Khorne berzerkers are still good melee fighters even if you are going undivided, as long as you don't dislike the models. And they include a few nice extra bits themselves, so its really up to you. Even if you don't intend to run possessed (which you shouldn't) or khorne berzerkers (which is really a matter of preference) the bits you gain from the battleforce are significant considering that 15 marines and a rhino runs you for 70$ at normal GW pricing (I think) and that the berzerkers are still marine legs and bodies that can count as normal chaos marines if you change the models up a bit, and the possessed are great for converting.


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## Snake40000 (Jan 11, 2010)

Well i probably will go with the berzerkers since if i buy a box set from gw there will be 12 of em in it. so then i will have 20 in total then i can rhino spam! 

Now the issue is 15 space marines -_- , i don't know what to do with 5 of em. Since if i want to rhino spam i can have a max of 10. And since if i buy a box i will get another 10 i'm still stuck -_-. Is there a way to convert regular Chaos Space Marines into Chosen?

Or should i just suffer with my 15 Chaos Space Marines.


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

Snake40000 said:


> Is there a way to convert regular Chaos Space Marines into Chosen?


Just stick some cool bits on them, make them look badass, and your done. Just put the effort in to make them look more 'special' than your csm's and that'll do really.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

Why are possessed terrible? Is it just because you pay 11 points for a 5++, Fearless, S5 and a random CC ability?


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## killmaimburn (Mar 19, 2008)

They are terrible because compared to generic CSM, which are sub-par to cult troops usually also, you lose: bolters, grenades, special weapon options, champion options. You gain: +1S, 5++ save, and random ability. What really clinches it is that you don't know what the ability will be before you deploy them, so you can't take advantage of scouts to outflank, and won't know what units you can really point them at to destroy in close combat. Also, without grenades, they are very easily tarpitted by a dreadnought, and can be defeated in close combat much easier if they have to charge into cover.


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## bloodthrister (Mar 29, 2008)

well, especially on the lower pts values possessed sure have proven their worth to me. It's true they aren't as reliable as most units, but that also leaves you opponent to guess what power they'll get...

But if you'd get all the bits from the possessed box, you'll end up with some spare parts. If I were you I'd use those to convert 5 marines to chosen. Or you can buy an attack squad box (5 csm box) to make another unit of 10 marines...


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Just a quick query,
How can a dread tarpit a squad of possessed? I thought that they were automatically hit on rear armour in CC, and possessed are Str 5, hence penetrating on 6's, less if they get rending.

Midnight


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## Dies Irae (May 21, 2008)

You hit rear AV on vehicles EXCEPT walkers IIRC, on which you have to hit the front AV. But a unit of possessed could still destroy a Dreadnought if they are rending


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Ah, thanks, it's really about time I pay attention to the small print in the BRB...

But I agree that Possessed are a bit random and not really worth taking. In most games they eithr do amzingly and destroy half the enemy army or die on turn 1. just use them for conversions, such as the big 2H sword for the PW on the Berzerker Skull Champion.:victory:


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## killmaimburn (Mar 19, 2008)

That's my problem with possessed - they have so much POTENTIAL to be amazing, if they get the right power. "If they get rending" is a 1/6 chance that they will be useful in that situation. If you could pay 1-2 points more and choose the power, or take abilities from the random table with no duplicates, they would be very useful. As it stands, they can only be used in close combat as a unit which has power weapons only 1/6 of the time. Excepting that 1/6 of the time, terminators will out perform them EVERY time for a similar points cost, especially if you give the possessed an icon. 

5 possessed w/ icon of khorne = 160
5 chaos terminators, one with power fist = 160

the terminators can shoot before they charge, will always ignore armor saves, can deep strike, have a better armor save, and can deal with vehicles in close combat. 

Enough of my possessed rant though, the models truly are excellent sculpts with a huge amount of variety and options for conversions. Many hands and arms in there are useful to make a unique-looking power fist or lightning claw, and in general just kitbashing regular CSM models with possessed bits will create some nice models.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah apologies for diverting the topic, I just wondered, because on paper they look kinda cool. But then I look over the page and Terminators are only 4 points more, and it's like "Ah, suddenly they really don't look so shiny"!

Shame the Battleforce isn't very good then... especially if you don't want/need Zerkers.


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## Snake40000 (Jan 11, 2010)

Ok i intended to use Korne berzerkers and im getting a 5 Csm blister pack to add to the 15 Csm's in the box. Plus when i get a box of berzerkers there are 12 in the box so i will have 20 in total! Rhino Spam FTW!


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## Schizofen (Mar 11, 2009)

With the Possessed bodies, stick some spare normal CSM weapons and heads on (loads of spares in the box) and use them as Chosen. I figure that Chosen would look half way towards being possessed anyway. Or just mix in the odd possessed torso or legs with the CSM, and have a few slightly mutated ones. Keeps things interesting.


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## BiOHaTe (Nov 19, 2009)

killmaimburn said:


> They are terrible because compared to generic CSM, which are sub-par to cult troops usually also, you lose: bolters, grenades, special weapon options, champion options. You gain: +1S, 5++ save, and random ability. What really clinches it is that you don't know what the ability will be before you deploy them, so you can't take advantage of scouts to outflank, and won't know what units you can really point them at to destroy in close combat. Also, without grenades, they are very easily tarpitted by a dreadnought, and can be defeated in close combat much easier if they have to charge into cover.


Actually they are good, because they can be maxed out at 20 troops while chosen and terminators can only be maxed to 10. 

Meaning they have more cc attacks and wounds then the other elite options.

Unlike terminators and chosen they can withstand a mawlock attack and kill him in assault.


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## qwertywraith (Sep 8, 2008)

BiOHaTe said:


> Actually they are good, because they can be maxed out at 20 troops while chosen and terminators can only be maxed to 10.
> 
> Meaning they have more cc attacks and wounds then the other elite options.
> 
> Unlike terminators and chosen they can withstand a mawlock attack and kill him in assault.


So for 540 points you have have 20 possessed who have no shooting attacks whatsoever, can't start on the board in Dawn of War, have no special movement (5/6 of the time, chosen and termies can outflank and deepstrike, respectively) and no way to counter dreads, defilers, and soulgrinders (5/6 of the time).

Yes they can survive a mawlock strike (with casualties, and such a huge unit is an easy target for the template, but so is 20 regular CSM who only lack the invul save) and your opponent is not going to send a mawlock against possessed unless there are no other good targets. Terminators, assuming any survivors, with power fists, should readily take down a mawlock in CC (the mawlock only has 3 WS3 attacks and never gets the charge).

Possessed are a fair unit, not a good or great unit. They do one thing, CC, and they do it pretty well. The problem is they are too easy to counter (terminators and even power armour do it pretty well anytime they don't have power weapons), or avoid. Chaos marines have more than enough ways to take down hordes without the weight of attacks (which is all possessed give you, and even then is isn't many attacks), and S5 (which allows you to wound MCs on a 5+ but doesn't get through their armour). Without a power fist they are easy to tank shock into nice, easily templated formations. They are easy targets for powerweapon/fist wielding units like TH/SS termies, other chaos termies, and even howling banshees. I always prefer units that can take the equipment they need to deal with varying threats. The invulnerable save and S5 of possessed is not worth the points you pay when you lose the ability to take special weapons and powerfists.


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## tomqi (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm definately buying a chaos space marine set!!!:grin:


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## Dies Irae (May 21, 2008)

Actually I bought two recently and I can say that the Possessed bitz really mix well with the generic Chaos Space Marines, so basically if you don't like Possessed and have some special weapons lying around, a Battleforce is 20 (nice looking) CSM, a Rhino and 8 Berzerkers.


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## Snake40000 (Jan 11, 2010)

Whoa whoa..... Way to necro a thread guys.... This one over 2 years old XD. Im lucky i even saw it.

This feels odd to know that people are looking at my old posts.


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## Dies Irae (May 21, 2008)

I know, I have an old post in it too.

And I didn't do the bump, but as it was here I figured that giving my thoughts might help someone in the future.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Before locking/deletion, I'll go ahead and say that in no way, shape or form, in any reality or universe, is the CSM Battleforce worth £80 retail.

Midnight


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

MidnightSun said:


> Before locking/deletion, I'll go ahead and say that in no way, shape or form, in any reality or universe, is the CSM Battleforce worth £80 retail.
> 
> Midnight


In this universe it is. £80 retail is $80 cheaper than what we pay.Also there are no wasted parts in the csm battleforce. As long as you use the posessed to make chosen everything else can make a positive contribution to an army. Save the posessed wings for making raptors later on, posessed with zerks and csm's make excellent chosen.


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## notsoevil (Nov 30, 2010)

Hell, save the possessed wings for selling. Everyone wants them to make into Raptors, so if you're not keen on Raptors, liquidate them!

Also, I loved the Battleforce box. The possessed bits got chopped and bashed into unit champs (who should be slightly mutated compared to standard CSM) and I'm turning my Zerker bodies into Plague Marines because they're bulkier and more rivet-y.

If you're a convert, the Battleforce box is awesome.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

shaantitus said:


> In this universe it is. £80 retail is $80 cheaper than what we pay.Also there are no wasted parts in the csm battleforce. As long as you use the posessed to make chosen everything else can make a positive contribution to an army. Save the posessed wings for making raptors later on, posessed with zerks and csm's make excellent chosen.


I meant that buying 28 infantry and a Rhino isn't worth £80. Sure, it might be a discount if you bought all the stuff seperately, but it doesn't make it good value.

£80 for a Battleforce is way, way too high.

Midnight


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

I meant that the aus price is the equvalent of 115Pounds.


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## Marneus Calgar (Dec 5, 2007)

Varakir said:


> Just stick some cool bits on them, make them look badass, and your done. Just put the effort in to make them look more 'special' than your csm's and that'll do really.


I did that for my Army, made 'em look cool, used some extra bits I had lying around from other kits and bob's you're uncle. Chosen


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## robpfffff (Oct 1, 2011)

Snake40000 said:


> Ok even if i ignore the Possessed I still save money. But since i am going undivided does that make Khorne Berzerkers totally useless or are they still good melee fighters? And i am always up for extra gribblies for conversions (i love converting and unique units).


berserkers are fine. I don't like that people are saying possessed are worthless..that's not true. They are random, yes, but as always, you will get some good rolls as well as bad. maybe they'll do nothing, maybe they'll mop the floor with the squad they encountered.

Personally I'd pick a god if I were you, keeps it interesting.
In my Slaanesh army I have my berserkers and 10 possessed. 
some shooters in the background plus my termies with land raiders, and defiler. 

point is, my noise marines and regular marines are all shooting, while the berserkers, possessed, and 10 lightning claw termies all rush in for the assaults.


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