# How to deal with assassins as Chaos



## Khayon1975 (May 7, 2019)

Having big issues with characters being instantly deleted whenever against anyone using the vindicare assassins or the GSC sanctus with a relic.
Does anyone have any advice for dealing with these?

I primarily use heretic astartes but also include daemons from time to time. 
These hurt the heretic astartes a fair amount but seem to make daemons completely redundant.


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

I'm guessing you've got someone fielding snipers in high numbers, because they really shouldn't be doing that if there's just one around (caveat: The Sanctus may do it to Psykers). This suggests that you've been running lists fairly character-heavy and may want to change things up occasionally to punish that (over)investment in character killers. All of this is going to be general advice since you've not given many specifics, so here goes:

The good news, the ability to target characters is a good part of the assassin's cost so they're usually easy enough to deal with if you can get to them.

Not a Chaos player myself, but from the top of my head you don't have ready access to a bodyguard unit (one that happily takes mortal wounds to prevent a wound on a character) so that's out. Counter-sniping you'd probably need to ally something else in for as well.

So, getting to them. Some of the easier solutions left:
1. Transports. Both snipers are mere S4 weapons that only get their 2+ to wound against infantry. Hiding out in a bunker on wheels will make them wish they had spent the points on anti-tank weaponry instead. Rhinos are cheap.
2. Deep Strike. You have an abundance of choice here. Keep something sufficiently killy in Reserve to go hunting assassins. I'd suggest some Raptors with plasma, but Chaos has OPTIONS here.
3. Speed. Same idea.

Further mitigation strategies: 
1. Snipers are far less of a danger to things that don't have the INFANTRY keyword, as they effectively only get 1 shot at S4 plus some occasional mortal wounds (note Vindicare's Deadshot doesn't trigger if no damage is done). Thus, fill out your HQ ranks with T5+ Characters that are not-infantry and that have enough Wounds that they can take it. Daemon Princes and Greater Daemons make decent candidates (all monster rather than infantry) and the new Lord Discordant is a good one as well (vehicle). Hell, have your Warlord be a Renegade Knight and wish your enemy's assassin's good luck with getting the warlord kill.
2. FNP saves help a lot as well.
3. Cover. Buffing characters don't need to be out in the open, and the sniper can't shoot you if he can't see you. At the very least you should be able to force him to take an awkward forward position. Plus, AP-3 means a Chaos Marine in cover should still at least get a 5+ armour save.


EDIT: For advice more aimed at your specific situation, please add some army lists or other details so we know what your specific situation IS.


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## Nordicus (May 3, 2013)

Shandathe said:


> Not a Chaos player myself, but from the top of my head you don't have ready access to a bodyguard unit (one that happily takes mortal wounds to prevent a wound on a character) so that's out. Counter-sniping you'd probably need to ally something else in for as well.


Just to clarify, Chaos doesn't have access to any sniper units. At all. We have no effective way of removing characters or snipers. That is why it hurts so much, as all we can do it either transports or put the characters on bikes/discs/etc so they loose the Infantry keyword.


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

Nordicus said:


> Just to clarify, Chaos doesn't have access to any sniper units. At all. We have no effective way of removing characters or snipers. That is why it hurts so much, as all we can do it either transports or put the characters on bikes/discs/etc so they loose the Infantry keyword.


Yeah, couldn't remember any, that's why I figured you'd need to ally it in. Bringing friends with strengths you don't have is a time honored Chaos tactic that started with the words 'Traitor Guard' :biggrin: There's not even an Ally Matrix to worry about anymore in 8th, additional detachments can now deliver truly weird things.


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## Nordicus (May 3, 2013)

Shandathe said:


> Yeah, couldn't remember any, that's why I figured you'd need to ally it in. Bringing friends with strengths you don't have is a time honored Chaos tactic that started with the words 'Traitor Guard' :biggrin: There's not even an Ally Matrix to worry about anymore in 8th, additional detachments can now deliver truly weird things.


Yeah I figured, however even looking at Traitor Guard doesn't solve the problem, as they don't have any snipers either. Nothing is present in Chaos Marines, Deathguard, Thousand Sons, Daemons, Traitorguard or FW chaos overall. 

If I could find any, I would bring them in a heartbeat.


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

That's not entirely true, I believe, though you'll need to convert your own models. Forgeworld hid Chaos' only source of Sniper Rifles (that I'm aware of, at least) in Index - Forces of the Astra Militarum. Check the Renegades and Heretics section in there, you want the Renegade Marauder Squad. 

Just normal sniper rifles and only 2 to a squad (of 5), but sniper rifles nonetheless!

And with WS3 and the Stalker specialism they're actually pretty decent at using them...


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