# 7th Edition Tactica: Chaos Marines: Mayhem Pack Formation



## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

The Mayhem Pack Formation could be the answer to Chaos Marines lack of "alpha strike".
For no extra points, you get 3 Helbrutes that magically get Deep strike (they roll just once for reserves for the lot), IWND and every turn they have to roll on the MADNESS!! chart, using all three the same result.

Seems good. I have used the formation and can say that they excel as a tank hunter alpha strike, but will need some luck on those scatter dice when entering the board.
Due to the risk involved in DS, i've found that we might want to focus on a single objective and gang (bang) upon it. Out of three, at least one will stay in melta range! 
SO, first of all, no dispersion: use them as if they where a single unit. Since they share the same result on the Crazed chart, it is also pointless to give them too different equipment. They should be kitted to deal with the same threats. An important fact however, is that they might be forced to face infantry and vehicles alike, since you are going to deepstrike them in the midst of the foe. A good addition is, then, the Heavy flamer. Even if stranded from the main target, a multimelta and a heavy flamer means that the Helbrute will never be short of targets.

Second point: this formation, basically brings us another suicide unit (but after all, Chaos Marines are Al Quaida in space, so i'm fine with this). Knowing this and knowing that everyone and his dog has some form of melta / haywire it is imperative that we support these buggers and that we get them in when we want.

Support can be given by feeding the enemy with a moltitude of short range threats. What about a basic Khorne Daemonkin Slaughtercult, followed by 5 Maulerfiends? Our deepstriking friends can very much cause headache, teleporting in the midst of the enemy just the turn before our Fiends charge! Or, say, what about 2 landraiders filled with khorne marines, approaching fast? Against who are the opponent going to use his melta / haywire weaponry? As always, forcing a bad choice is key to make good use of this formation.
Then, about having them enter the fray WHEN we want, an Aegis Line with communication array can be great to cover our homekeeping cultists and allow reserve rerolls manipulation. Because sometimes its also important NOT to let the guys arrive. Since we need to maximize threats in one particular turn, if they arrive too early, the opponent will have no hard choices to make and will just kill them piecemeal or tarpit them.

Summing up, 3 Helbrutes with Heavy Flamer (345 pts) are a great way to alpha strike, assuming that you have other threats to trow in the meatgrinder.

What do you guys think? GLORY TO CHAOS!!


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Personally I like it a lot more than the hellcult formation, you know since its three 'brutes and all.

What are your thoughts on arming any of them with a thunder hammer, power scourge, or reaper autocannon? (Not all of those upgrades at once mind you, maybe just one or two per formation plus the flamers.)

And how about kitting one with two close combat arms? Get two that are a little shooty and one thats all about close combat.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Well, i certainly advocates the use of the power scourge, if anything, alotugh the cost will skyrocket. 
About the reaper cannon, i'd better leave it to other formation brutes: we are going to get so close and personal that Str 7 is not going to help that much. HOWEVER if you want to give them the reaper, give it to all of them. If they roll Fire Frenzy, they all have to use it: suddenly, we are talking about 12 TL autocannon shots. Not Bad! Still, this changes their role completely, becoming anti Light Vehicle/infantry.
About a single full melee helbrute...what if he is the one that the scatter punish? It will hardly be part of the ame, with a single role/ attack option. Helbrutes are not specialists, in my mind. If you specialize with the, you risk too much (deepstrike risks, crazy chart... the two combined can really ruin your day if the bugger cannot adapt fast)


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## Uveron (Jun 11, 2011)

I like the Idear of two power fists with 2 heavy Flamers, haven't considered that before. That is 4 templates on fire frenzy! and if you have Deepstricked into the opponents lines range should not be an issue. 

But, the Old Melta, Power Fist Flamer set up keeps them flexible to deal with most things. 

(And will be good against fortifications ad the flamer can burn the units inside!


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## venomlust (Feb 9, 2010)

I have only ever run mine with 3 MM/PF, sometimes with heavy flamer. It is perhaps not the best strategy, but I always try to deep strike each of them in the ideal location. My luck is such that 2/3 usually scatter onto an enemy unit or off the table, but so be it. That's part of the fun. Jamming a multimelta up the exhaust pipe of a predator or razorback is great fun, and there's a 1/3 chance of a 'splosion. If they don't explode, they have to deal with it or get shot again. With a unit of meltabikers as support, it can be pretty easy to attack a vehicle from both sides. 

If there is a particular threat that needs to be dealt with, dropping all 3 around it are definitely a good idea. I've never faced off against a knight titan but I bet they could do a number on it if they don't scatter horribly.

2 Fists/Flamers is definitely something I'd like to try. I guess it makes the most sense against horde armies or an army that will charge the brute after it deep strikes instead of killing it with shooting. A perfect deep strike right next to a xenos unit with shitty saves would be so glorious.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Actually, this Formation might be our best anti knight tool.The knight, if not properly bubblewrapped, will AT BEST kill two, after being shot (one from shooting, one from assault) and will still risk death in melee, being I1!


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

venomlust said:


> If there is a particular threat that needs to be dealt with, dropping all 3 around it are definitely a good idea. I've never faced off against a knight titan but I bet they could do a number on it if they don't scatter horribly.


A couple melta in non-ion-shielded sides would help, definitely, especially in conjunction with those melta-bikers threatening a 2nd/3rd side. Still, you need an Explodes result to do any serious damage, the Knight just plain shrugging off shaken, stunned, weapon destroyed, and immobilized--the only way to finish him is to do 6 full hull points of damage, or get an Explodes somewhere along the way there.

Still, meltas DSing in, then power fists at the same initiative as the Knight the next turn (or when assaulted), will go a good ways towards redressing that balance. And costs less than a Knight, for the formation, to boot. (add in those melta-bikers and you're there)



neferhet said:


> The knight, if not properly bubblewrapped, will AT BEST kill two, after being shot (one from shooting, one from assault) and will still risk death in melee, being I1!


What's this about the Knight being I1? It's I4 with its D-chainsword and Stomps at I2.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Mossy Toes said:


> What's this about the Knight being I1? It's I4 with its D-chainsword and Stomps at I2.


ow...sorry i am so used to face stompas that i mixed things up :laugh:


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