"If you are strong feign weakness. If weak pretend strength. Whatever your position conceal it from the enemy, and he will waste his armies fighting his own phantoms." -IMPERIUM TACTICA

Advantages


The forces of Chaos rely upon magics, masses of mutated creatures, and twisted technological forces in their attempt to conquer the universe. Legions of montrous creatures such as beastmen, trolls, and minotaurs gnash their teeth hoping to get into close combat with the enemy. Daemons tear enemy troops asunder with their mighty strength and powerful magics.

The Traitor Space Marine Legions are the most potent warriors of any Chaos Army. As champions of the Chaos powers, the Traitor Marines have been given the gift of powerful mutations and weapons. Some Marines may poses extra limbs, skins of molten metal, or horrifying skull faces, while others may have the ability to regenerate from mortal wounds. Sometimes Marine Commander may recieve dark gifts in the form of powerful magic swords or axes, weapons with the ability to inflict grievous damage in the service of their masters.

With thousands of years of combat experience, along with deadly heavy weapons, powerful vehicles, and Daemon machines like the Blood Slaughterer, Chaos Mainres are fearsome and powerful foes.

Awesome Characters: Simply put, Chaos has access to many of the best, most powerful characters (special or otherwise) in the entire game. So are so nasty that Games Workshop recommends that you receive your opponent's permission before using some of them. Varied Armies: There is little Chaos cannot get access to in terms of basic troop types, vehicles, and characters. Any general type of army (such as "Close Combat specialists", "lots of cannon fodder", and so forth) Chaos can do. Good, All-around Force: While you can certainly design a Chaos force with glaring weaknesses, that's something you have to work at. If you choose a Chaos Space Marine army, for example, it is nearly as easy to general as a regular Space Marine force.


Disadvantages


Eventhough Chaos may seem extreamly unbeatable, they can be easily overcome by tanks, heavy weapons and of course Grey Knights and Inquisitors. Watch your foe and make sure he doesn't try to scatter your forces or push your Greater Deamons to close to each other.

Expensive Troop Types: While you can buy lots of cheap troops, the best Chaos soldiers (and it has a lot of them) cost quite a bundle. If you work at it, you can select a force of super-powerful models guaranteed to be greatly outnumbered by whomever them meet. Ans, as powerful as they may be, they can still be taken out by powerful weapons such as lascannons. In such case with so few troops, you can't afford to take any losses. *Spoiled for Choice: With some much to choose you, you may be tempted to choose some of everything, a decision which makes commanding your force more difficult and thus making defeat more likely. Always pick a Chaos force using a definite plan. Undependable Troops and Weapons: Some Chaos weapons have special rules which can result in them blowing up inyour face, despite their otherwise high usefullness. In addition, Daemons, some of your best models, can be hampered by the Daemon Animosity rule if you try using monsters such as these from opposing Chaos factions. They could even just disappear! And, let's not forget Chaos Dreadnoughts, which are nothing less than insane and therefore unpredictable.

Psionics


Chaos doesn't have a wide variety of spells but the ones they have are pretty good. Make use of all the diffenrent types and styles of spells.

Vehicles


Again Chaos have a wide range of vehicles. Here are a few examples:

Rhino: Little armament, 2 bolters + grenades. Pretty fast, up to 25", and can carry alot, 10 Marines or 5 Terminators. Mainly a trop carrier with standard armor and defences. Cheap 50 pts.
RazorBack: Nice little vehicle, like a combination of Rhino and Predator. Take one!
Predator: Nice weaponry for a low cost. Again pretty fast 25" but can't carry nothin. Good support if you can spare the pts.
Dreadnought: The best support vehicle. Dreadnoughts if armed correctly can provide cover for your troops and never get a scratch. Because of their slow speed, Dreadnoughts are more or less a normal character.

WEAPONS

MK1 Plasma Pistols (note that this is an older plasma weapon and not the
same one developed by the Adeptus Mechanicus)
I don't think that chaos should use them at all because of the dangerous of
throwing a JAM. Sure, it's a strong hand to hand combat weapon, but I think
it is better not using this pistol at all at those overheating risks.
Rating:(**)

MK1 Plasma Gun (note that this is an older plasma weapon and not the same
one developed by the Adeptus Mechanicus)
Strong weapon but as above, too dangerous. Use something else instead.
Rating:(**)

Reaper Auto Cannon
This baby is according to me, the best weapon ever made to any army with its
reroll jam. Its ability to clear the table of enemies works perfect to me.
And another good thing.... its cheap! 25 points.
Rating:(*****)

Blight Grenades
This is also another great weapon but can only be used by Plague Marines or
Characters. Effective weapon because of the D6 strength and the ability to
remain in battle (until rolling strength 1). Perfect cleansing weapon.
Rating:(****)

Sonic Blaster note: Noise Marines only!
This is a good weapon but sure is expensive. Think before you buy them if
you will really need them.
Rating:(***)

Blastmaster note: Noise Marines only!
Wow! This is a powerfull weapon! 2" blastmarker and 4+D6 S with a -3
modifier!! Very good against vehicles too! I would use at least one of these
in my Noise Marine squad.
Rating:(****)

Doom Siren note: Noise Marines only!
I guess this weapon will be good in some opportunities. But the price is too
high for this weapon. I would use these points for something else.
Rating:(***)

Close Combat Weaponry

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Power Mace Terminators only
This is a mighty good weapon. D3 damage and 5 in S with a -2 save modifier.
Great Hth weapon. Cheap too.
Rating:(****)

Axe of Khorne Only available as reward or if using a BloodThirster.
As above D3 damage, S as user +1.
Rating:(***)

Chain Axe
This is a good assault weapon for Space Marines. S as user +1, -2 save
modifier and costs only 2 points.
Rating:(****)

Hellblade Blood letters only
As the Axe of Khorne!! A slaughter weapon! But this weapon is able to
parry!!
Rating:(***

Plague Knife Plague Marines only
S as user and kills on a roll of 6 on a D6 regardless of the enemies wounds.
On a roll of 1-5 the knife only inflicts a single wound. Good against
characters.
Rating:(***)

Plague Sword Plague Bearers only
As Plague Knife. Ability to parry and kills on a roll of 4 or more on a D6!
Excellent against characters.
Rating:(****)

Strategies


Using Chaos allows you to use dark and evil wepons and creatures. When creating your army make sure you know the mission and have the right kind of troops and support. Here are a few guide lines that I follow:

-Take the plaque banner and go after some vehicles
- Always take shock troops in some form or another
- Never arm a Marine too good or too bad. This just makes them more of juicy target
- Try arming every guy with at least 2 close combat weapons, to get 1 extra attack die.
Example: arm a guy with bolt pistol (Free) and a chain sword (2 pts.)
- Try to start most of you men in cover or hiding
- Make use of all your men, sacrifice 'em if neccesary
- Inquisitors are your worst enemy. However, any well-equipped Chaos General can be a suitable match for an Inquisitor.
- Most Psychic Phases should begin with Boon of Tzeentch.
- Tzeentch's Fire Storm and Plague Wind are the _GREATEST_ Psychic powers available to Chaos. Save except for Bolt of Change and the Chaos Spawn Slaanesh spell, which have incredibly short range.
- A good assault type sqaud is chaos marines with Jumpacks and 2-handed power axes.
- Take lots of powerfull psykers
- The best (IMHO) Greater Daemon type is probably the Great Unclean One. Level 4 psyker, 10 wounds and toughness 8! Normal bolters can't even hurt him!
- Bring in several tanks. A rhino to house a squad of termies (teleporting too dangerous!), a predator for support, and perhaps a razorback.
- Be VERY careful of special characters... Since we don't have any, we have to watch out. Avoid Nachos at all costs. Do not be cheesy. Ask if you can use rules from first edition.......
- Tzeentch's fire storm is the best anti-terminator spell in your arsenal. Be sure to lure out nullifies and so forth before you cast it, though.
-The best daemons you can use are Plague Bearers. Two reasons: First, they have psychics! Second, they have a very nice plague sword. It excels in multiple combat against characters.
-Blood Thirster or a Changer of Ways. The Blood Thirster is best deployed against combat armies like Tyranids or Eldar(but watch out for Vypers). The Changer of Ways works better against defensive armies. Psychics works better despite their poor range (Tzeentch's Fire Storm is probably the best psychic power). The Changer of Ways is pretty good at fighting, especially when charging combined with its flight movement.
-A terminator squad with at least one Reaper Autocannon, arguably the best weapon in the Chaos armory.
-Vehicles with capabality to drive Marines or Terminators into battle are very good. Give it the vehicle card Destroyer(Khorne) and ram over everything. Rhinos are still vulnerable though, get a landraider if possible. Chaos vehices also have great conversion possibilities.
-A good choice against Space Marines is Flesh Hounds. Blood Scent, Collar of Khorne, WS 5 and 2 wounds! For extra punch send them against psychic opponents because their force weapons are powers cannot be used. Fleshhounds are god at tying up Grey Knight Squads and Inquisitors too allowing you to fire into the melee.
-A good character is Abaddon and his guards. Teleport them into battle. Abaddon is a great choice against enemy characters. His Chaos blessed armour, his Drachnyen and his Talon of Horus. He's expensive, but worth it, especially if you teleport.
-Plague Marines. Very good and hard to kill. With Blight grenades and Plague Knives they are real death bringers. Good T will make them hard to penetrate with basic weapons (las guns, bolters, and shuriken catapults). Arm them with bolters and use them as fire support for your HTH units.
- Flank the other army with teleporting terminators (Abaddon's bodyguard) and/or Land Raiders transporting them. Also consider using the Adeptus psychic deck for power like Gate and Displacement.
-Don't spend too many points on characters. Chaos is very expensive. So buy more Chaos Space Marines(25p), troops or daemonic units.
-If you have extra points equip characters with Blight Grenades. They remain in play until a dice of 1 in S is rolled. Very effective.
-Eric Silva contributes: I find that if you teleport Abbadon with 4 Noise Marine Terminators, you can get the jump on pesky psykers. I usually equip them with chainfists, a blastmaster, a reaper, and two sonic blasters. Also, to help Abbadon out, an assault squad of five vets with an aspiring champion of Khorne will help to draw fire, and if he survives, you can sacrifice your aspiring champion for a Bloodthirster. With this kind of havoc behind enemy lines, Kharn can easily sneak up with some berzerkers. I applied this against Eldar. They did not survive long.

Here's some suggestions for Chaos generals when building armies.


These were provided by Ola Englund.
Daemons * 6 or more Plague Bearers 2 psychics and their Plague Swords
* 1 Blood Thirster or * 1 Changer of Ways 4 psychics
* 3 or more Flesh Hounds
Characters * Abaddon the Despoiler and his 4 Guards. I teleport them into battle or/and
* Khárn the Betrayer. The killing servant of Khorne or/and
* Fabius Bile with his Enchanced warriors and lots of other great stuff
* Icon Bearer with Mark of Nurgle, Plague Banner and the reward Cloud of Flies
Squads * Plague Marines armed with Blight Grenades and Plague Knife
* 5 Teleporting Terminators with at least one Reaper Auto cannon
* 3 Ordinary Chaos Marines with heavy weapons
* 5 or more Chaos Marines

GENERAL TACTICS:

This strategy works in some cases. To do this you need to separate your forces into 2 or more groups. The first needs to be mostly vehicles, dreadnoughts and heavily armored troops. The second is your commander and the rest of your troops. The first divigen need to move up and pound the enemy constantly while the second moves up. This way the enemy concentrates his firepower on the left side of the board and your second divigen woun't be noticed as much. Then when it gets close enough charge into HTH and kill what ever the first divigen didn't.

This maneuver works in almost all cases. It works by having your long range fire power cover your shock troops and vehicles/Dreadnoughts move in for the kill. The enemy will be over run and crumble before your feet.

SPECIFIC TACTICS:

Take a squad of Noise Marines and go after the ennemy psykers. This might stop the psyker from casting spells before he dies.