Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Chaos Space Marines (section)

===Troops===
*'''Chaos Space Marines''' - These are your "Line Infantry" so to speak: A 'jack of all trades' unit like their Loyalist counterparts, Chaos Space Marines tend to be sidelined in favor of other options; however, while the loyalists have the option for Bikers or Scouts to grant innate mobility or improved deployment, the only other option Chaos gets is Cultists. They're considered a "tax" unit but unlike some other tax units, they have the potential to sway a battle if used well.
**''Loadout:'' Chaos Space Marines start off with a Bolter, Bolt Pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades, and Power Armor, and the Aspiring Champion gets a "free" Close Combat Weapon added to his Wargear in the process. In the basic squad of 5 models, one model may swap out their Bolter for a Special Weapon, and in a squad of 10 or more models, another model may swap a Bolter out for Heavy Weapon or a second Special. In practice, you won't ever take the Heavy Weapon because unlike Loyalists, your guys cannot split up into Combat Squads, and you don't get Grav Cannons. Unique to Chaos Marines, any model can swap out their Bolter for a Bolt Pistol and Close Combat Weapon for free, or take the Close Combat Weapon while retaining the Bolter for 2 points. One additional note is that you can run Chaos Marines in a unit of up to 20 models if you really wish. You don't get any additional Specials/Heavies for running squads larger than 10, but Icons become more cost-effective the more models they affect. 
***'''MSU Configuration:''' A basic squad of 5 models, one with a Meltagun, the Champion has a Combi-Meltagun, and the unit has a Rhino. Optionally, you can equip the Rhino with a Dozer Blade or Dirge Casters, depending on your points budget. This configuration is alright if you're treating your CSM as a "tax unit". 
***'''Infantry Configuration:''' 10 models, and either 2 plasma guns or melta guns. Optionally, you can run the unit with an Mark/Icon of choice. This is alright for "disruption" if you're running Hounds of Abaddon or some other formation that buffs your rank-and-file Chaos Space Marines, though it amplifies the traditional weakness of Chaos being slow. 

*'''Cultists:''' These are your "cheap" troop choice, with the option to get a unit of 10 guys for 50 points, plus another 4 for each new guy. The actual options they get are fairly weak, but they're dirt-cheap and a good "hiding spot" for characters. You can also spend the fortification slot to buy an Aegis defense line and crap the cultists in there, for an inexpensive 2+ cover save bulwark. Don't underestimate them though, point for point they almost always hit harder than Marines, with autoguns they can gun down T 4 or less pretty effectively, and they don't have to worry quite as much about hard counters as Space Marines, 
** Don't bother with a mark. Cultists are a mass of expendable bodies, and don't need the points wasted on them only to die as expected. If you're really intent on making them tougher, take Typhus and make them Plague Zombies. In fact, if you make certain calculations, you'll figure out that an amount of points dumped into marks add roughly the same survivability or offensive capability as the equal amount of points dumped into extra bodies, and extra bodies are always better because they give you both. So forget about the marks; Autoguns, Flamers and Heavy Stubbers are the only meaningful options that Cultists have.
** Here's a more detailed explanation why Marks are bad for your Cultists. Starting from the "best" to the worst:
*** ''Nurgle:'' Makes your lowly Cultists as tough as Space Marines. Don't get too excited because they still wear t-shirt armor. The only use it has is to make a maxed out blob harder to budge or force morale checks on. But really it's not worth the points; there are better ways to buff them.
*** ''Slaanesh:'' Your Cultists are now I4, which means that they hit before Guardsmen and at the same time as Space Marines. Nothing special.
*** ''Tzeentch:'' 6++. Needless to say, it's pretty pathetic. You "could" make the case for this if you have some other way to buff their Invulnerable Save, but most of those options can't be banked on: You don't get Divination unless you're allying in Daemons or are running Crimson Slaughter, while you can't rely on the Munitorium Crate giving you a forcefield save. If you wanted to be cute with allies, you "could" do something like running this with a Kustom Forcefield to give them an effective 4++ save, but at the end of the day they're cultists.
*** ''Khorne:'' It gives your cultists Rage and Counter Attack. And costs 2 points. This means that a 30 strong cultist squad with the mark costs just under 200 points, and chucks out 90-120 WS3, S3, I3 attacks in the first round of close combat - if it manages to get into CC completely unscathed. Realistically speaking, it's going to take at least 50% casualties on its way in - but even after you factor that in your calculations, that an avalanche of 45-60 attacks. Introduce some sort of buff into the mix - like the Zealot granted by a dark apostle with AOBF, or some psychic shenanigans or SOMETHING, and all of a sudden the situation turns into - "oh, cool, your storm shield terminators have a 2+ save. Make 20 of them, please". Naturally you will not revolutionize the tournament scene with your new amazing cultist-star, but this seems to be the way to make the buggers semi-viable.
** While cultists certainly seem to be adequate objective-humpers, they are far outclassed by the sheer versatility presented by the updated rules for Renegades and Heretics, presented in Imperial Armour 13.  Instead of a wimpy troop choice you now can take Battle-Brother rank allies that essentially function the same as Imperial Guard, with platoons and blobs on the cheap. Instead of generic CHOPPA or DAKKA Cultists, you have the choice of better weaponry and more flavorful fun.
** As should be expected, the Cultist Champion isn’t going to be winning very many challenges, but on the off chance he does, and gets to roll on the Chaos Boon table, be sure to have a camera handy. If he wins the Chaos lottery, you want to be sure and record the look on your opponent’s face when a Daemon Prince erupts from your mob of cultist lasbolt-catchers like a stripper from a birthday cake. Especially since it’ll probably never happen again.
** If you're dakka-ing your cultists up with autoguns, you might as well give the Cultist Champion a shotgun to give him an extra mid-range shot. Unlike Guard officers and vets, he doesn't have anything better to choose from, and since it's taken rather than replacing something, you're not sacrificing an attack for it.
*'''Tzaangors (Wrath of Magnus):''' Tzaangors are similar to Cultists, but with +1 Weapon Skill, Toughness and the Mark of Tzeentch. They're in an odd place price-wise, costing 20 points more than a base Cultist unit, but not getting a champion unless they pay for one. They also start dual wielding close combat weapons, and must pay extra if they want pistols. They have zero special, heavy or melee weapons options, even for the Twistbray. Their Auxiliary formation makes them a respectable skirmish unit, but otherwise they're in an awkward space where they're too pricey to be cheap, and too cheap/fragile to be elite.
**Their "Relic Hunters" special rule gives them a bonus in assaults against anyone wielding a unique artifact: they want to steal it for their daemonic masters! This ability is marginal at best, for while it makes them to be a more effective tarpit against expensive HQs and special characters, it does nothing against lists that don't do herohammer.
**An important thing to note about Tzaangor's in comparison to regular cultists is that essentially you are paying 2 extra points per model for +1 weapon skill, +1 toughness and a 6++ invuln save <del>that can be buffed further by the Thousand Sons "blessing of Tzeentch" special rule</del> (that rule only affects units with VotLW). effectively making them cultists with both MoT & MoN, the one thing they lack is range, having to pay a point per model for an auto pistol & chainsword, as well as no access to the flamer and heavy stubber. Effectively they are better at being exactly what they need to be for a T Sons army, CQC blobs that can soak up wounds, tangle with SPESS MARINES, and keep your opponents infantry at bay while your Psykers prepare their mind bullets.
**These bird-headed mutants are close to Ork Boyz in their stats and abilities, but not necessarily in role. Boyz are cheaper with an extra attack, Furious Charge, and the WAAAAGH! Their guns hit harder as well, albeit less accurately, and they have access to Shootas and Big Shootas to put out a good number of shots at medium range. Tzaangors have their (weak) invulnerable save and more initiative, and don't fight each other when they fail a morale test. Tzaangors also have their formation(see below) which gives them an equivalent to the WAAAAGH! that they lack when taken in a CAD.