Few tabletop games garner as much passion asWarhammer 40k, with a worldwide fanbase dedicated to collecting, painting, and competing in multiple events. Set in the grimdark future, where all hope of progress and reason has long been forgotten,Warhammer 40khas steadily grown in popularity. New hobbyists are discoveringthe vast universe of40kevery year, and while many are drawn to the poster boys of the setting, the Space Marines, each faction in the setting has a rich lore and well-designed model range.
One of the largest and most detailed factions in40kis the Chaos Space Marines. These are the longstanding antagonists of the setting and enjoy some of the best miniature designs and coolest lore. For new players looking to get started with their first40karmy, Chaos Space Marines are one of the most fun and rewarding factions available to buy.
7The Lore
Traitors and Heretics
The origins of the Chaos Space Marines arecentral to the entireWarhammer 40ksetting. Their creation dates back to the cataclysmic civil war known as the Horus Heresy. In this galactic-spanning conflict, the forces loyal to the Emperor of Mankind fought against the traitors, led by Horus himself. As he and his seven traitor Primarch brothers fell to the Chaos Gods, so did their legions of Space Marines.
In the current setting, the Chaos Space Marines are led by the Warmaster Abaddon the Despoiler and are the biggest threat to the Imperium of Man in the galaxy. However, the Chaos forces are not a singular entity. Many are formed into roaming warbands, while some follow their original traitor Primarchs, such as Mortarion and his Death Guard. The Chaos Space Marines are the most diverse of the factions, with some following a single Chaos God, while others follow Chaos Undivided. They also often summon daemons into battle to fight alongside them and wield dark magic against their foes. The Chaos Space Marine’s lore is some of the most horrifying and detailed in the entireWarhammer 40ksetting, which ensures their ongoing popularity among hobbyists.
6The Models
Varied Units For Many Play Styles
Chaos Space Marines have some of the best-looking models in the entireWarhammerrange. The faction includes monstrous infantry such as the Possessed, Obliterators, or Chosen, and daemon engines like the Venomcrawler and Forgefiend. Hobbyists looking to form a Chaos army have access to a wide range of units. These can be formed into varied lists that suit many different play styles.
Chaos Space Marine armies can even ally with other Chaos factions. Death Guard Plague Marines, Khorne Berzerkers, or Rubric Marines from the Thousand Sons can all be added to an army list. Additionally, there are many character models available to Chaos Space Marines. These unique miniatures offer different abilities to the army and bring more personality to the tabletop experience.
5The Characters
The Very Worst of the Galaxy
As one of themost popular factions, the Chaos Space Marines enjoy some of the best characters in the setting. From the Warmaster himself, Abaddon the Despoiler, to the leader of the Red Corsairs, Euron Blackheart, or the mysterious former Dark Angel, Cypher. Chaos players can even bring legendary daemons such as Rotigus, Be’lakor, and Vashtorr the Arkifane to the tabletop.
For new hobbyists interested in starting a Chaos Space Marine army, they’ll have access to many of these bizarre and sometimes horrifying characters. Many of these unique beings are central to the ongoing narrative and will quickly become the centerpiece of the army.
4Painting
Detailed and Fun Models To Paint
The Chaos Space Marine faction hassome of the best miniaturesin the game to paint. The ornate armor and monstrous bodies allow hobbyists to experiment with different painting styles. The diversity in the faction and lore means hobbyists are free to pick their favorite color scheme and run wild.
From the dark blues of the Night Lords, the raw metal and yellows of Iron Warriors, or the deep reds of the Word Bearers, the faction has many fun and challenging color schemes for players to learn. Painting is a big part of theWarhammer 40khobby, and finishing a full Chaos army is both satisfying and rewarding.
3Creativity
Create A Unique Warband
One of the great aspects ofWarhammer 40kis that it promotes creativity in its players. While the setting is filled with established factions with unique identities and iconography, hobbyists are always free to create their own.
In the lore,countless Warbands are roaming the galaxy, all with unique origins. For players wanting a personalized Chaos army, this freedom allows for unique color schemes, histories, and insignia. Additionally, for many players, conversions are a big part of the hobby. This means taking spare parts from other models and creating a new character for the army. As many Chaos warriors are inflicted with bodily mutations, the faction is the perfect canvass for creative kit-bashing.
2The Fiction
Stories From the Grimdark Future
Black Library, the publishing arm of Games Workshop, has released numerous novels over the years. Each adds to the ever-expanding lore of the setting, bringing new heroes and new villains to the story. As often the main villains of the setting, many novels have been written featuring theChaos factions, fighting the Imperium.
For new hobbyists, these novels can be the perfect starting point for the setting. While there are fewer Chaos-led novels, the few available give greater context to the characters, elevating the tabletop game further. Books such asLords of Silence,Night Lords: Omnibus, or theAhrimanseries are must-read novels for fans of Chaos and the entire 40k setting.
1The Cool Factor
Everyone Loves A Villain
While the poster boys ofWarhammer 40kare undoubtedly the Space Marines, the cool factor has to go to the Chaos factions. These renegade warriors are the unashamed villains of the setting, from their ornate armor adorned with skulls, spikes, and daemonic imagery, to their half-living, half-machine daemon engines.
On the tabletop, a full Chaos army is an impressive sight. The mixture of large-scale models, powerful infantry, and terrifying daemons, led bythe very worst of the galaxy,can overshadow many other armies. In the lore, they are the outcasts of the setting, corrupted by uncaring gods to fight in the long war against humanity. Their stories can be as tragic as they can be horrific, and, like the models, are some of the most memorable and interesting in the entire setting.
