Here’s how to play and our review of the new Chaos Space Marines Warhammer 40k Codex rules and models for the faction in 9th Edition.
Let’s start off by looking at the new releases for the Chaos Space Marines and then dive into how to play all the new codex rules for Warhammer 40k.
Codex: Chaos Space Marines Retail Price: $55
Click here to get yours for less from these retailers: | Amazon | Dicehead Games | Gold Goblin Games | Frontline Gaming | Games Workshop’s Store Link
The new Codex: Chaos Space Marines is bursting with evil, covering all the rules you need to let the galaxy burn. Included are eight subfactions, plus datasheets for 44 units, as well as Relics, Stratagems, Crusade rules, prayers, psychic powers, Marks of Chaos, and other vile articles of blasphemy.
2 wound Chaos marines are finally coming… finally… Along with other changes! It will be exciting to see what the Chaos Space Marines will be able to do as the newest updated faction! Will they shake up the meta?
How To Play Chaos Space Marines Warhammer 40k Codex & Rules
These unique faction rules are collected from all the following reviews on YouTube, and Warhammer Community alike, so be sure to watch your favorite presenters talk about their take on the Chaos Space Marine Codex at the review links below:
View Gallery: 63 Images
Here’s the most up-to-date look at the new Chaos Space Marines rules- click on the gallery above to see all the new 9th Edition 40k rules from their codex!
Abbadon The Despoiler Chaos Space Marines 40k Codex Rules Datasheet
We already saw the Abaddon and Obliterators datasheets, but here they are again for you as well:
These were the previous rumors for him for you to compare and contrast:
- 8A s10 ap4 d3, 6+ to wound causes d3 MW (drachnyen pierce)
- 16A s7 ap4 d1 (drachnyen sweep)
- always fights first
- -1 to wound
- The damage of the first failed save is reduced to 0 damage
- +1s on the charge
- can only take a max 3 damage per phase
- full rerolls
- charge bonus
- supposedly very pricy (would be around 300 ish points)
It also seems that Drachnyen is strength 12 on the charge- whew!
Obliterators Chaos Space Marines 40k Codex Rules Datasheet
Just like with Abaddon, we had already seen two sets of rumors for these guys as well, and WHEW are they looking good now!
Once again, here are the previous rumors for you to compare and contrast:
- Can shoot units that are in engagement range with them (like Wraithguard)
in melee, they have powerfists without the -1 to hit
- 3 different shooting profiles
- 5″ bs3 ws3 t5 5w 4a ld9 2+/5++
- have essentially big guns never tire(shoot into engagement range with -1 to hit)
- Not core
- ignore modifier for heavy weapons
- armed with powerfists without -1 to hit
- 24” range
- Has 3 shooting profiles:
- Heavy 9+d6 s5 ap1 d1/ Heavy 3+d3 s7 ap2 d2/ Heavy d3 s9 ap3 d4
There is supposedly no way to double fire them now, as Cacophony is gone, and the new double shoot mechanic is restricted to core choices (which obliterators are not).
Chaos Space Marines 40k Rules Datasheets
These were the previous rumors for the units for you to compare and contrast:
- Ignore any/all negative modifiers to WS/BS
- Any attack on a 6 to wound +1ap
- Wanton Slaughter (super doctrine): Melee hits on a 6 give an additional hit, combine this with the slaughter bonus and you’d get 2 additional hits on a 6
- Side note, this matches up with a 4chan leak that said TH chosen could hit on 2s with EC (legion trait+icon of excess)
- Noise Marines are troops
- Don’t need to pay for Slaanesh marks
- 3w
- Stat wise similar to CSM troops (6” S4 T4 3+/no invul)
- WS 3+/BS 3+/ 3A (champion 4a)
- can take icon
- Gain gain an additional trait that you can choose, this trait is one of the traits from the list of: build a warband traits
Loadout: - everyone comes with a bolter, bolt pistol, and accursed weapon (S+1 ap3 d1; +1A)
- 2 per 5 chosen can replace their bolt pistol with a plasma pistol
- 2 per 5 chosen can replace their bolter with a combi-weapon
- 1 per 5 chosen can replace their bolter with an additional accursed weapon (S+1 ap3 d1; +1A)
- Base loadout combi-bolters, accursed weapons (S+1 ap3 d1; +1a)
- 1 per 5 can replace combi bolter with autocannon or heavy flamer
- 1 per 5 can replace combi bolter with an extra accursed weapon
- 3 per 5 can replace an accursed weapon with a powerfist
- 1 per 5 can replace an accursed weapon with a chainfist
- 2 per 5 can replace combi bolters with up to 2 combi flamers
- 2 per 5 can replace combi bolter with 2 combi melta
- 1 per 5 can replace combi bolters with 1 combi plasma
- Legionaries is the new name for the CSM troop unit choice
- same profile as before but 2W and 2a (3a on the AC)
- Ld9
- loadout:
- AC gets a daemon blade (S user ap2 d2; 6s to wound= 1MW); plasma pistol; can choose 1 weapon from the melee weapons list
- Any of all legionnaires can replace bolter for chainswords
- 1 legionaire can take a special weapon
- 1 legionaire can take a heavy weapon
- 1 legionaire can take balefire tome (cast 1/deny 1)
- 1 legionaire can take a heavy chainaxe (S+4 ap4 d2; -1 to hit)
- 1 legionaire can take a chaos icon
- is now FA
- 12″ bs3 ws2 s7 t7 9w 6a 3+/5++ (no longer degrades)
- Assault 3 s6 ap2 d2
- Melee S user ap3 d2
- now gives +1 to psychic tests
- Bikers (unit 3 to 9)
- 14″ bs3 ws3 t5 3w 3a ld9 3+
- Replace pistol for chainsword
- Up to 2 special weapons
- Up to 2 replace combi weapons with combi plas/melt/flam
Warp talon (unit 5 to 10)
- lost cancel overwatch
- gained no fallback rule
- 5a (these are total with claws)
Raptors (unit 5 to 10)
- still have the -1LD aura
- +2a
- Chainsword and pistol
- Up to 2 special weapons
- Up to 2 plasma pistols
- Champ can take plasma pistol Power sword or fist
- gains 3 additional attacks
- +1 damage if fighting a unit with a 3+ WS
- 90 pts
- If the chaos lord keyword is in the list he doesn’t take a detachment slot
- 3+ 4++ Save/ can only ever be hit on a 4+
- Bolt pistol 6 shots st 4, ap 1, damage 1
- Plasma pistol 3 shots st 8 ap 3, 2 damage no penalty for rolling 1s
- Can advance and fall back and shoot at no penalty
- Can escape once per game, letting you totally reposition him
Chaos Space Marines Points Changes & Values
Chaos Space Marines Prayers
These were the previous rumors for you to compare and contrast:
- All god-specific prayers are entirely new
- cast 1 prayer (stratagem to cast another prayer)
- no longer has an illusionary supplication
- MoP
- Has a staff that causes perils in combat with a psyker
- Cast 2 deny 1
- When casting, can cause d3 mortals to a friendly non-daemonkin unit to gain +2 to cast
- Enemy psykers suffer one additional wound if they peril within 12″
- Sorcerer in terminator armor
- can have a chaos familiar
Chaos Space Marines Army-Wide Rules
- Similar to SM Doctrine, except exploding 6s (unmodified hits) instead of +1AP. Still, 3 levels that affect different weapons (the weapons listed below are not confirmed by my sources, but the ones in the Legion Traits are confirmed by my sources as well as the names, so what I am about to list may be subject to change)
- Destruction ”Doctrine”: Heavy/grenade
- Massacre ”Doctrine”: Rapid fire/assault
- Slaughter ”Doctrine”: pistol/melee
Chaos Space Marines Legion Traits & Rules
- Ignore CA
- +1 to hit when charge or shoot closest unit
- Wanton Massacre: rapid fire/assault/pistol = exploding 5s (hit) (Super doctrine)
Stratagem
- Strat that lets you change a unit’s legion for a turn.
- 1 unit can be considered destruction/massacre/slaughter at the same time, core units only
- -1 to hit 12″ away, if wounds are 10+ then it’s 18″
- Can charge and perform actions if they fell back
- Wanton massacre (super doctrine): Rapid-fire, assault, pistol if within half range +1 ap
- Ignore any/all negative modifiers to WS/BS
- Any attack on a 6 to wound +1ap
- Wanton Slaughter (super doctrine): Melee hits on a 6 give an additional hit, combine this with the slaughter bonus and you’d get 2 additional hits on a 6
- Side note, this matches up with a 4chan leak that said TH chosen could hit on 2s with EC (legion trait+icon of excess)
- Noise Marines are troops
- Don’t need to pay for Slaanesh marks
- Charges/HI = reroll hits
- 5+++ vs MW
- Wanton Slaughter: When using a pistol/assault/melee = 6s to wound cause 1MW (capped @ 3MW per unit) (Super doctrine)
Chaos Space Marines Secondary Objectives
We didn’t see too many rumors for secondaries, but now we have plenty of info to go off!
Chaos Space Marines Psychic Powers
We actually haven’t seen a lot of rumors about the psychic powers, so there’s not too much to compare these to.
There are some classic powers in here with some new ones that are pretty buffed up.
Chaos Space Marines Relics
These were the previous rumors for the relics for you to compare and contrast:
Night Lords Relics
- FLY relic (Daemon Prince only it seems): moving over or charging units causes d3 MW on a 2+
- Claws of the Black Hunt are back but have been renamed, S+1 ap3 D2, does not gain reroll wounds instead gains enemies cannot use rules that ignore wounds
- Vox Daemonicus is 12″ no deepstrike & enemies must pass a leadership test or cannot perform actions or psychic actions; infantry only
- Flayer is still there and seems to be exactly the same
- Stormbolt plate, infantry only, 2+ save, and untargetable beyond 12″
Alpha Legion Relics
- One turn per battle: enemy strats cost +1cp on a 4+
- Power sword with dd3 and causes -1 to hit (GONE)
- Bolt weapons wounds on +2(except vehicles and titanic), ignores cover
- The combi bolter relic must be gone since no way for HQ to get combis (GONE)
- +2 armor, and transhuman
- Armor with 3d6 movement that can “ghost walk” through units (still there)
Stratagems
These were the previous rumors for the Stratagems for you to compare and contrast:
Night Lords
- Vox scream: cancels AURAS
- Units in deepstrike or strategic reserves count themselves as 1 turn earlier. 1cp for infantry & bikers; 2cp for Daemonkin
- No fallback strat
- Fall back and charge
- -1 to hit if fired upon
- Rerolls to hit if Ld is higher than the enemies (used to be +1 to hit)
- There are no more stratagems that influence moral
- Lost the stratagem that gives +2 to the charge and +1 to hit in melee from terrain
- If you slay the enemy warlord, +1 CA to enemies for the rest of the game
Iron Warriors
- 5+++ vs MW
- -1 damage for core infantry & daemonkin.
- Reduce incoming ap strat is GONE
- Cultist bodyguards are still there
Word Bearers
- No more strat for possessed +1d
- The auto pass psyker spell is still there
- The autosave strat has been changed to take 0 damage instead
- They have 2 strats that affect daemonkin or possessed
Black Legion
- Strat that lets you change a unit’s legion for a turn.
- 1 unit can be considered destruction/massacre/slaughter at the same time, core units only
Alpha Legion
- The sabotage strat is now auto explode
- Fall back and shoot
- 12″ deepstrike denial
- Shoot a unit that deepstrikes nearby
- Forward operatives, pregame move
- Conceal is replaced with untargetable beyond 12″
Emperor’s Children
- Honour the Prince is still there
- The sonic weapons strat does mortal wounds now, no longer +1s +1d
View Gallery: 63 Images
Some of those are super spicy for sure, and some are not. Either way, Chaos Space Marines are finally getting the new rules they have been waiting for since summer of 2020. Check out all the pages of the new Chaos Space Marine Codex rules in our review above!
Here’s all the latest on the upcoming rules updates and points changes for Warhammer 40k.
- All New Chaos Space Marines Rules & Rumors
- Chaos Datasheets Rules
- Chaos Space Marines Psychic Powers, Stratagems & Relics
- Prayers, Army-Wide Rules & Secondary Objectives Rules
All the Newest GW Model & Rules Previews For 2022
What do you think of the new Chaos Space Marines 40k codex rules and review?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
Get ad-free access to hobby videos, a monthly crate of miniatures, and support some of the best creators out there for as little as $6 a month on Patreon!
About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
