How to play Chaos Knights in 9th edition - Tips from 40k Playtesters

Learn the new tricks and tactics you will need to play Chaos Knights in 9th edition from a team that has been playtesting the game for months. We take you through all the biggest nerfs and buffs to the Chaos Knights army along with the core strategies and thoughts on list creation.
Don't miss all our other 9th edition launch coverage including battle reports and tactics videos covering nearly all factions in the game.
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[@Warrior51970]

I’ve literally listened to this video every day for 2 months driving 45 minutes to and from work. I had my first game today with my nights beat Space Wolves 60-20. Great video that every Chaos knight player should study. Keep up the excellent content! Attrition and line breaker are a must. My opponent laughed when I abandoned my deployment zone objectives turn 1., He wasn’t laughing turn 2.

[@Longtail626]

When you’re playing knights you’re playing chess but with 6 queens instead of a proper side

[@Dominic-ew3vo]

Best 9th edition content available. Really love it and appreciate your work.

[@profparm]

I love how often you panned over those masked presumably slaaneshi-flavored chaos knights on the left. They're amazingly done!

[@Eldenfirefly]

Great video! Would like to raise up a point. While its usually a negative on CP to soup in another faction. If you soup in red Corsairs detachment with 3 CSM troops, then the 3 CP you gain cancels out the 3 CP cost you pay to soup in a batallion of red corsairs. So, it could be something to consider.

[@kimberleybarrass6531]

This!!! I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, and when the rules for ninth came out I thought this was an instant win for us.. With careful planning, you can soup CSM, chaos knights and daemons with very little CP cost on the basis of this..

[@CelticBoar280]

I know this video has been for a bit. However, I keep coming back to it just to see the awesome paint job. Those Knights look amazing.

[@stephenoglesby2427]

Thank you for the video. I'm a newer player and the idea of just having around 5 models to play with is very appealing to me. I loved the honesty about the armies short comings and then ways to kinda get around them. Awesome vid. Helped me cement my choice in army

[@zanmatoshin877]

Summon daemons might help if you run low on models for objectives. 3 nurglings are nice for holding objectives😄

[@jamesm783]

Daemonic Summoning is Gonna be Chaos Knight's Big Advantage over loyalists in this edition

[@jackcanox4015]

wait what? how so?

[@AliceTheChalice187]

@@jackcanox4015 chaos characters can summon demons, chaos knights are characters

[@BrianBrown-vd1vv]

Great video guys, thanks for all the hard work. Only gripe, they are chaff units, not chafe, unless they make you really irritated.

[@thecharlessalmon]

Great video once again! Your content is of top tier quality! Can someone please direct me to where it says that you need to choose warlord traits, relics and vows before you even see your opponent's list? The core rules for 9th says : 1. Muster Armies 2. Read Mission Briefing 3. Create the Battlefield 4. Deploy Forces 5. Determine First Turn 6. Resolve Pre-battle Rules (Surely the vows come in here)? 7. Begin the Battle 8. Ending the Battle

[@zm0rc]

Probably somewhere in the gt book since tailoring your list to the enemys list is considered unfair.

[@m0V1NG_t4RG3T]

As a fat man, I too don't like the chafe. But chaff can be useful :p

[@mastershake42019]

Here are these big cool robots!! Now buy them and let them sit on your shelf cause we don't know how to implement them in our game. GW

[@RaEndymion]

If it isn't in power armor, GW isn't really interested in it at the moment.

[@smugron1101]

10:05 This is the reason I chose Infernal over Iconoclast. You can use Surges that fit the situation over just paying cp to get a niche bonus pre-game. Chaos is very cp hungry in general so saving as much cp as possible will go a long way. There is also the fact that the Infernal relic sucks so you can make them Dreadblades and lose basically nothing where as the Iconoclast relic is pretty good and losing access to it might be a hard blow if you are running, lets say, a single Knight in a super-heavy auxillary detachment while souping with another army.

[@seriousmike5649]

Allways top notch content

[@coldshoulder8550]

Excited for this one as I own couple unbuilt knights and am considering running them as imperial or chaos or looting them with my orks.

[@senorsuave]

probably less excited after having watched the first half of this

[@SirFryStirFry]

So I really love the Tzeench throne in 8th I actually would run wardog armigers and a desiccator for the buffs and they would do so well against the horde meta my store had

[@Tinytraveler]

I was about to post this exactly. Love it, glad to hear, that combo is fun af

[@zeroryu666]

Great content keep it up! Can’t wait to see thoughts on Grey Knights!

[@GrimSqueaker]

The first list (5 knights) is more than 2k :-/

[@0IDaveCouch]

I can't get it for 2000 points either. Am I doing something wrong?

[@oroborusweb]

i think they forget to count the point majoration of despoiler with 2 cac weapon

[@jackcanox4015]

@@0IDaveCouch no you didn't they just miscalculated quite a bit

[@xXpinhead]

I've been running an Incursion force with 2 wardogs, 1 despoiler with tzeentch pyrothrone, and the ability to summon a daemon prince of tzeentch. So I'll use my wardogs on the flank beacons, run the despoiler up to mid field turn one then top of turn two spawn a demon on or near the enemy home point. Let it rain smite/avengers and heavy flamers then charges to push into enemy home line it's working well so far

[@DrCorigliano]

after this time and Arks of omen detachmen costs, maybe a new review of CKs would be interesting

[@gustafhillertz9374]

going second agains knight is always scary. losing your anti-tank before they get to shoot is bad news

[@McWerp]

I like the base relic and wlt being required on the army list, and then the stratagem related ones being at game start. I really like using strats to take stuff at battle start. Especially for marginal or specialized relics. Its kind of like having a sideboard in magic the gathering. Of course, in order for that to be fair they have to balance their silly narrative targeted relics better AND give every army the ability to do this to some extent. Easier for them to just not balance any of it and blanket change the way the strats work.

[@aventh1114]

Will you guys do something for the Battle Sisters?

[@RobotHouse888]

Hey just curious, wouldn't be also viable to switch out the 2 Rampagers with 2 Cerastus Knight Lancer. It would make the list 1990pts instead of 1965pts. but you would lose out of potential warlord traits and artifacts.

[@Jamesfromschool]

My friend showed me Warhammer and I was looking at those guys in the video and I was wandering how many models do I need to play ？

[@cassiecaradoc2070]

So, I played my first game with the other knights (Imperial Knights), and I'm starting Chaos Knights soon. But my first game did not go well. I was playing against the new IG and I had two of my big knights get shot off the board on the first turn. How... do I protect the big knights if I don't go first? If you can effectively see them through terrain so long as you can physically see them, I'm not sure how I keep them safe long enough to get into melee in the first place. I don't know how you come back from losing 2/3 of your heavy hitters before you've even had a turn.

[@RaptorLacrosseTraining]

“That’s Right.” “Absolutely” “Yeah” “Mmhuh” “Yup” “Right” “Boom, nailed it” “Yuh” “Of Course” “Yah”

[@zaganim3813]

right?! xDDD

[@RecklessFables]

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

[@trentathawat6714]

"Good talk!"

[@trevorjones9178]

i was wondering if there is a way to field a chaos knight/ imperial knight at 500 point total. as the super heavy detachment costs 6 (however you can field 3 armigers for around 500)

[@ERWANL363]

Super heavy auxiliary detachment = 1 Lord of War for 3 cp

[@incredebilis5977]

You probably know this now but the Detatchment of you warlord is free.

[@Noxims47314]

Im looking to eventually have a starting detachment, could i use the "throwaway in front" strategy with say 2 to 3 warhounds whilst i have a bigger dude like the desecrator or Tyrant all juiced up? or is this a bad idea?

[@dominicdavies595]

Hey crew, do we think that Chaos Knights will get the cheaper version of their "Castellan" like Imperial Knights got? I'm hoping that drop in cost was deliberate for IK and CKs keeping the extra 100 points was some mistake.

[@erikesspunkt3140]

I do think that the drop was deliberate too, but i doubt that GW will address that mistake until a new Codex: Chaos Knights.

[@MuchoBe]

GT2020 just changed a few secondaries! Titan Hunter: changed to have three tiers instead of two, for 10,12 and 15 VPs per each Titanic killed

[@salv.6948]

@TT - How do you equip your War Dogs? Would is always be the autocannons or has the thermal lance once become viable now too?

[@brushhammerdice4438]

Awesome! Plx do a how to play deathwatch 9th edition video next!

[@bookys1237]

I’m new to 40k and I wanna play pure cknights, so what codex do I use the current one or do I wait for their 9th edition one if it’s coming

[@DeathsroseIK]

im fairly new to wh40k, have a drukhari army but looking to build an army with a knight tyrant, despoiler and supplement them with plague marines along with some other forces(tbd yet) any advice for that? a few people have told me that an army like that would be pretty tough

[@MrThemilk14]

So is there a way I can take a single knight with a black legion army? Battlescribe it's telling me I need to take a minimum of three lords of war. I don't get it.

[@sanz50255]

I’m gonna buy my first chaos knight for my deathguard army, any suggestion? I was thinking on the rampager (due to this edition being more melee focused or a tyrant (for antitank support). Also i’m in doubt, witch is better, the desecrator or the despoiler. Any help is really appreciated.

[@orkboy8880]

I would say a rampager I would go with the laser and then buy the parts to make the melee version so that you have both or magnetise if you can do it that what i did with my death guard and my kinghts well but if you are worry about tanks etc get the tyrant but it points heavy the cheaper kinght is a knight despoiler that have a battle Canon missile and close combat option if you want it

[@michaelagin7076]

Magnatize the three weapons and play the options to see what performs best for you.

[@Nikolaijuno]

You mentioned taking Red Corsairs as allies. How do they work in 9th? I can interpret it either as they get +3 CP if they take 3 Marines squads, or as you get the bonus only if your warlord is in the detachment. If it's the former you could take them as allies and still get an extra one CP.

[@michaelpowell2590]

You get the bonus 3cp 4 with Huron

[@MrGhast25]

Nobody gonna talk about how by being chaos knights we get taxed 70 points for taking a Tyrant with Volcano, compared to the Castellan because we need to pay for our Volcano Lance, for whatever reason...

[@AThousandSons1]

Thousand sons in 9th video when? :)

[@Travio247]

So far I've played against imperial guard and chaos. Guard I died turn 1 with each demolisher he had (3) getting an engine kill each - 2 war dogs and a despoiler. Then against chaos. His obliterators killed a despoiler a turn and killed me by end of his turn 2 when his second squad deep striked in

[@mikemcguinness92]

Where can we find the 9th ed point costs?

[@andrewsimmons2711]

I'll be souping :)

[@danielfarrell6855]

Hmmm... no mention of the Knight Castigator? It's way cheaper than the double avenger and better really.

[@wookiee.gunner]

Hi, what is the decal of the demon face with the text?

[@MarcusLunaDeLeon]

If you're new to the game is it worth jumping into Chaos Knights or am I gonna get stomped? Are they a top 10 faction in 9th?

[@michaelpowell2590]

They are currently due to how 9th is played one of the armies that either you win because your opponent doesn't have an answer for multiple knights or you lose because they do and they play objectives better they are not as forgiving an army as they use to be they require a bit more planning and understanding than they used to that being said I've still had plenty of fun with mine thus far in 9th

[@BurpAtTheMoon]

Ummm, it might be my browser, but your HowToPlay Space Wolves video has the same thumbnail as this video :D

[@diegoreds]

I wish GW would had “Chaos Knights,” Summon Swarms of Demons by Sacrifice armor, or 2-3 Turns or Same size “Greater Chaos Demon,” that goes BLOODLUST CHARGING DESTROYING EVERYTHING END OF BOARD?

[@Archon762]

If I replace my Laser Destructor (60" Heavy D3 S 14 AP -4 D D6) with the Diamonas (60" Heavy 3 S 16 AP-4 D D6) will it still be considered a Blast Weapon?

[@9876-i5b]

its a suped up version of the weapon so yes

[@Raven1984ful]

Sorry to ask guys,you might get this question quite often...are you considering the new point cost for knights?

[@Chunkypumpkinhead]

Chaos sucks so, so bad. - Sincerely, a long time Chaos player. Like seriously who are the bad guys even supposed to be in this game? Chaos Marines are smaller and weaker and more afraid than Primaris Marines. Necrons are smaller and weaker. Daemons are puny and weak except for a couple of 'em. Orks and Tyranids are big confused ineffective blobs. Marines are excellent at literally everything, and better at every single thing than the specialist armies that specialize in that thing - for less points. I just don't get it. This isn't how you sell a new edition.

[@TimcPlays]

Guess you won't be buying it then? Oh no, of course you will be.

[@OscarDataTech]

Bad guys? All of them, except the orks, they are just free spirits, destruction spirits, but fair and free

[@Chunkypumpkinhead]

@@TimcPlays I absolutely will not be. I haven't bought a new model since the Chapterhouse suit. Picked up some stuff in trades or second hand to try out some new armies or paint schemes, but GW are bad people.

[@Chunkypumpkinhead]

@@OscarDataTech I like the Tau. The Ethereal mind-control plot is so flimsy, and feels taped on to make them also grimdark. But like, Chaos Marines just seem like underdogs in a world that's out to get them now. They seem like the Christians during the Roman Empire. Now that I've said that I would love to see Warhammer 42K where the Empire is way long forgotten and Chaos is basically boring after being in charge for so long, and the Chaos Gods start dying because no one really believes in them any more, so their followers just fight it out because of thin idealogical differences..

[@alfredtg6762]

CSM when?

[@nicholashiatt527]

Omgomgomgomg, Chaos Knights! I'm so exci... Wait wut?

[@jonathanstevens2601]

Current 2,000 pt. list for these guys is: 1 Desecrator with Diamonas and Chain Sword 2 Despoilers, each with 1 Avenger Gatling Cannon (Chain Sword and Gauntlet of Ascension), and 1 with an ironstorm missile pod, (Meltagun and Heavy Stubber) 4 Wardogs with Autocannons and Heavy Stubbers Iconoclast to do some melee buffing the biggies on the front lines while they're charging and shooting and stomping around wreaking havoc, while war dogs chill in the back on objectives hailing out autocannon fire. Not a lot of CP to go around after characters and relics have been designated but hey, alpha strike yeah?

[@p3rils3nsitive]

Jeez you can still soup in one extra detachment without breaking your CP - you will still have more than you would have had in 8th! I think you are vastly overstating how impactful this will be.

[@michaelpowell2590]

I just allied in some red corsairs and helped big time with no cp drain because well red corsairs

[@paulflory4807]

Like your content, but disagree over points, significant increases across the board for chaos knights. A lot of those 5 knight lists in 8th will be 4 now. Saying that still hyped to play them in 9th. Playing a more challenging army makes you a better general

[@eacey]

Oh knights 9th will not be fun for you

[@TheCrimsonSpork]

Just give them a secondary to survive on the table

[@jackcanox4015]

All the list you made are way above the 2000 points...

[@blackbeltmisha]

The core rules specifically say that Titanic can fall back and shoot... why are you saying that Knights cant fall back and shoot? Lot of love for the channel and all of the people involved seem great, but its a really bad look if a huge chunk of the discussion and the entire list for the faction focus are built around flubbing the faction's crucial core rule

[@3videokid]

Is it just me or are these guys literally complaining about how harder it is for knights to win. No one wants to play against knights for a reason. How about putting a video on how to beat them

[@s7ick3y19]

show the models more

[@brandonpark1737]

Genestealer cult?

[@Dancan799]

Brandon Park that video is out now

[@brandonpark1737]

Thanks man I did watch it early this morning. Definitely a great vid.

[@Zach0451]

If you want to play a super elite army that isn't garbage, just play custodes instead

[@MenwithHill]

Are Custodes 35 feet tall ? Didn't think so.

[@josecorrales6392]

When the: "How to play DARK ANGELS in 9th edition" I not want wait more...

[@mantiskay438]

Sooooo what you should of titled this is dont play not how to play

[@Didermann]

People actually needed guides for both iKnights and cKnights? They're the easiest factions to play lol

[@Dancan799]

Roober Rad I think it’s just more of waiting to know changes or different strats at higher level Someone else can alway think of something you haven’t for plans