Is the Chronos ever worth it?

Hey All,

I'm putting together a WWP list and was pondering the use of a Chronos...I already have 2 Taloi in the list and, as I have the kit, was wondering whether the Chronos would be a nice addition. On paper it seems like a good way to get quick pain tokens for the models arriving through the portal. Only thing is for only 5 more points I could just make it another Talos...or even use the slot for a flyer to address my complete lack of AA.

In people's experience is a Chronos ever worth the points when fielded? If so how have you gotten the most out of it? It seems like a good complement to a pair of Taloi, but it's not nearly as appealing given that you're using a precious HS slot for what's essentially a support unit.

I've gotten more mileage out of mine when pairing it with a Talos or two.

It's a great way to cheat an early pain token onto a Talos as well as stand in front of said talos to provide some cover.

Same feedback here. Fielded with two talos, the cronos is very usefull.

I also tried to use it in combination with a large blob of hellions poping out a WWP to give them a pain token. But you have to be lucky on reserve rolls (if the cronos also pops out of the WWP) or to be careful enough to have it alive and not too far from the WWP when the blob come.

I struggle to see a use for it (and pain tokens in general)
The problem is, you tend to generate them when you are winning, and so need them the least.

They can work very well, but you have to build a lot of your strategy around them. If you already have an archon/incubi squad in a raider, and have 80 pts, it might be worth risking a walk, run, walk, shoot Cronos that can be in position to kill a model with its flamer and large blast and make your deathstar FNP/FC before it makes a turn two charge, it might even be able to charge with them
Or it might fluff its run, have nothing in range, and be a waste.

I plan to buy some eventually, but they suit a slower play style than I'm going for at the moment.

DominicJ wrote:

I struggle to see a use for it (and pain tokens in general)
The problem is, you tend to generate them when you are winning, and so need them the least.

The Cronos is one way to generate pain tokens before you are winning though. It's fairly easy to generate a couple of pain tokens quickly with shooting and even though the statline isn't awesome, it's still fairly useful in close combat if you pick your target properly.

DominicJ wrote:

They can work very well, but you have to build a lot of your strategy around them. ...but they suit a slower play style than I'm going for at the moment.

That's the key to any good list. Make sure each unit compliments the whole. When I field my Cronos I have fun running it next to a large squad of foot wyches and a Talos. I haven't been disappointed with the results. I play on a 4x8 table and it is often turn 3 or later (depending on deployment and my opponent's movement) before this cc element of my army hits his line. In objective games I try to put a couple as close together as allowed and send these units straight for them. It is a much slower pace, but not necessarily one that spells doom for the foot wyches or pain engines. I usually have enough stuff posing a threat early in the game to provide sufficient distraction to allow these units to reach the objectives.

Just my regular disclaimer I am a casual gamer. I'm too old to make the effort to strip each list down to the optimal bare bones. I actually enjoy the thematic elements to the game now. Such as the mental image of the pain engines and wyches running across the battlefield to get to grips with the enemy. Winning isn't as important as looking good. As long as my game pushes my opponent to the limit of his. I'm satisfied, even in a loss.

I wanna try that Incubi/Archon/Cronos combo now

ive used mine quite well, but only coming out of a WWP. for some reason everyone at my gaming club hates the cronos and the talos.
as soon as they're put on the table they draw an insane amount of shooting. which can be good in some situations, but demoralizing in other's when you lose them 1st turn.

To answer the title of the thread: yes.

I have a Chronos that comes out of a WW with two pain engines and they manage to make a mess out of anything that gets in their way/draws fire away from other units that are essential later on. Having Pain Engines use their Liquifiers or Splinter Cannons on anything in range to soften them up can be really be beneficial, and then that pie plate that the Chronos has is a great was of improving anything's survivability. My Pain Engines tend to float off to ay tanks that my Dark Lances haven't popped to cut holes in the side while my Chronos lumbers forwards, giggling, to steal the souls of more cattle.
It makes an excellent distraction by drawing in a lot of fire (which they usually survive) and then they can gouge out large portions of the foe if left untreated. (Even then, if they do try to kill all of your engines in one turn you have a lot of Splinter shots and Incubi to finish off what has been distracted.)

Yes
Not quite the slam dunk choice the Ravager is, but its quite good.

Have a Cronos follow around some wyches, that way they get FNP and Furious Charge asap so they can be used for more than just a tarpit

I keep my Cronos ahead of my Talos slightly due to its shorter range and use it to provide cover for the Talosi...

Late to the thread, but I also find the Cronos+2X Taloi to be a ton of fun while frustrating opponents to no end

I've gotten some great use out of the Cronos. You really have to buy the Spirit Vortex (18" 3/3 Assault1 LB) though, and I personally like to match it up with a group of Kabalites/Wyches or any other easily breakable unit to get the first pain token BEFORE thrusting them into combat so they get that PFP second "save". I've never seen much use matching them up with a Talos since I usually get a kill or two with their long range before they start taking hits. Plus their template attack is good against armies with throw away units (nids, orcs). And as Cavash mentioned, it's a good draw that can take quite a beating.

astagoRRe wrote:

I've never seen much use matching them up with a Talos since I usually get a kill or two with their long range before they start taking hits. Plus their template attack is good against armies with throw away units (nids, orcs). And as Cavash mentioned, it's a good draw that can take quite a beating.

They can get a pain token on a Talos pretty quickly, which is always nice seeing as Talos don't start with a pain token.

It is worth noting that because of its limited attacks and short weapon range the cronos is vulnerable to tarpits. Giving it a spirit probe (that's the cc option right?) makes it so it can still hand out tokens even when locked in combat. Having other cc support near it is also a great idea. Two talos work very well as has already been pointed out.

Thats what it needs the Talos for.
The Cronos grabs paint tokens, the Talos stops it being pitted
Even with the probe, the Cronos is useless in combat.

just tried out a unit of 3 grots, haemy, archon with support from talos + cronos and it worked an absolute treat.
the marine player had previously seen what a cronos can do to marine squads. gotta love that AP3!! so fired everything he had at it for several turns. it high toughness, good save and ability to generate tokens easily meant that it survived for a long time and drew fire away from my squishy transports.
it is not however, a good option for CC without another unit to help out