Nightmare Hunt Detachment Adds Battle Shock, New Chaos Tactics
Day 6 of the Grotmas Calendar introduced the Nightmare Hunt Chaos Space Marines Detachment, a kit of rules built around forcing enemy Battle shock and exploiting shaken foes. The detachment reshapes tempo and positioning with enhancements and stratagems that reward psychological warfare, and players are encouraged to download and try it ahead of an upcoming balance update.
The Nightmare Hunt detachment centers on a simple but brutal idea, force nearby enemy units to take Battle shock and then capitalize on the disorder. The detachment applies mechanics that trigger Battle shock tests for units within range, and when those targets fail or suffer Battle shock the Chaos attackers receive concrete benefits. These benefits include improved To Wound rolls for Chaos units and penalties to enemy To Hit values while they remain shaken, creating windows for aggressive follow up attacks.
Beyond the core Battle shock engine, the detachment offers a suite of enhancements and stratagems that change how Chaos forces approach the board. Enhancements can grant Stealth to units to allow closer positioning before the shock effect triggers, provide jump pack redeploy options for rapid insertion, and grant Scout to characters similar to Warp Talons so first strikes and alpha moves become more reliable. Stratagems are split between those that manufacture Battle shock and those that amplify the payoff, including tools that force an enemy to fall back, then be punished by shooting or charging, as well as options to advance and charge in a single sequence to close with shaken targets.
For practical play the Nightmare Hunt encourages aggressive list building and calculated risk. Use Stealth or Scout like effects to get key units into range without exposing them, then employ stratagems to induce Battle shock before committing heavier assets. Units with reliable wound output benefit most because the detachment boosts To Wound and undermines enemy accuracy. Utility stratagems that enable advance and charge or fall back, shoot or charge create flexible turns where a failed morale test becomes a cascading advantage.
The release is timely for players preparing for the forthcoming balance update. Download the detachment to test combos and timings in casual games or at local events, and report what works back to your group so common counters can be explored. The detachment is available for download at https colon slash slash www dot warhammer-community dot com and offers a compact, thematic toolkit that rewards psychological pressure and aggressive follow through.
