The Chosen are the elite veterans of the Chaos Space Marines, the Legionnaires who’ve survived long enough to become the deadliest warriors in a warband. If you’ve seen Chaos Marines cutting through enemy lines while their lesser brothers hold the line, you’ve probably seen the Chosen at work.
What the Chosen actually are
Think of them as the Chaos equivalent of Space Marine Veterans. They’re the best fighters in a warband, with decades or even centuries of war behind them. That experience doesn’t make them noble. It makes them dangerous.
Chosen are utterly devoted to Chaos, and they’ll happily throw their own comrades into a meat grinder if it improves their standing with the gods. That’s not a bug in their design, it’s the whole point.
How they fight
You won’t find Chosen hiding at the back. They lead from the front, taking the most dangerous assignments and claiming the best loot afterwards. When a warband needs a position cracked open, the Chosen are usually the ones doing the cracking.
They’re also used for outflanking and infiltration, slipping behind enemy lines to set up attacks the enemy can’t escape. Because they carry the widest weapon selection of any Chaos squad, they can be kitted out for almost any job.
Wargear
Chosen have access to a broader arsenal than regular Legionnaires, which is part of what makes them so flexible on the tabletop and in the lore. Common choices include:
- Power swords and power fists for close combat punch
- Chainaxes and chainswords for volume of attacks
- Thunder hammers for cracking heavy targets
- Lightning claws for shredding infantry
Notable Chosen
A few Chosen have names worth remembering. Dzargon Draznicht served as Champion of the Crimson Slaughter Ravagers, and Verzekh fought with the Black Legion.
On the modelling side, Chosen have been a staple of Chaos Space Marine releases since the early days, with dedicated kits appearing across multiple editions.
Where they fit in the lore
The Chosen sit near the top of the Chaos Space Marine food chain, below named characters like Chaos Lords and Daemon Princes but above the rank-and-file Legionaries. They’re what happens when a warrior survives long enough in the Long War to become something genuinely terrifying.
They also show up alongside other elite units like Terminators, Possessed, and Havocs, often forming the sharp end of a warband’s assault force.
Key facts
- The Chosen are the Chaos Space Marine equivalent of Space Marine Veterans.
- They typically have decades or centuries of combat experience.
- They’re known for sacrificing comrades to gain favour with the Chaos gods.
- Chosen carry the widest weapon selection of any Chaos squad.
- They often lead assaults from the front or infiltrate behind enemy lines.
FAQ
Are the Chosen the same as Space Marine Veterans?
Functionally yes. They fill the veteran slot in a Chaos Space Marine army, but their loyalty is to Chaos rather than the Imperium, and they’re generally more ruthless about it.
What weapons can Chosen carry?
They have the widest weapon range of any Chaos squad, including power swords, power fists, chainaxes, chainswords, thunder hammers, and lightning claws.
How do Chosen differ from regular Legionaries?
Chosen are more experienced, more heavily equipped, and more likely to lead from the front. Regular Legionaries are the rank and file; Chosen are the veterans who’ve earned their place through centuries of war.