10 points for D3 S8 -2 Dd3 (blast) (ignore cover) with an alternate assault profile seems fairly strong - from my back of the hand estimates, it’s comparable damage to a lascannon to T7 3 , and T8 3 5 , but also amazing against 2 wound primaris in light cover or anything with 6 models, and even has an assault profile that can be fired into melee. I’m wondering if some of the following might be interesting:

• EC sonic dreads with double blastmasters and power scourge for 115 points in vehicle heavy lists. Small enough to hide behind obscuring terrain during deployment then unlikely to be targeted before higher threat models like disco lords or keepers of secrets

• EC noise marines with 4 boltguns and a blastmaster instead of sonic blasters for troop slots. 20 more points than 5 CSM or 30 more than cultists, but they shoot upon death and have a nice versatile blast weapon. Obviously you still deepstrike a 10 man Noise Marine squad with 2 blastmasters and 8 sonic blasters and strat support, but I like filling out a battalion with cheaper Bolter/blastmaster noise marines instead of cultists or expensive sonic blasters that won’t have strat support.

As an example list that uses some of these...

EC Battalion

Disco Lord (baleflamer) warlord 200

Disco Lord (baleflamer) 200

Dark apostle with disciples 90

5 noise marines (4 bolters, blastmaster) 90

5 noise marines (4 bolters, blastmaster) 90

10 noise marines (8 sonic blasters, 2 blastmasters) 220

Sonic Dread (scourge, 2 blastmasters) 115

Sonic Dread (scourge, 2 blastmasters) 115

Sonic Dread (scourge, 2 blastmasters) 115

Defiler (scourge, reaper autocannon) 140

Defiler (scourge, reaper autocannon) 140

Demons Patrol (undivided)

Contorted Epitome 210

5 nurglings 90

5 nurglings 90

5 nurglings 90

Nurglings play objectives while demon engines, the epitome, and sonic dreads backed up by blastmaster fire charge enemy lines.