Chaos Space Marine Art

Chaos Space Marines, often abbreviated as CSM, are a central faction within the Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are the twisted and corrupted counterparts to the loyalist Space Marines, having turned their backs on the Emperor and the Imperium of Man to serve the dark gods of Chaos. Here are key aspects of the Chaos Space Marines:

Background
Origins: Originally, they were loyal Space Marines who fought for the Emperor during the Great Crusade. However, during the Horus Heresy, a significant portion of the Space Marine Legions betrayed the Emperor and fell to the influence of Chaos.
Horus Heresy: This civil war, led by Warmaster Horus, saw the traitorous legions attempt to overthrow the Emperor. Though Horus was ultimately defeated, the traitor legions fled into the Eye of Terror, a massive warp rift, where they have continued to wage war against the Imperium for ten thousand years.
Characteristics
Corruption and Mutation: Chaos Space Marines often bear the physical and mental scars of their allegiance to the Chaos Gods. They may exhibit mutations, warp-touched abilities, and other grotesque transformations.
Chaos Marks: They can be marked by one of the four major Chaos Gods—Khorne (god of blood and war), Nurgle (god of decay and disease), Tzeentch (god of change and sorcery), and Slaanesh (god of excess and pleasure). These marks grant them unique abilities and powers.
Power and Technology: Despite their fall, Chaos Space Marines still possess advanced power armor, bolters, and other sophisticated weapons and technology from their former lives as loyalist Space Marines, often enhanced and corrupted by the warp.
Organization
Warbands and Legions: They are organized into warbands or remnants of their original legions. Notable legions include the Black Legion, the World Eaters, the Death Guard, the Thousand Sons, and the Emperor’s Children, each aligned with a specific Chaos God or undivided Chaos.
Leadership: Chaos Lords, Sorcerers, and Daemon Princes lead these warbands, wielding both martial and arcane power to further the aims of their dark masters.
Lore and Influence
Eternal War: Chaos Space Marines are relentless in their pursuit of vengeance against the Imperium. They launch Black Crusades, massive military campaigns, from the Eye of Terror and other warp rifts to spread chaos and destruction.
Chaos Champions: Key figures in the Chaos Space Marine lore include Abaddon the Despoiler, the Warmaster of Chaos, who leads the Black Legion, and other prominent traitor primarchs like Angron, Mortarion, Magnus the Red, and Fulgrim, who have become daemon princes.