I'm still a very new Chaos player, have been playing Order for a while but only got Chaos a few days ago. I'm having a lot of trouble in the early game, because my crawlers keep getting owned by swords. I try to kite with them, but on short/med maps it seems that I just don't have enough room in which to kite. Any tips on how to survive the early stages as chaos? Replays of good early-game chaos play would be really helpful too.
Also, if anyone wants to help me train my CvO, add me. My code is 956.

If they mass swords, a bomber or two can be effective.

But then they split, and I can only hit a couple at a time. Against high rated order players, I get owned early game every time--I just can't stop them.
Also, how do you counter a tree start as chaos? Crawlers are no match for scorplings, and I lose so many units every time they come, it's just impossible to keep up.

my chaos skill sucks as well

but I can still have a few suggestions for you

when they split, just make your bombers stop, and only make your bombers explode when three swords stick together. Also don't explode all bombers, wait until the previous burn damage is ended and then explode again. Also get crawlers upgrade as soon as possible if you decide to use many crawlers in the beginning.
when you are facing elementals, just ignore scorplings and attack the miners directly. Retreat and repeat this process, try not to make any one of your crawler die.

If they're splitting up their swords use your crawlers to pick off separated swords, and if they come in close, use those bomber that you have :)

lol, tbh, when I today first played chaos, I didnt rly use bombs lol...dunno why. I just rushed to miners, then if they come, escape, rush to miner and so on. Sometimes also attack one sword. Also, I use Castle dead O_O Pretty useful somehow xD
The advantage of chaos early game is that the starter units deosnt cost alot. You can then eco so uch fastr then with order...so I had a feeling. (lol...at the end i mostly have 5 on mana and alot on gold)
Next would be to seperatly attack the swords wth bombers. Dont attack them with a group of bombers, instead, 1-2...try to use the fire dmg to his full potential. If your oppointment goes early CA (which is mostly around 1.5k) spam mners and bombers.
xD I pretty love to use bombers, but today I didnt..only in CvC, I try to blow up oppointment bombers with some other units.
But yeah, what you have to learn is how to micro your cats good and how to use chaos starter cheapness.
But well, i am not a chaos pro, received it just today and only got to 1698...was pretty funny, also beat Monarchist (2.1k)...but wll, what I am really interested is how my CvO 1.9k above gonna be :3

EDIT: Also, I never buy jugger as my first advanced unit..either Eclipsors or deads (short maps)....the combination of jugger and crawler isnt very usefull xD

You can't get out eco faster than order because early game order dominates the map and doesn't have to make as much army to survive

mmhh...welp, it was my feeling when I played chaos, and wll, still currently 1698 so you probably right ^_^