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I recently got back into 40k again after a 5 - 6 year hiatus (500 points of dusty Necrons in the closet) and picked up the CSM codex. After reading through the army features, a few threads online, battle reports, and always being a fan of Grandfather Nurgle in general, I decided to switch things up with a Death Guard army. I like how this list looks, but I have yet to try it out; it seems both reasonably competitive and fluffy at the same time. Any and all criticism/suggestions are appreciated.

HQ

1x Daemon Prince of Nurgle
Wings
Warptime
Mark of Nurgle
175

ELITES

5x Chaos Terminators
Terminator Champion
Heavy Flamer
Chainfist
4x Combi-Flamer
Icon of Nurgle
Chaos Land Raider
Extra Armor
Dozer Blade
480

TROOPS

28x Plague Marines (4 Squads of 7)
4x Plague Champions
4x Power Fists
4x Melta Guns
2x Plasma Guns
2x Flamers
2x Combi-Melta
Combi-Plasma
Combi-Flamer
4x Chaos Rhino
1044

HEAVY SUPPORT

4x Obliterator Cult (2 Squads of 2)
300

TOTAL
1999

I mostly dig it. The only outright problem I see is the upgrade to Champ on the Termies. You are paying 10 pts for ONE attack. Seems a little high for my tastes. I'm assuming it is the on the chainfist, which means you basically have a 25 pt chainfist. So far as the icon on the termies go, it somehow never seems to help me much. Either: A) They are firing High Str and Low AP stuff at me that negates the +1T, or B) I have the crappiest luck with saves. (Seriously, five bolters shot at them, 4 wounded, three failed saves. Every match works like that for me.)

On the Land Raider you can throw on Possession for five more than the Extra Armor. Very popular choice.

The ONLY problem I have with so many PM Squads is that they are great at getting "stuck in" but not so wonderful at finishing the job. They lack the bite to be offensive. So how to fix that without going to any of the other chaos gods (Khorne)? Maybe a pair of Defilers. I always thought the Defilers appealed to Nurgle.

That's a solid list although I'd be tempted to get a Defiler in there somehow. I'd also be tempted to try and fit in a Bike squad with Meltas to engage enemy armour more quickly (rather than relying on Deep Strike) - for two main reasons. 1) They'll look great & 2) T 4(6) will be a bane to most Infantry weapons so they'll have to use their heavier weaponry and close combat monsters to get rid of them. I'm a fan of distraction/mis-direction...and I think a largish Bike Squad will cause havoc for the opponent with the mix of speed and toughness...

Welcome to the bosom of Grandfather Nurgle! He loves all his precious little children...

The list is OK. PM, vehicles and Obliterators are solid choices for a DG force. The only little nitpick I have with the Codex ( regarding pure thematic DG forces ) is that we have exactly ONE fluffy HQ choice ( well, apart from DP ). Typhus. Lords and Sorcerers with MoN are just some random wannabees trying to pose as DG.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Unfortunately, I seem to have been off in my math and the list was actually sitting at 2019 points instead of 1999, but due to Priesmal's suggestion, this error is easily rectified by the removal of the Terminator Champion, and then either a Combi-Weapon from one of the Plague Marine squads or the Dozer Blade from the Land Raider and a Terminator Combi-Weapon.

I am also taking into consideration the suggestion to work in a Defiler somewhere, no easy feat at 150 points. I had been attempting to work on a list that fielded two HQ choices, as I saw a number of lists that used two DP's (with wings/mark/WT). See below for a secondary list...

A-P wrote: Welcome to the bosom of Grandfather Nurgle! He loves all his precious little children...

The list is OK. PM, vehicles and Obliterators are solid choices for a DG force. The only little nitpick I have with the Codex ( regarding pure thematic DG forces ) is that we have exactly ONE fluffy HQ choice ( well, apart from DP ). Typhus. Lords and Sorcerers with MoN are just some random wannabees trying to pose as DG.

I generally agree, but I've seen a fair share of posts saying that Typhus is just too risky and expensive of a choice to take as a reliable HQ. Being 50 points more than a decked out Nurgle DP, lower weapon skill, and lack of Eternal Warrior, he seems to be more of a liability than an asset to me.

When it comes to a Chaos Lord, however, I feel that, given a Plaguebringer (Daemon Weapon via MoN) he can be made to fit into a fluffy army without seeming out of place. I completely agree with you, however, about the Chaos Sorcerer. They're much more suited for a Tzeentch, Slaanesh, or Undivided army.

So, in an attempt to work in BOTH a Defiler and a Nurgly Chaos Lord, I came up with:

HQ
1x Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Wings, WT, MoN 175
1x Chaos Lord, Terminator Armor, DW, MoN 165
ELITES
4x Chaos Terminators, HF, CF, 3x 2LC, LR 380
TROOPS
7x Plague Marines, 2xPG 191
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xMG, CM, Rhino 266
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xMG, CM, Rhino 266
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xF, CF, Rhino 256
HEAVY
2x Obliterators 150
1x Defiler 150
TOTAL
1999

Lord and Terminators ride in the slightly more vulnerable Land Raider, while the now almost completely emasculated Plasma Gun squad are footslogging it. Standard equipment on the Defiler.

The lsit looks pretty decent, most DG players have a list like this or very similar as its very effective, I would take 2 DP's decked out and use them to join combat when plague marines charge or get charged to help them finish the job. As for Typhus, he can be fun but hes not as cost effective as DP's but i would always take him if i was playing necrons with a Nightbringer or Deceiver as they are not eternal warriors and can be insta killed by Typhus's Daemon weapon plus hes going first in the combat with initiative 5!

I personaly give all PM squads meltas and combi meltas that are in rhinos, cant beat all that anti armour, scares alot of oppenents. Im a big fan of oblits, reasonably resistant to most weapons with a 2+ armour save and 5+ invul, there good in CC aswell with 3 powerfist attacks on the charge each, I used my squad of 3 to put 4 wounds on a Nightbringer after scoring 1 wound from firing rapid fire TL plasma guns and only loosing 1 of them

AreTwo wrote:Thanks for the comments everyone. Unfortunately, I seem to have been off in my math and the list was actually sitting at 2019 points instead of 1999, but due to Priesmal's suggestion, this error is easily rectified by the removal of the Terminator Champion, and then either a Combi-Weapon from one of the Plague Marine squads or the Dozer Blade from the Land Raider and a Terminator Combi-Weapon.

I am also taking into consideration the suggestion to work in a Defiler somewhere, no easy feat at 150 points. I had been attempting to work on a list that fielded two HQ choices, as I saw a number of lists that used two DP's (with wings/mark/WT). See below for a secondary list...

A-P wrote: Welcome to the bosom of Grandfather Nurgle! He loves all his precious little children...

The list is OK. PM, vehicles and Obliterators are solid choices for a DG force. The only little nitpick I have with the Codex ( regarding pure thematic DG forces ) is that we have exactly ONE fluffy HQ choice ( well, apart from DP ). Typhus. Lords and Sorcerers with MoN are just some random wannabees trying to pose as DG.

I generally agree, but I've seen a fair share of posts saying that Typhus is just too risky and expensive of a choice to take as a reliable HQ. Being 50 points more than a decked out Nurgle DP, lower weapon skill, and lack of Eternal Warrior, he seems to be more of a liability than an asset to me.

When it comes to a Chaos Lord, however, I feel that, given a Plaguebringer (Daemon Weapon via MoN) he can be made to fit into a fluffy army without seeming out of place. I completely agree with you, however, about the Chaos Sorcerer. They're much more suited for a Tzeentch, Slaanesh, or Undivided army.

So, in an attempt to work in BOTH a Defiler and a Nurgly Chaos Lord, I came up with:

HQ
1x Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Wings, WT, MoN 175
1x Chaos Lord, Terminator Armor, DW, MoN 165
ELITES
4x Chaos Terminators, HF, CF, 3x 2LC, LR 380
TROOPS
7x Plague Marines, 2xPG 191
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xMG, CM, Rhino 266
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xMG, CM, Rhino 266
7x Plague Marines, PC, PF, 2xF, CF, Rhino 256
HEAVY
2x Obliterators 150
1x Defiler 150
TOTAL
1999

Lord and Terminators ride in the slightly more vulnerable Land Raider, while the now almost completely emasculated Plasma Gun squad are footslogging it. Standard equipment on the Defiler.

Looks pretty strong. I would hate run up against this many Plague Marines FNP can be such an awesome USR. The only thing I don't like about your list is the lone defiler. I think you'd get more mileage out of 2 more oblits. TBH I never saw the draw/benefit of Defilers though so perhaps it's personal taste but a lone one just seems to die far to quickly.

AreTwo wrote:
I generally agree, but I've seen a fair share of posts saying that Typhus is just too risky and expensive of a choice to take as a reliable HQ. Being 50 points more than a decked out Nurgle DP, lower weapon skill, and lack of Eternal Warrior, he seems to be more of a liability than an asset to me.

Lack of Eternal Warrior is THE problem. Otherwise his stats and abilities ( automatic Psychic tests etc. ) are OK.