Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey Dakka,
Ive recently been thinking of starting a new army, I know you've probably read a forum similar to this a million times but here it is. I have fallen in love with CSM, specifically nurgle. As I understand a CSM codex is due to release in the next few months (this is the scary part). I don't want to go out and spend a lot of $$$ (seeing as how I start college in the fall and I am only working two part time jobs) on forge world stuff (of course I want to do it up right ) and have it just be ruined by the new codex. At the same time I still want to be semi-competitive yet fluffy with strictly nurgle. I know that no one can predict the future but do your best. Here are my questions,

A.) How do strictly nurgle based armies stack up competitiely today?

B.) Do you think that strictly nurgle will be a viable build in the future, if even possible?

C.) Also, what is the chance there is some sort of heretic/traitor guardsmen entry in the new codex? Seeing as how I absolutely love the FW renegade models and have 20 IG just laying around gathering dust I would love to be able to use these in some way.

Thanks,
marineskilla66

marineskilla66 wrote:A.) How do strictly nurgle based armies stack up competitiely today?

Given that we're about to get a new codex AND a new rulebook, it's impossible to say with any degree of certainty. They haven't done too badly, in general, over the past many years, but you can't necessarily project that into the future. Just look at people who collected 1ksons...

marineskilla66 wrote:B.) Do you think that strictly nurgle will be a viable build in the future, if even possible?

Given that we're about to get a new codex AND a new rulebook, it's impossible to say with any degree of certainty. Certainly, it's been possible to run all-nurgle armies in the past.

marineskilla66 wrote:C.) Also, what is the chance there is some sort of heretic/traitor guardsmen entry in the new codex?

Given that we're about to get a new codex AND a new rulebook... wait, what am I saying? No. The answer to this question is no.

The codex is going to be for chaos space marines, not for chaos imperial guard. Given that GW has a history of taking stuff out of the CSM codex (and, say, making it its own codex), I wouldn't hold out too much hope for them adding cultists back in.

Though, given what they did with the imperial guard codex, I guess it's impossible to say with any degree of certainty.

Ailaros wrote:
The codex is going to be for chaos space marines, not for chaos imperial guard. Given that GW has a history of taking stuff out of the CSM codex (and, say, making it its own codex), I wouldn't hold out too much hope for them adding cultists back in.

There's recurring rumors of Cultists having a presence in the new Chaos codex, and being in the starter set on top of that. We'll know for sure in a few months, but I wouldn't rule it out just yet. I wouldn't say straight up Chaos Guard though, and I wouldn't consider the Daemons codex any sort of historical precedent for more things being moved over to a new codex. GW just saw a chance to sell a new book to people who already had the models and sell the army as a whole to people who just like daemons.

A.) How do strictly nurgle based armies stack up competitiely today?

Plague marines are one of the cult variants that still do well from the CSM book. One could theoretically make a nice army out of them, but the other aspects would be harder to show, the plague DP got hurt really bad when warptime was hit hard, and the mark of nurgle is quite expensive on most choices.

Competitively it will come down to the standard million variables that make up a 40k game. A Nurgle themed army will usually perform very well on a objective based game what with the Plague Marines being well... Plague Marines and holding objectives like nobody's business.

I have found playing a defensive game is the best way for Nurgle.

marineskilla66 wrote:A.) How do strictly nurgle based armies stack up competitiely today?

In the current Codex? About as well as any. Plague Marines are strong troops and if they player keeps it mechanised they can build a fairly strong army.

B.) Do you think that strictly nurgle will be a viable build in the future, if even possible?

Who knows? Probably.

C.) Also, what is the chance there is some sort of heretic/traitor guardsmen entry in the new codex? Seeing as how I absolutely love the FW renegade models and have 20 IG just laying around gathering dust I would love to be able to use these in some way.

Thanks,
marineskilla66

As SRM said, the chances seem pretty damn good. Nothing official yet, of course, but there's been a lot of rumours that they'll be included.

As for your overall conundrum, there's no harm in buying a few models now providing you're careful with it. However, moreso than others its difficult to know what will remain viable in the new Codex. Your best bet would probably be on just building some Plague/Nurgle marines, however the GW kit may be updated so you may wish to use the FW kit. Creating your basic plague marines, you can use them in a variety of units and can't really go wrong. Ordinarly I'd suggest Rhinos to go with them, but depending on if GW sticks really strongly to the Legions theme, they may get nerfed into high heaven.

Ultimately, I'd say your safest bets are: standard PM's (although the GW kit may be updated), Terminators, Vindicators, Land Raiders and Predators.

Just Dave: I'll probably end up buying the FW kit and getting a few squads put together. Are there any rumors for a plastic plague marine kit? Because that would be beautiful because making whole kits of finecast is just blah to me.

There's no rumours for a new Plastic PM kit atm, I would imagine it would come in a later wave, but there's no rumours to base this off, simply speculation that Cult Unit's need their kits updating.

Just Dave wrote:There's no rumours for a new Plastic PM kit atm, I would imagine it would come in a later wave, but there's no rumours to base this off, simply speculation that Cult Unit's need their kits updating.

Yes there is? I have heard this rumor.. I don't have a source though. It can be found somewhere in the chaos rumor thread, or in one of the links from it.

Hey I'm in the exact same boat though with a khorne themed army instead. I've just been getting core stuff like berserker units and regular chaos marine units. Of course even that is tough since i want them to be WYSIWYG for future tournaments and have no idea what special weapons will be worthwhile in the new dex.

But if you are looking to start buying now, go slow. I resolved to buy only one squad, build and paint it before buying a second squad.

I'll just speak in terms of the current rulebook and set

marineskilla66 wrote:

A.) How do strictly nurgle based armies stack up competitiely today?

Nurgle armies have the benifit of high toughness, which means you take less damage but have less models due to high toughness. Plague marines are pro objective holders, CSM units with the mark are hard to kill, and nurgle demon weapons are amazing due to poison rules

B.) Do you think that strictly nurgle will be a viable build in the future, if even possible?

It's viable right now, and should be in the future. I currently run a triple CC dread, demon weapon lord, 2-3 squads of CSM with fist and melta guns and 1-2 plague marine squads, one has plasma, plus 4-6 obliterators, and no rhinos. Works stupid well.

C.) Also, what is the chance there is some sort of heretic/traitor guardsmen entry in the new codex? Seeing as how I absolutely love the FW renegade models and have 20 IG just laying around gathering dust I would love to be able to use these in some way.

No idea really, but they will have a use as cutists in the next book, that we know for sure!