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I have been running various iterations of an Epidemius CSM list. That is to say, a CSM army with daemon allies. I figure there is no reason to get particularly attached to any particular list with the codex changes on the horizon, but hopefully some form of nurgle list will still be viable after the dust settles. The entire nurgle list relies on Epidemius to be competitive, however there appears to be quite a bit of luck all around. Having Epidemius come in on turn 1 requires a good Prayer to the Chaos Gods roll, however I am curious if I simply were to take Epidemius and his troop of plaguebearers (10-14) and have him join their group, would that work? A single unit, thus it always comes in? I like having a Daemon Prince heavy support, but that can be sacrificed to guarantee Epi is on the table turn 1.

After that comes the real tricky feat, deep striking such a large unit on the table with no icons. I find it to be a tad silly that they cannot use CSM Icons, but until that date comes we have to do it old school. Deep Striking mishaps are rarer I suppose, with difficult terrain simply being a dangerous terrain check, but there are still plenty of impassable terrain locations he could land on (which has happened), as well as enemy and friendly units that he could mishap on. The issue being, to safely bring him in it normally needs to be a decent ways into the battlefield, which makes him a huge target. There is no way to get him behind the lines and safe, and once he is down in the middle of the field the entire army spends the next turn shooting and assaulting him. So I am curious how, if at all, current CSM and Daemon players keep Epidemius alive long enough to reap his rewards.

nurgle lists don't NEED Epidemius to be competitive. They are already very good.

DS him far away from the battle and then run his unit to spread it out into cover. Perhaps take a skyshield landing pad if you are really worried about mishaps.

The joining Epidemius to the unit does not work. You have to take the total number of units (before attaching ICs to squads) and divide by 2. So, you will always have at least 1 unit in reserve and 1 coming in.

I didn't know if it was before or after taking ICs. I don't have the book on me at the moment, so if they are the only choice then Epi couldn't join his troop? They would have to deep strike separately? Whereas if I took another choice (such as a Heavy Support Daemon Prince) he can join the troop and they can deep strike as one unit correct?

Seems as though if you are taking Nurgle, Epi is a rather strong an inexpensive (relative to HQs) choice to really cause the list to begin to snowball if you can keep him alive. I honestly thought about running a Skyshield, but I would need a lot of conversions to make it work and I really feel as though come new codex, they will be able to deep strike off of CSM with them removing all daemons from the CSM codex. Currently I'm running an Aegis with a Quad-Gun to at least have a chance of stopping flyers. Just seems like he gets lit up the second he lands, so I don't even get a chance to move him out of LOS or behind cover, not that cover does much as most everything on the field is 5+ cover save and they have 5+ invuls already. Space Marine Librarians using Null Zone and then getting into range on them just makes it even more hilarious.

Telsiph wrote:I didn't know if it was before or after taking ICs. I don't have the book on me at the moment, so if they are the only choice then Epi couldn't join his troop? They would have to deep strike separately? Whereas if I took another choice (such as a Heavy Support Daemon Prince) he can join the troop and they can deep strike as one unit correct?

That is correct. You would need to take 3 units in order to put him in with a unit of plague bearers. Then they would deep strike together.

Telsiph wrote:
Seems as though if you are taking Nurgle, Epi is a rather strong an inexpensive (relative to HQs) choice to really cause the list to begin to snowball if you can keep him alive. I honestly thought about running a Skyshield, but I would need a lot of conversions to make it work and I really feel as though come new codex, they will be able to deep strike off of CSM with them removing all daemons from the CSM codex. Currently I'm running an Aegis with a Quad-Gun to at least have a chance of stopping flyers. Just seems like he gets lit up the second he lands, so I don't even get a chance to move him out of LOS or behind cover, not that cover does much as most everything on the field is 5+ cover save and they have 5+ invuls already. Space Marine Librarians using Null Zone and then getting into range on them just makes it even more hilarious.

The quad-gun is not bad. I have been thinking about taking a naked sorceror with warptime and dedicating him completely to manning the quad-gun. While it is already twin-linked, the re-roll for damage would help insure flyers go down on the turn they arrive. Also, note the interceptor rule is not limited to flyers. It can be used on any unit arriving from reserves. I have not tried it yet, but if I do go the sorceror route, I may switch the Icarus Lascannon. Hit on 2+ rerollable. Glancing most flyers on a 2+, 3+ worst case.

If you really want to keep epidemius alive, put him in a squad of beasts of nurgle and get into area terrain, then go to ground. 3+ saves all day, unless you can find a ruin to hid in, because 2+ saves laugh all the way to their deployment zone!

I thought a unit only got +1 to it's cover save, and only the Aegis Defense Line gave it +2? Still though, that raises an excellent point. Outside of the risk of deep striking on units that are behind the line, if I can move into the defense line the turn after deep strike, I can go to ground because Epi isn't a Monstrous Creature, and get 2+ covers and FNPs all day long. Just gotta get him there.

*EDIT* Scratch that, Fearless, can't go to ground.

juraigamer wrote:If you really want to keep epidemius alive, put him in a squad of beasts of nurgle and get into area terrain, then go to ground. 3+ saves all day, unless you can find a ruin to hid in, because 2+ saves laugh all the way to their deployment zone!

Fearless units can't go to ground.

well if you have points to spare you can block LOS to him with a land raider. Escort him back to your table edge behind the LR and just use the raider as a mobile pill box.