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Originally I started CSM because I wanted allies for my Orks but now I'm considering running them independently and possibly even getting allies for them instead. However I have a couple questions for those who know a thing or two about Nurgle themed CSM armies that I couldn't seem to find a straight answer to else were...

1. Should Plague Marines be run on foot or in a Rhino?

2. How many Plague Marines should be in an average unit?

3. Is it still worth using normal Nurgle marked CSM along with Plague Marines?

4. Are Daemon allies worth taking? Why?

I'm not the best player, but the best advice I can give (From my own searches on this exact topic lol) is that plague marines are BEST run in a rhino. Since they're SaP they can't run or anything like that. so it's just 6" a turn for us. and with Plague marines being so hard to uproot, you want to get them to the objective first. Simply because then you have to fight FOR it, instead of defending it.

2. I've seen alot of variety on this one. I guess it really just depends on your points limit, and if you're gonna run Nurgle marked Marines or not too I would think. So really you're own discretion I suppose.

3. Yes, just simply because it's more scoring troops and extra bodies that are a little tougher to kill. while not as durable as Plague marines they are still good. If you're planning on using them to bog other units down though go with cultists. MUCH cheaper.

4. On this one I really wouldn't be able to help. haven't tried it. I don't see how it would really back fire on you. Bring some of the nurgle daemons for some extra bodies that aren't gonna die easily. Or maybe Khorne daemons if you want some sort of CC support, that will probably be useful instead of just tarpitting something.

I have only played plague marines since i got into chaos a few years ago. Nurgle is the ONLY mark. JK.

1. I run Plague marines on foot to deny the first blood to my foe when they kill my rhino. Use demons to deep strike on your foes objectives.
2. I use small units (As small as 5 if they are just to hold a back objective ) or as large as 9-10 to take distant objectives. It just depends on how many points you have to spend. 9, short of a really serious assault by thunder hammers or shooting that is str 10 will last for almost the entire game. Usually i use 7 because that is nurgles fluffy number but at times i use 9 or 5 for the above stated reason
3. No. Plague marines are a much better deal for the points. Plague knives, feel no pain and fearless.
4. demon allies are essential. You can get 20 plague bearers for less than the price of 7 plague marines with a few upgrades. In hammer and anvil you can DS the plague bearers on your foes side of the table, and properly kitted out with lesser gifts, they are very dangerous and cheap. The GUO is amazing as is the soul grinder. In my opinion, demons are essential for these reasons.

nurgle termie lord with pf and lc.
30 cultists 2 flamers (aggressive footslog w/ lord)
2 squads of 7 PMs with 2 plasma guns
1 squad of 5 PMs 2 plasma guns in rhino (in reserve)
heldrake
5 spawn MoN
3* 2 oblits MoN votlw

GUO
20 Pb (what gifts?)
10 Pb
soulgrinder MoN

Just a rough idea of a 2k ish list: looks v expensive so might have to cut a guo or a squad of pms.

I think that there might be something in putting a rhino in reserve: best thing about pms are they can do anything so their support potential is great but their mobility is lacking. T2/3 is when your gonna want to be able to move some plague ms around to assist. Id consider putting all the plague bodies on the table in deployment and just leaving 1 or even 2 rhinos in reserve to come on and give you some much needed movement without giving up 1st blood.

I'm not the best player, but the best advice I can give (From my own searches on this exact topic lol) is that plague marines are BEST run in a rhino. Since they're SaP they can't run or anything like that. so it's just 6" a turn for us. and with Plague marines being so hard to uproot, you want to get them to the objective first. Simply because then you have to fight FOR it, instead of defending it.

1. I run Plague marines on foot to deny the first blood to my foe when they kill my rhino. Use demons to deep strike on your foes objectives.

So some of them should be on foot and some should not be?

 HeraldofDisease wrote:
I'm not the best player, but the best advice I can give (From my own searches on this exact topic lol) is that plague marines are BEST run in a rhino. Since they're SaP they can't run or anything like that. so it's just 6" a turn for us. and with Plague marines being so hard to uproot, you want to get them to the objective first. Simply because then you have to fight FOR it, instead of defending it.

Little clarification, Plague Marines are NOT SAP. They can run without rhinos just fine and the presence of a rhino can give an opponent an easy first blood.

What is typically favored when it comes to Heavy Support? I vacillate between Oblits, Predators, Fiends, and/or Soul Grinders...

I'm going to disagree with the First Blood / Rhino remarks...

Against most capable opponents, you're going to lose SOMETHING on the first turn if you don't go first. You might as well make it a Rhino.

Also, Rhinos give you something that you need - search lights. Now that night fighting often happens in the early game, you want search lights or you're just wasting your firepower.

 Admiral Abscess wrote:
What is typically favored when it comes to Heavy Support? I vacillate between Oblits, Predators, Fiends, and/or Soul Grinders...

It depends on your intentions. Your PMs are restricted to 24'' threat range so you want the chance to hurt things outside of that. That would be why I shy away from vindis/maulers. Oblits, Preds, havocs, and that shooting fiend are all good options. I walk everything in a giant bubble, so I go with Oblits. They walk at the same pace, so they never suffer in the backfield. Any of those other options are just fine as well.

 ArchVile wrote:
Originally I started CSM because I wanted allies for my Orks but now I'm considering running them independently and possibly even getting allies for them instead. However I have a couple questions for those who know a thing or two about Nurgle themed CSM armies that I couldn't seem to find a straight answer to else were...

1. Should Plague Marines be run on foot or in a Rhino?

2. How many Plague Marines should be in an average unit?

3. Is it still worth using normal Nurgle marked CSM along with Plague Marines?

4. Are Daemon allies worth taking? Why?

rhino or not depends on the rest of your army

5 plague marines is most effective. Fill out your troop slots then add more if need be.

normal CSM are cheap, if you dont want to take advantage of the 2 special weapons at 5 men and want a very cheap troop unit, with a very specific purpose in mind then CSM are very good. 10CSM cost almost the same as 5 PM and have twice the bolter shots. So if you want bolter shots....

I prefer IG allies. IG are just too good to not take as allies, every time I play.

GreyChaos wrote:

 HeraldofDisease wrote:
I'm not the best player, but the best advice I can give (From my own searches on this exact topic lol) is that plague marines are BEST run in a rhino. Since they're SaP they can't run or anything like that. so it's just 6" a turn for us. and with Plague marines being so hard to uproot, you want to get them to the objective first. Simply because then you have to fight FOR it, instead of defending it.

Little clarification, Plague Marines are NOT SAP. They can run without rhinos just fine and the presence of a rhino can give an opponent an easy first blood.

They're not? Maybe I'm thinking of something else then. lol. sorry bout that

 Exergy wrote:
I prefer IG allies. IG are just too good to not take as allies, every time I play.

I've been following this conversation as a whole, but am curious about this.

What do you take from the IG list please?

It's something I was considering for fluff purposes.

It's actually a pretty common mixup, the bloated sacs of filth and decay are actually quick, efficient sprinters and aren't slow at all when running, just a little laggy when blades get drawn and the whirl of melee happens.

It's the tireless automatons of Tzeentch, empty suits of power armor given locomotion by the unfathomable powers of creation itself, that find it difficult to move faster than a trudging jog. Also, they don't know how to throw grenades at anything, so their higher initiative doesn't matter much when the twisting magical energies that power them get held up on some rocks and shrubbery.

Oh no! Shrubbery! My One Weakness! Mind War can be blocked by shrubbery, as well as the charges of the incarnations of war itself, unless they throw some skulls at you first. It's a cure-all!

In all seriousness, Plague Marines are awesome. Multiple Specials at minimum size is great, and their survivability is wonderful. It's almost like you're playing with movie marines, they survive stuff they shouldn't. Rhinos will give them mobility, but then they encourage you to play with 10 PM in a squad, and some of their greatness is because they're effective at sizes below 10.

 Kommissar Waaaghrick wrote:

 Exergy wrote:
I prefer IG allies. IG are just too good to not take as allies, every time I play.

I've been following this conversation as a whole, but am curious about this.

What do you take from the IG list please?

It's something I was considering for fluff purposes.

I run dark mechanicus, so it fits my fluff better than daemons, but even if I didnt IG are just awesome.

I run
CCS
Marbo
PCS with flamers
20-30 man platoon with lascannons
HWS with autocannons
Vets with meltas, sometimes in chimera
vendetta
basilisk


of those,
I love the basilisk for sniping heavy weapons and murdering meq in the open
the vendetta is good for AA, AT
the vets typically get shot down very quickly, but if they stay around they are effective fire base.
The blob is a never dieing home objective camper that puts out good firepower.
The CCS is too good not to take

The PCS is a waste. I keep them in the vendetta for the chance to flame something/score late
The HWT with autocannons are terrible. I just like the look
Marbo is fun

Something no one has touched on is that Plague Marines are more efficient in combat than Khorne Bezerkers. 2 attacks--3 on the charge--and rerolling to wound (4+) against most things. Yes they strike at I3, but they have Blight Grenades, 3+ and FNP. Mentioning Blight Grenades, they give you Stealth or Shrouded (I can't remember, but either way it's a boost) when charging.

Oh yeah, I run units of 7 in Rhinos with 2 Plasma Guns and a Power Axe, Melta Bombs on my champ.

POKEYtheBIG wrote:
Something no one has touched on is that Plague Marines are more efficient in combat than Khorne Bezerkers. 2 attacks--3 on the charge--and rerolling to wound (4+) against most things. Yes they strike at I3, but they have Blight Grenades, 3+ and FNP. Mentioning Blight Grenades, they give you Stealth or Shrouded (I can't remember, but either way it's a boost) when charging.

Oh yeah, I run units of 7 in Rhinos with 2 Plasma Guns and a Power Axe, Melta Bombs on my champ.

I have seen this argument made before. However, while plague marines are more durable, for sheer killiness in melee Berzerkers win simply because they are cheaper and you can get slightly more. I ran the math on it several times in different ways.

 sennacherib wrote:

POKEYtheBIG wrote:
Something no one has touched on is that Plague Marines are more efficient in combat than Khorne Bezerkers. 2 attacks--3 on the charge--and rerolling to wound (4+) against most things. Yes they strike at I3, but they have Blight Grenades, 3+ and FNP. Mentioning Blight Grenades, they give you Stealth or Shrouded (I can't remember, but either way it's a boost) when charging.

Oh yeah, I run units of 7 in Rhinos with 2 Plasma Guns and a Power Axe, Melta Bombs on my champ.

I have seen this argument made before. However, while plague marines are more durable, for sheer killiness in melee Berzerkers win simply because they are cheaper and you can get slightly more. I ran the math on it several times in different ways.

it really depends on what you are fighting. PM are better at fighting c'tan and wraithlords, but bezerkers hit with WS5, Str5, and more attacks and cost less per base so you get even more attacks.

As the reason I throw my PM s into assault is to get stuck in, I really appreciate their survivability. I have had them wipe out a unit of 30 boyz and monstrous creatures alike and their utility goes beyond the assualt, which is why I still hold them in higher regard to Bezerkers.

So then past personal preference what sort of list would run Plague Marines on foot as opposed to in a Rhino and vise versa?

 ArchVile wrote:
So then past personal preference what sort of list would run Plague Marines on foot as opposed to in a Rhino and vise versa?

If I had a lot of armor, I'd run rhino for saturation.
Reverse is true for ground pounders.

I favor taking rhinos, mostly because people in my area use a LOT of strong blasts. A few battlecannons, demolishers and even fire dragons stacking meltaguns can thin your plagues very fast. So I prefer to concede the first blood VP rather than lose troops and hamper my ability to kill stuff and claim objectives.

 Sephyr wrote:
I favor taking rhinos, mostly because people in my area use a LOT of strong blasts. A few battlecannons, demolishers and even fire dragons stacking meltaguns can thin your plagues very fast. So I prefer to concede the first blood VP rather than lose troops and hamper my ability to kill stuff and claim objectives.

I run my PM in Rhinos for the exact same reason. You seldom lose PM s to an exploded transport; same cannot be said for S10 blasts.

 ArchVile wrote:
1. Should Plague Marines be run on foot or in a Rhino?

Its up to you. I've had good luck with both. Rhinos have a bad tendancy to give up first blood or lots of kill points. They also provide excellent movement capabilities to your PMs. For example, if there is a 'relic' in the center of the board, you can move your rhino up 6", hop out and move 6" then pick up the relic on turn 1.

 ArchVile wrote:
2. How many Plague Marines should be in an average unit?

I run 9 in mine. That's just the number I found the combine the most durability and damage output. What works for me might not work for you. Play around with it.

 ArchVile wrote:
3. Is it still worth using normal Nurgle marked CSM along with Plague Marines?

No. PMs are so much better don't both with CSM if your have already unlocked them.

 ArchVile wrote:
4. Are Daemon allies worth taking? Why?

Yes. Daemons bring two elements to your CSM that your lacking. Cheap objective scorers in the form of plague bearers. You don't want to be spending 250+ points on a PM squad to objective camp, as they have short ranged weapons. A squad of plague bearers can do this much more effectively. A GUO also acts as an excellent counter-assault unit as it can wreck the face of most units it faces.