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I am interested a running a predominantly nurgle foot list, no vehicles of any kind. The core of my army right now is 3 units of 7 plague marines with plasma guns and 6 obliterators, and I am wondering what the best way to support them is? I could either go with a fast attack element consisting of spawn and a tooled up chaos lord, or a long range shooting element. Perhaps noise marines or a unit of havocs.

The spawn would allow me to put pressure on the enemy right from start. The maneuverability of such
units might be indispensable against certain armies, but at the same time it might
be difficult to have both the marines and spawn work together without getting separated.

Alternatively, I could get more guns and have the plague marines advance with heavy fire support.

In either case the obliterators can deepstrike or walk with the plague marines.

What does dakka think?

Nurgle Spawn would do well. Nurgle Bikers are amazing at T6, a shame they can't grab FNP as well. I'm going to mention maulerfiends as well, they're fast and can open up vehicles for you.

Autocannon havocs are quite nice at 115 points. Also easy to convert with heavy bolters and some plastic tubing.

People are going to say no to this, but it works for ME and my small meta. I put my PMs into rhinos with havoc launchers, Rush them up 18 inches turn 1. If they get blown up next turn T5 and FNP generally keeps most of them alive. Just try not to give up first blood. Once they pop out and do their thing, you now have a decent frag missile launcher rolling around taking potshots at things.

 Wingeds wrote:
Nurgle Spawn would do well. Nurgle Bikers are amazing at T6, a shame they can't grab FNP as well. I'm going to mention maulerfiends as well, they're fast and can open up vehicles for you.

Autocannon havocs are quite nice at 115 points. Also easy to convert with heavy bolters and some plastic tubing.

People are going to say no to this, but it works for ME and my small meta. I put my PMs into rhinos with havoc launchers, Rush them up 18 inches turn 1. If they get blown up next turn T5 and FNP generally keeps most of them alive. Just try not to give up first blood. Once they pop out and do their thing, you now have a decent frag missile launcher rolling around taking potshots at things.

I do like Havoc Launcher rhinos. I usually run rhinos, but I am looking to make a list that is First Blood proof and low on kill points.

Aren't Plague Drones fast attack? Fast, durable, and matches your Nurgle theme.

I spent a long time running a similar style 'foot nurgle' list. Daemon allies are a strong recommendation because deepstriking troops are practically required for your opponent's back objectives.

Plague flies are fun to run next to spawn and/or bikes.

I just picked up some Vengeance Weapons Batteries for my Plague Marines and Co.

Immobilized Leman Russes you can place anywhere in your table half.

I am leaning towards 2 units of chaos spawn with a lord joined with one. I will also have a sorceror who can run with the spawn or perhaps join another unit, depends one what powers I roll and what the enemy has.

The spawn will race across the board to get into combat and the obliterators can DS to do what they do best. The plague marines can advance to midfield, or keep on moving into the enemy deployment zone. I may swap out a squad of plague marines for plague bearers and a herald. I feel like they all fill the same role (scoring and being tough) but the plague bearers can DS.

I just hope there are no objectives sitting in my deployment zone that I need to worry about.

I have run a list very similar to this in the past and will be running it again on Saturday as part of a team tournament.

5 Spawn+MoN with Typhus
40 Zombies (30 & 10)
2xHavocs+AC
2xOblits
Helldrake or Blight Drones
ADL+quad

That's pretty much what I supported 3 footslogging PM squads with. The spawn are amazing to slingshot Typhus into melee, I could reliably get him into combat on turn two most games. It's important to note that the move through cover rule is granted to ICs joining the spawn. You don't need a bike lord for the spawn to be a great delivery system, just daisy chain them out, the IC will make up the distance on the assault move.

The zombies made good fodder for holding midfield or back objectives, even firing the quad in a pinch.

The PM's are incredible late game troops when footslogging. I had trouble with AV13+ until the PM's got their meltas to bear.

The havocs and the quad could cripple any light to medium squad, light vehicles, and well just about anything without heavy armor. It's a lot of dice at nearly any corner of the board.

My experience with the Oblits was mediocre, but then I only ran two. They would soak up some damage and be ready to melee any armor. They just generally advanced with the PMs and did what they could with their guns. More of them would have made them more reliable, but man they get expensive. You have a lot more oblits than I would use, even so don't deep strike all of them. Keep them on the board and let them take some of the fire off of your Plague Marines. It's the PMs that will win you the game, and with more immediate threats on the board that take a high Strength firepower to deal with, the foot plagues often end up being ignored for the first and second turns. Then they are really hard to deal with once your opponent has been thinned out some.

Also, say goodbye to giving up first blood. With no easy kills on the board, you will almost never give up those points.

Ever considered nurgle raptors?

Zombies can't fire the quad-gun. You have to fire it instead of your own shooting weapon, and zombies have no shooting weapon.

Which is why I went on to the Vengeance Weapons Batteries instead.

Nurgle raptors : DS and special weapons.
Nurgle bikers : T6 bikers are crazy good
Nurgle spawn : perfect escort for a biker / JP lord
Nurgle terminators : fits the same function as the oblits, but still a solid choice as a backfield disruption unit.

The best support for footslogging plague marines are rhinos.

Been hearing a weird play at using plague drones with a palaquin herald. You string the unit out to charge, then whip the herald up with pile in moves. Works with epididimus too. Someone threw out a bat rep about it, thought it was a cool idea.

And yeah, T6 bikes at 3+/5+? Never a bad plan.

Zombies can't fire the quad-gun. You have to fire it instead of your own shooting weapon, and zombies have no shooting weapon.

I don't intend for a rules debate, I understand the argument as to why they cannot operate the quad, but I believe the RAW allow it. That said, it's a minor point as usually the havoc champ is using it. If I were playing you and you didn't think I should be able to do it, I would play by your interpretation of the rules.

Been hearing a weird play at using plague drones with a palaquin herald. You string the unit out to charge, then whip the herald up with pile in moves. Works with epididimus too. Someone threw out a bat rep about it, thought it was a cool idea.

This is the "slingshot" assault effect I was speaking of with the spawn and Typhus. You don't need a fast independent character in with spawn, or the units you mention. You simply daisy chain the unit back to the slower IC and then count on the assault movement to make up the speed on the back end. The spawn have the additional benefit of granting Move Through Cover to any IC joining the squad.

The best support for footslogging plague marines are rhinos.

In this army type that relies on loads of infantry that aren't easy to kill, Rhinos are a liability that hamper the assault capability of plague marines and give up first blood victory points.