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So after having my first taste of playing with the ruinous powers, I have firmly set my sights on building a reasonably competitive Death Guard list. I'm not going to be going to tournaments with this any time soon, but I want to have a solid army that is difficult to beat without solid counter tactics.

While I do want to primarily play with the marines, I also really like the idea of having a zombie host, and tactically it worked a charm in combination with a black mace daemon prince, bogging down units while he ambled in for the kill. Hilariously over powered once he got there. Unfortunately we discovered we'd been playing them illegally (didn't realise Typhus was required as we going off battlescribe alone) so the DP has been subbed in for Typhus in this list, one day to return.. The other shining stars of the match were 3 Nurgle Obliterators, who proved to be true immovable objects, taking only a single casualty from sustain Gauss blaster fire and a swarm of 18 scarab bases completely encircling them. before being swarmed, they dished out the hurt killing 7 Immortals in 1 turn of spectacular assault cannon shooting. After being swarmed, they held the line long enough for the prince to move in to support them, clearing the way completely. So, they are most definitely staying in this list, they've earned their spot.

Now, on to the nitty gritty. As always, comments and suggestions welcome, but please bear in mind I want to stick to the theme of a zombie horde spreading decay, I know they aren't the best units but this is more aimed at competitive, friendly and fluffy games rather than tourney standards.

A Death Guard themed army has always been on my mind and I think it could be both competitive and fluffy.

As troops, both zombies and Plague Marines are excellent and I would recommend using some of each. I use plasma wielding MSU plague marines often in my lists and they will hold any objective with ease. Add in a large pack of zombies for some extra bodies to screen with and you got a solid start. Only downside to the zombies is the 230pt Typhus tax you have to pay to get them. I see a lot of people just stick him in a horde of zombies and wander up the field, but I really think that is a waste of points. Instead, take some nurgle terminators with combi-meltas and maybe a chainfist or two and Deep Strike in to the heart of the enemy to cause some real problems. Typhus needs to be in CC and can hurt pretty much anything expect vehicles, hence the meltas and chainfist. That makes for an excellent distraction carnifex that is incredibly durable and a danger to just about anything.

As for the rest of the army, plague hulks are both fluffy and solid heavy support choices (just use soul grinders with a little added nurgle conversions instead of buying FW). They have ap3 templates and small blast, as well as being decent in CC. Blight Drones are also cool, they are basically flying battle cannons that explode in a huge pus bomb when they go down. They are fragile and will mostly likely not survive the game, but rush them towards your enemy and laugh as he takes them out and they kill even more of his army. Nurgle spawn are obviously great too, but I prefer using them as an escort to a Nurgle biker lord. If using Typhus as your HQ, I would recommend using multiple MSU nurgle biker squads with meltas to add to the number of threatening units your opponent has to deal with.

Zombies carry a heavy tax in the shape of Typhus and his support (in this case the Terminators).

A different way to get zombies is to ally in Renegade & Heretics. Give the HQ convent of Nurgle and you can take zombies as troops. You also get very cheap Spawns, artillery and Laser Rapier Destroyers.

Chaos Daemons gives you (or rather the Nurgle Heralds) access to Nurgles psychic powers and relics, not to mention the bizarre fast attack units.

There is another (cheaper) way to get zombies in a Chaos Space Marine army... Necrosius as your HQ and you get the Vraks zombies (which are alot cheaper). But they don't count towards your troops.

superkuf wrote:
Zombies carry a heavy tax in the shape of Typhus and his support (in this case the Terminators).

A different way to get zombies is to ally in Renegade & Heretics. Give the HQ convent of Nurgle and you can take zombies as troops. You also get very cheap Spawns, artillery and Laser Rapier Destroyers.

Chaos Daemons gives you (or rather the Nurgle Heralds) access to Nurgles psychic powers and relics, not to mention the bizarre fast attack units.

I thought zombies gained this way didn't count towards the minimum required troop choices though?

There seems to be some confusion in this thread. There are 3 ways to get zombies.
1. Typhus. He's expensive but he also makes your Plague Marines troops if he's in your primary detachment. Probably the best overall choice.

2. Necrosius. He's a Forgeworld guy with rules in the Siege of Vraks 2015 edition. He must be your warlord and the zombies don't count as compulsory choices, but he does give them furious charge. He does not make Plague Marines troops either.

3. You take a Renegades of Vraks army and make the Arch Demagogue your warlord, giving him Covenant of Nurgle. The zombies are cheaper and have 4+ FNP, , but this has to be your primary detachment so there's no way to get Plague Marines as troops at all. Also requires the Siege of Vraks 2015 edition book from Forgeworld.

My vote for simplest/easiest is to just stick with the Typhus approach if you want both Plague Marines and Plague Zombies.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for the list itself, I think it looks good overall for a thematic death guard army that's going to do ok. I would not give the bikes plasma. They're good meltagun platforms. Gets hot doesn't care if you're T6, and you don't have FNP. They're also not fearles, so if one dies to his own plasma gun they can run away lol. If you want more plasma they work better on the plague marines.
I'd also suggest taking power maul instead of swords on the termies. Gives you more options. Keep the sword on the champ for challenges

UncleanOne wrote:
There seems to be some confusion in this thread. There are 3 ways to get zombies.
1. Typhus. He's expensive but he also makes your Plague Marines troops if he's in your primary detachment. Probably the best overall choice.

2. Necrosius. He's a Forgeworld guy with rules in the Siege of Vraks 2015 edition. He must be your warlord and the zombies don't count as compulsory choices, but he does give them furious charge. He does not make Plague Marines troops either.

3. You take a Renegades of Vraks army and make the Arch Demagogue your warlord, giving him Covenant of Nurgle. The zombies are cheaper and have 4+ FNP, , but this has to be your primary detachment so there's no way to get Plague Marines as troops at all. Also requires the Siege of Vraks 2015 edition book from Forgeworld.

My vote for simplest/easiest is to just stick with the Typhus approach if you want both Plague Marines and Plague Zombies.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for the list itself, I think it looks good overall for a thematic death guard army that's going to do ok. I would not give the bikes plasma. They're good meltagun platforms. Gets hot doesn't care if you're T6, and you don't have FNP. They're also not fearles, so if one dies to his own plasma gun they can run away lol. If you want more plasma they work better on the plague marines.
I'd also suggest taking power maul instead of swords on the termies. Gives you more options. Keep the sword on the champ for challenges

That clears it up nicely, thanks!

Thinking about it, I see what you mean with the plasma on the bikes, they've been swapped round now. As for the Termies, I've not had much success with the mauls on my chosen, mainly because my main opponents are Necrons/Marines, so the AP3 is preferable when mixed with Typhus (I'm going to be using them as a deep-striking body guard for him I think, maximum disruption so the zombies can close the gap a little more unhindered) however I may model them so they can be swapped out, as the mauls would deal with standard Neccy warriors a lot more effectively.

My friend is also now wanting to start a Nurgle Daemons army, can anyone recommend some solid units to get him going? I've heard good things about Blight Drones and Plague hulks, and I think I'd be up to the task of converting some, but I'm a little skeptical of the hulks as they are walkers. I don't think I've had any of my imperial walkers do anything but die...

thanks for the tips so far though!