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As the title describes, my local store has started an escalation for AoS, with an entry level of either one starter box or 500 points.

While I wasn't drawn to the models of any of the starter boxes, the Blightkings sitting on the shelf immediately drew my interest, and here I am sitting with a box of them wondering where the hell to go next. The main thing I love about the Blightkings is how much they really warp their bodies, something that I don't feel I see enough of even with most other Chaos models. Of course, here's where my problem lies, I don't really know how to expand around that. The Rotbringers have a pathetic amount of options on their own, and not a whole lot else in their list really jumps out at me (for example, I don't care much for monsterous creatures).

I know the Harbringer is pretty much the go-to Commander for Nurgle mortals list, but can Gutrot Spume at least function competently? He seems like a fantastic (and horrifically beautiful) beatstick, but a selfish one at that, and I can find very little actually discussing his merits and flaws. I'll likely end up buying another box of Blightkings, but beyond that, I could use some inspiration. I have no problem expanding to forces beyond Nurgle if necessary, although I would like them to stick with that whole 'warped physiology' aesthetic if possible (are chaos spawn any good?).

So, basically, is there a way to start building an army around Gutrot Spume and some Blightkings that can be semi-competitive? The more messed up the models the better.

I am slowly building out a Nurgle army building thread that could probably be of use to you. It doesn't have anything specific to Gutrot Spume in it yet, but I can offer some pointers.

First of all, the bad news. Spume is simply a bad general for an army. As a named character he can't have a command trait and his command ability does not come close to making up for that, especially when Nurgle armies have others that are quite good or even insanely strong. But the good news is that he is a fun general for an army even if he isn't very good. Between his tentacle ability and command ability he can be stupidly survivable if the dice are with you, and he puts out decent damage as well. So if you want Spume as your general, go for it, especially at such small point values where its more about the fun of the game than anything. As you build out though, I would suggest moving over to a Harbinger as the general because his command ability is awesome and would affect Spume as well. This would also let Spume be at the front of the line while your actual general can hang back in a more protected fashion.

So without acting as a general, Spume can at least scale competently as a beatstick hero then?

I'd be okay with that. I just don't want to be left with something that I'll never field after spending $30+ on a single model. Especially one that looks so cool. I mean, worst case scenario, I could just sit him in a unit of Blightkings and say he left his heroism back at home, but I'd rather have him doing something on his own, and his rules sound fun/annoying, even without the command ability.

 Fafnir wrote:
So without acting as a general, Spume can at least scale competently as a beatstick hero then?

I'd be okay with that. I just don't want to be left with something that I'll never field after spending $30+ on a single model. Especially one that looks so cool. I mean, worst case scenario, I could just sit him in a unit of Blightkings and say he left his heroism back at home, but I'd rather have him doing something on his own, and his rules sound fun/annoying, even without the command ability.

I'd say "Yes". He's quite efficient for his cost. Most "basic" beatsticks have 5 wounds and 3+ saves for 100pts. For 120pts he has as many wounds and equal save as an ironjaw megaboss, who costs 140. He has less attacks (4 versus 6) and a slightly worse to-wound roll (not gutrot's fault, just wait for the nerf-hammer to hit battle-brew) and some of them are worse (rip-tooth fist is better than tentacles, since you get rending while having the same chance of hitting+wounding) BUT this is evened out by the fact that gutrot will neuter the boss choppa (the main source of damage) half of the time.

All in all, on an A+ to F- scale, I'd say that Gutrot is a A- in his weight cathegory. He'll murder many of the lord-tier characters and do some damage to the great monsters, but will ultimately fail to the heaviest weights (and it should be so, 400vs120 isn't a balanced trade-off).

 Fafnir wrote:
So without acting as a general, Spume can at least scale competently as a beatstick hero then?

I'd be okay with that. I just don't want to be left with something that I'll never field after spending $30+ on a single model. Especially one that looks so cool. I mean, worst case scenario, I could just sit him in a unit of Blightkings and say he left his heroism back at home, but I'd rather have him doing something on his own, and his rules sound fun/annoying, even without the command ability.

Yes. As a straight beatstick Spume is alright, but the fact that he can entangle enemy weapons means he can be extremely difficult for enemies to kill in melee, which gives him staying power similar heroes don't have.

I bought the spume model, removed the axe head and attached a nurgle staff head, added a cloaked head from the blightkings set and made a count as Rotbringer sorcerer because I love the model. http://i.imgur.com/eMX1NLE.jpg -- http://i.imgur.com/m2brWAv.jpg Just an idea for you!

I share you enthusiasm for blightkings. I am forming a blightkings centered army as well. I love the models, I love the rules. Check out the blightguard warscroll battalion. It requires a lord of plagues (meh) and the rotbringer sorcerer (meh) and 4 units of blightkings. Everything gets -1 to hit (shooting and combat) and also re-rolls 1's to wound. battallion is 100 points. Pretty good! in total is 1020 so something to work towards as you progress.

For blightking centered force, Harbinger is going to be the go to. He takes an already tough unit (4+ save, 3 wounds, and healing ability) and just takes it over the top. What I have done is focus on this. I use beguiling gems as artefacts and I am looking to add bloab rotspawned to the army for additional -1 to hit. Also, any addition to +1 to hit REALLY amplifies their blighted weapons ability. Unfortunately at the moment there arent many sources of this. Most notably is the chaos allegiance ability unpreddictable destruction...(on a 6+). I usually take the lord of war command trait to auto give a unit +1 to hit. Great destroyer (unpredictable destruction on a 5+) only adds an additional 1 in 6 chance to get +1 to hit.. so lord of war is much better for this. especially with a low unit/model count army like rotbringers.

As for synergy with other nurgle types. Look to demons. Pestilens are really cool. And I personally LOVE the aesthetic. but they break the rotbringers allegiance and arent battleline themselves. Demons can be summoned in (thats what I use the rotbringer sorcerer for) therefore keeping the rotbringer allegiance and blightkings remain battleline. Plaguebeaers make great objective sitters, allowing blightkings to get up close and personal. Drones add a bit of speed (flanking ability) and punch (mortal wound generation - Harbinger triggers their loci). Epidemius gives amazing buffs (most notably the ability to reroll hit rolls on one...huge buff to blightkings...more chances for a 6!). But since he would break your allegiance you would have to rely on plagebearers as battleline and start with them on the board. more then a fair trade for those sweet buffs. +1 to save rolls as well when you hit 21+ kills...drool. Plageclaw catapults help to hit that tally benchmarks quickly.

Keep checking into Ninth's thread. Its good stuff.

PLEASE forgive spelling and grammar. At work and dont have a lot of time to spend on Dakka >_<