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so just started to look at this, so totally new to the whole thing.

I love the miniatures of the Death Guard and the colour scheme appeals to me.

So where to start? Is B@C appropriate for a DG army? I do want to take advantage of the chem weapon flamers, but I assume I need some ranged AT too.

What other strengths should I play to? Typical loadouts?

Not wanting to dump a ton of cash into this, and I think our group is playing relatively lower points. I do like the Grave Terminators (love terminators in general) so will probably get a few of them.

Thanks in advance

The original RoW for the DG allows you to take Legion Heavy Support squads as troops choices. I suppose you can go far left or right in the pendulum swing with that. I really liked the idea of two maxed missile launcher equipped squads backed by two 15 marine tacticals.

That would cover antitank/ marine and in a pinch air.

Plenty of points room leftover for some Legion specific terminators and characters.

I would use the contents of the BaC to bulk out the basics. Two HQs, Mk IV marines as the bulk of your tactical squads, the Termiators, with some after market scythe could be used as your Death Shrouds. I personally love the Contemptors, with some conversion and extra arms you could go with stock or a Mortis.

Tips!

1) remember, basically everything has a use, so there really is no 'what to avoid category'..... except rotor cannons
2) DG's main tactic was massed infantry (this includes massed terminators as DG could field arguably the most cataphractii terminators out of all the legions)
3) DG loved the 'well equipped' infantry man (fluff: this means every tactical was trained as an assault, heavy support, support, and all other non 'elite' roles) rules: 20-man tactical squads w/ extra CCWs is arguably the most fluffy unit you can field
4) the DG core tactical squad was 21 men (19 bolters, 1 sergeant, 1 apothecary-sergeant). Rule: bring apothecaries
5) Mortarion loved dreadnoughts (saw them as the pinnacle of infantry)
6) Transports were used, but never as a mainstay or vital thing.
7) Chem! DG had no issues with abusing phosphex and destroyer squads
8) Jump packs! DG had them, but arguably used them the least (along side other 'slow' legions)
9) while they did use MK II and MK IV, MK III was the most common in the legion as the heavily armoured fronts applied well to the DG style of war
10) While they still had vehicles, their vehicle armoury was usually in their own divisions outside of siege vehicles like artillery and Vindicators
11) We do NOT like librarians. Don't bring them

All of those general list building tips are backed by the fluff, and mean that Fluffy DG forces can be super combat effective.

As to units and tactics!
1) Terminator Spam, Dread Spam, Artillery Spam, Infantry Spam, and Chem Spam are all fluffy, viable list builds. (spam being a stand in for the word 'focus' )
2) Deathshroud have since become one of the strongest melee units in the game. 2-wound terminators with I: 3 power axes that get extra attacks for being in base contact with multiple enemies is super deadly
3) Grave Warden are higlarious and have quickly become one of my favorite units. Always forcing disorganized charges screws with so many units (and tactics), + them being able to overwatch with a single poison (3+) flamer is nice, + their main guns are super fun, AND they cost the same as regular P. fist terminators
4) Mortarion is a beast in the shooting phase (unlimited 12" range phosphex bombs, the 10" warp that you can charge after, the pretty damn good pistol, etc.) He also has one of the few primarch weapons with the Instant death rule, so throw him as MCs
5) Their rights of war are both fun: 1) The Reaping: rad grenades everywhere, + move through cover, + the ability to take fortifications AND allies is amazing! 2) Crawling Death: It's also really strong (though weaker than the reaping) Basically everyone has a 5+ cover save in the open, frag weaponry gets bumped to S: 5, you get to screw with trees, though no allies and only traitors is a bit of a weakness
6) If you use the reaping consider allying them with some night lords (battle brothers are fun!) or solar auxilia as you can make some fun builds.
7) Keep in mind that we are immune to fear checks, and auto pass pinning checks, and reroll dangerous terrain checks (take that Salamanders, and you're being "death guard -1" ) this means that you will catch certain armies off guard when they try and slow you down (i.e. pin you, or try and throw their silly 'cause fear' tricks )

thanks for the tips!

Not looking to ally at the moment, just getting a basic list started.

So I'm thinking a couple of tactical sqds (maybe one in a rhino)
definitely some Grave warden terminators (will they survive on foot?)
a dread or 2 (need t look at weapon loadouts)
HQ.....not sure yet, probably best to put him in with terms
I need some type of AT...need to look at options.

edit:

so perhaps this to start...

Praetor, cataphract term armour, reaper, Rad gren 155
4 deathshroud terms (comm sqd) 170

10 Tacticals, +ccw, sgt-art armour, combi-flamer, rad 200
Rhino, hvy flamer 50
15 tacticals, sgt -art armour, combi-flamer, rad 230
Apoth, scanner attached to above) 50

5 Grave Wardens, Hvy flamer, Rad 220
Contemptor dread, kherec cannon, hvy flamer 200

1275pts

leaving 225pts to add something with AT

marines with melta in a rhino? Dread with lascannons? Land Raider proteus for 1 term sqd? other options?

is this on the right track?

That sounds good. You should have 5 marines left from BAC, make a 5 man missile squad-185 and try to squeeze in a Master of signal. He'll give you a bombardment once per game but if you put him with your heavy support squad then you'll be hitting on 2's. Take the reaping row, which makes heavy squads scoring. Maybe drop the Rhino (not particularly fluffy or effective with DG) use the points to bump up your Missile launchers to a full squad OR since you will now have 2 troops already, upgrade your small Tacs to a vet squad, give them a missile launcher and sniper.

Im slowly building up a DG force to run along side my dark mech, currently have Typhon, 10 x Deathshrouds and 2 contemptors, need to up it to 20 Death shrouds

from a fluff stand point, I'd ditch the rhino, bump up the squad to 15 (eventually both of them to 20) and build or buy 2 apothecaries. once you have that strong core of 40 marines, then you are safe to branch out into the silly stuff Additionally, if you're spending the points for rad grenades, you may as well buy the CCWS for your tac squads to make the most out of them ('cause the number of attacks add up )


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kimbie wrote:
Im slowly building up a DG force to run along side my dark mech, currently have Typhon, 10 x Deathshrouds and 2 contemptors, need to up it to 20 Death shrouds

don't we all need 20 deathshroud terminators Currently I'm sitting on 30k generic, 10 deathshroud and 10 grave warden (though I need 10 more of both the special kind, and want 10 more tartaros terminators because why not )

why is a rhino not fluffy for deathguard. I understand the whole implacable advance, but wouldn't they still need to get to the battle somehow. It's the most basic transport in the marine arsenal.

If no transports, 15 marines w ccw, apothecary sounds good.

what are the best AT options for DG (and fluffy)?

a rhino is fluffy, but transports were typically used to get to the fight, or deal with people trying to surround them. This is compounded by the fact that even on the tabletop a 10-man squad in a rhino isn't all to durable :(

As for tactical squads, I would only stay at 15 models until you can get up to 20 + an apothecary

as for AT: Tanks, vindicators, artillery, autocannon/ML/lascannon heavy support squads, Close combat AT. Anything durable and not super complex/fragile would be the fluffy way to go.

Wait, I thought grave wardens couldn't overwatch because of their cataphratii armour.

They can overwatch with the special Flamer Template that they have.

normally no, but the same rule that GW have that force disorganized charges also gives them a Poison 3+ template that they can shoot AND overwatch with.

For real? what book and page should I be looking at? I totally missed it

 Zuul wrote:
For real? what book and page should I be looking at? I totally missed it

legion red book, on their page entry. It's not in the older books if I recall correctly.