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So, I have been hard at work lately, slam-dunking a lot of models in the 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol bath with an ultrasonic cleaner, and scrubbing them with a special-purpose toothbrush.
They are currently all undergoing a cheap grey primer treatment, followed by a nasty Agrax wash as a base to work from. They'll be Death Guard... ish.

One of the most iconic pieces of art I know to depict Death Guard (or at least Nurgle Marines) has this green tint, and shows a heavily mutated Marine toting about a Heavy Bolter. The models mentioned above have them. The Death Guard don't.

So far the introduction. Now for the real questions. How viable is a Chaos Space Marines army using the Codex Heretic Astartes, and applying the Mark of Nurgle to each and every entry (and assuming casual play)? Does this army lack anything of real interest that newly appeared in Codex Death Guard? Knowing that World Eaters and Emperor's Children must have a specific (non-Nurgle) mark, what other Legion Traits would be highly appropriate?

My initial thoughts would be to have a CSM army with all models having the Mark of Nurgle. Then, assuming the army is battleforged, apply either Black Legion traits (we all know they have a copious amount of cult troops and dedicated troops), Renegade Chapters traits (the could be any of the many fallen Chapters that found its way into the warm embrace of rot and disease), or Alpha Legion (narrativle not being from the Alpha Legion actually, but having such a huge cloud of flies and smoke around them as Pappa Nurgle can provide). As there are plenty special weapon models and heavy weapon models (including four Heavy Bolter and four Lascannon models made from the old metal Plague Marines and plastic Devastator Marines spares), I could even go Iron Warriors and use a spearhead detachment to go all Gunline Crazy.
Minor thoughts went into Night Lords traits (rotting corpse Marines running towards you tends to unhinge one mentally), but then I realised how Morale is such a minor factor in the game for a lot of armies. For that matter, Word Bearers are also out.

Thoughts on the matter?

Marks don't do much at all, beyond allowing a few spells and stratagems to affect them - and in many instances the mark of Nurgle can protect you from some unsavory Death Guard stuff. I run CSM renegades who are all Nurgle marked, and the army thus includes at least one squad of actual plague marines.

Heretic Astartes are in a similarly rough spot to many marine codices (from a tournament perspective), but the CSM book, coupled with Forgeworld, coupled with the Death Guard codex (if you want) can make plent of decent lists. A lot of people bemoan the fact that they can no longer take havocs, and various other units in your Death Guard armies, but the second best thing is to run CSM detachments with the mark of Nurgle. Sure, you won't gain your +1 toughness, but you can still create some fun and cool lists.

Couldn't you form your army in two detachments? One CSM detachment for the stuff that cannot be Death Guard and a DG detachment for the rest?

I use nurgle marked obliterators, and havocs from last edition on the off chance I actually get to bring one back with the Grandfather Gift regen stratagem.

In casual play you could bring an entire army of basic Chaos marines and probably do fine.

 Crimson wrote:
Couldn't you form your army in two detachments? One CSM detachment for the stuff that cannot be Death Guard and a DG detachment for the rest?

Yep. People seem to be really angry when I suggest this to Death Guard or Thousand Sons players - as if it taints their army somehow.

I wish marks gave the buffs like they used too, but alas they do not. Your best bet is like the others said, a detachment of normal CSM and one of deathguard.

 Crimson wrote:
Couldn't you form your army in two detachments? One CSM detachment for the stuff that cannot be Death Guard and a DG detachment for the rest?

Absolutely. As long as the detachments are clearly defined I also wouldn't miss out on Legion traits, while the army overall . I know all that.

However, I also play a lot with newer players who can barely scratch a Patrol Detachment together. This CSM army of mine could fill a Brigade with a couple of added detachments and then some. And then there's a new Death Guard army to fill its own slots. Besides that, Death Guard plays differently from Nurglefied Black Legion or Nurgle-rotting Alpha Legion. It's not even a point about model aesthetics too; I have quite a lot of the new Death Guard stuff including Myphitic Blight-haulers, Felthius and his body guard and even two spare sets of Poxwalkers bought on Ebay when they were cheap and readily available.

And it's about that thematic Other Older "Death Guard" (with 'normal' Nurgle cultists and CSM dinobots like Forgefiends) that I ask opinions, viewpoints, Legion preferences.

 Lord Xcapobl wrote:
So, I have been hard at work lately, slam-dunking a lot of models in the 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol bath with an ultrasonic cleaner, and scrubbing them with a special-purpose toothbrush.
They are currently all undergoing a cheap grey primer treatment, followed by a nasty Agrax wash as a base to work from. They'll be Death Guard... ish.

One of the most iconic pieces of art I know to depict Death Guard (or at least Nurgle Marines) has this green tint, and shows a heavily mutated Marine toting about a Heavy Bolter. The models mentioned above have them. The Death Guard don't.

So far the introduction. Now for the real questions. How viable is a Chaos Space Marines army using the Codex Heretic Astartes, and applying the Mark of Nurgle to each and every entry (and assuming casual play)? Does this army lack anything of real interest that newly appeared in Codex Death Guard? Knowing that World Eaters and Emperor's Children must have a specific (non-Nurgle) mark, what other Legion Traits would be highly appropriate?

My initial thoughts would be to have a CSM army with all models having the Mark of Nurgle. Then, assuming the army is battleforged, apply either Black Legion traits (we all know they have a copious amount of cult troops and dedicated troops), Renegade Chapters traits (the could be any of the many fallen Chapters that found its way into the warm embrace of rot and disease), or Alpha Legion (narrativle not being from the Alpha Legion actually, but having such a huge cloud of flies and smoke around them as Pappa Nurgle can provide). As there are plenty special weapon models and heavy weapon models (including four Heavy Bolter and four Lascannon models made from the old metal Plague Marines and plastic Devastator Marines spares), I could even go Iron Warriors and use a spearhead detachment to go all Gunline Crazy.
Minor thoughts went into Night Lords traits (rotting corpse Marines running towards you tends to unhinge one mentally), but then I realised how Morale is such a minor factor in the game for a lot of armies. For that matter, Word Bearers are also out.

Thoughts on the matter?

So basic CSM's are pretty meh compared to their Plague Marine brothers (which are still about half-meh). Sadly, anything power armored is in a tough spot. Marks also do diddly, which sucks because it removed the whole purpose behind them I feel.

That said, nurgle obliterators (with a gnarlmaw) work fantastically, Fiends and Maulers are crappy even though they look awesome. Havoks are good, but they tend to Mark of Slanesh so they fire twice. Really most options in the CSM dex are lackluster when placed against the Death Guard or 1k Sons versions.

But you can do what you want, if its for newbies and to have fun, some Nurgle CSM's with a lord will do fine. I'd at least have a small havok squad to deal with vehicles.

Sadly Marks of Chaos have very little impact in the game now - outside of allowing a couple select stratagems/powers to interect with them, there is no extra benefit.

If you want proper marked units with rules, you need to go with the cult troops etc.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Elbows wrote:

 Crimson wrote:
Couldn't you form your army in two detachments? One CSM detachment for the stuff that cannot be Death Guard and a DG detachment for the rest?

Yep. People seem to be really angry when I suggest this to Death Guard or Thousand Sons players - as if it taints their army somehow.

Indeed. I have a couple Maulerfiends and Havocs I used in previous editions. Now every now and then,they form a Spearhead detachment "Sons of Pestilence" which allows me to include a warp time sorcerer.