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I'm expanding my Death Guard army beyond what's in the Dark Imperium box. I've already picked up a Plagueburst Crawler, I like vehicles and it added something visually different to the army.

So what next?

I'm playing against Tyranids, so it feels like I need something shooty, but equally I want something fun and distinctive. Deathshroud Terminators are tempting as I'd only have to paint three things, don't have to make any weapons modelling choices and it'll open up deep striking. More Marines also feels like a good idea, but I haven't played enough to work out how to equip them yet.

At some point soon it also feels like I'll want some cheap shield units to protect the Crawler, but facing 20 unpainted Poxwalkers I think I have enough cheap volume characters to worry about.

Any thoughts?

I wouldn't protect the crawler. Let them attack it all they want. I would prevent it from getting tied up in melee, but nothing else.

I don't think the DS terminators will do anything for you right now. You could get another 1-2 bloat drones or some demon princes.

A second crawler wouldn't be a bad idea. Also daemon princes are very strong when geared properly.

Mugaaz wrote:
I wouldn't protect the crawler. Let them attack it all they want. I would prevent it from getting tied up in melee, but nothing else.

I don't think the DS terminators will do anything for you right now. You could get another 1-2 bloat drones or some demon princes.

Seconded on not protecting the Plague Crawler. T8 with a 3+/5++/5+++ makes for a very durable tank that can absorb an awesome amount of fire power. You want the enemy to be focusing their AT on these tanks whilst everything else moves up field

B1okHead wrote:
A second crawler wouldn't be a bad idea. Also daemon princes are very strong when geared properly.

Indeed! DP with the 2+ plate and if warlord you can either go for the 4+ DR buff or the auto heal 1 wound at the start of each player turn. Makes them very durable and can pump out the damage on top with mortal wounds from plate (even procs on passing invul save) and talons.

Thanks for the responses...

A Demon Prince is now going onto my list, but for now when I've only got a small army I feel that I might struggle to get a battle forged detachment. So it seems that boots on the ground is what I'm after, or is that a really bad call?

My thinking on protecting the crawler is that I don't want it to get swarmed by some cheap melee unit. I want it to earn its points by doing long range shooting. So having a cheap screen around it seemed like a plan. But again is that a bad call?

I've only just returned to 40k after dabbling with it back in '87, so a lot of my assumptions might be wrong...

Daemon Prince, most easy choice, not only cool looking but also a bargain for its point cost

It can shred pretty much any vehicle it's own cost

It WILL NOT DIE from lasgun fire, if you pit a DP vs 60 Conscripts (same point price) and spec him right, he will only lose a few wounds in 6 turns, even if you just stand there in rapid fire range doing nothing but taunting them

Most points effective if fighting heavy infantry

Welcome to the Death Guard!

I can tell you where I went...

A unit of 20 Cultists - good for objective taking/screen/distraction, though I am not sure they have actually ever accomplished anything!

I went quite heavy on Nurgle Daemons (you'll need a separate detachment, though that is no hardship). Start with a Herald and 20 (30 is better) Plaguebearers. That many Plaguebearers with Miasma on them are -2 to be hit, making them the perfect screen. Add Nurglings to taste, they are not greatly effective but very funny to use (mine almost took down a Wolf Lord in the last battle!).

A couple of Helbrutes are nice and easy (and cheap). If you are used to the Imperial equivalents, you will love their speed.

Deathshrouds are nice, but expensive. Maybe something for a bit later (treat yourself!)?

Plague Marines: I am working on these right now, going for a unit of 20, based around close combat. Have them march up behind the Plaguebearers, and you will get in contact every time. They are superbly resilient to attacks.

Dot a few characters and a Crawler or two (if you are worried about getting mobbed, chuck the Plaguespitters on them, and maybe ring them with the Cultists), and you should be all set to go!

Maybe consider some Forge World stuff though, if that is your thing. The Pox Riders are solid enough (and can get the -2 to be hit, just like Plaguebearers). Avoid the Exalted Great Unclean One unless you are feeling mean, as he just crushes everything. An often overlooked addition would be the Giant Spined Chaos Beast with Mark of Nurgle - gets DR and is just plain nasty.

Hope that helps!

My top DG units right now are:
warlord talons DP with plate and +4DG (hard to kill, decent dmg)
2+ bloat drones with spitters (awesome harassment units)
Blightlords (crazy durable, always teleport them, give on a flail)

Wait on the Deathshroud until you have Mortarion. They are a force Multiplier on him. The way their mechanic works is that a titan could shoot morty, and on a +2, it hits a deathshroud instead. Against many weapons, they are just as durable as morty (until S10 and under S4)

My suggestions for building your army are (in this order):
1 more DI box. The only things you won't find yourself using 2 of are the lord of contagion and the bell dude. With a little clipping and gluing, the LoC can become a termie lord in armor, and the bell dude can become a plague marine sergeant for when you pick up a box of plague marines. Just cut his bell off and glue on the plague marine power fist, also snip off all the dangly bits and give him a different backpack.

1 Daemon prince with talons and wings. Very awesome unit these days.

1 plague marine box. This will give you variety to your blobs. It comes with 1 flail and 1 axe, but using the dangly things from the bell dude, you can convert the axe into another flail. It's overpriced, but the kit is awesome. You will have enough left over bits to spice up your DI box marines if you want to, or convert some primaris marines (little bit of a pain, but looks kinda cool!) Grab rhinos as you get more plague marines.

1 Bloat drone, yes, you already have 2, but the bloat done kit comes with 2 other weapon loadouts. Only get this kit if you 1. can magnetize and 2, want to run the other loadouts. The fleshmower is a daemonprince lite. The connector slots on the body are the same on the DI plague spitter and the boxed one, very easy to interchange.

Elite character of choice, my preference is the foul blightspawn. His aura alone is very powerful, combine it with his flamer attack and you have an awesome character who looks cool to boot!

Blightlord terminators: Now that you have a nice solid base of troops, HQ and some units to help protect and harass said HQ, you want some big hitters. Blightlords are durable enough to survive some serious punishment when deep struck. 18" rapid fire makes those combi weapons very potent and allows you to either drop further and in cover, or shoot a further target and try to charge the close one.

Mortarion - Dude is insane.

Deathshroud: drop them in a conga line infront of morty so they can soak up the first/second turn of shooting. These are some of the hardest hitting units in the codex, but they are also exceptionally slow, and expensive. (also my favorite models in the line)

As mentioned by others, FW has a great line that can fill holes in armies.
Leviathan, contemptor and deredeo are all hellbrutes, and that means they can move and shoot with no penalty. Fire raptor will put out so many bullets your opponent will beg you to stop. You have access to pretty much the full HH line, and a lot of those units are not in the DG book

Thanks for all the responses...

I went for another squad of Plague Marines next, more boots on the ground and they look nice.

A Prince is now very high up on my shopping list and might be my next purchase.

Then I think it'll be cultists, hopefully they'll be enough spare bits in the box of Marines to bash up a heavy stubber.

If you get creative with the cutting and can get someone to take the Primaris Marines off your hands, Know No Fear is a good alternative to more Bloatdrones. You basically get some Poxwalkers and more plague marines for free, while the Lord of Contagion can, with a little converting, be turned into a Deathshroud.

I actually have 3 Lords of Contagion I plan on converting into Deathshrouds, since I need the extra PMs and Drones and no need for so many duplicate lords.