Today take a look at some basics of how to play and get started with Death Guard in Warhammer 40,000.
The Death Guard is a Chaos faction associated with plague and disease in Warhammer 40K. They have disgusting detail in their sculpts with some real stand outs. They’re a tough army that relies on Disgusting Resilience and esoteric weapons of war. Due to their unique background, they are one of the most unique and distinctive armies in Warhammer 40K.
So below are some tips on how to play Death Guard and get started with the army.
Who Are The Death Guard?
The Death Guard were one of the original noble Space Marine Legions, who fell to Chaos during the Horus Heresy. They are led by the corrupted immortal Daemon-Primarch Mortarion. The Legion took great pride in their resistance to poisons, disease, and mortality in general. Their fascination led them to worship the Chaos God Nurgle. In return, he infests their armour with pestilence, disease, and an unnatural endurance.
Mortarion sends out fleets of Plague Ships into the Warp to carry their contagions throughout the galaxy. At the end of the 41st Millennium, Mortarion senses his Brother Primarch’s rebirth and reasserted direct control over the Death Guard once more. Now the Traitor Legion has launched a major assault on Ultramar in what became known as the Plague Wars.
Why Play Death Guard
Do you like gross, disease-infested, armoured supermen? How about tough as nails units? Or infesting enemy units with plague?
If so, then the Death Guard is the army for you. Welcome aboard Brother!
Strengths of the Army
- Army-wide resilience is provided by Wounds, Saves, and special rules.
- Plague Weapons and high Attacks make every model a close combat threat.
- A wide variety of powerful infantry and vehicle units.
Weakness of the Army
- No wide access to long-ranged firepower.
- Very slow army besides a few vehicle units.
- Usually outnumbered due to high per-model point cost.
Death Guard Signature Rules
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The army has a number of special rules, the key ones to remember are:
- Disgustingly Resilient – This reduces the damage of incoming attacks, really making your units tough.
- Contagions – These powerful debuff auras grow in impact as the game goes on.
- Plague Weapons – Many unit’s weapons have this rule, allowing re-rolls of 1s to wound.
Death Guard Sub-factions
The Death Guard have a number of sub-factions, called Plague Companies, to choose from. Every Death Guard unit must belong to a Plague Company.
You will generally want to pick whole armies, or at least detachments, from the same Plague Company. Which Plague Company you select will determine what rules you have access to.
In addition, each of the seven Plague Companies have their own rules, stratagems, relics, warlord traits, and Contagions. To play these to the fullest you will need Codex: Death Guard.
Key Death Guard Units To Know
The Death Guard have a sizable unit roster and knowing what units to take can be tricky. Here are some suggestions to get you off on the right track.
1. Lord of Virulence
A powerful army leader. The Lord of Virulence has an effective ranged weapon in the form of his twin Plaguespewer. But he also has an incredible aura which buffs nearby Plague Weapon shooting. This means he’s a great choice of HQ.
2. Foul Blightspawn
This Elite character is quite a choice piece. The plague sprayer is a very effective weapon, made more so by potential Pathogens upgrades. Add in the ability to debuff an enemy unit with the power strikes-last ability, and the Blightspawn gives your opponent some problems to solve.
3. Plague Marines
The bread and butter of a Death Guard are its Plague Marine units. One of two Troops selection available to the army, Plague Marines are tough, and come with a variety of Plague Weapon options. Most Death Guard armies have a solid core of Plague Marines.
4. Pox Walkers
The humble and numberless Pox Walkers give your army a chance of outnumbering the opponent. The other Death Guard unique Troop selection available, Pox Walkers prove that quantity has a quality all its own.
5. Deathshroud Terminators
The personal bodyguard of the Primarch Mortarion himself. These Terminator armoured, scythe-wielding, diseased monsters are avatars of destruction. Though just as slow (or slower) than most other army units, they will quickly eliminate almost any threat they reach.
6. Death Guard Blightlord Terminators
While the Deathshroud serve a very particular role, Blightlords are the more “generic” Deathguard Terminators. They have a variety of strong melee and ranged options.
7. Foetid Bloat-drone
Suffice to say that fielding a Foetid Bloat-drone gives you the opportunity to field and declare attacks for a weapon called the Fleshmower. Need I say more? Mow that grass!
8. Plagueburst Crawler
The prodigious battle tank comes bristling with a variety of ghoulish, ranged Plague Weapons. All around great for taking out tough targets. Pay special attention to the very good Entropy Cannon option!
Sample Starter Death Guard Army
Army: Death Guard
Plague Company: Harbingers
Patrol Detachment
HQ: Lord of Virulence . 1 Model. He is equipped with: twin plague spewer; plague claw; blight grenades; krak grenades.- 120 pts
Troop: Pox Walkers. Twenty Models. 100 pts
Troop: Plague Marine Squad. Six Models. They are armed with boltgun; plague knife; blight grenades; krak grenades. 126 pts
Elite: Deathshroud Terminators. Three Models. They are armed with a plaguespurt gauntlet; manreaper. 150 pts
Total: 496 pts.
Make it 1000 Points of Death Guard!
Army: Death Guard
Plague Company: Harbingers
Patrol Detachment
HQ: Lord of Virulence . 1 Model. He is equipped with: twin plague spewer; plague claw; blight grenades; krak grenades.- 120 pts
Troop: Pox Walkers. Twenty Models. 100 pts
Troop: Plague Marine Squad. Five Models. They are armed with boltgun; plague knife; blight grenades; krak grenades. 105 pts
Elite: Deathshroud Terminators. Three Models. They are armed with a plaguespurt gauntlet; manreaper. 150 pts
Fast Attack: Foetid Bloat-drone. One Model. It is equipped with: fleshmower; plague probe. 120 pts
Fast Attack: Foetid Bloat-drone. One Model. It is equipped with: fleshmower; plague probe. 120 pts
Heavy Support: Plagueburst Crawler. One Model. It is equipped with: Plagueburst mortar; heavy slugger; 2 entropy cannons. 145 pts
Heavy Support: Plagueburst Crawler. One Model. It is equipped with: Plagueburst mortar; heavy slugger; 2 plaguespitters. 135 pts
Total: 995 pts.
How to Play Death Guard
Death Guard are an extremely resilient force that need to be at short ranges to excel. Death Guard can operate in a few different ways. They benefit from having some elite units to act as an anvil, but savvy players will realize that Poxwalkers or Cultists are necessary to achieve any sort of board control. At range, careful employment of Stratagems can help keep key units alive at important times, and allow them to close the gap. Then once there, the Death Guard can overwhelm the opponent, with the disgustingness of their resilience.
Terminus Est
Twenty year Games Workshop Hobbyist, Gamer, and Writer. I love Necromunda, Horus Heresy, (40K), and Age of Sigmar (and Mordheim- let’s get a reboot of that!).
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