Specifically Speaking of Poxwalkers in a Post FAQ World

[Ishagu]

As you guys know, I've been a strong supporter of the PMs. I was therefore hoping for some form of NERF to the Poxwalker Spam that used to be the staple for way too many DG lists.

 

That said, after my initial euphoria I'm not sure GW did the right thing. The big reason why Poxwalker unit size was only 20 was because of their ability to grow larger under the right circumstances. By drastically restricting their ability to grow it negates the need to limit the starting size of Poxwalker units to 20.

 

I think BT's suggestion is valid; up the Poxwalker's starting size to 30. Easy fix. This way the unit becomes more of a threat even without Dead Walk Again strategy.

I agree with this. 30 strong units would work for them

[McElMcNinja]

Has anyone ran Fabius Bile and buffed their Poxwalkers, I really don't see a down side to this. Not sure the best way to fit him in, maybe in an HQ Detachment with a Sorcerer and DP.

+1 S, T, or A that might result in a few mortal wounds that you get a DR save against, then throw in Typhus.

[Prot]

I ran him once like this a long time ago. It just never felt like I got the most out of the points I paid for him.

[McElMcNinja]

I've been considering Fabius in an army with a unit of 15 Possessed and 2 units of 20 Poxwalkers, buff the Possessed turn 1 and Poxwalkers the next 2. At least in non-competitive games, just to add a little punch to them.

[Tokugawa]

Fabius is failure. The points invested on his ability（along with the victims）,usually only work in melee.

 

Do chaos need more melee? Chaos already got excellent melee from characters and hordes. And Fabius works on neither.

[Wolf Lord Loki]

Fabius is failure. The points invested on his ability（along with the victims）,usually only work in melee.

 

Do chaos need more melee? Chaos already got excellent melee from characters and hordes. And Fabius works on neither.

Interesting. Most of the time I hear people moaning about how poor the death guard are in combat. Surely he would be a help?

[Tokugawa]

 

 

Fabius is failure. The points invested on his ability（along with the victims）,usually only work in melee.

 

Do chaos need more melee? Chaos already got excellent melee from characters and hordes. And Fabius works on neither.

Interesting. Most of the time I hear people moaning about how poor the death guard are in combat. Surely he would be a help?

When people talking about "Death guard", sometimes they are talking about Death guard, sometimes they are talking about "Plague marines" actually.

[Iron Sage]

I realise this is an old topic, but given that I have now 40 painted Poxwalkers and 20 more available, this is a matter of import for my new Death Guard army. Now that time has passed a bit and emotions concerning the FAQ has calmed, what is the consensus here on the worth of the poxwalkers? Are fearless 2 attack models really useless? What are your experience with these zombies, guys? I am new to Death Guard but I thought they were decent on paper (especially with Typhus!) so bought 20 extra after I bought the starter set. Have I :cussed up?

[Tokugawa]

 

I realise this is an old topic, but given that I have now 40 painted Poxwalkers and 20 more available, this is a matter of import for my new Death Guard army. Now that time has passed a bit and emotions concerning the FAQ has calmed, what is the consensus here on the worth of the poxwalkers? Are fearless 2 attack models really useless? What are your experience with these zombies, guys? I am new to Death Guard but I thought they were decent on paper (especially with Typhus!) so bought 20 extra after I bought the starter set. Have I :cuss up?

 

Paint/Proxy them as Plaguebearers. They have similar battlefield role and similar Nurgle-ish appearance.

 

But Plaguebearers absorb more damage at 7pts each model, than Poxwalkers at 6pts.

[Panzer]

I realise this is an old topic, but given that I have now 40 painted Poxwalkers and 20 more available, this is a matter of import for my new Death Guard army. Now that time has passed a bit and emotions concerning the FAQ has calmed, what is the consensus here on the worth of the poxwalkers? Are fearless 2 attack models really useless? What are your experience with these zombies, guys? I am new to Death Guard but I thought they were decent on paper (especially with Typhus!) so bought 20 extra after I bought the starter set. Have I up?

 

I'm not a Death Guard player but I think I have to disappoint you. From what I've seen instead of people starting being more positive about Poxwalker again all I can see are lists with less and less Poxwalker. Usually none at all. The stronger lists are typically with lots of armour in form of Plague Burst Crawler and/or with Daemon support in form of Plague Bearer and Nurglings which would fill the role of Poxwalker.

[BlackTriton]

Saddly, poxwalkers does'nt compare well to the other troop options.

If you need cheap to fill the detachment, or fill board space Cultist are cheaper, or more body for your points (and can shoot).

If you want a offensive melee options, Plague bearers will do more for a slight point investment.

If you consider them as tough unit to stand on objective and be immune to moral, plague marine does the job well and have a shooting attack. 

 

In my opinon, the biggest probleme with them is the unit size.

Poxwalker in unit of 30-40 would be usefull, since they could loose half the squad and regain them in combat. essentially making them a niche pick against aggressive horde. 

[Prot]

The FAQ is still too punitive and restrictive. The way GW has been with their other decisions, I’d be shocked if they improved it.

 

Don’t take them to anything serious. They’re okay in fun games. I have used them in tournaments, but mostly as a cheap unit to fill a Brigade and sit on an objective. In this role I swear by Nurglings. Cheaper, and a little more flexible and have a better chance of actually contributing to a fight.

 

The thing to keep in mind with Poxwalkers is they required a lot of tricks to keep functional with strats characters, and powers. It’s just not worth the overhead now with the limitations in place.

[DominikB]

I ran 3x19 at the NWO went (3-2) coming 23rd out of 72. My first loss was painfully close the second one decided by who went first.

 

The way I played them was fearless object holders and screens, I think it’s underestimated that you have to kill them to the man before you run away.

 

However, even in ITC with all the terrain they’re a lot less bulky than you’d think. And I always wondered if plaugebeares aren’t just outrightly better for the extra point. You lose morale immunity and an attack, but gain and extra str toughness, daemon save and access to some cool combos with the daemon deck.

 

Do I think PW are a right off? No, they did okay for me standing in the way of things but I missed their lack of shooting or any offensive powers tbh.

[Iron Sage]

I see. Thank you guys. I guess I will use them from time to time in non-tournament play (having 40, it is stupid to never use them) with Typhus. I guess I can also use them to fill in plaguebear units to represent newly risen plaguebearers that have yet to mutate fully.

[Panzer]

Things can change any time of course. With each Chapter Approved there's a chance for Poxwalker becoming good again. ;)

[McElMcNinja]

In my last tournament I ran 2/20 Poxwalkers. I took them to get a Battalion Detachment for the 3CP, but more importantly to me is they're an immune objective holder. I very rarely used the stratagem prior to change and haven't used it since.

Yes, Cultists are cheaper and can shoot while Plaguebearers more versatile, the PW's were what I went with. Cultists don't have the staying power for me and I don't run the stuff to enhance the Plaguebearers as well as they can be. I also like that PW's are a unit I can just forget about, they sit in one spot and don't run.

Personally I would have liked them to make it a once per game stratagem or increased the CP cost. Now it's a useless stratagem that should have been replaced or just removed all together.

[Bulwyf]

PW are not useless. They still function very well as cheap obj holders that you have no morale checks for. You can still boost them so they are at least ok in melee. They are not the tourney darlings they were before the nerf and never will be again unless GW adjusts them. They are like most things in a book: great for fun games and for tourney lists, not really. But fun games? Absolutely.

[Tokugawa]

Things can change any time of course. With each Chapter Approved there's a chance for Poxwalker becoming good again. ;)

If their cost is reduced to 5pts each, they would definitely much better, but would that bring them to competitive stage again?

 

4pts is impossible and not worth a discussion.