2kpt Death Guard Army purchase... buyers regret? (feedback)

[Bloodchild]

Hey all, i have never played Death Guard but have always been interested in them, just recently an opportunity to buy a 2kpt list popped up and i bought on impulse.  They are unpainted, some still on the sprues, so you could say excellent condition, but as far as the army goes, the list looks strong, so my question is, are there units in here that are redundant? are there units missing to make this list better? Im looking at the Deathshroud Terminators and thinking they should go, in saying that im not really wanting to sink anymore $ into this army, so the regret im feeling is that i bought this army, and i guess im stuck with it... i guess if im not happy i might assemble and paint (painting skills are fair - good) and then re-sell. Feedback appreciated.  

 

 

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Death Guard) [52 PL, 7CP, 622pts] ++

 

Battle-forged CP [3CP]

 

Detachment CP [5CP]

 

Gifts of Decay (1 Relic) [-1CP]

 

+ HQ +

 

Chaos Lord [5 PL, 82pts]: Balesword, Combi-bolter

 

Lord of Contagion [7 PL, 112pts]: Manreaper

 

+ Troops +

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

 

 

++ Super-Heavy Auxiliary Detachment (Chaos - Death Guard) [24 PL, 470pts] ++

 

Detachment CP 0

 

+ Lord of War +

 

Mortarion [24 PL, 470pts]: Contagion Discipline - Miasma of Pestilence - Putrescent Vitality, Warlord - Arch Contaminator

 

 

 

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Death Guard) [59 PL, 1CP, 908pts] ++

 

Detachment CP [1CP]

 

+ HQ +

 

Daemon Prince of Nurgle [9 PL, 180pts]: 2x Malefic talon, Relic - The Suppurating Plate, Wings

 

+ Elites +

 

Deathshroud Terminators [22 PL, 260pts]

. Deathshroud Champion: Manreaper, 2x Plaguespurt gauntlets

. 4x Deathshroud Terminator: 4x Manreaper

 

Plague Surgeon [4 PL, 60pts]: Balesword, Relic - Fugaris' Helm

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: Plagueburst Mortar, 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: Plagueburst Mortar, 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: Plagueburst Mortar, 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

 

++ Total: [135 PL, 8CP, 2,000pts] ++

[Zombs]

Personally I don't think this list is very strong/optimized. If you want to play Morty you absolutely need Thousands Sons support. It may work in friendly games tho. My advice is to try it a couple of times and see if you like it. If you don't you can just use contrast paints to easily paint it and then reselling it!

[Closet Skeleton]

Deathshroud are good despite not being the most efficient choice. They aren't easy to use but hit hard.

 

Mortarion is never going to be competitive and is wasted as a warlord despite having the best warlord trait.

 

Lords of Contagion are a waste of points, you're better off with a 6 man deathshroud unit or 2 3 man ones for cheap deep strike interference.

 

Plague marines need two special weapons per squad. You should have the parts for 2 dual blight launcher squads and 2 dual plasma ones.

 

3 plague burst crawlers, a daemon prince and a bunch of plague marines is never going to be a terrible basis for a deathguard list, but there are no top tier pure deathguard lists. Quickest way to make a better list is to swap the lord of contagion for typhus or a malignant plague caster and swap Mortarion for 3 bloat drone

[Bloodchild]

Personally I don't think this list is very strong/optimized. If you want to play Morty you absolutely need Thousands Sons support. It may work in friendly games tho. My advice is to try it a couple of times and see if you like it. If you don't you can just use contrast paints to easily paint it and then reselling it!

 

Hey thanks, oh im not looking to take this to tournaments or anything, just casual games at the local, and for my own personal collection if im happy with it. How does Morty synergize with Thousand Sons?

[Bloodchild]

Deathshroud are good despite not being the most efficient choice. They aren't easy to use but hit hard.

 

Mortarion is never going to be competitive and is wasted as a warlord despite having the best warlord trait.

 

Lords of Contagion are a waste of points, you're better off with a 6 man deathshroud unit or 2 3 man ones for cheap deep strike interference.

 

Plague marines need two special weapons per squad. You should have the parts for 2 dual blight launcher squads and 2 dual plasma ones.

 

3 plague burst crawlers, a daemon prince and a bunch of plague marines is never going to be a terrible basis for a deathguard list, but there are no top tier pure deathguard lists. Quickest way to make a better list is to swap the lord of contagion for typhus or a malignant plague caster and swap Mortarion for 3 bloat drone

 

I had a feeling Morty was a let down as i have never heard anything positive about him.

 

I just looked at the points, i could proxy my Lord of Contagion as Typhus, drop Morty and take x3 Bloat Drones, but the points only allow for the Fleshmower loadout, is that what you meant?

 

I wonder if someone would trade me x3 drones for a Morty... probably not :/

[Special Officer Doofy]

@Bloodchild it's a good start. Most deathguard units are fun and fluffy but your crunchy units will be Daemon prince's, plague burst crawlers and Foetid bloat drones. The drones best load out is 2x spitters which is the load out from dark imperium. If you go to hoard o' bits they have the dark imperium Drone on there for $15 new. So you can for $45 get 3 of them versus paying $50 for one new one from GW. They also have the other weapons if you want it, still will be cheaper.

 

I say don't sell or trade any of it. I personally have at least one of each of the elite characters. They are fun to use and if you are not a hardcore tournament player then every now and then slip one into a list. I personally would never cheese thousand suns into a list just to make morty work. But over time I collected some nurgle daemon units and they compliment deathguard very well, and it makes sense to ally with them fluff wise. If you look at some of the more recent threads in the death guard forun, @zombs, some other players and I have done some break downs of the units and it might help with a break down.

 

But I mainly want to tell you about hoard o'bits (or any other seller that sells dark imperium units cheap) and the $15 bloat drones. Don't trade morty, you'll regret it! He is so freaking cool looking.

[Bloodchild]

@Bloodchild it's a good start. Most deathguard units are fun and fluffy but your crunchy units will be Daemon prince's, plague burst crawlers and Foetid bloat drones. The drones best load out is 2x spitters which is the load out from dark imperium. If you go to hoard o' bits they have the dark imperium Drone on there for $15 new. So you can for $45 get 3 of them versus paying $50 for one new one from GW. They also have the other weapons if you want it, still will be cheaper.

 

I say don't sell or trade any of it. I personally have at least one of each of the elite characters. They are fun to use and if you are not a hardcore tournament player then every now and then slip one into a list. I personally would never cheese thousand suns into a list just to make morty work. But over time I collected some nurgle daemon units and they compliment deathguard very well, and it makes sense to ally with them fluff wise. If you look at some of the more recent threads in the death guard forun, @zombs, some other players and I have done some break downs of the units and it might help with a break down.

 

But I mainly want to tell you about hoard o'bits (or any other seller that sells dark imperium units cheap) and the $15 bloat drones. Don't trade morty, you'll regret it! He is so freaking cool looking.

 

Hey thankyou for the heads up, i just looked up the Drones on Hoard o Bits and sure enough $15 each which isnt too bad at all (altho taking the Fleshmowers to make the points fit they are charging $16 each, so $31 a drone with those, ouch) ... but i did look up the other thread and Spitters are the way to go apparently.

 

Which makes me think, upon reading that thread... about playing with a Chaos Daemon Nurgle ally... i could forego the Drones, swap Typhus for a Malignant Plaguecaster, giving me 460pts to take a Battalion of Nurgle Daemons, so i would end up having something like this...

 

 

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Death Guard) [51 PL, 7CP, 629pts] ++

 

Battle-forged CP [3CP]

 

Detachment CP [5CP]

 

Gifts of Decay (1 Relic) [-1CP]

 

+ HQ +

 

Chaos Lord [5 PL, 91pts]: Balesword, Combi-plasma

 

Malignant Plaguecaster [6 PL, 110pts]: Blades of Putrefaction, Putrescent Vitality

 

+ Troops +

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

Plague Marines [10 PL, 107pts]

. Plague Champion: Boltgun, Plaguesword

. 4x Plague Marine w/ boltgun

. Plague Marine w/ Special Weapon: Blight launcher

 

 

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Death Guard) [59 PL, 1CP, 908pts] ++

 

Detachment CP [1CP]

 

+ HQ +

 

Daemon Prince of Nurgle [9 PL, 180pts]: x2 Malefic talon, Relic - The Suppurating Plate, Warlord, Wings

 

+ Elites +

 

Deathshroud Terminators [22 PL, 260pts]

. Deathshroud Champion: Manreaper, 2x Plaguespurt gauntlets

. 4x Deathshroud Terminator: 4x Manreaper

 

Plague Surgeon [4 PL, 60pts]: Balesword, Relic - Fugaris' Helm

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

Plagueburst Crawler [8 PL, 136pts]: 2x Entropy cannon, Heavy slugger

 

 

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Daemons) [32 PL, 5CP, 462pts] ++

 

Chaos Allegiance: Nurgle

 

Detachment CP [5CP]

 

+ HQ +

 

Poxbringer [4 PL, 70pts]

 

Spoilpox Scrivener [4 PL, 95pts]

 

+ Troops +

 

Plaguebearers [8 PL, 99pts]: Daemonic Icon, 11x Plaguebearer, Plagueridden

 

Plaguebearers [8 PL, 99pts]: Daemonic Icon, 11x Plaguebearer, Plagueridden

 

Plaguebearers [8 PL, 99pts]: Daemonic Icon, 11x Plaguebearer, Plagueridden

 

 

++ Total: [142 PL, 13CP, 1,999pts] ++

 

 

 

... as always my lists get out of hand when i start overthinking things. I think i will start with what i have, most likely pick up those Drones with Spitters for $15 each and think about Allying in the Deamon Battalion, providing i can hunt around for good deals.

[Special Officer Doofy]

The reason I'm a huge fan of the spitters is the auto hitting after advancing. Daemon engines have 4+bs which is not that great, but the Drone can fly 13-18 inches and auto hit 2d6 Str 6 shots that re roll 1 to wound, or fly 12, shoot, then charge to tie something up. Just to fall back and shoot all over again. I feel a pure death guard list's biggest weakness is mobility and anti tank, and the Drone with spitters is our best mobile unit hands down.

 

It's fun to just have all the units to play around with. I have every death guard unit in the codex that has disgustingly resilient minus the deathshroud termies (will get them eventually). In my group we don't allow cheesy forge world models (like the dreads) so the most competitive versions of my lists are assortments of Daemon princes, bloat drones, plague burst crawlers and a chaos daemon Detachment of poxbringers, plague bearers and nurglings. I rarely play that kind of list though because it's cheesy. I always felt how can you have a death guard army without plague marines? That's like making a space marine list without taking any space marines haha.

[Zombs]

Couple of things in general:

 

1) Try and always equip the marines with 2/3 special weapons. Using only 1 seems like a waste to me. Try 3 plasmas, or 2 blightlauncers

2) If you can, swap the deathshorud for blightlords, way more effective

3) Ditch the surgeon, it's mathematically proven useless

4) Try the Crawlers with spitters

5) ALWAYS use plaguebearer units made of 30 models. If you need to fill cheap troops use nurglings instead. If you decide to use only 30 bearers then the optimal HQs are 2 poxbringers. If you decide to use 60 or more then you can start using the other HQs.

6) Usually Daemon Prince > Plaguecaster

7) Give the Fugaris helm to your lord on foot, so he can better buff plaguemarines.

 

If you refine the list, you will get something solid out of it!

[happyslugger]

I love my DG army, even if it isn't the best army out there.  I don't mix and match either, I tend to stick to mono armies.

 

I tend to run my DP (arch cont and sup plate) with three spitter drones and try and shove that into the face of my opponent asap.  It may not be THE BEST but they have to deal with it, or they will bring the pain lol.

[Bloodchild]

Thanks for all the great feedback guys, will definitely save this thread and work on it. I will work on with what i have and get a feel for the army, as i said i will pick up those drones as $15 is a steal (thanks Putrid) and will look into the Daemon ally Battalion, but knowing me that will be a longer term goal :)

[Closet Skeleton]

Meta matters a lot, if no one you play against has read about how to actually list build its quite easy to make a list the internet says is only midtier that just stomps every random local flat.

 

6) Usually Daemon Prince > Plaguecaster

 

Really depends on how much mileage you can squeeze out of the spells. I did okay with DG despite never running a daemon prince. The DG spells are really necessary to make the actual marine units perform well.