Death Guard Secondaries: Despoiled Battleground

[Xenith]

Summarised here on Goonhammer, the DG secondaries, one in particular look decent.

 

Let's ignore uncontrollable Fleeing vectors for now.

 

Spread the sickness is decent, but requires Poxwalkers, and possibly up to 3 in a unit to be sacrificed to contaminate an objective. The Poxes will also likely have to get near the opposing deployment zone, but it's still doable. I think you'll need multiple units of 10-15.

 

The real meat is in Despoiled Ground. I think this is the battlefield supremacy secondary with the highest possible points achievable in the game, with a max of 18pts on offer. The downside is that you have to be on the table at the end of the game. 

 

To summarise from GH:

 

Despoiled Ground (Battlefield Supremacy): (end game scoring) This secondary gives you four conditions to score points off of at the end of the game:

• Score 4 VP if you have at least 1 unit in each deployment zone with the Bubonic Astartes keyword. 
• Score 4 VP if you have at least 1 Bubonic Astartes unit wholly within 3 table quarters and outside of 6 inches of the center of the table. Score 6vp if you are in all 4 instead. 
• Score 4 VP if you control more than half of the objectives with Bubonic Astartes units. 
• Score 4 VP if every objective marker is within the Contagion Range of Contagion abilities that units in your army possess. 

 

 

Point 3, control over half, might be hard, but having every objective within cotagion range should be relatively easy, it's like 7" on turn 4 right? So one PM unit has a huge footprint of contagion that can tag multiple objectives. 

 

I think this is a pretty strong option, but needs a certain cautious playstyle to succeed. How do you think that you'll be able to max this one out? MSU Plagues? Big footprint blightlords?

Edited January 26, 2021 by Xenith

[aberrant_unc]

I think it's an auto 8, easy 12 and it will be possible to score 14 or max in a lot of games.

[Marshal Loss]

MSU Plagues & deep striking Terminators look like the way to go. A large unit of Blightlords might work but will also probably be a magnet for your opponent's blasts. Worth noting that you can use a Rhino to meet the requirements as well - dump a unit out and then run off to where it's needed.

 

Goonhammer also suggests a Helbrute sitting in our deployment zone (probably a long-range loadout, using Fire Fever), and notes that the new terrain piece can help to get objectives in Contagion range.

Edited January 26, 2021 by Marshal Loss

[Xenith]

MSU Plagues & deep striking Terminators look like the way to go. A large unit of Blightlords might work but will also probably be a magnet for your opponent's blasts. Worth noting that you can use a Rhino to meet the requirements as well - dump a unit out and then run off to where it's needed.

 

Goonhammer also suggests a Helbrute sitting in our deployment zone (probably a long-range loadout, using Fire Fever), and notes that the new terrain piece can help to get objectives in Contagion range.

 

Indeed, most objectives seem to be 10-12" apart in smaller games, so a well placed furnace might have an 17-18" bubble of contagion around it. 

[jgascoine011]

Ok so this is why i think its pretty terrible.

It mainly comes down to if you are winning you will get all 15 points, if you are loosing you will get nothing. I played my SoB against chaos. He wiped me off the table, yet i was still able to win on VP because i played the objectives. You cant really play the objectives this game because its all done on the last turn, however i will say that if it is close and you do go 2nd, then you may be able to rush some units to get the VP.

 

Actually i want to clarify what I mean by terrible before people start callling me hitler again.

The requirments in themselves are not terrible, its the game design that is bad. One of the big things I love about 9th is that you can score points througout the game, play the mission, and win, despite being tabled. This does not do that, it gives you good chances of scoring high if you are winning, and low chances of scoring if you are loosing, thats the problem

Edited January 26, 2021 by jgascoine011

[Cleon]

I agree, if it was one point each at the end of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th turns instead of 4 points at the end of game for each objective it'd be really good, as it is it only really works for a game plan of 'kill the enemy worry about scoring later'

[angrom]

The thing I wonder is how is this thing working in a tournament setup?

in tournament it is pretty rare to make it to the 5th turn before the clock stops the game and in most cases the game is over by turn 3.

In such cases do you then score the VP for this secondary based on what is the situation on turn3?

[McElMcNinja]

It’s scored at the end of the game, not after round 5.

[jgascoine011]

The thing I wonder is how is this thing working in a tournament setup?

in tournament it is pretty rare to make it to the 5th turn before the clock stops the game and in most cases the game is over by turn 3.

In such cases do you then score the VP for this secondary based on what is the situation on turn3?

You generally talk through what would have happened had the game continued. It would not be scored at the end of turn 3

[Xenith]

Ok so this is why i think its pretty terrible.

It mainly comes down to if you are winning you will get all 15 points, if you are loosing you will get nothing. I played my SoB against chaos. He wiped me off the table, yet i was still able to win on VP because i played the objectives. You cant really play the objectives this game because its all done on the last turn, however i will say that if it is close and you do go 2nd, then you may be able to rush some units to get the VP.

 

Actually i want to clarify what I mean by terrible before people start callling me hitler again.

The requirments in themselves are not terrible, its the game design that is bad. One of the big things I love about 9th is that you can score points througout the game, play the mission, and win, despite being tabled. This does not do that, it gives you good chances of scoring high if you are winning, and low chances of scoring if you are loosing, thats the problem

 

Heh, opening by calling the rule terrible isn't the best way to go about that   You also successfully derailed the thread from talking about how to maximise this secondary, to the actual rules of the secondary and shifted the conversation to tournament scoring. The rules not perfect, but it's what we have to work with. Of course, choosing never to pick this secondary is an option - would you ever go for this one?

 

You make good points, though. It really relies on you lasting until the end of the game, which is what prompted this thread. What strategies/units can you think of that will make sure you have models on the board at the end of the game?

 

I understand your point on winning/losing, but that applies to most of the primaries also. If youre losing, you'll find it hard to score primaries. I think the idea with this one is that while you might be too slow to score primaries, if you can walk you way over and get within range of objectives (not even necessarily claiming them), then you get a load of points at the end. 

 

 

The thing I wonder is how is this thing working in a tournament setup?

in tournament it is pretty rare to make it to the 5th turn before the clock stops the game and in most cases the game is over by turn 3.

In such cases do you then score the VP for this secondary based on what is the situation on turn3?

You generally talk through what would have happened had the game continued. It would not be scored at the end of turn 3

 

 

Then why play at all, when you can theory hammer the whole game? It'll vary tourney by tourney. The only instances of continuing play I know of are when total game points are used to determine the winner, and someone gets tabled early on - the person with models still on the table can take their turns, move models and score for the remaining game turns. 

 

 

MSU Plagues & deep striking Terminators look like the way to go. A large unit of Blightlords might work but will also probably be a magnet for your opponent's blasts. Worth noting that you can use a Rhino to meet the requirements as well - dump a unit out and then run off to where it's needed.

 

Goonhammer also suggests a Helbrute sitting in our deployment zone (probably a long-range loadout, using Fire Fever), and notes that the new terrain piece can help to get objectives in Contagion range.

 

Seems about right - I'm glad blightlords kep the 4++, they seem pretty horrible now, though about as resilient as Storm Shield loyalist termies. I think a rhino would be useful as you say to get a unit upfield fast and to generally spread contagion. You can even park it near an enemy unit so your longer range firepower gets to shoot at them for the T debuff. Deepstriking a large unit of blights seems risky, too much off-board, but if they appear T2/3 then your oppoent probably isnt going to get rid of them by t5.

 

Worth strategic reserving a small unit of PM's to walk into opposing DZ in turn 3?

Edited January 27, 2021 by Xenith

[jgascoine011]

 

 

Ok so this is why i think its pretty terrible.

It mainly comes down to if you are winning you will get all 15 points, if you are loosing you will get nothing. I played my SoB against chaos. He wiped me off the table, yet i was still able to win on VP because i played the objectives. You cant really play the objectives this game because its all done on the last turn, however i will say that if it is close and you do go 2nd, then you may be able to rush some units to get the VP.

 

Actually i want to clarify what I mean by terrible before people start callling me hitler again.

The requirments in themselves are not terrible, its the game design that is bad. One of the big things I love about 9th is that you can score points througout the game, play the mission, and win, despite being tabled. This does not do that, it gives you good chances of scoring high if you are winning, and low chances of scoring if you are loosing, thats the problem

Heh, opening by calling the rule terrible isn't the best way to go about that You also successfully derailed the thread from talking about how to maximise this secondary, to the actual rules of the secondary and shifted the conversation to tournament scoring. The rules not perfect, but it's what we have to work with. Of course, choosing never to pick this secondary is an option - would you ever go for this one?

 

You make good points, though. It really relies on you lasting until the end of the game, which is what prompted this thread. What strategies/units can you think of that will make sure you have models on the board at the end of the game?

 

I understand your point on winning/losing, but that applies to most of the primaries also. If youre losing, you'll find it hard to score primaries. I think the idea with this one is that while you might be too slow to score primaries, if you can walk you way over and get within range of objectives (not even necessarily claiming them), then you get a load of points at the end.

 

The thing I wonder is how is this thing working in a tournament setup?

in tournament it is pretty rare to make it to the 5th turn before the clock stops the game and in most cases the game is over by turn 3.

In such cases do you then score the VP for this secondary based on what is the situation on turn3?

You generally talk through what would have happened had the game continued. It would not be scored at the end of turn 3

Then why play at all, when you can theory hammer the whole game? It'll vary tourney by tourney. The only instances of continuing play I know of are when total game points are used to determine the winner, and someone gets tabled early on - the person with models still on the table can take their turns, move models and score for the remaining game turns.

 

MSU Plagues & deep striking Terminators look like the way to go. A large unit of Blightlords might work but will also probably be a magnet for your opponent's blasts. Worth noting that you can use a Rhino to meet the requirements as well - dump a unit out and then run off to where it's needed.

 

Goonhammer also suggests a Helbrute sitting in our deployment zone (probably a long-range loadout, using Fire Fever), and notes that the new terrain piece can help to get objectives in Contagion range.

Seems about right - I'm glad blightlords kep the 4++, they seem pretty horrible now, though about as resilient as Storm Shield loyalist termies. I think a rhino would be useful as you say to get a unit upfield fast and to generally spread contagion. You can even park it near an enemy unit so your longer range firepower gets to shoot at them for the T debuff. Deepstriking a large unit of blights seems risky, too much off-board, but if they appear T2/3 then your oppoent probably isnt going to get rid of them by t5.

 

Worth strategic reserving a small unit of PM's to walk into opposing DZ in turn 3?

Well that was kind of my point, it shouldn’t really be taken. I do t have the book in front of me right now but does anyone know what the other secondaries are that are in the same categories as this one?

 

As to making it work? Just win lol.

Ok, if I was forced to take this secondary I would have to build a list around it. 2 units of PM in rhino’s sat on backfield objectives.

Deepstriking terminators turn 3. And 3 defilers as distractions. And depending on points plague drones.

The whole point would be to just be a pain to clear off objectives, do nothing for 4 turns, then mad dash turn 5