The Death Guard excels when you turn to their Elite choices. Herein you’ll find a horde of plague ridden warriors and maniacs. They’re combined abilities bring out the best on Father Nurgle’s blessings.
Death Guard Elites, Terminators
Both Death Guard Terminator units share strong defensive qualities. Between the standard 5 Toughness, 3 Wounds, and 2+ Save they’re difficult to remove from the field. However, their Diseased Terminator Armor grants them a 4+ invulnerable save. Even lascannons and meltaguns will have difficulty scoring wounds.
Blightlord Terminators
The Blightlords are your “standard” terminator, equally adept at offensive and defensive operations. Where they differ from loyalist terminators is in versatility of weapon selection. Blightlords may bear a variety of different combi weapons having at least one unit member armed with the right weapon at the right time. Their heavy weapon options mirror other Death Guard options with the blight launcher, plague spewer and popular Reaper autocannon available.
Unlike loyalists, Blightlords wield baleswords in place of power fists. They lack the raw Strength of the fist, but hit more often. Alternately, melee upgrades include the bubonic axe and flail of corruption. As I wrote in the Troops article, always take the flail of corruption!
Deathshroud Terminators
Uncompromisingly equipped for close combat, Deathshroud Terminators form a specialist unit winin the Death Guard. Manreapers may cleave against hard targets or scythe against hordes. Their plaguespurt gauntlets, with Pistol type, are always able to shoot. While not strong, they always hit. Of course, everything is a Plague Weapon as well!
However, it is when we turn to their abilities and wargear that we see them shine. First, with Bodyguard, they protect nearby (3 inches) characters from ranged attack. Then the Chimes of Contagion wargear expands their contagion ability by an additional 3 inches. Enemy units have to close to engage the units they protect and then fall within the expanded contagion bubble for a solid double whammy.
Death Guard Elites, Characters
A major number of Dataslates in the Codex are Characters. Each brings an unique ability to your force. Thanks to the Foetid Virion keyword you’ll be able to pack 3 different units into 1 Elites slot. More than that, or duplicates, occupy their own slots.
Noxious Blightbringer
While an adequate combatant with a plasma pistol and cursed plague bell, the Noxious Blightbringer is a superior support choice. On the approach, his Sickening Vitality adds to the Move of all CORE and Foetid Virion units. Once close to the enemy, the Tocsin of Misery and Emphyric Malaise reduce Combat Attrition and Psychic tests by one.
Unfortunately, the Noxious Blightbringer hasn’t had an independent release. You can find him second-hand from the Dark Imperium 8th edition box set or direct from GW in the Chosen of Mortarion.
Foul Blightspawn
Armed with a Strength 7 plague sprayer and Unholy hand grenades, the Foul Blightspawn gives your close combat forces a kick. However, it is his Putrefying Stink which makes him an auto-include to your list. Against his potent stench, a single nearby enemy unit will be forced to fight only after all other units have finished fighting. With careful placement and well planned charges you’re opponents best assault units will find themselves minced up without being able to strike back.
Biologus Putrifier
Dedicated to spreading Nurgle’s blessing, the Biologus Purifier fights with an injector pistol and hyper blight grenades. After wounding with the pistol, it inflicts extra mortal wounds on Infantry, Cavalry, and Beast units. His grenades strike at Strength 4 and 2 Damage, killing most marines after breaching their armor.
He isn’t above sharing with other Bubonic Astartes. Nearby unit’s with blight grenades receive the same Damage and AP bonus when borrowed from his Blight Racks. Likewise, Foul Infusion grants a single CORE unit armed with plague weapons a bonus mortal wound on each unmodified wound roll of 6. Finally, even if removed from play a final Putrid Explosion showers nearby units with a mix of plague reagents and gore. On 4+ non-Nurgle units will take a mortal wound.
Tallyman
The Tallymen follow your CORE units toward melee. Their Malicious Calculation boosts a selected CORE unit’s attack roll by 1. Malicious Calculation occurs in the Command Phase, so the Tallyman can buff a unit and run off to reinforce a different one next turn! Addiitonally, The Seven-fold Chant provides an additional source of Command Points with some lucky rolls.
Plague Surgeon
The medics of the Death Guard, Plague Surgeons possess short ranged, but potent support abilities. Revitalising Malignancy restores a D3 lost wounds to a single Bubonic Astartes Infantry model within 3 inches. Additionally, quick work with his Tainted Narthecium prevents lost wounds on a 6 to any nearby Bubonic Astartes Infantry units. Between the Death Guard’s high Toughness, Wounds and Disgustingly Resilient ability, this ability ensures they’re even tougher to eliminate.
Death Guard Elites, Odd Marine Out
Moving on from Terminators and Characters we come to the last two entries in the Elites section; Helbrutes and Possessed.
Helbrute
The dreadnought equivalent for Death Guard, Helbrutes are where severally damaged, or punished, warriors go to be tortured into a frenzy for the rest of their unnatural lives. Like their loyalist counterparts, Helbrutes may be equipped with a large variety of shooting and melee weapons. Just build them to their intended role.
Unlike their loyalists foes, Helbrutes are driven to a Frenzy after it takes a single wound. While frenzied their attacks re-roll 1’s on their wound rolls. They also serve to spread the Contagions of Nurgle and reduce damage they take through their Monstrous Resilience.
Helbrutes are currently only available as an ATO (Available to Order) item direct from GW. Check your FLGS for details
Death Guard Possessed
Twisted by daemons, Death Guard Possessed are simple shock troops. Unlike their brethren, they’re fast with a Move of 7. They also boast a higher Strength (5) and more Attacks (4) then regular plague marines. However, they are unable to wield weapons of any sort. Instead they attack with a mind-bending assortment of Horrifying Mutations. Counting as Plague Weapons, they’re only marginally better than a plague knife, gaining 1 Strength and 1 more AP. With only a Damage trait of 1, they’re definitely sub-par compared to a properly equipped Plague Marine squad. Use if you really need the speed, otherwise, take more troops.
While there is a Chaos Space Marine Possessed box, it really lacks the Death Guard feel. Creative converters should look to a combination of other kits to build their Possessed. I suggest starting with a Plague Marine as the base of the model. Judicious use of the “weapons” from Tyranid Genestealers, the Possessed kit, or Genestealer Cults Acolyte Hybrids gives a wide selection of horrifying mutations. Mixing in heads from the Putrid Blightkings, Poxwalkers, Plaguebearers, or even the odd Terminator head help individualize your Possessed.
Other Resources
Thank you for checking out our range of Death Guard Elites. I hope you found something to your liking.
For a look at the Troops, click over to our earlier article –
Death Guard Troops; Plague Marines and Followers
In our next piece, I’ll be taking a tour of the HQ with Chaos Lords galore.
