Poxwalkers vs. Plague Zombies

[Joe]

http://i.imgur.com/FZ1nvAa.png?2

 

It's a bit of an odd situation. Poxwalkers clearly aren't Plague Zombies; they are, by all means, the mortal disciples of Nurgle, an evolution of the typical Chaos Cultist. They aren't the mindless, ravening hordes that are born of the Curse of Unbelief, however they share a similar root.

 

I think, fluff wise, the two are still distinct from each other; however on the tabletop Geedub have opted to have Poxwalkers replace Plague Zombies. Which is understandable, yet at the same time, frustrating, particularly for those who would like to see a dedicated Lost and the Damned book launch further on down the line.

[ChazSexington]

...I think Duncan is an amazing painter, and may not be the official spokesman for how fluff translates into crunch.

 

I think it's a translation issue. Though there may be something in the Lost and the Damned army list - I mean, there's the Blood Pact and plenty other Cult Cultists (Ha). 

Edited June 20, 2017 by ChazSexington

[Kol Saresk]

The main problem with Nurgle servants is that they all eventually become something like zombies, so while some may be willing while others are simply those that became infected, both groups will eventually become the same thing.

[Scammel]

The old WD Creature Feature article was pretty clear that 40k zombies can occur for myriad reasons (including, quite literally, 'Chaos did it') and that functionally the result is the same. As I understand it, the Poxwalker fluff is actually pretty clear that they are indeed mindless hordes, not Cultists, and they're one of few units to ignore the new morale rules completely. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Scammel

[Lay]

Poxwalkers are an attempt to make zombies more brandable. Like what they did with their stock fantasy races in AoS.

In the fluff it's definitely something that spreads like the original zombie plague:

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/05/24/hygiene-is-high-priority/

While we are sure that all Guardsmen in this war zone will do their best not to get infected, some less pious soldiers may lack the necessary fortitude to resist infection. You should be on the lookout for signs of blight-pox. Symptoms include pallid skin, boils, nausea, the tri-cursed mark and cannibalism.

 

Also, in FW's Index: Forces of Chaos, plague zombies have been replaced by Poxwalkers in the rules for that necromancer guy, Necrosius.

[Closet Skeleton]

They can expand their ranks by killing models, they're clearly zombies not cultists.

 

Complaining about plague zombies being missing is like complaining the chaos dreadnoughts aren't around any more.

[Scammel]

The 'Plague of Unbelief' itself sounds like Imperial propaganda, a way to convince a terrified populace that they have agency in the face of a lethal disease. The afflicted aren't helpless victims, they're just apostates, and you can render yourself immune by signing the right hymns eights times a day. If you succumb, well, you just weren't singing loud enough.

[Lay]

The term "Plague of Unbelief" was coined before the zombie plague was identified during the 13th Black Crusade. Initially people just dropped dead. The dead only began to rise when the Traitor Legions began to invade in force. The actual name for the disease is "warp plague", though that's just one of several strains of zombie plagues.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Lay

[leth]

If you read the new dark imperium book and the fluff on poxwalkers they are basically zombies only that the souls of those that died are still trapped inside their mortal shells.

[bozo69pd]

If you read the new dark imperium book and the fluff on poxwalkers they are basically zombies only that the souls of those that died are still trapped inside their mortal shells.

and they are utterly dedicated to Nurgle.

 

edit: not necessarily willingly

 

What I want to know is should I be taking pox walkers, cultists, nurglings, or plaguebearers in my troops slot in my Nurgle Keyword army?

Edited June 20, 2017 by bozo69pd

[Scammel]

As a unit, they immediately strike me as very good, along with several other elements of the DG list - then again, I'm assuming that this is because they're effectively a codex-in-waiting and other CSM units will get similar treatment.

[Azekai]

I think it is pretty clear Poxwalkers^TM only exist because 'plague zombies' was harder to trademark. That is what GW is interested in- and being consistent with fluff from over a decade ago is a hardly even a tertiary concern. The new models look interesting but visually they seem to indicate possession by /or transformation into Plaguebearers. As far as diseases go, they seem more like whatever lies in store for those infected with Nurgle's Rot, which does in fact turn you into a Plaguebearer upon death. Conversely, the Plague of Unbelief seemed to be a different disease altogether. It made people come back after death as warp-fueled but non-demonic corpses.

I think this is just a plain old retcon: 'the Plague of Unbelief and whatever the Imperium called 'zombies' was actually poxwalkers the whole time!'
 

[Lord Marshal]

Yeeaah, I'm putting this down to brand security more than anything else. Non-GW inexpensive zombie models are among the cheapest things out there next to skeletons. 

[Marshal Loss]

I view them as being different. The 'Poxwalker Hive' artifact from the Traitor Legions codex has this description:

 

 

Daemon insects spill from the tubular, chimney-like structures of the Poxwalker Hive. The incessant droning chatter of these tiny creatures acts as an infection in its own right, and those who willingly listen to it are at grave risk of contracting the poxwalker's curse. Should they succumb, they will devolve into shambling, mutant monstrosities, murmuring and babbling in the same flyblown tongue as the hive itself.

 

They're pretty clearly just a different take on a 'zombie' type unit that can be trademarked and given a unique spin. Having them horrifically mutated etc also differentiates them from other zombie kits on the market. I don't really mind though. I'd have preferred to just have straight plague zombies, but these are for all intents and purposes just zombies +1 anyway. They certainly play exactly like I would have expected zombies to play in 8th.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Marshal Loss

[bozo69pd]

It is good to know they implemented a root in 7th to grow into a full flegded 8th ed unit.

[Azekai]

They're pretty clearly just a different take on a 'zombie' type unit that can be trademarked and given a unique spin. Having them horrifically mutated etc also differentiates them from other zombie kits on the market. I don't really mind though. I'd have preferred to just have straight plague zombies, but these are for all intents and purposes just zombies +1 anyway. They certainly play exactly like I would have expected zombies to play in 8th.

I don't mind either. Eye of Terror was a long time ago, and the new sculpts for the Poxwalkers look gnarly. That being said, I am still gonna use my piles of old plague zombies without batting an eye. I used them as Summoned Daemons in 4th and 5th, then as Plaguebearers counts-as in 6th and 7th; now they can be Poxwalkers. Wheel keeps on turning.

 

[DuskRaider]

When it comes down to it, they're undead shambling creatures at the beckoned call of Nurgle and his more powerful clergy. Do I see them as different from the Plague Zombies or Vraks, Necromunda, the 6th Edition codex or the novel "Cadian Blood"? Yes and no. They're of different strains and thus act a bit different from one another... for example, Poxwalkers arming themselves with weaponry and even (as the "codex" points out) having some semblence of their mortal personality to an extent. In the end, they're both (all?) zombies that are affected by a plague / virus.

[Plaguecaster]

Looking through my deathguard mini Dex it seems like they are still plague zombies just a new strain which has mutated resident evil style

Edited June 21, 2017 by teutonicavenger

[Gorthaur]

With Nurgle I thought his servants were all supposed to be alive...if barely. An actual zombie/undead that has risen is another thing. People turn to nurgle to not die, and ease their suffering. Unless the poxwalkers are a thing of death and rebirth. edit: that looks to be the case

Edited June 21, 2017 by Gorthaur

[Plaguecaster]

With Nurgle I thought his servants were all supposed to be alive...if barely. An actual zombie/undead that has risen is another thing. People turn to nurgle to not die, and ease their suffering. Unless the poxwalkers are a thing of death and rebirth. edit: that looks to be the case

Well they are not willing servants besides Nurgle is the god of plagues and decay nothing is more grim dark than the scfi or horror plagues that turn the victims into the undead it just suits and has been part of the fluff for ages besides most Nurgle servants are undead looking anyway so makes sense that their thralls would be the actual undead

Edited June 21, 2017 by teutonicavenger