How to build my box of Plague Marines?

[Redking]

As I am just starting Death Guard, I'm trying to figure out the best load out.  I have the DI contents and the easy-build models, which gives me a plasma gun and blight launcher and two champions.  If I looking at two squads of 7 each, I know I'll want to build another plasma gun and blight launcher to double-up.  So, with five other marines to build from one kit, what would you chose?  Bear in mind, that I'm looking for more fluffy than super-competitive.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Shockmaster]

I personally built all three of my squads of 7 the same, Champion with whatever weapons you like, 4 with Bolters, 1 Blight Launcher & 1 Plasma Gun

[CMDR_Welles]

I'm new to Death Guard myself. I went super fluffy with my squads too. I care not for competitive meta, so I built mine the way I wanted.

 

I've got 3 squads, one is a Plasma Squad, one is a Blight Launcher Squad, and the third I like to call a Close Support squad with Melta Guns (I have Plague

Brethren)

 

My squads are mixed of Easy to Build, Dark Imperium, Plague Brethren, and a multipart kit.

 

How you build, is determined by what role you want the squads to be. My Plasma Squad is basically for taking forward objectives and to give covering fire. My Blight Launchers are for advancing and clearing chaff, and the Close Support is for getting into their faces, and might see some close combat.

This is my unit makeup:

 

Champ with Plasma Gun and Fist, 2 PMs with Plasma Guns, rest Bolters and Plague Knives

 

Champ with Plague Sword and Fist, 2 PMs with Blight Launchers, Icon of Despair, rest Bolters and Plague Knives

 

Champ with Plasma Pistol and Fist, 2 PMs with Meltaguns, Icon if Despair, one PM with Flail, rest with Bolters and Plague Knives. I only have the one flail because I didnt want to completely dedicate to melee, but having the Flail will help if they get stuck in.

 

I dont know how they will do on the field, but I really am not concerned with that. They look cool, they fit my play style, and importantly they are all unique.

Hope that helps a little.

[CMDR_Welles]

I personally built all three of my squads of 7 the same, Champion with whatever weapons you like, 4 with Bolters, 1 Blight Launcher & 1 Plasma Gun

I think thats pretty good loadouts for general purpose squads.

[Redking]

Good advice. I’ve always liked dedicated units and when I get a third box, might look into the melee unit. Right now, I’ll probably put the flail in the blight launcher unit. I should have some good blight king bits to make another icon so both units are covered.

[DuskRaider]

I run my Plague Marines the same way I have since 3rd Edition... heavy on Plasma Guns. It's nice we can take 3 x Plasma per squad now, it helps a lot with what would otherwise be light on the punch. What I have started building as well are essentially Assault Marines. 7 x Marines: Champion w/ Power Fist, Plague Sword & Plasma Gun, 2 x Flail of Corruption, 2 x Bubotic Axe (one squad w/ accompanying Maces of Contagion, another just Plague Knives) & either Blight Launcher or Plague Spewer. I think if 8th didn't screw the pooch on flame weaponry by removing templates I'd be more apt to use more Chem Flamer weapons, but as-is the Plague Spewer is great for Overwatch and it just looks awesome.

[Kilofix]

I would not mix Plasma and Blightlaunchers because if you Advance (ie run) you can still fire the Blights but not the Plasma.

 

I would prefer either:

 

Champion w/PowerFist (possibly also with Plasma)

4 Bolters

2 Plasma

 

Or:

 

Champion w/PowerFist

4 Bolters

2 BlightLauncher

 

Or if a CC squad:

 

Champion w/PowerFist

Bolter & Icon

Bolter

2 Mace & Axe

2 Flails

[Redking]

@kilofix that’s where I’m headed, I think. I’m going to build the first two squads as one plasma and the other blight. When I add another squad, I’ll probably make it more melee.

[DuskRaider]

I would always give the Champ a Plasma Gun, even if you're advancing. It's better to have and not need than need and not have.

[Prot]

I would not mix Plasma and Blightlaunchers because if you Advance (ie run) you can still fire the Blights but not the Plasma.

 

I would prefer either:

 

Champion w/PowerFist (possibly also with Plasma)

4 Bolters

2 Plasma

 

Or:

 

Champion w/PowerFist

4 Bolters

2 BlightLauncher

 

Or if a CC squad:

 

Champion w/PowerFist

Bolter & Icon

Bolter

2 Mace & Axe

2 Flails

 

 

I would always give the Champ a Plasma Gun, even if you're advancing. It's better to have and not need than need and not have.

 

I fall somewhere between these two thoughts.

 

I love Blightlaunchers over Plasmaguns. But the option simply isn't there for Champs. However you definitely get the most bang for the buck out of a squad if you have 3 special weapons firing.

 

So for footslogging I find I hardly use the Plasmaguns because it's great to advance and let the Launchers do their thing. That said when I need to really put some hurt on something, the plasma is nice.

 

That said the first thing to go in lists that are tight is my plasma on the champ.

 

 

 

On a side note I have a blast with the CC options. Since there are so many bolter variants of the Death Guard when it came to building my box set I used all the funky cc options because I do believe this is a somewhat valid option in a Rhino squad. The flail is great.