Warhammer 40K is a game of strategy, planning, and execution, where each decision can tilt the balance of power on the battlefield. Among the most resilient factions in the game is the Warhammer 40K Death Guard, a group of Chaos Space Marines dedicated to Nurgle, the Chaos God of decay and disease. With their powerful durability, formidable close combat abilities, and unique rules, the Death Guard are a force to be reckoned with, especially in competitive tournament play.
Whether you’re entering a tournament for Warhammer 40K Death Guard Canada for the first time or looking to refine your strategy for your next event, this guide will give you some of the best strategies to succeed on the battlefield. From mastering your Death Guard army’s strengths to countering common threats, we’ll cover everything you need to know to become a tournament contender.
Key Takeaways
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Death Guard 40K are a durable and offensive faction, excelling at holding objectives and wearing down opponents over time.
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Strategies that focus on resilience and attrition are key to Death Guard’s success, as their units can endure significant damage and retaliate effectively.
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Understanding Death Guard synergies and how to use Nurgle’s powers to your advantage is essential for tournament play.
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Adapting your strategy depending on your opponent's army is crucial to securing victory.
Overview
The Death Guard faction in Warhammer 40K is built around a theme of disease, decay, and slow but inexorable destruction. Their armies feature units with high durability, as many of them are resistant to damage through their Disgustingly Resilient ability. While not the fastest army, the Death Guard’s ability to stay on the board longer than their opponents gives them an edge in longer games, especially in tournament settings.
In a tournament, Death Guard 40K players need to leverage this durability to outlast opponents, control objectives, and grind down enemy units. With their distinctive plague-ridden warriors and vehicles, the Death Guard bring a unique playstyle that is highly effective in the right hands.
Top Warhammer 40K Death Guard Strategies
1. The Resilience Advantage: Use Your Toughness
One of the standout strengths of the Death Guard is their resilience. Many of their units come with Disgustingly Resilient, which allows them to ignore wounds on a 5+ roll. This ability is crucial in tournaments, where the durability of your units can be the difference between holding objectives or losing your force to a barrage of enemy fire.
To make the most of your Death Guard’s resilience:
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Position your Plague Marines and Plagueburst Crawlers in a way that maximizes cover and line of sight blocking.
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Use Typhus, the leader of the Death Guard, to enhance your units' survivability and disrupt your opponent’s strategies.
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If you’re facing armies with strong ranged firepower, consider using Blightlord Terminators, who have a 2+ armor save and can absorb tons of damage.
The key is to be patient and wait for your opponent to wear themselves down before you engage in close combat, where your Death Guard’s devastating Plague Weapons can really shine.
2. Spread Disease: Maximize the Power of Nurgle’s Gifts
Nurgle’s blessing is central to the Death Guard army, so understanding how to utilize Nurgle's powers and plague spells is vital in competitive play. One effective tactic in tournaments is to overwhelm your opponent with a combination of disease-infested Poxwalkers, Plague Marines, and Plaguecasters, each spreading the influence of Nurgle across the battlefield.
To make this strategy work:
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Poxwalkers are cheap, resilient, and can tie up enemy units, forcing them into unfavorable positions while your Plague Marines and other units move into more advantageous positions.
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Use Plaguecasters to cast powerful plague spells, particularly Miasma of Pestilence (to buff your own units’ defense) and Putrescent Vitality (to make your units more offensive).
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Take advantage of Plague Marines’ ability to shoot and fight in close combat, making them incredibly versatile. They also benefit from Nurgle’s gifts to increase their durability and offensive power.
When combined, these elements will create a slow-moving but hard-hitting force that will chip away at your opponent over time, leaving them struggling to deal with your spreading plague.
3. Focus on Objective Control: Grind Down Your Opponent
In most Warhammer 40K tournaments, the key to victory is holding objectives while also inflicting damage on your opponent. The Death Guard’s strength lies in their ability to dominate the battlefield through persistence, rather than explosive speed. A well-balanced Death Guard 40K army that can hold objectives and withstand incoming damage while steadily grinding down the enemy is your best bet.
Here’s how to effectively control objectives:
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Plague Marines are excellent objective holders, especially when positioned behind terrain or in key locations.
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Deploy Blightlord Terminators and Foetid Bloat-drones to act as aggressive support, helping you claim and hold objectives while pushing your opponent off theirs.
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Make use of Plagueburst Crawlers and Defiler units to provide long-range fire support that forces your opponent to dedicate valuable resources to dealing with your artillery.
As a general rule, always ensure that your Death Guard forces can move efficiently to secure objectives while withstanding any counterattacks. Taking advantage of the Death Guard's inherent durability will give you the upper hand as the game progresses.
4. Countering the Meta: Death Guard’s Strengths Against Popular Armies
Another important aspect of playing Death Guard in Canadian tournaments is adapting your strategy to deal with popular armies in the meta. Some of the top competitive factions, like Space Marines, Aeldari, and Necrons, pose unique challenges to the Death Guard. Understanding how to handle these armies can ensure a successful tournament run.
Here are some tips:
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Against Aeldari: Aeldari armies often rely on speed and ranged firepower. To counter this, you’ll need to position your units carefully, using Plague Marines as a buffer against incoming fire. Deploy Poxwalkers to tie up Aeldari units, preventing them from shooting your more valuable assets.
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Against Necrons: Necrons excel at regenerating their units. To counter this, focus on wiping out key units with high damage output. Take advantage of Plagueburst Crawlers’ long-range fire to wear down Necron infantry before they can resurrect.
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Against Space Marines: Space Marines are tough opponents but are vulnerable to the Death Guard’s plague-infused weapons. Focus on overwhelming them with numbers, using Typhus to buff your army and take advantage of the Plague Weapons rule to get additional damage.
By knowing how to deal with the top-tier armies in the meta, you’ll be well-prepared for any challenges thrown your way during tournaments.
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Conclusion
With their unyielding toughness and devastating disease-themed attacks, the Death Guard are a force to be reckoned with in tournaments for Warhammer 40K Canada. By focusing on resilience, objective control, and synergies between units, you can craft a strategy that grinds down your opponents and secures victory. Are you ready to bring the full power of Nurgle’s decay to the tournament scene? It’s time to lead your Death Guard to victory!
FAQs
Q: What are the key strategies for winning with the Death Guard in a tournament?
A: Focus on resilience, holding objectives, and overwhelming your opponent with Nurgle’s gifts. Utilize Disgustingly Resilient to outlast enemies while wearing them down over time.
Q: How do Death Guard perform against other top factions like Space Marines or Aeldari?
A: Death Guard are strong against Space Marines and Aeldari by leveraging their Durability and Plague Weapons. Positioning your units effectively and using Typhus for buffs are key strategies.
Q: What units should I focus on in a Death Guard tournament list?
A: Focus on Plague Marines, Blightlord Terminators, Plagueburst Crawlers, and Typhus to create a resilient army with great offensive and defensive capabilities.