It’s Like Tactics: Plaguebearers of Nurgle Review

So what dramatic changes to Plaguebearers that has made many running for the hills to eBay with their models? Well the let us look at a side by side comparison between the old and the new codexes. 

(Click to Enlarge)

 Compare & Contrast

• Point cost reduction from 15 to 9
• Loss of Toughness 5 to 4
• Lost Feel No Pain
• Daemon of Nurgle bonus
• Plague Sword changes

--Pay cut for the Librarians--

Like all the Troops choices, Plaguebearers were hit with the cheapness stick. Losing over a 1/3 of their cost Plaguebearers would seemed to have gained the most, but they also lost the most goodies.

 --Papa Doesn't Protect--

For reasons unknown both Bloodletters and Plaguebearers saw a Toughness hit, but for Plaguebearers this hit is just brutal. Plaguebearers have always been about taking a hit, but now they fail like many units, and with the added weakness of Daemonic InstabilityA unit with this special rule cannot be joined by a model without this special rule. Units with this special rule automatically pass Fear, Pinning, and Morale tests. A unit that loses an assault must make a Daemonic Instability test. On Double 1s Al Wounds suffered by the unit in that assault phase are returned. On Double 6s remove the entire unit from play as casualties. Otherwise compare the dice roll to the Daemons Leadership value, along with modifiers and for each point the unit fails by remove a model with no saves of any kind allowed. it can really hurt.

--Only the head librarian needs to apply--

Another hit to Plaguebearers's ability to take damage, but have no fear a 70 point Herald is here to help! If you absolutely need Feel No Pain you can get a Herald of Nurgle with the Greater Locus of FecundityThis model and all models in its unit have the Feel No Pain special rule and thus remove the cheapness of the new Plaguebearer.

--For all your trouble...--

Being a Daemon of NurgleDaemons of Nurgle have Daemon, Hatred Daemons of Tzeentch, Shrouded, Slow and Purposeful, and defensive grenades does still have its perks. Plaguebearers become absolute beasts in cover, with no worse than a 3+ in most terrain features. Another perk is now Plaguebeares get defensive grenades something they should have had in the first place.

--Metal Munchers--

Plaguebearers not only retain their poison weapons, but they now get the added bonus of being Gauss weapons for assault. With Touch of RustWeapons with this special rule cause a glancing hit on an armor penetration roll of 6 on PlagueswordsMelee, Poisoned on 4+. Touch of Rust provides a power tool for a unit that always flailed about any time a vehicle came crashing in.

Like Horrors of Tzeentch Plaguebearers really benefit from the ability to Go to Ground and combining that with their innate Shrouding, makes Plaguebearers very resilient, but only to shooting. Now, where everything has changed for Plaguebearers is in assault, where they just can't stand up like they use to.

The loss of Toughness Five is huge, maybe bigger than losing Feel No Pain. Any way you slice it  Daemonic InstabilityA unit with this special rule cannot be joined by a model without this special rule. Units with this special rule automatically pass Fear, Pinning, and Morale tests. A unit that loses an assault must make a Daemonic Instability test. On Double 1s Al Wounds suffered by the unit in that assault phase are returned. On Double 6s remove the entire unit from play as casualties. Otherwise compare the dice roll to the Daemons Leadership value, along with modifiers and for each point the unit fails by remove a model with no saves of any kind allowed. is also very devastating to Plaguebearers. Even with a Herald and defensive grenades you will most likely be removing models left and right because  of the incapacity to cause enough wounds in return.

The role of tarpiting is now gone for Plaguebearers, but oddly Plaguebearers gained something totally unexpected. The PlagueswordsMelee, Poisoned on 4+. Touch of Rust Touch of RustWeapons with this special rule cause a glancing hit on an armor penetration roll of 6 ability provides a new role for Plaguebeares that was greatly needed. Every vehicle is at the mercy of large Plaguebearer units. If you plan on avoiding monster mash lists taking Plaguebearer are a great answer to any non-flyer Armor Value units in the game.

Plaguebearers are still great at taking down monstrous creatures especially with the Plague BannerA plague banner is an Icon of Chaos. Once per game, the unit can declare it is using the plague banner. If it does Melee weapons have the Poisoned 2+ special rule until the end of the phase.. Slow and Purposeful hinders Plaguebearers a bit as they cannot rush across the battlefield to contest objectives as easily and Deep Striking poses it own set of problems because of it.

Not having access to five man squads also means that going large is your best bet when using Plaguebearers. Taking 15-20 man units is wicked cheap and makes up for a lack of toughness. Just as an example, an old Plaguebearer unit of 15 would be 225 points, now that same unit is 135 points, a sizable drop. Throw in a Herald for Greater Locus of FecundityThis model and all models in its unit have the Feel No Pain special rule you are still under 225.

--Ways to play Plaguebearers of Nurgle--

Death Star Configuration: 170 pts 15-man Plaguebearer unit with Plagueridden, Etherblade, Plague Banner

Balanced Configuration: 160 pts 15-man Plaguebearer unit with Plagueridden, Plague Banner

MSU Configuration: 100 pts 10-man Plaguebearer unit with Icon of Chaos

Horde Configuration: 205 pts 20-man Plaguebearer unit with Plagueridden, Plague Banner

A Word about Allies

Finding a spot for Plaguebearers outside a Nurgle themed army can be challenging. With Bloodletters and Daemonettes being so good, using Plaguebearers has to be very specific. If your ally force lacks tank busting, using a large Plaguebearer unit as screen and glance making machine is a good choice. Now that Plaguebearers have a Ballistic Skill running them to man a Quad Gun isn't a bad idea either, especially with Shrouded behind a Aegis Line.

Remember unlike other Battle Brothers Daemons ICs cannot join with Chaos Space Marine units under any situation.

Final Thoughts...

Overall, Plaguebearers got a little worse for ware. It is very important Plaguebearers can start on the board without Deep Striking; it was just brutal at the start of 6th to see them as blast bait. Many will say that the cost reduction makes up for any nerfs Plaguebearers might have gotten, but I cannot shake the feeling that Phil Kelly and company went a bit too far with stripping my favorite necrotic librarians.