Swinging Mortarion's Hammer
Feels good man
Heretics rejoice – this evening I scored my very own copy of the 10th edition Death Guard codex and played a Pariah Nexus match against Blood Angels.
List Forge time
Considering my collection is full of vehicles and daemon-engines I tinkered with a 2,000-point Mortarion’s Hammer detachment.
DG 2K list - Death Guard - Mortarion's Hammer (1990 Points) Mortarion (380 pts): Silence, Lantern, Rotwind, Warlord Lord of Virulence (110 pts): Power fist, Twin plague spewer, Tendrilous Emissions Tallyman (40 pts): Close combat weapon, Plasma pistol Tallyman (40 pts): Close combat weapon, Plasma pistol Plague Marines (190 pts): Plague Champion, Plague Marine w/ blight launcher, Plague Marine w/ plasma gun, 7x Plague Marine w/ boltgun Plague Marines (190 pts): Plague Champion, Plague Marine w/ blight launcher, Plague Marine w/ plasma gun, 7x Plague Marine w/ boltgun Poxwalkers (60 pts): 10x Poxwalker Poxwalkers (60 pts): 10x Poxwalker Chaos Rhino (85 pts): Armoured tracks, Combi-bolter, Havoc launcher Chaos Rhino (85 pts): Armoured tracks, Combi-bolter, Havoc launcher Foetid Bloat-drone (90 pts): Plague probe, Two plaguespitters Foetid Bloat-drone (90 pts): Plague probe, Two plaguespitters Foetid Bloat-drone (90 pts): Plague probe, Two plaguespitters Myphitic Blight-hauler (90 pts): Myphitic Blight-hauler Plagueburst Crawler (195 pts): Plagueburst mortar, Armoured tracks, 2 entropy cannons, Rothail volley gun Plagueburst Crawler (195 pts): Plagueburst mortar, Armoured tracks, Rothail volley gun, 2 plaguespitters
Army Rule – Nurgle’s Gift
A welcome change for the Death Guard is an update to their army rule which consolidates the Index and errata but also clarifies that enemy units affected by contagion are referred to as ‘afflicted’.
This is great. Bring out the tokens.
In addition to the -1 toughness de-buff for enemy units within contagion range, during the ‘declare battle formations’ step the Death Guard player gets to choose an additional plague to bolster their stink. I enjoy ‘Skullsquirm Blight’ because each time an afflicted model makes an attack they subtract 1 from the hit roll. It’s bloody annoying but also very satisfying.
Detachment Rule – Miasmic Bombardment
A pain point from running Index lists was getting close enough to maximise the contagion rules. Here is a new tool in the arsenal to spread the filth if you’re playing with the Mortarion’s Hammer detachment.
At the start of the battle round, select a number of enemy units more than 12" away from every model from your army that is on the battlefield.
Until the end of the battle round, those enemy units are Afflicted. The maximum number of units you can select in this way depends on the battle size …
For a 2,000-point battle that’s two units. Paired with Skullsquirm Blight, you can paint targets to make them less effective at shooting but also soften them up artillery barrages.
Stratagems
In addition to the classics, Mortarion’s Hammer commanders also have a few other tricks up their pus-encrusted sleeves.
Blighted Land – 2CP
When: End of your Movement phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD VEHICLE unit from your army.
Effect: Select one terrain feature within 24" of and visible to your unit. Until the start of your next turn, enemy units are Afflicted while they are within 3" of that terrain feature.
This looks like an efficient means to slap contagions on snipers and other folks camping in ruins.
For two command points though you want to make it worthwhile.
Drawn to Despair – 1CP
When: Your Shooting phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD unit from your army that has not been selected to shoot this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets a visible enemy unit (excluding AIRCRAFT) within your opponents deployment zone, you can re-roll the Hit roll.
This is an interesting one because it encourages the player to either bring the fight to the enemy (which can be tough with a slow force) or pummel them from afar. This could be a great buff for my mortars but it also encourages a hyper-aggressive rush that I typically don’t do as most of my fighting tends to be home deployment and mid-board.
Font of Filth – 1CP
When: Your Shooting phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD VEHICLE unit from your army that has not been selected to shoot this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, ranged weapons equipped by models in your unit have the [ASSAULT] ability.
Only one vehicle … hmm. It has potential to give my plagueburst crawler with entropy cannons more mobility without sacrificing its punch but it does seem a little underwhelming though. I won’t knock it until I try it.
Stinking Mire – 1CP
When: Start of your opponents Charge phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD VEHICLE unit from your army.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time an enemy unit selects your unit as the target of a charge, subtract 2 from the Charge roll (this is not cumulative with any other negative modifiers to that Charge roll).
A neat counter for protecting vehicles from being carved up. But it does feel bad when your opponent rolls high regardless.
Relentless Grind – 1CP
When: Your Movement phase or your Charge phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD VEHICLE unit from your army that has not been selected to move or charge this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time your unit makes a Normal, Advance or Charge move, it can move horizontally through terrain features.
Amazing! Trapping yourself with poor deployment choices can limit movement options. This is a fantastic way to move the clunky contraptions into better positions without worrying so much about intervening terrain.
It’s fun to zoom models through solid objects. Just think about what you intend to do with your unit though. I had a recent unfortunate incident where I ploughed a rhino through ruins, disembarked plague marines on an objective and then realised they can’t declare a charge in the same turn …
Eyestinger Swarm – 1CP
When: Your opponents Command phase.
Target: One DEATH GUARD VEHICLE unit from your army.
Effect: Select one objective marker visible to one or more models in your unit. Each Afflicted enemy unit within range of that objective marker must take a Battle-shock test. Enemy units affected by this Stratagem do not need to take any other Battle-shock tests in the same phase.
A gamble for objective control if a vehicle is parked on a hotspot and exposed to the enemy. My other plagueburst crawler with plaguespitters does like to live dangerously. But so do my transports. And my drones.
Overall, there is much utility to be had with these stratagems.
Datasheet changes
The power creep is real.
Marines are toughness 6, termies toughness 7, Morty has cool circumstantial rules, Rhinos offer fire support, mortars sometimes splash mortal wounds, flamers go whooooosh, bolters absolutely slap with lethal hits – everything feels good.
With so much change, though, I really need to get more reps in to essentially re-learn how to play.
How did the battle go?
Mark’s Blood Angels wiped the table of my seven-fold chanting lunatics. We had an awesome game. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Blood Angels - Blood Angels - Liberator Assault Group (1975 Points) Commander Dante (130 pts): The Axe Mortalis, Perdition, Warlord The Sanguinor (140 pts): Encarmine Broadsword Captain with Jump Pack (85 pts): Melee and Pistol Judiciar (70 pts): Executioner Relic Blade, Absolver Bolt Pistol Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 pts): Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack, Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack w/ Plasma Pistol, 3x Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 pts): Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack, Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack w/ Plasma Pistol, 3x Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 pts): Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack, Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack w/ Plasma Pistol, 3x Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack Bladeguard Veteran Squad (160 pts): Bladeguard Veteran Sergeant, 5x Bladeguard Veterans Eradicator Squad (100 pts): Eradicator Sergeant, Eradicator with Multi-melta, Eradicator Infiltrator Squad (100 pts): Infiltrator Comms Array, Helix Gauntlet, Infiltrator Sergeant, 4x Infiltrator Sanguinary Guard (260 pts): Sanguinary Banner, 6x Sanguinary Guard Sanguinary Guard (130 pts): Sanguinary Banner, 3x Sanguinary Guard Sanguinary Guard (130 pts): Sanguinary Banner, 3x Sanguinary Guard Outrider Squad (80 pts): Outrider Sergeant, 2x Outrider Ballistus Dreadnought (140 pts): Armoured Feet, Ballistus Lascannon, Ballistus Missile Launcher Death Company Dreadnought (180 pts): Twin Icarus Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Twin Multi-melta, Blood Fists & Blood Fist Bolt Rifles
We laughed when Morty failed an ambitious charge to contest the centre objective. He spent the game sitting idle on the home objective (which was handy early on).
I cheered when like 40 dice were rolled in a fight against a plague marine unit (and the first bucket of 20 were more than enough to melt the squad plus tallyman away).
Most of my damage output was due to deathspitters on overwatch.
Lots of mistakes were made on my side but it was so much fun!
