Tips for a Nurgle based fleet

[studderingdave]

I tend to bring my favored factions over from one game system to the next, and as an avid Deathguard/Nurgle player back when I played 40k, I would like to make my fleet Nurgle based as well. I am looking for some general tips to follow when doing so. I can remember that the Nurgle mark is pretty pricey and chaos upgrades in general are pretty expensive so i don't wanna end up with a few upgraded ships and no support.

thoughts?

[Armiger84]

There's nothing wrong with having a "centerpiece" ship in a fleet be the marked (and possibly CSM-crewed) vessel around which a fleet of pirates, renegades and Nurgle-devoted (though not necessarily marked) vessels is formed.

If you're aiming to replicate Death Guard tactics, few ships in the Chaos lists are really built expressly for close-quarters engagement, but most of the gunboats still fare just fine at short range (everyone's favorite Slaughters and Carnages).

At anything less than 1000pts I'd suggest limiting yourself to 1 ship with the Mark or Death Guard marine crew, given the cost of either (and especially both), 1-2 in 1000-1500pts as you can sorta justify the extra hull points on a heavy brawler or a juicy target (Styx, other big carriers).  Though costly, a Styx benefits from the Mark of Nurgle because its usually a huge fire magnet anyway, and a Repulsive-class can become a nasty close-range brawler with 3 shields and 11 hit points too.  The Terminus Est is a monster, but I'd suggest building a fleet you can add it to, rather than trying to build a fleet around it, if that makes sense?

I guess it depends upon what you're looking to do with your fleet.  I'd definitely suggest resisting the urge to Mark everything or else you'll run out of points way too fast, which you seemed to pick up on already.

[Islacrusez]

I've found Slaughters and Murders to be both effective at close-range combat against the Imperium. Slaughters especially so. My 1k point fleet is 3 slaughters, 2 murders, and 3 infidels. Just don't trade shots too long. Trade shots and these ships go boom. Make sure that the first shot is yours and make it count. If you can, drop slaughters in the middle of an enemy formation and fire full broadsides in both directions, not forgetting your dorsal weapons. With three of them the main broadside is devastating with the offhand not to be scoffed at. Support with Murders (or anything else for that matter) and the first engagement can be decisive, crippling or destroying two or more capital ships!


That said, I've played only three games, all against IN, all winning using this fleet composition. Take my advice with a pinch of salt - I'm told the IN isn't supposed to fold that easily.

[studderingdave]

Thank you for the ideas. I like the idea of having a central ship that bears the mark while other ships are simply devotees and renegades. So speaking hypothetically, how would you build it with access to the following ships?

Despoiler Battleship
Repulsive Grand Cruiser

Styx Heavy Cruiser
Hades Heavy Cruiser
Acheron Heavy Cruiser

Devestation Cruiser
Devestation Cruiser
Murder Cruiser
Slaughter Cruiser

6 Idolator Raiders
6 Infidel Raiders

I am less interested in matching the Deathguard play style and more interested in having a flavorful nurgle based fleet with a decent level of tabletop ability. perhaps a daemonship as well? not sure.

[Armiger84]

Fun mix.  Assuming (1) the Murder's a Murder and not swappable to a Carnage, (2) following the 2010 FAQ and using the Powers of Chaos Nurgle fleet list, I'd offer the following options at a few points levels:

750pts:

Hades (200)
Murder (170)
Slaughter (165)
Devastation (190)
Chaos Lord (Ld +1) (25)

- Closing you've got 6 lances between the Murder and Hades.  Squadroned it's an easy Lock On check to start working on crippling a cruiser before presenting a broadside, and a FP 20 & 2 Lance broadside (alternately FP 14 & 4 Lances) will do most of the rest, while the Slaughter flanks.  Devastation provides extra broadside lances from a slightly trailing position and aircraft as needed.  Lord on the Devastation or the Murder depending upon personal preference.

1000pts:

Hades (200)
Murder (170)
Slaughter (165)
Devastation (190)
Chaos Lord (Ld +1) (25)
Infidels x3 (120)
Infidels x3 (120)

- Same plan, but you can synergize torpedoes and attack craft with one Infidel squadron as you close, while the other squadron helps cover the Slaughter.  Alternatively, field 4 Infidels in one squadron, and pair 2 Idolators to reinforce the Slaughter with extra lances on its attack run.

1500pts:

Despoiler (400)
Repulsive (+1 shield) (245)
Hades (200)
Murder (170)
Slaughter (165)
Devastation (190)

Warmaster (Ld +2) (100)
Chaos Lord (Ld +1) (25)

-  Warmaster takes the Despoiler, start the Slaughter on one flank of the Despoiler with the rest of the fleet on the other side; it'll draw attention away from the Slaughter and set you up for a turn 2/3 wide flank into your opponent's rear arc.  Here the Repulsive offers torpedo/attack craft synergy, while providing almost as much firepower as the Murder and Hades combined in its broadsides.

You'll at least have parity in attack craft generation, if not outnumber your opponent.

- - -

These are just a few introductory take-all-comers fleet options based on my assumptions above.  Not knowing your level of experience with BFG I went light on escorts since cruisers are more forgiving.  I realize I didn't Mark any of these ships in this fleet build, but at +35pts, the Mark of Nurgle's cost exceeds its utility (the BFG:R fleet lists fix this), and Demonships are even more out of whack regarding cost vs. effectiveness in the Armada rules.

The Carnage's single-target broadside capability is brutal, but Murder/Hades pairings can carve through Armor 6 prows where a Carnage will have to work a little harder.

Don't forget you have boarding torpedoes and assault boats.  A salvo of boarding torpedoes into a cruiser's flank from the Infidels can shut down its broadsides with critical damage, letting you get free punches on it for a turn or two before your opponent can repair the damage.


Under the BFG:R rules for Chaos ships, I'd consider Marking the Repulsive to push its damage-soaking capacity up even more, and possibly adding Hives of Nurgle to it then.  You'd pretty much force your opponent to have to deal with it at that point, which would pull some heat off of other ships (particularly the Despoiler, which practically screams "Shoot Me!").  If you wanted to Demonize something, use the Slaughter as a lurking threat until your fleet is crossing the 45cm broadside gun range, then pop her out of the warp wherever you want her to pour fire into something from the opposite side once the Repulsive or Murder/Hades combo has engaged a ship, torn off its shields and started to bleed it.  To bring in some if these upgrades you could probably safely drop the Devastation at 1500pts, buy the upgrades you want, and fill out the rest of the points deficit with Infidels.

These are just some options; there's a bunch of other possible builds in there, and I'm sure you'll get some more useful suggestions.

[studderingdave]

I have 3-4 games of experience with BFG, and no one who currently plays in my area. I have a friend who plays that I see once every other year. I am less interested in the demonship and more of having a larger ship being dedicated to Nurgle. Dedicating the Repulsive to nurgle allows me to do some green stuff conversions as well. What is the specific list you referenced? is there a link to it?

Also, thanks for all the help, I am going to paint up a force base on this discussion.

[Armiger84]

Horizon's got a big compilation of links to the rules for BFG at the top of the [BFG] Discussion sub-forum, stickied as "BATTLEFLEET GOTHIC - RULES: OFFICIAL & NON OFFICIAL."  The relevant link from there to the 2010FAQ & the Powers of Chaos list modifications is reproduced here for your convenience:  http://tinyurl.com/23nul8q
As Horizon noted, you'll need a Google account to access it since it's on Google Drive.

AfterImageDan is curating the BFG:R project at http://afterimagedan.blogspot.nl/p/as-any-of-you-know-i-am-supporter-and.html.  A note about this:  AFAIK the community goal is not to adopt all of Plaxxor's rules...adjustments, but simply to update, tweak, and balance the individual ship rules and fleet lists to work with the 2010 FAQ.  More on that... well, basically everywhere throughout this forum.

The Repulsive's not a bad candidate for the changed/cheaper Mark of Nurgle upgrade in BFG:R (+1 toughness, no boarding restriction... who boards a Nurgle-dedicated cruiser willingly anyway?).  Putting a 3rd shield & 11th hit on it takes an already up-gunned cruiser and pretty much turns it into a pocket battleship.  Arguably you could Nurgle up the Despoiler and use it as a Marked Despoiler or the Terminus Est... but it's a crazy expensive gunship/carrier to begin with, and piling more points on it doesn't really make it any less tempting of a target than it already is.

[horizon]

Go to the rules thread Armiger pointed you at. Download FAQ/Compendium 2010.

Powers of Chaos / Chaos fleets is for you.
Dedicated Nurgle Fleet List.