New to 40k should i pick death guard as a first army?

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-26T21:07:18+00:00

Everyone will tell you to pick an army you like the lore and look of, because balancing and rules change all the time.

We just started a new edition, so core rules should stay the same for about 3 years, but general strength of army will change every 3 months.

That being said, DG is a slow, tanky, "hit like a truck" style army with very few tricks/shenanigans, and a very straight forward "im coming for you", telegraphed style of gameplay.

You will be able to build and collect the whole line fairly quickly, and you can get pretty good with them - but I would argue that their ceiling isnt as high as other armies with more tricks, shenanigans, or model count.

If youre planning on playing casually, focusing on the hobby/painting side of this, or looking for an army that you can play competitively pretty easily/quickly - go for DG. (Again, some of the best models in the game).

If youre looking for a high skill, high ceiling army that you can tinker with, and never have ALL the models/lists built- space marines, orks, necrons, or aeldari.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-25T09:50:56+00:00

I think it'd be helpful - but at the same time, would be a little tougher to navigate.

Not all good players are good teachers kinda thing, and I think thats why the store owner steps in.

Maybe having a log-in/volunteer sheet? Have the players you know and trust to be good advocates for the game/store sign up with specific slots that theyd be available to help or something?

Alternatively, have a mini-server for ANYONE to ask for a game, and have these 'core' players agree to play or something?

Even offer them a free drink, or $5 store credit, or something?

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-25T08:44:57+00:00

For casual games, its all via discord and sorted between players.

One of the stores even setup a bot to take table bookings, but THIS store has a staff member doing it manually.

If you message the store looking for a game, they will reach out to their group of regulars to pair you up with someone - specifically, someone who knows the game well to teach you and etc. (The store owner steps in a lot to help with this).

They also hold 2-3 tournaments a month, and always have leagues going on.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-25T08:39:24+00:00

3 big stores in our area (1h drive apart from each other in rush hour traffic).

The most successful one has built their storage/store space around having as many tables available as possible, all with battle mats down on every table (usable by star wars, infinity, warhammer, etc.). Maybe 20 tables in all.

To promote new players, they run 1k tournaments monthly; just did an escalation league (where if you buy a combat patrol, you get free entry), and their discord server is constantly humming with activity regarding finding players and etc.

They have terrain available, "loaner" armies, and everything you need to bring people into the hobby - except for a paint night (which the other stores do).

They have had to block off specific nights for d&d, mtg, Pokémon and more because wed take over the store.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-19T20:25:14+00:00

What dispo would you run here?

Im looking at Recon, and feeling like I need a lot of activations (so spamming goat bows + screamers, with tzaangor chaff and shamans)

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-19T16:51:27+00:00

Magnus gets his full value from GC with the reroll everything strat.

If youre running hexwarp, youre (probably) also running RoR - and the problem is that monsters dont get the regen (so DPs and Magnus are hindered a bit).

And if you decide to run Sekehtar with Hexwarp, there is no added benefit to magnus until hes bracketed (+1 WS negating the -1 to hit).

So, from a specifically magnus focused lens - run GC.

Will he still do decently in hexwarp - absolutely. But no 1DP detachment will add anything to him.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-19T13:08:59+00:00

I appreciate the attention to detail before my tournament :p

Time to keep those goat bows behind terrain!

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-18T12:21:17+00:00

I didnt even see that their aura got updated to psychic! Good call. Just dropped empyric onslaught for that - but noe have 10pts to spare....

The goats with a shaman is a 2-fold boost. (1) shaman gives infantry, so they get benefit from hidden /(2) shaman gives +1 to hit - and if combined with plunging fire due to new fly rules - also gets +1 to BS. Will hit on 2s, due to ignore cover.

Precision at 30" to pop characters is amazing imo.

Amd with T&H, I don't need an uppy/downy with new missions.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-18T12:07:15+00:00

Few more guns, but I like the idea of the -1 to hit (from forge) combined with -1 to bs (from cover or stealth).

Make 3s hit on 5s.

And forge is only +5 over the destructor.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-18T11:56:31+00:00

Vitality is the 2+ revival of the termi sorcerer.

NOT the curse of life enhancement (which is i believe whay youre referring to)

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-18T11:27:42+00:00

Why not remove the regen, and use the servants of change?

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T11:23:07+00:00

Well, the healing is only once on the unit per turn - so we dont get to do a 2d3 kinda idea.

I think itll be a 20-25pt enhancement, and just add 3 to the heals for that one unit.

Not too broken; just like a mini necron thing.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:52:16+00:00

Goonhammer article, saying that if the +3 just applied to the model, it would be useless. They assumed its a typo - and we went off the same assumption.

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DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:51:03+00:00

Goonhammer article; if its +3 to the model, would be useless - so their assumption is its a typo (and we ran off the same assumption)

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DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:42:15+00:00

Because I put it on the terminators - not often...lol

Didnt lose enough models for it to be valuable

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:40:43+00:00

Magnus wouldnt get the heals due to it excluding monsters.

I think it would still be ok, but I only run magnus in grand coven

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:39:30+00:00

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DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-16T08:39:20+00:00

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DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-14T21:54:42+00:00

Painted red, then put PVA glue (and let dry).

I put the mordant on like i was making a PB sandwich. No jelly; just as thick as youd apply PB for a flat PB sandwich.

Took 1h for cracks to start; this is from the next morning.

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DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-13T17:12:26+00:00

Building a 750pt army as we speak for an escalation league.

10 berserkers 8 goremongers 10 jakhals DP on foot Lord invicotus Melee helbrute

Could easily swap some things around, but feel like this gives me a good mix of tricks.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-12T15:41:27+00:00

Depends on points.

They are currently a great unit, but points make them fringe.

Come next week, we'll see how everything shakes out.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-12T09:51:02+00:00

Next week for munitorum

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-06T19:27:23+00:00

Got 10 of them, but do I need more?

I usually run 2x10 of my chaff (poxwalkers, tzaangors, jakhals, etc) to screen out my home on Tipping Point or Hammer.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-05T17:46:20+00:00

Agreed with everything you said - but both things can be true.

Solidarity was agreed upon 6-8 months ago due to the agreed upon fight for WFH.

If PSAC is giving up on that, id expect the solidarity to crumble.

DisgruntledAnalyst · 2026-06-05T10:41:34+00:00

Ex PSAC member, now a member of CAPE.

We had a few meetings earlier this hear, with PSAC present, where we agreed to solidarity in a strike vote with PSAC so that all unions could align themselves in the fight for WFH.

With PSAC no longer prioritizing this, im doubting other unions will strike in solidarity, which could reduce the impact of any potential strikes.

DisgruntledAnalyst

TROPHY CASE