Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Death Guard (section)

===Fast Attack===
*'''[[Chaos Spawn|The Thing That Shall Not Be Named]]''' We don't talk about these things, but when we do, we say that they aren't terrible, but they aren't as good as the other "Fast" Attack options that the death guard have available to them. Take another bloat drone instead. That said, if, for detachment requirements, you need a Fast Attack slot filled, a little <s>33</s> <s>25</s> 21 point Chaos Spawn '''nonononoNEEEAAAARGHOFHAFHURJG''' ...a little 21 point monster is a quick way to get it done. Remember though that their main use of keeping up with fast HQs is basically limited to only the winged Daemon Prince. Additionally, thanks to their melee attacks being AP-2 and D2, they actually hit pretty hard for their cost (in addition a one of 3 random but strong mutations each turn). Also of note is the fact that they impose a -1 Ld penalty on enemy units, which pairs fantastically with all the other Ld modifiers in the army.
**Not only has the update turned "it" into a cheap and consistently strong melee threat, but Grandfatherly Influence strategies not only turn "it" super tanky, now being a pack of 4 wound monsters that shrugs off small-arms fire and takes less damage from anti-MEU like other Death Guard. 
** Alternate Take: This is our cheapest unit in-codex, and there's something to be said about a 7" movement model for taking early, uncontested objectives. Just be sure to weigh the opportunity cost of another 4-5 Poxwalkers!
*'''[[Foetid Bloat-drone]]''' - Close-range and fast (always advance) anti-infantry vehicle with two plaguespitters and a plague probe. With T7, Disgustingly Resilient, and a 5++ daemon save, it's quite tanky. Slightly more likely to explode than other vehicles, too. Preferably use it in the shooting phase unless if you have its new Fleshmower weapon, which makes it absolutely terrifying in close quarters: S7 AP-2 D2 is powerful in itself, but as an added bonus it increases to a whopping 12 attacks! It can also swap out a plaguespitter for a Heavy Blight Launcher, which is basically three normal Blight Launchers with 12" more range; remember this is a vehicle with a 3+ to hit. 
**'''On Heavy Blight Launchers:''' 6 shots means on average you'll land 4 hits, which is ''more'' than the 3.5 hits each Plaguespitter expects to land.  You get 2 Plaguespitters, but they're half the D of the HBL, which means against a target that can suffer the extra damage, the HBL lands ''more'' A*D than the 2 Plaguespitters, and because it doesn't cost significantly more, this means it's a more efficient gun against most targets unless you're shooting the guns in melee or you're shooting W1 targets.
**'''On Fleshmowers:''' These are some of your most dangerous melee options right now. The sheer amount of 2 damage attacks is crazy, they're fast, and they have a couple of neat tricks to help out. Move them into position and you can heroically intervene 6" for 1 cp, making them a threat without needing to be right in your opponent's face. On top of this, you can use Flash Outbreak for 2 cp to give them your special contagion. They ''will'' draw fire, but even this can be helped by using the Daemonic Gluttony strat for 1 cp to heal 3 wounds from the models they will inevitably kill.
*'''Death Guard Greater Blight Drone: <sup>Forge World</sup>''' For a 125pts armed with alternative weapon. This beast comes stock with a bile maw (18" S7 Plaguespitter) and Plaguereaper Cannon (36" Heavy 4 S7 AP-2 D1 plague weapon). A compromise of the Bloat-drone's flamer and long-range option, with both being well suited at melting the normal T4 marines.
**The huge 14" move is precious for Death Guard, and for only 125 points to boot. It is by far the best contagion spreader possible. With the droning, you can halve the movement of a huge chunk of enemy troops. A bit less killy than the standard drone, though.
**With the update to the core CSM codex, this beast got a decent buff to survivability. Not only does it get a 5++ Invuln, but it now regenerates a wound each round. In exchange for the Disgustingly Resilient rule offered to the army, you instead get the old 5+ FNP, which works more in your favor considering how many lascannons will be aiming at it.
*'''[[Myphitic Blight-Hauler]]''' - A speedy (10" movement, lightning-quick by Nurgle's standards) tank that can be taken in squads of 3. 9 Wounds and gives them solid durability without subjecting them to a damage table, and with 3+/5++ paired with Disgustingly Resilient, they'll be sure to stick around. A squad of 3 may be expensive, but they carry a lot of anti-tank Dakka. Plus, they're not competing with the Plaguebursts since they're in the Fast Attack Slot, and if you're really wanting to lean into Daemon Engines, 3x3 Blight Haulers and 3 Bloat Drones is a legitimate (but uncompetitive) thing you can do with Arks of Omen
**Weapons-wise, they come with a missile launcher, a multi-melta, a bile spurt (12" Assault 1d3 S6 AP-1, plague weapon, blast, can be fired in melee despite being blast), and a gnashing maw (Melee SU (6) AP-2 D1 plague weapon). They are no longer mobile cover for other units in 9th, focusing down on being the most durable fun-sized tank with having -1 penalty to be hit with melee attacks and a specific stratagem subtract 1 shot from each gun shooting at them to fuck with enemy Melta.
**Since first being released, MBH have been buffed continually. 3 of them can now be described as a remarkably versatile killy unit. With 3 missile launchers/bile spurts, they are no slouches against infantry, with 3 missile launchers/multi-meltas they can kill tanks, and in combat, a squad of 3 will get 12 attacks on the charge, hitting on 3s, at S6, re-rolling 1s to wound and -2AP (and of course -1T on the target, due to being in contagion range). Very often the versatility of these can catch opponents off-guard. A squad of 3, despite their high price tag, should be seriously considered if you are in need of a hardy jack-of-all-trades Swiss army knife unit.
** Has been buffed and now these guys can chew vehicles like never before. You can legitimately charge a powerful enemy vehicle with plenty of blast weapons and watch the opponent cry as the next round your blight haulers will shoot their multimeltas in its face/hull while its gun isn't doing anything because its blast weapons can't be shot in melee; also they are not {{W40kKeyword|INFANTRY}} so a {{W40kKeyword|TITANTIC}} unit can't fall back and still shoot.
**Besides, they’re so damn adorable and cheap, if you don’t field them, Papa Nurgle will be personally offended. He made them so you’d have a puppy. A plague filled, disease-carrying, loyal, loving, manhunting, sick puppy. '''Pay your respects to his benevolence.
'''*Dreadclaw Drop Pod: <sup>Forge World</sup>'''  Heresy era drop pod variant that "somehow" only traitor marines kept. Unlike classic SM drop pods, this one doesn't just land, it does stuff afterwards. Turn 1-3 arrives on the table and disembarks. Transport for single Hellbrute/contemptor or 10 infantry (5 terms). A foot of movement and FLY. Zoom-zoom! It packs a surprisingly good melee weapon and it can also burn nearby suckers with its jet wash (bombing run variant). Note that unlike a SM drop pod, since this vehicle has FLY, it can ignore terrain when Setting up from deep strike, so even as a basic drop pod, it's much more flexible.