The Death Guard codex is full of nasty, durable short-ranged stabby things. It is a little light on ranged firepower - and let's be real, sometimes you just need to bring guns to a gunfight. With that in mind, let's take a look at what the Death Guard do have for shooting options beyond the standard-issue boltgun and short-ranged spray weapons. We'll also take a look at the Forge World index, since the 7 January 2021 FAQ decided to let us use options out of that book again.
Other options tend to be either really pricy, or have issues with support or just absolutely SCREAM to be focused off the board while being pricy. The Decimator gets an honorable mention for the Soulburner Petards (because mortals can be fun, right?) and the Sicaran Punisher goes BRRT, which is entertaining in its way.
The Long Version - By Units
The Helbrute
The Helbrute trades durability for lethality. CORE gives you the ability to benefit from a lord's re-roll 1s aura, and the Frenzy rule lets you re-roll 1s to wound when you're under full health. Combine this with the Fire Fever stratagem for +1 to hit and wound with your hard hitting weapons, and a Helbrute can reach out and touch someone.
PRO - Range, Cost, lethality.
Consider a missile launcher and either a multi-melta or twin-lascannon. Without re-rolls, this loadout can knock about 3-4 wounds off the average T7 3+ armor save vehicle, or go up to 4-5 with Fire Frenzy. It only gets uglier when you factor in Fire Fever and a Lord's re-roll aura. A missile/melta helbrute is 120; a missile/las helbrute is 140. Consider the las when possible for the ranged option. If you need a hybrid loadout and want to punch armor to death, melta/bolter/fist for 125
CON - Survivability, speed
You are T7 with a 3+ armor save and 8 wounds. Even if you have a passive -1 to damage, you can take a big hit or two and then get chipped down with bolters. Heavy weapons like other lascannons and missiles will rip through your armor. At 6", you're fast enough to start out of LOS, and possibly grab LOS on a target.
Myphitic Blight Hauler
They're back, they're BS3+, and they're ready to get close and do some damage. You get out of the Elites slot and into the Fast Attack slot. Compared to the Helbrute, you lose some lethality and accuracy for durability and speed.
PRO - Speed, Survivability, Cost, Versatility
These little fellas are zippy with a 10" move, and that means it's easier for them to get the melta into range. You're still T7 with 9 wounds, but you also pick up a 5+ invulnerable save. If anyone charges you, you have a few AP-2 attacks and a -1 to hit aura, which matters more when it's not a fist or thunder hammer. Of particular note is the Belching Fumes stratagem, as it reduces rate of fire by 1 for incoming shots (minimum 1). A lot of stuff does, especially anything with two shots. Weirdly, rapid fire doesn't care. Note also that at 140pts a model they're priced to move - and if there's not a lot of armor, you still have frag missiles and the bile spurt to use versus other targets, and you've got speeed.
CON - Likely to get prioritized, shorter range, FA slot competition
Missile launcher aside, these guys are medium-to-close-ranged combatants. They have the speed to get there. Anyone that can do so is likely to prioritize these guys just because it's something in the army that moves faster than 5." Furthermore, unless you're taking multiple detachments, your fast attack slots are one of the few ways to get, you guessed it, faster units. (Your other options are transports, or using reserves for positioning).
Plagueburst Crawler
Anyone want to play 'catch'? Not for long? That's fine.
PRO - range, durability, output
Hey, we have 36" and 48" high-strength weapons here. Wait, one ignores line of sight? SWEET. For 175 points you can get a crawler with paired entropy cannons. The entropy cannons are essentially lascannons light; you're only S8 but you ARE 3+1d3 damage, and you hit out to 36" instead of 48" but it's probably enough range. This is reliable firepower that dictates movement. The big gun is pretty versatile - while it's 1d6 shots, you're still BS3+ to start with and it's S8, AP-2, 2 damage. You can spend CP to use Disgusting Force, which gets you up to 3 damage per shot (...save a CP to re-roll you off of that '1' for shots, it's coming. Trust me.) and threatens mortal wounds to packed targets.
If it's on the table, you probably hit it. Additionally, our Heavy Support slots aren't exactly that contested. You're also T8 with a 3+/5++ and a dozen wounds in the backfield, which requires work to kill.
CON - Speed, cost, random shots, wants babysitters
175's not the cheapest option here. You are paying for 1d6 shots out of the primary weapon, which means you're liable to use a CP re-roll or two on this thing over the course of a game. Finally, unless you kept the plaguespitters, you probably want a screen - fast bodies will hug this, and it's up to your slugger and side-mounted guns to clean that off.
Chaos Predators
Hey, it's the same predator as everyone else, but with Contagions and a Smoke Screen. They're serviceable, but our book doesn't really provide a ton of support, and as the one item without -1 damage (and a LOT of long range guns) they kinda scream 'shoot me.'
PRO - range, firepower, surprisingly spry
The annihilator can pick up four lascannons (well, a twin and two singles) for 170 points while the destructor can bring its trademark autocannon and two lascannons for 180. Go ahead and buy that Havoc Launcher for another 5. These might be the most expensive dedicated gun platforms in the codex, but they reach out to 48" and will leave a mark on something. They also move a spry 12", unlike 99.9% of the codex. You'll probably use that speed to hide out of LOS and then grab a position.
CON - comparative durability, cost, allergic to assault
Outside of guns and the speed you may or may not use, the predators have a couple big issues. First, they have a glaring neon SHOOT ME sign on them - while they're T7, it's 11 wounds on a 3+ armor save. Your only other form of durability is the smoke screen stratagem - there's just not a lot in the book that really HELPS these guys.
Defiler
Ah, the angry spider-bot. It got better and you could theoretically tech into long-range anti-tank shooting with a twin-lascannon and Defiler Cannon. The defiler cannon's a solid S8, AP-2, 3 damage weapon with 1d6 shots out to 72", and we all love lascannons. My problem with it is that kitting it out for effective shooting means you're skipping out on melee, and realistically this thing leans better towards melee/smashing stuff.
PRO - Can bring some nasty ranged guns, durability
T7, 14 wounds and 3+/5++ is solid. You regenerate a wound a turn, and can crank accurate shots out the length of the board - hot rolls on the defiler cannon can outperform the Plagueburst Mortar as long as you can see the target.
CON - versatility, cost
Versatility can be a con - if you are making the most out of your range, you've got around 190 points on something with a defiler cannon, havoc launcher, twin las, and some wicked melee. And you're just not going to use all of that all the time. Versatility's not a bad thing per se, but it's also not super efficient. It would be a decent babysitter, but a squad of 5 dudes with objective secured can flip an objective on it unless your dice go hot. You take these guys in a demon engine army and enjoy the fact they can shoot.
-The Forge World Options-
Remember, per the 7 Jan 21 FAQ, if it has the <LEGION> keyword and can take the NURGLE keyword, we can take it. Thank nurgle.
Decimator
Hey, it's a weird demon engine with a variety of guns. We can get some use out of this thing. Pay attention to the butcher cannons (4 shots each, S7, AP-2, 2 damage) and the Soulburner petard (only 24" range, but they're assault 2d3 and on a 2+ to wound it's a mortal wound).
PROS - Reasonable durability, range OR mortal wound output, reasonable speed
You're T7 with 12 wounds, 3+/5++ and a regenerating wound per turn. Sadly, there's no damage reduction but we can't have everything. Paired butcher cannons are plenty serviceable - 8 shots out to 36" with S7, AP-2 and 2 damage can grind down anything that doesn't have a -1 to damage. The average vs T7/3+ armor is 6-8 wounds per turn with a pair. The soulburner petard gets interesting; you lose range (and increase risk to yourself) but average around 3-4 mortal wounds vs. everything, with a range of 4-12 shots a turn. Also, you move 9", which is nice.
CONS - Degrading statline, little support
This thing isn't that bad, honestly. The major cons that come to mind is that Death Guard just don't do a ton for generic demon engines outside of, say, a stratagem for a 4++ save and a weird relic for healing them a little.
Chaos Contemptor
You like options? Welcome to options.
PROS - range and firepower
You're spoiled for choice, but if you really want raw firepower it's two twin lascannons and a cyclone missile launcher. If you want to trim points you can go for autocannons, but that's your call. Reach out and touch someone at 48 inches, hard.
CONS - cost, target priority, lack of support
If you go with the all-out crazy firepower, it's around 215 points. You're T7, 9W, 3+/5++ and your only defense is a -1 to incoming damage, so um. Yeah. Be careful. Note that you also pay a CP to bring the dreadnought as well, and you have neither the CORE keyword nor the HELBRUTE keyword. That being said, I can definitely see testing these guys.
Chaos Leviathan
You like options and you want them on a vintage, beefy chassis? Now you're in the right spot.
PROS - Really pretty murderous, some solid options, reasonable speed
Two guns stick out - the storm cannons and the grav-flux bombard. I would consider two loadouts - paired storm cannons, or a grav-flux bombard and close-combat weapon. Storm cannons drop eight S7, AP-1, 2 damage shots out to 36" per gun. You'll chip 5-6 wounds off the average T7 transport, and once Contagions come into play, it gets worse. The grav-flux bombard is a weird, nasty weapon - it's Heavy 2d3 Blast at S8, AP3, 2 damage (up to 3 damage vs saves of 3+) but it has a max range of 18". That's one reason I consider a melee weapon - (which is S14, AP-3, 3 damage and has a built-in meltagun because why not). You're also getting all this on a T7 platform with 14 wounds and a 2+/5++ save with -1 incoming damage.
I skip past the melta lance mostly because it's crazy nasty but not quite as versatile or reliable as the grav-flux. (1d6 shots vs 2d3, 1d6 damage vs. flat). It can spike, but the bombards engage a variety of targets.
Also remember you've got a pair of heavy flamers, but you could always replace those with volkite calivers for more S5 shots out to 30". (S5, no AP, 2 damage, mortal wounds on 6s. Man, the 30ks were weird times.)
CONS - cost, target priority, lack of support
You're 220 points base, and a CP - 240 if you went double storm cannons. You're neither CORE nor HELBRUTE. Honestly, you kinda don't need either.
Chaos Deredo
Pure shooty classic dreadnought.
PROS - no frills rate of fire
Base model packs 8 shots of S7, AP-2, 2 damage and you're probably buying a missile launcher for 3d3 shots of S6, AP-1 fun as well. You also get heavy bolters, and have the option to trade your main gun for a six-shot plasma cannon, a two-shot 3+d3 lascannon, or a weird 6 shot S8, AP-2 2 damage gun that drops 2 mortal wounds on 6s to wound. (Volkite! Lightning! DEAD STUFF!)
CONS - Expensive, lack of support
Same thing as the other dreads from Forge World - you're around 200 points and a CP and have minimal support. You're still kind of nasty.
Greater Blight Drone
What would happen if someone sped up a Bloat Drone and gave it longer-ranged guns? This. This is what would happen. It gets a plague Reaper autocannon, a spray, and a so-so melee attack.
PROS - cheap
It's 125pts for a bloat drone stat line that got a 14" move and a reaper autocannon that re-rolls 1s to hit.
CONS - Competes for fast attack slots
It's cheap, but it's not a lot of output. Bloat Drones cost around the same points and demand attention because they will drop a dozen marine-shredding or vehicle-crippling attacks.
The Sicaran Tank Family
The Sicaran chassis is essentially a faster, beefier predator that costs CP to take. They're T7, 14W, a 2+ save and a 14" move. They also start with a hull heavy bolter, and have the option to take sponson lascannons or heavy bolters. There are three options.
Regular Sicaran main gun - 48" range, 6 shots, S7, AP-2, 3 damage
Venator - 48" range, 3 shots, S12, AP-3, d6 damage (6 if stationary)
Punisher - 36" range, 18 shots, S6, AP-1, 1 damage
PROS - Solid ranged firepower, speed, reasonable durability
All three options can lay on the hurt at range. The venator looks sick while stationary, but is a bit more swingy due to low volume of shots and the lack of any support. The punisher actually stays a little more reliable just due to straight volume of fire - it's also the cheapest. Take your sponson heavy bolters and you end up right at 200pts, and you just sandblast targets to death.
CONS - Price, lack of support
You're going to pay around 200 points for these tanks. The only real support you have is the smoke screen stratagem.
Rapier Carriers
Do you like crew-served artillery? Who doesn't. You have a choice of four weapons -
Graviton Cannon - 36", 1d6 shots, S6, AP-3, 2 damage (3 damage vs. 3+ or better saves)
Laser Destroyer - 36", Heavy 3, S10, AP-4, 3+d3 damage
Quad Heavy Bolter - 36", Heavy 12, S5, AP-1, 2 damage
Quad Launcher - EITHER 24", Heavy 4, S8, AP-2, 3 damage, OR 60", Heavy 4d3, S4, AP0, 1 damage, may shoot at what you can't see
The only one that doesn't call out to me is the Graviton Cannon. The quad heavy bolter cranks out enough firepower to sandblast stuff to death, but we really like the Laser Destroyer and the Quad Launcher
PROS - firepower
These are all about guns. Or rather, one big gun. Get into position, take the shot.
CON - Mobility, Durability
These things move 4", and are a whopping T5, W5 per model for an 85-120pt model. You really want to stay back and out of range.
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