PLAGUE MARINES

SecuritySeek & Destroy

KILL GRADE [6]

1	2	3	4	5
1	2	4	5	6

What to Know

Tactical Overview

Plague Marines are resilient, slow-moving warriors who excel at attrition warfare through poison effects and durability. Their unique mechanics allow them to inflict ongoing damage with poison tokens, reduce enemy effectiveness through contagion, and withstand heavy attacks with their Disgustingly Resilient rule while maintaining steady offensive pressure.

Core Abilities

Unusual Shooting ✗

Unusual Melee ✗

Super Conceal ✗

Out of Order Movement ✗

Activation Manipulation ✗

APL Modifiers ✓

Malignant Plaguecaster: Corrupted staff [Stun]Plague Marine Icon Bearer: +1 APL for marker controlStrategic Ploy: Nurglings: -1 APL to enemy operative

Bitter Demise ✓

Poisonous Demise: On incapacitation, enemies within 3" gain Poison or take 1 damage.

Block Rerolls ✓

Firefight Ploy: Curse of Rot: cannot reroll dice results of 3

Damage Reduction ✓

Disgustingly Resilient: subtract 1 damage on 4+ for 3+ damageFirefight Ploy: Sickening Resilience: always subtract 1 damage with Disgustingly Resilient

Faction Rules

ASTARTES: Perform two Shoot or Fight actions per activation, with restrictions on weapon selection. Can counteract regardless of order.
POISON: Inflict Poison tokens on enemies with certain weapons; tokens cause 1 damage on activation.
DISGUSTINGLY RESILIENT: Roll D6 to reduce damage of 3 or more by 1 on a 4+.

Strategic Ploys

CONTAGION: Reduce enemy Move by 2" and worsen Hit by 1.
LUMBERING DEATH: Gain Ceaseless if not moved more than 3".
CLOUD OF FLIES: Place marker to obscure operatives within 1".
NURGLINGS: Reduce enemy APL by 1 until next activation.

Firefight Ploys

VIRULENT POISON: Enemy gains Poison token within 3" or 7"
POISONOUS DEMISE: Incapacitated operative inflicts Poison or damage
SICKENING RESILIENCE: Subtract 1 from damage inflicted on operative
CURSE OF ROT: Inflict damage on enemy for each 3 rolled

Equipment

PLAGUE BELLS: Ignore injury stat changes for friendly Plague Marines.
BLIGHT GRENADES: Grants Blight grenade weapon, usable twice per battle.
PLAGUE ROUNDS: Boltguns and bolt pistols gain Poison and Severe rules.
POISON VENTS: Inflict D3 damage on Poison token enemies within 3 inches.

Operative Selection

OPERATIVES
↘ 1 PLAGUE MARINE CHAMPION operative
↘ 5 PLAGUE MARINE operatives selected from the following list:

BOMBARDIER
FIGHTER
HEAVY GUNNER
ICON BEARER
MALIGNANT PLAGUECASTER
WARRIOR
Your kill team can only include each operative on this list once.
Nurgle’s number is 7 and his sigil shows 3. From these numbers does his corruption flow.

Operative Datacards

7 operatives

Plague Marine Champion

3 5" 3+ 15

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Plasma pistol (standard)	4	3+	3/5	Range 8" Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. , Piercing 1 Piercing The defender collects x less defence dice. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes. Plasma pistol (standard) - Weapon Rules Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. Piercing The defender collects x less defence dice. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes.
⚡ Plasma pistol (supercharge)	4	3+	4/5	Range 8" Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. , Hot Hot After an operative uses this weapon, roll one D6: if the result is less than the weapon's Hit stat, inflict damage on that operative equal to the result multiplied by two. , Lethal 5+ Lethal Your successes equal to or greater than x are critical successes. , Piercing 1 Piercing The defender collects x less defence dice. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes. Plasma pistol (supercharge) - Weapon Rules Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. Hot After an operative uses this weapon, roll one D6: if the result is less than the weapon's Hit stat, inflict damage on that operative equal to the result multiplied by two. Lethal Your successes equal to or greater than x are critical successes. Piercing The defender collects x less defence dice. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes.
⚔ Plague sword	5	3+	4/5	Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Poison, Toxic Plague sword - Weapon Rules Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success.

Additional Rules

Grandfather’s Blessing

Whenever an enemy operative that has one of your Poison tokens loses one or more wounds within 7" of this operative, this operative regains up to an equal number of lost wounds (to a maximum of 3 lost wounds per turning point, and only if this operative isn’t incapacitated).

Plague Marine Bombardier

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Boltgun	4	3+	3/4	-
⚔ Fists	4	3+	3/4	-

Additional Rules

Grenadier

This operative can use blight and krak grenades (see faction and universal equipment). Doing so doesn’t count towards any limited uses you have (i.e. if you also select those grenades from equipment for other operatives). Whenever it’s doing so, improve the Hit stat of that weapon by 1 and blight grenades have the Toxic weapon rule (see right).

Plague Marine Fighter

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚔ Flail of Corruption	5	3+	4/5	Brutal Brutal Your opponent can only block with critical successes. , Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Shock Shock The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent's unresolved normal successes. , Poison* Flail of Corruption - Weapon Rules Brutal Your opponent can only block with critical successes. Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. Shock The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent's unresolved normal successes.

Unique Actions

Flail 1AP

Inflict D3+2 damage on each other operative that’s both visible to and within 2" of this operative. Roll separately for each: if it’s an enemy operative, if the D3 result is a 3, that enemy operative also gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one).

This operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, or during an activation in which it performed more than one Fight action, and it cannot perform more than one Fight action during an activation in which it performs this action.

Plague Marine Heavy Gunner

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Plague spewer	5	2+	3/3	Range 7" Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. , Saturate Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. , Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Torrent 2" Torrent Select a valid target as normal as the primary target, then select any number of other valid targets within x of the first valid target, but not within control range of friendly operatives, as secondary targets. Shoot with this weapon against all of them in an order of your choice. , Poison* Plague spewer - Weapon Rules Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. Torrent Select a valid target as normal as the primary target, then select any number of other valid targets within x of the first valid target, but not within control range of friendly operatives, as secondary targets. Shoot with this weapon against all of them in an order of your choice.
⚔ Fists	4	3+	3/4	-

Plague Marine Icon Bearer

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Bolt pistol	4	3+	3/4	Range 8" Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. Bolt pistol - Weapon Rules Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets.
⚔ Plague knife	5	3+	3/4	Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Poison* Plague knife - Weapon Rules Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success.

Additional Rules

Icon Bearer

Whenever determining control of a marker, treat this operative’s APL stat as 1 higher. Note this isn’t a change to its APL stat, so any changes are cumulative with this.

Icon of Contagion

Whenever this operative is within your opponent’s territory, the Contagion strategy ploy costs you 0CP.

Malignant Plaguecaster

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Entropy	4	3+	3/7	PSYCHIC, Range 7" Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. , Saturate Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. , Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Poison* Entropy - Weapon Rules Range Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets. Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success.
⚡ Plague wind	6	3+	2/3	PSYCHIC, Saturate Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. , Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Torrent 1" Torrent Select a valid target as normal as the primary target, then select any number of other valid targets within x of the first valid target, but not within control range of friendly operatives, as secondary targets. Shoot with this weapon against all of them in an order of your choice. , Poison* Plague wind - Weapon Rules Saturate The defender cannot retain cover saves. Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. Torrent Select a valid target as normal as the primary target, then select any number of other valid targets within x of the first valid target, but not within control range of friendly operatives, as secondary targets. Shoot with this weapon against all of them in an order of your choice.
⚔ Corrupted staff	4	3+	3/4	PSYCHIC, Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Shock Shock The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent's unresolved normal successes. , Stun Stun If you retain any critical successes, subtract 1 from the APL stat of the operative this weapon is being used against until the end of its next activation. , Poison* Corrupted staff - Weapon Rules Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. Shock The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent's unresolved normal successes. Stun If you retain any critical successes, subtract 1 from the APL stat of the operative this weapon is being used against until the end of its next activation.

Unique Actions

Poisonous Miasma 1AP

Select one enemy operative visible to and within 7" of this operative, or one enemy operative that’s a valid target for this operative. That enemy operative gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one). If it already has one, inflict 3 damage on that enemy operative instead.

This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.

Putrescent Vitality 1AP

Select one friendly operative visible to and within 3" of this operative, then roll 2D6: if the result is 7, the selected operative regains 7 lost wounds; otherwise, the selected operative regains lost wounds equal to the highest D6.

This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or more than once per turning point.

Plague Marine Warrior

3 5" 3+ 14

NAME	ATK	HIT	DMG	WR
⚡ Boltgun	4	3+	3/4	Toxic* Boltgun - Weapon Rules
⚔ Plague knife	4	3+	3/4	Severe Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. , Poison* Plague knife - Weapon Rules Severe If you don't retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success.

Additional Rules

Repulsive Fortitude

Whenever an operative is shooting this operative, defence dice results of 5+ are critical successes.

Faction Rules

3 rules

ASTARTES

Faction Rule

Perform two Shoot or Fight actions per activation, with restrictions on weapon selection. Can counteract regardless of order.

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Space Marines are genetically augmented transhumans forged for only one purpose: war.

During each friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative’s activation, it can perform either two Shoot actions or two Fight actions. If it’s two Shoot actions, a bolt pistol, boltgun or PSYCHIC weapon must be selected for at least one of them. You cannot select the same PSYCHIC ranged weapon more than once per activation. Each friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative can counteract regardless of its order.

POISON

Faction Rule

Inflict Poison tokens on enemies with certain weapons; tokens cause 1 damage on activation.

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Nurgle deals in warp-tainted poisons, toxins, viral plagues and sicknesses of the soul that defy both natural resilience and medical intervention.

Some weapons in this team’s rules have the Poison weapon rule. Poison: In the Resolve Attack Dice step, if you inflict damage with any successes, the operative this weapon is being used against (excluding friendly PLAGUE MARINE operatives) gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one). Whenever an operative that has one of your Poison tokens is activated, inflict 1 damage on it.

DISGUSTINGLY RESILIENT

Faction Rule

Roll D6 to reduce damage of 3 or more by 1 on a 4+.

Strategy Ploys

4 ploys

CONTAGION

Strategy Ploy

Reduce enemy Move by 2" and worsen Hit by 1.

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

PLAGUE MARINES 💀 are oozing with contagion, their hideous forms emanating a miasma of decay that saps the vigour of their foes. Subtract 2" from the Move stat of an enemy operative and worsen the Hit stat of its weapons by 1 (this isn’t cumulative with being injured) whenever any of the following are true: - It has one of your Poison tokens and is visible to (or vice versa) and within 3" of friendly PLAGUE MARINE operatives. - It’s visible to (or vice versa) and within 3" of a friendly PLAGUE MARINE ICON BEARER operative.

LUMBERING DEATH

Strategy Ploy

Gain Ceaseless if not moved more than 3".

CLOUD OF FLIES

Strategy Ploy

Place marker to obscure operatives within 1".

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Disgusting, fat-bodied flies swarm the killzone, blurring the forms of advancing PLAGUE MARINES 💀 and absorbing the enemy’s projectiles. Place one of your Cloud of Flies markers in the killzone. Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative that’s more than 3" from it, if that friendly operative is wholly within 1" of that marker, that friendly operative is obscured. In the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, remove that marker.

NURGLINGS

Strategy Ploy

Reduce enemy APL by 1 until next activation.

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

The smallest of Nurgle’s daemons, Nurglings are both malicious and playful, cackling wildly as they claw and harass the PLAGUE MARINES 💀’ foes with pestilent claws and teeth. Select one enemy operative within 3" of a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative, or one enemy operative that has one of your Poison tokens and is within 7" of a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative. Until the end of the selected operative’s next activation, subtract 1 from its APL stat.

Firefight Ploys

4 ploys

VIRULENT POISON

Firefight Ploy

Enemy gains Poison token within 3" or 7"

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

The most potent of Grandfather Nurgle’s foul plagues spread swiftly through the air, breaching even enviro-seals and filtration masks.

Use this firefight ploy during a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative’s activation or counteraction, before or after it performs an action. Select one of the following:

One enemy operative within 3" of that operative gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn't already have one).
Roll 2D6: if the result is 7+, one enemy operative within 7" of that operative gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn't already have one).

POISONOUS DEMISE

Firefight Ploy

Incapacitated operative inflicts Poison or damage

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

The body of a Plague Marine plays host to countless poisons and plagues. Upon death, their bloated forms may detonate, spreading foul contagion all around.

Use this firefight ploy when a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative is incapacitated, before it’s removed from the killzone. Each enemy operative visible to and within 3" of that operative gains one of your Poison tokens (if they don’t already have one); for each of those enemy operatives that already has one of your Poison tokens (including if they gained one during this action), inflict 1 damage on them instead.

SICKENING RESILIENCE

Firefight Ploy

Subtract 1 from damage inflicted on operative

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

By voluntarily offering their bodies as hosts for the Grandfather’s contagious gifts, some Plague Marines are granted even greater endurance.

Use this firefight ploy when an attack dice inflicts damage on a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative. Until the end of the activation or counteraction, for the purposes of the Disgustingly Resilient rule for that operative, always subtract 1 from the damage inflicted (to a minimum of 2) – you don’t need to roll.

CURSE OF ROT

Firefight Ploy

Inflict damage on enemy for each 3 rolled

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

To engage a Plague Marine in single combat is to expose oneself to wilting contagion and soul-eroding decay.

Use this firefight ploy when a friendly PLAGUE MARINE operative is fighting against or shooting against an enemy operative within 3" of it (or within 7" of it if that enemy operative has one of your Poison tokens), after your opponent rolls their attack or defence dice. For each result of 3 they roll, inflict 1 damage on that enemy operative, that result cannot be retained as a success and they cannot re-roll it.

Faction Equipment

4 items

PLAGUE BELLS

Faction Equipment

Ignore injury stat changes for friendly Plague Marines.

BLIGHT GRENADES

Faction Equipment

Grants Blight grenade weapon, usable twice per battle.

PLAGUE ROUNDS

Faction Equipment

Boltguns and bolt pistols gain Poison and Severe rules.

POISON VENTS

Faction Equipment

Inflict D3 damage on Poison token enemies within 3 inches.

Universal Equipment

10 items

AMMO CACHE

Universal Equipment

RAZOR WIRE

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Spooled rapidly out and affixed to jutting posts, razor wire acts as an easily deployed barrier and a painful deterrent to enemy operatives seeking to attack along particular routes.

Razor wire is Exposed and Obstructing terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points and Accessible terrain. Obstructing: Whenever an operative would cross over this terrain feature within 1" of it, treat the distance as an additional 1".

COMMS DEVICE

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Communications devices can be swiftly hijacked and employed to coordinate operations or call in support during a firefight.

Before the battle, you can set up one of your Comms Device markers wholly within your territory. While a friendly operative controls this marker, add 3" to the distance requirements of its SUPPORT rules that refer to friendly operatives (e.g. ‘select one friendly operative within 6"’ would be 9" instead). Note that you cannot benefit from your opponent’s Comms Device markers.

MINES

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

The battlefields of the 41st Millennium are plagued by myriad types of mine, from simple frag charges to monofilament web‑snares and microplasma charges. Ultimately, all serve a similar, horrible purpose.

Before the battle, you can set up one of your Mines markers wholly within your territory and more than 2" from other markers, access points and Accessible terrain. The first time that marker is within an operative’s control range, remove that marker and inflict D3+3 damage on that operative.

LIGHT BARRICADES

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Designed to be lugged into place and then deployed by operatives and combat engineers, these barriers are proof against small arms fire.

Light barricades are Light terrain, except the feet, which are Insignificant and Exposed. Before the battle, you can set up any of them wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points and Accessible terrain.

HEAVY BARRICADE

Universal Equipment

LADDERS

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Carried into battle in their compacted forms, these ladders provide a rapid route of ingress to strongholds, or access to vital vantage points.

Ladders are Exposed terrain. Before the battle, you can set up any of them as follows: - Wholly within your territory. - Upright against terrain that’s at least 2" tall. - More than 2" from other equipment terrain features. - More than 1" from doors and access points. In addition, an operative can either move through ladders as if they aren’t there (but cannot finish on them), or climb them. Once per action, whenever an operative is climbing this terrain feature, treat the vertical distance as 1". Note that if an operative then continues climbing another terrain feature during that action (including another ladder), that distance is determined as normal.

UTILITY GRENADES

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

From neuro‑suppressant psybombs to smoke‑belching chemical charges, grenades of this sort can suppress the enemy and be the difference between life and death.

When you select this equipment, select two utility grenades (2 smoke, 2 stun, or 1 smoke and 1 stun). Each selection is a unique action your operatives can perform, but your kill team can only perform that action a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.

EXPLOSIVE GRENADES

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

A variety of offensive grenades are employed by the forces of the 41st Millennium. These range from simple fragmentation grenades to plasma and gravitic concussion grenades, while even more exotic devices are used to crack open enemy armour.

When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak). Each selection is a ranged weapon your operatives can use, but your kill team can only use that weapon a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.

PORTABLE BARRICADE

Universal Equipment

PLAGUE MARINES 💀

Little more than a suppression shield with armoured feet, these barricades can be hefted and borne forwards to provide mobile cover.

A portable barricade is Light, Protective and Portable terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points and Accessible terrain. Protective: While an operative is in cover from this terrain feature, improve its Save stat by 1 (to a maximum of 2+). Portable: This terrain feature only provides cover while an operative is connected to it and if the shield is intervening (ignore its feet). Operatives connected to the inside of it can perform the following unique action during the battle.