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The '''Death Guard''' are one of the nine [[Space Marine Legion]]s which betrayed the [[Emperor]] during the [[Horus Heresy]], becoming [[Chaos Space Marines]]. They worship the [[Chaos]] god [[Nurgle]] and in return he infests their armour with pestilence and disease. The [[Primarch]] of the Death Guard is [[Mortarion]], who has been elevated to [[Daemon Prince]] status. Their original homeworld of [[Barbarus]] has been destroyed.
 
The '''Death Guard''' are one of the nine [[Space Marine Legion]]s which betrayed the [[Emperor]] during the [[Horus Heresy]], becoming [[Chaos Space Marines]]. They worship the [[Chaos]] god [[Nurgle]] and in return he infests their armour with pestilence and disease. The [[Primarch]] of the Death Guard is [[Mortarion]], who has been elevated to [[Daemon Prince]] status. Their original homeworld of [[Barbarus]] has been destroyed.
 
==Summary==
 
==Summary==
{{CSML
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{{Traitor Founding Legions
 
|Marine=Deathguard.jpg
 
|Marine=Deathguard.jpg
 
|Marine Px=250
 
|Marine Px=250
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|Colours=Putrid Green, Rusty Iron trim
 
|Colours=Putrid Green, Rusty Iron trim
 
|Pre-Heresy Banner=Unknown.jpg
 
|Pre-Heresy Banner=Unknown.jpg
|Speciality= Steady, relentless advancement.  Straight Assualt Tactics
+
|Specialty= Steady, relentless advancement.  Straight Assualt Tactics
 
|Battle Cry= None.
 
|Battle Cry= None.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
[[Image: DeathGuard2.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Pre-Heresy Death Guard Space Marine in Mark IV Power Armour with armorum ferrum helmet.]]
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[[Image:DeathGuard2.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Pre-Heresy Death Guard Space Marine in Mark IV Power Armour with armorum ferrum helmet.]]
 
===Dusk Raiders===
 
===Dusk Raiders===
 
Prior to the Emperor's discovery of the Legion's Primarch, they were known as the Dusk Raiders Legion. Their signature strategy had been to attack their foes at nightfall. The Dusk Raiders' armour was unpainted, but with their right arm and both shoulders coloured crimson.  This was done with the intent to show their enemies that they were the Emperor's red right hand, relentless and unstoppable. Many enemies simply threw down their weapons at nightfall so they didn't have to fight the terryfying Dusk Raiders.<sup>1a</sup>
 
Prior to the Emperor's discovery of the Legion's Primarch, they were known as the Dusk Raiders Legion. Their signature strategy had been to attack their foes at nightfall. The Dusk Raiders' armour was unpainted, but with their right arm and both shoulders coloured crimson.  This was done with the intent to show their enemies that they were the Emperor's red right hand, relentless and unstoppable. Many enemies simply threw down their weapons at nightfall so they didn't have to fight the terryfying Dusk Raiders.<sup>1a</sup>
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==Organisation==
 
==Organisation==
 
[[Image:Plague Marines.jpg|thumb|135px|right|'''Plague Marines''']]
 
[[Image:Plague Marines.jpg|thumb|135px|right|'''Plague Marines''']]
A Death Guard force is largely made up of [[Plague Marine|Plague Marines]], and still follows the doctrines that their Primarch Mortarion taught them. Their tactics are based on the use of foot-slogging infantry, and the hardy use of their [[Boltgun|Bolters]]. Any vehicles that were in possession of the Death Guard at the time of the Horus Heresy have since fallen into disrepair, or have been commandeered by cheeky [[Nurglings]].
+
A Death Guard force is largely made up of [[Plague Marine]]s, and still follows the doctrines that their Primarch Mortarion taught them. Their tactics are based on the use of foot-slogging infantry, and the hardy use of their [[Boltgun|Bolters]]. Any vehicles that were in possession of the Death Guard at the time of the Horus Heresy have since fallen into disrepair, or have been commandeered by cheeky [[Nurglings]].
  
 
The Death Guard make full use of Nurgle's gifts, spreading turmoil, advancing solidly amidst a mist of choking disease, surrounded by Nurglings at their feet and summoning horrific [[Plaguebearers]] from the Warp. In larger battles where the outcome is of dire importance, a decaying Daemon Prince may take the reigns of the army, or a [[Great Unclean One]] may posess a [[Champion of Nurgle|Champion]].
 
The Death Guard make full use of Nurgle's gifts, spreading turmoil, advancing solidly amidst a mist of choking disease, surrounded by Nurglings at their feet and summoning horrific [[Plaguebearers]] from the Warp. In larger battles where the outcome is of dire importance, a decaying Daemon Prince may take the reigns of the army, or a [[Great Unclean One]] may posess a [[Champion of Nurgle|Champion]].

Revision as of 15:52, 24 June 2009

The Death Guard are one of the nine Space Marine Legions which betrayed the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, becoming Chaos Space Marines. They worship the Chaos god Nurgle and in return he infests their armour with pestilence and disease. The Primarch of the Death Guard is Mortarion, who has been elevated to Daemon Prince status. Their original homeworld of Barbarus has been destroyed.

Summary

Simple Badge Chaos Space Marines.png
Chaos Portal
Death Guard
Deathguardlogo.gif

Legion Number XIV
Primarch Mortarion
Homeworld Barbarus
Current Base Plague Planet in the Eye of Terror
Chaos Affiliation Nurgle
Colours Putrid Green, Rusty Iron trim
Specialty Steady, relentless advancement. Straight Assualt Tactics
Battle Cry None.

History

Pre-Heresy Death Guard Space Marine in Mark IV Power Armour with armorum ferrum helmet.

Dusk Raiders

Prior to the Emperor's discovery of the Legion's Primarch, they were known as the Dusk Raiders Legion. Their signature strategy had been to attack their foes at nightfall. The Dusk Raiders' armour was unpainted, but with their right arm and both shoulders coloured crimson. This was done with the intent to show their enemies that they were the Emperor's red right hand, relentless and unstoppable. Many enemies simply threw down their weapons at nightfall so they didn't have to fight the terryfying Dusk Raiders.1a

Death Guard

When Mortarion was found by the Emperor upon the troubled world of Barbarus, he was swiftly given control of his Legion. Upon first seeing them he told them, "You are my unbroken blades. You are the Death Guard." The Legion's name was then changed in accordance with this decree,1a and Mortarion's words engraved above the airlock door of the Battle Barge Reaper's Scythe in honour of the moment. Their armour's colour was changed, and whilst their main armor remained unpainted, the trim colour became dark green.

Pre-Heresy Organization

Before the Horus Heresy, the Death Guard differed from the other 17 known Legions in that they had only seven Great Companies, although these held far more men than those of other Legions such as the Ultramarines or Space Wolves. There were three privileged titles held by captains of the Death Guard. The captain of the First Company was known as the First Captain, the captain of the Second Company was known as Commander, and the captain of the Seventh Company was known as Battle-Captain.

The Death Guard tended to be organised into units of foot-slogging infantry, rather than mechanised squads. Mortarion ensured that his men were well-equipped and highly-trained. He also ensured that they could fight in almost any kind of atmosphere, and placed little emphasis on specialised units using jump packs or bikes. The Death Guard did not have dedicated Assault and Tactical Squads. Every Marine was equipped with a bolter, bolt pistol and close combat weapon and told to fight with whatever weapon circumstance dictated. The Legion was also well known for its use of Terminator Armour. Possibly as a result of this, the Death Guard were highly successful at high-risk boarding and close-quarter operations such as space hulk clearance.

At the beginning of the Horus Heresy, many Death Guard who remained loyal to the Emperor were massacred on Isstvan III by their fellow Space Marines, including Captain Ullis Temeter.

During the Horus Heresy, the Death Guard joined Warmaster Horus in many battles and raids on the Imperium. When Horus led his forces against Earth and the Emperor, the Death Guard's First Captain, Calas Typhon (now known as Typhus), killed the Navigator of their capital ship. Pretending that they were still loyal to the Emperor, Typhon led the Chapter's Fleet into the Warp but instead of going to Holy Terra to defend the Imperium, the ships became trapped and unable to return to Real Space. The Destroyer Hive flooded the ship while they were trapped in the Warp. The stinking pestilence flooded the gut and distended the flesh, while the Marines were blacked out the Destroyer Hive swarmed over them and laid eggs inside the sores of the Marines.
File:PhDG.jpg
Pre-Heresy Death Guard Space Marine Squad
Craving salvation, the Death Guard called upon Nurgle to help them. Nurgle corrupted them beyond measure, transforming them into the grotesque warriors they are now. Typhon then inherited the Destroyer Hive: having already sacrificed his soul to Nurgle. The flies entered Typhon and thus Typhus, Herald and Champion of Nurgle, was born.

A number of Death Guard Marines, and one Luna Wolf who renounced his Sons of Horus status, led by Battle-Captain of the 7th Company Nathaniel Garro, remained loyal to the Emperor. They formed part of the crew of the Eisenstein, a frigate which ran the Traitor blockade in the Isstvan system in order to bring news of Horus' descent into Chaos to the Emperor on Terra.

After Horus' defeat, Mortarion led his Death Guard in a campaign of destruction over a score of planets, until finally retreating into the Eye of Terror. Here he received Nurgle's ultimate reward and became a full-fledged Daemon Prince, ruling over one of Nurgle's greatest Plague Worlds in the Eye of Terror. Mortarion sends out fleets of Plague Ships into the Warp to carry their contagions throughout the galaxy.

Organisation

Plague Marines

A Death Guard force is largely made up of Plague Marines, and still follows the doctrines that their Primarch Mortarion taught them. Their tactics are based on the use of foot-slogging infantry, and the hardy use of their Bolters. Any vehicles that were in possession of the Death Guard at the time of the Horus Heresy have since fallen into disrepair, or have been commandeered by cheeky Nurglings.

The Death Guard make full use of Nurgle's gifts, spreading turmoil, advancing solidly amidst a mist of choking disease, surrounded by Nurglings at their feet and summoning horrific Plaguebearers from the Warp. In larger battles where the outcome is of dire importance, a decaying Daemon Prince may take the reigns of the army, or a Great Unclean One may posess a Champion.

The Death Guard organizes squads by multiples of seven, based on the sacred number of Nurgle.

Notable Members

Fleet

During the Horus Heresy the Death Guard are known to have possessed the following vessels:2

  • Endurance - Capital Ship
  • Indomitable Will - Capital Ship
  • Spectre of Death - Capital Ship
  • Terminus Est - Capital Ship
  • Undying - Capital Ship
  • Reapers' Scythe - Battle Barge
  • Stalwart - Battle Barge
  • Barbarus's Sting - Strike Craft
  • The Eisenstein - Frigate (destroyed)
  • Valley of Haloes - Supply Hauler (destroyed)

All of these vessels are likely to have been stranded in the Warp following Typhon's treachery. The Terminus Est still exists, as does at least one other capital ship known as the Plagueclaw. It is possible that this is another of the ships listed above which has been renamed in honour of the Legion's Chaos worship.

Sources