Warhammer 40K Hot Mess – Miasmic Malignifier
Today we talk about the Stankiest Pipe of Warhammer 40k right now – the Miasmic Malignifier. How can Grandfather Nurgle make this stink cannon something decent?
Man, how bad are the fortifications for 40k right now? Between being too big, costing too much, or just flat doing nothing they are all in a bad place. I tried to write one about the old GSC one but thankfully that pile of mess is gone so this leaves the Stankiest Pipe of 40k right now – the Miasmic Malignifier. Gather around as we light one up and talk about how we can help this Hot Mess.
I remember when this came out for the new Death Guard Codex. I had high hopes for this little stink pipe with some kind of neat idea of a giant billowing cloud of death. Instead, we got this weird little tube that has a wound characteristic and no real place in the army. It blows out the Contagion ability but with it being a locked location it is easier to play around. Plus – if you were worried about it you can kill it. So even if you placed it forward you could give your opponent some movement if they decided to go punch it in the face. Or in its rusty belly.
Miasmic Malignifier Basic Goals
The idea of this thing is to showcase how a Death Guard army would pollute a world with its miasma of death. Which this model doesn’t really do or feel like it matches up with that. It is why I think some major shifts in how it is designed would help make it unique instead of something randomly thrown on a table or display board to make it Nurgly.
Let’s Make It Scary
I say throw out the wound characteristics and just make it this foreboding thing of dread. Let it still throw out its Contagion abilities but also add some defensive buffs on top. Have it spit out some Light cover for those Death Guard buds nearby. This is a simple addition that could create a unique experience and give your army some kind of cool buff. The billowing clouds of silent but deadly farts make it harder to get hit by those pesky new Space Dwarf death bullets we will all be complaining about.
Make it Stank!
Having it spit out cover is an easy thing but why not do something about how the horror of the Death Guard is spreading thru the landscape? Let it deep strike in turn one with the main bellowing chimney and then each additional turn it deep strikes in the other parts. Let it feel like it is spreading its sickness across the battlefield. As the game moves along you start to have 2-3 more pipes that are spouting out gross nonsense that your Death Guard are able to use as little sanctuaries of grossness to attack from.
Make it Even Stinkier?
A lot of these Fortifications just need a few perks to make them become a valid part of your army. AOS does this by giving auras and abilities that boost up your army. Having the ability to push the Contagion bubbles around, give defensive benefits to your Death Guard units, and just be a threat are all ways this unit could be useful and a generous part of your stanky boiz experience.
Juice this chunky stank pipe up and let actually show up on the tabletop.
Let us know how you would fix the unit, down in the comments!
