The Death Guard, one of the original Legions of Space Marines in Warhammer 40,000, are a chilling embodiment of decay and resilience. Originally led by their Primarch, Mortarion, the Death Guard were once renowned for their durability and fearlessness in the most toxic and hostile environments. They prided themselves on their endurance, making them highly effective in grueling campaigns where others might falter. However, their tragic fall to Chaos and subsequent allegiance to the Plague God, Nurgle, transformed them into grotesque vectors of disease and pestilence, spreading corruption wherever they tread.
Their descent into corruption occurred during the Horus Heresy when Mortarion, faced with the desperation of survival, accepted the “gifts” of Nurgle. The Legion was forever changed, their bodies swollen and rotted by plague, yet rendered nearly invulnerable to pain and death. These blessings, however, came with a terrible price: they became carriers of Nurgle’s Rot, spreading filth and disease as they waged war against the Imperium they once defended. Now, as Traitor Marines, the Death Guard embody decay in every sense, their ships and weapons oozing with corruption, and their armies accompanied by daemonic entities of Nurgle’s favor.
The Death Guard’s tactics reflect their nature—slow, methodical, and relentless. They advance inexorably, their diseased bodies immune to most forms of attack, overwhelming their enemies with resilience and plague-ridden weaponry. Their arsenal includes grotesque bioweapons, from plague knives to the infamous blight grenades, each designed to spread sickness and despair. Commanded by Mortarion, now a Daemon Primarch, the Death Guard revel in their role as Nurgle’s favored instruments of decay, serving as a terrifying reminder of what happens when endurance and resilience are twisted into instruments of Chaos.