The time has come for narrative-minded worshippers of Nurgle. This weekend sees Battletome: Maggotkin of Nurgle going up for pre-order, and a whole host of new and gruesome rules for Path to Glory are coming with it. This is the first Chaos battletome for the new edition of Age of Sigmar, and it’s brimming with virulent new missions and infectious strategies that will allow you to spread Grandfather’s gifts like never before.
Whilst the Stormcast Eternals purge chaos from their lands and the Orruk Warclans trample their territory into the ground, the Maggotkin have been given a much more insidious quest – expanding the Garden of Nurgle into the Mortal Realms.
With new territory-seeding mechanics, your unstoppable army can also double as a pack of jolly gardeners. A number of territories from the core rules can be corrupted as you progress, transforming them into unique blighted areas.
There are several different ways to gain these special territories – exploration rolls between 61 and 66 will automatically bestow one, and you can go on quests to corrupt* your existing holdings.
The steady creep of decay is also reflected in new Battleplans, which grant yet more opportunities to corrupt the Realms around you when you score a major victory. One Battleplan even sees your army attempting to cultivate trees mid-skirmish, proving once again that Nurgle is a benevolent, nature-loving god, and all other armies are just bullies for picking a fight.**
Your green thumb can earn you other rewards too – the more Feculent Gnarlmaws you plant per battle, the more rewards your warband can reap.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nurgle narrative campaign without building up your disease and contagion points. There are plenty of abilities and rewards that can help you increase your points total quicker, allowing you to grow your army just as effectively as your trees.
Contagion points allow you to compost your enemies into a points value, which can be saved up as you follow your own Path to Glory and exchanged for fresh daemons to bolster your suppurating ranks. Did your veteran take a chunk out of a large unit? Awesome. Now they’re a hungry pack of Plaguebearers.***
You can also create devastating new attacks by infusing your veterans’ weapons with diseases sent directly from Grandfather, allowing you to decimate enemies without even lifting a finger.
Battletome: Maggotkin of Nurgle will be up for preorder this Saturday, along with a new Vanguard set to help expand your army as you progress on your quest. You can also pick up a brand new Rotbringer Sorcerer model to commemorate the Maggotkin’s new romp across the Realms.
Are you preparing your army for Path to Glory? Show us a picture or let us know what you’re most excited for on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
* To followers of Nurgle, “corrupt” is the same as “improve”.
** If only they’d just give in to painful, flesh-consuming diseases, everyone could get along just fine.
*** In this economy, one Contagion Point gets you 1.4 Plaguebearers.