The Plague Brethren

... or Stink bros?

I couldn't resist this "limited" boxed set with three more plague marines. I love the new plague marines, and despite knowing that a proper plastic boxed set is on the horizon, and despite having about 50 old and semi-old metal plague marines, these were a must buy. Prize-wise they are 25 quid (or 300 Swedish Krona) for three ordinary plastic figures which is a bit steep. But who cares, money will be worthless when the Trumpocalypse comes anyway.

They come in this snazzy box. Can I please have this as a giant poster, pretty please with sugar on top?

The first thing you see when you open the box is a booklet with the same illustration on.

There are actually two booklets. One is the designer's notes and the other is the building instructions.

...underneath the booklets is a flap that lifts up to reveal some art cards.

All feature art by John Blance, but none is actually of any of the models in this box.

Ok, a quick break here, I have to get something off my chest. I'm a big fan of John Blanche's visions and style, but some of his art is actually very bad. I like the plague marine and the pox walker on the art cards above, they are quite evocative and disturbing. If you look closer though, you realise John's method of colouring his art is just drawing some swathes of water colours in the general area he wants colour, hoping most of it will be inside the lines he drew. One is actually of Mortarion, the great Death Guard primarch, but you couldn't tell if the picture didn't have the caption. I stared at the picture for like five minutes without being able to tell where his head is. I suppose it's a case of the Emperor's new clothes syndrome, nobody dares criticise John Blanche at GW and just prints whatever he produces.

Back to the box though, are there actually any minis inside?

Yes there are! Note the three individual slots for the bases which I thought was bisarre.

The three figures, free from their cardboard prison at last! Still on sprues though...

...something soon remedied. (apologies for the slightly out of focus photo).

The three miniatures are quality sculpts as we have come to expect of GW nowadays. They are all "monopose" meaning you can't assemble them in any other way than designed, at least not without using a lot of green stuff. That said, the leftmost figure has his arms as separate parts, meaning you could swap them for other arms you might get when the true multipart boxed set is released.

You also get a nurgling carrying shit(?) on a stick...

The Plague Brethren all harken back to the old style death guard in different ways but incorporating the new design elements at the same time. For example one of them has a regular style backpack similar to what chaos marines have had for the last 20 years or so, and two have the familiar spiked helmet. There are some nice details like the leader (middle in the picture) showing no sign of mutation even though his armour is decayed and mended, while the melta gunner has spare barrels for his gun strapped to his backpack. The nurgling included is great, although I'm not sure what that lump on the end of the stick is supposed to be. I'm going to mount him on a separate base, perhaps he can be used as an objective marker.

All in all, if you are a true Death Guard fan, then these are a must. If you just play 40k and have chosen Death Guard as they are newest faction or like they playing style then you better wait for the real boxed set as this one is a bit costly. For the same amount of money you could pick up a second copy of First Strike including three plague marines and eight pox troopers, as well as some Primaris Marines you can trade with some Imperium player.

Happy gaming, and a pox on your houses!