Genestealer Cults 7th Edition
Genestealer Cults Tactical Summary as of 10-26-16
Once thought impossible the Genestealer Cults have returned. In an long forgotten past the Genestealer Cults were perhaps the silliest faction in 40k history. Imagine for a second a 1920s gangster universe complete with Art Deco Limos and Tommy Guns. It wasn’t any wonder the Genestealer Cults went into hiding for about 20 years, but as the nostalgia train turns so did the opportunity to revisit Genestealer Cults. Thanks to Phil Kelly amazing re-imagining, the Genestealer Cults now fits perfectly into the ethos of Warhammer 40k. They went from gangsters to miners and the poor who are lured by the psychic manifestations of one over powered Broodlord.
The Genestealer Cults has only been out for a few months, so we don’t know exactly how they will fare in the realm of competitive play. Early indications is they are pretty strong, the Ambush table allows the Genestealer Cults to Assault from Infiltrate with at worse a 1 in 6 chance. The Genestealer Cults also can reappear to take objectives almost at will. The Genestealer Cults could be the best alpha strike army in the game, but even better they give Tyranids something to ally with without opponents rolling their eyes.
With most units getting Rending claws the Genestealer Cults can be effective against almost any unit. Even a basic unit like the Hybrids are less than 10 points each! Genestealer Cults have great synergy between Formations and Characters making them hard to master. It is also great to see Genestealers actually be effective with an invulnerable save! It does though get back to how all the Independent Characters interact with the Genestealer Cult. The Primus with it’s Cult Demagogue special rule, the Acolyte Iconward’s Nexus of Devotion, and finally the Patriarch Living Idol power. Finally, don’t forget the Magus and Broodmind powers which can summon more Cult units.
A lot of the rules feel written for a future edition, so we shall have to wait and see what changes come to the game to make a final verdict on just how powerful the Genestealer Cults really is.
Below you find all the quick reference material you need to build an competitive or fluffy Genestealer Cults army.
As of 10-26-2016 Genestealer Cults Detachments are…
- Combined Arms Detachment
- Allied Detachment
- Cult Insurrection
(See tabs for details)
Force Organization
Compulsory: 1 HQ, 2 Troops
Optional: 1 HQ, 4 Troops, 3 Elites, 3 FA, 3 HS, 1 Lord of War, 1 Fortification
Restrictions: All units chosen must have the same Faction (or have no Faction).
Command Benefits:
Ideal Mission Commander: If this Detachment is chosen as your Primary Detachment, you can choose to re-roll the result on the Warlord Trait table.
Objective Secured: All Troops units from this Detachment have the Objective Secured special rule. A unit with this special rule controls objectives even if an enemy scoring unit is within range of the objective marker, unless the enemy unit also has this special rule.
Source: Warhammer 40k 7th ed. Rule Book
Compulsory: 1 HQ, 1 Troop
Optional: 1 Troop, 1 Elite, 1 FA, 1 HS
Restrictions: This Detachment cannot be your Primary Detachment. Your Warlord can never be chosen from this Detachment. All units chosen must have the same Faction (or no Faction). All units chosen must have a different Faction to any of the units in your Primary Detachment (or no Faction).
Command Benefits:
Objective Secured: All Troops units from this Detachment have the Objective Secured special rule. A unit with this special rule controls objectives even if an enemy scoring unit is within range of the objective marker, unless the enemy unit also has this special rule.
Source: Warhammer 40k 7th ed. Rule Book
Cult Insurrection Detachment
Force Organization
Command: 0-3 The First Curse Formation, Broodcoven Formation, 1 Patriarch, Magus, Primus or Acolyte Iconward
Core: 1+ Brood Cycle Formation, Neophyte Cavalcade Formaiton.
Auxiliary: 1+ The Doting Throng Formation, Subterranean Uprising Formation, Demolition Claw Formation, Deliverance Broodsurge Formation, 1 Purestrain Genestealer unit, 1 Aberrants or Hybrid Metamorph units, 1 Scout Sentinels or Armoured Sentinels, or 1 Leman Russ squadron.
Restrictions: This Detachment must include at least one Core choice and one Auxiliary choice. It may include up to five more Core Choices, up to three Command choices and any number of additional Auxiliary choices, in any combination. All units must have the Genestealer Cult Faction. You cannot include more than one Patriarch, one Magus, and one Primus in the same Cult Insurrection Detachment.
Command Benefits:
Cult Father: If you choose a Patriarch from this Detachment as your Warlord, you can re-roll the result when rolling on the Warlord Traits table in Codex: Genestealer Cults.
An Uprising Generations in the Making: All non-vehicle units in this Detachment have the Infiltrate special rule and units already with the Infiltrate special rule instead have the Shrouded special rule during the first game turn. In addition, you can add 1 to all your Reserve Rolls, whilst your opponent must subtract 1 from all their Reserve Rolls.
Numbers Beyond Counting: Each time a unit from this Detachment arrives from Ongoing Reserves, it is reinforced – you can return D6 models to the unit that were slain previously during the battle.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
As of 10-25-2016 Genestealer Cults Unique Item groups are…
- Sacred Relics of the Cult
(See tabs for details)
Only one of each Sacred Relics of the Cult may be taken per army.
Icon of the Cult Ascendant 30 pts:
Friendly units that have the Genestealer Cult Faction and are within 12″ of a model equipped with the Icon of the Cult Ascendant have the Furious Charge special rule and can re-roll failed Morale, Pinning and Fear tests. In addition, models in the same unit as the Icon of the Cult Ascendant have +1 Attack whilst the bearer is alive.
Dagger of Swift Sacrifice 15 pts:
When it makes its close combat attacks, a model with the Dagger of Swift Sacrifice can instead make a single attack, rolling To Hit as normal.
Range -, Str User, AP -, Type: Melee, Instant Death, Poisoned (2+)
Scourge of Distant Stars 15 pts:
If the bearer is involved in a challenge, their opponents must pass a Toughness test before any attacks are made. If the test is failed, that model immediately suffers a Wound with no saves of any kind allowed, and a -1 penalty to both their Initiative and Attacks (to a minimum of 1) until the end of the phase. The Scourge of Distant Stars has no effect on vehicles.
Staff of the Subterran Master 20 pts:
Instead of shooting normally, the bearer can use the Staff of Subterran Master to make a shooting attack.
Range 18″, Str 2, AP -, Type: Assault 10, Ignores Cover, Rending
Sword of the Void’s Eye 15 pts:
Range -, Str +1, AP 3, Type: Melee, Bio-sentence = The bearer can re-roll all To hit and To Wound rolls of 1 when attacking with this weapon, Life Drain = Any to Wound roll of 6 made with this weapon has the Instant Death special rule.
The Crouchling 20 pts:
In close combat, a model accompanied by the Crouchling makes two additional Str 4 AP – attacks with the Rending special rule. In addition, the bearer can generate one additional psychic power at the start of the game.
As of 10-25-16
The next section features all the various Formations each faction has. Expand each Formation for detailed information for, including (red highlighted) links to shopping lists for each Formation.
Ghosar Quintus Broodkin Formation
Ghosar Quintus Broodkin Formation
Restrictions: None.
Special Rules: Infiltrate, Stealth.
Ambush the Unhallowed: All Ghosar Quintus Broodkin units that deploy using the Infiltrate special rule have the Shrouded special rule until the start of the second game turn, and can attempt to charge on their first turn. In addition, when Patriarch Ghosar and the Purestrain Princelings deploy using their Inflitrate special rule, they can be set up anywhere on the table that is more than 1? from any enemy unit, whether deployed units can draw a line of sight to them or not (Patriarch Ghosar cannot do this if joined to a unit, unless it is the Purestrain Princelings).
Broodmind Telepathy: Whilst Patriarch Ghosar is alive, all Ghosar Quintus Broodkin models have the Fearless and Adamantium Will special rules.
Source: White Dwarf: #110
Subterranean Uprising Formation
Subterranean Uprising Formation
Requirements: 0-1 Primus, 1-3 Hybrid Metamorph units, 2-4 Acolyte Hybrid units, 0-3 Aberrant units
Restrictions: None.
Special Rules: Infiltrate.
Time to Rise Up: All of the units in this Formation must Infiltrate during deployment, and set up using the Cult Ambush special rule. When rolling on the Cult Ambush table for a unit in this formation, roll two dice instead of one and choose either of the results.
Meticulous Planner: If a unit in this Formation has been joined by a Primus, you ca roll three dice instead of one when rolling on the Cult Ambush table for this unit select any one of the results.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
Deliverance Broodsurge Formation
Deliverance Broodsurge Formation
Requirements: 2-6 Neophyte Hybrid units
Restrictions: Each unit must take a Goliath Truck as a Dedicated Transport.
Special Rules:
Reckless Fanaticsim: All units from this Formation must begin the game embarked upon their Goliath Trucks. These units can disembark even if their vehicle moved at Cruising Speed, though each model that does so must take a Dangerous Terrain test.
Perfervid Crew: Each time a vehicle from this Formation suffers a Crew Stunned or Crew Shaken result, that result is ignored though the vehicle still loses a Hull Point.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
Demolition Claw Formation
Requirements: 2-3 Acolyte Hybrid units, 2-3 Goliath Rockgrinders
Restrictions: At least one model in each unit of Acolyte Hybrids must be equipped with a demolition charge. All Goliath Rockgrinders must also be equipped with a cache of demolition charges, though this upgrade costs no points.
Special Rules: Tank Hunters.
Demolition Specialists: Acolyte Hybrids from this Formation can re-roll scatter dice when using a demolition charge or a cache of demolition charges when embarked upon a Goliath Rockgrinder from this Formation.
Extra Explosives: Roll a dice each time a model throws a demolition charge whilst it is within 6? of a Goliath Rockgrinder from the same Formation; on a 4 or more that model replenishes its demolition charge.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
Blood Cycle Formation
Restrictions: None.
Special Rules:
Familial Pride: Any non-vehicle unit in this Formation that is within 6? of at least one other unit from the same Formation adds 1 to both Leadership and its Weapon Skill.
Hold the Banner High: All units in this Formation have the Furious Charge special rule while they are within 24? of their Acolyte Iconward. In addition, the range of the Acolyte Iconward’s Nexus of Devotion special rule effect units from this Formation that are within 24? of him instead of 12?
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
The First Curse Formation
Requirements: 1 Patriarch, 1 Purestrain Genestealer unit
Restrictions: The unit of Purestrain Genestealers must contain 20 models.
Special Rules:
Strange Mutations: Before the start of the game, roll a dice and apply the following result to this Formation’s unit of Purestrain Genestealers for the duration of the game. 1 Flesh Hooks, 2 Harden Carapaces, 3 Toxin Glands, 4 Adrenal Sacs, 5 Feeder Tendrils, 6 Perfect Killing Machine
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
Neophyte Cavalade Formation
Restrictions: Each unit of Neophyte Hybrids must take a Chimera as a Dedicated Transport.
Special Rules:
Mechanised Ambush: This Formation’s units of Neophyte Hybrids must start the game embarcked within their transports. Vehicle units in this Formation have the Outflank special rule. Scout Sentinels from this Formation instead gain the Cult Ambush special rule.
Devoted Crew: Roll a dice each time a vehicle from this Formation suffers a Crew Stunned or Crew Shaken result. On a 4 or more that result is ignored though the vehicle still loses a Hull Point.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
The Doting Throng Formation
Requirements: 0-1 Magus, 3-6 Neophyte Hybrid or Acolyte Hybrid units chosen in any combination.
Restrictions: None.
Special Rules:
Frenzied Devotion: Units from this Formation have the Zealot special whilst they are within 12? of a friendly Magus. Furthermore, a unit that is actually joined by a Magus can re-roll failed hit rolls in every round of close combat, not just the first.
Willing Subjects: If a Magus targets a Neophyte Hybrid or Acolyte Hybrid unit from this Formation with a blessing psychic power, he can re-roll the Psychic test if it failed.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
Broodcoven Formation
Requirements: 1 Patriarch, 1 Magus, 1 Primus
Restrictions: None.
Special Rules:
Lords of the Brood: The models from this Formations must be deployed as a single unit. They can still join friendly units, but if one does so, all other Broodcoven models must join the same unit. Similarly, if one Broodcoven model leaves a unit, all other Broodcoven models also leave that unit an they must form back into a new unit composed of Independent Characters again.
Coven Masters: The Broodcoven unit and any unit they joined have the following special rules whilst the relevant model from this Formation is still alive. Patriarch = Fleet, Magus = Counter-attack, Primus = Preferred Enemy.
Source: Codex: Genestealer Cults
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