They are real! Come see the run down of all nine new legion’s rules that are in the brand new Traitors Legion Codex!
First off lets start off with whats in the new book as BoLS has the contents:
(Photo Credit: BoLS)
What we have here is non-stop rules – just like we saw in Angels of Death. There is a short 18 page section of background, followed by 12 pages of full page mini photography. Then we hit the first big section, the 36 page datasheet section. This section covers some updated characters, a lot of generic formations that form the CSM backbone of most of the Legion detachments, and a handful of unique formations that only a single legion can take. Next comes the 9 Legions themselves each with 6 pages of rules. The codex wraps up with the updated Sorcerer rules, the 4 new Disciplines and the summary pages.
And then Frontline Breaks down each legion on their site as well:
Black Legion
Highlights:
- In their Black Legion Speartip detachment, non-vehicle units gain the Fear and Crusader special rules.
- Also, units that can Deep Strike begin rolling for reserves on turn 1. The Warlord and his unit automatically come in on turn 1! All kinds of crazy combos you can pull out of that.
- Unlike many of the other non-Cult legions, Black Legion can include units with any Mark of Chaos.
- Largest selection of specialized formations.
Alpha Legion
Highlights:
- Warlord Trait: Faceless Commander: Once per game, you can swap places with your Warlord and another Character. Pretty cool but what happens when you swap places with an Aspiring Champion and pull him out of unit coherency? Think they meant Independent Character…
- Artifact: Icon of Insurrection: Friendly units of Chaos Cultists within 12″ of the bearer gain Zealot…wow! That’s awesome and a huge aura ability.
- Artifact: The Mindveil: In the movement phase you can choose to move the bearer and his unit up to 3d6″ instead of moving normally…even if you’re locked in combat. Cool!
- Cannot take any Marked units, Alpha Legion don’t play dat Chaos Worshipin game!
- In their Alpha Legion Insurgency Detachment they gain Shrouded on the first turn and Cultists come back on a 4+!
Iron Warriors
Highlights:
- In their Iron Warriors Grand Company detachment they can reroll barrage and Ordnance Weapons, and gain Stubborn.
- These guys will rock in a CAD with ObSec, Tank Hunting Oblits!
- They have Warlord Trait that lets Oblits fire the same weapon in subsequent shooting phases.
- Cranium Malevolus: Artifact that in each shooting phase hits all enemy vehicles in 2d6″ with a Haywire hit that ignores cover.
- Can’t take any marked units.
Night Lords
Highlights:
- No marked units.
- One with the Shadows: Warlord Trait that lets the Warlord and his unit reroll failed cover saves.
- Their Night Lords Murder Talon detachments gives them rerolls for failed charges, and the choice to make the first turn Night Fight, giving non-vehicle Night Lords +1 cover save if they do so.
- Vox Daemonicus: Artifact that gives a -1 leadership debuff to enemy units within 6″, and -1 to enemy reserve rolls. Nice! This combos well with the Raptor Talon which gives a -2 to enemy leadership. You can get a -3 for general leadership tests and -5 to fear checks. Pretty good, but considering so many things ignore morale in the competitive meta it is pretty hit or miss.
Word Bearers
Highlights:
- No Cult units such as Noise Marines but can take marked units otherwise.
- The Voice of Lorgar: 12″ bubble to grant Counter-attack, Fearless, Furious Charge, or Relentless to a friendly Word Bearers unit.
- Baleful Icon: Enemy units have to reroll successful charge rolls against the bearer’s unit and even if successful, do not gain any bonus attacks.
- Their Word Bearers Grand Host detachment grants Crusader to all non-vehicle units and at the start of each turn, a character of your choice gets a free roll on the Chaos Boon table.
World Eaters
Highlights:
- All units must have the Mark of Khorne if possible.
- Non Khorne marked units cannot be taken.
- Warlord Trait: Violent Urgency: Friendly units with the MoK within 8″ of your Warlord roll 3d6 for charges and take the two highest dice.
- Artifact: Talisman of the Burning Blood: Add 3″ to the bearer and his unit’s move, run and charge rolls. This makes these guys REALLY fast! This combos really well with the Maelstrom of Gore formation wherein Berzerkers get +3″ to charge rolls and Fleet! +6″ charges with rerolls? Holy smokes!
- In their World Eaters Butcherhorde, all non-vehicle units get a 2d6″ free move (NOT a Scout move) and they plus Walkers in the detachment can reroll failed charges. Awesome.
Thousand Sons
This is the same bonuses and such that are presented in the Wrath of Magnus book, which you can get a full breakdown of, here.
Death Guard
Highlights:
- You may only take units with the Mark of Nurgle, and units that can take the mark, must.
- Warlord Trait: Insensate Pain: +1 to your Feel no Pain role for you Warlord.
- Artifact: Poxwalker Hive: Pick a unit of Cultists within 7″ and turn them into Zombies. Brains!!!
- Their Death Guard Vectorium grants rerolls of 1 for FnP rolls, and Stealth for units in the detachment that are being fired on from over 18″ away. Both awesome traits.
Emperor’s Children
Highlights:
- Can only take units with Mark of Slaanesh, and all units that can take the MoS must do so.
- Warlord Trait: Stimulated by Pain: Your Warlord gains 1 Attack each time he loses a wound! Pretty cool. If he regains wounds they go back, but Chaos doesn’t have a lot of options to heal.
- Artifact: Intoxicating Elixir: Make D3 rolls on the Combat Drugs table, all effects are cumulative, including with the roll you get in their “Decurion” style detachment. This is pretty bad ass!
- Their Emperor’s Children Rapture Battalion grants Combat Drugs to all non-vehicle units which is a D6 table wherein every single result is good! It is a game long buff to WS, BS, St, T, In, or Attacks. WOWZA!
I have to say I am impressed. The new legion rules look pretty well balanced and work well with the current Chaos Space Marine codex.
Did you also notice that there was very rare instances of things becoming another force organization type? Sure there was the stuff we expected but really this is a collection of formations and detachments for the most part, that can confer troop status to some other types of units that normally would not have it.
It seems like to me they are setting this book up to have life after the edition change, as we could see 8th Edition 40k going to more of a formation type game similar to Age of Sigmar that could only require “Troops” for force organization if you were playing a particular faction (I.E. Iron Warriors).
Now the rules themselves for the legions all seem very fluffy and when compared to the current competitive meta really don’t seem “OP” at all. Plus don’t forget you can mix Daemons in where applicable either as allies or formations to said army.
Plus they did re-use some of the previous formations and wargear we have already seen as well from Traitor’s Hate, etc.
Seeing these I would expect the Obliterator models to immediately sell out from GW’s site along with Raptors, and perhaps cultists models as well.
Looks like this is happening followers of the Dark Gods! Special thanks to Frontline Games and BoLS for these previews!
New Chaos Traitor Legions Rules News & Rumors
About the Author: Rob Baer
