How To Play The New Good Guy 40k Armies: Index Imperium 2

By Juan Lopez | June 16th, 2017 | Categories: Games Workshop, Product Review, Tabletop Gaming Products, Videos, Warhammer 40k

With 8th Edition getting ever closer, we take our first look at how to play the good guy armies in the new 40k Index Imperial 2.

The Index: Imperium 2 book is 168 pages worth of information, rules, and datasheets for the Astra Militarum, Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Knights, Imperial Agents, and Talons of the Emperor. Now that we have our hands on this Index, we dove right in. A more thorough Tips and Tactics breakdown for all the indexes and factions will be coming in the near future. So, get ready to praise the Emperor! Here is a sample of our full review.

Now, the five indexes are merely transitional as they are intended to hold us over unit Codexes are released. GW has left things spread out a bit so that they can be changed easily if necessary.

The Index: Imperium 2 includes all the Imperial good guys with the Astra Militarum being broken down into several smaller factions: such as Tempestus, Auxilia, Aeronautica, etc. All units in this Index carry the keyword “Imperium” to aid in army list creation. We are all 40K fat kids and want to have a little bit of everything in our armies and some of us do not like mixing armies. There is a caveat that will come into play when wanting to have different units from different armies in your detachment. This comes in the form of detachment restriction that states “All units must be from the same faction.”

This restriction can be bypassed if stated otherwise in a faction’s army list. Astra Militarum units will also have the “Regiment” keyword as well. Some units will have the capability to use the Voice Of Command to issue orders.

Be aware that the unit giving the order must be within 6″ of the Infantry unit and they must share the same “Regiment” keyword.

Something that we noticed is that the the Commissar has his own faction: Officio Prefectus. They do have the “Imperium” and “Astra Militarum” keywords. However, since they do not have a “Regiment” keyword, they cannot issue orders. That being said, the Commissar units and Commissar Yarrick still have good stats but gone is the cheap way of being able to issue orders.

Index: Imperium 2: $25

One of five books covering the range of Citadel miniatures used to play games of Warhammer 40,000, Index: Imperium Vol.2 is an essential purchase for those wanting to play games of Warhammer 40,000, packed with updated rules and complete points values for Imperial armies*.

It contains datasheets covering the range of Imperial miniatures, including fortifications, with overviews of each army. Updated abilities, psychic powers, wargear, weapon profiles and points values allow you to field your collection in games of Warhammer 40,000. There’s also a blank army roster and detachment roster, which you are free to photocopy and use when building a Battle-Forged army in Matched Play games.

Covered in the 168-page softback book:

Astra Militarum
– An overview of the Astra Militarum and their army organisation;
– Overviews of Cadian Shock Troops, Catachan Jungle Fighters, Officio Prefectus, Militarum Tempestus, Militarum Auxilia, and Aeronautica Imperialis armies;
– An Astra Militarum army list, with an explanation of the Regiment keyword and the Voice of Command Ability;
– 49 datasheets for Astra Militarum miniatures.

Adeptus Mechanicus
– An overview of the Adeptus Mechanicus, including overviews of the Cult Mechanicus and Skitarii;
– An Adeptus Mechanicus army list, including an explanation of the Forge World keyword and Canticles of the Omnissiah Ability;
– 17 datasheets for Adeptus Mechanicus miniatures.

Questor Imperialis
– An overview of the Imperial Knights;
– An Imperial Knights army list, with an explanation of the Household keyword;
– 5 datasheets for Imperial Knights miniatures.

Adeptus Ministorum
– An overview of the Adeptus Ministorum and Sisters of Battle;
– An Adeptus Ministorum army list, with an explanation of the Order keyword and the Acts of Faith, Shield of Faith, and Zealot Abilities;
– 21 datasheets for Adeptus Ministorum and Sisters of Battle miniatures.

Adeptus Astra Telepathica
– An overview of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica;
– An Adeptus Astra Telepathica army list, with the Psykana psychic discipline;
– 3 datasheets for Adeptus Astra Telepathica miniatures.

Sisters of Silence
– An overview of the Sisters of Silence.
– A Sisters of Silence army list, with the Witch Hunters and Psychic Abomination Abilities;
– 4 datasheets for Adeptus Ministorum miniatures.

Officio Assassinorum
– An overview of the Officio Assassinorum and their 4 most famous Temples (Vindicare, Callidus, Culexus, Eversor);
– An Officio Assassinorum army list, with the Independent Operative and Lightning Reflexes Abilities;
– 4 datasheets for Officio Assassinorum miniatures.

The Inquisition
– An overview of The Inquisition and their 3 most infamous Ordos (Hereticus, Xenos, Malleus);
– An Inquisition army list, with the Telethesia psychic discipline, an explanation of the Ordo keyword and the Quarry Ability;
– 9 datasheets for Inquisition miniatures.

Adeptus Custodes
– An overview of the Adeptus Custodes;
– An Adeptus Custodes army list, with 3 datasheets for Adeptus Custodes miniatures.

Fortifications
– An overview of Fortifications in the 41st Millenium;
– 4 datasheets for using Fortifications in games of Warhammer 40,000.