GW is upping their White Dwarf game with new Warhammer 40k and Xenos Kill Team rules headed our way in the newly revamped January issue!
Games Workshop dropped a preview of their next White Dwarf that showcasing a Crimson Fists Index Astartes feature and Kroot Kill Team rules as well.
White Dwarf looks to be changing for the better as new rules for the Kroot Kill Team, and the reboot of the 2000’s era Index Astartes article series, are here. The first IA feature looks to be on Crimson Fists, with the video teasers showing what looks to be new rules as well as paint schemes, fluff and more!
After looking at the video, we dug in and tried to get a few shots of the details. However, it looks like they’re too blurry to make out exactly what’s on the pages.
Index Astartes: Crimson Fists
If you have never heard of the Index Astartes Series before, it’s actually far from new. Back in the day, GW would publish (in the White Dwarf) a mostly fluff article featuring certain Legions/Chapters of Space Marines that helped cement the background for them that eventually lead into the release of the Horus Hersey Novels starting in 2006.
Some, like the Iron hands, Iron Warriors.. etc. even got a free set of rules as well.
The four tomes of Warhammer 40k knowledge all penned The Index Astartes. were collected and reprinted in the late 2000s over four codex-sized books that contained all the previous White Dwarf articles. They’ve become increasingly rare to find.
The fluff contained in these books is pretty much what we have to go on for the chapters besides of course what created/ re-mentioned in the last several Space Marine codices, the older rougher second edition books, and of course, the Horus Heresy novels post-2006.
But some things have been severely retconned since as well.
Keep in mind that the Index Astartes isn’t even close to the same as the Codex Astartes. The Codex Astartes is a written code by Robbie G (Primarch of the Ultramarines) on how Chapters should do combat and conduct rule-of-law in their ranks.
Speaking of the Index Astates, in the present, let’s take a look at what other features will be included in 2019.
This IS in a White Dwarf after all. It wouldn’t be complete without painting guides on the featured Chapter!
It also looks like they’ll be getting a page or two of useful in-game stuff (Like maybe a relic Power Fist?). Obviously, we’re guessing that these three Stratagems and two relics are all new. However, we can’t say for sure because of how blurry everything is.
One thing is for sure. It’s exciting to see new rules and features in the White Dwarf again.
Kroot Kill Team Spotted
Crimson Fists aren’t the only new thing spotted in the new White Dwarf. In the video, you can almost make out without pausing the video, new Kroot Mercenary rules for Kill Team:
Just like the Crimson Fists in the book, things are just a little too blurry to make out exactly what they say. However, the last Stratagem on the bottom right is definitely for some kind of Kroot Hound getting to pick the highest injury roll result.
And last but not least, there were a few stat-lines for the Kill Team models themselves. (Kroot Carnivore, Kroot Hound, Krootox Rider).
All in all, it makes sense that Kroot would pop up in Kill Team. They are a primitive race that still goes on hunting parties and could easily have some skilled sharpshooters in their bunch.
It’s cool to see the Index Astartes series returning and even if they print features on the chapters besides the 8 main loyal ones (that have codex books) they will have more than enough content to last into 2020 and beyond!
What do you think White Dwarf previews? What Chapter would you like to see get re-vamped next? Will you be starting a Kroot Kill Team? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
