Buckle up because it’s raining new 40k rules! A truckload of Genestealer Cult rumors have been spotted on the web and you do not want to miss these!
Spotted on the Genestealer Cult Discord Server from CaptainBetts, there are a Goliath-load of rumors to break down. From new unit stats to psychic powers and special rules, the Cults are looking to be a fast and furious faction!
Remember: Take everything you read with a grain of salt. These rumors look solid but we won’t know indefinitely until GW previews hit later on.
Cults Special Rules (Chapter Tactics)
- Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor: Subterranean Ambushers (Add +1 to advance or Charge rolls in the first battle round or turn they appear). -These guys will be designed perfectly for a heavy deepstriking army.
- Pauper Princes: Devoted Zealots (Re-roll hits for attacks made with melee weapons when they charge, are charged or Heroically intervene). -Rocksaw Acolytes, Aberrants, and Genestealers will reap the most benefit out of the Devoted Zealots rule.
- The Hivecult: Disciplined Militants (half models that flee morale, can shoot when they fall back but at -1 to hit) -These guys sound a little like the Ultramarines Chapter Tactic, more designed for shooty lists.
- The Bladed Cog: Cyborgised Hybrids (6++ or improve ++ by 1. Infantry don’t suffer a penalty to hit when moving and firing Heavy) – Can you smell 4++ Genestealers? This may entice enough people to get away from the Hive Fleet Kraken blobs!
- The Rusted Claw: Nomadic Survivalists (+1 to save if AP is 0 or -1. Biker models don’t suffer penalty for moving and shooting Heavy or for advancing and shooting Assault) -This is a “gimme” for Bikers. Not only do your units with the tactic get a better armor save, but all of your bikers ignore Heavy and the Assault penalty after advancing.
- The Twisted Helix: Experimental Subjects (+1 strength and +2 to advance) – The biggest bang for your buck out of this tactic might be running hordes of Genestealers. They can advance and charge already and adding another 2″ is a huge deal. Plus, if you pop off Might from Beyond you’ll have S6 Rending Claws.
Psychic Powers (New)
- Mass Hypnosis: CV 7- Looks like no changes from the original.
- Mind Control: CV7 (Old psychic power but cost looks to be going up by 1). – Enemy model within 12″ of psyker. Roll 3D6. If equal to or over Ld it can immediately shoot another enemy unit or make a single close combat attack against it. Can’t attack self but can attack its own unit.
- Psionic Blast: CV5 – Visible enemy unit within 18″. 2D6 vs Ld. Lower = 1 Mortal wound Equal or higher = D3 mortal wounds.
- Mental Onslaught: CV6 – Visible enemy within 18″. Both players roll D6 and add Ld. If you score higher, model suffers 1 MW. Repeat this process until the model is dead or you fail to wound it.
- Psychic Stimulus: CV6 – Friendly unit within 18″. Charge after advancing (though not after falling back) and always hit first even if they didn’t charge.
- Might From Beyond: CV7 – Friendly infantry or biker unit within 18″. +1 S and A until next psychic phase.
New Units, Points Costs & More
Atalan Bikers
- Bikes are T4 2Wwith an autopistol and blasting charges and are -1 to hit in shooting phase.
- bikes are 10pts base + weapons
- Quad is 15pts base + weapons
- Bikers have to take two weapons from the Atalan weapons list and can’t take same weapon twice (i.e two autpistols, two autoguns).
- Weapon Options for Atalan List: Autogun, autopistol, bolt pistol, cultist knife, demo charge, grenade launcher (1 in 4), shotgun, improvised weapon, power axe (leader only), power hammer (leader only), and power pick.
Achilles Ridgerunner
- Ridgerunner is M 14″ T5 W8 Sv 4+
- 50pts base default cost. Heavy Mortar 25pts + flares 5pts. Rumors are pointing to around 80pts total.
- We’ve actually seen a preview from GW on the Achilles Ridgerunner which you can check out now. Bottom line, it’s a very fast scouting vehicle that can even buff your Bikers.
Locus
Looking at the Locus, he is THE bodyguard unit for your other characters.
- Elite slot at 40pts.
- BS 2+ WS 2+ S4 T3 W4 A4 sv 5+ Invuln 5++
- Hypermorph tail (AP-1 D1 additional attack) and locus blades (Ap -3 D1 increase to D2 if it charged, was charged or performed Heroic Intervention).
- He can absorb a wound for a character on a 2+ and subtracts enemy Ld by 1 within 6″.
- He can also Heroic Intervene for 6″ and can choose to move towards nearest enemy character rather than the nearest enemy model, and always fights first.
at 40pts, this dude hits like an autocannon and always fights first. This is a real threat for things like smash captains ans other Close combat staples. He is the glass cannon that nobody focuses on until it’s too late.
Jackal Alphus
The Alphus is 5W T4 5+ with -1 to hit in the shooting phase like her biker counterparts.
- She has a 36″ heavy 1 S4 AP-2 D3 sniper rifle with additional Mortal Wound on 6+ to wound.
- She has a special rule where she selects a visible unit within 36″ and lets Friendly Cult units within 6″ (12″ for bikers) Add +1 to hit rolls against the target.
NOTE: There’s a weapon called the Sanctus Sniper rifle that causes a Perils of the Warp against Psykers. -We aren’t sure if this is a relic for the Alphus or just a normal weapon option.
Nexos
- The Nexos lets you select an ambush token you’ve deployed and move it anywhere in your deployment zone (12″ away from enemy models).
- Roll a D6 when a CP is spent. If you spent it and there’s a Primus and Nexos on the board, add 1 to the roll. If your opponent spent it and there’s a Clamavus and Nexos on the board, add 1 to the roll. (You’ll be able to regen any CPs on a 5+ with a Primus, Clamavus, and Nexos on the board.
Tectonic Fragdrill
As for the drill, it can be used to re-deploy things into deepstrike.
- Once per turn, a friendly unit with the Cult Ambush rule can move within 1″ of the drill and be removed from the board.
- They can come in the next turn via normal deepstrike rules (so 9″ away).
- Roll a D6 for each unit under the drill within 3″ and on a 6+ takes D6 mortal wounds.
- Then roll a D6 again, adding 1 for every time the drill has been activated during the battle.
- Less than a 6+ = Seismic Tremors (subtract 2″ from charge rolls made within 12″ of the model. Doesn’t affect Fly. Not cumulative)
- 6+ = Seismic Quake (straight imaginary line 1mm in thickness from one battlefield edge to another that crosses the model. D6 mortal wounds to the unit that the line crosses on the ground.
Stratagem Rumors
We’ve seen a nice preview of a handful of the Cults stratagems coming in their codex already. However, there are more certainly on the way.
- (Name unknown) 1CP: Make your objectives secret and aren’t revealed until you score them.
Miscellaneous Points Rumors
- Heavy improvised weapon: 10pts.
- Heavy power hammer: 16pts.
- Heavy rock drill: 17pts.
- Power hammer: 4pts.
- Power pick: 9pts.
- Power sledgehammer: 0pts.
- Power axe: 5pts.
- Power maul: 4pts.
- Acolytes: 7pts ea. (5-20). (These guys are still going to be very good in the codex).
- Basic infantry squad 4pts ea.
- Neophytes 5pts ea. (10-20)
Remember that these are still rumors until proven otherwise. However, if these rumors turn out to be true, it looks like the Cult will have their speed handed back to them in a brand new way. This army is going to play, unlike any other faction we’ve seen on the tabletop in 8th.
What do you think about these rumors? Which unit is going to be the meta-shaker? Which Cult rule fits your playstyle the best? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
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Joined: 2018
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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.
