Don’t miss all the new Genestealer 40k Cults & Proficient Planning rules for the updated Genestealer Cults Warhammer 40k codex.
With the Genestealer Cults Codex in hobbyists’ hands and rules previews aplenty from Games Workshop, we can get a better picture of what all the new rules are looking like for the devotees of the four-armed Emperor.
These unique faction rules are collected from all the following reviews on YouTube, and Warhammer Community alike, so be sure to watch your favorite presenters talk about their take on the book at the links below!
- Bell of Lost Souls
- Sprues & Brews
- SkaredCast
- StrikingScorpion82
- Guerrilla Miniature Games
- Tabletop Tactics
If you are curious about the recent Custodes vs GSC Army box itself, you can check the contents and values here.
New Genestealer Cults Rules
Cults, if you didn’t know, function very similarly to sub-factions, meaning your detachments will align themselves with one of the cults and gain exclusive benefits that are tied to it!
Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor seems to be mostly concerned with melee prowess and a hint of battlefield control/strategic play. Rerollable charge is great for melee units and getting automatic light cover if further than 12″ is pretty good as well! These combine for a game plan that is sure to net value every round of the game by saving wounds you wouldn’t have and getting into combat when you might have failed the charge otherwise.
The Warlord trait Inscrutable Cunning also looks super strong by giving you a 1cp discount on any Strategic Ploy or Battle Tactic Stratagem. This is only once per round and can only affect the same stratagem once per game. Still, an extra potential 5cp for free is always good.
The Hivecult seems to go in another direction with a heavy emphasis on range and additional movement. Being able to shoot at -1 to hit after falling back is still great. being able to perform actions after falling back or advancing is also great, especially since they can shoot without failing actions!
The Bladed Cog actually has 3 benefits to their creed bonus. All models gain a 6+ Invulnerable, they can each reroll one wound roll, and they get +3″ range on their ranged weapons. This all makes for a pretty decent ranged skirmisher cult.
The Warlord Trait is ok allowing you to target an enemy unit at the start and CORE around this warlord gets full wound re-rolls. Which makes this a great option for lists that run a single large unit like Jump Pack Vets or the like.
The Pauper Princes creed gives the list access to +1 to hit after charging or being charged and can ignore all attrition role modifiers. The +1 to hit is nice, but the ignoring attrition modifiers seem pretty lackluster.
The Relic gives an aura giving all core units around it a 5+ invulnerable, which is actually super good!
The Twisted Helix creed give the units +1 Strength, +1″ Movement, and 1 and 2s to wound auto fail against friendly units regardless of modifiers. All three of these look great! They are all small boosts, but they are certainly welcome ones.
As for the other options, the relic seems good, gaining an extra Genomic Enhancement for some sweet bonuses.
New Genestealer Custom Cults
Genestealer Cult players can also create their own Cults by using this sort of “point buy” system. Essentially you can make a combination of traits totaling 4 points.
Get The New Sci-Fi Ruler Miniature!
On the first page here, Impassioned (+1 to hit on charges), Hunter’s Instincts (re-roll charges), and Agile Guerrillas (units count as being stationary after a turn that they move or advance) seem to be the best options, however, all of them are definitely playable.
As for the second page, Accustomed to Toil (Unmodified wound rolls of 1 and 2 always fail against friendly units), Synaptic Resonance (Psychic test rolls of 1 and 2 can be re-rolled), and Cold-Eyed Killers (Unmodified wound rolls of 6 and melee attack get an additional AP) all seem great and even better they all cost 1, meaning you can take them all and even one more!
New Genestealer Proficient Planning
Being able to upgrade a model and making them even more toolbox-y fitting whatever you need out of them is huge and the extra customization helps each new list really feel like your own.
Out of all of these 3 seem likely to be popular choices: They Came From Below, From Every Angle, and A Trap Sprung.
They Came From Below allows you to reveal a (non-vehicle) unit at an ambush marker and immediately make a move! YOu have to be more than 9″ away from enemies, but it’s still a fantastic surprise attack and movement ability all in one.
From Every Angle essentially allows you to deep strike units in from reserves as if it was one turn earlier, giving you much higher alpha strike potential than most opponents could anticipate.
Finally A Trap Sprung gives the unit an extra charge die the turn it comes onto the battlefield after being underground, once again living up to the alpha strike expectation of GSC!
Here’s all the latest on the Genestealer Cults 9th Edition rules updates and points changes for Warhammer 40k
Click Here for all the Newest GW Model Previews
What are your thoughts on all these new Genestealer 40k Cults Rules & Proficient Planning? Which is your favorite new option?
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About the Author: Andrew Schrank
