Don’t miss everything we know so far about new Deathwatch 40k rules that my be hitting the scene as early as THIS week!
This next White Dwarf that’s about to drop is going to be a big one. It might have been assumed that it wasn’t going to hit our doorsteps for a while, as GW closed down their warehouse indefinitely. Not it looks like we may see rules as early as this week!
Here’s the latest on everything you need to know about GW’s monthly subscription magazine.
New 40k Deathwatch Rules Coming This Week: White Dwarf Latest
White Dwarf 453 is the next magazine to drop in the sequence. But this isn’t just any typical White Dwarf release. This is looking to be one of the biggest magazines from GW yet at 160 pages.
According to Warhammer Community:
The release date is Saturday the 2nd of May – you’ll find it on shelves of any open stockists from this date, or soon after once they re-open.
The digital edition will be also available to download on the 2nd of May.
Many subscribers will still get their copies at the usual time – around the middle of April – though they will probably arrive nearer to the end of April in some places, so don’t worry too much if it doesn’t show up on time.
We’re not taking new subscriptions just now – we’ll let you know when that changes.
So despite GW stopping their shipments from the warehouse, it looks like the White Dwarf is going to be getting around all that. With that said, it’s only the case for pre-existing subscribers, they are not taking any new ones on at the moment.
What Are The Highlights Inside White Dwarf?
What’s probably the biggest appeal to the next White Dwarf is that it’s containing all the new rules for Deathwatch in Psychic Awakening. These guys are the first faction not to get a full hardback book release in the Psychic Awakening series so it’ll be interesting to see just how big their rules support is.
We do know from some earlier rules coverage that they’re getting generic Marine Stratagem/Chaplain support so far.
Harlequins WILL NOT Be In This Issue
Deathwatch and Harlequins are both getting their Psychic Awakening support inside White Dwarf. However, they’re not sharing this book. Issue 453 is only focused on Deathwatch. Meanwhile, Harlequins will be pulling up the rear with the rules in one of the issues after.
Two factions – the Deathwatch and the Harlequins – aren’t in the books, but remain forces to be reckoned with. As such, they’re getting new rules like everyone else, but in their case across two issues of White Dwarf. First up are the xenos-hunting Space Marines of the Deathwatch, coming your way in White Dwarf 453.
GW Reveals New Deathwatch Psychic Awakening Rules LATEST
So what rules will we see? well looks like a slew of Codex Space Marine ports, and a few new ones added just for the Deathwatch!
Warhammer Community revealed some new Deathwatch rules that are just ahead. Sit back and jump right in as we go over what these elite Astartes will be bringing to the table.
This update brings the Deathwatch in line with the rest of their Adeptus Astartes brothers. They gain the Angels of Death suite of abilities, including Shock Assault, Bolter Discipline and Combat Doctrines.
Giving the Deathwatch all the fancy bells and whistles other Astartes have on top of their insanely powerful special ammunition is huge. We don’t have any details on their specific doctrine bonus. But oh man, it all just sounds really strong already.
Don’t forget currently per the Deathwatch FAQ you can’t get the best of both worlds with Bolter Discipline:
New Stratagems Coming to the Watch
Surprisingly enough, GW actually revealed a bunch of Stratagems the faction are getting in this teaser. So far, there’s:
Duty Eternal, for example, allows your Dreadnoughts to stride through hails of enemy fire virtually unscathed, while Veteran Fury gives Terminators +1 to hit on all attacks for an entire phase.
Editor’s note: this is the pre-FAQ version of this strat.
Duty Eternal is looking pretty standard issue. Definitely useful if it’s the old version but we doubt it.
Another dope stratagem to look at is Veteran Fury. What makes this pretty potent is that it’s only 1CP and you can use it in any phase. Have those storm bolters with special ammo hit on a 2+ and pop the strat again in close combat for ignore the negative to hit with power fists.
Intercessors are getting the bolt rifle support package as well. When you start thinking about what kind of ammo you can combine with these, things really get disgusting. Why not pop Boltstorm to auto-hit everything using ammo that always wounds on a 2+ (hellfire rounds)?
Now think about all the -AP/range shenanigans for Vengeance and Kraken rounds combined with the Target Sighted strat. Gross.
This is just a taster of the 14 Stratagems that will give your Deathwatch a plethora of additional tactical options. Many of them can be further enhanced by the six new Litanies of Battle that Deathwatch Chaplains will have access to. Your close-range bolt rifle volleys will benefit from the +1 to wound that Catechism of Fire provides, or +1 to hit from the Recitation of Focus, while other litanies will allow more reliable charges, enhanced melee ability or even the ability to shrug off mortal wounds.
The Deathwatch are also getting the Chaplain litany package. Of the ones previewed, they’re fantastic with Intercessor gunlines making special ammunition bolter spam all the more appealing.
Intercessor Sergeants Get More Wargear Options
Another sweet little tidbit of information that GW gave us is that Intercessor Sergeants will be more flexible from now on.
…the update gives Deathwatch Intercessor Sergeants new weapons options, including hand flamers, power fists and thunder hammers, providing you with loads of new tools to use in purging the xenos from the Imperium!
Overall, it seems like Deathwatch have mainly been “caught up” with all the other Astartes. But on that note, thanks to special ammunition, they’ll be able to really excel past other Chapters in the shooting phase.
It’s exciting to see that even in the middle of a pandemic-forced lockdown, we’re going to be getting new rules added to the game. If you’re lucky enough to have your own table and enough models, you may even be able to test their power level before we can all meet up and play again.
So with all of this finally covered, what do you think the Deathwatch’s rules will look like? What’s something that the faction desperately needs?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
