The Imperial Agents Faction Focus is finally here, but is it too late with all datasheets out there already? Let’s see what GW has for us today!
Reecius from the SoCal Open was more than happy to give a breakdown about how the Imperial Agents will play in the upcoming update. Let’s take a look at a couple key points from his article on Warhammer Community.
Previously, these factions ranged in efficancy on the tabletop and some of them were very rarely seen, such as Adepta Sororitas – apart from Celestine had a surge in popularity recently. The Inquisition was a bit of a mixed bag, with Coteaz making or a solo Inquisitor with Servo Skulls making occasional visits to the battlefield, but not much more. However, that is all about to change.
The Officio Assassinorum particularly have had quite a ramp up. They all come in at very reasonable points costs for matched play and have interesting and fun abilities. The Vindicare is a truly deadly sniper with his ability to ignore cover and invulnerable saves on a gun that is AP -3 and always wounds Infantry on a 2+ with D3 damage (or D6 on a 6 to wound!). However, the award for most improved goes to the Eversor, who’s always been my favourite of the Assassins. He now can appear from reserves anywhere on the table more than 9″ away from enemy models but charges 3D6″. When combined with Command Points, he has a very high likelihood of making a charge from reserves and when he arrives, and in melee he packs a wallop!
This Vindicare is almost going to be a must to have on the tabletop. It is a huge advantage to have a sniper that ignores cover and invulnerable saves. This all comes with a gun that is AP-3, always wounds infantry on a 2+, and does D3 damage, or D6 if you roll a 6 to wound.
The most exciting part of this article though, I have saved for last. The Adepta Sororitas are absolutely fantastic in the new version of Warhammer 40,000.
They now boast some powerful tools such as their Iconic rule, Acts of Faith which triggers on a 2+ roll at the beginning of your turn. If you pass, one of your units gets to use an Act of Faith which ranges from a free move, free shooting phase, free round of melee, or the regeneration of D3 wounds for a previously slain model in a unit. This gives you a huge amount of efficiency and flexibility from your units. They all have the very good Shield of Faith rule which not only gives you a 6+ invulnerable save but allows a limited version of Deny the Witch to every unit with it.
That said, a single Act of Faith would seem a bit limiting, right? Well fret not, you can get as many as you want. Celestine grants an automatic Act of Faith to a unit within 6″. Imagifiers also grant you an additional Act of Faith to a unit within 6″ on a 4+. This gives you a scalable strategy to get the most out of your very awesome special rules.
Act of Faith is one of those abilities that is going to come in clutch for Adepta Sororitas players. Celestine automatically grants Act of Faith to a unit within 6″, while Imagifiers lets you grant an additional Act of Faith to a unit within 6″ on a 4+.
This could result in anything from a free move, free round of melee, or D3 health regen for a previously slain unit.
Speaking of Celestine, she is absolutely incredible. She boosts the Shield of Faith save of nearby Adepta Sororitas units by 1 (typically to a 5+ invulnerable save). Combine this with the Seraphim Squad’s Angelic Visage special rule to re-roll their Shield of Faith save and you have some tough cookies! Celestine also comes with regenerating bodyguards, the Geminae Superia and if that were not enough, once per game after being slain, she can come back with full health on a 2+ roll. She is a phenomenal character and will be seen in nearly every Adepta Sororitas collection.
Celestine’s Shield of Faith ability is giving nearby Adepta Soroitas units a +1 to their save rolls. She also comes with bodyguards that come back from the regenerate health, and come back from the dead once per game on a 2+.
Adepta Sororitas also benefit from some powerful vehicles. The Immolator especially is incredible. It not only transports 6 models but also packs a mean weapon, the immolation flamer, which has the standard flamer style rule with auto-hits, with 2D6 Strength 5, AP -1 shots with a 12″ range. But, even better, it is an Assault weapon, meaning the vehicle can advance and still fire! That is truly powerful in the new Warhammer 40,000. Combine this with a Dominion Squad with 4 meltaguns and you have a potent combination of anti infantry and anti tank/monster firepower.
The Penitent Engine is another potent vehicle dramatically improved from previous versions. They are improved on a basic level due to the changes to how vehicles work, and they are no longer in danger of getting taken out from a single shot in most cases. Defence aside, they really shine in the offence department. With 2 heavy flamers, they can plow through units and have excellent overwatch capabilities. In melee, they get 4 Attacks at Strength 10, AP -3 dealing 3 Damage each. But where it really gets crazy is when they pile in and attack again in combat on a 4+! Save a Command Point re-roll for this bad boy and watch this unit tear enemy units to shreds.
The new Imperial agents are coming out looking really good from what Reecius just told us. Celestine and her bodyguards almost seem like a no brainer with a couple snipers thrown in.
What are your thoughts? Are you a Imperial Agents fan? Did this just give the hype train for your faction a little kick in the pants for you?
P.S. If you haven’t singed up for the SoCal Open Gaming Convention yet, perhaps you should?
