Don’t miss the latest on all the new rules for Warhammer 40k Space Marines and Kroot Kill Teams from the first White Dwarf of 2019!
Starting in January 2019, GW has started to throw rules and stats into the White Dwarf magazine presumably to help sell the magazine. However, since it seems like whichever hobbyist gets theirs first is always going to post the relevant information on the net for all to see.
That being said we went back and round up all the non-photato camera images of the new rules for the Crimson Fists, and Kroot Kill Team that were spotted earlier, and put them into one complete post.
Check out the new rules content from January’s edition:
Index Astartes: Crimson Fists
- New Chapter Tactics: +1 to hit against units with more models than your attacking unit
- Warlord Traits: Tenacious Opponent: Same as Codex
- Refuse to Die: Get back up on a 4+ with d3 wounds the first time you die
- Stoic Defender: All Infantry, Bikers, and Dreadnoughts gain Defenders of Humanity If they are within 6″ of the Warlord. If they already had it, they count as 2 models per 1 model.
Stratagems:
- Bolter Drill: Same as Codex. Goes well with their new Chapter Tactic.
- A Hated Foe: Target Unit rerolls all wounds against Ork units.
- Slay the Tyrant: Target Unit adds +1 to hit against Characters
Relics:
- Fist of Vengeance: Same as Codex
- Duty’s Burden: Replaces Bolt Rifle 36″, RF 2, Str 5, AP-2, D2
New rules aside 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 Heresy 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.
Now, let’s take a look at who is coming to Kill Team!
Kroot Kill Team rules & Stratagems
The Kroot still have their Tau Empire keyword and are going to have three units to pick from. The Krootox Rider may be a real problem to deal with for some Kill Teams as it’s fast, it’s T5, and comes with a hefty four wounds. You could barrel one of these Riders into a group of models just to keep them tied up while the rest of your team moves into a better position.
The Kroot Rifle is essentially your standard Boltgun with a +1 Strength bonus in close combat. The Kroot Gun, however, is very solid with two shots in 24″ at S7 -1AP D3 damage.
Kroot are known primal hunters and their Stratagems definitely reflect it. The Kroot aren’t afraid to get down and dirty when it comes to killing their prey. Tearing Claws, for example, let’s you roll 2d6 and pick the highest result for your injury roll when a Kroot Hound wounds a model.
Of course, just like any Kill Team, you have the option of giving them all unique names and their own upbringings. This stuff doesn’t really affect in-game play. However, it’s another great avenue for Kroot enthusiasts to go down.
Tome Celestial: Hammerhands
Also found in the January White Dwarf, something called the Tome Celestial is coming next month. By going off our initial thoughts, this MIGHT be an Index: Astartes-type series for AoS factions.
This little snippet seems to suggest rules coming for more 40k factions as well as AoS armies in the White Dwarf as well as 40k.
But, what does that mean? It means the White Dwarf team is sitting, once more, in the middle of the Design studio. They are surrounded by everything that is going on with Warhammer and the pages of White Dwarf will soon be filled with content you would usually expect to see in the General’s Handbook, Chapter Approved, Codexes, or Battletomes. These are exciting times for the magazine.
How do you feel about GW putting rules in White Dwarf? Which rules are you most excited for? 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.
