Atalan Jackal

BMX 40,000

Atalan Jackals is a name given to any Genestealer Hybrids that is capable of driving and going fast. They specialize in riding rapid-assault bikes and quads to battle, dealing devastating hit-and-run tactics. They act as the eyes and ears of Genestealer Cult forces, and may be led by a Jackal Alphus.

These outriders are swift and skilled at evading enemy fire as they speed around the battlefield. The Wolfquads also offer the Jackal packs some handy fire support with a heavy weapon mount.

Overview

Like many of the Genestealer Cult's activities, Atalan Jackals operate under a shield of legitimacy. Under the guise of scouts using industrial machinery to search out new seams and quarries, Jackals scout for their Cult and track out new territory with little notice. Even so, cultists always cover their tracks and Jackals live a nomadic lifestyle that sees them only return to their brood lairs when they have something of importance to report.

They are so named the Atalan because they ride a variety of rugged Atalan-class exploratory machines, of which the most common are Dirtcycles and four-wheeled Wolfquads. As STC templates, just about every Imperial planet short of a Feral World would be expected to have a bunch of them lying around for use- they're built to last for decades or even centuries in almost any conceivable situation, are cheap to manufacture, and easily repaired, making them the lasgun of civilian industrial vehicles.

Tabletop

Being the 'biker' units of the Genestealer Cults, the Atalan Jackals have a movement of 14" and can be setup “Underground” during deployment which makes them ridiculously mobile in an already mobile army. They are also surprisingly sturdy and tough for a 'fast-attack unit', as they have the toughness of 4 with 2 wounds each (oh and the Wolfquad has 4 wounds). And just to increase that survivability a little bit more they also have Skilled Outriders ability, which subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks that target this unit in the Shooting Phase. Also they make good tank/superheavy hunters. Give them demolition charges take them as a rusted claw cult and for merely 4CP you can place them in 3" of your target (LYING IN WAIT), throw all their charges with EXTRA EXPLOSIVES, and improve your chances with DRIVE-BY DEMOLITIONS, then flee 14". Even with 4 bikers this is 4d6 shots (8S -3AP d6D) that hit on 3+ and wound on 3+/2+ depending on the target.