Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Genestealer Cults

Everyone's favorite gribbly army is back on the tabletop! After getting hints of a codex in Deathwatch: Overkill, the full codex is finally here. They seem to have upgraded their iconic limos to more practical infantry fighting vehicles, though. Sadface.

Why Play Genestealer Cults?

• Because you've got the models from the late '80s and have long been itching to use them again!
• Because you finally have a workable ally force with Tyranids.
• Tyranids in Tanks.
• You want to troll your opponent by playing peekaboo with your infantry units.
• The army list can be fielded with a mostly Human appearance, you don't even need three or four armed xenos monstrosities anywhere to actually play with them. Just proxy your guard army as Neophyte Hybrids. They'll never know!
• Tyranids in Tanks.
• You have a lot of money to spare - it costs £25/$40/€33 for an unupgraded 50 point troops unit. Remember, you only have two kidneys.

Special Rules

• Cult Ambush: When a unit Infiltrates or arrives from reserves (or ongoing Reserves) you can "Ambush" rather than appear on the table normally. This means roll a dice and see what happens:

1. Cult Reinforcements: Unit shows up from your table edge as normal. Possibly the worst result unless you planned to move them to the backfield anyway.
2. Encircling the Foe: Unit Outflanks, appearing from a random side edge.
3. Lying in Wait: Place the unit anywhere on the table more than 9" away from an enemy, or 6" if that unit can't see you.
4. A Perfect Ambush: Place the unit anywhere on the table more than 6" away from an enemy. Full Stop.
5. A Deadly Trap: Same as above, but your unit may immediately make an out of turn shooting attack with the pinning rule. If they have no guns, they get a free run move.
6. They Came From Below: Place the unit anywhere more than 3" away from an enemy, you may charge the turn you arrive.

• Return to Shadows: Your infantry units gain the ability to be removed from the table and be placed into Ongoing Reserves, if not within 6" of an enemy model. This, coupled with Cult Ambush means you can utterly mess with your army be redeploying everything when he thinks he's got you outmanoeuvred. Your opponent will be raging when he thinks he's got you cornered when you just NOPE out of a bind.
  • However, do note that you will enter Ongoing Reserves in your movement phase to come back on the following turn, so you will forgo a shooting and assault phase.

Broodmind Psychic Discipline

• Primaris: Mass Hypnosis: Malediction that causes a chosen unit within 24" to drop it's WS, BS, I & A by -1.

1. Psychic Stimulus: Blessing that grants the unit Fleet and Relentless, also allows them to charge after running.
2. Psionic Blast: Witchfire, 24" S5 AP3 Assault 1, Blast
3. Might From Beyond: Blessing, a target unit within 24" gains S+1 and Rage
4. Mental Onslaught: Focused Witchfire, compare Ld values and add D6. On a draw, the target suffers -3 Initiative for a turn. If the psyker wins, the target takes the difference in wounds.
5. Mind Control: Malediction. Choose a single non-vehicle model and make a shooting attack as if it were yours. See that Stormsurge over there with all of those one-shot missiles? The one with all of those deadly weapons? Yeah, it's yours for a turn.
6. Telepathic Summons: Conjuration, WC 2/3. Choose 2 or 3, create a single unit . If you expend 2WC = 5 Acolyte or 5 Metamorphs or 10 Neophyte, 3WC and it's 10 Acolyte or 10 Metamorphs or 20 Neophyte or 4 aberants or 8 genestealer, these model can be equipped with ANY UPGRADES list on their data sheet as per the summoning rules.

Wargear

Melee

• Rending Claws: start here, most of your units get them. S:user, AP5, Rending. They only count as one weapon no matter how many arms your model has. But thankfully in most cases you can fill those extra hands with other weapons to gain your bonus +1 attack.
• Scything Talons: These are mostly just to give your Purestrain Genestealers an extra Attack. Upgrade half the unit and let the cheaper models take the brunt of the enemy shooting, while the heavy hitters bring up the rear.
• Bonesword: Str User, AP3, rolls of 6 to wound are instant death. Good against MEQ Multiwound models.
  • Lashwhip & Bonesword: same as above, but also add +3 to Initiative for the added whip. Still counts as one weapon despite being a pair.
• Metamorph Weapons: available to your Metamorph Hybrids. All are S:user, AP5, but each version comes with specific rules. Note that the rules say "A model equipped with...", so you can still use your Rending Claws to Attack with these benefits.
  • Claw: gain +2 Strength.
  • Talon: gain +1 WS, but increases to +2 WS if you have a pair.
  • Whip: a lash whip without the Bonesword, gives you +3 Initiative.
• Power Pick: +2 Str, AP3, unwieldy. This is not a specialist weapon, so it grants +1 attack when stacked with the abberant's rending claws (2 combat weapons)
• Power Maul: S+2 AP4 and Concussive. Useful against Imperial Guard, Eldar of all kinds, Orks, Necrons, and Daemons since all Daemons have are invulns and S6 can even harm the tough GD if you can survive against them.
• Power Hammer: Almost a Thunder Hammer, but not quite. It still strikes last, but still causes concussion. It doesn't double the users strength but adds +3, which on Aberrants is still S8, so it might as well be a Thunder Hammer, however it is a Two-Handed weapon, so there is no way to ensure you get the extra close combat attack.
• Heavy Rock Saw Str x2, AP2, Two-handed, Unwieldy, Armourbane
• Heavy Rock Cutter:Str x2, AP2Two-handed, Unwieldy, Snip. If you take a wound and somehow the model survives it, then pass a toughness test or be removed from play. Gives you a lucky chance to get rid of those Eternal Warriors or high toughness Monstrous Creatures. Though bear in mind harder opponents are more likely to pass the test.
• Heavy Rock Drill: Str x2, AP2, Two-handed, Unwieldy, Pulverise. Instead of attacking normally, you can instead make a single attack at S10 AP1. Good if you don't get the charge or against those wraithknights or Land Raiders where S8 might not cut it, though if you're targeting vehicles with an AV of 12 or less, the extra attacks will serve you better.

Ranged

• Autoguns: Crappy on their own, bog standard weapon. S3 AP- weapons.
• Demolition Charge: Oh boy, S8 AP2 Assault 1 Large Blast, One Use Only with 8" range. Often used as a last ditch attempt to finish off vehicles or go Jihad on a unit of Terminators since you're likely to blow your own squad up using this too. As risky as it is in the Astra Militarum codex; one unlucky roll and you could see your own squad removed from the table.
• Shotgun: S3 AP- Assault 2 12". This is my boomstick.
• Hand Flamer: Interesting tool from the Sisters of Battle and Blood Angels Codices. Gives +1 attack and is a shittier flamer, but it still makes hordes cry.
• Webber

Heavy Mining Weapons

Considering the sheer volume of firepower a Neophyte squad can put out with two specials, a weapon team or two of these; it is tempting to make yourself a micro-Devastator squad. Just remember that while you can freely escape the table in sticky situations; moving around or ambushing will cause you to snap fire, and Neophytes don't really have the staying power to weather standing around for a turn.

• Mining Laser: A lascannon with half the range for ten points less than a lascannon.
• Seismic Cannon Up to 12 inchs its a 2 shot missile launcher, at 12-24, its a 4 shot heavy bolter. oh yes its also got ap 1 rending. fucking ACE.
• Heavy Stubber: S4 AP6 Heavy 3 36", what this has to do with mining, nobody knows. Maybe the Imperium has so many bullets they just shoot rocks out of the ground?

Heavy Weapons

• Mortar:
• Heavy Bolter:
• Autocannon:
• Missile Launcher: Good old faithful, particular if you don't know what you're fighting against. Also with Flakk missiles will be your army's primary source of Anti-Air defense short of using fortifications.
• Lascannon: One lascannon? For 5 points less you can get two shorter ranged ones. Of course range becomes relevant if you have no intention of hopping in and out of reserves, so you can set it up and hopefully leave it where it is. But perhaps best to leave this attached to vehicles for now.

Special Issue

Genestealer Familiar:+ 2 attacks, at str 4 with rending. all charicter can take up to two. Fucking. Tasty.

Sacred Relics of the Cult

• Icon of the Cult Ascendant: Friendly Genestealer Cult units within 12" get Furious Charge and can re-roll failed Morale, Pinning and Fear tests. In addition, models in the same unit gain +1 to combat resolution as Standard (pun intended)
• Dagger of Swift Sacrifice: trade in all attacks for one S:User, AP-, Instant Death, Poisoned (2+)
• Scourgee of Distant Stars: The bearer of thjs relic can force his opponent in a challenge to take a toughness test. If the opponent fails, he takes a Wound with no saves allowed and gets his Attacks and Initiative characteristics reduced by 1 until the end of the Fight subphase
• Staff of the Subterranean Master: Range 18", S2 AP-, Assault 10, Ignores Cover, Rending. Good against T3 models with a good armour save, otherwise its mediocre to decent depending on situation.
• Sword of the Void's Eye: S+1, AP3 melee weapon that rerolls failed To-Hit and To-Wound rolls of 1, also causes instant death on a wound roll of 6.
• The Crouchling a unique Genestealer familiar that allows you to generate you an additional psychic power without increasing your mastery level. It also has teeth and claws like a regular familiar. Considering how good the powers are, this is a good take.

Unit Analysis

HQ

• Patriarch: Just under 100 points for ML1 Super-Genestealer with access to Biomancy, Telepathy and Broodmind, he also makes cult units within 12" Fealess. But, mind games aren’t the Patriarch’s only hobby. He also enjoys ripping out 4 S6 attacks with Rending, Shred, and AP3, and can buy familiars to add even more S4 attacks to the pile. A pretty fun guy, for a ‘nid. Ultimately, the Patriarch's combination of psychic powers, beastly stats, with invisibility on he can go toe to toe with most characters, specially since he will beat them to the punch unless they are daemon princes or Jain Zar.

• Magus: 40 points for a ML1 psyker with access to Biomancy, Telepathy and Broodmind, as well as a whole bunch of special rules. He can be upgraded to ML2 and you should most definitely do this.

• Primus: Cheap and cheerful. same str 4 T3, but with the ablity to join non-genestealer units.

Troops

• Acolyte Hybrids 1st & 2nd generation hybrids. Come with Rending Claws as standards, but also Autopistols and Close combat weapons, so you get a mini-Genestealer with a ranged attack.

• Neophyte Hybrids: AKA generic Cultists for the price of Guardsmen. These are absolutely GEQs with the same profiles and many of the same options. Your Autoguns can be swapped for Shotguns/Lasguns for free, so take shotguns when you need these guys in melee combat when your formations start layering rules over them. However just like Imperial Guard, two guys can form a heavy weapons team and have access to the usual suspects. Two guys can also take a special weapon, such as a flamer, grenade launcher or the new Webber. Apparently, in place of a Heavy Weapons Team, two guys can take mining weapons, such as the Mining Laser or Seismic Cannon, so giving up long range for additional mid/close ranged potential which is more appropriate alongside shotguns/lasguns. So in all your basic squad can really bring the ranged pain.

Dedicated Transports

• Genestealer Chimera: What's not to love about one of the most versatile MEHTAL BAWKSES in the 41st Millennium? And unlike the rock grinders, in its profile it doesn't explicitly say it can't take Genestealers either. Load up your four-armed gribblies and go forth.

Elites

• Purestrain Genestealers: They're not your normal Genestealers, these guys aren't shat out from Tyranid Hive fleets so they aren't as mutable as their Hive Mind cousins. But here they have 3 attacks base and a 5+ Invulnerable save, which is exactly what Genestealers needed, no joke. What's not to love? Lots of S4 AP5 Rending attacks at high initiative.

• Aberrant Hybrids: Quite costly for what they do, costing nearly as much as a basic terminator but with a 5+/5++ 2W instead, but if Cult Ambush is good, they can work out.

• Hybrid Metamorphs Acolytes with sharper teeth. They get the Metamorph weapons, which let them add +1WS (or +2WS at the loss of the Rending Claw - not sure why anyone would do this?), +2S or +3I. The best part is they get to use their Rending Claws while still claiming this bonus due to the wording of "A model equipped with...".

Fast Attack

• Armoured Sentinels: Better armored than their Scouting Brothers, but still at only 2HP you'd best take at least 2 in a squadron if you don't want to hand over First Blood to your opponent.

• Scout Sentinels: With such weak armor, most likely they are going to die on the second turn. Fun choice of weapons. Key part here is that they have Scout. But still - they are going to die. They are open topped. They are going to die. They have 10 armor. They are going to die. They have two Hull Points. They are going to die. But they may as well take a tank or two down with them. If you want to be insane, having Heavy Flamers all around can result in hilarious infantry murder. Otherwise, most of the time you'll take them as a 40 point autocannon on legs since they are cheap and effective against most things.

• Goliath Truck: Open topped transport for your dudes, meaning guys can assault from it. I know what you're thinking, but unfortunately it cannot carry Purestrain Genestealers or the Patriarch (if you want Genestealers on Wheelers, take a Chimera instead (though of course the Chimeras aren't open-topped transports)). In rules terms it's like a beefed up Ork truck for just less than double the points, more armour and bigger guns.

Heavy Support

• Goliath Rockgrinder:

• Leman Russ Squadron: Ah yes, the famous Leman Russ Battle Tank. Perhaps the most cost-efficient and versatile tank in 40k. With very tough front armor and reasonably durable side armor, it can brush of most things while pouring dakka into your enemy. You can take any of the non-Demolisher variants as detailed below.
  • Exterminator: 4 Twin-linked Autocannon shots. Great against enemy Monstrous Creatures and light AV vehicles. Also good against flyers in a pinch due to twin-linked. Slap a trio of Heavy Bolters on it and go to town on a horde, since no Punisher for you.
  • Vanquisher: A single shot at S8 AP2, Armorbane and 72". Its biggest weakness is BS3 and 1 shot, so a 50/50 chance you miss isn't really that great. Resort to Close Combat to pop vehicles.
  • Eradicator: S6 AP4 Heavy 1, Ignores Cover. This is what you use to fight cover-camping Eldar and Tau who you can't so easily Assault.

Formations

Cult Insurrection Detachment:

If a Patriarch is the Warlord (no other type of character mentioned), he may reroll Warlord Trait, you may also not include more than one Patriarch, Magus and Primus in the detachment. ALL non-vehicle units gain Infiltrate. If the unit already has Infiltrate, they gain Shrouded for the first turn of the game. Also, but they get to add +1 to reserve rolls and apply -1 to enemy reserve rolls. This detachment will really mess with your opponent's head.

Oh, and another thing: each time a unit returns to the battlefield from ongoing reserves they get reinforced with D6 models that have been previously slain. This works best with larger units, as you have to have at least one model left in the unit for this to work. Don't expect to roll a 6 every time.

So perfect for hopping around with your cult ambush then.

Command (0-3)

• Lord of the Cult: Just a Patriarch, Magus, Primus or Cult Iconward. No rules.
• The First Curse: Patriarch, plus a unit of Genestealers, must total 20 models though, so it's your boss man with a great big bodyguard of teeth and claws. The formation bonus is a randomly determined buff for your unit of Genestealers that lasts for the game.
  1. Fleshhooks: Grenades for your Genestealers.
  2. Hardened Carapace: 4+ saves
  3. Toxin Glands: attacks are Poisoned
  4. Adrenal Sacs: gain Rage USR
  5. Feeder Tendrils: gain Preferred Enemy USR
  6. Perfect Killing Machine: choose your result.
  • The problem is that each of these upgrades has its own bits for modelling, but because it's randomly determined you've got no way of guaranteeing if your feeder tendril squad that you built will accurately represent your actual rules.
• Broodcoven: 1 Patriarch, 1 Magus, 1 Primus. Deploy as a single unit, but may still join squads. Rules gained dependent on models left in the unit: Patriarch confers Fleet, Magus confers Counter-Attack, Primus confers Preferred Enemy

Core (1-6)

• Brood cycle: 1 Cult Iconward, 3 units of Acolyte Hybrids, 2 units of Neophyte Hybrids, 1 unit of Metamorph Hybrids, 1 unit of Purestrain Genestealers, 0-1 unit of Aberrants, 0-1 Goliath Rockgrinder unit and a partridge in a pear tree. Any unit within 6" of another unit in the formation gains +1 WS & Ld and gain Furious Charge while within 24" of the Cult Iconward.

• Neophyte Cavalcade: Genestealer Mechanised Company! 2 units of Neophyte Hybrids that must take a Chimera Transport and must start the game embarked in them, you also get a Leman Russ Squadron and 1-2 units of Sentinels (either type). All vehicles here get the Outflank special rule. So your Leman Russes can ruin the day of some guys artillery line, while Scout Sentinels share the Cult Ambush rule, being able to pop out of reserves and mess with your enemy's unprotected rear.

Auxillary (1+)

• Subterranean Uprising: 0-1 Primus, 1-3 Hybrid Metamorph units, 2-4 Acolyte Hybrids units, 0-3 Aberrant units. They deploy by Ambush at the start of the game and roll 2 dice on the table to choose how they arrive.

• Deliverance Broodsurge: 2-6 units of Neophyte Hybrids, each must take a Goliath Truck transport and start the game embarked upon it. During the game, they may dismount their vehicle even if it moves at Cruising Speed. But have to take a dangerous terrain check, because they've just leapt off at full speed. Also, the Goliaths just ignore Crew Shaken/Stunned results. So basically this formation is a good way to deliver your Neophyte squads around the battlefield, and as open topped vehicles it means they have quite a considerable charge radius, if a bit risky to undertake.

• Demolition Claw: 2-3 units of Acolyte Hybrids, 2-3 Goliath Rockgrinder units. They all get Tank Hunter and may reroll scatter on their Demolitions charges. What's more, if they throw the charge while within 6" of one of the Goliath's, they replenish it on a D6 roll of 4+.

• The Doting Throng: 0-1 Magus, 3-6 units of Acolyte or Neophyte Hybrids (in any combination). They all get Zealot while within 12" of a Magus and any unit joined by a Magus rerolls fails to hit in every round of close combat, not just the first. Also, any blessings that fail to get cast on the Doting Throng may be rerolled. Seeing as this formation is so heavily invested in having a Magus, you'd wonder why the guy is optional. But remember: your Cult Insurrection can only ever have one in the entire detachment, so this formation loses effectiveness the larger it becomes or if you have more than one (in a cult detachment)

• Shadow Skulkers: 1 unit of Purestrain Genestealers. No rules, but a good way to squeeze in more squads without paying the huge brood cycle taxes.

• Cult Mutants: either 1 unit of Aberrants or 1 unit of Hybrid Metamorphs. Again, no rules but another way to get these units while avoiding taxes you've already paid.

• Brood Brothers: here, have a Leman Russ Squadron, or some Sentinels. After filling your Core requirement you can have as many of these as you like, so Genestealers can spam tanks if they wanted.

Allies

Battle Brothers

No battle brothers for you.

Allies of Convenience

• Tyranids: Makes up for the lack of a good Tyranid ally. Shame that you cannot share Psychic Powers and Warlord traits due to AoC, but them's the breaks. This gives you access to even cheaper tarpits plus the famed Monstrous Creatures the 'Nids are known for. Recommended to grab a Flying Hive Tyrant as allied HQ for some form of flyer/AA.
• Imperial Guard/Astra Militarum: Yes. Apparently IG can ally at AoC with GSC as well. This gives you access to Valkyries, Vendettas, Hydras, and any Imperial Guard vehicle you don't get in the main Cult Codex.

For fun, include a Deathstrike in your Astra Militarum detachment for full-on, mustache-twirling*, super-villain doomsday weapon hilarity. (* If Genestealer Hybrids had hair that is!)

Desperate Allies

No desperate allies for you either.

Come the Apocalypse

• Space Marines
  • Blood Angels
  • Dark Angels
  • Deathwatch: Extra Heretical.
  • Grey Knights: Also extra Heretical
  • Space Wolves
• Chaos Space Marines
• Chaos Daemons
• Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle)
• The Inquisition
• Eldar
  • Eldar Harlequins and Corsairs
• Dark Eldar
• Tau
• Necrons
• Orks