the_scotsman wrote:
Since we have most leaks confirmed by (sadly now removed) codex page images, I figured I'd collate them all and throw this up. Most rumors are credit to the excellent Tyranid607, who shared most of what we now know with us, and seriously deserves all the props.

General Rules:

-Genestealer Cults are explicitly Come the Apocalypse with all armies except Tyranids

and Astra Militarum (not armies of the imperium), with whom they are Allies of CONVENIENCE.

-Genestealer HQs all have the "unthinking devotion" rule, which enables them to auto-pass LOS checks, and even enables LOS checks in challenges. This is great news for the Primus and Patriarch, whose relatively low durability somewhat offsets their powerful offensive capabilities in combat.

-All GSC HQs feature a 12" bubble that buffs GSC units inside it. This is quite an interesting mechanic, particularly given the heavy MSU tendencies that GSC would ordinarily have without it. It gives you an incentive to cluster and get those beefy bonuses.

-All GSC non-vehicle units come with the Cult Ambush and Return to Shadows special rules. Cult Ambush allows you to roll on the table below when coming from ongoing reserves or when deploying if you have infiltrate. Return to Shadows allows you to take the unit off the board and into reserves in the movement phase, if you're not within 6" of an enemy or aboard a transport.

Ambush Table: (Credit Minionboy)
1: Come on from deployment edge as normal
2: Outflank
4: Infiltrate 9" from enemy if seen, 6" from enemy if out of LOS
4: Infiltrate 6" from the enemy, seen or not
5: Infiltrate 6" From enemy, you get a free shooting action or run if armed with no ranged weapons
6: Infiltrate 3" from enemy, you may charge even if it's turn 1 or you've arrived from reserves

It's important to keep in mind: The only basic troop unit that has infiltrate by nature is Purestrains, but at least the Primus allows you to add it to a unit. There are also formations (subterranean uprising and the Decurion detachment) that add infiltrate to anyone who doesn't have it. If you're not deploying via the Ambush table, it's probably not a bad idea to grab a transport, as GSC have plenty to choose from!

-The broodmind discipline features a lot of mind-manipulation and psychic trickery, and overall is a solid discipline that can compete with Telepathy and Biomancy.

Primaris: Malediction that debuffs the CC stats of an enemy unit.
1: Relentless, Fleet, can Run and Shoot buff for a friendly unit.
2: 24" S5 AP3 assault 1 blast
3: +1s and Rage buff
4: Focused Witchfire roll a die and add LD's. If tied, target -3I. If psyker is higher, take Psychic Shriek-style wounds equal to difference.
5: Focused Witchfire targeting enemy non-vehicle. If successful, you make a shooting attack with them as if you owned them.
6: WC2/WC3 Summon: Either summon a modest amount of GSC units or an unreasonable amount of GSC units, equipped with ANY UPGRADES available to them.

Relics of the Cult

Icon of the Cult: Friendly units within 12" have furious charge and reroll morale/pinning, models in same unit have +1A. Seems to be separate from the other various icons and banners the cult can take.
Dagger of Swift Sacrifice: Exchange all attacks for 1 poison 2+ Instant Death.
Scourge of Distant Stars: IN a challenge, opponent must pass T test before any attacks can be made. If they fail they take a wound with no saves of any kind and are -1I.
Staff of Subterranean master: Shooting attack 18" S2 Ap- Assault 10/Ignore Cover/Rending
Sword of the Void's Eye: S+1 AP3 reroll to hit and to wound rolls of 1 and wound rolls of 6 are instant death.
The Crouchling: Extra Familiar, also grants 1 extra psychic power at start of game.

Warlord Traits

1. Stealth
2. Friendly untis within 12" have counter attack
3. Move through cover and Assault Grenades
4. IWND
5. All models in detachment use Warlord's LD
6. Choose result when you use Cult Ambush for warlord and his unit (!!!!)


Unit Overview

The Troops

GSC features 5 basic infantry units, each having their own role in the army and none really standing out as terrible, which is cool!

Neophytes: same cost as a guardsmen squad
10-man squad minimum, 20-man max

EITHER up to 2 models may take Heavy Mining Equipment (Heavy Stubber, Mining Laser,

Seismic Cannon) OR 2 models may form a Neophyte Heavy Weapons Team (Heavy Bolter,

Mortar, Autocannon, Lascannon for same prices as AM platoons)

Up to 2 models may take Special Weapons (Flamer, Grenade Launcher, Webber)

One model may take a Cult Icon (+1WS)

One model may upgrade to a squad leader, the squad leader may exchange his CCW for a

power maul or power pick, and may take a bolt pistol or web pistol

May take Goliath or Chimera as DT.

Analysis: A highly versatile unit, these culty fellows seem to be the disposable razor of the GSC arsenal. I can see numerous good ways to field them, but I would tend towards a Goliath truck or chimera if not ambushing, and no transport if ambushing. For the first build, skip the heavy weaponry, but for the second you can absolutely get use out of it as plenty of Ambush table results don't require you to move. Shotguns, banner, and melee squad leader are also a big consideration, because assault is much more of an option for these squads than their loyal AM cousins. If I were running Goliath cultists, I would go either for close up (flamers, banner, melee sarge, shotguns) or arms-length (lasguns/autoguns and webbers). And for infiltrators, I would strongly consider seismic cannons and grenade launchers, as infiltrating into the sides or rear of an unsuspecting vehicle is going to be something you really want to try to do with these dudes.

Seismic cannons seem to be the standout heavy weapon. Multiple shots to offset BS3, a special rule that resolves any to-wound or pen roll of a 6 at AP1, and the ability to take 2 per squad makes this a powerful option. The only AM heavy weapon team you should really consider is the Autocannon, as all the rest have the same overinflated cost the AM pays for them. The reason you may want it over the seismic cannon is for insurance against awkward 1-3 results on the Ambush table leaving you out of reach of enemy units.


Web Weaponry has the "Cocooned" special rule: The AP value of the weapon is equal to the

S characteristic of the target. This is a bit of an oddball, a small blast weapon with modest strength and range, but given the fairly lackluster special weapon options avaiable to neophytes, I can see it having fairly common usage in anti-infantry squads.

Overall Rating: 6/10. Will likely suffer the same problems AM squads do, but somewhat offset by their capability to be annoying via cult ambush.

Purestrain Genestealers: Same cost as Codex: Tyranid Stealers
5-man squad minimum, 20-man squad max

Gain 5++, Stealth, Cult Ambush, and +1A when compared to 'nid dex genestealers

Any model may take Scything Talons for +3pts

Gain Furious Charge if joined by a patriarch, but may only be joined by a Patriarch.

Genestealers may be back in a big way with these buffs. The sinister gribblies grab a slew of new rules and their own formation, the First Curse, which pairs a max sized unit with a Patriarch. Interestingly, though the Goliath and Rockgrinder explicitly forbid four-armed passengers, the Chimera has no such prejudice, so if you want to store your aliens aboard a tank turn 1 you can. But I wouldn't. The clear winner in terms of how to field your 'stealers is probably "stuff them into a GSC Decurion any way possible" because Stealth+Shroud turn 1, and the capability to infiltrate or Cult Ambush goes a long way to getting them into combat. I'd favor minimum sized squads in the Decurion over a First Curse just because of the points investment to get a random buff in the formation, but they can work either way.

Overall Rating: 7/10, just because they may be overshadowed by other troop options. but for genestealer lovers, Purestrains are the bee's knees.

Acolyte Hybrids: Cost Khorne's Favorite Number
5-man squad minimum, 20-man squad max

Any model may take a hand flamer in exchange for his autopistol

For each 5 models in the squad, 2 may echange their ccw and rending claw for one of the

following:

-Demo Charge
Or 32 flavors of powerfist! Yes, the Saw, Drill, and Cutter are all basically powerfists. The Saw is a chainfist, likely making it more valuable than the other 2, but you only get 1 per box so you may use the others as well.

One Acolyte may take a Cult Icon for +1WS

One model may be an Acolyte Leader, which may take a Bonesword or Lash

Whip and Bonesword for a meltabomb more.

May take a Goliath truck as DT.

Though they lost Fearless from the time of DWO, the acolytes gained some sweet-ass anti-armor options. And boy oh boy are there plenty of reasons to use them, chief among them that they're required in most formations. They seem to shine most in the Demolition Claw formation (which gets them tank hunters, yay) and the Subterranean uprising (Infiltrate and roll-2-pick-1 on the CUlt Ambush table) but they're also a significant chunk of the hybrid-centric core formation for the GSC Decurion. If they're in a CAD, a Goliath is probably the way to go, but otherwise it's likely unnecessary.

Rating: 8/10 just because they're somewhat overshadowed in pure effectiveness by their cousins the

Metamorphs: 1 point more than Acolytes each
5-man squad minimum, unknown maximum

Metamorphs come base swapping the CCW that hybrids get with a Metamorph Talon (+1WS), and they may take several upgrades that buff their basic stats. Also: these upgrades are all "model equipped with" weapons, meaning you don't lose rending if you want to use them.

-Second metamorph talon (+1 additional WS) free
-Crushing Claw (+2S) for a couple points
-Metamorph Whip (+3I) for one more point than claw

The standout here is the Claw, which gives you a S6 Rending Blender o' goodness for 2 points less than your basic Genestealer

Overall rating: 10/10. Use 'em as much as you can, and try to get them Infiltrate so you can Cult Ambush them in. But be prepared to do a lot of convertng to get those claws, as the box only comes with 1 of course.

Aberrants: Same price as DWO
Minimum size 4, max size 10.

They're exactly the same as they were in DWO. Luckily, no formation requires them, but some can add them. It definitely seems like GW is trying to de-emphasize them, and it's unknown if a kit is coming.

Overall rating: 3/10. Probably the weakest thing in the codex. But in a codex lacking lots of good ways to deal with AV14 vehicles and the like, you may want to include some hammer dudes in a Subterranean uprising.

Acolyte Iconward: 10pts cheaper than a Primus. Similar stats, but less wounds/attacks.

Comes with Autopistol Rending Claws and Sacred Cult Banner

Banner grants any GSC models within 12" 6+ FNP, or if they have FNP they get +1 to their

FNP.

May take Artifacts of the CUlts.

Rating: 5/10. The banner buff is way less exciting than the Primus or Patriach's buffs. Take him if you're bringing the Decurion Core formation, and I'd give him a miss for one of the three others otherwise.


Genestealer Primus: Cost 15 Meltabombs
Slightly buffed basic stats since DWO.

Comes with needle pistol, Toxin Injector (poison 4+ when using his Rending Claw),

Bonesword (AP3 S:User, to wound roll of 6 has Instant Death), Rending Claw. May take

Sacred Relics of the Cults.

Special Rules Cult Ambush, Hatred, Infiltrate, Return to Shadows, Unquestioning Loyalty.

Grants Hatred to any GSC unit within 12".

Overall Rating: 8/10. A great way to add infiltrate to a big squad you want to grant Cult Ambush in a CAD, and also features in what is possibly the best formation, the Subterranean uprising. Went from very "meh" in DWO to quite good with the free rules and stat buffs he got, especially unquestioning loyalty, which lets him go to town on far more expensive enemy characters with no fear of getting splattered.

Genestealer Patriarch: Cost 18 Meltabombs

Comes with ML1, Broodmind Biomancy and Telepathy disciplines.

Grants Fearless to all GSC units within 12"

May purchase ML2 and up to 2 Familiars.

Overall Rating: 9/10. Bug Daddy himself does not dissappoint. He was good in DWO, he's not quite the army-wise fearless monster now, but still very very powerful. His psychic power access is awesome (especially with the addition of Biomancy). He favors Broodmind a bit less than the magus IMO, but there's not really a "wrong" choice. Worth taking if you run any kind of GSC force.


Genestealer Magus: Same base cost as a 5-man acolyte squad.

Comes with Force Staff and Autopistol

has Adamantium Will and grants it to any GSC unit within 12"

Access to Broodmind, Telepathy, Biomancy

Can purchase ML2 for +25, up to 2 Familiars for +5pts each, as well as Relics of the

Cults.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Definitely your go-to when running a small allied GSC force, his biggest drawback is the "one of each HQ per decurion" restriction preventing lots of psychic dice from hitting the table. But in a CAD? Go nuts! Magi everywhere! Broodmind is a great discipline and this guy is the cheap buffmeister made to use its powers. The biggest consideration is where to hide him so he can do his thing without getting killed, as GSC is not the home of many super-durable units.

Goliath: Cost 10 meltabombs
11/10/10 Open-Topped Transport Capacity 10

Ignores Crew Shaken/Stunned results on a 4+

Armed with a Heavy Stubber and Autocannon

Overall rating: 4/10. Like a taurox, but they cut the top off. An important tool for an assault army, but not a terribly exciting one. Also, somewhat overshadowed by the power of Cult Ambush for small squads. The formation featuring it, "Deliverance Broodsurge" is possibly the worst the dex has to offer, so that's not great. And explosions are really going to suck for any unit you stick in it.

Rock Grinder: 1 Psychic ML more than the Goliath
12/10/10 Transport Capacity 6

Ignores Crew Shaken/Crew Stunned on a 4+

Armed with Heavy Stubber, Torrent Heavy Flamer (can swap for a mining laser or seismic cannon) and Grinder

Grinder adds +D6 strength to Rams and +1 to Vehicle damage rolls, and when tank shocking

units must make an Init test or take D3 S10AP2 hits, Death or Glory causes an additional

D3 hits.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Thats a bit more like it! Sadly not a dedicated transport option, so it's very awkward to fit into the Decurion. But its formation, the Demolition Claw, grants it tank hunter and grants tank hunter to a bunch of hybrids (as well as some kind of derpy Demo-Charge buff but who cares). Kind of an awkward transport except for something like an all-hand flamer hybrid squad, but definitely a fun vehicle to play around with thanks to the torrent flamer and rock grinder.

Sentinels, Armored Sentinels, Chimeras: All identical to AM versions.

Chimeras cost 13 meltabombs, AV12/10/10 transport capacity 12. 2 models may fire out the back hatch, but passengers can also control the two lasgun arrays on each side of the tank (which are 3 lasguns each) for some extra S3 firepower. As for guns, the main turret can be a multilaser, heavy bolter, or heavy flamer, and the hull gun can be heavy bolter or heavy flamer, which can be swapped for free.

Scout Sentinels cost 5 meltabombs base, 10/10/10 open-topped walkers with Outflank. They come stock with a Multilaser, and can swap to a Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer, Lascannon, Autocannon, or Missile Launcher. Most of the time you want to run them with Multilasers to keep them cheap and try to go for some sneaky rear armor values on the outflank, but they rarely amount to more than a distraction.

Armored sentinels have identical weaponry, a base cost of 8 meltabombs, and for that they get 12/10/10 closed-topped, but lose Outflank.

rating: 3/10. Mostly taken in the "neophyte cavalcade" formation, which requires them, and grants the sentinels Cult Ambush which might be hilarious, but otherwise pretty lame. The best reason to use them is to get into GSC with models you already have.

Leman Russ: Only russes available are the base Russ kit, no Demolisher variants. I would only take one in a Neophyte Cavalcade where you have to. Probably an Exterminator with Meltas to take advantage of the Outflank it gets.

Battlecannon: S8 AP3 ordnance large blast. Pretty poor now that russes have lost their old rule Lumbering Behemoth, which allowed them to fire ordnance weaponry and regular weaponry. Now that ordnance makes all other guns Snap Shoot, Battlecannons tend to be less used.

Eradicator: S6 AP4 Ignores Cover large blast. sometimes seen, and might be good for GSC as they lack Ignores Cover anywhere else.

Exterminator: 2x Twin-Linked Autocannons. This is probably the most common standard LR variant you see. If you run him in a Neophyte Cavalcade, you might want to Outflank him with some Multimelta Sponsons to blow up some vehicles.

Vanquisher: S8 AP2 Armorbane. This might look like the go-to anti armor russ, but after a few games of that one. BS3. Shot, youll start to see why Vanquishers are rarely taken outside the totally different IA1 forgeworld variant. Save yourself the pain, and reach for 4 twin-linked S7 shots instead.

rating: 2/10, it's a leman russ, it costs too much, does too little, dies too easy.

Formation Analysis

GSC Decurion Detachment: 1-3 Core, 0-3 Command, 1+ Auxiliary

Benefits: All units that dont have Infiltrate gain it, any unit that has infiltrate gets Shrouded turn 1. Any time a unit comes back from reserves via Cult Ambush, it replenishes D6 casualties. Also standard Warlord Trait reroll.

Restriction: Primus, Magus, and Patriarch are unique 1 per detachment (they are otherwise not unique in standalone formations or CAD)

NOTE: A model must have both Return to Shadows AND cult ambush to make use of the D6 casualties. Briefly after this was leaked, much was made of Sentinels (who gain Cult Ambush) replenishing casualties. But they lack Return from Shadows, and can only make use of Cult Ambush once when they initially come on from reserves. Sadly, this means sentinels cannot replenish casualties.

Overall Rating: 6/10. The big benefits are definitely in the Auxiliaries here (and in providing the Decurion benefits on top of the Auxiliary benefits) but luckily the cores are pretty points-light. However, don't expect your core to be providing a lot of your oomph like in a Necron or SM decurion.

Core:

Brood cycle

1 Iconward
3 Acolytes
2 Neophytes
1 Metamorph
1 Purestrain

Any non-vehicle unit in this formation that is within 6" of at least one other unit from

the same formation +1 to Leadership and WS

All unit in this formation have the furious charge while they are within 24" of the

Iconward. in addition, the range of inconward's Nexus of Devotion will effect 24"

instead of 12" (6+ feel no pain and +1 if a model already has FNP)

Overall Rating: 5/10. Definitely not a formation you'd be likely to take outside the Decurion, but actually despite the high number of units this is of a comparable cost to the Neophyte Cavalcade, since GSC units are relatively cheap at base sizes. Still, I can see the Cavalcade being a more common choice just because of the monetary cost involved with getting an Iconward+4 boxes of acolytes just to come to the table, and because Acolytes are far better served in a Demolition Claw or Subterranean uprising.

Neophyte Cavalcade

2 Neophytes (With mandatory DT Chimeras)
1 Leman Russ squadron
1-2 Armored or Scout Sentinel Squadrons

All vehicles in the formation gain Outflank, except for Scout Sentinels which gain Cult Ambush.

Overall Rating: 5/10. Very light benefits, but a fairly cheap buy in for a decurion at ~400 points. Outflanking leman russes particularly something like a melta-exterminator might be pretty funny, though they'll likely die early. The eradicator is also an interesting option, due to GSCs lack of ignores cover options even compared to regular base guard.

Command:

Broodcoven

1 Primus
1 Patriarch
1 Magus

The 3 models must be deployed as a single unit, though they may (together) still join friendly units like ICs. The broodcoven and any unit have the following special rules while each member is alive. Patriarch: Fleet. Magus: Counter-attack. Primus: Preferred Enemy.

Overall Rating: 2/10. Ever heard the saying "don't spend it all in one place"? In the decurion, this locks you out of buying any more of these three guys, which denies some of the best benefits that the auxiliary formations can provide. And the benefits of this formation are...questionable at best. Even joined to say, a huge unit of acolytes or metamorphs, GSC are unlikely to compete with screamerstars, wolfstars, etc and really all you're doing is lumping all your eggs in one basket. I really am not seeing this one.

First Curse

1 Patriarch
1 unit of 20 Purestrains

You roll a D6 at the beginning of the game and gain 1 benefit.

1: Assault Grenades
2: 4+ armor
3: Poisoned 4+ melee attacks
4: Rage
5: Preferred Enemy
6: Your choice

Overall Rating: 6/10. Here's your only-genestealer formation for Tyranid players to plug the new buffed stealers into their 'nid lists. The benefits are good, but random, which any person who owns possessed knows can be annoying. Myself? I'm more likely to just bring Genestealers in via their "1 squad of purestrains" aux choice and the next command slot, but some players may like bringing a unit of superstealers (who might FINALLY get assault grenades!!!)

Cult Leader Thing

1 Iconward or Primus or Magus or Patriarch

Want to include an HQ? Here ya go. No benefits.

Auxiliaries:

Doting Throng

0-1 Magus
several units of Neophytes

Benefits: Magus may re-roll failed blessing powers targeting units from this formation. The Magus' unit rerolls all to-hit rolls in close combat, and he gains a 12" Zealot bubble.

Overall rating: 8/10. Pretty sweet benefits and a good way to get buffed-up neophytes into your list if you want to run them through the Decurion. The zealot bubble in particular is quite nice.

Demolition Claw

2-4 Acolytes
2-3 Rockgrinders

Benefits: Tank Hunter for everyone, any model that uses a Demo Charge within 6" of a Rockgrinder rerolls scatter and gets an additional Charge on a die roll (4+ I think?)

Overall Rating: 7/10. The only way I can see to get Rockgrinders into the decurion thankfully comes with a simple but useful benefit in the form of Tank Hunter. The demo charge stuff? ....not for me thanks. GW seems to think one single chance to harm something coupled with a chance to absolutely wipe your whole squad is worth a HUGE number of points. For the cost, I could just get a powerfist which would kill tanks just as dead, especially with TH!

Subterranean uprising

0-1 Primus
0-3(?) Aberrants
3-5(?) Acolytes
1-2(?) Metamorphs

I can't remember exactly the unit numbers and the image has been removed, but I am pretty confident of the minimums

Benefits: All units gain Infiltrate and MUST deploy via Cult Ambush. When Cult Ambushing, units roll 2 dice and pick 1, roll 3 and pick 1 if the unit is joined by the Primus.

Overall Rating: 10/10. They also gain turn 1 shroud in the decurion. This formation is just awesome, giving a huge chunk of your army a really good chance at great positioning and even turn 1 charge right out of reserve. The closest thing to an auto-include in the decurion, and definitely worth considering as a standalone formation.

Deliverance Broodthingy

5 units of Neophytes with Mandatory Goliath DT's

Benefits: You may disembark from your Goliath even if you move at Cruising speed, units that do so take dangerous terrain test. Goliath's auto-pass their "ignore crew shaken/stunned" ability.

Overall rating: 4/10. Very counterproductive to the decurion benefits, as they can't make use of their infiltrate to Cult Ambush. Pretty rigid. Not great benefits by itself. I'm really personally hoping the Doting Throng turns out to be better.

Cult Mutants: 1 unit of Metamorphs or Aberrants, no benefits.

Purestrains: 1 unit of Purestrains, no benefits.

Brood Brothers: 1 unit of Leman Russes or Sentinels, no benefits.