Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I was thinking of a way to bring cultist back to 40K, but in a similar manner as kroot mercenaries. I created the mob rules that can be used by any army of 40K.

They can be used to represent chaos cultist, desperate imperial citizens defending their home alongside their saviors, genestealer cultist, psychically controlled humans, alien worshipping humans defending their perceived masters, mind-washed slaves, or a major epidemic of Stockholm syndrome.

Mobs are a very cheap unit that callous commanders can use to swarm the enemy, but there are downsides to using mobs. Being Unruly mobs are not able to function as well as trained combatants. Other disadvantages to using large groups of untrained and poorly disciplined men in your forces include the loss of strategic deployment, initiative, and concealment.

Mobs

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
2 2 3 3 1 3 1 8 -

Points: 2
Unit Size: 15-50

Mobs do not use up any force organization chart selection.

Weapons: Single close combat weapon

Special Rules:

Frantic: Mobs have a higher then normal leadership due to they frantic nature, but they lack the dedication of standard troops such as imperial guards or eldar guardians. The mobs may never attempt to regroup after failing a fallback test.

Unruly: While being “Troops” mobs can never occupy territory. What commander would entrust a vital objective to them. Also independent characters will never join a mob.

Poorly Disciplined:
When deploying units as in standard games the player using mobs must place his mobs before the his opponent places any of his units. Once all the mob units are place the players take turns placing their units as normal. This rule represents the mob being unable to work in concert with basic army doctrines concerning stealth and movement and also being easily detected by enemy forces.

Because this rule could lead to a situation where a player uses mobs to squeeze and opponent out of vital territory before them game even begins, units from the player opposing mobs can disregard restrictions about placing their units within a certain distance as long as the opponent unit is a mob. Also, the opponent of the player using mobs can also decide who takes the first turn, the enemy loses the initiative for using such poorly organized troops.

Options:
Mob Weapons: for 1 point each the mobs can be given the equivalent of a laspitol. Note this might be represented by the squad being armed with shotguns, rifles, or other such fire arms.

Mutated: Some mobs have empowering mutations, are injected with combat drugs, augmented by their cruel masters, or any number of other methods that make them not quite human. For 1 point per model the squad can increase it’s strength by 1 point. There is a consequence to altering the human form in such a manner so all mutated models also lose 1 point off their initiative.


Any 40k army can come up with a good justification for using mobs; in a Gaunt’s Ghost book an eldar farseer cast an illusion that made imperial guard fight alongside the eldar, for necrons the mobs could worship the C’tan as a god, tyranids could have used their brain-leaves to control citizens, and etc.

I made the rules hoping that advantages of using mobs were kept in checked by their disadvantages. More importantly I hoped to have created a unit that was fun to play and fun to play against.

Let me know what you think,
Grunt13

I think if you're going to have a rule like 'Frantic' you should at least make them Ld 10. I've never seen the old CSM cultists rules but here's a fun unit I made up for our Word Bearers player to have fun with. He always felt Word Bearer's fluff was more sensibly fitting to have cultists (read Let the Galaxy Burn).

CODEX: CHAOS SPACE MARINES

0-1 Cultists
5pts/model

SIZE: 20-50 Cultists

- Cultists do not use up any force organization selection, but is otherwise treated as a Troops choice.

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6 5+

Wargear:
Frag grenades, Las pistol, Close combat weapon

Special Rules:

MOB RULE
As in Codex: Orks.

WEIGHT OF FIRE
If the unit is wounded* a number of times equal to double their number at the beginning of the turn, they must make a special unmodified Morale Test at the end of the Shooting Phase.

*Counted by successful 'To Wound' rolls before armour saves. This is cumulative throughout the Shooting Phase.

UNDIVIDED
Dark Apostle +40pts.

- Replace one cultist with the following profile and wargear:

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
5 4 4 4 1 4 2 10 3+/4+

Wargear:
Frag and Krak grenades, Bolt pistol, Bolter, Tainted Rosarius, Cursed Arcanum

TAINTED ROSARIUS
Grants a 4+ invulnerable save.

CURSED ARCANUM
Functions as a master-crafted power mace.

---------------------------------

DEVOTEES
Though most cultists are found to worship the general will of Chaos, many fall to the whims of a specific deity. Those Cultists not led by a Dark Apostle are call Devotees and may select one Mark from the following list at the upgrade cost per unit:
Devotees of Khorne (50pts): +1A
Devotees of Slaanesh (40pts): +1I
Devotees of Nurgle (60pts): +1T
Devotees of Tzeentch (60pts): 5+ Invulnerable

If any army should be given rules for using cultist it is the world bearers.

I used to play a slaanesh cultist army. Using the chapter approved rules it was once possible for a chaos space marine army to be fielded without using marines. I used 3 squads of 36 cultists and plenty of daemons. (Most of my cultists were converted Necromada miniatures).

The original rules for cultist had them grot cheap with no armor, but the ability to field special weapons and have one upgrade to a Demagogue who could be given wargear and gifts. Greater Daemons could be summoned off Demagogues, so they allowed chaos players to use such daemons without sacrificing a chaos marine character.

There was something the irked me about cultist running around with plasma guns and melta weapons. And their characters could be given power weapons, combo-bolters, powerclaws, and other such exotic weaponry. I guess their Chaos Space Marine masters where really generous when it came to dolling out the treats.

I have not play tested my cultist, but I feel the frantic rule is fairly appropriate. It is the same rule that the Ulthwe’ Strike Force used for their black guardian squads (in their case it represented their unwillingness to suffer casualties and the need to return spirit stones to the craftworld). At 2 points each (base cost) a squad of 50 only cost 100 points. And with cover saves the way they are in 5th edition. I figured I needed a balancing mechanism.

I was thinking of including army specific rules that would allow them to retake the break test (controlling psker/master within 12”). Or something like if a “friendly” non-cultist squad was behind them they could auto-regroup if the non-cultist squad forfeits its shooting and the cultist squad removes D6 models. But I didn’t want to clutter up the rules just yet.

Smashotron, your rules work for the minions of the world bearers – their masters could easily provided them with equipment like frag grenades and frak armor. I wanted rules to represent the bottom of the barrel in terms of combatants: imperial citizens either desperately defending their homes, or reveling their loyalty to their chaos masters; beastman and other mutants; slaves uprising; or a puppet master psyker sending droves of mind washed citizens into combat armed with cookery and farm instruments.

Noteworthy info:
In White Dwarf 292 there is a Chapter Approved introducing zealots for a witch hunters army. They have imperial guard stats, and can be armed in such a manner that they can be really threatening in close combat (especially to horde armies). In Apocalypse and friendly games I use them in my Emperor’s Children army.

Anyone else miss cultist?
Grunt13

I'll have to get my hands on those Zealot rules. A horde of crazed women would give my EC even more character.

If you every played necromoda think redemptionist.

They have mob weapons like my cultist with the ability to buy the typical special weapons and leader upgrades. What sets them apart is they have a special LD rule that makes all negative LD modifiers positive. They can also upgrade models into frantics that are armed with evicerarors (chainfist). You can also arm the whole squad with exterminators. These weapons fire when the zealots charge they inflict a flamer style hit on every enemy model according to a die roll. The number required to hit is based on the number of zealots in the squad. A large squad could halve a squad of orks or gaunts before any actual close combat was fought.

My slaanesh cultists substitute nicely for zealots (the combat high slaanesh followers thrive on suits the LD rule) I was planning to buy sister repentia for the eviscerator armed frantics – they don’t even require converting. I don’t plan on using exterminators, cool as they are, I can’t really justify their use for cultist, plus I don’t want to model them on my miniatures.

Grunt13 wrote:If any army should be given rules for using cultist it is the world bearers.

Word Bearers and Alpha Legion. You know, the ones that use cultists/mortals as a MAJOR part of their fluff. Thanks for letting us represent that GW.

Oh wait...

I miss my LaTD...

Whats a Latd? haha kidding.

Here's what I would put for some Cultists.
Cultists (5pts)
WS: 2, BS: 3, S: 3, T: 3, W: 1, I: 3, A: 1, Ld: 7, Sv: 5+.
Unit Type: Infantry.
Number/squad: 10-20.
Wargear: 1 Close Combat weapons.
Special Rules:
Body Pile! : Quite commonly during battle commanders do not want the enemy coming towards their men. Some twisted men, usually Dark Apostles, will call upon a body pile. This is where the Word Bearers or allied Daemons will open fire on a Cultist unit in an attempt to use the body pile remaining to hold off the enemy for a while longer. The Word Bearer player may declare a Body Pile move in his Shooting Phase. This is where a friendly unit with ranged attacks may open fire on a Cultist unit. Once at least half of the Cultists are dead place a marker the size of the large blast marker. That area is difficult terrain and grants a 5+ Cover Save. NOTE: Only half need to die because the remaining Cultists will probably commit suicide in fright.
Options: Any model may take a Bolter (1pt), Frag Launcher (3pts), or a Bolt Pistol (1pt). Three models can form a heavy weapons team that may take one of the following: Plasma Cannon (25pts), Lascannon (25pts), Heavy Bolter (15pts). NOTE: If the Plasma Cannon overheats and the Cultist fails the save all 3 models are killed. Plasma Cannons for Cultists will overheat on a 1 or a 2. This is because the Word Bearers will give Cultists weapons that are of poorest quality, barely functional.
Frag Launcher: This is a cheap, easy to use grenade launcher that is best used against massed infantry.
Range Strength AP Type
18” 3 - Assault 1, Blast

Cults

Any army may field a unit of cultists for each troops choice they have already taken. Cultists count as a troops choice and are taken in the usual manner. Many different types of armies will field cultists, some will be human traitors, some will be fanatical enthusiasts, while others will in fact be mostly responsible for summoning the host army itself. The following armies MAY NOT take cultists as they see them as greatly inferior beings: Eldar, Necrons.

Points WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
Cultist 4 2 2 3 3 1 2 1 6 -
Cult Leader +20 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 8 -

Weapons: cultists are equipped with flaming torches and pointy sticks, they count as being armed with a single close combat weapon.

Size: Between 10 and 30 cultists.

Character: One cultist may be upgraded to a cult leader for +20 points. The cult leader may take a power weapon for +10 points, a power fist for +20 points. He may be given a basic pistol for +3 points, a heavy pistol for +5 points or a specialized pistol for +10 points. If he does not take one of the aforementioned options he may have a basic gun for +3 points, a heavy gun for +5 or a specialized gun for +10 points.

Upgrades: The whole unit may be given light armor for +2 points per model, this increases their save to a 5+ save. For every 10 models in the squad one model may be given a specialized gun for +10 points, or a power weapon for +10 points. The whole squad may be armed with basic guns for +1 points per model, heavy guns for +2 points per model, or a second close combat weapon for +2 points per model.


Special Rules: The cultists have either stolen, or been gifted, various weaponry from either the host army or their enemies, to represent this varied equipment a general stat line for the weapons as a collective is given (ie. it doesn't matter if your cultists are armed with bolt guns, pulse carbines or devourers, they would get the heavy gun upgrade):

Range S Ap Type
Basic Gun 18" 3 - Rapid Fire
Heavy Gun 18" 4 5 Rapid Fire
Specialized Gun 18" 6 3 Heavy 2

Basic Pistol 12" 3 - Pistol
Heavy Pistol 12" 4 5 Pistol
Specialized Pistol 12" 6 3 Pistol


There we go, now... discussion!

Let me just say firstly, that the rules are weak to start with because it's easier to balance weak units than it is powerful units, also cultists generally shouldn't be the main theme of your army unless you want to play a fun army, not a winning one. Also a lot of the rules are to signify that these warriors aren't like the hardened troops found in the codexes, but are actually just crazed citizens that are out for blood! They don't have the weapons training a SM or FW does, so they are going to be MUCH less efficient at using the weaponry! Specialized guns (and pistols) represent all the heavy weaponry they might have, be it a rocket launcher or splinter cannon, some kind of biovore mutation or plasma gun, as long as the miniature looks especially shooty enough they have a specialized gun on them. The power weapon upgrade might be a power weapon, or it might be the cultist has mutated in to some daemonic beast or tyranid hybrid, as long as it looks especially fighty enough they have a power weapon.