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.

What's your thoughts about this new formation consisting of all Cult units from the boardgame Deathwatch vs. Genestealer Cult.
The formation is 600 pts, which is exactly the sum of point costs of the units and models involved in the Cult.
On top of this, the formation has some special rules: stealth, infiltrate, (fearless and will as long as Ghosar lives), and ''raid'' (shroud if infiltrating, can charge in 1st turn, and can be deployed everywhere on the battle field as long as they are 1'' away from the enemy).

''Raid'' makes the formation quite dangerous since it provides an alpha strike. The formation has enough rending weapons to disrupt enemy plans in a second.

Useful as an ally force?

So it can drop literally anywhere on the board, recieve +3 to its cover save (so 4+ automatically), can charge first turn and boasts weapons capable of taking out any model on the board? And you're asking if its good? Its fantastic.

 Deadshot wrote:
So it can drop literally anywhere on the board, recieve +3 to its cover save (so 4+ automatically), can charge first turn and boasts weapons capable of taking out any model on the board? And you're asking if its good? Its fantastic.

This was actually my thought. None of the deployed enemy units will really be save.

What kind of main army would you suggest to ally with this formation?

Well it's worth noting that it has to infiltrate as normal. So if visible to the enemy, it is basically impossible to get the turn 1 charge. If invisible AND you manage to pop out of the terrain to assault you might make something happen but they have some pretty big units to hide

I think there is a SR rule with the patriarch and his unit that allows him to deploy within 1" of enemy units. Soooo...

 Thairne wrote:
I think there is a SR rule with the patriarch and his unit that allows him to deploy within 1" of enemy units. Soooo...

Yeah, but only if it's with the 2 princelings. Basically only 3 models in the formation get to infiltrate right up against the enemy.

Just google the Genestealer Cult formation rules, it's all there in black and white.

Yes, his unit of TWO Genestealers. They get a T1 charge. He can't do it except with the two Genestealers.

So yes you can beat the tar out of any 5-man PA squad out in the open or something.

If so, sorry. The German text is a bit misleading.

The Patriarch CAN deploy within 1" and assault by himself. He's a pretty dire threat, a shitton of attacks at AP3 Shred Rending

A non-IoM force with alpha strike capability? HERESY! *blam

I really want to pair this with Deathleaper's Assassin Brood formation. 6 total Lictors, Genestealer Cult, infiltrators everywhere. What's not to like?

the_scotsman wrote:
Yes, his unit of TWO Genestealers. They get a T1 charge. He can't do it except with the two Genestealers.

So yes you can beat the tar out of any 5-man PA squad out in the open or something.

The Aberrations are also likely to get a first turn charge, If you play with any fair amount of terrain on the field it should be relatively easy to hide 4 Space Marine sized characters. Then, of course you could join the Primus to the squad if you so desire for Zealot. The 3-4 Gen don't want to assault, they want to infiltrate into some mid-field cover and stay put. Tyranids have precious little access to AV and this cheap potentially fearless unit packs 2 24'' Las-cannons, hardly a tax. The 1-2 gen will have a hard time getting a first turn assault but they will almost certainly get a second turn 1, ensuring the opponent has to deal with them or face a large amount of rending Str 4 fearless attacks.

Alpha-strike is perhaps the wrong word, as while they have the ability to charge first turn they don't have enough firepower to cripple the enemy. Instead I would say they are an amazing formation to box your opponent up in his deployment zone. He needs to handle everything apart from the 3-4th gen because everything other then that has Str 4 or more rending attacks, which while not a hard prospect the addition of Shrouded and how they deploy it isn't as easy as you'd think. This is without considering that they are the only Tyranids with access to Telepathy, 2 level 2's no less which puts you at not terrible odds of rolling invisibility. These are your new distraction carnifex. Carnifexes can be ignored, this formation can't because they can jump (in the 'Stealers case, literally) right in your face turn 1. At any rate, they fill a niche that Tyranids needed, turn 1 presence.