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.

How would one go about creating a Genestealer Cult army in 7th edition? I was thinking of using them as a counts-as Imperial Guard army, but I'm unsure what to use to represent the Genestealers themselves.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

You can actually ally in tyranids to a guard unit, the genestealers just cannot be within 12 or 6 inches (forgot the actual distance) of the guard

but I'm unsure what to use to represent the Genestealers themselves

Why not just use genestealers themselves? Get some old 1st or 2nd edition classic ones from ebay.
They're part of the army so why proxy or change them?

 Ratius wrote:

but I'm unsure what to use to represent the Genestealers themselves

Why not just use genestealers themselves? Get some old 1st or 2nd edition classic ones from ebay.
They're part of the army so why proxy or change them?

I think he might mean in terms of rules if sticking to a single codex?

I guess maybe ogryns could be used as... Units of broodlords or something? It's hard to say, as I'm pretty sure they are the only assault unit in the entire AM book.

I already have some old Genestealer Cultist models that I was going to use in the units as unit leaders. I also have some Magi to use as characters. I guess I was more curious what troop profile I could use to represent a unit of Genestealers from the AM codex or from an allied codex.

I haven't played a single 7th edition game and very few 6th edition ones, so I am unsure at the moment who can ally with AM. If Tyranids can, I guess I could just use the real-deal Genestealer profile.

Thanks for the replies so far!

totengraber wrote:
I already have some old Genestealer Cultist models that I was going to use in the units as unit leaders. I also have some Magi to use as characters. I guess I was more curious what troop profile I could use to represent a unit of Genestealers from the AM codex or from an allied codex.

I haven't played a single 7th edition game and very few 6th edition ones, so I am unsure at the moment who can ally with AM. If Tyranids can, I guess I could just use the real-deal Genestealer profile.

Thanks for the replies so far!

Anyone can ally with anyone in 7th, but there are levels of alliances. Allied genestealers in an AM army cannot move within 1" of any AM units, they cannot benefit from the AM warlord traits, cannot be joined by AM characters, don't count as friendly models for the purposes of psychic powers, cannot use modifiers or re-rolls for reserves that exist because of some AM special rule and are affected by attacks that target enemy units within a certain range, like nova attacks from psykers and such. And in addition to all of that, if at the start of your movement phase you have a genestealer unit within 6" of an AM unit, roll a die for the AM unit. On a 1, the AM unit can't move, can't manifest psychic powers, shoot, run or charge that turn because they're keeping an eye on their allies. And lastly, you can't deploy the genestealers within 12" of an AM unit.

Lots of limitations sadly, although I think genestealers might still work as allies. Because they infiltrate, they don't have to be anywhere near the AM units you'll be fielding, which solves the greatest problems.

The downside of using genestealers, other than the long list above is that you'll need the tyranid codex and the AM codex. I don't know what the broodlord stats are like, but as I said before, you might be able to use ogryn rules for them and then you don't have to deal with the allies rules.

I would employ some converting and counts as if you really want some tyranid models in your force. Eg: carnifexes as LRBTs, warriors as sentinels etc

Nids can ally with guard. Just use gene stealers.

Though I would use chaos cultists counts-as for gene cults. You could use guard though.

 Las wrote:
I would employ some converting and counts as if you really want some tyranid models in your force. Eg: carnifexes as LRBTs, warriors as sentinels etc

A genestealer cult army wouldn't have carnifexes, or any other tyranid units outside of genestealers (and broodlords).

The best way is just use AM and ally nids using the genestealer formations. The rest is just modeling the look.

As an added bonus, you could add a genestealer patriarch by just using a hive tyrant with nothing but rending claws.

oz of the north wrote:
You can actually ally in tyranids to a guard unit, the genestealers just cannot be within 12 or 6 inches (forgot the actual distance) of the guard

This is the simplest option. Just refrain from picking tryanid that are innapropriate.

Hybrids are the only thing not accounted for directly. I would use Termaguant rules with customised IG/Gaunt hybrid models.

If you want to go crazy, you could field whatever MC poops out gaunts, and call it a hive queen/matriarch.

Or you could just use Renegade rules from IA5-7. They include Mutated Rabble and 'Enforcers' which work as a sort of weak Hybrid meant to keep the 'brood' in line. Basically a Commissar. Ally in the Genestealer Formations as described and there ya go.

 ClassicCarraway wrote:

 Las wrote:
I would employ some converting and counts as if you really want some tyranid models in your force. Eg: carnifexes as LRBTs, warriors as sentinels etc

A genestealer cult army wouldn't have carnifexes, or any other tyranid units outside of genestealers (and broodlords).

The best way is just use AM and ally nids using the genestealer formations. The rest is just modeling the look.

As an added bonus, you could add a genestealer patriarch by just using a hive tyrant with nothing but rending claws.

What's the difference if you have nid models on the same table as allies anyway?

Edit: oh nvm I see what you're saying

Use the IG codex with Imperuim allies. For example use your genestealer models but have them count as Inq Death Cult assassins. The inq codex allows you a bunch of weird options to help flesh out some of your more exotic needs. Also look to the new SW codex they have some different units including beast units.

You just need to get creative but with all of humanity becoming bro fisting best buddies you have a lot of options now. To do these kind of armies you just have to a ton of counts as.

Heck I am thinking of using Eldar/Dark Eldar as Arbites instead of using the Ig dex.

Nothing will fit together perfectly (Death cult assassins can't infiltrate) and you will need to fudge things a bit but it can be done

I think just allying in Tyranids is the best way to go. Keep the CC bugs harrying your opponent up close, while your long distance Guard pot away at your leisure.

Using Genetealer models as anything other than Genestealers is going to lead to a lot of confusion.

How many and how big of units of Genestealers are good?

I assume I'll need to take a Tyranid HQ to ally in the Genestealers; is he an HQ choice? If not, what Tyranid HQ should I take?

Thanks!

Well, new IA13 (dat numbering, just noticed) is meant for chaos, but it has the new renegades and heretics army (mutants go here, with faux-IG)

It can be made as a count-as genestealer cult, with mutated rabbles, stolen IG tanks, psykers and all sorts of stuff.
Just don't pick the REALLY chaos stuff (defilers for example)


Maybe one day FW will make a real GSC army, but until than the IA13 army list is probably the best bet.

totengraber wrote:
How many and how big of units of Genestealers are good?

I assume I'll need to take a Tyranid HQ to ally in the Genestealers; is he an HQ choice? If not, what Tyranid HQ should I take?

Thanks!

If you take a Codex Tyranids allied detachment then yes, you'll need an HQ (Deathleaper counting as a Patriarch?). You would arguably be better off taking one or more of the Genestealer Formations in the Rising Leviathan Dataslate, as you can take these without needing an HQ.

1) Manufactorum Genestealers = 5 broods of 5 Genestealers with Hit & Run and a slightly tweaked deployment rule.

2) Broodlord Hunting Pack = 3 broods of Genestealers, one with a Broodlord, gaining Preferred Enemy for one unit on deployment and a slightly tweaked deployment rule.

Both are interesting "surprise pressure" units that can suddenly flood all those ruins in your opponent's deployment zone and really screw with their battle plan. Then you just throw in a standard AM army (or Tau, or Orks, or Eldar, or Chaos (without Daemons) because every race can be bent to the will of the Genestealer...

I run my GS Cult as Inquisition and IG, with the Broodlord Hunting Pack for the actual Genestealers (in the fluff, the actual stealers are a bit rare, so having only a handful of them makes sense). Using Inquisition is a nice fit, since there are plenty of off-the-wall niches in the codex that do an admirable job of capturing the whole cult motif. Plus, it is not outside the realm of possibility to imagine an Ordo Xenos inquisitor becoming enamored with the sheer power of Genestealers, and then biting off more than he can chew.

Usually, I run my patriarch as a counts-as Inquisitor Karamazov ( I have him on a mobile throne, with the same dimensions and loadout as the actual Karamazov model), along with an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor, with Jokaero hybrids as the meat of my warband, as well as hybrid Death Cult Assassins and Ministorum Priests (every good cult has a handful of fanatical priests, after all).

Then, the Guard allies come to play: a combined platoon, consisting of hybrids, and then a large squad of Conscripts as the 'rabble' of the cult. I add vehicles (a lone Leman Russ, Sentinel, etc) as points permit. They are led by Primaris Psykers ( I usually run 2-3), who play the part of the cult Magi.

It is a fun list that pays homage to the old GS cults of the late 80s (minus the limo).