Warhammer 40,000/10th Edition Tactics/Genestealer Cults
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This is the current 10th Edition's Genestealer Cults tactics. 9th Edition Tactics are here.
Why Play Genestealer Cults
Pros
- Your forces have a lot of ways of not staying down between Cult Ambush resurrecting your troops and Icons resurrecting models.
- Deep Strikes everywhere.
- You are no longer limited to only having one of each character.
Cons
- According to the fluff your 'Nid allies eat you last, you die even if you win.
- Don't wear jeans while playing, your opponent will think you stole them.
Faction Rules
- Cult Ambush: Any time a unit dies, roll a d6, adding +3 if the unit is Battleline. On a 4+, the unit gets thrown back into reserves with a special marker being placed anywhere on the board at least 9" away from an enemy. On your opponent's next reinforcements step, the unit comes back.
- This comes with two major caveats. The first is the fact that any attached characters won't return with any attached units, meaning a dead hero is truly dead. The second is the fact that if any enemies end their movement within 9" of a marker, that marker will go away - In these cases, you really need to be careful where you deploy your reinforcements.
- Brood Brothers: The anticipated rule that lets you ally in the Imperial Guard. You can ally in a fixed amount of Guard units (250/500/750 points depending on size). Though allied, these units can't be used for a Warlord and can't accept Enhancements.
- There are restrictions to what you can take, but none too shocking. No Epic Heroes, no Tempestus, no Commissars, no Preachers, no Ogryns or Ratlings, no Techpriests or Servitors. The one surprise here is the lack of aircraft, which can be very crippling since the army has absolutely no aircraft to consider.
- Because your Imperial Guard allies won't have their Army rule of Orders (or your Army rule of Cult Ambush, of course), if you stick to units that can't be ordered anyway, you lose nothing in the transition. Similar logic applies to Detachment rules. An excellent example is Inferno Cannon Hellhounds.
Detachments
Ascension Day
Special Rules
- They Came From Below: Any units that emerge from reserves gain Sustained Hits 1 and Ignores Cover until the end of the Fight phase. Both of these are excellent for your gunlines as well as for any ambushing Purestrains and Aberrants.
- While this is theoretically effective for both range and melee, in practice it benefits shooting more than close combat. First, there is no cover to ignore in melee, so the addition of the ability doesn't improve CC. Second, while Sustained Hits is undeniably wonderful, the requirement to come out of deep strike means you need to successfully make a 9" charge, a likelihood of 27.8%, to give your claws and saws those extra hits, but guns, on the other hand, just need to have a range of greater than 9", which they all do (to our knowledge).
Stratagems
- Coordinated Assault (1CP): Get two units to shoot or fight the same enemy. All attacks either unit makes against this enemy get to re-roll 1s to wound, which you'll definitely need with how flimsy they are.
- Tunnel Crawlers (1 CP): When a unit deep-strikes, you can have them arrive much closer, making them only need to stay at least 3" away from an enemy. Sadly, they can't charge after arriving, but they can still open fire with anything Rapid Fire.
- Unquestioning Loyalty (1CP): In the fight phase or opponent's shooting phase, pick one GSC character that has been targeted by your opponent, until the end of the phase each time the character in question would lose a wound, a friendly GSC unit that's within 3" of the targeted character suffers a mortal wound instead.
- A Perfect Ambush (1CP): In the shooting phase, one GSC unit improves their BS and AP by one for their guns.
- One With The Darkness (1CP): When your opponent targets a GSC infantry unit in their shooting phase, pop this strat and that GSC infantry unit gains the Stealth ability, which is minus one to hit, and can only be targeted to be shot if within 12".
- Return To The Shadows (1CP): 1 GSC infantry or up to 2 GSC battleline units, all of which much have the deep strike ability and can't be within engagement range, can be placed into Strategic Reserves.
Enhancements
- Prowling Agitant: Once per turn, when an enemy unit ends a normal, advance or fall back move within 9" of the bear's unit, so long as you aren't within engagement range, you can make a d6" move.
- Inscrutable Cunning: The bearer's unit gains the infiltrators ability and each time a strat is used on this model's unit, on a 4+ gain a CP.
- Meticulous Planner: Once per battle, make one of your enemy's stratagem cost 1 more CP than normal for the rest of the game.
- Focus Of Adoration: The bearer's unit can use the Heroic Intervention strat for 0CP even if that stratagem was used this phase by another unit.
Equipment & Weapons
Ranged
- Achilles Missile Launcher: 36" A3 BS4+ S9 AP-2 D3
- Autopistol: [PISTOL] 12" A1 BS4+ S3 AP0 D1
- Demolition Charges: [ASSAULT, BLAST, HAZAROUS, ONE SHOT] 6" Ad6+3 BS5+ S12 AP-2 D2
- Flamer: [IGNORES COVER, TORRENT] 12" Ad6 BS(NA) S4 AP0 D1
- Grenade Launcher:
- Frag: [BLAST] 24" Ad3 BS4+ S4 AP0 D1
- Krak: 24" A1 BS4+ S9 AP-2 Dd3
- Hand Flamer: [IGNORES COVER, PISTOL, TORRENT] 12" Ad6 BS(NA) S3 AP0 D1
- Heavy Mining Laser: [BLAST] 36" Ad3 BS4+ S12 AP-3 Dd6+1
- Heavy Mortar: [BLAST, INDIRECT FIRE] 48" Ad6+3 BS4+ S6 AP0 D1
- Heavy Stubber: [RAPID FIRE 3] 36" A3 BS4+ S4 AP0 D1
- Hybrid Firearm: [RAPID FIRE 1] 24" A1 BS4+ S3 AP0 D1
- Leader Pistol: [PISTOL] 12" A1 BS4+ S4 AP0 D1
- Mining Laser: [HEAVY] 24" A1 BS5+ S12 AP-3 Dd6+1
- Seismic Cannon: [HEAVY, RAPID FIRE 2] 24" A4 BS5+ S6 AP-1 Dd3. Heavy and rapid fire aren't the best keywords to have on the same weapon, as you want to be within half range but also stay still.
- Twin Heavy Stubber: [TWIN-LINKED, RAPID FIRE 3] 36" A3 BS4+ S4 AP0 D1
- Webber: [DEVASTATING WOUNDS, TORRENT] 12" Ad6 BS(NA) S2 AP0 D1
Melee
- Atalan Power Weapons: A2 WS4+ S4 AP-2 D1
- Close Combat Weapon (Atalan Jackals): A2 WS4+ S3 AP0 D1
- Close Combat Weapon (Neophytes): A1 WS4+ S3 AP0 D1
- Chainsword: A2 WS4+ S3 AP0 D1
- Cult Claws: A4 WS3+ S4 AP-1 D1
- Cult Claws And Knife: A3 WS3+ S4 AP-1 D1
- Heavy Improvised Weapon: A5 WS3+ S6 AP0 D2
- Heavy Mining Tool: A2 WS3+ S10 AP-2 D3
- Heavy Power Weapon: A3 WS3+ S8 AP-2 D3
- Hypermorph Tail: [EXTRA ATTACKS] A1 WS3+ S5 AP0 D1
- Leader's Cult Weapons: A5 WS3+ S5 AP-2 D1
- Patriarch's Claws: [DEVASTATING WOUNDS, TWIN-LINKED] A5 WS2+ S6 AP-2 D2
- Power Sledgehammer: A3 WS3+ S12 AP-2 Dd6+1
- Power Weapon: A1 WS4+ S4 AP-2 D1
- Ridgerunner Wheels: A3 WS4+ S5 AP0 D1
Unit Analysis
Being that the Imperial Guard index (and eventual codex) is essentially the second half of the GSC index/codex, the Imperial Guard units that you can take will be listed along side the Genestealer cult unit but with the Brood Brothers tag attached for your convenience.
Characters
- Platoon Command SquadBrood Brothers: Shockingly able to attach to regular platoons (though Cadians seem too stubborn to let non-Cadian command squads join) so you can make a giant bubblewrap of warm bodies, especially when joined by another character. As expected, this squad can carry an alarming variety of guns, so many that you need a separate armoury card just to see all the stats - this is a necessity if you're planning on taking a heavy weapons team. They also have a 6" bubble that lets them issue orders to battle-shocked units so they can still be of use in sacrificing themselves to the enemy.
- Master Vox lets the squad double the range of their orders, which is very handy if you're keeping them away from the front lines. The medi-pack gives a basic 6+ FNP and the Regimental Standard allows for the squad to improve their OC by 1, though it's uncertain if this boost is also shared to any attached units.
- Primaris PsykerBrood Brothers: While the shared 4+ FNP against psychic weapons is constant, the shared 4++ against shooting is something that can backfire if you roll a 1 on a d6, somewhat emulating the old psychic tests down to that 1 dealing d3 MWs, which is kind of a slap in the face since non-Hazardous Psychic Tests were supposed to have been removed. The only other power they pack is Psychic Maelstrom, a pretty potent bombardment weapon with Blast and Devastating Wounds, though using the Focused profile adds Hazardous for a few extra attacks.
- As a reminder, the invuln only triggers during the shooting phase. As such, do NOT let them stand near the front where they can get run through like the mere men they are.
Epic Heroes
- Patriarch: The absolute unit, maintaining their small-monster tier T5 W6 and 4+/4++. His lone weapon is their set of talons, a devastating S6 AP-2 D2 claws with Devastating Wounds and Twin-Linked so you can guarantee their effectiveness. They can also share Devastating Wounds with any units (presumably Purestrains) they lead.
- Sadly one of the more serious losers in the psychic culling, as they only get Cosmic Horror as a power, which forces one unit within 6" to take a Battleshock test. Their familiar similarly has lost a lot of value, only being a single-use item to double the range of their single power.
Battleline
- Acolyte Hybrids:
- Neophyte Hybrids: Your basic gunline remains as piddly as you'd imagine, with their
AutogunsHybrid Firearms (which also accounts for things like lasguns) remaining an unimpressive 24" A1 BS4+ S3 AP0 D1 with Rapid Fire 1. Melee for your forces is similarly lacking, with your leader's only options being either a Chainsword for more attacks or a Power Weapon if you're looking for punch.- Alongside Cult Ambush, these hybrids have the Cult Icon to let them resurrect 3 models or 3+d3 if you have them on an objective, the latter hooking neatly onto A Plan Generations in the Making, which gives you a chance to generate free CP for each unit on an objective. Simply put, these bastards refuse to go away unless you throw artillery at them. That said, this protection isn't extended to any attached characters.
- Gun choices: Flamers are useless (Webbers are better in virtually every circumstance), and the tl;dr here is that if you take special weapons, you want Webbers and Seismic Cannons.
Infantry
- Aberants: With toughness 6, 3 wounds, 4+++ FNP, these dudes are tough, and if that wasn't enough, which it's not, if a character is attached to this unit, every attack with a higher strength than this toughness, these boys have a minus 1 to wound.
- Purestrain Genestealers:
- Cadian Shock TroopsBrood Brothers: Cadia's finest can now be inducted into the cult, guess they spread out onto so may worlds after Cadia fell that some of them were bound to find a Genestealer or two, unable to carry heavy weapons but capable of carrying two special weapons (plus the drum-fed autogun you'll always put on the sergeant), but you can't pick the same one twice without doubling up on the unit's size. This doubling-up confirms the fears that unit sizes will now be fixed like in AOS, but unlike that game, you're not stuck in a specific budget for making bigger units.
- Shock Troops make the Cadians valuable, as they can cap any objective they touch and keep it capped until an enemy threatens it. With how much more emphasis there is on claiming objectives, you'll be needing that bit of security as you press on the offense.
- Unlike the Neophytes, these guys can't respawn after death, making Cadians much less tempting to take instead of said neophytes. Not helping things is the unclear nature in which they fit with characters - If they can't even be bodyguards, their only use will be as weapons specialists.
- Death Korps of KriegBrood Brothers: alternate troopers. Masicists, by nature, They get more acreate the more they are decimated, and medic revies D3 troopers.
- Heavy Weapons SquadBrood Brothers: Don't seem to have improved any durability-wise compared to 9th and their Lasguns got nerfed to Las Small Arms (Lascarbines?). While their BS remains questionable for the guns they have, that 5+ is the same they'll be firing for overwatch (4+ if they're on an objective) and the Heavy keyword lets them fire on the move while sitting still lets them hit on a 4+.
Walkers
- Scout SentinelBrood Brothers: The skinnier sentinel with a slightly less thick save but a movement of 12", as well as Scouts 9" for quick repositioning. Their Daring Recon ability will be of no use to you, since your allied Brood Brothers are not Astra Militarum, but depending on price they could be handy to throw at something squishy on an objective. Not as handy as the Armored Sentinel though.
- Armored SentinelBrood Brothers: When it comes to cheap anti-tank, this is the one you'll want. Their ability Mobile Hunter-Killers lets you reroll wounds against Monsters and Vehicles, which goes a long way at remedying the Cult's problems against such targets. What's more, it comes packaged on a T8, 7 wound platform with an incredible 2+ save. Oh, and it has an OC of 2, so you can plonk them on a backfield objective and fire away to your heart's content. One of the bigger winners with the edition change.
Vehicles
- Leman RussBrood Brothers: Good ol' reliable. While not the jack of all trades in terms of damage dealer it once was in previous editions, lacking the strength and AP to go after the tanks you really want to hit it against, it's mediocre BS gets a bit of help with reroll 1's which spikes to full rerolls if what you're attacking is on an objective you're not controlling.
- BanebladeBrood Brothers: The big boss clearly benefited from the edition change, as it's now at a monstrous T13 W24. Hell, now it's big enough that it can count as cover for any models hiding behind it.
Dedicated Transports
- ChimeraBrood Brothers: Probably the premier budget fighting transport you'll be using, as that Firing Deck will absolutely see a use for your Neophyte Hybrids.
- TauroxBrood Brothers: Lets its passengers disembark after having advanced, giving the squad an extra bit of mobility - while this makes the unit count as if they moved and unable to charge, this won't matter much since Neophyte Hybrids aren't usually keen on actually fighting up close.
Tactics
General Tactics
Specific Tactics
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