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Author Topic: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 03/04/2014)  (Read 7281 times)

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Offline Ambience 327

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Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 03/04/2014)
« on: January 30, 2013, 02:15:43 PM »
Back again with another offering. This time, I present the Genestealer Cult - my favorite adversaries for my beloved Adeptus Aribtes. My initial thoughts and notes as to the design I chose are contained within the document itself, which weighs in at a mere 16 pages total. As always, I am quite open to comments and constructive criticism - and as you can see by reading though my other Codex development threads, I am definitely willing to incorporate good ideas into my rules - so fire away with your thoughts!

(Last updated 03/04/2014)

Link to PDF: Genestealer Cult Codex

Offline Zilverscale

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2013, 09:59:55 PM »
Nice work :)

Some questions/remarks about the HQ section

- The Patriach/Ancient Patriarch profiles seem to be switched? (or was this the same in the original document with lower WS, I and A??...cannot remember)
- Cost to upgrade to Ancient Patriach, and thus getting Mastery level 2, is cheap (unless the profiles are correct then it is balanced). If the profiles are not correct boosting to mastery level 2 should cost 25 points as Patriarchs are powerfull characters already.

- Hierach: Rending Claw should replace 1 weapon and should cost 5 points (rending is pretty cool ability)
Why replace 1 weapon you'd ask. Well if you upgrade him to a Psyker he'd have rending force weapon attacks and still have an autopistol to overwatch with. By being forced to replace 1 weapon you have to choose to have Rending + overwatch pistol or by having rending force weapon attacks. (I would make it that it counts as +1 CCW but not as a seperate weapon by itself)

Will look at the Elites and Troops later tonight/tomorrow :)
As said nice work, love to see someone get the cult out of the mothballs :)
« Last Edit: January 30, 2013, 10:01:42 PM by Zilverscale »

PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2013, 11:06:14 PM »
Thanks for stopping by, and taking the time to read my codex and comment. I really appreciate it!

As to you questions/remarks:

- The Patriarch profiles are correct. When you "upgrade" to an Ancient Primarch, it is representing him having gotten old and slow (hence the lower WS, I & A), but his Brood is larger and more mature, and his grasp of his powers much stronger, giving him the "cheap" updgrade to ML2.

- The Hierarch doesn't have to replace a weapon, because if he has a Rending Claw, it might just be on a third arm! (One of the advantages of being descended from the Father...)  ;) Also, since the Rending Claw is a weapon, and not just a special rule, he cannot combine its effects with his Force Weapon, so no Rending Force Weapon attacks. He gets his autopistol for Overwatch, then chooses either Rending or Force Rod(/Power Weapon/Power Fist) for close combat.


I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say. Keep it coming.

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 02/08/2013)
« Reply #3 on: February 8, 2013, 04:05:13 PM »
New Version Uploaded 02/08/2013 - see first post!


Change Log:

- Allowed Genestealer Purestrain Broods to take up to 9 additional Genestealers.

- Added an option for Genestealer Broods to upgrade one model to a "Firstborn"

- Changed the HQ Hierach to allow an additional Hierach to be added for every full 750 points in your army.

- Added Version # and Page #'s as a footer, helpful for those who might be printing this thing out to keep track of which page goes with which version.

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 03/27/2013)
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2013, 11:01:27 AM »
New version uploaded 03/27/2013 - see first post.

Change log:

- Clarified how HQ-level Genestealer Hierarchs are purchased for armies with multiple detachments.

- Increased Hierarch points cost at both HQ and ELITES level. (from 15 to 20 per model)

- Updated the Ogryn Bodyguard upgrade so that they must replace their Autopistol with either a Heavy Chainsword or a Heavy Stubber. Increased their cost by 5 points.

- Added an option for Hulking Hybrids to take Heavy Chainswords for 5 points, allowing them a different option for being a very dangerous threat in close combat - especially against low-save, multi-wound models like IG characters. (S7, AP5 = instant death spree on IG officers and the like). They now have to choose between these, heavy stubbers and rending claws. Tough call... :)

- Replaced Hunter Killer missiles with the new "Tube Missile". I figure HK's are probably harder to come by than many other types of Imperial Munitions, so the Cult improvises something similar, with a broader blast and slightly less power and range (hence 24", S7, AP4, Blast). Also allows me to slap it on the trucks and limos without feeling like they are too powerful as fast anti-tank tools), and helps fit the "improvised insurgency" theme the list is building to.

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 08/03/2013)
« Reply #5 on: August 3, 2013, 06:52:00 PM »
New Version Uploaded 08/03/2013 - see first post.

Change Log:

- Added a section to the Brood Focus special rule making it so that the Patriarch is worth an additional Victory Point if he is actually slain - giving slightly more incentive to keep him alive, and adding a bit more weight to losing him.

- Added a caveat to Children of the Father that units locked in combat do not need to take the Morale test.

- Clarified the Die Another Day special rule, stating that "no other unit IN THAT COMBAT may attempt to Hit and Run"

- Adjusted the wording of Specialised Munitions so that the affected weapon counts as being destroyed (no Hull Points are lost) to avoid any possible confusion as to what happens if the vehicle later suffers a Weapon Destroyed result.

- Clarified the Martyr Harness, stating that: "In any event, if the Martyr Harness is detonated, the model must be removed as a casualty, even if no wounds were inflicted on his unit." Also added that: "Wounds caused by a Martyr Harness during the Assault Phase count towards Combat Resolution. Note that Wounds caused by a Martyr Harness to friendly models count as having been inflicted by the opposing side."

- Added an exception to the Improvised Armour vehicle upgrade, disallowing vehicles from moving Flat Out if they have these heavy armour plates added.

- Added an effect to the Stand for the Cause! psychic power so that: "Affected units that are Falling Back immediately regroup."

- Added a few new options for Genestealer Hierarchs, allowing them to take Cavalry or Bike mounts, and a few special and heavy weapons, giving them more tactical flexibility and allowing them to better integrate with different units, which in turn makes them more attractive as an option.

- Added a new unit option - "Disguised Genestealers". These are designed to "pop up" unexpectedly from Cult units as hidden surprises, which is achieved by secretly writing down which units they are hidden within, and not revealing them until those units find themselves in close combat.

- Added the option for Brood Brother Bodyguards and Ogryn Bodyguards to upgrade their Improvised Armour to Carapace Armour for 5 points per model.

- Added a clarification that attached ammunition dumps, comms relays and sapper dens are destroyed along with a tunnel entrance.

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 09/27/2013)
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2013, 07:05:18 AM »
New Version Uploaded - see first post.

Change Log:

- Updated the Specialist Munitions to make it less random, allowing the Genestealer Cult player to decide which vehicles to concentrate his limited resources into. (However, as a side effect, it then becomes possible for the enemy to target the vehicles with more ammo first in order to limit the heavy firepower coming his way.)

- Added a new effect to the "We Die That He May Live!" rule allowing members of the Brood Brother Bodyguard to accept challenges like characters if the Magus or Patriarch are currently joined to their unit. (Yes, this means you could have an Ogryn Bodyguard accept a challenge.)

- Added Trip Mines as a wargear item and gave them to Outrider Squads as standard. Increased their unit cost from 30 to 45 points base to account for this. These rules are obviously borrowed from Space Marine Scouts with their Cluster Mines, and I figured they added another nice nod to guerilla warfare. It also makes the Outriders a bit tastier of a choice, since they were competing with big-gun units in the form of Sentinel and Gun Truck Squadrons in an army already overflowing with close combat prowess.

- Noted the Unit Type for the Sapper Den Zealot as Infantry for completeness.

- Replaced the Fearless rule with the Zealot rule for the Sapper Den Zealot. I figure it won't mean much, as Zealot adds Hatred on top of Fearless and he probably won't be doing much actual fighting, but if anyone should have the Zealot rule, it is a Zealot... :)

Offline Ambience 327

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Re: Genestealer Cult Codex for 6th Edition (updated 03/04/2014)
« Reply #7 on: March 4, 2014, 02:00:25 PM »
So after getting to play quite a few games recently, including some for an Escalation League (where the organizer graciously allowed me to use my homebrew codex!), I have a bit more insight into how the army is playing and what needs changed.

One thing I can say for sure - Martyr Harnesses and Rigged Systems are FUN. Losing a vehicle is far less painful when it takes a handful of elite enemy troopers along with it in a huge fireball. It is also rather hilarious when a chunk is taken out of your own battle line because the enemy managed to pop a few of your rigged vehicles early on before you had a chance to disperse.


With all that said, I've uploaded a new version (see the first post). Update Log:

- Clarified the Specialised Munitions rule as to when ammo counters are allocated.

- Updated Rending Claws to AP 5 to bring them in line with the new Tyranid Codex.

- Noted that vehicles must still test for "The Cult Ascendent!", all counting as Ld 10 for the test. It was brought to my attention that there was no clear answer to what a vehicle does for Leadership tests in 6th edition, merely a mention that vehicles never take Morale tests.

- Updated the Martyr Harness to allow activation at Initiative 10. Between being shot up on the way to combat, Overwatch fire, and being killed before their Initiative step, the Harness wasn't going off in combat often enough. (Also, there was precedent in the new Tyranids Codex of Spore Mines exploding at I10.)

- Added the "Ignores Cover" rule to the Martyr Harness to give it a little more punch, as well as to make working out their effects in an Assault just a little bit easier and less confusion. (Remember, they can be just as dangerous to your own troops, especially when used in Initiate mobs.)

- Improved Guard Shield invulnerable save from 6+ to 5+. They just weren't an attractive enough option when you have to give up your bonus attack in order to take them.

- Added a chance for Rigged Systems to detonate if a vehicle is wrecked. These things are so fun, I wanted to have them going off more often. (Of course, this is still just as dangerous to your own units, especially if you are rigging your Transports to blow...)

- Replaced the Aura of Despair Psychic Power with The Horror.

- Updated the Catalyst Psychic Power to bring it in line with the new Tyranid Codex.

- Added the Bulky special rule to Patriarchs and Ancient Patriarchs.

- Added the Very Bulky special rule to Initiate Packs.

- Added the Primogenitor special rule to the Patriarch unit entry, allowing an army to only ever have one Patriarch or Ancient Patriarch, and requiring him to be your Warlord if he is part of your army and the Cult is the Primary Detachment.

- Allowed Cult Limos to carry Bulky models, and increased their transport capacity to 8 models.

- Reduced Brood Brother Bodyguard Squads minimum size to 3 models, but kept the maximum unit size at 10 models. (This is to allow the possibility of a Patriarch and 3 Ogryn in a Limo.)

- Updated "The Shadow Draws Nigh!" Warlod Trait to bring it in line with how Shadow in the Warp works in the new Tyranid Codex.

- Added a bit to the Tunnel Network rule for Hidden Tunnels, allowing friendly non-vehicle units to "embark" into a tunnel entrance in order to enter Ongoing Reserve, to be redeployed next turn via any available means. This makes tunnels even more useful, and provides an additional incentive for the enemy to occupy or destroy the entrances, which should make for a more exciting game overall.

- Increased the cost of each tunnel entrance by 5 points to reflect the new additional use.

 


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