GENESTEALER CULT
WARGEAR
Book of The Faith
Cult Leaders often carry massive tomes with
them, enormous volumes detailing the Cult beliefs and prophecies. Between battles they
read to their enthralled followers, both to inspire them for the coming conflict and
remove any doubts they might have in their actions. In actual combat there is little time
for reading, but the thick velum (or sometimes less savory materials used in covers and
pages) does often provide a modicum of protection by absorbing what might have been a
lethal blow. Unless killed outright by an Instant Death effect, when the model suffers its
last wound do not remove it as a casualty. Instead, place it on its side, and at the end
of the current phase roll a D6. On a roll of 6, the Book has preserved its owner; stand
the model back up and it is restored to 1 wound. Note this is done before determining
Assault Results, but still count any wounds the owner originally took towards determining
who won the assault.
Chitin Armor Coating
A special protective aid made from
specially treated layers of Genestealer Chitin skin fashioned over regular armor. Though
difficult and time-consuming to make, its unique properties are sought by most Cult
leaders. A model with Chitin armor has the same saving throw as normal, but in order for a
weapon to negate the model’s save it must have an AP value that is better than the
saving throw, not just equal to it. For example, for a model wearing Flak Armor with an
armor save of 5+, this means that only weapons with an AP of 4 or better will negate their
saving throw, while weapons with an AP value of 5 or better can be saved against as
normal. This must be combined with actual Armor to be effective though; it does nothing
without Carapace Armor or Flak Armor.
Genestealer Claw Totem
Cults often fashion weapons from the razor
sharp claws of their departed kinsmen, both to remember them in battle and to slay more of
the enemy! Usually these take the form of a long staff or club, with several claws (or an
entire Genestealer arm) attached at the end. A Totem takes both hands to wield, so the
user will not gain an extra Attack by using it, but the extra sharp claws slice through
most enemy armor. Any attacks from a Totem-wielding cultist which roll a 6 to hit will
wound automatically and ignore armor saving throws, exactly in the same manner as regular
Genestealer Claws. Other attacks which hit on a roll other than 6 must roll to wound as
normal and the victim receives their normal armor saving throw.
Patriarch Ichor Vial (one per Cult)
A small amount of ichor from the Patriarch
is mixed with rare unholy herbs and forbidden chemicals to form a potent brew! Once per
battle at any time in any Assault Phase the bearer may shatter the vial, releasing the
fumes into the air. All Cult members (including Genestealers & Hybrids) belonging to
any units or open-topped vehicles within 2D6" of the Cultist who shattered the vial
are filled with fanatical zeal from the vapors. Roll once on the table below to see what
effects occur. After the turn ends, the vapors disperse and the effects are lost. Note
that the Vial can be used in the opponent’s Assault Phase if desired.
| D6 |
Effects |
| 1 |
+1 Initiative |
| 2 |
+1 Attack |
| 3 |
+1 Strength |
| 4 |
+1 Weapon Skill |
| 5 |
May re-roll any misses in the
Assault |
| 6 |
May re-roll any failed rolls
to wound or to penetrate vehicle armor |
Cult Relics:
Most Cults have special icons or relics
that serve to inspire the faithful. Before battle, special Brood Brothers are chosen to
carry them as they launch their holy crusades against their oppressors. These chosen are
called Relic Bearers, and only the most devoted are allowed this honor and duty. Relics
are usually affixed to long poles for all too see, and can either be carried in one hand
or strapped to the back of the Bearer, or his mount or bike. There can only be one Relic
Bearer per unit, and thus only one Relic per unit. The two most common types of Relics are
described below:
Cult Censer
During Cult services, special braziers are
lit to fill the halls with scented smoke. Unknown to all but the Cult leaders, these fumes
are laced with special chemicals and Genestealer pheromones. Designed to interact with the
altered DNA of the membership, they work to deaden independent thinking and reinforce
faith in the Cult. In battle they serve to repress any thought of slowing the fanatical
advance and ensure Cult forces continue towards the enemy. Any unit which has a Censer may
roll 3 dice for any Pinning Tests, and use the lowest two for the result. However, if the
test is still failed the fumes have wrecked havoc with the drugged minds of the faithful,
and they immediately Fall Back as if they had failed a Morale Test! This will even effect
Bodyguard Initiates for the Magus (who will never normally Fall Back).
Remains of the Unbeliever
Often the Cult will carry into battle the
remains of a slain enemy, usually the reminder of a previous glorious victory or
assassination, mounted high on a pole for all to see. This could be the head of a high
ranking planetary official, the crested helm of the local Adeptus Arbites Chief, or
possibly even a mighty Space Marine’s helmet! No matter what form the Remains take
they serve to strengthen the resolve of the Cult members by reminding them of their past
successes. If the unit carrying this Relic has just failed a Morale test and is Falling
Back, after it has completed the Fall Back movement (but before the enemy decides to
Consolidate or Pursue) it can take another Morale test to Regroup. They must take the test
using their own Leadership – the Our Father Watches Us rules cannot be used,
and normal restrictions for Regrouping apply. Note this does not apply to beginning of the
turn Regrouping attempts, but to Falling Back from an Assault, as a result of casualties
from enemy fire, etc.
Special Optional Rule (both
players must agree to it before the game!): If the Remains are from the same army as
the current enemy (i.e., a Commissar’s head when fighting Imperial Guard), then the
Cult may take them at half price. However, the enemy will be filled with righteous zeal to
recover them, and gains +1 Attack when fighting against any units carrying those Remains!
New Weapons:
Unlike "proper" armies,
Genestealer Cults often find themselves utilizing anything that can be found or stolen as
weapons. This almost always includes large numbers of civilian weapons drafted into combat
roles. All of the following weapons are very common throughout Imperial planets, but are
almost never used by actual military forces. Cults cannot be so choosy though, and to
their best to make good use of them in their bids for revolution.
Primitive Weapons
This is a new weapon class, used for those
weapons which are simply not up to the normal standards for warfare in the 41st
Millennium (or even the 21st). Though widely used in Cult forces they are all
very much inferior to normal military weaponry, and even the poorest armor is usually
sufficient to protect the wearer against such weapons. As such, enemy models which fail a
saving throw after being wounded by a Primitive Weapon are allowed to re-roll the saving
throw (once!). Note this includes all types of saving throws (armor, cover, invulnerable,
or any others that might come up), but if the enemy model doesn’t have any sort of
saving throw they still don’t get one!
Bow: Primitive weapon used on almost
all planets, heavily so on Feudal Worlds. Skilled users can fire off arrows at a fast rate
at short distances, or draw back fully for extra range.
Range |
Str |
AP |
Type |
24" |
3 |
- |
Rapid
Fire, Primitive Weapon |
Crossbow: Slightly
more high-tech than a Bow, it hits slightly harder but is slower to use.
Range |
Str |
AP |
Type |
24" |
4 |
- |
Heavy
1, Primitive Weapon |
Double-Handed Close
Combat Weapon: A common weapon in Cults (even the poorest Cultist can find or create
one from common materials), these can take many forms – huge axes, great swords,
halberds, spears, flails, etc. A model armed with one of these large weapons adds +2 to
his Strength, but strikes at -1 Initiative due to the ponderous nature of the attack. It
takes both hands to use one though, so the user will not gain an extra Attack by using it
even if he has any other close combat weapons.
Firebombs: While many Cults lack the
expertise to make or the access to steal large supplies of Frag Grenades, it is very easy
for Brood Brothers to create their own home-made incendiary devices from small (usually
glass) containers of flammable liquids. Hurling them at enemy units in cover, the
resulting flames buy some time as the Brood Brothers advance into Assault. The Cult
uprising on Moltov Prime saw these used to great effect. The planet’s more famous
fermented products were turned into thousands of lethal projectiles in the bid to
overthrow the entrenched aristocratic government, and the battle cry of "Let them
Drink Moltov Cocktails!" was heard throughout the capitol city.
Firebombs in game play work exactly like
Frag Grenades, but the resulting flames prevent any assaulting Cultists from Advancing;
any Cult units involved in that Assault may only Consolidate. Firebombs are also more
bulky and unwieldy than regular grenades, so they can only be used once per game.
Heavy Stubber: A cheap and easy to
mass-produce weapon used mostly by Hive gangs or criminals. Reliable and easy to use, it
can spread down a hail of solid slug ammunition quickly and is a favorite weapon in almost
every Cult force.
Range |
Str |
AP |
Type |
36" |
4 |
5 |
Heavy
3 |
Poorly Made Flak Armor:
Most Cults simply do not have the materiel access to ensure all members get normal Flak
Armor, and thus many of the lower members must make so with cheaper substitutes
constructed from whatever is at hand. While not as good as the real thing, the heavy
material provides some protection and gives the wearer a 6+ Armor Save.
Stubb Gun: Possibly the most common
weapon in the Imperium, this small pistol is very simple to construct (often being
home-made for many criminal or gang elements). In game play it has the same effects as a
Laspistol or Autopistol.
Range |
Str |
AP |
Type |
12" |
3 |
- |
Pistol |
Regular Wargear & Special
Rules Summaries
See Codex: Imperial Guard for special rules
for the following wargear items and special rules:
Carapace Armor, Combi-Weapon, Master
Crafted Weapons , Scanner, Targeter, Heavy Weapon Teams
CULT VEHICLE UPGRADES
Bell of Righteousness: Before going
into battle, many Cults remove sacred items from their covens to carry with them,
displaying their fanatical signs of devotion for the enemy to gaze on and despair.
Commonly these are huge bells, once used to call the brood faithful to gather but now used
to reinforce their faith in the Cult. Any unit within 6" of a vehicle mounted with a
Bell can re-roll their Morale test after losing an Assault. Note that any given test can
only be re-rolled once, no matter how many Bells are within 6" of the unit.
Regular Vehicle Upgrades
See Codex: Imperial Guard and the Warhammer
40,000 Rulebook for special rules for the following vehicle upgrades
Extra Armour, Hunter-Killer Missile,
Pintle-Mounted Storm Bolter, Rough Terrain Modifications, Searchlight, Smoke Launchers |
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