What Codex Deathwatch Says About Genestealer Cult
The Genestealer Cult Codex has been in the rumormill for months. We can glean some clues from Deathwatch.
It’s a not well guarded secret that Q1’s Deathwatch Overkill was a MONSTER SUCCESS. Enough of one that every rumormonger has been saying GW fast-tracked a pair of followup codices for this year: Deathwatch and Genestealer Cult.
We have no idea what a Genestealer Cult would hold, but with Deathwatch’s 3-week release wrapping up, its’ not to hard to put 2+2 together. Here’s how GW handled the Deathwatch and what I expect to see in an upcoming Cult codex.
3 Week Release:
Week 1: Codex and Big Box Set
With Deathwatch, we saw the new models releases “early” in an unrelated $150 boxed set, and the codex. For Genestealer Cult – this would be simple to replicate with a boxed set representing a Cult rising up against an Imperial force. I would assume that Astra Militarum would make the most reasonable opponent for such an offering – but really it could be almost any faction. Then of course the Cult Codex as well for week 1.
Imagine the Genesteler Cult version of this!
Week 2: Reboxed Old Models with Accessory Sprues
With Deathwatch, we saw the heavy re-use of existing Overkill models, Marine boxed sets, with the inclusion of the teensy “Deathwatch Accessory Sprue”. For a Genestealer Cult list something very similar would be easy for GW. You could release the cult models as a standalone kits, then put out a set of reboxed “cult” models taken from say the Astra Militarum and perhaps select Tyranid models. Throw in a “Genestealer Cult Accessory sprue” with some cult icons to stick on vehicles, hybrid heads, arms and cult weapons that are compatible with the Cadian range and you have a winner.
Week 3 : The Sexy New Models
GW saves the best for last and week 3 is when we got the new kits, Deathwatch Veterans, Watch Master, and Blackstar. The Genestealer Cult range from Overkill could provide the clampack Patriarch, Magus and Primus HQ models, and I’ll leave it up to GW what a “big new Cult” kit could be to correspond to the Blackstar. With the mining theme of the existing Cult minis, a piece of converted mining equipment or some unseen giant hybrid beast could be very, very cool. OR…say it with me…. CULT LIMOS!
Brain on overload just thinking about this…
Rules:
This one’s wide open, but according to fluff, I could see a Genestealer Cult army combining all the Deathwatch Overkill cult models with modest elements taken from both the Astra Militarum codex and codex Tyranids. In previous incarnations of the Genestealer Cult list from back in the days of yore, the cult could get IG infantry squads, and the occasional tank. Genestealers are a given, and to be honest I could see a Lictor or two sneaking into a codex.
In any case, while I love the “Seal Team 6 Space Marines” vibe that the Deathwatch represent – I really like the “down in the dirt scheming low-lifes” vibe of Genestealer Cult. They can’t get here fast enough!
~ What do you think a Genestealer Cult codex / minis release would look like?
