Purestrain Genestealers
Genestealer Cults
Keywords: Infantry • Purestrain Genestealers • Great Devourer
Unit Profiles
| Model | M | T | Sv | W | Ld | OC | Invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purestrain Genestealer | 8" | 4 | 5+ | 2 | 7+ | 1 | 5+ |
Melee Weapons
| Profile | Keywords | Range | A | WS | BS | S | AP | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cult claws and talons | — | Melee | 4 | 2+ | — | 4 | -2 | 1 |
Unit Composition
■ 5-10 Purestrain Genestealers
Every model is equipped with: cult claws and talons.
Unit Abilities
View Army Rule
If your Army Faction is GENESTEALER CULTS, you start the battle with a number of Resurgence points, depending on the battle size, as shown below.
■ Incursion: 6 Resurgence points
■ Strike Force: 10 Resurgence points
■ Onslaught: 14 Resurgence points
Each time a unit from your army is destroyed, if every model in that unit has this ability, you can spend the relevant number of Resurgence points shown below based on that unit’s Starting Strength.
If you do:
■ Add a new unit to your army identical to your destroyed unit, in Cult Ambush, at its Starting Strength, with all of its wounds remaining and any [ONE SHOT] weapons those models are equipped with considered as not having been shot.
■ Place one Cult Ambush marker (see below) anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy units (if this is not possible, no marker is placed).
Units in Cult Ambush
Cult Ambush is a type of Strategic Reserves. Units in Cult Ambush cannot be targeted with the Rapid Ingress Stratagem, but can be set up on the battlefield using a Cult Ambush marker as described below, or by following the rules for Strategic Reserves in a subsequent turn.
Cult Ambush Markers
Use a circular 32mm diameter marker for Cult Ambush markers. If an enemy model (excluding AIRCRAFT) ends any kind of move within 9" of a Cult Ambush marker you placed, that Cult Ambush marker is removed from the battlefield. At the end of the Reinforcements step of your opponent’s next Movement phase, for each of your Cult Ambush markers still on the battlefield, you can select one unit from your army that is in Cult Ambush and set up that unit using that Cult Ambush marker. To do so, set that unit up on the battlefield more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy units, with at least one model in that unit touching that Cult Ambush marker and all other models placed wholly within 3" of that Cult Ambush marker (that Cult Ambush marker is then removed from the battlefield).
This unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced.
Core Abilities
During the Declare Battle Formations step, if every model in a unit has this ability, you can set it up in Reserves instead of setting it up on the battlefield. If you do, in the Reinforcements step of one of your Movement phases you can set up this unit anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy models.
If a unit with the Deep Strike ability arrives from Strategic Reserves, the controlling player can choose for that unit to be set up either using the rules for Strategic Reserves or using the Deep Strike ability.
During deployment, if every model in a unit has this ability, then when you set it up, it can be set up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from the enemy deployment zone and all enemy models.
Stratagems by Detachment
Biosanctic Broodsurge
Evasive Vanguard
When: Any phase, just after an enemy unit ends a move within 9" of one or more of your Cult Ambush markers, before removing those markers from the battlefield.
Target: Select one of those Cult Ambush markers.
Effect: You can set up that Cult Ambush marker anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy units.
Gene-twisted Muscle
When: Fight phase.
Target: One ABERRANTS, BIOPHAGUS or PURESTRAIN GENESTEALERS unit from your army that has not been selected to fight this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets a MONSTER or VEHICLE, add 1 to the Wound roll.
Hyper-metabolic Vigour
When: Fight phase.
Target: One ABERRANTS, BIOPHAGUS or PURESTRAIN GENESTEALERS unit from your army that has not been selected to fight this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes a Pile-in or Consolidation move, it can move up to 6" instead of up to 3". In addition, it does not need to end that move closer to the closest enemy model, provided it ends it as close as possible to the closest enemy unit.
Stimulated Bio-surge
When: Your Charge phase.
Target: One ABERRANTS, BIOPHAGUS or PURESTRAIN GENESTEALERS unit from your army that has not declared a charge this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time your unit declares a charge, if the closest eligible enemy unit is selected as one of the targets of that charge, add 1 to the Charge roll for each selected target of that charge (including the closest eligible enemy unit), to a maximum of +3.
Bio-horror Revelation
When: Start of your opponent’s Shooting phase.
Target: One ABERRANTS, BIOPHAGUS or PURESTRAIN GENESTEALERS unit from your army.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time an enemy unit within 9" of your unit is selected to shoot, it must take a Leadership test, subtracting 1 from the result. If that test is failed, until the end of the phase, each time a model in that enemy unit makes an attack that targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.
Brood Brothers Auxilia
Regimental Reinforcements
When: Your opponent’s Shooting phase or the Fight phase, just after an ASTRA MILITARUM INFANTRY REGIMENT unit from your army (excluding ARTILLERY and CHARACTER units) is destroyed.
Target: That INFANTRY unit. You can use this Stratagem on that unit even though it was just destroyed.
Effect: Roll one D6: on a 3+, place one Cult Ambush marker anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy units (if this is not possible, no marker is placed) and add a new unit to your army identical to your destroyed unit, in Cult Ambush, at its Starting Strength, with all of its wounds remaining and any [ONE SHOT] weapons those models are equipped with considered as not having been shot.
Restrictions: You can only use this Stratagem once per battle.
Symbiotic Destruction
When: Your Shooting phase.
Target: One ASTRA MILITARUM and one GENESTEALER CULTS unit from your army that have not been selected to shoot this phase.
Effect: Select one enemy unit that is visible to both of those selected units and within range of at least one ranged weapon from each of those units. Until the end of the phase, models in those units can only make attacks that target that enemy unit (and only if it is an eligible target). When doing so, each time such a model makes an attack, re-roll a Wound roll of 1.
A Dark Network
When: Reinforcements step of your opponent’s Movement phase, just after an enemy unit is set up on the battlefield from Reserves.
Target: One ASTRA MILITARUM or GENESTEALER CULTS unit from your army (excluding MONSTERS and VEHICLES) within 12" of that enemy unit.
Effect: Your unit can make a Normal move of up to 6".
Final Day
Hyperferocity
When: Fight phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS unit from your army that has not been selected to fight this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets an enemy unit, re‑roll a Wound roll of 1. If one or more friendly TYRANIDS units are within 6" of that enemy unit, you can re‑roll the Wound roll instead.
Divine Imperative
When: Your Charge phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS unit from your army that has not declared a charge this phase.
Effect: Select one enemy unit within Engagement Range of one or more TYRANIDS units from your army. Until the end of the phase, each time your GENESTEALER CULTS unit declares a charge, if that enemy unit is one of the targets of that charge, add 1 to Charge rolls made for your unit and you can re‑roll the Charge roll.
Resistance Tunnels
When: End of your opponent’s Fight phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS or TYRANIDS unit from your army that is not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units.
Effect: Remove your unit from the battlefield and place it into Strategic Reserves.
Host of Ascension
Coordinated Trap
When: The start of your Shooting phase or the start of the Fight phase.
Target: Two GENESTEALER CULTS units from your army that have not been selected to shoot or fight this phase.
Effect: Select one enemy unit (if this Stratagem is used in the Fight phase, that enemy unit must be within Engagement Range of both of your units). Until the end of the phase, each time a model in either of your units makes an attack, it can only target that enemy unit (and only if it is an eligible target for that attack), and when resolving that attack, add 1 to the Wound roll.
Primed and Readied
When: Your Shooting phase or the Fight phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS units from your army that has not been selected to shoot or fight this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack, a Critical Hit is scored on an unmodified Hit roll of 5+, instead of only a 6.
Tunnel Crawlers
When: Your Movement phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS unit from your army that is arriving using the Deep Strike ability this phase.
Effect: Your unit can be set up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 6" horizontally away from all enemy units.
Restrictions: A unit targeted by this Stratagem is not eligible to declare a charge in the same turn.
Lying in Wait
When: Your opponent’s Movement phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS BATTLELINE unit from your army in Cult Ambush.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, when setting your unit up using a Cult Ambush marker, set your unit up anywhere on the battlefield wholly within 6" of that Cult Ambush marker and not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units.
Return to the Shadows
When: End of your opponent’s Fight phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS INFANTRY unit from your army that is not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units.
Effect: Remove your unit from the battlefield and place it into Strategic Reserves.
A Deadly Snare
When: Your opponent’s Charge phase, just after an enemy unit declares a charge.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS INFANTRY unit from your army that was selected as a target of that charge.
Effect: Roll one D6: on a 2-4, that enemy unit suffers D3 mortal wounds; on a 5+, that enemy unit suffers 3 mortal wounds.
Outlander Claw
Along Shadowed Trails
When: Any phase, just after an enemy unit ends a move within 9" of one or more of your Cult Ambush markers.
Target: Select one of those Cult Ambush markers.
Effect: You can set up that Cult Ambush marker anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy units.
Close-range Shoot-out
When: Your Shooting phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS MOUNTED or GENESTEALER CULTS VEHICLE unit from your army that has not been selected to shoot this phase.
Effect: Until the end of the phase, ranged weapons equipped by models in your unit have the [LETHAL HITS] ability while targeting an enemy unit within 18".
Encircling the Prey
When: End of your opponent’s Fight phase.
Target: One GENESTEALER CULTS MOUNTED or GENESTEALER CULTS VEHICLE unit from your army that is not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units and is wholly within 9" of one or more battlefield edges.
Effect: Remove your unit from the battlefield and place it into Strategic Reserves.
Xenocreed Congregation
Vengeance for the Martyr!
When: Your opponent’s Shooting phase or the Fight phase, just after an enemy unit destroys a GENESTEALER CULTS CHARACTER model from your army.
Target: One other GENESTEALER CULTS CHARACTER model from your army.
Effect: Until the end of the battle, each time a friendly ACOLYTE HYBRIDS, HYBRID METAMORPHS or NEOPHYTE HYBRIDS model makes an attack that targets that enemy unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. If the destroyed model was a MAGUS, PRIMUS or ACOLYTE ICONWARD, you can re-roll the Hit roll instead.