Hey everyone, Reecius here with the next part of our Codex: Drukhari review! Be sure to check the Tactics Corner for more great reviews and articles.

Previous articles in this series:

• Part 1: Army Special Rules
• Part 2: Drukhari Stratagems and Relics
• Part 3: Drukhari Artefacts of Cruelty
• Drukhari Codex Review Part 4: Kabal Obsessions, Stratagems, Relics and Warlord Traits

Today we’re reviewing the Drukhari Wych Cult special rules, Obsessions, Warlord Traits, Stratagems and Relics.

Rating System

I rarely ever see units as “broken” or “garbage” which is the typical binary judgement in internet hyperbole. Even the worst unit can win you the game if it is in the right place at the right time. Units are all simply more or less efficient based on the current situation of any given game. So with that in mind, here is the shiny new rating system:

• Competitive: This is a codex entry (unit, stratagem, item, etc.) that has a place in essentially any competitive list built with this faction regardless of unit choices or is the source of a significant force multiplication effect for other units.
• Efficient: This is a codex entry that can stand on its own merit in a matched play list but works best when combo’d up with other units or in specific situations to become very powerful but may not always be seen.
• Situational: This is a codex entry that may not pass as competitive on its own merits but can be made effective in a creative list, as a meta-buster, or in a specific combo or scenario where it ratchets up in power to potentially very high strength but otherwise will not be seen very often.

The Drukhari Wych Cults are comprised of warrior entertainers whose obsession is not only inflicting pain and death on others, but to do so with style, grace and spectacle. It’s not enough to dispatch an opponent, but to do so in a way that displays the Wyche’s skill and to wow those observing. Let’s take a look at what they have to offer the Drukhari player on the tabletop.

Generic Wych Cult Warlord Traits

• Quicksilver Fighter: The Warlord always fights first in the fight phase. If both combatants have this rule, alternate activation starting with the player whose turn it is.
  • Not bad all, although it will likely be the least commonly chosen trait. Swinging first is very good, particularly for the relatively fragile Succubus that will take this, but the offensive traits are more appealing in general terms. Situational.
• Stimm Addict: Before the battle, when determining the Warlord’s Combat Drugs you may either roll twice on the chart (duplicate results stack!) or pick two different drugs and apply both results.
  • Awesome Warlord Trait! This one will be chosen very frequently and can provide some seriously awesome buffs to your Warlord, particularly when combined with the Hyperstimm Backlash strat. You can make some very choppy Succubi and this is one of the main ways to get there. Competitive.
• Precision Blows: Each time your Warlord rolls a wound roll of 6+, the target suffers a Mortal Wound in addition to normal damage.
  • Again, a solid choice. As Succubi can get up a very large number of attacks quite easily, combine this with the Hydra Gauntlet for re-rolls to wound or the Triptych Whip for +3 attacks and you can do some serious damage. Competitive.

The Cult of the Cursed Blade is a great choice for Drukhari players that want to go in with big units and win in melee as opposed to just tying things up and picking at them. Wyches in Raiders with lots of upgrades, big units of Hellions, etc. work great in this Cult.

• Obsession: Only the Strong Will Sruvive: Increase the strength of these models by 1. Additionally, they only lose a single model to failed morale tests.
  • This is a great obsession. +1 strength makes a huge difference mathematically when fighting infantry and the jump form 3 to 4 is extremely pivotal as it means you are wounding chaff on 3’s and tougher infantry on 4’s. It also means you are wounding most monsters or vehicles on 5’s instead of 6’s, literally doubling the number of wounds you put out. With the number of attacks units like Wyches tend to get, it is usually better than an additional attack. Additionally, only losing a single model to morale is incredibly good and encourages you to take larger units without fear of morale attrition. Overall, this is my favorite Wych Cult obsession. Competitive.
• Stratagem: Concealed Booby Traps, 1 CP: used when an enemy unit charges one of your units wholly on or within terrain. On a 4+, they take D3 Mortal Wounds.
  • Eh, it’s OK. Not bad, but certainly not one you will be using frequently. If you find yourself being charged by a unit that the outcome of the battle is extremely important or will be very close on averages, you can pop this to put the odds in your favor but generally this isn’t a strat you will use much. Situational.

• Relic: Traitor’s Embrace: Succubus only. When the bearer dies in the Fight phase, on a 2+ you deal D6 Mortal Wounds to the unit that killed your Succubus.
  • Fantastic relic! This is absolutely deadly and as Succubi are relatively squishy, they do tend to bite the bullet before endgame (although they tend to do a LOT of damage on the way) and this relic lets you deal some potentially devastating damage when you do. It makes engaging your Succubus a very scary proposition for anything, allowing her to play area denial in some situations as your opponent tries to stay away from her with valuable models. Competitive.
• Warlord Trait: Treacherous Deceiver: Each time you roll an unmodified saving throw of a 6 for your Warlord in the Fight phase, the enemy unit that made the attack suffers a Mortal Wound after resolving its attacks.
  • Not bad. Not amazing, either and while you certainly won’t be mad you took it if you do, it pales a bit in comparison to some of the other options. Efficient.

The Cult of Strife gives you a lot to like and includes Lelith Hesperax, who’s quite the blender now. This Cult favors an MSU play-style apart from perhaps a single hammer unit that wants to leverage the +1 attack combat drug and their strat. 5 strong units of Wyches in Venoms will serve you well, with the insanely powerful Shardnet to hold units in place and an Agoniser to leverage the bonus attacks and you’ve got a solid baseline.

• Obsession: The Spectacle of Murder: On a turn in which a unit with this rule charges, was charged or Heroically Intervened, they gain +1 attack.
  • Very strong! This means you can really pump out a massive volume of attacks with Cult of Strife units. Combo this with Combat Drugs and the Hyperstimm Backlash strat and you can put out mind boggling amounts of attacks. Hellions particularly put this to good use. Competitive.

• Stratagem: No Method of Death Beyond Our Grasp, 3 CP: Used when a Cult of Strife unit has destroyed an enemy unit in the Shooting or Fight phase. You may either shoot or fight again corresponding to the phase you are in.
  • Anything that lets you act again is incredible. A fully beefed up unit of say Hellions or Wyches that just murdered one enemy unit may then proceed to do it again. If you’re really on fire, you can do it in the Shooting and Fight phase! Competitive.
• Relic: The Phial Bouquet: Succubus only. Roll a D6 at the start of each battle round to determine which extra Combat Drug is in effect for this model for that turn. Duplicate results stack.
  • Hey look, ANOTHER bad ass relic, lol. Yeah, this is great, stacking all of these amazing bonuses is incredible and again, combo this with Stimm Addict and possibly Hyperstimm Backlash for some bonkers bonuses to your Succubus. Competitive.
• Warlord Trait: Blood Dancer: Each 6+ to hit you roll for your Warlord lands 3 hits instead of 1.
  • Well, may as well wrap it up with another winner! This is a great Warlord Trait that allows you to really pile on the pain with your Succubus or Lelith. Once Flensing Fury kicks in for the +1 to hit, this will trigger on a 5+ and with the volume of attacks you can get, you start getting potentially absurd numbers of hits from a single (cheap!) HQ. Great choice. Competitive.

This Cult may not jump out as the most powerful off the cuff, but in practice we have found them to be really strong. As I have said over and again, any rules that modify movement is incredibly strong and this Cult is all about speed and maneuverability.

• Obsession: The Speed of the Kill: unit with this obsession can charge even if they advanced, and can re-roll failed charge rolls.
  • Fast units become even FASTER! This is a great obsession as it gives you massive threat ranges and dramatically increases the odds of successfully making charges. Nothing sucks more than having a melee unit in position to make a key charge and then failing, being stuck in the open to get subsequently murdered. This pairs extremely well with the Eviscerating Fly-By stratagem as it allows a unit of say, Hellions or Reavers who can fly over a unit, hit them with Mortal Wounds, then still shoot assault weapons and then Charge, too. Competitive.
• Stratagem: Athletic Aerialists, 2 CP: Instead of consolidating towards the nearest enemy, the unit may consolidate towards the nearest Cult of the Red Grief Transport. If all of your models end within 3″, they may embark upon it.
  • Very cool strat when it is applicable. It can be tough to get within range of a transport to pull it off unless you really set it up beforehand, but when it works it can save your unit form getting destroyed in the next turn. We have found the Tantalus to be the best bet here. Efficient.
• Relic: The Blood Glaive: Replaces a Succubus’ Archite Glaive: Strength +3, AP-3, D3 damage.
  • A really solid weapon for a beat-stick Succubus. Combine this with Stimm Addict or Hyper-Swift Reflexes and you have a solid melee character. Competitive.
• Warlord Trait: Hyper-Swift Reflexes: +1 to your Warlord’s invulnerable save.
  • Absolutely awesome! A 3++ for your Succubus really requires no explanation, haha. Competitive.

And there we are! Wych Cults are so good it is silly, and a lot of fun to play. They still have the glass cannon feel that is so core to Drukhari, but now they actually hit hard which is something they always lacked. They have so many good options it is seriously tough to pick which way to play them. Which is your favorite Cult?

Next up: Haemonculus Covens.

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