Vigilus Defiant is almost upon us – in fact, it’s up for pre-order on Saturday! We’ve learned a lot about the war-torn history of the sentinel world of late, so this week, we’re taking a closer look at some of the cool rules that can be found within the mighty campaign book.
This article was originally published on the Warhammer-community site.
In today’s preview, we’re taking a look at some of the Specialist Detachments for the xenos factions that feature in the book. But before we do, let’s answer the question on everyone’s lips…
The 41st Millennium is rife with warring factions, each adapting as best they can to different war zones and battlefield environments in order to gain an advantage over their enemies. The Specialist Detachments that feature in Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant represent a selection of the military formations that have been fielded by those fighting there, from the Primaris veterans of Guilliman’s Indomitus Crusade to the Kults of Speed that formed the spearhead of the Ork Speedwaagh!
Though formally set on Vigilus in the narrative, Specialist Detachments can be freely used in open, narrative and matched play in any setting, provided that your army is Battle-forged. Specialist Detachments are ‘unlocked’ by using the associated Stratagem and applying it to a Detachment of your choice when choosing your army. It’s worth pointing out that Specialist Detachments do not come with any special rules or abilities – instead, once activated, certain units or unit types within it will gain a keyword that interacts with a new Warlord Trait, relic and some additional Stratagems. In short, for the cost of a Command Point, you’ll have access to some cool new Stratagems and powerful buffs for your characters!
With that in mind, let’s check out a few Specialist Detachments belonging to the xenos forces on Vigilus:
If you’re looking to add some serious muscle to your Genestealer Cults, the Anointed Throng will help you do just that. This Specialist Detachment unlocks a number of useful tricks, including a Warlord Trait that adds 1 to charge rolls for nearby Anointed Throng units, and the Blessed Sledgehammer relic that improves your Abominant’s weapon to a tank-busting AP of -4. If you’re looking to take on a particularly powerful foe, why not charge them with an Aberrant unit and activate Devotion Till Death – even if they die, you may find yourself able to take out a choice target for the loss of a much cheaper unit!
Genestealer Cults players will also have access to the Deliverance Broodsurge, representing flotillas of Goliath Trucks brimming with Hybrids.
If you’ve been looking for an excuse either to begin or build up a collection of Ghost Warriors, look no further than this Specialist Detachment. First up, the Revered by the Dead Warlord Trait will enable nearby Wraith Constructs to re-roll charge rolls – a huge boon if you favour the awesome melee power of Wraithblades or suitably tooled up Wraithlords and Wraithknights. Once there, you can empower them even further with the Wrath of the Dead Stratagem:
If your Asuryani hail from Saim-Hann, or simply like to ignore such paltry concerns as gravity, you can even field a Windrider Host to give your jetbike and Vyper-mounted Craftworlders a handy, thematic boost.
With the Speedwaaagh! very much at the vanguard of the Ork attack on Vigilus, there simply had to be the option for a Kult of Speed Specialist Detachment. Unsurprisingly, all of the associated rules benefit your adrenaline-fuelled Speed Freeks, from a trait that renders Kult of Speed units within 12” of your Warlord immune to Morale tests provided they Advanced (that’s your Warbikers sorted!), to the Turbo-Boostas Stratagem that enables a unit to double its Move characteristic instead of Advancing for 2 Command Points! And check out the awesome relic that turns your Deffkilla Wartrike into Skargim’s Snazztrike – a super-tough kustom job:
But there’s much more – Ork players are also getting three other Specialist Detachments in Vigilus Defiant: the Dread Waagh!, Blitz Brigade and the brutal Stompa Mob.
Tomorrow, we’ll be looking at the Specialist Detachments available to the Imperial defenders of Vigilus, so be sure to check back then. In the meantime, Tooth and Claw will see you right for an Anointed Throng, Wake the Dead will provide you with a Spiritseer and Wraithguard, and Speed Freeks will set you up for a Kult of Speed (and a fun standalone game to boot!) – all of which are available now.
What do you all think about these new developments?
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