A slew of new rules previews today, wow! Now we have updates for the Imperium via the Warhammer-community page.
The Adeptus Custodes, Sisters of Silence and agents of the Officio Assassinorum are all hunting Fabius Bile through the ruins of the Cadian System. To catch that slippery villain, they’re going to need some tools. Fortunately, War of the Spider brings them plenty.
Adeptus Custodes
The chosen of the Emperor have a whole host of tricks up their shiny golden sleeves…
Stratagems
The Adeptus Custodes have been blessed with a range of new Stratagems that will really make them feel like the bodyguards of the Emperor. Each is a true hero of the Imperium so shouldn’t they be able to perform a Heroic Intervention?
Use this on your Allarus Custodians to make a crucial intervention and turn the tide of a combat in your favour. Sometimes though, you just need to bring the firepower.
Got a Custodian Guard unit nobly defending an objective and a sea of enemies bearing down on them? Show them just what a guardian spear can do in the shooting phase.
Shield Hosts
The really exciting development in War of the Spider is the option to field your Adeptus Custodes as one of five Shield Hosts. Each has a unique Warlord Trait, Relic and Stratagem that reflect its background. For example, the Shadowkeepers watch over the Dark Cells beneath the Imperial Palace and can take the Lockwarden Warlord Trait.
Put this on your Shield-Captain and watch as they go head-to-head with some of the most dangerous threats that the galaxy can throw at them.
Maybe you prefer the fast-moving, quick-striking Solar Watch? Their way of war is emphasised with their Relic, an extraordinary guardian spear.
This gives you some incredible tactical options. The enemy thinks you’re too far away to charge them? Advance, charge and then wipe that grin off their face.
Alternatively, join the Emissaries Imperatus, tasked with personally delivering messages for the Emperor. In-game, they can be guided by His power.
Use this when an enemy unit is cowering in cover and blast them to pieces in the name of the Emperor.
Lords of the Shield Hosts
Of course, you’ll need someone to lead your Shield Host, and War of the Spider includes an option to promote one of your Shield-Captains into a Captain-Commander. Costing just a single Command Point, this allows you to personalise the leader of your army by giving them a Captain-Commander Trait. Maybe you’d like them to have the constitution of an Ambull…
…or perhaps you prefer them charging into enemy hordes and cutting down all who stand in their way?
As you can see, you can customise your Adeptus Custodes army to your heart’s content. But you know what’s better than some of the Imperium’s finest clad in gold? Even more of the Imperium’s finest clad in gold!
Sisters of Silence
As the Psychic Awakening expands across the galaxy, it’s good to have someone who can shut psykers down.* To help the Sisters of Silence in their duties, they have some new rules and Stratagems that will enshrine their place as the Imperium’s premier witch-hunters.
Thanks to their Talons of the Emperor rule, the Sisters of Silence can be added into any Adeptus Custodes army. However, what if you wanted to add them into another Imperial force? The Null-Maidens rule can help you out.
Include them in a Space Wolves army and recreate the burning of Prospero.** Whoever you unleash them with, their anti-psyker powers will definitely come in handy.
Whether you prefer Prosecutors, Vigilators or Witchseekers, you’ll be able to quell enemy psykers. Although, if they do manage to manifest a psychic power, the Sisters of Silence still have a Stratagem that can stop it.
Just imagine the look on your opponent’s face when they think they’ve been successful, and then you ruin their best-laid plans. Then picture the look on their face when you let loose a wall of fire against their forces.
Enemy unit hunkered down on an objective? Use this Stratagem to absolutely immolate them.
The new Sisters of Silence Stratagems will really let you play them as the Emperor’s chosen anti-psyker force. Of course, if you prefer something a bit more covert…
Officio Assassinorum
Finally, we have the Assassins. They can be added to any Imperial army and now come with a host of Stratagems that make these shadowy operatives even better on the battlefield.
The Psychic Awakening has seen an explosion in the number of psykers across the galaxy – so it would make perfect sense to include a Culexus Assassin in your army. What happens if you arrive to battle and the enemy force contains no witches?
Now it doesn’t matter if you’ve petitioned the wrong temple for help as you can change to match your needs. Taken an expert sniper when a crazy stimm-filled combat monster would be better? Swap them out.
What’s that? You think that 2 Command Points is expensive? Well, how’s this then?
Find the perfect vantage point for your Vindicare Assassin and use them to consistently pick off enemy Characters with their exitus rifle.
Whichever Assassin you choose to add to your Imperial army, they will be a real force multiplier and can offer some incredible tactical options.
All of these new rules can be found in War of the Spider, which is available to pre-order from Saturday. In the meantime, grab Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor’s Legion from Black Library to learn more about the Adeptus Custodes and the Sisters of Silence.
* Consider them the psychic weighted blanket and let the psychic nap begin.
** Add in some Adeptus Custodes for the full Magnus-hunting experience.
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