Back in December, the Warhammer 40,000 team gave players a holiday surprise with the Grotmas Detachments—a free batch of new army Detachments for every faction.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, and now Games Workshop has confirmed that this wasn’t a one-time deal. Moving forward, new Detachments will be released every three months as part of the Quarterly Update. These Detachments will supplement existing Codexes, providing fresh tactical options and gameplay variety.
This time around, the focus is on three factions: Orks, T’au Empire, and Adeptus Custodes. Players who have purchased and redeemed a faction’s Codex in the Warhammer app will gain access to the new Detachments there for easy army building. Here’s what’s new:
Orks – More Dakka! Detachment
True to their nature, Orks don’t bother with things like “ammo conservation.” Instead, they’re unleashing a relentless hail of gunfire.
- Detachment Rule: Sustained Hits 2 – Ork Infantry and Walker units gain Sustained Hits 2 for shooting attacks, ensuring an absolute torrent of firepower.
- New Stratagem – Long, Uncontrolled Bursts (1CP):
- Targets an enemy unit within 18” of an Ork Character.
- All Ork models firing at that unit gain Ignores Cover for the phase.
- Perfect for gunning down sneaky gits trying to hide behind terrain.
Verdict: This Detachment makes Orks even more dangerous in shooting—expect absolute bullet storms, with no enemy cover providing a safe haven.
T’au Empire – Experimental Prototype Cadre
The Earth Caste’s engineers have been tinkering again, leading to devastating upgrades for the T’au’s ranged arsenal.
- Detachment Rule: Experimental Weaponry – Increases the range of all ranged weapons by 6”, further amplifying the T’au’s already considerable firepower advantage.
- New Stratagem – Threat Assessment Analyser (1CP):
- Allows a T’au Empire unit to gain either Sustained Hits 1 or Lethal Hits for the phase.
- Alternatively, they can take both bonuses—but all affected weapons become Hazardous (risking mortal wounds on a 1).
- High-risk, high-reward for players looking to squeeze every bit of efficiency out of their firepower.
Verdict: If you’re a fan of overwhelming firepower, this Detachment is for you. The extra range keeps enemies at bay, while Threat Assessment Analyser lets you tailor your attacks to the situation—just be careful about overloading your suits with Hazardous weaponry.
Adeptus Custodes – Lions of the Emperor
The Custodes are already an elite army, but this Detachment leans further into the lone warrior playstyle.
- Detachment Rule: Solitary Combatants – Custodes gain +1 to Hit and Wound when no friendly units are within 6” of them, encouraging them to spread out and act independently.
- New Stratagem – Unleash the Lions (1CP):
- Allows an Allarus Custodians or Aquilon Custodians unit to split into individual one-model units for the rest of the battle.
- Each model now acts independently, making them incredibly difficult to tie down and allowing them to contest multiple objectives.
Verdict: A lone hunter playstyle isn’t typical for Custodes, but this Detachment turns them into roaming juggernauts, capable of spreading across the battlefield and cutting down enemies with pinpoint precision. Expect some frustrating matchups for opponents who rely on focus-firing Custodes units down.
Final Thoughts
This new Quarterly Update format is a great way to keep armies fresh throughout the edition. Each of these Detachments adds a unique flavor to their respective factions:
- Orks get an all-out bullet storm.
- T’au push their ranged superiority even further.
- Custodes become terrifyingly efficient lone warriors.
These Detachments are tournament legal and available for free on Warhammer Community or through the Warhammer 40,000 App for players who own the corresponding Codex. Keep an eye out for more faction updates every quarter!
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