The Genestealer Cults' New 'Brood Brothers' Rule is the Kind of Viable Fluff We Want to See

 

Today Warhammer Community revealed a cool new rule in the up-coming Genestealer Cults Codex that I think other Faction Codices could learn a thing or two from. The rule, allowing Cults to take a detachment of Imperial Guard is exactly the kind of thing I like to see. From a competitive standpoint, it gives the cults a few more options as they have one of the more limiting unit rosters in terms of viable firepower. Throwing in a detachment of Basilisks certainly wouldn't detriment the cults by any means.

The 'Brood Brothers' rule allows a battle-forged GSC army to include one Astra Militarum detachment to, effectively, be treated as GSC units by gaining the 'Brood Brothers' keyword. However, there are catches. Since this is not, technically, an Astra Militarum detachment, no models in the attachment can be given relics or declared as a warlord. This is fair enough though, right? After all, you are playing cults, not guard. Furthermore, the combined cost of this detachment can not equal more than 25% of your army's total points. See: previous sentence. 

Any Militarum units in a Brood Brothers detachment also gain 'Loyalty to the Cult' as their faux regiment, granting them +2 Leadership to all models in the detachment, as well as the 'Unquestioning Loyalty' ability which, by it's original ruling, allows them to intercept wounds that would be allocated to a nearby Character. "Get down Mr. President!".

Templars on the left representing 😎

But here's the kicker. Not only does this rule sound very viable for cultist lists, but it's also incredibly fluffy! There's an argument to be made that there is competition, and there is fluff, and never the twain shall meet but I say fuck that! Fluff has it's place outside of Narrative modes and it's great to see a, frankly over-looked, faction get something that is not only very in-keeping for the faction, but also viable from a competitive standpoint. 

I can't wait to see an opponent back-up their cultists with a battalion of Leman Russes. Granted, I'm sure I'll change my tune when I'm hit with a volley of Demolisher rounds but we shall see.

Until next time! 

Cheers,

Ryan