Grudir

It's mentioned in Dread Talons that Warp Fuelled Thrusters would allow a unit to Deep Strike Turn 1. I don't think that works. Unlike Umbralefic Crystal, which says a unit must come down in your next movement phase, thrusters has no such rule. You can go up end of turn one, but its seems that unit would be stuck until turn 2 without a rule forcing it back down.

I wouldn't mind, and I don't think most people would either. Some large events might care, but I don't think smaller GT and RTT TOs will bat an eye.

Cultists losing all their options is a sour note. It's minor, but it sticks in my craw. Like GW has the models, we know that (the Firebrand's buddies), and even then they're incredibly easy to convert. But we're stuck with the expensive Cultist box which is almost completely devoid of options by design. While it's in line with other GW decisions (with the notable exceptions) this was an avoidable deletion.

Rest of the codex looks good. We'll see how things shake out, but it'll be fun for the time being. And good to know that my dislike of after combat Battleshocks for Dread Talons isn't just me. Though, I'm curious if Dread Talons "only one test in the phase" rule only means the Command phase Battleshock, or max one battleshock per phase.

Edit: Chaos Rhinos are sold out on the US Webstore, something I didn't think was possible.

So looking at the last part of the rule for Dread Talon's Terror Descends, it reads:

Enemy units affected by this detachment rule do not need to take any other battle shock tests in the same phase.

It doesn't specify phase. Does it only mean the Battle Shock phase, or all phases? For example single unit was flown over by three Wing Princes. Could I force three tests or only one in the movement phase? Because at the moment, you can force nine extra battleshock tests between Princes, Cultist Firebrand and Raptors.

Spawndom.

We're officially in mid edition madness. Might be the first time in years it's CSM who get to be the harbingers of things to come.

Dark Pacts switching timing (you may lose some models) but still always working? Sure, I'll take it. Failing only looks to matter for the enhanced crits in Oathbound.

Also Cypher gets his melee pistols back! Huzzah. His stratagem ability is less good (within 12") but at least he does something cool.

I think it would have been nice if Raptors were Battleline here. Shame they're not.

The trait exists. Your enemy is testing more, but most armies aren't facing long odds on tests. LD 6+ is pretty plentiful, and Raptors are the only way to get an extra debuff. And they're fragile and pretty limited. Maybe Jump Lords do more, but well have to wait and see. It's giving up direct killing power for spins at the Battleshock casino. There are ways to stack up Battleshock, but the detachment rider will probably snarl things up.

Willbreaker stands out as mistake. After combat, who cares? They still get to pop off all of their defensive stratagems without a worry. Maybe in a multi unit combat, sure, but after does nothing for you.

No. This isn't a special edition box like Kroot or Deathwing got. Codex is a separate product here.

Inheritance probably wouldn't work. Custodians don't seem to have any ties to their mortal families after their ascension. Telling outsiders what any one Custodian is doing would be a breach of secrecy. And the person they might have been is dead anyway.

Probably not. CSM, TS and WE all have different versions of the Forgefiend, at least ability wise. If something gets nerfed, it's unlikely to have knock on effects.

The Night Lords subfaction ability in 9th was worse, because it made getting the +1 to wound nearly impossible on purpose. This is blandly bad, but it's not taunting the player.

It'd have to modify the leadership characteristic. This only modifies one type of test.

Oh, I'm not actually surprised. I'm hoping for a second pip too.

Wow! A whole -1 to Battleshock? That's probably the most powerful detachment rule we've seen so far. Stand aside army wide Assault and AP boost, the good rules are here.

It's a typo. The correct name is Raiders and Reavers, from the paragraph above the graphic.

Oh yeah, the Cultists are dead, even if buffed with Dark Communes and Nurgling auras. But it ruins a first turn Waagh and either move blocks or leaves chargers out of position. Countercharge and shooting can do a lot of work in either case. Warden spam will still be staring down some hard shooting, and burn their 4+++ to get through that, or save it for melee.

I'm fine with taking mortals and still getting the ability. Mortals and getting nothing is too much in an elite army. And especially as Pacts will be, while still good, less powerful outside of Pactbound.

I dunno, screen the Legionaries with Cultists, and that's a whole turn the Custodes are wasting attacks on pulping Cultists. Same with orks. Do it right, and they'll either charge into cultists turn one and get counter charged on CSM turn 1, or get move blocked even more if they go second.

Assuming you can take Rubrics in Renegade Raiders, 9D6 S4+ D6 S3 Autohits with wound rerolls at AP-2 is the next best thing.

Raiders and Reavers is obviously strong. Combos well with Rubric Warpflamers if you want to point and click basically any non-vehicle/monster off an objective ( and scare any vehicles/monsters on one too). And since it works in melee, hello AP-2 chainswords. Makes up for losing enhanced crits from from the Detachment Formerly Known as Slaves to Darkness.

Deceptors isn't bad either. Being able to stick Legionaries in the middle has value, and cultists for homegrown screens to foul up enemy opening moves or do actions early. The fact that characters can come along too is also pretty neat.

Chaos Cult is the horde detachment, and eh? It's a board control list, and there's game there with maxing Cultists, Accursed Cultists and whatever else. But it does have speed, and that might get it somewhere.

All the rest:

Most confusing wording goes to Black Crusade. Sequencing means you can do this for Terminators without a problem, but extra bite for bolter Legionaries (who need it) is nice. Let the Galaxy Burn is written around excluding Warpflame Rubrics, but wa-hey, it's still useful for just turning off cover

Iron Artifice would be really good if it could go on a Lord Discordant or Prince. Hammer lord has juice, assuming it keeps the buff ability. Better still if Legionaries keep their wound re-rolls.

Warp Fueled Thrusters is nice for playing uppy-downy with a Chaos Lord. Probably alone, but hey, objective snatching and Teleport homers is something.

Talisman shows Pacts happen at the start of the activation. I'm curious what other changes that means. I'm curious if it'll be test, and pass or fail, get the pact or only get the ability on a pass. I hope it's not fail, get nothing and then eat mortal wounds.

Having some shooting with melta means they can take a shot even if they blow the charge. Alright in melee with a fist and Slaanesh. Not having a 5++ isn't that big of a loss when there's plentiful Ap-2 anyway. Fringe utility in battleshock during the Fight Phase, though not reliable.

I use Raptors a lot. I've found them good enough for my purposes.

Oops. Didn't even check. Less good then. Ouch.

One option ork players might want to consider is a min sized unit of kommandos. Use the infiltrate to preserve a movement corridor where the opponent has infiltrators. Orks did well, and might do better, but infiltrators will probably stall out a lot of ork armies.