Games Workshop silently dropped a few major FAQs today, with big changes for Deathwatch, Space Wolves, and Imperial Armour: Compendium. As always, we’ve got a full list of the changes and how they affect your games.
This is a weird FAQ update go cover because while there are some important rules and power adjustments that we’ve been accustomed to seeing, this update also just had a ton of typos and errors that needed fixing, and so the majority of changes revolve around those (with a few things that didn’t get fixed and should have been). In some ways these create major power level shifts, but for the worst reasons, and for other units you weren’t using anyways, they only kind of matter.
In this article we’re only going to cover the changes that have a real impact on the game, i.e. we’ll be ignoring changes that add missing words or correct errant “+s” on degrading profiles.
Adeptus Astartes (Space Marines)
There were a ton of minor edits to space marine units based on typos in the text or missing pieces of key text. Here are the changes that matter:
- Hecaton Aiakos is an HQ choice. He’s no longer an Elites option, making him a little bit less useful.
- Casan Sabius gains the CAPTAIN keyword. This was just an odd omission.
- The Fellblade’s HE shells’ damage was corrected to 2. The Chaos version already had its HE shells listed this way, and it looks like that was the correct version for once. RIP Fellblade, this is a real bad change.
Adeptus Mechanicus
The Terrax-Pattern Termite can now transport Secutarii models in addition to <FORGE WORLD> Infantry models, making Hoplites much more useful now that they can ride the drill into midfield as a transport option.
Aeldari
Aeldari got a single update that alters the verbiage on the Hornet’s equipment confirming that it is equipped with two Hornet Pulse Lasers and not Shuriken Cannons as originally printed. This had the effect of not allowing Hornets to replace the Shuriken Cannons originally due to the wording of the replacement options… it’s a really dumb but necessary fix.
Astra Militarum
The Death Korps get a few notable additions here, with Death Rider Squadron Commanders being able to issue orders to CAVALRY units in addition to INFANTRY, making them quite a bit more useful and Death Rider Squadrons were moved (rightfully) to the Fast Attack slot from Elites.
Chaos Space Marines, Death Guard, and Thousand Sons
The big change here is one that we’ve all been waiting (hoping) for and one that has been foreshadowed several times in places like other FAQs and the Battleforge roster builder in the GW 40k app – Death Guard and Thousand Sons can now take Forge World units. WOOOOOOOOO! This opens up quite a few options for both books, making Death Guard dreadnoughts much more attractive and giving both access to the Terrax Termite-Pattern Drill, one of the game’s best transport options.
- Death Guard and Thousand Sons can take IA: Compendium units. You can replace their <LEGION> keyword with either Death Guard or Thousand Sons. Death Guard units get the BUBONIC ASTARTES and <PLAGUE COMPANY> keywords (so we have further confirmation plague companies are returning), and Thousand Sons units get the ARCANA ASTARTES and the <GREAT CULT> keywords, showing off similar for the Thousand Sons. Note that Death Guard vehicles may get Inexorable Advance and Contagions rules as a result.
- Chaos Leviathan weapons fixed.- The range of the Grav-flux bombard increased from 18” to 24”, bringing it in line with the Imperial version. It’s still worse since it can’t have a legion trait, and it still costs the same.
- Greater Blight drone (the CSM one) weapons fixed. The silly typo giving the CSM Blight drone a 6” shorter range on its bile maw was fixed, increasing its range to 18” (from 12”).
- The Chaos Fellblade lost its transport capacity. This was always a hilarious oversight and it has now been corrected. RIP Fellblades carrying 25 dudes.
- Chaos Vindicator Laser Destroyer added. Chaos Space Marines got a new datasheet for a missing entry: The Chaos Vindicator Laser Destroyer, a Vindicator that replaces its demolisher cannon with a big laser. It costs 175 points and matches the entry that Space Marines have. It’s overcosted for what it does.
What didn’t get updated
There are a few things that inexplicably didn’t see needed fixes or updates. The two big ones are:
- Dreadclaw and Kharybdis drop pods don’t let you get out the turn they arrive. This basically makes these worthless. You no longer need to think about ever fielding one.
- Dreadnoughts still don’t have the HELBRUTE keyword, so none of them get legion traits. This also means that they largely don’t matter, outside of a few potential exceptions.
Knights and Titans (Imperial and Chaos)
Knights got a few text updates that correct typos on the Moirax and Styrix datasheets, specifically for their degrading profiles, but nothing substantial changed. Likewise, some similar adjustments were made to the titans.
- The Warlord Chaos Warlord can now take a Macro Gatling Blaster. Rules for this gun’s profile are in the FAQ.
- The Wargrinber and Chaos Warbringer can now replace its Quake Cannon with a Volcano cannon. So go nuts with that if you want.
Grey Knights
The only change here is that the Land Raider Banisher has gained the SANCTIC ASTARTES keyword (and lost ADEPTUS ASTARTES), which doesn’t matter yet but may be good to have in the future.
Orks
There’s only one noteworthy change here and it’s that the points values lines for Nobz on Warbikes were removed for a pair of Killsaws, Kombi-weapons with rokkit launcha, and kombi-weapons with skorcha. While normally that would mean they’re free, the unit can’t actually take those options, so this is just cleaning up confusion.
Tyranids
Incredibly, the Tyranids dodged any significant changes to their potent Imperial Armour options. In the most hilarious non-change, the Hierophant still has the FLY keyword. That seems unintentional to us, but who knows?
- Clarification that transported units can suffer losses if the transport model dies. This is a pretty obvious and simple fix.
As always, if you have any questions or feedback, drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com.
