Current 2k Genestealer Cult List

Hello everyone. I just wanted to post what I am playing in 8th edition 40k at this current time, and give my overall impression of 8th.

First off, the list. It is as follows:

Battalion Detachment +3CP

174- Patriarch w/ 2 Familars
76- Primus
156- 10 Acolytes w/ Leader, Cult Icon, 2 Heavy Rock Cutter
156- 10 Acolytes w/ Leader, Cult Icon, 2 Heavy Rock Cutter
156- 10 Acolytes w/ Leader, Cult Icon, 2 Heavy Rock Cutter
55- 5 Acolytes w/ Leader, Cult Icon
55- 5 Acolytes w/ Leader, Cult Icon
119- Goliath Truck w/ Twin Auto Cannon and Heavy Stubber, Cache of Demolition Charges
119- Goliath Truck w/ Twin Auto Cannon and Heavy Stubber, Cache of Demolition Charges
270- 15 Purestrain Genestealers

Supreme Command Detachment +1CP

221- Hive Tyrant w/ Wings, Pair of Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Prehensile Pincer Tail, Toxin Sacs
221- Hive Tyrant w/ Wings, Pair of Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Prehensile Pincer Tail, Toxin Sacs
221- Hive Tyrant w/ Wings, Pair of Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Prehensile Pincer Tail, Toxin Sacs

Total- 1999, 7CP

This List is very straight forward and I feel is a decent start of 8th. With the changes to reserves into 8th, GSC has been hit with the nerf bat hard. No longer can they just reserve their entire army and infiltrate T1 on top of you. You now need to have half of your units deployed on the battlefield at the start.

The bonus though is the new Cult Ambush charge is devastating. even on the worse result, you still have a high probability to T1 charge an enemy unit. This gives GSC a fear factor in the way people view them. The idea that assault troops can just T1 charge you is a scary thought process, and players will make mistakes in deployment that you can use to your advantage.

Now lets go through each unit and what it brings to the table:

Patriarch w/ 2 Familiars- Big Pappa himself. The Patriarch is a monster in 8th edition. Now he did gain some weakness due to the nerf of Unquestioning Loyalty, he makes up for it in raw power level. With 6 attack that hit on 2+ at Strength 6 and with re-roll to wounds and D3 wounds with super rend, he tears through characters, monsters, and tanks alike. Also boosting your Genestealers to add +1 to hit and making your army auto pass morale within his aura, he is the rock of your army. The Familiars are there to take some multi damage shots for Big Pappa, while providing support and allowing you to smite along with casting Mass Hypnosis, which is a key power to how the army survives against more dedicated combat specialists. With how -1 to hit works, this trumps most dedicated melee units re-roll ability. Also not allowing overwatch turns flamer squads into sitting ducks.

Primus- The Primus is your utility HQ. Allowing one of your cult ambush units to roll twice on the chart and buffing your army to add +1 to hit means your units only fail to his on double 1s (Ill explain that when I get to the Acolytes). His job is to act as assault support for your ambushing units. Dont be afraid to use him in assault either. While he isnt packing as much damage output as Big Pappa, his 4 attacks with his bonesword or poison rending claw can make work of most mid to low tier characters. His one weakness is his T3, so you need to get the charge off with him to think about attacking these characters.

10 man Acolyte squad- This is your bread and butter in GSC. Now in this edition they have taken a huge nerf in attacks, they still pack a punch. Hitting on 3+ with a re-roll of 1s due to the free Cult Icon upgrade, they can chew through anything with their S4 rending claws. Add in the two Heavy Rock Cutters, which double their strength and give them 2D statline with a special rule to instant kill non-vehicle models, they can chew through anything they hit.

5 man Acolyte squad w/ Goliath Truck- Originally this was the concession to the new reserve rule. Having these allowed me to have the 6 units in cult ambush. But I have started to feel that these are super important to the army as a whole. First off they give you a solid base to work off of, your Anvil to the Hammer that is your Ambush units if you will. While the shooting is minimal at best, what is great about them is the demo cache. This allows the two squads to continually pelt units with S8 hits. These 5 man squads also play backup to when your main force has dwindled in size, and can bolster your units back up to the number of attacks you need to punch through anything that remains.

Flyrants- Your main tank busters. 5 attacks that his on 2+ with re-roll of 1s and D4, these things chew through tanks like they were paper. With their flight range and the extra inch to the charge, they can easily get where you need them and go right through enemy units. Also the access to shadow of the warp and the Tyranid psychic table gives you not only another -1 to hit power (see Patriarch for how key that ability is), but also the new FNP ability. Thanks to sharing the Tyranid Keyword, your GSC get the benefit from it as well. Whatever unit that is going to need to survive a brutal overwatch, just slap on FNP and watch them come out without a scratch.


Well there you have it. My first list for 8th edition. I have played 6 games with different variations of this list and am 5-1 with it. I have played against Sisters of Battle, Mech Guard, Chaos Demons, Chaos Space Marines, and Space Wolves, which I played twice. Of them my only loss was against Guard, where I rolled 9 double 1s to charge (tbh, that entire game was dice ineptitude for both of us. I had a lone Acolyte chase Pask around his in expensive Russ for 4 whole turns, making sure he could never shoot). The one weakness to this army is full mech armies, as they can easily make sure I never get a chance to be outside of combat with their vehicles. The addition my own vehicles has lessened that somewhat, as the demo charges + few wounds gained from auto cannons gives me a chance to pop vehicles in one whole fight phase, which means his infantry takes wounds and I may be able to fully surround the vehicle, giving them no escape as they are instantly removed.

Let me know what you think. I am always down for some discussion on my lists. And as always I will keep updating my list as it changes from tournament to tournament.

Seems pretty solid! Though I believe the new FAQ makes the Icon upgrade 20 points. Though Purestrains went down to 10 points per model and rock cutters are now -1 to hit like powerfists.

My plan before I knew 8th was dropping was to start up a GSC, really love the models, and DE but then I ended up getting a boxed set for 8th and spent too much money on nurgle related items that I dont even want to play now... but one day (maybe after selling a kidney or something) I will get around to a GSC!