Sneak Peek at New Drukhari Codex

I don’t think auras work in 9th like they did in 8th what with the core unit rules.

First of all we need to move on from what everyone could do in 8th because they can’t do all those things now.

Second of all having HQ buff different types of units simply gives us different types of core per HQ.

Yes possibly it's that way.

- 1 to 5 not much
- 8 to 12 lore week
- 15 to 19 rules week
- 20 preorder
- 22 to 26 nothing
- 27 release

Not sure though, just daydreaming.

22-26 would be the reviews online no...?

Warhammer Community articles revealing rules will be the week before the preorder day. It's always like this.

If by online you mean Youtube and such, I also think that those guys have the Codex before the rest of mortals, I kind of remember some channels reviewing the books days before the release.

Damn, still no good leaks since the Venom/Wyches?

People is not buying boxes with the new Codex coming in 3 weeks. Most DE players have enough stuff to wait until the previews and see if they need something else that's strong.

If you could have new things what would your top 3 be?

1. New Mandrakes
2. New and improved Sslyth
3. New and improved Grots

That’s my top 3 wish list for new models. New unit altogether would be fun but Id love to see these kits updated. Mandrakes already look cool, just imagine how cool they could be.

Dark Elf Dave wrote:

If you could have new things what would your top 3 be?

1. New Mandrakes
2. New and improved Sslyth
3. New and improved Grots

That’s my top 3 wish list for new models. New unit altogether would be fun but Id love to see these kits updated. Mandrakes already look cool, just imagine how cool they could be.

If I restricted my wishlist to three it would be:

1. New Mandrakes
2. Kheradruakh the Decapitator
3. New Grotesques

all of the above! But my personal favorite would be a new updated Grots cause i hate their models!!!! (in fact its the finecast resin that i hate, not the actual design of the model).

The mandrakes, after reading a post here 2 or 3 weeks ago, i decided to replace them completely with Tree Revenants from AoS Sylvaneth, and god they look good now!! The finecast models are simply too tiny next to our other plastic models.....The size difference between an Incubi next to a Mandrakes was just laughable.....so i can wait a little bit more, but nonetheless i'd love them to be redone as they will probably be amazing!

Sslyth are already good looking and not a pain in the ass to build unlike the grots, so its the one that i'd love to be redone but not that much.

To keep it simple: NO MORE FREAKING FINECAST MODELS!!!!! lol

Denegaar wrote:

Warhammer Community articles revealing rules will be the week before the preorder day. It's always like this.

If by online you mean Youtube and such, I also think that those guys have the Codex before the rest of mortals, I kind of remember some channels reviewing the books days before the release.

Normally you'll see full reviews of the book which cover everything on preorder day. That's when I expect we'll have a clear picture of what we've got to work with.

Kalmah wrote:

all of the above! But my personal favorite would be a new updated Grots cause i hate their models!!!! (in fact its the finecast resin that i hate, not the actual design of the model).

The mandrakes, after reading a post here 2 or 3 weeks ago, i decided to replace them completely with Tree Revenants from AoS Sylvaneth, and god they look good now!! The finecast models are simply too tiny next to our other plastic models.....The size difference between an Incubi next to a Mandrakes was just laughable.....so i can wait a little bit more, but nonetheless i'd love them to be redone as they will probably be amazing!

Sslyth are already good looking and not a pain in the ass to build unlike the grots, so its the one that i'd love to be redone but not that much.

To keep it simple: NO MORE FREAKING FINECAST MODELS!!!!! lol

Grotesques are a lower priority for me because I'm really pleased with my Crypt Horror conversions. I'm not even sure I would bother to buy new Grots, but the finecast stuff really needs to be updated.

I'm really intrigued as to what they could do with new Mandrake sculpts, and I could definitely see GW doing a Striking Scorpions vs Mandrakes box with new plastic miniatures and new models for Kheradruakh and Karandras.

My wishlist would probably be:
1) Generic Mandrake HQ
2) Either an Archon with Wings/Skybord/Jetbike (I don't care which - pick your favourite) or a Scourge Lord
3) Either a Succubus with one of the movement options above or a Dracon.


I know some people want to see finecast stuff replaced, but for me that's far down on the priorities list. Why? Because we have alternatives. We can convert Crypt Horrors into Grotesques. We can convert any of half-a-dozen different models into Mandrakes.

What's much harder is creating rules for models that don't exist.

Hence, I'd much rather see models for genuinely new units (or mobility options for existing HQs), rather than just getting yet more models that replace existing models. Because that's all we've had in over a decade now and I'm frankly sick to death of it.

Also, I've prioritised generic HQs over special characters because I'm far more interested in the former than the latter. To my mind at least, special characters are something that should be considered when a faction already has a good roster of generic HQs - not when a faction has just 3 of them.

Kalmah wrote:

The mandrakes, after reading a post here 2 or 3 weeks ago, i decided to replace them completely with Tree Revenants from AoS Sylvaneth, and god they look good now!! The finecast models are simply too tiny next to our other plastic models.....The size difference between an Incubi next to a Mandrakes was just laughable.....so i can wait a little bit more, but nonetheless i'd love them to be redone as they will probably be amazing!

The sylvaneth models are fantastic and really great for DE conversions in general, I think (I've been wondering about using some for Incubi or even Sybarites). Funnily enough, though, I still really like the finecast Mandrakes.

Don't get me wrong, they definitely have issues - their legs/skirts are very blocky and their weapons have an unfortunate tendency to be badly-miscast. However, I think they have some of the best faces in the entire range.

What's more, I think their upper bodies in general hold up really well. And I actually like that they're thin and small because it emphasises their elven physique (a factor that is frequently lost when models have armour).

I actually had a go at transposing the Mandrake torsos onto Scourge legs, to make the best use of the parts I liked whilst also giving them more dynamic poses.

Spoiler:

You might well disagree of course, but I was quite pleased with how they turned out.

(As you can see, some Sylvaneth parts crept into my own models as well. )

Plastic Mandrakes would be nice. But aside from the fact they are finecast, I like the finecast Mandrakes.
Grotesques however... If I ever buy those, it's only to mock them by painting them like Donald Duck's three nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Seriously GW? A minimum squad size of 3, and you offer me one single-posed model? For almost the same money as a box of Crypt Horrors?
I'm happy with my Crypt Horror conversions. (Pictures in my link below for those interested.)

What I mostly want though is new models. Since I started this hobby over 10 years ago, very few models have been replaced with plastic, but we got nothing new. Instead of a new Lelith, of which the finecast model was fine, give me something new that I actually want to buy!

Dark Elf Dave wrote:

If you could have new things what would your top 3 be?

1. New Mandrakes
2. New and improved Sslyth
3. New and improved Grots

That’s my top 3 wish list for new models. New unit altogether would be fun but Id love to see these kits updated. Mandrakes already look cool, just imagine how cool they could be.

1. Kheradruakh.
2. New and improved beasts for beastmaster.
3. Lots of options for our characters wargear.

GW could, if they wanted to, fix the problem with characters aura synergy by giving each HQ a debuff aura in stead.

units within aura reroll passed saves of 1-2
LD debuff or some modifier to attrition
-1 to hit i cc
etc.

Dark Elf Dave wrote:

Like I have said in the past. This is not a space pirate game. We have to expect DE to fit the mechanics of 40k rather than see 40k fit the theme of DE.

In the past editions you used to be able to actually play a space pirate game if you wanted to.
That is the reason I chose this army, and that is the game I want to play.
This new game is moving more and more towards a table top version of Street fighter where the only characters you can select is Ken but with different color clothes.

GWs catering to the tournament crowd has balanced the game sure, but now it feels like a bland game created by a corporation to fit a broad market instead of the wonky but fun love child of a house full of nerds like it used to.

ok that... analogy summoned some unwanted mental images.

Scrz wrote:

GW could, if they wanted to, fix the problem with characters aura synergy by giving each HQ a debuff aura in stead.

units within aura reroll passed saves of 1-2
LD debuff or some modifier to attrition
-1 to hit i cc
etc.

Dark Elf Dave wrote:

Like I have said in the past. This is not a space pirate game. We have to expect DE to fit the mechanics of 40k rather than see 40k fit the theme of DE.

In the past editions you used to be able to actually play a space pirate game if you wanted to.
That is the reason I chose this army, and that is the game I want to play.
This new game is moving more and more towards a table top version of Street fighter where the only characters you can select is Ken but with different color clothes.

GWs catering to the tournament crowd has balanced the game sure, but now it feels like a bland game created by a corporation to fit a broad market instead of the wonky but fun love child of a house full of nerds like it used to.

ok that... analogy summoned some unwanted mental images.

I 100% agree with this. GW is streamlining all armies, making their playstyle more similar than they have ever been.
I assume they did this to balance the game. And I have to be honest, at the end of 8th edition we were more balance than we've been in 6th or 7th edition. Then they screwed it up at the start of 9th again, but I'm sure things will balance out again as soon as every army has a 9th edition codex.

However, I do hope this edition brings back those unique styles of every army.

Dark Elf Dave wrote:

If you could have new things what would your top 3 be?

1. New Mandrakes
2. New and improved Sslyth
3. New and improved Grots

That’s my top 3 wish list for new models. New unit altogether would be fun but Id love to see these kits updated. Mandrakes already look cool, just imagine how cool they could be.

My new model top 3 would be:

1. Generic HQ options
2. Dedicated kabalite sniper unit
3. Assassin style unit (possibly mandrake)

I would also like plastic mandrakes but I'm happy converting so I'd MUCH rather get new units and options than replace any of the old kits.

1 vect
2 new kabalite sniper unit
3 new heavy support option
I dont really care for plastic options of existing units, i have converted mine and im completely happy with them as well

We already had a sniper team and already have what should be an assassin.

Old Trueborns used to be able to be taken in 3 mans with 2 DL's give us Trueborn again with those weapons and a upgrade to make them sniper on the sarget (A spotter)

Lhamaeans are freaking assassins in the lore, why not take them our of the court and make them assassins?

Have anyone more thought about the possibility of GW given us our old initiative? Is a stat that doesn't exist anymore, but it could be nice if they give us a rule to always fight first, maybe as a rule for play pure drukhari.

Top 3:

1. Synergy across the entire army
2. aura effects still active while mounted in transports
3. more generic HQ options

1: More HQ options, with various different applications
2: The ability to freely mix cult/coven/kabal in the same detachment
3: Enough tweaks to existing units to make most of our options worth considering

My Top 3

1: Succubus, Archon and Haemi rework. My perfect score would be the Succubus being more of combat focused beast, Archon being an **shole with a lot of buffs and debuffs (like a list to pick 2 or 3 different auras or skills, kind of a psyker, but without being a psyker) and the Haemonculii being able to heal or improve a couple of their creations (like combat drugs, but for Coven)
2: Stratagems, LOTS of them and good ones. Now that everyone gets a nice ammount of CP on the start of the game and +1 each battleround (12+5 on a regular 2k battle) it is a good time for us to show the scheeming, sadistic and traitorous nature of the Drukhari, and stratagems is a great wsy to do so without slapping 38 thousand rules on each datasheet. Anything from being able to shoot into a fight because you dont really care for their safety, redeployments, portals, debuffs...
3: Court improved and as a unit. This may sound weird to some, but i really like the idea of the Court of the archon being a 1 to 4 man unit that can mix any and all of the options. This way the rule of 3 wont be so hard on them and could actually give us both "new units" (4 slythss as a single unit on an objective along the Archon/Dracon is not that easy to remove, and 4 Medusae can be a decent way to support the full-mele incubi if taken them together on a raider.) And to some degree fix the issue of transporting our Archons without having to touch them, as you could take up to 3 archons on venoms with full retinue, or in raiders along with 5-men Kabalites or incubi.

1) HQ options: I want differences between a Haemonculus who collects arcane wargear and a Haemonculus who specializes in radical body modifications. Or an Archon that utilizes various poisons for his Kabal compared to a melee beatstick who feeds off souls. Jebike and skyboard options, too.

2) Venom gunboat squadrons: I still don't understand the splinter cannon change for Venoms. Who is going to stay at 36" with their transports? Give them 1-3 squadron and dark lance/disintegrator options at the cost of transport capacity, similar to Vypers for Craftworlds (who also get the fantastic Hornets).

3) Build-a-beast-Workshop: The holy grail for me, options to use any of the fantastic creatures in the 40K universe by paying points for stats on a light/medium/heavy beast frame. There was a White Dwarf article that did this years ago, and an old Tyranid codex had more simplified rules for creature creation.

1 : Strategem for poisonned weapons with real bonus.
And Please not these things like reroll on 1 or +1x on 6

2 : More transport Capacity
For the venom I could accept to sacrifice the gunner and top Canon for this like this illustration on Bols :

Venon and Incubi:

3 : More special weapons slots for our troops units, at least 2 per 5 models units.
Unlucky that couldn't work on wyches and a damned kit with only 3 arena weapons (thanks GW).