Gamesday is HERE! Eigth update...(Codex, Rules, Mandrakes)

Check out the new Mandrakes. As suspected they are the guys with the glowing Tattoos on the Codex artwork. "Thought to be the decendents of a cult that bred with Daemons..."



Here is a sneak peak at some of the new rules:


From ArchonCryx over at 40konline:

SO Games Day has passed, at last we get a first good look, and the view seems magnificent.

We seem to have a "dartboard Codex" at last - ie a codex where vurtually any combination of units will be some how competitive!

Ok, Archon can have a Blaster, (or a Blaster Pistol). Blasters are now 18" range and the Archons BS7 means you're hitting on a third of your 1's to hit!

SO expect it to hit!

The reavers get access to a Melta Blaster, ie it's a S8 Blaster with Lance and Melta specvial rules (yep, both).

Raiders are more expensive but freek me alive they actually have a whole *host* of upgrades that you want to use, all either 5 or 10pts extra.

The 2 I remember strongly is the one that gives you an extra 2D6" movement (thus the raiders can potentially move up to 36")
and thwe new "Extra Armour must always take upgrade for DE will be the 5++ invulnerable save (yes, for a vehicle) INVULNERABLE save, *not* cover

Let's see. New units. 2 new heavy support, one is a razorwing, the other completely new.

New transport - you can run Venoms now (6 capacity).

Warriors and wyches are troops. HOWEVER< you can also buy elite warriors and elite wyches (who have a fancy name that I forget). Elites has become very busy with the addition of Harlequins along with the new Incubi

Pain points are cool, Haemonculi have the ability to confer a free pain point on units they attach to. It is also one of the combat drug results.

We do lose the 12" assault option but since we gain 36" move units and transports, its little concern.

Dark Matter spam is gone with a more realistic allocation of heavy/special weapons mainly based on squad size. Similarly for reavers

Hellions are quite good now.

And Scourges are the real Dark Horse - they look like being a very popular choice for heavy support. Personally I love the idea of a haywire grenade launcher which should be a bit of fun!

Umm, there's two types of talos, a more or less familiar one and a less tough version that's cheaper.

Grotttesques have bulked out and are reminiscent of Ogryn stats.

That should further whet your appetite...

From collated info on Warseer:

Allows for Kabal, Wych Cult and Homunculus armies

All old units appear in this codex plus there are 3-5 new units

Army-wide special rules:
Night Vision - Acute Senses USR

Strength Through Pain – Supposedly features mostly on Wytch Cult units. The unit gains an upgrade every time it wipes out an enemy unit (3 max). 1st Feel No Pain, 2nd Furious Charge, 3rd Fearless.

Combat Drugs - Roll once. All units with the Combat Drugs rule get the same benefit.

Weapons:

Splinter Rifle 24" SX, AP5, Rapid Fire, Poisoned.

Shard Carbine 18" SX, AP5, Assault 3, Poisoned.

Splinter Cannon 36" SX, AP5, Assault 4, or Heavy 6 Poisoned.

Splinter Pods - an underslung weapon for the Hellions similar to the carbine

- Some FOC slots are subject to change -

HQ
Archon
WS/BS: 7 S/T/W: 3 I: 7 A: 3or4? Ld: 9 or 10? Save: 5+
Can take a wargear item the effect of which is that if he kills an enemy MC or SC in close combat he doubles his Strength to 6. If he kills another one, he doubles his Strength to 10.

Asdrubal Vect
No longer rides a Vehicle

Elites
Harlequins
Identical to the Codex: Eldar entry

Mandrakes
Have a shooting attack that gets stronger with every kill they make

Incubi
T3, S3, 2A 3+ sv,
Klaives – Power weapons that add +1S
Squad leader has WS5, A3 and can take 2 smaller blades that either give him +2 attacks or +2S (both are Power Weapons). Also provides himself and his squad with the ability to roll another attack for each 6 to hit they roll. This is supposedly unlimited.

Troops
Warriors
Stats are the same. Armed with Splinter Rifle only.

Wyches
Stats are the same. Retain 4+ dodge save in CC.
Wych weapons
- Shardnet reduces A of all enemies in B2B by 1.
- A “chain-of-blades weapon” that gives +2A, and re-rolls to hit and to wound.

Fast Attack
Reaver Jetbikes
T4, 5+ save, can Turbo-boost 36".
Armed with Splinter Rifles
Can perform a "fly-by" attack on enemy units without becoming locked in close combat.
Have several upgrades that inflict different numbers of S3/4/6 hits on units when performing the fly by attack.
The jetbike gives +1 sv and +1T
Possibly get a S6 melta-lance weapon

Beast Masters
Get more types of beasts

Heavy Support
Ravager
Fast, skimmer, open-topped AV 11 11 10
Armed with 3 Dark Lances as standard and can fire all 3 at cruising speed

Grotesques
Apparently changed to Ogryn-sized creatures
There will still be human-sized Homunculus constructs, but they will have a different name

Transports
Raider
Fast, skimmer, open-topped AV 10 10 10