N18 Genestealer Cults Starting Gang

[Madbuss]

Hi everybody,

I wanted to get into Necromunda Underhive Wars with the Genestealer Cults. I really love the look of the miniatures and the background of the cult. Nevertheless I'm not really familiar with all of the Necromunda rules, weapons, special abilities etc. by far. First I'm planning to just play some scenarios but later on we will be playing campaings as well.

To get a brief view on how the Cult plays and what kind of gang I should take I read an article on Goonhammer (https://www.goonhammer.com/necromunday-houses-er-cults-of-the-underhive-genestealer-cults/). There I saw 3 example lists to start from which I think the "Balanced GSC" would fit my playstyle at most:

Cult Alpha (Hip Shooting) – Hazard Suit, Hand Flamer, Power Hammer, Psychic familiar – 265
Aberrant – 2 fighting knives – 125
Hybrid Acolyte (Overwatch) – Hazard Suit, Grenade Launcher, Third Arm – 185
Hybrid Acolyte (Overwatch) – Hazard Suit, Grenade Launcher, Third Arm – 185
Neophyte – Hazard Suit, Lasgun – 60
Neophyte – Hazard Suit, Lasgun – 60
Neophyte – Hazard Suit, Lasgun – 60
Neophyte – Hazard Suit, Lasgun – 60

Nevertheless I have some more questions which I didn't find an answer by now.

1. Wouldn't it be better to change the Power Hammer of the Adept for 2 Las/ Autopistols and give him the Gunfighter Talent? So he can fire all 3 Pistols (including the Hand-Flamer). Or is this a bad choice?
2. Why to give the Hybrid Acolytes a Third Arm in connection with the grenade launcher weapon choice? It doesn't do any good to the fact that the Grenade Launcher isn't an unwieldy weapon does it? Wouldn't it be better to equip an Hybrid Acolyte with a 3rd arm e.g. with a Mining Laser?
3. Auto-/ Lasgun (or Pistol) Use. What would be the better choice? Get a better +1 to hit modifier to pin models and no ammo problems with a Las-Weapon or trade it for rapid fire? I assume an Alpha with 3 Autopistols would be hell as well?

Do you have any recommendations for a new Necromunda player?

Thanks and best regards.

 

[Heart of Storm]

1. I think the loadout for the Alpha is overall poor, but to answer your question the Alpha can fire three pistol type weapons using the "all guns blazing" rule, and can do so without penalty if they take the "Gunslinger" skill
If you were to do that you'd need to switch out the handflamer as well, as they don't have the Sidearm rule which allows them to work with the "all guns blazing rule". So its all stub/las/auto/needle pistols for a gunslinger build.

2. You're absolutely right, there is no benefit to a 3rd arm on a grenade launcher acolyte, its just wasted points, unless the plan is to buy a heavy weapon later in the campaign.

Personally I'm not a fan of heavy weapons on acolytes, they only have 1 wound which makes them a liability with a big gun, the Alpha is the natural choice for a heavy weapon if you're going that route.

3. Lasgun is more accurate at longer range, Autogun is better at wounding with the rapid fire rule. Personally I prefer autoguns, though a mix is probably the best play.

Autoguns come with the Neophyte sprue, so if you don't have a source of spare lasguns then that's what you're stuck with.

 

[Vonvilkee]

Hand flamer while in the pistols section does not have "side arm" so doesn't function like other pistols at all (no combat attack, no twin guns blazing).

 

[Madbuss]

Thank you very much for your input. I think I will have to rearrange my team then. Lasguns should not be a problem because of plenty Astra militarum Bits .

Could anyone recommend me a good and balanced starting list?

 

[Heart of Storm]

Necromunda: Underhive

Necromunda Underhive online tools by YakTribe.games greatly enhances your Necromunda Underhive experience by providing gang management, campaigns, customization and more. No more spreadsheets, manage your gangs online and print out battle tracking sheets and even ganger cards.

yaktribe.games

It lacks some of the more interesting and enigmatic models (aberrants, adepts) in favour of being a solid gunline, mining laser/familiar alpha for losing friends, double grenade launcher and long las for higher toughness targets and a mix of auto/lasgun mooks for eating bullets and keeping the enemy pinned.

You can swap a ganger out to introduce shotguns into the gang, or drop a couple and perhaps the familiar to bring an Aberrant to the table.

 

[Madbuss]

Necromunda: Underhive

Necromunda Underhive online tools by YakTribe.games greatly enhances your Necromunda Underhive experience by providing gang management, campaigns, customization and more. No more spreadsheets, manage your gangs online and print out battle tracking sheets and even ganger cards.

yaktribe.games

It lacks some of the more interesting and enigmatic models (aberrants, adepts) in favour of being a solid gunline, mining laser/familiar alpha for losing friends, double grenade launcher and long las for higher toughness targets and a mix of auto/lasgun mooks for eating bullets and keeping the enemy pinned.

You can swap a ganger out to introduce shotguns into the gang, or drop a couple and perhaps the familiar to bring an Aberrant to the table.

Thank you very much. Will try to get better
list

 

[Madbuss]

What so you think about this Setup?


++ Gang (Genestealer Cult) [1,000 Credits, 12 Weapon slot] ++

+ Fighters +

Aberrant [135 Credits, 2 Weapon slot]
. Weapons: Chainsword, Fighting Knife

Aberrant [125 Credits, 2 Weapon slot]
. Weapons: 2x Fighting Knife

Genestealer Cult Alpha [295 Credits, 2 Weapon slot]
. Character: Hip Shooting
. Wargear: Hazard Suit, Psychic Familiar
. Weapons: Mining Laser

Hybrid Acolyte [105 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Character: Infiltrate
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Long Las

Neophyte Hybrid [100 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Grenade Launcher

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun


++ Total: [1,000 Credits, 12 Weapon slot] ++

 

[Madbuss]

Oh, i just saw that aberrants are Limited to 1 per Gang. Is that correct? Or does it only Count for infected gangs?

 

[Heart of Storm]

I believe thats only for infected gangs, not a "proper" GSC

For your new gang, I'm not sure Hip Shooting works with Unwieldy weapons, so that should change. Also if your using this gang for campaign play remember that only acolytes and leaders can perform perform post battle actions, taking only one acolyte does limit what you can do at the start of the campaign until you buy more

 

[Madbuss]

I changed my alpha from heavy mining laser to gunfighter. That left space for 2 grenade launchers as well. What do you think?


++ Gang (Genestealer Cult) [1,000 Credits, 12 Weapon slot] ++

+ Fighters +

Aberrant [110 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Weapons: Fighting Knife

Aberrant [110 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Weapons: Fighting Knife

Genestealer Cult Alpha [200 Credits, 3 Weapon slot]
. Character: Gunfighter
. Wargear: Hazard Suit, Psychic Familiar
. Weapons: Autopistol, Autopistol, Autopistol

Hybrid Acolyte [105 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Character: Infiltrate
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Long Las

Hybrid Acolyte [140 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Character: Overwatch
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Grenade Launcher

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [60 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autogun

Neophyte Hybrid [100 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Grenade Launcher

Neophyte Hybrid [55 Credits, 1 Weapon slot]
. Wargear: Hazard Suit
. Weapons: Autopistol

 

[Heart of Storm]

Consider giving one aberrant both fighting knives and leaving the other unarmed, a single fighting knife doesnt increase their lethality much over being unarmed, but two gives an extra attack.

 

[Madbuss]

Thanks for the hint

Any other suggestions?

 

[Heart of Storm]

Nope. Overall I like the list, it's quite close ranged focus so getting those aberrants in peoples faces will be important, but its a gang id run and have fun with.

Getting armour and extra weapons on your aberrants should be a priority, as should upgunning the pistol neophyte - or giving him a smoke grenade to cover your advance.

The pistol alpha is a lot of fun, not the most powerful model to grace the table but triple pistol gunfighter is fun to play.

 

[Madbuss]

Many thanks. At first I would like to have played Mining Laser Alpha. But in this case I would be able to just bring one aberrant. Otherwise I would not have enough points to run alpha, 2 champs and 2 aberrants.

But I think fast Alpha is way more fun to play with