Search the Community

This week we welcome discussion of the Cult of Time. I joked on my blog that this is the Cult of the Timex. (Anyone remember those ads? Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'?) See the Relic for details! Psychic Power: Time Flux Warp Charge: 5 If only we could take Obliterators, right? That would be abusive I suppose... kind of like restoring a dead Grav Centurion would be... wait a minute.... Anyway, the power is good, solid and there's not a lot of hidden value in it. This is straight up a fun power that works well with big squads, or multiple squads of multiwound models, especially Scarab Occult Terminators. I myself have not, in 6+ games, had more than one model come back, but it's possible. Just keep in mind that this can only happen on an unmodified test of 9+. I hear a few guru's online talking about manipulating the result for additional models. It's good to see a nice, low cost Cult power. This makes it more plausible for your Scarab Occult Sorcs to use this instead of smite, since they should all know the ability anyway. Warlord Trait: Immaterial Echo Another play on the "9+" cast bonus. Except this time it can be a modified result. This is pretty liable to proc with Cabal in place, or simply re rolling 1's (via Magnus, etc). I've had it pop up once in a while, and usually it's a Smite that comes into play for 'free'. Sorcerous Arcana: Hourglass of Manat. This is powerful. I've used this on a Daemon Prince and when your opponent knows this, it can have a psychological effect on how they approach him. The reality is it can be tricky. That is to say dying in your opponent's shooting phase, could simply mean getting back up, and dying in his Assault Phase. As a side note, I've had it ruled in tournaments that IF this kind of power is on your warlord, then the first time he dies it does award your opponent Slay the Warlord. So please check with your local TO for this ruling. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Overall Cult of Time is worth taking. There's some value in using this in certain lists over others, but again the sticky situation that is our "cult / detachment" restriction makes it tricky. Are you going to include your Scarab Occult in your CoT to heal them? Or are you going to include them in... Duplicity to hop them around the board? Tough call. Unfortunately most of these Cults will have the same decision making challenges since the design is not all inclusive. Nevertheless the ability to take a small detachment with a Sorc HQ, and at least one squad of Scarab Occult seems valid. What do you think? Is there a better use of it? Better units to benefit from it? Or is this never going to see play in your lists? Let's hear what you think of CoT.

Cult of Magic "Dedicated to the pure and unfettered use of sorcery." Psychic Power: Astral Blast WC: 6 This is a 9" smite / Infernal Gateway type power requiring the closest unit, but causing D3 mortal wounds on the "UNIT" (not model) and any units within 3" suffer an additional wound. Warlord Trait: Devastating Sorcery When your Warlord inflicts a Mortal Wound with a Psychic Power, add 1 additional Mortal Wound to the total. Sorcerous Arcana: Add 1 to your Psychic tests. The implications of this power are obvious. Any mutli target, or splash type of damage power becomes that much more powerful with this Warlord Trait. The fact the Cult comes with its own splash damage power is an easy but effective combo. Note that Astral Blast is still quite short at 15" with the Thousand Sons Legion Trait. This may require an extra support power supplied by another sorcerer. For me that's been "Warp Time". Bouncing your Warlord into danger range, and pulling him back, is pretty critical until you can properly create a buffer between him and your opponent. The other power that comes to mind with such an ability is Infernal Gateway. Naturally this is available to your Daemon Princes and is also a power that causes D3 (potentially more on a 12+ test) and then additionally every unit within 3" suffers another D3 (+1) thanks to your Trait. There are tools to allow you to add even more to your psychic test results giving a stronger chance of a 'super smite' causing D6 plus 1 Mortal wound to the target. (I have in fact done 7 mortal wounds to a Vindicator with 7 wounds left... it's a long shot, but quite satisfying at the right time!) So what are you favourite combo's with Magic? Do you take a larger detachment with this ability? Or a simple detachment?

I thought it would be a good idea if we, collectively, have a look at the new cults as seen in Ritual of the damned. Let's start with Cult of Prophecy: Psychic Power: Divine the Future. Warp Charge: 6 Warlord Trait: Guided by the Whispers (Do you hear the voices too?) Sorcerous Arcana: Pythic Brazier +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Psychic power is a wildcard. The good news is this is an ability that can be leveraged by ANY part of your army. It says nothing about being cult specific. So this could be a save on Magnus, a number of shots roll on a vindicator, or a Morale test on your Cultists. It is similar to the existing Gaze of Fate power which simply awards a re-roll but in this case you don't have knowledge of what the roll will be. This is a fun, completely useful in any game type of power. The problem is with the 'per detachment' restriction, this is very hard to have as a replacement for one of the standard powers/cults. But perhaps this shouldn't be over looked. Stacked with Gaze of Fate, you are essentially guaranteeing an action: A Psychic test? A charge? Combining both powers, you'd have to assume you would be saving at least 1, if not 2 Cp per turn. That's not bad and makes an argument for not needing Helm of the Third Eye or Perfidious Tome. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Warlord trait is useful, but seems too far down the list. If your Warlord is getting charged, you might be in deep trouble already. However, combined with a Disk, or Wings, this essentially cancels a charge. I do imagine that a savvy opponent will pick up on this ability and apply 'false' charges to you to try to trigger the event. Since charges are committed one at a time, this could open up some bad results for you if you're not careful. Sidenote: A combo I've thought of is to 'react' away from a fight, but position your Warlord into a Heroic Intervention position. OR use "Yoke" to get your Warlord much closer to a reacting Scarab Occult unit. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Relic might be one of my least favourite. I feel like this is best placed around a firebase unit like a Contemptor or Leviathan. Since the restriction is ONE roll. I'm assuming that's what it means. Maybe I'm missing something but this seems like it could have been a bit better. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ What are your thoughts? Could this Cult crack your top 3?

We are next in line, brothers! https://players.brightcove.net/5778310444001/tEqh4qwjNN_default/index.html?videoId=6110498357001

During the Psychic Awakening timeframe, Warhammer Community released a short story by Andy Clark titled Consequences: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/04/20/psychic-awakening-consequences/ Reading both the story and the community reaction to it inspired me to create a 1-page comic, which I've since updated slightly: Posting here for posterity and for hopefully the ease of searching, in case you want to forward it to your Warhammer WhatsApp groups. Thanks for reading.