Friday 13 July 2018

Grandfather Kurgan's Genestealer Cult, part 6

Crawling out from the cold, polluted corners of the Mancunius Dome underworld come the Order of the Guardian. Secretive, stealthy, and utterly dedicated, they have been growing unseen in the hidden spaces of Humanity’s realm. Some of the cultists are truly monstrous, skulking along dank tunnels with heavy robes covering their hybrid anatomies. Others are merely pallid and bald, able to pass for loyal citizens whilst their wyrm-form tattoos remain hidden. These latter-generation brethren mingle amongst the herd like wolves in sheep’s clothing, working so hard amongst the crumbling machineries of Mankind’s industry that none spare them a second glance – but under their work fatigues and the rough apparel of miners and forge-workers, they all bear the mark of the alien.

When their brotherhood becomes strong enough, and all is in place for their great uprising, the Genestealer Cult will make its play. The militant throng will boil by the thousand from sewers, tunnels and basements, seeping from the spires high above like insects pouring from a hidden nest.

Before that darkly glorious day of war can happen, the cult’s warriors have steps to take to undermine the enemy. Saboteurs will shattered the supply lines of those who would oppose them, hidden agents will assassinate key commanders, and routes of escape will be cut off by demolition crews and blast teams. Every eventuality the cult’s masters can foresee will be accounted for, every advantage stacked in their favour. The enemy will find their ammunition crates empty, their fuel reserves dry, their transport craft hijacked and their supporting fleet holed and listing in orbit. When the cult attacks, the enemy will already be surrounded, stranded and half-beaten, ripe for a slaughter long planned.

~ Ձ ~

I have added another two models to the nascent cult. A Primus and a Magus that I have had in a box on my desk for over a year.



Magus Tovet is the voice of The Order of the Guardian. He plays a vital role in infiltrating underhive society. Due to his intelligence, charisma, appearance, and understanding of the Mancunius Dome society, he is well suited to his role as mouthpiece of the cult. As a Genestealer Hybrid of the 4th generation, he appears nearly human, although bald and heavy boned. He is highly intelligent and possesses formidable psychic ability. His "normal" appearance allows him to operate as the public spokesman for the clan or cult, which is disguised as a legitimate religious movement - a role which the purestrain Genestealer Patriarch cannot take. He is also a powerful and manipulative psyker.











~ Ձ ~

Primus Demian will be a commander when the time comes for war, but whilst the cult still remains in hiding, it is his duty to spread the Genestealer Cult. His innate gift for leadership and coordination will allow him to militarize the cult in short order, masterminding the takeover of vehicles and even spacecraft.

A strong champion and lauded hero amongst the brood, he appeared in an early generation of the third cycle. The Primus is a humanoid warrior of prodigious strength and tactical guile. Where a Magus boasts a mental acuity and telepathic powers the equal of a Space Marine Librarian, the Primus has a supernatural dexterity and surety of focus that can see him bring down adversaries twice his size.

Until the day of the uprising though he has the role of advisor to the Patriarch, and logistical organiser for the cult's expansion to other regions of the underhive.

















These new models were so quick and easy to paint I have already assembled and undercoated 4 more models for the Order of the Guardian. The cult grows...

4 comments:

  1. I like how these two could just as easily be used for combat or non-combat scenarios. The Primus in particular really brings home that his current role is as an advisor and manager with the empty hands gesturing as if explaining something. But his pistol is right there at his side if it's ever needed. Similarly, the Magus could just as easily be giving a speech as using his psychic powers on the battlefield.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks WestRider!
      I am only planning to make a Kill Team for narrative games - it won't be a full wh40k Genestealer Cults army (famous last words!). So the Primus and Magus may never actually get to be used as combatants in a game, so the non-combatant look for both was very important.

      Delete
    2. I am fully confident you could come up with a way to incorporate the more powerful characters into a fun narrative scenario of some sort. Perhaps some kind of boss fight or something.

      Delete
    3. Yeah, I'm sure I will find some way to get them on table. Or at least into a narrative report!

      Delete