Lets talk cultists (gsc)

Haven't seen the full book yet but I'd be interested to see how a typical IG gunline can hold things down while the cc elements pop up.

It does seem odd that the GSC stealers are that much more expensive. Are they otherwise the same entry? Guessing it boils down to how good the cult setup options and psy powers are with them.

So here is something that gets around that for now. I think it will stay this way, but the errata might change it. 

Step One: Deploy half your army Underground (deep strike)

Step Two: Place markers down as you deploy the rest on the board. 

Step Three: Use "They Came From Below" for 1 CP and put three of the units on the board Underground instead. 

You use They Came From Below when you start flipping blips, which is in the movement phase and during the game. So when you put more units in reserve, it is during the game and does not violate the "half your army in reserve before the game" rule. Then on Turn 2 you drop EVERYTHING

I've been running GSC very frequently for a few months now and I am SO thrilled about the codex. It delivered a lot of what we needed and made Cult Ambush far more reliable than what we had, even if we did lose the guaranteed 3" charge. That is probably for the best though.

1- Acolyte Hybrids are still the bee's knees IMO, but Neophytes have a place as backline objective holders. All of our troop choices (including Brood Brother Infantry) are cheap now, so double battalion should be ezpz in a 2k list. And thank GOD they added Infantry squads as troop choices. Saved my ass in making a twin battalion list.

2- And we will need that double battalion for the stratagems. We have so many awesome, useful stratagems and it plays so well with the fluff of the cult. Us having the Agents of Vect Clone (A Plan Generations in the Making or PGitM) just makes sense. It might be FAQ'd up to 4CP, but with our army being so squishy (no army wide invulns) and our shooting being so mediocre that I could see 3 CP sticking around as our allying abilities are not as powerful as Dark Eldar (who can pull in Crafworlds, Harlequins, and Ynnari with full CP , faction trait, and stratagem benefits).

3- I think something that is low key big is how much character assassination the cult has. Between the Sanctus, Jackal Alphus, the Kelermorph, and our psychic powers that can target anything within 18", the cult is going to be a huge threat to any list that relies on oodles of characters that traditionally hid behind screen.

4- Cult Creeds, Cult of the 4-Armed Emperor is going to be the big one. It's what I am running. The +1 on the charge and opening up PGitM, we are gonna see a lot of these. Twisted Helix is another one I am considering running a detachment of. Acolyte Hybrids wounding MEQs on 3's sounds nice.

5- Aberrants are still terrifying and awesome. I have been running a 9 man unit since the Index and that isn't changing. Keeping an Iconward near them is now mandatory. And let's not forget the 1 CP stratagem to give a unit of aberrants +1 on their Beastial Vigor rolls. Damage reduced by 1 ,4+ FNP and rerolling 1s on a 2W model is bonkers. The Abominant is the one blemish in the codex. He got bumped 25 points and his hammer confers -1 to hit where it did not before. If everything else had not gotten so immensely cheaper, I may have cut him from the list. However, he is still the terrifying juggernaut he has always been. If you want to spring for the relic hammer though, he still hits on 3s naturally and has an AP-4 D d6 min3 hammer.

6- Goliath Trucks are now 100% necessary unless you are doing lots of Brood Brothers. This hurts me as I was running 2 Chimeras, but I am looking forward to Goliaths. Planning on running 1 truck and 1 rockgrinder. They can't take as much strong hit damage, but they move nice and fast and have a FNP. Overall, I am okay with it.

7- Patriarch is a beast now. I am still annoyed he only buffs Genestealers, but the fearless aura has always been nice. All of our pskers being 2 Known 1 Cast now is HUEEGGE. Now we can bring Mind Control and Mass Hypnosis on a Magus with a Crouchling (my pick for best relic). Nice! Personally will be running 2 Magus with a Patriarch and using every spell we've got. Back to the Pat though, I plan on using him as backline psychic support/late game melee threat rather than a spearhead juggernaut. His Ld 10 (Ld11 if near a Clamavus) makes him an ideal user for Mental Onslaught AND Psionic Blast. I will be running him with both. Being able to target anything/anyone I want within 18" and potentially dealing boatloads of mortal wounds off of his higher Ld could be huge late game.

8- I always forgot to use Unquestioning Loyalty and I think I need to remember it now. With how many characters I have and how many troop choices are running around, it only makes sense to. Especially in super late game when you have a few characters and maybe some useless infantry. Soaking up a few wounds could make a huge difference.

9- I was very skeptical on the Clamavus, now I really like it. Similarly, Kelermorph will be a nice ambush threat in a way most people won't think about. Just popping a character with liberator autostubs on Turn 2 will be pretty big.

10- I am not a fan of the Locus. I see his value, but I would rather spend the points on other units that are going to actively help me win instead of bodyguard my units.

11- I am predicting we are going to see 1-2 Sanctus in every competitive GSC list. That sniper rifle causing Perils on unsaved wounds is too juicy to pass up.

12- I will be using Metamorphs as well. I misunderstood how Demo Charges work and now I have WAY too many Acolyte Hybrids. I will be turning them into Metamorphs because they got way cheaper and they can shred blobs of low save units with how many attacks they can put out. 

I wish i could get a kelermorph. Theyre out of stock everywhere.

I also like the bonesword relic. There are just other relics I want more.

I am sort of with you on the Clamavus, but I think if he helps on the charge on Turn 2 and then just buffs the Patriarch's Leadership for the rest of the game, that is fine for me. He also can bring the sick jams in the mean time.

I am using metamorphs because currently I do not have a ton of options to deal with 20 genestealers or 30 boyz. Metamorph talons are at least some sort of an answer. 36 attacks Hitting on 2s rerolling 1s, wounding on 4s (rerolling 1s if a Primus picks that unit) still work out to around 15-18 dead Boyz or genestealers.

Another thing I think REALLY needs clarification is the Talisman of the Voidwyrm or whatever it is called. Not being overwatch is cool, but the other effects states it get +1 to saves against ranged weapons. If that applies to invulnerable saves as well, that could be big for the Patriarch