The Explication rules are great and there's definitely lots of super cool stuff to play with. This book is jammed full of stuff. There's allusions to nids all over the place (swords made from scything talons, Vouxian Stalkers/Shades, etc.)

As mentioned earlier, not a whole lot in the way of new aircraft despite introducing an aircraft-focused role.

Keep in mind that the Ace is not purely aircraft-focused. It's a piloting/driving/riding focus. They also happen to make some pretty cool tech gun fighters when combined with the right homeworlds. Disappointing that there's no gun-cutters (ala Eisenhorn) or Valkyries though, for sure.

Probably because those are able to operate outside the hive's mind synaptic web and there is no Tyranid fleet in the Askellon Sector (yet).

And I'm totally ok with this. The two profiles are really deadly, scary creatures perfect of Dark Heresy. If you get to the point of massed planetary invasions with gaunts, carnifexes, etc. it's time for Deathwatch anyways.

All in all, a really great book.

I would've liked some rules for building a genestealer cult, but ultimately it's not a colossal issue.

I still like the book, though. Can't wait for enemies beyond!

New xenos to fight

Any new new xenos (as in, haven't appeared in other WH40KRP games)?

Would it be possible to combine the Genestealers with the cult rules from Enemies Within? This would give you the option to tackle them as either a member of the Ordo Hereticus or the Ordo Xenos depending on your focus? There's certainly enough fluff out there to be able to fill in the gaps from anything that might be missing.

Then again I haven't laid my eyes on Enemies Without yet so feel free to say if that's a really stupid idea with how the creatures are set out in the book.

New xenos to fight

Any new new xenos (as in, haven't appeared in other WH40KRP games)?

At the very least, they've put up stats for Solitaires and some weird insect monsters on Yanth.

Would it be possible to combine the Genestealers with the cult rules from Enemies Within? This would give you the option to tackle them as either a member of the Ordo Hereticus or the Ordo Xenos depending on your focus? There's certainly enough fluff out there to be able to fill in the gaps from anything that might be missing.

Then again I haven't laid my eyes on Enemies Without yet so feel free to say if that's a really stupid idea with how the creatures are set out in the book.

I don't see why not. There's also a really great fan-made supplement regarding genestealer cults: http://www.darkreign.org/system/tdf/Genestealer_Cults.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=165

It's based on 1st Ed., so there's a bit of converting to do. For the most part, you can get away with just using the Enemies Without stat-line for the purestrains and you're good to go!

Do any of the new backgrounds in Enemies Without offer the Finesse talent as an option?

Hey when is this one gonna be out in digital form i wanted a copy and the physical one is kinda hard to carry while on the go? >^.^<

Do any of the new backgrounds in Enemies Without offer the Finesse talent as an option?

Do you mean aptitude? If so, yes; Heretek offers it (or Tech) as does Rogue Trader Fleet (or Social).

Would it be possible to combine the Genestealers with the cult rules from Enemies Within? This would give you the option to tackle them as either a member of the Ordo Hereticus or the Ordo Xenos depending on your focus? There's certainly enough fluff out there to be able to fill in the gaps from anything that might be missing.

Then again I haven't laid my eyes on Enemies Without yet so feel free to say if that's a really stupid idea with how the creatures are set out in the book.

This is what I was planning on doing. Then make the Jeanstealer NPC given in this book the patriarch.

I'd make a 'stealer Patriarch a custom profile personally, the one in the book isn't powerful enough. Use that as a base and then soup it up to Master level.

Good point. I was reading up on genestealer cults and read how similar broodlords and patriarchs are. They should definitely be nastier.

I thought that GW was washing away the Genestealer Cults. Are they still referencing them, or are genestealers now entirely animalistic beasties?

If that's the case...

Must resist... commenting on GW...

I thought that GW was washing away the Genestealer Cults. Are they still referencing them, or are genestealers now entirely animalistic beasties?

I sincerely hope this is not the case. Then again, I gave up on GW as being creative and thought-provoking a long long time ago, so I don't much care where the "official" canon goes. Hey-ho, the woes of getting older I suppose.

[sorry Gridash, I'd have joined you in your resistance to temptation, but I'm too old and bitter ;D]

Welcome to the land of official cannon... where space dwarfs and secret cults of alien hybrids are too silly but wolf-riding space vikings and super-high-tech orangutans are A-OK.

The reluctance to expand on Genestealer fluff is likely due to the very likely possibility that a new, short like Militarum Tempestus or Harlequins, Codex for Genestealer Cults might be coming, and that GW don't want spoilers or contradictions.

Every thread on here now becomes an anti-GW circlejerk. This is tiresome. Mods can you just start throwing out warnings for people trying to derail every thread with about how sad they are GW has ruined their life or whatever.

It's still on topic to ask whether Genestealer cults are still viable according to the official lore/canon set out by GW or not. A few sidecomments were made while that was done, but it's on topic otherwise. Let's not become too sensitive either now.

Carry on.

I personally love the idea of Genestealer Cults. The individual Genestealer is terrifying, aye, but the fact that you need to burn women pregnant with their offspring?

Okay, it's stolen from Alien, mostly, with added Stockholm Syndrome and Branch Davidian, but it's awesome.

However, I would understand if GW wanted to not make use of what is, effectively, **** (edit: why is that censored?!) as a major plot element. Grimdark tends to be skulls and daemons, but without such potentially painful sexual abuse issues (even when it's Slaanesh cultists, it's air guitar, driving fast and androgyny as opposed to sexual abuse). For me, it's not an issue, but I could see this sort of thing as being hard for some to deal with.

I thought that GW was washing away the Genestealer Cults. Are they still referencing them, or are genestealers now entirely animalistic beasties?

There's even a little snippet in Enemies Without that mentions Genestealer Cults, so at least FFG remembers them.

However, I would understand if GW wanted to not make use of what is, effectively, **** (edit: why is that censored?!) as a major plot element.

Assuming you're referring to the r-word ... technically, it's not. Everyone involved is no longer themselves, their minds altered in a way that the participants do this willingly and in full capacity of their newfound cult identity. One could argue the person they once were is already dead, replaced by a hive creature in human guise.

Besides, it's not like this would actually have to be spelled out explicitly just to have Genestealer cults exist. Nobody really knows where Cherubim or Krieg Guardsmen come from either, for example.

That being said, I'm fairly certain that all this talk about GW abandoning Genestealer Cults is just the usual urban rumours from the community.

It isn't technically sexual abuse, but, really, it's forced impregnation of women - who should then be punished fatally for being the victims of such.

I like it because it's actually horrifying. Far more horrifying than a Chaos Space Marine with a chainaxe.

But, I do understand that this sort of horror might be a bit close to home for some folk, and allowing it to fade would be sad, but understandable.

It certainly is a matter of interpretation, but ultimately it's the same as with zombies. From the position you are arguing, they are victims, too, because originally they didn't want to bite anyone else either.

The horrifying act is being turned into a Genestealer victim in the first place. Whatever happens afterwards is, I think, of no consequence. Simply because it's not the same or not even a real person anymore.

Not that I'd truly be surprised if this ever were to fade, mind you, simply because GW nowadays seems to consider sex icky. In our modern society, murder and torture are completely okay, but those boobies on the old Daemonettes obviously had to go.