Genestealer Cults Are Among Us - White Dwarf #109 Review

Earlier this week we brought you some leaked images from across the web of the new Genestealer Cult miniatures from the Deathwatch Overkill gamer.
They are impressive. Very Impressive.
So today's White Dwarf was very much ​anticipated, knowing that there would be a closer look at these great minis. What I didn't know took me by surprise - my local Games Workshop store (like Betrayal at Calth) had a full preview game in store and the miniatures are even better in real life!
This issue of White Dwarf, again like Betrayal at Calth, entirely dominates the issue of White Dwarf. If you're not pumped about the game - move on, but from what I hear the next issue is going to be more of the same!
There is a lot of info, plus more shots of the miniatures than I have seen for any other release - EVER! Tonnes of background, close-ups and even some pretty decent fluff.
So is it worth buying the issue??
+ + More After The Jump + +

Usually the first page of White Dwarf is a spread with the Editior's blah blah and some credits - well this week we get this - a full page of some of the miniatures in the new Deathwatch Overkill game.
It's a pretty subtle way to set the agenda for the rest of the issue.
Some nice alternate angles here to get a look at those miniatures, including the usually hidden MKIII armour on the Iron Hands Space Marine and a completely new Genestealer.

So here we have it - Deathwatch Overkill, the new board game for Warhammer 40k. It's interesting this isn't an expansion to Space Hulk actually. Combining the miniatures into that game would be great fun. Many years ago White Dwarf published rules for power armour in Space Hulk - and this would have been the perfect opportunity to do it. That being said, a brand new game is never a bad thing and the quality of the miniatures that I saw this morning is really awesome.
It's in this introductory blurb that we find out that this game doesn't take place now, it takes place in the past of the 40k universe. Cassius, the Main Man of this Deathwatch team is seen in the 40K universe as scarred, but this guy is bright eyed and bushy tailed with a shiny clean baby's bum face.

First up we are taken through the Space Marine miniatures of the game.
These are all very dynamic and evoke character like it's going our of style. Not entirely sure about some of the elements on them (the Native American name for the Space Wolf and the feathers on the Raven Guard) but on the whole these are very cool. You may also notice the Frag Cannon held by Rodricus Grytt and amazing bike of Jetek Suberei of the White Scars. Very cool!

Then it's onto the amazing miniatures of the Genestealer Cult. Far out these are cool! The little salutes back to the old models with the Magus and the 1st and 2nd Generation Hybrids - just genius. Combine that with the new Magus, the terrifying Aberrants and my favourites, the 3rd and 4th Generation Hybrids.
I'm going to be honest here and say that these alone would make me buy the boxed set, and thinking on it - if you have the Magus at around $50, the Hybrids at $80 a box each, you're getting pretty close to the cost of the boxed game even without the Space Marines and the extra Genestealers...

For those interested in using the Space Marines out of the boxed game and putting them into Warhammer 40K, there's some rules with some pretty decent fluff in it too. 

With the rules taking up the middle of the issue, we are back to the Genestealers with the excellent 4th generation Hybrids. Army building these guys would be great fun! SO great to see autoguns on figures too.

Here's a bit of a look at how the game works, including the cards and the template which is clear plastic in the actual game itself.

Warhammer Visions is next week too, so who knows hat that will be like...
Deathwatch Ignition is a 384-page hardback novel that you can buy separately next week or is available as a bundle (right) with the game itself. There's no $ saving if you do buy them together, but there you go.
Also available are a number of Black Library audio, graphic novels and novels that centre around the Deathwatch, including Deathwatch (above). Incidentally, Black Library will apparently be releasing more classic graphic novels this year.

Here's a look at Cassius. Not an amazing Paint Splatter but all you need to know to paint Deathwatch.

Finally the issue rounds off with a battle report from Deathwatch Overkill.
This is easy to follow and well laid out. Battle Reports can often be hard to follow, but this layout is effective.

Verdict

As I said in the intro - if you're into this game or like Warhammer 40K, then this issue will be interesting.
Not vital, but interesting!
There is literally nothing else for anyone else. Feeling the love, yet??

Pot of Paint vs. White Dwarf
White Dwarf for me!