Review: Deathwatch: Overkill Miniatures and 40k Rules

This Saturday I eagerly picked up a box of Deathwatch: Overkill that I had pre-ordered from Hairy Tarantula North. At first I wanted to split the box with someone and take the Space Marines for use in the next Kill Team campaign, but after seeing a leak of the Genestealer Cult rules, I had to have the whole thing! I made the pre-order and picked it up for a very reasonable $171 CAD after applying Hairy T's awesome discount. Not bad at all at just under $3.50 CAD a model, not to mention a potentially awesome stand-alone board game!

Here it is, still in shrink wrap. Shiny!!!

This review will show some photos I took during the unboxing, as well as discuss the rules for using the models in games of 40k. Note, I have not yet read in detail the rules for the included board game, and my focus is certainly on the miniatures and their viability in Warhammer 40k. The unit rules are available in White Dwarf #109 (Deathwatch) and White Dwarf #110 (Genestealer Cult). In an uncharacteristic bro move, Games Workshop has released the 40k rules for all the models as well as their formations in a free downloadable pdf.

The Miniatures

*** Disclaimer: All artwork and miniatures pictured are intellectual property of Games Workshop Limited. Please support them by visiting their online store at www.games-workshop.com where you can buy all of the depicted products and more... and don't forget to let them know how awesome their art and design team is for creating these beautiful miniatures & artwork.

As of writing this review, I have built all of the included miniatures except for the cultists. It looks like GW has done a great job on the sculpts of these miniatures. There is an excellent level of detail all around. The models are brand new designs and look fantastic.

A pile of plastic crack on the left. Rules and accessories for the Deathwatch: Overkill board game on the right.

One thing to note here is that unlike most GW miniatures, the sprues in this box do not come with additional weapons and options. Each model includes arms and weapons to build it exactly as you see it in the photos. Once you build all the models you will have exactly 0 spare parts - so make sure to get it right the first time around.

They also are not very pose-able, although some crafty modelling can get the job done. Having said that, the 'stock' poses are very dynamic and the models are unique - I see no reason to go out of my way to do any conversions or modifications whatsoever.

I was hoping the included range finder may be of some use, however the combat distance is 7.5" and the maximum distance is 16.5", not very useful as a 40k measuring tool. Note the dots on the top of the ruler don't correspond to inch values either.

Deathwatch: Overkill includes 11 Deathwatch models, as well as a Teleport Homer and Servo Skull. Each of these models is unique and has an excellent level of detail. Painting these Space Marines is going to be a lot of fun as there are simply so many small details to accent; the models will have a detailed, rich look to them once the job is done.

Assembly instructions for all the models is
included in a single book. Building the models
was very straightforward.

Even the largest, most complex models were a breeze to assemble.

32mm bases for the Acolytes and Marines. 25mm for the 3rd/4th generation Cultists. Oval base for the Biker, 40mm for the Terminator, and 50mm base for Patriarch Ghosar.

Biker, Devastator, and Iron Hands Sergeant on a single sprue. Teleport Homer and Servo Skull at top-middle of the frame.

The rest of the Deathwatch Astartes fill out another sprue. After assembly was complete there were exactly 0 left over parts.

Excellent level of detail in the backpack and shoulder pad of Ortan Cassius.

Some neat bits. The bird accompanies Jetek Suberei, White Scars Biker. Bottom right are the Servo Skull and Teleport Homer.

My assembled Deathwatch Marines. Some parts are on with sticky tac until the painting process is complete.

Two large sprues contain 28x Cultists, 2x Genestealers, and 4x Aberrants.

Patriarch Ghosar, Magus Orthan Trysst, and Primus Vorgan Trysst all ready for assembly.

A brand new Genestealer model
is a throwback to the old school design.

Cover Art on the Overkill Rule Book.

The level of detail on the cultists is impressive

Patriarch Ghosar's base is smaller (though slightly wider) than the one that comes with the Broodlord from the Shield of Baal set.

Warhammer 40k Rules

Games Workshop has hit a home run with the models included in this boxed set, but how would they perform on the table top? Below I'll include a brief run-down of the rules, as well as the included formations. Note that my experience playing Astartes forces is limited, so take what I say there with a grain of salt.

Deathwatch Astartes

Brilliant paint jobs by the GW folks included in the Deathwatch: Overkill book from the boxed set.

The Emperor's finest. These 11 special snowflake unique characters have a variety of interesting special rules to bring to the table top. First and foremost, these Deathwatch Marines are absolutely not a standalone army. Use them to supplement an Imperium army as a Swiss Army Knife style Allied Detachment. Having looked over the rules, I would heavily favour deploying them as an allied detachment rather than fielding the formation - read on to find out why.

Ortan Cassius - The True Believer 

Cassius is the leader of the crew, and essentially a Space Marine Chaplain with a 5 point upgrade to take Special Issue Ammunition on his Bolt Pistol. The downside is that he does not have the Chapter Tactics special rule, and he comes as-is; no upgrades for Cassius.

He is an Independent Character, however take note if you are running him within a Space Marine army that if he joins any unit from your other detachment(s), they will lose access to their Chapter Tactics. 

Jensus Natorian - The Vengeful Son

Jensus a level 2 Librarian in Power Armour. Like Cassius, he is basically your run-of-the-mill 90 point HQ unit with an added 5 point Special Issue Ammunition upgrade. Also like Cassius, he lacks the Chapter Tactics special rule as well as the ability to take any further upgrades. Unfortunately for Jensus though he is limited to generating his psychic powers from the Biomancy discipline. So far there isn't much reason to take either of these Independent Characters over the regular entries from Codex: Space Marines unless that is the exact load-out you're looking for - but the real utility from a Deathwatch allied detachment is to found in the other offerings below.

Squad Donatus

Squad Donatus is essentially a 5-man Sternguard Veteran squad taken as a troops choice with some hefty upgrades that make them an elite hard-hitting short to mid-range threat.

They add a combi-melta, power sword, and plasma pistol to the mix, and for an additional 15 points over what you would be paying for an equivalent Sternguard squad, they get an extra CCW on the Space Wolf and a Deathwatch Frag Cannon on the Imperial Fist. Seems like a fairly good deal to me. The one odd thing about this unit is that none of the models have Bolt Pistols. I am not sure whether this is intended or an oversight by the rules guys at GW. 

The Deathwatch Frag Cannon is really badass. It is an Assault 2 weapon (so no need to worry about charging/moving and firing), and can be fired either as a S6 AP- Rending flamer template or a 24" S7 AP3 two-shotter. Very solid weapon! It seems strictly superior to the other offerings available from the Special Weapons selection in Codex: Space Marines. 

It gets even better - every single model in this unit has the Unit Type of Infantry (Character). This means that accepting or issuing a challenge will almost always be in your favour since you will be able to choose who accepts or who issues it. 

Each model has their respective chapter's special rules, however as with the other Deathwatch Marines, they do not benefit from the Chapter Tactics special rule. As with any expensive elite unit, the downside is that they are point-for-point not very durable. If you run these guys make sure to keep them safe, as they are essentially a 175 point MSU tactical squad if they get killed before doing damage. 

Edryc Setorax - The Silent Killer

His nickname is a bit unfortunate, but this is one of my favourite models from the crew. He is a 35 point one-model unit, but is not an Independent Character - so no joining up with other squads. Still, he is a mobile unit that can be used as a speedy way to secure objectives, or to bolster another unit's assault with his two lightning claws. Note that he has no shooting attacks to speak of (other than the usual grenades). 

He has some fun special rules, which give him Stealth and Shrouded for a 4+ cover save in open ground for the duration of the first turn (or 2+ in pretty much any area terrain). He can also use his jump pack in both movement and assault phases, which is the equivalent of granting him fleet for thee purpose of charging, as well as Hammer of Wrath. Furthermore, he can automatically make a Glorious Intervention to bail out another Character. I would say despite having the survivability of a regular Assault Marine for double the cost, Edryc's utility makes him one of the highest value takes from the Deathwatch list. 

Antor Delassio - The Cursed Young Prince

Another Jump Pack Marine, Antor has some pretty cool special rules but is in my opinion overshadowed by Edryc. He comes equipped with a Hand Flamer and Chainsword which is nice since it gives him a template shooting attack but still grants the additional attack for having a pistol and CCW. Unfortunately he doesn't have any AP on the Chainsword, making his four S5 attacks on the charge significantly less effective than Edryc's Lightning Claws. 

The same utility still comes into play though whenever you have a mobile single-model unit. Use him to bolster the assault of another squad, or to zip around grabbing objectives where he is needed. He would make a very strong anti-tarpit addition to bail out any models that are bogged down by hordes of gribblies. 

Garran Branatar - The Walker in Fire

A one-man Terminator unit with deadly short-range capabilities. Branatar has the option to use either his Heavy Flamer or Master-Crafted Meltagun in the shooting phase. His Power Fist is also Master-Crafted. Like the two above, Branatar is not an Independent Character, so he'll be acting as a lone wolf if you take him as part of an Allied Detachment. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as he provides an easy-to-hide and durable model that can hold and do damage against just about anything that could come his way. At 60 points for a single wound though we're getting in some dangerous territory. Keep him safe against AP2 shooting threats and mind your positioning.

Don't forget he is a Salamander, so he has 4+ FNP against Flamer weapons and can his Heavy Flamer is for all intents and purposes Twin-Linked.

Jetek Suberei - The Living Hurricane

Suberei is a one-man Biker Veteran Sergeant unit with the added benefits of Special Issue Ammunition, a Power Sword, a Teleport Homer, and the White Scars' rules of Skilled Rider and Born in the Saddle. At 40 points he isn't cheap, but when you look at all of the add-ons that he comes with, it's actually quite the bargain!

Like the others, he is a Character, but can't join other units. Use him as a mobile elite support unit, and a delivery method for Branatar's (and perhaps Dellasio's) flamer templates. The notable absence of Bolt Pistols from the Deathwatch Wargear lists hurts here since Suberei will not benefit from having an additional attack with his Power Sword.

Formation - Kill Team Cassius

The formation for this set of awesome Deathwatch Space Marines is very unwieldy. It forces you to run them all as a single unit - even the Cassius and the Librarian Natorian, who are Independent Characters, cannot leave the unit. This means you have a 500+ point unit with only 13 wounds, mostly relying on Power Armour. Deathstar units are a thing, and can be very potent, but they require an element of reliable survivability in order to work. Cassius' 4+ invuln and Branatar's 2+/5++ are simply not strong enough to tank for such an expensive unit. 

It is pretty much a recipe for disaster, as some dedicated heavy weapons fire from your opponent is likely to eliminate more than one third of your army in a single shooting phase if it's your run-of-the-mill 1500 point game. 

In my opinion, the biggest benefit of the profiles is being able to run the characters as small units, saturating the battlefield with different targets and gaining the ability to divide and conquer; use mobility to provide support where it is needed most, or split up and capture objectives. This is completely wiped out by the formation restrictions. 

There are some downright weird (but awesome) rules interactions when running them as a single squad as well. Firstly, the jump packs and bike are neutered, having to stay in coherency with the rest of the crew. Secondly, Suberei's Jink special rule transfers to the whole squad, which leads to a really weird situation where you have 10 infantry and a slow bike jinking, not that they would need to do it on turn 1 since the unit would all have Stealth + Shrouded from Setorax's special rules. Oh, that reminds me, the entire unit would also enjoy Hit & Run while Suberei lives. They would also have a bunch of other unit-wide special rules: Counter-Attack (Redblade), Stubborn (Gydrael), Zealot (Cassius), and Split-Fire (Suberei). In one final hilarious plot twist, Suberei's Skilled Rider is also unit-wide, granting the infantry squad a 3+ Jink save, and auto-passing dangerous terrain tests. I'm having a hard time suspending disbelief when thinking of a Terminator with a 3+ Jink. GW go home, you're drunk. It all sounds really good on paper, and definitely gives the unit some added utility when working together, but these special rules don't sufficiently increase the unit's durability to warrant so many points being devoted to a single  blob of 6" move infantry models. 

There are still one other nice benefit from the formation; the Aquila Doctrine special formation rule gives them all preferred enemy (x) as well as the ability to re-roll 1's for armour penetration. 

In my opinion though, all of that isn't enough to make up for the restriction, so if your'e thinking of fielding these beautiful models for your next game then look in to running them as an allied detachment rather than the Kill Team Cassius formation.

Genestealer Cult

Finally, my Tyranid lists will be able to bring the versatility of an Allied Detachment or Formation! Nid players and old-school Genestealer Cult players alike should be very excited about this release. Not only are the miniatures awesome, the rules to field them in games for 40k are spectacular!

It looks like GW is following a trend to make assaulty armies viable once more through the introduction of beneficial special and formation rules. There are some very interesting and viable units here, even if you don't factor in the incredible formation special rules. In my opinion this release is a must-have addition to any Tyranid army. As mentioned earlier, you can find all of the unit stat lines and formation rules, free of charge, on GW's website in a free downloadable pdf.

All hail The Father.

Patriarch Ghosar - The Ghastly Truth

At first glance Ghosar looks like an expensive Broodlord... but looking more closely at the rules he is a lot more than that! His stat-line is identical to the 60 point Broodlord which you can take as an addition to any Genestealer unit, but the real meat is in his special rules.

Firstly, he has a couple of special rules that the Broodlord doesn't - Stealth and Hit & Run. This is always nice, as he has the durability to last multiple rounds of combat and make use of these. 

Secondly, unlike the Broodlord (who is stuck with The Horror ability), Ghosar is a level psyker and generates abilities from the Telepathy discipline. This is huge! My Tyranids may have access to Invisibility!? Amazing. 

Third, Ghosar is an Independent Character... this means that all of his awesome special rules can transfer to whatever unit he joins. This is soooo useful for a Cult-Tyranid allied army. Yes, he still won't be able to join Monstrous Creatures, but now we have the lynchpin for a Nid-style deathstar! Imagine Ghosar and a unit of 3 Tyrant Guard with Boneswords. Now you have a majority toughness 6 unit with 3+ armour that also has Fear, Fearless, Hit & Run, Infiltrate, Stealth, 17 strength 5 attacks on the charge with AP3 and access to Rending or Instant Death on 6's to wound, not to mention whatever goodies Ghosar's Telepathy abilities can conjure up! Or why not pair him with a large unit of Gaunts/Gargoyles to give them all of those special rules and Ghosar a blanket of inexpensive wounds. 

Patriarch Ghosar alone is a game-changer as far as I am concerned, for his abundance of useful special rules as well as the utility he brings to the table when fielded alongside a Tyranid force.

Magus Orthan Trysst - Prophet of the Great Patriarch

Orthan Trysst is a level 2 psyker who draws his abilities from the Telepathy discipline. He is an Independent Character, and has the stat-line of a Primaris Psyker out of Codex: Astra Militarum. The difference is that his Wargear is limited to a Force Stave and Autopistol, but he gets an extra mastery level and a Genestealer Familiar which effectively gives him 2 extra S4 AP- Rending attacks in close combat. 

I'm still unsure of how Orthan Trysst will play once I get him on the table alongside my Nid force, but I think that having another 2 shots at generating Invisibility is always a good thing. With him being an Independent Character, I will be able to hide him in units of expendable gaunts, or perhaps even throw him in with Ghosar to form a Nid-style deathstar. 

Primus Vorgan Trysst - Right Hand of the Patriarch

Another Independent Character thrown into the mix, Vorgan Trysst is the Genestealer Cult's equivalent of a Chaplain. He has the Zealot special rule and some formidable close combat ability with 5 attacks on the charge with AP 3, causing Instant Death *and* Rending on rolls of 6 to wound. That magical 6 is potent enough to take out almost any character in the game - very impressive when factoring in that this all comes on a 75 point model. 

His biggest weakness is being extremely squishy for the points, with a toughness of 3 and measly armour save of 5+. He is however an IC with Zealot, so this is certainly a model that you will want to join up with a squad, be it a deathstar with the other Cult ICs, or in a squad of Genestealers or Hormagaunts. Oh, by the way, he has Blasting Charges, which are assault grenades. Now you can finally have a killy unit of Gaunts or 'Stealers that can charge through difficult terrain and not lose their formidable Initiative scores. 

The Favoured Disciples - Acolyte Hybrids of the First and Second Circles

Think of the Acolytes as a halfway point between Genestealers and Gaunts, but better in almost every way. They have the Rending Claws and S4 enjoyed by 'Stealers, making them a threat against just about any unit in the game. Yes, their WS4 and I4 is not as impressive as the WS6 I6 on a Genestealer, but don't forget that these guys cost only 7 points per model!!! 

Not only that, they each have 3 attacks base (4 on the charge) whereas Genestealers have to take a 4 point upgrade to get the same. But wait, there's more! They have Blasting Charges (assault grenades), so charging into cover is no big deal! Oh, and throw in Autopistols so they have something to do in the shooting phase before they charge in and tear apart the enemy.

For the points you couldn't really ask for more. This is an extremely cost-efficient unit that can threaten even Riptides in close combat. I ran a simulation, and The Favoured Disciples' 48 attacks will, assuming average rolling, deal 5.33 AP2 wounds to a Riptide on the turn they charge - utterly incredible for an 85 point infantry unit, especially when you factor in the formation special rules that I will review later. As an added bonus, they are Fearless. The Acolytes get even better if you pair them with Vorgan Trysst or Ghosar to gain their unit-wide special rules.

If I were up against a Genestealer Cult, this unit would be my first priority since it is so damn killy in close quarters, but also squishy with T3 and 5+. 

The Faithful Throng

A unit of 16 third and fourth generation Hybrids, these guys share a stat line with Guardsmen, except they have I4 and Ld8. At 110 points, they weigh in at just under 7 points a model, which is comparable to the amazing Acolytes above. The thing is though, that points cost includes two special and two heavy weapons, so it's more realistic to think of them as 5 points a model with 30 points worth of mandatory upgrades built-in. 

They are armed with 12 autoguns, 2 grenade launchers, and 2 mining lasers. The mining lasers are a surprising addition, as they are for all intents and purposes half range Lascannons. 

This is a type of unit that can serve a variety of purposes. They are clearly not as well-equipped to shred things like their Acolyte brethren, but they bring some utility shooting at 24" and closer. This is one of the less exciting entries from the new Genestealer Cult rules, though the Mining Lasers will definitely bring some much-needed high-strength shooting to my Tyranid force.

The Purestrain Princelings

This is awkward. A 2-'man' Genestealer unit out of Codex: Tyranids. They are 15 points a piece but get Stealth and Hit & Run. I'm not sure how I feel about it since a couple of T4, 5+ models aren't likely to survive 2 rounds of combat to ever use Hit & Run. They have some interesting capabilities when added into the formation, but I feel like limiting them to a unit of 2 should mostly neutralize their access to exciting new special rules. I would rather use these as objective holders or to provide reinforcements in an existing combat where they won't be downed and possibly give up first blood or a kill point to Overwatch fire. 

The Brothers Aberrant

Ooooh, shiny! Now we have access to Power Weapons. These guys are sort of like a power-weapon-wielding Genestealer Cult version of Ogryn - except they're decent. At 30 points a model, this 4-man unit has some issues with durability; while they have access to Feel No Pain, the Aberrants are hindered by T4 and a paltry 5+ save. They will have to be used carefully if you want to get the most out of the 120 point investment, but their killing power is excellent.

All four Aberrants have Rending Claws. Two of them have Power Picks and the other two have Power Hammers. Unfortunately, all the power weapons are Unwieldy, so don't forget that you always have the option to use their Rending Claws to attack at Initiative 2 instead of 1 if you find yourself against Power-Fist wielding foes. 

When using Rending Claws they would have 3 attacks a piece (4 on the charge) at S5 AP5 with Rending. Power Picks would get 3 attacks each at S7 AP3 at I1, while the Power Hammers would get 2 attacks each at S8 AP2, Concussive. This is healthy mix of very powerful close combat attacks. The one concern I have is whether at their weak Initiative of 2 (or 1 when using power weapons), they will be able to survive the incoming attacks of their foes. I'll keep a close eye on their performance as I start fielding the Genestealer Cult formation more frequently.

Formation Review - Ghosar Quintus Broodkin

Oh... My... God. This formation is absolutely incredible. There is very little fat to begin with - even the weaker of the units are still viable, while the strong units can be absolutely bonkers. 

First off, you must take one (and only one) of each of the above units to get this formation - exactly what comes in the Deathwatch: Overkill box. There are no other restrictions. No shenanigans, just take one of each.

Ghosar Quintus Broodkin - The formation to revolutionize the Tyranid play-style?

Everyone in the formation then gets Infiltrate and Stealth. That's really nice since the clear weakness, if there is one, to the formation is lack of durability. Infiltrate will help with aggressive deployment and positioning within ruins, while stealth will be huge in granting those 3+ baseline ruins saves.

Broodmind Telepathy grants formation-wide Fearless and Adamantium Will as long as Patriarch Ghosar is alive. Sprinkle in a few level 2 psykers into your units and you're going to make life very very hard for your opponent's psykers. 

The real gem of the formation though is a special rule titled Ambush the Unhallowed. It grants units that have Infiltrated the Shrouded special rule for turn one. This really helps mitigate the Cult's survivability issue as they will have formation-wide 4+ cover in the open on turn one, or a 2+ if they are in area terrain or obscured by intervening models. 

But wait, there's more! If Patriarch Ghosar deploys with the Purestrain Princelings, can be deployed anywhere on the table. Forget about 18" or 12" measurements. Place them at least 1" away from the enemy. It doesn't matter if they are in view or not - that's fine. 

But wait, there's even more! Formation-wide charge on first turn out of Infiltrate. That's right, that just happened. This is massive. Ghosar and the Princelings are thus guaranteed to get into close combat on turn one when they deploy together. For the other units, if they are able to deploy out of line of sight (at least 12" away), they have a good chance of making a turn one charge. If however they are visible and must deploy at least 18" away, then you'll need boxcars to make it - don't count on that and leave your troops overextended. 

 Now I know why the Purestrain Princelings were limited to 2 'Stealers - it would be very OP if you could have a turn 1 guaranteed charge with big squads of Genestealers (and remember, they have stealth and shrouded that turn). 

This formation is really epic. It suddenly gives you the power to negate, or at least tarpit, some enemy shooting threats. It also forces your opponent to be very careful about deployment. It may perhaps cause him to spread out his units more than he would like to in order to make sure he has line of sight to all areas and deny you those easy turn 1 charges. Turn 1 charges out of infiltrate also instantly make Genestealers and Lictors more viable even if it doesn't apply to them. Now your Genestealers can also infiltrate, and charge on turn 2 to clean up the foe that has been tarpitted by your cult units.

Ambush the Unhallowed is especially potent when you are going first, but don't forget that a 6 can always seize the initiative... so don't go too all-in on those turn 1 charges.  

Thanks for checking out this review. Please post any comments, questions, or feedback - I'd love to answer. Most importantly, follow the blog and stay tuned for upcoming battle reports featuring both the Deathwatch in Kill Team format games and the Genestealer Cult as allies to my Hive Fleet Behemoth Tyranids in 40k games. See you next time!

*** Disclaimer: All artwork and miniatures pictured are intellectual property of Games Workshop. Please support them by visiting their online store at www.games-workshop.com where you can buy all of the depicted products and more... and don't forget to let them know how awesome their art and design team is for creating these beautiful miniatures & artwork.