Games Workshop just dropped a new FAQ for the Astra Militarum and it looks like it’s going to change the way you play your Guard.

There’s a lot of changes in the new Codex: Astra Militarum FAQ that you’re going to want to know about before playing your next game.

Let’s jump in and take a look at some of the key points that Games Workshop has made adjustments to.

Pages 90 and 101 – Commissar Yarrick, Lord Commissar and Commissar, Summary Execution

Change to read:

‘Summary Execution: The first time an Astra Militarum unit fails a Morale test during the Morale phase whilst it is within 6″ of any friendly Commissars, one model of your choice in that unit is slain and the Morale test is re-rolled (do not include this slain model when re-rolling the Morale test).’ Page 135 – Take Cover!

Change the first sentence of this stratagem to read:

‘Use this Stratagem in your opponent’s Shooting phase when your opponent selects one of your Astra Militarum Infantry units as a target.’ Page 136 – Ambush

Change the second sentence to read:

‘Choose up to three Tallarn units to be set up in ambush instead of placing them on the battlefield (only one of these units can have the Vehicle keyword).’ Page 140 – Master of Command

Add the following sentence: ‘If your Warlord is a Commissar, it can issue an order to any Infantry unit (irrespective of what regiment that unit is from – e.g. Militarum Tempestus, Cadian, etc.)’

We’re seeing a lot of big changes in these four examples alone. Summary of Execution no longer goes off for free, instead you must sacrifice one model of your choice to re-roll the Morale test. Take Cover has been changed to only be used on Astra Militarum units. Ambush has been made so that you can only have one unit with the Vehicle keyword set up in Ambush. Lastly, the Master of Command ability now lets you issue an order to an Infantry unit if your Warlord is a Commissar, regardless of the regiment that unit is from.

In the Brood Brothers section, it now states that Brood Brother Detachments cannot use any regiment-specific rules, and the Brood Brothers Detachment may not include any Astra Militarum named characters. Furthermore, all Astra Militarum units should replace their <Regiment> keyword with Brood Brothers in every instance on their datasheets.

Codex: Astra Militarum wasn’t the only FAQ to come out. Games Workshop also gave us an updated FAQ for the Imperial Armour – Forces of the Astra Militarum, and Index: Xenos 2. But, for now, let’s take a look at some key points that were changed in the Imperial Armour.

Pages 15, 16 and 112 – Earthshaker cannon

Change the AP to read ‘-3’. Pages 19, 20, 21 and 69 – Leman Russ Annihilator, Leman Russ Conqueror, Leman Russ Stygies and Death Korps Leman Russ Mars-Alpha Battle Tanks

Change Grinding Advance to read:

‘Grinding Advance: If this model remains stationary or moves under half speed in its Movement phase (i.e. it moves a distance in inches less than half of its current Move characteristic) it can shoot its turret weapon twice in the following Shooting phase (the turret weapon must target the same unit both times). Furthermore, hit rolls for this model’s turret weapon do not suffer the penalty for moving and shooting a Heavy weapon. The following weapons are turret weapons: battle cannon, Conqueror battle cannon, Demolisher cannon, Eradicator nova cannon, Executioner plasma cannon, Exterminator autocannon, Punisher gatling cannon, Stygies Vanquisher battle cannon, twin lascannon and Vanquisher battle cannon.’ Elysian Add the following:

‘Matched Play Rule: Command Squads

If you are playing a matched play game, then in a Battle-forged army you can include a maximum of one Elysian Command Squad in a Detachment for each Elysian Officer in that Detachment.’

So we’re seeing the Earthshaker Cannon AP value is changed to -3. Grinding Advance now let’s units with this ability fire its turret weapon twice in the following Shooting phase if it stays stationary, or moves less than half of its Move characteristic, and they do not suffer the penalty for moving and shooting a Heavy weapon. They’ve also provided a list of weapons that are turret weapons. There’s also a new Match Play rule. Command Squads is making it so that your Battle-forged army can only include a maximum of one Elysian Command Squad in a Detachment for each Elysian Officer in that Detachment.

These are just a couple examples of what you can expect to see in the updated FAQ’s. Make sure you go over to Games Workshop and familiarize yourself with the latest FAQ and prepare yourself for you next match. You can find links for all of the updated FAQ’s below.

What do you think about the latest FAQ’s? Were these much needed updates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.