Warhammer 40k Commissars – one of the true iconic Astra Militarum character units (notable for their long coats, soviet-esque peaked caps, and penchant for summarily executing deserters) will soon be able to issue their own Prefectus Orders to buff friendly units in-game, Games Workshop has revealed.
Shown in an Astra Militarum codex preview published on GW’s Warhammer Community site on Wednesday, the Prefectus Orders represent the Imperial Guard’s Commissar political officers “[appealing] to the faith and fervour of the enlisted men with a more directly aggressive set of commands”.
It comes just a few days before the Imperial Guard’s new Warhammer 40k codex goes to pre-order (as part of the Astra Militarum army set) on Saturday, November 12. It wasn’t the only juicy titbit GW dropped that day either – we also saw brand new rules for the Astra Militarum Deathstrike missile launcher.
The two Prefectus Orders detailed in Wednesday’s preview suggest these orders centre on buffing your units’ flexibility in particular – exempting the ordered units from in-game restrictions to make them more effective during more phases of your turn.
Here they are in slightly plainer English:
| Prefectus Order | Effect |
| Forwards, for the Emperor! | The ordered unit can move and advance, and then still shoot as if it had Remained Stationary. |
| Get back in the fight! | Until your next Command phase, the ordered unit can Fall Back and then shoot OR charge – but not both. |
In other words: keeping a Commissar nearby your critical squads is no longer just a partial failsafe against the units breaking from morale – it’ll also give you more tools to squeeze out more value from every last soldier. We’ll be interested to learn more about the other Prefectus Orders soon.
Wednesday’s article also confirms that “regimental officers have access to familiar – but updated – orders”, suggesting the army’s 8th edition orders system hasn’t been totally upended, but that certain of the orders Astra Militarum players are used to may have seen tweaks. These will most likely turn out to be significant buffs, to help contend with higher power levels across all Warhammer 40k factions).
For a full background on the Imperial Guard, read our complete Astra Militarum army guide – or go deeper and learn about the Imperium of man, Warhammer 40k Chaos and Warhammer 40k Xenos factions.