Games Workshop has published the latest Warhammer 40k points update, which seeks to curb Necron supremacy, improve internal balance for many factions, and give the Adeptus Mechanicus a robotic leg up. Here’s what’s changed in the latest Munitorum field manual, published on Thursday April 25.
In a video accompanying the points update, Josh (no surname given) from the Warhammer 40k design studio states the team’s goal is to keep the competitive win rates of all the Warhammer 40k factions between 45 and 55%. Early in 10th edition several factions were well outside these bounds, but at the moment the biggest outliers are the Necrons at 57%, Adeptus Custodes at 56%, and Adeptus Mechanicus at 43-44%.
Accordingly the Necrons have received plenty of targeted points increases while the Adeptus Mechanicus get a helping hand – here’s the field manual with all the points changes.
Josh states that as well as giving the Adeptus Mechanicus points discounts, the designers are “testing a selection of rules changes to launch with the next Balance Dataslate” this Summer. There’s only so far Games Workshop can discount the points cost of the servants of the Omnissiah before they turn into a horde army, and that’s not really core to their identity.
The Custodes actually receive points decreases, but as their Warhammer 40k Codex release date is this Saturday, expect their rules changes to have at least as much impact on their performance as their points changes. The same is true for the Orks, who mostly get points drops, though Squighogs, Trukks, and Mek Guns go up.
The focus for Necron points changes is on the popular Canoptek Court and Hypercrypt Legion 40k Detachments, with the sturdy C’tan, Illuminor Szeras, Monolith, and Immortals all going up in cost. Josh notes that, while multiple units of Canoptek Wraiths with Technomancers are popular in the Canoptek Court, it’s definitely the Technomancer that pushes the unit over the edge, so it’s that part of the combo that has received the points increase.
Other points increases account for units that have access to optional high quality weaponry. The Blood Angels Death Company is being increased in points to account for the sheer number of power fists and inferno pistols a unit can carry, and similarly the Black Templars Impulsors and Gladiators all get a points bump to account for the pintle mounted multi-meltas they can carry and other Space Marine vehicles cannot.
The rest of the points update is dedicated to internal balance changes within factions, to curb the most prevalent units and buff less popular ones. The Chaos Space Marines, Dark Angels, Death Guard, Genestealer Cults, Leagues of Votann, Space Wolves, and World Eaters all receive points drops to one or more units.
The Adepta Sororitas, Aeldari, Astra Militarum, Blood Angels, Grey Knights, Space Marines, Thousand Sons, and Tyranids all get a varied mix of points drops and points increases. The Agents of the Imperium see a few points increases.
Other factions are unchanged: in the case of the T’au Empire, GW states that they will get a new points update once their Codex is generally available. The Imperial Knights, Drukhari, Deathwatch, Chaos Knights, Chaos Daemons, and Adeptus Titanicus, all keep the same points values as before.
If nothing else, a points update is a great excuse to get painting miniatures to expand your army, or to pull that one unit that always underperforms out of retirement. We’ll be keeping an eye on the competitive scene to see if anything surprising emerges from the latest round of points changes – you can follow Wargamer on Google News to see all the latest Warhammer 40k news as we get it.