As foretold, the Genestealer Cults have risen from their subterranean lairs and are now laying waste to Imperial cities. Warhammer 40,000 gets a new (old) faction and plenty of swanky kit to use with them too thanks to Games Workshop.

Leading the way, of course, we have the Codices for the army. The cover art here is rather epic and I do like the look of the Magus here commanding his troops into battle. It's good to see the 'big bad' alongside him in the background too, a link to the Hive Fleet in orbit above.

Inside the book you're going to get...

• Comprehensive information on the Genestealer Cults, the gruesome and frankly unsettling story of their rise from a single organism to unstoppable, planet-devouring insurrection;
• Rules for Genestealer Cults miniatures, the scavenged weapons they use to slaughter their victims, and army-building lists allowing for Hybrid and Brood Brother cultists drawn from the Astra Militarum;
• Formations that make use of both the Genestealer Cults and Astra Militarum ranges, with notes on the wargear that Genestealer Cults scavenge and use for their own sinister ends;
• 6 new Tactical Objectives and the complete Broodmind Discipline: new Psychic Powers used by Magi and Patriarchs;
• The Cult Ambush rule: dependent on a dice roll, Genestealer Cults units can set up anywhere on the table, deploy and charge in the same turn, and burst from their hidden lairs to surprise and engulf the enemies of the Cult;
• A showcase of beautifully-painted Citadel miniatures, presenting the colours and icons of the Cults that lurk below.

I like that they've mixed in the rules for using formations made up of both the Cults and the Astra Militarum showing that link between the two and their insidious planning behind the scenes.

There's also a Limited Edition version of the Codex you can snap up.

Of course,with this book you get the same contents as the regular book with some additional bits and pieces for collectors. I have to say I don't think that the artwork actually looks that good and neither does the box.

The art prints are nice and I like the metal Tactical Objective markers but I think I prefer the regular Codex this time around.

The Models

It wouldn't be a new army without some models to go along with it. The Neophyte Hybrids show the first stages of mutation as the Genestealers begin to take control of your mind and body.

Following on from them we also have the Acolyte Hybrids which are that next stage of evolution for the Cults.

Gone are the regular arms in favour of more claws and more obvious Genestealer mutation. They also appear to have quite an exotic weapon with the Heavy Rock Cutter. The Cults are certainly making use of everything they can on these Imperial planets.

Last but not least we have the Hybrid Metamorphs which have gone that extra step in the process and embraced much more of their Tyranid side.

With a plethora of hand flamers at their disposal and those nasty claws and talons backing them up I reckon these are the warriors you're going to focus on getting into combat with the enemy.

The Accessories

It's not just soldiers on offer right now either as the guys at Games Workshop have also put together some new themed Genestealer Cult Dice...

...and also the Data Cards for use in your games.

It's a fascinating collection for fans of the wider world surrounding Warhammer 40,000. New factions are always exciting and I think that the look of most of the Genestealer Cults army is very enticing.

What do you think of the range at the moment?