Warhammer 40k Imperial Agents Faction Focus Provides Invaluable Assets to the Armies of the Imperium
| Tags: General, Warhammer
| Author Bence Loksa
Warhammer 40k Imperial Agents Faction Focus is a unique one – but the finest agents of the Imperium of Man are unique as well.
This week marks the end of the Warhammer 40k 10th Edition Faction Focuses, meaning that by Friday, we will have some information about all the playable factions of the 41st millennium. After the Drukhari and the Genestealer Cults, we venture back to humanity again, taking a look at the Imperial Agents. This faction is very special, as they Agents of the Empire are not a traditional army – while you could build an army out of them they are much better at providing support to other forces of the Imperium with their unique skills and abilities. That’s why the Imperial Agents Faction Focus didn’t show any Detachment Rules, Stratagems or Enhancements, but it did show a way to integrate Navy Breachers, Inquisitors and Adeptus Arbites to your army!
Faction Rules of the Warhammer 40k Imperial Agents Faction Focus
The only general rule of the Imperial Agents is called Assigned Agents. This Rule shows us how many Retinue (so multi-model, bodyguard-type units) and Characters (such as Inquisitor Greyfax or one of the Imperial Assassins) you can take, which depend on the size of the battle. While these units won’t receive any bonuses from your Army Rule, they are very useful, so they might be worth giving up some faction synergy.
In addition, while the Assassins of the Officio Assassinorum can’t be your Warlords, the Army Rule doesn’t say anything about a force being led by Inquisitor Eisenhorn, for example, which opens up some really interesting possibilities for the Armies of the Imperium.
Unit Spotlights of the Warhammer 40k Imperial Agents
Only one of the Assassins was showcased, but if all four types are as strong as the Vindicare Assassin, we shouldn’t worry. While the Assassin lost a Wound, they gained the Lone Operative keyword, meaning that they can’t be shot at from outside 12”, and even if the enemy gets too close, they have Stealth, making them -1 to be Hit with ranged attacks. The Infiltrators ability let’s them forward deploy anywhere on the battlefield 9” from enemy units, so the Vindicare Assassin can get into the perfect position to take out a high-profile target.
While his gun will “only” have a 48” range, it gained the Devastating Wounds, the Ignores Cover, the Heavy and the Precision Keywords, meaning that the Vindicare Assassin will have all the tools to take out the enemy Warlord. They also gained a better Deadshot ability, which gives their D3+3 Rifle an extra 3 Damage on a Critical Hit, while also forcing the unit which they shoot at to take a Battle-shock test. If the -3 AP wouldn’t be enough for you, their Shieldbreaker skill let’s them ignore ALL Saving throws once per game, so there won’t be any hiding from the snipers of the Officio Assassinorum – and be prepared to see a lot more of this unit in the 10th Edition of Warhammer 40k.
Players will also be able to take Inquisitors to lead their units, making them more durable against Psykers. Their weapons got some great keywords, such as the Anti-Infantry 4+ and Devastating Dounds, and their Psychic Shock Wave can deal with hordes of enemies pretty easily. They can also refund CP used on their units with the Power of the Rosette, and give a 5+ Feel No Pain with the Blessed Wardings Wargear.
Of course, there are Inquisitors who are stronger than the average one (if you can call them average), such as Inquisitor Greyfax. The Epic Hero of the Agents of the Imperium brings a lot more to the table than her co-workers, such as Anti-Psyker 2+ Weapons with Devastating Wounds and Precision, so no Warp-slave can hide from her justice. She also gives the unit she leads the Anti-Psyker 4+ ability, meaning that her retinue will be better at killing sorcerers as well. After she and her associates close the distance to their targets, they won’t let them get away, as they have to take Desparate Escape tests even if they are not Battle-shocked – and get penalties if they are. If you’re facing Psykers, Greyfax can be the Agent to answer your prayers!
And last, but not least, both sides of the Imperial Navy Breachers datasheet has been revealed. These hardy foot soldiers have many different weapon options in both melee and ranged, most of which getting the 10th Edition treatment of increased Strength but decreased Armour Penetration. They also have the same Demolition charge as the one shown in the Genestealer Cults Faction Focus, which can really pack a punch against even the toughest enemy vehicles. The word Breacher in their name is not just for show, as their Breacher Team ability lets them reroll Wound rolls of 1, or the whole Wound roll if their attacks target an enemy unit in range of an objective marker. Their Endurant Shields can grant them a 4+ Invulnerable Save, and their Grenade Belts Wargear can buff the Grenade Universal Stratagem.
The Navy Breachers are almost as interesting as the Vindicare Assassin, but for the opposite reason. While the Vindicare complements an army that struggles to get enough firepower or to deal with a high-value target, the Breachers should give some cheap infantry to extremely elite armies, such as the Imperial Knights, who don’t really have ways to leave behind some units on the back objectives which score them points passively – but in the 10th Edition of Warhammer 40k, they might just have find a solution.
Overall, the non-conventional Faction Focus for the Imperial Agents have shown us some really interesting rules. Taking special units to deal with special tasks have always been an interesting part of Warhammer 40k, and 10th Edition seems to make it easier for every Imperium army to include these legendary figures.
There’s only 2 Faction Focuses left: the compilation of Adeptus Astartes with supplement books, and the Titan Legions, who take the words “elite army” to the next level. Don’t forget to follow ESTNN in order to know everything about the next Edition of Warhammer 40k!