Part of our Genestealer Cults hub: every Genestealer Cults guide, lore page and painting tutorial in one place. Browse all 1000-point army lists.
The Genestealer Cults win by never fighting fair. They’re a hidden uprising of hybrid miners, bikers and alien horrors who burst from tunnels, ambush the enemy from unexpected angles and keep coming back after they’re cut down. At 1,000 points (an Incursion game) you’ll field a busy force of roughly 40 to 60 models, depending on how many Neophytes you take.
The playstyle takes a few games to click. Individually, your units are fragile. Together they swarm objectives and strike from Cult Ambush when your opponent least expects it.
New to the faction? Our Genestealer Cults army guide covers the background and every unit. To understand where the cult comes from, read how Genestealer Cults work.
A quick note on rules and points
Genestealer Cults don’t have an 11th Edition codex yet. They’re using their existing 10th Edition codex rules, with the 11th Edition core rules on top, until their new book arrives. Games Workshop has said there won’t be any more codexes until 2027. Our codex release order tracker shows the current schedule.
Every points value below is approximate. 11th Edition points change with each Munitorum Field Manual and balance update, so check the Warhammer 40,000 app before you play.
How 1,000-point games work in 11th Edition
At 1,000 points you get 2 Detachment Points to spend on detachments, rather than picking a single detachment. Each detachment costs 1 to 3 DP depending on how much of your army it affects. Our detachment points explainer shows how to spend them.
One note for cult players: Host of Ascension, the famous ambush detachment, costs 3 DP. You can still take it at 1,000 points, because the core rules let you take a 3 DP detachment as your only detachment in a 1,000-point Incursion game. The lists below use 2 DP detachments, but Host of Ascension is a legal swap if you want the ambush playstyle.
Two other 11th Edition points suit the cult:
- Cover is -1 to Hit against ranged attacks for Infantry in terrain. Neophytes and Acolytes in a ruin are much harder to shoot off an objective.
- Objectives are terrain pieces. Swarms of cheap infantry that can hold objectives are exactly what the cult does best.
The full list is in our 11th Edition rules changes guide.
List 1: Xenocreed Starter (beginner)
This list is built around the current Combat Patrol box, which gives you a Jackal Alphus, five Atalan Jackals, an Achilles Ridgerunner and ten Hybrid Metamorphs. On top of that you add a big Neophyte squad, a Purestrain brood and a Goliath Rockgrinder full of Acolytes.
Army composition
- Jackal Alphus — ~55 pts
- Magus — ~50 pts
- Primus — ~60 pts
- Acolyte Iconward — ~50 pts
- 10x Hybrid Metamorphs — ~140 pts
- 20x Neophyte Hybrids — ~135 pts
- 5x Acolyte Hybrids with Autopistols — ~65 pts
- 10x Purestrain Genestealers — ~140 pts
- 5x Atalan Jackals — ~85 pts
- Achilles Ridgerunner — ~95 pts
- Goliath Rockgrinder — ~110 pts
Detachment: Xenocreed Congregation (2 DP)
Approximate total: ~985 pts
Unit roles
Jackal Alphus: a sniper on a bike. Attach this leader to the Atalan Jackals so the unit moves fast and picks off key targets.
Magus: your psyker. Attach the Magus to the 20 Neophytes.
Primus: a melee leader. Attach the Primus to the Hybrid Metamorphs and send them at the enemy’s mid-board units.
Acolyte Iconward: a leader who makes the unit he joins harder to kill. He rides in the Rockgrinder with the Acolytes.
10x Hybrid Metamorphs: your main melee squad.
20x Neophyte Hybrids: your home objective holders and firebase.
5x Acolyte Hybrids: punchy melee hybrids who ride the Rockgrinder up the board.
10x Purestrain Genestealers: your fastest, deadliest melee unit. They can charge after Advancing, so they cross the board very quickly.
5x Atalan Jackals: fast objective grabbers that deal mortal wounds as they ride past enemies.
Achilles Ridgerunner: a fast scout buggy with a heavy mining laser for hunting light vehicles.
Goliath Rockgrinder: a tough transport with a nasty drilldozer blade.
How to play it: Xenocreed Congregation rewards keeping your characters attached. Hybrid units led by a character can re-roll Advance and Charge rolls, and units led by a Magus, Primus or Acolyte Iconward get extra protection. Push the Purestrains and Metamorphs forward and let the Neophytes hold home.
List 2: Purestrain Broodsurge (harder-hitting)
This is a pure melee list. A Patriarch leads two Purestrain broods, an Abominant leads a squad of Aberrants, and a Biophagus makes the second Aberrant squad even nastier. Neophytes hold objectives and a Goliath Truck gets the Aberrants into combat quickly.
Army composition
- Patriarch — ~80 pts
- Abominant — ~85 pts
- Biophagus — ~50 pts
- 10x Purestrain Genestealers — ~140 pts
- 10x Purestrain Genestealers — ~140 pts
- 5x Aberrants — ~140 pts
- 5x Aberrants — ~140 pts
- 10x Neophyte Hybrids — ~70 pts
- 10x Neophyte Hybrids — ~70 pts
- Goliath Truck — ~75 pts
Detachment: Biosanctic Broodsurge (2 DP)
Approximate total: ~990 pts
Unit roles
Patriarch: your Warlord and a brutal melee fighter. Attach him to a Purestrain brood and aim it at the enemy’s best unit.
Abominant: a huge, regenerating brute with a power sledgehammer. Attach him to an Aberrant squad. Fallen Aberrants in his unit may get to fight back before they die.
Biophagus: a support character who gives the Aberrants he joins Lethal Hits in melee.
2x 10 Purestrain Genestealers: your fast hammers. One brood goes with the Patriarch; the other hunts on a flank or arrives from Cult Ambush.
2x 5 Aberrants: your heavy hitters. Led by a character, they’re very tough and smash vehicles and elite infantry.
2x 10 Neophyte Hybrids: your objective holders and backfield screen.
Goliath Truck: a fast transport. Use it to drop an Aberrant squad and its character onto a mid-board objective on turn two.
How to play it: Biosanctic Broodsurge gives your Aberrants, Biophagus and Purestrain Genestealers +1 to Charge rolls and an extra attack in melee after they charge. Wait until you can charge with several units in the same turn, then commit everything at once. The weakness is shooting: there’s almost none, so approach behind terrain.
List 3: Outlander Claw Bike Gang (themed)
If you love the cult’s biker gangs and wasteland vehicles, this is your list. Fifteen Atalan Jackals and three Achilles Ridgerunners race across the board, while two Goliaths carry hybrid infantry into position. It’s the fastest cult army you can build.
Army composition
- Jackal Alphus — ~55 pts
- Primus — ~60 pts
- Magus — ~50 pts
- 10x Atalan Jackals — ~150 pts
- 5x Atalan Jackals — ~85 pts
- 2x Achilles Ridgerunners (one unit) — ~160 pts
- Achilles Ridgerunner — ~95 pts
- 5x Acolyte Hybrids with Autopistols — ~65 pts
- 10x Neophyte Hybrids — ~70 pts
- Goliath Rockgrinder — ~110 pts
- Goliath Truck — ~75 pts
Detachment: Outlander Claw (2 DP)
Approximate total: ~975 pts
Unit roles
Jackal Alphus: leads the 10 Atalan Jackals. The cult sniper rifle picks off characters and support units.
Primus and Magus: the Primus leads the Acolytes in the Rockgrinder; the Magus leads the Neophytes in the Truck.
10x and 5x Atalan Jackals: your main objective grabbers. The big unit pushes into the middle; the small unit takes a flank.
3x Achilles Ridgerunners: fast fire support. Their heavy mining lasers hunt vehicles, and the pair works as one unit so their shots go into the same target.
5x Acolyte Hybrids + Rockgrinder: your melee punch. Drive up, jump out and charge.
10x Neophyte Hybrids + Goliath Truck: a mobile objective holder. Drop the Neophytes onto an objective and let the Truck shoot in support.
How to play it: Outlander Claw gives your Mounted and Vehicle models +1 Objective Control, and Atalan Jackals keep an objective under your control after they move on. Use that speed. Grab objectives early, leave them “sticky”, and move on to the next one.
General tactics at 1,000 points
Use Cult Ambush. Your army rule lets units arrive from hidden Cult Ambush markers, and some destroyed units can even come back through them. Spread your markers out early so you have options later.
Watch your markers. Enemy units that move close enough to a Cult Ambush marker remove it. Place markers where your opponent doesn’t want to go, such as behind terrain on their flanks.
Strike all at once. A single cult unit charging alone usually dies. Wait until two or three units can hit the same target in the same turn.
Hold objectives with cheap units. Park Neophytes on objectives in terrain and let your expensive units do the fighting.
What to buy first
Start with the Genestealer Cults Combat Patrol. The current box gives you a Jackal Alphus, Atalan Jackals, an Achilles Ridgerunner and Hybrid Metamorphs, which is the core of List 1. From there:
- Genestealer Cults Combat Patrol — your core.
- Neophyte Hybrids — cheap objective holders that every list above uses.
- Purestrain Genestealers — fast, deadly melee for Lists 1 and 2.
- Goliath Rockgrinder or Goliath Truck — transports to get your infantry where it’s needed.
- Aberrants and an Abominant — if you want to build towards List 2.
Ready to start painting? Purestrains share their skin and carapace with the Tyranids, so our how to paint Tyranids guide is a great place to start. For the hybrids’ pale, purple-tinged flesh, see how to paint skin tones.
Common mistakes
- Trickling units in one at a time. Cult units are fragile. If they arrive or charge alone, they get shot off the table before they do anything.
- Placing Cult Ambush markers too close to the enemy. Your opponent will simply walk over them. Keep them out of the way until you need them.
- Leaving characters on their own. Attach every leader to a squad.
- Forgetting the detachment cost. Host of Ascension is 3 DP, so at 1,000 points it has to be your only detachment. Check costs in the app before you build.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many models are in a 1,000-point Genestealer Cults army?
Usually 40 to 60 models. Neophyte-heavy lists sit at the top end, and bike or Aberrant lists sit at the bottom.
Do Genestealer Cults have an 11th Edition codex?
Not yet. They use their existing 10th Edition codex rules with the 11th Edition core rules until their new codex arrives. Games Workshop has said there won’t be any more codexes until 2027.
Is the Genestealer Cults Combat Patrol enough for 1,000 points?
No. It’s a strong start, but you’ll need more units, such as Neophyte Hybrids, Purestrain Genestealers and a Goliath, to reach 1,000 points.
Are Genestealer Cults good for beginners?
They’re one of the trickier armies to learn. Your units are fragile, and the ambush rules reward careful planning. They’re very rewarding if you enjoy sneaky tactics, but a tougher army is more forgiving.
What is the best detachment for a 1,000-point Genestealer Cults list?
Xenocreed Congregation is a good all-rounder for a character-led army, Biosanctic Broodsurge suits a Purestrain and Aberrant list, and Outlander Claw is the pick for bikes and vehicles. Host of Ascension costs 3 DP, so at 1,000 points you can take it, but only on its own.
What’s the difference between Acolyte Hybrids and Neophyte Hybrids?
Acolyte Hybrids are early-generation hybrids with obvious alien traits such as ridged skulls, claws and sometimes extra arms, so they fight up close. Neophyte Hybrids come from later generations and look almost human, which lets them pass in society, carry guns and form the bulk of the cult. In these lists, Neophytes hold objectives and Acolytes ride the Rockgrinder into melee.
What’s the difference between Purestrain Genestealers and Hybrid Metamorphs?
Purestrain Genestealers are pure Tyranid genestealers, the four-armed creatures that start every cult by infecting a population. Hybrid Metamorphs are human-genestealer hybrids whose mutations have grown into claws, talons and whip-like limbs. Purestrains are the faster, deadlier melee unit, while Metamorphs are the tougher mid-board squad led by a Primus in List 1.
Related guides
More 1,000-point lists: Tyranids if you want to field the Hive Mind your cult is waiting for, and Astra Militarum if you like the idea of corrupted Imperial soldiers fighting alongside your cult. Browse every faction on our Warhammer 40k army lists hub. For the bigger picture, read about the Tyranid hive fleets that answer the cult’s call.