Scarab Occult Soldiers are an elite group of warriors in the Chaos Space Marines. They are renowned for their psychic abilities and their highly advanced combat armor. These soldiers pledge their allegiance to the Thousand Sons, a Chaos Space Marine Legion devoted to Tzeentch, the Chaos God of Change and Sorcery. The Scarab Occult Soldiers are considered to be some of the most powerful and feared warriors in the Chaos Space Marine army. They undergo rigorous training and rituals to unlock their psychic potential and harness the powers of warp sorcery. This sets them apart from other Chaos Space Marines and makes them a formidable force on the battlefield.
Well, enough of that. I assembled the Scarab Occult Terminators, thought that I want more Scarab Occult Terminators, and so bought the normal plastic gray box. As you can see, I have 2 squads of Scarab Occult Terminators now! YAY!
The wards that the Terminator Sorcerer wove couldn t contain the Lord of Change, who woke up all mad that this arrogant prick summoned him to order him about, and basically kicked his ass - and the asses of his accompanying Scarab Occult Terminators - into the Warp, where they got tortured, burned and torn apart before getting resurrected just so the Daemons could repeat the torment all over again. I decided to magnetize the second squad, so I can swap the Scarab Occult Sorcerer for a normal Rubric Terminator in case I decide to run a 10-men squad instead.
This sets them apart from other Chaos Space Marines and makes them a formidable force on the battlefield. Their combat armor, known as Tartaros Terminator Armor, is a relic from the Great Crusade era. This armor provides enhanced protection and allows them to move swiftly despite its bulky appearance.
Rules conundrum: Cult Marines
Ever since the 8th edition dawned on us, many people have been wondering how exactly can they build their army according to all the keywords, factions and things like units having pre-determined faction. Here’s a quick explanation.
Basically, in a matched play game you can take everything you want (divided into detachments) as long as it has the same faction keyword – in our case it’s CHAOS. You can have Heldrake, Bloodletters and Be’lakor in a single detachment because they all have CHAOS faction keyword.
But what about those Heretic Astartes detachments? Well, it can get a bit complicated here. All units with faction keyword can be given one of the Heretic Astartes factions – Red Corsairs, Black Legion, Word Bearers, Crimson Slaughter, etc. You can mix these as well. You can have a Terminator units with Word Bearers Legion keyword and CSM with Black Legion keyword.
But mind you – abilities of commanders in CSM army usually aim at a specific legion. So if your Chaos Lord is of Word Bearers faction, his abilities (re-roll of 1s to hit) will affect only units with Word Bearers Legion keyword. So you do not really want to mix those Legion faction keywords as you get less access to buffs (unless your whole army is Word Bearers, but you want Abaddon with a retinue of Black Legion Terminators).
Yet still, there are units, like Rubric Marines or Plague Marines, that have two options given is separate places in our index. Let’s take Rubric Marines as an example:
- You can take Rubric Marines with any keyword as long as they are taken in Elites slot.
- You can take Rubric Marines with Legion keyword as a Troops choice.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to create a Thousand Sons detachment in order to have Rubric Marines as troops. This thinking is a relic of the old edition and is no longer valid in the 8th.
In other words, you can have Rubric Marines with any keyword as Elites, or Rubric Marines with Legion keyword as Troops.
So what’s the downside of such a rule, you may ask. Well, the downside is that your Troops Rubric Marines from Thousand Sons will only be affected by Thousand Sons commanders such as Ahriman or Daemon Prince with legion keyword. If you want Rubric Marines with re-rolls from Abaddon, you need to take them as Elites with faction keyword.
And what about units that do not have the option of choice like Poxwalkers , or Scarab Occult Terminators . You can still take them in the same detachment, no worries here. And, similarly to Rubric Marines taken as Troops, they can only be affected by commanders with the same keyword.
All these represent situations when in certains factions some units are in aboundance, while in others they are a scarce resource. Take Black Legion fluff for example. We know Abaddon had swayed several Thousand Sons sorcerers to his Black Legion in order to produce (or rather conjure) Rubric Marines. These sorcerers serve Black Legion now and are creating Rubric Marines for the Black Legion. But still, in the Black Legion Rubric Marines are pretty rare, so they are in Elites slot.
However, Rubric Marines from Thousand Sons faction are plentiful and in this faction (led by Magnus no less) they are in Troops section as the most common type of soldier.
But what about those units like Poxwalkers or Scarab Occult? Well, it represents the fact that such units are employed only by one specific faction in the universe. Zombies are only created by Typhus and his brethren. Scarab Occult Terminators are extremely rare and used only by the Thousand Sons. It’s pretty logical when you think of it.
Okay, now that we have this matter settled, the only thing that remains is to explain why or faction keywords can only be assigned to a specific range of units. It’s simple, really. In Thousand Sons army there are no Chaos Lords. Everyone of their ruling class is a sorcerer or a daemon prince. Period. Actually, knowing the faction lore really helps in understanding why certain units cannot be used.
But why is Death Guard so limited? Well, for starters, Death Guard represents the original legion that was transformed by Nurgle. Contrary to Rubric Marines, Death Guard were hardly created by their own volition but rather “blessed” by Father Nurgle. But fluff aside, it’s actually because Death Guard will be getting a Codex and new minis in the very near future.
Bonus: All right, all right, I will tell you why Death Guard don’t have any daemon engines beside the Defiler. Because they are fire. They are literally powered by smouldering volcanoes inside their chassis. And fire is a counter to disease and rot. Defiler, on the other hand, is a machine powered by a daemon. Similar to a Soul Grinder. Makes sense, huh?
It also provides a direct link to their psychic abilities, amplifying their power and allowing them to unleash devastating attacks. One of the most distinctive features of the Scarab Occult Soldiers is their iconography. They bear a scarab beetle symbol on their armor, a nod to the Ancient Egyptian roots of their Legion. This scarab represents transformation and protection, reflecting their allegiance to Tzeentch and their mastery of sorcery. In battle, the Scarab Occult Soldiers are highly versatile and adaptable. They are adept at both ranged and close combat, utilizing a wide range of weapons such as inferno bolters, power swords, and force staves. Their psychic abilities allow them to manipulate the battlefield, creating illusions, summoning daemonic entities, and unleashing devastating psychic blasts. The Scarab Occult Soldiers, under the guidance of their powerful leaders, the Sorcerer Lords, are a force to be reckoned with. They strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, as they can turn the tide of battle with their potent psychic powers and their unyielding resolve. Overall, the Scarab Occult Soldiers are a highly specialized and feared unit within the Chaos Space Marines. Their mastery of psychic abilities, combined with their advanced combat armor and weaponry, make them a formidable force on the battlefield. They embody the chaos and transformation of Tzeentch, bringing destruction and change wherever they go..
Reviews for "Unleash the Wrath of Scarab Occult Soldiers: Strategies for Maximum Effectiveness"
1. Jane - 2 stars - The Scarab Occult Soldiers were a huge disappointment for me. I found their design to be too busy and cluttered with unnecessary details, making it difficult to distinguish between different parts of the model. The casting quality was also poor, with misaligned parts and rough edges. Additionally, their rules and abilities felt underwhelming on the tabletop, making them an inefficient choice compared to other units in the army. Overall, I was not impressed with the Scarab Occult Soldiers and would not recommend them to others.
2. Mark - 3 stars - I had high expectations for the Scarab Occult Soldiers, but unfortunately, they fell short for me. While their psychic powers were interesting, their overall performance on the battlefield was lackluster. Their point cost seemed too high for the amount of damage they could output, and they were easily taken out by more cost-effective units. Additionally, I was not a fan of their aesthetic. The design felt too over the top and clashed with the rest of my army. In the end, I ended up using them as filler units rather than key components of my force.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - As a long-time fan of the faction, I was excited to add the Scarab Occult Soldiers to my collection. However, they turned out to be a major letdown. The models require extensive assembly, with fiddly and fragile pieces that are prone to breaking. Painting them was also a nightmare, as their intricate details made it difficult to achieve clean and crisp results. On the tabletop, they performed decently but lacked flexibility in their role. I found them to be too specialized, limiting their usefulness in a variety of scenarios. Overall, I regret purchasing the Scarab Occult Soldiers and would advise others to approach with caution.