Detachment Focus: Outlander Claw

In this series of articles we take a deep dive into a specific Detachment for a faction, covering the faction’s rules and upgrades and talking about how to build around that faction for competitive play. In this article, we’re covering the Outlander Claw Detachment for Genestealer Cults.

Inhuman mutants who tear things up with their hands are cool and all but you know what’s really cool? Tearing around the battlefield in a bunch of trucks and four-wheelers. Are you more about vehicles and fast strikes than roided-out monsters and characters? Then the Outlander Claw Detachment may be the pick for you, buffing your vehicles and bike units to support a faster playstyle and lifestyle.

Detachment Overview

The Outlander Claw Detachment buffs your MOUNTED and VEHICLE units, giving them a bonus to their Objective Control and giving your Atalan Jackals the ability to sticky objectives. This Detachment likes to play very aggressively - creating a lot of space for its units to score points, while wearing them down with best in class attrition damage. Hand Flamers and Heavy Stubbers don't feel like the weapons to slay Star Gods, but somehow it all comes together in Outlander's outlandish damage package.

Detachment Rule: Rapid Takeover

Add 1 to the Objective Control characteristic of your MOUNTED and VEHICLE units while they aren’t Battle-shocked. Additionally, at the end of your Command phase, you can sticky objectives you control if an ATLAN JACKALS unit is within range of them.

This is an incredibly powerful rule when it comes to giving you something powerful to do on turn 1 going first, and for denying an insane amount of primary scoring for the average opponent. With Atalan Jackals having Scout 9”, on most tables this is capable of “stickying” up to all of the middle objectives - which opens up some incredibly powerful ways to approach your first turn, either pulling back and forcing your opponent to expose assets to deny your primary scoring, or going incredibly aggressive to prevent your opponent moving onto them in the first place.

Combined with making your vehicles and bikes a little more OC dense, it’s very easy to rack up crazy primary scores, or putting your opponent’s directly into the dirt(cycle).

Genestealer Cult Jackal Alphus

Credit: Keewa

Enhancements

Two of these go on Mounted units while the other two are focused more on your transports. That’s good, because the Genestealer Cults only have one mounted character.

Serpentine Tactics (10 points) – Mounted model only. The bearer’s unit can fall back and shoot.

Serpentine Tactics is a reasonable include on a big brick of 10 Atalan Jackals - the Jackal Alphus grants a move-shoot-move ability to the unit which means it’s pretty easy to keep this unit trucking along dealing Mortal Wounds and doing a reasonable amount of damage. It’s not transformational but you’ll never be upset about filling a 10 point void with it.

Cartographic Data-Leech (10 points) – While the bearer is in a TRANSPORT, each time that Transport shoots, it gets +1 Ballistic Skill on its FIRING DECK attacks.

This is a reasonably cute enhancement that mostly serves to create some fun “battle bus” style Goliath Trucks - the Neophyte Hybrids that usually fill these vehicles aren’t the most inspiring to buff. However, fill a Goliath Truck with 3 Benefictus? That’s a good chunk of Lethal Hits Lascannons hitting on 2s. It’s an expensive way to add a bunch of high damage attacks to the army, and fairly fragile, but it does usually stick around after it dies due to pinata’ing into multiple individual units.

Starfall Shells (10 points) – Mounted model only. In the shooting phase after the bearer shoots, pick one enemy unit hit by its attacks with a Cult Sniper Rifle. That unit gets -1 to its to hit rolls until the start of your next Shooting phase.

As forgettable as enhancements get - you’ll run this if you have nothing else to do with your last 10 points. Most Genestealer Cults units aren’t durable enough to be worth investing in a conditional -1 to hit for, and the Jackal Alphus is unreliable enough as it is with their re-roll 1s to hit on connecting a hit into a target - which has anti-synergy with this enhancement too: hitting on 3s and already being expected to sink more damage into whatever you shoot makes this more than a little underwhelming.

Assault Commando (15 points) – Each time a model in the bearer’s unit makes a Ranged attack, if it disembarked this turn, you can re-roll the hit roll.

Another enhancement that goes in the bucket of “why are we buffing 10 Neophytes?” - the best use case for this enhancement is on a Reductus Saboteur with the goal being to drop as explosive an output as it can on something nearby with both its once per game Demolition Charge, Remote Explosives (and a cheeky Grenade) with full hit and wound re-rolls. Never a bad place to be. Worth including if the points line up, as cycling Saboteurs through trucks is a good way to ramp your damage in Outlander Claw.

Goliath Rockgrinder. Credit: Michael O "Mugginns"

Stratagems

As you might expect, these focus primarily on your vehicles and Mounted units. They’re all priced at 1 CP.

Along Shadowed Trails (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP) – Used in any phase after an enemy unit ends a move within 9″ of one or more of your Cult Ambush markers. You can set that Cult Ambush marker up again anywhere on the battlefield more than 9” away from all enemy units.

Wow. We’re not starting off hot here. Since the update to Ambush Tokens in 2024, there’s very little pressure to using them - occasionally this might come up if you’re really chasing a Jackal squad placement which still requires a token, but you can mostly forget this one exists.

Devoted Crew (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – Used in your opponent’s Shooting phase or the Fight phase after an opponent picks a Rockgrinder or Truck as one of their targets. Attacks against that unit are -1 damage for the phase.

This is a fundamental pillar to the damage reduction strategy that Outlander Claw likes to play

Close-Range Shoot-out (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – Used in your Shooting phase on a Mounted or Vehicle unit. That unit gets [LETHAL HITS] on its ranged attacks when attacking an enemy unit within 18” for the rest of the phase.

Thye can’t all be winners. This stratagem is a hail mary for when you really need something dead, but nothing in the available units has the shot volume to really get value out of this stratagem. A 10 model Atalan Jackal squad only kicks out around 20 shots, meaning you’re not expecting more than 2-3 Lethal Hits per activation. Stick to Grenades.

Rapid Feint (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP) - Used in your opponent’s Movement phase after they end a Normal, Advance, or Fall Back move within 9” of one of your JACKAL or RIDGERUNNER units. Your unit can make a Normal move of up to 6”.

One of the core gameplay loops of Outlander Claw is shoving a Jackal Squad straight at your opponent to block them in - this allows you to extend that blocking a further 6”, or dynamically update it mid phase to block better elsewhere. It can also keep a 2 model Ridgerunner unit safe, or help your bikes slide away from a charge. Being flat 6” helps a lot with dodging the worst outcomes and setting up the best punishes.

Deft Manoeuvring (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – Used in your opponent’s Shooting phase, after they target one of your RIDGERUNNER or JACKAL units. Until the end of the phase, that unit has a 4+ invulnerable save.

This is a genuinely transformational stratagem when it comes to certain aspects of playing Atalan Jackals - being able to shut down a lot of the types of shooting that would tradtionally kill a T4 2W model with a terrible save (when combined with their datasheet Stealth) can make it very frustrating to deal with a well placed unit. On a 10 model squad with a Jackal Alphus this is key to engaging in short firefights with single pieces that can find the angles to return fire you after you move-shoot-move, and even a 5 model unit or solo Ridgerunner can pop this in a pinch to try to bank some primary. Always one to keep in the back pocket but remember that you won’t suddenly become a durable unit because of this. Avoid using it in situations where the expected value is dying anyway.

Encircling the Prey (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP) – Used at the end of your opponent’s Fight phase on a MOUNTED or VEHICLE unit in your army that is out of Engagement Range and wholly within 9” of a Battlefield Edge. That unit can go back into Strategic Reserves.

Achilles Ridgerunners are the biggest beneficiary of this stratagem - particularly the double Heavy Mining Laser variant - having the flexibility to slide around the table picking angles and firefights where they’ll take minimal reprisal is the best way to get value out of this unit, and it’s nice to be able to move a block of 8 OC around the table. Consider also using this on a Rockgrinder that finds itself in an awkward position to either come in for a 9” charge from reserve, or to hold as an additional Rapid Ingress threat, potentially even after turn 3 where your opponent can usually stop worrying about it.

Atalan Jackals. Credit: Michael O "Mugginns"

Playing This Detachment

Outlander Claw lives and dies by the philosophy of taking unfair engagements on their terms at all times. It’s not going to win a damage race against most armies fighting straight up, but why on earth would you choose to fight straight up with this many tricks available? Between Resurgence Points stocking the cupboard with as many Acolyte Hybrids and Atalan Jackals as you can shake a bonesword at, and some of the most potent turn 1 “jail” ability going, pick engagements on your terms - losing minimal assets in the process and running out the clock on your opponent’s scoring capacity.

Indirect Fire is going to be a key part of your strategy - typical Outlander Claw lists will run 2-4 Heavy Mortar Ridgerunners and 3 Reductus Saboteurs - and stacking the buffs will help you take out even medium durable units with surprising consistency.

At this point it’s probably worth explaining “Saboteur Cycling”. Goliath Trucks have the Fire Support rule allowing them to shoot a target and grant anything that disembarked from it Wound Rerolls. By having Reductus Saboteurs inside the Goliath and disembarking them, another can embark in it - using its Remote Explosives through Firing Deck to shoot a target, giving the two that disembarked wound rerolls. Add Assault Commando to the mix for full hit and wound rerolls. This can be done on something in or out of LoS (as long as the Goliath has any regular target - you’ll need to be able to shoot directly to select it to shoot and use the firing deck rule). I

In Line of Sight targets can make for an explosive solution when adding wound rerolling Demolition Charges to the mix. This trick with Firing Deck can also help with any other contents which might be disembarking and going through a wall where the Truck can’t follow, so look for other opportunities to abuse it!.

Strengths

Go First, Win. Outlander Claw has one of the strongest turn one options available - being able to Scout 9” with multiple units and “sticky” multiple midfield objectives is incredibly powerful. When combined with the ability to drive a further 12” forward and pinning the opponent in their deployment zone or pulling back to complete safety and forcing the enemy to engage with nothing but having to deny points anyway means you dictate the pace of the game.
High Unit Counts. A typical Outlander Claw list might be rocking as many as 20 or more activations before you account for Resurgence Points, and with the Fire and Fade / line sniping + move blocking play patterns, you’ll often get multiple uses out of every single one. This can make secondaries a breeze, and primary is usually easy to deny as you have so many throwaway pieces with reasonable OC.
Indirect, Indirect, Indirect. It may not look like much, but Outlander Claw rewards you very heavily for poking and prodding at your opponents scoring units with indirect.

Weaknesses

Go Second, sadness. For all the power of going first, the inverse is true of going second. Many of the strongest advantages of playing a pile of Atalan Jackals is mitigated when going second and it becomes much harder to move block the expanded area of your opponent’s turn one movement. There are mitigating factors like having Turn 2 Rapid Ingress and end game scoring, but you do need to be alive to benefit from those.
CP intensive durability. Nothing in Outlander has a durability profile than noted not super durable unit, the Rhino. Command Points can solve a lot of problems but you can’t solve all of the problems all of the time this way - so be very wary of how you budget these resources and how many units you present at a given time. Not being able to get shot/charged is the most durable you can be.
Poor spike damage. There’s traditionally a whole tonne of attritional damage in Genestealer Cults. Pocket Sand is the easiest way to describe the play pattern. Random Heavy Stubbers, Hand Flamers, Grenade Mortals and Demolition Runs from Atalan Jackals is your big source of consistent output - and it’s all tied together by +1AP/Ignore Cover coming out of your Achilles Ridgerunners: but notably with the exception of a few Mining Lasers and Heavy Mining Lasers you’re not going to be dropping huge damage bombs on a problem - it’s all getting eaten one bite at a time.

Reductus Saboteur. Credit: Rockfish

Sample Lists

If you’re looking for examples of successful Outlander Claw lists, it’s pretty easy to find them. Erik Lathouras took this list to a 5-0, first-place finish in early February at the South Pacific 8s the ROuge TOs event and is widely considered the gold star player for Outlander Claw - if you want to see the direction the army is best taken, Erik is your starting point.

[expand title=”Erik Lahtouras’ List - Click to expand”]

Erik "The Alien Majesty" Lathouras (2000 points)

Genestealer Cults Strike Force (2000 points) Outlander Claw

CHARACTERS

Jackal Alphus (65 points)

1x Autopistol

1x Close combat weapon

1x Cult sniper rifle

Enhancement: Serpentine Tactics

Jackal Alphus (55 points)

1x Autopistol

1x Close combat weapon

1x Cult sniper rifle

Reductus Saboteur (65 points)

Warlord
1x Autopistol

    1x Close combat weapon

    1x Demolition charges

    1x Remote explosives

Reductus Saboteur (65 points)

1x Autopistol

    1x Close combat weapon

    1x Demolition charges

    1x Remote explosives

Reductus Saboteur (65 points)

1x Autopistol

    1x Close combat weapon

    1x Demolition charges

    1x Remote explosives

BATTLELINE

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (70 points)

1x Acolyte Leader
1x Cult claws and knife

1x Hand flamer

4x Acolyte Hybrid
1x Cult Icon

4x Cult claws and knife

3x Hand flamer

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (70 points)

1x Acolyte Leader
1x Cult claws and knife

1x Hand flamer

4x Acolyte Hybrid
4x Cult claws and knife

4x Hand flamer

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (70 points)

1x Acolyte Leader
1x Cult claws and knife

1x Hand flamer

4x Acolyte Hybrid
1x Cult Icon

4x Cult claws and knife

3x Hand flamer

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (70 points)

1x Acolyte Leader
1x Cult claws and knife

1x Hand flamer

4x Acolyte Hybrid
1x Cult Icon

4x Cult claws and knife

3x Hand flamer

Neophyte Hybrids (65 points)

1x Neophyte Leader
1x Autopistol

1x Close combat weapon

1x Hybrid firearm

9x Neophyte Hybrid
9x Autopistol

      9x Close combat weapon

      1x Cult Icon

      1x Flamer

      5x Hybrid firearm

      1x Mining laser

      1x Seismic cannon

      1x Webber

Neophyte Hybrids (65 points)

1x Neophyte Leader
1x Autopistol

1x Close combat weapon

1x Hybrid firearm

9x Neophyte Hybrid
9x Autopistol

      9x Close combat weapon

      1x Cult Icon

      1x Flamer

      5x Hybrid firearm

      1x Mining laser

      1x Seismic cannon

      1x Webber

Neophyte Hybrids (65 points)

1x Neophyte Leader
1x Autopistol

1x Close combat weapon

1x Hybrid firearm

9x Neophyte Hybrid
9x Autopistol

      9x Close combat weapon

      1x Cult Icon

      1x Flamer

      5x Hybrid firearm

      1x Mining laser

      1x Seismic cannon

      1x Webber

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Goliath Truck (85 points)

1x Armoured hull

    1x Demolition charge cache

    1x Heavy stubber

    1x Twin autocannon

Goliath Truck (85 points)

1x Armoured hull

    1x Demolition charge cache

    1x Heavy stubber

    1x Twin autocannon

OTHER DATASHEETS

Achilles Ridgerunners (170 points)

2x Achilles Ridgerunner
2x Armoured hull

      2x Heavy mortar

      2x Spotter

      2x Twin heavy stubber

Achilles Ridgerunners (95 points)

1x Armoured hull

    1x Heavy mortar

    1x Survey Augur

    1x Twin heavy stubber

Achilles Ridgerunners (95 points)

1x Armoured hull

    1x Heavy mortar

    1x Survey Augur

    1x Twin heavy stubber

Atalan Jackals (150 points)

8x Atalan Jackal
4x Atalan power weapon

      6x Atalan small arms

      4x Close combat weapon

      2x Grenade launcher

2x Atalan Wolfquad
2x Atalan small arms

2x Close combat weapon

2x Mining laser

Atalan Jackals (85 points)

4x Atalan Jackal
2x Atalan power weapon

      3x Atalan small arms

      2x Close combat weapon

      1x Grenade launcher

1x Atalan Wolfquad
1x Atalan small arms

1x Close combat weapon

1x Mining laser

Atalan Jackals (85 points)

4x Atalan Jackal
2x Atalan power weapon

      3x Atalan small arms

      2x Close combat weapon

      1x Grenade launcher

1x Atalan Wolfquad
1x Atalan small arms

1x Close combat weapon

1x Mining laser

Goliath Rockgrinder (120 points)

1x Clearance incinerator

    1x Demolition charge cache

    1x Drilldozer blade

    1x Heavy stubber

Goliath Rockgrinder (120 points)

1x Clearance incinerator

    1x Demolition charge cache

    1x Drilldozer blade

    1x Heavy stubber

Goliath Rockgrinder (120 points)

1x Clearance incinerator

    1x Demolition charge cache

    1x Drilldozer blade

    1x Heavy stubber

Exported with App Version: v1.46.2 (108), Data Version: v732

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This list is all about creating space. Rockgrinders filled with Acolyte Hybrids with icons provide your trading and scoring pieces (dying to disembark damage behind a wall then using a Cult Icon to regrow onto an objective is a fun trick) - while also contributing a withering amount of Flamer fire, while Jackals cause problems - the two model mortar unit contributes for big blast output. Some versions of this list like Daniel Morris’s 5-1 Barrie Bash list replace this for a unit with Heavy Mining Lasers for a bit more consistent output but your mileage may vary. Expect to win through denying primary with Neophytes in Trucks, Bikes and throwing an unholy amount of 9” charges with Acolyte Hybrids from reserves and resurgence points.

Final Thoughts

Outlander Claw is an incredibly flexible Detachment that gives you all the tools to play the game and all the tools to mess it up in an instant. You’ll have no durability that you didn’t create, no damage that you didn’t line up 2 turns in advance. It’s a planners masterpiece and rewards incredibly careful and considered play while keeping yourself flexible to the game state. Up to the challenge? Rev up your dirtcycle and enjoy one of the most rewarding gameplay loops in 40k.

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