Here is a compilation of information from many different place, including some pics from the book, preview images, some new information picked up from various places, etc.
Previous look at the book from veterannoob from the Combat Podcast can be seen here
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2016/12/codex-imperial-agents.html
Codex: Imperial Agents $40
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Codex-Imperial-Agents-Hardback-ENG
This 136-page full-colour Codex presents background and rules for a number of smaller Imperial factions, whose forces fight alongside other armies of the Emperor. Use the rules, datasheets, wargear and detachments included to add members of the following operatives to any army of the Imperium:
- A full army list for the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas
- Tech-Priest Enginseers and Servitors of the Adeptus Mechanicus
- Valkyries of the Aeronautica Imperialis
- Battle Psykers and Astropaths of the Astra Telepathica
- Priests of the Adeptus Ministorum
- Kill Teams and Corvus Blackstars of the Deathwatch
- Terminator Squads and Nemesis Dreadknights of the Grey Knights
- The Legion of the Damned
- Assassins of the Officio Assassinorum
- Inquisitors of the Inquisition
Some preview images from Games Workshop
Some Sisters of Battle sections, from the book via Bols
via Ламповая передача
https://vk.com/lampy_pictures
Sisters of Battle
Ministorum Delegation: Lets you pair a leader with a bodyguard. Must be from Adepta Sororitas faction. Grants both Shield of Faith.
Army of Faith: Improved prayer (Shield of Faith?)
Fury of Angels
Celestians + Seraphim
Seraphim DS without scatter on celestians and can assault with them
Angelic Host
2-5 Seraphim
Seraphim get +1 SOF and friendlies within 12" reroll SOF
Forward Crusade
3-6 Dominions
Half infiltrate on foot, other half outflank in immolator and may choose to come in on the side closest to one of the other squads
Wrath Squadron
3-6 Retributers
AoF also grants Relentless. Flamers gain torrent
The Penitent Host
2-6 Repentia
4+ FNP and AoF grabts fleet and allows a charge from anywhere
Hammer of Wrath
2 Exorcists
Roll 2d6 pick highest, apply to both
Purge Squadron
3-6 Immolators with same weapon
Squadron
Flamers get +1S
HB get Rending
MM get tank Hunter
Emperors Hate - Core
Canoness
Command Squad
Celestian Squad
Battle Sisters
Retributers
Must take immolator
Grants ObSec and double AoF
Crusade of Daughters - Core
20 Battle Sisters
May take 5 special and 5 heavy weapons
AoF - pick Doms or Rets AoF
Hymns of War - Decurion
Reroll WL
No AoF test
Stubborn
Cult Mechanicus
The first of many micro-factions pulled from larger factions in the book. Each faction has a new detachment with 1 compulsory unit choice, and 1 optional. This can be pretty handy if you just want to use certain units from a faction. The Cult Mechanicus section has the Enginseer Congegation, which lets you take one tech-priest enginseer as a compulsory HQ slot, and an optional elite slot for servitors. There is also a dataslate for both of those units, as well as the rules for the Canticles of the Omnissiah.
Aeronautica Imperialis
The AI faction’s detachment, the Imperial Navy Section, has one compulsory Valkyrie you can take as well as an optional master of the fleet. This is great for armies which want access to a flyer transport and cheap reserve manipulation.
Astra Telepathica
This section contains the Psykana division. Which gives us access to a compulsory Primaris Pskyer or Astropath, as well as 1-3 units of wyrdvane psykers. The primaris psyker can harness powers easier if he is close to wyrdvane psykers from the detachment. This section of the book is great for the meta because it gives access to cheap warp dice for any imperial army.
Adepta Sororitas
The first of two big codices in this book. There is actually some cool stuff in this book, and one very sad thing which I will cover at the end. First off, I noticed that this section is almost a direct reprint of the Sisters of Battle 6th edition book. Which is cool, because I felt like that book was not a terrible base for a faction, and just needed a few more rules and units to really become viable at the competitive-casual level. In this section you will find a detachment that lets you take a single Ministorum priest, as well as a new detachment for the girls in armor called the “Vestal Task Force”. Which has the ability to give all units in the detachment the ability to reroll any saving throws of 1 once in a game. Awesome! You are forced to take a compulsory elite option, but it isn’t all that bad because GW gave the sisters access to Deathcult Assassins, Crusaders, and Arco-Flagellents. Other then one minor detail, this section is a copy of the Adepta Sororitas codex, with some updated verbage to make rules clearer. Oh, and that minor detail you are wondering about….?
St. Celestine is gone. She is not an HQ choice in this book, and is completely absent from the Adepta Sororitas section of the book. On top of that, if you notice the picture above, which was on GW’s site. That hourglass symbol next to Celestine means that her model is a “last chance buy”. Now, we can only speculate whether this is part of GW’s master plan, or if a beloved character is getting phased out of the game. Let me know in the comment section!
The Deathwatch
The Deathwatch get a cool new detachment which let’s any Army of the Imperium take exactly one troop choice from the faction.
The Grey Knights
The Grey Knights get a mini version of the Nemesis Strike Force detachment. With a compulsory Troop, and Elite slot, and an optional Heavy Support slot complete with the Rites of Teleportation rule.
Legion of the Damned
I didn’t know the legion of the damned were a military branch of the Imperium, but hey. It is cool that we get the Legion of the Damned rules supplement in one very easy, comprehensive book.
Officio Assassinorum
This section is an updated version of the Officio Assassinorum codex. Complete with reworded Culexus assassin rules! Honestly, I am very glad GW did this. It really shows that they listened to their player base, and took the FAQs seriously.
Inquisition
Lastly, the largest section of the codex, the forces of the Inquisition. Since you probably already understand the trend here, i’m going to go over the two major differences that this section has, versus the Inquisition codex.
The Inquisitorial Detachment got better: You can only take 1 Inquisitor in this new Inquisitorial Representative detachment, instead of 2. But you still get the 0-3 elite slots, and a cool new command benefit which lets your Inquisitor generate a warlord trait even if they’re not your warlord. Nice!
One special issue wargear seems to be missing. Servo-Skulls are nowhere to be found on any of the Inquistor’s profiles, or in the SI wargear section. This is huge, and will effect the meta the most.
Verdict: Overall I am happy with this supplement because it combines 8 different supplements and codices together into one book. This simplifies the game, and gives “Imperial Soup” players an easy access to multiple rules which would normally be very annoying to find. This is great marketing from GW, and I hope the trend to include verbage from the FAQ continues into any supplements they release in the future.