Warhammer 40,000 7th [PDF] | Online Book Share (2024)

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INTRODUCTION This set of books provides all the information you need to start your collection, including a history of the 41st Millennium, a glorious miniatures showcase and a set of rules for gaming with your citadel miniatures. • A Galaxy of War is an introduction to Warhammer 40,000. It contains photographs of beautifully painted Citadel miniatures and provides inspiration for your own collection. • Dark Millennium is a glimpse into the grim darkness of the far future. It details the crumbling Imperium of Man and the many enemies, within and without, who are constantly plotting its downfall. • The Rules contains a comprehensive set of rules allowing you to recreate the vicious conflicts of the 41st Millennium on the tabletop. Using your collection of Citadel miniatures, you can command heroes and villains of Warhammer 40,000 in a galaxy where there is only war.

THE WARHAMMER 40,000 HOBBY At its heart, Warhammer 40,000 is a collecting hobby. Most collections begin slowly at first. A particular Citadel miniature will draw your eye, practically begging to be bought. Others soon follow, sometimes collected with a plan, more often as a result of the same indefinable instinct that inspired your first purchase. As the collection grows, you’ll become increasingly aware of the rich depth that the hobby has to offer. It can seem daunting at first, but don’t worry. What you’re glimpsing is merely a vast array of choice and possibility, to be engaged with (or not) at whatever speed you wish.

STARTING THE JOURNEY A collection of Citadel miniatures is a very personal possession. Everything, from the order in which the models were added, to the smallest details of the colours that those models have been painted in, speaks to the collector’s character. As a result, no two collections come about in exactly the same way, and every journey through the hobby is unique. That said, as each collection grows, it does so along one or more of three common paths: legends, gaming and painting.

LEGENDS The Warhammer 40,000 universe is vast, spanning thousands of years and a million worlds. It is a story of selfless heroes and ruthless villains, of desperate deeds and terrible sacrifice. For many hobbyists, these tales are the inspiration for their collection. Their collections are shaped around every story and fragment of lore within their area of interest, then expanded further when a new battle, a new myth or a new character comes to prominence in the ever-evolving story. For some, it’s particular characters that provide the spark, doers of righteous or vile deeds whose personalities resonate with the reader. Most hobbyists have a far broader allegiance, identifying not only with specific individuals, but with one or more of Warhammer 40,000’s many armies, or perhaps with a star-spanning campaign. A great many hobbyists don’t even restrict their interest to a single faction, but engage with the full scope of the background. They steep themselves in the characters, armies and events drawn from across the ten thousand year history, delving into everything from the dark depths of the Horus Heresy to the desperate struggles of the Time of Ending. There’s no right or wrong way to engage with Warhammer 40,000’s rich history. You can go as large or small as you want, explore the most intricate of details one minute, then

skim the surface in the next. The path you take – and the speed at which you travel – are yours to decide. You can voraciously absorb everything to do with the infamous Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka one moment, and explore the deeds of the Blood Angels Space Marines the next. Afterwards, you can dive into the sprawling battles of the Damocles Gulf, or immerse yourself in the peculiar madness of the Necron archeovist Trazyn the Infinite. Journey wherever your fancy takes you – wherever you tread, there’ll be plenty of inspiration along the way.

GAMING Your collection of Citadel miniatures isn’t just a labour of love and a thing of beauty – it’s also a mighty army, ready for war. Whether you’re looking to recreate a specific battle, or tell new stories set in the warzones of the far future, the Warhammer 40,000 battle game provides the rules you need. At its most basic level, the Warhammer 40,000 game is an immersive and joyous way of interacting with your collection. It’s a social experience, uniting hobbyists of all ages and backgrounds in the wholesome pursuit of unremitting war. No other aspect of the hobby can be shared so easily with friends, and if there happens to be a touch of competition in the mix, then that’s only natural. Taken to its full potential, gaming is also a form of storytelling, the narrative revealed by

every roll of the dice. Some of Warhammer 40,000’s most famous battles began this way. Narrative battles often use special scenarios, either taken from one of the many Warhammer 40,000 gaming supplements, or created by the players to meet the needs of the story they want to tell. These narrative battles are an exciting, immersive way of recreating the Warhammer 40,000 setting, where every player is a warlord fighting either to preserve the Imperium or destroy it. They use the rules as foundations to build upon, rather than strictures to rigidly observe. Narrative battles are gaming at its most immersive. Where the outcome of a novel is fixed from the very first page, a game of Warhammer 40,000 is seldom decided until the last dice roll is made. Though one side will inevitably emerge victorious, there is no real defeat – it’s hard to consider yourself a loser after taking part in so fulfilling an experience. When the game is done, you’ll have a treasury of tales, each recalling a moment of daring heroism, or a tragedy brought about by the most damnable ill-fortune. These memories transform the game from a contest of skill into a mighty saga that you helped to forge. You’re no longer looking into the world of the far future as an outsider – you’re in amongst it, fighting to determine its destiny. As with all aspects of the Warhammer 40,000 hobby, gaming is your experience to define. You can recreate skirmishes between warbands or unleash armies capable of reducing entire planets to rubble. You can play sprawling campaigns for weeks (or years) or battles whose outcome is decided over the course of an evening’s play. Challenge your friends to tournaments, or recreate great events from the story of Warhammer 40,000. All these things are yours to decide, not just when you embark upon the path of gaming, but each and every time you marshal your army for war. The only limit is your imagination!

PAINTING Painting is an immensely satisfying aspect of the hobby. Indeed, it’s perhaps the most satisfying. It’s an opportunity to lavish attention on your collection, to personalise your models and proudly display your skills. As you progress, you’ll look at painting not as an end in itself. Instead, you’ll view it as a means by which you can bind elements of your collection together into an army, unifying them with colours and heraldry drawn from Warhammer 40,000’s setting, or your own imagination. With each stroke of the brush, the models in your collection transform from mere plastic and resin. They become a vivid vision of Warhammer 40,000, seen through your eyes. Suddenly each model is no longer one of a million identical Citadel miniatures; it’s a unique expression of your hobby and your personality, and it’ll be yours forever. As the collection grows, more painted models will join the ranks of your armies, each individual a reminder of your journey and of the techniques mastered along the way. Painting isn’t just about the models. An army never looks better than when displayed on a

beautifully crafted battlefield. The Citadel range encompasses plenty of scenery kits, ranging from Moonscape craters and Wall of Martyrs defence lines to the towering Fortress of Redemption and Aquila Strongpoint. These kits are assembled and painted using the same skills honed on the warriors that battle over them. With their inclusion, you’re not just evoking an army, but a bleak and war-torn future. Many hobbyists spend a lifetime dedicated to the art of painting. Their collections exist solely to feed that passion, and contain only two kinds of models: those that have already been painted, and those they have yet to paint. For such hobbyists, the painter’s art is all, and every model is selected because it offers a new challenge, or the chance to refine a technique. Of course, nobody starts out as an expert painter. Developing the skills and knowledge to paint Citadel miniatures to a high standard takes time and practice. However, each model you paint will be better than the last.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER The three aspects of the Warhammer 40,000 hobby are so deep that you can spend a lifetime exploring only one, discovering new possibilities at every step. However, the absolute apex is to pursue all three, embracing all the opportunities presented by painting, by gaming and by the far future’s many legends. Gaming is much more satisfying with a fully painted army than with one of bare plastic and resin. Similarly, painting models to evoke famous heroes, armies or campaigns grants them greater coherency. Likewise, games that recreate or build upon Warhammer 40,000’s legends are often the most exciting. None of this is to say that you should feel you’re not doing things properly if you don’t pursue all three aspects of Warhammer 40,000. In fact, you’ll rarely find that all three hold your attention equally. The interests of most hobbyists shift as time passes, with

once-dedicated gamers setting aside their dice in order to refine the more contemplative arts of painting, or painters choosing to delve deeper into the legends than they ever have before. Ultimately, however, it’s your choice how to proceed. You can pursue one aspect or all three, guided by the most nebulous of whimsies, or the most careful of plans. Tread the bone-strewn dust of distant worlds, become a mighty warlord and crush all before you, or marshal the finest armies the galaxy has ever seen. This is your hobby, and how you pursue it is yours to decide. Whichever path you select, and for however long you choose to walk it, your collection will make the journey with you. So what are you waiting for?

STRIKE FORCE ULTRA

A - Captain Agemman B - Epistolary Maxinas C - Squad Ternus D - Squad Typhonian E - Squad Calannus F - Squad Orpheon G - Squad Verenus H - Venerable Brother Idaeus I - Squad Praxius J - Squad Morix K - Stormtalon - Talassarian Wind L - Stormraven - Praetor’s Challenge M - Predator - Conqueror’s Fall N - Predator - Lion of Macragge O - Land Raider - Orar Triumphant P - Land Raider - Fury of Macragge

STRIKE FORCE ULTRA The Ultramarines 1st Company are the very finest defenders Mankind has to offer. They are the elite battle-brothers of the Imperium’s foremost Space Marine Chapter, their skills forged on the bloodiest of battlefields and through the most gruelling of campaigns. Many Warhammer 40,000 hobbyists choose to collect Space Marines. Some are drawn by the tales of heroism and selfless servitude, others by the stark power evoked by the models, or the endless variety of ways in which their force can be expanded. Most are drawn in by a combination of these factors. Speak to any hobbyist about his or her Space Marine collection, and they’ll recount the battles it has fought, and those it aspires to fight; the stories that have shaped its past, and the warriors and war machines that will surely join it in the future. Like all collections, a Space Marine army is never completed – it merely regroups, awaiting reinforcements. Any Space Marine collector will tell you that their Chapter is the best, outshining all others by its deeds and valour, and it’s true that no two are equal. But, when all else is taken in the balance, there is one Chapter whose legend stands head and shoulders above all others.

THE SONS OF GUILLIMAN Since their inception ten thousand years ago, the Ultramarines have stood as a bulwark upon the galaxy’s eastern fringe. They have never forsaken the Emperor’s light, and have repelled daemonic incursions, Ork Waaaghs! and the all-devouring Tyranids. Every Ultramarine is the pinnacle of the Space Marine ideal; he is loyal, unswerving and a bringer of the Emperor’s wrath upon Mankind’s many enemies. Yet even amongst these incomparable warriors, there are those battle-brothers whose deeds are so inspirational that they spur others to greater effort. These Space Marines form an elite fighting force within the Ultramarines. Each veteran of the 1st Company is not merely a warrior, but a celebrated hero continuing a proud tradition. He bears the relics of those who came before him, and proudly displays the battle honours earned vanquishing the Imperium’s many foes. It takes decades of peerless service for a battle-brother to earn the white helm and shoulder trim of the 1st Company, and decades more to prove himself worthy of a veteran sergeant’s red helm. Individually, the battle-brothers of the 1st Company are formidable. Together, they are an army few can match. For a Warhammer 40,000 hobbyist seeking to collect only the best, there can be no better place to start. The collection on the next few pages represents Strike Force Ultra, an Ultramarines army famous for its victory over the Necrons of Sanctarro. One day, perhaps, this collection will grow to reunite both halves of the 1st Company in all their splendour. Until then, this is still a fearsome force by anyone’s standards.

SQUAD CALANNUS & THE FURY OF MACRAGGE

Terminator armour can be counted both amongst the most precious of the Ultramarines’ possessions and their most formidable weapons of war. Originally designed to withstand the incomprehensible temperatures within a plasma reactor, terminator armour is almost impervious even to anti-tank weapons. This, in turn, ensures that Terminators undertake the most dangerous and difficult missions. This is doubly true of Assault Terminators, who are called upon to breach heavily fortified enemy positions. Squad Calannus, like all Ultramarines squads, takes its name from the sergeant who leads it into battle – in this case, Veteran Sergeant Joven Calannus. He fights with a pair of lightning claws, the better to thin the enemy’s ranks and create time for his squad-mates to bring their weighty thunder hammers to bear. This combination of weapons makes Squad Calannus devastatingly effective against all manner of foes, from scuttling Termagants all the way up to super-heavy war machines, such as the towering Khorne Lord of Skulls. Squad Calannus’ only weakness is its lack of firepower, which is more than compensated for by the Land Raider Fury of Macragge. The Land Raider is a formidable weapon of war

in its own right, and also serves as a transport for Squad Calannus. Like most vehicles in the Space Marine army, the Fury of Macragge is not a permanent part of the 1st Company, but has been assigned to the army for this particular campaign – the same is true of the other vehicles that can be seen in this collection. The Land Raider is just one of the many battle tanks available to a collector of Space Marines, and the Ultramarines 1st Company is able to draw upon them all. Vehicles are an excellent way to expand any collection. Not only do they offer a substantially different modelling and painting experience, but they also add a different texture to the collection as a whole, as well as opening up new strategies on the battlefield.

CAPTAIN AGEMMAN

This Terminator Captain has been painted to represent Severus Agemman, captain of the 1st Company at the close of the 41st Millennium. Agemman is second in rank only to Lord Macragge himself. Therefore, not only is he an apt leader for the forces shown here, but he would also be a suitable commander should the collection ever expand to include

warriors from the other Ultramarines companies. Characters like Agemman are fantastic centrepieces for your collection, and opportunities to display your painting and modelling skill for all to see. Note the heraldry on the model’s right shoulder pad. This has been carefully recreated from that bestowed upon Agemman during the Sanctarro campaign. Details of this kind not only present a great opportunity to personalise your characters, but also transform it from a mere model to a living, breathing defender of the Imperium whose deeds are legend.

VENERABLE BROTHER IDAEUS

Gaius Idaeus was the 1st Company’s captain two hundred years before Agemman. So mighty was his reputation that the current captain of the 4th Company took the same name upon promotion to command rank. Idaeus fell in battle fighting Necrons of the Sautekh dynasty, but his fighting spirit was so strong that his broken body was installed in one of the heavily-armoured warsuits known as Dreadnoughts. In the centuries since, he has continued the fight against the Ultramarines’ enemies, longing to revenge himself upon the Necron Overlord who struck him down. The Venerable Dreadnought kit is one of the most customisable in the whole Space

Marine range. It has all manner of variant armour plates, battle honours and helms that allow a hobbyist to create a truly personal Dreadnought – even before paint is applied to the model. Here, you can see a record of Venerable Brother Idaeus’ battle honours inscribed in gold upon his armoured casing. Some of these will be campaigns he fought whilst still truly alive, but as many recount his deeds as a Dreadnought. In battle, Idaeus is a powerful asset, able to deal death as easily in the press of assault as in a firefight. Captain Agemman may possess greater skill than his predecessor, but the additional endurance of Idaeus’ adamantium body and the might of his weapons gives him the edge over his successor.

SQUAD VERENUS & ORAR TRIUMPHANT

Squad Verenus are Sternguard Veterans. Each battle-brother in this squad has served with pride for decades, or even centuries. Veteran Sergeant Verenus – identified by his red helm – has led his squad for nearly forty years. Many consider him Agemman’s obvious successor, should the captain fall. Until that day, Verenus serves as his captain’s right hand in all matters. Each of Verenus’ Sternguard Veterans is a master of ranged warfare. Few warriors can

match their accuracy with a boltgun. This squad capitalises on the wide range of ranged weaponry available to the Sternguard, including a heavy flamer and a variety of combi-weapons – each one a fusion of a bolter and a specialist weapon, such as a grav-gun. Truly, this is a squad ready to vanquish any foe in the Emperor’s name! As befits a squad of veterans, each warrior has plenty of personality. Their individualistic poses, exotic wargear and finely-crafted armour would mark them out as leaders in any other collection, but here they are the rank and file. This, more than any thing else, speaks to the 1st Company’s status as the elite of the elite. True to the events of the Sanctarro Campaign, this collection includes the Land Raider Redeemer Orar Triumphant to carry Squad Verenus into battle. The fearsome war engine is named for one of the great heroes of the Ultramarines, who went on to forge a Chapter of his own. Its ferocious close-range firepower is an ideal complement to the roaring boltguns of Squad Verenus, who claim they can hear Orar’s gruff voice in the Land Raider’s growling engine. Despite the difference in their armaments, Orar Triumphant is the twin of Fury of Macragge, for the hulls were laid down at the same time, and their weapons blessed by the same Tech-Priests. Some Ultramarines believe that the machine-spirits of the tanks share a rudimentary bond, the one fighting all the harder if the other is endangered.

SQUAD TYPHONIAN

Squad Typhonian is one of many Terminator Squads in this collection. When the 1st Company fights in support of the main Chapter, these squads would act as shock troops. However, in Strike Force Ultra, where all the warriors hail from the 1st Company, Squad

Typhonian and its equivalents fulfil the functions normally performed by Tactical Squads – they capture key battlefield objectives, laying down a withering hail of fire as they advance. Sergeant Iax Typhonian served in the 2nd Company during Agemman’s tenure as captain of that company. He was one of three sergeants brought into the 1st on Agemman’s order, and the only one still living. As a result, the two share a bond otherwise lacking between the aloof captain and the rest of his company. On Sanctarro, Squad Typhonian served as Agemman’s bodyguard from the very first planetstrike to the climatic battle beneath the Necrons’ Oblivion Gate.

SQUAD MORIX

Sergeant Morix and his battle-brothers are Vanguard Veterans – the Chapter’s most

experienced assault troops. Such warriors often have a reputation for being hot-headed, but Squad Morix is anything but. Julion Morix personally selected every veteran in the squad, chiefly to ensure that their temperaments matched his own clinical outlook. The result is a squad that clears foes from infested underhives and fortified emplacements through cold precision, rather than fury. So the story goes, that when Sanctarro’s Necron Overlord led his honour guard into battle with Squad Morix, he did so not simply because they posed a danger to his rule, but also out of respect for their faultless skill in battle. Vanguard Veterans can be assembled in a variety of dynamic poses, and with an almost bewildering array of weapons, as each veteran is permitted to draw whatever wargear he wishes from the Chapter armoury. How you equip your models tells something of their personality.Take Brother Calixan; he prefers to down a foe with a single, crushing blow, and therefore wields a fearsome thunder hammer. To counteract the weapon’s ponderous weight, Calixan not only carries a storm shield, but his left pauldron bears an armoured crest. Sheltered by shield and reinforced armour, Calixan can endure his foes’ attacks whilst he awaits the opportunity to land a killing strike.

SQUAD PRAXIUS

All the other models discussed so far have been constructed from plastic kits, but Squad Praxius is a little bit different. Each Space Marine in this Vanguard Veteran squad is a bespoke model from the Citadel Finecast range. Finecast models are made from a specialised resin that retains an even finer level of detail than plastic, making it perfect for centrepiece characters or, in this case, the finest warriors in your collection. As befits the models that have been chosen to represent them, Squad Praxius are the most experienced of all the warriors in Strike Force Ultra. They operate as a separate formation, securing or destroying key targets whilst the enemy are kept occupied by the strike force’s main assault. During the early hours of the Sanctarro campaign, it was Squad Praxius who destroyed the flux-generator, allowing Squads Verenus and Morix to breach the Overlord’s palace.

EXPLORING THE LEGENDS The Dark Millennium book in this set tells you all about Mankind’s struggle for survival, and introduces many of the armies involved in that fight. But if you want to know more, what’s the next step? There’s a wealth of available information concerning the Warhammer 40,000 setting. There’s so much, in fact, that it can seem daunting to some newcomers. This is part of the joy, and many hobbyists launch themselves into the setting with anarchic abandon. For some, their miniatures collection provides both a tether and a guide, making sure that they don’t stray too far from their sphere of interest. Others quickly cut themselves free from such constraints, immersing themselves in the rich ten thousand year history of the far future, seeking new inspiration for their collection amidst the unknown. This approach isn’t for everyone, however, and there is structure for those who want it. Over the next few pages we will look at what tomes there are available for you to delve into in order to satisfy your interest. From weighty books detailing specific armies to indispensable digital guides to help you discover every detail, there is something for everyone.

Codex: Space Marines was the starting point for the inspiration behind Strike Force Ultra.

CODEXES If you’re interested in delving deeper into a particular army or character, your next port of call should be a codex.

A codex is an essential purchase for any hobbyist looking to learn more about a particular army, or about the Warhammer 40,000 setting generally. It is a primer, containing the most important information concerning one of the many Warhammer 40,000 armies. Here you’ll find information on the warriors in an army and how they fight. The codex also covers examples of the army’s heraldry and iconography, the pivotal events in its history, and the deeds of its mightiest (or most villainous) heroes. It also contains all the Warhammer 40,000 rules for the models in the chosen army, if you’re looking to forge a history and heroic saga of your own! For a collector of a particular army, a codex is an essential purchase – nowhere else will you find so many strands of background to engage with. Even if you don’t collect the army in question, a codex is a perfect jumping-off point for learning more about the Warhammer 40,000 setting. Indeed, many hobbyists like to add every codex they can to their collection, even for those armies they don’t collect!

CODEX SUPPLEMENTS

Codex supplements are for those who want to dive even deeper into a specific army. Where a codex focuses on an army’s entire history, a codex supplement zooms into a specific formation, a campaign or a handful of mighty heroes. Greater focus means more detail; not only on the battles themselves, but on the warriors and personalities who fought in them. If you’ve hungrily devoured everything your army’s codex has to offer, one of its codex supplements is the obvious next step.

DIGITAL EDITIONS

Codexes and codex supplements are also available in a variety of digital formats. Each is crammed to bursting with the same information as the print editions, but can be downloaded to your eReader for convenient viewing wherever you are. They’re perfect for the hobbyist who wants to have the legends of the 41st Millennium at his or her fingertips.

DATASLATES

Dataslates provide background material in the most focused format of all. Each concentrates on a pivotal group of combatants and their deeds, such as the Ultramarines Tyrannic War Veterans, or the first Daemon Prince, Be’lakor. Think of them as supercondensed tomes of information, zooming in on one topic of information whilst ignoring all others.

BLACK LIBRARY

The Black Library is a mystical Eldar repository for all the secret and arcane lore of the

universe. It’s also the name of Games Workshop’s publishing house, which is devoted to bringing the fantastic worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 to life through action-packed, fast-paced novels and audiobooks. For Warhammer 40,000 collectors, Black Library’s works are the perfect way to get right into the heart of their favourite armies and characters. You’ll find everything here: sprawling campaigns, individual battles for redemption, treachery, betrayal and, of course, acts of incredible heroism and tyranny. Whether you’re looking for even more depth in a story you’ve already discovered elsewhere, or are eager to tread new ground, there’s plenty in Black Library to tempt you.

STRIKE FORCE DAMNOS Strike Force Damnos is a collection inspired by the epic storyline, Fall of Damnos, detailed in the Damnos novel. In the story, an Imperial world is laid under siege by the Necrons stirring beneath its surface, and its defences are swiftly overrun. It falls to the Ultramarines 2nd Company and Captain Cato Sicarius to confront the Necron menace, but as the battle rages on it becomes clear that victory will not easily be won. This is a truly glorious collection of Citadel miniatures, representing the entirety of the Ultramarines 2nd Company, as well as a handful of forces from the wider Chapter. It includes several of the Ultramarines’ greatest heroes, including Captain Sicarius, Chief Librarian Tigurius, Venerable Dreadnought Agrippan of the 1st Company and Sergeant Chronus (seen here commanding the Predator Rage of Antonius). Even without its narrative underpinning, this would be a mighty force. A Space Marine Battle Company is perhaps the most iconic formation in Warhammer 40,000. Yet it is the presence of Sicarius, Tigurius, Agrippan and Chronus that make this a truly special collection – a snapshot of one of the Ultramarines’ greatest fighting forces.

LORDS OF CARNAGE A collection does not have to begin or end with one army. The tale of Warhammer 40,000 is as much one of alliances as it is of war, with two or more factions coming together in a common cause, be it noble or horrific. The Lords of Carnage began life as a focused collection of Chaos Daemons, consisting of models loyal only to Khorne, the Blood God. It started small, as most do, then rapidly grew into a mighty host. In a natural evolution of the background, a detachment of Chaos Space Marines soon followed. In the grand story of Warhammer 40,000, few armies are more closely tied than the Chaos Daemons and the Chaos Space Marines. In many ways, they’re two sides of the same coin, the corrupters and corrupted, fighting side by side for the glory of the Chaos Gods. Make no mistake – this is an army of monsters, no matter how human some of them might look.

A - Baranox the Blood-Haunted B - The Wrathguard C - Vostark’s Warband D - Rhino Gorehound E - Harkhon’s Riders F - The Skyblades G - Morann the Entombed H - Land Raider - Murderstorm

I - K’arazan the Destroyer J - The Blood Reaper K - Kha’zan Bloodrend L - The Blades of Gorefire M - The Knights of Gorefire N - The Talons of Rage O - Zanakaras the Slayer

THE LOST AND THE DAMNED There are many reasons a Space Marine can fall to Chaos. He can become consumed by his own pride, or long for glory over selfless service. His mind can become corrupted by heretical lore, or his body by unsanctioned contact with forbidden artefacts. For the renegades known as the Crimson Slaughter, however, damnation took a different path. In the wake of a great massacre, its warriors came to believe that they were haunted. Accusing whispers echoed through their minds, voices that could only be stilled by increasingly brutal acts. For a time, the Crimson Slaughter resisted their fate but, by the close the 41st Millennium, they were lost to the Emperor’s light, allied irrevocably with Daemons and the arch-traitor Abaddon.

COLLECTIONS AT WAR In many ways, the Lords of Carnage are an excellent counterpoint to Strike Force Ultra. The Ultramarines are, first and foremost, the defenders of Mankind, whilst the servants of Chaos seek only to destroy. Where Strike Force Ultra fights to preserve the Emperor’s realm, the Lords of Carnage seek only to slake their own savage lusts.

UNHOLY ALLIES Even amidst the almost infinite variation offered by the rich background of the Chaos Daemons and Chaos Space Marines, there are few combinations more appropriate than the one represented by the Lords of Carnage. The Crimson Slaughter are notorious for their swift and bloody massacres, whilst the Daemons of Khorne exist only to spill blood and claim skull-trophies from the slain. They even share the same colour palette, with every model a brazen combination of blacks, golds and violent reds. Tactically, the two detachments in this collection complement each other perfectly. The Chaos Space Marines bring an impressive amount of firepower, as well as hell-forged Daemon Engines and tanks. Meanwhile, the Daemons provide a brutal host of ferocious assault troops most opponents will find hard to match.

BARANOX THE BLOOD-HAUNTED & THE WRATHGUARD

Before their fall, the warriors of the Crimson Slaughter were Space Marines of the Crimson Sabres Chapter. Then, Baranox was but a veteran sergeant. He was a loyal servant of the Emperor – if perhaps one rather more ruthless than strictly necessary. Where many of the Crimson Sabres fought their fate, Baranox embraced damnation, for he heard it calling to a part of his soul that he had suppressed for too long. Baranox is this detachment’s leader, and has been assembled from the vast array of options presented by the Chaos Terminator Lord kit. Terminators are imposing enough at the best of times, but when the model has been further bulked out by the battle-scarred cloak and raised up on the jagged spur of rock (both of which are components in the kit) Baranox has become a truly intimidating figure. From the trophies on Baranox’s weapon rack, we can see that he has clashed with both the Dark Angels and the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Leviathan. The Dark Angel trophy is a particularly grim testament to the Chaos Lord’s battle-skill. The helm still bears one of its wing crests, suggesting that it was no lesser a warrior than a Company Master, and the

gouge across its left eye suggests a particularly punishing blow from Baranox’s bayonet. The Wrathguard are Baranox’s personal retinue, the survivors of his old Crimson Sabres Terminator Squad. Each is a warrior of stark and bloody reputation, a bringer of terror to the citizens of the Imperium. Some of the Terminators serve Baranox out of a lingering loyalty, others out of the glory their lord will bring them, and one – the axe-wielding brute known as Rictanus – awaits only the proper moment to overthrow his master and claim leadership of the warband. This Chaos Terminator squad is geared to slay the foe at close quarters – Baranox isn’t the type to fight at a distance, preferring to smell the foe’s spilt blood as it falls. The heavy flamer and combi-bolters complement each other perfectly, the gouts of tainted fire and booming shells weakening the enemy line before the Terminators’ stampeding assault hits home.

THE SKYBLADES

The Skyblades were once Assault Marines, the bringers of vengeance and liberation. Now they are Raptors, sowers of terror and dismay. Looking closely, it’s easy to see the voxcasters set in their helmets and armour plates. As Raptors descend from the skies, these amplify their war-cries into unearthly, terror-inducing howls. In the case of the Skyblades, the vox-casters broadcast not only their own war-cries, but also the cruel voices of the Daemons who haunt their every waking moment. The Skyblades prefer to attack without warning, descending from smoke-strewn skies into the foe’s very heart. Their boots are adorned with metal claws precisely so that even

the act of entering the fray is an attack, the razor-sharp blades driven through armour and flesh by the Skyblades’ unstoppable momentum.

THE BLADES OF GOREFIRE & KHA’ZAN BLOODREND

The detachment’s Bloodletters all hail from the Blades of Gorefire – so called because the enchantments set within their hellblades set spilt blood alight. These Daemons are but the barest fraction of their legion’s might, just as the Blades of Gorefire themselves are but one of the myriad legions in Khorne’s service. The Bloodletters’ poses perfectly evoke their nature. There’s something reptilian about the flicking tongue and unblinking gaze, a ruthlessness that’s intimidating even when portrayed in a model scarcely an inch tall. Looking at the miniatures, it’s easy to imagine the Daemons’ loping stride as they close with their prey, as well as the coiled-spring final pounce that brings the fell-enchanted hellblades to bear. If anything, the Bloodcrusher cavalry are even more intimidating. Every rider is leaning forward over his Juggernaut’s neck, desperate to reach battle. The Juggernauts themselves are a perfect contrast to their Bloodletter masters, yet retain the same desperate energy. Each beast is caught in mid-stampede, its brass hooves thundering across one of a thousand battlefields, a battering ram of Warp-forged steel that ceases only in death. Kha’zan Bloodrend, the leader of this detachment, rides to war atop a Blood Throne – one of many created in imitation of Khorne’s own magnificent seat of power. Kha’zan is a Herald of Khorne, and stands high in the Blood God’s favour. The air around his throne resonates with abiding fury, sending the other Bloodletters into a wild frenzy. Where other warlords might be content to take their ease upon such a vehicle, Kha’zan is practically leaping from his throne in eagerness to claim his tithe of skulls.

Though supposedly bound to Baranox’s service, the Blades of Gorefire are almost impossible to control one the battle begins. They emerge from the Warp when the carnage reaches its height, and then charge madly from foe to foe, lost in the unholy joy of slaughter. In the back of this photo you can see the huge form of Zanakaras the Slayer, a former Bloodletter of the legion who has made a terrible pact with the Forge of Souls. Thus has he been returned to battle as a Soulgrinder, tasked to claim mortal souls until his debt has been repaid. Until then, Zanakaras endures an agonised half-mechanical existence.

MORANN THE ENTOMBED

Morann was once a living warrior – now he is a twisted abomination of flesh and machinery known as a Helbrute. Long ago, he was Baranox’s captain in the Crimson Sabres, and was one of the few to resist their fall into damnation. Unfortunately for Morann, Baranox lacked his moral centre, and the captain was felled by his own sergeant’s treacherous blow. However, even this indignity was not enough for Baranox, who ordered Morann’s mortally wounded form bound into a Helbrute’s vile sarcophagus. Centuries later, Morann serves – albeit unwillingly – though he has long since been

driven insane by the techno-sorcery that cages him. A close look at Morann’s model reveals the twisted synthesis of flesh and machine. There are cables running through his bulky muscles, and pistons buried deeper still. If you look closely, you can see the yellow and black cable running from Morann’s left arm and into his slab-like body. This is one component of the behavioural limiters Baranox has ordered set in his captain’s flesh, to forestall the revenge Morann yearns for.

THE BLOOD REAPER

The Blood Reaper is a Lord of Skulls, a vast engine of destruction designed in a Warpsmith’s fevered dreams and birthed from a Daemon forge. It is a fearsome war machine, and cost Baranox nearly a decade’s worth of plunder to acquire from the machine-pits of Zartrox. The Lord of Skulls dominates any battlefield, not only through its sheer physical presence, but also because of the obscene amount of firepower it can bring to bear. Boiling blood gushes through its systems, feeding its daemonic reactor and gouting forth to scald and sear the foe. The Lord of Skulls is a super-heavy vehicle, and one of the largest plastic kits available.

Though it dwarfs even the largest model in the collection, this size doesn’t come at the cost of detail. Almost every inch of this battle-scarred model is festooned with gothic detail, from the skull-filled rune that shapes the prow, to the snarling face engraved in the helm. It is a glorious capstone to any collection, and a fitting tribute to the Dark Gods of Chaos.

IMPERIUM’S MIGHT A collection can be as narrow or as broad as you want it to be. Strike Force Ultra is based on a particular army in a specific campaign, whilst the Lords of Carnage portrays a Chaos warband of the type commonly fielded by the renegades known as the Crimson Slaughter. This collection, the Imperium’s Might, takes things even further. The Imperium is a vast, galaxy-spanning civilisation, and its defenders are legion. Though its armies sometimes fight alone, they must just as often band together to defeat an otherwise overwhelming threat. As a result, it’s quite common to see Space Marines fighting alongside the Astra Militarum, Inquisitors directing Imperial Knights, and other, even more outlandish combinations. This brings incredible freedom to any hobbyist, presenting a wealth of models that not only look great together, but also faithfully represent the Warhammer 40,000 setting. The Imperium’s Might is such a collection. It contains detachments drawn from the White Scars and Blood Angels Space Marines, the Adepta Sororitas, the Astra Militarum, and the Knights of House Terryn. There’s even an Ordo Malleus Inquisitor lurking amongst the crowd but, given the secretive nature of the Inquisition, it’s doubtful that any of the others know why he’s there.

A - Kor’sarro Khan’s White Scars Kor’sarro Khan Tactical Squad Korvorros

Vanguard Veteran Squad Ravon Land Speeder Chogorax Land Speeder Hunter’s Tooth Bike Squad Manacos

B - Astorath’s Blood Angels Astorath the Grim Cursed Squad Philonis Cursed Squad Etrogan Cursed Dreadnought Malpharion Stormraven Angel’s Redemption

C - The Iotan Gryphonnes 197th Iotan Gryphonnes, 8th Platoon Bullgryn Squad Ironhead Taurox Prime Gryphonne’s Talon Taurox Prime Duty’s Call Taurox Prime Sabanski’s Honour Hellhammer Cleansing Wrath

D - The Knights of House Terryn Sire Yoran, Knight of House Terryn Sire Capulan, Knight of House Terryn Sire Monteryn, Knight of House Terryn

E - Adepta Sororitas Saint Celestine Squad Romera

COMMON DESIGNS Even though there are models from half a dozen different armies present in this

collection, it still has a glorious unity. On its most basic level, this springs from the fact that most of the models are human (albeit genetically enhanced in some cases), but there’s much more to it than this. Despite their obvious differences, all defenders of the Imperium share design motifs. Sometimes this is simply by dint of wielding the same weapons, as Space Marines and Sisters of Battle often do, but it goes deeper. Take the looming shapes of the Imperial Knights for example. Even though these monstrous war machines are distinctly inhuman (although there’s a pilot buried away safe beneath each Knight’s carapace) the shapes of their armour plates show them to be clearly from the same family of design as those worn elsewhere in the army.

SHARED COLOURS The other thing that helps bind the collection together is the deliberately limited colour palette. Most of the models are predominantly black, white or blue. Red, where it is used, looks all the more dramatic for its limited application, and green hardly appears at all. In other collections, the more unusual models, such as the brutish Ogryns, might look out of place. However, because the Ogryns’ colour scheme ties back into that of the Tempestus Scions – whose own weapon and armour stylings echo those of the Space Marines around them – they feel like a natural addition, not only to the Astra Militarum detachment, but the whole collection. However, when all’s said and done, these are all rational explanations to clarify a simple and instinctive truth: these models make for a fantastic collection because they look great!

ASTORATH’S BLOOD ANGELS

Every Blood Angel in this detachment is a member of the Death Company, a formation of battle-brothers driven berserk by a flaw in their own gene-seed. Those lost to the ranks of the Death Company become little more than wild, blood-hungry beasts, and are guided by Astorath to where they can serve the Imperium best. Any amongst them who survive the battle will perish beneath Astorath’s axe, to preserve them from a slow, insanity-wracked death. There’s a fantastic sense of forward motion in these models – you can see them charging forward into fray, almost hear their tortured battle-cries. It’s worth noting that the Death Company’s armour is much more ornate than that worn by the White Scars in this collection. Blood Angels are artisans, believing form is at least as important as function.

ADEPTA SORORITAS

The warrior-women of the Adepta Sororitas are the Eccelsiarchy’s standing army. They are holy warriors, steeped in the Emperor’s Creed, and able to perform incredible deeds by invoking his name. Their armour echoes the knightly garb of the Space Marines, but also has an austere and priestly aspect, marking them as holy warriors. The models in this collection have been painted to represent the Order of Our Martyred Lady. Their armour is black, representing the mourning cloth worn following Saint Katherine’s martyrdom, the red robes commemorating her split blood, and that of all who have fought in her name ever since. This detachment of Adepta Sororitas is led into battle by Celestine, a living saint. She has been slain many times during the Imperium’s defence, but each time she has returned to

life in a blaze of flame, like a phoenix from its pyre. Celestine embodies the holy cause of the Adepta Sororitas, and the model is a fine addition to this, or any other collection.

KOR’SARRO KHAN’S WHITE SCARS

The White Scars detachment is the largest in this collection, and the most evenly balanced tactically. The Land Speeders and bikers provide mobile firepower, the Vanguard Veterans a lethal assault force, and the Tactical Squad is a highly mobile spearhead, thanks to its Rhino transport. Kor’sarro Khan is the leader of this detachment. He is the White Scars Master of the Hunt, charged with slaying those foes who have affronted his Chapter. His sword palpably crackles with power, promising a swift, if painful, death to whoever feels its edge. Kor’sarro’s topknot and fur cloak speak to the White Scars’ origins as wild warriors of the plains, and contrast with the more ornate details on the Blood Angels and Adepta Sororitas models in the collection. Unlike most Space Marines, the White Scars display their company markings as a ragged blaze on their left knee pad or greave, as seen on this Tactical Squad. White Scars Tactical Squads normally deploy in Rhino armoured transports, in order to improve their mobility. The red arrow on this Rhino’s upper hatch and the number of the front of its right track housing denote it as being assigned to this particular Tactical Squad. These details help forge stronger ties between a collection’s different elements. The squad and its Rhino are no longer separate entities, but two halves of a greater whole.

THE KNIGHTS HOUSE OF TERRYN

It’s easy to forget just how intimidating Imperial Knights are until you see them next to your other models – only then do you remember that a Knight can probably stomp most of its enemies flat without resorting to its chainblade or battle cannon. One Knight makes for an excellent centrepiece model. Three, as are shown in this collection, are not only glorious in their own right, but provide an excellent backdrop for framing your army when it’s on display. Looking at them, it’s easy to imagine the infantry advancing with the mighty war engines at their back, glad of the Knights’ looming presence, but wary of being crushed by a four-toed foot. The blues of House Terryn are much richer and deeper than the functional cobalt-greys of the Tempestus Scions. This evokes the idea that a Knight’s heraldry is born of a muchrevered tradition, whilst that of the soldiers of the Astra Militarum is laid down by a

utilitarian and uncaring bureaucracy (which is almost certainly the case). It’s also worth noting that each Knight’s heraldry is slightly different – individuality that befits a warrior of noble blood.

THE IOTAN GRYPHONNES

These Tempestus Scions are from the 197th Iotan Gryphonnes, They are soldiers of the Militarum Tempestus, and a cut above the common soldiers of the Astra Militarum. This elite status is shown in dozens of small details, from the target scopes on their weapons, to the rebreathers and comms-antennae built into their gilt-edged armour. The Tempestus Command Squad’s status – even in this august company – is clearly marked by their crimson berets. Note how the Tempestor Prime’s greatcoat is draped loosely around his shoulders, ready to be shucked off if it becomes an impediment. The heavily muscled Bullgryns are not Militarum Tempestus troops, but warriors seconded from the Militarum Auxilla, and outfitted in the Gryphonnes’ regimental colours. The Bullgryns take an almost childish delight in following orders, making them ideal support troops for the Gryphonnes. Any enemy wanting to silence the Tempestus Scions’ hot-shot lasguns will first have to breach the Bullgryns’ formidable wall of slabshields. Alone of the detachments in this collection, the 197th Iotan Gryphonnes don’t have a notable hero to lead them into battle. They’re one of the many thousands of Astra Militarum strike forces cut off behind enemy lines after their main force was annihilated. The Taurox Prime, Gryphonne’s Talon, is one of two transports included in the detachment. Not only do these vehicles provide additional heavy firepower, they also allow the Tempestus Scions to redeploy rapidly.

PAINTING YOUR COLLECTION This book contains hundreds of models painted to an amazing standard. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a cybernetically enhanced painter-savant to make a fantastic army of your own. Part of the fun and satisfaction that comes from the hobby is developing greater skills as you paint your models. There’s a real sense of pride to be found in every model you paint, and as you improve, that sense of personal satisfaction only increases.

ASSEMBLING MINIATURES The excitement that comes from tearing the plastic wrap off a new set of miniatures and delving in is hard to beat. But beautiful miniatures don’t assemble themselves – you’re going to have to get your hands dirty! Thankfully, assembling miniatures is the first exciting step towards building up a collection of Citadel miniatures of your own.

PERSONALISING YOUR MINIATURES Many hobbyists love to experiment with the art of personalising miniatures. Customising the models in your collection is incredibly rewarding, providing you with bespoke characters and squads to act as centrepieces to your army, focal points that inspire both you and your fellow hobbyists. The most straightforward way to personalise your models is to kit-bash: to mix components from several different kits together in order to achieve a unique effect. Very little (if any) complex modelling work is needed when kit-bashing; normally, gluing components together is all that’s required. Almost without exception, a plastic Citadel miniatures kit contains a host of spare parts. Rather than throwing away these unused components, store them safely for later use in a small box or bag (most hobbyists call this their Bitz Box). This indispensable resource can be called upon whenever it is required. If you want to go further, you can take two different kits and extensively mingle the components. The cunning way in which many plastic Citadel miniatures are designed, with common fittings for components such as heads, legs and weapons, makes kitbashing of this kind very straightforward – all you need is a bit of imagination Converting is taking the process of personalising miniatures a little further, perhaps by cutting a weapon away from a model to replace it with a new gun, or chopping off a head to include an alternative. Conversions can range from the simple to the incredibly

complex, depending on your own skill and willingness to experiment.

This Ultramarines Sergeant has been ‘kit-bashed’ using components from three different kits, resulting in a truly unique model.

CHOOSING A COLOUR SCHEME With your models assembled, it’s time to break out the paints. But before you get going, you’ll want to have a think about the colour schemes you want to use. You’ll sometimes have a fixed idea right from the start, and be able to dive straight in. On other occasions, you’ll want to seek out inspiration from codexes, novels or other hobbyists’ collections. Think about whether or not you want to use common colours to bind your collection together, or whether you would rather apply contrasting colours to help the models stand out. Many painters find it useful to paint one miniature as a ‘test model’ – one member of the squad or army they’re about to paint – to ensure that the chosen colour scheme works as well in reality as it does in his or her head. Life as a test model can be tough, as not every set of colours works as imagined on the first go. However, there’s honour in this sacrifice – better to risk one model than to find yourself halfway through painting an army before discovering that the chosen colour scheme isn’t appropriate.

These Blood Angels have been assembled using both the Tactical Squad and Death Company kits. This gives them a richer, more ornate appearance than a Tactical Squad assembled straight out of the box.

THE CITADEL PAINT SYSTEM

Formulated to make painting as straightforward and enjoyable as possible, the Citadel Paint System is a dream come true for hobbyists. It’s a range of paints, washes, glazes and textured paints that contains over 140 different colours for painting your miniatures. Base Paints are the perfect foundation upon which the rest of your layers can be applied. Layer Paints are formulated to layer over Base Paints (and each other) for the perfect highlighting effect. Dry Paints have a consistency perfectly suited for drybrushing – a fast and effective way of capturing all the raised details on a model, whilst Shades and Glazes deepen the shadows and enrich the colours of the paints already applied. Last of all, Texture Paints are ideal for getting a gravelly finish on a model’s base, helping to ground it strongly on the battlefield.

HOW TO PAINT CITADEL MINIATURES How to Paint Citadel Miniatures is the ultimate guide to painting your models, written with advice from a selection of seasoned painters. This book is designed not only to teach you the techniques of painting models, but also to impart the principles of what makes a good paint job! By studying this book you’ll learn techniques such as drybrushing and layering, as well as using washes and glazes. How to Paint Citadel Miniatures also contains valuable advice on assembling models and techniques that lend towards batch painting – the art of producing an army’s worth of models to a consistent standard and appearance. That’s not all, however. The full potential of the Citadel Paint System is explored and explained through a series of demonstrations and guides, taking you through the journey of painting single models, squads and entire armies.

DIGITAL EDITIONS How to Paint Citadel Miniatures will give you a strong grounding in the techniques and principles of painting, but if you want detailed guides for your army of choice, we also produce an extensive range of additional painting guides as digital editions. These contain detailed step-by-step tutorials for specific kits, or entire armies, as well as alternate colour schemes and top tips to get your miniatures looking their best. The books in this range

are the perfect next step on your painting journey, and they will help you amass a fantastic collection of painted Citadel miniatures in no time at all.

WHITE DWARF

White Dwarf is Games Workshop’s weekly hobby magazine; each issue is jam-packed with beautifully painted models and armies. Not only is it the best way to stay informed about all the latest releases and hobby news, it’s also an invaluable source for painting guides, conversion ideas and inspiration for every collector.

When It All Comes Together Mike Gupton’s collection of Imperial Fists Space Marines really shows off what you can achieve with patience, imagination and plenty of dedication. Mike has modelled a suitably gothic display board from a variety of Citadel terrain kits, and its brooding colours are a beautiful counterpoint to the bold yellows of the Imperial Fists.

APOCALYPSE

UNLEASH THE APOCALYPSE! Apocalypse is one of Warhammer 40,000’s impressive array of supplements, and provides guidance for the largest and most spectacular games you’ll ever play. Apocalypse brings together every aspect of the hobby. There is no finer sight than a game of Apocalypse in full spate. It’s a riot of colour, with vast collections of Citadel miniatures contesting over one enormous battlefield. Apocalypse is a grand display of your cherished Citadel miniatures that evolves as the game goes on, re-enacting (or newly forging) grand battles. For many hobbyists, Apocalypse is the apex of their experience, a celebration not only of their collecting journey, but also of all the models and stories they’ve encountered along the way. With so much variety to choose from, and so much scope for amazing and massive battles, Apocalypse is a rewarding and exciting way to expand your Warhammer 40,000 horizons.

MASSIVE BATTLES First and foremost, Apocalypse is an opportunity to unleash every part of your gloriously painted collection in a world-shaking war. Ordinarily, the games you’ll play will have restrictions on the forces you can field, but anything goes in Apocalypse. Everything you own, from the smallest Grot to the largest of Titans, has a part to play in an Apocalypse game. As you might expect, Apocalypse games are BIG. They’re fought between teams, rather than individuals, with each player taking part pooling his or her resources with those of their allies. Model collections come together to form massive, all-conquering armies. Fortifications combine to become sprawling fortresses. Even Citadel gaming boards are brought together, creating a playing area that covers not just the dining room table, but the whole dining room! This is gaming at is grandest, a day or weekend-spanning experience to be celebrated with friends.

UNFORGETTABLE STORIES But the game is only part of Apocalypse. Indeed, to call Apocalypse a mere game is to barely scratch the surface of what it offers. At its finest, Apocalypse is an epic tale. Sometimes, your battle will be given structure by a scenario in one of the range of Warzone books. On other occasions, you and your friends will create your own story, or expand a setting based on the legends of Warhammer 40,000. In either case, and more than in any kind of Warhammer 40,000 game, story is preeminent, another chapter of the Imperium’s struggle re-enacted on the battlefield. Victory and defeat, while important, are simply part of the experience whilst in the thick of rolling the dice.

AN EVER-GROWING COLLECTION Just as your Apocalypse battles are inspired by your collecting journey, so too will your games of Apocalypse provide new collecting avenues to explore. The Apocalypse book and its Warzone expansions provide datasheets that show you how to shape your Citadel miniatures into famous formations from the Warhammer 40,000 story, such as a Space Marine Battle Company, an Ork Dread Mob, or the Necron War Council of Mandragora. Each datasheet helps you plan your purchases, by providing a handy guide to the models you need for that formation. It’s also illustrated with a photograph of Citadel miniatures painted by Games Workshop’s ’Eavy Metal team, giving you colour and iconography references for your own models. Last of all, the datasheet contains a handful of rules, each of which represents how those models fight in Apocalypse-scale battles. Each datasheet is therefore an invaluable collecting guide in its own right, whether you’re looking to organise models you’ve already purchased, or looking for a new challenge.

SUPER-HEAVY VEHICLES Apocalypse is particularly suitable for unleashing the largest kits in the Citadel range, such as the mighty Baneblade tank, shown in the photograph opposite. These are the most challenging and rewarding kits any hobbyist can add to their collection.

FORGE WORLD If you’re interested in taking your collection to another level entirely, cast your eye over the superbly detailed range of Forge World kits. Forge World specialise in resin kits of super-heavy war machines. It’s an ever-growing range, with some truly inspiring pieces – the Reaver Titan being but one of them!

In the following section, a stunning range of Citadel miniatures is displayed on a host of amazing battlescapes. Each scene plunges you deep into the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium and provides a wealth of inspiration for your collection.

ULTRAMARINES The Wardens of Ultramar. The Exemplars. A light in the darkness of the Eastern Fringe.

Marneus Calgar, Lord Macragge

‘Let them bestride the galaxy like the gods of old, sheltering Mankind from destruction at the hands of an uncaring universe.’ - Roboute Guilliman

Ultramarines Librarian

‘I can pulp your flesh and snap your bones in less than a second, and without so much as lifting a finger. What is the power of technology compared with that?’ - Vel’cona, Chief Librarian of the Salamanders

BLOOD ANGELS The Flawed Host. The Noble Damned. Their glory conceals all-consuming rage.

Astorath the Grim, Reclusiarch of the Blood Angels

DARK ANGELS The Brothers in Shadow. The Seekers of Redemption. In silence, strength. In secrecy, honour.

Left: Azrael, Supreme Grand Master Top Right: Asmodai, Master of Repentance Bottom Right: Ezekiel, Grand Master of Librarians

SPACE WOLVES Warriors of the Fang. Ice-born heroes. Their eyes are keen, and their claws sharp.

Logan Grimnar, High King of Fenris

GREY KNIGHTS A line of shining steel, they stand firm between Mankind and the horrors of Chaos.

Nemesis Dreadknight, Sword of Titan

ASTRA MILITARUM They are the hammer and the shield, the martyrs whose blood washes the Imperium clean.

‘That which I cannot crush with words I will crush with the tanks of the Imperial Guard.’ - Lord Solar Macharius

IMPERIAL KNIGHTS The technology of forgotten days, harnessed to honour and an indomitable will.

‘There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.’

ADEPTA SORORITAS Theirs is the faith that reshapes the galaxy, that scours with flame the enemies of Man.

ORKS The Beast that roams the stars, the destroyer of civilisation.

Ghazghkull Thraka, The Beast of Armageddon

‘We iz gonna stomp da ’ooniverse flat an’ kill anyfing that fights back. We iz gonna do this coz’ we’re Orks an’ we was made ta fight an’ win.’ - Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka

ELDAR The empire of yesterday, now a dying flame in the darkness of the void.

The Avatar of Khaine, the Doom that Walks

DARK ELDAR They are malice cloaked in eternal darkness, bringers of agony and harbingers of terror.

Urien Rakarth, the Sculptor of Agonies

‘There is a very good reason why so many of the galaxy’s cultures are afraid of the dark.’ - Inquisitor Bastalek Grimm

NECRONS They ruled the heavens in ancient days. Now they seek to do so again.

Anrakyr the Traveller, Exile of Phyrria

‘We take your treasures from you now as we shall surely take the galaxy in its turn. You have not the wit to appreciate either, and thus you are not worthy of them.’ - Trazyn the Infinite

TAU EMPIRE The young race, whose flame burns bright as oblivion looms.

Commander Farsight, Hero of Vior’la

‘Our conquest is inevitable, our ascension a matter of time. Let none who are wise deny our destiny.’ - Aun’Va, Ethereal Supreme

‘Remember, the first step to victory is often the most important.’ - Commander Puretide

‘In the end, the final arbiter must be victory.’ - Commander Puretide

TYRANIDS They are the hunger without end, a devourer of flesh and of hope.

Hive Tyrant

CHAOS SPACE MARINES Once Mankind’s greatest champions, now its direst foes.

Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos

‘Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!’

CHAOS DAEMONS The Scions of the Dark Gods, the ultimate enemy. They are malevolence made flesh.

‘Understand, mortals, that every one of you, each of your so-called champions with their petty ploys, is just a piece in the Great Game of my master.’ - Mith’an’driarkh, Greater Daemon of Tzeentch

CALL TO ACTION www.games-workshop.com Over the previous pages you have seen a choice selection of miniatures from the full Citadel range. In order to browse the entire host of Citadel miniatures available, go to www.games-workshop.com. The Games Workshop website not only includes hundreds of quality photographs of the miniatures, it also has interactive 360° animations to allow you to pore over every intricate detail.

HOBBY CENTRES In over 300 locations across the world, Games Workshop runs its own chain of Hobby Centres focused on providing amazing venues where you can be introduced to the Warhammer 40,000 hobby or take the next steps on your journey into the darkness of the far future.

OUR HOBBY CENTRES PROVIDE: RANGE OF PRODUCTS Each Hobby Centre has an extensive range of Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 and The Hobbit models, along with Black Library novels and hobby supplies.

IN-STORE ORDER POINT For any item not in stock, you can use the in-store order point to choose from the entire Games Workshop range. Postage is free for orders sent to the Hobby Centre.

FREE HOBBY ADVICE Our staff are all accomplished hobbyists who will be glad to pass on tips and advice from their own experience. From how to paint your next miniature to how to create an amazing scenario for your next gaming night, the Games Workshop staff will be happy to help.

FREE BEGINNERS PROGRAMME Our Beginners Programme will teach you how to start your own hobby journey, all you need to do is come along.

WARHAMMER WORLD Warhammer World is Games Workshop’s unique Visitor Centre; welcoming our collectors, holding events, displaying Citadel miniatures, offering hobby advice and much more, all based at our HQ in Nottingham, UK. The centre of excellence for hobbyists from around the world, you’ll discover a unique venue (where else will you game inside a Warhammer castle or drink in a Dwarf bar?) where you can always find something to do, something to see and something to take home with you. The Gaming Hall is modelled on the courtyard of an Empire castle. The Citadel Miniatures Hall allows you to marvel at the wonderful collection of Citadel Miniatures painted by the world famous ’Eavy Metal team.

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INTRODUCTION It is a dark and desperate age. The Imperium of Mankind stretches out across the stars, a galaxy-spanning realm unlike any other. At its heart sits the Emperor, a crippled god upon a throne of gold whose psychic might has held the shadows at bay for ten thousand years. Yet Humanity is beset by darkness and danger, surrounded by monstrous foes that seek nothing less than the Imperium’s utter and total destruction. In the face of such uncompromising hatred, Humanity must fight like never before. Armies are raised on an industrial scale, fed into the grinding teeth of wars that never end. The Emperor’s realm encompasses a million worlds yet Humanity can muster barely enough warriors to guard against its foes. From the countless, faceless trillions of the Astra Militarum to the super-human Space Marines, from the vast war engines of the knightly houses to the secretive might of the Inquisition, the Imperium’s armies fight tirelessly. Though these legions wield incalculable might, still they are forced back step by grudging step, day by blood-soaked day. In this age, Mankind’s many foes are as varied as they are deadly. Brutal Orks swarm across the galaxy, an unstoppable tide of malice whose warlike nature makes them a perpetual and terrible threat. The enigmatic Eldar and their twisted kin strike without warning, leaving ruin and misery in their wake. On the Eastern Fringe, the youthful Tau Empire spreads ever outward, their devastatingly advanced weaponry speaking far louder than the honeyed words of their diplomats. From the darkness of the void come the Tyranid hive fleets, monstrous swarms of bioengineered horrors intent on devouring everything in their path. From beneath the sands of dead worlds, the cold mechanical Necrons rise once more, hungering for conquest and dominance over all. Yet there is one foe to be feared above all others. At the dawn of the Imperium, upon the very chime of Humanity’s finest hour, the foul gods of Chaos corrupted the Emperor’s greatest warriors and triggered a civil war that was to tear the Imperium in two. Ten thousand years later that war still rages, the foul Traitor Legions and their terrible daemonic allies seeking to plunge the entire galaxy into the hellish pandemonium of the Warp. In the face of these threats, Humanity fights on, taking the war to their enemies on battlefields beyond counting. War rages through looming factories and crumbling cityscapes, across sweeping plains and amid tangled jungles. Though the armies of the Imperium refuse to give in, the darkness is gathering, hope is fading, and the hour grows late…

WHEN PEALS MIDNIGHT It is said that on Holy Terra there stands the Lost Spire, a majestic bell-tower built in an elder age of wonderment. In a misguided quest to discover the secret of its workings, the Tech Adepts have long since fouled its mechanisms, contaminating its machine-spirit. Its clock face, lost in low-altitude pollution, has moved but irregularly over the millennia and portents say it will chime but once more... as the final signal, the death knell of Mankind. The Imperium of Man stretches across the galaxy and encompasses over a million worlds. To a great many of the unnumbered souls of its population, Terra, the fabled cradle of Humanity, the mythical seat of the immortal Emperor and the spiritual heart of the Imperium, is but a legend. Many crave to see Holy Terra, to walk upon its surface and breathe its sanctified air. These pilgrims leave their home worlds, daring impossible journeys, suffering appalling conditions just to get close. The nearest most can hope for is to share the same sector, peering into the night sky to see its shining glory – a lifetime of travel just to see that distant speck with their naked eyes. A few are even lucky enough to enter Terra’s star system, to bathe in the hallowed light of the same sun. Most pilgrims never achieve such enlightenment, falling short of their goals due to the immensity of the galaxy, the horrific dangers of space travel, or the perfidious nature of their fellow man. They die with their dreams unfulfilled, never knowing if what they sought was real or but a figment of their imagination. Yet Terra exists – a sprawling hive world, its surface covered in towering spires of iron, fortress monasteries, Gothic cathedrals, and the massive avenue of ten thousand statues, each as colossal in size as they are in memory. To speak of the heroes such statues commemorate is to invoke the greatest achievements of human history. Dorn the Unwavering, Dracos the Conqueror, Malcador the Hero – the list goes on. Fittingly, this avenue leads to the Imperial Palace. There, at the end of a mile-long passage lined with the unfurled banners of the greatest and most valiant armies to have fought for Mankind, stand the vast doors of the Eternity Gate. Beyond those massive portals, deep within the continent-spanning complex of the Imperial Palace, lies the Sanctum Imperialis, the symbolic heart of the Realm of Man, the most sanctified place in the whole of the galaxy. Here, in serried ranks of unbroken valour, stand the Three Hundred – the elite of the Adeptus Custodes, the Emperor’s bodyguard. Past them are the massive workings of a veritable mountain of mechania, cables, circuitry, marble slabs, shifting cogs, pistons, gaseous vents, arching pillars and, in the centre, rune-encrusted steps that wind majestically up nearly forty feet. There, atop the pulsing machineries, enshrouded by a halo of eldritch powers and enveloped in a nimbus of alchemical fog, is the Golden

Throne where sits the Emperor, the Master of Mankind, the Saviour of Humanity. But what would a pilgrim see, should he ever come to be there, if he had the iron will required to lift his gaze upwards to look upon the greatness that is the Emperor? Some say a lordly man, a king of kings, one crowned with living lightnings. A shining god of light, say others, too bright for man to gaze upon. He is a living idol of righteousness, many preach, his worship an anathema to heretical thought or deed. A carrion lord, whisper the very bold, too terrible to behold, in whose name bloody wars are waged and entire worlds consigned to destruction. The Emperor is perhaps all these things and perhaps none. He is the figurehead of the galaxy-spanning Imperium, worshipped as a god on nearly all its worlds. Although pilgrims in untold billions journey to Holy Terra, the doors of the Eternity Gate have long been shut and few are given leave to enter. Of those who have basked in his glory, the fortunate few who have stood at the foot of the Golden Throne, no records tell of what they beheld. But who could put into words such an experience? Who indeed could truly understand the nature of that divine being? Outwardly, the Emperor is but a desiccated corpse, kept alive partly by the cyclopean, mystical machine of gold wrought by his own hand and partly by a will so powerful that it transcends the bounds of the blackened, shrivelled husk of his body. Physically fettered, chained atop mountainous banks of machinery, the Emperor’s mind stretches out through space and time – a light in a vast gulf of blackness. Should that spark of life ever be extinguished – should the Throne fail in its mysterious purpose – then Mankind would surely be lost. But as long as the Emperor sits there, in silent vigil, there yet remains a glimmer of hope...

The Word of the Emperor is the Rule of the Imperium. + The Will of the Emperor is the Might of the Imperium. + The Blessing of the Emperor is the Light of the Imperium.

THE IMPERIUM OF MAN It is the dark and terrible era of the 41st Millennium and Mankind stands on the brink of extinction. Beset on all sides by hostile aliens and threatened from within by traitors, Humanity’s only chance for survival rests with the continuation of the cruel and bloody regime known as the Imperium. Yet few amongst Mankind’s untold population realise the truth of the situation or the horrible fate that looms beyond the stars. If there is any future at all, it is a grim one... The Imperium stretches across the whole galaxy. At its heart is Holy Terra, the cradle of Humanity and the starting point for an Empire that contains countless billions of souls. Despite its great size, the Imperium is spread thinly across the immense expanse of the galaxy; its worlds are dotted through the void and divided by hundreds, if not thousands, of light years. It is therefore wrong to think of the Imperium in terms of a single, united territory; it is rather a sprawling and often disconnected domain. Yet by weight of its own immensity, the Imperium continues to expand, its momentum carrying it forwards, even while vast segments within its boundaries are cut off, isolated, or remain to this day wholly unexplored.

LOST AGES OF HISTORY Almost four hundred centuries have passed since man first stepped into the cold of space. Forty thousand years. An age so long that almost its entire history lies shrouded in legend. Who knows how Mankind came to be scattered across so many disparate worlds? Who remembers the wars that split their homeworld of Terra asunder and dragged Humanity down to the level of brute beasts? Who would recognise the names of Terra’s ancient ruins, of nations destroyed and peoples long since crumbled to dust? To these questions there can be no answers. The questions themselves died upon the lips of men tens of thousands of years past. From those times come only whispers of horror and death, of the ancient days of the Age of Technology, of the Realm of Night, of the Empire of Blood, and of the terrible long centuries of the Age of Strife. But those eras are in the distant past; now is the time of the Emperor, the Age of the Imperium. It is an age already ten thousand years old and it too is shrouded in myth and steeped in ignorance. It is a time of superstition, in which great and unfathomable technologies have been enslaved to the forces of mysticism and madness. Most of all, it is an epoch of war, a grinding, unceasing war where mere survival is justly hailed as victory. Defeat can only lead to the irrevocable end of Humanity. Of the wars the Emperor waged to build an empire, of the countless agonies of his battles amongst the stars, there are no complete records, only apocryphal tales and half-remembered legends. And there is only

one man who might remember it all.

THE EMPEROR When the Emperor led Mankind to spread once more across the galaxy, over a hundred centuries ago, it marked the end of a long era of history, an age typified by dark regression, bitter factionalism, and great isolation caused by rampant Warp storms and countless alien invasions. Not even the ancient records kept by the Historitors of the Adeptus Administratum come close to fully telling how the Emperor came to unite and rule Humanity, or how the newly birthed Imperium came to be from whatever barbarism existed before it. Legends speak of the creation of the Space Marines, the launching of the Great Crusade and the brief time of illumination it brought before the terrible wars of the Horus Heresy plunged all into darkness once again. The truth lies buried under millennia of superstition, submerged beneath centuries of myth or lost to the annals of forgotten history. Perhaps there is a secret scriptorium in some oubliette of the Imperial Palace where the truth might be found, recorded in ancient tomes and locked behind adamantine doors sealed with ancient runes of power. If there is such a place, it is best that it remain hidden. Its truths would, at best, be dismissed as fiction, and more likely burnt for their heretical suggestions. Those ancient days will surely remain shrouded in mystery unless the Emperor himself chooses to reveal his knowledge; although none can guess what thoughts revolve inside his carrion skull. Until ten thousand years ago, the Emperor lived and breathed as a mortal man, but his physical life has long since ended, crushed out of him by Horus, the Arch-traitor, in the final battle for Terra. Today, as for every day since that battle, the Emperor lives only by the immeasurable force of his supreme will. The stasis fields and psi-fusion reactors of the machine known as the Golden Throne preserve his broken and decayed body; his great mind endures inside a rotting carcass, kept alive by the mysteries of ancient technology. His immense psychic powers reach out from the Golden Throne, enveloping and protecting Mankind across the enemy-strewn galaxy, a beacon of light in the malevolent darkness. If the Emperor fails, then none will be able to stop the influx of the dark powers; ravenous and all-consuming Daemons will flood into the galaxy. Every living human will become a gateway for the destruction of Mankind. Reality as it is known will be subsumed by the stuff of Warp space – a realm of nightmares and cruel insanity where all life will end. There will be no physical matter. No space. No time. Only Chaos.

THE IMPERIUM LIVES The Emperor has neither spoken nor moved since his incarceration in the arcane mechanisms of the Golden Throne. His much-revered material body is, for all intents, dead, and his psychic mind is wholly preoccupied combating the denizens of the Warp. He fights an eternal battle against the unimaginable horrors of that dangerous realm for the

preservation of Mankind, keeping closed the rifts that threaten to tear between this reality and the next and holding certain doom at bay. All that is left of the Emperor is a consciousness divorced from the material world, a mind incapable of ordinary communication with his billions of devoted servants. The Emperor has given all that he is so that the Imperium that he founded might continue. And so it has. While it has diverged greatly from his original plans, the Imperium endures. No longer followed as merely Humanity’s leader, the Emperor is now worshipped as a god, the holy deity in whose name the Imperium is ruled. Superstition and dogma have become the rituals of worship and they are spread as gospel, with blind obedience highly commended and free thought viewed with suspicion and doubt. It begins with the twelve High Lords of Terra, the most powerful men in the galaxy. It is their task to interpret the Emperor’s divine will and their word is law. At their command, the incalculably vast organisations of the Adeptus Terra, also known as the ancient Priesthood of Earth, strive to enact their given tasks. The Adeptus Terra, working under the direction of the High Lords, is divided and subdivided into an uncountable number of departments and subordinate organisations. Its offices span the whole of the Imperium and its powers extend to every human world. No man is free from its influence or from the strictures of its rule. The various branches of this huge and multifaceted organisation each come with their own awesome powers, unique customs and hidden secrets. Ten thousand years of ritual and endeavour have built an edifice that now dominates human society. Across the vastness of the galaxy, information is gathered; laws are enforced; taxes are levied. So it has been done and so it will be done in the future. Like an ancient and ponderous clock, the cogs of bureaucracy grind ever forwards, carried onwards by their own momentum, gears spinning without thought or consideration.

++ In an hour of Darkness, a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity, look to the madman to show the way. ++

IMPERIAL HIERARCHY The Imperium is so colossal, and the distances between planets so vast, that delays, confusion and misinterpretation of information is rife. Simple communication is so obtuse that centralised rule and accurate census procedures are impossible. The many Imperial organisations are so complex and labyrinthine that to detail even a fraction of them would prove exhausting. The Curators of the Estate Imperium cannot even list all the departments of the Adeptus Terra, let alone the composition of the Adeptus Ministorum.

THE INQUISITION

The Eye that sleepeth not. A highly secretive organisation, the Inquisition is bound by no Imperial law or authority save its own. The only mission of the Inquisition is seeing to the protection of Humanity. Inquisitors are empowered to investigate any potential threat to Mankind and to take whatever measures they consider appropriate to destroy the danger. This is sometimes alien in origin, but Humanity’s own ranks are most often the chief threat – genetic deviation, political corruption, the machinations of planetary governors, incompetence, treason and heresy keep the ranks of the Inquisition permanently occupied. Inquisitors have earned the names of witch-hunter, torturer and worse, for any means justifies an end so vital and so endangered.

HIGH LORDS OF TERRA

They govern the destiny of Mankind. These twelve powerful individuals rule the Imperium in the Emperor’s name, and it is they who send the Imperium’s fleets to war and direct its nigh-inexhaustible armies. Their task is to interpret and enact the silent will of the Emperor, relying on his potent mind to guide their thoughts and inspire their actions.

ADEPTUS MINISTORUM

Promulgators of the Imperial Creed. To countless billions, the Emperor is nothing less than a god to whom they devote their entire lives. Over the aeons, this faith has spawned a powerful organisation – the Adeptus Ministorum – more commonly known as the Ecclesiarchy. The Ecclesiarchy is not part of the Adeptus Terra but is a wholly separate Imperial institution, and it hosts numerous subgroups of its own, the best known of which are its military wing (the Adepta Sororitas), its orthodox training orphanages (the Schola Progenium), and its missionaries who often accompany Imperial exploratory vessels (the Missionarus Galaxia). The Adeptus Ministorum has a long and bloody history, replete with political power struggles and sometimes fully-fledged civil wars, but for almost 8,000 years, it has maintained and spread the only officially recognised religion of the Imperium of Man. They wield great power across the galaxy and the Ecclesiarch, their leader, has a permanent seat among the High Lords of Terra.

ADEPTUS MECHANICUS

The Lords of Mars and Disciples of the Omnissiah. The Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus are the keepers of ancient knowledge and arcane technology. It is they who preserve the Emperor’s Golden Throne and they who operate the forge worlds that feed the Imperial armouries with weapons, armour, munitions, vital spaceships and war machines. The Priesthood of Mars blends the mystic rites associated with the Cult Mechanicus and the worship of the Omnissiah with the intricate invocations, and arcane ceremonies required to build, assemble and maintain their precious machines. Unlike many of the other major Adeptus organisations, the Adeptus Mechanicus is not headquartered on Terra, but instead upon the original and greatest of all the forge worlds, the red planet of Mars.

ADEPTUS TERRA

The Masters of the Earth. Their will be done. The Adeptus Terra is the central bureaucratic organisation of the Imperium and not really an agency itself. It is made up of many autonomous departments that receive the orders of the High Lords of Terra, passing them down to the different branches that will enact the commands. There are only a few organisations in the whole of the Imperium that do not fall under this central command, most notable of which are the Inquisition, the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Ecclesiarchy.

ADESPTUS ASTRA TELEPATHICA

Their Voices pierce the darkness and cross the Stars. The role of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica is to recruit, identify and classify psykers and then train those found worthy. To do this, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica is divided into two bodies: the League of Black Ships and the Scholastia Psykana; the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica presides over both. The Adeptus Astra Telepathica classifies many grades of psykers, the highest of which are primary psykers, rare individuals marked to serve the Imperium in high capacity roles. The most common grade is that of Astropath, those who send and receive telepathic messages over interstellar distances. Other acceptable grades are channelled along to the Adeptus Astronomica, while those unable to pass the battery of harsh tests take a final path to fulfil other, less savoury, duties.

ADEPTUS ASTRONOMICA

They fuel the guiding Light of the Emperor. Capable psykers not talented or disciplined enough for the Adeptus Astra Telepathica are handed over to the Adeptus Astronomica for a different kind of training. The survivors provide the raw psychic power of the Astronomican, the psychic homing beacon that enables Navigators to steer their ships through the Warp. To operate the Astronomican requires a choir of at least ten thousand psykers, and the process of constantly transmitting quickly destroys them, but there are always more being trained to take their place.

ADEPTUS CUSTODES

They guard Mankind’s past, present, and future. The Custodian Guard are the Emperor’s personal bodyguards, created using the same arcane methods that begat the Adeptus Astartes. Stronger than Space Marines and instilled with unshakable loyalty to the Emperor, the Adeptus Custodes now guard the Imperial Palace, having effectively become a defensive army. Three hundred Custodians, the Companions, still protect the Emperor as guardians of the Golden Throne.

THE ADEPTUS ARBITES

The keepers of the Great Book of Judgement. The Arbitrators and Judges of the Adeptus Terra enforce law in the Imperium. Equipped for a localised war, they maintain order in a way that is absolute and unforgiving. In the ranks of the Adeptus Arbites, fanaticism for the enforcement of the governmental edicts and rigid adherence to the letter of the law are paramount – only the most loyal can succeed.

ADEPTUS ADMINISTRATUM

Upon them turn the wheels of governance. The largest organisation in the Adeptus Terra, the Adeptus Administratum is itself divided into many branches. The greater majority of its constituents have no concept of how their work fits into any overall scheme, or even that they are part of the same bureaucracy. Their work is an end to itself and the single most important factor in their lives. It is enough to perform the task; understanding is neither required, nor welcome. It is said by the soldiers of the Imperial Guard that for each fighting man there are a dozen scribes and at least two minor officials toiling away, recording petty details that no one will use or consider.

ASTRA MILITARUM

Hammer of the Emperor, the Imperial Guard. The Astra Militarum is the largest fighting force of the Imperium. It is divided into innumerable armies and scattered throughout the galaxy across thousands of war zones. They rely on incredibly vast numbers of soldiers, armoured battle tanks and devastating artillery to smash their foes, grinding them down through attrition and the brutal application of devastating and unrelenting firepower. The provisioning of the Astra Militarum is provided by the Departmento Munitorum, the munitions and supply wing of the Administratum. Even this colossal organisation has no real idea of exactly how many troops are under arms, as the numbers are too vast and variable; even before considering the continuous toll of casualties, the influx of recruits can run into many billions each day.

THE SPACE MARINES

They know no fear, the Angels of Death. The Adeptus Astartes, more commonly known as the Space Marines, are the most powerful and dreaded of all Humanity’s warriors. In many respects, however, they are themselves no longer human at all, but instead superhuman beings forged by almost mythical levels of genetic modification, training and the rigours of strict discipline. The Space Marines are the Imperium’s fighting elite, a corps of highly mobile shock troops trained to deploy quickly and to do battle anywhere. Space Marines are organised into Chapters and each is an army unto itself, able to provide its own spacecraft, atmospheric fighters and deployment craft, along with armoured vehicles and the best equipped infantry known to Mankind. The Space Marines carry the fight to the foe with precision, skill and deadly swiftness, always drawing the hardest missions, against the most impossible odds. Although they are few in number, they are never daunted; the

valour and dedication of the Space Marines is without measure, for they are Angels of Death, and none may stand before them.

THE OFFICIO ASSASSINORUM The dagger in the dark, the silent answer. The Office of Assassins is an important, if little known, tool of the Imperium. The different temples that make up this mysterious agency are all cloaked in secrecy. The locations where they train their matchless killers are hidden, not revealed even to those who assign them targets. It takes a two-thirds vote from the High Lords of Terra for an Imperial Assassin to gain an assignment and no one is safe from the attentions of their deadly work.

THE IMPERIAL FLEET They who ply the stars, life bringers and warmongers both. All shipping within the Imperium falls under the purview of the Imperial Fleet, with the exception of that carried out by the Adeptus Astartes and a few other Adeptus organisations. The larger part of the Fleet is the Navy, battleships that escort essential cargo across the galaxy and serve as the first line of defence in any invasion or insurrection. The Imperial Fleet also transports the billions of soldiers, incalculable tonnes of food, wargear and munitions required to fight the Emperor’s foes.

THE NAVIS NOBILITE Passage-makers, Bearers of the Third Eye. The Navis Nobilite, also known as the Navigator Houses, make up the Terra-based organisation from whence come Navigators. One of the few sanctioned breeds of mutant, Navigators pilot human starships through the roiling madness of Warp space. The leader of all the great families of the Navigators is the Paternova, the most powerful of his kind – though he can never leave the Palace of Navigators. Chief amongst the servants of the Paternova is the Paternoval Envoy, a position that is granted a seat as one of the High Lords of Terra.

PLANETARY GOVERNORS They rule in his name. Individual planets are ruled by local leaders who hold nominal membership in the Adeptus Terra with the (often hereditary) title of Imperial Commander. Their responsibilities may be likened to feudal lords: they must provide troops for the Imperial Guard, they must maintain order over their domain, they must carry out the Imperial decrees and they must pay all tithes levied upon them by the Administratum. Although bound to the Adeptus Terra, an Imperial Commander is essentially an independent ruler. So long as quotas are met, he is free to reign in any manner he chooses; hence, the wide variety in styles of rulers between different planets or systems.

ROGUE TRADERS The hand that draws the map. Most of the galaxy remains unexplored – unknown, but ripe with resources the Imperium can harness. Such is the duty of the Rogue Trader. Licensed and equipped to explore the uncharted regions of the galaxy and beyond, the Rogue Trader is the Emperor’s emissary to the unknown. He holds full authority to negotiate, barter, subjugate or utterly destroy in pursuit of feeding the Imperium’s rapacious appetites for information, territory, alien artefacts and raw materials.

EMPIRE AMONG THE STARS There is no greater mystery in the galaxy than the strange and foreboding dimension known as the Warp. It is at once a great boon, allowing the Imperium’s spacecraft and communications to travel hitherto unimaginable distances quickly, and it is also a living nightmare – a haunted realm where evil and predatory things watch and wait. For good or ill, Humanity’s ultimate fate is tied to that shadowy domain. The greatest human colonisation of the galaxy began many thousands of years before the Age of the Imperium, when it was discovered that it was possible to breach an alternative dimension, known as Warp space, the Immaterium or simply the Warp. It became possible for ships to be propelled into and through this realm, which soon led to faster than light, interstellar travel. The sheer mind-boggling impossibility of the Warp defies explanation, and those who attempt to delve further into understanding its ways inevitably slip into madness. Of the little that is known is that Warp space does not conform to the laws of physics as we know them. As a result, a ship that enters the Immaterium can cover the equivalent of many thousands of light years of distance within a relatively short time, dropping back into realspace far away from their point of origin. Thus, a journey that would take many dozens of centuries in realspace can be traversed in a matter of weeks through the Warp. Despite the obvious uses, however, the Immaterium is a dangerous place that is never entered lightly, for there are many hazards that can wreck spacecraft or carry them far off course. There are patches of unexpected turbulence, intense storms and mysterious eddies that can trap a ship in the repetitious loops of eternity. Even slight miscalculations can cause bizarre and inexplicable results, exposing passengers to madness, mutations and jumps forwards or backwards in time. These threats, though considerable, are nothing compared to the greater and unimaginable dangers that lurk in Warp space. To better understand these dangers, it is necessary to realise two important truths about the nature of the Warp. Firstly, the Immaterium is composed entirely of emotion and psychic energy. It is this energy that a psyker draws upon to use his powers, channelling the otherworldly forces to send telepathic messages hurtling to far distant worlds, or to propel a psychic bolt of energy against a foe. Secondly, Warp space is not an empty void, but an infinite and incomprehensible realm inhabited by many strange entities, the most powerful and dangerous of which are the four Great Gods of Chaos – Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh – and their legions of Daemons. Daemons are destruction and anarchy incarnate and they lust after the flesh, blood and very souls of living creatures. They want only to destroy, to drag any living essence they can capture back to their shadowy realm, to obliterate the material universe and engulf it within Warp space. Fortunately for Mankind, this is difficult to accomplish. Daemons

cannot easily leave the Immaterium and can only do so when they find gateways that bridge the gap between their dread domain and realspace. Such coveted gateways exist, but are rare. The most vulnerable portals linking the Immaterium with the material galaxy are human psykers. A psyker’s mind registers visibly in the Warp, and by using his powers, a psyker opens up a bridge between reality and that uncanny realm, a path that a Daemon can follow back to the psyker himself, and into realspace. Without a great will or the benefits of training, there is little protection against such prowlings, and the effect on the psyker is horrific. Sometimes it takes the form of massive physical changes, distorting and twisting their bodies in an orgy of destruction. Insidious and cunning, other Daemons possess their subjects more subtly and use them to inveigle themselves into human society, keeping their true nature hidden while they nurture plots to further their own ends. Luckily, Daemons cannot exist for long in the material universe without the unnatural energies of the Warp to sustain them. Chaos entities will therefore seek to enlarge any rifts, prolonging the amount of time they can exist there. To this end, dark entities reach out from the Warp, whispering in the ears of the weak and impure, calling Men to heresy and sowing the seeds of corruption. Such are the dangers of the Warp – at once a boon and an unimaginable horror. Without the ability to travel through Warp space, the Imperium would collapse and Mankind would fall victim to the endless perils that threaten to destroy it. Without psykers, the whole system of astrotelepathy would be non-existent and each planet would be cut off, unable to heed warnings or call for aid. Only the Warp allows the far-flung fleets and armies of the Imperium to be coordinated and moved against its enemies; it is essential to the Imperium’s very existence. Yet the Warp also represents the most hostile of realms and the direst of all threats. So all-pervading and profound are the dangers harboured in Warp space that those in the Imperium who understand the perils keep that knowledge a closely guarded secret. Only a few truly realise what dangers await Humanity just beyond the veil of realspace. For so grim is the outlook, so complete is the annihilation that lurks in the Immaterium, that were men to realise the immensity of their enemy, it would drive them to anarchy and madness.

VOYAGES THROUGH THE IMMATERIUM Man’s ability to exploit the Warp has resulted in their many crusade-like expansions that have, over the millennia, periodically swept out from Terra, penetrating all the way to the outer reaches of the galaxy. In terms of the star systems and planets under its control, the Imperium is by far the largest empire – indeed the worlds under its dominion are dotted across the galaxy, some clustered together, others far-flung outposts scattered across the frontiers of wilderness space. Yet as massive as the Imperium has grown, it can not exert control over the whole galaxy, nor even claim the majority of the habitable systems encompassed within its borders. Within the large unexplored tracts, there are many things to be discovered – natural resources beyond imagination, lost human colonies and the ruins of long dead races waiting to be explored. The galaxy also contains many alien civilisations ruling smaller and less coherent empires of their own. The staggered pattern of human settlement undoubtedly owes much to the nature of space travel through the Immaterium. Because of the turbulent nature of Warp space, some parts of the galaxy are harder to reach than others. Violent currents of movement within the Warp isolate some zones, requiring circuitous routes to reach them or, at the worst, making any nearby travel impossible until one of the unpredictable lulls momentarily stills the region. More bizarre still, some parts of Warp space act like power vortices, sucking helpless spacecraft to their doom and tearing them apart with impossible forces. Over time, Mankind has learned to, at least partially, navigate the Warp. This has been achieved only at great cost and with great daring, yet Warp travel has allowed Humanity to colonise many distant areas and then to move vast quantities of troops to where they are needed in order to defend their widely strewn realm. When it comes to space travel, the advantage Humanity enjoys over the other, more Warp-restricted, races is born of three factors: the technology of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the steering ability of the Navigators, and the guiding light of the Astronomican. The first is the maintenance of ancient technology by the Adeptus Mechanicus; the Tech-Priests of Mars preserve the lore of ancient science on behalf of the Adeptus Terra. By engaging their Warp engines, spacecraft can enter or exit the nebulous realm of the Immaterium with a degree of reliability. The second factor is the existence of Navigators – a race apart which has been specially bred to pilot a ship within Warp space. Their third eye is sensitive to the tides and currents of the Immaterium, enabling them to manoeuvre their ships through the roiling madness to their eventual destinations. The third factor that makes Warp travel possible is the powerful psychic beacon called the Astronomican. Broadcast from Holy Terra by a choir of psykers and focused by the Emperor’s will, this beacon reaches through Warp space allowing Navigators to follow its guiding light or plot courses through the directionless murk of endless Chaos. Without the Astronomican, not even

the most powerful of Navigators could pilot a ship or plot a course for the immense voyages required to cross but a quarter of the breadth of the Imperium. In essence, the realm of the Imperium of Man is defined by the reach of the psychic beacon of the Astronomican, the great Light of Terra. Should a Navigator attempt Warp travel outside the great radius from which the Astronomican can be seen, he must do so in utter blindness, greatly increasing the risk of mishap or madness, or a fate worse than either. At great distances, the Light of the Emperor is not visible. This limitation produces areas such as the Eastern Fringe or the Ghoul Stars, vast regions that are largely unexplored, save by a few Rogue Traders who have used conventional space travel to probe beyond where the Astronomican can reach. What waits for Mankind out in that blackness is unknown… Few of the alien races encountered by Mankind access the Warp. This reduces the reach of their space travel and therefore the size of the realms they control. Those few races that do dare the Immaterium do so less reliably than Mankind, utilising endless corrective manoeuvres to travel even short distances, or trusting to guesswork to reach their destination. For instance, the brutal alien race known as Orks can sometimes achieve the technology to enter Warp space, but without anything like Navigators or the guiding Astronomican, their methods of steering can be described as haphazard at best. While Orks are the most prolific of the galactic races encountered by Humanity, their limited and random use of Warp travel usually prevents their individual empires from fully uniting to match the might of the Imperium.

NAVIGATORS Navigators are a stable breed of human mutants whose existence predates the Imperium by many thousands of years. Founded some time during the Age of Technology, the Navis Nobilite, or Navigator Houses, survived through the Age of Strife to the present day, where they currently thrive as a vital part of the Imperium. Navigators have unique physiques, some of which can be quite varied and extreme, but all are marked by a third eye in the middle of their foreheads. It is this orb that is the key to their power and value, for it is used to see the shifting currents of the Warp, enabling a Navigator to steer a spacecraft through the maelstrom of madness that is the Immaterium. The mutation is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather the result of ancient genetic experimentation and engineering. Amongst humans, only Navigators can pilot spacecraft through the Warp with any reliable degree of direction. Without Navigators, the Imperium would fragment into thousands of separate stellar empires, each only a few dozen light years across, whose spacecraft would be obliged to risk many tiny, blind jumps to cover any great distance of interstellar space.

++ The Emperor’s Command illuminates the galaxy. ++

Cocooned within the cold confines of the ship’s command deck, Navigator Stillmar lay perfectly still. He was only dimly aware of the darkened stasis cell around him, surrounded as he was by the humming energy fields and the oppressive psi-shields that separated him from the rest of the venerable spacecraft, the Pride of Noctress. This was the final barrier between him and the creatures of the Warp should they ever manage to breach the outer hull. It was best, thought Stillmar, not to dwell on such things, for once in Warptransit, fear was his worst enemy. Fear alone could cause his ship to deviate in

its trajectory so that when they re-entered realspace, it would be thousands of light years off course, or worse. During his years of training, he had repeatedly learned that fear was the gateway by which the creatures of the Warp could enter his mind, so Stillmar cast aside his morbid thoughts and doubts to instead concentrate on the roaring passage of the Immaterium around the ship’s outer stasis envelope. As he returned to his trance-like state, Stillmar’s third eye opened. Once more he could see the strange but familiar flowing of the Warp, sensing the waves the Pride of Noctress made as it traversed the shadow realm of the Immaterium. Stillmar could feel the elongated tear drop shape of the Gellar field that surrounded them and the Warp closing in behind the ship, leaving eddies of current spinning into the blackness. Amidst those eddies, he could hear vague things made real by the thoughts of the crew, incorporeal hopes and fears embodied within the Warp and then sloughed away by the ship’s own passage. For a moment, Stillmar could hear his own voice calling to him, a thin cry of warning and terror, ‘Go back, go back’ before it was swallowed forever. Stillmar was used to such things; his own ghosts had long since ceased to unnerve him. He often wondered, however, what happened to the drifting and congealed emotions given form by his own mind? Did they simply dissolve back into the Warp, as was commonly supposed, or did they wander forever? If so, what were they like, these creatures which were dragged into life by the countless random processes of his subconscious? Sometimes a ship encountered tides of ghostly things that clawed and scrambled at their Gellar fields, making the Warp engines scream. Were these the same kind of creatures, given life by millennia of passing ships and cast adrift on the currents of the Immaterium? What was it they wanted? What drew them with such frenetic energy towards the spacecraft? Stillmar knew he was being distracted and also knew it was best not to follow any of the spectres too closely with his mind-sense. Doing so could cause the ship to drift off course and, perhaps more ominously, it allowed him to feel the shadows of other, more predatory things lurking at the periphery of the ship’s passage. What these apparitions were, he did not know, but their presence filled the Navigator with such a dire sense of foreboding and dread that only a strict regimen of hymnals and a rigorous cleansing of his mind could restore his confidence. Although Stillmar did not know what those entities out in the Warp could be – he knew they were drawn to him and his ship and could not shake the feeling that they were stalking them like voracious beasts following a blood trail.

THE WORLDS OF THE IMPERIUM Spread across the galaxy are over a million planets colonised in the name of the Imperium. To ease some of the problems inherent in running an empire across such great distances, the Imperium is divided into five segmentums, which in turn are broken down into numerous sectors and sub-sectors. Some planets are well connected to other Imperial worlds or, in rare cases, part of a united star system such as the Realm of Ultramar or the stellar systems surrounding Terra. Many Imperial worlds are clustered around regions of space more easily accessible through the Warp, often branching out from prime planets that serve as key travel or communications hubs. These worlds and their colonies form tightly-knit alliances for trade purposes and mutual protection. The majority of inhabited worlds, however, are separated from the greater Imperium by immense voids of distance, patchy histories of isolation and cultures grown (or regressed) in disparate directions. The exact number of planets inhabited by the Imperium is not precisely known as, given the immense distances, communication issues and the volatile nature of the galaxy, even if a thorough census could be completed, it would be obsolete soon after it had begun. New planets are colonised on the many frontiers all the time, yet it can take hundreds of years for that information to filter back to Terra. In that time, the new territory could have expanded further or been attacked and wiped out. Suns die, Warp rifts open and countless isolated worlds fall to the predatory xenos species that hunt throughout the galaxy. It is not uncommon for Imperial fleets to arrive at a planet’s coordinates to find a once teeming world transformed into a blasted and barren landscape, or once advanced civilisations reduced to feral hunters. Warp storms, daemonic incursions, stellar phenomena, alien invasions and more can make a mockery of the piled datascrolls tediously archived and studied by legions of scribes. So why do the relentless cogs of the Imperium grind on, forever collecting and cataloguing the data? This indelible drive stems from Terra itself, for naught in the Imperium is more important than the collection of tithes. The Imperium is constantly at war, and each of the segmentums contains dozens of raging war zones, to say nothing of countless planetary raids, xenos probes, rebellions and other threats untold. Only by continuous and aggressive recruiting can the demand for the armed services be met, and in the midst of ongoing campaigns, even harsher measures are employed to replace high numbers of casualties. On the most war-torn planets, the entire population is destined for a military life; the recruiting and birth rates are synonymous. The need for resources to arm and equip the fleets and armies of the Imperium is unceasing, and untold billions of Imperial citizens toil endlessly simply to keep pace with the endless demands. Only by tithing – a charge on manpower levied upon every colonised planet – can the Imperium continue to exist, holding at bay its many enemies while simultaneously seeking new worlds and resources to conquer.

THE IMPERIAL TITHE Also called Terra’s Due or the Grand Harvest, the Imperial Tithe is a complicated contract worked out according to each planet’s ability to pay. A great many branches of the Adeptus Administratum are involved in the process, and different organisations might be tasked with sacred duties such as assessing tithe rates, measuring collections, and monitoring any fluctuations. It is the duty of each planetary governor to ensure the Imperial Tithe is paid. Such ministrations are tyrannically enforced, but as long as all tithe responsibilities are met and enemies of the Imperium are rejected, a planetary governor may rule his planet in any fashion he sees fit with little or no interference. In return for this fealty, the planetary governor can call upon the Adeptus Terra in times of need to request aid. Over the long centuries, many planets have established their own unique customs and traditions for how they supply their tithes. For instance, Vostroya, a manufacturing planet, supplies every firstborn son to service in the Imperial Guard, while the four planets of the Nepstrum system take volunteers from the established familyholds for the Imperial Navy and press-gang the remaining numbers from the worker class. Failure to deliver the Imperial Tithe is met with harshly. Even the slightest breach in protocol will often result in the execution of the planetary governor and a swift and thorough regime change. Despite the number of agencies tracking tithes, sometimes it takes time for discrepancies to surface and be acted upon. This is inevitable given the difficulties of space travel and communications, to say nothing of the vast bureaucracy within each of the many organisations that make up the Adeptus Administratum. Once tithe anomalies are spotted, however, the Imperium moves with brutal finality. None can say how many worlds’ rulers are unfairly replaced due to minor accounting errors, but the Imperium is at war, battling not for planets or even star systems, but for the survival of the human race itself.

++ The Universe has a cold, unforgiving heart and cares not for the lives of men. ++

THE CULLING In addition to manpower, there is one more all-important part of the Imperial Tithe imposed upon every world colonised by Mankind. It is Imperial law that each planet must keep its population free of psykers, though, depending on the world and the abilities they manifest, they are also known as witches, cultists, mutants, precognistics, mindmovers, telepaths, pyrocasters, projectors, sunderers and more. As in all aspects of governance, how this tithe is met is up to each planetary governor and therefore methods vary widely. Many choose harsh repression – planet-wide witch-hunts, in which the undesired individuals are labelled as contagious heretics that are dangerous to know or harbour, leaving them nowhere to hide. Other planets employ even less savoury approaches. Regardless of method, when the Black Ships arrive, a planet must yield up its psykers for collection so they might be assessed and dealt their fate.

PLANETARY TYPES Over the long ages of their journeys through the stars, Mankind has colonised all manner of worlds. Humanity has claimed ownership over cold, airless rocks, sweltering lush worlds that teem with myriad life forms and nearly everything in-between. During the Age of Technology, colonies were even founded upon hitherto uninhabitable orbs, such as gaseous giants where settlements were anchored amidst the endless mists, tethering vast cities miles above endless storms. While the secrets to taming such inhospitable environments have been lost to wars, catastrophes, or the erosion of time, there are still many worlds that cling to existence thanks to ancient and much revered (if little understood) machinery. The life giving hab-domes upon the fire-riven world of Surtur or the immense atmosphere sifters that make the poison air of the Aspian Moons breathable, are prime examples of this. Yet planets do not differ just in their environments, such variances as founding dates, technological advancements or the amount of contact with other life forms also serve to widen the differences. As an example, Pizarro is a recently settled Imperial outpost attempting to colonise a verdant new world on the edge of unexplored space. It has little in common with Heraclea, a planet founded during the dawn of space travel, a worn out

world that has plundered all its resources and rebuilt itself many times over during its history, which stretches beyond record. Save for their mutual worship of the GodEmperor and payment of Imperial Tithes, the people of the two planets would share little in common. From wild frontiers full of lawless savagery and the unexplored, to ancient civilisations with cultures so refined that every nuance of speech carries meaning beyond translation – all are part of the Imperium. There are many branches of the Adeptus Administratum tasked with classifying the colonised planets. Some use numeric systems, others simplify worlds into broad environmental categories, or base ratings on history, level of industry, accessibility through Warp space, percentages of psykers or other endless variables. By cross referencing such data, it should be possible to gain an accurate portrait of a planet, but the Administratum offices are large and disconnected, most not even realising that the others exist. There are few who can navigate such labyrinthine complexities to access the data and so, often, decisions are made with what scant information can be gathered. Entire armies have been sent to war zones not knowing the climate of their assigned planet, or even if it has breathable air, yet the political history, religious cults or mutation rates of their target might be exhaustively detailed in long datascrolls.

FORGE WORLDS Forge worlds are the domain of the Adeptus Mechanicus, planets dedicated to heavy industry and the superstitious religion of science. Known as the Priesthood of Mars, the Adeptus Mechanicus arose from the original factory hive built upon Mars, and the heart of their order, as well as the Fabricator General, still reside there. Over long millennia of expansions, other forge worlds have been established, such as Goethe Majoris and Lucius, and all such planets are wonders of the galaxy. Wreathed in pollution, they are places where the technological secrets of Terra’s past are hoarded. They are covered in thousands of years of built-up progress, continent-sized machine factories, volcanic furnaces and the workshop-fortresses of the Titan Legions. The Adeptus Mechanicus supply print outs of STCs, or Standard Template Constructs, so lesser factory worlds can churn out the standard weaponry for the Imperium, yet none of them can match the quality and quantity of a forge world’s output. There, revered designs have survived since the Age of Technology and are followed, using proscribed mystic rites and invocations, to craft wondrous weapons and the most advanced equipment used by the Imperium. They are responsible for crafting tanks, fleets of battleships and even the mechanical behemoths known as Titans.

Every machine on a forge world is watched over and repaired by Tech-Priests who intone the blessings of the Omnissiah – the Machine God – with every strike of their hammers or turn of their wrenches. Notoriously secretive, the Adeptus Mechanicus rarely permit outsiders upon its coveted forge worlds, although Tech-Priests do venture out to provide the Imperium with technical expertise, as well as to explore for themselves, forever seeking lost technology, forgotten since the dreadful Age of Strife.

UNIMAGINABLE SCALE The scale of the Imperium and the grandeur of its enormity is unmatched by the realms of any other race in the galaxy. Due to its vast magnitude, the Imperium can afford for entire worlds to become specialised places where a majority, perhaps even the entirety, of the population is devoted to a single task. This could be heavy industry, military training, manufacturing, mining or agriculture. Planet-wide dedication serves to simplify logistics and increase outputs. On one of these so-called agri-worlds, for example, the whole population toils to produce crops or breed creatures for food. Without the fertile plains of Delphenia, the beslimed leech fields of Grianah or a thousand others like them, whole sectors of the Imperium would suffer starvation. Nowhere is the enormous scale of the Imperium better seen than in its monuments. Entire planets have been dedicated to commemorating great battles – the surfaces of these worlds are covered in statues, tombs for the fallen and triumphal arches. It is possible to see the Great Column, a titanic memorial on the planet Ultima Macharius, from a high orbit. It is a monumental site dedicated to the high point of Lord Solar Macharius’ crusade – at the time of its capture from xenos, the planet was the Imperial holding most distant from Holy Terra. One of the most widely known planetary classifications is that of hive world. These longsettled planets have become so built up and populated that they are marked by vast, continent-spanning cities that reach high into the skies, with levels literally built atop previous foundations. These building practices have gone on for so long that lower levels are no longer recognisable, with architecture and technology from eras long forgotten, sometimes even proving to be of xenos-build. The fact that their own hive was built atop ancient ruins overtaken by their ancestors has passed out of knowledge. Not all hive worlds go upwards; others descend many dozens of miles into the ground, the surface world remaining unseen for so long it is considered legend. Some hive worlds, such as Armageddon, have many different urban conglomerations separated by swathes of polluted wastelands, while others, like Megheim, have the entire surface encased in towering edifices. The massive populations of hive worlds periodically become unmanageable, as the masses boil over against their constant repression. Such bustling mega-cities are always rife with anarchic and destructive forces that ensure only the hardiest can survive. Yet this too works for the Imperium, for their tithes supply rich sources of fighting men for the Imperial Guard. The majority of the Imperium’s planets are self-sufficient, as they are so regularly cut off by the vagaries of Warp travel that they have to be. Many of these defy broad categorisation, such as Cyclopean Prime – a colossal planet a hundred times the size of Terra. It is so vast that its full rotation takes over 12 Terran years, creating extreme climatic circ*mstances that change from frozen plains of ice to blazing arid deserts over the course of a rotation. Scattered across its hundreds of enormous continents are hive

cities, industrial zones and grainfields, all configured against the inevitable changes in weather. Or consider how the planet of Ferroxian would be listed – it is a mining world full of the purest ores, yet its environment is so harsh that it also serves as a penal planet; working in its deadly confines is a cruel torture considered worse than death. Some planets aren’t classified by their environs, but rather by their technology. It is not uncommon to enter zones once cut off by Warp storms to discover badly regressed Imperial planets – so-called feral worlds – which have, through warfare, long isolation or disaster, reverted to barbarism. Most people of such planets have forgotten the Imperium, or if they remember, have reduced it to an apocryphal tale or legend of warriors who came from the skies. On the most deteriorated planets, Mankind is at its most primitive, using stone-tipped spears, whilst other worlds have perhaps advanced to medieval levels. Decline is common, although there are a few bright points, such as the progressive electro-societies of Zaxxis or the chem-savvy founders of Prassium. Regardless of how backwards a planet might be, it is still assigned a planetary governor. Often, in such cases, these rulers prefer to live in seclusion, although some stride their realms like living gods, cowing the superstitious natives with their technology and weaponry. So long as the tithes are paid, the Imperium cares not. Sometimes a world is too dangerous to colonise, but its potential for exploitation is too high for the Imperium to ignore. This is true of the hollow world of Haxan Prime and the plague-ridden planet of Gonomondium. For now, the resources and mysterious secrets of those planets are out of reach, either wreathed in acidic vapours or contaminated by virulent disease, which prevents planetfall. These quarantined worlds, of which there are no small number, are placed under surveillance or even blockaded to prevent any intruders getting in, or any of their secrets getting out, until such a time as the Imperium can properly utilise them. Naturally, such information has a way of getting lost, resulting in horrible colonisation accidents.

DEATH WORLDS Death worlds are planets deemed by the Adeptus Administratum classification system as too dangerous to support conventional human settlements. The death world label could be applied for many reasons, most likely because of atmospheric reasons, the landscape, or the ecosystem. One of the best known of all death worlds is Catachan, a planet infamous for its continent-spanning jungles and myriad forms of particularly ferocious carnivorous life. It is almost as if all the biomass of the planet has turned into some sort of man-eating creature. Amidst the countless predators, some have attained legendary status across the galaxy, such as the Catachan Devil, a monstrous insectoid whose

savage exploits are the stuff of nightmare. Yet anyone who has seen a brain leaf in action, or witnessed the venus mantrap, knows that it is not just the fauna on the planet that is deadly, for even the flora eagerly hunts the human population. The death world known as Praxeti, however, is not infested with maneaters; its danger takes a different form. It is a blasted rockscape riven with ion storms so powerful that they that can shatter metal. Other death world threats are stranger still – the living planet of Croatoa, the psychic storms of Sycorax, or Cesstium’s vampiric condensation, to name but a few. Many death worlds have some intrinsic value – either strategic or mineral – that necessitates the provisioning of outposts or other exploratory facilities. Thus, despite the name, many death worlds support at least some measure of human population. However, living in such harsh environments is inevitably harsh and dangerous, and life expectancies are notoriously short. Those humans who do manage to eke out an existence on a death world are natural born survivors, hardened to the cruelty of the galaxy at a young age, and because of this, they make ideal recruits for any number of the branches of the armed forces of the Imperium.

IN THE DEPTHS OF SPACE The Imperium is not made solely of planets and star systems. Defensive emplacements and man-made stations of all sorts are scattered about the galaxy, floating freely in space and guarding against alien onslaught. Most often, these bases are in close proximity to Imperial planets, although some protect the more commonly used routes between them. There are ancient and complex bases, artificial moons and doomsday bastions, as well as simple hazard zones made of asteroids chained together and kept in place by occasional thruster bursts. In deep space, the Imperium also maintains battle stations – planet-sized ports that tether ships of the line. At various strategic points can be found larger starforts – the lynchpins of Imperial expansion since the days of the Great Crusade. Even further into the wilderness of the void drift an array of listening probes and exploratory stations. Across the galaxy, as far as the beam of the Astronomican can be seen, great exploratory fleets can be found, whole flotillas plumbing the dark depths, seeking to stake claims for the Imperium. To reap the mineral-rich nebula clouds and asteroids of new-found metals, mining stations are launched. Far from the light of any star, these space-faring rigs siphon off the great dust clouds for wealth or bolt themselves onto asteroids for dangerous mining operations.

DRIFTING MENACE The airless vacuum of outer space is an unforgiving environment. Malfunctions, mutiny, pirate raids, or mishap can leave a ship adrift, its crew slain. For ships that utilise Warp space, the risks are multiplied a hundredfold. As the vastness of space and the perils of the Warp preclude most salvage operations, these lifeless vessels are often just left to float aimlessly. Over long millennia, the derelicts are moved by natural eddies until they are swallowed by Warp storms – the colossal furies that periodically erupt out of the Immaterium. The energies of those titanic tempests crush everything together and the resultant mangle of ships, space stations, asteroids and detritus is known in the Imperium as a space hulk. Some space hulks are small, perhaps only a few ships compacted together, while others are vast conglomerates larger than many moons. Space hulks wander on unpredictable currents, sometimes dropping out of the Warp to materialise in realspace for a short time, before winking away once more. Such drifting derelicts are hard sought after, for they can be treasure troves – rich bounties whose cores might date from the Age of Technology, or perhaps contain cargo holds full of xenos mechanisms from long lost civilisations. The lure is strong, but not for the unwary, for many space hulks have picked up unwanted passengers, becoming lairs for monstrous things.

EXTERMINATUS The order for Exterminatus is a death knell for a world, a last resort for the direst of situations. It calls for the complete eradication of all life on a planet. Such a command can only come from the highest ranks of the Imperium – a Space Marine Chapter Master, Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy, Lord Commander of the Imperial Guard or an Inquisitor. It is a grim measure, and the orders unleashing such catastrophic destruction are only issued when the threat is so prevalent that no solution or redemption can be seen. It has been used to combat planet-wide heresy, rampant, uncontrollable mutation or disease, to prevent the opening or widening of Warp rifts, or when xenos are so entrenched that the resources (population included) are beyond salvation. The methods of delivering this ultimate sanction vary depending on the source of the order and the organisation that delivers the sentence, but all are equally uncompromising. The Adeptus Astartes tend towards delivering an Exterminatus device to the planet’s surface. Such a mission takes the carefully picked kill team right to the heart of the foe, where they can ensure the absolute death of the world. By contrast, the Imperial Navy prefer sustained bombardments, using battleships to hammer the world until its very structure collapses. The grim corvettes of the Inquisition favour esoteric weapons such as cyclonic torpedoes and atmospheric incinerators.

‘‘Some may question your right to destroy ten billion people. Those who understand realise that you have no right to let them live.’

- Exterminatus Extremis

THE ECCLESIARCHY Necessity and fear alone cannot bind a million planets together, and from the earliest days of the Imperium, many have tried to unite Mankind through faith. From a small cult full of superstitious and zealous disciples, the organisation known as the Ecclesiarchy has grown to provide the state religion for the whole of the Imperium. A force unto itself, the Ecclesiarchy has now spread into nearly every facet of Imperial life. It was recognised long ago that the man known as the Emperor was something extraordinary, and as he led Humanity back to the stars, he was much venerated as a leader and visionary. On the most regressive planets rediscovered during the Great Crusade, no few of the primitive peoples considered the Emperor to be a living god – a fiery saviour that came from the skies. On others, his coming heralded the fulfilment of ancient prophecies. After his battle with Horus and subsequent incarceration atop the Golden Throne, the Emperor became the object of open worship even on so-called civilised planets. The culmination of the civil war known as the Horus Heresy not only robbed Mankind of

the Emperor’s physical guidance, it brought about other changes as well. In addition to the devastation brought about by so many years of war, there was general panic in the newborn Imperium, a fear of traitors within Humanity’s midst and growing trepidation for the warping powers of beyond. Suddenly, the bright light that the leader of Mankind had worked so hard to rekindle was replaced with worry, suspicion and dread. Once again, the far-flung empire felt vulnerable. Into this vacuum came a new reassurance of faith. Over the tumultuous decades following the Horus Heresy, many prophets rose up throughout the Imperium citing visions and revelations regarding the Emperor, and cults dedicated to his worship began appearing everywhere. These sects differed in practice, interpreting the now-silent Emperor’s will in myriad ways, but they were all united by their deification of the Emperor and the proliferation of the principles of human survival that he had instigated in the creation of the Imperium. Concerning mutants, psykers and aliens, anything that stood in the way of Humanity’s future was to be destroyed without mercy or hesitation. As the vengeance campaign known as the Scouring swept back over the human-controlled parts of the galaxy, these new sects followed closely behind. Within a few hundred years of the Emperor’s sacrifice, the multitude of smaller cults had been absorbed into the largest and strongest sects, the most powerful of which was known as the Ecclesiarchy, after its elected leader, the Ecclesiarch. This aggressive body grew so large and dominant over the years that, early in the 32nd Millennium, it gained the status of official religion of the Imperium and the concomitant title of Adeptus Ministorum.

THE OFFICIAL FOUNDING The first official step of the Adeptus Ministorum was to tighten its control over the practices of the masses by persecuting any remaining cults that refused to amalgamate beneath its broad banner. Those who refused to join were declared unbelievers and the population was stirred to violence against them. The might of the Ecclesiarchy was such that it could call for vast Wars of Faith – military campaigns capable of overturning planets or whole systems. Often, this was done to further the Imperium’s goals, ridding it of heretics, seditious unbelievers or alien subversion, but history is equally replete with examples of the Ecclesiarchy instigating bloody wars for its own gain. There have been many instances like the Grommoden Massacre, or the War of the Three Treasons that secured enough wealth to build the first of the shrine worlds. Lavish cathedrals, massive statues and monolithic triumphal arches heaped praise upon the almighty Emperor but, more importantly to many, these pivotal hub planets granted vast political sway and rich mineral resources. The Ecclesiarchy’s influence spread throughout the Imperium and few dared to question its motives. With the backing of the Adeptus Terra, the growing Ecclesiarchy increased its hold on Imperial citizens until, by the end of 33rd Millennium, there was no open worship in the Imperium save for that condoned by the Adeptus Ministorum. The only exceptions were

planets controlled by the Space Marines and the Adeptus Mechanicus, who were begrudgingly allowed to keep their unique traditions. This is still the case in the 41st Millennium, although in the long ages since, this has led to some distrust, strife and occasionally even open war between the differing parties.

THE HOLY MISSION The servants of the Ecclesiarchy are fanatical in their quest to spread their religion. Given the size of the galaxy, the random nature of Warp storm isolation and the widely varied levels of cultural and technological advancement within the Imperium, the Adeptus Ministorum finds many belief systems already established on planets they visit for the first time. This is not an impediment for the Ecclesiarchy, for they have become adept at assimilating all manner of creeds into the Cult Imperialis – the worship of the Emperor. This might mean erecting great cathedrals to impress hardened hive-dwellers, or teaching the hunting tribes on feral worlds that the sun-god they worship is, in fact, the glorious light of the Emperor. The nuance of how the people bow before the Master of Mankind is not nearly as important as the act itself, and in this the Ecclesiarchy is content to play the long game. Their strategy, over time, reins in the more barbaric customs and gradually usurps complete religious control for themselves. Any local religions that resist bending before the might of the Ecclesiarchy are ruled heretical and are actively crushed by political or military means, whichever proves the most prudent.

ORGANISATION The incumbent leader of the Adeptus Ministorum and spiritual head of Humanity is called the Ecclesiarch and, since the middle of the 32nd Millennium, he has had a seat as one of the High Lords of Terra. Below this is a convoluted chain of hierarchal positions that fluctuate based on political influence and wealth. The Ecclesiarch is elected from amongst the Cardinals, spiritual leaders of which there are many thousands, divided into various ranks. All of the Cardinals are invited to join the Holy Synod, the ruling council of the Adeptus Ministorum chaired by the Ecclesiarch. Otherwise, a Cardinal oversees a diocese, a district that can be as large as an entire star system. A diocese is divided into parishes, each of which is centred on an Imperial shrine and run by a Preacher. Especially vigorous Preachers are anointed as Confessors, free-roaming zealots who use their evangelical platform to agitate the crowds that turn up to hear them. Under the spell of an Arch-Confessor, swathes of citizens will rush forwards to confess their personal heresies, reveal their hideous mutations and betray their comrades as psykers or other untrustworthy deviants. In addition, there are Pontifices, Deacons, Relic-keepers, Shrouded Cenobites, Chapel-masters and more. There is a strict hierarchy, but the reality is not necessarily straightforward, as lesser titles in a larger diocese can outweigh loftier positions elsewhere. A Missionary is a particularly fervent individual who finds himself at the forefront of

Imperial expansion. Sent to rediscovered worlds or to accompany a crusading army, it is his task to bring the Emperor’s light to lost civilisations. Once settled upon a new world, Missionaries often open and run an institution, typically a hospital or school, in places where such things are rare or unknown. Such good deeds are not done without an ulterior purpose. Missionaries are excellent recruiters and ideally positioned to observe a local population, granting them the ability to keep watch for signs of genetic deviation, cultural pollution, alien influence or witchcraft. Perhaps the most famous Missions are the Schola Progenium, orphanages established to train the children of those Imperial officials who have given their lives in service. Their orthodox teachings create particularly loyal citizens, and many go on to have careers as officers or Commissars in the Imperial Guard. Some will drift towards becoming Preachers or Missionaries themselves, and a few will even rise to the rank of Inquisitor. Since the upheaval caused during the Age of Apostasy, the Adeptus Ministorum’s military wing has been the Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle. It is these fiery and zealous female warriors who form the spearhead of the Wars of Faith, and are the frontline of defence for the many shrine worlds of the Adeptus Ministorum.

++ Beyond the Emperor’s reach lies only darkness and despair. ++

BEGINNING OF THE END ++ Do not waste your tears. I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years but by the deeds of men. ++ During the time now regarded as the Age of Strife, the far-flung colonies of the human race were isolated by Warp storms of unprecedented ferocity. Thousands of years passed in which limited or no Warp travel was possible, causing Mankind to become hopelessly fragmented. Many planets fell to alien predators and outlying worlds sank to the levels of base barbarism. As the Warp storms finally abated, many changes were set in motion that rippled across both realspace and the Immaterium. A new era was beginning… When the Warp finally settled enough to once again allow travel, the time was right for one to rise up and lift Mankind from out of the anarchy of a bleak and regressive age. The man who came to be known as the Emperor had long foreseen and prepared for this moment and he emerged to unify the warring factions of Terra, the cradle of Humanity. Next, the Emperor stretched out his hand to reconcile with the estranged Tech-Priests of Mars. With their help, he rearmed his newly created Space Marine Legions, and they strove outwards to bring order again across the galaxy. Known as the Great Crusade, the Emperor’s troops spread out from Terra, relentlessly reuniting old territories, expunging aliens and claiming new systems. It was they who once again united Mankind, laying claim to the largest empire in the galaxy. Thus began a new epoch for the race of Man, setting the stage for what would become the Age of the Imperium.

THE HORUS HERESY This new dawn for Mankind, this expansive new era, was only just beginning when great sacrifice was demanded. Turning his back on the teachings of the Emperor, it was the Warmaster, Horus, the Emperor’s most trusted and gifted commander, who committed the ultimate betrayal. Embracing the will of the Dark Gods and infused by their ruinous powers, the traitor Horus led a great rebellion that set the galaxy aflame with bitter civil war. A full third of the Imperium’s forces joined Horus, including half of the Space Marine Legions. So it was that brother fought against brother, creating myths and grudges that exist to this day, for on both sides there strode warriors out of legend, and the very planets cracked apart beneath their titanic struggles. Seeking to slay the Emperor, the traitors carved their bloody way to Terra itself, investing the Emperor’s Palace, howling their rage in an orgy of slaughter and war. Yet finally, heroically, the tables were turned and, at last, Horus was struck down – but not before he dealt the Emperor a mortal blow. The shattered body of the Emperor remained intact, however, held strong by his indomitable spirit until it could be interred within the recently-forged machinery of the Golden Throne.

There, deep within the Imperial Palace, towering banks of arcane technology sustain the Emperor’s spirit to this day so that it can continue to watch over Humanity. Although his withered form is bound, the Emperor’s psychic powers are unfettered and he is still the Master of Mankind and custodian of the human race.

NO VICTORY WITHOUT TOLL Only the Emperor’s mind is powerful enough to survive directing the raw forces supplied by the servants of the Adeptus Astronomica to shape the psychic beacon of the Astronomican. The same survivability does not hold true for those members of the Adeptus Astronomica themselves, for their fate is a sad one. The efforts of generating so much mental energy soon destroys them, leeching their souls and reducing them to empty husks. Many die every day, but they are not the only psykers who are asked to make the ultimate sacrifice, for the Emperor cannot eat as men eat, or drink or breathe air. His life has long since passed beyond the point where such things can sustain him and the only viable sustenance for the Emperor is human life force – souls – and he has an insatiable appetite. Not just any human will suffice for the Emperor’s table, for the donor must have psychic powers. Therefore, the Imperium is scoured by the vast flotillas of the Black Ships in a

tireless search for emergent psykers. During their long, crowded journey back to Terra, some of the psykers will be found to have the strength of mind to be recruited into the Adeptus Astra Telepathica or become trained by the Adeptus Astronomica, but many more will serve their Emperor in a more gruesome way. They are given wholly to the weird machinery that surrounds the Master of Mankind and their souls are siphoned, slowly and agonisingly, to feed his mighty spirit. Many hundreds, even thousands, must die in this way every day for the Emperor, the Imperium, and all of Humanity to survive. The Emperor’s dream of a new age of enlightenment, a time when Mankind was freed from superstition and ignorance, has turned into something far different. His Imperium has long endured, but only by virtue of an oppressive and necessarily harsh rule carried on his name. It is an age of tyrants and of unreason, an era of stagnation and intolerance. His people have regressed into religious obfuscation while the Emperor sits immobile, his thoughts unknown; the creature whose will extends over a million worlds is unable to lift a shrivelled finger.

THE AGE OF THE IMPERIUM THE SCOURING The bitter fighting of the Horus Heresy was only the beginning of a new age founded in blood, battle and the living enshrinement of the Emperor. After the death of their leader, Horus, the traitors splintered and dispersed, but many hard battles remained. It was the time of the Scouring and it demanded countless victories before the fledgling Imperium was wrested back from the brink of destruction. Eventually, the traitors and heretics that weren’t destroyed outright fled before the vengeful wrath of the loyalist forces. Many made good their escape into unexplored space or disappeared into the Eye of Terror or other, lesser-known Warp rifts. In bitter exile, those who had turned to Chaos licked their wounds and cursed the Emperor, vowing one day to finish what they had started. Yet there was no time to rebuild the devastated Imperium, for in the wake of the devastation wrought by the Horus Heresy and the Scouring, Mankind found itself weakened and vulnerable. With so much of the its strength siphoned off fighting heretics, many colonised planets were ripe for invasion. Sensing this, predatory aliens closed in on all sides until, on every frontier, worlds burned and were lost. Not even systems once thought unassailable were safe from the rapacious xenos threat. In the midst of this turmoil, the hierarchy of the Imperium was also undergoing fundamental alterations, morphing from the direct rule of the Emperor to a realm ruled in his name. Many of the changes came from the rising suspicion that was growing from within. During the long fighting of the Scouring, it was gradually uncovered that far more planets than first thought had been lulled into treacheries of one form or another. The roots of these betrayals ran deep and were often hidden, hard to flush into the light and

harder still to trace back to those who had instigated the heresies. Distrust and paranoia were rampant in the wake of such sedition and a new era of unease, fear and mistrust grew into being – for the seed of doubt was planted. Changes swept both the military and the offices of government. The Space Marine Legions, the vast fighting formations so instrumental in Mankind’s victories during the Great Crusade, were broken down into many smaller Chapters. Overseen by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, this transition allowed for greater tactical flexibility without placing the command of an entire Space Marine Legion into the hands of one individual – never again would the awesome power of one hundred thousand Space Marines be misused. Another vast change wrought upon the Imperium’s mighty military redefined the nature of the Imperial Army. Once including both the great battleships that plied the stars and the countless soldiers that landed to fight planetside, now the two were divided into the Imperial Fleet and the Astra Militarum. Across all the agencies of the Imperium, offices and institutions were split, their previous responsibilities fractionalised into separate functions and departments. Many of the countless branches within the sprawling Adeptus Administratum were spawned at this time. With the instigation of these changes, it was not unusual for two separate organisations, each unaware of the other, to be tasked with the same jobs, such as verificator scribes and tithe enumerators poring over the same data, each producing the same reports. These byzantine systems were put in place as failsafe measures, which have since spiralled out of control into administrative excess. Beyond any such bureaucracies, and standing watch over all, was the newly formed Inquisition, a secretive organisation outside the established hierarchies. Ever vigilant, their role was to question everything in their constant search for threats to Humanity. None save the Emperor himself escape their uncompromising and watchful gaze. ++ Facts are chains that bind perception and fetter truth. For a man can remake the world if he has a dread and no facts to cloud his mind. ++

THE IMPERIUM ENDURES Since those mythic days, the Imperium has churned onwards, managing to survive all the threats that have been thrown against it. As explorator fleets burrow deeper into the black void of space, the Imperium grows further still. New inhabitable planets are found and colonised, and long-lost worlds are brought again into the Emperor’s light. But always the victories are short lived, tempered by some newly emerging crisis. Throughout the long years, the alien menace has not abated – manifesting as countless flare-ups along the frontiers as well as sudden attacks on territories deep in the midst of Imperium-controlled space. Old enemies continue their onslaught and more races of hostile xenos are discovered with alarming regularity. The Imperium has displaced, repulsed and ground over aliens across the galaxy, but also watched their own planets and star systems fall victim to inhuman attackers. In a few desperate instances, Mankind has had to call upon all their sprawling might to defend against the largest xenos invasions recorded in human history. Not a single segmentum has been spared and even Holy Terra itself has come close to falling into inhuman hands several times. The Warp storms, which had quieted during the rise of the Emperor and the Great Crusade, began to stir more frequently in the post-Heresy period. Once more, tempests burst forth unpredictably from the Immaterium to cut off portions of the galaxy, thwarting attempts at stability. The unsettled Warp space reflected the rising strife within the realm of men. Without the Emperor to physically guide them, the High Lords of Terra have often disagreed on the direction of the Imperium, quarrelling amongst themselves. Internecine politics, petty jealousies and personal ambitions have boiled over many times, pitting man against his brethren time and again. And always, looming over all other threats, has been the growing menace that lurks inside the Warp. Rising seemingly from nowhere, sprouting up as if from a buried hydra’s teeth out of fables, Chaos has repeatedly emerged in new and hideous forms. Constantly growing in magnitude, the havoc wrought by the Dark Gods has driven Humanity nearer and nearer to its doom. ++ Bringers of Doom; Avenging Angels of Death; they are the Space Marines.++ The Age of the Imperium, the present age, has lasted for ten thousand years – a vast gulf of time. It is an age unlike any other, an era of bloodshed and doubt, a time that combines both progress-defying stagnation and ever-evolving change. In many respects, it is a time of superstition in which great and unfathomable technology has been enslaved to the forces of mysticism and madness. To the ordinary humans of these times, the peasants in the fields and the warriors amongst the stars, scientific thought represents an abhorrent perversity, a corruption of honour and religious virtue. Even to those few humans who deal with the material of technology, science and magic have become largely inseparable; the Warp engine must have runes upon its side and the lasgun requires the blessings of the Emperor or the Omnissiah. Despite the changes in belief and the replacement of logic with faith, or perhaps because

of such unorthodox implementations, Humanity has not just survived the many disasters, heresies, and invasions that have plagued it over the millennia; it has managed to grow amidst the ruins. The realm of Mankind has never been larger, its borders never wider. Yet the Imperium has never been so beset by such a multitude of threats as it is now: incessant alien attacks, the proliferation of psykers, the growing rips in the veil separating Warp space from reality and the daily corruption of its own citizens take their toll. To maintain control over an empire constantly poised to be shattered, the Adeptus Terra has grown progressively harsher, their rule has grown ever more iron-fisted and tyrannical. Now is not the time for half-measures, for the fate of Humanity is at stake. Besieged and assailed, the Imperium has transformed into an increasingly oppressive realm, a place where rules trump reason and where scale and remoteness removes objectivity. Even death is no certain escape from service to the Imperium, for the fallen often continue their work as servo-skulls, data slaves or flickering bio-luminas; every resource is required. At its worst, what the Imperium has become is an uncaring bureaucracy gone mad – entire planets are turned into factory worlds, their immense populations enslaved and literally worked to death to produce materials no longer needed. Unending rows of scribes record statistics, following procedures as sacrosanct, although their recorded truths go unread, archived into continent-sized data banks that are filled, scrubbed blank and filled again. Lives, untold billions in number, are wasted out of ignorance, inertia or uncaring neglect. But what does it matter? The populace of planets, nay, entire star systems, are not even drops in an ocean compared to the staggering weight of Humanity’s masses. Losses, no matter how senseless or enormous, are acceptable so long as the Imperium continues.

ON THE PRECIPICE Mankind stands on the verge of an evolutionary change tens of thousands of years in the making. If Humanity can survive the trauma of change, it can cast off the mundane shackles of its current form to begin a new epoch of psionic mastery, an era of wonderment and the dawning of a hitherto unseen golden age. Throughout the Imperium, the tide of psychically active humans continues to rise on a daily basis, yet that Mankind will survive this deluge at all is by no means certain. Against this backdrop of a galaxy at war, the Imperium faces an unrelenting doom. If the ever-increasing numbers of rogue psykers are not controlled, what they unwittingly unleash will further strain the fabric that holds the Warp at bay. Should too many holes be punctured through reality, should that gap ever be too widely bridged, then the powers within the Warp will burst forth to consume the galaxy. A time of endless night presses in and, everywhere, the enemies of Mankind gather like eaters of carrion. Only the Emperor’s foresight and preparations stand a chance of seeing Humanity through such end times… Shrouded in billowing alchemical gases, connected by miles of wires and tubes, the Emperor understands and faces the dangers that threaten to engulf Mankind. Utterly cut off and alone, he has assumed the role preordained for him as guardian of Humanity and protector of its metamorphosis. The Master of Mankind knows that he must survive, must live forever if necessary, or until such a time as psychic humans have evolved sufficient strength to withstand the dangers they face from the Warp without him.

There is a tower in the Emperor’s Palace called the Tower of Heroes: a black tower which rises high into the sky like a spike. At the summit of that tower hangs the Bell of Lost Souls. It is an ancient thing, massive as a building and adorned with dark runes, its peal like the scream of an anguished god. It is tolled but once when a great hero of the Imperium dies. Its wailing moan of grief lasts long and reaches the ears of millions, and its tones penetrate the unifying ether of Humanity turning the thoughts of countless billions towards Mankind’s loss.

A DEADLY EVOLUTION Most humans do not have the conscious ability to manipulate psychic energy, yet almost all have the potential. Since the great Warp storms of the Age of Strife ended, the rate at which humans develop tangible powers has been steadily increasing. These untrained psychic minds can manifest a wide range of abilities, but the Adeptus Terra recognises them all as psykers, and each is subject to the demands of the Imperial Tithe. This obliges the rulers of every Imperial planet to set aside a levy of young psykers for transport aboard the Black Ships to Terra. Every day, the vast armada of the League of Black Ships plies the void, either racing to collect their precious cargo across the galaxy-wide Imperium, or rushing homeward to Terra, their holds crammed full of frightened and raging psykers. In addition to the Black Ship captains, each a high ranking member of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, Inquisitors often travel aboard the ships, as they provide a good opportunity to investigate planets’ potentials for corruption. Even with psychic dampeners and vigorous checks, such journeys are fraught with danger, for all on board must be evaluated and their powers contained. The threats are constant and ever-changing, as Warp travel has a way of jarring or unhinging unwary minds, sometimes causing psykers to collapse, releasing untold horrors. An untrained psyker’s only chance of surviving the threats of the Warp is to go unnoticed by the powers that stalk there. This is very difficult to do, even with training; the minds of psykers appear as bright flames in the murky realm of the Immaterium, ripe sweetmeats for the pandemonium of planeshifters and Enslavers, and the worst of the astral predators, Daemons. Without the rigours and disciplines taught by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica and its Scholastica Psykana, a psyker has no chance to defend himself against a hungry Warp presence. The dangers of new tears in the veil that separates reality from the Warp are omnipresent. Many psykers are innocent of the scope and malign implication of their abilities, although this doesn’t necessarily make them less dangerous. Others, far fewer in number, are not only aware of what hunts them, but actively court the dreadful attentions of Warp entities, tempting a terrible fate for morsels of knowledge or power. Those psykers whose minds are tainted – or worse yet, already harbouring Daemons – must be quickly eliminated.

THE SOUL BINDING No ordinary psyker can transmit a message through the Warp, nor receive a telepathic message over such distances. Only those called Astropaths learn this ability, and they only do so after many years of training at the Scholastica Psykana. Such teachings mould their powers and strengthen their minds against psychic dangers, culminating in a special ritual known as the Soul Binding. Taking place inside the Imperial Palace, the psykers are

led before the Emperor one hundred at a time. There, they kneel before the Golden Throne and are briefly subjected to the full-spectrumed greatness of the Emperor’s boundless mental energies. In the midst of this agonising process, the tiniest mote of the Emperor’s boundless power is transferred to the Astropath. Despite the long years of preparation, not all psykers survive the painful blessing bestowed by the Emperor. Even those that manage to maintain their sanity often sustain some type of loss from their brief exposure to purest power. In particular, the sensitive nerves of the eyes tend to suffer catastrophic damage, often melting entirely away, leaving nearly all Astropaths blind. Additionally, after their experience, many lack any sense of smell, touch or hearing and become increasingly frail of body. Soul Binding is said to affect Astropaths in other ways as well, and it is commonly claimed that once his mind has touched that of the Emperor’s, an Astropath may gain a new understanding and insight into the nature of the universe. Certainly, their increased psychic skills and fortitude make up for their sensory losses and, indeed, most Astropaths are able to function as well as if they had full sight. Indeed, they would not seem blind at all were it not for their distinctively distorted, sunken and empty eye sockets.

FORCES OF THE IMPERIUM Over ten thousand years of constant warfare has honed Mankind’s military might, for the galaxy is a hostile place and only by force of arms is the Imperium held together. It is an age of war and only the strong and the ruthless can hope to survive. Out amongst the stars there can be no mercy, no weakness and no respite from the unending war for survival. Backed by the weight of over a million worlds, the Imperium can draw upon a vast military institution deployed amongst the segmentums and arranged in a variety of organisations. Some of these, such as the stalwart Imperial Guard or the legendary Space Marines, are generally known, their efforts lauded and praised by the common man. Others, such as the shadowy Officio Assassinorum or the Ordo Malleus, are wholly unknown. Their existence is only guessed at by a small percentage of those in the upper echelons, but their role is no less vital than the others. Though myriad and diverse, the forces of the Imperium all work towards ensuring Mankind’s continued survival in a galaxy full of perils using their own equipment, techniques and strategies. Each branch is independent, functioning on its own to carry out its duties, but for large battles, the forces of the Imperium often find cause to work in conjunction with each other. For the most massive conflagrations, such as defending against the Chaos invasions known as the Black Crusades or the ongoing wars raging in the Antioch sector, representatives of all of Mankind’s military institutions join the fray. A planetary defence force holds the line until it can give way to the colossal might of the Imperial Guard, whose soldiers and tanks seek first to stabilise a front and then piledrive the foe into submission. In addition to ferrying the infantry to and from war zones, the Imperial Navy supplies orbital bombardments and fleet after fleet of atmospheric aircraft. Fighter craft, such as the Thunderbolt, arrive in waves to dominate the skies of a planet before launching Marauder heavy bombers to soften up the foes on the ground for the infantry. Into the thickest of the fighting are hurled Space Marine strike forces; they streak in to devastate key enemy positions, slay powerful leaders or capture key terrain features – their targets are left in smoking ruin. Then the Adeptus Astartes are quickly off again, deploying elsewhere for another rapid strike that rips the heart and soul out of the Imperium’s foes. In the most sprawling of conflicts, the Titan Legions are also deployed, their world-shaking firepower reserved for the most impregnable of fortresses and the direst of enemies. Fanatical shock troops, the Sisters of Battle mercilessly purge any who would deny the Emperor’s true way, while unseen and unheard Imperial Assassins ply their deadly craft. Where the denizens of the Warp are involved, the mysterious Grey Knights might turn up to a fray and, always, the intricate webs of the Inquisition are everywhere, their agents watching everything. To coordinate such diverse forces upon linked battlefields that might stretch across whole star systems or sub-sectors, it is typical for the Imperium to assign a supreme

commander to direct the various branches. If given the opportunity of time, foresight and planning, such assignments can be made by the High Lords of Terra themselves, allowing them to appoint an officer carrying the right mix of strategic acumen and fighting fury. However, given the nature of warfare, communication and space travel in the 41st Millennium, many war zones blossom in anarchic madness and different Imperial elements arrive pell-mell into hellish conditions. In such cases, an overall commander is typically selected through impromptu war councils, meetings between the different military offices on location to decide tactics and battle plans. It might seem obvious to simply take the highest ranking officer in the battle zone, but this in itself can be confusing – each of the different branches has their own hierarchical and naming nuances, meaning that it is difficult to compare like to like. For instance, it is possible to equate a Lord Admiral of the Imperial Navy to a Lord Commander of the Imperial Guard, but the vast ranks of the Imperial Guard also use titles of Lord Marshall, Lord Castellan, Lord Margrave, Captain-General, Kriegking and more. In such a far-flung and disparate empire, there are any number of variant hierarchical orders and comparing them in the heat of battle has been known to cause catastrophic delays.

ORDOS OF THE INQUISITION The Inquisition is divided into many different factions each known as an Ordos, each specialising in combating a particular threat to Mankind. The Ordo Malleus, known internally as Daemonhunters, stalk all creatures of Chaos and the Warp. The Grey Knights work closely with this branch to overcome those daemonic incursions that cannot be prevented. The Ordo Xenos are alien hunters who combat non-human elements and their influence within the galaxy. When a fighting force is needed, the Ordo Xenos often calls upon the Deathwatch, xenos-hunting specialists made up, as need arises, of Space Marines drawn from various Chapters. The role of the Ordo Hereticus is that of witch hunting, dealing with psykers, mutants, and traitors within the Imperium itself. As this task takes the Inquisitors amongst the ranks of Imperial institutions, the Ordo keeps close ties with the Sisters of Battle, whose zeal and particular hatred of heretics make them firm allies to the Inquisition when humanity must be protected from itself. Though there are other Ordos, these are the largest and most active, and the differing branches are often so focused on their own affairs that they are unaware of the means and methods of the other divisions. Even within an Ordo, the range of missions and techniques can vary widely and many threats are complex, containing elements under the purview of more than one Inquisitorial branch. While cooperation is the ideal solution, Inquisitors are not a trusting lot. There is no shortage of internal strife between and among Ordos, as attempts to safeguard mankind collide and disagreements regarding methodology erupt into new accusations and sometimes war.

++ The galaxy echoes with the clash of their weapons and the thunder of their mighty guns. ++ Where there is equal or unfathomable hierarchy, seniority and length of military service is often used to determine from which branch of service the overall commander will be selected. If the Space Marines are involved, this always gives their officers a chance take control. With their genetically enhanced bodies, Space Marines live extended lifetimes – if they do not fall in battle, they can easily live two to three times longer than a normal man, and sometimes far longer. Even in an age of constant warfare there are few amongst the defenders of the Imperium who can claim to have seen even a small portion of the battles won by veteran Space Marine Captains or the illustrious Chapter Masters. However, as the role of overall commander in an ongoing campaign or crusade isn’t often one of front-line fighting, many Space Marines leave the coordinating, supply and

reinforcement-haranguing role to others, preferring instead to take a command on the battlefield itself where their tactical acumen and fighting prowess can win the day more directly. In the midst of disasters during the Second Armageddon War, Lord Commander Dante, Chapter Master of the Blood Angels Chapter of Space Marines, was lauded after he arrived and claimed the role of overall force commander by dint of his rank and battle record. Commander Dante is said to be 1100 standard Terran years of age and his vast service record of victories fills entire libraries with material. It was Commander Dante, along with Commissar Yarrick, who rallied members of the Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Titan Legions and countless others in the defence of the embroiled planet against the relentless advances of the Orks. Despite the advantage of experience that Space Marines undoubtedly carry, one of the most famous campaign leaders of the last millennium was an Imperial Guard officer – perhaps the greatest of them. This man eventually became known as Lord Commander Solar Macharius, the Chief Military Commander of the Segmentum Solar and a member of the High Lords of Terra. One of humanity’s leading military minds, Lord Solar Macharius drove a coalition of Imperial forces with astonishing success and speed across the stars, clearing vast swathes of territory in the name of the Emperor. Not since the days of the Great Crusade itself had a man gained so much territory for the Imperium, and all in the span of seven years. Throughout the Imperium’s tumultuous history, however, not all instances of combined forces have ended in harmonious victory. The stakes for such highly acclaimed positions are high both in the prizes of victory and the cost of defeat. Many petty disputes and claims against honour have been made, as old grudges, needless races to steal glory, or simple miscommunications have caused many a disastrous setback for the Imperium. It is said that when Chapter Master Stibor Laezaerek of the Fire Hawks, the most senior officer present, was passed over in favour of Lugft Huron, the Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, for command of the Lycanthos Drift Campaign, it set in motion not just a lifelong grudge between the two factions, but the seeds of doom for both Space Marine Chapters. Similarly, the short-lived Donubus Crusade was brought about by feuding Lord Commanders and, even after their lethal duel, the entire border between their segmentums was plunged into civil war for three centuries. The crown of command does not sit lightly on those who preside over such monumental forces.

TEMPLES OF THE ASSASSINORUM The Imperium’s secretive agency of trained killers consists of many different

Assassinorum temples. Each specialises in honing the skills of their charges in a specific murderous art or in tracking and eliminating specific types of targets. Of the four largest temples, a Vindicare Assassin is trained in marksmanship, able to hit targets at great distances with utmost precision. Agents of the Callidus Temple use every manner of deception to inveigle their way into the heart of enemy institutions and power structures. Once there, the element of surprise and close proximity they have achieved allows them to strike when their target is most vulnerable. Eversors are not nearly so subtle; their genetically modified bodies are sent into chemically induced states of violent rage, meaning they tend to be unleashed on groups rather than aimed at particular individuals. Culexus Assassins, by far the rarest, are chosen from those few individuals who possess the Pariah gene, making them null-entities in the Warp. This ability, coupled with refined training and equipment, makes them uniquely qualified to take out psykers. Smaller temples, of lesser renown, also ply their trade across the galaxy’s war zones (the poison experts of the Venenum Temple or the intelligence gatherers of the Vanus Temple, for example) and only a handful of individuals know the actual number and nature of all of the Assassinorum’s enclaves. Their locations, training methods and targets are kept so secret that, even internally, members of one temple are unaware of the status of the others. This has more than once seen multiple Assassins sent after the same mark, sometimes resulting in deadly, but largely unseen, competitions amongst agents from different temples. This is no bad thing, however, as in the unpredictable theatre of war that is the 41st Millennium, ensuring the enemy is eliminated sometimes means taking a variety of different approaches; where one Assassin may find the way closed to them, another might see deadly opportunity.

++ A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords at dawn. ++

SPACE MARINES

Like Angels of Death, the superhuman Space Marines sweep into battle as if from nowhere, shattering their foe in a blaze of fire and death before leaving as abruptly as they came. The foremost of humanity’s defenders, the Space Marines are revered across the Imperium. Their glorious deeds are venerated with shrines and monuments on civilised worlds, and they are treated as gods of battle on primitive planets. Although held in awe as Mankind’s saviours, Space Marines inspire more fear than wonderment. They have always stood apart from those they protect, and of all the Imperium’s servants, they are the most fell-handed. They are death bringers, the deliverers of the Emperor’s merciless judgement. Their sudden appearance speaks of calamity, and for Imperial citizens to catch a glimpse of a single Space Marine, even at a great distance, is a dire portent and most likely one of the last things they will ever see. Space Marines are the most powerful of the Imperium’s warriors and they are expected to accomplish almost impossible battlefield duties, lead vital assaults, confront the most horrendous of foes and hold their positions no matter how hopeless the odds. Though their numbers are not great, they are sufficient for any task. Space Marines are masters of the lightning assault, though they embrace any role required to achieve victory; they were made for war, trained for victory and are armed for battle. They have given up their very humanity, nobly sacrificing that very thing they are duty bound to defend. Space Marines are organised into independent armies, called Chapters, of which there are roughly one thousand spread throughout the galaxy. Each Chapter has its own fleet, heraldic uniforms and distinct identity. All Space Marines in a Chapter belong to its warrior cult, in some cases following practices and traditions that date back to the earliest days of the Emperor’s reign. Space Marines of the same Chapter are therefore spiritual brothers as well as brothers-at-arms, and this dual existence, physical and spiritual, is what forges Space Marines into such dedicated warriors. Most Chapters operate from a Chapter Planet – a world within the Imperium governed by the Space Marines who maintain a base there and exempt from the ordinary tithes to the Administratum. Others are not planet bound, their base being a vast fleet, an asteroid or a space station. Like all legends, there is a mythology woven around the Space Marines, and the line between fact and fabrication is often blurred. This is no surprise, as the Space Marines were created at the very dawn of the Imperium’s history, by the Emperor himself. Some of the most storied Chapters can trace their history directly back to that time, members of the fabled First Founding, when Space Marines were organised as vast Legions. Since the discovery of traitors in their midst and revelations about increasing numbers of mutations amidst some Chapters, many organisational changes have been enacted.

FOUNDING CHAPTERS

The genetically-tailored progenoid gland that is implanted into every Space Marine aspirant’s body is descended directly from one of the Emperor’s masterworks – the Primarchs. In a very real sense, the blood of the Primarchs still flows through the veins of newly-created Space Marines some ten thousand years later. However, there have been times when gene-seed has been used to create entirely new Chapters of Space Marines – a ritual known as a Founding. Often, these ‘successor’ Chapters will maintain nuances or regalia from their progenitor Chapter, although this is not always so. Much history has been lost or overwritten, especially during the Age of Apostasy, making it hard to ascertain with accuracy the details of all of the Foundings – when Chapters were created, which gene-seed was used, or exactly how many were completed. What is known is that the most recent Founding was the twenty-sixth and that more than half of the Chapters in existence today are descended from the Ultramarines Chapter. Legion: Name of Legion when founded Primarch: Name of Primarch from which Legion ellegedly drew its gene-seed World: Where Legion was based Known Successor Chapters: Chapters named in Apocrypha of Davio [M33] Excommunicate Traitoris: Those Legions who turned during the Great Heresy as reported in the Grimoire Hereticus [M35] Legion: Dark Angels Primarch: Lion El’Jonson World: Caliban Known Successor Chapters: Angels of Absolution, Angels of Redemption, Angels of Vengeance Legion: Emperor’s Children Primarch: Fulgrim World: Chemos Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Iron Warriors Primarch: Perturabo World: Olympia Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris

Legion: White Scars Primarch: Jaghatai Khan World: Mundus Planus Known Successor Chapters: Marauders, Rampagers, Destroyers, Storm Lords Legion: Space Wolves Primarch: Leman Russ World: Fenris Known Successor Chapters: Wolf Brothers Legion: Imperial Fists Primarch: Rogal Dorn World: Terra Known Successor Chapters: Black Templars, Crimson Fists, Soul Drinkers Legion: Night Lords Primarch: Konrad Curze World: Nostramo Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Blood Angels Primarch: Sanguinius World: Baal Known Successor Chapters: Angels Encarmine, Angels Sanguine, Angels Vermilion, Blood Drinkers, Flesh Tearers Legion: Iron Hands Primarch: Ferrus Manus World: Medusa Known Successor Chapters: Red Talons, Brazen Claws Legion: World Eaters Primarch: Angron World: No Record

Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Ultramarines Primarch: Roboute Guilliman World: Macragge Known Successor Chapters: Novamarines, Patriarchs of Ulixis, White Consuls, Black Consuls, Libators, Inceptors, Praetors of Orpheus, Genesis Chapter, Doom Eagles, Silver Eagles, Eagle Warriors, Mortifactors, Aurora Chapter, Silver Skulls Legion: Death Guard Primarch: Mortarion World: Barbarus Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Thousand Sons Primarch: Magnus the Red World: Prospero Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Luna Wolves Primarch: Horuys World: Cthonia Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Word Bearers Primarch: Lorgar World: Colchis Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris Legion: Salamanders Primarch: Vulkan World: Nocturne Known Successor Chapters: None Known Legion: Raven Guard

Primarch: Corax World: Deliverance Known Successor Chapters: Black Guard, Revilers, Raptors Legion: Alpha Legion Primarch: Alpharius World: No Record Known Successor Chapters: Excommunicate Traitoris

++ The Emperor’s Judgement is a blessing for the faithful. ++

++ Our works are blessed by the Emperor’s favour. ++

ULTRAMARINES

Defenders of Ultramar, First Amongst Equals. The Ultramarines are an exemplary Chapter – arguably the purest, noblest and most honoured of their legendary kind. From the fledgling days of the Imperium, when they liberated more planets during the Great Crusade than any other Legion, to more recently, when they alone held the foe at bay at the beginning of the Tyrannic Wars, the Ultramarines have covered themselves in glory. It was the Ultramarines’ Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, who established the Codex Astartes, the tome that laid the foundation for the Space Marine Chapters. Due to their storied success and stable geneseed, they have served as progenitor for more successor Chapters than any other.

BLOOD ANGELS

The Sons of Sanguinius, the Angelic Host. Created during the First Founding, the Blood Angels are one of the oldest and proudest of all Space Marine Chapters. They are well known for their bloodthirsty zeal, favouring close combat and the use of jump packs, and for their unceasing quest for perfection – from the flawless execution of a battle plan to the aesthetics of their wargear. Yet for all their nobility, the Blood Angels are deeply marred. Since the death of their winged Primarch, Sanguinius, the Blood Angels have been haunted by a curse that drives them to death and madness. Although feared and mistrusted by those they protect, the Blood Angels continue to smash the Imperium’s foes, compiling a battle history second to none.

DARK ANGELS

The Unforgiven, Hunters of the Fallen. The Dark Angels were the first Legion created by the Emperor. Theirs is a mysterious and proud Chapter, their every action steeped in secretive traditions and rituals. What is known about the Dark Angels is that time and again they have stubbornly stood their ground against overwhelming odds until they eventually emerge victorious. Despite a history full of such heroics, they are viewed suspiciously by many in the Imperium, who claim that the Dark Angels follow their own clandestine agenda. Such allegations are never answered – or even acknowledged – the Dark Angels remain silent and brooding. The organisation of the Dark Angels differs from the practices laid out by the Codex Astartes. This is most notable in their first and second companies – elite formations known internally as the Deathwing and the Ravenwing.

SPACE WOLVES

The Sons of Russ, Warriors of Fenris. The Space Wolves are a fiercely independent Chapter of Space Marines that has served the Imperium with distinction since the First Founding. Courageous to the extreme, each Space Wolf strives to perform great deeds on the battlefield worthy of song. Made feral in thought and appearance by the genetic heritage of their legendary Primarch, Leman Russ, the Space Wolves revel in their unorthodox nature. They have little patience for fawning religious rites or strict adherence to any code, preferring to follow the warrior-traditions from their savage homeworld of Fenris. Despite their long and excellent service, the only known successor Chapter of the Space Wolves was the ill-fated Wolf Brothers.

IMPERIAL FISTS

Defenders of Dorn, Golden Avengers. The Imperial Fists have earned battle honours against every major alien race and have been instrumental in holding the Imperium together through some of its bleakest times. Like all Space Marines, the Imperial Fists can execute any aspect of warfare, though, they are known as particular experts at both besieging and defending fortresses. This has brought them into combat with their arch rivals, the renegade Iron Warriors, many times. Rogal Dorn, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists, was tasked by the Emperor to design the defences of the Imperial Palace on Terra, and one of the Chapter’s finest hours was defending it during the Horus Heresy.

GREY KNIGHTS

The Incorruptible, the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Malleus. Amongst the elite brotherhood of Space Marines, there exists a Chapter destined to stand apart from their battle-brothers, for it is their sworn duty to fight Chaos in its most terrible form. The Grey Knights act as the military arm of the Ordo Malleus, the Daemonhunters who form the oldest branch of the Inquisition. Founded on an order from the Emperor himself, each Grey Knight is a potent psyker, pure of heart and just of cause. This is essential, for in their battles they confront the most horrible of Daemons wherever the Warp fiends appear. Privy to the darkest secrets of Mankind and armed with deadly Nemesis Force weapons and the most advanced gear in the Imperium, the Grey Knights

are the ultimate counter to the Warp-spawned minions of the Ruinous Powers.

THE PRIMARCHS The Emperor unlocked the secrets of life, using his foresight and genius to unravel the mysterious energies of the Warp and refashion them to his purposes. He had long experimented with genetically improved human warriors, but his greatest creations were twenty supreme beings whose powers equalled, and in some cases exceeded, his own. With these super-beings, these Primarchs, he would unite Mankind and reclaim the galaxy, but the Emperor’s plan was known to the Chaos Gods. The servants of the Ruinous Powers stole the foetal superhumans, casting them adrift in the Warp. All was not lost, for the Emperor used imprints of his beloved Primarchs to create the first Space Marines, Legions ten thousand strong made from each, an act that was to be known as the First Founding. Leading the mighty Space Marines himself, the Emperor began his Great Crusade – epic wars that reclaimed world after world in the name of Mankind. During those battles, each Legion was reunited with its Primarch, almost indestructible warriors that could scatter entire armies. In the end, it was the Primarchs, leading the first Space Marine Legions, that effectively created the Imperium as it is today. However, Chaos had somehow tainted some of the Primarchs, leaving them with weaknesses and flaws. It was Horus, Primarch of the Luna Wolves, who would lead the great revolt, although many of his brethren followed. The story of those battles is told elsewhere, but in the end, only six Primarchs survived the Horus Heresy. The remainder were slain in the fighting or fled with their traitorous Legions into the Eye of Terror, where some still exist today, eternally damned to serve the foul gods of Chaos. The surviving Space Marines Primarchs helped rebuild the Imperium. Although long-lived, the Primarchs were not immortal, but it is hard to ascertain fact from the legends that surround such god-like beings. Certainly, each spearheaded a host of victories and heroic deeds across the galaxy, leaving behind innumerable deeds of mythic proportion. Who knows if Leman Russ, Primarch of the Space Wolves, really did best a Cyclopean Draxbeast singlehandedly? And if Ferrus Manus didn’t forge the Iron Pyramids of Medusa, then who did? One by one, they disappear from the annals of history, the last of their kind reputedly disappearing by M32. Whether the many extraordinary, and sometimes contradictory, accounts told about the Primarchs hold any truth or

are just apocryphal tales, they are preserved in the lore of each Space Marine Chapter. Others are still remembered on the Primarchs’ adopted home planets. Today, the Primarchs are worshipped as gods, and pilgrimages are made along the trails they blazed across the stars, often ending at tombs or great memorials, places of ancient history that hold revered relics of their bones or wargear. Many still insist that their Primarchs will arise again, in the Imperium’s direst need, for a final battle.

ASTRA MILITARUM The unnumbered, the unstoppable, the Imperial Guard.

The Imperial Guard is Mankind’s primary and most numerous defence. With soldiers, battle tanks and artillery beyond number, they are the sledgehammer force that, though slow to deploy, delivers a devastating payload when its cumbersome blows land. Soldiers of the Imperial Guard are men, not gene-enhanced superhumans. They fight not with the most finely crafted armaments in the galaxy, but with the weapons and armour that can be cheaply and easily mass-produced. They are the largest coherent fighting force in the galaxy, able to move massed regiments and armoured vehicles across the segmentums to join any fray. As many foes of the Imperium have learned, the courage and sacrifice shown by the numberless ranks of the Imperial Guard combined with the sheer hellstorm of firepower they unleash, can sweep any battleground of foes, leaving only smoking craters and wet stains. The Imperial Guard is divided into innumerable armies, which can be found scattered throughout the galaxy guarding particularly vital planets and heavily concentrated into war zones where great battles rage across entire star systems. At need, the vast deposits of manpower are shifted to where the fighting is fiercest and behind them comes an unending train of reinforcements. Immense transport ships unload fresh armies all the time, delivering more grist for the gods of battle. The vast size of the Imperial Guard is some indication of the scale of Mankind’s constant struggle, for hostile xenos races are everywhere, an unending threat. Sedition too, is a constant drain, for who knows which planetary governor will be prepared to risk war to further his own personal fortunes, or where dark cults will rise up to lead citizens astray? Yet whatever the threat – xenos, traitors and Warp-spawned horrors alike – all shall be crushed beneath the pummelling power of the Imperial Guard.

RECRUITMENT As part of their annual tithe, planetary governors are required to send a percentage of the fighting force raised on their planet to the Imperium. These soldiers are formed into regiments of the Imperial Guard, typically identified by the name of their home world and a number. For instance, the Rastarian 437th were the four hundred and thirty-seventh regiment taken from the planet Rastar. As recruitment is ongoing, it is not uncommon for a regiment’s number to be recycled following its destruction. On proud martial planets, this is a ceremonious event with much fanfare, flag raising and rituals passing over old relics and ancient military traditions. On most planets, however, the recycling of regimental numbers is overlooked out of sheer ignorance of the past, or perhaps grimly accepted by the number’s new inheritors as yet another bit of back luck. Methods of how manpower is raised differ vastly from world to world. For instance, some planets are obliged to send the best of their planetary defence force – a planet-bound army under command of the planetary governor that is used to see off pirates, quell unrest and hold out until stronger forces arrive. Other planets, however, might draft entire generations, press hive gangs into service, or offer an escape from planet-wide factories to age-qualifying citizens. On some worlds, it is an honour to join the Imperial

Guard, with troops literally fighting it out for the distinction of making the tithe numbers, while the rulers of other planets might see the tithe as a chance to off-load convicts and the other dregs of their society. These regiments will vary in size from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands. Regardless of who they are or where they are from, the Imperial Guard ships them to a posting, often providing training in transit. Most recruits never leave their own home world before this and have no idea where they are headed, potentially being deposited anywhere across the galaxy where one of the endless wars is being fought.

COMMISSARS Commissars are political officers in the Imperial Guard whose duty it is to maintain the morale, discipline and fighting spirit of their assigned regiment by any means possible. They are grim authoritarian figures who punish cowardice and incompetence, typically doing so with well-aimed shots from their bolt pistols. Unlike individual regiments that are levied from their home worlds, Commissars are raised in the Schola Progenium. There they are trained to a high level in military tactics, weapons proficiency, and on all matters concerning the Imperial Creed. It is their blind devotion to the cause and the inability to see the men they join with any compassion that allows them to maintain an unwavering and resolute code of honour. This fanaticism can inspire the men who serve with a Commissar, allowing them to perform battlefield feats beyond what is rationally possible.

++ The only necessary reaction to treachery is vengeance. ++

THE WEAPONS OF WAR When the Imperial Guard go to war, they do so organised into regiments. Each of these regiments is largely uniform in composition, meaning an infantry regiment (the most common type of formation) will be made up primarily of foot soldiers, with little in the way of heavy artillery or armour. Likewise, an artillery regiment will be composed of little else, made up entirely of great serried batteries of big guns and other long ranged

weaponry, but it will contain little, if any, infantry. If an Imperial Guard regiment were forced into battle individually, it would struggle, for each hom*ogenous force is vulnerable without support. For instance, infantry by themselves can be smashed by armoured foes, while tanks alone are poor at holding ground, finding themselves prone to ambush, especially in areas of dense terrain. Such is the immense size of the forces deployed by the Imperial Guard, however, that the idea of lone regiments is preposterous. An Imperial Guard army is composed of many regiments and a wise Commander General will marshal his myriad divisions to fight as a combined arms force – drawing men and vehicles from different regiments as suits the needs of the battlefront. Within the mighty arsenal of an Imperial Commander at the head of a large war zone are a staggering number of war machines and armoured vehicles. Should he so choose, he can deploy entire armoured regiments – clanking mechanical armies whose firepower can topple Titans, or ordnance formations that are capable of flattening whole hive cities. The largest of Imperial Guard armies might even contain regiments of super-heavy tanks – colossal tracked vehicles, each of which contains as much destructive capability as entire companies of other troops. Assembling and moving such regiments is cumbersome at best, however, the resulting onslaught they produce is almost always worth the logistical issues. Despite the prodigious battle tanks and thunderous artillery of the Imperial Guard, it is most often the common soldiers that win the battle. Rising up from trenches, manning firing lines, or advancing in waves, the cruel truth about manpower in the Imperial Guard is that it is the cheapest currency in the Imperium. Commanders spend the lives of their men for the smallest of goals, committing to appalling numbers of casualties to attain the least gain of ground, or merely to appease the upper chain of command’s desire for an offensive. The Imperial Guard can afford huge losses, expending the lives of their men more carelessly than it does ammunition. During the Third War for Armageddon, whole tank regiments were thrown into the fray unsupported, merely as a diversion, a delaying tactic to allow proper battle formations to be established further behind the front lines. So many Catachan regiments were fed into the meat grinder known as the Damocles Gulf Crusade that the xenos munitions couldn’t keep up – they were literally running out of fuel, bullets, and rechargeable power sources. The Imperial Guard way of war is not subtle, but it is effective, for the overwhelming pressure it creates; the application of extreme force into a single strategic point achieves victories – bloody ones, costly ones, but triumphs nonetheless. It is a ponderous way of fighting, and can take years, decades, or even longer to amass the forces necessary to hold the foe in place and then to inexorably demolish them. The cost of such victories is high, but it is a price the Imperium is willing to pay. For across the entire galaxy, they have not yet met their match, crushing smaller empires beneath them, defeating all who dare confront them in ongoing wars of attrition.

MILITARUM REGIMENTOS Imperial Guard regiments come from a range of different planets and their native cultures, styles of dress, technological backgrounds and warrior traditions differ accordingly. Although many customs are strange or barbarous, such as taking scalps as trophies or marking territory with fearsome symbols, they are all accepted by the Imperium; such rituals bond the troops and kindle their battle-spirit. Due to the size of war zones, the vagaries of Warp travel and the needs of recruiting, it is not unusual for radically different regiments of Imperial Guard to be thrown side by side into a battle. Savage soldiers from feral worlds might be flanked by forces recruited from hive city gangs on one side and horse-riding warriors from steppe worlds on the other; the officers ensure the men save their fighting for the enemy. In addition, the Imperial Guard has been known to use abhumans, human-descended creatures whose appearance and mental capacities are quite distinct from their ancestors. For instance, Ogryns are thickly muscled and nearly twice as tall as a man from Terra, but their thinking abilities are greatly reduced. Despite the great variance in troops, the wargear they are issued is standardised, although different manufacturing planets may instil minor or cosmetic differences. The weapons employed by the Imperial Guard are deliberately straightforward and durable so that even the most backwards members of the human race can wield and maintain them with a minimum of training.

IMPERIAL KNIGHTS The Sword and the Shield, the Vengeful Past, The Glory of Ancient Days. An Imperial Knight is a towering behemoth, a vast bipedal fighting machine clad in a demi-god’s raiment of war. With arms and armour fit to face an entire army of lesser foes, each Knight suit is further protected by a crackling ion shield. Directed by the Knights’ noble pilots, these relics of Imperial techno-science can stave off almost any attack amid coruscating showers of vivid sparks. Knight suits proudly display the panoply of the noble house to which they belong, and an entire army of these vast, glorious war engines on the march is enough to drive many foes from the field in terror.

AN ANCIENT HERITAGE The Knight worlds were amongst the first settled during Mankind’s expansion out into the stars. Yet the darkness of Old Night fell upon the human race, leaving each world adrift upon an ocean of madness and death. During these dark days, many Knight worlds regressed into feudal societies that suffered neither the mutant nor the witch to live. As the populace of these planets became superstitious peasants, so the warriors who piloted their Knight suits became feudal lords. By the time the surviving Knight worlds were brought into the Imperial fold during the Great Crusade, they had become hidebound and conservative realms where the self-styled knightly houses ruled with an iron fist. Since those days, the Knights have formed a potent if somewhat inconstant weapon in the Imperium’s arsenal. Due to the technological nature of their Knight suits, the nobles who pilot these machines are heavily dependant upon the aid of the Adeptus Mechanicus. It is only through the work of the Sacristans, a specially trained order of Tech-Priests, that the Thrones Mechanicum – through which the Knights are piloted – continue to function at all. This, coupled with ancient charters and rites of allegiance, binds many knightly houses to the will of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the worship of the Omnissiah. Yet this is not true of all, and at least as many Knight worlds pledge primary allegiance to the Emperor as to the Machine God of Mars.

FREEBLADES There are Knights who reject their houses, or face rejection by them. Some Nobles are disgraced through word or deed. Others find themselves no longer able to face the tedious traditions and dreary observances of life within a knightly house. Others still may suffer some tragic loss, whether the death of a close and valued comrade or the extinction of their entire noble line. For such a Noble, the life of a Freeblade beckons. Taking their own personal heraldry, and a suitably evocative and enigmatic name, these individuals roam the Imperium, fighting for whichever cause takes their fancy. Whether they seek redemption, revenge or simply release none can say, but the aid of a Freeblade Knight is so mighty a boon that few Imperial commanders will stop to question the provenance of their unexpected ally.

The White Warden, piloted by the bullish Lord Neru Degallio, is the last surviving Knight of Alaric Prime’s ruling dynasty. Since losing his people to an Orkoid invasion, Degallio has roamed the Imperium as a Freeblade thirsty for revenge.

ADEPTA SORORITAS The army of the Ecclesiarchy, the Sisters of Battle.

Foremost amongst the warriors of the Ecclesiarchy are the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas. The troops of this devout Sisterhood are raised from infancy to adore the Emperor of Mankind and to believe in the utter righteousness of their cause. Their fanatical devotion and unwavering purity is a bulwark against corruption, heresy and alien attack, and once battle has been joined, the Sisters of Battle will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed. Not even death can stay the wrath of the Adepta Sororitas – indeed, the blood of martyrs only strengthens their resolve, spurring the survivors to ever greater acts of heroism in the name of the honoured fallen. The Adeptus Ministorum is rich in power and holdings, which attracts many enemies. The cardinal worlds of the Ecclesiarchy are as prone to xenos attack as the rest of the Imperium, and the tight grip their organisation holds over the populace has assured them no shortage of internal foes. So the Sisters of Battle, the military arm of the Adeptus Ministorum, has proven essential to their defence. Armed and armoured by the incredible wealth of the monolithic Ecclesiarchy, it is the Sisters of Battle’s unquenchable devotion that makes them such a formidable force. The Adepta Sororitas are divided into several major Orders Militant, the fighting strength of each numbering several thousand warriors. There are also many lesser Sisterhoods comprised of around a few hundred Battle Sisters. An Order’s warriors are rarely all together in one place, but are instead commonly spread throughout the galaxy, guarding various shrine worlds and prosecuting Wars of Faith and other battles. Nevertheless, the Sisters of Battle are an elite military force that ranks amongst the Imperium’s most fanatical defenders, for their superb training, superior wargear and unshakeable faith can overcome all but the most terrible foes. The duties of the Adepta Sororitas are many and varied. Every concentration of the Ministorum’s power must be defended, and a force of Battle Sisters will be present to guard every shrine and fortress-cathedral in the Imperium, as well as the priceless sacred relics housed within them. The composition of these garrisons may vary from several hundred warriors to guard a reliquary-stronghold to a single Battle Sister maintaining a constant vigil over the bones of a fallen saint. The Adepta Sororitas also provide the protectors of the Ecclesiarchy’s priesthood, and they are tasked with providing them with any military support they may need. At the behest of such powerful figures, the Sisters of Battle are called upon to escort hierarchs through war zones, eliminate heretical leaders or launch surgical strikes to recover long-lost artefacts from enemy hands. When the Ecclesiarchy declares a War of Faith, it is the fanatically loyal Sisters of Battle who provide its military might, slaying the Emperor’s enemies without mercy or compassion, heedless to the blasphemous protestations of innocence that assail their ears. When not actively involved in one of the Ecclesiarchy’s wars, the Battle Sisters of the Orders Militant divide their time between training and worshipping the Emperor. Indeed, to the Adepta Sororitas, the disciplines are nigh inseparable, for whilst combat drills and studies of battle tactics can hone the body and the mind, only penitent prayer can bolster the spirit, and all three are required to defeat the Imperium’s foes.

The combination of combat doctrine and prayer is most evident on the battlefield where Battle Sisters loudly proclaim their faith in hymn and verse as they march to war, calling upon the Emperor to aid them in the fight against their enemies. The perfervid, unquestioning nature of this faith is a potent weapon indeed, manifesting as divine inspiration that drives the Sororitas to unprecedented feats of prowess. Sisters of Battle gripped with holy fervour banish worldly fears from their minds, shrug off mortal wounds and summon preternatural strength to smite their foes. Those who witness such battlefield miracles are left in no doubt that the spirit of the Emperor indeed walks with these pious warriors.

HOLY RELICS The history of the Ecclesiarchy stretches back to the dawn of the Imperium. During this time, the Adeptus Ministorum has seen many saintly heroes and heroines who have vanquished the foes of the Emperor. Artefacts left behind by these great individuals after their death or disappearance have taken on the status of holy symbols, objects with great power and mystery surrounding them. In the Imperium today, there are many thousands of these relics, some of which are reliably connected with the likes of Saint Constantine of Alamar, Cardinal Gherick and Confessor Dolan. Others have a less certain past, and cynical members of the Inquisition claim that if you put together all the sacred bones of Sebastian Thor that are presently adored throughout the Imperium, the Ecclesiarchy would be shocked to find that its most prominent saint was a many-headed, multi-limbed, triple-jointed giant… Despite these claims, many cathedrals, temples and shrines house immense reliquaries, and shrine worlds may harbour hundreds of these holy artefacts. Many of these objects are incorporated or fashioned into holy icons known as a Simulacrum Imperialis, which are occasionally bestowed, temporarily, upon a warrior of great purity, faith and dedication. It is considered a great honour to carry one of these revered items into battle, and even if they do not possess mystical powers themselves, the effect that a Simulacrum Imperialis has upon Sisters of Battle can be just as magical. With such a potent icon of faith to follow, the Battle Sisters will hurl themselves into the fray with even more fanatical devotion, finding inspiration in even their darkest hours and overcoming their foes with seemingly superhuman acts of courage and heroism. Likewise, the loss of any of these will see a swift convergence of the faithful, as no effort is spared in securing their retrieval.

++ For the Emperor! ++

THE AGES OF MANKIND Knowledge of the long ages of human history has been wreathed in shadow, buried beneath the aeons or simply lost over the expanse of time. Some Historitors continue to seek knowledge, but their work is like holding a candle against the dark abyss. Be that as it may, presented here are the ages of Mankind’s history as currently termed and understood. Throughout the ages of Mankind, there have been many cataclysmic events of such magnitude that the human race has been brought to its knees. Ork Waaaghs! have threatened Holy Terra itself before being defeated, Space Marine Chapters have been destroyed only to be restored to glory thousands of years later, and entire sectors have been overthrown by xenos and daemonic threats only to be reclaimed in the Emperor’s name. Many times has the Imperium suffered a blow thought dolorous and yet recovered. Each time, the storied histories have been lost, corrupted or rewritten by the victors of great campaigns. This leaves the majority of the Imperium’s people unaware of the galaxy-spanning wars that have been fought to secure their humble place amongst the stars. The Historitors of the Adeptus Administratum seek, gather and dutifully collect the history of each planet within the Imperium. Once, perhaps, this was done with purpose. Now, however, it is most often an indiscriminate compilation of data, a process where scribes unthinkingly copy content onto scrolls, preserving complete records in constant fear of missing a single inconsequential letter. The ability, or even desire, to translate what these facts mean in any larger sense is almost entirely absent, found only in a few individuals who are eyed suspiciously, or perhaps punished for their enthusiasm. The largest and most complete collection exists beneath the surface of Terra. There, the colossal under-halls stretch out of sight – endless vistas of datascrolls tower upwards like mountains. With flickering candlelight provided by floating servo-skulls, long processions of curators, scriveners, and ciphers wind through the valleys, attempting to illuminate that which was. Over the years, there have been many adjustments, by revisionists from the Adeptus Ministorum, the Inquisition and some say the High Lords of Terra themselves.

Age of Terra: M1 – M15 Little is known of this period save that Mankind had begun taking its first forays into space. Mars became the first planet to be terraformed when it was settled by industrial cartels. The red planet soon became synonymous with technical expertise and scientific advancement. Colonies had to be self-sufficient, as many were isolated from Terra by long, dangerous journeys.

Age of Technology: M15 – M25 This era is referred to as the ‘Dark Age of Technology’ so often that its original title might seem incomplete. There are few reliable records and even they seem to contradict themselves with regularity. What is known is that from roughly M18 onwards, Mankind discovered the Warp and how to enter it. Slowly, through many disasters, Humanity learned to use the Warp to make faster than light journeys out of their own star system. During this time, the first alien races were encountered. Soon after, Mankind embarked upon the discovery, development and cultivation of the

human Navigator gene, a controlled mutation that allowed human pilots to make longer Warp jumps than previously thought possible. Navigator families, initially controlled by industrial and trade cartels, became individual forces in their own right by M19. By M20, Humanity had proliferated and settled many of the countless star systems. It was a golden age for scientific achievement; technology provided all the answers. Thinking machines aided civilian and military production, allowing enormous labours to be accomplished at a frenetic pace. Perfection of the STC system permitted an explosion of colonisation that reached the furthest limits of the galaxy. For the rest of the age, Mankind spread across the stars, becoming widely dispersed and divergent. There is evidence of many wars, but none that threatened the stability of human space. The existing records list xenos enemies long since extinct, along with more familiar names such as Eldar and Orks. Interplanetary trade was established and great fleets carried goods to and from the ends of the galaxy. As planets became overpopulated, the recently invented construction mediums of plasteel, plascrete, ferrocrete and rockcrete were used to build colossal cities: the proto-hives. As quick as Mankind’s expansion had been, it was eclipsed by the speed of its collapse. The decline was so rapid, so utter and so nearly complete that little of those colonies or the civilisations they spawned remain. Speculation is rampant, but there are few facts. What is known is that human psykers were first mentioned towards the end of M22, making a sudden appearance on almost every human world within a relatively short span of time. By the end of M23 there was widespread anarchy, descriptions of what must be daemonic possessions and great turbulence in the Warp. Some records also cite betrayal by the machines and a great war with robotic armies. Whether factual or allegorical, the histories leave no doubt on one point: the golden age had come to a spectacularly swift and brutal end.

Age of Strife: M25 – M30 Marked by terrible wars and massive invasions that tore Humanity apart, this age was a time of collapse. Warp storms of unprecedented ferocity isolated Mankind’s colonies. The great distances prevented contact with other colonised planets, and those who remained in communication often became embroiled in internal battles for control. The separated human cultures rapidly diversified. Humanity itself began to evolve, with mutations regularly appearing on most planets and, on some worlds, altering into something new altogether: the first of the abhuman races. Civilisations that persecuted the recently developed psykers fared the best. Worlds where such abilities were encouraged were destroyed altogether. Some of the wonders of the Age of Technology were lost or destroyed in the flames of conflict while others fell into neglect. Mankind was brought to its knees and this horrific state continued for nearly six millennia. When it finally started to emerge from the long darkness, Humanity was forever altered.

Science was no longer the answer, but something to be feared. As the legends go, late in the Age of Strife a force united the warring factions of Terra and the long war with Mars was ended. This new leader was known only as the Emperor, and even as he prepared to reclaim the galaxy, a final mighty surge of the Warp storms lit up the skies. When the scintillating burst died down, it left behind the Eye of Terror. With the sudden quelling of the Warp storms that had raged unabated for nearly the whole of the Age, the Emperor and his newly formed Legions of Space Marines turned their attentions to the stars, beginning the Great Crusade. This defining moment brought an end to the dismal despair of the Age of Strife and began a new period of human history.

THE AGE OF THE IMPERIUM ++ A small mind is a tidy mind. ++

M30 – Present From out of the ruin of the Age of Strife rises a new era. Humanity becomes

bound within the organisations and institutions of the Imperial administration. After the betrayal of the Horus Heresy, the Emperor reaches the end of his natural life; his existence is now maintained by the artificial means of the Golden Throne and continual human sacrifice. Psykers continue to emerge in ever growing numbers and are barely controlled through constant suppression and vigilance. It is an era of war and constant battle, and the menace from the Warp looms ever larger.

c. M30 Creation of the Space Marine Legions The Emperor forges his greatest weapons – genetically engineering the superhuman Primarchs. In a terrible accident they are scattered across the galaxy, but the Emperor creates the Space Marine Legions from their gene-seed.

The Time of Rebirth This is the dawning of the galaxy-spanning Imperium and the rebirth of the domain of Mankind. Almost immediately following its inception, the newborn Imperium must rise from the ashes of the Horus Heresy. Now shorn of the Emperor’s leadership, nearly everything is reorganised and many fail-safes are put into place. Countless doctrines, the most famous of which is the Codex Astartes, are drawn up and implemented in the hope of ensuring that largescale military rebellion is never again possible.

c. M30 Birth of the Astronomican The Emperor creates the great psychic beacon that allows Navigators to steer within the Warp and travel great distances. Originally powered solely by the Emperor, that duty is eventually shifted to a great choir of 10,000 psykers instead, heralding the birth of the organisation that would become the Adeptus Astronomica.

c. 800.M30 The Great Crusade The Emperor emerges from the anarchy of sundered Terra and leads the campaign to reunite Mankind. The Great Crusade is spearheaded by the newly formed Space Marine Legions, who are armed by the recently allied factories of Mars. Battles unnumbered are fought and the Space Marines, supported by the new Imperial Army, prove unstoppable. Aliens and Warp creatures are driven back, planets are reclaimed and the missing

Primarchs are found. The Emperor preaches three great truths in his reconquest of the galaxy: genetic corruption must be sought out and eradicated; psykers are to be rooted out, kept in control, and handed over to Imperial agents for evaluation; and destructive aliens are to be rendered powerless. As the Primarchs take control of their Legions, the Great Crusade separates, moving in many directions and reaching far across the galaxy. The Emperor returns to Terra, leaving Horus, foremost amongst the Primarchs, to finish off the great drives of human expansion. It is these deeds and countless battles that create the Imperium of Man.

c. M31 The Horus Heresy The Emperor’s most trusted servant, the Warmaster Horus, turns traitor. With half of the Space Marine Legions, many Titan Legions and an untold number of formations from the Imperial Army, Horus makes for Terra, aiming to take the Emperor’s place as ruler of Mankind. It is a bitter civil war; across space and upon many planets, brother fights brother. Immortalised by many legends the Battle of Terra and Siege of the Imperial Palace mark the epic finale of the Heresy, with countless heroic actions and notorious deeds. In the end, Horus is slain, but not before the Emperor is mortally wounded, forcing him to retire for evermore to the life-sustaining Golden Throne.

c. M31 The Scouring This is a campaign of vengeance fought against the heretic traitors still found across the galaxy. Loyalist forces, led by the Ultramarines and Space Wolves Legions, drive back those traitors who survived Horus’ fall. The corrupted forces find refuge within the swirling Eye of Terror. This time period also marks the grim realisation of just how many planets were lured into helping the traitors. Some are corrupted, others merely misled or beguiled. Guilt and recrimination henceforth become rife in the new Imperium of Man.

c. M31 Second Founding In the midst of the Scouring campaign, the remaining loyal Space Marine Legions are disbanded to form the far smaller 1000-man organisations known as Chapters. A portion of the Space Marines maintain their parent Legions’ original names, badges and colours while the remaining Chapters take on new names and heraldry. The majority of these Second Founding Chapters still serve the Imperium today.

c. M32 Rise of the Adeptus Ministorum The Emperor, always an object of veneration, only increases his following after being joined to the Golden Throne. Many Imperial cults arise over the following centuries, the majority of which are united into a larger body known as the Ecclesiarchy. This powerful

body gains momentum until, in the thirty-second millennium, it is granted the status of official religion of the Imperium and the title of Adeptus Ministorum. It is only a few centuries later that Ecclesiarch Veneris II receives a seat amongst the High Lords of Terra, and after 300 years, the seat reserved for the Ecclesiarch is made permanent.

544.M32 The Beast Arises The Orks rampage across the Imperium on a massive scale. The number of attacks grow until it becomes the greatest greenskin invasion that the galaxy has ever known, eclipsing even the one defeated by Horus upon the world of Ullanor, which earned him the title of Warmaster. Nothing is safe from the Orks’ primal desire to conquer the galaxy, and their widespread advances are only halted when the Imperium resorts to the most extreme of measures, at great cost to the Adeptus Astartes.

546.M32 The Beheading The internecine politics of the Imperium take a calamitous turn when the High Lords of Terra are slain to a man at the orders of Drakan Vangorich, the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum. This marks the beginning of a hundred year period of anarchy. At great loss, a Space Marine retribution force delivers the Emperor’s justice to Vangorich.

The Forging The Imperium expands and binds its most important star systems under ever tighter control. Astropath choirs are set in relay positions across the galaxy, with major hubs on the best-garrisoned worlds such as Armageddon, Bakka and Macragge. The Adeptus Ministorum becomes the official religion of the Imperium, adding new measures of control over the masses. A few long-lost STCs are rediscovered, and for a time, the technological decline is stabilised. Without the Emperor’s guidance, there is much room for interpreting the best direction for the Imperium. To avoid prolonged dissension, strict rules are put in place and punishments for disobedience are swift and brutal. Fear rules the highest levels of authority, and ignorance rules the lower menials. The established rule becomes harsher and more widespread than ever.

646.M32 Reunited Agnathio, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, unites over fifty leaders from other

Chapters of Space Marines and arrives upon Terra. Such a show of power and faith puts an end to the squabbling for the contentious seats of the High Lords of Terra that has consumed the differing factions since the Beheading. In locked council with the mightiest of Mankind’s warriors, such matters were quickly sorted. None know exactly what was done or said, but when the Space Marines departed back to their far-scattered missions, there once again sat twelve High Lords of Terra. If there was further dissension, none dared speak it aloud.

888.M32 The Astropath Wars 910.M32 The Firestorm c. M33 The War of the Confessor In a particularly violent display, the Adeptus Ministorum exerts its newfound strength. Many key shrine worlds are added to their holdings during this holy war.

c. M33 The Apocrypha of Davio A great document attempts to list all of the Space Marine Chapters of the Second Founding.

313.M33 Siege of Eternity’s Gate 615.M33 The Blade of Infinity The Blade of Infinity, a pre-Heresy cruiser, emerges from the Warp, its re-entry signature suggesting that it had left realspace over twenty thousand years previously. This predates the Warp drive’s invention in the Age of Technology and suggests radical time stream disorders. Transmissions picked up suggest the Blade of Infinity is trying to communicate some type of warning, but before much can be deciphered, it once again disappears into the Warp. In its wake comes an invasion fleet of Chaos Space Marine Legions, fell foes that wreak much havoc. The ship Blade of Infinity re-emerges several more times in subsequent years, always as a harbinger of further Warp incursions.

831.M33 The Year of the Ghosts In the Segmentum Solar, the honoured dead rise up to drive back the terrors of the Warp.

c. M34 The Pale Wasting

In the early years of M34 a great threat arises beyond the Ghoul Stars. Even today its true nature remains suppressed. The ravages are said to cause the extermination of a score of Space Marine Chapters and souls unnumbered.

401.M34 The Howling Black Templars Space Marines end the Catelexis Heresy by executing the Cacodominus, an alien cyborg whose formidable psychic presence allowed it to control the populace of thirteen hundred planetary systems. Alas, the Cacodominus’ death scream echoes and amplifies through the Warp, burning out the minds of a billion Astropaths and distorting the signal of the Astronomican. Millions of ships are lost in the resulting upheaval and entire sub-sectors slide once more into barbarism without the dictates of the Adeptus Terra to keep them in line. It is a steep cost for victory.

++ Analysis is the bane of conviction. ++

Nova Terra Interregnum

The time of the twin Empires. The Ur-council of Nova Terra denounces the High Lords of Terra and claims rule of the Segmentum Pacificus. For nine centuries the Imperium becomes a realm split in twain. The Age is marked by ongoing civil wars for reunification and disputes over old trade terms, tithes and wavering allegiances.

666.M34 Warp Stars Following a fierce storm bursting from the Eye of Terror, the first of many Warp Stars are sighted. The tendrils of their power pull any ships or small planets that fall within their reach to a grisly, if spectacular, doom.

934.M34 The Warnings of Ulthwé c. M35 Moirae Schism During the dark days of the Nova Terra Interregnum, this conflict tears apart the Adeptus Mechanicus, dividing the Machine Cult in a way unseen since the Horus Heresy. The forge world of Moirae is blasted to dust, but not before the schism spreads throughout the Cult of Mars, the Titan Legions and several Space Marine Chapters with close ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Over two thousand years of bloody strife pass before the baleful doctrine is considered fully purged.

975.M35 The Cataclysm of Souls The Ecclesiarchy begins to rebind the sundered Imperium as a religious state that transcends political differences. Billions die in the religious wars when the Ur-council of Nova Terra rejects the Ecclesiarchy’s teachings.

980.M35 Hrud Rising 991.M35 The Cursed Founding The notorious 21st Founding of Space Marines goes horribly wrong and the Grey Knights are called in by the Inquisition to expunge the threat.

104.M36 The War of Recovery Patchy reports cite technological wonders on the planets of the Mortuam Chain. Hoping

STCs can be recovered, the Adeptus Mechanicus launch an expedition, which begins an escalating war lasting over a century. Aided by the weaponry they recover, they free the human colonies from xenos occupation and several first generation copies of STCs are returned triumphantly to Mars.

The Age of Apostasy Foreshadowed by the split of the Nova Terra Interregnum, a new age of dissent and power struggles follows. Zeal eclipses reason, and misrule reigns supreme. The word of the Emperor is subverted wholesale by corrupt ideologues, each struggling to usurp total control for themselves. The strong prey upon the weak.

200.M36 The Reign of Blood Goge Vandire, Ecclesiarch and High Lord of the Adeptus Administratum, falls from the Emperor’s light and sparks a civil war that lasts for seven decades. Only when loyal citizens rally to the banner of the preacher Sebastian Thor is the strife ended. Though Vandire’s blood has long since been washed away, his memory stains the Emperor’s Palace still.

310.M36 The Plague of Unbelief 754.M36 Web of Intrigue Disaster 989.M36 The Golden Throne Hungers As the Eye of Terror and other Warp rifts visibly expand, the Tech-Priests servicing the Golden Throne demand an increase in the number of psykers needed to fuel the Emperor’s growing appetite. The Black Ships increase in number and frequency of voyages. According to some records, four times the number of psykers are sacrificed daily to maintain optimal levels of power to the Golden Throne.

010.M37 Wrath of the Chaos Sun The red giant star at the heart of the Maxil Beta system explodes in an expanding cloud of Warpflame. The inhabitants of every world for hundreds of light years are either mutated

beyond recognition or possessed by the denizens of the Warp. In response, the High Lords order the mobilisation of whatever forces are close at hand. So it is that the Grey Knights are joined by a dozen other Chapters, countless Imperial Guard regiments, and the nascent Orders Militant of the Sisters of Battle. The resulting battle does much to heal the wounds opened by Vandire’s treachery.

020.M37 The Great Cull In their mercy, the High Lords of Terra begin a systematic extermination to ensure that such a corruption of faith can never occur again.

321.M37 The Abyssal Crusade The judgement of Saint Basillius finds thirty Space Marine Chapters wanting in faith. The guilty are given a choice between instant death or embarking upon a crusade into the Eye of Terror. All choose the latter mission.

++ Chaos consumes all. ++

The Age of Redemption The sins of apostasy are purged in blood and the Imperial cult grows in power. Heretics burn on a thousand worlds as the populace of the Imperium mortify their sins. Crusade after crusade is launched, and as the fervour peaks, thousands of worlds are left with inadequate defences as sector fleets, Space Marine Chapters and Imperial Guard regiments are drawn into long and terrible campaigns.

550.M37 The Occlusiad The northwestern fringe is ravaged by the Apostles of the Blind King, rogue Tech-Priests who view humanity as an affront to the Machine God. The Apostles uncover artefacts lost in the Dark Age of Technology that allow the creation of supernovae from the hearts of living suns. Constellations are forever changed as the Apostles purge the outer sectors of Segmentum Obscurus. War rages for a decade, until Navigator Joyre Macran discovers the palace-warship of the Blind King hidden in a fold of Warp space. Macran guides the Emperor-class battleship Dominus Astra to the palace’s location and the Blind King is slain. Without his prescience, the Apostles are quickly overcome.

754.M37 The Dissidence Dreams (The Lost Crusade) On thousands of planets, menials rebel against their dreary drudge with wild-eyed leaders espousing a better way of life – a galaxy of tolerance. The movement is especially popular amongst the youth, earning it the title of Children’s Crusade. Billions of earnest pilgrims are lured to seek transport to Terra; some are waylaid by pirates but the majority disappear into the Warp.

956.M37 Heavenfall Massacres 034.M38 The Bloodtide Awakens 112.M38 Judgement of Basillius Having purged more than four hundred worlds within the Eye of Terror, the survivors of

the Abyssal Crusade return to Imperial space. Without pausing to claim the honours due for such a successful and protracted crusade, Chapter Master Konvak Lann of the Vorpal Swords declares the now ancient Saint Basillius a false idol and adoration of him tantamount to betrayal. In less than a year, every known sepulchre and shrine of the false saint is destroyed. After his execution, his bones, along with countless relics, books of doctrine and thousands of living worshippers are placed on a derelict bulk-freighter and launched directly into a nearby star.

666.M38 Grim Harvest A great armada of misshapen hulks drifts out of the Warp near Terra. Some of the twisted and fused ships can still be identified as transports carrying pilgrims from the Lost Crusade. The Inquisition works feverishly to cover up the fleet’s existence and its cargo of abominations.

001.M39 The Conflict of Helica 103.M39 Mausolean Cataclysm The Waning With the Imperium’s armies exhausted by the Redemption Crusades, many worlds and systems fall to Ork invasions, Chaos insurgencies, or new alien menaces while internal strife embroils countless star systems across the galaxy. To combat the spreading anarchy, the Adeptus Terra imposes everstricter rules and doles out ever-harsher punishments. Many systems are turned over to direct governance by Space Marine Chapters to preserve stability.

++ Only a fool refuses the Emperor’s Blessing. ++

131.M39 The Redemption Crusades In each of the segmentums of the Imperium a great hero emerges. Like unto the Primarchs of old are these warriors, and the combined efforts of their crusades push back the borders of the Imperium further than they have been for nearly five hundred years. And then, fifty years later, the five heroes vanish without a trace, spurring Ecclesiarch Inovian III to declare them saints returned to the Emperor’s side.

139.M41 Gothic War Known by some as the 12th Black Crusade, a vast attack is launched by Abaddon the Despoiler. It involves many sprawling battles across dozens of star systems, most of which are in the Gothic Sector of Segmentum Obscurus. Lasting over twenty years, it involves large naval conflicts and hundreds of planetary invasions. On the Imperial side, dozens of Space Marine Chapters, nearly a hundred Imperial Guard regiments and the better part of three Titan Legions take part, along with every naval vessel the segmentum can muster. The forces of Chaos, made up of Traitor Legions, renegade Chapters, Daemonic hosts and rebellious cults are eventually pressured by an endless stream of Imperial reinforcements to fall back into the Warp.

392.M41 The Macharian Conquests Lord Commander Solar Macharius musters the greatest army the galaxy has seen since the Emperor united all his Primarchs beneath him in the Great Crusades. In seven years, Macharius reconquers a thousand worlds on the western reaches, and his glory carries him into the darkest sectors, places where the Emperor’s light had never before been seen. Upon his death, the whole Imperium weeps for the fallen commander, but Macharius’ territories soon collapse into rivalry and war. The Macharian Heresy, as this time has come to be known, lasts for seventy years and is only ended through the combined efforts of one hundred Space Marine Chapters.

500.M41 The Tears of the Emperor The Imperium is swept by visions of the Emperor’s tears. From backwards planets to hive worlds, a million versions of the same story are told by holy men, street agitators, shamans, priests, and mystics. Primitives point to storm-filled skies, claiming that the drops falling from them are the tears of their mighty god. Upon cardinal worlds, ArchDeacons to lowly pilgrims claim to have seen statues of the divine Emperor shed tears. Chapter Masters and hive city urchins alike have visions of the Emperor stirring upon his throne, tears running from his empty sockets. Although the dreams take myriad forms, all know that the Emperor weeps not for himself, but for Mankind.

THE TIME OF ENDING ++ Death serves the Emperor. ++

744.M41 - Present As 744.M41 dawns, Taggarth, the Seer of Corrinto, proclaims the approach of the End Times. He prophesies a time of unprecedented upheaval, in which even the light of the Emperor is swallowed in darkness. Though Taggarth is swiftly executed for heresy, his message of doom echoes across the galaxy. These are the last days of the Imperium, but whether glorious apotheosis or eternal damnation awaits, none can say...

745.M41 The Great Devourer The Tyranids enter the galaxy and the Tyrannic Wars begin. Hive Fleet Behemoth destroys the Tyran and Thandros systems. Later that year, the alien horde descends upon the Realm of Ultramar. As Macragge itself falls under the shadow of the merciless swarm,

the Ultramarines fight to defend their homeworld. Marneus Calgar is gravely wounded by the horror known as the Swarmlord, and the Ultramarines’ 1st Company are slain to the last man, but their sacrifice buys time for two Imperial battlefleets to converge upon Macragge and finally end the Behemoth’s threat.

762.M41 The Kato Campaign The Catachan MXIV ‘Unseen Lurkers’, led by Colonel ‘Steel Eye’ Black, battle Orks of the Deathskulls clan on the shadow world of Kato. Dire visibility and exceptionally rough terrain reduce the war to a never-ending string of bloody skirmishes that test the skills of the Catachan infantry to their limits. Neither side is able to gain an advantage until Sentinel teams locate and destroy the Orks’ Stompa factory, hidden in the depths of the Widow Valley. The Deathskulls respond by launching an all-out final offensive that threatens to overwhelm Imperial forces with its sheer ferocity. However, the Orks’ attack is caught in the jaws of a series of Catachan ambushes, the coolly strategic Colonel Black dissecting and destroying the remaining Ork forces over three days of bloodshed.

777.M41 Labyrinth of Iron Black Legion traitor Space Marines lead a raid in force out of the Eye of Terror. Though the renegades cut a swathe through the defenders of the Cadian Gate, they are eventually smashed at the battle of the Iron Labyrinth by a coalition of Cadians and Imperial Fists Space Marines.

783.M41 Rise of the Ancients Eldar from the Ulthwé Craftworld destroy an Explorator fleet above the dead world of Maedrax, but not before several probes have been released and a distress hymnal despatched. Some months later, the Blood Angels’ 3rd Company arrives to investigate the fleet’s disappearance and becomes embroiled in ongoing war between Ulthwé’s forces and the Necrons that the Explorators inadvertently awoke on Maedrax’s surface. Determined to retrieve the Explorator flagship’s ancient machine spirit from the fleet’s wreckage, Captain Tycho agrees a truce with the Farseer Q’sandria and joins the battle against the Necrons.

793.M41 Operation Solemnace Five full regiments of Catachan infantry are requisitioned by Inquisitor Helynna Valeria for undisclosed operations upon the world of Solemnace. Though Inquisitor Valeria returns from her mission mere months later, none of the Imperial Guardsmen who accompanied her to Solemnace are ever heard from again. Requests from Segmentum

Command for clarification are met with stony silence.

797.M41 Green Tide Over Ultima Throughout the Ultima Segmentum, countless Ork invasions threaten to mass into the colossal Waaagh! Ragg. The Imperium’s forces are stretched to their utmost to contain each individual war zone. Notable actions include Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, holding the gate alone for a night and a day against the greenskin hordes in the Siege of Zalathras (although this story is later dismissed as propaganda in many regions), the Ultramarines 2nd Company’s utter devastation of Warboss Brug’s planet stronghold and the final defeat of Warlord Ragg on the blades of Knights from House Terryn.

822.M41 Abaddon’s Quest In search of the long-lost Skull of Ker’ngar, Abaddon launches the brutal occupation of the maiden world of Ildanira. Forewarned of the Warmaster’s coming, Illic Nightspear’s Rangers lead the planetary population in a guerrilla war against the invaders. Unable to best the Eldar in the dense crystal forests, Abaddon orders Ildanira bombarded from orbit, but is forced to withdraw when an Alaitoc warfleet emerges from the webway to aid the beleaguered world.

831.M41 Waaagh! Gazbag Gazbag, a Speed Freek Warlord noted for his tenacity if not his navigational skills, guides his Waaagh! toward a group of Eldar paradise worlds. The vengeful Eldar of Craftworld Biel-tan descend upon the invaders, but are eventually forced to withdraw, the flames of battle having reduced the paradise worlds’ once verdant plains and jungles to smouldering ruins that Warboss Gazbag finds much more to his liking.

855.M41 Assault on Black Reach Waaagh! Zanzag invades the hive world of Black Reach. By the time Captain Cato Sicarius and the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines arrive in orbit, the Orks have already overrun much of the planet. Sicarius and his battle-brothers immediately deploy to reinforce Ghospora, the besieged capital hive city of Black Reach. Ultramarines Drop Pods land hard on the heels of an orbital bombardment and, in a brief but bloody battle, cast the Orks from Ghospora’s walls before setting off in search of Zanzag himself. Captain Sicarius prosecutes a deadly search-and-destroy mission, razing several Ork forts along the Blackwallow River, but Zanzag continues to evade him. When Sulphora Hive comes under attack from a massive Ork horde, Sicarius hands the hunt over to Veteran Sergeant Telion and his Scouts. Telion soon discovers that the Orks are transporting

warriors and weapons across the Blackwallow River by means of crude submersibles and tracks them to a vast natural cavern – Zanzag’s base of operations. Sicarius immediately gathers what forces can be spared and boards a Thunderhawk Gunship to assault the lair. It takes an hour’s bloody fighting to secure the cavern, but the Orks are finally defeated when Sicarius cuts the Warlord’s head from his shoulders, thus ending the threat of Waaagh! Zanzag.

871.M41 The Liberation of Quintus Kor’sarro Khan tracks the Daemon Prince Kernax Voldorius to the planet of Quintus. Upon making planetfall, the White Scars find unexpected allies in the form of Kayvaan Shrike and the Raven Guard 3rd Company. Despite the rivalry that exists between their two Chapters, the White Scars and Raven Guard put aside their differences to defeat Voldorius’ army of traitor legionnaires.

876.M41 The Bloodtide Returns Chaos comes to the world of Van Horne. The Bloodthirster Ka’jagga’nath, Lord of the Bloodtide, breaks free of his bonds and unleashes a tide of gore that corrupts everything it touches. For eight days and nights, the orgies of blood continue, each fresh death luring yet more Daemons to the mortal world. Only when the Grey Knights 4th Brotherhood arrives can the Bloodtide be abated, and then only at great cost. Ka’jagga’nath is cast back into the Warp, and the psychic backlash banishes both the Bloodtide and the Daemons it had drawn forth.

883.M41 Fire and Blood Dark Eldar from the Kabal of the Black Heart attack the garrison world of Kyobin. Despite the determination of Major Kamen’s Cadian shock troops, the raiders leave the planetary defences in smouldering ruin, massively destablising the Imperium’s presence in the Loki sector and allowing the Crimson Slaughter’s Igrax Offensive to open up a dozen new battlefronts.

886.M41 Hope’s End Earth caste engineers of the Tau Ke’lshan Sept proudly reveal an immense new colony seeding craft. This monolithic spacefaring vessel is named, in the Tau language, Hope’s Light. On its maiden voyage, and with over three hundred thousand Tau colonists and warriors on board, Hope’s Light is boarded by the Ork fleet of Megaboss Morkrog and lost with all hands. For the next decade, Ke’lshan Sept faces brutal raids from Morkrog’s vast new looted warship Taukilla.

888.M41 The Crusade of Wrath A Black Templars crusade, under the command of Marshal Gerhart, drives the Word Bearers Legion from several star systems in close proximity to the Maelstrom. Fighting is fiercest on the enslaved shrine world of Benevolence, where the forces of Chaos have covered the entire surface with blasphemous temples to the Dark Gods. The Black Templars put every single traitor to the sword.

894.M41 The Sanctarro Campaign Korovoskh, Overlord of Sanctarro, looses his Necron legions against the ash-choked worlds of the neighbouring Vjalborg system. Korovoskh has no pressing need for the worlds, but hopes to challenge Imotekh for rule of the Sautekh dynasty. Thus do billions of Imperial citizens die solely to prove Korovoskh’s military aptitude. Wherever Korovoskh’s forces attack, Cryptek geomancers send tectonic disruptions rumbling through the bedrock; hives topple into ruins, and subterranean fortresses are crushed flat. Only when the 14th Alphic Dragons and the Raven Guard 3rd Company arrive at Vjalborg do the Necrons meet their first defeats. Nevertheless, Korovoskh’s phalanxes are seemingly without number, and the new arrivals are badly beset. Ultimately, the tide of the campaign is turned by the arrival of Strike Force Ultra, under the command of Severus Agemman. Leaving the Raven Guard and the Tempestus Scions to defend Vjalborg, Agemman leads a demi-company of Ultramarine veterans to Sanctarro itself. Though numbering fewer than fifty Space Marines, the strike force succeeds in breaching the flux-shields around Korovoskh’s palace and, in a final battle beneath the Oblivion Gate, destroy Korovoskh and his royal court.

900.M41 Steel and Flame Led by Kardan Stronos, a mighty force of Iron Hands and Brazen Claws attacks the Necron legions upon Sazalor. While Stronos leads Clan Garrsak in a headlong assault against the alien monarch’s personal guard, Clan Company Raukaan face the wrath of a Transcendent C’tan. Set loose by the Necron Overlord in an act of desperation, the star god scythes through the Iron Hands’ ranks, hurling tanks through the air like toys and blasting battle-brothers to ash. It is finally brought low when venerable Ancient Furnous coordinates the Clan Company’s Dreadnoughts into a single unstoppable assault wave. Though several of the Chapter’s most venerated heroes fall, in the end it is the C’tan that is torn apart in a blaze of cosmic energies, leaving Clan Raukaan bloodied but unbowed.

901.M41 The Badab Wars

Lugft Huron, master of the Astral Claws Chapter, announces his secession from the Imperium, declaring himself the Tyrant of Badab.

911.M41 The Fall of Ka’Bandha Grey Knight prognosticars predict that Ka’Bandha, Bloodthirster of Khorne, will shortly return to the mortal world. Knowing Ka’Bandha to be a dangerous foe, and moreover one who has earned the bitter enmity of the Blood Angels, the Grey Knights bring this news to the attention of Commander Dante and propose a joint strike. So it is that a combined strike force of Blood Angels and Grey Knights assail his fortress on the Daemon world of Kalagazaar. Ka’Bandha is banished, the Daemon armies destroyed and Kalagazaar itself subjected to Exterminatus. At the campaign’s end, the surviving Blood Angels have their memories wiped – a price Dante agreed with the Grey Knights at the mission’s start.

913.M41 Knowledge Unbound The Chaos Sorcerer Ahriman sacks the Librarium on Jollana. When a relief army of Imperial Guard and Invaders Space Marines arrive on the planet, Ahriman’s sorcerous traps detonate. The Guard are immolated to the last man, and the Invaders scattered through the ruined Librarium. Worse, the walls between mortal and immortal worlds are so weakened that Daemons claw their way through, and the Invaders are grievously beset. The tide is only turned when a brotherhood of Grey Knights, under the command of Caddon Varn, intercede. Even so, by the time the Daemons are banished, only a dozen Invaders are left alive, and the Librarium is all but irreparable. ++ There is no fear in conviction. ++

c. 925.M41 The World Engine A violent coup on the Necron tomb world of Borsis sees its introspective Overlord replaced by one of a more expansionist bent. Thus are Borsis’ long dormant engines fired into life once more, signalling the start of a devastating purge that destroys eighteen planets in the Vidar Sector, including the forge world Lentrel Prime. The entire Vidar Sector fleet and no less than fifteen Space Marine task forces, including elements from the Ultramarines, the Astral Knights, Invaders, Blood Angels and Aurora Chapters oppose the World Engine as it reaps its bloody harvest. Ultimately, Borsis is only destroyed through the gallant sacrifice of Artor Amhrad and his battle-brothers of the Astral Knights. Ramming their Battle Barge through the World Engine’s defence screens, they destroy vital systems to bring down Borsis’ defences, allowing their allies to destroy the planet with volleys of cyclonic torpedoes.

926.M41 The Vaxhallian Genocide The Chaos renegades known as the Purge choose the verdant Imperial world of Vaxhallia as their next victim. The planet’s surface is soon riddled with consumptive disease and crippling famine. Over the course of a single month, the Purge engineer the destruction of no fewer than fourteen billion Imperial citizens. This atrocity does not long go unnoticed; Vaxhallia had served as an Astropathic relay hub and a fortress-planet, vital to the defence of the Herakles System. As a result, when the Imperium finally responds, it does so in grand style. The entire Hammers of Dorn, Fire Lords and Crimson Fists Chapters initiate the planetstrike, reinforced by twelve Cadian battle-groups and the Knights of House Raven. Soon Vaxhallia is a roiling caldera of war that draws in forces from across the sector. Vaxhallia’s fate grows yet more dire when the plague ship Terminus Est arrives in orbit, disgorging hundreds of Plague Marines and countless millions of plague zombies onto the planet’s surface. Typhus leads this fresh assault and, with each day that passes, more of the Cadians succumb to the zombie plague – soon the Space Marines and Knights find themselves fighting alone against a tide of traitors and walking dead. When a second Imperial battlefleet arrives, its commander deems the world irretrievably lost and begins preparations to evacuate the survivors and commence Exterminatus.

++ Knowledge is Power; Power Corrupts.++

932.M41 Last Stand at Jollov Techno Magus Stannum Vir discovers fragments of an STC device on the agri world of Jollov. However, a Tyranid hive fleet tendril threatens to consume the world before the STC can be recovered. At the Tech-Priest’s behest, a courageous defence of the planet’s spaceport ensues. Colonel Straken of Catachan co-ordinates five regiments of Imperial Guard in order to buy enough time for the Adeptus Mechanicus to flee with the invaluable technological relic.

933.M41 Bane of Daemons The Somaro Starfort is overrun by Daemons in a matter of hours, leaving a dangerous breach in the defences of forge world Venta Secundus. As Kairos Fateweaver prepares to unleash his minions on the vital planet, Inquisitor Wolfe orders the Grey Knights into battle. Only when Kairos falls to the blade of Chapter Master Kaldor Draigo is the threat ended.

937.M41 The Wolf at Bay Mustering five companies of Space Wolves, as well as the Cadian 301st and the Tallarn 14th, Inquisitor Pranix attempts to reclaim the nine Hollow Worlds of Lastrati from the traitorous Red Corsairs. The Drop Pods of the Space Wolves crash straight through the primary world’s algae-crusted surface, and war soon rages throughout the catacombs beneath. Huron Blackheart collapses preselected portions of his tunnel networks with cold precision and timing, isolating and destroying much of the Imperial army sent against him. The invading forces are forced to withdraw.

941.M41 Second War for Armageddon Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka looses a vast Waaagh! that, after much rampaging, meets its match upon Armageddon, a planet vitally important to the Imperium. The Orks are defeated only by the stubbornness of its inhabitants, the combined might of three Space Marine Chapters and the legendary heroics of Commissar Yarrick. Ghazghkull escapes and vows to return one day.

955.M41 The Crusade of Sorrow Dark Eldar of the Kabal of the Poisoned Heart destroy the Black Templars’ Chapter Keep on the jungle world of Delleront and capture a score of recruits. Marshal Gerhart and Chaplain Grimaldus lead a crusade of retribution against the kabal to punish them for their insolence, and though hundreds of Dark Eldar are slaughtered, not a single recruit is ever found.

961.M41 The Pandorax War A strike force of Dark Angels and Grey Knights arrive in the Pandorax system in an attempt to seal the Damnation Cache and put a stop to the daemonic tide Abaddon has unleashed. The Grey Knights at last reach the Damnation Cache and seal it once more, but Abaddon has already departed Pandorax in search of fresh victories.

968.M41 The Khai-Zhan Uprising Led by the Night Lords Traitor Legion, rebels capture every major population centre on Khai-Zhan before daybreak. Less than one tenth of Imperial Guard regiments sent to retake the world survive. However, in one of the most brutal urban conflicts in recent memory, the Cadian 122nd and their Imperial Fists allies succeed in recapturing the capital city of Vogen. With this primary starport secured, the Imperium’s forces overwhelm the remaining traitors within a month.

973.M41 The Damnos Incident Beneath the arctic chill of Damnos’ surface, a Necron tomb awakens. Before the year is out, Damnos’ vast manufactorum cities are in ruins, and the planetary capital of Kellenport is under siege. Under the Command of Captain Sicarius and Chief Librarian Tigurius, the Ultramarines Strike Cruiser Valin’s Revenge arrives during the final assault on Kellenport. The Ultramarines strike the Necron onslaught at its heart, scouring the soulless machinewarriors from Kellenport’s walls. Sicarius is sorely wounded during the battle, but as his Command Squad stands resolute over their Captain’s injured body, the hulking form of Venerable Dreadnought Agrippan strides into the fray and smashes the Necrons’ Overlord asunder. As the Necrons are driven back, the orbital defences are cleared, and Valin’s Revenge extracts the wounded Sicarius. Tigurius is forced to acknowledge that Damnos is lost and they draw plans to evacuate as many of the planet’s inhabitants as possible. The Ultramarines make a defiant stand at Kellenport, holding back the Necrons as the evacuation proceeds. Tigurius is found wherever the Ultramarines are hardest pressed, shattering the advancing Necrons with the fury of his mind and summoning psychic shields to cheat the machines of their prey. Agrippan’s actions are just as heroic, and for three hours he holds Kellenport’s western gate alone and unaided, obliterating all who oppose him. By the time Kellenport’s defenders are driven back to their last bastion of defence, only forty Space Marines and twenty Guardsmen remain planetside. Agrippan is lost in these last few minutes, his frame pinned between a dozen streams of gauss fire. As Thunderhawks speed Tigurius and the last survivors to safety, Agrippan’s reactor explodes, obliterating the spaceport and every Necron within it. ++ There is no cowardice in faith. ++

975.M41 Desolation of Skarbrand The Bloodthirster Skarbrand materialises on the Cadian fortress-planet of Lutoris Epsilon. His berserk rage infects all he surveys, and soon the fortifications are drenched in blood as the Guardsmen turn upon each other in crazed bloodlust. Ranged weaponry is disregarded as the defenders gut each other with bayonets, or claw out the eyes of their erstwhile allies with bloodied fingernails. Lutoris has since been considered cursed and is currently classified as quarantined.

980.M41 Vengeance at Bakka Aiming to seize additional vessels for his renegade fleet, Huron Blackheart attacks the Imperial shipyards at Bakka. At the height of the battle, a Grey Knights Strike Cruiser

warps into the heart of the Red Corsairs fleet and begins firing on the flagship. Taking advantage of the confusion, Grand Master Mordrak and his bodyguard teleport aboard the Chaos vessel and fight their way to its bridge in search of Lugft Huron. Badly outnumbered, the fight initially goes against Mordrak and his companions until their efforts are reinforced by the ghosts of battle-brothers slain at Huron’s hand. With their aid, Mordrak is able to best Huron’s inner circle of guards. Realising his peril, Huron flees the bridge though is seemingly slain by Mordrak before he can vanish into the bowels of his ship. Alas, upon death ‘Huron’ reverts to its natural form – that of a daemonic doppelganger which presumably exchanged places with Huron in the moments he was out of Mordrak’s sight. Furious at his failure, but mindful of his worsening predicament, Mordrak returns to his Strike Cruiser moments before Huron’s fleet makes its own escape into the Warp. The Bakka shipyards are saved, but Mordrak’s vengeance remains unsatisfied.

981.M41 Last Stand of the Swamp Devils Isolated on the agri world of Lowamon after three years of bitter fighting, Colonel Kratzer and Inquisitor Roth rally the Catachan XXIII for one last defiant stand against Tau Commander Darktide’s Mont’ka assault.

985.M41 Conqueror’s Fall Imotekh the Stormlord’s tomb ship, Inevitable Conqueror, comes under attack by a Black Templars fleet whilst en route to the Sautekh coreworld of Davatas. The architect of the assault is none other than Marshal Helbrecht, Chapter Master of the Black Templars. A broadside from the battle barge Sigismund strips away the Conqueror’s shields an instant before the Black Templars’ boarding torpedoes strike home and, within moments, the tomb ship’s decks are swarming with vengeful Space Marines. Imotekh makes his escape by teleporting to an escort vessel. Helbrecht is incandescent with fury, but consoles himself by personally setting Imotekh’s beloved flagship on a collision course with a nearby star, and blasting to oblivion those other Necron craft too slow to flee.

986.M41 The Swordwind Strikes The fleet of Biel-Tan lays waste to the shipyards of Magna Cipri. This is the first blow in a flawlessly-executed campaign that culminates in Biel-Tan’s aspect warriors scouring all human life from the maiden world of Liss’el – including the company of Flesh Tearers who arrive to aid in the defence.

988.M41 The Redeemer’s Quest

Xander Krast murders a fellow Knight following a quarrel over a noblewoman’s hand. With ritual execution looming, Xander is freed by an unknown benefactor and flees his ancestral home of Chrysis. Xander’s brothers, tainted by familial association, take ship after him. The pursuit rages across a dozen systems, but Xander – now fighting as the freeblade Iron Redeemer – eventually trades his freedom for his brothers’ assistance in defending the agri world of Tekara from Waaagh! Garshok. Working together, the brothers stall the greenskin invasion long enough for a strike force from the Iron Hands Clan Raukaan to arrive. During the climactic Battle of Devil’s Gorge, Xander performs a suicide run against the Stompa Mork Wantz Ya! and is presumed slain when the walker’s reactor undergoes a devastating chain reaction. Many of Clan Raukaan’s battle-brothers are slain in the explosion, and the survivors vengefully pursue the beaten remnants of Waaagh! Garshok across the Deinora Sector. Scattered and harried, the Orks leave the exodite world of Selesti – the planet that would have been their next target – wholly unmolested. Watching from deep within the webway, the Shadowseer Sylandri Veilwalker sees her plan come to fruition, and allows herself a brief moment of satisfaction before turning her attention to other matters. The surviving brothers return to Chrysis, and report that Xander’s crime has been washed away in blood. Xander’s name is struck from the annals of House Krast, though the brothers are careful to make no mention of the Iron Redeemer.

989.M41 Fall of Rynn’s World Waaagh! Snagrod rampages across the Loki sector, culminating in an assault on Rynn’s World that leaves the Crimson Fists Chapter nearly wiped out. Though the Orks are finally driven off Rynn’s World, Chapter Master Pedro Kantor declines the opportunity for pursuit, instead throwing his efforts into rebuilding the Crimson Fists to their former glory. Snagrod himself escapes, and proceeds to wreak further havoc across the sector.

990.M41 The Scarlet Hunt The decadent Dark Eldar noble, Zorothriel of the Flaying Blade, outdoes his rivals by staging a daring hunt upon the Daemon world of Khornax. Breaching a webway portal that leads onto the planet’s bone-strewn plains, Zorothriel’s armada of skimmers hurtles across the landscape so quickly that the Daemon skull-gatherers below can do little more than roar their anger in response. Zorothriel locates a roving pack of Flesh Hounds and begins his sport, proving his supremacy over the beasts by vaporising one after another with his craft’s darklight weaponry. At hunt’s end, the surviving Daemon beasts are joined by a three-headed Flesh Hound larger than the rest. Oddly, the newcomer’s low growls lull the frenzied pack into submission. Seeing a potential gift for Commorragh’s gladiatorial arenas before him,

Zorothriel orders the beast bound in energy chains and taken back to his warship. It is the last mistake he ever makes. Whilst in transit through the webway, the three-headed beast breaks its shackles, frees its packmates and prowls through the warship’s corridors, killing all on board.

993.M41 The Kraken Slain The Ultramarines quash a rebellion on the industrial world of Ichar IV, only to find themselves at the forefront of a desperate defence against Hive Fleet Kraken. In a replay of history, Marneus Calgar, having narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Swarmlord during their confrontation on Macragge, faces the reincarnation of the same beast on the blood-soaked fields. This time, however, Calgar triumphs, slaying the beast with his bare hands. The Space Marines’ victory comes too late to save the planet itself, for the Tyranids had already reduced it to a smoking charnel house of death and destruction. Simultaneously, another tendril of the same hive fleet ravages Craftworld Iyanden. Iyanna Arienal rouses the dead from their slumbers to fight as ghost warriors, but even so the Craftworld seems doomed. Thousands upon thousands of lives are lost to the Tyranid onslaught. In the end, victory is only won when the exiled Prince Yriel returns to his ancestral home at the head of a mighty corsair fleet. Storming the ruined halls, Yriel draws the cursed Spear of Twilight from the Shrine of Ulthanash, embracing a lingering death so that his kinsfolk might survive. At last, the hive fleet’s swarms are expended, and a battered and desolate Iyanden continues its voyage through the stars.

997.M41 Leviathan Wakes The twin tendrils of Hive Fleet Leviathan strike at the underbelly of the Imperium, cutting a swathe of destruction through Segmentums Tempestus, Ultima and Solar, beginning the Third Tyrannic War. From Macragge to Ultima Macharia, the forces of the Imperium hurry to confront this new threat, leaving many sectors open to attack by other enemies.

997.M41 The Pandemonium of Sondheim V The world of Sondheim V is invaded by Tyranids of Hive Fleet Leviathan just as the Daemon Prince M’kar the Reborn transforms it into a private Pandaemonium. Whilst the Sky Sentinels Chapter establish an orbital quarantine, Grand Master Vardan Kai of the Grey Knights descends to the surface to capture the Book of Pandegaras – the cursed tome key to M’kar’s plans. After a brutal three-way battle, Kai seizes his prize and orders the Sky Sentinels to begin Exterminatus. The Grey Knights make their escape as the first wave of barrage bombs slam into the twisted jungles, their Stormravens regaining the safety of the battle barge before a volley of cyclonic torpedoes rip the world apart. In the wake of the Exterminatus, the Sky Sentinels surrender themselves for mindwipe.

997.M41 The Storm of Vengeance Piscina IV is invaded by Orks under the joint leadership of Ghazghkull Thraka and Bad Moons Warboss, Nazdreg. Only the stout defence commanded by Master Belial, of the Dark Angels, ends the Ork threat. Although the victory is great, several Imperial Commanders, including Master Belial, feel that this is only the beginning.

997.M41 Audacious Expansion The small but growing Tau Empire begins a third phase of expansion. They seize half a dozen more Imperial worlds on the Eastern Fringe and several more bow willingly before the Greater Good.

997.M41 The Quest for the Cure Brother Corbulo continues his search for a cure to the Red Thirst – the bloodlust that mars the Blood Angels and all their successor Chapters. This takes him to the edge of the Imperium, to the world of Sollorn, and an ancient bio-vault dating back to the Dark Age of Technology. Before Corbulo can recover the tissue samples, the system is overtaken by Hive Fleet Leviathan, and the Tyranids absorb the samples within the vault. Corbulo leads a boarding action into the heart of the largest hive ship, determined that his quest will not fail.

998.M41 Da Great Waaagh! Ghazghkull Thraka returns to Armageddon, plunging the world into another colossal conflict. Imperial commanders know that if the hive world falls, a thousand other systems will follow, and thus commit massive amounts of troops. Imperial and Ork reinforcements arrive almost daily, and soon the Third War for Armageddon degenerates into a gruelling war of attrition in which neither side can gain a clear advantage.

998.M41 The Devouring of Shadrac A Tyranid splinter fleet falls upon the isolated, bitterly cold world of Shadrac. The frostbitten Imperial Guard stationed there need a miracle to survive, but when a pack of Space Wolves appears out of nowhere, it appears that a miracle has indeed arrived. Led by Skold Greypelt, the Space Wolves join the Guardsmen in a last-ditch defence that destroys an entire swarm. Though Shadrac is ultimately claimed by the innumerable Tyranids, a handful of warriors escape, and the Hive Mind learns to be wary of the Sons of Russ.

998.M41 Shon’tu’s Revenge

Warsmith Shon’tu of the Iron Warriors boards the Imperial Fists star fort Endeavour of Will with his warband. Helbrutes hammer the Imperial Fists, but Chaplain Gannus Roth rallies the defenders, and though casualties are high, they hold on until Terminator Assault Squads teleport into the fray. With hammer and shield, the veterans drive the Daemon Engines back into the Endeavour’s docking bay and into the waiting guns of the Centurion Devastators squads. Shon’tu retreats, swearing vengeance against Chaplain Roth.

998.M41 The Doom of Straxos With many of its Titan Legions assigned to the Armageddon war zone, forge world Straxos barely survives Asdrubael Vect’s grand trophy raid. Over the course of the three-month Straxian night, six full Kabals battle Skitarii and the Knights of House Raven. When dawn at last comes, the invaders vanish, leaving only ruin in their wake.

998.M41 A Prophet of the Waaagh! After months campaigning on Armageddon, Ghazghkull realises that no other greenskin has his ambition. For the rest of the Ork race, a good fight is a victory in itself, but Ghazghkull yearns for something greater. Possessed by a sudden, manic energy, Ghazghkull departs Armageddon, leaving behind him a world still locked in the grip of a war that neither side can win.

998.M41 The Red Waaagh! Warlord Grukk of the Red Waaagh! ploughs into the densely populated Sanctus Reach. The Imperium prepares to make a stand upon Alaric Prime, a feudal world of linked archipelagos and crumbling gaols. When a flotilla of Ork rust-ships makes planetfall, the knightly houses of Alaric lead their Cadian allies in a worldwide counter-attack. Warlord Grukk’s bullish tactics take a heavy toll on the human defenders before the legendary Freeblade known as Gerantius joins the conflict, tipping the war into a new desperate phase.

999.M41 Chaos Rising Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus discover growing failures in the mechanisms of the Golden Throne. They are deemed beyond any current ability to repair. The light of the Astronomican grows dimmer, and a ripple of psychic activity passes through the Imperium, awakening the dormant powers of countless latent psykers. The resulting backlash creates innumerable Warp rifts and a thousand worlds are lost to daemonic incursions. Meanwhile, in the twisted space known as the Eye of Terror, one of the Imperium’s oldest foes prepares to launch a war to end all wars.

999.M41 Baal’s Darkest Hour The Blood Angels are tested as never before. A tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan is judged to be on a direct course for Baal. Worse, the dread Bloodthirster Ka’Bandha returns from the darkness of the Warp with a Daemon army at his command, his first blow striking against Ammonai, outermost planet of the Baal system. Faced with a terrible war on at least two fronts, Dante makes swift preparation, uniting many Imperial and non-human worlds under the banner of survival. Even some former foes can be counted in Dante’s alliance, though whether or not they can be entirely trusted is another matter. Knowing even these forces are not enough to repel both Daemons and Tyranids, Dante recalls the 3rd Company from Armageddon and requests aid from the Blood Angels’ successors. Gabriel Seth of the Flesh Tearers is the first to respond, dispatching the Chapter’s full strength without hesitation, and ultimately all but the Lamenters answer the call. Even the Knights of Blood, declared renegade many centuries earlier, pay heed, though they are careful never to take the field alongside the other Chapters. So is the stage set for the defence of Baal itself – perhaps the final battle of the Scions of Sanguinius...

999.M41 The Bio-Purge The Eldar of Biel-Tan and Iyanden unite on the Tyranid-infested planet of Valedor, unleashing a psychic doomsday device in order to destroy the planet and prevent fragments of Hive Fleet Kraken – and the genetic information they carry – from being absorbed into Hive Fleet Leviathan. The Eldar repeat their success on dozens of Imperial and Ork-held worlds. The Imperium rages at what its commanders see as impulsive slaughter, blindly venting its wrath upon any xenos spaceship within a dozen parsecs.

999.M41 Return to Damnos Realising that the threat of Damnos can no longer be ignored, Marneus Calgar musters the entire Ultramarines Chapter to eliminate the Necron menace once and for all.

999.M41 Dark Vengeance The Dark Angels 5th Company battles elements of the Crimson Slaughter for control of the Hellfire Stone. The renegades believe that by anointing the ancient altar to the Dark Gods with the sacrificial blood of a loyalist Space Marine they can halt the voices that haunt them. The traitors have been deceived, for the Hellfire Stone will instead summon forth Daemons of the Warp, ushering in a new age of darkness. The Dark Angels are victorious, but this battle marks only the first in a long series of clashes they will fight against the renegade Space Marines.

999.M41 The 13th Black Crusade Warmaster Abaddon launches his 13th Black Crusade. The armies of Chaos invade Cadia and many surrounding worlds. The attacking forces consist of those traitors from the darkest of times. Always in the vanguard are the Black Legion, followed by the Death Guard, World Eaters, Alpha Legion, Thousand Sons, Night Lords and others from the annals of blackest days. Before them run infected, plague-ridden cultists, and traitorous scum in numbers too great to count. Behind them march hosts of Daemons led by towering Daemon Princes, and other Warp creatures eager for mortal flesh. Astropaths everywhere cringe to open their minds to receive messages, for the Warp rings with mindsplitting sound of the myriad tears ripping open the barrier between the physical world and the Immaterium. As the Black Crusade begins, the battered forces of the Imperium prepare for the greatest war since the days of the Horus Heresy.

THE PANDORAX INCURSION The Pandorax Incursion took place between 959.M41 and 961.M41, when a Black Legion warfleet invaded the Pandorax System and captured the Imperial planet of Pythos. Hidden beneath the planet’s surface was a portal to the Warp known as the Damnation Cache, which Abaddon used to unleash a daemonic legion upon the world. A ferocious campaign was fought by Imperial forces to recapture Pythos and close down the Damnation Cache, first in the depths of space, and then on the Daemon-infested surface of Pythos itself.

THE INVASION OF PYTHOS In 959.M41, a Black Legion incursion fleet invaded the Imperial planet of Pythos, in the Pandorax System. The fleet was commanded by Abaddon the Despoiler himself, and consisted of half a dozen massive battleships, each one with enough firepower to lay waste to an entire planet, supported by numerous escort craft. The incursion fleet contemptuously swept aside Pandorax’s system defence craft, and moved into orbit above the planet of Pythos within hours of entering the system. What Abaddon could possibly want from Pythos was by no means clear at this time. The planet was an inhospitable death world, home to a colony of hardy Imperial citizens. Most of Pythos is covered in dense jungle, which is home to massive saurian creatures happy to eat anything that moves. The oceans are inhabited by equally large predators. Because of the dangers of moving through the lowlands and across the oceans, the human settlers of Pythos settled in mountaintop mining colonies known locally as delverstrongholds. From these, they derived a precarious and meagre existence mining the precious minerals found in the planet’s mountain chains. Hundreds of these strongholds were scattered over the planet, each home to populations of only a few thousand Imperial citizens.

PYTHOS

Imperial Death World Pythos is a death world, covered mainly in dense jungles, with occasional areas of scorched grassland. Its jungles and oceans are inhabited by massive saurian predators.

ABADDON THE DESPOILER

Abaddon took command of the Black Legion following the Horus Heresy and

has led it in innumerable bloody campaigns since then. He secured the favour of all four of the Ruinous Powers, who have rewarded him with the arcane blade Drach’nyen, to use alongside the Talon of Horus, the legendary weapon of the Warmaster himself. With the Dark Gods behind him, Abaddon is determined to avenge Horus and destroy the Imperium. Should his armies triumph, a tide of Chaos will pour from the Eye of Terror to engulf the galaxy.

Pythos’ only major city was the Hive-port of Atika, which was located on the coast of the planet’s largest ocean, and surrounded on its landward side by the aptly named deathglades. Atika was a small spire city with its main habitation zones located in the dome-like upper levels of the city, high above the surrounding swamplands. Travel between Atika and the delver-strongholds was carried out in dilapidated lighter-than-air dirigibles known as sky barges, lumbering through the skies high above the ferocious creatures that inhabited the lowlands in relative safety. This, then, was the bleak environment which Abaddon found at Pythos. Within moments of entering orbit, his warfleet unleashed a pinpoint barrage, quickly disabling Atika’s defences and blasting the bastions and barracks occupied by the city’s defence forces. Blood red rain started pouring from the skies, and the massive capital ships of the Chaos fleet launched scores of Dreadclaw drop pods, which disgorged hundreds of Chaos Space Marines. Dozens of squads of Khorne Berzerkers supported by hunting packs of Forgefiends led the assault, slaughtering the defenders in a maelstrom of gore. Surprised, demoralised, and having already suffered heavy casualties, Atika’s defenders broke almost at first contact. The only formation able to organize any kind of effective resistance was the 183rd Catachan Jungle Fighter regiment, stranded on the planet while en route to the Maelstrom, and even they were only able to hold on for a few hours before being forced to conduct a fighting retreat and escape into the surrounding swamplands. Within thirty-six hours of Abaddon’s arrival, Atika was claimed in the name of the Dark Gods.

THE BLOOD MARCH The Catachan Jungle Fighters that had escaped the city were forced to battle their way through Pythos’ predator-infested jungles, harried all the way by Black Legion murder squads. It is unlikely that any other Imperial Guard troops could have survived such a march, and even the Catachans suffered dreadfully through the ordeal. Battling their way past ambushes, fighting off attacks by massive reptilian monsters and voracious maneating plants, the Catachans finally reached the relative safety of the Olympax mountain range, just 150 miles to the east of Atika. Here, they braced themselves for an all-out attack by the Black Legion. Mysteriously,

however, they were allowed time to regroup. Although the Black Legion continued to harry the Catachans, no serious attack on them was undertaken, and this gave the Imperial forces time to link up with each other. Although the largest concentration of Imperial troops had been located at Atika, all of the delver-strongholds had their own garrisons and, in aggregate, these troops numbered in the tens of thousands. Colonel ‘Death’ Strike, commander of the 183rd regiment, and now de-facto Imperial Governor of Pythos, quickly began to organize these widely scattered forces, using commandeered sky barges to gather a sizable army at his base camp in the Olympax mountains. Within a fortnight, he began planning offensive operations against the Chaos invaders of what he now considered to be his planet.

Hidden beneath the surface of Pythos, the Damnation Cache was a portal to the Realm of Chaos itself.

THE DAMNATION CACHE What Colonel Strike could not possibly know was that Abaddon had been far from idle. Unbeknownst to any of the Imperial citizens on the planet, Atika was built atop a hellish gateway known as the Damnation Cache. This gateway was a small but terrifyingly stable portal into the Warp, through which daemonic legions could travel into the material realm. Once it was captured, Abaddon would be able to summon forth a tide of wrathful Daemons to overwhelm the remaining defenders of Pythos and threaten the hundreds of Imperial planets nearby. In the dark days of the Horus Heresy, vast numbers of Daemons had emerged from the Damnation Cache to fight against those who had remained loyal to the Emperor. Following Horus’ defeat, the Damnation Cache was sealed, and in the centuries that followed, it disappeared from history. Only the Daemon-hunting Grey Knights retained any knowledge of the portal. So it was that when Pythos was reclaimed as an Imperial colony in M33, none but the Grey Knights, the Chaos Gods, and the few surviving Chaos Space Marines that had fought there in the Heresy knew of the horrors hidden beneath the planet’s surface.

However, Abaddon was one of those Traitor Legion veterans, and immediately upon his arrival on Pythos, he began the task of breaking through the wards that had been set on that infernal gateway thousands of years before. Disabling the wards was no easy task; dozens of Abaddon’s most powerful sorcerers struggled to weaken the seals, sacrificing hundreds of Atika’s citizens in bloody rituals of unbinding as they did so. One by one, the ancient bindings broke, until finally, just over a month after Abaddon’s warfleet had first appeared in the system, the last ward was broken and the Damnation Cache was unsealed. Immediately, the portal into the Warp reopened and a tide of Daemons gushed through, rampaging out of Atika, across the planet, and surging towards Colonel Strike’s composite army. This time, the Catachans and their PDF allies were at least at combat readiness, but nothing could have prepared them for the tidal wave of destruction that the opening of the Damnation Cache had released. A desperate struggle erupted on the lower slopes of Mount Olympax, as wave after wave of daemonic creatures crashed against the bastions and defence lines of Colonel Strike’s camp. Only great heroics and terrible sacrifice prevented the base from being overrun in the first assault. Even so, it was clear to Colonel Strike that defending the newly established base camp could only result in the destruction of his entire command. Huddled together in a single location, they were an easy a target for the overwhelming hordes of Daemons pouring forth from the Damnation Cache. Bitterly, Colonel Strike ordered the troops under his command to split up and retreat to the hundreds of delver-strongholds that were located all across Pythos. He knew that while no single settlement could resist attack, the sheer number of strongholds and their scattered locations offered the best chance of some Imperial forces surviving until reinforcements arrived. If, that was, reinforcements arrived at all…

COLONEL ‘DEATH’ STRIKE

Colonel Strike was the commander of the 183rd regiment of Catachan Jungle Fighters at the start of the Pandorax Incursion. He earned his nickname when still only a squad Sergeant, fighting against insurgents in the dense forests of Burlion VIII. His opponents said that fighting against Strike and his men meant only one thing – certain death. The 183rd regiment was en route to the Maelstrom war zone when catastrophic engine failure on their transport craft resulted in them being stranded on Pythos just before Abaddon’s invasion began. Commander Azrael later said that were it not for Colonel Strike, Pythos would have been completely overrun.

183rd Catachan Jungle Fighters tattoos

183rd Catachan Jungle Fighters Regimental Banner

BATTLEFLEET DEMETER Although Abaddon’s initial attack had been terrifyingly swift, he could not stop all messages calling for aid from being transmitted. High atop Atika, the desperate defenders had been able to hold out long enough for an astropathic distress signal to be sent streaking through the Immaterium. Despite the efforts of covens of Chaos Sorcerers aboard Abaddon’s flagship, the Black Legion were unable to block all of these signals, which continued to be broadcast until bloodthirsty assault squads of Khorne Berserkers were finally able to smash their way into the astropathic chamber in Atika’s central spire. The Pandorax System lies a short distance to the galactic south of the Maelstrom, in the Demeter Sector. Lying so close to Huron Blackheart’s realm meant that the Demeter

Sector was in a high state of battle-readiness and could react to the attack quickly. Immediately upon receiving the distress call, the closest reserve fleet in the sector was ordered to the Pandorax System. Meanwhile, transport was arranged for the 19th and 27th Imperial Guard armies, as the massive resources of the Imperium swung into operation to repel Abaddon’s invasion. Battlefleet Demeter’s reserve fleet was under the command of Lord Admiral Orson Kranswar, aboard his flagship, the Revenge. He was highly experienced, having fought numerous actions against Red Corsairs raiding fleets, though his background would offer little benefit against the overwhelming force of battle-scarred opposition he would encounter in the Pandorax System. Over the coming weeks and months, his fleet would fight in some of the largest space battles since the Gothic campaign. The first omen of what Battlefleet Demeter would have to endure in the coming months occurred as soon as the fleet entered the Pandorax System. The 129th Imperial Destroyer Squadron was ranging ahead of the main fleet, and had just begun to pick its way through the asteroid belt that fringed the outer reaches of the star system. As they did so, they were subjected to a lightning-fast attack by Iconoclast destroyers hidden in the belt. Two Imperial ships were lost, and the Chaos squadron escaped unharmed, disappearing amidst the dense asteroid belt just minutes after launching their attack. Kranswar first established a base on the tiny planet of Gaea, located on the edge of the Pandorax System. With his lines of communication secure, he then began to mount a series of raids and attacks into the asteroid field, intent on clearing a path to Pythos. In the following weeks, a series of increasingly brutal conflicts were fought in and around the asteroid belt, earning it the nickname of the ‘Adamantium Fields’ due to the myriad hulls of wrecked ships that floated there. At first, the ships of Abaddon’s fleet held the upper hand, inflicting heavy losses on the Imperial flotillas as they repeatedly attempted to pick a way through the asteroid belt. However, in the long run, this was a campaign Abaddon could not hope to win, as the material superiority of his adversary – and the willingness of the Imperium to accept stunning losses to break through to Pythos – slowly but surely eroded the strength of the Chaos fleet. Slowly the tide began to turn, and Abaddon was forced to commit ever more ships to holding Kranswar in check. It was at this point that Abaddon received vital assistance in the form of a raiding fleet of Red Corsairs. None can say if this came about because Abaddon and Huron Blackheart had agreed to aid each other, or simply because the Red Corsairs were drawn to the Pandorax System by the lure of conflict, just as the giant megaloshark of the Phythosian oceans is drawn to injured prey by the scent of blood in the water. In any case, the outcome was the same: combining their strength, the Chaos fleets swiftly drove the Imperial ships out of the Adamantium Fields, and back towards their base at Gaea. As they did so, the dispersed squadrons of ships belonging to the two sides gathered for a final space battle of such scale that it would be remembered for a hundred

generations.

ADMIRAL KRANSWAR

Lord Admiral Orson Kranswar came from a renowned line of naval officers that had served the Emperor for millennia. He distinguished himself as a young midshipman, and was quickly promoted. Although personally brave, his tactics were predictable and lacked imagination – a trait exploited by his opponents during the space battles for the Adamantium Fields. He died leading a counter-attack when his flagship, the Revenge, was boarded by Abaddon’s Chaos Space Marines.

THE BATTLE FOR PANDORAX 960.M41 Lord-Admiral Kranswar knew that he was in a dangerous position. Although the number

of escort vessels under his command roughly matched those in the combined Chaos fleets, he was heavily outgunned and outnumbered in terms of capital ships. The only real advantage he held lay in the number of fast attack craft he had; the launch bays on the Revenge and Stalwart gave him a two-to-one advantage over those carried by the Chaos ships. In order to maximize this strength, Kranswar decided to hold the Revenge and Stalwart back, while the rest of his ships advanced to engage the Chaos fleet. While the bulk of his ships tried to keep the Chaos fleet at arm’s length, his two carriers would launch successive waves of attack craft, tasked with overwhelming the squadrons defending the Chaos ships, and inflicting as much damage as possible. Hopefully, by the time the two fleets came to grips properly, the attack craft would have wreaked enough destruction to even the odds in the ensuing gun battle. Unfortunately for Kranswar, while his plan was strategically sound, it lacked guile. Although Abaddon was still on Pythos commanding the ground campaign, his chosen lieutenant, Chaos Warlord Malgar Irongrasp, was a veteran of hundreds of space battles and had guessed what Kranswar’s strategy was likely to be even before his sensors picked up the positions of the ships in the Imperial battlefleet. Irongrasp’s ships tore forth from the Adamantium Fields like a battering ram, striking straight towards the heart of Kranswar’s leading flotillas. Smashing through the screen of Imperial attack craft, they gave Kranswar’s ships no time to carry out the dainty manoeuvres that he had transmitted to his command.

‘Our actions upon this day will determine if our names will live in glory or be despised. Launch all attack squadrons and prepare to engage the enemy! Let us win glory!!’ - Admiral Kranswar, Battle for Pandorax

IMPERIAL BATTLE FLEET Revenge, Emperor class battleship Stalwart, Dictator class cruiser Steel Anvil, Dominator class cruiser Leviathan, Lunar class cruiser

Lord Solar, Lunar class cruiser Courageous, Dauntless class light cruiser Banshee, Dauntless class light cruiser Myrmidon, Endeavour class light cruiser Gamma Squadron, three Sword class frigates Jaguar Squadron, two Firestorm class frigates 129th Destroyer Squadron, six Cobra class destroyers 89th Escort Squadron, five Falchion class escorts

A furious close range battle erupted, as the Chaos fleet ploughed in amongst the ships of the Imperial advance guard, their immense, rippling broadsides illuminating their flanks.

Hundreds of attack craft swirled and battled around the miles-long capital ships, while squadrons of escort vessels engaged in deadly close range gunnery battles. Kranswar desperately ordered his ships to disengage. Although they had suffered heavy damage, they had given as good as they’d gotten, and if he could just buy enough time to rearm and refuel his now depleted attack craft, the battle could still be won. The Imperial ships executed Kranswar’s orders with a stoicism bought through many long hours of careful training. The Imperial capital ships, screened by their escorts, broke away from the Chaos fleet, while the surviving attack craft headed back to the Revenge and Stalwart to re-arm. However, Irongrasp had foreseen this reaction too. Unnoticed at the back of the Chaos warfleet, the Might of Huron, a Slaughter class cruiser, fired up the huge thruster arrays which define ships of that infamous class, and powered full speed ahead towards the Imperial carrier ships to the rear of the Imperial formation. Mysteriously, its tractors dragged a huge asteroid along behind it. The purpose of the asteroid was revealed as the Might of Huron closed with the Revenge and Stalwart: the interior of the massive rock was hollow, and inside were hidden scores of Black Legion and Red Corsairs boarding parties, supported by Dreadclaw assault pods and short-ranged orbital flyers. As it neared the Revenge, the Might of Huron released the asteroid, which drifted directly towards the Imperial craft. As soon as it was close enough, tractor beams inside the asteroid grappled the Imperial battleship, and chanting covens of Chaos Sorcerers loosed a barrage of psychic attacks that tore down the Imperial ship’s defensive shields and blinded its short-range batteries. As soon as the Revenge’s energy shields went down, hundreds of assault pods were launched at the now defenceless craft, and a massive boarding action erupted amidst the launch bays and corridors of the ship. The Chaos Space Marines in the boarding parties were quickly reinforced by hosts of horrifying Daemons, which poured from Warp portals that began appearing all across the ship. Within moments, the Revenge was engulfed in a furious battle. Leaving the boarding parties to deal with the Revenge, the Might of Huron went after the Stalwart, which was ill-suited to a close-range gun battle with the heavily armed Chaos craft. At a stroke, Warlord Irongrasp had turned the tables on the Imperial fleet, negating any advantage the Imperial attack craft might have given them, and leaving them fatally split. Meanwhile, the rest of the Chaos fleet was able to concentrate on crushing the ships of Kranswar’s advance guard. Once these ships were destroyed, Irongrasp could finish off the Revenge and Stalwart, if anything remained after the brutal pummelling each was sustaining. As Admiral Kranswar took personal command of one of the security battalions, he knew that his command was almost certainly doomed to destruction. He offered his soul to the

immortal Emperor, for it would take a miracle to save his fleet.

CHAOS FLEET Relentless Ire, Desolator class battleship Divine Corruption, Repulsive class grand cruiser Heartless Destroyer, Styx class heavy cruiser Helspite, Carnage class cruiser Purgator Squadron, three Idolator class raiders Savage Squadron, four Iconoclast class destroyers Black Death Squadron, three Iconoclast class destroyers

MIGHT OF HURON Slaughter class cruiser Battle for Pandorax

RED CORSAIRS Might of Huron, Slaughter class cruiser Deathblade, Murder class cruiser No Redemption, Murder class cruiser Red Fury Squadron, three Infidel class raiders Sanguine Slaughter Squadron, two Iconoclast class destroyers

1a &1b. The Imperial advance flotilla engages Chaos fleet. 2. Chaos Space Marines and Daemons board the Revenge.

3. The Might of Huron is destroyed by the Stalwart and the Dark Angels Battle Barge Unrelenting Fury. 4. The Dark Angels fleet joins forces with the Imperial advance flotilla. The Chaos fleet is forced to retreat. 5a & 5b. The Chaos fleet is caught between the two Imperial forces, who inflict terrible damage to the Chaos ships before they can finally reach the safety of the Adamantium Fields. The Imperial victory is complete.

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE 960.M41 It was at this vital juncture that the navigators in both fleets began picking up signs of an opening in the Warp, indications that one or more ships were just about to jump into the system. The navigators could hardly believe their senses – appearing this close to a planetary body was almost suicidal. Nonetheless, the sensors didn’t lie: where one moment there was nothing, in the next moment four capital ships and half a dozen escort craft blinked into existence. Seconds later, an eleventh, impossibly vast, craft appeared; one that dwarfed even the asteroid Irongrasp had used to attack the Revenge. This mighty vessel was the Rock. At the moment of darkest despair, the Dark Angels had arrived. As the Rock and its escorting craft moved to engage the main strength of the Chaos fleet, the Dark Angels Battle Barge Unrelenting Fury and three Hunter class escorts swept towards the stricken Revenge. Closing quickly, Unrelenting Fury launched a volley of boarding torpedoes towards the Chaos asteroid. Just as they struck, a phalanx of Terminators teleported onto the rocky surface of the planetoid, their pale armour a beacon against the dark bulk – this was one of those rare times when the Deathwing deployed at their full strength, an event unlikely to occur more than once in a century.

COMMANDER AZRAEL

Commander Azrael is the present Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels Chapter. Azrael is a dynamic leader who knows and speaks his mind and is utterly convinced of the rightness of his cause. He fearlessly leads the Chapter in battle, commanding one of the mightiest, and most enigmatic, fighting forces in the galaxy. Azrael is also the guardian of the secrets the Dark Angels have locked away within the dark chambers hidden miles below the surface of The Rock, where only the Watchers in the Dark dare to tread.

They tore into the covens of Chaos Sorcerers on the asteroid with righteous fury, inflicting dozens of casualties even before the Chaos forces knew what had hit them. Moments later, the Dark Angels’ boarding torpedoes struck, and with incredible swiftness, the asteroid was engulfed in a battle. Help was also at hand for the Revenge. A silvered Strike Cruiser arrived alongside the Dark Angels fleet, and a full brotherhood of Grey Knights materialized within the Revenge’s hull to cut a swathe through the Daemon legions swarming through it. They were soon joined by contingents of Dark Angels, aiding the defenders and stemming the tide of the Chaos boarding parties’ attacks. As the covens on the asteroid died, the portals through which the Daemons were appearing closed one by one. Hunting parties led by squads of Grey Knights wiped out the last of the Daemons lurking within the ship. Within hours, no taint of the incursion remained. Although she had been dreadfully damaged, the Revenge was saved, and would continue her vital role in the Pandorax campaign. All around Gaea, the story was the same. The arrival of the Dark Angels swiftly turned the tide against Chaos. The first to feel the Dark Angels’ avenging fury was the Might of Huron, which was blasted into oblivion by the combined firepower of the Unrelenting Fury and the attack squadrons launched from the Stalwart.

NOTABLE DARK ANGEL VESSELS • The Rock • Unrelenting Fury, Battle Barge • Sword of Caliban, Strike Cruiser • Fortitude Squadron, three Hunter class destroyers • Terminatus Squadron, three Hunter class destroyers

Meanwhile, Warlord Irongrasp found his ships trapped between the battered but still combat-worthy ships of Battlefleet Demeter, and the newly arrived Space Marine Strike Cruisers and escort squadrons. Surrounded on all sides, Irongrasp attempted to break through to the relative safety of the Adamantium Fields, but his fleet, already damaged in the earlier battles around Gaea, could not succeed. Only half of the ships in the Chaos fleet survived the battle, and those that did were so badly damaged that it would take years to repair them all. Tragically, Admiral Kranswar was slain when he led a defence detail against the renegades that had invaded his flagship, and he did not live to see the fruits of his victory. The triumph of the Imperial forces in space was almost total, leaving Abaddon and his Black Legion trapped and cut off on the surface of Pythos.

LION’S CLAW SQUADRON

These Hunter class destroyers were the first Dark Angels ships to enter battle at the Adamantium Fields, and provided vital orbital support to Imperial ground forces throughout the reconquest of Pythos.

THE RECONQUEST OF PYTHOS, 960.M41 If Abaddon was worried by this turn of events, he showed no sign. In the months since Pythos had been invaded, the planet had become a Daemon-infested hell. Greater Daemons revelled in battle against the saurian monsters that inhabited the planet, and hordes of lesser Daemons marched on the delver-strongholds. Whenever this gibbering army reached one of the mountain fortresses, it launched a furious attack, aided by contingents of Black Legion warriors and Red Corsairs sent by Huron Blackheart to aid Abaddon’s forces. Although the defenders of the strongholds put up a valiant resistance, they could not hope to hold out for very long. One by one, the strongholds were overrun, and any survivors were marched back to Atika as slaves. What the slaves returned to was not the city they once knew. Located so close to the corrupting force of the Damnation Cache, Atika had changed beyond all recognition. Strange, hideously mutated structures had sprouted from the once elegant spire walls. Most of the city had been abandoned, and the population now lived in the network of twisted underground tunnels and caverns that surrounded the Damnation Cache. Vile

smoke and putrid vapours filled the air in the tunnels and belched out through cracks and crevices into the surrounding atmosphere. Most terrible of all, the enslaved population of the city had been struck down by a terrible plague that reduced them to shambling creatures, more dead than alive. It was this grim scene of devastation and despair that greeted the victors of the space battles in the Adamantium Fields. Finally arriving in orbit above the planet, the Imperial fleet immediately began orbital bombardments on the daemonic armies that were assaulting the delver-strongholds. Squadrons of Marauder Bombers intensified the bombardment, aided by Xerxes Airborne Support Wings, and Dark Angels Thunderhead and Talon of Vengeance squadrons. Abaddon’s forces were driven back by the overwhelming aerial barrages, allowing companies of Space Marines and regiments of Imperial Guard to relieve the defenders, many of whom had been fighting continuously for over a year. In a brief ceremony, Colonel Strike officially handed over command of the planetary defence force to Commander Azrael. Colonel Strike refused all offers to join the other high commanders in the orbiting battlefleet, preferring to return to the fray in his specially modified Baneblade Traitor’s Bane, so that he could fight against the invaders who had cost him so many men.

KREATOR REX

Kreator Rex became one of the first members of the mysterious Chaos machine cult known as the Obliterators. He took part in all of the bloodiest battles of the Horus Heresy, building machines that combined the arts he had learnt with the twisting power of the Chaos. He now fights at Abaddon’s side, building massive Chaos war engines to carry out the Despoiler’s bidding. The Brass Scorpions, Towers of Skulls, Plaguereapers and Lords of Skulls he constructed proved vital in the attacks on Pythos’ delver-strongholds during the Pandorax campaign, quickly breaching their walls and spearheading every assault.

However, although the tide was turning, the Chaos armies continued their relentless assaults on the delver-strongholds. No sooner was one strike driven off, than a new one would begin. Abaddon’s tactics changed; instead of making overwhelming and methodical attacks against the strongholds closest to Atika, his legions, supplemented by Hounds of Huron raiding parties, attacked wherever the defenders were weakest. No matter how well Azrael organised his forces to react to these attacks, he could not always arrive in time. Many smaller strongholds were overrun and their populations enslaved. It quickly became clear to Azrael that fire-fighting in this way was leading nowhere. He had to strike at the source of the problem: the Damnation Cache itself would need to be recaptured and resealed. In truth, the Grey Knights accompanying the Dark Angels had been arguing for just such a strike ever since the fleet had arrived over the beleaguered world. Although the Dark Angels harbour a bitter hatred for Abaddon and his allies, Azrael argued that the first priority of the Emperor’s armies on Pythos was to shield and protect the planet’s citizens; therefore, the delver-strongholds should be saved before Atika was attacked. It was only when it became clear that Abaddon’s forces would continue to launch sporadic attacks against the strongholds, no matter how well protected they were, that Azrael was forced to change his tactics.

ORDER OF BATTLE: THE PYTHOS INCURSION, 785960.M41 Pythos Planetary Defence Force • 183rd Catachan Jungle Fighters regiment • 100 Delver-stronghold Militia battalions

Pythos Reconquest Force • The Dark Angels Chapter • One Brotherhood of Grey Knights • 4th, 15th, 22nd, and 99th Cadian regiments • 5th Mordian regiment • One regiment Cadian Whiteshields • 116th Death Korps of Krieg regiment

• 3rd, 8th Cadian Recon regiment • 10th Cadian Armoured regiment • 116th Vostroyan Armoured regiment • 1st, 5th Cadian Artillery regiments • ‘Thunderers’ Super-heavy Company • Demeter 1st – 3rd Imperial Navy Fighter wings • Demeter 1st – 2nd Imperial Navy Bomber wings

Chaos Incursion Force • Abaddon’s Black Legion: 26 warbands • Kreator’s Chaos War Engines: 7 Great Engines, 12 Lesser Engines • Corpulax’s Plague Zombie Horde: 100,000 Plague Zombies • Vassal Warbands: Chaos Space Marine warbands owing service to Abaddon the Despoiler

Hosts of the Damnation Cache • Graknor’s Legion: 18 Cohorts of Khornate Daemons • Plaguetoad’s Host: 21 Cohorts of Nurgle’s Daemons • The Nefarious Brethren: 8 Cohorts of Tzeentchian Daemons • Vangorian’s Host: 9 Cohorts of Tzeentch Daemons • Exstatix’s Legion: 13 Cohorts of Slaaneshi Daemons

ASSAULT ON ATIKA, 961.M41 Once the decision was made, the Imperial forces acted quickly to bring the Emperor’s wrath to their daemonic foes. The assault on Atika was announced by a massive orbital bombardment. The once-gleaming spire-city toppled to the ground, and the surrounding area was pounded into wasteland by the combined firepower of the Imperial fleet. In the wake of the bombardment, Thunderhawk Gunships and Drop Pods crashed onto the ravaged battlefield, disgorging the full strength of the Dark Angels Chapter, supported by the Grey Knights who had saved the Revenge. Even the Black Legion and the hordes of Daemons at Abaddon’s command could not resist such a hammer blow, and they were quickly driven underground by the fury of the Imperial attack.

The second wave of the assault swiftly followed. Scores of orbital transporters landed around the bridgehead the Space Marines had established, disgorging regiment after regiment of Imperial Guard onto the steaming mire left by the orbital attack. Colonel Strike was one of the first to land amidst the ruins of the city; the hoary survivor had been given command of the Imperial Guard assault army by Azrael himself, and was determined to see the campaign to its brutal conclusion. The Imperial Guard regiments arrived not a moment too soon, as wave after wave of vile Daemons poured forth from the ravaged underground tunnels, having scented blood. Many Imperial Guard platoons and their accompanying armoured support had only just mustered in their positions at the perimeter of the bridgehead when the daemonic horde struck. Lasguns and battle-cannon tore gaping holes in the charging ranks of Daemons, but as one infernal creature fell, ten more stood ready to take its place. Soon the whole Imperial frontline was engulfed in a terrible melee, as Guardsmen and Space Marines battled furiously against creatures spawned by the Warp. Bayonets were fixed and chainswords activated in a desperate defence against the talons and blades of the daemonic host. Then, the guns of the orbiting Imperial fleet fired into the Warpspawned horde, the massive macro cannon shells and strikes of their lance batteries smashing into the ground dangerously close to the hand-to-hand combats being fought all around the bridgehead. Each titanic blast lifted scores of bodies into the air to fall amongst the swirling combatants. Even the warp-spawned Daemon horde could not withstand such hammer blows, and against the massed firepower of the fleet, the attack faltered and finally stopped. Around the implacable Space Marines, the weary, wounded guardsmen drew breath, relieved to see tunnel mouths empty and quiet. All around the bridgehead, the ground was covered in the slowly dematerialising remains of more than 100,000 Daemons. Within an hour, the bodies were gone, returned to the Realm of Chaos that had spawned them. They left the battlefield eerily barren, strewn only with Imperial corpses and the blackened shells of wrecked tanks.

Pythos Reconquest Force Battle Standards

Army Standard, Pythos Reconquest Supreme Command Pythos Planetary Defence Forces were subordinate to the Reconquest Supreme Command.

Army Standard, 19th Imperial Guard Army

Army Badge, Pythos Reconquest Force

A number of ad-hoc variations of this badge were used by military units during the campaign, and it was not universally used by all formations taking part in the campaign.

THE UNDERGROUND WAR With the bridgehead established, Azrael began the grim task of clearing a path to the Damnation Cache itself. The underground tunnels and caverns were defended bitterly by newly summoned Daemons and Chaos Space Marines under Abaddon’s command, but the Imperial attackers were implacable. The cave system was vast, and incredibly complex. Tunnels branched and intertwined, some of them narrowing so that even infantry could only advance in single file, while others were so massive that they formed vast underground caverns large enough to allow Deathstrike Vortex Missile batteries and hunting packs of Warhound Titans to bring their long-range weapons to bear. Unnumbered battles and firefights were fought within the Stygian darkness below Atika, but slowly, yard by yard, the Imperial forces battled their way through the darkened tunnels.

2nd Company Vehicle Pennant, 1st Cadian Artillery Regiment

The Mk19c Jungle Pattern camouflage scheme was adopted by the 1st Cadian Artillery Regiment at Pandorax.

Kreator Rex marks all of the war engines he creates with his personal rune of

forging.

Battle Standard borne by Graknor’s Legion. As they closed in upon the Damnation Cache, the Daemons and Chaos Space Marines were joined by shambling hordes of mutant zombies. These were the surviving remnants of the once-proud citizens of Atika, enslaved ever since Abaddon had captured the planet, and now horrifically transformed by the warping effects of the Chaos portal. Gritting their teeth, the Imperial attackers forged on through their foes, every step taking them closer to the Damnation Cache itself. Even though the situation around the cache was becoming increasingly desperate, Abaddon continued to launch raids on the delver-strongholds, even leading several of the attacks personally. Azrael, however, no longer allow this to distract him from his purpose. Spearheaded by the Dark Angels and Grey Knights, the forces of Chaos were driven ever further back until the Damnation Cache was almost in Imperial hands. However, just as Abaddon seemed defeated, a fresh flotilla of Red Corsairs raiders suddenly appeared in the system. Breaking through the Imperial cordon, they rendezvoused with Abaddon in the jungle, and their orbital transport craft quickly evacuated the surviving Chaos Space Marines from locations scattered all over Pythos. Although the Imperial fleet was able to destroy some of the Red Corsairs’ transporters, the majority made it to the ships hidden in orbit, and escaped. Hours later, an Imperial assault seized the Damnation Cache, and the Grey Knights began the arduous process of re-establishing the wards that would seal it once again. The Pandorax Incursion had finally been defeated, but at huge cost.

CORPULAX, THE PLAGUE LORD

Corpulax is a Plague Marine and Chaos Warlord. He was originally a member of the Consecrators Chapter, but was infected with the Zombie Plague when battling against the foetid forces of Typhus. Left for dead on a devastated planet, Corpulax awoke as a reanimated corpse. However, unlike so many of the plague’s victims, Corpulax retained his intelligence and cognitive powers. Over the last three hundred years, he has orchestrated an inexorable rise to power, finally becoming one of Abaddon’s most trusted warlords. He has fought in dozens of battles, either at Abaddon’s side or carrying out his bidding. Wherever he appears, he spreads the terrible plague with which he is afflicted, and is single-handedly responsible for disseminating the disease that wiped out every inhabitant of the city of Atika.

AFTERMATH, 961.M41 - present In the wake of Abaddon’s escape and the resealing of the Damnation Cache, the Dark Angels and Grey Knights left Pythos. Colonel Strike was left in command of the two Imperial Guard armies that had taken part in the reconquest, and has been fighting a decades-long campaign to cleanse the planet of any lingering daemonic infestation ever since. Although the Damnation Cache was resealed, the damage it inflicted was severe, and many minor Warp rifts still need to be closed. The war carries on to this day.

Valkyrie, 1st Squadron, 3rd Cadian Recon regiment

Valkyrie, 5th Squadron, 3rd Cadian Recon regiment Why Abaddon attacked the Pandorax System remains a mystery. However, there are recurring rumours that his aim was not one of conquest, but of discovery. It is said that the Ruinous Powers sent Abaddon a vision which revealed that, hidden among the population of Pythos, he would find a powerful psyker whose latent abilities would ensure victory in his coming crusade against the Imperium. Decades later, the Dark Angels heard whispers that a mysterious psyker of prodigious power had ordered the capture of an artefact known only as the Hellfire Stone. These rumours were confirmed when a Dark Angels force clashed with Chaos renegades searching for the artefact on the Imperial planet known as Bane’s Landing. In his sanctum, Azrael remembered the campaign he had fought against Abaddon all those years before. Perhaps, he thought as he made the connection, Abaddon was not defeated on Pythos at all. Perhaps he had left because he had acquired exactly what he had been looking for…

Pythosian Crystal

Pythos’ main exports are high-quality ruby crystals, found in abundance in the cave systems that honeycomb the planet’s mountains. The crystals are a vital component in many types of Imperial laser weaponry. Gathering the crystals is fraught with peril, as the caves are also home to a frightening array of deadly creatures, many of which are semi-intelligent and perfectly willing to hunt down the delvers that enter their territories. Barges transport the crystals from the strongholds to Atika, where they are transported off-planet.

Dark Pinion

Deathlord Blackfire’s Heldrake, Dark Pinion, destroyed more Imperial aircraft than any other flyer in the campaign. Left behind when Abaddon retreated, he

harries Imperial forces to this day from a secret lair in the Hollowfal mountains.

THE PANDORAX INCURSION TIMELINE The Pandorax Incursion took place between 959.M41 and 960.M41, when a Chaos Space Marine warfleet under the command of the infamous Abaddon the Despoiler invaded the Pandorax system, in Imperial space. M31: The Damnation Cache opens on the planet of Pythos during the Horus Heresy. It is a huge underground chamber within which Daemons can freely enter the mortal plane. Following Horus’ defeat, the portal is sealed. It is forgotten by the Imperium in the millennia that follow. M34: Imperial colonists settle Pythos and begin the difficult operation of mining precious minerals from the planet’s mountain ranges. 959.M41: A Black Legion incursion fleet appears in orbit over Pythos and launches a planetary assault. 830959.M41: The Chaos Space Marines make an overwhelming attack, capturing Pythos’ single major city, Atika. 833959.M41: Colonel Strike leads the remnants of his regiment of Catachan Jungle Fighters out of Atika on the Blood March. A week later the survivors reach the nearest delver-stronghold. 887959.M41: Imperial forces consolidate and start fighting back, led by Strike’s rugged survivors. 899959.M41: The Battle For Khan’s Stronghold. Delver militia hold out desperately against a Chaos Space Marine attack. Catachan Jungle Fighters commanded by Strike arrive just in time to save the stronghold, and inflict the first important defeat on Abaddon’s forces since the incursion began. 913959.M41: The Black Legion unseal the Damnation Cache. Bitter conflict ensues, as the resultant horde of Daemons scatters the gathered Imperial defenders, and the Chaos Space Marines start to capture the planet’s delver-strongholds one by one. 933959.M41: A swarm of Daemons appear suddenly and overrun Khan’s Stronghold.

The entire delver population is massacred and the stronghold is razed to the ground. 960.M41: Battlefleet Demeter sets out to relieve Pythos, bearing Imperial Guard infantry and armoured support. 519960.M41: Battlefleet Demeter arrives in Pandorax. A base is established on Gaea – an isolated planet on the edge of the system. The Imperial fleet is harried by constant attacks from Black Legion craft, but gradually begins to get the upper hand. 555960.M41: 1st Battle of Sunward Gap. As Imperial forces try to force a passage through the Admantium Fields, major engagements are fought to control the relatively clear path through the asteroid field known as Sunward Gap. 601960.M41: 2nd Battle of Sunward Gap. 649960.M41: The Imperial 120th Destroyer Squadron and Chaos Razorsnarl Squadron engage in a furious battle. The last surviving craft in the Chaos squadron self-destructs rather than be defeated, and the resulting explosion destroys the last ships in the Imperial Squadron, leaving no survivors from either side. 666960.M41: 3rd Battle of Sunward Gap. 755960.M41: A contingent of Red Corsairs ships arrive in the system, turning the tables on Battlefleet Demeter. 759960.M41: 4th Battle of Sunward Gap. The Imperial battlefleet is driven back by the reinforced Chaos fleet. 766960.M41: A major battle takes place around the Imperial base at Gaea. At the height of the battle, an Adeptus Astartes fleet led by the Rock dramatically arrives in-system. The Chaos fleet is crushed, and surviving ships are scattered and driven off. The way to Pythos lies open. 785960.M41: Imperial forces arrive over Pythos. The planet is now infested with Daemons, and many of the delver-strongholds have been captured. A terrible plague has broken out in Atika, turning Imperial prisoners into mindless zombie slaves. Several major battles are fought as Imperial forces start to cleanse the planet of Daemons, but the Black Legion’s attacks on the remaining strongholds are relentless. 799960.M41: In an unholy alliance, four Greater Daemons belonging to each of the Chaos powers materialize inside the walls of the major delver-stronghold known as High Peak. The four rampage through the lightly-protected stronghold, killing almost nine tenths of the population before vanishing back to the Realm of Chaos. 847960.M41: Contact is mysteriously lost with the three delver-strongholds located on Glazer’s Plateau. Dark Angels Scouts find that the populations of all three strongholds

have been turned into plague zombies overnight. Azrael is left with no choice but to cleanse the zombie-infested plateau with a massive bombardment delivered by the Imperial fleet. 968960.M41: The Grey Knights finally convince Commander Azrael that the Damnation Cache must be captured and resealed. 085961.M41: A major orbital invasion is undertaken to re-capture Atika and the Damnation Cache. The initial landings are successful, but then the zombie hordes are unleashed and almost overrun the Imperial bridgehead. The zombies are only stopped by the massed firepower of the orbiting Imperial fleet. 099961.M41: Imperial forces clear a path from the landing sight to the entrances of the tunnels that lead to the Damnation Cache. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the combined Imperial army drives back Abaddon’s forces, and secures the tunnel entrances. 102961.M41: Imperial attack teams start clearing the tunnels which access the Damnation Cache. The Daemons and Black Legion defend the tunnels furiously but the Imperials, led by the Dark Angels and Grey Knights, are implacable. 129961.M41: Mount Blizzard, the second largest delver-stronghold on Pythos, is almost completely overrun by a surprise attack from Chaos Space Marine forces led by both Abaddon and Khârn the Betrayer. 153961.M41: The Battle of Emerald Cave. Imperial forces fight the largest battle of the underground war in a huge cavern known as Emerald Cave. The cavern is so vast that both sides are able to employ aircraft and super-heavy war machines in a massive engagement lasting several days. It is only the direct intervention of Commander Azrael that secures an Imperial triumph. 188961.M41: Victory is within the Imperium’s grasp when the Black Legion suddenly retreats, breaking through the line with support from a surprise attack by the Red Corsairs’ naval forces. 190961.M41: The remaining daemonic forces in the cave network are swept aside by a final Imperial assault, and the Damnation Cache is finally recaptured and resealed. 961.M41 to present: After the Dark Angels and Grey Knights leave Pythos to deal with more pressing matters, Imperial Guard forces are left to cleanse the planet of Daemons. Although the Damnation Cache has been neutralised, the damage inflicted is severe, and there are many minor Warp rifts that still need to be closed. The war carries on to this day. 999.M41: The circ*mstances of the war fought to defeat the Traitor Marines in the Pandorax system were recorded in the Dark Angels’ archives on their return to the Rock. These reports are unearthed and brought before the masters of the Chapter’s Inner Circle

again, decades later, during the Dark Vengeance campaign…

THE ALIEN MENACE Mankind is not the only race to walk among the stars. Since they first travelled beyond their own star system, in the early days of the Age of Technology, Mankind has encountered alien races, most of which have proven hostile. While some xenos exist only on a single planet, other civilisations might occupy a star system and there are a few that are widely spread across the great void of the galaxy. It has never been in Man’s nature to share his worlds with aliens, and bloodshed has ever formed the foundation of empire. Sometimes, humans and aliens are forced to fight over inhabitable planets or vital resources; at other times, humans must do battle with the most dangerous types of xenos, whose only aim is to eradicate Humanity wherever their paths cross. Down the ages, there have been innumerable wars, planet-wide battles of annihilation and long campaigns of genocide that have stretched over vast distances and eras. Despite this eternal pressure and with a staggering cost of lives and material, Mankind has expanded their realm one planet at a time. Even now, however, the Imperium is beset on all sides by aliens determined to enslave, subvert or destroy Humanity. Many xenos species have been destroyed. The Lacrymoles are gone – the last of their kind wiped out, relentlessly ground away before the end of the Great Crusade. The same can be said of the Vrakk, the Uluméathic League, the Losh, the worm-like Drugh, and others beyond count. Many planets were usurped from xenos races long ago, some during the initial colonisations of the Age of Technology, and now the aliens’ very existence on such worlds has been forgotten, their ancient histories lost to the relentless march of time. This explains why great monuments of inhuman design are occasionally unearthed, strange technologies found buried beneath levels of stone and metal, crushed down beneath long ages of human expanse. Yet worlds and systems that the Imperium has cleared of xenos find that it is merely a respite. New alien species are discovered in unexplored sectors or found thriving upon nearby planets once deemed lifeless. Other xenos drift into human territory, perhaps expanding their own empires, or seeking to escape an impending threat. Infestations of the foul Hrud, the mind-eating Khrave, and the chitin-covered Thraxians were all discovered in this manner, a fraction of the species haunting the galaxy, but enough to leave their mark on the worlds of the Imperium. The Zygo-warriors of Camgia have kept the Imperium’s forces off their planet for over five hundred years and whatever stalks the night world of Kradoss has not yet been identified. Known xenos species often return to planets where they once ruled, attempting to reclaim their lost domains. Some of these alien races are ancient beyond Mankind’s reckoning, having built spacefaring ships and plied outer space long before Humanity crawled out of the oceans of Terra and evolved. Others are nascent powers, newcomers that have just learned to leave their home planet, extending their grasp into the greater galaxy for the first time. All must be fought tooth

and nail, for the Imperium learned long ago that only the strong survive and that no mercy can be found amongst the stars.

PERILS UNKNOWN In the darkest depths of the galaxy, alien races slither and dart, climb, swim and drift upon nebulous clouds, burrow deep into the psyches of Humanity. The galaxy is full of countless creatures, the majority of which are capable of great acts of terror and destruction. Many of these are xenos species that care nothing for civilisation or empire, monsters that wish only to prey on the unwary. Countless such abominations have been encountered and tales of the ferocity of creatures like the Clawed Fiend, the crystalline Dracolith, the dread Ambull or the Catachan Devil have spread across the galaxy. These horrors and more haunt the stars, lurk hidden beneath planets’ surfaces, or stalk otherworldly climes, awaiting only an opportunity to feed upon Mankind and to destroy his works. Vigilance and intolerance are Humanity’s safeguards against such multitudinous threats.

++ There is no mercy amongst the stars, only an eternity of war. ++

ANCESTRAL FOES Of the galaxy-spanning foes, the Eldar are perhaps the most enigmatic. Mankind’s relationship with the Eldar is troubled; sometimes the ancient race acts as an ally, whilst at other times they launch inexplicable strikes against Humanity and its holdings. Their technological and societal attainment far outstrips that of the Imperium, yet they are capricious beyond belief, as likely to side with Mankind as they are to inflict murder and devastation upon it. For the moment, the Imperium refrains from direct aggressive action against the Eldar on a wide scale. This is partly because the Eldar are numerically a lesser threat when compared to countless others across the galaxy, and partly because the Eldar are allies almost as often as they are enemies, showing up to battles unbidden and aiding the human cause. However, perhaps the most important reason for the Imperium’s lack of effort to assault the Eldar is that bringing the elusive race to battle is far easier said than done. Seemingly able to predict and counter the Imperium’s every move, the Eldar fade like shadows before a rising sun, disappearing before any battles they do not wish to fight. The only attack that the Imperium managed to push home onto a craftworld ended with the disaster of Blood Nebula and the loss of an entire sector fleet.

Scourge of the galaxy and long-standing enemy of Mankind, the Orks are a green skinned and brutish race. They are an all-pervasive threat that recurrently pops out of nowhere to launch overwhelming assaults upon the Imperium. Planets that suffered devastating Ork invasions in the past can be cleared and considered safe for a span of many generations only to find that, once again, the Ork menace has grown upon their planet, often multiplying quickly in some neglected corner of the world. There is only one thing to do when an strong Ork infestation is discovered, and that is to prepare for war. Orks are an ultra-violent race that cannot be bargained with. They do not wage war for territory, wealth or glory – they fight for the joy of battle itself. Like the Imperium, Orks also use the Warp for travel, yet having no Navigators or Astronomican to guide them, they have little to no steering. While such slapdash movements often prevent coordinated attacks and the easy mustering of widespread forces, the absolute randomness of their exit points from Warp travel means that armadas of ramshackle Ork fleets can suddenly, and with no warning, appear in any sector of space. The number of times massive Ork invasions have swept unlooked-for out of what was once considered secure territory is beyond count. The Imperium learned long ago that the best way to confront the Orks is to do so head on and early, for once their armies gain momentum, they can quickly spiral out in waves of destruction.

NEW THREATS Both Orks and Eldar are ancestral foes that have assaulted Humanity since the Dark Age of Technology. Yet there are many other xenos that besiege Humanity, some of whom have only more recently encountered Mankind amid the star-strewn pathways of the galaxy. Every year, listening stations, outposts and Explorator fleets discover more new life forms. Some of the xenos discovered are peaceful, ensuring they are easily subjugated or, if troops are readily available and the situation dictates, mercilessly exterminated. So it has always been, and of these minor or inconsequential races, little more need be mentioned. There are other aliens throughout the galaxy, however, whose existences have proven much more problematic for the Imperium. Although known by only a few inside the Imperium, it is increasingly obvious that the Necrons have once again begun to stir. During the long ages of human exploration, the Necrons were unknown, or at best, thought to be extinct – an elder race whose galaxyspanning empire had long turned to dust before Mankind journeyed away from Holy Terra. Yet the Necrons exist still, lying dormant and undetected within their Tomb

Worlds. But now, their mechanical bodies once more awaken from stasis slumber, and looking out upon a galaxy they once dominated, they do not like what they see. In the last few hundred years, several major new races have been discovered in the far east of the galaxy. The Tau are emblematic of these ambitious races that do not tremble before the Imperium, for they are a vital people whose fledgling empire is growing at an alarming rate. With advanced technology and a drive for expansion, the Tau have colonised several star systems on the Eastern Fringe, audaciously absorbing a small number of Imperial worlds. Further to the east, and more dangerous still, lurks a more horrific threat. The monstrosities known as the Tyranids arrive in hive fleets that descend upon worlds, unleashing scythe-limbed beasts that think and kill as one. The Tyranids devour everything in their path, leaving behind barren orbs picked clean of anything that lives. Even worse, the Tyranids seem to grow stronger with each battle. Throughout the galaxy, the enemies of Humanity gather their strength, preparing themselves for the apocalypse they know is coming. Individually, few of these threats could ever hope to challenge Humanity’s dominance of the galaxy, but all together, they are a formidable menace – here picking on the fringes like jackals, elsewhere massing for a mighty invasion. The effort to contain the xenos and take back worlds lost to their predations drains the Imperium, diverting military strength, disrupting tithes and shaking Mankind’s faith. Each human planet, often far removed from help, is left alone, waiting for the blow to fall, looking out from the ramparts of their world into a galaxy full of dread. ++ We can trust absolutely only the Emperor and Death. ++

THE VIRTUE OF INTOLERANCE Much of the Imperium, led by the religious fervour of the Adeptus Ministorum, believe in the extermination of all aliens, even those that are entirely peaceful species. When the masses are stirred to such fear and fanaticism, they demand destruction over any kind of cooperation or coexistence. This might seem like a harsh measure, but it is an age where ignorance is a virtue and brute force is used to solve a multitude of problems. The dangers of failing to act are too unthinkable to elicit any other response. It has not become this way without reason; most aliens are hostile and devious, and some have proven as ruthless and ambitious as Humanity itself. To them, there is no room in the galaxy for the Imperium. Despite the many xenos dangers across the Imperium, there are those who, in their ignorance or desperation, are willing to make pacts with aliens. Sometimes this is seemingly innocuous: trading to gain advanced technology, hiring brute labour or buying mercenary help. So, concealed within teeming hive worlds, xeno-tech draws high prices in illicit markets, while the carnivorous Kroot have been paid in flesh to fight alongside planetary defence forces. In the Tollovian Cluster, fickle Caradochians are not only tolerated, but allowed to sell their military services to the highest bidder. In this way,

many argue, Humanity is tainted. After all, accepting a Donarathi amongst our own kind is only a small step away from making open covenant with the Hrud, the Ork, or any of the other foul species that plague the galaxy.

THE RISE AND FALL OF ALPHA SHALISH On the predations of xenos and the death of a planet of the Imperium Though the Imperium contains a thousand times a thousand worlds, there is no register that lists the planets lost over the years, no hallowed memorial for the untold devastation wrought by xenos. The planet known as Alpha Shalish is gone, and there are few now living who remember that it ever even existed. Its tale is one of violence, human endurance and savagery, one that is even now

being repeated again and again on many worlds across the galaxy. Discovered in the early years of the Age of Technology, Alpha Shalish was originally known as the crimson planet, for it glowed a deep red hue when glimpsed from orbit. Warmed by the energies of two suns, the planet was verdant, rich in both flora and fauna. The pioneers who named Alpha Shalish and marked it for prime conquest did not need to employ any of the atmosphere-fixing wonders invented at that time – neither the oxy-converter, self-sustaining hab-domes, nor ion discharging reactors. There was strong resistance to human colonisation, however, by a xenos species whose very type has been lost over the years. Early resistance was rectified by planet scorching – a slash and burn bombardment that, a decade later when the colonists arrived, left an unpopulated world, ripe for cultivation. The new settlers found ancient xenos ruins predating their arrival by many thousands of years, but these were dozed over and buried beneath their new endeavours. Progress was swift in those days, and expansion was spurred by the discovery of rich mineral mines in the neighbouring systems. As the largest and most inhabitable planet on the clearest Warp route, Alpha Shalish was soon a thriving port world. Although occasionally plagued by xenos raids, the world of Alpha Shalish, protected by its robotic defences, continued to flourish for thousands of years. STC constructions provided magnificently spired hive cities that rose high above the fully automated agri-fields. The proliferating psykers were welcomed amongst the growing population, and perhaps this was what brought devastation to the planet. Communication with outsiders collapsed without warning and apocalyptic destruction across the galaxy heralded the arrival of what is now known as the Age of Strife. Some planets were struck worse than others and Alpha Shalish was nearly destroyed by the evils that erupted there. The next record of the planet comes from many millennia later, as written by a cloistered brotherhood of compilers, monks who chronicle a period reckoned by corroborators to be between M28 and M29. It paints a bleak picture. According to their records, the hive cities had long been toppled into massive ruins, haunted places where those that remained of the human population feared to go. These humans survived instead in the wide plains, hunting and gathering and bypassing all machinery. They had become a superstitious people, afraid to venture out at night, unwilling to use anything beyond the most basic technology. Only a small conclave of monks remained literate. When, around M30, the Lacrymole arrived in force, the highly regressed human population was easily subdued and herded into camps to serve as livestock as the hateful xenos settled on the planet. When next Alpha Shalish is encountered, it is listed by remembrancers, artistscribes sent out with the 203rd Expedition Fleet to record the auspicious events of the Great Crusade. The Imperial forces, spearheaded by World Eaters

Space Marines, burst into the mounded Lacrymole cities with righteous fury, cleansing the planet of their foul, man-eating kind with extreme prejudice. So was the shackle of alien rule thrown off and the Emperor’s Truth brought to Alpha Shalish. Repopulation was quick, aided by a restarting of the agrimachines, STC devices, many of which were found to still be in working order. Within four generations, hive cities were raised over the old ruins. During the Horus Heresy, many recruits shipped out from the growing world to swell the loyalist side. The re-built ports of Alpha Shalish aided in the recovery wars and the world became a hub of what was now declared the Segmentum Solar. Although nearby planets saw extensive fighting, the next major conflict on Alpha Shalish was in mid M32. As part of the largest Waaagh! the galaxy has ever known, the hive world was captured during that great invasion. Alpha Shalish was dismantled – its hives plundered for scrap, slave labour and target practice. It remained an Ork stronghold for over five hundred years, a cesspit of feuding tribes fighting for dominance amidst the shambles. It was the Blood Angels who led the counter-attack that destroyed the Orks and brought the world back into the Imperial fold, although the planet itself was afterwards embroiled in a series of millennia-long civil wars and the internal power struggles left them victim to xenos raids. By M35 the planet was considered alien territory once again, often changing hands under a succession of foul xenos, its history lost in strife. An Adeptus Ministorum crusade freed Alpha Shalish in early M38 and the Ecclesiarchy established a strong presence on the world, capitalising on antixenos feelings to launch further crusades. Over two hundred named crusades emanated from Alpha Shalish in the following millennia, eliminating aliens from neighbouring systems, liberating the Iron Rim cluster, and sending the Paleopods into extinction. Given the planet’s heightened intolerance, it is no surprise that, in mid M39, when Eldar fleets materialized in nearby space, its ambassadors were refused in their request for an audience. That was the last anyone heard from Alpha Shalish. Strange energy signals were picked up by sensor stations, distant Astropath choirs received garbled visions, and the Warp echoed with the slaughter of untold billions. It took the Imperial Fists six standard days to arrive in orbit of Alpha Shalish. What they found was a barren orb, its blasted landmass in its death throes – the planet literally cracking apart from the awesome energies unleashed upon it. No survivors were found and the surface was too unstable for further exploration. Few recordings of Alpha Shalish’s history remain, and they are buried unseen within the vaults of the Adeptus Administratum. Investigations were ordered, Inquisitors were dispatched and many theories returned, but soon, crisis after crisis swept the Imperium, and Alpha Shalish was forgotten.

ORKS The Green Tide, the Savages of the Stars.

Orks are a barbaric alien race that infest the galaxy from end to end. No matter how far Mankind has travelled, from the galactic core to the blackest depths of deep space, they have found that Orks are either already there waiting for them or will be arriving there soon to launch their characteristic attacks. Orks are brutal, green-skinned creatures that have more in common with a great savage ape than a man. They delight in carnage and so great is their need for conflict that, without a more obvious opponent, the Orks will indulge in fighting bloody wars with themselves, just to ensure they get a good scrap. Over the long millennia, the Orks have proven to be the most prolific threat to the Imperium. They can be found in countless warbands, clans and tribes spread across many planets, even forming their own volatile empires. They are so numerous that, if the disparate groups were ever to cease hostilities with their own kind, the Orks would be able to sweep over the galaxy, smashing everything as they passed. Size dominates Ork society and the largest of their kind invariably rise to lead them to battle. On occasion, an especially hulking Ork Warboss, a violent visionary who can inspire his thick-skulled comrades like no other, will conquer several rival groups, forming the survivors into a massive single army. What follows is known by that crude race as a Waaagh! – part invasion and part holy war. During such times, the greenskins will put aside their differences and rival clans work together. It is not just rare inter-species cooperation that happens during a Waaagh!, but other behavioural oddities occur as well. Large conglomerations of Orks generate mental energies, their bloodlust echoing through the Warp to act as a beacon – summoning more greenskins to join the cause. Orks many star systems distant become further agitated, multiplying in numbers and attacking anything they can reach at a redoubled rate. Ork Mekboyz, as they call their engineer-builders, begin the construction of larger works of battle – towering Stompas or, if there is a large enough stockpile of parts, even a mighty Gargant. Such creations are great mechanical effigies of the Ork gods, laden with enough guns and missiles to flatten a city. Mekboyz also cobble together crude spacecraft, so that the hordes of warriors and massive war machines can rush off to join the growing movement, taking part in the ensuing battles. Ork Waaaghs! grow in size so long as they have something to conquer. Success breeds further success, and every Ork victory calls yet more greenskins to join the cause. They can mass in such overwhelming numbers that nothing can stop them. Even fortress worlds or Space Marine home worlds are overrun, the Orks blasting them apart to fuel the Waaagh! further. Of course, it takes a dominant Ork to hold a Waaagh! together, as the many different factions are always prone to break apart at any time. A large and powerful Ork can lead a Waaagh! for a while, but to string together many victories and to find ways to get the massed infantry and machines of war into contact with worthy targets to smash takes an Ork with cunning as well. Luckily, the combination of brawn and brains is rare amongst Orks, although when such a leader rises, the whole galaxy trembles. Some of the darkest moments in the history of the Imperium have been

the result of massive Ork Waaaghs! The Warboss known only as the Beast nearly took over the galaxy, and it can only be a matter of time before another apocalyptic greenskin rising takes place.

ORK TEKNOLOGY

To the forces of the Imperium, the Orks’ weapons, armour and vehicles are poorly designed and crudely built, seemingly assembled out of bits of scrap metal almost randomly bolted together. Field repairs, Mekboy experiments or odd bits of scrap ensures all Ork teknology is anarchic and such devices clank,

spout oily clouds of smoke and leave trails of bits that fall off behind it. Yet any who have fought the green hordes understand that Ork gear is crude, but it is nonetheless effective. From light attack craft like buggies or bikes, to tank-like battlewagons, heavily armoured suits worn by Meganobs, or blazingly fast fighter aircraft, Ork teknolgy is made to pulverise the foe and it gets the job done.

++ Be wary of clever discourse. ++

WAAAGH! GRUKK Waaagh! Grukk was a teeming fleet of Ork invaders that smashed its way straight through Sanctus Reach. At its head was Grukk himself, an Ork warlord with such a bloody reputation that Orks flocked from all around to fight at his side. The Ork warlord Grukk is a ten-foot brute of muscle and rage. His physical presence alone makes him an intimidating sight, and underneath his scarred and pockmarked skin lies a body as hard as iron. Even when unarmed he is a terrifying sight. When he dons his monstrous power klaw, Grukk becomes practically unstoppable. It’s a well-known fact that Grukk will fly into a berserk fury whenever his temper reaches its limit, and it doesn’t take much to set him off. He once trashed an entire settlement purely because a grot attendant spilt engine oil on his breakfast. As a younger Ork, Grukk killed Krugg the Tyrant, Warboss of his tribe, to seize power for himself. While such leadership challenges are par for the course in Ork society, the utter brutality of the battle and the spectacular fashion in which Grukk finished his old rival gave rise to the nickname ‘face-rippa’. Though the Orks of Grukk’s tribe would never admit it, they are all a bit scared of Grukk, and rightly so. No one wants to lose face in front of his mates, after all. Grukk’s power klaw is a howling, whining beast of a thing. It features a kustom buzz-saw that Grukk uses to live up his nickname as often as he can. It also magnifies his strength from merely impressive to utterly terrifying. At the Slaughter of Black Gulch, Grukk famously tore open a malfunctioning Drop Pod to get at the Space Marines inside. He then cut all ten of the Adeptus Astartes into pieces, one by one, in a series of increasingly violent kills. It was such an ignoble fate that the commanders of the battle company authorised a revenge strike upon Grukk himself. Despite inflicting severe damage, the Space Marines were unable to complete their

mission. Grukk is still alive today, albeit covered in a grotesque patchwork of thick, knotted scars. The same cannot be said of the Obsidian Glaives Chapter. Though his strength is legendary, it is Grukk’s utter certainty that he cannot lose that makes him so dangerous. He makes a habit of leading every charge, no matter the odds, and publicly butchers any Ork stupid enough to question his rule. Grukk is always encrusted with the clotted blood of those he has killed. He never wipes it off, either, considering such acts as cleaning or washing to be ‘runt’s work’. His supporters claim that he has never lost a fight, not even once. It is this bloody reputation – and Grukk’s habit of painting his ships with gore – that has led to his crusade of violence being known to his followers as the Red Waaagh! This kind of renown spreads like wildfire in Orky society. Though he has never spared a thought towards the arts of leadership, Grukk has unintentionally started a Waaagh! that has blazed from one side of Sanctus Reach to the other. Ork fleets from every part of the Sanctus Reach System converge upon the front line each week, hoping to get a glimpse of the Face-rippa in action. Many of the Orks inbound on the system believe that Warlord Grukk is blessed by Gork himself. With every battle the Ork warlord wins, Waaagh! Grukk grows more powerful. There is very little chance of stopping it before it reaches critical mass and wipes out a swathe of Imperial space altogether.

GORK

The Ork psyche is so strong and robust that their reflection in the mirroruniverse of the Warp is a potent force indeed. There are two mighty, belligerent and boisterous Ork gods that the greenskins believe in above all others – Gork, who the Orks say is brutal but kunnin’, and Mork, who is kunnin’ but brutal. Though both are warrior gods, Gork is the primary deity of clobbering, smashing, breaking, killing and pummelling the rest of the galaxy into submission. This is a notion that resonates strongly with the more singleminded warbosses of the Ork race, of whom Grukk is a perfect example.

‘Cross me, curse me or even look me in the eye and I’ll kill ya stone dead, just ta teach ya a lesson.’ - Grukk the Face-rippa

ELDAR The Proud Remnants, Sailors on the Sea of Stars.

The Eldar are a spacefaring race that plies the void in vast jewel-like craftworlds. Long before Mankind’s ancestors crawled from the Terran seas, the shining constellations of the Eldar empire spanned the galaxy. Their whims decided the fate of worlds, but now they are all but extinct – the last fragments of a shattered civilisation. The Eldar are reduced to a drifting nomadic race, the children of those ancients with enough foresight to have left their home worlds, to have sailed far away from the impending disaster, and escaped the cataclysmic Fall. Although only a shadow of their former glory, the Eldar are still a formidable power. Confident in the superiority of their technology and martial prowess, the Eldar justifiably look down on the barbaric usurpers that have overrun the galaxy. Who could compare the crude, smoke-belching engines of Man or Ork to the sleek grav-tanks or streaking jetbikes of the Eldar? In combat, observe how lumbering and slow the movements of a human soldier are against the precise, graceful attack of an Eldar. Only in sheer numbers do the Eldar come up short in comparison to the other forces in the galaxy, though the quickstriking Eldar way of war can offset this lone disadvantage. At their most devastating, a small, methodically planned Eldar attack is like a choreographed dance – in a whirl of interlocking steps, the squads, war machines and vehicles sweep in, perform their role, and fade away. These orchestrations of destruction allow even small Eldar armies to halt larger forces, quickly whittling them down with a series of rapid strikes, before delivering a swift killing blow. Each unit of Eldar has skills sharpened to an inhuman pitch, allowing them to complement the functions of the others. Yet the Eldar can lose but one of their warriors for every ten enemies slain and still rue the exchange. No one knows exactly how many craftworlds there are, not even the Eldar themselves, for the evacuation of their worlds was hurried and many ships disappeared into the void. Miraculous feats, the craftworlds are really artificial worlds that float through space. They are self-sufficient and able to grow organically, adding space, repairing damage or adding new outer shells over time. The largest and most important of the craftworlds identified by the Imperium are Alaitoc, Iyanden, Biel-Tan, Saim-Hann, and Ulthwé. There are smaller craftworlds too, including the mysterious Black Library, the doomed craftworld of Mero and the legendary lost craftworld of Chto. Undoubtedly there are others that have yet to make contact with other Eldar or the Imperium. This is not surprising, as the Eldar are isolationists, avoiding contact with outsiders, and often each other as well. In times of need, several craftworlds can be seen in close cooperation, although the Craftworld Drohai refuses contact with all others, believing themselves to be the only uncorrupted survivors of the Fall. To Mankind, the Eldar are an enigma, at once vexatious and helpful, turning from aloof and uncaring to meddlesome with alarming swiftness. They are a perplexing race, and the Adepts of Terra find them hard to ally with and impossible to predict. Discounting the bloodthirsty raiders and space-faring pirates, the more learned amongst the Imperium realise that the bulk of the Eldar are more often allies to Humanity than enemies.

However, the two races share no love for one another and conflicting interests have driven them to war and with each other many times in the past, where both sides have committed merciless deeds against the other.

THE WEBWAY Eldar do not, indeed cannot, use Warp travel in the same way as the Imperium. Being more psychically attuned than humans, the Warp is altogether anathema to them. Instead, the Eldar travel through the webway, a labyrinth that exists between the Warp and the material dimension, partially in both and yet – in a way – in neither. This ancient lore was learned from a long extinct race called the Old Ones and galactic wars have been fought between the Eldar and the Necrons over control of these strategic pathways. The webway leads to many spots throughout the galaxy and can be used for almost instantaneous travel. This is how the craftworlds now stay connected, and it also allows for contact with Exodite worlds, those rare planets where pre-Fall Eldar settled and survived. Some webway portals are vast, large enough for entire craftworlds to enter, while others might be man-sized. Travel within the webway can be perilous, for opening the wrong gateway can lead to exits high above a planet’s orbit or the depths of space. Little else is known about the webway, although there are many wild speculations. Few humans have ever managed to penetrate it and they report dead ends, secret paths, loop traps and sealed-off passageways to prevent the infiltration of the Warp. The fabled Black Library, the sinister lairs of the Dark Eldar, and an increasing number of Necron fleets are rumoured to be hidden within its many winding corridors as well.

THE FALL OF THE ELDAR The Eldar themselves never speak of the Fall, as they call it, to other races, and so it is hard to get an accurate picture of exactly what happened. Rumours tell of planets swallowed by the Warp and that the darkest Daemons from within the minds of the Eldar overcame them for their arrogant sins. Some say that the captive souls of long dead Eldar are still tormented to this day by their sad*stic conquerors. Others say the Eldar got their just punishment and it is only a matter of time before the rest succumb to whatever dreadful fate destroyed their reign. What is indisputable is the area of the galaxy which was once the central region of the ancient Eldar worlds is instead dominated by the Eye of Terror and that the Eldar are still haunted by their past.

++ Wisdom is the beginning of fear. ++

DARK ELDAR The Bitter Remnants, the Star Reavers.

Nestled far from prying eyes, the vile and sad*stic city of Commorragh was once a nodal point – a grand nexus within the labyrinthine dimensions of the webway. Before the Fall of the Eldar, the hidden destination was renowned for its depravity, especially in the right circles of the cults of excess, for it served well those who wished for privacy. Shielded from the raw power of Chaos and the psychic backlash unleashed upon the galaxy during the Fall, those in Commorragh were not slain like so many of their kin. From their safe haven, the depravity of these Eldar grew, until Commorragh was a monstrous nest of scum and villainy. In many ways, the Dark City was the birthplace of the race known as Dark Eldar, the forsaken and corrupt kin of the Eldar. Where the Eldar aboard the craftworlds looked inwards to overcome the anguish of their past, steeling themselves with inhuman discipline and rigid self control, their dark kin have gone the opposite way. They have become a race of murderous killers, a people whose very existence now depends upon the pain and suffering that they unleash upon others. Hidden within the webway, the Dark Eldar were largely immune to the passage of time, with the exception that their souls began to age and wither. The only counter for this gradual loss was to refill that void by steeping themselves in extreme sensation and outrageous evils. Quite literally, the agony and suffering of others replenishes them, granting them an unholy vitality and vigour. Those with witch-sight can look past their elegant and graceful exteriors to see the twisted and hideous beings that the Dark Eldar have become. Those who have chosen this grim path can continue on, or die. There is no turning back. In order to exist, the Dark Eldar must have a constant supply of living beings on which to practise their foul craft. To fulfil such needs, the Dark Eldar have become masters of the lightning raid – hit and run attacks that eliminate all resistance, allowing the victors ample time to gather up the spoils. While not above taking technology and material goods, it is live captives that the Dark Eldar seek. All the mortal creatures taken into captivity will surely suffer a terrible and often prolonged fate in order to satiate their loathsome captors. To launch their assaults, the Dark Eldar travel using the webway, moving unseen across the galaxy, journeying where no space fleet, no patrol, no Imperial listening stations can detect them. Their warships suddenly appear in low orbit around their target planet, and without any warning, the wolves are amongst the sheep. On many levels, the Dark Eldar use a similar fast-hitting, hard-striking approach to their kin, relying on fast-moving gravvehicles and Reaver Jetbikes to launch lightning assaults. They display the same uncanny

agility, weaving into combat with an inhuman grace. Yet to those knowledgeable enough to tell the difference, the wanton slaughter and excess cruelty gives away the horrible inner nature of the Dark Eldar. No others take such unnatural satisfaction in their own foul deeds. Unlike their craftworld brethren, the Dark Eldar are not psychic. They do not have Farseers in their midst and actively avoid using psykers themselves – for they do not wish to draw the attentions of the Warp powers that are constantly seeking to devour them. Bereft of any type of precognitive warnings, the Dark Eldar rely on the speed and surprise of their attack to lead them to victory and a rich supply of new slaves. However, the Dark Eldar are rapacious and arrogant to an extreme. When, on occasion, their plans go awry and their surprise assault is welcomed by ready and determined resistance, the Dark Eldar rarely fade from a fight. This is very much unlike their more fickle kin, but the thrill of combat and the draw of bloodlust is powerful in the Dark Eldar. To them, the call to slaughter on the battlefield is no different than the siren call of the bloody and cruel gladiatorial games that are so popular in Commorragh. To the majority of Mankind, the Eldar are just a rumour – terrible stories of piratical raiders. For those in the Imperium, there is little to distinguish between the ships of the Eldar craftworlds, the corsair fleets or the bloodthirsty Dark Eldar. All are seen as the same thing – an elusive menace that can bring sudden and cruel death to the unwary – just another reason for Mankind to hate and distrust all xenos. For their part, the Kabals of the Dark Eldar understand how their rapacious actions continue to drive a wedge between human/Eldar relations. This only serves to delight their sad*stic hearts – for to them, Humanity is barbarous and beneath respect, no different from the way Mankind treats their livestock – brute beasts useful for sustenance and little else. ++ Happiness is a delusion of the weak. ++

THE BLACK LIBRARY Humanity’s few experts on the forbidden arts whisper of a hidden Eldar craftworld, a secret repository of all that ancient race’s hard-gathered knowledge on the Ruinous Powers. Such a thing does exist, although it is buried somewhere beyond the most secret passages of the webway. Known as the Black Library, it is guarded by all manner of psychic protections and patrolled by fell-handed sentinels who are described as perilous beyond measure. Few Eldar know the whereabouts of the Black Library and only a handful have ever dared to enter within, for the secrets it harbours are too powerful even for the strong-willed. There sit black tomes of sorcerous lore, including a copy of the dreaded Book of Magnus and a copy of the Daemonicus Totalus. Countless scrolls bearing the true names of Daemons are kept, as are the pacts for binding Warp entities into service. It is even said that the collected wisdom of the Old Ones resides within. There, piled amongst grimoires and bound prophecies, are the dark secrets of the galaxy. Many seek the Black Library, but very few ever find it, and fewer still are allowed to pass inside.

NECRONS The Ancients, the Hollow Ones. They are Legion.

The Necrons are ancient beyond imagining. Long have they slept in stasis, hidden beneath the surface of silent Tomb Worlds, their consciousnesses preserved against the ravages of time within immortal mechanical bodies. So long did the Necrons slumber that the galaxy all but forgot their existence. Even in the minds of the Eldar, who once strove against the Necrons for mastery of stars, did their memory grow dim. Mankind, who knew the Necrons only from the scattered fragments of their once star-spanning civilisation, deemed them merely another faded race brought to nothingness by the crushing weight of aeons. Now, sixty million years after the last Tomb World was sealed, a terrible purpose has begun. In dark caverns where no mortal creature has set foot, ancient machineries are stirring. Revivification chambers hum with power as they return life to the Necrons sleeping within. Service robots scurry through dust-laden passageways, repairing the damage caused by aeons of dormancy; living metal walls flow like quicksilver as the great mausoleums reconfigure themselves as palaces, armouries and fortresses. The coldhearted Necron Lords and their implacable legions are rising to find their once-great empire in decay and primitive life-forms squatting in their ancient domains. They are not impressed; a reckoning shall come. Yet the younger races have time, perhaps, before annihilation. Not all the Necron tombs have survived their Great Sleep intact – some were damaged by tectonic shifts, plundered by younger races or suffered losses due to malfunctioning stasis systems. Others have not yet begun to stir due to machinery faults or the strange disruptions of Warp storms. A Tomb World is at its most vulnerable during the revivification process – in these early stages, it is unlikely that the army of a Tomb World will have awoken to full function. This leaves the defence in the hands of Canoptek servants – automatons whose responses, although remorseless and lethal, are not nearly so powerful as a Tomb World with its legions fully functioning. Worse, the power signatures given off during awakening are detectable across great spans of space, luring tech-scavengers, explorators and treasure-hunters of all kinds. The Necrons themselves are no longer creatures of flesh and blood, but android embodiments of death itself that can survive crippling damage. Incredulous observers report rent metal flowing back together and severed limbs scrabbling to reattach themselves. Should irreparable damage occur, the Necron ‘phases out’; body and consciousness are teleported back to the nearest tomb-complex to remain in storage until a new form can be forged. The technologies by which this is accomplished are a mystery, and the Necrons have put in place many contingencies, including self-destruct mechanisms, which prevent their knowledge from falling into the covetous hands of lesser races. Much about the Necrons is unknown to Mankind. Their technology is beyond the grasp of human understanding; the number of Tomb Worlds and their relationships to each other is unguessed. However, the Necron purpose seems brutally clear: they seek to cleanse the galaxy of upstart primitives and re-establish their rightful role as rulers. Few Necrons feel

any empathy with lesser creatures, for they view them as little more than vermin infesting the ruins of their former glory.

NECRONS AT WAR Necrons often strike without warning, issuing forth silently from tombs far beneath a planet’s surface or teleporting directly into battle with their target. They are implacable foes, remorseless in advance and virtually impervious to enemy fire. Marching in silent phalanxes, they unleash precision volleys of crackling green gauss energy that reduce flesh, armour and bone down to its constituent atoms. Amidst the phalanxes stalk eldritch machines and vehicles of strange, macabre design. Looming over all are the Monoliths, Obelisks and Tesseract Vaults, great floating ziggurats of destruction. Victory against this unforgiving and unstoppable force will require the lesser races to stand united, and time for them to do so is swiftly running out. With every world the Necrons reconquer, the ancient empire comes ever closer to rebirth...

IMPERIAL REPORTS Given the size and bureaucracy of the Imperium, it is hard to ascertain the level of threat the Necrons pose. There are those, typically Inquisitors or Space Marine Commanders, who can link together the many incoming reports and see, if not a pattern, then at least an emerging threat of prime import. Yet reports are vague and it is difficult to verify which xenos attacks are from the mysterious robotic warriors, for in victory or defeat, the Necrons leave few clues. The range of information coming in is so varied in nature it hardly seems possible that it can emanate from the same xenos, making it hard to establish any kind of pattern. Some worlds report aggressive, genocidal attacks, others cautious probes. Some worlds have been visited by emissaries under truce, requesting the surrender of entire planets teeming with industry and billions of Imperial inhabitants, while others claim the Necrons have begun covert operations upon their systems, using deception, pinpoint raids and assassinations to destabilise vital locations. At times, the Necrons seem pre-programmed – launching raids upon the promethium refinery plants of Asylus at exactly the same time each lunar month. At others, the best-laid Imperial defences are bypassed as if they weren’t there, or worse still, brushed aside the way a man might carelessly swat an insect.

++ We are already defeated if our master is fear. ++

TAU EMPIRE Proponents of the Greater Good, Bringers of Enlightenment, Children of a Greater Destiny.

On the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, far from the centralised control of Terra, a new empire is growing. Ambitious and united in purpose, the xenos race known as the Tau seeks to spread its ‘enlightenment’ across the stars. Although barely registering as a blip against the size of the unthinkably sprawling Imperium of Man, the rapid rise and expansion of the Tau has been startling. Although the Tau lead their colonisation efforts with a range of parable-speaking diplomats who offer alien populations peaceful opportunities to join the rising empire, the Tau army is always close behind, ready to be called in should dialogue prove fruitless. Tau diplomats have a talent for picking up foreign languages and observing the niceties of local customs. They are master negotiators who can, in their first visit to an alien planet, tactfully address the plentiful benefits of joining the Tau Empire and the ramifications for those who resist. Those who wilfully refuse to join the Tau, subserviently becoming part of their growing empire, are quickly shown the error of their ignorance. There are some races, whether conquered or coerced, which have come to accept and fully adopt the message of the Greater Good, the philosophy that the Tau live by. Many, such as the Ranghons, Nicassar and Morralians, have already bowed before the Tau Empire, with aliens like the carnivorous Kroot and the insectoid Vespid even sending their own troops to act as auxiliaries for further Tau expansions. Unlike many xenos, violence is not the option Tau turn to first. However, once peaceful overtures have been rejected, they readily shift to a military footing to find the solution. Unfettered by Mankind’s superstitions and fears of machines, the Tau embrace their technology, putting great effort into perfecting their gear of war. They believe their victories are not achieved by willpower or bludgeoning might, but rather by sophisticated weapons systems, well coordinated attack plans and a flexible discipline that will fluidly pull back as needed until they can operate once more at peak efficiency. The Tau believe in a military doctrine of bringing overwhelming firepower where it is needed most, while suffering the least damage to themselves in return. Unlike the grinding Astra Militarum armies, which willingly trade body counts for territory, the Tau do not believe in the wisdom of battles of attrition or even in the value of holding ground. Instead, a Tau commander will take advantage of superior ranged weapons, pinning down a foe and picking him apart, quickly departing should they advance too closely. No matter the opposition, the Tau are sure their technology can overcome the challenge. The pinnacle of Tau weapon technologies are the various types of battlesuits. Piloted as much as worn, battlesuits form the elite units in a Tau army and perform a range of roles – offensive and defensive. They are equipped with versatile weapon systems, often using advanced scientific breakthroughs such as stealth field generators, guided missiles, or artificially intelligent and independently acting drones. For the Tau, new designs and prototype weapons are constantly in the works, promising an even brighter future.

THE GREATER GOOD

The Tau civilisation is made up of a rigid caste system, with each of the five castes (Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Ethereal) forming a sub-species within the race. Such segregation provides the clarity of purpose that allows each member to fulfil his role within society – be it warrior, worker, pilot, or bureaucrat. The members of the ruling caste, known as Ethereals, bind and harmonise the other castes together into a common goal. It is they who steer the course of the Tau expansions, deciding which planets will be colonised, which aliens will be absorbed and which will be eliminated. The entire Tau race is underpinned by the philosophical concept, driven by the Ethereals, that the individual must set aside personal desires and work for the Greater Good. The Imperium would give much to learn the secrets of the Tau, particularly the Ethereals. There is much speculation about how they maintain such a high level of control over the other castes. Psychic abilities have been ruled out – the Tau being a race that don’t seem to register in the Warp. Chemical manipulation has been suggested, perhaps explaining the power behind the smooth, dulcet words spoke by the Tau spiritual leaders, but nothing has been confirmed. The Tau wholeheartedly subscribe to the Ethereals’ conviction that theirs is a race predestined for greatness, a race meant to inherit the rule of the stars. The Tau are methodically working their way outwards from their birth world, launching great expansion drives that have yet to be halted. Before long, many more will join the growing wave of Tau expansionism…

FIRST CONTACT The Imperium’s Explorators first encountered the Tau just prior to the Age of Apostasy, finding a resource-rich planet surrounded by a promising band of star systems. The inhabiting race, the ancestors of the Tau, were little more than savannah-roaming primitives. Marked for extermination, the Imperium sent out a seeding colony, but Warp storms arose and the Imperium’s armada was never heard from again. When the tumultuous energies calmed enough for recontact, nearly six thousand years later, the Tau had changed almost beyond recognition. The Imperium found a newborn empire busily expanding, even daring to absorb a handful of planets previously under rule of the Imperium. The Departmento Munitorum has increased manpower tithes and begun the preparations to supply another massive war zone.

++ To lack conviction is to invite defeat. ++

TYRANIDS The Shadow in the Warp, the Star Swarms.

Beyond the range of the Imperium’s spacecraft and the most strident astrotelepathy lies the unspeakable cold of the intergalactic void. It is the great barrier that divides galaxy from galaxy, a place where grand vistas of space and time conspire to hold their secrets apart with inconceivable distances. Yet the void is not empty. An immeasurably ancient and exceedingly alien intelligence has moved out of that darkness, its many eyes fixed on a galaxy rich with life. The Tyranids are the most alien of the races to infest Imperial space, for they come from beyond. Their hive fleets stretch out like tendrils, great chitinous bio-ships drifting in brooding silence. Once the remorseless shoals of the bio-ships detect the presence of a prey world, they close upon their target, grasping it like some many-tentacled beast seizing its food. In the ensuing invasion, the world will be consumed, for the Tyranids hunger for all living matter. There is no escape from this final embrace and when the Tyranids finally depart, they leave behind a barren world, a scoured ball of rock now devoid of anything that lives.

THE HIVE MIND The Hive comprises many different creatures functioning as one, coordinated by the gestalt consciousness of the Hive Mind. Individual Tyranid creatures are held in a common psychic bond that enables them to act as a single organism, each individual serving only to fulfil the functions assigned by the greater consciousness – the Hive Mind itself. While some Tyranid creatures are capable of rational thought, most do not have distinct minds as humans would understand. Indeed, most Tyranids are unthinking, having been created to fulfil a single specialised role. It tends to be the larger beasts that act as generals on the ground, making decisions and redirecting the lesser beings, all of course, according to the greater strategy and goals of the Hive Mind. A Tyranid hive fleet consists of millions of living starcraft, each home to untold numbers of monstrosities evolved from the geno-organs of the ship’s reproductive chambers. All the creatures serve the entity that is the ship, and the ship exists only as part of the horrific super-organism that is the fleet. Even when dead, organic matter is reconstituted back into the ship, along with captured biomass from the invaded planet. It is then all dissolved into a rich biological gruel used to make new Tyranid creatures, each ready to serve the Hive Mind and begin the feeding process anew. The Tyranid race is psychic, each creature linked by the sentience of the Hive Mind. On the battlefield, leader creatures serve as hubs to channel these connections to the lesser swarms. It is this central intelligence that guides the Tyranid fleets towards prey planets, but it does more. So powerful are the emanations from the Hive Mind that they bring with them a smothering psychic signature known to Imperial Astropaths as the Shadow in the Warp. It is as if the darkness of the intergalactic void has been made incarnate, causing even the strongest minds to unravel with despair. So mighty is this Shadow that it blots out the sacred guiding light of the Astronomican; thus do the Hive Fleets isolate and

destroy all in their path.

INVASION A Tyranid assault upon a planet is a terrifying sight that few have witnessed and survived. Gigantic spores plummet through the skies to smash into the surface, ploughing deep furrows into the ground. There, they split open to reveal broods of ferocious beasts. Swarms of chittering, scythe-limbed aliens move across the ground as one. Some carry grotesque living weapons capable of firing parasitic projectiles that chew into their targets’ flesh. Strange stalking beasts use perfect camouflage to ambush their prey, often turning up far behind the front lines to sow confusion in the enemy ranks, leaving trails for the ensuing waves of Tyranids to follow. From the skies, winged creatures rain death, and the ground quakes as burrowing beasts tunnel up from below. Towering monstrosities stride upon multiple sets of legs, halting occasionally to unleash firestorm blasts from bio-cannons. Every Tyranid creature is a bioengineered killing machine, perfectly adapted for its role in the slaughter. Thus far, only their vanguard has reached this galaxy, the greater mass is still on its way. And the Hive Mind hungers…

THE HIVE FLEETS Thus far, the Imperium has been struck by what they gather to be no less than nine distinct hive fleets. Each one of these living armadas is made up of millions of many-tendrilled spacecraft and on board each ship are millions of creatures ready for planetary invasion. The Magos Biologis of the Imperium has thus far categorised the separate forces, noting the defining characteristics that each of the self-sufficient hive fleet exhibits, the creatures it evolves and the tactics it employs during attacks. Differing hive fleets seemingly have their own agenda and have sometimes competed with each other for food, occasionally even clashing with each other over a particularly bio-rich planet. Unbeknownst to the Imperium, the threat is of an even greater magnitude, for the bulk of the Tyranids have not yet reached the Imperium’s galaxy, their masses still strewn out across the void. So immeasurably large is the invasion fleet that its furthest stretched tentacles alone have entered the Imperium’s space. Each of the identified hive fleets is but a splinter of that single monstrous host, the Hive Mind. What horrors await, only time will tell.

++ A weapon cannot substitute for zeal. ++

THE GREATEST THREAT From the shifting seas of the Warp, fearsome entities espy Mankind and his doings. From that realm of madness, great powers conspire to bring about a doom so complete, so absolute, that the entire galaxy would be consumed – swallowed into an endless oblivion of darkness and torture. If such a cataclysm were to happen, there could be no hope of recovery, only Chaos. Despite the incessant xenos invasions that beset the Imperium, it is this apocalyptic fate that looms largest over Mankind’s destiny. There are few in the Imperium who understand the real ramifications of what lurks in the Warp, plotting Man’s demise. It was the Emperor, the Master of Mankind, who first fathomed the dangers that the Ruinous Powers posed to Humanity. It was his ill-fated plan that even now protects the Imperium from the predations of the Dark Gods and their daemonic scions. Secretive agents of Mankind work tirelessly to thwart daemonic incursions into realspace, but they are few, and the creatures of the Warp are many. If every citizen of the Imperium was privy to the knowledge safeguarded by the Inquisition, then Humanity would become a race of madmen, for the true scope of the threat of Chaos is impossible for the untrained mind to bear. The Ruinous Powers attack the galaxy in interwoven ways, using unexpected guises. It is beyond mortal comprehension to follow such machinations or unravel the convoluted patterns behind such assaults. Are the slaughters on Van Horne’s world related to a greater plan, or was the bloodbath merely an opportunity to enter realspace? What is the endgame for the corruption of the planetary governor of Drakus Prime? What foul seeds are planted upon worlds that have suffered from the Zombie Plague that has spread across swathes of the galaxy? What hope has Mankind to fathom so random, bloodthirsty and immortal a foe? What can be recognised is that the forces of the Dark Gods are legion and are not confined solely within the Warp. Humanity itself has been corrupted. Many have opened up their hearts to hubris, greed and envy. Disaffected traitors follow their own goals, unknowingly serving a larger purpose. Outcast mutants harbour their own kind, unwittingly nurturing a festering malignancy. All separate actions spread over time and space, yet working towards the same goal – the break down of the barriers between realspace and the Warp, and the downfall of Man.

SCIONS OF THE WARP – DAEMONS The most powerful of the Chaos forces are the foul Daemons themselves. When the creatures within the Warp burst into the material world, it is to wreak carnage and bring anarchy. The servants of the Chaos Gods, Daemons are all that is vile and twisted made manifest. They are not fashioned of flesh and blood, but of unadulterated power, supernatural beings who dine on the terror and ambition of man. Although the different factions amongst the Daemons are often rivals, they are united in their quest to make the mortal plane a playground for their hateful needs, to let loose unending punishment, slaughter and anarchy upon the galaxy. Daemons cannot exist in realspace for long without the unnatural energies of the Warp to sustain them. Unless an incursion happens near a major rift between the realms of reality and the Immaterium, such as the Eye of Terror, the time that Daemons can stay in the land of mortals is limited by the size and strength of the source of Warp energies that brought them there. This is often long enough to accomplish much destruction – for even the briefest daemonic invasion can consume an entire planet in its fury. Nothing short of overwhelming the entire galaxy will ever sate these fiendish creatures, and each rampage

leaves Mankind a little weaker; every breach into the material realm stretches the barrier a little tauter. Daemonic incursions are phenomena that are occurring with increasing frequency, and their rise can only mean the absolute destruction of Humanity.

SLAVES TO DARKNESS – CHAOS SPACE MARINES Once proud and majestic warriors armoured with faith and armed with righteousness, the Chaos Space Marines are now bitter, selfish champions of dark, hungry gods, with no cause other than personal ambition and hatred. Devoted to the arcane powers of the Warp, Chaos Space Marines care nothing for loyalty or honour, sacrifice or obligation, for they have bargained away their souls, discarding their oaths of allegiance to the Emperor for material power, sensual freedom and the chance to attain daemonic immortality. Blessed with the gifts of the Dark Gods, Chaos Space Marines sow havoc across the galaxy as they prosecute the Long War, unrelenting since the days of the Horus Heresy. For ten thousand years, traitor Legions and renegade Chapters have ransacked and razed the worlds of the Emperor, and all knowledge of their slaughter and conquest has been ruthlessly expunged from history by the Inquisition, lest awareness of their existence serve to tempt others to the service of Chaos. Their names cursed for their betrayal, the Chaos Space Marines are notorious for acts of bestial savagery, and they serve as foreboding reminders to those who fight to defend Humanity that even the most powerful and trusted of humankind can fall. No planet is beyond their reach and there is no world that does not fear their coming.

TAINT OF THE TRAITOR A Chaos Space Marine attack is the most tangible of the Chaos threats, but there are still other perils, less recognisable, but equally deadly. On every human world there are malcontents who lust for power beyond their means, whose avarice is insatiable by honest endeavour and who would take any path to satisfy their ambition. Such minds are easy prey for the Ruinous Powers, falling easily into temptation. Though the worship of Chaos is a primal heresy, punishable by death throughout the Imperium, there are thousands, maybe millions, of Chaos cults – all gathering strength to extend their influence. In deep sewers beneath hive cities, hooded figures meet to debase themselves in forbidden worship; on great stone pyramids, primitive shamans attempt to summon Daemons to do their bidding; under the light of strange moons, foul offerings are lifted to blasphemous gods whose names honest men fear to speak. Organisations of this kind have coiled their way into all levels of the Imperium, counting adjudicators, military commanders and planetary governors amongst their number. Who can say with certainty which fellow citizens are pure and which are tainted?

Most pleas to the Chaos Gods go unanswered, for only the true student of the malevolent arts can hope to understand the nuance and ritual that can allow creatures from the Warp the passage they seek. Yet, with every human who turns from the true path of the Emperor dissension is sown and so does the Imperium turn upon itself. With desperate fervour, Inquisitors seek out Chaos Cults, yet the roots of corruption run deep. Some cultists are lured into furthering the plots of the Chaos Space Marines, while others at last manage to bring forth a malignancy into the galaxy, either summoning entities from the Warp or through their foul actions allowing some gateway – most often a psyker – to open a rift. There can be no greater delusion than that of the fools who seek an easy road to power, yet they can, and do, bring ruin upon entire planets.

FEAR THE MUTANT, HUNT THE MUTANT Mutations sweep across the Imperium like plagues, twisting bodies and souls into ever more deviant forms. In all but a small handful of cases, mutants are considered a danger to the wider Imperium and they are feared and shunned by all right thinking citizens, if not hunted and purged outright. By far the most dangerous mutants are those with psychic powers, for an untrained ‘witch’ can unwittingly allow foul denizens of the Warp access into realspace. Worse still are the psykers who actively court the attentions of such fiends. Driven, by ruthless persecution, into a hidden underclass in most societies, mutants often fall prey to the honeyed promises of help made by the secret and devolved cults concealed amidst the strata of Imperial society.

CHAOS DAEMONS The Doom of Mortals, Servants of the Dark Gods.

In the Warp, there exist countless Daemons of myriad abhorrent shapes, each the spawn of the nightmares and secret vices of mortal creatures. Daemons are but extensions of the Chaos Gods, the undisputed masters of that shifting land of hellish limbo. There are four Chaos Gods, rival brothers in darkness. They are: Khorne, the Blood God, the master of battle and patron of ferocity; Tzeentch, eternal schemer, the Changer of Ways, the Lord of Magic; Nurgle, the Great Lord of Decay and Fecundity, joyous bringer of plague and physical corruption; and Slaanesh, the Lord of Pleasure, the purveyor of secret vices and excess. It is these four Dark Gods who vie for the dominion of man, and whose Daemons seek gateways through the minds of the weak and careless. Daemons are but splinters of the Ruinous Powers made sentient, so the appearance and behaviour of a Daemon always betrays the character and ambition of its progenitor – they can only act in the manner of their patron. So, Bloodletters, the rank and file of Khorne’s legions, are ferocious, slavering creatures eager to reap and slay, as befits minions of the God of Battle. In the Warp, the Dark Gods vie for supremacy, each pitting their legions and wit against the others in a constant bid to dominate them. Daemonic armies clash across the everchanging Realm of Chaos, riding nightmare dreamscapes into battle, shattering landscapes and reconfiguring conquered territory to fit its new master. Thus, if Nurgle’s legions overrun the iridescent shape-changing crystalline structures that mark Tzeentch’s kingdom, it will soon flow freely with pus, decay and the corrupting poxes that signify the new ruler of that space. This eternal battle waxes and wanes as the fortunes and powers of each God ebbs and flows. When great plagues sweep the mortal realms, such as the eyerot or the terrifying Zombie Plague, then Nurgle’s realm might gain ascendancy for a while. At any given time, there might be countless different rivalries or alliances between the brother gods. There are plots within plots as each seeks an advantage in the eternal back and forth. Yet there is one thing that unites the opposing powers to put aside their differences for a time and work together. For, above all else, the Daemons of the Warp lust to push through the boundary that separates them from the mortal realms, to unleash their wanton destruction upon the galaxy.

DAEMONIC ASSAULT There are countless ways in which Daemons can invade reality. Human psykers present the most common means of entry, for their untrained minds are like beacons within the Warp, and draw Daemons to them as the scent of blood draws predatory beasts. Through such open psychic minds, a Daemon can rip a hole into realspace and burrow into the

psyker’s mind. Ships entering the Immaterium are also vulnerable, for if any of their numerous safeguards fail or if the insidious powers can worm through even the tiniest crack in a ship’s protections, then a horrifying fate awaits all on board. Many Imperial spacecraft have entered the Warp to return far from their planned point of exit and filled with fiends instead of men. Using hosts or sacrifices, Chaos cultists can sometimes create a rift or open up a person to unholy possession. Those who study the way of the Daemon too closely, including some Inquisitors, can likewise put themselves at risk. For all their ferocity, Daemons are also intensely clever, and over time are able to use temptation or subtle manipulation to corrupt even the most strong-willed of individuals. Permanent gateways to the Warp exist throughout the galaxy – some great in size, others small, but all bristle with inevitable danger. In such places, the mutating powers of Chaos run rampant and planets are twisted into Daemon worlds, where the greatest of evils are free to manifest themselves. The largest permanent rift between the material universe and the Warp is the Eye of Terror, a region of space where the two universes overlap. There are smaller gaps too, such as the Maelstrom, von Grothe’s Rapidity, the Green Maw, and the Storm of Judgement. Warp storms, great stellar trauma or vast psychic emanations can also draw forth the daemonic legions. What might start as a trickle, a single entity wriggling its hideous way into the material world, can become a larger hole in the barrier between realms, eventually resulting in a steady stream or even a full, raging tide of Daemons, a hellish flood that can engulf a world or even a star system in a short period of time. When the Daemon armies emerge, they do so with great purpose – to unmake reality, whether through insidious corruption or outright war. With so much unnatural energy spilling out, even the most monstrous denizens of the Warp can cross over, letting the Greater Daemons once more stride the stars. The most powerful of the Dark God’s minions, Greater Daemons are terrible abominations capable of mighty deeds of destruction. Just to stand before such colossal nightmares is to risk an eternity of torment. At their whim, reality is reformed, and at their command, daemonic hordes slaughter entire populations. Luckily for Mankind, most rifts in the barrier between realms are temporary and, upon closure, the Warp energies dissipate quickly. This means daemonic incursions are typically short lived, and the foul armies are forced back to the Immaterium. Besides cutting off the unnatural energies around them, there are other methods to drive Daemons back into the Warp. An unremitting blast of psychic will or physically slaying them will do the job, but only for a while. The destruction of a Daemon’s physical form will banish it from realspace, but will not end its existence. The malefic presence will gradually reform again in the Warp, nursing its hatred and its grudge for long decades or even centuries. If such an entity gets a chance, it will return, its hatred further stoked with a horrible vengeance in mind.

THE CHAOS GODS The rules of the Realm of Chaos are the four Great Powers, the Dark Gods.

KHORNE

Khorne is the Blood God, the god of battle whose bellows of insatiable rage echo across time and space. He broods upon a mighty throne of brass atop a vast mountain of skulls. A sea of bones, fed by the remains of those slain by his many champions, extends endlessly from him in all directions.

TZEENTCH

Tzeentch is the Great Sorcerer, the god of magic and Master of the Timestream. He is the Changer of Ways, the one who directs the fate of the universe. Tzeentch weaves plots like spider webs and his labyrinthine plans within plans reach past temporal bounds and carry through untold centuries.

NURGLE

The Great Lord of Decay, Nurgle presides over physical corruption and the cycle of purification, rebirth and morbidity. Plague and entropy attract him like a fly to a rotting corpse, and though he dotes over his foul diseases and Daemons like an indulgent father, his wrath is terrible when roused.

SLAANESH

The Dark Prince, the youngest of the Chaos Gods, is Slaanesh, who alone of the pantheon is divinely beautiful. He epitomises excess in all things, and favours seducing beautiful mortals, tempting them with a life of overindulgence. He is all things decadent and debased.

THE EYE OF TERROR The Eye of Terror is the largest and most well known Warp rift in the galaxy – a permanent tear that has breached the barrier between reality and the Immaterium. Like a weeping sore on the verge of eruption, this galactic phenomenon has blighted Imperial space for over 10,000 years. At the centre of the swirling Eye is absolute Chaos, a whirlpool of energy where the creatures of the Warp bathe in those purest currents of madness that pour out from the realm of the Dark Gods. From a distance, the Eye of Terror stains the surrounding stars in a disturbing blend of colours. From Cadia, bulwark planet of the Imperium, it can be seen with the naked eye – a pulsing ocean of sickly purple. From Fenris, the icy homeworld of the Space Wolves, the Ocularis Terribus appears as a hideous wound gnawing at the sky. From Terra, if magnification could see past the pall of atmospheric pollution or the many rings of orbiting defence stations and free-floating debris, the Eye of Terror could be seen as a speck, distant, but glowering with a menacing malignancy. Even at a vast range, it is nauseating to gaze upon that throbbing light, and many claim that staring too long into that hateful abyss can lead to nightmares, blindness, or absolute madness. For many light years around the anarchic hub of the Eye of Terror’s centre, there are broad zones where reality and the Immaterium mix, where physical laws clash with the whims of the Dark Gods. Planets within the Eye of Terror are imbued with arcane energies and known as Daemon worlds, hellish regions that defy reason, places where creatures from the Warp walk freely. Often, such worlds are gifted to particularly powerful Greater Daemons or even Daemon Princes, rewards from their dark masters for spectacular service. In the middle spirals of the Eye of Terror, some of the laws of nature still apply, although the area is regularly swept by the unadulterated powers of the Warp. Since the days following the Horus Heresy, this region has become a refuge for the Traitor Legions, a base for those Space Marines who joined the rebellion and have been fighting the hated Imperium ever since. Here they remain, largely untouched by the weight of the aeons, for time passes unpredictably, if at all, in the Eye of Terror. Some Legions have had their once noble Primarchs elevated into immortal Daemon Princes, diabolical leaders made even more mighty. From this sanctuary of dread, they strike out on countless raids, wars, and mass for the invasions known as Black Crusades. All planets and space sectors near the Eye of Terror are dangerous in the extreme. Those who escape the predations of Daemons or Chaos Space Marines are still subject to foul mutation. As the spiralling tendrils of the Eye swirl haphazardly, the range of such chaotic effects can vary wildly, sometimes affecting space a great distance away. Navigators are loathe to direct their third eye anywhere in the direction of the Eye of Terror, for do to so will mean

certain doom. Ships that stray too near the vortex can be thrown far off course or, worse still, sucked into the roiling space to be consumed or tortured at the leisure of Daemons. The area to the galactic southeast of the Eye of Terror is, however, typically calm. Named the Cadian Gate, it is the only predictable and stable way to exit the region, and therefore the passageway has become the site of non-stop fighting. These battles range from skirmishes and raids to the full expression of might, rage and vengeance unleashed by a Black Crusade. There, along the many fortified planets of the Cadian system, the Imperium strives to contain the horrific powers, blocking them from rampaging out into the more vulnerable sectors beyond.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES Cruel Marauders, Slaves to Darkness, The Tainted.

Not all the creatures of the Warp are its direct offspring. Once proud and majestic warriors armoured with faith, the Chaos Space Marines are now bitter champions, covered in corruption. They are hateful reavers who war to serve their own dark needs and, in so doing, also serve their new masters. Betrayal has ever been a threat to the Imperium and some of its blackest hours have come from the traitorous deeds done by what were once some of its most noble warriors. Throughout a war-torn history, many Space Marines have strayed from the service of the Emperor and turned to the Chaos Gods. There are any number of paths to damnation – some of the Imperium’s finest warriors have consciously chosen their paths and others have been tempted across that line, twisting their allegiances by small increments at a time. There are even some few who have been tricked into darksome deeds, unaware of the implications of their actions until it was too late. Between their discipline, long histories of service, STC-designed wargear and the Codex Astartes, there are more similarities than differences between Space Marine Chapters. This is not the case with the Chaos Space Marines. A dark mirror to their Imperial counterparts, Chaos Space Marines share the same genetically enhanced superhuman abilities, but beyond that, the ranks of the traitors are far more greatly varied. Some of the Chaos Space Marines are from the original betrayal, part of the Space Marine Legions that joined Horus in his rebellion. After Horus’ defeat, many traitors fled to the Eye of Terror, seeking refuge from the loyalists that hunted them. There, washed over by the intense energies of the Warp, they took worlds of their own, becoming masters of Daemon realms and indulging their unworthy ambitions. Although 10,000 years have passed since they fled during the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, they live there still, for time flows strangely near the Warp. This means the same Space Marine warriors who fought against the Emperor still wage war on the Imperium today. For them, the strands of time have become interwoven, the past, present and future merging into eternal war. Yet the Traitor Legions are not alone. Over the span of thousands of years, other Space Marines have turned from the light of the Emperor, sometimes individually, or in squads or companies, and on very rare occasions, in entire Chapters. Freed from the dogma of service to their Chapter and the Imperium, these individuals fully indulge their superhuman bodies and prodigious fighting skills. Modified to be the ultimate human warriors, these defectors most often gather wealth or power, becoming tyrannical leaders of pirate fleets, despot warrior kings on frontier planets, or the leaders of mercenary warbands out to claim their own fortunes. As doomed as any traitor from the Heresy, these Space Marines also turn to the Chaos Gods, sometimes willingly, seeking more power, sometimes at desperate need, when their heresy is at last revealed. The Chaos Space Marines are a fearsome foe. They have a Space Marine’s abilities, along with his gear of war and, since turning to the darker powers, many also now bear powerful mutations or gifts from their patron Chaos Gods, which aid them in battle. They still carry the same weapons they bore in their service to the Emperor, sometimes dating

back 10,000 years and now washed over by the corrupting powers of the Warp. Some Chaos Space Marines appear uniform and stern, their allegiance only distinguishable by their actions, while others are loathsome, their forms befouled so greatly that they are monstrous to look upon – plague-bloated and beslimed or perhaps forever melded into their armour. The superhuman frame of the Space Marine can accept and survive through more mutations than any other mortal could bear. Marked by tentacles, spikes and bestial visages, it is easy to identify Space Marines who have been long subjected to distorting powers from beyond, often mutated by their patron into forms more pleasing to their inhuman eyes. For instance, those who follow Khorne might find their limbs grown into killing blades, their armour emblazoned with deathly skulls and eternally dripping with the blood of those they have slain. Those in thrall to mighty Tzeentch might be led by a Sorcerer, with each warrior marked by a magical aura that glows around them, chains of lightning crackling over their heads. Even the vehicles and war machines of the Chaos Space Marines become corrupted over time, twisting into mockeries of their previous forms, bearing icons and battle scars from their ceaseless wars. Towering above them all are Daemon engines, horrible lurching creatures that are man and machine merged together in hellish fusion. They are the ultimate horrors, each a sign that shows just how inhuman some Chaos Space Marines have become. Most fell of all, the Daemon Princes stride to the fore or glide upon enormous bat-like wings. These terrifying creatures are imbued with Warp powers and immortality, rewards for the foulest of deeds and millennia of dark service. Chaos Space Marines do not only dwell in the Eye of Terror, but are also scattered across the galaxy. They live in hidden moon bases and drifting space hulks that flit in and out of the Warp. They have conquered frontier worlds to call their own and established furtive bases upon Imperial worlds, hiding beneath their enemies’ noses. The Alpha Legion is notorious for having strongholds established under hive-cities and taking over research stations to deceive the Imperium for decades with false reports. From these sites the Chaos Space Marines launch raids – some taking what they want for their own needs, others continuing a war of hate against the Imperial whelps and their cursed Emperor, their dreams unfulfilled until Holy Terra has been reduced to ruin and the desiccated husk upon the Golden Throne has been chopped down, to wither away as dust.

THE BLACK LEGION The Warmaster’s Own, the Black XVI.

The history of the Black Legion resounds with the din of both victories and the most bitter of defeats. The sixteenth of the First Founding Space Marine Legions, they were once called the Luna Wolves, before the Emperor renamed them the Sons of Horus to honour them and their Primarch after many triumphs. It was with that title that the Legion rebelled alongside their new master. The Sons of Horus served as the Warmaster’s bodyguard and fought with ferocity during the Horus Heresy. After Horus’ defeat, they recovered his body from the loyalists and fled into the Eye of Terror. There, they feuded with other Traitor Legions, eventually losing the Warmaster’s body, and were nearly destroyed. Only the matchless leadership of Abaddon kept the remnants of the old Legion together. It was this new Warmaster’s edict to repaint their armour black, an eternal memory of the shame of their losses. Abaddon directed the newly named Black Legion and reclaimed the Legion’s vaunted fighting prowess, once again restoring the respect and finally the support of the remaining Chaos Space Marines. Champions of many Legions and other followers of the Dark Gods now vie to fight alongside Abaddon and his infamous Black Legion.

EMPEROR’S CHILDREN The Pleasure Slaves, the Debauched.

One of the first Legions to turn from the Emperor’s light and embrace Horus’ rebellion, the Emperor’s Children were seduced by the dark side and the pleasures it promised. Now corrupt beyond human comprehension, the Emperor’s Children are a savage fighting force unlike any other. Seeking out perverse enjoyments that only the thrilling din of combat can provide, the Emperor’s Children often wield outlandish weapons that produce deafeningly loud and pyrotechnically explosive attacks.

DEATH GUARD The Plagued Ones, the Bloated Sons of Mortarion.

Few sights are more loathsome than the corrupted forms of the plague-infested Death Guard. Their oozing power armour has rotted away in places, exposing festering wounds and pestilence-filled innards – yet their bloated bodies do not feel the agony of their mutations. Abominations against nature, the Death Guard advance within a cloud of flies, their weapons spitting death, their miasma spreading unnatural disease. One of the original Legions, the Death Guard fell under the sway of Nurgle, the Lord of Corruption, and became the first of all the Plague Marines.

WORD BEARERS The Ultimate Zealots, Bringers of the True Faith.

Worshippers of all the Chaos Gods, the Word Bearers are methodical followers of rites. They exist to consecrate new worlds, to practise foul blasphemies and to erect monuments to the Dark Gods. The Word Bearers are cult-starters, furtive missionaries seeking to spread the truth of the Warp. Those unable to see their one true path are instead offered up as sacrifices in blood-soaked rituals. At first, the Word Bearers found purpose in the propagation of the Imperial Cult, but following the Emperor’s chastisem*nts and self-proclamations of mortality, they drifted into rebellion, turning their fanatical devotion instead to Chaos. More active than ever, the Word Bearers are still stirring new worlds to sedition, ever eager to spread their words of hate.

THE WORLD EATERS Blood Soaked Berzerkers, Slayers of Skalathrax.

Long before the Horus Heresy, the World Eaters were noted for their savagery, having been censured by the Emperor for their brutality and use of psycho-surgery to turn new recruits into frothing madmen. Still, the World Eaters were invaluable terror troops in the Great Crusade and fought at the forefront of many great campaigns. It was simple for Horus to pervert their bloody rituals to the worship of Chaos. Since then, they have become devoted to Khorne, the Blood God, and they have become a byword for carnage.

In its bloodlust, the Legion tore itself apart, forming many smaller warbands, which to this day still seek battle, often joining other Chaos armies in their quest for skulls.

THE THOUSAND SONS Chaos Sorcerers, the Followers of Magnus.

The path of damnation for the Thousand Sons was longer than most. They studied arcane lore despite the Emperor’s warnings. They remained loyal to the Imperium, however, using their occult powers to warn the Emperor of Horus’ impending betrayal. The Emperor declared the Thousand Sons’ manipulations of Chaos to be heresy and unleashed the Space Wolves upon them. Forced into a war they did not want, the Thousand Sons turned to the Chaos power known as Tzeentch in order to save themselves. Escaping to the Eye of Terror, the Legion continued their magical studies, although they were soon wracked by mutations. Disturbed by their decline, a cabal, led by the great sorcerer Ahriman, risked the wrath of their, now daemonic, Primarch to cast a spell known as the Rubric. The spell instead brought greater changes to the Legion and the cabal was banished by the enraged Primarch, forced to scatter and fight for different Traitor Legions. ++ Tolerance is Weakness. ++

THE BLACK CRUSADES OF ABADDON THE DESPOILER Twelve times has Abaddon led the Black Legion against the Imperium, and each time, the fallen Sons of Horus and their deadly allies have laid waste to vast sectors of the galaxy, leaving only blood-soaked worlds and piled corpses in their wake. Every time, the Black Legion has achieved a great victory or completed some dark design before vanishing back into the Eye of Terror. During the First Black Crusade, Abaddon claimed the Daemon sword Drach’nyen; in the Fourth Black Crusade the Black Legion brought down the Citadel of the Kromarch, diminishing the defences of the Cadian Gate. As part of the Tenth Black Crusade, the traitors tested the defences of Medusa, home world of the Iron Hands. Now, the Despoiler has begun his Thirteenth Black Crusade, spilling out from the Eye of Terror at the head of a vast army of Traitors, heretics and Daemons, his ultimate ambition – the destruction of Terra itself.

MASTER OF THE MAELSTROM The Eye of Terror is not the only wound in the galaxy to become the lair of the Traitor Legions. Raiders from the Maelstrom plague the void for light years in all directions, the

worst of which are the Red Corsairs led by Huron Blackheart. In the Thirteenth Black Crusade, Huron is making his own simultaneous assault upon the Imperium.

THE ENEMY WITHIN Despite the constant alien assaults and the incessant wars wracking the Imperium, some of the wisest maintain that the greatest threat to the survival of the human race comes not from without, but from within.

A BETRAYAL OF FAITH All over the Imperium there are hidden cults, clandestine organisations dedicated to the worship of the Dark Gods of Chaos. Thriving in troubled and uncertain times, these cults are as varied and diverse in practice as are the planets on which they can be found. A strong warrior cult on a feral world might lead to worship of the Blood God, while a pursuit of knowledge on the most civilised of worlds can eventually be twisted into the study of dark magics best left untouched. Often veiled under a more comely guise, such as a militia group or religious following, the cults seek to gain power or influence. According to Imperial law, joining in on such debased activities is the most heinous of heresies and is considered a betrayal of Mankind, a crime against one’s own species. Being caught in any association with even the fringe elements of a Chaos cult is a death sentence. Once it has begun, the corruption of a cult can spread like an infectious disease, the victims of doubt becoming the new evangelists of heresy, tempting the ignorant with promises of easy power. Chaos cults incite revolt among the masses, or work their way into governmental organisations to snatch control from within. Whole worlds are plunged into unrest or anarchy. Such actions have great ramifications and not just for the planet itself, but for all the Imperium. When freed from the righteous restraints imposed by the Imperium, populations will develop psykers more frequently, releasing a growing vortex of psychic energy that tears at the fabric of the multiverse. If allowed to go unchecked, the emanations of such an agitated population can produce a Warp rift that will engulf a planet in a tide of Daemons, or perhaps even create another substantial gateway from which the perils of Chaos can further invade the galaxy. Small wonder that when the Inquisition finds evidence of a deep-rooted cult, they would rather subject an entire world to Exterminatus than let the situation escalate.

A BETRAYAL OF BODY Accompanying the cultist down the path to ruination is the mutant. In all but a handful of cases, mutants are a danger to the Imperium. Some mutants, such as the genetically engineered Navigators, are both stable and accepted; however, most are neither. Once, mutations were associated with known causes – leaking reactors, or extreme environmental zones, such as high gravity mining worlds or planets seared by strange

stars. Some continue to attempt rational explanation for the rise in mutants, but it is not a rational age. Mutants are associated with the disfiguring effects of the Warp, and their unnatural features are generally considered physical proof of either open worship of the Dark Gods or membership in a secret cult. Feared and shunned for their deformities, mutants are an underclass, deviants that must hide from ordinary folk. A dark secret kept hidden from prying eyes, mutation is a scourge upon Mankind, a woeful reflection of the evolutionary process.

A BETRAYAL OF MIND As widespread and calamitous as mutation of the body may be, it is in the mind of Man where the greatest peril lies. With mutated minds able to wield the unnatural power of the Warp, psykers are only tolerated when safely harnessed within Imperial organisations, and even then they are always watched and rarely trusted. After all, the source of psychic power is the Realm of Chaos, and therefore, perilous above all else. All psykers offer Daemons the chance to enter the material world, their mere presence destabilising the structure of all actuality. The Imperium must be ever vigilant, lest the hellish denizens of the Warp overrun realspace at Mankind’s unconscious beckoning. Such is the true threat of the enemy within.

SUFFER NOT THE WITCH The Imperium has become increasingly severe. Sanctioned persecutions are given free rein and witch-hunts have become more frequent. On many planets, suspicion is everywhere, and a life steeped in doubt and mistrust is the norm. Citizens make an elaborate show of their loyalty to the point where it has become a meaningless ritual, the act of looking devoted far outstripping any accomplishment. All live in fear of indictment, a fear made palpable by merest rumours. Which fellow toiler, which prefect or shuffling menial, is hiding some monstrous growth? Which one is a disguised Inquisitorial henchman? Which one is scrutinising you? Even the slightest lapse in the harsh regime of vigilance imposed by the iron hand of the Adepts of the Imperium can result in the spread of cultists, mutation and psyker activity, all of which, ultimately – inevitably even – can only end in daemonic manifestation. It is doubtless true that some innocents must perish with the guilty, some who might aid the cause are instead slain by it, but any means justifies an end so vital and so endangered. ++ There are no Answers. Only Death. ++

THE GATHERING DARK Everywhere, the foes of Humanity gather, preparing themselves for the coming apocalypse. Aliens, whether barbaric plunderers, ancient powers, upstart usurpers, or voracious monsters, all clamour for a morsel of flesh, a lick of blood from the great carcass that is the Imperium. More insidious than xenos invasion is Mankind’s own corruption, those who would betray their own species for promises of power or material gain. Some are only beginning to walk the path of the traitor, whilst others knowingly sold their souls long ago to the horrors that lurk beyond the veil of the material universe. From the shifting seas of the Warp come Daemons, the ultimate doom bringers. They are entities whose bodies are not fashioned of flesh and blood and their cravings are not those of mortals. They draw hatred and greed for breath and their food and drink is the terror and ambition of Man. They are never sated. The abominations from the Warp will not rest until they have consumed not just Mankind, but the universe as well. All will be ruin; all will be Chaos. Although this may be Mankind’s darkest hour – all is not lost. While the will of the Emperor is still bound within the Golden Throne, there yet shines a light in the darkness. Though it is but a lone beacon surrounded by the blackness of the eternal void, it is Humanity’s call to arms, and it echoes across the galaxy. Where hope has been abandoned, single-minded faith and blind devotion must serve instead. And it cannot be denied that the Imperium of Man still endures. Though already bathed in the blood of unremembered heroes beyond count, more is needed. New heroes must arise, new blood must be spilt. For 10,000 years the Imperium has held together, surviving an age of endless war that has escalated, intensifying in an ever-rising crescendo of madness and mayhem. Upon a million planets and across the trackless depths of space, the sound of battle rages, and behind it can be heard the sound of Dark Gods laughing…

GUARDIAN OF HUMANITY Sensing the rising birth rates of human psykers, it was the Emperor who first anticipated that Man was developing into a psychically aware creature. The E mperor was, himself, the most psychically gifted human ever born, and long before he was placed upon the Golden Throne, he knew that without his guidance, those with the newly emerging trait would fall victim to what lurked in the Warp. He had learned what clawed and hungered for the life-essence of

sentient creatures and he knew that the Warp fiends would prey upon their untrained minds, or worse still, use them as gateways to enter the material world. He foresaw, as only his mind could, the many mutations that the forces of Chaos would create to pollute Humanity’s evolution. The only answer the Emperor could foresee was the creation of a harsh new regime: the birth of the Imperium. Vast armadas of Black Ships ply the void, voyaging continuously back and forth between over a million worlds and Terra. Like clockwork, the inhuman gears of Imperial bureaucracy unquestioningly click, without insight, without will. A small price to pay for the survival of the human race…

++ A destiny unfolding, marred by weakness and mutation. ++

THE LONG WAR Brother-Captain Karlsen surveyed the carnage wearily. His wounds pained him. His armour hurt as if it were bruised skin and he almost envied those who had died. He ran his metal-clad tentacles over the fused remains of the Daemon Engine, the ragged remains of the Lord of Battle. It was still warm from the reactor meltdown that had, at long last, sent its enraged spirit back to the Warp. On the far side of the tremendous crater was the head of a slain Warhound Titan, it lay smoking, half buried in a pile of ash and slag. Karlsen watched the triumphant rebels swill foul drink and listened to their babbled jokes and chatter. The few remaining cultists who danced and sang amongst the rubble did not realise it yet, but they were dead men. Their patron Daemons had been cast back, or had disappeared when the Warp rift closed. His own Chaos Space Marines would soon be gone. Without that backbone, Imperial forces would easily break the strength of the rebellion on this world. And they would be coming now, coming in full strength. To Karlsen it did not matter. There would be other worlds. His wandering had led him to a ruined temple of the Emperor’s Ascension. All was charred black and innumerable skeletons and melted armour were scattered about, obviously a hard fought site of the battle. From under the rubble he heard a groan. A figure pulled itself out from the fused innards of the building, the sound of scraping ceramite was unmistakable. Karlsen watched clinically, surprised that a Blood Angel yet lived. The Space Marine was mangled, the red of his armour mostly peeled away from the heat of a blast. He lifted his half-destroyed helmet, a single hate-filled eye locking onto Karlsen. Frantically, the Blood Angel staggered to his feet, struggling to bring his bolt pistol to bear. ‘Traitor. Heretic. Abomination,’ the Space Marine chanted. Karlsen found himself staring down a wavering barrel. Part of him wanted the Blood Angel to pull the trigger. Bitter laughter bubbled from Karlsen’s horribly mutated throat. Speech was difficult now. He tried to find the word to articulate his loathing. He searched his corroded soul for a single word that could embody ten thousand years of hate. ‘Brother,’ he said eventually. A hint of fear could be read playing over the Blood Angel’s blistered features. He made to pull the trigger. Like a blur, Karlsen swiftly brought his own

weapon up. A single shot tore through the Blood Angel, who fell without a sound. Karlsen kept firing, unloading a full magazine, hoping to hear a scream. He was disappointed. At that moment, he wished he had every single Space Marine in his sights. So boundless was his hatred, so great was his rage, that he would have killed them all without mercy. At that moment, he knew he would fight forever. He would fight until all was ruination and the entire galaxy burned. For him, there could be neither rest nor peace. The Long War would go on.

DARK MILLENNIUM The 41st Millennium is a vast, dark and deadly place, full of untold mysteries both scientific, esoteric and utterly alien. To produce a study on all of the technologies and sorceries of the Age of the Imperium would take all the scribes of Terra a hundred years or more; what follows is but a glimpse into this terrifying age. A candle-flame in the darkness…

THE CULT MECHANICUS A brief overview and history of the religious beliefs and practices of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Cult Mechanicus, or Cult of the Machine, refers to the religious beliefs of the Adeptus Mechanicus. This worship predates the Imperium itself and was shrouded in mystery long before the Emperor created the Treaty of Mars to reunite the empires of Terra with that of the Mechanicum of the red planet. Although now fully interwoven within the fabric of the Imperium, there is much about the Adeptus Mechanicus that remains unknown. As with their secrets of science and the workings of their forge worlds, the Adeptus Mechanicus do not willingly share information with anyone outside their own organisation. If anything, they are even more closed-mouthed about their religion; although there is much speculation, little is known of the rites and practices of their worship. Following is a collection of the known facts. Mars long ago evolved a strong culture devoted to the study and construction of engines and machinery of all types. During the anarchic centuries of the Age of Strife, they were ruled by the Mechanicum of Mars, a parliament of technocrats known to worship a machine god. Even then, there were visible signs that those on Mars were deep in the practices of what is now known as the Cult Mechanicus. When the Emperor first rose to power on Terra, the Tech-Priests recognized in him a kindred spirit. He was a man of science in an era when most still held to the crude superstitions brought about by the disasters of the Dark Age of Technology. Instead, the Emperor valued the machine and technological advancement, and so, upon this initial foundation of mutual respect, the alliance between Terra and Mars was built. In return for supplying matchless arms and armour for his troops, and a war fleet for them to sail the stars upon, the Emperor gave to Mars six Houses of Navigators, also promising to protect the Tech-Priests and to respect the sovereignty of their forge worlds. More of the unusual ways of the Adeptus Mechanicus were observed as Tech-Priests began to journey alongside the Space Marine Legions and the Imperial army as they crossed the galaxy with the successes of the Great Crusade. It became clear that the TechPriests did not fear machines, but coveted them – treating them with a reverence hitherto unseen by the men of Terra. As the Emperor’s forces reconnected long lost colonised

planets, driving out hostile xenos, they quickly found growing signs of what was to become the Imperial Cult, as the newly conquered worlds were convinced that the Emperor was a god. It was also at this time that some of the Tech-Priests first began to equate the Emperor to a living embodiment of their own machine god and a fulfilment of what they claimed were ancient prophecies. However, not all of the Adeptus Mechanicus believed in this, a source of contention that divides their ranks even to this day. The dispersion of Tech-Priests away from their cloistered forge worlds allowed more to be discerned about their machine god. In its broadest terms, the Adeptus Mechanicus is divided into two parts. The greater mass of those on Mars, or any forge world, are workerslaves called servitors. They are not fully human, but half-man, half machine creatures whose minds have been partially programmed to perform specific duties. The servitors are slaves to the ruling priesthood of Tech-Priests who form a hierarchy of technicians, scientists and religious leaders (to those within the Cult Mechanicus, these aspects are all one in the same). The leader of the Adeptus Mechanicus is the Fabricator General, a High Lord of Terra and the head of the Cult Mechanicus. According to the Adeptus Mechanicus, knowledge is the supreme manifestation of divinity, and all creatures and artefacts that embody knowledge are holy because of it. The supreme holder of all knowledge is the machine god himself, the Great Omnissiah – an omnipotent being. To those within the Cult Mechanicus, machines are not mundane objects or tools, but rather they are holy items, and those that preserve knowledge from ancient times are considered the most sacred of all. Tech-Priests teach that all mechanical devices are blessed with machine spirits, and the more ancient and important the machine, the mightier its spirit. As such, before any technology can be used or repaired, its spirit must be properly appeased, lest it fails of its function. This is achieved through rituals, some of which include chanting repetitious cants, sprinkling blessed unguents, and often, if the machine is very old and revered, a rhythmic striking with a special metal tool. The Tech-Priests teach that a man’s worth is measured only by the sum of his accumulated knowledge – his body is simply an organic (and therefore more faulty) machine capable of preserving intellect. The replacing of worn body parts with mechanical upgrades is considered by the Tech-Priests to be holy augmentation – bringing the flesh closer to the divine. The most elderly of the order are more machines than men, their presence betrayed by the whir of cogs, the billowing of mechanical lungs, and the telltale clicking of bionic prosthetics. Over the years, such radical beliefs have raised tensions, caused schisms, and on occasion, even escalated into minor conflicts with other elements within the Imperium. In M32, when the Ecclesiarchy rose to dominance and was recognized as the one true creed in the Imperium, they put forth much effort to redirect any other beliefs or creeds towards acceptance of the Emperor. Those not quelled by the might and power of the Imperium were led down the true path by more subtle ways. For instance, it is permissible for natives on primitive planets to continue worshipping their sun god, and the missionaries

of the Ecclesiarchy would readily admit that the sun was magnificent and worthy of worship, always adding in that, on their planets, the sun god was known as the Emperor. Within the span of a few generations, aided by the hard-working members of the Missionarius Galaxia, and their teachings and sermons, shrines to the Emperor (in whatever form) are eventually raised and another world is added to the fold. Those who persist in denial, however, often run into considerable hardships. Because of their importance to the Imperium, the Adeptus Mechanicus was allowed, in quiet discord, to continue following its own mysterious strictures. The Cult Mechanicus does acknowledge the Emperor as the Master of Mankind, although they do not recognise the authority of the Adeptus Ministorum, despite its official sanction. While other religions were named as heretical for such acts, the Adeptus Mechanicus has been granted an unusual autonomy, a freedom of worship unparalleled save for that granted to the Space Marines for their unusual practices. Over the millennia, as the Ecclesiarchy’s power and influence has risen, these exceptions to their authority have come into question on many occasions, however, all such infighting is eventually subsumed beneath more pressing needs. And so the Adeptus Mechanicus continues their mysterious and strange worship of he that they call the Omnissiah.

THE HIGH LORDS OF TERRA A short history of the Senatorum Imperialis. The High Lords of Terra are the governing body of the Imperium. They are tasked with interpreting the Emperor’s will and enacting his rule across the largest empire in the galaxy. On their command, the fleets and armies of the Imperium move, only their edict can approve a Space Marine Founding, and on their orders, the Black Fleet sails and their grim tithes are collected. Yet how, beneath the Benevolent Emperor, has such an organisation come to be? The Senatorum Imperialis has, at its roots, many echoes from ruling bodies formed before the birth of the Imperium. In the beginning of the age, the Emperor himself ruled, although he formed about him a council of advisors comprised of key individuals. This top circle contained the Fabricator General of Mars, the Paternova of the Navigator Houses and Malcador the Sigillite, perhaps the Emperor’s greatest ally during the Unification Wars of Terra. As the Emperor left the homeworld of Mankind to lead the Great Crusade, he left in his stead the legendary Malcador, more or less to act as regent in his stead. Over the course of that vast military campaign, which reclaimed the galaxy and freed Humanity from enslavement, the Emperor discovered the lost Primarchs and brought them into the fold. As the Great Crusade began to branch off in many new directions, the Emperor grew to rely on his new battle council. After the decisive victory at the Battle of Ullanor, when Mankind’s re-ascension was no longer in doubt, the Emperor left military matters in the hands of Horus, his newly appointed Warmaster, and returned to Terra.

Whilst Horus directed the rest of the Primarchs in the expansion and security of this new realm, the Emperor formed the Council of Terra. This formalized the role of the Emperor’s previous advisors and the group started off with a half dozen men. This council, under the leadership of the Emperor, was to become the body of government that would administrate the myriad bureaucratic tasks needed by the newly formed empire. Already, under the far-seeing eyes of Malcador, the Adeptus Administratum was born, new branches already forming beneath its auspices. It was a bright start for the new Dawn of Mankind envisioned by the Emperor. In addition to the Council of Terra, the Primarchs, under the Warmaster, were to head the military branches, now in the latter days of the Great Crusade and spread far across the galaxy. As it turns out, this was a contentious decision. Some of the Primarchs took great exception to being ruled by those deemed less worthy of such honours than themselves. It cannot be proven, but doubtless this turned out to be one of many growing resentments that allowed the Ruinous Powers to infect and corrupt several of the Primarchs. Following the calamities of the Horus Heresy, the Emperor was interred upon the Golden Throne and could no longer rule his realm directly. Several legends tell of the Emperor’s last words, spoken as he was attached into the vast machinery that would allow his mind to live on. Full of foresight beyond mortal men, the Emperor’s final instructions were for the rule of Mankind’s galaxy-wide kingdom. In that time of great change, Malcador too was now gone, and it had been he who had proven best able to enact the Emperor’s vision. Now that role, and the leadership for the coming reformation, fell upon Roboute Guilliman, the great Primarch of the Ultramarines. It was he who set up the new ruling body, the Senatorum Imperialis, or as it is more commonly known now, the High Lords of Terra. It was their duty to interpret the will of the Emperor and, in his stead, to command the Imperium. The number of this ruling council was set at 12, with Roboute Guilliman himself taking a seat under the title of Lord Commander of the Imperium, the old term Warmaster having fallen out of favour for obvious reasons. Since those days, the number of seats on the High Lords of Terra has largely remained the same, fluctuating during various points of crisis before eventually returning to its original number. Each seat is filled by a leader from one of the most powerful organizations of the Imperium. A complex web of tradition, skulduggery, promises of support, threats of retaliation and considerations of mutual interest binds them together and determines who holds office and who does not. In practice, some of the Imperium’s organizations and institutions are so powerful and vital that it would be unthinkable for their leader to not be granted a seat upon the High Lords of Terra. Naturally, over the long millennia, the unthinkable has happened many times over, however, the existing High Lords often put in place an inordinate amount of measures to ensure that their seat is a permanent one – that upon their deaths their position is automatically filled by the new head of their organization. The following offices are almost invariably represented as High Lords because they form the cornerstones of the Imperium, the most important of its ancient institutions.

• The Master of the Administratum • The Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus • The Paternoval Envoy of the Navigators • The Inquisitorial Representative • The Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica • The Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum • The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum • The Master of the Astronomican • The Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites Those nine posts are virtually sacrosanct, and there are very few times in the history of the Imperium when their seats upon the High Lords of Terra became empty and were not filled with a successor from the same organisation. Note that a specific Inquisitor does not typically hold the position of Inquisitorial Representative on his own, but instead, the seat is retained for whichever individual is sent on behalf of the Inquisition. Similarly, the place of the Paternoval Envoy is open to whoever might be the Envoy of the Paternova of the current ruling family of Navigators. The Paternova himself never leaves the Palace of Navigators, for it is forbidden for him to do so. The remaining three posts are usually filled from amongst the following mighty officials: • Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar • Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard • Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy • Cardinal(s) of the Holy Synod of Terra • The Abbess Sanctorum of the Adepta Sororitas • Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes • Chancellor of the Estate Imperium • The Speaker for the Chartist Captains It is an oddity that, throughout its history, very few members of the Adeptus Astartes have served as High Lords of Terra – given the importance of Humanity’s most elite fighting force and the fact that the first council was initiated by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines. This seems to have been set up intentionally by Guilliman, who knew that at times of great need, Space Marine leaders would have no choice but to step in, but would otherwise remain outside the ruling structure. Some say the Primarch’s discouragement of Space Marines serving in the Senatorum Imperialis was based upon the Emperor’s original Council of Terra – which was separate from his Military Council,

and a ruling body that did not include any members of the Adeptus Astartes. Guilliman clearly believed, as his great work, the Codex Astartes points out, that it is the Space Marines’ duty to serve Mankind, not to rule it. In its long existence, the High Lords of Terra have gone through many changes. They have been forced to give one of its seats over to a religious leader (the Ecclesiarch, who joined shortly after the Adeptus Ministorum was named the sole religion of the Imperium in early M32), wiped out to a man by assassination (on the orders of a slighted Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, an event known as ‘the Beheading’), and dissolved altogether by the ruling Ecclesiarch (during the civil war known as the Age of Apostasy). Many members have disappeared under suspicious circ*mstances and the Inquisition has been asked to investigate a number of times (although many have suggested that at least some missing Lords of Terra have disappeared because of the Inquisition). Yet always, despite the many power struggles and strife, the High Lords of Terra have continued to interpret the Will of the Emperor and thereby rule the greatest empire in the galaxy.

DAEMONS That there are Daemons abroad in the universe, and the link that these entities have with the Warp, is not a commonly known or understood phenomenon within the broader community of the Imperium. There are various reasons for this. Quite apart from the sheer rarity of encounters with the denizens of the Warp, the hierarchy of the Imperium has always sought to suppress such knowledge. What little awareness exists amongst the peoples of the Imperium is never openly or officially acknowledged. Tales of the Warp, and its unpleasant inhabitants, are dismissed as scaremongering or mere superstition. The Imperium, or at least its more senior agents, is quite determined to prevent the spread of daemonic infestation. It is known amongst the cognoscenti that the ways of the Daemon are deceitful and devious and that they have subtle ways to infiltrate human societies and influence the human mind. Many are the strange, twisted cults and secretive covens of Daemon worshippers that have inveigled themselves into the worlds of the Imperium throughout the course of its long history. Invariably, these cults have been unearthed and eradicated, but not without great cost of lives, property and sanity. There is also the very real threat of possession, which, although a very rare occurrence, is nonetheless feared above all other outcomes. A Daemon with such a foothold in realspace is both difficult to identify, at least in the early stages of possession, and is also a most deadly and dangerous foe. Furthermore, the Daemon is always intent upon spreading its taint through the establishment of cult worship and the encouragement of yet more possessions. Unchecked, such a creature can wreak untold damage in both the physical and metaphysical spheres. However, the primary motivation for keeping knowledge of Daemons secret is to ensure that the greater population is not catastrophically disturbed by such revelations and driven to madness, despair and mass civil unrest through the knowing of them. There is a

world of difference between understanding that there are vile, antipathetic alien species at large in the universe and knowing that one’s immortal soul is at risk from predation by unholy daemonic entities from a hellish dimension a mere thought away from our own. Also, as dangerous as Warp travel may be perceived to be, if the general populace was to realise that it was, in fact, through a realm inhabited by Daemons, it is unlikely that anyone would willingly submit themselves to such a means of transport or trust any of the astropathic messages sent through it. The anarchy that could ensue from such a turn of events would be threat enough to completely destabilise the Imperium. Thus, only the most stout-hearted and iron-willed are permitted to know and retain knowledge of the Daemons and their masters, the Dark Gods of Chaos. The bearers of this knowledge are few, and they share this information reluctantly. The Inquisition and their erstwhile allies, the Grey Knights, are among the tiny number of humans who are allowed to know of the Daemons and their evil ways. Most others who come into contact with them are culled to prevent both the promulgation of knowledge and the possible spread of daemonic taint. If they are of sufficient value to the Imperium, they are mindwiped to erase all memories of the encounter.

BLACK SHIPS The great fleet of Black Ships belongs to the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Independent of the Imperial Navy, they are the second largest fleet in the galaxy. There are many thousands of Black Ships but only the highest-ranking adepts in the Adeptus Astra Telepathica know the true scale of the fleet and the vast scope of its operations. New vessels are constantly commissioned to replace inevitable losses and to further increase the fleet’s size. Thus it is that each year, more and more planets of the Imperium are visited and stripped of their psykers for transportation to Terra. The captains and other senior officers of the Black Ships are senior adepts of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The ships’ crews are indentured workers drafted from a number of Imperial worlds situated relatively close to Terra. The Astra Telepathica have ancient contracts with these worlds, ensuring a steady flow of suitable recruits in return for exemption from Imperial Tithes. All crew are rigorously tested and scrutinised for any latent psychic abilities or sensitivities and are regularly mind-scrubbed to purge any taint or infection. Navigators for the fleet of Black Ships are all members of the Granicus, Ptolemy and MacPherson Navigator Houses who work exclusively for the Astra Telepathica. Inquisitors, alone amongst Imperium officials, have secured Rights of Passage aboard the Black Ships and have leave to travel freely throughout the entire fleet. They are also wont to oversee the identification, capture and incarceration of particularly recalcitrant or rebellious psykers in whom they have a personal interest. Generally, few other Imperium agents are permitted aboard these dread vessels but occasionally Space Marines, Sisters of Battle or higher-ranking members of the Adeptus Terra may be accommodated at the captain’s discretion.

A Black Ship is a dreadful environment for psykers. Psychically sensitive crew spend most of their time in the shielded upper decks of the main bridge, as far removed from the containment holds as possible so as to avoid the unpleasant effects of the security measures in place. There are numerous devices and routines directed at the great holds to confuse and confound psychic abilities. Each ship has a troop of specially trained adepts whose sole function is to focus their own psychic energies into an Occluding Sphere – this strange metaphysical device broadcasts an invasive signal into the mind of any nearby psyker severely disrupting their ability to concentrate or reason and therefore largely curtailing their ability to utilise their talents. In addition to this, oppressively loud and discordant noise is pumped into the holds. The holds are dimly illuminated for the most part but frequent bursts of strobing light shatter the twilight. Food and drink for the captives is laced with sedatives. The captive population is regularly moved from one hold to another. All of this serves to keep the psykers in a helpless, confused and compliant state. The most dangerous psykers (as identified by Inquisitorial scrutiny) are kept in separate isolation cells deep within the bowels of the containment holds. Every day, dozens of Black Ships complete their epic journey and arrive at Terra, whereupon they disgorge their cargoes of human psykers. Each ship can hold many thousands of psykers within their vast holds. So each and every day, tens of thousands of psykers are sent to the processing halls, graded and passed on through the myriad departments and institutions responsible for ensuring that the Tithe is put to its allotted use.

ABHUMANS Abhumans are creatures evolved from human stock, but changed or mutated to a greater or lesser degree. They differ from true mutants in that they conform to a recognisable physical standard, breed true, and are no more prone than normal humans to further mutation. There are many millions of abhumans living within the Imperium and they are tolerated and exploited by the authorities very much as the rest of the population. It is rare for them to reach positions of authority or power within the Imperial hierarchy and many are subject to popular derision, fear or prejudice. Many abhumans are recruited into service of the Administratum and its various sub-divisions, including the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Fleet. In the Imperial Guard, they are organised and fight in dedicated squads or companies, segregated from their human comrades. The Adeptus Terra officially recognises seventy-three stable abhuman strains within the Imperium. Of these, forty-six types are now listed as extinct, and no records have been received of a further twelve strains for over a generation, suggesting that they too have died out or been assimilated back into the general population. The status of the remaining fifteen abhuman races is quite varied and there is permanent disagreement about their specific classification amongst the adepts of the overseeing sub-division of the Adeptus Administratum: the Tithes Chamber Notaries, sub. Planetary Census (Abhumans). The most noteworthy and contentious matter concerning the adepts is the Ogryn (hom*o

sapiens gigantus) matrix of abhuman strains. This complex group is currently officially listed as seven distinct types (Alpha, Theta, Type IV, Type VIIa, H.S. gigantus gigantus, H.S. gigantus cranopus and the mysterious Grey Ogryns), but many in the Chamber doubt that these are all separate types, and yet another revision of the classification is therefore pending. Ratlings (hom*o sapiens minimus), Squats (hom*o sapiens rotundus), Beastmen (hom*o sapiens variatus), Troths (hom*o sapiens verdantus), Longshanks (hom*o sapiens elongatus), Pelagers (hom*o sapiens oceanus), Felinids (hom*o sapiens hirsutus) and Neandors (hom*o sapiens hyannothus) comprise the remaining classified, and officially recognised, abhuman races. Of these, Beastmen are subject to severe persecution and have been placed on the Register of Proscribed Citizens (Class A-G worlds) by the Adeptus Arbites. This effectively precludes them from settlement on, or transportation to or from, more than three hundred thousand worlds of the Imperium and forbids their conscription as an Imperial Tithe obligation. All of this is a sure sign that they will soon lose abhuman status completely and be reclassified as true mutants. Troths, Felinids and Neandors are endemic, and restricted to the worlds of Verdant, Carlos McConnell and Hyannoth IV respectively. The remaining abhuman races are variously present across the entire Imperium. In some regions they are plentiful and common, living in large colonies or even populating entire worlds, in others they are scarce and virtually unknown.

STC TEMPLATES Created at the developmental apex of the Age of Technology, the Standard Template Construct (STC) system was a way to ensure that all the recently far-flung human colonies across the galaxy could build anything they needed. From air-purifiers to military grade weaponry, hab-buildings to plasma reactors. The user simply asked the machine how to build what was needed and it would calculate everything – from locally-available materials to the means of manufacture and assembly – it would present the most efficient way to achieve what the settler asked. The STCs were designed so that the least accomplished user could still fabricate the vehicle, building, or weapon they needed. For all intents and purposes, the STCs were the sum total of man’s technical know-how at its zenith of power. Every human colony had at least one STC system, although most colonists never tapped into anything like the more advanced constructs, finding the more rudimentary machines and weapons far more useful. It is highly probable that few of the theoretical or most highly advanced works were ever attempted. Over the passage of time, a majority of the STC machines were lost, destroyed in battle or by natural disaster, or began to fail, overcome at last by corrupted databanks, too much jury-rigging in place of knowledgeable maintenance, or simply the fatigue of thousands of years of use. Those lucky planets that still maintained even a partially working STC system grew to guard it jealously as the Age of Technology slipped into the anarchic madness that was the Age of Strife. Soon, the

galaxy-wide realm of Man was fractured, each world cut off from all but the closest planets by Warp storms or worse. The madness, warfare and Warp-spawned invasions, along with the great backlash against technology, ensured that few of the great works of the previous era survived. Today, there are no surviving STC systems. It was common practice, however, beginning in the Age of Technology, for colonies to produce hard copies of many of the more standard designs. Over the years, these have been copied repeatedly, with varying levels of accuracy. Yet, as commonplace as many of these designs once were, now any copy is a rarefied item, even more so for any that carry precious first-generation printout information. During the Great Crusade and later, during the period known as the Forging, thousands upon thousands of previously colonised planets were reclaimed for Humanity. Many STC templates were found amongst these worlds and, it is rumoured, even some partially working systems were unearthed. These long lost troves of forgotten technology were discovered mostly buried amidst the ruins of greatly regressed worlds, but on occasion they were found enshrined within locked vaults, guarded by those to whom the name STC, or even its purpose had longed passed out of understanding. Any such findings are greedily collected by the Adeptus Mechanicus; the Tech-Priests rush such treasures back to their secretive forge worlds, where they can be thoroughly studied, hoarded, worshipped and copied. One result of the STC system, and its pivotal place in human development, is that many worlds utilise designs and machinery of a similar type. Of course, the millennia have wrought changes in the basic utilitarian devices proscribed by the STC, but many humans adhere religiously to the old designs. STC designs were intended to be able to cope with anything – given the unpredictable nature of colonies in previously unexplored space. Therefore, designs were often big and brutish, hard to damage and easy to repair. Examples of recovered STC template technology still being built and in use today include such military hardware as the Rhino Armoured Personnel Carrier and the Land Raider, as well as the Atmospheric Pumps that still keep the air (almost) breathable in even the largest hive-blocks. The Adeptus Mechanicus are driven by a quest for knowledge and, in an era when innovation and invention are almost non-existent (being viewed as highly suspicious, if not outright dangerous), then it is no wonder that the Tech-Priests hold STC templates as holy items. A working STC system is the ultimate embodiment of their endless mission – truly the font of all knowledge (which is actually what the original devices were meant to be). The Adeptus Mechanicus will pursue any and all information about STCs, willingly trading lives by the millions for even the chance to get their hands upon the lost devices of the Age of Technology, and especially the blueprints by which they were made. To this day, discoveries are rare, but still being made. Who knows what ancient artefact lies buried beneath forgotten levels of a hive city or sits idle and overgrown upon the trackless lands of recently recolonised worlds? Tech-Priests aboard Explorator fleets dream of finding a planet on the edge of the galaxy or long locked away by Warp storms, a world where full volumes of STC printouts have been collected, or perhaps a fully functioning

STC system still awaits them. Until then, gone are the secrets for the trident-shaped Proteus Cannon of Mars or the force field generators that guard the Palace of Xerxes, and countless other marvels whose workings even the most adept of the Tech-Priests can’t begin to fathom.

EXCERPTS ON WARP TRAVEL Notes of Sharim Calypso, Adjutant advisor to the Imperial Navy. The Questio Logisticus branch of the Adeptus Administratum has a division devoted to tracking median travel via common Warp routes. Although only two millennia’s worth of data has been compiled, it has thus far proven little, save what is already known – to enter Warp space is a deadly and unpredictable risk. By way of an example, note the logbook of the Proxxian traders that operate in the Nephilim sector. They primarily transport forced labour, from the hive world of Proxx to the isolated mining colonies of Hephastian, approximately three times each Terran year. The distance is dozens of light years and requires a fleet to traverse the Immaterium. The route is anything but predictable, despite being classed as a semi-fluctuating passage (the most stable rating). Typical voyages range between one and six weeks, but the more extreme journeys have taken as much as 1,200 years and as little as two minutes. Some 22% of expeditions have, as of yet, not arrived at their destination – although given the time disparity, one can only estimate what percentage have been lost and which are still en route. In distance, this is a relatively short voyage example; the numbers only grow worse with longer journeys. It is my observation that little more can be learned from further computations and that the old Navigator maxim, ‘Trust in the Emperor’s Light’, remains the one truism of value concerning Warp travel.

THE MARCH OF TIME The Imperial timeline is expressed using the dating system of the Administratum, though it should be noted that events themselves may go unrecorded – or be recorded with considerable bias – within the Imperial archives. Indeed, records on different worlds may vary greatly in their representation of the facts. An Imperial date is a date ‘Anno Domini’, but expressed in different terms to those we are used to. The most noticeable change is the suffix ‘M’ followed by a number. This is the millennium number. In Imperial terms, any date between 2001 and 3000 would be suffixed by M3. The current millennium in the Warhammer 40,000 mythos is the fortyfirst or M41. Incidentally, this suffix is normally emphasised by a full stop for clarity. A typical dating code, such as you will find in this book, is 0150935.M41. The M41 means we are dealing with a forty-first millennium date. The other numbers tell us the year, the fraction of the year and the accuracy of the date.

Year: The last three digits are the year within the millennium running from 000-999. 0150930/M32 is the year 930 of the thirty-second millennium, described as the year 31930AD. When referring to a year in general terms, and where it is not necessary to include the year fraction or check number, it is acceptable to write ‘year 930/M32’. Year Fraction: For administrative purposes the standard year is divided into 1000 equal segments; 001-000. This is a purely administrative convention and not part of everyday usage. Check number: The first digit in the sequence is usually the dating reference or check number, though it is not always included. This check number is necessary due to temporal distortions which affect ships in the Warp as well as worlds which are remote, or isolated, from Earth. Its presence qualifies the accuracy of the date given in each case – the following is appended out of completeness and for the satisfaction of curiosity. Prefixes 1 to 8 indicate widening ‘grey areas’ of a given item of data’s surrounding origins. Prefix 9 is slightly different. It’s used when, for instance, a source reporting from a world that doesn’t use Imperial dating, needs to make a reference to that world’s history. The historical date would carry the prefix 9.

D6 0/1 Earth standard date. Referring to an event which happened within the Sol system of Segmentum Solar.

2 Direct. Source in direct psychic contact with Earth when date reference was made.

3 Indirect. The source is in direct psychic contact with a class 2 source, but not Earth.

4 Corroborated. The source is in direct psychic contact with a class 3 source, but not a class 0/1 or 2 source.

5 Sub-corroborated. The source is in direct psychic contact with any corroborated source.

6 Non-referenced 1 year. No psychic contact with a class 1-5 source when the reference is made. The reference does belong to a sequence beginning or ending with a date with a class 1-5 source. The unsourced time period is less than 1 standard year.

7 Non-referenced 10 years.

This is an unsourced date in the same way as a class 6 date, but with an unsourced period of 1-10 years.

8 Non-referenced more than 10 years. This is an unsourced date as for 7, but for an unsourced sequence of more than 10 years.

9 An approximated date with no fixed coordinates at either end of a sequence, or a date drawn from non-Imperially dated references.

COMBAT LIFE SAVER Lesson 243.77fIVs. HOW TO FIELD DRESS A LAS-WOUND Laser weapons are easy to produce and maintain, assuring they are amongst the most common weapons in the galaxy. Las-weapons do not fire a projectile or slug, but instead project a brief, high-energy pulse. This beam can range greatly in strength, depending on the size of the las-weapon and the rating of its power source. The largest of the lasweapons – such as the lancestrike batteries employed upon spacecraft of the Imperial Navy – produce beams that can sear away entire hab-blocks, leaving only smoking craters hundreds of feet deep. On average, however, las-weapons are much smaller. Even the humble laspistol, within close range and with no atmospheric diffusion of shot, has the power to blast away a foe’s face on contact, with the beam penetrating the skull and burning a hole through the brain, causing immediate death. A las-pulse will shear through flesh producing a cauterised hole surrounded by blisterburns. When first striking flesh, a las-pulse will cause a flash-burn effect upon impact, as the heat of the discharge causes the immediate surface area of the target to be vaporised. This can, to the untrained eye, take on the same wound aspects as those produced by high density explosives, but there are major differences when it comes to field dressing laswounds. While the brief exploding flash of initial contact is highly visible, it is rarely the major concern of aid givers. It is typically the continuing projection of the las-beam boring into the body that causes the most extensive damage – the beam will puncture through any internal organs and is capable of severing limbs.

The following steps should be employed when confronted with a las-wound: I) Approach. Do not treat until you have ensured the victim is removed from

the source. Las-weapons produce a narrow amplified beam of light. Most often this is a short burst, however, should the shaft be ongoing and still present, it is dangerous to approach – entering the beam will cause you to become a casualty as well. II) Expose. Identify the impact site and determine the extent of the flash burn. Lift away any clothing covering the burnt area, without pulling material over the burns. Leave in place any material that has been seared into the burn area. If the victim is wearing armour, be aware that some materials absorb heat, leaving the area dangerous to touch. In a hazardous environment (such as chem-zones, rad-sites, or other such dangerous areas) do not cut away any protective covering – apply the dressing directly over it. III) Evaluate. Find the penetration level of the beam. Has the beam passed through the victim causing an exit wound? It is best to check as soon as possible. The extreme heat cauterizes the wound, leaving minimum bleeding, however, rapid swelling will begin around the area almost immediately, making later diagnosis more difficult. If the las-wound is only a glancing hit, in a limb, or shows no signs of striking a vital organ, proceed with Field Dressing Type I. If you suspect the las-wound has penetrated a vital organ, go straight to Type II. IV) Field Dressing (Type I). Using the cleanest material available, place the cloth lightly over the burn, covering the entirety of the wound. If the victim is able, he may hold the dressing in place. Use strips to bind in place (wrapping around limbs or torso) and tie tightly enough to avoid slipping. Do not break blisters or apply ointments to flash burns. V) Field Dressing (Type II). Cover the wound as quickly and completely as possible. This is cosmetic, to hide the lethal wound from comrades, and may also allow the victim some false comfort. The swelling that follows is bound to cause catastrophic bodily failures.

ASTROPATH COMMUNICATION A brief treatise on the basics of Astropathic transmission (Imp. Ref. 0253870007/SA). There are many methods of communication within a single planetary orbit and even within compact star systems, ranging from the mundane to the esoteric. However, the majority of the Imperium’s colonised worlds are so far apart from other star systems that other means are required to stay in contact with the wider Imperium – to pass messages over such great interstellar distances requires the skills and powers of an Astropath.

Astropaths are the most common sanctioned psykers in the Imperium, having escaped the cruel fate that awaits those without the strength of mind to control their powers, or the will and determination to survive the Imperium’s strict training regimes. All major organisations of the Adeptus Terra, from the bureaucratic branches of the Administratum to the furtive offices of the Inquisition, use Astropaths to communicate with each other across the vast distances of the galaxy. These psykers can be found working alongside starship captains, rogue traders, Planetary Governors and officers from all branches of the military. The Adeptus Ministorum makes extensive use of Astropaths, and has built vast amphidomes and psi-comm spires that rise high over every shrine world, aiding their spiritual broadcasts and creating an interlocking transmission web that at least partially connects many dioceses and parishes, though the most powerful can even reach some of the far distant missionaries on the edges of the Imperium. It is said that the Emperor, the greatest of all psychic minds, once held full telepathic conversations with Malcador the Hero, himself a mighty telepath. Though they were at opposite ends of the known galaxy, there was no time delay to speak of, and they may as well have been in the same room. Although human psykers of such extreme potency no longer stride among the stars, the most powerful Astropaths can single-handedly send messages across several star systems with some accuracy. If all goes well, Telepathic communications travel quickly through the Warp, crossing many thousands of light years, becoming fainter and fainter, before eventually fading out altogether. Still, such communications vary widely based on the mental strength of the sender, the ability of the receiver to absorb such incoming messages and, perhaps most of all, the unpredictable nature of the Warp itself. When the galactic distance required of a transmission is so great that a single Astropath proves insufficient, it is common for them to work in relays, sending messages to various beacons, hubs and Imperial sub-stations to pass along. It is also possible to boost a message by using an Astropath Choir – a group working in synchronicity to broadcast or receive complex messages over unimaginable distances. It is too complicated and variable to list all of the methods and processes involved in Astropath communications, but the following generalizations should help even a novice understand some of the difficulties of the medium. There are, after all, dozens of types of Trance Broadcasts alone, to mention nothing of Station Reception, Astral Projection or the nearly infinite styles of Divination practised by Astropaths within (and beyond) the purview of Imperial Sanction. Using mesmeric chants to enter a deep trance, a typical Astropath forms the message within his mind and sends it through the Warp. The progress of the message is rather like a stone dropped into a pool, as it creates a series of ripples that extend outwards through the Immaterium. Some psychics are able to project the message so that it travels only in a desired direction, but even then, some echoes are likely to lap outwards. Once projected, a message hurtles through the Warp until its energy is lost and it fades away, typically a gradual process, but the Immaterium is anything but predictable. A

communication of this kind has many restrictions; they are brief in length, perhaps comprising only a few images or sentences depending on how the Astropath works, (psychics are as likely to work in abstract pictures and emotions as they are words). As with all things, the very Chaos of the Warp can alter the form of a message, if only rarely its intent. Unless powered by a mighty source, longer or more complex messages risk getting unravelled in the ripples of the Warp, arriving in a jumbled order, and risking further, if not complete, distortion. Warp interference is common, as messages can be delayed, altered or contaminated by any number of fluctuations, such as shifts in Warp tides or the intermingling of multiple telepathic signals. Raging Warp storms can redirect or simply swallow and destroy messages, blocking communiqués for centuries. Any Astropath can pick up Trance Broadcasts, although in general it can be said that more discipline is needed to receive messages than to send them. With outgoing messages, an Astropath can concentrate on the clarity of thought, on the message itself, pushing such deliberations deep into the Warp. Astropaths in such a trance and actively receiving incoming messages are particularly vulnerable – their minds must open to the eternal noise of that erratic and highly dangerous realm. Not only must an Astropath attempt to sift out the senseless static of passing currents, they must also contend with the residue of ancient messages that sometimes (for no logical reason) drift endlessly, not losing power as is usually the case but continuing to call from some distant past, faint waves of energy lapping gently across the void. The repercussive Warp-waves of major events or cataclysms can also be picked up, sometimes unintentionally, sending more sensitive Astropaths into fits or burning out their minds altogether with the unexpected onslaught. Ominously, some telepathic impulses attract unwanted attentions – mischievous Warp entities that attempt to alter messages, making them misleading or obscene, redirecting them to the wrong recipient, or perhaps even attaching themselves to the mental transmissions, piggybacking on the message to its final destination. Although rare, it is possible for Daemons themselves to become aware of and attracted to the psychic signals hurtling through their realm. On occasion, they will even trace them back to their source searching for a way to establish a claw-hold into realspace. An Astropath who wishes to send a singular message to a specific location – whether it is a particular spacecraft, planet, hive or even an individual – must be able to concentrate his mind to a degree that is unimaginable to a normal human. These messages are launched into the Warp not as ripples extending outward in all directions, but as a single bolt of pure thought. The recipient must be prepared to receive such a powerful transmission, though it is still possible for those in Sweeping Trance Reception to pick up snippets of such messages if they happen to pass through their area of their psychic awareness on the way to their destination. Success of this kind is linked more to random chance than any degree of skill or accuracy on the part of the erstwhile recipient. The need for interstellar communication is enormous, and the Scholastia Psykana is bombarded with requests for Sanctioned Astropaths constantly. They are a common sight in the more civilised sectors of the Imperium, easily distinguished by their green robes

and sightless, sunken eye sockets. Although only released for duty once they have cleared all sanctioning tests and the holy ritual known as the Soul Binding, the nature of their occupation puts them in nearly constant danger and there have been documented cases of Astropaths becoming corrupted (see crossfile, datascroll Ref.0062132005).

INTRODUCTION In the nightmare future of the 41st Millennium, Mankind teeters upon the brink of extinction. The galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man, beset on all sides by ravening aliens, foul traitors and Warp-spawned Daemons, looks once more to its greatest heroes to stave off the encroaching darkness. There is no time for peace. No respite. No forgiveness. There is only war.

WARHAMMER 40,000 Welcome to the grim darkness of the far future, to a galaxy of unending war, incredible heroism and bitter betrayal. In this time of turmoil and conflict, the ultimate fate of Mankind depends on you. Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop game for two or more players, where you command an army of Citadel miniatures representing the Imperium of Man or one of its many enemies. This book provides you with all the rules, diagrams and examples you need to recreate and fight battles in this nightmarish future. As you read through the rules, you will notice some of the text is bold, like this. This highlights the most important elements of the rule in question and helps bring it to your eyes when skimming a page. This should not be mistaken for representing the whole rule though, as the surrounding text often confers context and relevant exceptions. Instead, it should be used as a quick solution to finding the essence of a particular rule. If a rule is short and concise, or is in bullet points, there will rarely be any bold text as the rule is already easy to find. This book is, however, only the start of your journey into games set in the 41st Millennium. Warhammer 40,000 is a vast and ever-growing hobby, and there are a host of Games Workshop publications that supplement and expand upon the rules in this book. These provide you with extra material you can incorporate into your games – detailing additional units you can deploy and missions you can play – and alternate ways to experience the war-torn 41st Millennium, exploring the depth and excitement of different battle zones and play styles in Warhammer 40,000.

Forging a Narrative Throughout this book, you will see boxed out text entitled ‘Forging a

Narrative’. These boxes contain advice on how to make your gaming experience even more enjoyable, and revolve around evoking the imagery and feel of the 41st Millennium. At its heart, a game of Warhammer 40,000 is a shared experience between fellow hobbyists – and it should be as enjoyable and fulfilling for all players as possible. If you stick to the advice offered in these boxes, you can’t really go far wrong!

WHAT’S IN THE BOOK? This book contains the following sections:

Core Rules This section explains how to fight battles with your army of Citadel miniatures in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium. The core rules cover all of the basic principles of playing a game of Warhammer 40,000, from moving your models across the battlefield to blasting your enemies with a hail of firepower, slaying your foes in brutal melees, and obliterating your victims with mystical psychic powers.

Unit Types This section explores all the different unit types that describe your models. From footslogging infantry and rampaging monstrous creatures to armoured battle tanks and supersonic flyers, this section lists all the special rules that apply to these models. This section also includes rules to field the largest and most destructive units waging war on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium – super-heavy vehicles and gargantuan creatures – as well as detailing how heroic characters lead your troops to victory.

Battlefield Terrain The Battlefield Terrain section describes how to incorporate Citadel terrain into your games of Warhammer 40,000 in order to recreate the battlefields of a war-ravaged galaxy. In addition to the rules describing the different terrain types, such as ruins, buildings and battlefield debris, this section also enables you to use fortifications in your games – towering edifices whose armoured battlements bristle with heavy weaponry.

Preparing for Battle The Preparing for Battle section brings all the rules you have read so far together and takes you through the steps of preparing a Warhammer 40,000 battle, starting with a guide to forging a battle-ready army from your collection of Citadel miniatures. It also

explains how to play a Warhammer 40,000 mission; from setting up the battlefield and deploying your forces to defining how long the game will last and determining the victor at the battle’s end. All the special rules and tactical objectives that are used in games of Warhammer 40,000 are also described in this section, including twelve different missions that you can use to unleash war.

Appendix The appendix contains a compendium of special rules, weapon profiles and psychic powers that are frequently referred to throughout this book, as well as in numerous other Games Workshop publications, such as codexes. This section also contains a number of Battlefield Terrain datasheets that describe some of the Citadel Terrain sets that your forces are likely to battle over in your games of Warhammer 40,000.

Reference The final section of this book contains helpful quick-reference material, such as a summary of the turn sequence and copies of various tables from throughout the book, as well as a comprehensive index for the book itself. This section enables you to find the rule(s) you need during your games of Warhammer 40,000 quickly and simply, meaning you can get back to defending (or destroying) the Imperium without delay.

MODELS & UNITS ‘A hundred thousand worlds, ten hundred thousand wars. There is no respite, there is nowhere to hide. Across the galaxy, there is only WAR!’ The Citadel miniatures used to play games of Warhammer 40,000 are referred to as ‘models’ in the rules that follow. Models represent a huge variety of troops, from noble Space Marines and brutal Orks to Warp-spawned Daemons. To reflect all their differences, each model has its own characteristics profile. Warhammer 40,000 uses nine different characteristics to describe the various attributes of the different models. All but one of the characteristics are rated on a scale from 0 to 10. The exception is Armour Save (Sv), which can range from 2+ through 6+ to - (for models with no Armour Save).

Modifiers Certain pieces of wargear or special rules can modify a model’s characteristics positively or negatively by adding to it (+1, +2, etc.), subtracting from it (–1, –2, etc.), multiplying it (×2, ×3, etc.) or even setting its value (1, 8, etc.). Attacks and Wounds are the only characteristics that can be raised above 10. A model’s Initiative cannot be modified below 1, and no other characteristic can be modified below 0.

Multiple Modifiers If a model has a combination of rules or wargear that modify a characteristic, first apply any multipliers, then apply any additions or subtractions, and finally apply any set values. For example, if a model with Strength 4 has both ‘+1 Strength’ and ‘double Strength’, its final Strength is 9 (4×2=8, 8+1=9). If a model with Strength 4 has both ‘+1 Strength’ and ‘Strength 8’, its final Strength is 8 (ignore +1 Strength and set it at 8).

Weapon Skill (WS) This characteristic defines the close combat skill a warrior possesses. The higher the characteristic, the more likely the model is to hit an opponent in close combat. An Imperial Guardsman (a trained human warrior) has Weapon Skill 3, whilst a superhuman Space Marine might have Weapon Skill 4, Weapon Skill 5 or possibly even higher!

Ballistic Skill (BS) This shows how accurate a warrior is with ranged weapons of all kinds, from pistols firing blazing bolts of plasma to earth-shaking battle cannons. The higher this characteristic is, the easier a creature finds it to hit targets with shooting attacks. An Imperial Guardsman

has Ballistic Skill 3, but a hardened Militarum Tempestus Scion has Ballistic Skill 4.

Strength (S) Strength gives a measure of how physically mighty a warrior is. An exceptionally puny creature might have Strength 1, while a Tyranid Carnifex has Strength 9. Humans have Strength 3.

Toughness (T) This is a measure of a model’s ability to resist physical damage and pain, and it reflects such factors as the resilience of a creature’s flesh, hide or skin. The tougher a model is, the better it can withstand an enemy’s blows. The gnarled and leathery hide of an Ork grants it Toughness 4, but an unyielding monster such as a Carnifex has an incredible Toughness of 6!

Wounds (W) This characteristic tells us how much damage a creature can take before it dies (or is so badly hurt that it can’t fight any more – which amounts to pretty much the same thing). Most human-sized models have a Wounds characteristic of 1. Large monsters and mighty heroes are often able to withstand several Wounds that would slay a smaller being, and so have 2 Wounds, 3 Wounds or even more.

Initiative (I) This represents the swiftness of a creature’s reactions. Models with a low Initiative characteristic (like Orks, with Initiative 2) are slow-witted, while models with a high Initiative characteristic (for example Genestealers, with Initiative 6) react far more quickly. In close combat, Initiative dictates the order in which creatures strike.

Attacks (A) This shows the number of times a model attacks during close combat. Most warriors and creatures have an Attacks characteristic of 1, so they will normally make one attack each in close combat, although some elite troops, monsters or heroes may be able to strike several times and have Attacks 2, Attacks 3 or more.

Leadership (Ld) Leadership reveals how courageous, determined and self-controlled a model is. The higher the value, the more reliable the model under pressure. A creature with a low Leadership value is very unruly or cowardly, to say the least! Elite forces, such as Space Marines, have Leadership 8 or higher, whilst cowardly troops, such as Gretchin, have Leadership 5 or less.

Armour Save (Sv) A warrior’s Armour Save gives it a chance to avoid harm when it is struck or shot. Most models have an Armour Save based on what kind of armour they are wearing, so this characteristic may be improved if they are equipped with better armour. Other creatures may receive a natural save from having thick bony plates or a chitinous shell. Unlike other characteristics, the lower an Armour Save is, the better. A model can never have an Armour Save better than 2+.

CHARACTERISTIC PROFILES Every model in Warhammer 40,000 has a profile that lists the values of its characteristics. You can find these profiles in a variety of Games Workshop publications, including codexes.

In the example profiles above, both the Ork and the Space Marine have Weapon Skill and Toughness 4, and they both have 1 Wound, which is the norm for man-sized creatures. The Ork has a higher Attacks characteristic, representing its great ferocity in close combat, but when it comes to Ballistic Skill, Strength, Initiative, Leadership and Armour Save, the Space Marine is superior. The Space Marine’s Ballistic Skill of 4 means that he will hit more often when shooting. In hand-to-hand combat, his greater Strength value gives the Space Marine a better chance of killing the Ork, and his superior Initiative means that he gets to strike first. The Space Marine has a Leadership of 8, which is slightly higher than the average. The Space Marine’s technologically advanced (and thicker) armour gives him another marked advantage over the Ork. Obviously, a single Ork is no match for a Space Marine when fighting one-on-one, but as Orks are inevitably found in large numbers, they are still lethal opponents, even for the superhuman Space Marines!

Zero-level Characteristics Some creatures have been given a 0 for certain characteristics, which means that they have no ability whatsoever in that field (the same is also occasionally represented by a ‘–’).

A model with Weapon Skill ‘0’ is incapacitated; they are hit automatically in close combat and cannot strike any blows. A model with no Attacks cannot strike any blows in close combat. A warrior with an Armour Save of ‘–’ has no armour save at all. If at any point, a model’s Strength, Toughness or Wounds are reduced to 0, it is removed from play as a casualty.

Other Important Information In addition to its characteristics profile, each model will have a unit type, such as Infantry or Monstrous Creature, which we discuss in the Unit Types section. It might also have an additional save of some kind, representing any special armour or mystical protection it might have, it could be carrying one or more shooting or Melee weapons or might have one or more special rules. Don’t worry about any of this for now – for the moment, it’s enough that you know to look for these aspects of the model.

Vehicle Characteristics In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, there are many tanks, war machines and other combat vehicles, both human-built and alien. To reflect the many differences between creatures of flesh and blood and constructs of adamantium and Warp-forged metal, vehicles have many different rules and their own set of characteristics. Vehicle characteristics are described in the vehicles section.

FORMING A UNIT The models that make up your Warhammer 40,000 army must be organised into ‘units’.

Units Warriors tend to band together to fight in squads, teams, sections or similarly named groups – individuals do not normally go wandering off on their own on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium for obvious reasons! In Warhammer 40,000, we represent this by grouping models together into units. A unit usually consists of several models that have banded together, but a single, powerful model, such as a lone character, a tank, a war engine or a rampaging monster, is also considered to be a unit in its own right. Unit Coherency Units fight in loose groups with gaps between each model. This gives the troopers (or the alien enemies of Humanity) the freedom to move over difficult terrain quickly, and enables them to take advantage of such things as minor folds in the ground, scrub, and other small features, to shelter from enemy fire. The different elements of the unit have to stay together to remain an effective fighting force. This is detailed more fully in the Movement section.

Models and Base Sizes The rules in this book assume that models are mounted on the base they are supplied with. Sometimes, a player may have models in his collection on unusually modelled bases. Some models aren’t supplied with a base at all. In these cases (which are, in all fairness, relatively few and far between), you should always feel free to mount the model on a base of appropriate size if you wish, using models of a similar type as guidance.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES ‘There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.’ Before we dive into the turn sequence and the main meat of the rules, there are a few basic ideas and game mechanics that are worth discussing. These are principles that are so common that they pop up again and again while you’re playing a game, so it makes a lot of sense to establish them before hitting the more specialised rules to be found later.

The Most Important Rule In a game of the size and complexity of Warhammer 40,000, there are bound to be occasions where a situation is not covered by the rules, or you can’t seem to find the right page. Even if you know the rule, sometimes it is just a really close call, and players don’t agree on the precise outcome. Nobody wants to waste valuable gaming time arguing, so be prepared to interpret a rule or come up with a suitable solution for yourselves (in a manner befitting the better class of Imperial Citizen, of course). If you find that you and your opponent cannot agree on the application of a rule, roll a dice to see whose interpretation will apply for the remainder of the game – on a result of 1-3 player A gets to decide, on a 4-6 player B decides. Then you can get on with the fighting! Once the game is over, you can happily continue your discussion as to the finer points of the rules.

MEASURING DISTANCES In games of Warhammer 40,000, distances are measured in inches (") with a tape measure or measuring stick. You can always check any distance at any time. This allows you to check whether your units are in range of their target before they attack. After all, the soldiers are led by seasoned veterans who can accurately judge the range of their weapons, even if we, their generals, cannot.

Distances between models and all other objects (which can be other models, terrain features and so on) are always measured from the closest point on one base to the closest point on the other base. Distances between units are always measured to and from the bases of the closest models in each of the units (see the diagram below). For example, if any part of a model’s base is within 6" of the base of an enemy model, the two models are said to be within 6" of each other. Sometimes the rules will call upon a unit to move directly towards another unit, or some other feature on the battlefield. Where this is the case, move each model in the unit directly towards its destination a number of inches equal to the distance stated.

Measuring Distances The distance between the Space Marine unit and the hull of the Ork Trukk is 5 inches. We normally say that the Trukk is within 5" of the Space Marine unit. Note that we always measure to the hull of a vehicle. The distance between the Space Marine unit and the Ork unit (i.e. between the two closest models) is 3 inches. The two units are within 3" of each other. The distance between the Ork Trukk and the furthest point on the most distant Space Marine is 8 inches. The Space Marine unit is therefore wholly within 8" of the Ork Trukk.

DICE Throughout a game, you will often need to roll dice to see how the actions of your models turn out – how effective their shooting attacks are, what damage they’ve done in close combat, and so on. Almost all the dice rolls in Warhammer 40,000 use standard six-sided dice, also known as D6, but there are some exceptions as noted below.

Rolling a D3 In some circ*mstances, you may be instructed to roll a D3. To do this, simply roll a D6 and halve the number, rounding up. Thus, 1 or 2 = 1, 3 or 4 = 2 and 5 or 6 = 3.

Rolling a D66 In some circ*mstances, you may be instructed to roll a D66. To do this, roll two D6, one after the other, counting the first dice as ‘tens’ and the second dice as ‘units’. For example, if you roll a 3 on the first dice and a 5 on the second, you would get a D66 result of 35.

Scatter Dice Warhammer 40,000 uses a special dice called a scatter dice (marked with arrows and a

Hit! symbol). This dice is mostly used to determine a random direction, most often applied when working out the behaviour of blast weapons, such as mortars and battle cannons.

Dividing to Conquer On occasion, you’ll be called upon to divide the result of a dice roll, a characteristic or some other value. Where this happens, any fractions should always be rounded up. So a D6 roll of 3, halved, would be a result of 2 (1.5 rounded up). Similarly, 10% of a unit of twenty-one models, rounded up, would be 3 models.

Modifying Dice Rolls Sometimes, you may have to modify the number rolled on the dice (or ‘the roll’). This is noted as D6 plus or minus a number, such as D6+1. Roll the dice and add or subtract the number given to or from the roll (as appropriate) to get the final result. For example, D6+2 means roll a dice and add 2 to the number on the dice for a total between 3 and 8. You may also be told to roll a number of dice in one go, which is written as 2D6, 3D6 and so on. Roll the indicated number of dice and add them together, so a 2D6 roll is two dice rolled and added together for a result between 2 and 12. Another method is to multiply the score of a dice by a certain amount, such as D6×5 to provide a result between 5 and 30.

Re-roll In some situations, the rules allow you to re-roll a dice. This is exactly what it sounds like – pick up the dice you wish to re-roll, and roll it again. The second roll counts, even if it means a worse result than the first, and no single dice can be re-rolled more than once, regardless of the source of the re-roll. If you re-roll a 2D6 or 3D6 roll, you must re-roll all of the dice, not just some of them, unless the rules specify otherwise. Any modifiers that applied to the first roll also apply to the re-roll. If two or more special rules combine to the effect that both all failed and all successful dice results would have to be re-rolled, do not re-roll any dice; simply use the original result(s) instead.

Roll-off If the rules require players to roll-off, each player rolls a dice and the player that rolls the highest result wins the roll-off. In the result of a tie, roll again until one player wins – any modifiers that applied to the first roll also apply to further rolls.

Randomising

Sometimes you’ll be called upon to randomly select something – a model, an item, a psychic power or similar. Where this is the case, simply assign a D6 result to each of the things the random selection must be made from, and roll the dice to make your random choice. If you have fewer than six items to randomise between, simply roll again until you roll an assigned number. For example, Matthew must randomly select one of five models. He assigns each model a number between 1 and 5, and rolls a D6, re-rolling results of 6 until he gets a number between 1 and 5. If you have more than six items to randomise between, split them into equal sized groups of six or less (or as near to this as you can). Then randomly select one group, further randomising between the items in this group to find the (un)lucky item!

co*cked Dice Occasionally, a dice will end up in a crevice in your terrain or in the crack between two sections of board and doesn’t lie flat. We call this a ‘co*cked dice’. Some players use a house rule that if any dice is not completely flat on the table, it must be re-rolled. More common is for players to re-roll the dice only if they can’t be sure of the result. Of course, if your gaming surface is very textured and results in a lot of co*cked dice (or simply if you prefer a tidy battlefield), you can make all your rolls in a tray or box lid.

Dice on the Floor It is generally accepted that if a dice ends up on the floor, it doesn’t count – so you don’t need to shine a torch under the sofa to find out if you made your save or not. Most gamers agree that such dice can be rolled again. However, one player we know has a house rule that if your dice misses the table, you have failed the roll – after all, if you can’t hit a huge table with a tiny dice, then what chance do your warriors have of hitting the enemy?

BLAST MARKERS AND TEMPLATES Some weapons are so powerful that they don’t just target a single model or unit, but have

an ‘area effect’ which might encompass (and often utterly devastate!) several different units. To better represent these circ*mstances, Warhammer 40,000 uses a series of different blast markers and templates: • A ‘small’ blast marker (3" in diameter) • A ‘large’ blast marker (5" in diameter) • A ‘template’ (a teardrop shaped template roughly 8" long) A number of weapons are even more powerful, able to obliterate entire squads in a single shot. These apocalyptic weapons use even bigger markers and templates, which include: • A ‘massive’ blast marker (7" in diameter) • An ‘apocalyptic’ blast marker (10" in diameter) • An ‘apocalyptic barrage’ marker (a clover-shaped set of 5 overlapping markers, each 5" in diameter) • A ‘hellstorm’ (a teardrop shaped template roughly 16" long) All of these templates and blast markers can be purchased separately to this book. The templates and blast markers are used as a way of determining how many models have been hit by an attack that has an area of effect or blast radius. When an attack uses a template or blast marker, it will explain how the template is positioned, including any kind of scatter that might occur (scatter is discussed more completely next in this section). To work out the number of hits, you normally need to hold the template or blast marker over an enemy unit or a particular point on the battlefield, and then look underneath (or through, if using a transparent template) to see how many models lie partially or completely underneath. A unit takes a hit for each model that is fully, or even partially, underneath the template or blast marker. Remember that a model’s base is counted as being part of the model itself, so all a template or blast marker has to do to cause a hit is to cover any part of the target’s base.

Designer’s Note: Apocalyptic Barrage and Mega-blast Markers Several Games Workshop publications, namely Apocalypse, Escalation, Stronghold Assault and Codex: Imperial Knights, contain references to a set of blast markers and templates known as the Imperial Targeting Set. This set contained an apocalyptic barrage marker that you could twist into different shapes and an apocalyptic mega-blast marker that was 15" in diameter. If you

are playing a game of Apocalypse and you have these blast markers available, you should use them in your game exactly as described in the rules section of the Apocalypse rulebook. If you do not have these templates, or you are playing any other game of Warhammer 40,000, you should use the clover shaped apocalyptic barrage marker and the apocalyptic blast marker instead (in the latter case, whenever a rule refers to the ‘apocalyptic mega-blast marker’, use the inner, middle and outer zones on the apocalyptic blast marker instead).

Apocalyptic Blast/Apocalyptic Mega-blast

The 10" apocalyptic blast marker has two rings marked on it (at 5" and 7"). The rings are used when resolving attacks with a large blast, massive blast or apocalyptic mega-blast marker, which uses the inner, middle and outer zones (see diagrams).

SCATTER Sometimes a rule will call for an object (a template, counter, model or even a whole unit) to be placed on the battlefield and then scattered. When this occurs, follow this procedure: • Place the object on the battlefield as instructed by the rule. • Roll a scatter dice and 2D6 to determine the direction and distance of scatter in inches. • If a Hit! is rolled on the scatter dice, the object does not move – leave it in place and resolve the remainder of the rule. • If an arrow is rolled, move the object the distance shown on the 2D6 in the direction of the arrow. Ignore intervening terrain, units, etc., unless the rule states otherwise. • Once the object has scattered to its final position, resolve its effects. Some rules may specify a distance to be determined other than 2D6, in which case, just replace the 2D6 in this procedure with the method listed in the rule.

For example, if something is said to ‘scatter 2D6" in a random direction’, then you’d roll the scatter dice for the direction and 2D6 for the distance. It’s a good idea to roll these as close to the scattering object as possible, to minimise the inaccuracy that will inevitably creep in as you attempt to match the vector.

CHARACTERISTIC TESTS A model will sometimes be called upon to take a characteristic test. Such a test can be applied against any characteristic that the model has, except for Leadership and Armour Save. A Toughness test is a characteristic test, as is a Strength test or an Initiative test, a Wounds test and so on. Models don’t have a choice of which characteristic to use – the characteristic to be tested will be specified in the rule. To make a characteristic test, use the following procedure: • Roll a D6 and compare the result to the relevant characteristic in the model’s profile. • If the result is equal to or less than the number in the profile, the test is passed. • If the result is greater than the number in the model’s profile, the test has been failed, and something unusual will occur, as detailed in the rule that prompted the test. • When a single test is required for the whole unit, use the highest relevant characteristic in the unit.

Models with Multiple Profiles Where a model has more than one value for the same characteristic, a characteristic test is always taken against the highest of the values.

Automatic Pass and Fail If a rule states that a characteristic test ‘automatically passes’ then no dice roll is needed; the test is passed. Similarly, if a rule states that a characteristic test ‘automatically fails’, then no dice roll is needed; that test fails. If the model has a characteristic of ‘-’ or 0, it automatically fails the test. When rolling dice to take a characteristic test, a dice roll of 6 is always a failure, and a dice roll of 1 is always a success, regardless of any other modifiers.

LEADERSHIP TESTS At certain times, a model or unit might be called upon to take a Leadership test. This usually represents them drawing upon their courage to face disheartening circ*mstances. To take a Leadership test, use the following procedure:

• Roll 2D6 and compare the result to the model’s Leadership. • If the result is equal to or less than the model’s Leadership value, then the test has been passed. • If the result is greater than the model’s Leadership value, a suitably dire consequence will occur, as detailed in the rule that called for the test. • If a unit has to take a Leadership test and it includes models with different Leadership values, always use the highest Leadership from among them.

Automatic Pass and Fail If a rule states that a Leadership test ‘automatically passes’ then no dice roll is needed; the test is passed. Similarly, if a rule states that a Leadership test ‘automatically fails’, then no dice roll is needed; that test fails. When rolling dice to take a Leadership test, a dice roll of 12 (a double 6) is always a failure, and a dice roll of 2 (a double 1) is always a success, regardless of any other modifiers that apply.

REMOVED AS A CASUALTY AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED Models that are removed as casualties are removed from the table and placed to one side. When all of the models in a unit are removed as casualties, the unit is said to have been ‘completely destroyed’. Models that are ‘removed from play’ by special rules or attacks are also considered to have been removed as casualties, as far as the game rules are concerned. For game purposes, units that are Falling Back at the end of the game or are not on the table at the end of the game, either because they have Fallen Back off a table edge or because they are in Ongoing Reserves are also counted as completely destroyed.

Basic Versus Advanced Basic rules apply to all the models in the game, unless stated otherwise. They include the rules for movement, shooting and close combat as well as the rules for morale. These are all the rules you’ll need for infantry models. Advanced rules apply to specific types of models, whether because they have a

special kind of weapon (such as a boltgun), unusual skills (such as the ability to regenerate), because they are different to their fellows (such as a unit leader or a heroic character), or because they are not normal infantry models (a bike, a swarm or even a tank). The advanced rules that apply to a unit are indicated in its Army List Entry. Army List Entries can be found in a number of Games Workshop publications, such as a Warhammer 40,000 codex. Where advanced rules apply to a specific model, they always override any contradicting basic rules. For example, the basic rules state that a model must take a Morale check under certain situations. If, however, that model has a special rule that makes it immune to Morale checks, then it does not take such checks – the advanced rule takes precedence. On rare occasions, a conflict will arise between a rule in this rulebook, and one printed in a codex. Where this occurs, the rule printed in the codex or Army List Entry always takes precedence.

The Spirit of the Game Warhammer 40,000 may be somewhat different to any other game you have played. Above all, it’s important to remember that the rules are just the framework to support an enjoyable game. Whether a battle ends in victory or defeat, your goal should always be to enjoy the journey. What’s more, Warhammer 40,000 calls on a lot from you, the player. Your responsibility isn’t just to follow the rules, it’s also to add your own ideas, drama and creativity to the game. Much of the appeal of this game lies in the freedom and open-endedness that this allows; it is in this spirit that the rules have been written.

OWNING PLAYER, OPPOSING PLAYER AND CONTROLLING PLAYER Sometimes, a rule will ask the owning, opposing or controlling player to make an action or decision of some kind. The owning player is always the player who ‘owns’ the model in

question – the one who has included the model in his army. The opposing player is always his opponent. The controlling player is always the player in current command of that model – there are some special rules which can force models to switch sides during the course of the game.

You and Yours Some models have abilities which are written as if speaking to the controller of the model. When a model’s rule refers to ‘you’ or ‘yours,’ it refers to the player currently controlling the model.

Friendly and Enemy Models All models on the same side are friendly models. Models controlled by the opposing side are enemy models. If an opponent takes control of one of your models or units during play, it becomes an enemy model or unit for as long as it is under your opponent’s command. If you take control of one of your opponent’s models or units, it is friendly for as long as it is under your command.

LINE OF SIGHT Line of sight determines what a model can ‘see’. Many situations call for you to determine whether or not a model has line of sight. A model normally needs line of sight whenever it wishes to attack an enemy, whether with power sword, gun or psychic power. Line of sight literally represents your warriors’ view of the enemy – they must be able to see their foes through, under or over the battlefield terrain and other models (whether friendly or enemy). For one model to have line of sight to another, you must be able to trace a straight, unblocked line from its body (the head, torso, arms or legs) to any part of the target’s body. Sometimes, all that will be visible of a model is a weapon, banner or other ornament he is carrying. In these cases, the model is not visible. Similarly, we ignore wings, tails and antennae even though they are technically part of a model’s body. These rules are intended to ensure that models don’t get penalised for having impressive banners, weaponry, and so on. Naturally, you can’t ask your models what they can see – they’re plastic and resin, which is always a barrier to effective communication – therefore, you’ll have to work it out on their behalf. In many cases, this will be obvious – if there’s a hill, building or monster in the way, the enemy might be blatantly out of sight. In other cases, two units will be clearly in view of each other as there is nothing at all in the way. On those other occasions, where it’s not entirely obvious whether or not one unit can see another, the player will have to stoop over the battlefield and look from behind the model’s head for a

‘model’s eye view’. This means getting down to the level of your warriors and taking in the battlefield from their perspective to ‘see what they can see’. You will find that you can spot lurking enemies through the windows of ruined buildings, catch a glimpse of a model’s legs under tree branches and see that high vantage points become very useful for the increased line of sight that they offer.

Own Unit There is one important exception to the rules for line of sight. Firing models can always draw line of sight through members of their own unit just as if they were not there. This assumes that the models shift their stances to open firing lanes in order to maximise their own unit’s firepower.

Model’s Eye View Warhammer 40,000 uses what we call ‘true line of sight’. This means that you take the positions of models and terrain at face value, and simply look to see if your warriors have a view to their targets. True line of sight makes the game feel much more cinematic and puts you in the heart of the fighting – existentially, if not physically. There’s nothing like getting your models’ view of the battle to bring a game of Warhammer 40,000 to life. Of course, this does mean that there are occasionally borderline cases when it is hard to tell if a model can see a target or not, but players should always be generous and give their opponent the benefit of the doubt.

THE TURN Behold the terrible splendour of war! Squads of courageous warriors pick their way through the rubble and ruin, advancing under the covering fire of mighty war engines. Lances and bolts of energy pierce the smoke-wreathed air, and power-armoured brutes hurl themselves into the enemy ranks, letting fly with chainsword and power axe. A Warhammer 40,000 battle is a chaotic affair. To bring a modicum of order to the anarchy of battle, players alternate moving and fighting with their units. So, one player will move and fight with his forces, and then their opponent will move and fight. This process is then repeated, with the first player moving and fighting again, and so on, until the game is done. During his turn, a player can usually move and fight once with each of his units. For convenience and flow of game play, we divide a player’s turn into four main phases: Movement, Psychic, Shooting and Assault. This means that you move any models you want to first, then when you are finished all of your moving, your psykers can invoke the power of the Warp. Then you can shoot with your models, and finally, once your shooting is all completed, you can charge into assault and resolve any close combats. This process helps to keep track of what is going on and makes it easier to know when one player’s actions are over and their opponent can start his turn (and take his revenge).

GAME TURNS AND PLAYER TURNS In a complete game turn, each player gets a player turn, divided into Movement, Psychic, Shooting and Assault phases. One game turn therefore comprises two player turns – one for each player. Whenever a rule refers to ‘a turn’ it always means ‘player turn’ unless it specifically refers to a ‘game turn’.

The Start and End of a Phase During your game, you may encounter rules that say that an action or event happens at the start of a particular phase, such as ‘at the start of your Movement phase’ or ‘at the start of your Shooting phase’. These are always resolved before anything else during that phase. Likewise, any rule that says an action or event happens at the end of a particular phase is always resolved after all other actions have been performed during that phase, before the next phase (if any) starts.

The Start and End of a Turn During your game, you may encounter rules that say that an action or event happens ‘at the start of your turn’. These are always resolved before your Movement phase. Likewise, any rule that says an action or event happens ‘at the end of your turn’ is always resolved after your Assault phase has finished, but before your opponent’s next turn (if any) starts.

‘Before the Game Begins’ and ‘At the End of the Game’ During your game, you may encounter rules that say that an action or event happens ‘before the game begins’. Examples of such events include generating Warlord Traits and psychic powers. These are always resolved before the armies deploy for battle. During your game, you may encounter rules that say that an action or event happens ‘at the end of the game’. Examples of such events include scoring Victory Points for certain missions. The mission you are playing will specify when your game ends; this will normally be after a certain number of game turns. Any rule that says an action or event happens ‘at the end of the game’ is always resolved after the last game turn has ended.

SEQUENCING While playing Warhammer 40,000, you’ll occasionally find that two or more rules are to be resolved at the same time – normally ‘at the start of the Movement phase’ or similar. When this happens, and the wording is not explicit as to which rule is resolved first, then the player whose turn it is chooses the order. If these things occur before or after the game, or at the start or end of a game turn, the players roll-off and the winner decides in what order the rules are resolved in.

Turn Summary 1. The start of your turn. Resolve any rule described as happening at the start of your turn. 2. Movement phase. Here, you move any of your units that are capable of doing so. See the movement rules for more details of how to do this. 3. Psychic phase. In the Psychic phase, models known as Psykers can use strange mental powers, and other Warp-born effects may manifest. See the psychic rules for more details of how to do this. 4. Shooting phase. You now shoot with any of your units that are capable of doing so. See the shooting rules for more details on how to resolve this. 5. Assault phase. During the Assault phase, units may move into combat against enemy units in the Charge sub-phase and trade blows with them in the Fight sub-phase. All units in close combat fight; this is an exception to the normal turn sequence in that both sides fight, not just the side whose turn it is. More information on fighting close combats can be found in the assault rules.

6. The end of your turn. Resolve any rule described as happening at the end of your turn.

‘Be warned! Many are the guises of the mutant. They may appear to you as a normal person but beneath this benign countenance may lie a wretched and twisted beast. An abomination, a witch or worse. Mark the beast and expel it; it has no place with us!’ - Inquisitor Czevak

THE MOVEMENT PHASE ‘Every man is a spark in the darkness. By the time he is noticed he is gone forever; a retinal after-image that fades and is obscured by newer, brighter lights.’ Although the Movement phase is the easiest to perform, it’s probably the most tactically important. Getting models into the right position on the battlefield is often the key to victory. For the time being, we’ll just explain how squads of Infantry move, as they are by far the most common units in the game. Vehicles, Jump units, Bikes and certain other units move in different ways to represent their greater mobility, and these will be discussed in full detail later in the book, in the Unit Types section. In your turn, you can move any of your units – all of them if you wish – up to their maximum movement distance. Once a unit has completed all of its movement, you can select another unit and move that one, and so on, until you have moved all of the units you wish to move. Once you have started moving a unit, you must finish its move before you start to move another unit. Note that you don’t have to move all (or any) of your units – indeed, there are several tactical advantages to remaining stationary, as we’ll explain later in the rules. Once you’ve completed a unit’s move, you cannot go back and change it, so think carefully before giving the order to advance.

Movement Distance

It’s a common mistake to measure the distance and then place the model on the far side of the tape measure. This is incorrect, as it adds the entire length of the model’s base to the distance moved. The diagram above shows correct and

incorrect ways of measuring move distance. For an Infantry model on its relatively small base, this additive error isn’t so bad, but imagine what would happen if this error was made with a vehicle 6" long!

MOVEMENT DISTANCE Models move up to 6" in the Movement phase. This represents most creatures moving at a reasonable pace but stopping several times to scan the surrounding landscape for enemies, communicate with their commanders, identify the best lines of advance and so on. It is perfectly fine to measure a unit’s move in one direction, and then change your mind and decide to move it somewhere else (even the opposite way entirely!) or decide not to move it at all. As you move the models in a unit, they can be turned to face in any direction, but if a model does move, no part of its base can finish the move more than 6" away from where it started the Movement phase. Models cannot voluntarily move off the board.

Which Models are Moving Whether or not a model moves can change how effective it will be in the Psychic or Shooting phases. You may decide that only some of the models in a unit are going to move this turn. If this is the case, declare which models are remaining stationary just before you start moving the other models of that unit. Remember that all models in the unit must still maintain unit coherency (see below).

Different Movement Distances Within a Unit Sometimes, a unit will contain models that move at different speeds. When this is the case, each model can move up to its maximum movement allowance so long as it remains in unit coherency (see below).

Models in the Way A model cannot move within 1" of an enemy model unless they are charging into close combat in the Assault phase, and can never move or pivot (see below) through another model (friend or foe) at any time. To move past, they must go around.

Pivoting on the Spot If you choose not to move a model in a unit, you can instead choose to turn it on the spot to face in any direction, provided that the pivot does not bring the model within 1" of an

enemy model. A model that only pivots on the spot in the Movement phase counts as being stationary for all purposes, including subsequent shooting attacks.

Moving and Close Combat Units already locked in close combat with the enemy cannot move during the Movement phase.

UNIT COHERENCY When you are moving a unit, its individual models can each move up to their maximum movement distance. However, units have to stick together, otherwise individual models become scattered and the unit loses its cohesion as a fighting force. So, once a unit has finished moving, the models in it must form an imaginary chain where the distance between one model and the next is no more than 2" horizontally and up to 6" vertically. We call this ‘unit coherency’. During the course of a game, a unit can get broken up and lose unit coherency, usually because it has taken casualties from incoming enemy fire. If this happens, in their next Movement phase, the models in the unit must be moved in such a way that they restore unit coherency (or get as close as possible to having restored coherency). If the unit cannot move in its next turn, or is unable to restore unit coherency in a single turn, then the models must move to restore unit coherency as soon as they have the opportunity, including by Running if they have that option.

Unit Coherency in Terrain As the Space Marines in this ruin are all within 2" of another member of their squad on the same level, or within 6" of another member of their squad on a different level, they are in unit coherency.

Unit Coherency

Wobbly Model Syndrome Sometimes you may find that a particular piece of terrain makes it hard to put a model exactly where you want. If you delicately balance it in place, it is very likely to fall as soon as somebody nudges the table, leaving your beautifully painted miniature damaged or even broken. In cases like this, we find it is perfectly acceptable to leave the model in a safer position, as long as both players have agreed and know its ‘actual’ location. If, later on, your enemy is considering shooting at the model, you will have to hold it back in the proper place so he can check line of sight.

Moving Vertically The Space Marine has a move of 6". He moves 3" horizontally to get beneath the floor of the ruined building, and then moves 3" vertically, ending the move one floor up as shown in the photograph.

MOVING THROUGH TERRAIN As part of their move, models can move through, up or over any terrain they encounter, unless the terrain is noted as being impassable. Models can also use their move to ‘climb up’ terrain, as long as the model is able to finish the move on a location where it can be stood. When measuring a move where a model climbs terrain, add the distance the model moves horizontally to the distance it has moved vertically; the result is considered to be the distance the model has moved. In addition to the rules presented in this section, certain types of terrain can affect how far your models can move, as they clamber over defence lines or pick their way through tanglewire, for example. The rules for how these different types terrain affect movement are in the Battlefield Terrain section.

THE PSYCHIC PHASE ‘What can a man know of the universe who knows not his own mind?’ - Book of the Astronomican This section of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook first talks about Psykers and how to generate their otherworldly powers. This section also describes how you generate Warp Charge and manifest psychic powers in the Psychic phase, and gives descriptions of the different types of powers you can unleash.

PSYKERS AND PSYCHIC POWERS Psykers are powerful battle-mystics, able to unleash their mental might in all manner of ways. Each Psyker knows one or more psychic powers, as detailed in their Army List Entry. These powers vary from race to race, and sometimes from one individual Psyker to another. Sometimes, a Psyker will have the option to know additional psychic powers. If this is the case, this will also be clearly shown in the relevant Army List Entry. Sometimes psychic powers might be manifested by a vehicle, or even by entire squads. For the purposes of all rules, the term ‘Psyker’ and ‘Psyker unit’ refers to any unit with the Psyker, Psychic Pilot or Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rules.

Designer’s Note The rules presented in this section assume that players are already familiar with rules and concepts described in other phases of Warhammer 40,000 – particularly the Shooting phase. If this is the first time you are reading this book, don’t worry, just come back and revisit the Psychic Phase section again once you are familiar with the rest of the core game rules.

Mastery Levels The number of psychic powers a Psyker can use each turn depends on his Mastery Level. Even a Psyker with a Mastery Level of 1 is a fearsome foe. Psykers with a Mastery Level of 4 or higher are incredibly rare, and it is better for the galaxy that this is so – they are almost unbelievably powerful, and rarely submit to any authority other than their own.

Establishing Mastery Levels Psykers are assumed to be Mastery Level 1 unless it states otherwise in their Army List Entry. The Mastery Level is usually shown in parentheses after the Psyker special rule. For example: Psyker (Mastery Level 2).

Number of Psychic Powers

A Psyker’s entry will usually state how many psychic powers the Psyker has. Where this is not the case, the Psyker knows a number of psychic powers equal to his Mastery Level. Each of these powers will need to be generated, as described below. If a Psyker generates all of his psychic powers from the same psychic discipline, that Psyker will automatically know that discipline’s primaris power in addition to any other powers they know, as described in Psychic Focus (below). If a Psyker has one or more weapons with the Force special rule, that Psyker automatically knows the Force psychic power (see below) in addition to any other powers they know. For example, Stu has a Psyker in his army with a Mastery Level of 2. That Psyker knows two psychic powers, which will need to be generated. Stu decides to generate both of his psychic powers from the same discipline and so gains Psychic Focus, and thus that discipline’s primaris power. Stu’s Psyker is also equipped with a force weapon, granting him the Force psychic power (for a total of four psychic powers).

Psychic Focus If a Psyker generates all of his powers from the same psychic discipline (even if he can only generate one power), that Psyker is said to have Psychic Focus, and gains that discipline’s primaris power in addition to his other powers. If during the course of the game, that Psyker gains a psychic power from a different psychic discipline, he immediately loses Psychic Focus (and the associated primaris power). If a Psyker has any psychic powers that are not part of a discipline, such as Force, those powers are not considered when determining whether the Psyker has Psychic Focus.

Chaos Psychic Focus If a Psyker has a Mark of Chaos or is a Daemon of a particular Chaos God (see Codex: Chaos Space Marines or Codex: Chaos Daemons), that model automatically knows the primaris power of the discipline that corresponds to their patron deity, in addition to any other powers it knows.

‘What can a man know of the universe who knows not his own mind?’

- Book of the Astronomican

FORCE - WARP CHARGE 1 The Psyker channels his powers through the psi-circuitry of his force weapon, transforming it from a mere physical weapon into one that can rend reality. Force is a blessing psychic power that targets the Psyker and his unit. All of the targets’ weapons that have the Force special rule gain the Instant Death special rule until the start of your next Psychic phase.

Generating Psychic Powers Psykers generate their psychic powers before the game begins. This is done openly, so both you and your opponent are aware of the power(s) each Psyker has generated. If your army includes more than one Psyker, you can choose the order in which you generate their powers. In some Army List Entries, a Psyker will have one or more specific psychic powers listed – where this is the case, it will be clearly stated. These Psykers always start the game with those psychic powers. Otherwise, a Psyker generates random psychic powers from amongst the psychic disciplines known to him. To randomly generate a psychic power, first choose one of the psychic disciplines known to the Psyker. Then, roll a D6 and consult the chosen psychic discipline; you will notice that the psychic powers are numbered between one and six – the power generated corresponds to the number rolled on the D6. If the Psyker needs to generate more than one psychic power, repeat the above process until the required number of psychic powers have been generated. Note that second and subsequent psychic powers do not have to be generated from the same psychic discipline as the Psyker’s first power (but if a power is generated from a different psychic discipline, the Psyker will not benefit from Psychic Focus). A Psyker cannot know the same psychic power twice. If a Psyker generates a power he already has, roll again in the same psychic discipline table until a power is generated that he does not already know. It should be noted that different Psykers in the same army can have the same psychic power(s).

Primaris Powers Some psychic disciplines have primaris powers. A primaris power is so intrinsic to the discipline’s character that we can assume that any wielder of that discipline is able to

master it. Immediately after generating a psychic power, a Psyker can always choose to substitute the power generated for the discipline’s primaris power. Remember though, that a Psyker cannot have the same power twice – if he chooses to substitute his first power for the primaris power, and then chooses to generate another psychic power from the same discipline, he cannot substitute any further powers from that discipline. Note that this means if a Psyker has chosen all of his powers from the same psychic discipline to gain Psychic Focus, he will already know that discipline’s primaris power and so cannot substitute any of his randomly generated powers. Regardless of the psychic power(s) your Psykers generate, it’s worth making a note on your army roster – it’s all too easy to forget which Psykers have which powers otherwise! For example, Sarah has a Psyker in her army with a Mastery Level of 3 who knows powers from the Telepathy and Divination disciplines. The Psyker has no Mark of Chaos, nor is it a Daemon of a Chaos God. The Army List Entry does not specify that the Psyker knows any specific powers, so Sarah chooses the Telepathy discipline and rolls a D6. The result is a 3, thus generating Terrify. Sarah then chooses the Telepathy discipline again, rolling another 3. This is re-rolled, the result being a 1 this time, generating Dominate. However, Sarah chooses to swap Dominate for the Telepathy primaris power, Psychic Shriek. For her Psyker’s final randomly generated power, Sarah chooses to generate a power from the Divination discipline. She rolls a 6, thus generating the psychic power Scrier’s Gaze. As Sarah decided to generate psychic powers from more than one psychic discipline, she does not benefit from the Psychic Focus rule. Finally, Sarah’s Psyker is equipped with a force weapon, so her Psyker also knows Force.

Designer’s Note – Psychic Power Cards If you have the appropriate psychic power cards for a psychic discipline, then instead of rolling a D6 to randomly generate a psychic power, generate your psychic powers as follows. First, remove the primaris power from that deck of psychic power cards and set it aside whilst you shuffle the remainder and randomly draw a card. Then, if you want, you can exchange that psychic power card for the primaris power card. Repeat for each power you are generating. Once you’re done, if your Psyker has Psychic Focus, add the appropriate primaris power to the selection you have generated.

RESOLVING THE PSYCHIC PHASE In the Psychic phase, Psykers can call upon their strange mental powers and other Warpborn effects may manifest. To use their powers, Psykers need to generate, expend and harness Warp Charge points.

GENERATE WARP CHARGE At the beginning of each Psychic phase, the player whose turn it is rolls a D6. Then, each player takes a number of dice equal to the result of the D6 roll; those dice are their Warp Charge pool. Each player then adds up the Mastery Levels of all the Psyker units they currently have on the tabletop (including those embarked on Transports) and adds that many dice to their Warp Charge pool. For example, Andy rolls a D6 at the start of his Psychic phase and rolls a 3. Andy has three Psyker units currently on the table: a Primaris Psyker with Mastery Level 2, an Astropath with Mastery Level 1 and a unit of Wyrdvane Psykers with Mastery Level 1. Andy therefore has 7 dice in his Warp Charge pool (3+2+1+1=7). Andy’s opponent has only a single Psyker unit currently on the table: a Chaos Space Marine Sorcerer with Mastery Level 2. Andy’s opponent therefore has 5 dice in his Warp Charge pool (3+2=5). The number of dice each player has in their Warp Charge pool equates to the total amount of Warp Charge points they have generated for this phase. If a rule tells you to add or subtract Warp Charge points, you add or subtract the appropriate number of dice from your pool. If, after resolving a psychic action – such as manifesting a psychic power – the player whose turn it is has 0 Warp Charge points remaining, the Psychic phase ends. The Psychic phase also ends if you either cannot, or choose not to, resolve any more psychic actions. When the Psychic phase ends, all remaining Warp Charge points belonging to both players (if any) are lost and the Shooting phase begins.

MANIFESTING PSYCHIC POWERS The most common psychic action is the manifestation of psychic powers. Only the player whose turn it is can attempt to manifest psychic powers. If, after attempting to manifest a psychic power, you still have Warp Charge points left, you can attempt to manifest another psychic power with the same unit, or select another of your Psyker units and attempt to manifest a power the new unit knows. Assuming you have enough Warp Charge points, you can alternate back and forth between the same Psyker units in this way, but no unit can attempt to manifest the same psychic power more than once per Psychic phase.

To manifest a psychic power you will need to declare a target (if the power in question requires a target) and make a Psychic test (see below). If the Psychic test is successful, your opponent then has an opportunity to make a Deny the Witch test. If this test is failed, or if your opponent chooses not to make a Deny the Witch test, the psychic power is manifested and its effects are immediately resolved. Manifesting psychic powers can be summarised in five steps, as described below. Each step is explained in greater detail later in this section.

Manifesting Psychic Powers Sequence 1. Select Psyker and Psychic Power. Unless you have 0 Warp Charge points remaining, select one of your Psyker units, then nominate a psychic power known to that unit that you wish to manifest. 2. Declare Target. If the power requires a target, choose it at this point. 3. Take Psychic Test. The Psyker must now expend Warp Charge points and attempt to harness them by taking a Psychic test. If the test is failed, the psychic power fails and nothing further happens. If two or more 6s are rolled, the Psyker suffers Perils of the Warp, which is resolved immediately. 4. Deny the Witch. If the Psychic test was passed, one of the enemy targets gets a chance to expend Warp Charge points to nullify the power by taking a Deny the Witch test. If the psychic power does not target an enemy unit, your opponent can still attempt to Deny the Witch, but will not be able to use any bonuses. In either case, if the Deny the Witch test is passed, the psychic power does not manifest and nothing further happens. 5. Resolve Psychic Power. Assuming the Psychic test was passed and the power was not negated by a successful Deny the Witch test, it is now resolved.

Select Psyker and Psychic Power To manifest a psychic power, you will first need to select one of your Psyker units. It does not matter if the selected unit is Falling Back or has Gone to Ground. Then, select a psychic power known to the selected unit that the unit has not already attempted to manifest in this Psychic phase.

Declare Target

If the psychic power requires a target, you must nominate it at this point. Unless otherwise stated, your Psyker must have line of sight to the target.

Psykers and Transports Psykers embarked on Transports still generate their normal number of Warp Charge points. Psykers embarked on a Transport can only target enemy units with witchfire psychic powers, and only then if the vehicle has a firing point that has line of sight to the target unit. Psykers embarked on a Transport cannot attempt to manifest any other kind of psychic power. Psychic powers cannot target units that are embarked on a Transport.

Take Psychic Test Psychic powers are fuelled by the Warp but channelled with the Psyker’s own willpower. A Psyker must pass a Psychic test to see if he can harness the power of the Warp. To make a Psychic test, you will first need to expend a number of Warp Charge points; declare how many points you are spending and remove them from your pool. Then, roll a number of D6 equal to the number of Warp Charge points you have expended. For each individual result of 4+, the Psyker has successfully harnessed one Warp Charge point. If the total number of harnessed Warp Charge points is greater than or equal to the Warp Charge cost stated in the psychic power’s description, the Psychic test is successful. Otherwise, the Psychic test has failed and the power does not manifest. If the Psychic test was successful, keep a note of how many Warp Charge points were harnessed as your opponent may attempt to nullify them by performing a Deny the Witch test (see below). If, when making a Psychic test, two or more dice rolls (before applying modifiers) were rolls of a 6, the unit attempting to manifest the psychic power suffers Perils of the Warp (see below), whether or not the manifestation attempt failed.

Deny the Witch Just as it takes great force of mind for a Psyker to unleash his mental might, his victims can sometimes nullify a psychic power’s effects through sheer will. If your opponent makes a successful Psychic test, you can attempt to nullify the power being manifested by making a Deny the Witch test. For a Deny the Witch test to be successful, you need to nullify all of the Warp Charge points that were successfully harnessed by the Psyker when he passed his Psychic test.

Perils of the Warp The Warp is the source of all psychic powers, but there are many dangers for those who utilise this wellspring of otherworldly energy. When a Psyker suffers Perils of the Warp, it indicates that something horrible has happened to the Psyker, the forces of the Daemon-haunted Warp clawing at the Psyker’s mind, threatening to engulf and destroy him. If a unit suffers Perils of the Warp, roll a D6 and consult the Perils of the Warp table below. If the unit has the Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule, the effects of the Perils of the Warp result apply a randomly determined model in the unit who has the Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule. Note that suffering Perils of the Warp does not necessarily mean that a psychic power fails to manifest. Assuming that the Psychic test was successful and any Deny the Witch test failed, the psychic power still manifests, regardless of whether or not the Psyker in question suffers a Wound or is slain by Perils of the Warp.

D6 - Result 1 - Dragged into the Warp: The Psyker must take a Leadership test. If the test is passed, the Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. If the test is failed, the Psyker is removed as a casualty and his unit suffers D6 Strength 6 AP1 hits. For Wound allocation purposes, assume the attack is coming from the Psyker that suffered Perils of the Warp. 2 - Mental Purge: The Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. In addition, randomly select one psychic power known to the Psyker. That power is immediately lost, and cannot be used by the Psyker for the rest of the battle. 3 - Power Drain: The Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. In addition, if it is currently the Psychic phase, roll a D3; both players lose a number of Warp Charge points equal to the result. 4 - Psychic Backlash: The Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. 5 - Empyric Feedback: The Psyker must take a Leadership test. If the test is failed, the Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. If the test is passed, the Psyker suffers no ill effects… this time.

6 - Warp Surge: The Psyker must take a Leadership test. If the test is failed, the Psyker suffers 1 Wound/glancing hit with no saves of any kind allowed. If the test is passed, the Psyker gains a 3+ Invulnerable save as well as the Fleshbane, Armourbane and Smash special rules, until the start of the next friendly Psychic phase.

To make a Deny the Witch test, first select one of your units that was a target of the enemy’s psychic power. You will then need to expend a number of Warp Charge points; declare how many points you will spend and remove them from your pool. Then roll a number of D6 equal to the number of Warp Charge points expended. Apply any of the following modifiers that apply to each individual dice roll: The target unit contains one or more models with - Modifier The Psyker, Psychic Pilot or Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule - +1 A Mastery Level higher than the Psyker manifesting the power - +1 The Adamantium Will special rule - +1 For each individual result of 6+, one Warp Charge point has been successfully nullified. If the total number of nullified Warp Charge points is equal to or greater than the number of harnessed Warp Charge points, the Deny the Witch test has been passed and the psychic power does not manifest. Note that a successful Deny the Witch test simply nullifies the power being manifested – it does not mean that the Psychic test changes from a success into a failure (for some powers, such as Vortex of Doom, a failed Psychic test can have dire consequences for the Psyker). If none of your units were the target of the enemy’s psychic power (the power in question might have been a blessing, a conjuration, or some other power that only affects the Psyker’s own troops) you can still attempt to Deny the Witch. To do so, follow the same process, but apply no modifiers to your dice rolls – you will require rolls of 6 to nullify Warp Charge points.

Psychic Hoods Psychic hoods are embedded with arcane constructions of psychically attuned

crystals that allow the wearer to extend his psychic protection to nearby allies. Each time a unit (or model) is targeted by an enemy psychic power and is within 12" of a friendly model with a psychic hood, the wearer of the hood can attempt to Deny the Witch in their stead, as if he were in the target unit. If the Deny the Witch attempt is failed, the psychic power is resolved as normal, but effects only the initial target, not the wearer of the hood. If a model with a psychic hood is embarked in a vehicle or building, he can only use the hood to nullify powers targeting the vehicle or building he is embarked within.

Resolve Psychic Power Assuming the Psychic test was passed and the enemy did not negate it with a successful Deny the Witch test, the power has been successfully manifested. Resolve its effects according to the instructions in its entry. Unless otherwise stated, the effects of multiple different psychic powers are cumulative.

TYPES OF PSYCHIC POWERS The many varieties of psychic powers are organised into distinct categories. These determine any targeting requirements and other restrictions that apply along with its type, if it has one.

Powers Without a Type If a psychic power does not have a type, the rules for using it will be clearly expressed within its entry.

Blessing Blessings grant extra abilities to the Psyker’s allies, such as characteristic boosts or additional special rules. Blessings target one or more friendly units and, unless otherwise stated, last until the start of the Psyker’s next Psychic phase.

Blessings can affect units that are locked in close combat and can affect the Psyker himself. The benefit of any one particular blessing can only be gained once per unit per turn, but benefits from different blessings are cumulative. Unless otherwise stated, blessings cannot modify characteristics above 10 or below 1 (or below 2, in the case of Leadership).

Conjuration Conjuration powers can summon units across great distances, call new allies to the fray, or even create them from the raw stuff of the Warp. Each conjuration power specifies the type and number of models to be conjured. Unless stated otherwise, the new unit cannot take any additional options or upgrades. If you do not have enough models to place the entire unit on the board, place as many as you can – the excess are destroyed. When the power is resolved, the new unit then arrives via Deep Strike, within the power’s maximum range; the new unit is under your control and is treated as having arrived from Reserves for all rules purposes. If the new unit suffers a Deep Strike mishap and ends up in Ongoing Reserves, it can Deep Strike anywhere on the board when it enters play. If the new unit is a Psyker, generate its psychic power(s) as soon as the conjuration is manifested; the new unit cannot attempt to manifest conjuration powers on the same turn it was itself conjured. If the new unit has any random powers/abilities that would normally need to be generated before the start of the game, generate them at the same time. Unless otherwise noted, conjured units are scoring units.

Conjuring Daemons If a conjuration power creates a unit from Codex: Chaos Daemons and that unit’s Army List Entry includes the option to take an Icon of Chaos, an Instrument of Chaos and/or the option to upgrade one model to a character, you may take any of these options for free provided you have the appropriate model available. Unless stated otherwise, the unit cannot take any further upgrades or options.

Malediction Maledictions weaken the Psyker’s enemies by reducing their characteristics or inflicting special rules that penalise their abilities. Maledictions target one or more enemy units and, unless otherwise stated, last until the start of the Psyker’s next Psychic phase. Maledictions can affect units that are locked in close combat. Note that bonuses and penalties from different maledictions are always cumulative, but cannot, unless otherwise stated, take characteristics above 10 or below 1 (or below 2, in the case of Leadership).

Witchfire

Witchfire powers are shooting attacks. Indeed, they are often referred to as psychic shooting attacks, and many have profiles similar to ranged weapons. Just like when shooting a weapon, a Psyker must be able to see the target unit (or target point) and cannot be locked in combat if he wishes to manifest a witchfire power. Similarly, a witchfire power must roll To Hit, unless it is has the Blast special rule, in which case it scatters as described in the Blast special rule, or it is a Template weapon, which hit automatically. Psykers can make Snap Shots in the Psychic phase with witchfire powers in the same way as with other shooting weapons. Saves can be taken against Wounds from witchfire in the same way as for any other shooting attack, and hits are allocated to the closest target models to the Psyker. Unlike firing a shooting weapon though, a Psyker can manifest several different witchfire powers during the same phase (assuming he has enough Warp Charge) and each can target a different unit if you so choose. Manifesting witchfire powers does not prevent the Psyker (or his unit) from firing weapons in the following Shooting phase, nor does it prevent the Psyker’s unit from Running, Turbo-boosting or moving Flat Out. A Psyker who manifests a witchfire power can target a different unit with his other ranged weapons in the Shooting phase. Witchfire powers cannot be used to make Overwatch attacks. There are several different sub-types of witchfire, each applying slightly different targeting restrictions. If the witchfire does not list a sub-type, or simply describes itself as a psychic shooting attack, use the rules given above to resolve it. If it has one of the following subtypes, use the rules for that sub-type.

Beam To use a witchfire power with the beam sub-type, target a point within the power’s range and trace a line (about 1mm thick) between the chosen point and the centre of the Psyker’s base – this line cannot be drawn over any unit that is locked in combat. All units under the line (friend and foe) are hit, with the exception of Zooming Flyers, Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures and the Psyker himself. Each unit hit by the attack takes a number of hits equal to the number of models from that unit that are under the line. Only one unit that has a model under the line can attempt to Deny the Witch. For example, if three units are under the line, (Units A, B and C) then all three are hit. Unit A has 3 models under the line, and so takes 3 hits. Unit B has 1 model under the line and so takes 1 hit. Unit C has 4 models under the line, and so takes 4 hits.

Focussed Witchfire Some witchfire powers can pick out models in an enemy unit – these are called focussed witchfire powers. They follow all the normal rules for witchfire, but you can choose the specific model in the target unit that you want the power to affect. When the Psychic test is taken for focussed witchfire, pay close attention to the number of Warp Charge points

harnessed. If the total number of Warp Charge points harnessed exceeds the Warp Charge cost required to manifest the psychic power, the power is resolved against the model you chose. If the cost to manifest the power is met, but not exceeded, resolve the power against the closest model in the target unit instead.

Nova A nova power automatically targets and hits all enemy units (including Flyers and Flying Monstrous Creatures) within the psychic power’s maximum range, regardless of line of sight, being locked in combat, intervening models/terrain and so on. Otherwise, a nova is treated like a shooting attack, and indeed will have a profile like a ranged weapon. Only one unit that is within the power’s maximum range can attempt to Deny the Witch.

PSYCHIC DISCIPLINES Although the powers of Psykers are many and varied, they usually fall into one of several disciplines. The six most common psychic disciplines are: Biomancy, Daemonology, Divination, Pyromancy, Telekinesis and Telepathy. Each discipline has a particular character, which is reflected by the powers within it. The Telepathy discipline, for example, is grounded in mind control, and its powers act through compelling and influencing the thoughts and actions of others. It should be noted that, whilst two different Psykers may both use the same discipline, their powers are likely to manifest in unique ways. For example, an Imperial Psyker using the Pyromancy discipline may hurl blazing bolts shaped like two-headed eagles whilst a Chaos worshipper might conjure conflagrations of living Warpfire. Many races also have access to their own, unique psychic disciplines and powers. Where this is the case, the relevant codex will contain the necessary psychic power(s).

Some Psykers specialise in one discipline, honing a few powers to the exclusion of all others. Others manifest a much broader range of psychic disciplines and abilities – in such cases, the Psyker will be able to generate powers from several psychic disciplines. The relevant codex or Army List Entry will detail from which psychic disciplines a Psyker can generate his powers.

Forging a Narrative The Sanctic and Malefic labels listed on the Daemonology powers are meant to act as a guide to the sort of powers the Psykers in the 41st Millennium would try and manifest, and you should not feel constrained by them. If you want your Astra Militarum Psyker to summon a new unit of Daemons during the game, then that is fine, although the Psyker in question might have some explaining to do after the battle. Similarly, there’s nothing wrong with a Chaos Sorcerer using the Sanctic powers to banish Daemons back into the Warp – after all, those Daemons might be the minions of a rival god, or ancient enemies of the Sorcerer in question. Furthermore, whilst there are restrictions on using Sanctic/Malefic powers with some armies (Grey Knights and Chaos Daemons armies for example), you should always ensure that the rules you’re using fit the narrative of your games. If, for example, the Inquisitor in your narrative is harnessing forbidden knowledge to further his cause, you and your opponent might agree before your game begins that it is perfectly appropriate for him to manifest Malefic powers.

THE DISCIPLINE OF DAEMONOLOGY Unless otherwise stated, all Psykers, other than those belonging to the Tyranids Faction, can generate powers from the Daemonology discipline. The Daemonology discipline has not one, but two different sets of powers, one labelled ‘Sanctic’ and one labelled ‘Malefic’. Each time a Psyker generates a power from the Daemonology discipline he can choose to generate it from either the Sanctic or Malefic set of powers. For the purposes of Psychic Focus, the Sanctic and Malefic sets of powers are different psychic disciplines.

Sanctic Powers Only those whose purity of soul is beyond reproach can master Daemonology without being consumed by it. Psykers from Codex: Grey Knights can manifest Sanctic powers as they would any other psychic power, but they cannot generate Malefic powers at all. All other Psykers that attempt to manifest Sanctic powers suffer Perils of the Warp on a Psychic test that includes any double, whether the Psychic test was successful or not.

Malefic Powers Those who blindly attempt to bend the Warp to their own will often end up as the prey things of Daemons. Psykers with the Daemon special rule can manifest Malefic powers as they would any other psychic power, but they cannot generate Sanctic powers at all. All other Psykers that attempt to manifest Malefic powers suffer Perils of the Warp on a Psychic test that includes any double, whether the Psychic test was successful or not.

THE SHOOTING PHASE As armies engage, guns thunder and shrapnel rains down from the sky. In a Warhammer 40,000 battle, a player’s army fires in the Shooting phase of his turn. During the Shooting phase, units armed with ranged weapons can fire at the enemy. You can choose any order for your units to shoot, but you must complete all the firing by one unit before you move on to the next. The shooting process can be summarised in seven steps, as described below. Each step is explained in greater detail later in this section. Once you’ve completed this shooting sequence with one of your units, select another and repeat the sequence. Once you have completed steps 1 to 7 for each unit in your army that you wish to make a shooting attack, carry on to the Assault phase.

The Shooting Sequence 1. Nominate Unit to Shoot. Choose one of your units that is able to shoot but has yet to do so this turn. 2. Choose a Target. The unit can shoot at an enemy unit that it can see. 3. Select a Weapon. Select a weapon the firing unit is equipped with. All models equipped with a weapon with the same name can now shoot that weapon at the target. Every model that wishes to shoot must be within range of at least one visible model in the target unit. Models that cannot see the target, or are not in range, cannot shoot. 4. Roll To Hit. Roll a D6 for each shot fired. A model’s Ballistic Skill determines what it must roll in order to hit the target. 5. Roll To Wound. For each shot that hit, roll again to see if it wounds the target. The result needed is determined by comparing the Strength of the firing weapon with the majority Toughness of the target unit. 6. Allocate Wounds & Remove Casualties. Any Wounds caused by the firing unit must now be allocated, one at a time, to the closest model in the target unit. A model with a Wound allocated to it can take a saving throw (if it has one) to avoid being wounded. If a model is reduced to 0 Wounds, it is removed as a casualty. Wounds are then allocated to the next closest model. Continue to

allocate Wounds and take saving throws until all Wounds have been resolved. 7. Select Another Weapon. After resolving all shots from the currently selected weapon, if the firing unit is equipped with differently named weapons that have yet to fire, select another weapon and repeat steps 3 to 6.

NOMINATE A UNIT TO SHOOT During the Shooting phase, a unit containing models armed with ranged weapons can be nominated to make shooting attacks.

Who Can Shoot? Certain situations prevent a model from firing. The most common are: • Their unit is locked in close combat with the foe. • Their unit is running. This is not a comprehensive list. Other game rules or special rules can sometimes affect a unit’s ability to shoot – this is explained thoroughly when it occurs.

CHOOSE A TARGET Once you have chosen the unit that you want to shoot with, choose a single enemy unit for them to shoot at. To do so, you must check the range and line of sight from your unit to the enemy unit you are targeting. Note that you may check the range and line of sight to multiple enemy units before deciding which one to shoot at and declaring it to your opponent. You cannot target a unit that is locked in combat.

Line of Sight To target an enemy unit, at least one model must have line of sight to at least one model in the target unit. If no model has line of sight, then a different target must be chosen.

SELECT A WEAPON Whilst some units are comprised entirely of models with the same weaponry, many units are equipped with a variety of different weapons or contain models that are themselves equipped with more than one gun. When firing with a unit, completely resolve all attacks from the same weapons at the same time before moving onto any differently named weapons (see Select Another Weapon, below).

First, select a weapon that one or more models in your unit are equipped with. The selected weapon cannot be one that the unit has shot with during this phase. All models in the unit that are equipped with the selected weapon can now shoot at the target unit with that weapon. If a weapon can fire in more than one mode, or can fire more than one type of ammo, select a weapon mode/ammo type – treat weapons firing different modes/ammo types as differently named weapons. If a model can shoot with more than one weapon in the same phase and it is equipped with two or more identically named weapons, it shoots with all the same named weapons when that weapon is selected. A player can choose not to fire with certain models if he prefers. This must be declared before rolling To Hit. If a model chooses not to shoot with the currently selected weapon now, it cannot fire that weapon later during the same phase (but it can shoot a differently named weapon it is equipped with). All of the models in the unit that are firing the selected weapon shoot at the same time, regardless of whether or not all of the dice are rolled together. For example, a Space Marine player nominates to shoot with his Space Marine Tactical Squad. The unit has 10 models; 8 models are equipped with boltguns, 1 is equipped with a plasma gun and 1 is equipped with a missile launcher. The Space Marine player selects ‘boltgun’ first. The 8 models with boltguns now shoot at the target unit. After these shots have been completely resolved, the Space Marine player then nominates ‘plasma gun’, and completely resolves the shot with his plasma gun armed Space Marine before finally nominating ‘missile launcher’ and firing with his squad’s last remaining model.

Check Range All weapons have a maximum range, which is the furthest distance they can shoot. A weapon must be in range of the target unit to shoot. Here are examples of weapon ranges: Weapon - Maximum Range Laspistol - 12" Boltgun - 24" Autocannon - 48" When checking range, simply measure from each firer to the nearest visible model in the target unit. Any weapon that is found to be out of range of all visible enemy models in the target unit cannot shoot.

Which Models Can Fire? Any model that has line of sight to at least one enemy model in the target unit

and is found to be in range of that model can shoot. All models in the unit must shoot at the same target unit. If a model cannot shoot at the same target as the other models in its unit then it cannot shoot at all in that phase. Typically, a model can only fire a single shooting weapon in the same phase, although some models, such as vehicles or monstrous creatures, can shoot two or more. Once a model has fired its maximum number of weapons, it cannot fire again that phase.

In the example above, four Orks are found to have a target that is visible to them and is within the 12" range of their pistols (white lines). The remaining Ork cannot fire as he does not have line of sight to the only Space Marine in range (red line).

ROLL TO HIT To determine if the firing model has hit its target, roll a D6 for each shot that is in range. Most models only get to fire one shot, however, some weapons are capable of firing more than once, as we’ll explain in more detail later. The dice roll needed To Hit will depend on how accurate the firers are, as shown by their Ballistic Skill (or BS). The chart below shows the minimum D6 roll needed to score a hit.

For example, if the firing model is a Space Marine with a Ballistic Skill of 4, a roll of 3 or more would score a hit. An Ork Boy only has a Ballistic Skill of 2, which means that it will only hit its target on a roll of 5 or 6. To Hit rolls are easy to remember if you just subtract the Ballistic Skill of the firing model from 7. This will give you the number you need; e.g. a model with BS 2 needs to roll a 5 or more (7-2=5). Note that the minimum roll needed To Hit is always at least 2. When rolling To Hit, there is no such thing as an automatic hit and a roll of a 1 always misses.

Moving & Shooting Whether a model has moved or not can make a big difference to its ability to fire. Some guns are so heavy that they can only be used effectively if their firer halts completely to brace himself or set up his weapon on the ground. This is explained in more detail in the Weapons section. The most important thing to remember is that the effect movement has on shooting is applied on a model-by-model basis.

Snap Shots Under specific circ*mstances, models must fire Snap Shots – opportunistic bursts of fire ‘snapped’ off in the general direction of the target. The most common occurrences of Snap Shots are when models with Heavy weapons move and shoot in the same turn or when units make Overwatch shots. If a model is forced to make Snap Shots rather than shoot normally, then its Ballistic Skill is counted as being 1 for the purpose of those shots, unless it has a Ballistic Skill of 0 (in which case it may not shoot). The Ballistic Skill of a model firing a Snap Shot can only be modified by special rules that specifically state that they affect Snap Shots, along with any other restrictions (some may only modify Ballistic Skill when firing Overwatch Snap Shots, for example). If a special rule doesn’t specifically state that it affects Snap Shots, then the Snap Shot is resolved at Ballistic Skill 1.

Some weapon types, such as Template and Ordnance, or those that have certain special rules, such as Blast, cannot be fired as Snap Shots. In addition, any shooting attack that does not use Ballistic Skill cannot be ‘fired’ as a Snap Shot. These exceptions aside, Snap Shots are treated in the same manner as any other shooting attack made with a Ballistic Skill of 1. Hitting your target is not always enough to put it out of action. The shot might result in nothing more than a superficial graze or flesh wound.

Ballistic Skill of 6 or Better Very rarely, a model may have a Ballistic Skill of 6 or even more. If a model has BS 6 or higher, it gains a re-roll whenever it rolls a 1 To Hit with ranged attacks. The second roll usually has a lower chance of hitting, and the number needed is given in the chart below after the slash.

For example, a model with BS 7 fires a shot with its pistol. It rolls a 1, missing, but thanks to its exceptional Ballistic Skill, it can re-roll the dice. This time, however, it won’t hit on a 2 or better, but rather on a 5 or better. If a model has a special rule that already confers it a re-roll To Hit (like a Master-crafted weapon, for example), then that re-roll takes precedence and the chart above is not used. Instead, the chance of hitting with the re-roll is the same as the first shot, depending on the firer’s BS. Remember, a dice can only ever be re-rolled once!

ROLL TO WOUND To determine whether a hit causes a telling amount of damage, compare the weapon’s Strength characteristic with the target’s Toughness characteristic using the To Wound chart below. The number indicated on the chart is the minimum result on a D6 needed to convert the hit into a Wound. A value of ‘-’ indicates that the target cannot be wounded by the attack. Note that the minimum roll needed To Wound is always at least 2. When rolling To Wound, there is no such thing as an automatic Wound and a roll of a 1 always fails. Each weapon has its own Strength value, which is given in its profile or in the description of the weapon. Here are some examples of a few weapons and their Strength characteristics. Weapon - Strength Boltgun - 4 Plasma gun - 7 Lascannon - 9 For example, a Space Marine with a boltgun shoots at an Ork and hits it. A boltgun has a

Strength of 4 and the Ork has a Toughness of 4. Referring to the chart, a result of 4 or more is needed to convert the hit into damage. If the roll is 4 or more, the Ork takes a Wound.

Multiple Toughness Values Quite rarely, a unit will contain models with differing Toughness characteristics. When this occurs, roll To Wound using the Toughness characteristic that is in the majority in the target unit. If two or more Toughness values are tied for majority, use the highest of these tied values. For example, Nogg’s Grot Mob contains several Gretchin (Toughness 2) and an Ork Runtherd (Toughness 4), so the Gretchin’s Toughness of 2 is used for all models. If there are only two models in the unit (the Runtherd and a single Gretchin) when the rolls To Wound are made, the Ork’s Toughness of 4 is used for both models.

The Wound Pool Total up the number of Wounds you have caused with the weapons that are firing. Keep the dice that have scored Wounds and create a ‘pool’, where each dice represents a Wound. Sometimes an attack will gain a bonus or special rule depending on the results rolled To Hit or To Wound (for example, due to the Rending special rule).

If you caused any such Wounds, split them into separate Wound pools. All Wounds with exactly the same Strength, AP value and special rules must go into the same pool. If all the Wounds are the same, as will most often be the case, there will only be one Wound pool.

ALLOCATE WOUNDS & REMOVE CASUALTIES To determine how many casualties are caused, you will need to allocate the Wounds from the Wound pool and resolve any saving throws the target is allowed. If several pools of Wounds need to be allocated, the player making the attacks decides the order in which they are allocated. All of the Wounds from a single Wound pool must be allocated before moving on to the next Wounds pool.

Allocate Wounds First, allocate a Wound from the Wound pool to the enemy model closest to the firing unit, regardless of which model caused that Wound.

Closest Models Sometimes it will be unclear which model in a target unit is closest to the firing unit because there is no discernible difference between the firing unit and several models in the target unit. If two or more models are equidistant from the firing unit, the owning player chooses which model is attacked. That model is treated as being the closest model and remains so until either the firing unit’s attack ends or the model is slain.

Random Allocation On occasion, it will be impossible to determine which model is closest to an attack for Wound allocation purposes, usually because the attack doesn’t originate from an enemy unit, but from a lethal environmental hazard such as man-eating forests or lightning bolts lancing down from the sky. If you cannot determine the direction of an attack to work out which model in a unit is closest, or if a special rule refers to Random Allocation, do the following: randomly determine a model in the unit – that model is treated as being the closest model to the attack and remains so until either the attack ends or the model is slain. For the purposes of determining if the model is obscured, imagine the attack is coming from directly above its unit. If the model is slain and there are still Wounds left to allocate, simply randomise again if needs be.

Out of Range If none of the firing models are in range of a particular model in the target unit, then Wounds cannot be allocated to it. Note that, when determining if a model is out of range, always use the firing weapon’s maximum range, even if it was a Rapid Fire or Salvo weapon that was shooting at half range (it can be imagined that whilst these weapons sacrificed accuracy or mobility to gain extra shots, their shots still travel their full range and have luckily hit another enemy). If there are no models in the

target unit that are in range, all remaining Wounds in the pool are lost.

Out of Sight If none of the firing models can draw a line of sight to a particular model in the target unit, then Wounds cannot be allocated to it, and must instead be allocated to the nearest visible model in the target unit. If there are no visible models in the target unit, all remaining Wounds in the pool are lost.

Take Saves & Remove Casualties The model gets to make a saving throw, if it has one. If it fails, reduce that model’s Wounds by 1. If the model is reduced to 0 Wounds, remove it as a casualty. Continue allocating Wounds to the closest model, taking saves and removing casualties until the Wound pool is empty or all models in the unit have been removed as casualties.

Allocating Wounds

In this example, two Space Marines are firing at a unit of Orks. Space Marine X has a missile launcher whilst Space Marine Y has a boltgun. The Space Marine player can choose which weapon to shoot first. The firing player selects to shoot all missile launchers in his unit first (in this case it is just Space Marine X). He chooses to fire a krak missile, and hits and wounds. This Wound must be allocated to Ork A, even though Ork B is closer to the Space Marine X, because Ork A is closest to the Space Marine unit. After completely resolving the missile launcher attack, the Space Marine player then selects boltguns, and fires with Space Marine Y.

Instant Death Even though a creature might have multiple Wounds, there are plenty of weapons in the 41st Millennium that are powerful enough to kill it instantly. It can be imagined that the attack vaporises the target, burns it to ash, blasts it apart limb from limb or otherwise mortally slays it in a suitably graphic fashion.

Any Wound allocated to a model has the Instant Death special rule (see below) if the Strength value of that attack is at least double the Toughness value (after modifiers) of that model.

Instant Death: If a model suffers an unsaved Wound from an attack with this special rule, it is reduced to 0 Wounds and removed as a casualty.

Emptied Wound Pool When the Wound pool is empty, select a remaining pool and allocate Wounds from it. Once all of the Wound pools for an attack are empty, attacks from the currently selected weapon have been completely resolved.

SELECT ANOTHER WEAPON After the attacks from the currently selected weapon have been completely resolved, if the firing unit is equipped with a differently named shooting weapon that has yet to fire, you can now select it and shoot with it at the same target unit. This is resolved in exactly the same way as the first weapon you selected, but you may now find that due to the casualties you inflicted that there are now fewer models in the target unit in range. Remember, you can choose the order in which you fire and resolve the differently named weapons your unit is equipped with, so you may want to consider shooting the weapons with the shortest range first. Repeat this process until you have selected and resolved attacks from all the weapons in the firing unit. If a unit has no differently named weapons, or if it chooses not to fire any of them, you can choose another of your units to make your next shooting attack, or proceed to the Assault phase.

TYPES OF SAVING THROWS Few warriors take to the battlefield without some form of protection, whether it is a suit of armour or an energy force field. Furthermore, the battlefield itself can also offer protection. All these forms of protection are represented by saving throws (sometimes called saves), as we’ll now discuss.

Armour Saves Most troops wear some sort of protective clothing or armour, even if it’s only a helmet!

Some creatures may have a form of natural protection, such as chitinous exoskeletons or thick bony plates. If a model has an Armour Save characteristic of 6+ or better on its profile, it is allowed a further dice roll to see if the armour prevents the Wound. This is called an armour saving throw, or armour save, for short. To take an armour save, roll a D6 and compare the result to the Armour Save characteristic of the model that has been allocated the Wound. • If the dice result is equal to or higher than the model’s Armour Save characteristic, the Wound is stopped. • If the result is lower than the Armour Save value, the armour fails to protect its wearer and it suffers a Wound. This means that, unlike most characteristics, an Armour Save is better if it is a lower number. For example, a Space Marine wearing power armour is hit and wounded. Power armour grants an Armour Save of 3+, so a D6 is rolled resulting in a score of 5. The damage is therefore saved, and the Space Marine is unharmed – the shot bounces off his power armour. The following table shows how the minimum D6 score required varies between three types of armour: Armour Type - Sv Dark Eldar wychsuit - 6+ Astra Militarum flak armour - 5+ Space Marine power armour - 3+

Armour Piercing Weapons Some powerful weapons are quite capable of punching through even the thickest armour. This is shown by a weapon having an Armour Piercing characteristic, usually referred to as AP. Nearly all weapons have an Armour Piercing value. Some sample AP values for different weapons are shown below: Weapon - AP Boltgun - 5 Heavy bolter - 4 Lascannon - 2 The AP rating indicates the Armour Save the weapon can ignore – so lower means more powerful. A weapon shown as ‘AP-’ has no Armour Piercing value and will never ignore a target’s Armour Save.

• If the weapon’s Armour Piercing value is equal to or lower than the model’s Armour Save, then it is sufficiently powerful to punch straight through the armour; the target gets no Armour Save at all. The armour is ineffective against the shot. • If the weapon’s Armour Piercing value is higher than the armour, the target can take his save as normal. For example, a boltgun (AP5) can pierce Armour Saves of 5+ or 6+. A heavy bolter (AP4) can pierce Armour Saves of 4+, 5+ or 6+.

Invulnerable Saves Some warriors are protected by more than mere physical armour. They may be shielded by force fields, enveloped in mystical energies or have a constitution that can shrug off hits that would put holes in a battle tank. Models with wargear or abilities like these are allowed an invulnerable saving throw. Invulnerable saves are different to armour saves because they may always be taken whenever the model suffers a Wound or, in the case of vehicles, suffers a penetrating or glancing hit – the Armour Piercing value of attacking weapons has no effect on an invulnerable save. Even if a Wound, penetrating hit or glancing hit ignores all armour saves, an invulnerable saving throw can still be taken.

Cover Saves Often, you’ll find enemy models are partially hidden or obscured by terrain, which is also known as being in cover. Cover shields troops against flying debris and enemy shots, enabling them to get their heads down or crawl amongst the ruins and (hopefully) avoid harm. Where this is the case the model will be entitled to a cover save. Even if a Wound, penetrating hit or glancing hit ignores all armour saves, a cover saving throw can still be taken.

Determining Cover Saves If, when you come to allocate a Wound, the target model’s body (see General Principles) is at least 25% obscured from the point of view of at least one firer, Wounds allocated to that model receive a cover save. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all cover provides a 5+ save. Some types of terrain provide better or worse cover saves; when this is the case the cover save provided will be stated in the rules for the terrain.

Fast Dice If all models in a target unit have the same saving throw, it is quicker to make saves before allocating Wounds, and then allocate the unsaved Wounds starting with the closest enemy model. Even in units with mixed saves, it is not always necessary to allocate Wounds one at a time. You can instead allocate them in groups equal to however many models with the same, best save are nearest to the firing unit. For example, a unit of 17 Ork Boyz (Armour Save 6+) including an Ork Nob with ’eavy armour (Armour Save 4+) comes under attack from a unit of Imperial Guard. They suffer a total of 8 Wounds from the massed lasgun fire. Rather than allocate Wounds one at a time, the Ork player sees that there are 6 Orks with the same save at the front of the unit, before getting to a different save for the Ork Nob. He then picks up and rolls 6 saving throws, fails 4 of them and removes the 4 nearest Orks. This leaves 2 Wounds in the Wound pool and 2 Orks before getting to the Ork Nob. Therefore, he rolls the final 2 saves; he fails both and removes 2 more Orks.

Units in Cover The Space Marine squad has chosen to fire at the Ork mob ahead of them. The Ork mob is spread out with some models obscured behind cover and some out in the open. 3 Orks (circled in red) have a 4+ cover save as at least one firing model has his line of sight partially obscured by the ruin. 3 Orks (circled in blue) have no cover save as they are in the open, and 4 Orks (circled in green) have a 6+ cover save as they are within a crater.

Go to Ground If warriors come under fire, they may decide to keep their heads down to try and stay alive a little longer while they wait for extraction or reinforcements. After the enemy has rolled To Hit and To Wound against any of your nonvehicle units, but before any saves are made or Wounds allocated, you can declare that the unit is Going to Ground. To represent this, place a suitable marker next to the unit as a reminder. • Models in a unit that has Gone to Ground immediately receive +1 to their cover saving throws. • Models in open ground can still Go to Ground by diving to the floor (or using some other evasion technique) and receive a 6+ cover save, even if they are not 25% obscured. A unit that has Gone to Ground cannot move, Run or charge. It can only fire Snap Shots when it wishes to shoot, and cannot fire Overwatch. At the end of its following turn, the unit returns to normal, the marker is removed and the unit is free to act as normal from then on. Whilst it has Gone to Ground, a unit reacts normally if affected by enemy actions (for example, it takes Morale checks as normal). If the unit is forced to move, for example if it has to Fall Back, it returns to normal immediately – remove the marker. If assaulted, the unit will fight as usual, but because they are not set to receive the charge, enemy units do not receive the Initiative penalty for

assaulting a unit in difficult terrain, even if the unit is in difficult terrain. If a unit Goes to Ground from Overwatch, then the charge automatically fails.

Intervening Models If a target is partially obscured from the firer by models from a third unit (models not from the firer’s unit, or from the target unit), it receives a 5+ cover save in the same way as if it was behind terrain. Similarly, if a model fires through the gaps between models in an intervening unit, the target is in cover, even if it is completely visible to the firer. Note that this does not apply if the shots go over the unit, either because the firer has an elevated position or is firing a Barrage weapon, rather than through it. A successful cover save in this case might mean that the firer has not shot at all, missing the fleeting moment when the target was in its sights. This is because, in the case of intervening friends, the firer would be afraid of hitting his comrades, while in the case of intervening enemies, the firer is distracted by the more immediate threat. Scenic rocks and other decorative elements that players might have placed on the bases of their models are always ignored from the point of view of determining cover. You cannot take your cover with you! Note the exception that, in the same way as they can trace line of sight through members of their own unit, models can always shoot through members of their own unit without conferring or receiving a cover save.

Models With More Than One Save Sometimes, a model will have a normal Armour Save and a separate invulnerable save – a good example is a Space Marine Captain, who is protected by both power armour and a force field from his iron halo. As if this wasn’t enough, the model might be in cover as well. In these cases, a model only ever gets to make one saving throw, but it has the advantage of always using the best available save. If a model can benefit from different types of cover, for example, being behind a barricade (4+ cover save) that is also within a Citadel Wood (5+ cover save), the model uses the best cover save available (in this case 4+).

Maximum Save Some models gain additional benefits from rules that may increase any of their saves by +1 or +2 or even more. However, no save (armour, cover or invulnerable) can ever be improved beyond 2+. Regardless of what is giving the model its save, a roll of 1

always fails.

RUN At times, warriors may have to redeploy quickly, literally running from cover to cover or simply concentrating on movement and giving up their chance to shoot. In their Shooting phase, units may choose to Run instead of firing. Roll a D6 to determine the maximum Run distance for the entire unit. Models in the unit may then immediately move up to that distance in inches. They may choose not to move after the roll is made, but still count as having Run. Running movement is not slowed by difficult terrain but models running through dangerous terrain must test as normal. Units that Run in the Shooting phase cannot charge in the following Assault phase.

WEAPONS ‘In the blazing furnace of battle we shall forge anew the iron will of a yet stronger race.’ By the 41st Millennium, warfare has spawned innumerable weapons, from the simple laspistol to the barely controllable plasma cannon. In this section, we describe how the myriad types of weapon work in the Warhammer 40,000 game.

WEAPON PROFILES Every weapon has a profile. Here are two examples:

Range If the weapon’s range contains a ‘-’, it is (unless otherwise stated) a Melee weapon. If it contains a number, or ‘Template’ or ‘Hellstorm’, it is a shooting weapon. The number given here is the range measured in inches. If it has two numbers, the first is its minimum range (see Barrage) and the second its maximum range. If the weapon’s range is given as ‘Template’ or ‘Hellstorm’, then it uses a teardrop-shaped template.

Strength If the weapon’s Strength is ‘User’, then attacks made with that weapon are resolved at the wielder’s Strength value. If the weapon has a fixed Strength, i.e. a number between 1 and 10, this is the Strength of attacks made with that weapon. If a weapon has a D instead of a Strength value in its

profile, it means it is a Destroyer weapon. For example, if an Imperial Guardsman (Strength 3) makes a shooting attack with a lasgun (Strength 3), his shots are resolved at Strength 3. If he shoots with a heavy bolter (Strength 5), his shots are resolved at Strength 5. If the weapon confers a Strength bonus, the Strength of the weapon’s attacks is equal to that of the user after any such modifiers have been applied. For example, if an Imperial Guardsman (Strength 3) attacks with a weapon with Strength ×2, his attack is Strength 6 (3×2). If he attacks with a weapon with Strength +1, his attacks are Strength 4 (3+1).

Armour Piercing (AP) This value shows how good the weapon is at punching through armour. The lower the number, the better the weapon is at piercing armour, cancelling the target’s armour save. The rules for armour saves and AP values can be found in the Shooting phase section.

Type A shooting weapon always has one of the following types: Assault, Bomb, Heavy, Ordnance, Pistol, Primary Weapon, Rapid Fire or Salvo. These rules (found below) measure a weapon’s portability and affect the way they can be fired, depending on whether or not the model carrying them moved that turn. A shooting weapon can only be used to make shooting attacks.

Melee Type Weapons with the Melee type can only be used in close combat.

Number of Shots Some shooting weapons fire multiple shots. Where this is the case, the number of shots a weapon fires is noted after its type. For example, a multi-laser is a Heavy weapon that fires three shots each Shooting phase, so its type is Heavy 3. Remember that the player can decide that any model in a firing unit is not going to fire its weapon. However, if a model does fire, it must do so at full effect (so it cannot fire only two shots from its Heavy 3 weapon). Some weapons can be used in different ways, representing different power settings or types of ammo. Some weapons can be used in combat as well as shooting. Where this is the case, there will be a separate line in the weapon’s profile for each, and you can choose which to use each turn.

If a weapon has a D6, D3 or another randomly determined amount for the number of shots, roll the appropriate dice to work out how many shots are fired each time the model shoots.

Special Rules The type section of a weapon’s profile also includes any special rules that apply to the weapon in question. More information on these can be found either in the special rules section or in the codex or army list entry the weapon is found in.

CLOSE COMBAT WEAPONS Many weapons (combat knives, maces, axes and other improvised or primitive weapons) don’t confer any Strength bonuses, AP values or special rules. These weapons are simply referred to as ‘close combat weapon’ in the model’s wargear and have the following profile:

No Specified Melee Weapon If a model is not specifically stated as having a weapon with the Melee type, it is treated as being armed with a single close combat weapon.

Pistols as Close Combat Weapons A pistol can be used as a close combat weapon. If this is done, use the profile given above – the Strength, AP and special rules of the pistol’s shooting profile are ignored.

MORE THAN ONE WEAPON Unless otherwise stated, if a model has more than one shooting weapon, he must choose which one to shoot – he cannot fire both in the same Shooting phase. If a model has more than one Melee weapon, he must choose which one to attack with when he comes to strike blows – he cannot mix and match the abilities of several different Melee weapons. However, it’s worth remembering that if a model has two or more Melee weapons he gains +1 attack in close combat.

ASSAULT WEAPONS Assault weapons are fired by warriors as they move forwards into combat. They either fire

so rapidly or indiscriminately that they don’t have to do much more than point and shoot. For example, a flamer is a weapon that fires a gout of burning fuel, so it’s just as accurate whether the firer is moving or not. This means they are very good for advancing on the foe! A model shooting an Assault weapon shoots the number of times indicated on its profile – whether or not the bearer has moved. A model carrying an Assault weapon can fire it in the Shooting phase and still charge into close combat in the Assault phase.

HEAVY WEAPONS These are heavy, man-portable weapons, such as missile launchers, or lighter weapons that require reloading between each shot, careful set-up or bracing to counter their recoil. When shooting, a model with a Heavy weapon shoots the number of times indicated. If a model carrying a Heavy weapon moved in the preceding Movement phase, he can fire it in the Shooting phase but only as Snap Shots. Remember that weapons with the Blast special rule cannot fire Snap Shots. Models that shoot with Heavy weapons in the Shooting phase cannot charge in the ensuing Assault phase.

ORDNANCE WEAPONS Ordnance weapons are the big guns of the battlefield – cannons so vast they normally have to be mounted on tanks and artillery. When shooting, a model with an Ordnance weapon fires the number of times indicated in its profile after its type. A non-vehicle model carrying an Ordnance weapon cannot fire it in the Shooting phase if he moved in the preceding Movement phase. Ordnance weapons cannot fire Snap Shots. Furthermore, if a non-vehicle model fires an Ordnance weapon, then the massive recoil from the Ordnance weapon means that the model cannot fire other weapons that phase, nor will it be able to charge in the ensuing Assault phase. Ordnance weapons hit with such force that when you roll to penetrate a vehicle’s armour with an Ordnance weapon, roll two dice instead of one and pick the highest result!

PISTOL WEAPONS Pistols are light enough to be carried and fired one-handed, but with limited range, allowing a trooper to fight in close combat with a pistol and sword or other melee weapon. Pistols are effectively Assault 1 weapons. A Pistol also counts as a close combat weapon in the Assault phase.

Gunslinger All models with two Pistols can fire both in the Shooting phase. This follows the normal rules for shooting.

RAPID FIRE WEAPONS Rapid Fire weapons are very common and usually come in the form of semi-automatic rifles. Their versatility means they can be fired effectively ‘from the hip’ when a squad is advancing, spraying shots into the enemy whenever they present themselves, or instead, used for aimed single shots against targets at greater distances. A model armed with a Rapid Fire weapon can fire two shots at a target up to half the weapon’s maximum range away. Alternatively, it can instead fire one shot at a target over half the weapon’s range away, up to the weapon’s maximum range. If a unit shooting Rapid Fire weapons is found to be partially within half range of the target, the firing models within half range fire two shots, while those further away fire one. Models that shoot with Rapid Fire weapons in the Shooting phase cannot charge in the ensuing Assault phase.

‘A good soldier obeys without question. A good officer commands without doubt.’ - Tactica Imperium

SALVO WEAPONS Salvo weapons are essentially more destructive Rapid Fire weapons. Salvo weapons have two numbers on their profile (listed after their type) separated by a ‘/’. A model armed with a Salvo weapon can move and fire at a target up to half its maximum range away. In this case, the number of shots is equal to the first number. If the model has not moved, it can instead fire a greater number of shots at a target up to the weapon’s maximum range. In this case, the number of shots is equal to the second number. Models that shoot with Salvo weapons in the Shooting phase cannot charge in the ensuing Assault phase.

BOMBS Bombs are high explosive or incredibly powerful munitions that are dropped by aircraft or flying alien behemoths as they swoop over their hapless targets. Bombs are weapon types unique to Flyers and Flying Monstrous Creatures. All Bombs have the One Use Only special rule. Unlike other weapons, Bombs must be used in the Movement phase of their turn, in a special kind of attack called a Bombing Run. A model can only drop one Bomb in its Movement phase. If a model drops a Bomb, it counts as having already fired one weapon in its ensuing Shooting phase, and may not move Flat Out. However, any additional weapons it fires that turn can choose a different target to that of the Bomb.

Bombing Runs To make a Bombing Run, a Flyer must be Zooming; a Flying Monstrous Creature must be

Swooping. Move the model that is making the Bombing Run, and then nominate one model that it passed over. Place the blast marker for the Bomb so that the central hole on the marker is over the target model, and roll a scatter dice. If a Hit! is rolled, the attack is on target and the marker is not moved. If an arrow is rolled, move the marker D6" in that direction. Once the final position has been determined, resolve the effects as described in the Bomb’s profile. Casualties caused by Bombs are removed as per Barrage weapons.

Designer’s Note Certain older publications may describe a bomb using the ‘Assault’ or ‘Heavy’ weapon type alongside a Bomb special rule. Where this is the case, follow the rules for the Bomb type described here instead.

PRIMARY WEAPON Primary weapons are typically only mounted on super-heavy war machines and vast defensive positions. A model shooting a Primary weapon shoots the number of times indicated on its profile – whether or not the bearer has moved. A model carrying a Primary weapon can fire it in the Shooting phase and still charge into close combat in the Assault phase. In addition, when you roll for armour penetration with hits caused by a Primary weapon, roll two dice instead of one and pick the highest result. If the weapon rolls 2D6 for armour penetration (because of the Armourbane special rule, for example), roll three dice instead of two and pick the two highest results.

Rapid Fire Weapons (firer cannot assault)

A model using a Rapid Fire weapon can shoot once at maximum range. Alternatively, if the target is within half the maximum range, it can fire twice.

Pistol Weapons (firer can assault)

A Pistol can shoot once up to its maximum range, whether the firer moved or not.

Assault Weapons (firer can assault)

An Assault weapon can always shoot the number of times indicated and up to its maximum range, regardless of whether the firer moved or not.

Heavy Weapons (firer cannot assault)

If a model with a Heavy weapon remains stationary it can fire the number of times indicated (at its normal Ballistic Skill) up to the maximum range of the weapon. If the firer moved, it can only fire Snap Shots with its Heavy weapon.

Salvo Weapons (firer cannot assault)

If a model with a Salvo weapon remains stationary, it can fire the number of times indicated by the larger number, up to the maximum range of the weapon. If the firer moved, it can only fire the number of times indicated by the smaller number, up to half the maximum range of the weapon.

THE ASSAULT PHASE ‘There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter and the laughter of thirsting gods.’ While firepower alone may be enough to drive an enemy back from open ground or lightly held positions, shifting a determined foe from a fortified bunker or ruined settlement will need more direct measures. In an assault, troops storm forwards into a furious close combat, screaming their battle cries, eager to strike at their foes with shrieking chainswords, glittering power weapons (and not a few gun butts, knives and desperate fists).

Assault Phase Summary The Assault phase is split into two sub-phases: the Charge sub-phase and the Fight sub-phase.

Charge Sub-phase In the Charge sub-phase, you declare charges and your models move into close combat. Close combat is where two units from opposing armies are in base contact with each other. If there are more than two units, it is called a multiple combat and discussed later in this section. 1. Declare Charge. 2. Resolve Overwatch. 3. Roll Charge Range (2D6" unless otherwise stated). 4. Charge Move. 5. Declare Next Charge or Finish Charge Sub-phase.

Fight Sub-phase The Fight sub-phase is when models from both sides make their melee attacks. 1. Choose a Combat. 2. Fight Close Combat.

3. Determine Assault Results. 4. Choose Next Combat or Finish Assault Phase.

CHARGE SUB-PHASE It’s time for your warriors to hurl themselves into close combat and carry the day through bitter melee. To resolve a charge, use the following procedure: • First, pick one of your units, and declare which enemy unit it wishes to charge. • Then, the target enemy unit gets to make a special kind of shooting attack called Overwatch (see below). • Once Overwatch is resolved, roll the charge distance for the unit and, if it is in range, move it into contact with the enemy unit – this is sometimes called ‘launching an assault’.

Once this has been done, you can either choose to declare a charge with another unit, or proceed to the Fight sub-phase.

DECLARE CHARGE Choose a unit in your army that is declaring a charge and nominate the enemy unit(s) it is attempting to charge. A unit can never declare a charge against a unit that it cannot reach, nor can it declare a charge against a unit that it cannot see, though it is allowed to charge an enemy unit it is impossible for it to harm. This means that a charge can usually only be declared on a unit up to 12" away (the maximum charge range for most models, as we’ll discover later). Some units are disallowed from charging. Common reasons a unit is not allowed to declare a charge include: • The unit is already locked in close combat. • The unit Ran in the Shooting phase. • The unit has Gone to Ground. • The unit shot Rapid Fire weapons, Salvo weapons, Ordnance weapons or Heavy weapons in the Shooting phase. This even applies if Snap Shots were made with these weapons. • The unit is Falling Back. • The unit is a Flying Monstrous Creature that changed flight modes during this turn. In addition to the above, a unit that fired in the Shooting phase can only charge the unit that it targeted during that turn’s Shooting phase.

RESOLVE OVERWATCH Few warriors sit idly by when an enemy horde descends upon them, but let fly with every weapon at their command. Though such shots are often inaccurate (there’s not much time to aim, and there’s something distinctly off-putting about the onset of a bellowing foe), each has a chance of felling an enemy and altering the balance of the ensuing melee before it even begins. In fact, a particularly lucky burst of Overwatch fire can rob a charge of so much momentum that it comes to a stumbling halt! As soon as a charge has been declared against one of your units, that unit can immediately fire Overwatch at the would-be attacker – it doesn’t have to, but it’s often a good idea. An Overwatch attack is resolved like a normal shooting attack (albeit one resolved in the enemy’s Assault phase) and uses all the normal rules for range, line of sight, cover saves and so on. Unlike a normal shooting attack, Overwatch cannot cause Morale checks

or Pinning tests. Any shots fired as Overwatch can only be fired as Snap Shots. Therefore, weapons and models that cannot fire Snap Shots cannot fire Overwatch.

Overwatch Restrictions It is worth pointing out that units that are locked in close combat cannot fire Overwatch – we can assume that other events have their full attention. Also note that a unit being charged may only fire Overwatch once per turn.

ROLL CHARGE RANGE Once all Overwatch shots have been resolved, the controller of the charging unit rolls to determine his unit’s charge distance. There are myriad factors that can speed or slow a charging unit as it launches itself forward. Roll 2D6. This is your charge range – the number of inches your assaulting unit can charge. This total is important, so remember it. If a unit has models that roll differently for their charge range, the whole unit must charge at the speed of the slowest model.

CHARGE MOVE The charging unit now moves into close combat with the unit(s) it has declared a charge against – this is called a charge move.

Moving Charging Models Charging units must attempt to move into base contact with as many opposing models in the enemy unit as possible with as many of their models as possible – no holding back or trying to avoid terrain! All of the models in a charging unit make their charge move – up to the 2D6 distance you rolled earlier – following the same rules as in the Movement phase, with the exception that they can be moved within 1" of enemy models. Charging models still cannot move through friendly or enemy models, and cannot move into base contact with enemy models from a unit they are not charging (a unit can charge more than one enemy unit by declaring a multiple charge – this is described in the Multiple Combats section).

Move Initial Charger Start each charge by moving the initial charger from the charging unit. The initial charger is always the model nearest to the enemy (as measured by the shortest possible route, going around impassable terrain, friendly models and enemy models in other units). Move the initial charger into contact with the nearest enemy model in the unit being

charged, using the shortest possible route. Roll for dangerous terrain if necessary, and if the model is killed by a Dangerous Terrain test, choose a new initial charger and try again. After moving the first model in the unit, you can move the others in any sequence you desire, providing you abide by the following conditions: • A charging model must end its charge move in unit coherency with another model in its own unit that has already moved. • If possible, a charging model must move into base contact with an enemy model within reach that is not already in base contact with another charging model. If there are no such enemy models in reach, the model must move into base contact with an enemy model that is already in base contact with a charging model. • If a charging model cannot reach any enemy models, it must try to move within 2" horizontally or 6" vertically of one of its own unit’s models that is already in base contact with an enemy. If this is impossible, it must simply stay in unit coherency. If you follow this sequence, you will end up with all the models in the charging unit in unit coherency, having engaged as many enemy models as possible with as many charging models as possible. The two units are now locked in combat (see below).

Charging Through Difficult Terrain

The Eldar Fire Dragon unit at the top has declared a charge against the Space Marine unit on the bottom. As they must attempt to move into base contact

with as many enemy models as possible, two of the Fire Dragons (circled in green) must move through a crater. This means the whole unit counts as charging through difficult terrain. They roll 2D6 when determining their charge range but must subtract 2 from their result. In addition, if their charge is successful, all of the Fire Dragons will strike at Initiative 1 as they have charged through difficult terrain. This only affects the Initiative step they will fight at during the turn in which they charged the enemy.

Charging Through Difficult Terrain Models are slowed when charging through difficult terrain. If, when charging, one or more models have to move through difficult terrain in order to reach the enemy by the shortest possible route, the entire unit must subtract 2 from its dice roll total when determining its charge range. Normally, this means that if a unit rolls a double 1 and they are charging through difficult terrain, it will automatically be a failed charge. For example, Phalanx 10001111, a unit of Necron Warriors, is charging through ruins, which are difficult terrain. They roll 2D6, resulting in a 4 and a 6. The dice are added together and then 2 is subtracted from the total to give a total charge range of 8" (4+62=8). Warriors who charge through difficult terrain are subject to deadly salvoes of close range fire and must advance more cautiously. To represent this, if at least one model in the charging unit moved through difficult terrain as part of its charge move, all of the unit’s models must attack at Initiative step 1, regardless of other Initiative modifiers, even if the charging unit is not slowed by difficult terrain. Remember that charging models must engage as many enemies in the target unit as possible.

Charging Through Dangerous Terrain In addition to the penalties for charging through difficult terrain, if any model in a charging unit goes through dangerous terrain, that model must immediately take a Dangerous Terrain test. If a model has a rule that states it is not slowed when charging through difficult terrain, it is not slowed by charging through dangerous terrain either, but it must still take a Dangerous Terrain test.

Charging Units That Have Gone to Ground If all of the enemy units charged have Gone to Ground, the Initiative penalty for charging through difficult terrain does not apply, and the unit charging through difficult terrain fights at its normal Initiative.

Failed Charge If the initial charger is found to be further than its charge range from the enemy, the charge fails and no models are moved.

DECLARE NEXT CHARGE Once all models in a charging unit have moved, the player can choose another unit and declare another charge if he wishes.

ENDING THE CHARGE SUB-PHASE Once you have launched all of the charges you wish to, the Charge sub-phase is ended. Move on to the Fight sub-phase.

LOCKED IN COMBAT If a unit has one or more models in base contact with an enemy model (for any reason), then it is locked in combat. Units that are locked in close combat must fight in the Assault phase. Units are no longer locked in combat if, at end of any phase, they no longer have any models in base contact with an enemy model. Units that are locked in combat cannot move in the Movement phase, Run or shoot in the Shooting phase, and cannot fire Overwatch if charged. Similarly, models cannot shoot at units locked in close combat – while some commanders may wish their warriors to fire indiscriminately into the middle of close combats in the hopes of hitting the enemy, this is not permitted. The events in a close combat move too quickly and the warriors themselves will be understandably hesitant about firing on their comrades. While blast markers and templates cannot be deliberately placed such that they cover any models locked in combat, they may end up there after scattering and will then cause hits on any units they touch (friends and foes!) as normal. Units that are locked in close combat do not take Morale checks or Pinning tests caused by shooting attacks and cannot go to ground; they are much too focused on fighting to be worried about being shot at!

FIGHT SUB-PHASE With all the assaults launched, it’s time to strike blows! How effective creatures are in close combat depends almost entirely on their physical characteristics – how fast, strong, tough and ferocious they are. In close combat, armour remains useful for warding off your enemies’ attacks, but ranged weapons become a secondary consideration – the best gun in the galaxy won’t save you if your opponent is bashing your brains out with a rock!

CHOOSE A COMBAT There may be several separate assaults being fought at the same time in different parts of the battlefield. If this is the case, the player whose turn it is chooses the order to resolve the combats, completing each combat before moving on to the next one, and so on until all combats are resolved.

FIGHT CLOSE COMBAT In close combat, both players’ models fight. Attacks in close combat work like shots in shooting – each attack that hits has a chance to wound. The wounded model gets a

chance to save, and if it fails, is (generally) removed as a casualty. How many blows are struck and who strikes first is detailed later.

Initiative Step In close combat, slow, lumbering opponents can often be dispatched quickly by faster and more agile foes. However, many ponderous opponents are tough enough to withstand a vicious pummelling and keep coming back for more. To represent this, a model’s Initiative determines when he attacks in close combat. Work your way through the Initiative values of the models in the combat, starting with the highest and ending with the lowest. This means that each combat will have ten Initiative steps, starting at Initiative 10 and working down to Initiative 1. You’ll rarely have models fighting at all of the Initiative steps, so just skip any that don’t apply. Models make their attacks when their Initiative step is reached, assuming they haven’t already been killed by a model with a higher Initiative! If both sides have models with the same Initiative, their attacks are made simultaneously. Note that certain situations, abilities and weapons can modify a model’s Initiative. For example, Space Marine Tactical Squad Adrax consists of Sergeant Adrax and 4 Space Marines (Initiative 4). Sergeant Adrax has a power fist (the Unwieldy special rule of which causes him to attack at Initiative step 1). Squad Adrax charges Gnashrag’s Choppas, a mob of 10 Orks (Initiative 2). The Space Marines strike first at Initiative step 4, followed by the Orks at Initiative step 2, then Sergeant Adrax strikes with his power fist last at Initiative step 1.

Who Can Fight?

All of the Guardians in base contact with a Space Marine, as well as the ones within 2” of a Guardian that is in base contact with a Space Marine, are engaged and can therefore attack. The remaining Guardians (circled in red) cannot attack, although they are locked in combat (pg 47).

Start of Initiative Step Pile In At the start of each Initiative step, any model whose Initiative is equal to the value of the current Initiative step, that isn’t already in base contact with an enemy model, must make a Pile In move. Models that charged through difficult terrain Pile In at Initiative step 1. In addition, models that are using a weapon which modifies the Initiative step in which they fight will Pile In at the modified Initiative step. If a model can attack in several Initiative steps, it only Piles In at the highest of these steps. A Pile In move is a 3" move that is performed in the following order: • First, any models Pile In if this will bring them into base contact with an enemy locked in this combat. • Second, any models Pile In if this will bring them to within 2" horizontally or 6" vertically of a friendly model that is in base contact with an enemy locked in this combat. • Any remaining models that are not in base contact with one or more enemy models and have yet to Pile In must now do so, and must attempt to get as close as possible to one or more of the enemy units locked in this combat. Pile In moves follow the same rules as charge moves, except that they are not slowed by difficult terrain (though Dangerous Terrain will still trigger Dangerous Terrain tests). In addition, a Pile In move cannot be used to move into base contact with any units that are not already involved in the close combat. When making Pile In moves, the player whose turn it is moves his unit(s) first. If both players’ Pile In moves combined would be insufficient to bring any combatants back together (that’s more than 6" – very unlikely!), the assault comes to an end. All remaining Initiative steps are lost – work out the assault result as described below.

Determine Who Can Fight After models have Piled In, any model whose Initiative is equal to the value of the current Initiative step and who is engaged with an enemy model must fight. A model is engaged in combat if: • It is in base contact with one or more enemy models. • It is within 2" horizontally and/or 6" vertically of a friendly model in base contact with one or more enemy models in the same combat.

Unengaged Models Unengaged models cannot attack in close combat – they’re too far from the crush of battle.

Number of Attacks Each engaged model makes a number of attacks (A) as indicated on its characteristics profile, plus the following bonus attacks: • +1 Charge Bonus: Engaged models that charged this turn get +1 Attack this turn. Models in units that made a disordered charge do not get this bonus. • +1 Two Weapons: Engaged models with two single-handed weapons (often a Melee weapon and/or pistol in each hand) get +1 Attack. Models with more than two weapons gain no additional benefit; you only get one extra Attack, even if you have four arms and a sword in each. • Other Bonuses: Models may have other special rules and wargear that confer extra Attacks. For example, a unit of five Orks with two Melee weapons rolls fifteen dice (2 Attacks on their profile +1 for two weapons = 3 each). If they were charging, however, they would roll twenty (2 Attacks on their profile +1 for charging +1 for two weapons = 4 each!).

Roll To Hit To determine whether hits are scored, roll a D6 for each Attack a model gets to make and compare the WS of the attacking model to the WS of the target unit. Then, consult the To Hit chart below to find the minimum result needed on a D6 To Hit. It is worth explaining the mechanic behind the chart: if the target’s WS is lower than the attacker’s, he is hit on 3+; if the target’s WS is equal or up to twice as high as the attacker’s, he is hit on 4+; and if it is more than twice as high, he is hit on 5+. Where the same roll To Hit is needed, the dice should be rolled together (use different coloured dice for Attacks with different Strengths, AP etc.), as this speeds up the game. In the previous example, the Ork player therefore rolls all twenty dice at once.

Units With Multiple Weapon Skills A few units contain models with different Weapon Skills. Whilst each model in such a unit rolls To Hit using its own Weapon Skill, Attacks made against such a unit are resolved using the Weapon Skill of the majority of the engaged enemy models. If two or more Weapon Skill values are tied for majority, use the highest of those tied values. For example, a mob of 20 Gretchin (Weapon Skill 2) led by an Ork Runtherd (Weapon Skill 4) are engaged in a combat. Since the Gretchin are in the majority, close combat attacks against the unit are resolved using their Weapon Skill of 2 – the Runtherd can’t do much to prevent the Gretchin getting hit. However, when the Gretchin and Runtherd

attack their enemies, the Gretchin will hit based on a comparison of their Weapon Skill 2 and the enemy’s Weapon Skill, while the Runtherd will compare his Weapon Skill 4 with the enemy’s Weapon Skill – he’s got a better chance of hitting the enemy than a measly grot!

Roll To Wound Not all of the Attacks that hit will harm the enemy – they may merely graze or inflict a flesh wound. As with shooting, once you have scored a hit with an Attack, you must roll a D6 for each successful hit to see if you cause a Wound and damage your foe. Consult the chart above, cross-referencing the attacker’s Strength characteristic with the defender’s Toughness. The chart indicates the minimum result on a D6 roll required to inflict a Wound, and is just like the one in the Shooting phase section. A ‘-’ indicates that the target cannot be Wounded by the Attack. In most cases, when rolling To Wound in close combat, you use the Strength on the attacker’s profile regardless of what weapon he is using. However, there are some Melee weapons that give the attacker a Strength bonus, and this is explained later in the Weapons section. For example, in a unit containing Gretchin and an Ork Runtherd, the Gretchin’s Attacks are made with their puny Strength of 2, but the Runtherd’s Attacks use his Strength of 3.

Multiple Toughness Values Quite rarely, a unit will contain models that have different Toughness characteristics. When this occurs, roll To Wound using the Toughness value of the majority of the engaged foe. If two or more Toughness values are tied for majority, use the highest of those tied values. For example, the Court of Krusabael the Black, a Dark Eldar Archon (Toughness 3), consists not only of Krusabael, but three Sslyth (Toughness 5) and two Ur-Ghuls (Toughness 3). You would therefore roll To Wound against Toughness 5. If the unit was joined by a Haemonculus (Toughness 4), you’d still use the Sslyths’ Toughness 5.

The Wound Pool Finally, total up the number of Wounds you have caused during that Initiative step. Keep the dice that have scored Wounds and create a ‘pool’, where each dice represents a Wound. If there are Wounds with different Strengths, AP values or special rules that affect saving throws or the effect of any Wounds they inflict, split them into several pools of Wounds. All Wounds with exactly the same Strength, AP value and special rules must go into the same pool. If all the Wounds are the same, there will be only one Wound pool.

Allocate Wounds & Remove Casualties To determine how many casualties are caused at a particular Initiative step, you will need to allocate the Wounds caused and resolve any saving throws the target is allowed. If several pools of Wounds need to be allocated, the player making the Attacks must decide in which order they are allocated. All Wounds from a single pool must be allocated

before moving on to the next pool of Wounds. Wounds are allocated and resolved starting with the closest model, just like in the Shooting phase. However, as you’ll often have many models in base contact with the enemy, there will be many models tied for the privilege of dying first. To resolve casualty removal, allocate each Wound as follows: • A Wound must be allocated to an enemy model in base contact with a model attacking at that Initiative step. If there is more than one eligible candidate, the player controlling the models being attacked chooses which model it is allocated to. Roll the model’s saving throw (if it has one) and remove the casualty (if necessary). • If there are no enemy models in base contact with a model attacking at that Initiative step, the Wound is allocated to the next closest enemy model locked in that combat. If two or more models are equidistant from the attack, the player controlling the models being attacked chooses which model is closest. Take any save and remove the casualty (if necessary). In either case, once a model has a Wound allocated to it during an Initiative step, you must continue to allocate Wounds to it until it is either removed as a casualty or the Wound pool is empty. Note that all of the models in the target unit may be hit, wounded and removed as casualties during an Initiative step, including those that are not engaged. You can speed this process up by allocating Wounds in groups (see Fast Dice).

Allocating Wounds

The four Assault Marines’ Attacks cause 9 Wounds. Wounds must first be allocated amongst the Orks in base contact with the Assault Marines (red). Once all of the Orks in base contact have been removed as casualties, the remaining Wounds are allocated to the Orks closest to the Assault Marines (orange).

Cover Saves Models do not get cover saves against any Wounds suffered from close combat attacks, and for obvious reasons, cannot Go to Ground – there is nowhere to hide!

Armour Saving Throws Models can take armour saves to prevent Wounds caused in close combat – provided that their armour is good enough, of course! As in the Shooting phase, if the Wound is caused by a weapon with an AP that ignores the wounded model’s Armour Save, then the save cannot be taken.

Invulnerable Saves An invulnerable save can be made, if it is the best save available. It can even be made if a model is not permitted to take an armour save (because the AP of the attack negates it or the rules for a weapon or Attack state that no armour save is allowed).

Dead Before Striking If a model is removed as a casualty before its Initiative step, it cannot strike back. When striking blows simultaneously, it may be convenient to resolve one side’s attacks and simply turn the dead models around to remind you that they have yet to attack back.

Fight Next Initiative Step Fight the next Initiative step as previously described until all the Initiative steps have been completed (remember to skip Initiative steps which have no models in them).

DETERMINE ASSAULT RESULTS Assaults are usually decisive; one side or the other quickly gains the upper hand and forces their foe back. Good Leadership can keep a side in the fight, but the casualties that each side inflicts are usually the most telling factor. To decide who has won the combat, total up the number of unsaved Wounds inflicted by each side onto their opponents. This includes all Wounds caused during the Fight sub-phase, whether from normal Attacks, the Hammer of Wrath special rule, or other factors. Do not include Wounds caused in the Charge sub-phase, such as those from Overwatch, failed dangerous terrain tests, etc. The side that caused the most Wounds is the winner. The losing unit must make a Morale check and Falls Back if it fails. If both sides suffer the same number of Wounds, the combat is drawn and continues next turn. Of course, if one side destroys the enemy completely, it wins automatically, even if it sustained more casualties! Wounds that have been negated by saving throws or special rules do not count towards determining who won the combat. Neither do Wounds in excess of a model’s Wounds characteristic; only the Wounds actually suffered by enemy models count (including all of the Wounds lost by models that have suffered Instant Death). In rare cases, certain models can cause Wounds on themselves or their friends – these Wounds are added to the other side’s total for working out who has won.

Check Morale Units that lose a close combat must make a Morale check to hold their ground, with a penalty depending on how severe the defeat was. • If they pass, the unit fights on – the combat is effectively drawn and no further account is made of the unit’s defeat. • If the unit fails, they abandon the fight and Fall Back. Morale checks and Falling Back are covered in the Morale section.

Our Weapons are Useless If a unit is locked in combat with an enemy it cannot hurt, it can choose to automatically fail its Morale check for losing a combat. This can be a risky tactic, but sometimes worthwhile.

Sweeping Advances When a unit Falls Back from combat, the victors make a Sweeping Advance, attempting to cut down their fleeing foes. When a Sweeping Advance is performed, both the unit Falling Back and the winning unit roll a D6 and add their unmodified Initiative to the result. In a unit with mixed Initiative characteristics, use the highest – we can assume the quicker-witted individuals in the unit guide the others. The units then compare their totals. • If the winner’s total (Initiative + dice roll) is equal to or greater than the foe’s, the Falling Back unit is caught by the Sweeping Advance and destroyed. We assume that the already demoralised foe is comprehensively scattered, ripped apart or otherwise sent packing so demoralised that they won’t return; its members are left either dead, wounded and captured, or at best, fleeing and hiding. The destroyed unit is immediately removed as casualties. Unless otherwise specified, no save or other special rule can rescue the unit at this stage; for them the battle is over. • If the Falling Back unit’s total is higher, they break off from the combat successfully. Make a Fall Back move for the losing unit. The winners can then consolidate as detailed below.

Disallowed Sweeping Advances If a victorious unit is still locked in combat with other units that are not Falling Back, it does not get a chance to execute a Sweeping Advance and the retreating enemy automatically makes their Fall Back move safely. Some units, as detailed in their special rules, are not permitted to make Sweeping Advances – when a victorious unit contains one or more models that are not allowed to make a Sweeping Advance, the enemy always manages to disengage safely – there is no need to roll.

End of Combat Pile In After the combat has been resolved, it can happen that some models from units that did not Fall Back are not in base contact with an enemy. These models must make a Pile In move, starting with the side whose turn it is.

Consolidation At the end of a combat, if a unit’s opponents are all either destroyed or Falling Back, or the end of combat Pile In was insufficient so that it is no longer locked in combat, that unit may Consolidate. Consolidating units move up to D6" in any direction as the sudden victory may leave the warriors raring to storm onwards or flat-footed and dumbfounded, according to the vagaries of fate. Units making a Consolidation move are not slowed by difficult terrain but do trigger Dangerous Terrain tests where appropriate. A Consolidation move cannot be used to move into base contact with any enemy models. Consolidating models must stop at least 1" away from all enemy models, including any that have just Fallen Back from the combat that the Consolidating unit has fought in.

MULTIPLE COMBATS Combats that involve more than two units are called multiple combats (see the diagram opposite for an example). These occur when one unit charges two or more enemy units, or when a unit charges into an ongoing combat. Because of the extra complexity, they need some additional rules.

CHARGE SUB-PHASE Sometimes, you’ll find it advantageous to have one of your units charge two or more enemy units – this works as follows.

Declare Charge We break a multiple charge declaration into two different categories: the primary target, and secondary targets.

Primary and Secondary Targets The primary target is the charging unit’s main target. If the charging unit shot in the Shooting phase, it can only declare a charge if its primary target is the unit it targeted. Secondary targets are other targets of opportunity that you think the charging unit can engage at the same time as the primary assault. Remember that a unit cannot declare a charge against a unit it cannot reach or cannot see, and all targets being charged by the unit must be declared at the same time.

Disordered Charge

If a unit declares that it is charging multiple units, its charge is disordered. A unit making a disordered charge does not gain the +1 Charge Bonus to its number of Attacks usually gained from a charge, even if after its charge move it has no models in base contact with the secondary target.

Resolve Multiple Overwatch If a unit declares a charge against two or more target units, all of the target units can fire Overwatch! Resolve each unit’s Overwatch shots separately in an order determined by the firing units’ controlling player. Remember that a unit can only fire Overwatch once per turn – this doesn’t give them a chance to make an extra Overwatch attack!

Roll Charge Range Roll your charge range as you would for a normal charge.

Charge Move

As we now have primary and secondary targets, resolving charge moves need a little more clarification.

Move Initial Charger Once Overwatch is resolved, find the initial charger for the primary assault (the model in the charging unit closest to the primary target) and attempt to move it into base contact with the primary target, just as you would against a single target. If his charge fails, the charging unit doesn’t move at all. If the initial charger successfully moves into base contact with the primary target, remaining models can charge models belonging to either the primary or secondary target units, as long as they follow the rules for moving charging models. That said, a charging model is not permitted to move into base contact with a model in a secondary target, unless it cannot move into base contact with an unengaged model in the primary target. Remember that the charging unit is not allowed to break its unit coherency, and this will obviously limit the potential for this kind of charge.

Difficult Terrain and Ongoing Combats If a unit charges into a multiple combat in which all the enemy units are locked in combat from a previous turn, the Initiative penalty for charging through difficult terrain does not apply. In this case the enemy warriors are not set to receive the charge, and the unit charging through difficult terrain fights at its normal Initiative.

FIGHT SUB-PHASE Resolving the Fight sub-phase of a multiple combat is done just as it is for a combat between two units except for the following clarifications and adjustments.

Directing Attacks In multiple combats, during a model’s Initiative step, the following extra rules apply: • A model that is in base contact with, or engaged with, just one enemy unit when it comes to strike must attack that unit. • A model that is in base contact with, or engaged with, more than one enemy unit when it strikes blows, can split its Attacks freely between those units. Declare how each model is splitting its attacks immediately before rolling To Hit. Wounds from Attacks that have been directed against a unit in a multiple combat cannot be transferred to another unit, even if the original target unit is completely destroyed (in this case, any excess Wounds are simply discounted and have no further effect).

Assault Results When determining assault results in a multiple combat, total up the number of Wounds inflicted by all units on each side to see which side is the winner. Every unit on the losing side has to check their Morale (they all use the same penalty). After all of the losing units have taken their Morale checks, each winning unit that is now free to make a Sweeping Advance rolls the dice and compares its total with the total of each of the Falling Back enemy units it was engaged with. Any that it equals or beats are destroyed. Remember that winning units can only make a Sweeping Advance if all of the units they were locked in combat with Fall Back or are wiped out in the fight. After determining assault results, all remaining units – those that fought in the multiple combat but aren’t Falling Back or making a Sweeping Advance – must make Pile In moves towards each other. If none of a unit’s models are in base contact with any enemy models, and the combined Pile In moves would be insufficient to bring them into base contact with a unit that is locked in that close combat, it Consolidates instead.

Multiple Combats

The Space Marines have charged the Guardians and the Fire Dragons. Space

Marine C can attack either of the two units he is in base contact with (or split his attacks). Space Marines G and H can also choose to fight either enemy unit (or split their attacks) because they are both within 2" of a friendly model that is in base contact with both units. Space Marines A, B, D and E can only attack the unit they are in base contact with. Space Marine F can only attack the Guardians (as he is only within 2" of friendly models in base contact with the Guardians).

MORALE ‘Give yourself fully to all duties and routines as have been allotted to you. Attend to these to the best of your skill and of your endeavour. Be earnest in your praise of the Emperor. Be vigilant in the scrutiny of your fellows. When called to fight, do so with fervour and righteousness. Do not submit to fear!’ It is a fortunate commander who can always rely on his troops to perform up to (and sometimes beyond) the limits of their courage. In the chaos and confusion of battle, troops can easily become demoralised, disoriented or simply terrified by the violence unleashed against them. To represent this element of the unknown, your units have to check to see if their morale holds under certain circ*mstances. As you will have already gathered, particular events will require your units to take Morale checks, and a unit in particularly dire straits may be forced to take several in a single turn.

MORALE CHECKS Morale represents the grit, determination, or (sometimes) plain stupidity of warriors in action. Morale checks are a specific kind of Leadership test. Like all other Leadership-based tests, Morale checks (also sometimes called Morale tests) are taken by rolling 2D6 and comparing the total to the unit’s Leadership value. • If the result is equal to or less than the unit’s Leadership value, the test is passed and the unit does not suffer any ill effects – their nerve has held. • If the result is higher than their Leadership, the test is failed and the unit will immediately Fall Back, as described later. Some units have special rules pertaining to Morale checks that are detailed in their codex or Army List Entry. For example, some particularly fanatical units might be immune to the effects of morale, and always pass Morale checks, while a few others always pass all Leadership tests. This is a subtle but important difference. For example, a unit that always passes Morale checks still has to test when hit by an attack with the Pinning special rule, while a unit that always passes all Leadership tests wouldn’t.

Morale Check Modifiers

Certain circ*mstances can make Morale checks harder for a unit to pass. This is represented by applying Leadership modifiers to Morale checks, which can modify the unit’s Leadership value by -1, -2 or sometimes even more.

Insane Heroism! Occasionally, warriors will refuse to retreat even when faced with impossible odds or particularly harrowing experiences. Sometimes you can push someone just too far! A roll of double 1 on the 2D6 always passes a Morale check, regardless of any modifiers.

WHEN TO TEST The most common reasons a unit must take a Morale check are as follows: • Casualties: A unit losing 25% or more of its current models during a single phase must take a Morale check at the end of that phase. There is an exception: units that lose 25% or more of their current models in the Assault phase do not take a Morale check. For example, a squad of five Space Marines suffers two casualties from enemy shooting, so it takes a Morale check, which it promptly passes. Next turn, the unit, now three strong, suffers a single casualty from a Dangerous Terrain test in the Movement phase, which is now enough for it to have to take another Morale check.

• Losing an Assault: Units that lose a close combat (usually from suffering more Wounds than they inflicted) must pass a Morale check to hold their ground. If they fail, they must Fall Back. Units taking this Morale check suffer a -1 Ld modifier for each Wound their side has lost the combat by. For example, Sergeant Kraak’s Astra Militarum squad has lost an assault against some Eldar Guardians – they killed 4, but lost 6 of their own number. They would normally require an 8 or less to pass the Leadership test, but since they have lost the fight by a difference of 2 Wounds (-2), they now require a 6 or less to hold their ground.

FALL BACK Sometimes retreat is the only option left to a soldier on the battlefield. A withdrawal can give troops the chance to retire to a stronger position, to regroup and mount a fresh attack, or to hold back the approaching enemy. Of course, a retreat is not without its risks. Units make a Fall Back move immediately upon failing a Morale check – the only moves they can make in subsequent phases are Fall Back moves until they Regroup. In each subsequent Movement phase, they will make further Fall Back moves instead of moving normally, until the unit Regroups, is destroyed or leaves the table. Most units Fall Back 2D6". Fall Back moves are not slowed by difficult terrain, but incur Dangerous Terrain tests as normal. Units with models that Fall Back at different speeds always Fall Back at the speed of the slowest model in the unit. Each model in the unit moves directly towards their own table edge by the shortest possible route. If playing a mission where there is no ‘own’ table edge, models move towards the closest table edge instead. If any model from a unit that is Falling Back moves into contact with a table edge, the entire unit is removed from the game as casualties, as it scatters and flees the battle.

FALL BACK

The player rolls a 6 on the 2D6 Fall Back move, so each model is moved 6" directly towards their table edge. The leftmost model has to go around impassable terrain.

As the Space Marines Fall Back, they must move around enemies, even if this move initially carries them further away from their board edge.

Falling Back from Close Combat Models Falling Back from a combat can freely move through all enemy models that were involved in that combat (they have already missed the chance to catch them). This is an exception to the normal rules for moving that state that a model cannot move through a space occupied by another model. If any models would end their move less than 1" from one of these enemies, extend the Fall Back move until they are clear.

Trapped! Sometimes, a unit finds its Fall Back move blocked by impassable terrain, friendly models or enemy models. The unit may move around these obstructions in such a way as to get back to their table edge by the shortest route, maintaining unit coherency, even if this means moving away from their table edge. If the unit cannot perform a full Fall Back move in any direction without doubling back, it is destroyed (see diagram below).

Fall Back and Shooting

Units that are Falling Back can only fire Snap Shots and cannot Run or Turbo-boost. Units that are Falling Back cannot Go to Ground and automatically pass Pinning tests.

Morale and Falling Back Units that are Falling Back automatically fail all Morale checks, but can Regroup, as discussed next.

Falling Back and Assaults A unit that is Falling Back cannot charge. If it is charged, it must test to Regroup (see Regrouping When Assaulted, below).

As the Orks cannot Fall Back 8" without running into impassable terrain or moving to within 1" of an enemy, the entire unit is destroyed.

REGROUPING Just because a unit Falls Back doesn’t mean it is out of the fight. Courageous officers will

try to inspire their troops to rally. Warriors might regain their will to fight out of honour, duty or sheer bloody-mindedness. A unit that is Falling Back must attempt to Regroup by taking a Regroup test in their Movement phase just before they move. • If at least 25% of the unit’s models are still alive, or if the unit includes an Independent Character, this is a normal Leadership test. • If less than 25% of the unit’s models are still alive and it does not contain an Independent Character, then the Leadership test can only be passed with an Insane Heroism result of double 1. The exception to this is Regrouping when assaulted (see below). • If the unit fails its Regroup test, then it must immediately continue to Fall Back. • If the unit successfully passes the test, it stops Falling Back and can immediately move up to 3". This move is unaffected by difficult terrain, but Dangerous Terrain tests must be taken as normal. If the unit is out of coherency when the Regroup test is made, then the 3" move must be used to restore coherency, or as near as possible. Once a unit has Regrouped, it cannot otherwise move (so cannot Run in the Shooting phase or charge in the Assault phase). However, it can shoot (including Overwatch), but counts as having moved and can only fire Snap Shots.

Regrouping When Assaulted Units that have charges declared against them while Falling Back must always test to Regroup as soon as the enemy is found to be within charge range. This test is always a normal Leadership test, and does not require Insane Heroism, regardless of the number of models remaining in the unit. • If the test is failed, the assaulted unit is removed as a casualty at the end of the Charge sub-phase, after all charge moves have been completed. • If the test is successful, the unit Regroups (without moving), and the fight continues as normal.

Falling Back and Multiple Assaults Sometimes, as part of a multiple assault, a charging unit declares charges against one or more units that are Falling Back as well as one or more units that are not. If the primary or secondary targets of a multiple charge are Falling Back, each retreating unit must test to Regroup as soon as one charging model is found to be within charge range.

Regrouping and Multiple Assaults If the test is successful, that unit Regroups (without moving) and the assault continues as

normal. If the test is failed, the Falling Back unit is destroyed as soon as the charging unit is found to be within charge range and the charging model must continue its charge move against the remaining enemy units as if the Falling Back unit was never there.

UNIT TYPES ‘As the mind is to the body so the soul is to the spirit, as death is to the mortal man so failure is to the immortal, such is the price of all ambition.’ This section describes the different types of units that can wage war in the 41st Millennium and the rules you will need to use them. So far, we’ve discussed the basic rules as they pertain to Infantry, the most important and common unit type in the Warhammer 40,000 game. However, whilst the definition of Infantry is incredibly broad (it can cover anything from the most diminutive Gretchin to the mightiest Space Marine), it’s not enough to capture the full variety, scope and splendour of a war-torn galaxy teeming with all manner of alien beasts. To do justice to the full pomp and panoply of xenos creatures (as well as some of the weirder beings in service to the Emperor of Mankind), we will now cover a series of unit types, each with their own abilities and special rules. Vehicles are distinct enough to require their own section later on. In most cases, it will be fairly obvious which unit type category a model falls into, but as unit type is essentially an extension of the characteristic profile, you’ll be able to find that information in the relevant codex or Army List Entry.

CHARACTERS In addition to their unit type, some models might also be noted as being characters. We’re not going to worry about characters here, however. They are such a powerful and important part of Warhammer 40,000 that they have a section all to themselves later in the book.

INFANTRY Infantry units include all types of foot soldiers, whether human or alien. A typical unit of Infantry is between five and ten models strong but they can be much larger. In rare cases, an Infantry unit may comprise only a single model. Infantry are fairly slow moving, but can cross almost any terrain (given enough time) and make the best use of cover to avoid enemy fire. Infantry are the most common and dependable units in Warhammer 40,000. As the bulk

of the rules are concerned with them, there are no additional rules to present here.

‘That which I cannot crush with words, I will crush with the tanks of the Imperial Guard.’ - Lord Solar Macharius

BIKES & JETBIKES Units mounted on Bikes excel at vanguard strikes. They are able to use their fast speed to strike deep into enemy territory, complete their mission and escape before an enemy is able to react. These warriors are often regarded as dangerously hot-headed risk-takers, but their effectiveness cannot be denied.

ARMOURED STEED Bike and Jetbike riders benefit from an increase to their Toughness characteristic by 1. If the Bike or Jetbike is part of the model’s standard wargear, this bonus is already included on its profile. In addition, Bikes and Jetbikes cannot Go to Ground, and cannot be Pinned.

MOVEMENT Bikes and Jetbikes can move up to 12" in the Movement phase.

BIKES & TERRAIN Bikes and Jetbikes are not slowed down by difficult terrain (even when charging). However, Bikes treat all difficult terrain as dangerous terrain instead.

JETBIKES, MODELS AND TERRAIN Jetbikes can move over all other models and terrain freely. However, if a moving Jetbike begins or ends its move in difficult terrain, it must take a Dangerous Terrain test. Jetbikes cannot end their move over other models or impassable terrain, except that they can end their move on top of impassable terrain if it is actually possible to place the models on top of it. If they do so, they treat the impassable terrain as dangerous terrain.

FALL BACK MOVES Bikes and Jetbikes move 3D6" when Falling Back, rather than 2D6".

SHOOTING Each Bike or Jetbike in a unit can fire with one weapon for each rider on the Bike. Thus a Space Marine Attack Bike with a driver and passenger in sidecar can fire two weapons.

SPECIAL RULES Bikes and Jetbikes have the Hammer of Wrath, Jink, Relentless and Very Bulky special rules.

TURBO-BOOST Bikes and Jetbikes cannot Run, but can make a special Turbo-boost move instead of firing in their Shooting phase. Turbo-boosting Bikes move up to 12", Turbo-boosting Jetbikes move up to 24". Controlling their Bikes at such speeds takes all the riders’ concentration and skill, however. Bikes and Jetbikes therefore cannot shoot, charge or execute any other voluntary action until the end of their turn after Turbo-boosting.

ELDAR AND DARK ELDAR JETBIKES

The Eldar are the undisputed masters of anti-grav technology, and their jetbikes form swift attack forces feared by all who face them. One of their favourite tactics is to emerge from cover, open fire and then retreat into cover before the enemy soldiers can retaliate. In addition to following all the rules for Jetbikes, if an Eldar Jetbike elects to Turbo-boost in the Shooting phase, it can move up to 36". If they do not Turboboost, Eldar Jetbikes may move up to 2D6" in the Assault phase, even if they have shot in the preceding Shooting phase or arrived by Deep Strike that turn. When Eldar Jetbikes move in the Assault phase and do not charge, they treat difficult terrain in the same way as they do in the Movement phase.

ARTILLERY Some weapons are so large and cumbersome that they are usually mounted on vehicles, but are sometimes utilised by Artillery teams on foot, particularly if the battlefield’s terrain is not suitable for vehicles. These mighty Artillery weapons are mounted on wheeled supports or on anti-grav platforms, as they are simply too heavy to lug across a battlefield.

THE UNIT Artillery units consist of a number of crew models and the gun models themselves. These units can include several different types of models. The gun models have the following profile:

If all the crew models are killed, the guns are immediately removed as well. Sometimes, the player has the choice of adding leaders or additional models to the crew of an Artillery unit. These models are part of the crew in all respects and can operate the guns as normal, even if they are otherwise slightly different from the rest of the crew. Independent Characters that join the unit, however, do not count as crew and cannot operate the guns.

MOVEMENT PHASE Artillery units need at least one crewman per gun in order for the unit to move. If an Artillery unit does not have at least one crewman per gun, then it may not move; the remaining crewmen will not voluntarily leave a gun behind.

SHOOTING WITH ARTILLERY One crewman that is within 2" of a gun in the Shooting phase can fire it. The crewmen firing the gun cannot fire any weapons they are carrying, while the other crew members (and any Independent Characters in the unit) are free to fire their side arms, provided the whole unit shoots at the same target. When firing the guns, there must be a line of sight to the target from both the gun model and the crewman firing it (unless they are Barrage weapons, of course). Ranges are measured from the barrel on the gun model.

SHOOTING AT ARTILLERY If shooting at an Artillery unit, the Toughness of the guns is always used whilst at least one gun remains. Any Wounds that are caused are still allocated to the closest model first. If an Artillery unit chooses to Go to Ground, this does not increase the cover save of the guns – only the crew benefit.

ASSAULT PHASE Artillery units cannot charge as long as they include any gun models. If an Artillery unit is charged, only the crew models can fire Overwatch shots with their side arms (if any). After Overwatch has been resolved, move the charging models into base contact with the crew and Artillery gun models as normal. No Wounds can be allocated to the guns. All engaged enemies roll To Hit and To Wound against the crew (even if they are only engaged with guns). Engaged crew models can, fight back, but the Artillery guns cannot.

MORALE & FALL BACK MOVES For the purposes of Morale checks and other Leadership tests, and for combat resolution, always ignore the gun models, as if they were not there. Because they need at least one crewman per gun in order for the unit to move, if an Artillery unit does not have one crewman per gun when it is forced to Fall Back, any gun models without crewmen are abandoned and immediately removed as casualties. The rest of the unit then Falls Back as normal. If an Artillery unit is forced to Fall Back from close combat and the enemy is free to make a Sweeping Advance, then the Artillery unit automatically loses the Initiative test

and is caught and destroyed by the victor.

ARTILLERY & LOOK OUT, SIR A Wound cannot be re-allocated onto a gun model from a successful Look Out, Sir roll.

JUMP UNITS Jump units are equipped with jump packs, wings, teleport devices or other means of moving quickly over short distances. Unlike most other unit type categories, ‘Jump’ is not a classification in and of itself. Instead, you’ll find it occurs before another category – commonly Infantry, sometimes Monstrous Creatures and perhaps, rarely, other things. Jump units therefore share two sets of rules, the Jump unit rules, and those of their base type. Jump Infantry would, for example, follow the rules for Jump units and Infantry. Jump units can use their jump packs once each turn to move more swiftly in either the Movement phase or the Assault phase – they cannot use their jump packs in both phases in the same turn. If not using its jump pack, a model moves as a normal model of its type. Indeed, a Jump unit can always choose to move as a normal model of their type if they wish. Note that the entire unit must always use the same form of movement. Units that are described as ‘moving like’ Jump units follow all of the rules for Jump units, and use the same special rules.

SKYBORNE When using its jump pack (whether moving, charging or Falling Back, as we’ll discuss in a moment) a model can move over all other models and all terrain freely. However, if the model begins or ends its move in difficult terrain, it must take a Dangerous Terrain test. Jump models cannot end their move on top of other models and can only end their move on top of impassable terrain if it is actually possible to place the models on top of it. If they do this, however, they treat the impassable terrain as dangerous terrain.

MOVEMENT PHASE If a Jump model uses its jump pack (or equivalent) in the Movement phase, it can move up to 12".

ASSAULT PHASE If a Jump model uses its jump pack to charge into assault, it can re-roll its charge distance. Furthermore, to represent the crushing impact of such a charge, a model that uses its jump pack to charge gains the Hammer of Wrath special rule for the remainder of the turn.

FALL BACK MOVES Jump units always use their jump packs when Falling Back, and their Fall Back moves are 3D6", even if they already used their jump pack to move that turn.

SPECIAL RULES Jump units have the Bulky and Deep Strike special rules.

JET PACK UNITS Jet packs are designed to provide stable firing platforms rather than a means of getting into close combat. As with Jump units, ‘Jet Pack’ is not a classification in and of itself. Instead, you’ll find it occurs in addition to another – Jet Pack Infantry, for example. If no such distinction is made in a unit entry, treat the model as Jet Pack Infantry.

MOVEMENT Jet Pack units can move as normal models of their type or use their jet packs (see below).

SKYBORNE When using its jet pack (whether moving, or making a Thrust move, as we’ll discuss in a moment) a model can move over all other models and terrain freely. However, if the model begins or ends its move in difficult terrain, it must take a Dangerous Terrain test. Jet Pack models cannot end their move on top of other models and can only end their move on top of impassable terrain if it is actually possible to place the models on top of it. If they do this, however, they treat the impassable terrain as dangerous terrain.

THRUST MOVE A Jet Pack unit that is not locked in combat or charging can move up to 2D6" in the Assault phase, even if they have shot or Run in the preceding Shooting phase or arrived by Deep Strike that turn. When Jet Pack units move in the Assault phase and do not charge, they move just as they would when using their jet packs in the Movement phase.

SPECIAL RULES Jet Pack units have the Bulky, Deep Strike and Relentless special rules.

BEASTS Beasts are savage and swift-moving creatures.

MOVEMENT Beasts can move up to 12" in the Movement phase. Beasts are not slowed by difficult terrain (even when charging) and automatically pass Dangerous Terrain tests.

FALL BACK MOVES Beasts make Fall Back moves just like Infantry, except that they move 3D6".

SPECIAL RULES Beasts have the Fleet special rule.

CAVALRY This category covers warriors with a living mount. When closing on their enemies, such troops are able to move at far greater speeds than warriors on foot, and as such, are able to launch deadly charges and counter-charges.

MOVEMENT Cavalry can move up to 12" in the Movement phase. Cavalry are not slowed down by difficult terrain (even when charging). However, Cavalry models treat all difficult terrain

as dangerous terrain instead.

FALL BACK MOVES Cavalry make Fall Back moves just like Infantry, except that they move 3D6".

SPECIAL RULES Cavalry have the Fleet and Hammer of Wrath special rules.

MONSTROUS CREATURES Some creatures are just too big to fit into the ordinary Infantry unit category. These are towering giants that are capable of crushing a tank – like the

Tyranid Carnifex, a creature bioengineered and evolved to become a living battering ram. While Monstrous Creatures use many of the Infantry rules, their size and destructive capability make them a lot more dangerous.

SHOOTING Monstrous Creatures can fire up to two of their weapons each Shooting phase – they must, of course, fire both at the same target. They may never Go to Ground, voluntarily or otherwise.

SPECIAL RULES Monstrous Creatures have the Fear, Hammer of Wrath, Move Through Cover, Relentless and Smash special rules.

FLYING MONSTROUS CREATURES

Flying Monstrous Creatures are massive winged monstrosities that are essentially ferocious living aircraft. Flying Monstrous Creatures are Monstrous Creatures that have a number of additional rules.

DEPLOYMENT A Flying Monstrous Creature that is deployed at the start of the game starts in Gliding mode. If a Flying Monstrous Creature is kept as Reserves then, as soon as it enters play, you must declare whether it is in Swooping or Gliding mode. If a Flying Monstrous Creature arrives via Deep Strike Reserve, it always counts as being in Swooping mode.

SPECIAL RULES In addition to the special rules that all Monstrous Creatures have, Flying Monstrous Creatures also have the Jink and Vector Strike special rules.

FLIGHT MODES Flying Monstrous Creatures can move using one of two flight modes: Swooping or Gliding.

Changing Flight Mode At the start of its move, a Flying Monstrous Creature must declare whether it is Swooping or Gliding until the start of its next turn. If a Flying Monstrous Creature changes flight modes during its turn, it cannot declare a charge during the same turn. A Gliding Flying Monstrous Creature cannot change flight mode whilst Falling Back.

GLIDING If a Flying Monstrous Creature is Gliding, it moves, Runs and charges exactly like a Jump Monstrous Creature.

SWOOPING If a Flying Monstrous Creature is Swooping, it moves exactly like a Jump Monstrous Creature, with the following exceptions: • It must move at least 12" and can move up to 24". • Due to its limited manoeuvrability, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can make a single pivot on the spot of up to 90° before it moves. Thereafter it must move directly forwards in a straight line. As many Flying Monstrous Creatures are mounted on circular or oval bases, it’s not always clear which way is forward. If in doubt, just make sure you use the same point on the base as the ‘front’ for the entire game. • A Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can move over intervening units and impassable terrain exactly as a Jump Monstrous Creature. In addition, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping does not take Dangerous Terrain tests. • Models that physically fit under a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can move beneath it. Likewise, a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can end its move over such models. However, when moving this way, enemy models must still remain 1" away from

the base of the Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, and it cannot end its move with its base within 1" of other enemy models. • A Flying Monstrous Creature that elects to Run can move up to 2D6" straight forwards if Swooping. • A Flying Monstrous Creature cannot charge or be charged whilst it is Swooping. • A Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature can never Fall Back.

Swooping Hunters Flying Monstrous Creatures are quick-witted predators, able to track their targets even when moving at high speeds. They can, therefore, fire up to two of their weapons normally, even if Swooping (provided that they don’t Run). Flying Monstrous Creatures can shoot all around, just like other non-vehicle models. In addition, a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping can choose whether or not to use the Skyfire special rule at the start of each phase. They don’t have to use the Skyfire special rule, but if they do, all weapons they fire that phase are treated as having the Skyfire special rule.

Hard to Hit A Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature is a very difficult target for units without specialised weapons. Shots resolved at such a target can only be resolved as Snap Shots unless the model or weapon has the Skyfire special rule.

Leaving Combat Airspace It’s quite likely that a Flying Monstrous Creature will leave the board whilst Swooping. Indeed it can, unlike other units, deliberately do so. If this happens, whether deliberate or not, the unit is said to have left combat airspace – it then enters Ongoing Reserves. Whilst in Reserve, the unit cannot change flight mode (it’s too busy trying to get back to the battlefield). A Flying Monstrous Creature cannot leave combat airspace on the same turn that it entered play from Reserves – the owning player must deploy their model in such a way that it will not leave the board on this turn.

Grounded Tests If a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping suffers one or more unsaved Wounds during any phase, it must take a Grounded test at the end of that phase. To take a Grounded test roll a D6. On a 3+, the Flying Monstrous Creature maintains control and suffers no additional effect.

If a 1 or 2 is rolled, the beast comes crashing down to the ground – it suffers a single Strength 9 hit with no armour or cover saves allowed, and becomes Grounded. A Grounded Flying Monstrous Creature is treated as if it is in Glide mode with immediate effect, and can therefore be charged in the following Assault phase. Furthermore, a Grounded model automatically loses any saving throw granted by the Jink special rule (if it had one) until the start of its next Movement phase and cannot Jink for the rest of the current turn. A Grounded model can revert to Swoop mode again in its next turn. Note that if a Flying Monstrous Creature is Grounded during the enemy’s turn, it will start its own Movement phase in Glide mode and so can declare a charge during its turn if it chooses to do so, unless it chooses to change flight modes.

Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures and Tank Shock Due to their high altitude and manoeuvrability, a vehicle cannot Tank Shock a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature – if the vehicle would end up underneath a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, move the vehicle by the shortest distance so that it is 1" away from the base of the Flying Monstrous Creature.

GARGANTUAN & FLYING GARGANTUAN CREATURES Gargantuan Creatures are of such immense size that they can take on entire armies. They tower over the battlefield, making the ground shudder as they

advance upon the foe, crushing lesser creatures beneath their feet as they lumber forwards. Only the Tyranids use such creatures as a matter of course, but there are numerous examples of Gargantuan Creatures found across the galaxy, including the mighty Squiggoths goaded into battle by some Ork tribes. Gargantuan Creatures are Monstrous Creatures that have the additional rules and exceptions given below. Flying Gargantuan Creatures are Flying Monstrous Creatures that have the additional rules and exceptions given below.

MOVEMENT Gargantuan Creatures can move 12" in the Movement phase unless specified otherwise. Apart from this, they obey the movement rules for Monstrous Creatures. Flying Gargantuan Creatures follow the movement rules for Flying Monstrous Creatures without any modification.

SHOOTING When a Gargantuan Creature or Flying Gargantuan Creature makes a shooting attack, it may fire each of its weapons at a different target if desired. In addition, firing Ordnance weapons has no effect on a Gargantuan Creature or Flying Gargantuan Creature’s ability to fire other weapons. Gargantuan Creatures and Flying Gargantuan Creatures cannot fire Overwatch.

STOMP Gargantuan Creatures and Gliding Flying Gargantuan Creatures may make Stomp attacks in the same manner as Super-heavy Walkers.

UNSTOPPABLE Any attack that normally inflicts Instant Death or says that the target model is removed from play inflicts D3 Wounds on a Gargantuan Creature or Flying Gargantuan Creature instead. In addition, attacks with the Sniper special rule only cause a Wound on a roll of a 6. Attacks with the Poisoned special rule only cause a Wound on a roll of a 6 (unless the attack’s Strength would cause a Wound on a lower result).

SPECIAL RULES Gargantuan Creatures and Flying Gargantuan Creatures have the following special rules:

Fear, Fearless, Feel No Pain, Hammer of Wrath, Move Through Cover, Relentless, Smash, Strikedown, Vector Strike (Flying Gargantuan Creatures only).

VEHICLES War is not a trade solely for living soldiers, but also for mighty war engines and tanks. Rhinos and Land Raiders forge forwards through incoming fire, disgorging battle-ready Space Marines into the heart of the foe. Leman Russ Battle Tanks plough across the battlefield, battle cannons roaring and heavy bolters spitting death. Eldar skimmers flit through the smoke-laced skies, darting through the enemy defences to attack crucial targets. Such vehicles do not fight in the same manner as other models – that’s why their rules have been compiled in this section. First we’re going to look at the rules and characteristics that all vehicles have in common, then we’ll cover more specialist sets of rules for Flyers, Tanks and more.

Forging a Narrative Just as vehicles add an extra tactical dimension, they also present fresh opportunities for making sure that the story of your game unfolds as dramatically as possible. However, to make sure of this, you’ll want to think about how vehicles will interact with your terrain. Has your terrain placement made it impossible for vehicles to access some parts of the board and, if so, is this appropriate? If you’re enacting an epic gunfight in a cavern complex, it makes perfect sense that some passages are too tight for Tanks. If, however, you’re ambushing a patrol, then it’s probably more appropriate for Tanks to have free rein. When discussing terrain at the beginning of the game, it’s perfectly fine for players to agree that some terrain has a different effect on vehicles than it does on other units. For example, players might agree that tank traps are dangerous or even impassable to vehicles, but clear terrain for other units. Similarly, you could agree that vehicles (or just certain vehicle types) treat barbed wire as clear terrain, and so on.

VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS

Vehicles have characteristics that define how powerful they are in a similar way to Infantry. However, their characteristics are different. Shown here is one example of a vehicle’s profile:

Ballistic Skill (BS) Vehicles have a Ballistic Skill value just like other unit types and it represents the accuracy of the crew as they blast away at their enemy with the vehicle’s weapons.

Armour Value (AV) The Armour Value (sometimes just referred to as Armour) of a vehicle tells you how hard it is to damage. Vehicles have separate Armour Values to represent the protection on their front (F), sides (S) and rear (R). Armour Values typically range from 10 to 14, depending on which side of the vehicle is being attacked, with the lightest armour usually on the rear, to represent vulnerable fuel tanks, engine compartments, etc.

Hull Points (HP) Every vehicle has a number of Hull Points, indicating how much damage it can take before it is destroyed. This will normally be shown in the vehicle’s characteristics profile.

Type The different types of vehicle are: Chariot, Fast, Flyer, Heavy, Hover, Open-topped, Skimmer, Tank, Transport, Walker, Super-heavy vehicle, Super-heavy Walker and Superheavy Flyer. These types can be combined to define, for example, a Fast Skimmer or an Open-topped Walker, in which case, the vehicle has all of the rules for all of its types.

VEHICLES & MEASURING DISTANCES As vehicle models do not usually have bases, the normal rule of measuring distances to or from a base cannot be used. Instead, for distances involving a vehicle, measure to and from their hull, ignore gun barrels, dozer blades, antennas, banners and other decorative elements.

There is, however, the notable exception of a vehicle’s weaponry. When firing a vehicle’s weapons, ranges are measured from the muzzle of the firing weapon, whilst line of sight is determined from the weapon’s mounting point and along its barrel (as explained later).

VEHICLES IN THE MOVEMENT PHASE The distance a vehicle moves influences how accurately it can fire its weapons, as described later. • Stationary. A vehicle that remains Stationary will be able to bring its full firepower to bear on the enemy. • Combat Speed. A vehicle that travels up to 6" is said to be moving at Combat Speed. This represents the vehicle advancing slowly to keep firing, albeit with reduced firepower. • Cruising Speed. A vehicle that travels more than 6" and up to 12" is said to be moving at Cruising Speed. This represents the vehicle concentrating on moving as fast as possible – all of its firepower will be wildly inaccurate. Vehicles can turn any number of times as they move, just like any other model. Vehicles turn by pivoting on the spot about their centre-point, rather than wheeling round. Pivoting on the spot alone does not count as moving, so a vehicle that only pivots in the Movement phase counts as Stationary (however, Immobilised vehicles cannot even pivot on the spot). Pivoting is always done from the centre of a vehicle to prevent it from accidentally moving further than intended or allowed. Just like other units, vehicles cannot move over friendly models.

Difficult and Dangerous Terrain Vehicles moving through broken terrain are not slowed like other units, but risk becoming stuck, bogged down or damaged. Vehicles are not slowed down by difficult terrain. However, they treat all difficult terrain as dangerous terrain instead. A vehicle that fails a Dangerous Terrain test immediately loses one Hull Point and suffers an Immobilised result from the Vehicle Damage table.

VEHICLES IN THE PSYCHIC PHASE Even vehicles can harbour powerful connections to the Warp. Vehicles with the Psychic Pilot special rule manifest their psychic powers during the Psychic phase, as normal.

VEHICLES IN THE SHOOTING PHASE When a vehicle fires, it uses its own Ballistic Skill characteristic and shoots like any other unit. All its weapons must fire at a single target unit.

Moving and Shooting with Vehicles All vehicles have the Relentless special rule, but the number (and accuracy) of the weapons a vehicle can fire in the Shooting phase depends on how fast it moved in that turn’s Movement phase, as detailed below. • A vehicle that remained Stationary can fire all of its weapons (remember that pivoting on the spot does not count as moving). • A vehicle that moved at Combat Speed may fire a single weapon using its Ballistic Skill. The vehicle can also fire Snap Shots with other weapons if it wishes, though, of course, it cannot fire any weapons that cannot be fired as Snap Shots. • A vehicle that moved at Cruising Speed can only make Snap Shots, as above.

Relentless Relentless models can shoot with Heavy, Salvo or Ordnance weapons, counting as stationary, even if they moved in the previous Movement phase. They are also allowed to charge in the same turn they fire Heavy, Ordnance, Rapid Fire or Salvo weapons.

Vehicles & Ordnance Weapons Unlike other units, vehicles can move and fire with Ordnance weapons. However, a vehicle that fires an Ordnance weapon can only make Snap Shots with its other weapons that turn. A vehicle that moved at Cruising Speed can still Snap Shoot Ordnance, but of course, cannot fire any Ordnance weapon that cannot be fired as Snap Shots.

Vehicles Weapons & Line of Sight When firing a vehicle’s weapons, point them at the target and then trace line of sight from each weapons’ mounting and along its barrel to see if the shot is blocked by intervening terrain or models. If the target unit is in cover from only some of the vehicle’s weapons, then work out the target’s cover saves exactly as if each firing weapon on the vehicle was a separate firing unit. Note that, even when firing Barrage weapons, the target unit must be in the weapon’s arc of sight. On some models, it will actually be impossible to move the gun and point it towards the target because of the way the model is assembled. In this case, players should assume that the guns on a vehicle are free to rotate or swivel on their mountings. In the rare cases when it matters, assume that guns can swivel vertically up to 45º, even if the barrel on the model itself cannot physically do that! Additionally, assume all hull-mounted weapons can swivel horizontally up to 45º.

Vehicle Weapons and Line of Sight The Predator is firing at the Ork Boyz unit. The weapon on the left sponson cannot draw a line of sight to the chosen target, and so it cannot be fired.

ARC OF SIGHT 1

ARC OF SIGHT 2

ARC OF SIGHT 3

ARC OF SIGHT 4

Moving Flat Out A vehicle can elect to move Flat Out instead of firing in the Shooting phase, immediately moving up to 6"; this move triggers Dangerous Terrain tests as normal. A Tank cannot move Flat Out in the same turn that it performs a Tank Shock.

Shooting at Vehicles When a unit fires at a vehicle, it must be able to see its hull or turret (ignoring the vehicle’s gun barrels, antennas, decorative banner poles, etc.). Note that, unlike for other models, a vehicle’s wings are not ornamental and are a part of its hull. As the whole unit must fire at the same target, this often means that some of their weapons can’t damage the target vehicle, so we assume that the other members of the squad are providing covering fire, bringing forward ammunition for heavy weapons or simply

keeping their heads down. If the target vehicle is in range, roll To Hit as normal. If any hits are scored, roll for each to see if they penetrate the vehicle’s Armour Value (see below).

Vehicle Facing and Armour Values Not all vehicles are equally armoured. Countless layers of adamantium and ceramite plates protect some Tanks, while lighter vehicles rely more on their speed to avoid incoming fire. As such, vehicles have different Armour Values, representing the thickness of their armour. Armour Values for individual vehicles often vary between its front, side and rear facings. Shots are resolved against the facing of the vehicle that the shot comes from. To see what facing a shot is coming from, draw two imaginary lines through the corners of the vehicle (see diagram below). If a unit has firing models in two or more different facings of a target vehicle (some models in the front and some in the side, for example), shots are resolved separately for each facing. The direction a turret is facing has no bearing on what arc of a vehicle you are firing at.

Vehicle Armour Facing

Blast Weapons When firing a Blast weapon at a vehicle, place the marker with the hole over any part of the vehicle’s hull and then roll for scatter as normal. In the case of multiple blasts, the vehicle will be hit once each time any part of a blast marker ends up over the vehicle or its base. The armour penetration roll is resolved against the Armour Value facing the firer, regardless of the position of the marker. Template Weapons If a vehicle, or its base, is even partially under a template, it is hit on the Armour Value

facing the firer.

Armour Penetration Rolls Hitting a vehicle is no guarantee that you will actually damage it. Once a hit has been scored on a vehicle, roll a D6 and add the weapon’s Strength, comparing this total with the Armour Value of the appropriate facing of the vehicle. • If the total is less than the vehicle’s Armour Value, the shot has no effect. • If the total is equal to the vehicle’s Armour Value, the shot inflicts a glancing hit. • If the total is greater than the vehicle’s Armour Value, the shot inflicts a penetrating hit. For example, a lascannon shot hits the front of a Space Marine Predator (Armour Value 13). Rolling a D6, the player rolls a 4 and adds this to the lascannon’s Strength of 9, for a total of 13. Because this equals the Predator’s Armour Value, it inflicts a glancing hit. If the player had rolled a 5 or a 6, the armour penetration roll would have inflicted a penetrating hit on the Predator.

Resolving Damage A hit on a vehicle can have a variety of results. Its armour could be completely pierced, yet merely result in an area of shattered hull and a nasty shock for the crew. Alternatively, a lucky shot could detonate the ammunition cases or fuel tanks held within the vehicle, resulting in an explosion of titanic proportions. Glancing Hits If a glancing hit was scored, the vehicle loses 1 Hull Point. Penetrating Hits If a penetrating hit was scored, the vehicle not only loses 1 Hull Point, but also suffers additional damage. After deducting any Hull Points, roll a D6 for each shot that penetrated the vehicle’s armour and look up the result using the Vehicle Damage table, applying any appropriate modifiers, such as those granted for high AP weapons. All modifiers on the Vehicle Damage table are cumulative. If you inflict a penetrating hit, you must roll on the Vehicle Damage table even if the vehicle loses sufficient Hull Points to be Wrecked, as there is still a chance that it might Explode!

Vehicle Damage Table D6 - Result 1-3 - Crew Shaken. The vehicle is rocked by the attack, but no serious damage is sustained. The vehicle can only fire Snap Shots until the end of its next turn. 4 - Crew Stunned. Either the vehicle’s crew is knocked about by the attack, or the vehicle’s targeting and steering systems are temporarily scrambled. The vehicle can only fire Snap Shots until the end of its next turn. If the vehicle is a Zooming Flyer, it must move 18" and cannot turn at all in its next Movement phase. If the vehicle is not a Zooming Flyer, it cannot move or pivot until the end of its next turn. 5 - Weapon Destroyed. The strike causes critical damage to part of the vehicle’s armament. One of the vehicle’s weapons (randomly chosen) is destroyed – including any combi- or built in weapons. This can include vehicle upgrades that are weapons, such as pintle-mounted storm bolters or hunterkiller missiles. Do not count weapons that have run out of ammunition – they’re already non-functional for the most part. If a vehicle has no weapons left, treat this result as an Immobilised result instead (see below). 6 - Immobilised. The vehicle has taken a hit that has crippled a wheel, track, grav plate, engine or leg. If the vehicle is a Chariot, count this result as a Crew Stunned result instead (see above). If the vehicle is a Zooming Flyer, roll a further D6: on a 1 or 2, that Flyer will immediately Crash and Burn! (see below), on a 3+ the Flyer counts this result as Crew Stunned instead (see above). Other vehicles are Immobilised. An Immobilised vehicle cannot move – it may not even pivot, but its turrets may continue to rotate to select targets, and other weapons retain their normal arcs of fire. Any Immobilised results suffered by an already Immobilised vehicle instead remove an additional Hull Point. 7+ - Explodes! The vehicle is ripped apart in a spectacular explosion, as its fuel and ammo detonate. The vehicle is destroyed. If the vehicle is a Zooming Flyer, it will immediately Crash and Burn! (see below), otherwise nearby units suffer a Strength 4 AP- hit for each model within D6" of the vehicle (resolve this once, regardless of how many times the result is inflicted), as flaming debris scatters across the area. The vehicle is then removed from the battlefield. Crash and Burn! The aircraft is torn apart and flaming debris rains down upon the battlefield. Centre the large blast marker over the Flyer – it then scatters 2D6". Any units under the blast marker’s final position suffer a number of Strength 6 AP- hits equal to the number of models that unit has

under the marker. The Flyer is then removed from the battlefield.

High AP Weapons Some weapons are so destructively powerful that they can inflict masses of damage in a single strike. If an AP2 weapon scores a penetrating hit add a +1 modifier to the roll on the Vehicle Damage table. If an AP1 weapon scores a penetrating hit add a +2 modifier to the roll on the Vehicle Damage table. Vehicle Damage Results and Hull Points Occasionally, a rule will state that a vehicle will suffer the effects of a Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Weapon Destroyed or Immobilised result. Unless that rule also specifies that the vehicle suffers a glancing hit, a penetrating hit, or otherwise states that the vehicle loses a Hull Point, only the relevant result on the Vehicle Damage chart is applied to the vehicle and no Hull Points are lost.

Wrecked Vehicles A vehicle that is reduced to 0 Hull Points is Wrecked. A Wrecked vehicle is destroyed. If the vehicle was a Flyer in Zoom mode, it suffers a Crash and Burn! result (see the Vehicle Damage table). In any other circ*mstance, a Wrecked model is left in place, and is treated as a Citadel scenery model with the difficult terrain type.

Forging a Narrative One of the greatest pleasures to be had in the Warhammer 40,000 game is zooming vehicle models about the battlefield, unleashing the firepower of armoured behemoths and, conversely, blowing up those vehicles that belong to the enemy. The destruction of a vehicle is usually a spectacular event that can totally change the course of the game, and vehicle wrecks become important pieces of terrain unto themselves. But how best to represent such high-octane carnage? Some like to demonstrate their vehicular misfortune by turning a destroyed vehicle onto its top. A few go even further and sculpt battle damage underneath the vehicle to complement this approach. However, many vehicles

have delicate parts on top, so players often object to treating their beautifully painted tanks in such a rough and ready manner, and adopt a different solution. We know several gamers who use cotton wool to represent the smoke billowing from destroyed vehicles, a visually pleasing solution and doubly handy if someone spills their tea.

Vehicles and Cover – Obscured Targets Vehicles do not benefit from cover in the same way as Infantry due to their sheer size and bulk, but they can position themselves in such a way as to make it harder for the enemy to hit them in a vulnerable location. The difference from the way cover works for other models is represented by the following exceptions to the normal rules for cover: • At least 25% of the facing of the vehicle that is being targeted (its front, side or rear) needs to be hidden by intervening terrain or models from the point of view of the firer for the vehicle to be in cover. If this is the case, the vehicle is obscured (or ‘hull down’). If a unit is firing at a vehicle, the vehicle is obscured only if it is 25% hidden from the majority of the firing models that are able to damage the vehicle. If a unit has firing models in two or more different facings of a target vehicle, work out whether or not the vehicle is obscured separately for each facing, using only models firing at that facing. • Vehicles are not obscured simply for being inside terrain such as woods or ruins. The 25% rule given above takes precedence. • Vehicles cannot Go to Ground, voluntarily or otherwise. • If the target is obscured and suffers a glancing hit, a penetrating hit, or is otherwise hit by an enemy shooting attack that inflicts damage upon it (such as being hit by a weapon with the Graviton special rule), it must take a cover save against it, exactly like a non-vehicle model would do against a Wound (for example, a 5+ cover save for a Citadel Wood, a 4+ cover save for a ruin and so on). If the save is passed, the hit is discarded, no Hull Points are lost and no roll is made on the Vehicle Damage table. If a special rule or a piece of wargear makes a vehicle obscured even if in the open, this is a 5+ cover save, unless specified otherwise in the codex or Army List Entry. It may rarely happen that the firing unit cannot see any part of the facing they are in (front, side or rear), but they can still see another facing of the target vehicle. In this case, they may take the shot against the facing they can see, but to represent such an extremely angled shot, the vehicle receives a cover save one point better than that given by the cover obscuring the vehicle’s other facing.

Forging a Narrative Some vehicle damage results debilitate rather than destroy vehicle models. Tanks can find themselves immobilised by a thrown track, have their weapon systems crippled or shot off altogether, or be stunned into inactivity for a turn. Marking these events can be a little tricky. Some players leave the weapons and turrets on their models unglued so that they can be carefully removed during battle. This helps with ease of transport and is a great way to represent Weapon Destroyed results – just take the relevant weapon off altogether. A different approach is to place a dice on or next to the vehicle, showing the number that corresponds with the appropriate damage result, or else model a set of damage markers reflecting the different results. As with many aspects of the Warhammer 40,000 hobby, there is no ‘right answer’ – just make sure that your opponent is happy with whatever convention you decide upon.

Obsured Vehicles In these three pictures a unit of Eldar Fire Dragons is shooting at a Space Marine Rhino. In each case they are in its front armour facing.

Picture 1: Less than 25% of the front of the Space Marine Rhino is hidden by the ruin – the Rhino is not obscured.

Picture 2: More than 25% of the front of the Space Marine Rhino is hidden by the ruin – the Rhino is obscured and will receive a 4+ cover save from the ruin.

Picture 3: The entirety of the front of the Space Marine Rhino is hidden by

the ruins. However, part of the side of the Rhino is still visible. The Rhino is obscured, and gains +1 to its cover save.

VEHICLES IN THE ASSAULT PHASE Vehicles can be both very dangerous and very vulnerable at close quarters. On one hand, massively armoured vehicles can scatter Infantry before them, as no one in their right mind would wish to be caught beneath the tracks of an eighty-tonne Tank bearing down on them! On the other hand, a stationary vehicle can often be very easily destroyed, as individuals clamber over it, attaching all manner of grenades and hacking at or shooting into vulnerable spots.

Assaulting with a Vehicle Vehicles cannot charge. Note that Walkers and Chariots are exceptions to this.

Assaulting a Vehicle Infantry can pose a grave threat to vehicles if they get close enough. They can wreck a vehicle by shooting through vision slits, planting explosives on fuel tanks, tearing open hatches to attack the crew or committing some other equally imaginative act of mayhem.

Charging a Vehicle A unit can charge a vehicle in their Charge sub-phase. The charge move is conducted the same as for charging other enemy units.

Vehicles and Overwatch Unless specified otherwise, vehicles cannot make Overwatch fire – it takes too long to bring their weapons to bear.

Fighting the Assault Hitting vehicles in close combat is very straightforward due to their size. We can safely assume that any unit that has been able to reach a vehicle has been travelling swiftly enough to land a blow upon it with relative ease – though care must still be taken to strike a vital point. Accordingly, all vehicles are treated as being Weapon Skill 1. The exceptions are Walkers and Chariots, which have varying Weapon Skills, and Immobilised non-Walker vehicles, which are always treated as having Weapon Skill 0. Armour Penetration in Assault

Armour Penetration is worked out in the same way as for shooting (D6 + the Strength of the attacker). In close combat, however, all hits are resolved against the vehicle’s rear armour, to represent the chance of attacking a vulnerable spot.

Assault Results Combats against vehicles are very different from those among other unit types. For a start, whilst vehicles can be assaulted, they do not Pile In and cannot be locked in combat. At the end of a round of close combat against a vehicle, calculate the assault result as normal, counting each glancing hit as 1 Wound, and each penetrating hit as 2 Wounds. If the vehicle loses the combat or is destroyed, nothing happens. There are no Sweeping Advances, no Pile Ins and no Consolidation moves. The vehicle and the enemy remain where they are and are free to simply move away in future turns. If the vehicle wins the combat, the enemy must make a Morale check as normal, and Fall Back if they fail, though the vehicle cannot Consolidate or make a Sweeping Advance.

Successive Turns If a vehicle that has been assaulted (and survived) does not move in its successive Movement phase, enemy models will still be in base contact with it during its Shooting and Assault phase. Enemy models that are in base contact with a vehicle (not including Walkers or Chariots) are not locked in combat and can therefore be shot during the Shooting phase. If the vehicle pivots on the spot (to shoot at its attackers for example), move these models out of the way as you shift the vehicle and then place them back into base contact with the vehicle – or as close as possible if there is no room. Units that still have models in base contact with a vehicle during its Assault phase may attack it again, just as in a normal ongoing combat (including all models that would count as engaged in a normal assault).

Vehicles, Leadership and Morale It is assumed, in all cases, that the crew’s faith in their vehicle, and its considerable armour plating, is absolute. Therefore, vehicles never take Morale checks or Leadership tests. Any occasional lapses that do occur are represented by Crew Shaken and Crew Stunned results on the Vehicle Damage table.

VEHICLE SQUADRONS Most vehicles fight as individual units and are represented by a single model. However, some vehicles, such as Ork Warbuggies and Eldar Vypers, operate together in what are known as squadrons. Squadrons are treated like normal units, with a few exceptions and clarifications as described below.

Squadrons in the Movement Phase The vehicles in a squadron must maintain coherency, just like models in ordinary units, but vehicles in a squadron need only remain within 4" horizontally of each other, rather than within 2" horizontally. Indeed, they can move at different speeds, provided they maintain unit coherency.

Squadrons in the Shooting Phase All of the weapons fired by a squadron of vehicles in each phase must target a single enemy unit. Like other units, vehicles in squadrons can see and shoot through members of their own squadron, just as if they were not there. This represents the vehicles manoeuvring around each other in a well-practiced battle formation.

Squadrons Moving Flat Out Vehicles in squadrons can declare individually whether or not they are going to move Flat Out. Note that unit coherency must still be maintained. Those that do not move Flat Out can shoot as normal.

Shooting at Squadrons When a squadron of vehicles is shot at, roll To Hit as normal. Once you have determined the number of hits, these hits must be resolved, one at a time, against the model in the squadron closest to the firing unit – exactly like you would resolve Wounds on a normal unit. Once the nearest model in the squadron is destroyed (i.e. is Wrecked or Explodes!), the next hit is allocated against the new nearest model, and so on.

Squadrons in the Assault Phase When a squadron is struck in close combat, roll To Hit as normal, and resolve those hits, one at a time, first against squadron models in base contact, then against models further away, once the closest model is destroyed, just like normal.

Damaging Squadrons As vehicle squadrons don’t have Wounds or Toughness, we have to allocate hits to them slightly differently to other, more conventional, units. To do this, allocate individual hits, rather than individual Wounds, one at a time, to the closest model in the squadron. Then roll for Armour Penetration against the correct facing (so against the rear armour in close combat) and determine the result of any glancing or penetrating hits. When this has been done, resolve the next hit, and so on, until all hits have been allocated and resolved.

Abandoning Squadron-mates

Over the course of the battle, it is likely that one or more members of a squadron will suffer an Immobilised result, preventing it from moving. If a member of a squadron is Immobilised, the rest of the squadron are permitted to ‘abandon’ it. To do so, the rest of the squadron must move out of unit coherency with it; treat the Immobilised model(s) as a separate unit from then on for all rules and victory conditions. This cannot be done if a member of a squadron has only been Crew Stunned – we assume, in this case, that its squadron-mates rally to its defence until a full recovery is made.

TRANSPORTS Some vehicles can carry infantry across the battlefield, providing speed and

protection. Of course, if the transport is destroyed, the passengers risk being burnt alive in the explosion. Transports have several additional characteristics: Transport Capacity, Fire Points and Access Points.

TRANSPORT CAPACITY Each Transport vehicle has a maximum passenger capacity that can never be exceeded. A Transport can carry a single Infantry unit and/or any number of Independent Characters (as long as they are also Infantry), up to a total number of models equal to the vehicle’s Transport Capacity. The entire unit must be embarked on the Transport if any part of it is – a unit cannot be partially embarked or be spread across multiple Transports. Only Infantry models can embark upon Transports (this does not include Jump or Jet Pack Infantry), unless specifically stated otherwise. Some larger Infantry models count as more than one model for the purposes of Transport Capacity, and this will be specified in the model’s rules. Sometimes, there will be constraints on which types of models can embark upon a particular vehicle, and this will be specified in the unit’s entry. Space Marine Terminators, for example, cannot embark upon a Rhino or Razorback, although they can be transported by a Land Raider.

Unshakable Nerve Units embarked upon Transports have the Fearless special rule while they are embarked.

Fearless Units containing one or more models with the Fearless special rule automatically pass Pinning, Fear and Regroup tests and Morale checks, but cannot Go to Ground and cannot choose to fail a Morale check due to the Our Weapons are Useless rule. If a unit has Gone to Ground and then gains the Fearless special rule, all the effects of Going to Ground are immediately cancelled.

FIRE POINTS Many Transports have a number of Fire Points defined in their army entry. A Fire Point is a hatch or gun slit from which one or more passengers inside the vehicle can fire shooting weapons (or use witchfire psychic powers). Unless specified differently in the vehicle’s entry, a single passenger can fire out of each Fire Point and the other transported models cannot fire. Ranges and line of sight are measured from the Fire Point itself. If an embarked model fires a Template weapon or a beam psychic power from a Fire Point, discount the hit scored against the vehicle – we assume the weapon has been fired in a sufficient arc to clear the Transport’s hull. Note that the passengers can shoot at a different target to the vehicle itself. Models firing out of a vehicle that moved at Combat Speed count as having moved that turn. Models firing out of a vehicle that moved at Cruising Speed can only fire Snap Shots that turn. They cannot fire if the vehicle moves Flat Out or uses smoke launchers that turn, nor can a vehicle move Flat Out or use smoke launchers if a unit embarked inside it shoots out.

ACCESS POINTS Each vehicle capable of carrying passengers will have a number of Access Points defined in its entry. These are the doors, ramps and hatches that passengers use to get in and out of the vehicle (see below for more details). Transports on flying bases also count the base as an Access Point.

EMBARKING AND DISEMBARKING Models can only voluntarily embark or disembark in the Movement phase. They cannot voluntarily embark and disembark in the same turn. However, they can embark and then be forced to disembark if their Transport is destroyed.

Embarking A unit can embark onto a vehicle by moving each model to within 2" of its Access Points in the Movement phase – Difficult and Dangerous Terrain tests should be taken as normal. The whole unit must be able to embark – if some models are out of range, the entire unit must stay outside. When the unit embarks, remove it from the table and place it aside, making a note that the unit is being transported. If the players need to measure a range involving the embarked unit (except for its shooting), this range is measured to or from the vehicle’s hull. If the vehicle moved before its passengers got aboard, it cannot move further that turn (including pivoting on the spot, moving Flat Out, Running or charging). If the vehicle did not move before its passengers got aboard, it can move as normal after they have embarked. In either case, a vehicle cannot Tank Shock or Ram in a turn that a unit embarks upon it.

Disembarking A unit that begins its Movement phase embarked upon a vehicle can disembark either before or after the vehicle has moved (including pivoting on the spot, etc) so long as the vehicle has not moved more than 6". If the vehicle had not moved before the unit disembarked, the vehicle can then move normally. If the vehicle had already moved before the unit disembarked, the vehicle cannot move further that turn (including pivoting on the spot, moving Flat Out, Running

or charging). In addition, a vehicle cannot Tank Shock or Ram on a turn that a unit disembarks from it.

Placing Disembarked Models When a unit disembarks, place the models one at a time, using the following method: place the first model in base contact with one of the vehicle’s Access Points (including its flying base, if it has one). A disembarking model’s base cannot be placed within 1" of an enemy model or within impassable terrain. The model can then make a normal move – Difficult and Dangerous Terrain tests should be taken as normal, but it must end its move wholly within 6" of the Access Point it disembarked from (we assume that any distance that is lost because of this has been used getting out of the Transport). Repeat this process for each model in the unit. At the end of the unit’s move, all models must be in unit coherency.

Disembarkation Restrictions

After disembarking, models can manifest their psychic powers and either shoot or Run in their subsequent Shooting phase, counting as having moved that turn, but they cannot declare a charge in their subsequent Assault phase. If a unit disembarks from a destroyed vehicle during the enemy turn, it cannot charge in the Assault phase of its own turn unless the destroyed vehicle had the Assault Vehicle special rule.

Emergency Disembarkation If any models cannot disembark, because of enemies or because they would end up in impassable terrain, the unit can perform an emergency disembarkation. In this case, a model can be placed anywhere in contact with the vehicle’s hull and can then move as for a normal disembarkation. The unit cannot then perform any voluntary actions for the rest of the turn. If even this disembarkation is impossible, because it is impossible to place one or more models, then the unit can’t disembark.

INDEPENDENT CHARACTERS &

TRANSPORTS If an Independent Character (or even more than one) and a unit are both embarked upon the same vehicle, they are automatically joined, just as if the Independent Character was within 2" of the unit. If either an Independent Character or a unit is already in a vehicle, the other may join them by embarking too (assuming, of course, that there is enough space). The unit and the Independent Character(s) can, in a later Movement phase, disembark together as a single unit. Alternatively, they can separate by either the unit or the Independent Character(s) disembarking while the others remain on board. They can even separate by disembarking at the same time, so long as they end their moves more than 2" away from each other.

TRANSPORTS AND ASSAULTS If a Transport vehicle is assaulted, an embarked unit can fire Overwatch at the attackers out of its Fire Points – note that a unit can still only fire Overwatch once a turn, even if embarked on a Transport. If a Transport vehicle is Wrecked, Explodes or Crashes and Burns, any Wounds caused to its passengers do not count towards assault results, and any surviving passengers are not locked in combat with the units assaulting their vehicle.

Dedicated Transports Sometimes a unit entry will include a transport option, allowing a vehicle to be selected together with the unit. These Dedicated Transports do not use up a slot on the force organisation chart, but count as having the same role as the unit they were bought for all other rules purposes. For example, a Rhino bought for a Space Marine Tactical Squad (troops) counts as a unit of troops, but one bought for a unit of Space Marine Sternguard Veteran Squad (elites) counts as elites. Other vehicles may also have a Transport Capacity, but they are chosen separately as normal, have a role and occupy a force organisation chart slot of their own. The only limitation of a Dedicated Transport is that when it is deployed, it can only carry the unit it was selected with (plus any Independent Characters that have joined it). After the game begins, it can then transport any friendly Infantry unit, subject to Transport Capacity and other special exclusions, as explained in the vehicle’s entry.

PSYCHIC POWERS AND TRANSPORTS Psykers embarked on a Transport can only target enemy units with witchfire psychic powers, and only then if the vehicle has a Fire Point that can ‘see’ the target unit. Psykers embarked on a Transport cannot attempt to manifest any other kind of psychic power. Psychic powers cannot target units that are embarked on a Transport.

EFFECT OF DAMAGE ON PASSENGERS When a Transport sustains damage, it can also have an effect on its passengers – even if they disembark – as described below: • Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Weapon Destroyed and Immobilised. At the end of a phase in which a vehicle sustains one or more of these damage results, the passengers must take a Leadership test. If the test is passed, the unit is unaffected. If the test is failed, the unit can only make Snap Shots in their next Shooting phase, but are otherwise unaffected. • Wrecked (other than Zooming Flyers). The passengers must immediately disembark in the usual manner, save that they must end their move wholly within 3" of the vehicle, rather than 6". If, even by performing an emergency disembarkation, some models are unable to disembark, then any models that cannot disembark are removed as casualties. This does not prevent the rest of the unit from disembarking. The unit must then take a Pinning test. After this, the vehicle becomes a wreck. • Explodes! The unit suffers a number of Strength 4 AP- hits equal to the number of models embarked. These Wounds are Randomly Allocated. Surviving passengers are placed where the vehicle used to be and in unit coherency. Any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The unit then takes a Pinning test. • Wrecked (Zooming Flyers) and Crash and Burn! The unit suffers a number of Strength 10 AP2 hits equal to the number of models embarked. These Wounds are Randomly Allocated. Surviving passengers are placed where the Flyer used to be and in unit coherency. Any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The unit then takes a Pinning test. If a Transport is destroyed by a shooting attack, any unit that shot it that turn can, if allowed, charge the now disembarked passengers.

FLYERS The airspace above a battle is thronged with activity. Fighters and bomber craft hurtle through the skies, duelling with one another and providing fire support for the troops on the ground.

AERIAL SUPPORT Flyers must begin the game as Reserves. Special rules that allow an owning player to move one or more of their units out of Reserves after deployment but before the game begins (for example the C’tan Shard power ‘Grand Illusion’) cannot be used to move a Flyer out of Reserves unless they specifically state that Flyers can start the game deployed on the table (such as a Skyshield Landing Pad’s ‘Ready for Takeoff’ rule).

FLYERS AND MEASURING Flyers have flying bases that suspend them above the battlefield. However, distances are still measured to and from the Flyer’s hull, with the exception of the vehicle’s weapons and Fire Points, which all work as normal. The base of a Flyer is effectively ignored, except for when: • The Flyer is in close combat, in which case models may move into contact with the vehicle’s hull, its base or both. • Models are embarking or disembarking from the Flyer, in which case the base of the Flyer is used as an Access Point.

FLYERS AND OTHER MODELS Models that physically fit under a Flyer model can move beneath it. Likewise, a Flyer can end its move over such models. However, when moving this way, enemy models must still remain 1" away from the base of the Flyer, and the Flyer cannot end its move with its base within 1" of other enemy models.

Evade If a Flyer comes under fire, the pilot can throw his craft into a series of evasive manoeuvres in an attempt to avoid taking damage. All Flyers have the Jink special rule.

Jink When a unit with any models with the Jink special rule is selected as a target for a shooting attack, you may declare that it will Jink. The decision must be made before any To Hit rolls have been made. If the unit Jinks, all models in the unit with this special rule gain a 4+ cover save until the start of their next

Movement phase, but they can only fire Snap Shots until the end of their next turn.

ZOOM Flyers can usually only make a special kind of move called Zoom. Some can also Hover – see opposite. Zooming allows the Flyer to move at fantastic speeds, making it very difficult to shoot down, but limits its manoeuvrability. If a Flyer Zooms, it has a Combat Speed of 18" and a Cruising Speed of up to 36". However, as a certain amount of forward thrust is required for the vehicle to stay in the air, a Zooming Flyer can never voluntarily move less than 18" in its own Movement phase. If a Zooming Flyer is forced to move less than 18" in its own Movement phase, it is automatically Wrecked. To represent its limited manoeuvrability, a Zooming Flyer can only make a single pivot on the spot of up to 90° before it moves. Thereafter, it must move directly forwards in a straight line. In a turn in which a Flyer enters the board from Reserve, it can do so facing any direction you wish, providing that the resulting move will not carry it off the board again. A Zooming Flyer can move over intervening units and impassable terrain exactly as a Skimmer. In addition, a Zooming Flyer does not have to take Dangerous Terrain tests even if it starts or stops over difficult, dangerous or impassable terrain. Finally, unless otherwise stated, models cannot embark upon, or voluntarily disembark from, a Zooming Flyer.

Zoom, Tank Shock and Ramming Zooming Flyers cannot Tank Shock or Ram, nor can they be Tank Shocked or Rammed. If a Ramming vehicle would end up underneath a Zooming Flyer, move the Ramming vehicle by the shortest distance so that it is 1" away from the base of the Flyer.

Zooming and Shooting Flyers have sophisticated targeting systems designed to work at the fastest speeds. Zooming Flyers can fire up to four of their weapons using their full Ballistic Skill if they have moved at either Combat Speed or Cruising Speed that turn.

Hard to Hit Zooming Flyers are incredibly difficult targets for troops without suitably calibrated weapons and scopes. Shots resolved at a Zooming Flyer can only be resolved as Snap

Shots (unless the model or weapon has the Skyfire special rule). Template and Blast weapons, and any other attacks that don’t roll To Hit, cannot hit Zooming Flyers.

Zoom and Flat Out A Zooming Flyer that goes Flat Out must move forwards in a straight line between 12" and 24".

Charging Zooming Flyers Due to their high speed (and presumably high altitude), Zooming Flyers cannot be charged.

Repairing Zooming Flyers Some models have the ability to repair Hull Points, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results on vehicles. Such models can only use such abilities on a Zooming Flyer if that Flyer is a Transport and the model attempting to repair it is embarked inside it.

Leaving Combat Airspace It’s quite likely that a Flyer making a Zoom move will leave the board, either deliberately or by accident. If this happens, the Flyer is said to have left combat airspace – it then enters Ongoing Reserves. A Flyer that leaves combat airspace must Zoom back on when it returns from Ongoing Reserves, even if it has the Hover type. A Flyer cannot leave combat airspace on the same turn that it entered play from Reserves – the owning player must deploy their model in such a way that it will not leave the board on the same turn.

SPECIAL RULES Zooming Flyers can choose whether or not to use the Skyfire special rule at the start of each Shooting phase. If they do, all weapons they fire that phase are treated as having the Skyfire special rule.

FLYERS AND IMMOBILISED RESULTS Having your engines stall when flying can have disastrous consequences. If a Zooming Flyer ever suffers an Immobilised result, roll a D6: on a 1 or 2, the Flyer will immediately Crash and Burn. On a 3+, the Immobilised result counts as a Crew Stunned result instead.

Hover A Flyer that has the Hover type can choose to Hover instead of Zooming. Hovering makes the Flyer slower, but considerably more agile, and in the case of Transports it allows passengers to embark or disembark. A Flyer with the Hover type must declare whether it is going to Zoom or Hover before it moves, and before any embarked models disembark, each Movement phase. This means that, if the Flyer arrives from Reserve, you must declare which type of movement it is using before placing it on the board. If a Flyer is in a squadron, all vehicles in the squadron must choose the same type of movement. A Flyer in Hover mode cannot switch to Zoom mode if it is Immobilised. If a Flyer is Hovering, it is treated exactly as a Fast Skimmer. This makes it more manoeuvrable, but often limits the number of weapons it can fire.

CHARIOTS Some Chariots are personal war machines for characters that prefer to lead their forces to battle from a suitably grandiose perch; others are brutal constructions designed for little purpose other than to crush their enemies beneath wickedly spiked wheels. A Chariot is an unusual unit with a dual profile – a non-vehicle profile for the rider of the Chariot (see below), and a vehicle profile for the Chariot itself. However, a Chariot is always treated as a single model. For the purposes of characteristics tests, always use the rider’s profile. Furthermore, any characteristics modifiers that affect a Chariot model apply to both rider and Chariot. Shown here is an example:

CHARACTERS RIDING CHARIOTS A character mounted on a Chariot is referred to as the rider. A rider cannot disembark from his Chariot, nor can he be targeted separately from his Chariot. If either the rider is reduced to 0 Wounds or his Chariot is destroyed, then the entire model is removed from play as a casualty. If the rider has a special rule that returns it to play after it has been removed as a casualty, such as a Necron’s Ever-living special rule, that model’s Chariot is also returned to play with a single Hull Point.

MOVING CHARIOTS Chariots move normally for a vehicle of their type.

SHOOTING WITH CHARIOTS

When determining the required To Hit roll for any weapons fired by a Chariot model, use the Ballistic Skill on the Chariot’s profile for any weapons mounted on the Chariot itself, and the Ballistic Skill on the rider’s profile for any weapons wielded by the rider. In addition to the Chariot’s weapons shooting, the rider can shoot any shooting weapon he himself is equipped with, counting as stationary even if the Chariot moved in the previous Movement phase – the Chariot and rider must target the same unit though.

SHOOTING AT CHARIOTS When shooting at a Chariot unit, total up the number of successful hits that have been caused. Keep the dice that have scored hits and create a ‘pool’, where each dice represents a hit. If there are hits with different Strengths, AP values or special rules that affect saving throws or any Wounds they inflict, split them into several pools of hits. All hits with exactly the same Strength, AP value and special rules must go into the same pool. If all the hits are the same, there will be only one hit pool. The player controlling the Chariot unit then allocates each hit pool either to the rider or the Chariot of the closest model in the unit. If several pools of hits need to be allocated, the player making the attacks must decide in which order they are resolved. All hits from a single pool must be allocated and resolved before moving on to the next pool of hits. Hit pools from Blast and Template weapons are always resolved against the Chariot. If the Chariot model is hit by a Precision Shot, that hit is allocated by the firer, not the owning player. When resolving successful hits that have been assigned to a Chariot, work out which of its Armour Values to use as you would for any other vehicle, based on the position of the model compared to the model firing at it.

CHARIOTS AND ASSAULTS Unlike other vehicles, Chariots can make charge moves and can be locked in combat. Chariots can only declare a charge in the Assault phase if they did not move Flat Out in the Shooting phase. Chariots charge like Bikes. Chariots that charge through difficult terrain must take a Dangerous Terrain test (unless they are Skimmers). Chariots that are Skimmers must take a Dangerous Terrain test if they begin or end their charge move in difficult terrain. A Chariot that fails a Dangerous Terrain test suffers a glancing hit. As long as the charge range is sufficient to bring the hull (or base) into contact with the target unit, the charge is successful.

Fighting From a Chariot In close combat, Chariots fight like Infantry models. Chariots may make Sweeping Advances, Pile In moves and Consolidations unless they are Stunned.

Fighting Against a Chariot When fighting against a Chariot model, the attacker must decide whether to attack the rider or the Chariot with each model involved in the combat. All of the close combat attacks from each model must be resolved against the nominated target (i.e. the attacks cannot be split between the rider and the Chariot) – even if the Chariot model is subsequently hit by a Precision Strike. In either case, always roll To Hit against the rider’s Weapon Skill, then resolve any damage against the nominated target as normal. Grenades can only be used to attack the Chariot, so cannot be used by models that choose to target the rider. Any hits assigned to the Chariot roll for armour penetration against its front armour. This is because, unlike with other vehicles, the Chariot’s rider can defend it. Similarly, damage results that do not destroy a Chariot do not affect the way its rider fights in close combat.

Challenges A rider who is a character can issue or accept a challenge as normal, but cannot perform a Glorious Intervention.

CREW & BEASTS In addition to the rider, some Chariots have crew or are pulled into battle by beasts. Any crew or beasts that pull a Chariot are ignored and can never be targeted separately from the vehicle. Furthermore, a Chariot’s crew or beasts cannot attack unless otherwise stated in the Chariot’s profile or special rules.

Hammer of Wrath (for Chariots) If a Chariot ends its charge move in base or hull contact with one or more enemy models, it makes D6 additional attacks that hit automatically and are resolved at Strength 6 AP - (unless otherwise stated). These attacks do not benefit from any of the Chariot’s (or rider’s) special rules (such as Furious Charge, Rending etc.). These attacks are resolved during the Fight sub-phase at the Initiative 10 step, but does not grant the Chariot an additional Pile In move at the Initiative 10 step. If a Chariot charges a building or a vehicle that is a Transport or Chariot, the Hammer of Wrath hits are resolved against the building or vehicle, not the

occupants or rider.

RIDERLESS CHARIOTS Very occasionally a Chariot will not have a rider. In this case, all attacks that hit the model must be allocated to the Chariot itself. In close combat, a riderless Chariot will make its Hammer of Wrath hits as normal, but will not make any further attacks and is hit by enemy models as for other vehicles (i.e. it is treated as having Weapon Skill 1).

CHARIOTS AND IMMOBILISED RESULTS Chariots count Immobilised results from the Vehicle Damage table as a Crew Stunned result instead. A Chariot will still need to take a Dangerous Terrain test if it moves through difficult terrain. However, if this test is failed, the Chariot is not Immobilised – instead, it suffers a glancing hit.

SPECIAL RULES A Chariot has the Hammer of Wrath special rule, but gains D6 attacks rather than one, resolved at Strength 6 AP-, unless otherwise stated. A Chariot can re-roll one or more of the dice when determining its charge range. A rider has the Fearless and Relentless special rules. A rider can fire Overwatch if its Chariot is charged, but it cannot shoot any of the weapons mounted on the Chariot itself.

OPEN-TOPPED VEHICLES Some vehicles have only a little armour, making them more vulnerable to damage because of their lightweight construction. However, such vehicles make for excellent assault transports as their passengers can disembark with much greater ease.

THE VEHICLE DAMAGE TABLE A lack of armour leaves vital parts of these vehicles vulnerable. If a vehicle is Opentopped, add 1 to any rolls made on the Vehicle Damage table (this is cumulative with

other modifiers).

OPEN-TOPPED TRANSPORTS Open-topped vehicles do not have specific Access Points. Instead, all of the vehicle is considered to be an Access Point (regardless of any base they may have).

Passengers Shooting from Open-topped Transports Open-topped Transports do not have specific Fire Points. Instead, all passengers in an Open-topped Transport can fire, measuring range and line of sight from any point on the hull of the vehicle.

Passengers Charging from Open-topped Transports Acting as an ideal attack platform, all Open-topped Transports have the Assault Vehicle special rule.

Assault Vehicle Passengers disembarking from Access Points on a vehicle with this special rule can charge on the turn they do so (even on a turn that the vehicle was destroyed) unless the vehicle arrived from Reserve that turn.

HEAVY VEHICLES Heavy vehicles are particularly ponderous. They are less war machines than mobile fortresses – slow but very durable.

MOVING HEAVY VEHICLES Heavy vehicles can never move faster than Combat Speed and can never move Flat Out.

SHOOTING WITH HEAVY VEHICLES

For the purposes of determining which weapons a Heavy vehicle can fire (and at what Ballistic Skill), Heavy vehicles are always treated as having remained Stationary.

FAST VEHICLES Fast vehicles are the exact opposite to heavy vehicles – swift-moving and often fragile. They are commonly employed as initial strike elements or reconnaissance units.

MOVING FAST VEHICLES Fast vehicles are swifter than the norm so, to represent this, can move up to 12" when moving Flat Out.

SHOOTING WITH FAST VEHICLES Fast vehicles that moved at Combat Speed in the preceding Movement phase can fire all of their weapons, just like other types of vehicles that have remained Stationary. Fast vehicles that moved at Cruising Speed can fire up to two weapons using their full Ballistic Skill – other weapons can only make Snap Shots.

SKIMMERS Some highly advanced vehicles are fitted with anti-gravity drives that allow them to skim swiftly over tough terrain and intervening troops, making them perfect for surprise flanking attacks.

SKIMMERS AND MEASURING Unlike most other vehicles, Skimmers have flying bases under their hull. However, distances are still measured to and from the Skimmer’s hull, with the exceptions of the vehicle’s weapons and Fire Points, which all work as normal. The base of a Skimmer is effectively ignored, except for when the Skimmer is being charged or Rammed, in which case, models may move into contact with the vehicle’s hull, its base or both.

MOVING SKIMMERS Skimmers can move over friendly and enemy models, but they cannot end their move on top of either. Skimmers can move over all terrain, ignoring all penalties for difficult terrain and Dangerous Terrain tests . However, if a moving Skimmer starts or ends its move in difficult or dangerous terrain, it must take a Dangerous Terrain test. A Skimmer can even end its move over impassable terrain if it is possible to actually place the model on top of it, but if it does so it must take a Dangerous Terrain test. If a Skimmer is forced to end its move over friendly or enemy models, move the Skimmer the minimum distance so that no models are left underneath it.

FAST SKIMMERS If a vehicle is both Fast (see above) and a Skimmer, it can move up to 18" when moving Flat Out.

SKIMMERS AND DAMAGE RESULTS If a Skimmer is Immobilised or Wrecked, its base is removed, if possible. If this is not possible (the base might have been glued in place, for example), don’t worry about it. The Skimmer’s anti-grav field is obviously still working and an Immobilised Skimmer will simply remain hovering in place, incapable of any further movement (including turning on the spot); a Wrecked one is now a floating, burning wreck. Note that it is not otherwise permitted to remove the flying base, as Skimmers cannot land in battle conditions.

SPECIAL RULES Skimmers that are not also Heavy vehicles have the Jink special rule.

Jink When a unit with any models with the Jink special rule is selected as a target for a shooting attack, you may declare that it will Jink. The decision must be made before any To Hit rolls have been made. If the unit Jinks, all models in the unit with this special rule gain a 4+ cover save until the start of their next Movement phase, but they can only fire Snap Shots until the end of their next

turn.

WALKERS Walkers are an unusual type of vehicle. Instead of wheels or tracks, they have mechanical limbs that allow them to stride forwards, ploughing through densely packed terrain with ease in order to bring their weapons to bear.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Unlike other vehicles, Walkers have a Weapon Skill, Strength, Initiative and Attacks characteristic. Shown here is an example:

WALKERS AND MEASURING If a Walker has a base, measure ranges and distances to and from its base, as for an Infantry model. If a Walker does not have a base (like the Defiler), measure to and from its hull (including any legs or other limbs), as normal for vehicles. The Walker’s weapons are an exception to this, as explained below.

MOVING WALKERS Walkers move using the movement rules for Infantry. They can move 6" in the Movement phase, Run in the Shooting phase, and charge in the Assault phase, just as Infantry can. Difficult terrain affects Walkers just as it does Infantry, and only counts as dangerous terrain if it would do so for Infantry. If Walkers fail a Dangerous Terrain test, they are Immobilised. Unlike Infantry, a Walker has a facing, which influences where it can fire (see right) and its Armour Value when fired at.

SHOOTING WITH WALKERS Walkers can choose to Run like Infantry, and this prevents them from firing and charging that turn, as normal. Walkers cannot Run if they are Stunned or Immobilised. A Walker that moved can still fire all of its weapons in the subsequent Shooting phase. When firing a Walker’s weapons assume that weapons mounted on a Walker can swivel horizontally and vertically up to 45°. Range is measured from the weapon itself and line of sight is measured from the mounting point of the weapon and along its barrel, as normal for vehicles. To represent the vastly superior agility of Walkers in comparison with other vehicles, Walkers can fire Overwatch. Furthermore, Walkers can fire their weapons even if the charging unit is not within their current weapon arc, unless they are Immobilised (in which case they can only fire Overwatch if the charging unit’s models lie within their current weapon arc).

SHOOTING AT WALKERS

When firing at a Walker, work out which of its Armour Values to use as you would for any other vehicle, based on the position of its body compared to the model firing at it.

WALKERS AND ASSAULTS Walkers assault, and are assaulted, like Infantry models, meaning that Walkers make charge moves and can be locked in combat. Walkers that are locked in combat cannot be shot at. In close combat, Walkers fight like Infantry models. However, any hits scored against them must roll for armour penetration and damage as for a vehicle. Models hitting a Walker in close combat always roll for armour penetration against its front armour unless it has been Immobilised. Against an Immobilised Walker, models always roll for armour penetration against its rear armour. This is because, unlike other vehicles, the Walker turns to face its enemies and rampages through the melee. If a Walker is armed with two or more Melee weapons, it gains +1 bonus Attack for each additional weapon after the first. Unlike other models, this is not limited to a single bonus Attack, so a Walker with three Melee weapons would have 2 bonus Attacks. If one of its additional Melee weapons is destroyed, one bonus Attack is lost. If the destroyed weapon is a Dreadnought close combat weapon, the Walker loses the bonuses conferred by that Dreadnought close combat weapon. Shaken damage results do not affect the way a Walker fights in close combat.

Immobilised and/or Stunned Walkers fight in close combat with one less Attack than usual (to a minimum of 1), but otherwise they attack normally. Walkers may make Sweeping Advances, Pile In moves and Consolidations unless they are Stunned or Immobilised.

RAMMING A WALKER If a Walker is Rammed by a Tank, the collision is resolved as normal for a vehicle (a Walker cannot attempt to perform a Death or Glory attack when Rammed). If it survives, the Walker can then attack the Tank in the ensuing Assault phase.

SPECIAL RULES All Walkers have the Hammer of Wrath special rule.

Hammer of Wrath If a model with this special rule ends its charge move in base or hull contact with one or more enemy models, it makes one additional attack that hits automatically and is resolved at the model’s unmodified Strength with AP-. This attack does not benefit from any of the model’s special rules (such as Furious Charge, Rending etc.). This attack is resolved during the Fight subphase at the Initiative 10 step, but does not grant the model an additional Pile In move. If a model with this special rule charges a building or vehicle that is either a Transport or Chariot, the Hammer of Wrath hit is resolved against the building or vehicle, not the occupants or rider.

TANKS Tanks can use their mass as a weapon, driving right into and through densely packed enemies. This often throws the opposing battle line into disarray, as having some monstrous metal behemoth coming straight at you is unnerving for anybody. When moving a vehicle with the Tank type, the player can declare that it is going to attempt to Tank Shock or Ram instead of moving normally.

TANK SHOCK To perform a Tank Shock, first, turn the vehicle on the spot to face the direction you intend to move it and, after pre-measuring, declare how many inches the vehicle is going to move, up to its maximum speed. The vehicle must move at least Combat Speed. Note that, because pivoting on the spot does not count as moving, this is not enough for a Tank Shock. Once the Tank has been ‘aimed’ and the intended distance declared, move the Tank straight forwards until it comes into contact with an enemy unit or it reaches the distance declared – no other changes of direction are allowed in a Tank Shock. A Tank Shock is an exception to the rule that enemy models cannot be moved through. Remember, though, that friendly models still cannot be moved through, so the Tank’s

movement will be stopped if any friendly models are in the way. Also, a Tank Shock cannot be attempted against enemies that are locked in combat, as the risk of harming allies is too high. If an enemy unit other than another vehicle is reached, that enemy unit must take a Morale check and immediately Fall Back if it fails. If the test is passed, the unit simply lets the Tank move through, as if it was not there. Regardless of the result of the test, the Tank keeps moving straight on, possibly Tank Shocking more enemy units until it reaches its final position. If the Tank would move into contact with a friendly model, enemy vehicle, impassable terrain or a board edge, it immediately stops moving 1" away. If some enemy models in the enemy unit would end up underneath the vehicle when it reaches its final position (it makes no difference whether the unit is Falling Back or not), these models must be moved out of the way by the shortest distance, leaving at least 1" between them and the vehicle whilst maintaining unit coherency and staying on the board. Any models that cannot manage this are crushed and removed from play as casualties with no saves allowed. Crunch!

Units Already Falling Back If a unit that is Falling Back is Tank Shocked, the unit automatically fails its Morale check. This also applies if a unit Falls Back from a Tank Shock and the Tank’s remaining move brings it into contact with them a second time.

Tank Shock from Reserve A Tank that moves onto the battlefield from Reserve may attempt a Tank Shock. This must be declared before the Tank moves onto the board.

Tank Shock Restrictions A vehicle that has performed a Tank Shock cannot move Flat Out later in the turn. Units cannot embark onto or disembark from a Transport vehicle in a turn in which it has already performed a Tank Shock. Likewise, a Transport vehicle from which a unit has embarked or disembarked that phase cannot perform a Tank Shock later in the turn. A Flyer cannot perform a Tank Shock – even if it is also a Tank.

Death or Glory If a unit that has been attacked by Tank Shock passes its Morale check, one of its models in the vehicle’s path can stand and attempt to destroy it rather than move out of the way (potentially a rather suicidal thing to do). The model nominated for this heroic duty makes a single attack against the incoming Tank. Even if the weapon used is Assault 3, for example, or the model is normally allowed more than one attack, only one attack is ever resolved in this case. The attack can be either a shot from a weapon carried by the model, or a single close combat attack using any weapon carried, including grenades. Whatever

form it takes, the attack hits automatically. Resolve the hit against the vehicle’s front armour (even if using a close combat attack), and immediately apply any damage results. Cover saves cannot be taken against a Death or Glory attack. If the model successfully manages to wreck the vehicle, or inflict a Crew Stunned, Immobilised or Explodes! result, the vehicle halts 1" away from the heroic individual (or blows up there). If the attack fails to stop the vehicle, then the Tank Shock continues as normal, except that the brave (but perhaps foolish) glory seeker is crushed by the vehicle grinding over him – the model is immediately removed as a casualty. Artillery units may attempt a Death or Glory attack with either a crewman (as normal) or a gun model. If a gun model does this and fails to stop the Tank, both the gun and one crewman are removed.

Tank Shock

The Predator tank moves until it is in contact with the Eldar Fire Dragons, which pass their Morale check. The Fire Dragon Exarch attempts a Death or Glory attack with his melta bomb, but rolls poorly, fails to stop or destroy the Tank and is removed. The Predator finishes its move, coming into contact with the Eldar Guardians, which fail their Morale check and Fall Back.

RAMMING Ramming is a rather desperate manoeuvre and the Tank must concentrate on moving at

top speed towards one enemy vehicle. This means that it, and any embarked troops, may only shoot Snap Shots in that turn’s Shooting phase, making it a better idea for vehicles that have no armament left, or are Shaken. Ramming is a special type of Tank Shock and is executed the same way. Any vehicle that can Tank Shock can also Ram. Units other than vehicles in the path of a Ramming Tank are Tank Shocked as normal, but if the Ramming Tank comes into contact with an enemy vehicle or building, resolve the collision as follows. Each vehicle immediately suffers a hit against the armour facing where the other vehicle has impacted (so the Ramming vehicle always uses its front armour). The Strength of the hits will often be different for different vehicles, and is calculated as follows for each vehicle: • Armour. Half the Armour Value (rounding up) on the facing that makes impact. • Mass. If the vehicle has the Tank type, add 1. • Excessive mass. If the vehicle has the Heavy or Super-heavy type, or is a building, add 2. For example, a Land Raider Rams an Ork Trukk, hitting it in the side. The Land Raider has a front armour of 14 (Strength 7), and is a Tank (+1). The total is 7+1, which means that the Trukk suffers a Strength 8 hit against its side armour, and is in serious trouble. At the same time, the Land Raider suffers a Strength 5 hit against its front armour (for the Trukk’s side armour of 10, +0 because the Trukk is not a Tank), which stands no chance of damaging the mighty vehicle. Both players roll for armour penetration against their opponent’s vehicle and any results are immediately applied. If the vehicle that is Rammed is not removed, the Rammer halts. However, if the Rammed vehicle is removed because it suffers an Explodes! damage result, the Rammer continues its move until it reaches the declared distance, moves to within 1" of impassable terrain or friendly troops (at which point it stops immediately) or contacts another enemy unit (which it will Tank Shock or Ram again).

Ramming Restrictions A vehicle making a Ram manoeuvre is subject to the same restrictions as a Tank Shock.

SUPER-HEAVY VEHICLES

From the lumbering Baneblade tanks of the Astra Militarum to the forbidding Tesseract Vault of the Necrons, all of the war engines that fall into this category are huge armour-clad constructions that each carry enough firepower to vaporise, smash or incinerate an entire army. Super-heavy vehicles are vehicles that have the additional rules and exceptions given below.

MOVEMENT Regardless of their type, Super-heavy vehicles cannot use the Jink special rule.

SHOOTING When a Super-heavy vehicle makes a shooting attack, it is always treated as if it had remained stationary in the Movement phase (even if it actually moved), and it may fire each of its weapons at different targets if desired. In addition, firing Ordnance weapons has no effect on a Super-heavy vehicle’s ability to fire other weapons.

VEHICLE DAMAGE Super-heavy vehicles have armour plating and internal supports far superior to those of regular vehicles. This translates into a greater number of Hull Points, which makes them more difficult to destroy than your average tank. In addition, each time a Super-heavy vehicle suffers an Explodes! result on the Vehicle Damage table, instead of suffering the effects listed, it loses D3 additional Hull Points as well as the Hull Point it loses for the penetrating hit. Furthermore, a Super-heavy vehicle is so large and has so many crew that the effects of Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results are ignored. However, Super-heavy vehicles are still subject to losing Hull Points from glancing and penetrating hits as usual, just not the extra damage effects from the Vehicle Damage table.

CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE Immediately after a Super-heavy vehicle loses its last Hull Point, it suffers Catastrophic Damage and explodes. Instead of the usual procedure for exploding vehicles, remove the model and centre the apocalyptic mega-blast marker over the location the destroyed model occupied; then roll for scatter (this represents the vehicle tipping over or skidding out of control before exploding). Resolve the hits as described in the Apocalyptic Megablast special rule. Roll once on the Catastrophic Damage table to see what Strength and AP values apply to all hits caused by the explosion.

CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TABLE D6 - Result S AP 1 - Explosion S - D/4/2 AP - 2/4/6 2-3 - Devastating Explosion S - D/8/4 AP - 2/3/5 4-6 - Titanic Explosion! S - D/10/5 AP - 2/3/4

SUPER-HEAVY TRANSPORTS If a Super-heavy vehicle has a Transport Capacity, then it may transport any number of Infantry units (plus any characters that have joined the units), so long as the total number of models in the transported units do not exceed the vehicle’s Transport Capacity. Each unit embarked within a Super-heavy vehicle that suffers Catastrophic Damage takes a number of Strength 10 AP2 hits equal to the number of models in that unit. These Wounds are Randomly Allocated. Surviving passengers are placed where the vehicle used to be; any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The units then take Pinning tests.

SPECIAL RULES Super-heavy vehicles have the following special rules:

Fear, Move Through Cover. Invincible Behemoth: A Super-heavy vehicle is so large and strongly built that weapons which degrade the armour of smaller vehicles will not effect it. Because of this, any attack that says that the target model is destroyed, wrecked, Explodes! or is otherwise removed from play inflicts D3 Hull Points of damage on a Super-heavy vehicle instead. In addition, any attacks or special abilities that permanently lower the Armour Values of a target vehicle do not affect a Super-heavy vehicle. Note that attacks or abilities that count the Armour Value as being lower, but do not actually change it, work normally.

THUNDERBLITZ Super-heavy vehicles may Tank Shock or Ram. When they do so, roll once on the Thunderblitz table immediately before taking the Morale check for the unit being Tank Shocked, or immediately before rolling for armour penetration when performing a Ram. Do not roll on the Thunderblitz table when Tank Shocking a Gargantuan Creature or Flying Gargantuan Creature, or when Ramming a Super-heavy vehicle or Super-heavy Walker. Instead, simply carry out the Tank Shock or Ram as normal.

THUNDERBLITZ TABLE D6 Tank Shock Result Ram Result 1 Tank Shock Result - No Effect: Carry on with the remainder of the Tank Shock as normal. Ram Result - No Effect: Carry on with the remainder of the Ram as normal. 2-5 Tank Shock Result - Kerr-runch: The unit being Tank Shocked suffers D6 Strength 6 AP4 hits. Then, carry on with the Tank Shock as normal. Ram Result - Kerr-smash: The Super-heavy vehicle adds D6 to the armour penetration roll for the Ram. Then, carry on with the Ram as normal.

6 Tank Shock Result - Overrun: The unit being Tank Shocked suffers 2D6 Strength 10 AP2 hits. Then, carry on with the Tank Shock as normal. Ram Result - Flipped: The vehicle being rammed scatters D6" and then suffers an Explodes! result from the Vehicle Damage table.

SUPER-HEAVY WALKERS Super-heavy Walkers such as Ork Stompas are towering behemoths, clad in incredibly thick armour and armed with devastating weaponry. They loom above the battlefield, striking down anything that gets in their way. Super-heavy Walkers are Walkers that have the additional rules and exceptions given below.

SUPER-HEAVY Super-heavy Walkers are Super-heavy vehicles and use the Super-heavy vehicle rules for

Shooting, Vehicle Damage, Catastrophic Damage and Transports.

MOVEMENT AND SHOOTING Super-heavy Walkers can move 12" in the Movement phase unless specified otherwise. Apart from this, they obey the movement rules for Walkers. In addition, Super-heavy Walkers cannot fire Overwatch.

STOMP Super-heavy Walkers engaged in combat may make a special type of attack called a Stomp attack. The Stomp attack is made in addition to the Super-heavy Walker’s normal attacks. Stomp attacks are resolved during the Fight sub-phase at the Initiative 1 step. This does not grant the model an additional Pile In move at the Initiative 1 step. A Stomp attack consists of D3 Stomps. To make the first Stomp, place a blast marker so that it is touching, but not over, the Super-heavy Walker model (or the Super-heavy Walker model’s base, if it has one). Each unit that has at least one model even partially under the marker is stomped. For each unit that is stomped, roll on the Stomp table (see right) to determine what happens to it. Each subsequent Stomp is made in the same manner as the first, except that the blast marker does not have to be placed touching the Super-heavy Walker. Instead, it must be placed so that it is at least partially within 3" of where the last blast marker was placed, and not over the Super-heavy Walker. This allows you to ‘Stomp forward’ into the enemy! Note that the Super-heavy Walker is not moved – we assume it stomps about but ends up more or less where it started. Buildings, Flyers, Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures, Gargantuan Creatures, Flying Gargantuan Creatures, Super-heavy vehicles, Super-heavy Walkers, and Super-heavy Flyers cannot be stomped; do not roll on the Stomp table for them if they fall under the blast marker. Any other units with models under the blast marker are stomped as normal.

SPECIAL RULES All Super-heavy Walkers have the following special rules: Fear, Hammer of Wrath, Invincible Behemoth (see Super-heavy vehicles), Move Through Cover, Relentless, Smash, Strikedown.

An Ork Stompa rampages through the Space Marine lines, crushing its power armoured foes underfoot with its Stomp attack.

STOMP TABLE D6 Non-vehicle Target Vehicle Target 1 Non-vehicle Target - No Effect: The unit being stomped gets out of the way of its lumbering attacker. The attack has no effect.

Vehicle Target -No Effect: The unit being stomped gets out of the way of its lumbering attacker. The attack has no effect. 2-5 Non-vehicle Target - Kerr-runch: Each model from the unit being stomped that is even partially under the blast marker suffers a Strength 6 AP4 hit. Vehicle Target -Kerr-smash: One vehicle in the unit being stomped that is at least partially under the blast marker (stomping model’s choice) suffers a penetrating hit. 6 Non-vehicle Target - Overrun: Each model from the unit being stomped that is even partially under the blast marker is removed as a casualty. Vehicle Target -Flipped: One vehicle in the unit being stomped that is at least partially under the blast marker (stomping model’s choice) scatters D6" and then suffers an Explodes! result.

SUPER-HEAVY FLYERS Super-heavy Flyers such as the Thunderhawk Gunship are huge flying vehicles armed with a terrifying array of weapons and bombs. They are often capable of transporting large numbers of troops and even heavily armoured vehicles. They dominate the skies above the battlefield, and are extremely hard for ground defences to bring down. Super-heavy Flyers are Flyers that have the additional rules and exceptions given below.

SUPER-HEAVY Super-heavy Flyers are Super-heavy vehicles and use the Super-heavy vehicle rules for Shooting, Vehicle Damage, Catastrophic Damage and Transports.

CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE

Do not use the Crash and Burn rules for Super-heavy Flyers. Instead, a Super-heavy Flyer suffers Catastrophic Damage when it loses its last Hull Point. Resolve the Catastrophic Damage on the Super-heavy Flyer and any units it is transporting in exactly the same manner as for a Super-heavy vehicle.

SPECIAL RULES All Super-heavy Flyers have the following special rules: Fear, Invincible Behemoth (see Super-heavy vehicles).

VEHICLE UPGRADES It is incredibly rare for even two vehicles of the same design to be identical – many are modified by their crews in order to achieve greater battlefield efficiency (or survivability). Accordingly, many vehicles have optional upgrades – the most common of which are listed here.

DOZER BLADE Dozer blades are heavy ploughs, blades, rams, or scoops, used to clear obstacles from the vehicle’s path.

Vehicles equipped with dozer blades treat their front armour as one higher than normal when ramming. Furthermore the vehicle can re-roll failed Dangerous Terrain tests.

EXTRA ARMOUR Some vehicle crews add additional armour plating to their vehicles to provide a little extra protection. Vehicles equipped with extra armour count Crew Stunned results from the Vehicle Damage table as Crew Shaken results instead.

HUNTER-KILLER MISSILE Hunter-killer missiles are commonly fitted to Imperial vehicles. These single-use weapon systems allow vehicles such as Rhinos to engage armoured enemy vehicles that would otherwise far outmatch them. A hunter-killer missile is an additional weapon, fired using the vehicle’s Ballistic Skill.

SEARCHLIGHT Searchlights are often fitted to vehicles so that the foe cannot use darkness as an ally. Searchlights are used when the Night Fighting rules are in effect. If a vehicle has a searchlight, it can, after firing all of its weapons, choose to illuminate its target with the searchlight. If it does so, it also illuminates itself. You may find it helpful to place coins, or other suitable counters, next to the units as reminders, and next to a vehicle to show it has used its searchlights this turn. Illumination lasts until the end of the following turn. Illuminated units gain no benefit from the Night Fighting rule.

SMOKE LAUNCHERS Some vehicles have small launchers mounted onto them that carry smoke canisters. These are used to temporarily obscure the vehicle behind billowing clouds of smoke, allowing it to cross open areas in greater safety – although it does so at the cost of being able to fire its own weapons. Once per game, instead of shooting or moving Flat Out (or Running in the case of Walkers), a vehicle with smoke launchers can trigger them. Place some cotton wool or some other appropriate counter next to the vehicle to show it is obscured. The vehicle may not fire any of its weapons in the same turn as it used smoke launchers, but counts as obscured in the next enemy Shooting phase, receiving a 5+ cover save. After the enemy’s Shooting phase, the smoke disperses with no further effect. Note that a vehicle may still use smoke launchers even if has suffered a Crew Shaken or Stunned result or it does not have any shooting weapons.

CHARACTERS ‘Brave men do not question, they simply act.’ Veteran warriors, brilliant officers, possessed prophets and ferocious war-leaders can all inspire their troops to great feats of heroism (or fiendish bravery as the case may be) and are often quicker, stronger and more skilled in combat than those they lead. In Warhammer 40,000, these kinds of powerful individuals are called ‘characters’.

Forging a Narrative Games of Warhammer 40,000 are often tales of the mighty deeds of heroes. With that in mind, it’s always a good idea to name your characters. They won’t necessarily fight any better if you do, but your victories will be all the sweeter.

CHARACTER TYPES Most characters are fielded in units from the start of the game, and represent squad leaders, such as a Space Marine Veteran Sergeant. They have their own profile, but do not have a separate entry. They are effectively just another trooper in their unit, with enhanced characteristics and perhaps a wider selection of weapons and wargear choices. Other characters, such as Mephiston of the Blood Angels, fight as units on their own. They are either mighty enough, or feared enough by their own kind, that they don’t take to the battlefield with other warriors. Regardless of their potency, all follow the rules for characters.

Independent Characters Some characters have the Independent Character special rule, which allows them to join other units.

CHARACTER AS LEADERS Remember that a unit’s Leadership tests are taken using the highest Leadership value in the unit. As characters normally have better Leadership than other warriors, this means

that they make very good leaders for units in your army.

CHARACTER AND MOVING Characters follow the movement rules for models of their type, whether Infantry, Jump Infantry, Bikes, etc. However, remember that they must maintain unit coherency with any unit they are in.

CHARACTER AND SHOOTING Characters shoot just like ordinary models of their type, although they sometimes have a better Ballistic Skill or exotic weaponry that sets them apart.

Look Out, Sir and Shooting When a Wound is allocated to one of your non-vehicle characters, and there is another model from the same unit within 6", he is allowed a Look Out, Sir attempt. This represents the character ducking back further into the unit, holding a comrade in the line of fire, or being pushed aside by a selfless ally. If no model is in range, then you cannot make a Look Out, Sir attempt. To make a Look Out, Sir attempt, roll a D6. • On a roll of 3 or less, the Look Out, Sir attempt fails. • On a roll of 4+, the Look Out, Sir attempt is successful. Determine which model in the unit is closest to the character, and allocate the Wound to that model instead. This can even be a model that is out of range or line of sight of the shooting attack. If the unit only consists of characters, a Look Out, Sir attempt can still be made, with the closest character within 6" taking the place of the erstwhile victim if the roll is passed. Only one Look Out, Sir attempt can be made per Wound allocated – once the Wound has been transferred (or not), no further attempts to reallocate it can be made.

CHARACTER AND ASSAULTS

Remember, a character that has joined a unit follows all the normal rules for being part of a unit. If a character is in a unit that charges into close combat, the character charges too, as it is part of the unit. If the character’s unit is locked in close combat, he fights as part of the unit. If, when it is a character’s turn to make a Pile In move, other friendly models are Piling In at the same time, the character must move to get into base contact with an enemy as soon as it is able. If this is not possible, then they must instead move as close to the enemy as they can – their place is at the forefront!

Look Out, Sir and Assaults As with shooting attacks, if a non-vehicle character has a Wound allocated to him, and there is another model from the same unit within 6", he’s allowed a Look Out, Sir attempt. This works exactly the same way as for shooting attacks. However, a character who is fighting in a challenge (see below) cannot attempt to make a Look Out, Sir attempt – it is a duel of honour and none can interfere.

CHALLENGES Characters, no matter their rank or race, crave the chance to prove their battle skill. There is no more certain a way to do this than to vanquish enemy characters – preferably in full sight of one’s allies.

ISSUING A CHALLENGE Challenges are issued at the start of the Fight sub-phase, before any blows are struck. Only one challenge can be issued per close combat – the side whose turn it is has the opportunity to issue a challenge first. If that side chooses not to, then the other side can issue a challenge. To issue a challenge, nominate a character in one of your units locked in the combat to be the challenger. We can then assume he’s issued a suitably insulting challenge to the foe, probably impugning their courage, battle skill, heritage, devotion to questionable gods and overall slovenly aspect. You’ll now have to wait and see whether a

character amongst the enemy ranks chooses to step forwards and accept the challenge. Once one challenge has been made, no further challenges can be issued in that combat that turn. If the challenge is accepted (see below), no further challenges can be issued until that challenge has been resolved. If there are no characters in the enemy units, then a challenge cannot be issued. Characters that cannot fight or strike blows (including those that are not engaged with an enemy model) cannot issue challenges.

Forging a Narrative You’ll find your challenges much more satisfying if you go to the effort of concocting a suitably intimidating and characterful epithet to hurl at your opponent. This will be doubly effective if you can tailor the wording to match the challenger’s temperament. Space Marines should be gruff, matter-of-fact and somewhat laconic. Eldar are prone to convoluted and metaphor-laden insults as likely to leave the foe confused as slighted (thus proving the Eldar’s superiority twice over). Orks are crude and brutal (surprise!), Tyranids roar with bowel-loosening fury, and so on. Just remember that it’s your opponent’s character that you’re trying to insult – not your opponent.

ACCEPTING A CHALLENGE If your opponent has issued a challenge, you can now accept it – nominate a character in one of your units locked in the combat to be the challengee. Your opponent has probably decided which of your characters he wants to fight, in fact, this bias might affect how the challenge was framed (‘Brother-Captain Minyos challenges thine craven Warlock to single combat!’), but the final choice is yours – he can’t challenge a specific enemy, he just issues a challenge to the foe at large and sees who steps forwards. Characters that cannot fight or strike blows (including those that are not engaged with an enemy model) cannot accept challenges.

REFUSING A CHALLENGE Alternatively, you can simply refuse the challenge and choose to have your character slink away with sullied honour but beating heart(s). If you refuse, your opponent gets to nominate one of your characters from those that could have accepted. The chosen model cannot strike blows at all this turn, as he is thereafter putting all of his effort into staying clear of the vengeful enemy character. Furthermore, his Leadership cannot be used by the

rest of the unit for the remainder of the phase – skulking amongst the ranks is not the stuff of heroism! Once a challenge has been refused, the model that issued it fights normally.

HEROIC STAND A unit that consists only of a single character cannot refuse a challenge. He’s got nowhere to hide.

FIGHTING A CHALLENGE If a challenge has been accepted, it is time to move the two combatants into base contact with each other. Note that these moves cannot be used to move a character out of unit coherency. If possible, swap the challenger for a friendly model in base contact with the challengee. If this cannot be done, swap the challengee for a friendly model in base contact with the challenger. If neither of these moves would result in the two models being in base contact, ‘swap’ the challenger to as close as possible to the challengee and assume the two to be in base contact for the purposes of the ensuing fight. In case you were wondering, models that are moved to satisfy a challenge are not subject to Difficult or Dangerous Terrain tests. Furthermore, neither the characters in the challenge nor the models that have made way to allow the characters to get into base contact make a Pile In move when their Initiative step is reached. For the duration of the challenge, these two models are considered to be in base contact with each other and, when rolling To Hit and To Wound, they always use the Weapon

Skill and Toughness of their opponent. When allocating Wounds caused by either of these two models, they must be allocated to their opponent first. These Wounds cannot be reallocated by the Look Out, Sir rule.

Combatant Slain If a character that is involved in a challenge slays his opponent, each excess Wound inflicted by the victor is then allocated, one at a time, to the next nearest enemy model that is locked in the combat. When one of the combatants in a challenge is slain, regardless of which Initiative Step it is, the challenge is still considered to be ongoing until the end of the phase for the purposes of Outside Forces (see below).

Outside Forces Whilst the challenge is ongoing, other models locked in the combat can only allocate Wounds to the models involved in the challenge after all other enemy models that are locked in that combat (if any) have been removed as casualties, even if the models fighting in a challenge are the closest models.

ASSAULT RESULT Unsaved Wounds caused in a challenge count towards the assault result, alongside any unsaved Wounds caused by the rest of the characters’ units.

ROUND TWO If both competitors survive a challenge, and neither side fled from the combat, then they continue to fight in the next round of close combat. Note that, if a character with the And They Shall Know No Fear special rule is caught by a Sweeping Advance, the challenge does not continue. Even though further challenges cannot be issued in a combat until the existing challenge has been resolved, there is the possibility that another character in the fight might intercede in a Glorious Intervention.

Glorious Intervention Even in the darkness of the 41st Millennium, there are still tales of personal heroism and glory. A plucky Astra Militarum Sergeant might throw himself into the path of a rampaging Ork Warboss in an attempt to preserve his officer’s life. An Eldar Warlock, about to be cloven in two by the sweep of a Tyranid bonesword, might be saved as an Autarch darts in to parry the blow. These are the kinds of situations that the Glorious Intervention rule is here to represent, where one character hurls himself into harm’s way in order to defend another. A character can declare a Glorious Intervention at the start of his own Fight sub-phase, before any blows are struck, if a friendly character in the same combat is about to fight a second or subsequent round of a challenge. A character cannot declare a Glorious Intervention in the first round of a challenge or during the enemy turn. Nor can a character that cannot fight or strike blows (including those that are not engaged with an enemy model) declare a Glorious Intervention. To see whether or not the Glorious Intervention has been successful, the intervening character must take an Initiative test. If the test is failed, nothing happens – the character has not been quick enough. He fights the current round of close combat as normal. If the test is passed, the character making the Glorious Intervention takes the place of the friendly character in the ongoing challenge. The character thus displaced now fights in the close combat according to the normal rules, whilst the character that made the Glorious Intervention fights in the challenge. The two characters now fighting the challenge should attempt to move into base contact with each other following the same rules as

when the challenge was first accepted, with the character performing the Glorious Intervention as the challenger. For example, Idrion, a Space Marine Sergeant has, through skill of arms (and lucky dice), survived the first round of a challenge against the infamous Daemon Prince Volgarax. Fortunately for Idrion, Brother-Captain Dantarion (Initiative 5) charged into the same combat this turn, and is now attempting to make a Glorious Intervention to save the sergeant from his dread foe. Dantarion takes his Initiative test and rolls a 4, passing it with room to spare. He now fights Volgarax in this and subsequent rounds of the challenge, while Idrion fights in the rest of the combat as normal. Note that, whilst it is possible for several Glorious Interventions to occur within the same challenge over the course of the game, only one character can attempt a Glorious Intervention for each challenge per turn.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN The galaxy is a vast place with millions of different battle zones: ruined cities are stalked by predatory warriors, ash wastes are studded with fortifications that provide the only cover, and once verdant worlds are turned into blasted battlescapes dotted with craters and the wreckage of destroyed war machines. The Citadel scenery range includes a growing range of models that can be used to represent all of these types of terrain and many more, and in this chapter, you’ll find the rules for the terrain with which you can populate your battlefields.

The forces of Cadia garrison a formidable defensive network constructed from Wall of Martyrs defence lines, bunkers and gun emplacements surrounding a massive Vortex Missile Aquila Strongpoint.

The Blood Angels Death Company fight beneath the shadows of Imperial Statuary, guarding a pass leading to a Sanctum Imperialis against an approaching Tyranid swarm.

Hive Fleet Leviathan bursts out of the remnants of a once proud Imperial city, clambering over the ruins of Manufactorums and Basilica Administratums before overrunning an Ultramarines fortress.

TERRAIN TYPES All of the Citadel scenery models have a terrain type. The rules for each terrain type are described below. When one of the following rules refers to a model being ‘in cover behind’ a piece of terrain, this means that the model is at least 25% obscured by the scenery, and therefore eligible for a cover save. On the other hand, when one of the following rules refers to a model being ‘in’ a piece of terrain, this means that model, or some part of it, is actually standing on the piece of scenery, whether it is obscured from view or not.

OPEN GROUND Open ground covers everything from dusty plains to rolling hills. Models in open ground are often said to be ‘out in the open’. No additional rules are needed for open ground and, unless otherwise specified, special rules and abilities that affect terrain do not affect open ground. The surface of the Realm of Battle Gameboard is considered open ground.

BUILDINGS The rules for buildings are quite extensive, and are covered in more detail in their own rules section.

DIFFICULT TERRAIN Difficult terrain slows down models wishing to move through it. It includes areas of rubble, woods, ruins, rocky outcrops, boggy ground, low walls, tanglewire, barricades, steep hills, streams and other shallow water, as well as terrain features that combine several of these types. Unless specifically noted otherwise, a model in cover behind difficult terrain has a 5+ cover save.

Moving Into Difficult Terrain If a unit starts its move outside difficult terrain, the player must declare if he wants his unit to try to enter difficult terrain as part of their move. If he chooses not to, the unit moves as normal but may not enter difficult terrain. If he chooses for a unit to do so, the unit must take a Difficult Terrain test. To take a Difficult Terrain test, roll 2D6 and select the highest result – this is the maximum distance, in inches, that any of the models in the unit may move. Even if the distance rolled is too short for any of the models to reach the difficult terrain,

the unit is still slowed down as described above. We assume that their approach is cautious as they attempt to ascertain whether any enemies are within. You should also note that, if you take the Difficult Terrain test, you are not compelled to move the models, as you might not have rolled high enough to make it worth moving at all.

Moving Within Difficult Terrain If any models in a unit start their move in difficult terrain, they are affected by the terrain and must take a Difficult Terrain test. No models in the unit can move more than the distance indicated by the test, even if they are not in difficult terrain.

Charging Through Difficult Terrain Models are slowed when charging through difficult terrain. If, when charging, one or more models have to move through difficult terrain in order to reach the enemy by the shortest possible route, the entire unit subtracts 2 from its total when determining its charge range. If at least one model in the charging unit moved through difficult terrain as part of its charge move, all of the unit’s models must attack at Initiative step 1, regardless of other Initiative modifiers, even if the charging unit is not slowed by difficult terrain. Remember that charging models must engage as many enemies in the target unit as possible.

RUINS Ruins are difficult terrain. Models in ruins receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

DANGEROUS TERRAIN Dangerous terrain follows all the rules for difficult terrain – you’ve got to watch your step! In addition, each model must take a Dangerous Terrain test as soon as it enters, leaves or moves within dangerous terrain.

Dangerous Terrain Tests To take a Dangerous Terrain test, roll a D6. On a result of a 1, that model suffers a Wound. The model may take an armour or invulnerable save, but not a cover save, against this Wound. Once a model has taken a Dangerous Terrain test for a particular scenery model, it does not test for that terrain again in the same phase. However, if the model moves into a different area of dangerous terrain, this must be tested for as normal.

Impassable Terrain

Unless noted otherwise in their special rules, models cannot enter, cross or move into or through impassable terrain – they must go around. The exceptions tend to be things like Jump units and Skimmers.

Mysterious Terrain Sometimes things are not quite what they seem in the war-torn future, and this is certainly true of the terrain found on alien worlds. The effect of a piece of mysterious terrain is not decided at the start of the battle. Instead, the terrain datasheet for the scenery model will include a Mysterious Terrain table. The Mysterious Terrain table is rolled for immediately when a model first enters the terrain or deploys within it.

BATTLEFIELD DEBRIS Battlefield debris is difficult terrain. Unless otherwise stated, a model in cover behind difficult terrain has a 5+ cover save. In addition, some battlefield debris has additional rules, which are either detailed below or on its terrain datasheet.

AMMUNITION DUMP A supply of ammunition is always welcome in a fight – especially when you hear the dreaded ‘dead man’s click’ of an empty magazine. Any model within 2" of an ammunition dump can re-roll To Hit rolls of 1 in the Shooting phase.

BARRICADES AND WALLS Barricades and walls can be hastily assembled obstacles or the remains of once proud structures. A model in cover behind a barricade or wall has a 4+ cover save. Models that are in base contact with a barricade or wall are treated as being in base contact with any enemy models who are directly opposite them and in base contact with the other side of that barricade or wall. Units charging an enemy that is behind a barricade or wall count as

charging through difficult terrain.

COMMS RELAY A working comms relay can be crucial to the coordination of reserves, and therefore to a swift victory. Any player with an unengaged model within 2" of a comms relay can re-roll Reserves rolls.

CRATERS The aftermath of heavy shelling and orbital bombardments, impact craters provide protection to those sensible enough to seek it. Models in crater terrain have a 6+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured. If a unit Goes to Ground, then models from the unit that are in crater terrain gain +2 to their cover save rather than +1.

DEFENCE LINE Defence lines are armoured shield sections that link together to form makeshift fortresses. A model in cover behind a defence line has a 4+ cover save. If a unit Goes to Ground, then models from the unit gain +2 to the cover save from the defence line rather than +1. Models that are in base contact with a defence line are treated as being in base contact with any enemy models who are directly opposite them and in base contact with the other side of that defence line. Units charging an enemy that is behind a defence line count as charging through difficult terrain.

GUN EMPLACEMENTS Though once abandoned to the tides of war, this gun battery still functions and will serve the cause of carnage once again. A model in cover behind a gun emplacement has a 4+ cover save. One non-vehicle model in base contact with a gun emplacement can fire it instead of firing its own weapons. A model that fires a gun emplacement has the Relentless special rule for that shooting attack. A gun emplacement can be shot at and attacked in close combat. It is hit automatically in close combat and has the following profile:

IMPERIAL STATUARY The cold and noble gaze of this ancient hero inspires determination in those who have it not. A model from the Armies of the Imperium that is within 2" of Imperial Statuary terrain has the Fearless special rule. A model in cover behind Imperial Statuary has a 3+ cover save.

RUBBLE Detritus of battles past litters the ground – twisted metal and shattered ceramite that can be used as cover, if the conflict is desperate enough. Models in rubble terrain have a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

TANGLEWIRE Deployed primarily to deter infantry assaults, the barbed coils of tanglewire can prove fatal to fighters who don’t watch their step. Tanglewire is dangerous terrain. A model in cover behind tanglewire has a 6+ cover save.

TANK TRAPS These obstacles allow all but vehicles to pass by unhindered. Tank traps are impassable terrain to non-Skimmer vehicles, dangerous terrain to Bikes, and open ground for other units. A model in cover behind a tank trap has a 4+ cover save.

BUILDINGS The bloody battles of the 41st Millennium often envelop cities, towns, defence lines, research outposts, hab blocks, pumping stations, army barracks, mining colonies, space ports, tribal forts, ancient tombs, sacred shrines and countless other types of built-up structure. Buildings of all types use aspects of the Transport vehicle rules. The main difference

between buildings and actual vehicles is that they can’t move, they can be controlled by either side and units from either side can embark upon them.

Building Armour Values All buildings have an Armour Value listed on their terrain datasheet. If only a single Armour Value is listed, then it is used against all attacks, no matter which facing is hit.

Dilapidated Buildings Some missions might describe a building as being dilapidated. A dilapidated building has 2 fewer points of Armour Value on each facing than stated on its datasheet. Furthermore, unless you and your opponent agree otherwise before the game begins, emplaced weapons on a dilapidated building cannot be fired.

Building Size and Hull Points Just like a Transport vehicle, buildings have a Transport Capacity and a number of Hull Points, which relate to the building’s size. A building’s size will be listed on its terrain datasheet. If a building’s datasheet does not list its Transport Capacity or Hull Points, consult the following chart to work out the Transport Capacity and Hull Points it has:

Buildings Size Chart Building Size - Transport Capacity - Hull Points Small - 10 models - 3 Medium - 20 models - 4 Large - 30 models - 5

Entering & Exiting Buildings Models can enter or exit a building through a doorway or other opening that is listed on the building’s terrain datasheet as being an Access Point. Moving into or out of a building works the same as embarking or disembarking from a vehicle, including emergency disembarkations. Jump Infantry and Jet Pack Infantry can

embark inside buildings. All of the normal rules apply, so only one Infantry unit, plus any Independent Characters that have joined them, may occupy a building at one time. Models entering a building are removed from the table – either note down where they are on a piece of paper or use another suitable reminder.

Impassable Buildings Some buildings are noted as being impassable buildings on their terrain datasheet. Models may not enter an impassable building, but they may use its battlements if it has any.

Repel the Enemy Buildings are constructed to allow their garrisons easy access to exit and engage enemy siege teams before they can breach their walls. All buildings have the Repel the Enemy special rule.

Repel the Enemy Models disembarking from a building can charge on the turn they do so, even on a turn the building was destroyed.

Firing from Buildings Most buildings have Fire Points that allow units inside to fire out. Unless stated otherwise, up to two models may shoot through each Fire Point of a building. This aside, all the rules for shooting with transported units apply to units embarked in a building.

Attacking Buildings When determining if a building can be targeted by a shooting attack or psychic power, charged and fought in close combat, or affected by a special rule, treat the building as a vehicle unless specifically stated otherwise. When attacking a building, roll To Hit and for armour penetration as if it were a vehicle. In close combat, buildings are hit automatically. For example, melta bombs can only be used to attack vehicles in close combat – they can therefore also be used to attack buildings in close combat. Similarly, a weapon with the Haywire special rule, which specifically affects vehicles, can also be used

to attack buildings. Note that this does not mean that a weapon or special rule which specifies that it can only be used against buildings can also be used against vehicles. If a building suffers a glancing or penetrating hit, that building immediately loses a single Hull Point. If a building is reduced to Armour Value 0 on one or more facings, or if its Hull Points are reduced to 0, it immediately suffers a Total Collapse damage result (see below). If a penetrating hit is scored, also roll on the Building Damage table, applying any of the relevant modifiers: • Add 1 to each roll caused by a weapon with an AP value of 2. • Add 2 to each roll caused by a weapon with an AP value of 1. • Deduct 1 from each roll if the building has the Mighty Bulwark special rule.

Building Damage Table 0-1 - Breach! Massive cracks appear in the building’s walls. The building’s Armour Value is reduced by 1 (on all facings) for the remainder of the battle. This is cumulative with any other penalties to the building’s Armour Value. 2 - Tremor. The building shakes violently, throwing its occupants to their knees. If the building is occupied, the occupying unit can only make Snap Shots in the following turn. If an occupying unit abandons the building in their next turn, they can only disembark 3", rather than the full 6". 3 - Partial Collapse. Part of the support structure is blasted away, causing a chunk of roof to fall in. If the building is occupied, the occupying unit suffers D6 Strength 6 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule. In addition, if the building has any emplaced weapons, they can only fire Snap Shots in the following turn. 4 - Structural Collapse. Internal supports are destroyed, causing several levels to collapse under their own weight. If the building is occupied, the occupying unit suffers 2D6 Strength 6 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule. In addition, if the building has any emplaced weapons, one randomly determined weapon is destroyed and the

remainder can only fire Snap Shots in the following turn. 5 - Catastrophic Breach. A huge slab of masonry tumbles from the building’s flank. The building’s Armour Value is reduced by D3 (on all facings) for the remainder of the battle. This is cumulative with any other penalties to the building’s Armour Value. In addition, if the building has any emplaced weapons, one randomly determined weapon is destroyed and the remainder can only fire Snap Shots in the following turn. 6 - Total Collapse. The roof and several internal floors fall in, crushing many of the garrison and driving the remainder outside. The building is destroyed: all emplaced weapons and battlement upgrades on the building are also destroyed. If the building is occupied, the occupying unit suffers 2D6 Strength 6 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule and must then immediately disembark from the building, performing an emergency disembarkation if necessary (survivors cannot disembark to the battlements). Any models that cannot disembark are removed as casualties. Assuming they were not destroyed, units that have disembarked must then take a Pinning test. The building is left on the table, but can no longer be occupied. Battlements that are part of a building that suffers a Total Collapse damage result are destroyed. Each unit on the battlements suffers D6 Strength 6 APhits with the Ignores Cover special rule, and must then take a Pinning test. The battlements are considered to be Ruins terrain for the rest of the battle. 7+ - Detonation! The shot punches through the building’s walls to explode amongst ammunition or fuel stores within. The building is destroyed: all emplaced weapons and battlement upgrades on the building are also destroyed. If the building is occupied, the occupying unit suffers 4D6 Strength 6 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule and must then immediately disembark from the building, performing an emergency disembarkation if necessary (survivors cannot disembark to the battlements). Any models that cannot disembark are removed as casualties. Assuming they were not destroyed, units that have disembarked must then take a Pinning test. The building is then removed and replaced with a crater of roughly the same size (if you have one). Battlements that are part of a building that suffers a Detonation damage result are destroyed. Each unit on the battlements suffers 2D6 Strength 6 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule and must then immediately make a 6" move in order to move off of the battlements (this movement is not slowed by difficult terrain). Any models that cannot move off of the battlements are

removed as casualties. Assuming they were not destroyed, all units that had to move off the battlements must then take a Pinning test.

Wound Allocation & Occupying Units If any hits are allocated to a unit occupying a building, they are Randomly Allocated.

Emplaced Weapons Many buildings have built-in weapons, referred to in the rules as emplaced weapons. They can each be fired as follows:

Manual Fire If a building is occupied, an embarked model can choose to fire one of the emplaced weapons. If the building has more than one emplaced weapon, each can be fired by a different embarked model. An emplaced weapon may not be fired by more than one model each Shooting phase. A model cannot manually fire an emplaced weapon and fire out of a Fire Point with its own weapons in the same turn. If an occupying unit fires at a target, all emplaced weapons being manually fired must be shot at the same target. Use the firing model’s Ballistic Skill and the line of sight of the weapon. All relevant special rules from the firing model and the weapon are used.

Automated Fire If a building is claimed (see below), each emplaced weapon that is not being fired manually automatically fires at the nearest enemy unit within range and line of sight of the weapon. Shots from automated fire are resolved at the end of the Shooting phase, just before any Morale checks are taken, and as if being fired by a model with a Ballistic Skill of 2. Automated fire does not prevent an occupying unit from firing its own weapons and can be fired at different targets.

Gun Emplacement Upgrades If a gun emplacement is taken as an upgrade for a building and placed upon the building’s battlements (see below), then it counts as an additional

emplaced weapon on the building instead of a gun emplacement.

Claiming Buildings To keep track of which side currently controls a building, we use the concept of ‘claiming’ buildings (or, if you prefer, planting your flag). • At the start of the game, all buildings that were taken as part of a player’s army are ‘claimed’ by the owning player, whilst all other buildings are ‘unclaimed’. • A claimed building is a unit in the controlling player’s army and will remain so, even if it later becomes unoccupied, until the building is either destroyed or claimed by an enemy. • If a unit enters a building, they immediately capture and claim that building, and it becomes part of that unit’s side until the building is either destroyed, or an enemy unit re-enters it (and therefore re-claims it). All claimed buildings have the Sentry Defence System special rule.

Sentry Defence System A building with this special rule can use automated fire against enemy units, even if it is unoccupied. In addition, enemy units can shoot at and charge a building with this special rule, even if it is unoccupied.

Multi-part Buildings Some very large buildings consist of two or more smaller buildings joined together. When this is the case, it will be clearly stated on the model’s terrain datasheet. You can move a unit in one part of a multi-part building into an adjacent and unoccupied part of the building by declaring you are doing so. This will take up all of the unit’s movement, and is still subject to all the rules for Transport Capacity. In all other regards, the buildings that make up a multi-part building are treated as separate models.

Battlements

The roof-spaces of many buildings are identified as battlements. Battlements are treated as a separate piece of terrain from the building that they are on top of. They are difficult terrain. Models in battlements terrain receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured. In addition, the following rules apply to battlements: • Battlements are treated as an Access Point for their building, meaning that a unit inside the building can disembark onto the battlements, or vice-versa. Note that impassable buildings that have battlements may still not be entered, although units can use their battlements. • Jump units, Jet Pack units, Jetbikes and Skimmers do not need to take Dangerous Terrain tests if they start or end their move on a battlement. • If a template or blast weapon hits a unit on top of a battlement, that battlement’s building also suffers a single hit. • If a unit moves onto the battlements of an unclaimed, undestroyed building, they immediately claim that building and it becomes part of that unit’s side until the building is either destroyed or an enemy unit claims it.

Buildings, Fire Points and Armour Values This Imperial Bastion (below) is clearly as tough as buildings come, so it’s best played using an Armour Value of 14 (unless it is dilapidated, in which case it’d have Armour Value 12). There are several Fire Points in the walls, and it also has battlements. There is one Access Point: the door. The bastion also has several emplaced weapons: a heavy bolter on each facing and an Icarus lascannon gun emplacement on the roof, which counts as an additional emplaced weapon. The imposing Fortress of Redemption (below) is a vast fortification, and is split down into several sections: two bunker annexes, the wall and the main tower, all of which are Armour Value 14 (or 12, if dilapidated) and can be claimed separately. Each building has one or more emplaced weapons: each bunker annex has a heavy bolter; furthermore, the left bunker has a twin Icarus lascannon, and the right bunker has a missile silo.

A – Access Point | B – Fire Point | C – Emplaced Weapon | D – Battlements

CHOOSING YOUR ARMY Now that you’ve had a chance to peruse the rules, you’re ready to start unleashing carnage upon the battlefield. That being the case, it’s time to gather together an army that will win you glory on the field of war.

Army List Entries The rules for your Citadel miniatures are found in a wide range of Games Workshop publications, such as codexes, codex supplements and dataslates. Regardless of where this information is found, it is known as an Army List Entry. Each Army List Entry describes a unit of Citadel miniatures and includes everything you will need to know in order to use that unit in a game of Warhammer 40,000. In some older codexes, the information for a single unit’s Army List Entry is spread out amongst different sections of the book. Taken together they describe, and are treated for all rules purposes as, a single Army List Entry. When using such a codex, each unit’s Faction is the same as its codex title. For example, all units in Codex: Space Marines belong to the Space Marines Faction, whilst all units in Codex: Chaos Daemons belong to the Chaos Daemons Faction.

Each player in a Warhammer 40,000 battle commands an army. An army is a collection of one or more units of Citadel miniatures, and can consist of any number of models. Before any game, players must agree how they are going to select their armies, and if any restrictions apply to the number and type of models they can use. If you are using a Warhammer 40,000 mission, it may tell you how to select your army. If you are not using a mission, then you must decide what method of army selection each of you will use for yourselves.

ARMY SELECTION METHODS There are many ways to choose an army, and they all have their strengths. The first thing

to determine is whether or not you and your opponent will be using points limits, and if so, what they are. Usually, both players will use the same points limit, but this does not need to be the case and is entirely up to you. To use points limits, you will need to reference each unit’s points value, which you can find in its Army List Entry. Simply add up the points values of all the units in your army, and make sure that the total does not exceed the limit agreed upon for the game. It is worth noting that games with larger points limits, say 2000-3000 points, can take the better part of an afternoon to play, while games of 1000-1500 points can usually be completed in a few hours. Whether or not you decide to use points limits, the next step is to choose how your army is organised. The two main ways of organising an army are the Unbound method and the Battleforged method. Both players need not use the same method.

Unbound Armies The Unbound method is the easiest way to organise an army: simply use whichever units from your collection you want. Besides being a quick way to get your models on the tabletop, the Unbound method also allows you to try out exciting combinations in your army, such as fielding a whole force of Tanks or Flyers, or even of special characters.

Battle-forged Armies A player using the Battle-forged method must organise all the units they want to use into Detachments. Detachments are made up of units that conform to various requirements. For example, one common type of Detachment requires the use of at least one HQ unit and two Troops units; another might require that only units from Codex: Orks be included. As a reward for adhering to these requirements, each Detachment grants its own Command Benefits to the units within it, which can really enhance their effectiveness in battle. There are many other types of restrictions and requirements that players might agree on for their armies. Requiring certain units or named characters to be present in your game, for example, is a great way to add a narrative for your battle.

THE PRIMARY DETACHMENT Every army has a Primary Detachment. If you organise your army using the Battle-forged method, whichever Detachment contains your Warlord is your Primary Detachment. If you used the Unbound method, then once you choose your Warlord, every model in your army that has the same Faction as your Warlord is considered to be part of the Primary Detachment for all rules purposes. Of course, in an Unbound army, these models are not bound by any Detachment restrictions and do not receive Command Benefits. For example, Jon uses the Unbound method to organise his army of Citadel miniatures.

He chooses some of them from Codex: Space Marines and some from Codex: Tau Empire. Jon picks Kor’sarro Khan as his Warlord, who belongs to the Space Marines Faction. Therefore, all of the units he chose from Codex: Space Marines act as his Primary Detachment for the duration of the game.

THE FORCE ROSTER Write down the details of the models that make up your army, which units belong to which Detachments, which Detachment is your Primary Detachment, and which model is the army’s Warlord. This written record is known as your army’s force roster, and you must keep it to hand while you play the game. To keep things fair, you must always allow your opponent to read your force roster before a game if they wish to do so.

Unique Models Some models are noted as being Unique in their Army List Entry. Unique models include named characters and extraordinary units or vehicles, of which there is only one known example in the whole galaxy. Because of this, you can only ever include one of each Unique model in an army.

DETACHMENTS

Armies are usually structured organisations; even the Orks organise their warriors into mobs and warbands, though perhaps not with quite the same vigour as the Astra Militarum organises its squads, platoons, companies and regiments. As discussed above, there are many ways to forge a collection of Citadel miniatures into an army ready to crush your enemies in games of Warhammer 40,000. This section focuses on the Battle-forged method. If you opt to choose an army using this method, your units are organised into Detachments and many gain special rules and in-game advantages. We have included two Detachments at the end of this rules section, each with its own Force Organisation Chart, Restrictions and Command Benefits. You will find further Detachments to use in your games of Warhammer 40,000 in our codexes and other Games Workshop publications. There is no limit to the number of Detachments a Battle-forged army can include and you can use any mixture of Detachments you have available, within the restrictions of the rules that follow. However, all of the units in your army must belong to a Detachment and no unit can belong to more than one Detachment. If you choose to use a Battle-forged army, you must tell your opponent what units belong to what Detachments and what Command Benefits each will receive (if any) before you start deploying your army. Don’t forget that Detachments are entirely optional and you can still select an army by taking any models from your collection, as discussed in the Unbound method – it just means that none of the models in your army receive Command Benefits. In order to organise their army into Detachments, a player will often need to use additional information found in their units’ Army List Entries, such as Faction and Battlefield Role.

FACTIONS All units belong to one of the many Factions that are fighting in the 41st Millennium. This will often be represented on the unit’s Army List Entry with a symbol, the key for which can be found to the right. A unit’s Faction applies regardless of how you choose your army, but is especially relevant to Detachments because many state that you can only include units of a particular Faction. Factions are also used when including Allies, and some special rules will apply only to specific Factions. Note that Fortifications are an exception in that, unless otherwise stated on their datasheet, they do not have a Faction. In the case of older publications, the Faction of all the units described in a codex is the same as the codex’s title. In the case of codex supplements, the Faction of all the units described in that publication is the same as the codex it is a supplement of.

ARMY LIST ENTRIES IN DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS There are a few units whose Army List Entries are presented in more than one Games Workshop publication. Daemon Princes, for example, are presented in both Codex: Chaos Daemons and Codex: Chaos Space Marines. In these instances, the unit’s Faction is determined by whichever codex it was chosen from. Be sure to keep track of which is which if you decide to take one from more than one source.

‘Across the vastness of space, alien races plot the dethroning of the Emperor and the downfall of Humanity. This is the Imperium’s call to arms and nothing shall stand in the way of its righteous crusade.’

BATTLEFIELD ROLE

HQ

HQ stands for headquarters unit. A headquarters unit might be a heroic commander or fearsome monster. These models are amongst the most powerful in the game, and as leaders, they have access to more special equipment than anyone else. They are not invincible, but can provide a powerful spearhead for an attacking army and a strong core for a defensive one.

Troops These represent the most commonly available soldiers in an army. This does not mean they are poor fighters – the category includes such troops as Chaos Space Marines and Ork Boyz, both formidable adversaries. Typically, these are the warriors that make up the bulk of an army. Their main tactical role is that of consolidating the gains of the army and defending the objectives that have been taken by more specialised units.

Elites Elite units are normally powerful but expensive. They are the best, and often most specialised, soldiers an army has to offer, but there are rarely ever enough of them. In some cases they will be specialists, while at other times they will be more experienced versions of regular soldiers.

Fast Attack Fast Attack units are generally faster than their comrades, and are masters of manoeuvrability. Often, they are used for reconnaissance and scouting, while at other times they are ferocious assault troops who rely on speed to get their bloody work done.

Heavy Support Heavy Support units are literally the big guns of the army and include the heaviest items of equipment and the toughest creatures. However, they are also very expensive in points, so an over-reliance on them might leave you badly outnumbered.

Fortification Fortifications are battlefield defences, including everything from barricades to towering fortresses. They are typically buildings and/or battlefield debris that your army has either constructed or captured just before the start of the battle. You’ll find a wide range of fortifications presented in Warhammer 40,000: Stronghold Assault, and further fortification datasheets feature in other Games Workshop publications.

Lords of War Lords of War are the most powerful and destructive units to wage war in the 41st Millennium. They include towering monstrosities and super-heavy vehicles that bristle with enough weaponry to lay waste to anything foolish enough to stand before them. You’ll find a selection of Lords of War units in some codexes and in Warhammer 40,000: Escalation.

Other Some publications introduce other types of Battlefield Role, such as Imperial Knights, and will include all the rules you need to include them as part of your army.

Changing Battlefield Roles Certain rules can alter a unit’s Battlefield Role, changing it, for example, from a Fast Attack unit to a Troops unit. If a unit changes its Battlefield Role due to such a rule, it maintains its new role for the entirety of the game. Other rules will state that a unit or Army List Entry can be taken in more than one Battlefield Role (for example, a unit can be taken as either an Elites choice or a Heavy Support choice). Whichever Battlefield Role the unit is taken for, it will maintain that role for the entirety of the game. If you have several such units in your force, be sure to keep track of which role was chosen for each one.

SELECTING DETACHMENTS You can include any number and type of Detachments in a Battle-forged army provided you have sufficient units. Simply select a type of Detachment and organise some or all of your units so that they fit within the restrictions and limitations detailed on that particular Detachment. Later in this section you will find the Combined Arms Detachment and the Allied Detachment. Both of these can be used with any army. Each Detachment is split into three sections: Force Organisation Chart, Restrictions and Command Benefits.

1) Force Organisation Chart This shows the number of units of each battlefield role that you may include in this Detachment. Black boxes are choices you must include to take this Detachment, whilst grey boxes are optional choices.

2) Restrictions This lists any restrictions that apply to the types of units you may include in this

Detachment.

3) Command Benefits This lists any additional bonuses or special rules that apply to some, or all, of the units in this Detachment.

Example Detachment 1) FORCE ORGANISATION CHART

2) RESTRICTIONS All units chosen must have the same Faction (or have no Faction).

3) COMMAND BENEFITS Ideal Mission Commander: If this Detachment is chosen as your Primary Detachment, you can choose to re-roll the result on the Warlord Trait table.

FORCE ORGANISATION CHARTS AND SLOTS This section of the Detachment lists the minimum and maximum number of units of each type that you must or may include in the Detachment.

The boxes on a Force Organisation Chart are referred to as slots. Each slot will typically specify a Battlefield Role. Each slot allows you to take one unit. Black boxes are compulsory selections – you must take at least this many units of the appropriate Battlefield Role to include this Detachment in your army. If you cannot include the compulsory number of units, you cannot include that Detachment. Grey boxes are optional selections – you can include up to this number of units of the appropriate Battlefield Role when including this Detachment in your army. Any further units of the same Battlefield Role will need to be taken in a different Detachment. For example, in order to take a Combined Arms Detachment, you must select two units with the Troops Battlefield Role, and cannot select more than six in the same Detachment. Occasionally, a Force Organisation slot will not specify a Battlefield Role, in which case any type of unit can be taken, or it will specify a particular unit or units, in which case only those particular units may (or must) be taken.

Dedicated Transports Sometimes a unit’s Army List Entry will include a Transport option, allowing a vehicle to be selected together with the unit. These Dedicated Transports do not use up a slot on the Force Organisation Chart, but for all other rules purposes count as having the same Battlefield Role and Faction (if any) as the unit they were bought for. For example, a Rhino bought for a Space Marine Tactical Squad (Troops) counts as a unit of Troops, but one bought for a Space Marine Sternguard Veteran Squad (Elites) counts as Elites. Other vehicles may also have a Transport Capacity, but as they are chosen separately, they have a Battlefield Role and occupy a Force Organisation Chart slot of their own. More information about Dedicated Transports can be found in the Vehicles section.

Multiple Unit Choices Sometimes, a unit’s Army List Entry will allow a player to include several units at the cost of a single Force Organisation slot (like Astra Militarum Infantry Platoons, etc.). Apart from using up a single slot, these units operate and count as separate units in all other

respects.

Army List Entries That Do Not Use Force Organisation Slots Occasionally a unit’s Army List Entry will state that the unit it describes does not take up a slot on a Force Organisation Chart. These units can be included in any Detachment, even if all the slots of the appropriate Battlefield Role are filled with other units or if the Detachment had no slot for their Battlefield Role, but they must still adhere to any restrictions detailed on the Detachment and its own Army List Entry. If the Army List Entry states that it can be included in an army that includes another specified unit, and that it does not take up a Force Organisation slot, it must join the same Detachment as that specified unit. In either case, these units are part of the Detachment for all rules purposes and will gain any appropriate Command Benefits.

RESTRICTIONS This section of the Detachment lists any additional restrictions that apply to the units you can include as part of this Detachment. If an Army List Entry does not adhere to a particular restriction, it cannot be included as part of this particular Detachment. For example, in order to include a Combined Arms Detachment, all of its Army List Entries must have the same Faction. If a Detachment does not list any Restrictions then it has none.

COMMAND BENEFITS This section of the Detachment lists any special rules or benefits that apply to some or all of the models in that Detachment. For example, the units in a Combined Arms Detachment benefit from the Ideal Mission Commander and Objective Secured special rules. If a Detachment or Force Organisation Chart does not list any Command Benefits then the units that make it up receive no additional benefits.

Formations Formations are a special type of Detachment, each a specific grouping of units renowned for their effectiveness on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium. Whilst some Formations provide you with all the gaming information you will need to use them in your games, it is not uncommon for them simply to

describe a number of special rules that apply when you include several specific units together. Instead of including a Force Organisation chart, the Army List Entries that comprise a Formation are listed on it, along with any special rules that those units gain. Unless stated otherwise, each individual unit maintains its normal Battlefield Role when taken as part of a Formation. Unlike other Detachments, Formations can also be taken as part of Unbound armies. If they are, their units maintain the special rules gained for being part of the Formation.

FORMATION POINTS COSTS Formations do not usually include points values; just add up the points values of the individual units to find the points cost of the Formation. Sometimes though, the Formation will include an extra points cost in order to use it. In this case, the cost of the Formation is the total cost of the units plus any extra points the Formation specifies.

CORE DETACHMENTS The following Detachments can be included in any Battle-forged army.

Combined Arms Detachment

Restrictions All units chosen must have the same Faction (or have no Faction).

Command Benefits Ideal Mission Commander: If this Detachment is chosen as your Primary Detachment, you can choose to re-roll the result on the Warlord Trait table. Objective Secured: All Troops units from this Detachment have the Objective Secured special rule. A unit with this special rule controls objectives even if an enemy scoring unit is within range of the objective marker, unless the enemy unit also has this special rule.

Allied Detachment

RESTRICTIONS This Detachment cannot be your Primary Detachment. Your Warlord can never be chosen from this Detachment. All units chosen must have the same Faction (or no Faction). All units chosen must have a different Faction to any of the units in your Primary Detachment (or no Faction).

Command Benefits Objective Secured: All Troops units from this Detachment have the Objective Secured special rule. A unit with this special rule controls objectives even if an enemy scoring unit is within range of the objective marker, unless the enemy unit also has this special rule.

THE WARLORD ‘No army is big enough to conquer the galaxy. But faith alone can overturn the universe.’ When choosing your army, you must nominate one model to be your Warlord. Unless specified otherwise, this must be a character model. If you do not have any character models in your army, then select any other model in your army to be the Warlord. The model you choose as your Warlord also determines your Primary Detachment.

WARLORD TRAITS Your Warlord is a potent force upon the battlefield. Not only is he a mighty hero, with all the skills and renown you might expect from the leader of a great army, but over the course of a long career he will also have picked up one or more specialised abilities, which we refer to as ‘traits’. If your Warlord is a character model, then he has one Warlord Trait. Note that if you have had to pick a non-character model as your Warlord, then it does not receive a Warlord Trait, but counts as a Warlord for all other rules purposes. To determine which trait your Warlord has, you need to choose which Warlord Traits table to roll on. You must roll on this table immediately before you deploy the first unit in your army. Sometimes, other publications present alternative Warlord Traits tables that you can choose to roll on instead.

Warlord Traits and Unique Units Many Unique Independent Characters are listed as having a specific Warlord Trait in their Army List Entry. If such a unit is your Warlord, do not roll on a Warlord Trait table – instead, that unit automatically has the listed Warlord Trait. Note that the unit will only gain that Warlord Trait if it is your Warlord. If another model is selected as your Warlord, then the unique unit will not have any Warlord Trait, even if there is a trait listed in its entry.

Death of the Warlord If your Warlord is removed as a casualty during your game, any abilities or special rules granted by his Warlord Trait are immediately lost. If the Warlord Trait in question conferred a special rule that allows an unusual method of deployment from Reserves (such as conferring the Outflank ability on certain units) that special rule is immediately lost and the affected units must instead deploy from Reserves in the normal fashion.

Unforeseen alliances happen all the time in the murky world of Warhammer 40,000. The Eldar might assist the Astra Militarum in destroying a Tyranid invasion, knowing that if they don’t, the forces of the Hive Mind will destroy a craftworld. A Tau commander might hire Orks of the Blood Axe clan, little realising that his Chaos Space Marine enemies have already struck a similar arrangement with the selfsame greenskins. You can include models from any number of different Factions in the same army if you wish. Irrespective of the method you use to choose your army, this section tells you how models from different Factions fight alongside each other.

Tactical Traits Tactical Traits are abilities that affect how your Warlord interacts with battlefield objectives. They represent how he can influence the goals of the battle and adapt to new tactical challenges. These Warlord Traits are only useful in missions that have the Tactical Objectives mission special rule.

D6 - Result 1 - Tactical Genius Whilst your Warlord is alive, you can discard up to 2 Active Tactical Objectives at the end of your turn instead of only 1. 2 - Master of Interference One use only. Declare your Warlord is using this ability at the end of one of your turns. Your opponent must randomly select one of his Active Tactical Objectives and immediately discard it. 3 - Well Prepared Generate one additional Tactical Objective on your First Turn. 4 - Forward Planning After generating Tactical Objectives on your First Turn, you can immediately choose to use this Warlord Trait. If you do so, discard all your Active Tactical Objectives; generate a new Tactical Objective for each one that was discarded. 5 - Master of Fate Whilst your Warlord is alive, you can re-roll the dice when determining how many Victory Points are awarded for Tactical Objectives that award a random number of Victory Points when scored. 6 - Lead by Example Any ‘Secure Objective X’ Tactical Objective, where X is a number between 1 and 6, that is scored because your Warlord or his unit controls that Objective Marker, scores 1 additional Victory Point.

Command Traits Command Traits affect an area immediately surrounding your Warlord, representing the orders he issues to the units around him during the thick of battle.

D6 - Result 1 - Inspiring Presence Friendly units within 12" of the Warlord can use his Leadership rather than their own. 2 - Intimidating Presence Enemy units within 12" of the Warlord must use their lowest Leadership value, not the highest. 3 - The Dust of a Thousand Worlds Your Warlord, and all friendly units within 12", have the Move Through Cover special rule. 4 - Master of the Vanguard Your Warlord, and all friendly units within 12", add 1" to the distance that they can move when they Run or Charge. 5 - Target Priority In the Shooting phase, your Warlord and all friendly units within 12" of him reroll To Hit rolls of 1. 6 - Coordinated Assault In the Assault phase, your Warlord and all friendly units within 12" of him reroll To Hit rolls of 1.

Personal Traits Personal Traits represent specific combat skills that your Warlord possesses. He can influence those fighting alongside him as he leads by example.

D6 - Result 1 - Master of Defence Your Warlord has the Counter-attack special rule. 2 - Master of Offence Your Warlord has the Furious Charge special rule. 3 - Master of Manoeuvre Your Warlord has the Outflank special rule. 4 - Legendary Fighter Your army gains 1 Victory Point for each enemy character slain by your Warlord in a challenge. 5 - Tenacity Your Warlord has the Feel No Pain special rule. 6 - Immovable Object Your Warlord has the Fearless and It Will Not Die special rules.

Strategic Traits Strategic Traits are skills that affect your entire army, representing tricks or gambits your Warlord sets in motion long before the battle begins.

D6 - Result 1 - Conqueror of Cities Your units have the Move Through Cover special rule if moving through Ruins, and the Stealth (Ruins) special rule. 2 - Night Attacker If you choose to use the Night Fighting rules in your game, there is no need to roll – it is Night on the first turn, and all models in your army have the Night Vision special rule. 3 - Master of Ambush Your Warlord and three non-vehicle units of your choice have the Infiltrate special rule. 4 - Strategic Genius You add +1 to any Seize the Initiative roll. In addition, whilst your Warlord is alive, you can re-roll any Reserve Rolls (failed or successful). 5 - Divide to Conquer Whilst your Warlord is alive, your opponent has a -1 modifier to their Reserve Rolls. 6 - Princeps of Deceit At the start of your opponent’s first turn, pick 3 units in the enemy army. Each of these units must take a Pinning test.

ALLIES

Unforeseen alliances happen all the time in the murky world of Warhammer 40,000. The Eldar might assist the Astra Militarum in destroying a Tyranid invasion, knowing that if they don’t, the forces of the Hive Mind will destroy a craftworld. A Tau commander might hire Orks of the Blood Axe clan, little realising that his Chaos Space Marine enemies have already struck a similar arrangement with the selfsame greenskins. You can include models from any number of different Factions in the same army if you wish. Irrespective of the method you use to choose your army, this section tells you how models from different Factions fight alongside each other.

LEVELS OF ALLIANCE In the grim darkness of the far future, it’s a sad fact that very few armies trust one another entirely – if at all. A labyrinthine history of grudges, wars, campaigns and betrayals (intentional or otherwise) have the potential to sour all but the closest alliances – and that’s to say nothing of the deep and abiding hatred some armies feel for others. To represent this, we have several categories of alliances, each of which imposes certain effects on the game. The Allies Matrix below shows the levels of alliance between units that have different Factions in the same army.

Units that have the following Factions are considered to be Armies of the Imperium: • Adepta Sororitas

• Astra Militarum • Blood Angels • Dark Angels • Grey Knights • Imperial Knights • Inquisition • Space Marines • Space Wolves In the case of older publications, the Faction of all the units described in a codex is the same as the codex’s title. In the case of codex supplements, the Faction of all the units described in that publication is the same as the codex it is a supplement of.

Battle Brothers Units from the same army that are Battle Brothers treat each other as ‘friendly units’ for all rules purposes. This means, for example, that units: • Can benefit from the Warlord Trait of a Warlord that is a Battle Brother. • Can be joined by an Independent Character that is a Battle Brother. • Are counted as being friendly units for the targeting of Battle Brothers’ psychic powers, abilities and so on. • Can use special abilities to repair Hull Points, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results on Battle Brothers’ vehicles. • Can use modifiers and re-rolls that apply to Reserve Rolls that are granted by a Battle Brother’s model. • Can embark on each other’s Transport vehicles.

Allies of Convenience Units from the same army that are Allies of Convenience treat each other as ‘enemy units’ that cannot be charged, shot, attacked in close combat, or targeted with psychic powers. This means, for example, that units: • Cannot move with 1" of an Allies of Convenience model. • Cannot benefit from the Warlord Trait of an Allies of Convenience Warlord. • Cannot be joined by Independent Characters that are Allies of Convenience. • Are not counted as being friendly units for the targeting of psychic powers, abilities

and so on. • Cannot use special abilities to repair Hull Points, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results on Allies of Convenience vehicles. • Cannot use modifiers and re-rolls that apply to Reserve Rolls that are granted by an Allies of Convenience model. • Are affected by attacks, special rules or abilities used by Allies of Convenience that affect ‘enemy’ units within a certain range or area of effect.

Desperate Allies Desperate Allies are treated exactly like Allies of Convenience. In addition, the One Eye Open special rule applies. One Eye Open: At the start of each of your Movement phases, each unit within 6" of a Desperate Allies unit must roll a D6 – on a roll of a 1, that unit cannot move, manifest psychic powers, shoot, run or charge that turn (they’re too busy watching for betrayal). Zooming Flyers and Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures may not pivot and must instead move the minimum distance required (18" and 12" respectively).

Come the Apocalypse Units that will only ally ‘Come the Apocalypse’ are treated exactly like Desperate Allies, but cannot deploy within 12” of each other when they are deploying for battle.

Forging a Narrative Just as an alliance should be carefully considered, so too should the reasons for bringing one into your game. Yes, you can ally two armies together just to see what happens, but you and your game will be the richer if you stop to work out a good story for why it’s happened. There are a few ideas presented here, but there are a wealth of other possibilities. Have the Grey Knights and Eldar joined forces to crush a Daemon incursion? Has a Tau expeditionary force thrown its lot in with a Chaos Space Marine warband, hoping to win them over to the principles of the Greater Good? Or is your alliance simply the coming together in battle of two Space Marine Chapters who have fought at each other’s sides for millennia? We can’t answer that, but you can…

PREPARING FOR BATTLE So, you’ve read the rules and are now thirsting for the opportunity to win glory. It is time to prepare for battle… This section will guide you through the seven steps of preparing for battle; these apply whether you’re using an existing mission or creating your own, and cover everything from picking your armies to determining the winner at the end of the game.

THE MISSION The first thing you need to do when preparing for a battle is to decide if you wish to use a Warhammer 40,000 mission from a Games Workshop publication. If so, you need to choose which one, and if not, you and your opponent can create your own mission by deciding for yourselves what to do for each step of the Preparing for Battle sequence.

Mission Format Every Warhammer 40,000 mission has the following sections: The Armies: Any restrictions or requirements on what may be taken in either player’s army will be described here. The Battlefield: Any restrictions or requirements about how the battlefield is set up will be described here. Deployment: How the armies must deploy will be described here. Most missions also include a deployment map which accompanies the deployment instructions to describe how and where each of the armies deploys. First Turn: How to select the player that has the first turn of the battle is described here. Game Length: How long the mission will last is listed here. Victory Conditions: How the winner of the mission will be determined is described here. Mission Special Rules: Any special rules that must be used in the mission are listed here. A list of common mission special rules can be found at the end

of this section.

Creating Your Own Missions Warhammer 40,000 is a very flexible game, designed to allow you to recreate any of the battles that take place in the 41st Millennium. Because of this, when you prepare to fight a Warhammer 40,000 battle using a mission of your own devising, you and your opponent will need to discuss how you will set up the battlefield, pick the models you will use in the game, and decide how to determine the winner. If you take this approach, simply work through the following six steps – the description of each includes guidance for those creating their own missions.

Using a Warhammer 40,000 Mission Games Workshop publishes a large and growing range of Warhammer 40,000 missions. Each one provides all the information you need to prepare for a Warhammer 40,000 battle, and they have been carefully designed to provide exciting and challenging games. We have included two sets of missions to choose from in this book (see opposite), but these are far from the only options available, however, and other publications present Altars of War (mission sets designed to represent the fighting styles of particular factions) and Echoes of War (narrative missions that reconstruct battles from the history of the Warhammer 40,000 universe). If you play an existing mission, the mission will include instructions for each of the Preparing for Battle steps. Many of the published missions also refer back to some of the suggested rules included for each step here. If a particular mission instructs players to Prepare for Battle using a different sequence, or otherwise modifies the rules in this section, always follow the sequence and rules presented in that mission.

Mission Tables Some mission sets have a Mission table to roll on. If the winner of the Choose a Mission roll-off wants to use such a mission set, then the players can either agree which mission to play from those in the set, or can select the mission randomly by rolling on the Mission table provided with the set.

Eternal War & Maelstrom of War Missions This book includes two sets of missions: Eternal War and Maelstrom of War. These missions are specifically designed for games where the armies are of roughly the same size and the situation gives neither side a particular advantage. As a result, it is not

necessary to know which of these missions you will be playing before selecting an army, only the agreed points value of the two battling armies. Once you know that, and you have selected your force, simply turn up and play. If you and your opponent want to play a mission from either of the two sets presented in this section, roll-off against each other. The winner can decide which mission table to use. Then, if you are playing Eternal War, you and your opponent can either pick which mission to play from those on the Eternal War mission table to the right, or select the mission randomly by rolling on the table. If you are playing Maelstrom of War, you and your opponent can either pick which mission to play from the mission table to the right, or select the mission randomly by rolling on the table.

Eternal War Mission Table D6 - Eternal War Mission 1 - Crusade 2 - Purge the Alien 3 - The Scouring 4 - Big Guns Never Tire 5 - The Emperor’s Will 6 - The Relic

Maelstrom of War Mission Table D6 - Maelstrom of War Mission 1 - Cleanse and Control 2 - Contact Lost 3 - Tactical Escalation

4 - The Spoils of War 5 - Cloak and Shadows 6 - Deadlock

THE ARMIES There are many ways you can pick an army, and these are discussed in detail in the Choosing Your Army section. Both players will need to agree whether they will use a points limit, and any other restrictions they will place upon their army selection. In some cases, the mission may also specify certain restrictions or requirements.

THE BATTLEFIELD The battlefield over which your game is played must be set up before the game begins. This step is split into two parts: creating the battlefield itself, and placing scenery upon it.

The Field of War The battlefield is usually a flat surface on which scenery models are placed and over which the armies fight. The battlefield can be of any size from 2' by 2' upwards. We recommend that it not be more than 6’ wide at any point, as tables that are wider than

this can limit the ability of players to reach models in the centre of the battlefield. Battlefields are most often rectangular in shape, but can be square, round, L-shaped, or whatever other configuration is agreed upon. A Realm of Battle board makes an excellent battlefield, but a typical dining table will suffice. The battlefield is considered to be ‘open ground’ for all rules purposes. A unit cannot voluntarily move or be placed beyond the table edge unless it, or the mission you are playing, has rules that specifically say it can choose to leave the battlefield.

Citadel Scenery Every battlefield looks better if it includes at least some terrain, be it woods, hills or buildings. Games Workshop manufactures a range of Citadel scenery models for just this purpose. These models are specifically designed to provide an evocative and tactically challenging landscape over which the models in your army can fight. Many pieces of Citadel scenery have a terrain datasheet that describes how they are used in the game. Exactly how you set up Citadel scenery models is purely a matter of personal taste, and they can be placed upon the battlefield in any way the players find agreeable. In general, we have found that the more scenery you can place on the battlefield, the better the game will be. That aside, placing the scenery so as to create an interesting and inspiring looking landscape should be your primary goal.

Fortifications Some pieces of scenery are called fortifications. These can be included in a player’s army or used as pieces of ‘neutral’ scenery controlled by neither side. If a fortification is taken as part of an army, then it is set up with the rest of the units in the army using the same deployment rules as the other models. If you decide to use a fortification as a piece of neutral scenery, then it is set up during this step. Each fortification has a fortification datasheet that describes how it is used in the game.

Deployment Zones Once the armies are chosen, the areas where they can be set up, or rather deployed, must be decided. If you are using a mission, it will have a deployment map that will show you each player’s deployment zone. If you are not using a published mission, we recommend you simply divide the table in half down its length, and deploy the armies in the opposite halves of the table. Alternatively, you could divide the table in half across its width, or diagonally, or use Random Deployment Zones (below). In addition, it is usual to say that units from the two sides must set up a certain distance away from each other. This is not strictly necessary, but it stops the armies from starting too close together, and allows for a certain amount of manoeuvring at the start of the battle before units can charge each other. The easiest way of achieving this is to say that no unit may set up within a certain distance of the centre line between the two sides’

deployment zones. We’ve found that 12" away from the centre line works best; this ensures that the armies will start at least 24" apart, which makes first turn charges hard to achieve while still giving you enough space on a typical table to deploy your army.

Player’s Table Edge As well as deciding on each player’s deployment zone, you must select a table edge for each player. When models Fall Back, they will head for their table edge, and it is also where Reserve units will arrive from. The deployment map included with a Warhammer 40,000 mission will usually show each player’s table edge. If it does not, or you are using a mission you have made yourselves, you will need to decide where each player’s table edge is before the battle. In general, the players’ table edges will be opposite one another.

Realm of Battle Boards Games Workshop manufactures a range of Realm of Battle boards that can be used to create a battlefield. Each Realm of Battle board section is 2' by 2', and they can be joined together to create the surface on which your battle is fought. Some Realm of Battle board sections include hills and raised areas to make the landscape more attractive and convincing in appearance. These raised areas and the slopes leading up to them are considered to be open ground as far as the game rules are concerned.

Random Deployment Zones Many Warhammer 40,000 missions use the following method for randomly determining the armies’ deployment zones and the players’ table edges. To use this method, roll a D6 and consult the table to the right to see which deployment map you will use.

D6 - Deployment Map 1-2 - Dawn of War 3-4 - Hammer and Anvil 5-6 - Vanguard Strike

Dawn of War If you are using Dawn of War deployment zones, the board is divided into two equal halves across its length. For Dawn of War, a player’s board edge is the long board edge touching his own deployment zone.

Hammer and Anvil If you are using Hammer and Anvil deployment zones, the board is divided into two equal halves across its width. For Hammer and Anvil, a player’s board edge is the short board edge touching his own deployment zone.

Vanguard Strike If you are using Vanguard Strike deployment zones, the board is divided into two equal halves across its diagonal. Agree with your opponent which diagonal to play across, or determine it randomly. For Vanguard Strike, a player’s board edge is the long board edge touching his own deployment zone.

DEPLOYMENT The only thing that remains to be done is the deployment of the two armies. If you are using a Warhammer 40,000 mission, it will tell you how to deploy the armies taking part in the battle. You will need to agree on the method you will use in your own games. We’ve included rules for the most common method used to deploy here. This is often referred to as the ‘Standard Deployment Method’ and is the method used in the majority of Warhammer 40,000 missions. You should feel free to devise other methods for your own game if you prefer. For example, some players like to place a screen across the centre of the table so that their armies can deploy in secret; others draw a map showing where they plan to deploy their units, and so on. Whichever method you use, models must either deploy within their deployment zone, or be held back in Reserve. Models can be deployed ‘inside’ buildings, fortifications, or Transport vehicles in their deployment zone, subject to their Transport Capacity. Units may not be deployed in impassable terrain. Note that models must be deployed fully within their deployment zone: you can’t have part of a model inside the deployment zone and part of the model outside it!

Standard Deployment Method The following sequence is used in most Warhammer 40,000 missions: 1. The players roll off. The winner of the roll-off decides who will deploy first and who will deploy second. 2. The side deploying first must set up all the units in their army. 3. Then the other side sets up all the units in their army. 4. The player that deployed first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Scenery Upgrades Some pieces of scenery can be purchased as upgrades for a fortification. For example, a Comms Relay can be purchased as an upgrade for an Imperial Bastion. When this is the

case, the upgrade can either be placed on top of the building’s battlements (if it is a building with battlements), or set up as a separate model within 6" of the model taking the option.

Not Enough Room It’s not uncommon to find that you can’t fit all of the models in your army into your deployment zone. When this happens, any units that can’t fit into your deployment zone must be held back as Reserves, and will enter play later during the battle, hopefully when there is room for them to fit onto the battlefield. This being said, a far better solution is to increase the size of the battlefield and/or the size of the deployment zones being used. With experience, you will learn roughly how much space your army needs to deploy in, and will be able to tailor deployment zones appropriately. You might also want to reduce the amount of scenery in a deployment zone, or shuffle it around slightly in order to give models the space they need to deploy.

FIRST TURN You and your opponent now need to decide who will have the first turn. If you are using a Warhammer 40,000 mission, then this information will be included with it, but if you are not using a mission, you and your opponent must decide the starting player for yourselves. In general, we’ve found it best if the player who set up first also has the first turn. This avoids situations where the player that deploys second is able to deploy units in a perfect shooting position, secure in the knowledge that their opponent can do nothing about it! Sometimes, though, it will be more appropriate to roll-off to see who gets the first turn, or say that the player that set up second gets the first turn (if they are ambushing the first player, for example). Most Warhammer 40,000 missions use the following rule for Seizing the Initiative to determine who has the first turn. You can use this rule for games of your own devising too. Seize the Initiative: If the player who is due to go second wishes to Seize the Initiative, he can roll a D6 before beginning the first game turn. On a roll of 6, he successfully seizes the initiative and goes first instead.

GAME LENGTH For most games, the length of the game will be a certain number of game turns. If you are using a Warhammer 40,000 mission, it will include this information, but if you are creating a mission of your own, we have found that five to six game turns is usually about the right length – remember that the larger the game is, the more time you’ll need.

Alternatively you can play to a time limit, in which case an hour or two is long enough for a small game with a few dozen models, and two or three hours is long enough for a larger game with a hundred or so models. Very large battles can take considerably longer, but by the time you are ready to fight such battles, you should have enough experience to judge how long they will probably last. Most Warhammer 40,000 missions use the following rule for Variable Game Length to determine how long a battle lasts. You can use this rule for games of your own devising too. Variable Game Length: At the end of game turn 5, one of the players must roll a D6. On a roll of 3+ the game continues, otherwise the game is over. If another turn is played, another D6 must be rolled at the end of game turn 6, and this time, the game only continues on a roll of 4+. The battle automatically ends at the close of game turn 7.

VICTORY CONDITIONS Next you will need to decide how the winner of the battle will be determined. Although fighting until one player concedes or their army is destroyed is a perfectly viable method of determining who has won a battle, more commonly ‘Victory Points’ (see below) are used to decide the winner. Alternatively, you might wish to say that one side or the other must achieve a specific objective; if they have achieved this when the game ends, they win the battle, and if not the other side wins. Victory conditions like this are most appropriate when you are refighting a battle based on the background for Warhammer 40,000, where each side will have certain very specific goals.

Victory Points Most of the Warhammer 40,000 missions that we publish use Victory Points. Such games are referred to as ‘Victory Point games’. Victory Points are acquired by securing Primary and Secondary Objectives, and the winner is the army with the most Victory Points at the end of the game. If the winner has twice the Victory Points of his opponent, it can be considered a crushing victory! If both armies have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a tactical draw.

Sudden Death Victory Generally a Victory Point game will not finish before the agreed turn limit. However, it is possible to achieve a ‘sudden death victory’ in a Victory Point game in the following circ*mstances: If one player concedes the battle, the game ends and a crushing victory goes to the opponent. If at the end of any game turn, one player has no models on the battlefield his opponent automatically wins. Units occupying a building or embarked on a vehicle still count as

being on the battlefield, but units that are in Reserve (including Ongoing Reserve) do not.

Primary Objectives Primary Objectives define your army’s main goal on the battlefield. This goal usually involves achieving the objectives in question – by controlling one or more vital sites or simply destroying parts of your enemy’s force. Unless otherwise stated, both sides share a mission’s Primary Objectives. If you are playing a published Warhammer 40,000 mission, it will tell you how to determine your game’s Primary Objectives.

Secondary Objectives Secondary Objectives are less important than Primary Objectives, but can still mean the difference between victory and defeat. Most Victory Point games have three Secondary Objectives shared by both players: Slay the Warlord, First Blood and Linebreaker.

Slay the Warlord If the enemy army has a Warlord, and at the end of the game the Warlord has been removed as a casualty, you score 1 Victory Point.

First Blood The first unit, of any kind, to be completely destroyed during the game is worth 1 Victory Point to the opposing player at the end of the game. If two or more units from opposing forces are destroyed simultaneously (for example, at the same Initiative step in an Assault phase) then both players get 1 Victory Point (in addition to any Victory Points from the mission).

Linebreaker If, at the end of the game, you have at least one model from one or more scoring units completely within 12" of the enemy’s table edge, you score 1 Victory Point.

Terrain & Victory Conditions Do not include any Citadel scenery models when awarding Victory Points or determining if a player has any units ‘on the battlefield’.

Conjured Units & Victory Conditions Certain psychic powers or special rules will allow you to ‘conjure’ a model or unit and make it appear on the battlefield. Conjured units count as part of the army of the player that has conjured them as far as Victory Conditions and the rules for Victory Points are concerned. If a model is conjured several times (i.e. it is re-used after being removed as a

casualty), then it counts as a different unit for victory point purposes each time it is used.

Objective Markers Some Warhammer 40,000 missions require the use of Objective Markers. An Objective Marker is usually a point on the battlefield of particular importance to one or both of the armies. These points are designated by using specially modeled markers, coins or counters around 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

Placing Objective Markers Missions that use Objective Markers will contain details on how many need to be placed and any special instructions for how to place them on the battlefield. Unless instructed otherwise in the mission, take it in turns to set up Objective Markers according to the following rules: • Roll-off to see who places the first marker. • No Objective Marker can be placed within 6" of any battlefield edge or within 12" of another Objective Marker. • No Objective Marker can be placed on impassable terrain. • No Objective Marker may be placed inside a building, though it can be placed upon it. (Should a building with an objective upon it be removed, place the Objective Marker on the ground below the point it occupied). These restrictions aside, you can place Objective Markers anywhere on the battlefield. If there are a lot of Objective Markers, or a lot of terrain, you may sometimes find that the last few are impossible to place using the above rules. When this occurs, simply nudge the other Objective Markers by the smallest distance necessary to allow the last ones to be placed.

Controlling Objective Markers You control an Objective Marker if there is at least one model from one of your scoring units (see below), and no models from enemy scoring units, within 3" of it. As different Objective Markers vary in shape and size, it is important to agree at the beginning of the game exactly from where this distance will be measured. Any unit that is in a building is considered to be within 3" of any Objective Markers that are on or within 3" of the building. A unit can only control one Objective Marker at a time. If a unit moves into a position where it could control two Objective Markers, you must make it clear to your opponent which objective the unit is controlling.

Scoring Units

Any unit can be a scoring unit, unless: • It is a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, a Zooming Flyer or is a unit currently embarked on a Zooming Flyer. • It has a special rule specifying that it never counts as a scoring unit. • It is currently Falling Back (if the unit Regroups it immediately reverts to being a scoring unit again). • It is a building or fortification that is unclaimed (claimed buildings count as a scoring unit from the claiming player’s army).

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Special rules can be added to a game to cover unique situations, tactics or abilities that you feel need to be represented in your battle. For example, if you were fighting a battle set on a frozen ice-world, you might include special rules for snow-drifts or the occasional blizzard sweeping the table. It is for you and your opponent to decide if any special rules apply in your games. One of the strengths of Warhammer 40,000 is that it is both easy and fun to devise your own special rules. They are especially useful when fighting a battle based on a story from the Warhammer 40,000 background, or which has a strong theme for another reason. Just take care not to get carried away – a couple of mission special

rules can add much to a game, but having too many special rules will only bog the game down. Some of the Warhammer 40,000 missions available use unique special rules which confer extra abilities, restrictions or effects onto your games. The Warhammer 40,000 missions included in this book mostly make use of the more common mission special rules presented here; many other missions will use these alongside their own special rules.

Mysterious Objectives When a mission uses the Mysterious Objectives special rule, any unit that moves within 3" of an objective, or is within 3" of an objective at the start of the first turn, must identify the nature of it. To do so, the identifying unit’s controlling player must roll a D6 and consult the following table.

Mysterious Objectives D6 - Result 1 - Sabotaged! At the end of the turn in which the objective was identified, and at the end of every turn thereafter, roll a D6. On a roll of 1 all units within 3" of the Objective Marker suffer D6 Strength 4 AP- hits. 2 - Nothing of Note. This has no additional affect. 3 - Skyfire Nexus. A unit that controls this objective can choose whether or not all of the models in it have the Skyfire special rule each time they shoot. 4 - Targeting Relay. A unit controlling this objective re-rolls failed To Hit rolls of 1 when shooting. 5 - Scatterfield. A unit that controls this objective counts its cover saves as being 1 point better than normal (so a unit in the open would have a 6+ cover save). This bonus is cumulative with the Stealth and Shrouded special rules. 6 - Grav Wave Generator. Any unit attempting to charge a unit in control of this objective subtracts 2 from its charge range (to a minimum of 0). This is cumulative with the penalty for charging through Difficult Terrain, if applicable.

Night Fighting If a mission has the Night Fighting special rule, either player can declare that they wish to fight the battle at night. If either player does so, roll a D6 before deployment: on a roll of 4+, the Night Fighting special rule is in effect during game turn 1. While the Night Fighting mission special rule is in effect, all units have the Stealth special rule.

Reserves Reserves are forces that can be called upon to reinforce a battle at short notice, or to conceal your true strength from the foe.

Preparing Reserves When deploying their armies, players can choose not to deploy some of their units, keeping them as Reserves to arrive later. In addition, if it impossible to deploy a unit for any reason, it must be placed in Reserve. The only exception to this are units that cannot move after they have been deployed. Such units are removed as casualties if it is impossible to deploy them during the Deployment step of Preparing for Battle.

Combined Reserve Units During deployment, when deciding which units are kept as Reserves, you must specify if any of the Independent Characters in Reserve are joining a unit, in which case they must arrive together. Similarly, you must specify if any units in Reserve are embarked upon any Transport vehicles in Reserve, in which case they will arrive together. In either case, when making a Reserve Roll (see below) for a combined unit, roll a single dice for the unit and/or its Independent Character/Transport vehicle.

Arriving from Reserve At the start of your second turn, you must roll a D6 for each unit in your army that is being held in Reserve – these are known as Reserve Rolls. If the roll is a 3 or more, that unit arrives this turn. If the roll is less than 3 it remains in Reserve and is rolled for again next turn. At the start of your third turn, roll for any units remaining in Reserve. If the roll is a 3 or more, that unit arrives this turn. If the roll is less than 3, it remains in Reserve and automatically arrives at the start of your fourth turn. Some special rules can modify the roll required for a unit to arrive from Reserve.

Regardless of the modifier(s), a natural roll of a 1 always means that the unit in question remains in Reserve. When Reserves arrive, pick one of your arriving units and deploy it, moving it onto the table as described below. Then pick another arriving unit and deploy it, and so on until all arriving units are on the table. The player can then proceed to move his other units as normal. Note that you must first roll for all Reserves, and then move any arriving Reserves, before any other units can move.

Moving On From Reserve When a Reserves unit arrives, it must move onto the table from the controlling player’s table edge. Measure the model’s move from the edge of the table, as if they had been positioned just off the board in the previous turn. A unit cannot charge, or use any abilities or special rules that must be used at the start of the turn, in the turn it arrives from Reserve. If for some reason a model’s maximum move is insufficient to fit the entire model onto the board, or it becomes Immobilised whilst moving onto the board, place the model as far onto the table as you can. If this leaves the model in a position where it may fall off the table, then mark the position the model is meant to be occupying in some manner, and then position it more safely – we don’t want any models to get damaged in the battles that we fight!

Ongoing Reserves If a unit enters Reserve part way through the game, such as a Flyer leaving the battlefield, this is referred to as entering Ongoing Reserves. Units in Ongoing Reserve always reenter play at the start of their controlling player’s following turn, but otherwise follow the normal rules for Reserves.

Tactical Objectives War is unpredictable and fluid. Strategic objectives and tactical priorities can change at a moment’s notice, and targets of military insignificance can transform into ones of vital importance without warning. A good battlefield commander must be dynamic and flexible, prepared to take advantage of an opportunistic objective and ever-able to adapt his entire battle-plan to react to a change of orders from above.

Using Tactical Objectives If a mission has the Tactical Objectives special rule, you will need 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6. Unless instructed otherwise, the players should place all 6 Objective Markers on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers. These Objective markers are controlled using the rules for Controlling Objective Markers. Each Objective Marker may also be a Mysterious Objective if this

mission special rule is also in use.

Generating Tactical Objectives At the beginning of each of your turns, you will need to generate a number of Tactical Objectives. If you are playing a mission, it will state how many you should generate, otherwise you will need to agree how many to generate at the start of each turn. To generate a Tactical Objective, roll a D66, consult the table opposite and write the result down. Note that unless the mission itself states otherwise, these rolls are not secret; both players should be able to see what Tactical Objectives each other has. Note that whilst there are several Tactical Objectives with the same name, they are all uniquely numbered. When generating Tactical Objectives, keep a note of the numbers you rolled during the game – if you roll the same numbered Tactical Objective during the same game, roll again until a differently numbered one is generated. Only roll again if you have already generated that Tactical Objective yourself during the game – if your opponent has generated a particular Tactical Objective that you have not yet generated, you can still generate that Tactical Objective. Tactical Objectives that have been generated are said to be Active until they are either achieved or discarded (see below).

Achieving Tactical Objectives You score Victory Points for achieving Tactical Objectives at the end of your turn. Any Victory Points awarded from Tactical Objectives are added to any Victory Points awarded from any other source (from Secondary Objectives, for example). At the end of your turn, you must check to see if you have achieved any of your Active Tactical Objectives – the descriptions will tell you how they are achieved and how many Victory Points are scored for completing them. If you can achieve a Tactical Objective at the end of your turn you

must immediately score Victory Points for it – you cannot choose not to achieve a Tactical Objective at the end of your turn. Note that a player can achieve any number of his Active Tactical Objectives in the same turn (including multiples of the same named Tactical Objective). For example, if Robin’s opponent’s Warlord is a Psyker, and Robin has both the Kingslayer and Witch Hunter Tactical Objectives, he will achieve both objectives in the same turn that he kills his opponent’s Psyker Warlord, scoring in this instance D3+1 Victory Points. If the mission also uses the Slay the Warlord secondary objective, Robin will also score 1 additional Victory Point at the end of the game for having killed his opponent’s Warlord (making his death worth a grand total of D3+2 Victory Points – a very worthwhile target indeed!).

Discarding Tactical Objectives Once a Tactical Objective has been achieved, it is discarded. After all Tactical Objectives that have been achieved are discarded, the player whose turn it is can select one of his remaining Active Tactical Objectives (if any) and choose to discard it – this scores no Victory Points. Discarded Tactical Objectives cease being Active and you cannot generate or achieve these objectives for the remainder of the game.

Designer’s Note – Tactical Objectives Card Deck If you own a deck of Tactical Objective Cards, you can generate your Tactical Objectives by shuffling the deck and drawing the top card instead of rolling a D66. These should be kept face up, so your opponent can see which Tactical Objectives you have generated, unless the mission you are playing instructs you otherwise.

Tactical Objectives Table Descriptions for each Tactical Objective can be found below this table.

D66 - Result - Type 11 - Secure Objective 1 - Capture & Control 12 - Secure Objective 2 - Capture & Control 13 - Secure Objective 3 - Capture & Control 14 - Secure Objective 4 - Capture & Control 15 - Secure Objective 5 - Capture & Control 16 - Secure Objective 6 - Capture & Control 21 - Secure Objective 1 - Take & Hold 22 - Secure Objective 2 - Take & Hold 23 - Secure Objective 3 - Take & Hold 24 - Secure Objective 4 - Take & Hold 25 - Secure Objective 5 - Take & Hold 26 - Secure Objective 6 - Take & Hold 31 - Secure Objective 1 - Storm & Defend 32 - Secure Objective 2 - Storm & Defend 33 - Secure Objective 3 - Storm & Defend 34 - Secure Objective 4 - Storm & Defend 35 - Secure Objective 5 - Storm & Defend 36 - Secure Objective 6 - Storm & Defend 41 - Recon - Seize Ground 42 - Behind Enemy Lines - Seize Ground 43 - Hold The Line - Seize Ground 44 - Ascendency - Seize Ground 45 - Supremacy - Seize Ground 46 - Domination - Seize Ground 51 - Overwhelming Firepower - Purge 52 - Blood and Guts - Purge 53 - No Prisoners - Purge 54 - Hungry for Glory - Purge

55 - Psychological Warfare - Purge 56 - Harness the Warp - Purge 61 - Kingslayer - Annihilation 62 - Witch Hunter - Annihilation 63 - Scour the Skies - Annihilation 64 - Assassinate - Annihilation 65 - Demolitions - Annihilation 66 - Big Game Hunter - Annihilation

TACTICAL OBJECTIVES This section describes the Tactical Objectives that you can use in your games of Warhammer 40,000. Each Tactical Objective details a specific task that your forces must accomplish, the conditions that must be met in order to achieve it, and how many Victory Points you will score for doing so. The number next to the Tactical Objective’s title corresponds to the D66 result rolled to generate it. For more details on generating and using Tactical Objectives, see the Tactical Objectives mission special rule above.

11 SECURE OBJECTIVE 1 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 1 at the end of your turn.

12 SECURE OBJECTIVE 2 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 2 at the end of your turn.

13 SECURE OBJECTIVE 3 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 3 at the end of your turn.

14 SECURE OBJECTIVE 4 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 4 at the end of your turn.

15 SECURE OBJECTIVE 5 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 5 at the end of your turn.

16 SECURE OBJECTIVE 6 Type: Capture & Control A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 6 at the end of your turn.

21 SECURE OBJECTIVE 1 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 1 at the end of your turn.

22 SECURE OBJECTIVE 2 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 2 at the end of your turn.

23 SECURE OBJECTIVE 3 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 3 at the end of your turn.

24 SECURE OBJECTIVE 4 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 4 at the end of your turn.

25 SECURE OBJECTIVE 5 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 5 at the end of your turn.

26 SECURE OBJECTIVE 6 Type: Take & Hold A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 6 at the end of your turn.

31 SECURE OBJECTIVE 1 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 1 at the end of your turn.

32 SECURE OBJECTIVE 2 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 2 at the end of your turn.

33 SECURE OBJECTIVE 3 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 3 at the end of your turn.

34 SECURE OBJECTIVE 4 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 4 at the end of your turn.

35 SECURE OBJECTIVE 5 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 5 at the end of your turn.

36 SECURE OBJECTIVE 6 Type: Storm & Defend A vital objective has been identified in your vicinity. You are ordered to hold it at any cost. Score 1 Victory Point if you control Objective Marker 6 at the end of your turn.

41 RECON Type: Seize Ground You must locate and assess the value of local battlefield objectives so your forces can be tactically deployed. If the mission has the Mysterious Objectives mission special rule, score 1 Victory point if every objective on the battlefield has been identified at the end of this, or any previous turn.

42 BEHIND ENEMY LINES Type: Seize Ground Break through the foe’s army and cut off his lines of escape. Score 1 Victory Point if one of your scoring units is within 12" of your opponent’s table edge at the end of your turn. If 3 or more of your scoring units are within 12" of your opponent’s table edge at the end of your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

43 HOLD THE LINE Type: Seize Ground It is critical that no foe breaks through your defences. Maintain a strong rearguard to protect your supply lines. Score 1 Victory Point if at least 3 of your scoring units and none of your opponent’s scoring units are within 12" of your own table edge at the end of your turn.

44 ASCENDENCY Type: Seize Ground

The battleground is won one yard at a time. Continue to establish a strong military presence in the area. Score D3 Victory Points if you control any three Objective Markers at the end of your turn.

45 SUPREMACY Type: Seize Ground The enemy is attempting to establish a foothold in this region. Redouble your efforts to maintain control. Score D3 Victory Points if you control at least two Objective Markers and at least twice as many Objective Markers as your opponent controls at the end of your turn.

46 DOMINATION Type: Seize Ground Dominate the field of battle. Storm every site of tactical import and leave the foe with no place to hide. Score D3+3 Victory Points if you control every Objective Marker on the table at the end of your turn.

51 OVERWHELMING FIREPOWER Type: Purge A show of strength is required. Scour the enemy from the face of the battlefield with the use of extreme firepower. Score 1 Victory Point if an enemy unit was completely destroyed during the Shooting phase of your turn. If you completely destroyed 3 or more enemy units during the Shooting phase of your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

52 BLOOD AND GUTS Type: Purge Close with the foe and engage them in hand-to-hand combat. Show them no quarter, no mercy. Score 1 Victory Point if an enemy unit was completely destroyed during the Assault phase

of your turn. If you completely destroyed 3 or more enemy units during the Assault phase of your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

53 NO PRISONERS Type: Purge Exterminate your enemy, show them no mercy. Score 1 Victory Point if an enemy unit was completely destroyed during your turn. If you completely destroyed between 3 and 5 enemy units during your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead. If you completely destroyed 6 or more enemy units during your turn, score D3+3 Victory Points instead.

54 HUNGRY FOR GLORY Type: Purge You fight not only for victory, but for honour as well. Let none dispute your skills on the field of battle. Score 1 Victory Point if you issued a challenge during your turn. If you issued 3 or more challenges during your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

55 PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE Type: Purge Break the enemy’s morale, make your foes tremble before you. Score 1 Victory Point if your opponent failed a Morale, Pinning or Fear test during this turn. If your opponent failed 3 or more Morale, Pinning or Fear tests, score D3 Victory Points instead.

56 HARNESS THE WARP Type: Purge Desperate times call for desperate measures – harness the power of the Warp to defeat your foes. Score 1 Victory Point if you successfully manifested a Psychic Power during your turn. If you successfully manifested 3 or more Psychic Powers, score D3 Victory Points instead.

61 KINGSLAYER Type: Annihilation The enemy commander is a powerful and effective leader and should be slain as quickly as possible. Score D3 Victory Points at the end of your turn if your opponent’s Warlord has been removed as a casualty during this, or any previous turn.

62 WITCH HUNTER Type: Annihilation The presence of enemy psykers can no longer be tolerated. Eliminate them with extreme prejudice. Score 1 Victory Point at the end of your turn if at least one enemy unit with the Psyker, Psychic Pilot or Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule was completely destroyed during your turn.

63 SCOUR THE SKIES Type: Annihilation It is vital to maintain air superiority. Enemy aircraft are to be considered targets of high priority. Score 1 Victory Point at the end of your turn if at least one enemy Flyer or Flying Monstrous Creature was removed as a casualty during your turn.

64 ASSASINATE Type: Annihilation The enemy looks to their champions for courage. Identify and assassinate them. Score 1 Victory Point at the end of your turn if at least one enemy character was removed as a casualty during your turn. If 3 or more enemy characters were removed as casualties during your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

65 DEMOLITIONS

Type: Annihilation If the enemy seeks shelter behind fortress walls, raze them to the ground. Score 1 Victory Point at the end of your turn if at least one gun emplacement or enemy building was destroyed during your turn. If at least one enemy building with the Mighty Bulwark special rule was destroyed during your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

66 BIG GAME HUNTER Type: Annihilation The larger the foe, the greater the glory... Score 1 Victory Point at the end of your turn if at least one enemy Vehicle or Monstrous Creature was destroyed during your turn. If at least one enemy Super-heavy vehicle or Gargantuan Creature was destroyed during your turn, score D3 Victory Points instead.

(1) ETERNAL WAR: CRUSADE The battlefield is strewn with discarded equipment, supplies and other detritus of war that, for various reasons, you wish to recover. You must fight off the enemy while scouring the field to retrieve as many of these vital objectives as you can.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place D3+2 Objective Markers on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the player that controls it.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives.

(2) ETERNAL WAR: PURGE THE ALIEN Some battles are fought with only one goal – find your enemy, crush him utterly and take away his means to mount further resistance. Your mission is simple – kill as many enemy units as you can!

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, each player receives 1 Victory Point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Falling Back at the end of the game, and units

that are not on the board at the end of the game, count as destroyed for the purposes of this mission. Remember that Independent Characters and Dedicated Transports are individual units and award Victory Points if they are destroyed.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves.

(3) ETERNAL WAR: THE SCOURING Both sides are sweeping through the area, tasking recon units to identify sites of strategic import. However, not all sites are of equal worth and victory will go to the foe that can secure the most valuable sites and cripple the enemy’s ability to locate others.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place a total of 6 Objective Markers face down on the table (don’t look!). There should be one marked with a 4, two marked with 3’s, two with 2’s and a single 1. Immediately before deciding whether or not to attempt to Seize the Initiative, flip the six markers over to reveal how many Victory Points they are worth.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth a number of Victory Points to the player that controls it equal to the number on the marker. In addition, at the end of the game, each player receives 1 Victory Point for each enemy Fast Attack unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Falling Back at the end of the game, and units that are not on the board at the end of the game, count as destroyed for the purposes of this mission.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives.

(4) ETERNAL WAR: BIG GUNS NEVER TIRE Both sides are attempting to secure a foothold in no man’s land, spearheading the attack with overwhelming firepower. For the attack to be successful, your big guns must take up key positions on the battlefield and crush the enemy’s heaviest weaponry before they do the same to you.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place D3+2 Objective Markers on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the player that controls it. In addition, at the end of the game, each player receives 1 Victory Point for each enemy Heavy Support unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Falling Back at the end of the game, and units that are not on the board at the end of the game, count as destroyed for the purposes of this mission.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives.

(6) ETERNAL WAR: THE RELIC Both sides are attempting to recover a valuable relic from the front lines. It might be vital battle plans or maps, an item of spiritual significance or some other irreplaceable artefact that must be recovered at all costs.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After setting up terrain, the players place a single Objective Marker in the centre of the table. If the centre of the table is occupied with impassible terrain, place the objective marker as close as possible to the centre of the table.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, the Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the player that controls it.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves.

THE RELIC The Objective Marker represents the Relic. The following rules cover seizing, moving and dropping the Relic. Seizing the Relic: A non-vehicle model in a scoring unit can seize the Relic by moving into base contact during the Movement phase – that model then automatically picks it up at the end of the phase. From that point, the Relic remains with the model (move the Relic with the model to show this) until it is dropped, which can happen voluntarily, but happens automatically if the model is slain. Moving with the Relic: The Relic is fragile, and swift movement will likely damage it, so the model carrying the Relic cannot Run and can never move more than 6" in any phase. If it is forced to do so, the Relic is immediately dropped. A model with the Relic can embark a Transport vehicle, but that vehicle cannot move more than 6" per phase whilst the Relic is on board (so don’t put it on a Flyer, as the Flyer will automatically crash next time it Zooms). A model carrying the Relic can transfer it to any friendly non-vehicle model that is part of a scoring unit if the two models end their Movement phase in base contact. Move the counter to the new bearer to show who is currently holding the Relic. The Relic can only be passed to a friendly model once per Movement phase. Dropping the Relic: The controlling player can choose to have his model drop the Relic at any time, in which case he places the counter 1" away from the model. If the model Falls Back, the Relic is dropped automatically before the model performs its Fall Back move. If the model is removed as a casualty, or is in any other way removed from the table – whether voluntarily or otherwise – the Relic is dropped automatically and placed within 1" of the spot where the model last was before it left the table. Note that embarking onto a Transport is an exception to this, as detailed below. Note that the Relic can only be brought aboard a Transport vehicle if it is carried by a model that can embark upon the Transport. If the Relic is dropped whilst the bearer is embarked within a Transport vehicle, place it 1" away from a randomly determined Access

Point. If the Relic is dropped in impassable terrain, place it as close as possible to the point where it was dropped that is not impassable terrain.

(5) ETERNAL WAR: THE EMPEROR’S WILL Both sides are attempting to capture the enemy base of operations, whilst defending their own.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After setting up terrain, the players take it in turns to place a single Objective Marker in their own table half.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the player that controls it.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives.

(1) MAELSTROM OF WAR: CLEANSE AND CONTROL The battlefield is strewn with discarded equipment, wounded comrades, supplies and other vital detritus of war. Search for and recover these artefacts at all costs and eliminate any enemy forces that dare oppose you.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the Deployment Map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 3 Tactical Objectives at the start of his first turn.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible. If, at the start of a player’s turn, he has fewer than 3 Active Tactical Objectives, he must generate a number of new Tactical Objectives unti he has 3.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives.

(2) MAELSTROM OF WAR: CONTACT LOST All contact with command has been lost and the enemy are doubtless advancing towards your position. You must secure sites of tactical import to re-establish communications with all due haste and engage any hostile forces encountered with extreme prejudice.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the Deployment Map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 1 Tactical Objective at the start of his first turn.

GAME LENGTH

The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible. If, at the start of a player’s turn, he has fewer than 6 Active Tactical Objectives, he must generate one new Tactical Objective for each Objective Marker he currently controls (to a maximum of 6). If a player does not control any Objective Markers at the start of his turn, he cannot generate any new Tactical Objectives.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives.

(3) MAELSTROM OF WAR: TACTICAL ESCALATION What began as a simple raid has long-since escalated into full-blown battle as both sides commit more and more forces into the fray. With every moment that passes, more of your comrades engage the enemy and another mission-critical target is identified.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the deployment map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which deployment map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, rerolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining deployment maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 1 Tactical Objective at the start of his first turn. If, at the start of their turn, a player has fewer Active Tactical Objectives than the current turn number, he must generate a number of new Tactical Objectives until he has a number equal to the current turn number. The table below shows the maximum number of Active Tactical

Objectives a player can have at the start of a turn. If, at the start of his turn, a player has more Active Tactical Objectives than this number, he must discard Tactical Objectives of his choice until he has the correct number remaining.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives.

(4) MAELSTROM OF WAR: THE SPOILS OF WAR A vital re-supply convoy has been intercepted and its cargo lost in the deserted ground of no man’s land. You must reclaim these spoils of war before the enemy can reach them whilst inflicting as much damage upon the foe as possible.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the deployment map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which deployment map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, rerolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining deployment maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 3 Tactical Objectives at the start of his first turn.

GAME LENGTH

The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible. If, at the start of a player’s turn, he has fewer than 3 Active Tactical Objectives, he must generate a number of new Tactical Objectives until the player has 3.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives. Precious Cargo: In this mission, neither player can choose to voluntarily discard any Active Tactical Objective titled ‘Secure Objective X’, where X is a number between 1 and 6. These Tactical Objectives can only be discarded when they are achieved. Steal the Loot: In this mission, all Active Tactical Objectives titled ‘Secure Objective X’, where X is a number between 1 and 6, can be achieved by either player. A player must discard his Tactical Objective when it is achieved, regardless of whether he scored it or not. Note that only your Tactical Objectives titled ‘Secure Objective X’ can be achieved by your opponent, your other Tactical Objectives cannot. For example, if one of your opponent’s Active Tactical Objectives is ‘Secure Objective 4’, and at the end of your turn you control Objective Marker 4, you achieve that Tactical Objective and score 1 Victory Point. Your opponent then has to discard that Active Tactical Objective.

(5) MAELSTROM OF WAR: CLOAK AND SHADOWS Enemy patrols are operating in this area, searching the battlefields for some critical objectives. Scout the area and discover his plans, but be sure not to reveal your own goals. If you can deny the enemy his objectives whilst achieving your own, victory will be assured.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the deployment map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which deployment map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, rerolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set up, but before determining deployment maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 3 Tactical Objectives at the start of his first turn.

GAME LENGTH

The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible. If, at the start of a player’s turn, he has fewer than 3 Active Tactical Objectives, generate a number of new Tactical Objectives until the player has 3. These should be kept secret (see Secret Orders, below).

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives. Secret Orders: When players generate their Tactical Objectives they should keep them secret from their opponent. Keep the dice score hidden from your opponent or, if you have a deck of Tactical Objective cards, keep them face down. Reveal Tactical Objectives only when achieving them.

(6) MAELSTROM OF WAR: DEADLOCK Months of bitter fighting have ended in a deadlock, but a fleeting opportunity has arisen for you to strike a devastating blow against the enemy to tip the balance of the war. Strike hard and fast, for with every moment you delay your tactical options dwindle and the chance for victory slips away.

THE ARMIES Choose an army to an agreed points limit.

THE BATTLEFIELD Set up terrain as described in Preparing for Battle. Then, use the Deployment Map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

Objective Markers After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers that are individually numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objective Markers.

DEPLOYMENT Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method.

FIRST TURN The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative.

Tactical Objectives Each player generates 6 Tactical Objectives at the start of his first turn. The table below shows the maximum number of Active Tactical Objectives a player can have at the start of each turn. If, at the start of his turn, a player has more Active Tactical Objectives than this number, he must discard Tactical Objectives of his choice until he has the correct number

remaining. If, at the start of his turn, a player has fewer Active Tactical Objectives than the number shown in the table, he must instead generate new Tactical Objectives until he has the correct number.

GAME LENGTH The mission uses Variable Game Length.

VICTORY CONDITIONS At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points is the winner. If both players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

Primary Objective Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible.

Secondary Objectives Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker

MISSION SPECIAL RULES Night Fighting, Reserves, Mysterious Objectives, Tactical Objectives.

SPECIAL RULES A Warhammer 40,000 battle is dominated by weird alien creatures, consecrated armour and futuristic weapons. Crackling power weapons slice through armour, warriors fall prey to bioengineered toxins and maddened fanatics wade through enemy fire, combat drugs leaving them numb to the hurts of battle. That’s a lot of variety for the core game rules to encompass – in fact, it’s too much. That’s why we have universal special rules – uncommon rules to govern uncommon circ*mstances. Whenever a creature or weapon has an ability that breaks or bends one of the main game rules, it is represented by a special rule. A special rule might improve a model’s chances of causing damage by granting it poisoned weapons or a boost to its Strength. Conversely, a special rule may improve a model’s survivability by granting it resistance to pain, or the ability to regrow damaged flesh. Special rules allow snipers to target the weak spots of their foes, scouts to range ahead of the army and anti-aircraft guns to blow flyers out of the skies.

WHAT SPECIAL RULES DO I HAVE? It may seem obvious, but unless stated otherwise, a model does not have a special rule. Most special rules are given to a model by the relevant Army List Entry or its unit type. That said, a model’s attacks can gain special rules because of the weapon it is using. Similarly a model might get special rules as the result of psychic powers, scenario special rules or being hunkered down in a particular type of terrain. Where this is the case, the rule that governs the psychic power, scenario or terrain type in question will make this abundantly clear. Most of the more commonly used special rules in Warhammer 40,000 are listed here, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Many troops have their own unique abilities, which are laid out in their codex or Army List Entry. For ease of consultation, we’ve presented the special rules in alphabetical order. There’s also an index at the back of the book to help you locate any particular special rule you’re after.

A Compendium of Special Rules

Some of the special rules you’ll encounter in this section have already been mentioned in earlier passages of this book, others you’ve yet to encounter at all. We’ve presented them all in a single section to make your life easier when trying to track down the effect of a particular special rule. Special rules are so important that many of the other rules in this tome (particularly those for weapons and for troop types) are tied into the special rules given here. If you’re new to the game, you can cheerfully ignore this section until you’ve got the basic rules under your belt – you can always dip back in as and when you need to. Unless specifically stated, a model cannot gain the benefit of a special rule more than once. However, the effects of multiple different special rules are cumulative.

Acute Senses These warriors have superhuman senses, able to track a foe through all manner of terrain – such skills are invaluable when setting up an ambush. If a unit contains at least one model with this special rule, and that unit arrives on a random table edge (due to Outflank, or other special rules), then you can re-roll to see which table edge they arrive from.

Adamantium Will So strong of mind is this warrior that foul sorcery has little grasp upon him. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule receives a +1 bonus to Deny the Witch tests.

And They Shall Know No Fear Some warriors refuse to surrender, fighting on whatever the odds. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule automatically passes Fear and Regroup tests. When it Regroups, the unit does not make the 3" Regroup move, but can instead move, shoot (or Run) and declare charges normally in that turn. Furthermore, if a unit containing one or more models with this special rule is caught by a Sweeping Advance, they are not destroyed, but remain locked in combat instead.

Assault Vehicle This vehicle is specifically designed to disgorge troops into the thick of the fray.

Passengers disembarking from Access Points on a vehicle with this special rule can charge on the turn they do so (even in a turn that the vehicle was destroyed, or in the following turn) unless the vehicle arrived from Reserve that turn.

Armourbane This weapon has been crafted with one aim in mind: to pierce the hides of armoured vehicles. If a model has this special rule, or is attacking with a Melee weapon that has this special rule, it rolls an additional D6 for armour penetration in close combat. If a model makes a shooting attack with a weapon that has this special rule, it rolls an additional D6 for armour penetration. In either case, this special rule has no effect against non-vehicle models.

BLAST Blast weapons fire shells, missiles or packets of energy that explode on impact. When firing a Blast weapon, models do not roll To Hit. Instead, just pick one enemy model visible to the firer and place the 3" blast marker with its hole entirely over the base of the target model (see diagram), or its hull if the target is a vehicle. The hole at the centre of the marker must be within the weapon’s maximum range. You cannot place the blast marker so that the base or hull of any friendly model is even partially under it. The large area affected by the blast means it’s going to be very hard to miss completely. Nonetheless, the shot might not land exactly where intended. Roll for the blast marker to scatter and subtract the firer’s Ballistic Skill from the distance (if any) that it scatters, to a minimum of 0". Note that it is possible, and absolutely fine, for a shot to scatter beyond the weapon’s maximum or minimum range and line of sight. This represents the chance of ricochets, the missile blasting through cover and other random events. In these cases, hits are worked out as normal and can hit and wound units out of range and line of sight (or even your own units, or models locked in combat). If the shot scatters so that the hole in the centre of the marker is beyond the table’s edge, the shot is a complete miss and is discarded. Once the final position of the blast marker has been determined, take a good look at it from above – each unit suffers one hit for each of their models which is fully or partially beneath the blast marker, even if those models are not within the firer’s line of sight. Once the number of hits inflicted on the unit has been worked out, roll To Wound and save as normal. Remember that any Wounds inflicted by weapons with the Blast special rule must be allocated to the closest model in the target unit even if it is out of sight of any models from the attacking unit.

Multiple Blasts If a unit is firing more than one shot with the Blast special rule, scatter each shot, one at a time, as described above and determine how many hits are scored with each individual blast marker. After the last shot, add up the total number of hits scored and roll all of the To Wound rolls as normal.

Blast Weapons and Re-rolls If a model has the ability to re-roll its rolls To Hit and chooses to do so after firing a Blast weapon, the player must re-roll both the scatter dice and the 2D6.

Blast Weapons and Snap Shots Blast weapons cannot be fired as Snap Shots.

Large Blast Large Blast weapons use the 5" blast marker, but otherwise obey all the rules for Blast weapons.

Massive Blast Massive Blast weapons use the 7" blast marker, but otherwise obey all the rules for Blast weapons.

Apocalyptic Blast Apocalyptic Blast weapons use the 10" blast marker, but otherwise obey all the rules for Blast weapons.

Apocalyptic Mega-blast (5"/7"/10") Apocalyptic Mega-blast weapons use the apocalyptic blast marker. They obey the rules for Blast weapons, with the following exceptions: • Apocalyptic Mega-blast weapons have three Strength values and three AP values. Correspondingly, the apocalyptic blast marker is divided into three zones, as shown in the diagram to the far right, one for each Strength and AP value. • The Strength and AP of any hits depends on the zone where the target model is located. The first Strength and AP value are used for the inner zone, the second Strength and AP value are used for the middle zone, and the third Strength and AP value are used for the outer zone. Always use the best Strength and AP if a model straddles two or more zones. If a unit has models in several zones, work out the hits inflicted for each zone separately. Note that there will be a different Wound pool for each zone.

For example, an Aquila macro-cannon firing a quake shell has the Apocalyptic Mega-blast special rule, a Strength of 10/7/5 and an AP value of 1/4/6. The Strength and AP values for the three zones are therefore: Zone - S - AP Inner - 10 - 1 Middle - 7 - 4 Outer - 5 - 6 A unit with 3 models in the inner zone and 5 models in the middle zone would suffer 3 Strength 10 AP1 hits, and 5 Strength 7 AP4 hits. • To determine whether a unit wounded by an Apocalyptic Mega-blast weapon is allowed a cover save, and when determining Wound allocation, always assume the shot is coming from the centre of the apocalyptic blast marker, instead of from the firing model. • Hits from Apocalyptic Mega-blast weapons made against vehicles are always resolved against their side armour.

Blasts & Scatter

A Space Marine (BS4) fires a frag missile and rolls an arrow on the scatter dice. The 2D6 result is a 7, so the blast is moved 3" (7 minus 4) in the direction indicated by the arrow. Two Orks are fully or partially under the final position of the blast marker and, therefore, the unit of Orks suffers two hits from the

frag missile.

Apocalyptic Blast Marker

The 10" apocalyptic blast marker has bold rings marked on it (at 5" and 7"). The 5" ring is used for large blast attacks. The 7" ring is used for massive blast attacks. Both rings are used for Apocalyptic Mega-blast attacks: the area enclosed by the 5" ring is the inner zone, the area between the 5" and 7" rings is the middle zone and the area between the 7" ring and the edge of the marker is the outer zone.

Blind This attack looses a brilliant flare of light, searing the sight of the victim and forcing him to fight blind for a few moments. Any unit hit by one or more models or weapons with this special rule must take an Initiative test at the end of the current phase. If the test is passed, all is well – a shouted warning has caused the warriors to avert their gaze. If the Initiative test is failed, all models in the unit are reduced to Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill 1 until the end of their next turn. Should the attacking unit hit themselves, we assume they are prepared and they automatically pass the test. Any model that does not have an Initiative characteristic (for example, non-Walker vehicles, buildings etc.) is unaffected by this special rule.

Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers Some highly-trained psykers act in groups, focussing on a single goal. Few can resist such mighty minds working in concert. A unit containing at least one model with this special rule is a Psyker unit – if no Mastery Level is shown, then that unit has a Mastery Level of 1. Rules for generating and

manifesting psychic powers can be found in the Psychic phase section. The unit follows all the normal rules for Psykers, with the following clarifications: • When manifesting a psychic power, this unit measures range and line of sight from, and uses the characteristics profile (if required) of, any one model in the unit that has the Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule (controlling player’s choice). • If this unit suffers Perils of the Warp, or is hit by an attack that specifically targets Psykers, the hits are Randomly Allocated amongst models with the Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule. If a model with this special rule gains or loses a psychic power, all other models with this special rule in their unit also gain or lose that power.

Bulky This creature is so massive it takes up an inordinate amount of space in any vehicle or building it enters. Bulky models count as two models for the purposes of Transport Capacity.

Very Bulky Very Bulky models instead count as three models.

Extremely Bulky Extremely Bulky models instead count as five models.

BARRAGE Barrage weapons lob shells high into the air, landing them in the midst of the foe. All Barrage weapons use blast markers and consequently use the rules for Blast weapons, as indicated by their profile, with the following exceptions: • Barrage weapons can fire indirectly. This means they can fire at a target that they do not have line of sight to, as long as the target is beyond their minimum range (if applicable). When firing indirectly, the Ballistic Skill of the firer is not subtracted from the scatter distance; unless a Hit! is rolled on the scatter dice, the blast marker always scatters a full 2D6". If a Barrage weapon has line of sight to its target it can fire directly,

even if the target is within its minimum range. • To determine whether a unit wounded by a Barrage weapon is allowed a cover save, and when determining Wound allocation, always assume the shot is coming from the centre of the blast marker, instead of from the firing model. Hits against vehicles are always resolved against their side armour.

Multiple Barrages If a unit fires more than one shot with the Barrage special rule, they fire together, as follows: • The Barrage weapon closest to the target unit fires first. Place the blast marker over the target, then roll for scatter as described earlier. • Once the first marker is placed, roll a scatter dice for each other Barrage weapon shot fired by the unit. If an arrow is rolled, place the marker in the direction indicated so that it is next to and touching the edge of the first marker placed (see diagram below). • If a Hit! is rolled, the firing player places the marker so that it touches any part of any marker in the group that has already been placed. Note that it is perfectly fine if some markers are placed overlapping one another (including being directly over the top of a previous marker). • Once all of the markers are in place, add up the number of hits and roll To Wound for these hits. To determine Wound allocation and cover saves, always assume the shot is coming from the centre of the first blast marker that was placed in the Multiple Barrage.

Apocalyptic Barrage An Apocalyptic Barrage follows all of the rules for a Barrage weapon, but uses the clovershaped apocalyptic barrage marker. Before the marker is placed, the attacker is allowed to rotate the marker about its centre to maximise the number of models that could potentially be hit. Place the marker and roll for scatter in the same way you would for a Blast. If the marker scatters, be careful to maintain the same orientation as you move it. Once the final position of the marker has been determined, roll a number of dice equal to the number of attacks on the weapon’s profile. So, for example, with a weapon with the type ‘Heavy 4, Apocalyptic Barrage’, you would roll four dice. Each dice roll corresponds to a ‘strike’ on one of the circles on the apocalyptic barrage marker. For example, each roll of a 2 indicates a strike on circle number 2. Resolve the strikes as for a Multiple Barrage, as if each were a Barrage attack that had landed on that circle and hit all the models underneath it. To determine Wound allocation and cover saves, always assume the shot is coming from the centre of the entire apocalyptic barrage marker.

Barrages and Scatter

The original marker (A) scores a Hit! and does not scatter, while arrows are rolled for the second (B), and third (C) markers, which are placed accordingly. The number of hits scored is worked out separately for each marker, and in this case, the volley scores a total of nine hits on the unit! If, for example, a Hit! had been rolled for the third marker instead, the player could have placed it anywhere in contact with or over markers A and B.

Apocalyptic Barrage Marker

In this example, a Heavy 4 weapon with the Apocalyptic Barrage special rule is fired. The centre of the apocalyptic barrage marker is placed over the target model and rotated by the firing player until he is happy with its position. The barrage marker then scatters 8" to the right – the player is careful to maintain the template’s orientation as he moves it. Once the final position is determined, four dice are rolled to determine where the strikes land, and the results are 2, 3, 3 and 6. The circles 2 and 5-6 are hit once each, and the circle 3 is hit twice. This results in a total of 12 hits. Wounds are allocated from the centre of the apocalyptic barrage marker (the centre of circle 5-6).

DEEP STRIKE Some units make their way to battle via tunnelling, teleportation, flying, or some other extraordinary means which allows them to appear in the thick of the fighting. In order for a unit to be able to Deep Strike, all models in the unit must have the Deep Strike special rule and the unit must start the game in Reserve. When placing the unit in Reserve, you must tell your opponent that it will be arriving by Deep Strike (sometimes called Deep Strike Reserve). Some units must arrive by Deep Strike. They always begin the game in Reserve and always arrive by Deep Strike.

Arriving by Deep Strike

Roll for the arrival of all Deep Striking units as specified in the rules for Reserves and then deploy them as follows: • First, place one model from the unit anywhere on the table, in the position where you would like it to arrive, and roll for scatter to determine the model’s final position. If a vehicle scatters when arriving via Deep Strike, do not change its facing – it must continue to face the same direction as it did before you rolled for scatter. • Next, the unit’s remaining models are arranged around the first one. Models must be placed in base contact with the first model and begin to form a circle around it. When the first circle is complete, a further concentric circle must be placed with each model touching the circle inside it. Each circle must include as many models as will fit. • Models deploying via Deep Strike treat all difficult terrain as dangerous terrain. In the Movement phase during which they arrive, Deep Striking units may not move any further, other than to disembark from a Deep Striking Transport vehicle if they are in one. Units Deep Striking into ruins are placed on the ground floor. Deep Striking units count non-ruined buildings (except for their battlements) as impassable terrain. In that turn’s Shooting phase, these units can fire (or Run, Turbo-boost or move Flat Out) as normal, and count as having moved in the previous Movement phase. Vehicles, except for Walkers, count as having moved at Combat Speed (even Immobilised vehicles). This can affect the number of weapons they can fire with their full Ballistic Skill. In that turn’s Assault phase, however, these units cannot charge. This also applies to units that have disembarked from Transports that arrived by Deep Strike that turn.

Deep Strike and Transports Units do not confer the Deep Strike special rule onto a Transport vehicle they are embarked inside. A Transport vehicle with Deep Strike may Deep Strike regardless of whether its passengers have Deep Strike or not.

Deep Strike Mishaps Deep Striking onto a crowded battlefield can be dangerous, as one may miss the intended objective or even materialise inside solid rock! If any of the models in a Deep Striking unit cannot be deployed, because at least one model would land partially or fully off the table, in impassable terrain, on top of a friendly model, or on top of or within 1" of an enemy model, something has gone wrong. The controlling player must roll on the Deep Strike Mishap table and apply the results. If the unfortunate unit is also a Transport, the Deep Strike Mishap result applies to both the unit and anything embarked within it.

Deep Strike Mishap Table D6 - Effect 1 - Terrible Accident! Teleporting units are lost in the Warp, deep striking jump units are shot down, or some other suitably dramatic event occurs. The entire unit is destroyed! 2-3 - Misplaced. The coordinates were inaccurate or the enemy has jammed your instruments. Your opponent may deploy the unit anywhere on the table (excluding impassable terrain, but including difficult terrain, which of course counts as dangerous for Deep Striking units), in a valid Deep Strike formation, but without rolling for scatter. Units embarked on a misplaced Transport can disembark during their Movement phase as normal. 4-6 - Delayed. Because of mechanical failure or enemy action, the reinforcements are delayed. The unit is placed in Ongoing Reserves.

Concussive Some weapons are designed to leave any foe that manages to survives their strike disoriented and easy to slay. A model that suffers one or more unsaved Wounds from a weapon with this special rule is reduced to Initiative 1 until the end of the following Assault phase.

Counter-attack Troops with this skill believe attack to be the best form of defence. If assaulted, they spring forward themselves and ferociously counter-attack the charging enemy. If a unit contains at least one model with this special rule, and that unit is charged, every model with the Counter-attack special rule in the unit gets +1 Attack until the end of the phase. If, when charged, the unit was already locked in combat, the Counter-attack special rule has no effect.

Crusader

Bolstered by ultimate faith in his goal, the crusader is tireless, sweeping from one foe to the next in a battle that never ends. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule rolls an extra dice when making Run moves, and uses the highest result rolled. In addition, a unit that contains at least one model with this special rule adds D3 to its Sweeping Advance totals (roll each time).

Daemon The creatures of the Warp are many and foul, with infinite variety, but there are some characteristics that they all share. Models with the Daemon special rule have a 5+ invulnerable save, and also have the Fear special rule.

Destroyer Weapons Also known as Titan-killers, destroyer weapons deliver horrifying amounts of damage. If a weapon has a D instead of a Strength value in its profile, it is a Destroyer weapon. To resolve a Destroyer weapon’s attack, roll To Hit as you would for a standard attack. If the attack hits, roll on the table above instead of rolling To Wound or for armour penetration. Most Destroyer Weapons have AP1 or AP2, so armour saves are not typically allowed. Cover saves and invulnerable saves can be taken against hits from a Destroyer weapon as normal, unless a Devastating Hit or Deathblow result is rolled. For the purposes of determining if a Destroyer hit has the Instant Death special rule, assume it has Strength 10. Multiple Wounds/Hull Points inflicted by a Destroyer hit do not carry over to other models in the unit (any excess are lost).

Destroyer Weapon Attack Table D6 Vehicle or Building Non-vehicle 1 Vehicle or Building - Lucky Escape: The model is unharmed. Non-vehicle - Lucky Escape: The model is unharmed.

2-5 Vehicle or Building - Solid Hit: The model suffers a penetrating hit that causes it to lose D3 Hull Points instead of 1. Non-vehicle - Seriously Wounded: The model suffers a hit that wounds automatically and causes it to lose D3 Wounds instead of 1. 6 Vehicle or Building - Devastating Hit: The model suffers a penetrating hit that causes it to lose D6+6 Hull Points instead of 1. No saves of any kind are allowed against this hit. Non-vehicle - Deathblow: The model suffers a hit that wounds automatically and causes it to lose D6+6 Wounds instead of 1. No saves of any kind are allowed against this hit.

Eternal Warrior Some heroes refuse to be laid low, even by what would be mortal wounds to lesser warriors. If a model with this special rule suffers an unsaved Wound from an attack that inflicts Instant Death, it only reduces its Wounds by 1, instead of automatically reducing its Wounds to 0.

Fear Some beings are so monstrous or alien that they can force their foes to recoil in horror. At the start of each Fight sub-phase, a unit in base contact with one or more enemy models that cause Fear must take a Leadership test (called a Fear test) before any blows are struck. If the test is passed, all is well and there is no effect. If the test is failed, the unit succumbs to fear – all models in the unit have their Weapon Skill reduced to 1 for the remainder of that Fight sub-phase. Note that a model that causes Fear is not itself immune to Fear, and will still need to take a Fear test if it is base contact with any enemy models that cause Fear.

Fearless Fearless troops never give up and seldom take full use of cover – even if it would be wiser to do so. Units containing one or more models with the Fearless special rule automatically pass

Pinning, Fear, Regroup tests and Morale checks, but cannot Go to Ground and cannot choose to fail a Morale check due to the Our Weapons Are Useless rule. If a unit has Gone to Ground and then gains the Fearless special rule, all the effects of Go to Ground are immediately cancelled.

Feel No Pain Whether through force of will, bionic augmentation or foul sorcery, this warrior can fight despite fearsome wounds. When a model with this special rule suffers an unsaved Wound, it can make a special Feel No Pain roll to avoid being wounded (this is not a saving throw and so can be used against attacks that state that ‘no saves of any kind are allowed’, for example those inflicted by Perils of the Warp). Feel No Pain saves may not be taken against Destroyer attacks or against unsaved Wounds that have the Instant Death special rule. Roll a D6 each time an unsaved Wound is suffered. On a 4 or less, you must take the Wound as normal. On a 5+, the unsaved Wound is discounted – treat it as having been saved. If a unit has the Feel No Pain special rule with a number in brackets afterwards – Feel No Pain (6+), for example – then the number in brackets is the D6 result needed to discount the Wound.

Fleet Preternaturally agile, these warriors can cover ground more quickly than their plodding foes. A unit composed entirely of models with this special rule can re-roll one or more of the dice when determining Run moves and charge ranges (such as a single D6 from a charge range roll, for example).

Fleshbane Many are the weapons and creatures whose merest caress is fatal. If a model has this special rule, or is attacking with a Melee weapon that has this special rule, they always Wound on a 2+ in close combat. Similarly, if a model makes a shooting attack with a weapon that has this special rule, they always Wound on a 2+. In either case, this special rule has no effect against vehicles or buildings.

Force

Force weapons are charged by the psychic might of the wielder, turning them from mere physical tools to mystical weapons of incredible potency. Any Psyker that has one or more weapons with this special rule knows the Force psychic power in addition to any other powers they know:

Force - Warp Charge 1 The psyker channels his powers through the psi-circuitry of his force weapon, transforming it from a mere physical weapon into one that can rend reality. Force is a blessing psychic power that targets the Psyker and his unit. All of the targets’ weapons that have the Force special rule gain the Instant Death special rule until the start of your next Psychic phase.

Furious Charge Some warriors use the impetus of the charge to fuel their own fury. In a turn in which a model with this special rule charges into combat, it adds +1 to its Strength characteristic until the end of the Assault phase. A model that has made a disordered charge that turn receives no benefit from Furious Charge.

Gets Hot Some weapons are fuelled by unstable power sources and risk overheating with each shot – often to the detriment of the wielder. When firing a weapon that Gets Hot, roll To Hit as normal. For each To Hit roll of 1, the firing model immediately suffers a Wound (armour or invulnerable saves can be taken) – this Wound cannot be allocated to any other model in the unit. A character cannot make a Look Out, Sir attempt to avoid a Wound caused by the Gets Hot special rule. A vehicle instead rolls a D6 for each roll of a 1 to hit. On a roll of a 1, 2 or 3 it suffers a glancing hit.

Gets Hot and Weapons that do not roll To Hit Weapons that do not roll To Hit (such as Blast weapons) must roll a D6 for each shot immediately before firing. On a 2+, the shot is resolved as normal. For each roll of a 1, the weapon Gets Hot; that shot is not fired and the firing model immediately suffers a single Wound (armour saves or invulnerable saves can be taken) – this Wound cannot be allocated to any other model in the unit. A character cannot make a Look Out, Sir attempt

to avoid a Wound caused by the Gets Hot special rule. A vehicle instead suffers a glancing hit on a further roll of a 1, 2 or 3.

Gets Hot and Re-rolls If a model has the ability to re-roll its rolls To Hit (including because of BS6+ or the Twin-linked special rule), a Wound is only suffered if the To Hit re-roll is also a 1; it may also re-roll Gets Hot results of 1 for weapons that do not roll To Hit.

Graviton Some weapons crush their enemies within their own armour. The roll needed To Wound when firing a weapon with this special rule is always equal to the armour save of the target, to a minimum of 6+. For example, when resolving a hit against a model with a 3+ armour save, you would need a 3+ To Wound. When resolving a hit against a vehicle, roll a D6 for each hit instead of rolling for armour penetration as normal. On a 1-5 nothing happens, but on a 6, the target suffers an Immobilised result and loses a Hull Point. These weapons have no effect on buildings.

Hammer of Wrath Many warriors hurl themselves headlong into combat, seeking to crush or trample the foe. If a model with this special rule ends its charge move in base or hull contact with an enemy model, it makes one additional Attack that hits automatically and is resolved at the model’s unmodified Strength with AP-. This Attack does not benefit from any of the model’s special rules (such as Furious Charge, Rending etc.). This Attack is resolved during the Fight sub-phase at the Initiative 10 step, but does not grant the model an additional Pile In move. If a model with this special rule charges a building or vehicle, the hit is resolved against the Armour Value of the facing the charging model is touching. If a model with this special rule charges a building or vehicle that is a Transport or a Chariot, the hit is resolved against the building or vehicle, not the occupants or the rider.

Hatred In the far future, hatred is a powerful ally. This rule is often presented as Hatred (X) where X identifies a specific type of foe. If the special rule does not specify a type of foe, then the unit has Hatred against everyone. This can refer to a Faction, or a specific unit. For example, Hatred (Orks) means any model with the Ork Faction, whilst Hatred (Big Meks) means only Big Meks. A model striking a hated foe in close combat re-rolls all failed To Hit rolls during the first round of each close combat.

Haywire Haywire weapons send out powerful electromagnetic pulses. When a weapon with this special rule hits a vehicle, roll a D6 to determine the effect rather than rolling for armour penetration normally: D6 - Result 1 - No effect 2-5 - Glancing hit 6 - Penetrating hit

Hit & Run Some troops employ a flexible battle stance, engaging the foe at close quarters one moment, before peeling off to strike with renewed vigour the next. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule that is locked in combat can choose to leave close combat at the end of any Assault phase. If the unit wishes to do so, it must take an Initiative test. If the test is failed, nothing happens and the models remain locked in the fight. If the test is passed, choose a direction – then roll 3D6. As long as the distance rolled, in inches, is sufficient to allow the entire unit to move over 1" away from all of the enemy units they are locked in combat with, the unit breaks away from combat and must immediately move a number of inches in the chosen direction equal to the 3D6 result, ignoring the models they were locked in combat with. No Sweeping Advance rolls are made. Enemy units that are no longer locked in combat immediately Consolidate D6". A Hit & Run move is not slowed by difficult terrain, but takes Dangerous Terrain tests as normal. It may not be used to move into base or hull contact with enemy units, and models instead stop 1" away. If there are units with this rule on both sides who wish to disengage, roll-off to determine who goes first and then alternate disengaging them. If the last of these ends up no longer in combat, it Consolidates instead.

Ignores Cover This weapon fires ammunition that cheats an enemy of his shelter. Cover saves cannot be taken against Wounds, glancing hits or penetrating hits caused by weapons with the Ignores Cover special rule.

Instant Death Some blows can slay an enemy outright, no matter how hardy he may be. If a model suffers an unsaved Wound from an attack with this special rule, it is reduced to 0 Wounds and is removed as a casualty.

INDEPENDENT CHARACTER Mighty heroes go where they are needed, charging at the forefront of the most vital charges and leading their troops to victory. Independent Characters can join other units. They cannot, however, join units that contain vehicles or Monstrous Creatures. They can join other Independent Characters, though, to form a powerful multi-character unit!

Joining and Leaving a Unit An Independent Character can begin the game already with a unit, either by being deployed in unit coherency with it or, if the unit is in Reserve, by you informing your opponent of which unit it has joined. In order to join a unit, an Independent Character simply has to move so that he is within the 2" unit coherency distance of a friendly unit at the end of their Movement phase. If the Independent Character is within 2" of more than one unit at the end of its Movement phase, the player must declare which unit it is joining. If an Independent Character does not intend to (or cannot) join a unit, it must (where possible) remain more than 2" away from it at the end of the Movement phase. This is to make clear whether they have joined a unit or not. Note that, after an Independent Character joins a unit, that unit can move no further that Movement phase. An Independent Character can leave a unit during the Movement phase by moving out of unit coherency with it. He cannot join or leave during any other phase – once shots are fired or charges are declared, it is too late to join in or duck out! An Independent Character cannot leave a unit while either he or the unit is in Reserves, locked in combat, Falling Back or has Gone to Ground. He cannot join a unit that is in Reserves, locked in combat or Falling Back. If an Independent Character joins a unit, and all other models in that unit are killed, he again becomes a unit of one model at the start of the following phase. While an Independent Character is part of a unit, he counts as part of the unit for all rules purposes, though he still follows the rules for characters.

Look Out, Sir Independent Characters pass Look Out, Sir rolls on a 2+.

Heroic Morale A unit that contains one or more Independent Characters does not need a double 1 to Regroup if reduced to below 25% of its starting numbers, but instead tests as if it had at

least 25% remaining.

Special Rules When an Independent Character joins a unit, it might have different special rules from those of the unit. Unless specified in the rule itself (as in the Stubborn special rule), the unit’s special rules are not conferred upon the Independent Character, and the Independent Character’s special rules are not conferred upon the unit. Special rules that are conferred to the unit only apply for as long as the Independent Character is with them.

Independent Characters and Infiltrate An Independent Character without the Infiltrate special rule cannot join a unit of Infiltrators during deployment.

Independent Characters and Ongoing Effects Sometimes, a unit that an Independent Character has joined will be the target of a beneficial or harmful effect, such as those bestowed by the Blind special rule, for example. If the character leaves the unit, both he and the unit continue to be affected by the effect, so you’ll need to mark the character accordingly. For example, Farseer Mehiledrin and his unit of Eldar Guardians are set ablaze by a weapon with the Soul Blaze special rule. If Mehiledrin leaves the unit, both he and the Guardians will still be ablaze and the ongoing effects of the Soul Blaze rule must be resolved separately. Conversely, if an Independent Character joins a unit after that unit has been the target of an ongoing effect (or joins a unit after himself having been the target of an ongoing effect) benefits and penalties from that effect are not shared. For example, Crimson Fists Tactical Squad Hemanez is suffering the effects of the Blind special rule. If Captain Cruiz joins the unit, he does not suffer the results of the Blind special rule as he was not there when it happened!

INFILTRATE Many armies employ reconnaissance troops who sit concealed for days, just waiting for the right moment in which to strike. Units that contain at least one model with this special rule are deployed last, after all other units (friend and foe) have been deployed. If both sides have Infiltrators, the players roll-off and the winner decides who goes first, then alternate deploying these units.

Infiltrators can be set up anywhere on the table that is more than 12" from any enemy unit, as long as no deployed enemy unit can draw line of sight to them. This includes in a building, as long as the building is more than 12" from any enemy unit. Alternatively, they can be set up anywhere on the table more than 18" from any enemy unit, even in plain sight. If a unit with Infiltrate deploys inside a Dedicated Transport, they may Infiltrate along with their Transport. A unit that deploys using these rules cannot charge in their first turn. Having Infiltrate also confers the Outflank special rule to units of Infiltrators that are kept as Reserves.

Outflank During deployment, players can declare that any unit that contains at least one model with this special rule is attempting to Outflank the enemy. When this unit arrives from Reserves, but not Ongoing Reserve, the controlling player rolls a D6: on a 1-2, the unit comes in from the table edge to the left of their controlling player’s own table edge; on a 3-4, they come on from the right; on a 5-6, the player can choose left or right. Models move onto the table as described for other Reserves. If a unit with Infiltrate deploys inside a Dedicated Transport, they may Outflank along with their Transport.

Infiltrate and Scout If a unit has both the Infiltrate and Scout special rule, that unit can deploy as per the Infiltrate special rule and then redeploy as per the Scout special rule.

Interceptor This weapon has been calibrated to target incoming drop troops, teleporting assault squads and other unlooked-for enemies. At the end of the enemy Movement phase, a weapon with the Interceptor special rule can be fired at any one unit that has arrived from Reserve within its range and line of sight. If this rule is used, the weapon cannot be fired in the next turn, but the firing model can shoot a different weapon if it has one.

It Will Not Die In the dark corners of the galaxy, there are creatures that heal at a terrifying speed. At the end of each of your turns, roll a D6 for each of your models with this special rule that has less than its starting number of Wounds or Hull Points, but has not been

removed as a casualty or destroyed. On a roll of 5+, that model regains a Wound, or Hull Point, lost earlier in the game.

Jink Some units favour speed and agility rather than heavy armour to keep them alive on the battlefield, dodging and weaving unscathed through hails of incoming fire. When a unit with any models with the Jink special rule is selected as a target for a shooting attack, you may declare that it will Jink. The decision must be made before any To Hit rolls have been made. If the unit Jinks, all models in the unit with this special rule gain a 4+ cover save until the start of their next Movement phase, but they can only fire Snap Shots until the end of their next turn.

Lance The terror of tank commanders, a lance weapon fires a concentrated beam of energy that can bore through any armour, regardless of thickness. Weapons with the Lance special rule count vehicle Armour Values that are higher than 12 as 12.

Master-crafted Some weapons are lovingly maintained artefacts, crafted with a skill now lost. Though the exact form of master-crafting varies, it is always considered to be the pinnacle of the weaponsmith’s art. Weapons with the Master-crafted special rule allow the bearer to re-roll one failed roll To Hit per turn with that weapon.

Mighty Bulwark Some fortifications are so large and strongly built that they can withstand lengthy sieges and super-heavy weaponry. When a building with this special rule suffers a penetrating hit, there is a -1 modifier to the roll on the Building Damage table.

Melta Melta weapons are short-ranged heat rays whose wrath grows as they get closer to the foe. They are much prized by troops attempting to destroy enemy tanks or fortifications, for only specially formulated armour can withstand a melta weapon’s incandescent fury. Ranged weapons with this special rule roll an additional D6 when rolling to penetrate a vehicle’s armour at half range or less. If the weapon is more than half its maximum range

away, it rolls to penetrate as normal. If a weapon has both the Melta and Blast special rules, measure the distance to the centre of the blast marker after it has scattered. If this is half the weapon’s range or less, all hits caused by the blast marker roll an addition D6 when rolling to penetrate a vehicle’s armour. If the centre of the blast marker is more than half the weapon’s maximum range away after scatter, roll to penetrate as normal. See the Vehicles rules for more details on armour penetration.

Missile Lock Sophisticated fire-and-forget missile tracking systems allow this unit to fire its missiles with greater accuracy, enabling it to wreak destruction even at a great distance. A model with this special rule re-rolls failed To Hit rolls when shooting any weapon that has the One Use Only special rule. If a model with this special rule is shooting a weapon that has both the One Use Only and Blast special rules, that shot will instead scatter D6" rather than 2D6".

Monster Hunter The galaxy is home to numerous species of colossal beasts, and many of the 41st Millennium’s warriors have honed their skills in order to hunt them. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule re-rolls all failed To Wound rolls against Monstrous Creatures.

Move Through Cover Some warriors are skilled at moving over broken and tangled terrain. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule rolls an extra D6 when rolling to move through difficult terrain and is not slowed by charging through difficult terrain. In most circ*mstances, this will mean that, when moving, the unit rolls 3D6 and picks the highest roll. Furthermore, a model with the Move Through Cover special rule automatically passes Dangerous Terrain tests.

Night Vision Some warriors can see almost as clearly in the darkness as they can in daylight. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule ignores the effects of Night Fighting.

One Use Only/One Shot Only

Certain items can only be used once, so a general must choose wisely when to do so. A weapon or ability with this special rule can only be used once during the course of a battle.

Outflank The best way to surprise an enemy is to strike from an unexpected quarter. During deployment, players can declare that any unit that contains at least one model with this special rule is attempting to Outflank the enemy. This means they are making a wide sweeping move to get behind enemy lines or come at the foe from an unexpected direction. When an Outflanking unit arrives from Reserves, but not Ongoing Reserve, the controlling player rolls a D6: on a 1-2, the unit comes in from the table edge to the left of their controlling player’s own table edge; on a 3-4, they come on from the right; on a 5-6, the player can choose left or right. Models move onto the table as described for other Reserves. If such a unit deploys inside a Dedicated Transport, they may Outflank along with their Transport.

Pinning Coming under fire without knowing where the shots are coming from, or having ordnance rain down from the skies, can shake the resolve of even the bravest warriors, making them dive flat and cling to whatever cover presents itself. If a non-vehicle unit suffers one or more unsaved Wounds from a weapon with the Pinning special rule, it must take a Leadership test once the firing unit has finished its shooting attacks for that phase. This is called a Pinning test. If the unit fails the test, it is Pinned and must immediately Go to Ground. As the unit has already taken its saves, Going to Ground does not protect it against the fire of the Pinning weapon that caused the test – it’s too late! As long as the test is passed, a unit can be called upon to take multiple Pinning tests in a single turn, but only once for each unit shooting at them. If a unit has already Gone to Ground, no further Pinning tests are taken. If the special rules of a unit specify that the unit can never be Pinned, the unit automatically passes Pinning tests. Such units can still Go to Ground voluntarily if they wish.

Poisoned There are many virulent and lethal poisons in the dark future. It is simplicity itself to adapt such toxins for battlefield use. It does not matter whether they coat weapon-blades or bullets, or are secreted by alien monstrosities – all are lethal.

If a model has the Poisoned special rule, or is attacking with a Melee weapon that has the Poisoned special rule, it always wounds on a fixed number (generally shown in brackets), unless a lower result would be required, when attacking in close combat. In addition, if the Strength of the wielder (or the Poisoned weapon) is higher than the Toughness of the victim, the wielder must re-roll failed rolls To Wound in close combat. Similarly, if a model makes a shooting attack with a weapon that has the Poisoned special rule, it always wounds on a fixed number (generally shown in brackets), unless a lower result would be required. If no number is shown in brackets, the rule is Poisoned (4+). Unless otherwise stated, Poisoned weapons are treated as having a Strength of 1. The Poisoned special rule has no effect against vehicles.

Power of the Machine Spirit The interface between this vehicle’s advanced machine spirit and its fire control mechanisms allows the crew to target foes with incredible accuracy. In a turn in which the vehicle neither moves Flat Out nor uses smoke launchers, the vehicle can fire one more weapon at its full Ballistic Skill than normally permitted. In addition, this weapon can be fired at a different target unit to any other weapons, subject to the normal rules for shooting.

Precision Shots Many of the galaxy’s marksmen are able to single out enemy leaders or soldiers with particularly powerful weapons and snipe them with unerring accuracy. If a model with this special rule rolls a 6 To Hit with a shooting weapon, that shot is a ‘Precision Shot’. Wounds from Precision Shots are allocated against a model (or models) of your choice in the target unit, as long as it is in range and line of sight of the firer, rather than following the normal rules for Wound allocation. A character that has a Precision Shot Wound allocated to it can still make a Look Out, Sir roll. Note that Snap Shots and shots from weapons that scatter, or do not roll To Hit, can never be Precision Shots.

Precision Strikes The 41st Millennium is replete with swordsmen and blade-masters that can pick out an enemy from a crowd and land a blow on them even amidst the swirling chaos of handto-hand combat. If a model with this special rule rolls a 6 To Hit with a Melee weapon, that hit is a ‘Precision Strike’.

Wounds from Precision Strikes are allocated against an engaged model (or models) of your choice in the unit you are attacking, rather than following the normal rules for Wound allocation. If a Precision Strike Wound is allocated to a character, they can still make their Look Out, Sir roll.

Preferred Enemy Many of the galaxy’s warriors train hard to overcome a particular foe, allowing them to predict the enemy’s battle-stances and thus land a blow or shot with greater ease. This rule is often presented as Preferred Enemy (X) where X identifies a specific type of foe. If the special rule does not specify a type of foe, then everyone is a Preferred Enemy of the unit. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule re-rolls failed To Hit and To Wound rolls of 1 if attacking its Preferred Enemy. This applies both to shooting and close combat attacks.

Psychic Pilot Some craft have psychic gunners, drivers or other crew who can use their mental abilities in support of their allies. A vehicle with this special rule is a Psyker. This rule is typically presented with a Mastery Level, shown in brackets – if no Mastery Level is shown then that vehicle has a Mastery Level of 1. Rules for generating and manifesting psychic powers can be found in the Psychic phase section. The unit follows all the normal rules for generating and manifesting psychic powers, with the following clarification: the vehicle is considered to have a Leadership characteristic of 10, should this be needed in order to resolve any psychic power or Perils of the Warp.

Psyker Psykers are battlefield mystics who harness the power of the Warp. A model with this special rule is a Psyker. This rule is typically presented with a Mastery Level, shown in brackets – if no Mastery Level is shown then that model has a Mastery Level of 1. Rules for generating and manifesting psychic powers can be found in the Psychic phase section.

Rage Bloodlust is a powerful weapon on the battlefield, spurring a warrior to hack his foes apart in a flurry of mindless (but eminently satisfying) carnage. In a turn in which a model with this special rule charges into combat, it gains +2 Attacks for charging, rather than +1. A model that has made a disordered charge that turn receives no benefit from Rage.

Rampage For some warriors, being outnumbered is not a cause for despair, but a call to set about their foes with a berserk counter-attack. At the start of any Fight sub-phase, models with the Rampage special rule gain +D3 attacks if the combat they are in contains more enemy models than friendly models – count all models locked in the combat, not just those models that are engaged. Roll once to determine the number of bonus Attacks all Rampaging models involved in that combat receive that phase. A model that has made a disordered charge that turn receives no benefit from Rampage.

Relentless Relentless warriors are strong of arm – nothing can slow their implacable advance. Relentless models can shoot with Heavy, Salvo or Ordnance weapons, counting as stationary, even if they moved in the previous Movement phase. They are also allowed to charge in the same turn they fire Heavy, Ordnance, Rapid Fire or Salvo weapons.

Rending Some weapons can inflict critical strikes against which no armour can protect. If a model has the Rending special rule, or is attacking with a Melee weapon that has the Rending special rule, there is a chance that his close combat attacks will strike a critical blow. For each To Wound roll of a 6, the target automatically suffers a Wound, regardless of its Toughness. These Wounds are resolved at AP2. Similarly, if a model makes a shooting attack with a weapon that has the Rending special rule, a To Wound roll of 6 Wounds automatically, regardless of Toughness, and is resolved at AP2. In either case, against vehicles, each armour penetration roll of 6 allows a further D3 to be rolled, with the result added to the total. These hits are not resolved at AP2, but are instead resolved using the model/weapon’s AP value.

Repel the Enemy Fortresses are constructed to allow their garrisons easy access to exit and engage enemy siege teams before they can breach their armoured walls. Models disembarking from Access Points on a building can charge on the turn they do so, even on a turn the building was destroyed.

Sentry Defence System Many fortifications possess an automated defence system, or even a limited form of

machine sentience, to operate their weaponry in the absence of a garrison. A building with this special rule can use automated fire against enemy units, even if it is unoccupied. In addition, enemy units can shoot at and charge a building with this special rule, even if it is unoccupied.

Shred Some weapons and warriors strike in a flurry of blows, tearing flesh asunder in a series of brutal strikes. If a model has the Shred special rule, or is attacking with a Melee weapon that has the Shred special rule, it re-rolls failed To Wound rolls in close combat. Similarly, if a model makes a shooting attack with a weapon that has the Shred special rule, it re-rolls its failed To Wound rolls.

Shrouded The source of the darkness around these warriors matters not – only a lucky shot has any chance of piercing the shroud that hides them from view. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule counts its cover save as being 2 points better than normal. Note that this means a model with the Shrouded special rule always has a cover save of at least 5+, even if it’s in the open. Cover save bonuses from the Shrouded and Stealth special rules are cumulative (to a maximum of a 2+ cover save).

Scout Scouts are always in the vanguard of the army. Unnoticed by the enemy, they range ahead of the main force. After both sides have deployed (including Infiltrators), but before the first player begins his first turn, a unit containing at least one model with this special rule can choose to redeploy. If the unit is Infantry, Artillery, a Walker or a Monstrous Creature, each model can redeploy anywhere entirely within 6" of its current position. If it is any other unit type, each model can instead redeploy anywhere entirely within 12" of its current position. During this redeployment, Scouts can move outside the owning player’s deployment zone, but must remain more than 12" away from any enemy unit. A unit that makes a Scout redeployment cannot charge in the first game turn. A unit cannot

embark or disembark as part of a Scout redeployment. If both sides have Scouts, roll-off; the winner decides who redeploys first. Then alternate redeploying Scout units. If a unit with this special rule is deployed inside a Dedicated Transport, it confers the Scout special rule to the Transport (though a disembarkation cannot be performed as part of the redeployment). Note that a Transport with this special rule does not lose it if a unit without this special rule is embarked upon it. Having Scout also confers the Outflank special rule to units of Scouts that are kept as Reserves.

Outflank During deployment, players can declare that any unit that contains at least one model with this special rule is attempting to Outflank the enemy. When this unit arrives from Reserves, but not Ongoing Reserve, the controlling player rolls a D6: on a 1-2, the unit comes in from the table edge to the left of their controlling player’s own table edge; on a 3-4, they come on from the right; on a 5-6, the player can choose left or right. Models move onto the table as described for other Reserves. If a unit with Scouts is deployed inside a Dedicated Transport, they may Outflank along with their Transport.

Iinfiltrate and Scout If a unit has both the Infiltrate and Scout special rule, that unit can deploy as per the Infiltrate special rule and then redeploy as per the Scout special rule.

Skilled Rider The most accomplished bikers know how to get the best performance out of their mechanical steeds. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule automatically passes Dangerous Terrain tests, and receives +1 to its Jink cover saves (other cover saves are unaffected).

Skyfire Skyfire weapons excel at shooting down enemy aircraft and skimmers. A model with this special rule, or that is firing a weapon with this special rule, fires using its normal Ballistic Skill when shooting at Flyers, Flying Monstrous Creatures and

Skimmers, but it can only fire Snap Shots against other targets.

Slow and Purposeful Many warriors are steady but sure, slow to advance but no less deadly for it. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule cannot Run, Turbo-boost, move Flat Out, perform Sweeping Advances or fire Overwatch. However, they can shoot with Heavy, Salvo and Ordnance weapons, counting as stationary even if they moved in the previous Movement phase. They are also allowed to charge in the same turn they fire Heavy, Ordnance, Rapid Fire or Salvo weapons.

Smash For the most fearsome of creatures, a single blow is sufficient to breach a tank’s armour or crush a living creature to bloody pulp. All of the close combat attacks, except Hammer of Wrath attacks, of a model with this special rule are resolved at AP2 (unless it’s attacking with an AP1 weapon). Additionally, when it makes its close combat attacks, it can choose instead to make a single Smash Attack. If it does so, roll To Hit as normal, but resolve the Attack at double the model’s Strength (to a maximum of 10). Furthermore, a model making a Smash Attack can re-roll its armour penetration rolls, but must abide by the second result.

Sniper Sniper weapons are precision instruments, used to pick out a target’s weak points. If a weapon has the Sniper special rule, or is fired by a model with the Sniper special rule, and rolls a 6 To Hit, that shot is a ‘Precision Shot’. Wounds from Precision Shots are allocated against a model (or models) of your choice in the target unit, as long as it is in range and line of sight of the firer, rather than following the normal rules for Wound allocation. A character that has a Precision Shot Wound allocated to it can still make a Look Out, Sir roll. Note that Snap Shots can never be Precision Shots. If a weapon has the Sniper special rule, or is fired by a model with the Sniper special rule, its shooting attacks always wound on a To Wound roll of 4+, regardless of the victim’s Toughness. In addition, any To Wound roll of a 6 is resolved at AP2. Against vehicles, shooting attacks from weapons and models with the Sniper special rule count as Strength 4.

Soul Blaze Some psychically-imbued weapons set the very soul ablaze, consuming the unfortunate victim in clouds of ethereal fire. If a unit suffers one or more unsaved Wounds from an attack with this special rule, it is

set ablaze and continues to burn – mark it with a coin or counter as a reminder. At the end of each turn, roll a D6 for each unit with a Soul Blaze counter on it. On a 3 or less, the flames die out and the unit is no longer ablaze – remove your reminder counter. On a 4+, the unit takes D3 Strength 4 AP5 hits with the Ignores Cover special rule. These Wounds are Randomly Allocated. A unit cannot have more than one Soul Blaze counter on it at a time.

Specialist Weapon The mightiest weapons only reach their full potential when wielded in pairs, as they require an entirely different battle stance from that of more commonplace weapons. A model fighting with this weapon does not receive +1 Attack for fighting with two weapons unless it is armed with two or more Melee weapons with the Specialist Weapon rule.

Split Fire The most disciplined squads can divide their fire, taking care to place their shots where they can do the most harm. When a unit that contains at least one model with this special rule shoots, one model in the unit can shoot at a different target to the rest of his unit. Once this shooting attack has been resolved, resolve the shooting attacks made by the rest of the unit. These must be at a different target, which cannot be a unit forced to disembark as a result of the Split Firing unit’s initial shooting attack.

Stealth Some warriors are masters of disguise and concealment, able to fade into the ruin of a battlefield until they are ready to strike. A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule counts its cover saves as being 1 point better than normal. Note that this means that a model with the Stealth special rule always has a cover save of at least 6+, even if it is in the open. This rule is often presented as Stealth (X) where X indicates a specific type of terrain, such as Stealth (Woods) or Stealth (Ruins). If this is the case, the unit only gains the benefit whilst it is in terrain of the specified type. Cover save bonuses from the Shrouded and Stealth special rules are cumulative (to a maximum of a 2+ cover save).

Strafing Run This vehicle is designed as a ground attack craft, the spread and convergence distance of its weapons keyed to maximise carnage on the foes below.

When shooting Assault, Heavy, Rapid Fire or Salvo weapons at Artillery, Beasts, Bikes, Cavalry, Infantry, Monstrous Creatures and vehicles without the Flyer or Skimmer type, this vehicle has +1 Ballistic Skill.

Strikedown A sufficiently powerful blow can knock even the mightiest warrior off his feet. Any non-vehicle model that suffers one or more unsaved Wounds or passes one or more saving throws against an attack with the Strikedown special rule moves as if it is in difficult terrain until the end of its next turn. It is a good idea to mark affected models with counters or coins so that you remember.

Stubborn Many warriors live and die according to the principle of ‘death before dishonour’. Seldom do such warriors take a backward step in the face of danger. When a unit that contains at least one model with this special rule takes Morale checks or Pinning tests, they ignore any negative Leadership modifiers. If a unit is both Fearless and Stubborn, it uses the rules for Fearless instead.

Supersonic Supersonic vehicles are supremely fast, even by the normal standards of aircraft, making them exceptionally mobile in battle. A Supersonic vehicle that moves Flat Out must move at least 18" and can move up to 36".

Swarms These creatures are so multitudinous that they cannot be picked out individually and must be fought as a group. If, when allocating Wounds to a unit with the Swarms special rule, two or more models could be chosen as the closest enemy, the closest enemy is always the model with the least number of Wounds. If a model with the Swarm special rule suffers an unsaved Wound from a Blast (any size) or Template weapon, each unsaved Wound is multiplied to two unsaved Wounds unless that Wound has the Instant Death special rule. However, a unit entirely composed of models with the Swarm special rule is not slowed by difficult terrain, but must test for Dangerous Terrain as normal.

Tank Hunters These veterans of armoured warfare are able to identify the weak points of enemy vehicles and target their fire appropriately.

A unit that contains at least one model with this special rule re-rolls failed armour penetration rolls against vehicles (both with shooting and in close combat) and can choose to re-roll glancing hits, in an attempt to instead get a penetrating hit – but the second result must be kept.

TEMPLATE WEAPONS Template weapons shoot clouds of fire, gas or other lethal substances, rather than shells or bullets. They’re excellent for killing enemy troops in cover, as the payload simply flows over intervening obstacles to assail the foe behind. Template weapons are indicated by having the word ‘Template’ for their range instead of a number. Instead of rolling To Hit, simply place the template so that its narrow end is touching the base of the firing model and the rest of the template covers as many models in the target unit as possible, without touching any other friendly models (including other models from the firing model’s unit). Any models fully or partially under the template are hit. Against vehicles, the template must be placed to cover as much of the vehicle as possible without touching a friendly model. The position of the firer is used to determine which armour facing is hit. A template weapon never hits the model firing it. Template weapons have the Ignores Cover, Wall of Death and No Escape special rules. Wounds inflicted by template weapons are allocated following the normal rules. Template weapons cannot fire Snap Shots.

Multiple Templates If a unit is firing more than one shot with the Template type, resolve each shot, one at a time, as described above, determining and recording how many hits are scored by each template. Once the number of hits from all templates has been determined, roll To Wound as normal.

Wall of Death Template weapons can fire Overwatch, even though they cannot fire Snap Shots. Instead, if a Template weapon fires Overwatch, it automatically inflicts D3 hits on the charging unit, resolved at its normal Strength and AP value. Don’t worry about comparing the length of the template with the distance to the enemy. If the charge is successful, it doesn’t matter anyway. If the charge failed, we can assume that the enemy ran into range of the Template weapon and were driven back.

No Escape If a Template weapon hits a building’s Fire Point or an Open-topped vehicle and there is a unit embarked inside that building or vehicle, then in addition to any other effects that

unit suffers D6 hits, resolved at the Strength and AP of the weapon. These hits are Randomly Allocated.

Hellstorm Weapons Hellstorm weapons have the word ‘Hellstorm’ instead of a range on their weapon profile. Hellstorm weapons use the hellstorm template, but otherwise obey the rules for other Template weapons.

The template is positioned so that it scores the maximum number of hits (in this case, three).

Models can be hit multiple times from different template shots. In the example given above, nine hits are caused as three Orks are hit twice.

Torrent This weapon fires massive gouts of flame, gas or lethal fluids across the battlefield. A weapon with this special rule is treated like any other Template weapon, but when firing it in the Shooting phase, place the template so that the narrow end is within 12" of the weapon and the wide end is no closer to the weapon than the narrow end.

Twin-linked These weapons are grafted to the same targeting system for greater accuracy. Twin-linked weapons don’t get more shots than normal ones, but they give you a better chance of hitting with them. If a shooting weapon has the twin-linked special rule, or is described in a model’s wargear entry as twin-linked, it re-rolls all failed To Hit rolls.

Twin-linked Blast Weapons If the scatter dice does not roll a hit, you can choose to re-roll the dice with a Twin-linked Blast weapon. If you choose to do so, you must re-roll both the 2D6 and the scatter dice.

Twin-linked Template Weapons Twin-linked Template weapons are fired just like a single weapon, but must re-roll failed

To Wound rolls and armour penetration rolls.

Two-Handed This weapon is particularly heavy and requires both hands to wield. A model attacking with this weapon never receives +1 Attack for fighting with two Melee weapons.

Unwieldy This weapon is very large, and more than a little clumsy, making swift blows all but impossible to achieve. A model attacking with this weapon Piles In and fights at Initiative step 1, unless it is a Monstrous Creature or a Walker.

Vector Dancer Some aircraft are crafted with an eye towards manoeuvrability. They sacrifice speed in order to bring their guns to bear more effectively. A model with this special rule can make an additional pivot on the spot of up to 90° at the end of its move. A model that uses this extra pivot cannot move Flat Out in the following Shooting phase.

Vector Strike These winged terrors hurtle out of the storm-wracked skies, tearing their unsuspecting prey to pieces in a single, devastating swoop. When Swooping or Zooming, this model may savage its prey. At the end of the Movement phase, nominate one enemy unit not locked in combat that the model has moved over that turn. That unit takes 1 hit (if the unit is an enemy Flyer in Zoom mode, or an enemy Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, it instead takes D3 hits). Unless stated otherwise, Vector Strike hits are resolved at the model’s unmodified Strength and AP2, using Random Allocation. These hits have the Ignores Cover special rule. These hits do not benefit from any of the model’s special rules, such as Furious Charge, Poisoned, Rending etc. Against vehicles, these hits are resolved against the target’s side armour. A model that made a Vector Strike in its Movement phase counts as having already fired one weapon in its following Shooting phase. However, any additional weapons it fires that turn can choose a different target to that of the Vector Strike.

Vortex Vortex weapons are some of the most destructive weapons in the galaxy. When activated,

they rip a hole in the fabric of reality that destroys anything it touches. A vortex field is unstable, and will flicker into and out of existence across the battlefield, but it will annihilate anything unfortunate enough to be caught by it. A weapon with this special rule is a Destroyer weapon and uses a blast marker of some type (e.g. blast, large blast, massive blast, etc). Place the appropriate marker, roll for scatter and apply damage. For determining Wound allocation, always assume the shot is coming from the centre of the marker, in the same manner as a Barrage weapon. The marker for a Vortex weapon is not removed from play after damage has been resolved. Leave it in play on the tabletop. The marker is impassable terrain as long as it remains in play. At the beginning of every subsequent player turn, the marker scatters 2D6" (use the little arrow if you roll a Hit!). If a double is rolled, the marker is removed from play instead. Any unit under the marker’s new location is hit. Apply damage as described above.

Zealot Zealots fight on regardless of their casualties or the terrors of war; they are driven forwards by their conviction. A unit containing one or more models with the Zealot special rule automatically passes Pinning, Fear and Regroup tests and Morale checks, but cannot Go to Ground and cannot choose to fail a Morale check due to the Our Weapons Are Useless rule. If a unit gains the Zealot special rule when it has Gone to Ground, all the effects of Go to Ground are immediately cancelled. In addition, units containing one or more models with the Zealot special rule re-roll all failed To Hit rolls during the first round of each close combat – they do not get to re-roll failed To Hit rolls in subsequent rounds.

RANGED WEAPONS OF THE 41st MILLENNIUM The galaxy is home to countless weapons, their variety and effects as impossible to enumerate as the races that inhabit the galaxy. Thus, oblivion can come from explosive shells, laser blasts, jets of super-heated flame or psionic beams. This section covers some of the most common (or notorious) weapons of Warhammer 40,000 and serves as both reference and example for some of the tools of death you will encounter.

AUTO-WEAPONS These robust weapons are automated, self-loading firearms that fire bursts of highvelocity, caseless shot. Auto-weapons come in a variety of forms, from the common autopistol to heavy support weapons like the punisher gatling cannon.

BATTLE CANNON The turret-mounted battle cannon is the most common battle tank armament in the 41st Millennium. The heavy, explosive rounds of a battle cannon are capable of devastating infantry regiments and annihilating enemy tanks with equal ease.

BOLTGUNS The boltgun, or bolter, fires small missiles known as ‘bolts’. Each self-propelled bolt explodes with devastating effect once it has penetrated its target. There are many variations of boltguns, from the short-barreled bolt pistol to the Vulcan mega-bolter often mounted on Titans and other super-heavy vehicles.

COMBI-WEAPONS Combi-weapons are boltguns that have been specially modified by skilled artisans. Each has been expertly converted to house another weapon with only a limited charge, allowing the bearer a single destructive shot. A model armed with a combi-weapon can choose to fire either the main boltgun, or the secondary weapon. You cannot fire both in the same turn. Each combi-weapon has only one secondary weapon. The main and secondary weapons of a combi-weapon fire at the same time as all other similarly named weapons in that unit. For example, the ‘boltgun’ part of a combi-weapon fires at the same time as all other boltguns in the unit.

Main Weapon

Secondary Weapons

FLAMER WEAPONS Flamers are short-ranged weapons that spew out highly volatile clouds of liquid chemicals that ignite on contact with air. They are primarily used to scour the enemy from defended positions, as walls are of no defence against blasts of superheated vapour.

GRAV-WEAPONS The secrets of grav-weapon construction are known only to a select few. In battle, gravweaponry affects the local gravity field, using its victim’s own mass against them, an ordeal that will stun those it does not kill outright. Heavily armoured targets find themselves crushed as if by the mighty fist of a god, while vehicles are left as crumpled, smoke belching wrecks.

LAS WEAPONS Las weapons fire packets of explosive laser energy – the larger the gun, the more powerful the shot. Regardless of size, las weapons are incredibly reliable, making them favoured tools of war throughout the Imperium.

MELTA WEAPONS Melta weapons are lethal anti-armour guns, most effective at very short range. When fired, the super-heating of the air produces a distinctive and sinister hiss. Solid rock is reduced to molten slag, and living creatures are vaporised in an instant!

MISSILE LAUNCHERS Missile launchers can fire a variety of different missiles, making them incredibly versatile weapons. All missile launchers come with frag and krak missiles as standard, and some have the option to upgrade to include flakk missiles. Each time a missile launcher fires, the controlling player must choose which type of missile is being used.

PLASMA WEAPONS Plasma weapons fire pulses of searing energy that are extremely effective against heavy infantry and light vehicles. However, they generate enormous temperatures when fired and are thus prone to overheating – sometimes proving deadly to the firer.

STUB GUNS AND SHOTGUNS

This catch-all category covers various low-tech solutions to ranged warfare on high-tech battlefields. Encompassing such weapons as shotguns, stub guns and heavy stubbers (sometimes called sluggers), the common bond between all of these weapons is that they are, without exception, cumbersome, noisy and fairly primitive firearms. Often employed by gangers, law enforcement officers and even civilians across the Imperium, these weapons make a formidable din when fired, and are easy to maintain.

SNIPER RIFLE Sniper rifles have powerful telescopic sights, enabling the firer to target weak points and distant foes with unerring accuracy. Some commanders see the sniper rifle as a dishonourable weapon, but they are in the minority. Most understand that pragmatism, and dead enemies, win more battles than honour ever will.

MELEE WEAPONS OF THE 41st MILLENNIUM Warriors across the galaxy employ a wide variety of close-quarter weapons. Blood-flecked chainswords and crude knives take their places alongside powered weapons of all kinds: swords, axes, hammers and many more. All such weapons are designed to bring quick and painful death to the foe, for every moment’s delay brings defeat a step closer.

CHAINFIST A chainfist is a power fist fitted with a chainblade attachment designed to carve its way through armoured bulkheads. Originally designed for getting into ships during boarding actions, the whirring adamantine blades of a chainfist have long since proven their worth when engaging armoured targets of all kinds.

CHAINSWORDS A chainsword is a high-powered chainsaw fitted with hilt, pommel and guard to make it less unwieldy. It is a common weapon across the Imperium, with a quite horrifying reputation for the damage it can inflict on unarmoured flesh.

DREADNOUGHT CLOSE COMBAT WEAPONS Some troops are armed with huge close combat weapons – hammers, wrecking balls, claws and other crushing implements of death.

Force Weapons Force weapons are potent psychic weapons used exclusively by trained psykers. By instilling a portion of his mental might into the weapon, a psyker can strike his foe with an incredible storm of power that ravages and overloads his enemy’s nervous system, leaving him a mindless shell.

Types of Force Weapon Force weapons come in all shapes and sizes, but for the purposes of our game, we have three simple categories: force axes, force staves and force swords. If a model’s wargear says it has a force weapon that has no further special rules, look at the model to tell which type of force weapon it has: if it’s a sword or dagger, it’s a force sword; if it’s an axe or halberd, it’s a force axe; if it’s a

blunt weapon like a staff or mace, it’s a force stave.

Unusual Force Weapons Many models have unusual force weapons that have one or more unique rules. If a force weapon has its own unique close combat rules, treat it as an AP3 Melee weapon with the additional rules and characteristics presented in its entry.

LIGHTNING CLAWS Lightning claws are commonly used as matched pairs and consist of a number of blades, each a miniature power weapon, normally mounted on the back of the hand.

POWER FIST A power fist is an armoured gauntlet surrounded by a disruptive energy field. It is an incredibly destructive, but bulky, weapon.

Power Weapons A power weapon is sheathed in the lethal haze of a disruptive energy field that eats through armour, flesh and bone with ease.

Types of Power Weapon Power weapons come in all shapes and sizes, but for the purposes of our game, we have four simple categories of power weapons: power axes, power mauls, power swords and power lances. If a model’s wargear says it has a power weapon which has no further special rules, look at the model to tell which type of power weapon it has: if it’s a sword or dagger, it’s a power sword; if it’s an axe or halberd, it’s a power axe; if it’s a blunt weapon like a mace or staff, it’s a power maul; if it’s a spear or lance, it’s a power lance.

* Power lances have two profiles for both Strength and AP. The first is used only on a turn in which a model charges; the second is used at all other times.

Unusual Power Weapons Many models have unusual power weapons that have one or more unique rules. If a power weapon has its own unique close combat rules, treat it as an AP3 Melee weapon with the additional rules and characteristics presented in its entry.

THUNDER HAMMER Thunder hammers release a tremendous blast of energy when they strike, slamming the foe to the ground and leaving him stunned (if he survives at all). This, combined with the crushing weight of the hammer itself, makes for an incredibly deadly weapon.

WITCHBLADES Witchblades are arcane Eldar weapons that augment the wielder’s physical might with

that of his mind. They are the favoured weapons of Farseers and Warlocks alike.

GRENADES OF THE 41st MILLENNIUM Grenades are small hand-held canisters packed with explosive charges and, sometimes, a more exotic payload, such as stumm gas. Grenades can be used to drive troops out of cover, set up smokescreens or even cripple tanks. Some grenades can be used to make shooting attacks or attacks in the Fight sub-phase, albeit to different effect. Only one grenade (of any type) can be thrown by a unit per phase.

VEHICLES, GUN EMPLACEMENTS AND MONSTROUS CREATURES Some grenades can be used against vehicles, gun emplacements (pg 109) and/or Monstrous Creatures (including Flying Monstrous Creatures in Gliding mode), but have to be clamped in place to maximise effect. All buildings are attacked in close combat as if they were vehicles and therefore any grenade that can be used to attack a vehicle in close combat can also be used against a building. A model can use such a grenade as a Melee weapon, but can only ever make one attack, regardless of the number of Attacks on its profile or any bonuses. Different grenades have different profiles when used in this manner, as explained below.

Unusual Grenades Some grenades do not have a profile. Any effects that they have will be covered in their special rules. Unless specifically stated otherwise, these grenades cannot be thrown or used as a Melee weapon.

ASSAULT GRENADES Assault grenades, like the ubiquitous frag grenade, can be hurled at the enemy as your

warriors charge into battle. The lethal storm of shrapnel from these grenades drives opponents further under cover for a few precious moments, allowing attackers more time to close in and, hopefully, get the first blow in against a disoriented foe.

Shooting When a unit armed with assault grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Assault Models equipped with assault grenades don’t suffer the penalty to their Initiative for charging enemies through difficult terrain, but fight at their normal Initiative in the ensuing combat.

PLASMA GRENADES Plasma grenades are a highly advanced type of assault grenade, commonly employed by the Eldar.

Shooting When a unit armed with plasma grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Assault Models equipped with plasma grenades don’t suffer the penalty to their Initiative for charging enemies through difficult terrain, but fight at their normal Initiative step in the ensuing combat.

Vehicles and Monstrous Creatures Unlike ordinary assault grenades, plasma grenades can be used against vehicles, gun emplacements and Monstrous Creatures in the Assault phase, using the following profile:

DEFENSIVE GRENADES Defensive grenades, such as the photon grenades of the Tau, which emit multi-spectrum light and a sonic burst, have dual uses. When being charged, these are thrown to disorient the enemy attack; against shooting, they’re hurled to throw up clouds of concealing gas or smoke.

Shooting When a unit armed with defensive grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Assault Models charging a unit that includes any models equipped with defensive grenades do not gain bonus Attacks from charging (pg 49). However, if the charged unit was already locked in combat from a previous turn, or has Gone to Ground, these grenades have no effect and the attackers gain bonus Attacks as normal.

HAYWIRE GRENADES Haywire grenades release electromagnetic pulses that damage vehicles.

Shooting When a unit armed with haywire grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can

choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Assault Unless used in assaults against vehicles, haywire grenades have no effect. When used in assault against vehicles, haywire grenades have the following profile:

KRAK GRENADES Krak grenades are implosive charges designed to crack vehicle armour.

Shooting When a unit armed with krak grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Assault Unless used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, krak grenades have no effect. When they are used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, krak grenades have the following profile:

MELTA BOMBS Melta bombs are fusion charges designed to burn through an armoured hull in a matter of seconds.

Shooting Melta bombs are cumbersome devices. Melta bombs cannot be used to make a shooting attack.

Assault Unless used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, melta bombs have no effect. When used in assaults against vehicles, buildings, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, melta bombs have the following profile:

TERRAIN DATASHEETS Many models in the Citadel scenery range have a datasheet that provides the information you will need to know in order to use them in your games of Warhammer 40,000. We’ve included a variety of terrain datasheets in this section, and you can find more in other publications in the Warhammer 40,000 range. Terrain datasheets contain the following information:

Datasheet Type Terrain datasheets are split into two types: battlefield terrain and fortifications. Battlefield terrain datasheets describe ‘neutral’ terrain that is not part of either player’s army, and can be set up anywhere on the battlefield when you are preparing for battle. Fortification datasheets have a points value and can either be taken as part of a player’s army, or set up as neutral pieces of scenery. All of the rules that apply to battlefield terrain datasheets also apply to fortification datasheets.

Points Value If a Citadel scenery model can be taken as part of an army, then a points value for the model will be listed here.

Composition This tells you exactly which Citadel scenery models the datasheet has rules for. Usually this will be a single model from the Citadel scenery range, but occasionally, it will list several Citadel scenery models joined together to form a single terrain network. The composition section of the datasheet for a terrain network will tell you if there are any restrictions as to how the separate models must be set up.

Terrain Type This tells you what part of the terrain rules you’ll need to refer to when using the Citadel scenery model in your games. If the model has Armour Values, or provides a cover save other than that normally associated with the type of terrain, this information will be listed here also. Unless noted otherwise, the terrain type applies to the Citadel scenery model itself, as well as to any base that is supplied with the model.

Access Points & Fire Points Any Access Points and/or Fire Points will be listed here. Often, this will simply say ‘as per model.’ In this case, the Access Points and Fire Points will be clearly visible upon the

model itself.

Weapons If your Citadel scenery model has any weapons, they will be listed here.

Options This section lists any additional weapons, wargear or upgrades the Citadel scenery model can have.

Weapon Profiles Here, you will find the profiles for any of the weapons that the Citadel scenery model can have. Profiles that can only be taken as optional upgrades are typically denoted by an asterisk.

Special Rules Any special rules that apply to the Citadel scenery model are detailed here. Special rules for a terrain network apply to all of the models in the network unless specifically stated otherwise.

Scratch-built Terrain Many players enjoy making their own terrain features from scratch (thus the term ‘scratch-built terrain’), and it’s also possible to improvise a perfectly usable set of terrain using everyday objects at hand. Players that do so will need to devise their own datasheets for the terrain models they have created. Don’t worry, this is very easy if you use the rules and datasheets presented here as examples of how to do so. For example, if you chose to use both the Basilica Administratum and Sanctum Imperialis models to make a single large ruin mounted on a scenic base, you and your opponent could agree that this piece of scratch-built terrain would use the rules for ruins and have both The Eternal Progress to Victory and the Benevolent Light special rules.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

SHRINE OF THE AQUILA Though it is a battle-torn relic of a more glorious age, the Shrine of the Aquila still bears the signature relief that gives the sacred building its name. Gazing impassively upon the tempest of battle is a stylised eagle, its metallic form cast from the molten remains of space-faring vessels that once defended humanity. Far more than mere statuary, the sacred symbol serves as an inspiration for those nearby. Those Imperial troops that fight under the Aquila’s ceaseless vigil find a new determination welling in their hearts, knowing that they are the last in a line of heroes that stretches across the stars. Conversely heretics, iconoclasts and foul xenos alike fight all the harder to spill the blood of the faithful in its shadow.

Composition: 1 Shrine of the Aquila.

Terrain type: Ruins: Ruins are difficult terrain. Models in ruins receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: The Eagle’s Gaze: If a unit from the Armies of the Imperium has any of its models within a Shrine of the Aquila, it re-rolls failed Morale checks. Any other model that is in a Shrine of the Aquila has the Hatred (Armies of the Imperium) special rule.

Designer’s Note: The Shrine of the Aquila, Manufactorum, Basilica Administratum and Sanctum Imperialis models in the Citadel scenery range are designed so that it is easy to put them together in new configurations, or to combine several sets together to make large structures. If you do so, these ruins follow the rules for scratchbuilt terrain.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

MANUFACTORUM The Manufactorums that stud the industrial zones of the Imperium are forbidding but functional buildings. They are so rugged in construction that even in the most war-torn district the shells of these once-thriving factories stand tall. The spirit of industry lingers within them still, and benediction lies close at hand for the Machine God’s blessed flock. When hopeful souls seek the grace of the Omnissiah near a Manufactorum’s walls, they find its embedded cog-skulls clicking and chattering a stream of sacred code that soothes troubled machine spirits and complements battlefield rituals of reconstruction. Some believe that merely to fight within the bounds of a Manufactorum is to protect one’s wargear against malfunction and mischance.

Composition: 1 Manufactorum.

Terrain type: Ruins: Ruins are difficult terrain. Models in ruins receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: The Omnissiah’s Benediction: Models in a Manufactorum that are firing weapons with the Gets Hot special rule re-roll failed saving throws for Wounds inflicted upon themselves as a result of the Gets Hot special rule.

Designer’s Note: The Shrine of the Aquila, Manufactorum, Basilica Administratum and Sanctum Imperialis models in the Citadel scenery range are designed so that it is easy to put them together in new configurations, or to combine several sets together to make large structures. If you do so, these ruins follow the rules for scratchbuilt terrain.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

BASILICA ADMINISTRATUM The Basilica Administratum is the cornerstone upon which the military might of the Imperium is built. Though the Adepts and autosavants that toil night and day within its alcoves are not heroes in the conventional sense, with a stroke of their quills they can send a battlefleet to new stars or doom a planet to a slow death. Without their ceaseless focus even the Adeptus Astartes would falter and the enemies of the Imperium thrive. It is the wish of many such a functionary that when fate finally takes him his skull will be interred in the Basilica’s walls. There, his spirit can continue his thankless task into eternity, guiding the Emperor’s armies in death as he did in life and ensuring no unwelcome surprises can mar their progress to victory.

Composition: 1 Basilica Administratum.

Terrain type: Ruins: Ruins are difficult terrain. Models in ruins receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: The Eternal Progress to Victory: A unit that identifies a Mysterious Objective that is in a Basilica Administratum can choose to re-roll the dice to determine what it is.

Designer’s Note: The Shrine of the Aquila, Manufactorum, Basilica Administratum and Sanctum Imperialis models in the Citadel scenery range are designed so that it is easy to put them together in new configurations, or to combine several sets together to make large structures. If you do so, these ruins follow the rules for scratch-built terrain.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

SANCTUM IMPERIALIS Though the Sanctum Imperialis appears as dark and gothic in construction as any of the Imperium’s hallowed buildings, it is in truth a beacon to the devout. Statues of saints adorn it in great number, and the holy eagle of the God-Emperor himself guards its walls and portals, against evil spirits and sorceries. In the tumult of battle, the spiritual light radiated by such a building becomes more literal. When the citizens of the Imperium need it most, a ghostly nimbus emanates not only from the autolumins at its gate, but also from the stone lanterns and censers borne by the figures in its walls. It is said that this is the light of the Emperor himself, and that it can drive away both physical and spiritual darkness.

Composition: 1 Sanctum Imperialis.

Terrain type: Ruins: Ruins are difficult terrain. Models in ruins receive a 4+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: Benevolent Light: Models in a Sanctum Imperialis have the Adamantium Will and Night Vision special rules.

Designer’s Note: The Shrine of the Aquila, Manufactorum, Basilica Administratum and Sanctum Imperialis models in the Citadel scenery range are designed so that it is easy to put them together in new configurations, or to combine several sets together to make large structures. If you do so, these ruins follow the rules for scratchbuilt terrain.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

BATTLESCAPE The Imperium is ravaged by war from end to end. To some it is little more than an impossibly vast cadaver-to-be, a galactic body cratered by the bite of artillery shells and choked by the soot of burning cities. Not one of its million worlds has escaped the vagaries of battle, and it is a common fate for once fertile agri-worlds and prosperous civilised planets to be reduced to barren ruin. The smoking hulls of tanks and the trunks of blasted trees dot these wastelands, arid deserts whose wind-cast dunes are formed as much from human bone as they are from tortured earth. Though a desperate soldier may consider the shelter afforded by such sites to be a great boon, to a saner man, they are symbolic of the morbid fate that Mankind has embraced so fully.

Composition: 1 Battlescape.

Terrain type: Dangerous terrain.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: Desperate Shelter: Models on the base of a battlescape model receive a 5+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

Warriors of Ultramar. This is where we make our stand. If death is to be our fate then we shall meet it with the Emperor’s word on our lips and his light in our eyes. If we must die, we will die; but we shall never yield. - Marneus Calgar, Lord Macragge

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

CRASHED IMPERIAL AQUILA LANDER Every new dawn the skies of the Imperium are slashed by the contrails of fighter jets and bruised by the blossoming clouds of flak sent to slay them. When the foe has aerial supremacy, even the lightest craft can deliver sudden death and then disappear before its victims have a chance to retaliate. Because of this the armies of the 41st Millennium field anti-aircraft guns capable of destroying everything from a transport shuttle carrying precious supplies to armoured gunships modified with ancient and irreplaceable archeotech systems. The battleground stretching before such air-defences is often littered with the remains of those who thought their speed and altitude made them untouchable, only to be proved fatally wrong.

Composition: 1 Crashed Imperial Aquila Lander. Each piece of the model after the first must be placed within 3" of a piece that has already been set up.

Terrain type: Difficult terrain (Mysterious).

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: Mysterious Wreckage: The first time a unit enters or deploys in base contact with a

Crashed Imperial Aquila Lander roll a D6 and consult the following table: 1 - Unstable Fuel Core: The unit that entered or deployed in base contact with the Crashed Imperial Aquila Lander immediately suffers D6 Strength 5 AP- hits with the Ignores Cover special rule. Wounds are Randomly Allocated. 2-4 - Nothing of Note: The Crashed Imperial Aquila Lander has no additional effects this game. 5-6 - Archeotech Cargo: Immediately place an Objective Marker within 3" of any part of the Crashed Imperial Aquila Lander. Whichever side controls this Objective Marker at the end of the game scores 1 additional Victory Point. This Objective Marker is never a Mysterious Objective. If the mission does not use Victory Points, treat this result as Nothing of Note instead.

An unprotected soul can no more cross the storms of the Warp than a heretic can bear the gaze of an Inquisitor.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

TWISTED COPSE The realm of the Emperor is a toxic place indeed. If some omniscient power were to perceive the Imperium as a whole, it might reach the conclusion that both Mankind and its enemies are hell-bent on eradicating all life forms beyond their own. Yet somehow nature clings on still. Though most of its mighty jungles and forests have been reduced to scattered tangles of trees and patches of scorched undergrowth by the deathly forces unleashed upon them, few have succumbed entirely. Be they decimated to feed the furnace of battle, discoloured by pollution, or host to parasitic organisms that gnaw them hollow, those copses and groves not yet shattered by the maniac grind of war still stand amongst endless acres of corpse-strewn mud.

Composition: 1 Citadel Wood.

Terrain type: Difficult terrain.

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: Dense Thicket: Models on the base of a Citadel Wood model receive a 5+ cover save, regardless of whether or not they are 25% obscured.

All hail the martyrs! On their blood is our Imperium founded, in their remembrance do we honour ourselves.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

MOONSCAPE In a galactic empire as vast as the Imperium, the sheer variety of settled planets, colonised moons and tamed asteroid fields is bewildering. Not even the most talented geomystic can hope to learn of them all, for new worlds are settled even more frequently than they are purged by the scouring cataclysm of Exterminatus. One thing alone unites the Emperor’s domains – not the iron rule of the Imperium’s adepts, nor a willingness to further the destiny of Man as the true lords of the galaxy, but instead the scars of unbound violence. Even those worlds not cratered by astral detritus or scorched by celestial phenomena are disfigured by the relentless pounding of the Imperium’s guns and the heretical weapons of the traitor, the alien and the witch.

Composition: 1 Moonscape or Citadel Craters set. Each piece of the model after the first must be placed within 6" of a piece that has already been set up.

Terrain type: Battlefield debris (craters).

Access Points & Fire Points: None.

Weapons: None.

Options: None.

Special rules: Foxholes: Models in Moonscape craters receive a 6+ cover save, regardless of whether or

not they are 25% obscured. If a unit Goes to Ground, models from the unit gain +2 to their cover save if they are in Moonscape craters rather than +1.

PSYCHIC POWERS BIOMANCY ‘A man may die yet still endure if his work enters the greater work. Time is carried upon a current incepted by forgotten deeds. Events of great moment are but the culmination of a single carefully placed thought. As all men must thank progenitors obscured by the past, so we must endure the present that those who come after may continue the greater work.’ - The Chime of Eons – Garba Mojaro Prefectus of Adeptus Mechanicus Biomancers specialise in manipulating biological energy and processes with the power of their minds. They are masters of the flesh, learning to shape and influence the physical forms of themselves, their allies or their enemies, according to their will.

PRIMARIS POWER SMITE - Warp Charge 1 Lethal bolts of bio-lightning leap from the psyker’s fingertips, tearing his foes apart. Smite is a witchfire power with the following profile:

1 - IRON ARM - Warp Charge 1 By transmuting his flesh into living metal, the biomancer can wade through enemy fire unscathed and pulp skulls with his bare fists. Iron Arm is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker has +3 to his Strength and Toughness and he gains the Smash special rule.

2 - ENFEEBLE - Warp Charge 1 As the psyker channels his powers, tendrils of Warp energy lash over his victims, every caress sapping strength and vitality from their bodies. Enfeeble is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Whilst the power

is in effect, the target unit suffers a -1 penalty to both Strength and Toughness, and treats all terrain (even open ground) as difficult terrain.

3 - LIFE LEECH - Warp Charge 1 With a twist of his gnarled hands, the wrathful psyker rips the life force from his enemy, hoarding the stolen essence and using it to restore the injured flesh of his allies. Life Leech is a witchfire power with the following profile:

If Life Leech causes at least one unsaved Wound, the Psyker, or one friendly model within 6" of the Psyker, immediately regains a Wound lost earlier in the battle (up to their starting number of Wounds).

4 - WARP SPEED - Warp Charge 1 The powers of the Immaterium flow into the psyker, heightening his speed to supernatural levels. He is a blur amongst his enemies, felling the unrighteous with blows too swift to see. Warp Speed is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker has +3 to his Initiative and Attacks and he gains the Fleet special rule.

5 - ENDURANCE - Warp Charge 2 Reaching into the essence of his allies, the biomancer knits together bones, heals flesh and banishes fatigue so that they carry on the fight. Endurance is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, all models in the target unit gain the Eternal Warrior, Feel No Pain (4+) and Relentless special rules.

6 - HAEMORRHAGE - Warp Charge 2 Focussing his mutant mind, the psyker reaches forth and sets a fire within his victim’s flesh. Within moments, the unfortunate foe’s blood begins to boil in its own veins, tearing him asunder as it bursts from every pore. Haemorrhage is a focussed witchfire power with a range of 18". The target must pass two separate Toughness tests or suffer a Wound with no armour or cover saves allowed for each test that was failed. If the target is removed as a casualty, randomly select another model (friend or foe) within 2" of him. That model must pass a single Toughness

test or suffer a Wound with no armour or cover saves allowed. If that model is removed as a casualty, continue the process of selecting another model and taking a single Toughness test until a either a model survives or there are no more suitable targets within range.

DIVINATION ‘Across the void of space men live as they have lived for millennia upon the sand, rock and soil of worlds bathed in the light of alien suns. So is Humanity’s seed cast far and wide beyond the knowledge of Man, to thrive bitterly in the darkness, to take root and cling with robust and savage determination.’ Diviners seek to discern the hidden past of the galaxy and know the course of events yet to come. These abilities allow Diviners to look into the twisting strands of the Immaterium in search of the answers they seek, and sometimes even influence the outcome of fate itself.

PRIMARIS POWER PRESCIENCE - Warp Charge 2 The psyker can effortlessly predict the paths of bullets and swords. By focussing his Warp-sight even more closely, he can guide his allies’ aims, bringing a swift and merciless death to their foes. Prescience is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 12". Whilst the power is in effect, the target unit can re-roll all failed To Hit rolls.

1 - FOREBODING - Warp Charge 1 Thanks to his Warp-gifted insights, the psyker and his allies are aware that their foes are about to charge, even before the foes themselves have realised it. Foreboding is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst this power is in effect, the Psyker and his unit have the Counter-attack special rule and fire Overwatch using their full Ballistic Skill, rather than Ballistic Skill 1. Note that this does not allow weapons that could not normally fire Overwatch to do so.

2 - FOREWARNING - Warp Charge 1 The psyker’s prophetic powers allow him to walk through a hail of fire unscathed, dodging incoming bullets with an eerie calm. Forewarning is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 12". Whilst the power is in effect, the target unit has a 4+ invulnerable save.

3 - PERFECT TIMING - Warp Charge 1 As soon as his consciousness pierces the veil of the Warp, a rush of images floods the

diviner’s mind, foretelling the actions of his enemies, down to the merest microsecond. Armed with this information, the diviner’s allies can predict exactly when their foes will peer out from behind cover and expose themselves to a lethal head shot. Perfect Timing is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst this power is in effect, the Psyker and his unit’s weapons have the Ignores Cover special rule.

4 - PRECOGNITION - Warp Charge 1 Having already witnessed the one true path to victory, the diviner strides across the battlefield like an avenging god of war. Whilst the premonitions run true, he is all but undefeatable, proof against bullet and bolt, blade and bombardment. However, should his self-wrought prophecies fade, or turn false, he will be doomed to ignominious defeat. Precognition is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker re-rolls all failed To Hit and To Wound rolls. In addition, while the power is in effect, the Psyker re-rolls failed saving throws.

5 - MISFORTUNE - Warp Charge 2 With a click of his fingers, the diviner twists fate so that his followers’ blows punch through the weakest points in their opponents’ armour. Misfortune is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, all attacks that hit the target unit have the Rending special rule.

6 - SCRIER’S GAZE - Warp Charge 2 The diviner can see the battlefield clearly in his mind’s eye, with the vantage point of a hunting hawk and the precision of a laser. The to and fro of armies and war machines is but the scurrying of ants beneath his omniscient gaze. Thus can the diviner direct the deployment of specialist forces exactly when and where they are most needed, directing them to vital objectives that, once secured, will ensure victory. Scrier’s Gaze is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, you can re-roll the dice when rolling for Reserves, Outflank and when any of your units identifies a Mysterious Objective. In addition, if the mission has the Tactical Objectives special rule, you can immediately choose to discard one of your active Tactical Objectives and generate a new one.

DAEMONOLOGY Daemonologists study all things to do with Chaos and the Warp. They can manipulate the interactions between the Immaterium and realspace, allowing them to manifest all manner of destructive powers and amazing feats. However, Daemonology is the most difficult and dangerous of any discipline to master, and many who have tried have perished, been driven insane or else have been irredeemably corrupted by the very power they once sought to use against the forces of Chaos.

SANCTIC POWERS PRIMARIS POWER BANISHMENT - Warp Charge 1 The psyker bends his will to dissolving the bonds that tether the daemonic to the mortal plane, casting them back into the Warp. Banishment is a malediction that targets a single unit with the Daemon special rule within 24". Whilst this power is in effect, all models in the target unit suffer a -1 penalty to their invulnerable save (normally reducing it to 6+). This is cumulative with any other modifiers to a Daemon’s invulnerable save, but cannot make it worse than 6+.

1 - GATE OF INFINITY - Warp Charge 1 The psyker punches a corridor through the roiling Immaterium, allowing him to cross great distances in the blink of an eye. Gate of Infinity is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Unless the target is Zooming or Swooping, remove the target and his unit from the board. It then immediately arrives anywhere on the board using the rules for Deep Strike.

2 - HAMMERHAND - Warp Charge 1 Focussing the raging power of his mind, the psyker augments the strength of his comrades to the point where they can crush flesh and bone with a single blow. Hammerhand is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker and his unit have +2 Strength.

3 - SANCTUARY - Warp Charge 1

Chanting words of warding, the psyker creates a zone of light around him that can both protect him from harm and repel daemonic creatures. Sanctuary is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect the Psyker and all models in his unit receive a +1 bonus to their invulnerable save (models that do not have an invulnerable save gain a 6+ invulnerable save whilst this power is in effect instead). In addition, all units with the Daemon special rule (friend or foe) treat all terrain, including open ground, within 12" of the Psyker as dangerous terrain.

4 - PURGE SOUL - Warp Charge 1 The psyker draws upon every ounce of willpower he possesses to purge the evil of his foes’ souls, scouring every trace of corruption even if it destroys them in the process. Purge Soul is a focussed witchfire power with a range of 24". Both the Psyker and the target model roll a D6 and add their respective Leadership values. If the target’s total is greater than the Psyker’s total, nothing happens. If the Psyker’s total is greater than or equal to the target’s total, the target model suffers an automatic Wound with no armour or cover saves allowed. Purge Soul has no effect on vehicles.

5 - CLEANSING FLAME - Warp Charge 2 The psyker harnesses the very fire in his soul, creating a wall of white-hot psychic flame that blasts forth and purges his foes from the battlefield. Cleansing Flame is a nova power with the following profile:

6 - VORTEX OF DOOM - Warp Charge 3 The psyker rends the material realm asunder, tearing a rift between the material realm and the howling destruction of the Warp, condemning his foes to total destruction. Vortex of Doom is a witchfire power with the profile below. If, when using this power, the Psyker fails his Psychic test, he automatically suffers Perils of the Warp.

MALEFIC POWERS PRIMARIS POWER SUMMONING - Warp Charge 3 The psyker completes a vile ritual that echoes through the Immaterium, summoning vile Daemons into the mortal realm. Summoning is a conjuration with a range of 12" that creates one of the following units (your choice): 10 Bloodletters of Khorne, 10 Pink Horrors of Tzeentch, 10 Plaguebearers of Nurgle, 10 Daemonettes of Slaanesh, 5 Flesh Hounds of Khorne, 3 Flamers of Tzeentch, 3 Nurgling swarms or 5 Seekers of Slaanesh. Rules for these units can be found in Codex: Chaos Daemons.

1 - CURSED EARTH - Warp Charge 1 The psyker becomes a conduit through which the energies of the Warp flow, tainting the very ground and sustaining the Daemons that walk upon it. Cursed Earth is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, all models with the Daemon special rule (friend or foe) within 12" of the Psyker have a +1 bonus to their invulnerable save (normally increasing it to 4+). This is cumulative with any other modifiers to a Daemon’s invulnerable save. In addition, whilst the power is in effect, friendly units with the Daemon special rule will not scatter when arriving from Deep Strike Reserve so long as the first model is placed within 12" of the Psyker.

2 - DARK FLAME - Warp Charge 1 The psyker projects a dark ball of psychic flame that immolates his foes’ souls as well as their bodies. Dark Flame is a witchfire power with the following profile:

3 - INFERNAL GAZE - Warp Charge 1 Unholy power streams forth from the psyker’s eyes, charring and melting all flesh, metal and stone caught in its path. Infernal Gaze is a beam with the following profile:

4 - SACRIFICE - Warp Charge 1 The psyker sacrifices one of his followers’ souls to summon forth one of the Chaos Gods’ most trusted servants. Sacrifice is a conjuration with a range of 6" that creates one of the following units (your choice): 1 Herald of Khorne, 1 Herald of Tzeentch, 1 Herald of Nurgle or 1 Herald of Slaanesh, with up to 30 points’ worth of options. Rules for these units can be found in Codex: Chaos Daemons. If this power is successfully manifested, one friendly model within 6" of the Psyker (or the Psyker himself) immediately suffers a single Wound with no saves of any kind allowed.

5 - INCURSION - Warp Charge 3 The psyker opens a portal to the Realm of Chaos through which the daemonic legions spill into the mortal plane. Incursion is a conjuration with a range of 12" that creates one of the following units (your choice): 3 Bloodcrushers of Khorne, 3 Screamers of Tzeentch, 3 Plague Drones of Nurgle or 3 Fiends of Slaanesh. Rules for these units can be found in Codex: Chaos

Daemons.

6 - POSSESSION - Warp Charge 3 The psyker sacrifices his own soul and a Greater Daemon of Chaos hungrily possesses him, bursting forth from the host’s body in an explosion of psychic energy. Possession is a conjuration with a range of 6" that creates one of the following new units (your choice): 1 Bloodthirster, 1 Lord of Change, 1 Great Unclean One or 1 Keeper of Secrets. Rules for these units can be found in Codex: Chaos Daemons. If this power is successfully manifested, the Psyker is immediately removed as a casualty (if the Psyker was part of a unit with the Brotherhood of Psykers/Sorcerers special rule, remove the entire unit as casualties). If, when using this power, the Psyker fails his Psychic test, he automatically suffers Perils of the Warp.

PYROMANCY ‘You cannot fathom the mysteries of the Universe, you must simply trust in the righteousness of the Emperor’s Command! A pyromancer is a master of fire and flame, a psyker who is able to create searing infernos out of thin air. Pyromancy is one of the most spectacular and destructive forms of psychic ability, and those who face a pyromancer in combat are oft reduced to nought but a pile of charred bones.

PRIMARIS POWER FLAME BREATH - Warp Charge 1 A torrent of psychic flames pour forth from the psyker’s eyes and mouth, engulfing the target. Flame Breath is a witchfire power with the following profile:

1 - FIERY FORM - Warp Charge 1 Bullets and shells pass straight through the pyromancer as he transforms into an incandescent being of living Warpfire, striking out at his foes and setting their very souls ablaze. Fiery Form is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker gains a 4+ invulnerable save and his close combat attacks have the Soul Blaze special rule. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker re-rolls failed To Wound rolls inflicted by any further Pyromancy powers he manifests.

2 - FIRE SHIELD - Warp Charge 1 With a sweep of his arms, the psyker throws up a towering wall of flame to protect his allies. Fire Shield is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, the target unit has a 4+ cover save and all enemy units treat all terrain within 6"

of the target as Dangerous Terrain (even open ground).

3 - SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION - Warp Charge 1 Focussing his anger, the pyromancer can melt or incinerate his foe in a heartbeat. Yet when his rage boils over, the unfortunate victim’s body explodes in a blast of ash and roaring flame. Who can say how many will fall victim to his wrath before it is sated? Spontaneous Combustion is a focussed witchfire power with a range of 18". The target model suffers a Strength 6 AP3 hit with the Soul Blaze special rule. If the model is slain by this hit in the Psychic phase, centre the small blast marker over the target before removing him as a casualty. All other models under the marker suffer a Strength 5 AP4 hit with the Ignores Cover and Soul Blaze special rules.

4 - SUNBURST - Warp Charge 1 The psyker sings a wild song whose notes were old when the universe was young. As he does so, an incandescent aura appears about him, growing ever brighter and hotter with every refrain. Only when the song is ended does the aura explode, discharging its pentup fury in a sudden, supernoval flash. Sunburst is a nova power with the following profile:

5 - INFERNO- Warp Charge 2 With an impatient gesture, the psyker sets the air itself aflame, creating a whirling pillar of fire to sweep through the ranks of his enemies. Inferno is a witchfire power with the following profile:

6 - MOLTEN BEAM - Warp Charge 2 The pyromancer claps his hands together and turns them outward towards the foe. As he does so, a white-hot beam of blazing energy bursts from his palms. It melts armour to slag and vaporises flesh, leaving only ghastly shadows in its wake. Molten Beam is a beam with the following profile:

TELEKINESIS Telekines are able to manipulate the material world with the power of their minds, translating sheer mental power into physical force. These psykers can lash their foes with psychic energy, erect invisible force shields to protect themselves and even levitate above the battlefield itself.

PRIMARIS POWER ASSAIL - Warp Charge 1 Using nothing but the power of his mind, the psyker tears a boulder of rock from the ground and hurls it at the foe. Assail is a beam with the following profile:

1 - CRUSH - Warp Charge 1 By reaching out his arm and clenching his fist, the psyker entraps his foe in a choking and crushing mass of force. Gritting his teeth, the psyker continues the assault until flesh, armour and bone alike are ground to powder. Crush is a focussed witchfire power with a range of 18". Roll 2D6. The target model suffers a hit with a Strength equal to the result (a result of an 11 or 12 wounds automatically or, in the case of a vehicle, causes an automatic penetrating hit) with an AP equal to the result of a separate D6 roll.

2 - OBJURATION MECHANICUM - Warp Charge 1 Weapons jam and engines seize up as the telekine uses his powers to wrench and twist the inner workings at the hearts of nearby machines. Objuration Mechanicum is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, all of the target’s ranged weapons have the Gets Hot special rule. In addition, if the target is a vehicle (or vehicle squadron), each vehicle in the unit suffers a single Strength 1 hit with the Haywire special rule.

3 - SHOCKWAVE - Warp Charge 1 The psyker slams his palms together and the noise is magnified a hundredfold, releasing a shockwave that snaps bones and knocks foes from their feet. Shockwave is a nova power with the following profile:

4 - LEVITATION - Warp Charge 1 The psyker uses his telekinetic powers to launch himself skywards, leaping across the battlefield in a single bound. Levitation is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Unless the target is Zooming, Swooping or is locked in close combat, the Psyker and his unit immediately make a move of up to 12". This move cannot end up on top of another unit or impassable terrain, but ignores intervening units, terrain etc. Any model that starts or ends this move in difficult terrain must take a Dangerous Terrain test. The Psyker and his unit cannot charge in the same turn that they use this power, and all models count as having moved in the Movement phase for the purposes of shooting weapons in the Shooting phase

5 - TELEKINE DOME - Warp Charge 2 Bullets bounce off of thin air and are deflected harmlessly away as the psyker erects a barrier of shimmering energy about himself. Telekine Dome is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst the power is in effect, the Psyker, and all friendly models within 12" of the Psyker, have a 5+ invulnerable save against any shooting attack.

6 - PSYCHIC MAELSTROM - Warp Charge 2 The telekine focuses his entire mental might into creating a vast maelstrom of destructive power, unleashing a storm of psychic energies that utterly consume his foes. Psychic Maelstrom is a witchfire power with the following profile:

TELEPATHY Telepaths are psykers whose mental expertise lies with contacting and controlling the minds of others. With a single thought, a telepath can blast away his foe’s sanity, induce states of numbing terror or possess his victim’s thoughts and mould their actions as if they were his own

PRIMARIS POWER PSYCHIC SHRIEK - Warp Charge 1 The psyker breathes in deeply the power of the Warp before emitting a banshee howl of psychic energy that shreds the minds of his enemies. Psychic Shriek is a witchfire power with a range of 18". Roll 3D6 and subtract the target’s Leadership – the target unit suffers a number of Wounds equal to the result. Armour and cover saves cannot be taken against Wounds caused by Psychic Shriek.

1 - DOMINATE - Warp Charge 1 The psyker reaches into his foe’s mind, trammelling his soul and crushing his will to fight on. Dominate is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, the target unit must pass a Leadership test each time it attempts to move, manifest a psychic power, shoot, Run or declare a charge – if the test is failed, the action is forfeit and the unit can do nothing else that phase. A unit that fails this test when attempting to fire Overwatch does not fire any shots, but acts normally in the ensuing Fight sub-phase.

2 - MENTAL FORTITUDE - Warp Charge 1 Despair is turned into fresh hope and even heroism as the psyker projects inspiring thoughts into the minds of his allies. Mental Fortitude is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 24". If the target is falling back, it immediately Regroups. In addition, whilst the power is in effect, the target gains the Fearless special rule.

3 - TERRIFY - Warp Charge 1 Even the bravest of heroes quake in terror as the telepath assails them with images from their darkest nightmares.

Terrify is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, the target has a -1 penalty to their Leadership and treats all enemy units as having the Fear special rule. Furthermore, the target must take a Morale check at the end of the Psychic phase.

4 - SHROUDING - Warp Charge 1 The psyker uses his mastery of the Warp to fog the minds of his enemies, clouding their sight and instincts so that he appears as nothing more than an indistinct shadow. Shrouding is a blessing that targets the Psyker. Whilst this power is in effect, the Psyker, and all friendly models within 6" of the Psyker, have the Shrouded special rule.

5 - INVISIBILITY - Warp Charge 2 The psyker twists and obscures the perceptions of his foes to the point that he becomes completely invisible. Invisibility is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 24". Whilst the power is in effect, enemy units can only fire Snap Shots at the target unit and in close combat will only hit models in it on To Hit rolls of a 6.

6 - HALLUCINATION - Warp Charge 2 Paranoia, confusion and panic are heightened to a debilitating degree as the telepath alters his foes’ perceptions. Hallucination is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24". Roll once this power has been successfully manifested to determine the manner of hallucinations the target is suffering from (roll once for the whole unit).

D6 - Result 1-2 - Bugs! I Hate Bugs! Something awful has gotten under the victims’ armour and is crawling around. The unit must take a Pinning test. 3-4 - It’s So Beautiful! All sense of urgency is lost, and the befuddled warriors stare listlessly into space. Whilst the power is in effect, all models in the unit suffer a -1 penalty to their Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Initiative and Attacks (to a minimum of 1). 5-6 - You! You’re a Traitor! Paranoia sets in and the panicked warriors

lash out at their commanders. Randomly select one character in the target unit. That model suffers a single Strength 3 hit for every other model in the target unit. Cover saves cannot be taken against these hits, and they can never be allocated to another model. If there are no character models in the target unit, or if there are no other models apart from the character model, treat this result as It’s So Beautiful! instead.

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