Raveners
Ravener kill teams are hyperadapted to such an extent that they are able to overcome all manner of a prey species’ defences. Driven by alien synaptic imperatives, Raveners burrow with horrific speed to strike at prey from vulnerable angles, before using razor-sharp talons, chitinous claws and virulent biotoxins to enact the Hive Mind’s will.
Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
 Raveners | ||||
| Raveners | Faction | 3 | June ’25 | June 2025 |
Archetype: Seek & Destroy / Infiltration
Raveners Kill Team
Below you will find a list of the operatives that make up a RAVENER kill team, including, where relevant, any weapons specified for that operative.
Operatives
- 1 RAVENER PRIME operative
- 4 RAVENER operatives selected from the following list:
Other than WARRIOR operatives, your kill team can only include each operative on this list once.
Faction Rules
Burrow
Raveners will emerge from their tunnels to strike at unsuspecting victims, then disappear again before their foe can properly react.
When setting up a RAVENER kill team before the battle, your first two operatives must be set up as normal. Each other friendly RAVENER operative thereafter can be set up underground: place it to one side instead of in the killzone.In the Firefight phase, friendly RAVENER operatives set up underground are activated and can counteract as normal. Whenever a friendly RAVENER operative is underground, it cannot perform any actions other than Burrow. At the end of the battle, each friendly RAVENER operative that’s underground is incapacitated.
Friendly RAVENER operatives can perform the following unique action:
BURROW1AP
If this operative is underground, set it up on your TUNNEL in a location it can be placed (it’s no longer underground, and it can be set up within control range of enemy operatives). Until the end of the activation/counteraction, subtract 2" from its Move stat.
Alternatively, instead of resolving the above effect, if this operative is in the killzone and on your TUNNEL, remove it from the killzone: it’s now underground.
An operative cannot perform this action while carrying a marker.
Tunnel
Raveners dig extensive tunnel networks in the ground and foundations beneath their prey’s feet, enabling the Hive Mind’s elite creations to outmanoeuvre and ambush their prey.
At the end of the Set Up Operatives step, place your Tunnel marker numbered ‘0’ on the killzone floor, wholly within your drop zone and touching your killzone edge. As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in the first four turning points, you can place your next numbered Tunnel marker on the killzone floor wholly within 5" of your preceding Tunnel marker (in Killzone: Gallowdark, this distance can be measured through Wall terrain). This means that, as the battle progresses, you can have a series of sequentially numbered Tunnel markers (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4). Once you have placed five Tunnel markers, don’t place any more (i.e. if your battle lasts more than four turning points).Your Tunnel markers and the area between your sequentially numbered markers (i.e. between 0 and 1, 1 and 2, etc.), create your TUNNEL.
In a killzone that uses the hazardous areas rules (e.g. Killzone: Bheta Decima), for the purposes of the Restricted Movement rule, parts of a Tunnel marker that are touching a hazardous area are treated as a hazardous area.
In this example, operative A is on your TUNNEL as it’s on the area between markers 0 and 1. Operative B is also on your TUNNEL as it’s touching one of your Tunnel markers. Operative C is not on your TUNNEL as markers 1 and 3 are not sequential, so the area between those markers is not part of your TUNNEL.
Predatory Instincts
Seemingly driven by an all-consuming hunger, and with hyper-adapted reflexes, Raveners are deadly blurs of muscle, talons and fangs.
During each friendly RAVENER operative’s activation, it can perform two Fight actions.Each friendly RAVENER operative can counteract regardless of its order. Whenever it does:
- You can change its order first, or change its order instead of performing an action (for the latter, still treat it as having counteracted this turning point).
- During that counteraction, if it doesn’t perform a mission action it can perform a free Burrow action.
Strategy Ploys
DEATH FROM BELOW
Spurred by an imperative from the Hive Mind, Raveners will coordinate lunges from the depths of their tunnel network to eviscerate unwary prey that have strayed too close.
Whenever a friendly RAVENER operative is fighting:
- If it’s performed the Burrow action during that activation/counteraction, its melee weapons have the Balanced weapon rule.
- If it’s on your TUNNEL, its melee weapons have the Ceaseless weapon rule.
WHIPCORD EMERGENCE
Whether lunging from a rubble-strewn entrance to their network of tunnels or bursting forth in a shower of debris to snatch at prey, Raveners can surprise even elite sentinels.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly RAVENER operative:
- If that friendly operative has performed the Burrow action during that turning point, you can re-roll one of your defence dice.
- If that friendly operative is on your TUNNEL, you can re-roll any of your defence dice.
WRITHE OUT OF SIGHT
Few organisms are as capable of slithering away into darkness in the blink of an eye as Raveners. The question then is, where did they go…?
Select one friendly RAVENER operative. That friendly operative can immediately perform a free Burrow action. If it’s within 2" of your TUNNEL, it can immediately perform a free Fall Back or Reposition action before it does so.
TUNNEL LURKERS
Raveners are horrifically adept at remaining all but invisible, partially submerged amidst broken terrain, until the moment they lunge.
Firefight Ploys
SLITHERING EVASION
The secretion-slick carapace and unholy speed of a Ravener enables them to avoid becoming bogged down against dangerous prey.
Use this firefight ploy during a friendly RAVENER operative’s activation or counteraction, before or after it performs an action. During that activation/ counteraction, that operative can:
- Perform the Fall Back action for 1 less AP.
- Perform the Charge action while within control range of an enemy operative, and can leave that operative’s control range to do so (but then normal requirements for that move apply).
SUBTERRANEAN HORROR
Those who think to trap a Ravener by tackling it at its brood burrow invite only their own demise, as the bioform uses hidden tunnels to encircle its prey before striking from an unexpected angle.
Use this firefight ploy when an enemy operative is performing the Fight action and selects a friendly RAVENER operative on your TUNNEL to fight against. In the Resolve Attack Dice step of that sequence, you resolve the first attack dice (i.e. defender instead of attacker).
BURROWING STRIKE
The last sight for many operatives fighting Raveners is a blur of their own uniform as they disappear into the depths of a xenos burrow.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly RAVENER operative performs the Burrow action. Before that operative is removed from the killzone, or after setting it up on your TUNNEL, inflict D3+1 damage on each enemy operative within its control range (roll separately for each). You cannot use this ploy in the Strategy phase, or during a FELLTALON operative’s activation or counteraction if it performs the Toxic Lunge action (and vice versa).
DEATH FRENZY
Raveners can be compelled by the Hive Mind to fight in a last surge of biostimulated aggression, even as their own bodies fail.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly RAVENER operative is incapacitated. Before that operative is removed from the killzone, inflict D3 damage on each enemy operative within its control range (roll separately for each). If that friendly operative is a VENOMSPITTER that’s currently benefitting from the effects of its Distend Dorsal Sac action, inflict 2D3 damage instead.
Faction Equipment
CHROMATOSPORE CAMOUFLAGE
Chameleonic adaptations enable these bioforms to virtually disappear.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly RAVENER operative, if you can retain any cover saves, you can retain one additional cover save. This isn’t cumulative with improved cover saves from Vantage terrain.
ACID BLOOD
Corrosive viscera and caustic fluids spray from these creatures’ wounds.
Whenever a friendly RAVENER operative is fighting or retaliating, whenever an attack dice inflicts damage on it, roll one D6: on a 5+, inflict 1 damage on the enemy operative in that sequence.
METAMORPHIC FLESH
Some Raveners are reported to have recovered from injuries that should have been fatal, their flesh and chitin reknitting in rapid regeneration.
Whenever a friendly RAVENER operative is activated, it regains up to D3 lost wounds.
HEIGHTENED SENSES
Even burrowing, Raveners can detect enemy pheromones, esoteric energies and the whirr of servos,enabling them to land sudden ambushes.
Once per battle, after rolling off to decide initiative, if a friendly RAVENER operative is underground and an enemy operative is within 5" of your TUNNEL, you can re-roll your dice.
Datacards
APL 3 |
MOVE 7" |
SAVE 5+ |
WOUNDS 21 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Tail blade | ||||||||
| Tail blade | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Rending, Silent | Range 3", Rending, Silent | |||
| Scything talons & rending claws | ||||||||
| Scything talons & rending claws | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | Rending | Rending | |||
Neuropredatory Crest: Whenever determining control of a marker, treat the total APL stat of enemy operatives that contest it as 1 lower if at least one of those enemy operatives is within 3" of this operative. Note this isn’t a change to the APL stat, so any changes are cumulative with this. Whenever an enemy operative is within 3" of this operative:
- Your opponent must spend 1 additional AP for that enemy operative to perform the Pick Up Marker and mission actions.
- Your opponent cannot re-roll their attack or defence dice for that operative.
Synaptic Link: STRATEGIC GAMBIT if this operative isn’t incapacitated. Roll one D6 and compare the result to the number of the current turning point; if the result is:
- Higher: you gain 1CP.
- Equal: nothing happens.
- Less: inflict damage on this operative equal to the result.
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, LEADER, PRIME
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⌀40mm |
| APL3 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS20 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Pincer tail | ||||||||
| Pincer tail | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Silent | Range 3", Silent | |||
| Toxic glands | ||||||||
| Toxic glands | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 6", Silent, Poison* | Range 6", Silent, Poison* | |||
| Toxic scythes | ||||||||
| Toxic scythes | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | Lethal 5+, Shock, Poison* | Lethal 5+, Shock, Poison* | |||
*Poison: In the Resolve Attack Dice step, if you inflict damage with any critical successes, the operative this weapon is being used against gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one). Whenever an operative that has one of your Poison tokens is activated, inflict D3 damage on it.
TOXIC LUNGE1AP
Select one enemy operative within 2" of this operative. Alternatively, if this operative is underground, select one enemy operative on your TUNNEL. Inflict D3+2 damage on that enemy operative and it gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one).
This operative can perform this action while underground (this takes precedence over the normal Burrow rules).
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, FELLTALON
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⌀40mm |
| APL3 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS20 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Pincer tail | ||||||||
| Pincer tail | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Silent | Range 3", Silent | |||
| Scything talons | ||||||||
| Scything talons | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
Subterranean Ambush: Once per turning point, after an enemy operative performs an action in which it moves more than 2" and ends within 2" of your TUNNEL, if this operative is underground and is either ready or hasn’t counteracted during this turning point, you can interrupt that enemy operative’s activation/counteraction to use this rule.
If you do, activate or counteract with this operative (as appropriate), but during its activation/ counteraction it must fight against or shoot against that enemy operative, and cannot do so against any other enemy operatives until it does (if this isn’t possible, this operative’s activation/counteraction is cancelled and this rule hasn’t been used). After completing this operative’s activation/counteraction, continue that enemy operative’s activation/counteraction (if possible).
If you do, activate or counteract with this operative (as appropriate), but during its activation/ counteraction it must fight against or shoot against that enemy operative, and cannot do so against any other enemy operatives until it does (if this isn’t possible, this operative’s activation/counteraction is cancelled and this rule hasn’t been used). After completing this operative’s activation/counteraction, continue that enemy operative’s activation/counteraction (if possible).
Hypersensory Hunter: This operative can perform the Charge action while it has a Conceal order if it performed the Burrow action during the same activation/counteraction.
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, TREMORSCYTHE
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⌀40mm |
| APL3 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS20 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Pincer tail | ||||||||
| Pincer tail | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Silent | Range 3", Silent | |||
| Venom bolt (blast) | ||||||||
| Venom bolt (blast) | 4 | 3+ | 3/5 | Range 8", Blast 2", Poison* | Range 8", Blast 2", Poison* | |||
| Venom bolt (focused) | ||||||||
| Venom bolt (focused) | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Range 8", Piercing 1, Poison* | Range 8", Piercing 1, Poison* | |||
| Scything talons | ||||||||
| Scything talons | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
*Poison: In the Resolve Attack Dice step, if you inflict damage with any critical successes, the operative this weapon is being used against gains one of your Poison tokens (if it doesn’t already have one). Whenever an operative that has one of your Poison tokens is activated, inflict D3 damage on it.
DISTEND DORSAL SAC1AP
Until this operative has shot with its venom bolt or until it performs the Burrow action (whichever comes first), all profiles of its venom bolt have the Lethal 5+ weapon rule, have 1 added to their Atk stat and the Range 8" weapon rule removed.
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, VENOMSPITTER
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⌀40mm |
| APL3 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS20 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Pincer tail | ||||||||
| Pincer tail | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Silent | Range 3", Silent | |||
| Scything talons | ||||||||
| Scything talons | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
Instinctive Behaviour: Whenever this operative is shooting against, fighting against or retaliating against a wounded enemy operative, or an enemy operative that performed the Fall Back action during this turning point, this operative’s weapons have the Lethal 5+ weapon rule.
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, WARRIOR
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⌀40mm |
| APL3 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS20 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Bone mace | ||||||||
| Bone mace | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 3", Piercing 1, Silent | Range 3", Piercing 1, Silent | |||
| Scything talons & crushing claws | ||||||||
| Scything talons & crushing claws | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | Crush* | Crush* | |||
Reinforced Carapace: Normal and Critical Dmg of 4 or more inflicts 1 less damage on this operative.
*Crush: Whenever you strike, you and your opponent roll-off, adding 1 to your result if the operative this weapon is being used against has a Wounds stat of 9 or less. If you win, inflict additional damage on that operative equal to the difference between the dice results (to a maximum of 3 additional damage).
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RAVENER, GREAT DEVOURER, TYRANID, WRECKER
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⌀40mm |
Counteract
When you would activate a ready friendly operative, if all your operatives are expended but your opponent still has ready operatives, you can select an expended friendly operative with an Engage order to perform a 1AP action (excluding Guard) for free. Each operative can only counteract once per turning point. That operative cannot move more than 2", or must be set up wholly within 2" if it’s removed and set up again, while counteracting (this is not a change to its Move stat, and takes precedence over all other rules). Counteracting is optional, so you can choose not to. In either case, activation alternates back to your opponent afterwards.Counteracting isn’t an activation, it’s instead of activating. This difference is important; for instance, it means action restrictions won't apply.
Damage
When damage is inflicted on an operative, reduce their wounds by that amount. An operative’s starting number of wounds is determined by its Wounds stat (see datacards). If an operative’s wounds are reduced to 0 or less, it’s incapacitated, then removed from the killzone. Some rules allow an incapacitated operative to perform a free action before being removed from the killzone. Such an operative cannot perform more than one free action (excluding Place Marker) in this instance, and that operative’s player decides the order of any of its rules that occur before it’s removed from the killzone (taking precedence over the player with initiative deciding).While an operative has fewer than its starting wounds remaining, it’s wounded. While it has fewer than half its starting wounds remaining, it’s also injured. Subtract 2" from the Move stat of injured operatives and worsen the Hit stat of their weapons by 1.
Keep track of each operative’s remaining wounds with dice, tokens or by writing it down.
‘Incapacitated’ and ‘removed from the killzone’ are separate. Some rules take effect when an operative is incapacitated, but before it’s removed.
‘Incapacitated’ and ‘removed from the killzone’ are separate. Some rules take effect when an operative is incapacitated, but before it’s removed.
Control Range
Many rules relate to control range such as moving, fighting and using cover. Something is within an operative’s control range if it’s visible to and within 1" of that operative.Control range between operatives is mutual, therefore operatives are within each other’s control range if one of them is visible to and within 1" of the other.
The terrain is within both operative B and C’s control range.
Because of the terrain, operative B is not visible to operative C, and vice versa, therefore they are not within each other’s control range.
Imagine control range as an area of interaction the operative has with things close to it.
Killzone Floor
The killzone floor is the lowest level of the killzone (i.e. the game board). Anything that’s on a marker that’s on the killzone floor is also on the killzone floor.
Fight1AP
Fight with the active operative by following the sequence below. The active operative’s player is the attacker. The selected enemy operative’s player is the defender.
An operative cannot perform this action unless an enemy operative is within its control range.
BURROW1AP
If this operative is underground, set it up on your TUNNEL in a location it can be placed (it’s no longer underground, and it can be set up within control range of enemy operatives). Until the end of the activation/counteraction, subtract 2" from its Move stat.
Alternatively, instead of resolving the above effect, if this operative is in the killzone and on your TUNNEL, remove it from the killzone: it’s now underground.
An operative cannot perform this action while carrying a marker.
Balanced
You can re-roll one of your attack dice.Tunnel
Raveners dig extensive tunnel networks in the ground and foundations beneath their prey’s feet, enabling the Hive Mind’s elite creations to outmanoeuvre and ambush their prey.
At the end of the Set Up Operatives step, place your Tunnel marker numbered ‘0’ on the killzone floor, wholly within your drop zone and touching your killzone edge. As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in the first four turning points, you can place your next numbered Tunnel marker on the killzone floor wholly within 5" of your preceding Tunnel marker (in Killzone: Gallowdark, this distance can be measured through Wall terrain). This means that, as the battle progresses, you can have a series of sequentially numbered Tunnel markers (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4). Once you have placed five Tunnel markers, don’t place any more (i.e. if your battle lasts more than four turning points).Your Tunnel markers and the area between your sequentially numbered markers (i.e. between 0 and 1, 1 and 2, etc.), create your TUNNEL.
In a killzone that uses the hazardous areas rules (e.g. Killzone: Bheta Decima), for the purposes of the Restricted Movement rule, parts of a Tunnel marker that are touching a hazardous area are treated as a hazardous area.
In this example, operative A is on your TUNNEL as it’s on the area between markers 0 and 1. Operative B is also on your TUNNEL as it’s touching one of your Tunnel markers. Operative C is not on your TUNNEL as markers 1 and 3 are not sequential, so the area between those markers is not part of your TUNNEL.
Ceaseless
You can re-roll any of your attack dice results of one result (e.g. results of 2).Fall Back2AP
The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move within control range of an enemy operative, but cannot finish the move there.
An operative cannot perform this action unless an enemy operative is within its control range. It cannot perform this action during the same activation in which it performed the Reposition or Charge action.
Reposition1AP
Move the active operative up to its Move stat to a location it can be placed. This must be done in one or more straight-line increments, and increments are always rounded up to the nearest inch.
It cannot move within control range of an enemy operative, unless one or more other friendly operatives are already within control range of that enemy operative, in which case it can move within control range of that enemy operative but cannot finish the move there.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or during the same activation in which it performed the Fall Back or Charge action.
Seek
When selecting a valid target, operatives cannot use terrain for cover. If the rule is Seek Light, operatives cannot use Light terrain for cover. Whilst this can allow such operatives to be targeted (assuming they’re visible), it doesn’t remove their cover save (if any).Charge1AP
The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move an additional 2".
It can move, and must finish the move, within control range of an enemy operative. If it moves within control range of an enemy operative that no other friendly operatives are within control range of, it cannot leave that operative’s control range.
An operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, if it’s already within control range of an enemy operative, or during the same activation in which it performed the Reposition, Dash or Fall Back action.
Burrow
Raveners will emerge from their tunnels to strike at unsuspecting victims, then disappear again before their foe can properly react.
When setting up a RAVENER kill team before the battle, your first two operatives must be set up as normal. Each other friendly RAVENER operative thereafter can be set up underground: place it to one side instead of in the killzone.In the Firefight phase, friendly RAVENER operatives set up underground are activated and can counteract as normal. Whenever a friendly RAVENER operative is underground, it cannot perform any actions other than Burrow. At the end of the battle, each friendly RAVENER operative that’s underground is incapacitated.
Friendly RAVENER operatives can perform the following unique action:
BURROW1AP
If this operative is underground, set it up on your TUNNEL in a location it can be placed (it’s no longer underground, and it can be set up within control range of enemy operatives). Until the end of the activation/counteraction, subtract 2" from its Move stat.
Alternatively, instead of resolving the above effect, if this operative is in the killzone and on your TUNNEL, remove it from the killzone: it’s now underground.
An operative cannot perform this action while carrying a marker.
Range x
Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets, e.g. Range 9".Rending
If you retain any critical successes, you can retain one of your normal successes as a Critical success instead.Pick Up Marker1AP
Remove a marker the active operative controls that the Pick Up Marker action can be performed upon. That operative is now carrying, contesting and controlling that marker.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or while it’s already carrying a marker.
The RAVENER keyword is used in the following Raveners datacards:
The GREAT DEVOURER keyword is used in the following Raveners datacards:
The TYRANID keyword is used in the following Raveners datacards:
Lethal x+
Your successes equal to or greater than x are critical successes, e.g. Lethal 5+.Shock
The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent’s unresolved normal successes (or a critical success if there are none).Shoot1AP
Shoot with the active operative by following the sequence below. The active operative’s player is the attacker. The selected enemy operative’s player is the defender.
An operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, or while within control range of an enemy operative.
Precedence
Some rare rules will conflict with each other, so it must be established which takes precedence. In order of priority, a rule takes precedence if:1
2
3
4
5
If a rule on a datacard says ‘this operative can perform two Shoot actions during its activation’, this takes precedence over the core rules for action restrictions, as per precedence priority 3.
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Blast x
The target you select is the primary target. After shooting the primary target, shoot with this weapon against each secondary target in an order of your choice (roll each sequence separately). Secondary targets are other operatives visible to and within x of the primary target, e.g. Blast 2" (they are all valid targets, regardless of a Conceal order). Secondary targets are in cover and obscured if the primary target was.Piercing x
The defender collects x less defence dice, e.g. Piercing 1. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes.Roll-off
lf a rule requires a roll-off, both players roll one D6 and whoever has the highest wins the roll-off. If there’s a tie, roll-off again.
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