Beasts of Chaos
In the wildest corners of every realm, the Beasts of Chaos gather for war. They are anarchy given form, monstrous amalgams of animal and man intent on tearing down the wonders of civilisation and reducing the Mortal Realms to ruin. Birthed from the warping taint of Chaos and imbued with bestial fury, they stampede towards their foes in vast herds, leaving only horror and devastation in their wake.
This page contains all of the rules you need to field your Beasts of Chaos miniatures on the battlefields of the Mortal Realms, from a host of exciting faction rules to a range of warscrolls. The rules are split into the following sections:Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Last update | |
 Beasts of Chaos | ||||
| Beasts of Chaos | Battletome | 4 | September 2024 | |
 Battle Profiles & Rules updates | ||||
| Battle Profiles & Rules updates | Rulebook | 4 | September 2024 | |
 Slaves to Darkness | ||||
| Slaves to Darkness | Faction Pack | 4 | September 2024 | |
 Warhammer Underworlds Legends | ||||
| Warhammer Underworlds Legends | Warscroll | 4 | August 2024 | |
Faction Rules
Battle Traits
Beasts of Chaos armies can use the following abilities:
 Deployment Phase |
MASTERS OF THE WILDERNESS: The wild lands of the Mortal Realms are the territory of the Beasts of Chaos, and they have dwelt in these places for longer than can be remembered.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit that has not been deployed.
Effect: Set up that unit in reserve in ambush. It has now been deployed.
Designer’s Note: Any number of friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS units can start the battle in reserve – even your entire Beasts of Chaos army!
Effect: Set up that unit in reserve in ambush. It has now been deployed.
Designer’s Note: Any number of friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS units can start the battle in reserve – even your entire Beasts of Chaos army!
| KEYWORDS | DEPLOY |
 Your Movement Phase |
BEASTHERD AMBUSH: As the beasts close upon their foes, horn-blasts sound in every direction, signalling the launch of a deadly ambush.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit that is in ambush.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
For the rest of the turn, add 1 to charge rolls for that unit.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
For the rest of the turn, add 1 to charge rolls for that unit.
| Once Per Turn (Army), Your Hero Phase |
RITUALS OF RUIN: The mightiest of the beastmen worship the power of primeval Chaos, slaughtering and devouring in order to be blessed with strength or to force their opponents into throes of primal savagery.
Effect: Pick 1 of the following effects:
Warping Curse: Pick an enemy unit within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a D3. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the target equal to the roll.
Brand of Wild Fury: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, the target has WARD (6+) for the rest of the turn.
Bestial Instinct: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, add 1 to wound rolls for the target’s combat attacks for the rest of the turn.
Warping Curse: Pick an enemy unit within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a D3. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the target equal to the roll.
Brand of Wild Fury: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, the target has WARD (6+) for the rest of the turn.
Bestial Instinct: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, add 1 to wound rolls for the target’s combat attacks for the rest of the turn.
Battle Formations
You can pick 1 of the following battle formations for a Beasts of Chaos army. Each battle formation grants a different ability you can use in the battle.
Almighty Beastherd
 Passive |
ARCH-DESPOILERS: The rampaging creatures of the beastherds despise all aspects of civilisation, and they will tear down monuments with their bare hands if necessary.
Effect: Add 1 to hit rolls for combat attacks made by friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS units that target an enemy unit that is contesting an objective you do not control.
Hungering Warherd
 End of Any Turn |
BLOODGREED: Those beastmen in the throes of the bloodgreed who sate their cursed hunger for flesh are all but impossible to put down.
Declare: Pick each friendly WARHERD unit that used a FIGHT ability this turn to be the targets.
Effect: Heal (3) each target.
Effect: Heal (3) each target.
Marauding Brayherd
| Once Per Turn (Army), Reaction: You declared a CHARGE ability for a friendly BRAYHERD unit |
FIENDS OF THE WILDS: To the blasting of brayhorns come the roaming brayherds, stampeding from all directions to tear the enemy asunder.
Effect: Change one of the dice in the charge roll to a 4.
Thunderscorn Stormherd
| Your Hero Phase |
RAGING STORM: Lightning arcs down to the battlefield, imbuing the Thunderscorn with renewed vigour and smiting their enemies with lethal crackling energy.
Declare: Pick each friendly THUNDERSCORN unit on the battlefield to be the friendly targets, then pick each enemy unit in combat with any friendly THUNDERSCORN units to be the enemy targets.
Effect: Heal (1) each friendly target. Then, roll a D3 for each enemy target, if any. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the enemy target equal to the roll.
Effect: Heal (1) each friendly target. Then, roll a D3 for each enemy target, if any. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the enemy target equal to the roll.
Heroic Traits
Alphabeast Instincts
HERO only| Once Per Turn, Reaction: Opponent declared a SHOOT ability that targeted a friendly Beasts of Chaos unit |
DEATH-GRIP: As the enemy brings their firepower to bear, this general urges their kin to stay within claw’s grasp of their assailants.
Effect: If that friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit is not in combat and is wholly within 18" of this unit, after the SHOOT ability has been resolved, that friendly unit can move 2D6". It can move into combat.
| Your Movement Phase |
BESTIAL CUNNING: Bestial warlords might lack the tactical nous of trained soldiers, but there are few creatures more adept at sniffing out an enemy’s weakness and violently exploiting it.
Declare: Pick up to 3 friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS units wholly within 12" of this unit that were set up this turn using the ‘Beastherd Ambush’ ability to be the targets.
Effect: Each target can immediately move D3". The targets cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
Effect: Each target can immediately move D3". The targets cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
| Passive |
PROPAGATOR OF RUIN: This general seethes with anarchic power and with their every action seeks to promulgate the majesty of Chaos.
Effect: While this unit is on the battlefield, you can use the ‘Rituals of Ruin’ ability twice per turn in your hero phase instead of once per turn. You cannot pick the same effect more than once per turn.
Artefacts of Power
Anarchic Relics
HERO only| Passive |
SLITHERWRACK HELM: This war-helm was fashioned from the skull of an infamous toad dragon; its pure repulsiveness causes enemies to retch and reel, rendering them helpless in their disgust.
Effect: Subtract 1 from charge rolls for enemy units while they are within 12" of this unit.
| Your Hero Phase |
GNARLSTAFF OF MORGHUR: Infused with the corrupting taint of the Shadowgave, the hideous mewling sounds emitted by this staff unmake the arcane wards of the enemy.
Declare: Pick a visible enemy unit within 12" of this unit to be the target.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 2+, ward rolls cannot be made for the target for the rest of the turn.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 2+, ward rolls cannot be made for the target for the rest of the turn.
 Your Movement Phase |
BRAYBLAST TRUMPET: Carved from the bone of a Shaggoth, the thunderous blasts of this horn draw the true children of Chaos towards it.
Declare: Pick a friendly non-UNIQUE BEASTS OF CHAOS INFANTRY or non-CAVALRY unit that started the battle with 2 or more models and that has been destroyed to be the target.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 4+, set up a replacement unit with half the number of models from the target unit (rounding up) wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 4+, set up a replacement unit with half the number of models from the target unit (rounding up) wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
Spell Lore
Lore of the Twisted Wilds
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
VILETIDE: A seemingly ceaseless wave of bile, gore and writhing insects crashes into the enemy.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy unit within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Inflict D3 mortal damage on the target. In addition, until the start of your next turn, the target cannot use commands.
Effect: Inflict D3 mortal damage on the target. In addition, until the start of your next turn, the target cannot use commands.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL, UNLIMITED |
| Your Hero Phase | 8 |
VICIOUS STRANGLETHORNS: Twisting, thorn-covered vines erupt from the undergrowth to ensnare the foe.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy unit within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Until the start of your next turn:
Effect: Until the start of your next turn:
- Halve the target’s Move characteristic.
- Subtract 1 from the number of dice rolled when making charge rolls for the target, to a minimum of 1.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
DEVOLVE: Delving into the minds of their enemies, the shaman magnifies the savage and animalistic parts of their foes’ psyches until they are little more than growling beasts.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy non-HERO unit within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Until the start of your next turn:
Effect: Until the start of your next turn:
- The target unit has a maximum control score of 1.
- The target cannot use commands.
- Each time the target moves, it must end that move closer to the caster.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
Manifestation Lore
Bestial Manifestations
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
SUMMON WILDFIRE TAURUS: Wisps of flame develop into a roaring, charging beast of black smoke and wildfire.
Declare: If there is not a friendly Wildfire Taurus on the battlefield, pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Set up a Wildfire Taurus wholly within 18" of the caster and more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Set up a Wildfire Taurus wholly within 18" of the caster and more than 9" from all enemy units.
| KEYWORDS | SUMMON, SPELL |
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
SUMMON RAVENING DIREFLOCK: Dark feathers borne on the wind coalesce to form the terrible shapes of the Ravening Direflock.
Declare: If there is not a friendly Ravening Direflock on the battlefield, pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Set up a Ravening Direflock wholly within 18" of the caster and more than 9" from all enemy units. A Ravening Direflock has 3 parts that must each be set up within 1" of at least 1 other part.
Effect: Set up a Ravening Direflock wholly within 18" of the caster and more than 9" from all enemy units. A Ravening Direflock has 3 parts that must each be set up within 1" of at least 1 other part.
| KEYWORDS | SUMMON, SPELL |
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
SUMMON DOOMBLAST DIRGEHORN: Drawn from beneath the earth, animal bones are fused into the shape of a giant horn.
Declare: If there is not a friendly Doomblast Dirgehorn on the battlefield, pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS WIZARD to cast this spell, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Set up a Doomblast Dirgehorn wholly within 18" of the caster.
Effect: Set up a Doomblast Dirgehorn wholly within 18" of the caster.
| KEYWORDS | SUMMON, SPELL |
14.3 Charge Phase
| Your Charge Phase |
CHARGE: With a mighty battle cry, the warriors charge into combat with the enemy.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat and has not used a RUN or RETREAT ability this turn to use this ability. Then, make a charge roll of 2D6.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, CHARGE |
The BEASTS OF CHAOS and HERO keywords are used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
17.2 Mortal Damage
Some abilities inflict mortal damage. If an ability inflicts mortal damage on a unit, add that number of damage points to the unit’s damage pool for that ability (see 18.2 Allocating Damage).
18.1 Ward Saves
Units with the WARD keyword have the ‘Ward Save’ passive ability. The number after the WARD keyword indicates the ward value for the ward save. If a unit had WARD (5+), for example, its ward value would be 5. If a unit has more than one ward save, only the ward save with the lowest value applies to it; the other has no effect.| Passive |
WARD SAVE: Whether through their uncanny reflexes, unnatural toughness or a source of mystical protection, these warriors can avoid otherwise lethal attacks.
Effect: In step 1 of the damage sequence (see 18.0), make a ward roll of D6 for each damage point in this unit’s damage pool. If the roll equals or exceeds this unit’s ward value, remove that damage point from the damage pool.
Wound Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Wound characteristic, the attack successfully wounds: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified wound rolls of 1 always fail.Combat attacks
Combat attacks are made with melee weapons. The target unit(s) must be within the combat range of the attacking model and visible to it. The model must attack with all of the melee weapons it is armed with.2.1 Battle Formations
Many factions contain one or more battle formations. Each battle formation grants unique benefits to your army. The faction rules for your faction will explain any battle formation options.
Hit Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Hit characteristic, the attack scores a successful hit: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified hit rolls of 1 always fail. If an unmodified hit roll for an attack made with a weapon is a 6, that attack is a critical hit.| Critical hits have no effect on their own but often trigger additional effects (see 20.0 Weapon Abilities). | ||
32.1 Contesting Objectives
Unless otherwise specified, if an objective is within a model’s combat range, that model is contesting that objective. If any models in a unit are contesting an objective, that unit is contesting that objective.Each unit can only count as contesting a single objective for the purposes of determining objective control (see 32.2). Before determining objective control, for each of their units contesting two or more objectives, the active player must pick one of those objectives for it to contest. Then, their opponent does the same.
Designer’s Note: For purposes other than determining objective control, a unit can contest more than one objective.
The WARHERD keyword is used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
21.0 Healing
Some abilities allow you to heal a unit. To heal a unit, remove a number of damage points from the unit equal to the number in brackets after ‘Heal’, e.g. Heal (2).
The BRAYHERD keyword is used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
The THUNDERSCORN keyword is used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
The HERO keyword is used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
| Your Movement Phase |
BEASTHERD AMBUSH: As the beasts close upon their foes, horn-blasts sound in every direction, signalling the launch of a deadly ambush.
Declare: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit that is in ambush.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
For the rest of the turn, add 1 to charge rolls for that unit.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
For the rest of the turn, add 1 to charge rolls for that unit.
| Once Per Turn (Army), Your Hero Phase |
RITUALS OF RUIN: The mightiest of the beastmen worship the power of primeval Chaos, slaughtering and devouring in order to be blessed with strength or to force their opponents into throes of primal savagery.
Effect: Pick 1 of the following effects:
Warping Curse: Pick an enemy unit within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a D3. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the target equal to the roll.
Brand of Wild Fury: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, the target has WARD (6+) for the rest of the turn.
Bestial Instinct: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, add 1 to wound rolls for the target’s combat attacks for the rest of the turn.
Warping Curse: Pick an enemy unit within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a D3. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on the target equal to the roll.
Brand of Wild Fury: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, the target has WARD (6+) for the rest of the turn.
Bestial Instinct: Pick a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS unit wholly within 12" of a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO or, if there is a friendly BEASTS OF CHAOS HERO in reserve, wholly within 12" of a battlefield edge to be the target. Then, roll a dice. On a 2+, add 1 to wound rolls for the target’s combat attacks for the rest of the turn.
6.0 Visibility
A target model is visible to another model (which we’ll call the ‘observing model’) if you can draw a straight line through the air (whether horizontal, diagonal or vertical) from any point on the observing model to any point on the target model that does not intersect any objects except for other models in the observing model’s unit. A target unit is visible to an observing unit if at least 1 model in the target unit is visible to at least 1 model in the observing unit. A model is always considered to be visible to itself.
| ||
| In some cases, il might not be immediately clear whether a model is visible. If so, stoop down to get a look from behind the observing model. If any part of the other model is visible, even if it is just the tip of a spear, then that model is visible for rules purposes. | ||
The non-UNIQUE BEASTS OF CHAOS and INFANTRY keywords are used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
The non-UNIQUE BEASTS OF CHAOS and CAVALRY keywords are used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
1.0 Wizards and Priests
WIZARDS are special units that can cast spells, and PRIESTS are special units that can chant prayers. Spells and prayers are powerful abilities that can have a dramatic impact on the battle.
The BEASTS OF CHAOS and WIZARD keywords are used in the following Beasts of Chaos warscrolls:
2.0 Spells
The declare step of each spell will tell you to make a casting roll of 2D6. If the roll does not equal or exceed the spell’s casting value (at the top-right corner of the spell), the spell fails and its effect is not resolved.If the unmodified casting roll includes 2 or more rolls of 1, the spell is miscast: the spell fails, its effect is not resolved, D3 mortal damage is inflicted on the WIZARD that used it, and that WIZARD cannot use any more spells in that phase.
Enemy reactions can only be used if the casting roll equals or exceeds the spell’s casting value. So long as the spell is not unbound (see 4.0), then it is successfully cast: resolve its effect.
EXAMPLE SPELL
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
MYSTIC SHIELD: The caster's allies are bathed in an unearthly glow that protects them from harm.
Declare: Pick a visible friendly unit wholly within 12" of this WIZARD to be the target. Then, make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
32.2 Objective Control
At the start of the first battle round and at the end of each turn, follow this sequence for each objective in an order chosen by the active player:- Starting with the active player, each player determines the control score of each of their units that is contesting that objective. A unit’s control score is the combined Control characteristics of all the models in that unit that are contesting the objective. Some abilities modify a unit’s control score, but it cannot be reduced to less than 1.
- Each player adds up the control scores of all of their units contesting that objective. This is their army control score for that objective.
- The players compare their army control scores for that objective. If one player’s score is higher, that player gains control of that objective. Once a player gains control of an objective, it remains under their control until their opponent gains control of it.
| Sometimes objective markers get accidentally nudged while you are moving models around. This is perfectly fine - just remember to put them back in their proper positions when determining objective control. | ||
Army List
Warscrolls collatedMonster Hero
Cavalry
War Machine
Faction Terrain
Regiment of Renown