HEAVY SUPPORT The Spartan is a huge armoured conveyer whose purpose is to carry a large contingent of troops into the heart of the enemy, weathering weapons fire that would be the death of any lesser vehicle. Although its armoured and sealed shell is as legendarily durable as that of a Land Raider, the genius of its design is such that the greater proportion of its interior space is given over to its carrying capacity, which is greater than any save the super-heavy transporters such as the Gorgon favoured by the Imperial Army, while being considerably faster on the battlefield thanks to its reactor-driven motive drives. Its armament is nevertheless still fierce, featuring sponson mounted quad lascannon, making it an able tank destroyer, and secondary armaments of defensively mounted heavy bolters or heavy flamers, enabling it to sweep infantry from its path. The Spartan takes pride of place in the armouries of many Legions, although its size and the scale of materiels required to produce it — which exceeds that of most super-heavy tanks — makes it far less common than the Land Raider in operations. | ||
Armour | Transport Capacity | |||||||
M | BS | Front | Side | Rear | HP | Base | ||
Legion Land Raider Spartan (base: Use model) | ||||||||
Legion Land Raider Spartan | 12 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 26 | Use model |
Rapid Fire weapons are very common and usually come in the form of semi-automatic rifles. Their versatility means they can be fired as effectively when a squad is advancing as when taking single, long-ranged shots.
A model armed with a Rapid Fire weapon can make two attacks at a target up to half the weapon’s Maximum Range away. Alternatively, it can instead make one attack at a target over half the weapon’s range away, up to the weapon’s Maximum Range.
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These weapons are grafted to the same targeting system for greater accuracy.
When attacking with a weapon that has this special rule, the controlling player may re-roll all failed To Hit rolls.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 their close combat attacks will strike a critical blow. For each To Wound roll equal to or higher than the value listed, the target automatically suffers a Wound, regardless of its Toughness. The controlling player may choose to resolve these Wounds at AP 2 instead of the weapon’s normal AP value.The Space Marines of the Emperor’s Legions are genetically engineered, psycho-indoctrinated warriors with superhuman abilities, and minds and souls tempered for war. Each of the Legions has its own idiosyncrasies and character – the product of their gene-seed and the unique warrior cultures fostered by their masters.
Any unit with this special rule will have a number of additional special rules and abilities specific to their ‘named’ Legion, all of which will be defined in other Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness publications. A Space Marine unit may only have one such ‘named’ rule, e.g., Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus). Space Marine units from a different Legion may only be included in an army using an Allied Detachment and in conjunction with the Allies in the Age of Darkness chart.Some weapons are fuelled by unstable power sources and risk overheating with each shot – often to the detriment of their wielder.
When firing a weapon that Gets Hot, roll To Hit as normal. For each unmodified To Hit roll of 1, the firing model immediately suffers a single Wound with an AP value equal to that of the weapon that was used to attack (Armour Saves, Invulnerable Saves and Feel No Pain rolls can be taken, but not Cover Saves or Shrouded rolls) – this Wound cannot be allocated to any other model in the unit. A Vehicle instead rolls a D6 for each roll of a 1 To Hit. If this roll results in a 1 or 2, the Vehicle suffers a Glancing Hit.Assault weapons either fire so rapidly or indiscriminately that they can be fired while a warrior is moving.
A model attacking with an Assault weapon makes the number of Attacks indicated on its profile regardless of whether the bearer has moved or not. A model carrying an Assault weapon can make a Shooting Attack with it in the Shooting phase and still Charge in the Assault phase.
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These are heavy, man-portable weapons that typically require reloading between each shot or bracing to counter their recoil.
When making a Shooting Attack, a model with a Heavy weapon attacks the number of times indicated. If a model equipped with a Heavy weapon moved in the preceding Movement phase, they can only make Snap Shots with that Heavy weapon during the Shooting phase. Note that weapons with the Blast special rule cannot fire Snap Shots. Models that make Shooting Attacks with Heavy weapons in the Shooting phase cannot Charge in the ensuing Assault phase.
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Some weapons are capable of breaching armour with a terrifying ease, whether by specially designed munitions, careful targeting or sheer brute power.
When rolling To Wound for a model that has the Breaching (X) special rule, or is attacking with a weapon that has the Breaching (X) special rule, for each To Wound roll equal to or higher than the value listed in brackets, the controlling player must resolve these wounds at AP 2 instead of the weapon’s normal AP value. This rule has no effect on models that do not have Wounds, such as models with the Vehicle Unit Type.The ancient volkite weaponry employed by the armies of Terra in the earliest years of the Great Crusade fired arcing blasts of energy rather than solid projectiles.
After normal attacks by this weapon have been resolved, count the number of unsaved Wounds caused on the target unit. Immediately resolve a number of additional automatic Hits on the same unit using the weapon’s profile equal to the number of unsaved Wounds – these can then be saved normally. Models in the targeted unit must still be in range in order for these additional Hits to take effect. These additional Hits do not themselves inflict more Hits and do not benefit from any other special rules possessed by the attacking model, such as Preferred Enemy (X) or Precision Strikes (X).Pistols are light enough to be carried and fired one-handed.
A model attacking with a Pistol weapon makes the number of Attacks indicated on its profile regardless of whether the bearer has moved or not. A model carrying a Pistol weapon can make a Shooting Attack with it in the Shooting phase and still Charge in the Assault phase. A Pistol weapon also counts as a close combat weapon in the Assault phase. In addition, all models with two Pistol type weapons can attack with both in the same Shooting phase. This follows the normal rules for shooting.
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This weapon fires ammunition that cheats an enemy of their shelter.
Cover Saves and Damage Mitigation rolls granted by the Shrouded special rule cannot be taken against Wounds or Hull Point damage caused by weapons with the Ignores Cover special rule. This includes Cover Saves granted by Reactions and other special rules as well as Cover Saves conferred by terrain.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, all Wounds inflicted by its attacks are ‘Precision Shots’. Wounds from Precision Shots are allocated against a model (or models) of the attacking player’s 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. Note that Snap Shots can never be Precision Shots and attacks with the Blast or Template rules may never benefit from the effects of the Sniper special rule.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. 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.A branch of weaponry now commonplace among the ranks of the Legiones Astartes, bolt weapons are based on a robust Terran design, refined from the weapons used during the Emperor’s battles to conquer Old Earth. These brutally efficient weapons fire a caseless, self-propelled and mass reactive munition, more akin to a miniature rocket than a simple bullet and easily capable of eviscerating most foes against which the Space Marines of the Imperium find themselves matched. Such was the success of these weapons that they would eventually come to replace the more complex Martian weapons that had once dominated the arsenals of the Legiones Astartes.
All weapons listed here are counted as ‘Bolt’ weapons for those rules that affect such weapons.Range | Str | AP | Type | |
Bolt pistol | 12" | 4 | 5 | Pistol 1 |
Bolter | 24" | 4 | 5 | Rapid Fire |
Combi-bolter | 24" | 4 | 5 | Rapid Fire, Twin-linked |
Kraken bolter | 30" | 4 | 4 | Rapid Fire |
- Tempest rounds | 18" | 3 | 6 | Assault 3, Ignores Cover |
- Scorpius rounds | 24" | 5 | 4 | Assault 1, Breaching (4+) |
Nemesis bolter | 72" | 5 | 5 | Heavy 1, Rending (5+), Sniper, Pinning |
Heavy bolter | 36" | 5 | 4 | Heavy 4 |
Gravis bolt cannon | 48" | 5 | 4 | Heavy 6, Twin-linked |
Gravis heavy bolter battery | 48" | 5 | 4 | Heavy 8, Twin-linked |
Avenger bolt cannon | 36" | 6 | 3 | Heavy 7 |
This weapon has been crafted with one aim in mind – to pierce the hides of armoured vehicles.
If a model or weapon has this special rule, it rolls an additional D6 for armour penetration when targeting a Vehicle model, or, when targeting a model with the Automata or Dreadnought Unit Type, re-rolls all failed rolls To Wound instead. These effects apply to both Shooting Attacks and close combat attacks.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. Once a weapon with the One Use or One Shot special rule has been used to attack, it is no longer counted as a weapon and may not be destroyed (for example, by rolls on the Vehicle Damage table) or repaired by any other rule or effect.An Ancient Terran innovation, pairing a bolter with another secondary weapon to allow elite formations of warriors to project superior firepower at the climactic moment of battle. Most often used to break through enemy lines or to stymie the onslaught of enemy armour, these weapons are the mark of the elite of the Legiones Astartes, issued to the most skilled of warriors to maximise their worth.
Combi-weapons are divided into two types: magna and minor. Both are composed of a primary weapon and a secondary weapon, and a model with any combi-weapon may attack with both primary and secondary weapons in the same Shooting Attack without needing the Firing Protocols (X) special rule.Range | Str | AP | Type | |
Bolter (Primary) | 24" | 4 | 5 | Rapid Fire |
Flamer (Secondary) | Template | 4 | 5 | Assault 1 |
Meltagun (Secondary) | 12" | 8 | 1 | Assault 1, Armourbane (Melta), One Shot |
Plasma gun (Secondary) | 24" | 7 | 4 | Rapid Fire, Breaching (4+), Gets Hot, One Shot |
Volkite charger (Secondary) | 15" | 5 | 5 | Assault 2, Deflagrate |
Grenade launcher (Secondary) | ||||
- Frag | 24" | 3 | 6 | Assault 1, Blast (3"), Pinning |
- Krak | 24" | 5 | 4 | Assault 1 |
Disintegrator* (Secondary) | 24" | 5 | 2 | Rapid Fire, Instant Death, Gets Hot, One Shot |
Some weapons strike with enough force to make a mockery of anything except the most reinforced of armoured shells.
Attacks with this special rule may re-roll failed Armour Penetration rolls against Vehicles and Buildings (both with Shooting Attacks and in close combat) and re-roll Glancing Hits, in an attempt to instead get a Penetrating Hit, but the second result must be kept.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:Ordnance weapons are cannon so vast, they are typically mounted on tanks and artillery.
When making Shooting Attacks, a model equipped 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 attack with it in the Shooting phase if they moved in the preceding Movement phase. Ordnance weapons cannot make Snap Shots. Furthermore, if a non-Vehicle model attacks with an Ordnance weapon, that model may not make any further Shooting Attacks with any other weapon in the Phase nor will it be able to Charge in the ensuing Assault phase. Vehicle models that fire Ordnance weapons may also suffer some restrictions based upon the distance they have moved that turn.
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Each blast from this weapon that pierces its target’s armour sets off a chain reaction of secondary explosions.
If this weapon successfully scores a Penetrating Hit on a target, roll a D6. If the result of that roll is equal to or higher than the value in brackets after the rule, a second automatic Penetrating Hit is inflicted on the same target against which Cover Saves may not be taken. For example, a weapon with the Exoshock (4+) special rule would inflict a second Penetrating Hit on the score of a 4+. This second Penetrating Hit does not gain the effects of any other special rules, and cannot trigger additional Hits.Many armoured fighting vehicles bear simple grenade systems rigged to distribute smoke upon being triggered, granting the vehicle a brief and passing cover that can prove crucial in the worst of situations. Such devices are of most use in slow moving engagements, as a vehicle at maximum speed will quickly disperse or outrun its own smoke shield.
The controlling player may choose to trigger smoke launchers once a model with them has completed its movement in the Movement phase, and may only choose to trigger them if the model has moved no faster than Combat Speed that turn. Once triggered, the model with smoke launchers counts as being more than 25% obscured, regardless of terrain, until the start of the controlling player’s next turn and gains a 6+ Cover Save. A model whose smoke launchers have been triggered may not make any Shooting Attacks, except as part of a Reaction, in the same turn. Smoke launchers may only be used once per battle, and once triggered may not be further used – in addition, they do not count as a weapon and may not be targeted by Weapon Destroyed results on the Vehicle Damage table.Mounted illum-beacons or simple electric torches, many vehicles mount some kind of portable light to aid in target identification and destruction in darkness and poor weather.
A model with searchlights ignores the 24" limit to line of sight imposed by the Night Fighting rules when making Shooting Attacks, however enemy units also ignore that same restriction when making Shooting Attacks that target a model with searchlights.The interface between this vehicle’s advanced machine spirit and its fire control mechanisms allows the crew to target foes with incredible accuracy.
A Vehicle with this special rule may attack different targets with each Ranged weapon it is permitted to fire during any Shooting Attack.This vehicle is specifically designed to disgorge troops into the thick of the action.
Passengers Disembarking from Access Points on a Vehicle with this special rule can Charge on the turn they do so (including when forced to make an Emergency Disembarkation) unless the Vehicle arrived from Reserves that turn.This datasheet has Heavy Support Battlefield Role. Full list of Legiones Astartes units sharing same Battlefield Role follows:
Another of the Mechanicum’s specialised systems that only their high adepts truly understand, a flare shield is a directional electromagnetic flux field generator rumoured by some to be a product of Dark Age technology from a source best left forgotten.
A model with a flare shield reduces the strength of Shooting Attacks made against its Front Armour by -1, or -2 if that Shooting Attack has the Blast special rule or uses a template to determine its Range. A flare shield has no effect on Shooting Attacks inflicted with weapons of the Destroyer type.