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The Rules

Introduction Core Rules Unit Types Special Rules Gaming in the Age of Darkness Battlefield Terrain

Campaigns

The Siege of Cthonia

Factions

Agents of the Cults Abominatio Forces of the Emperor Forces of the Omnissiah Legiones Astartes

The Siege of Cthonia


	Contents Books • The Onslaught Campaign System • Onslaught Campaign Overview ◦ Setting up an Onslaught Campaign • Playing an Onslaught Campaign • Campaign Stratagems ◦ Core Campaign Stratagems • Onslaught Campaign Optional Rules ◦ Character Fatality Table • Battlefield Achievements THE CTHONIA CAMPAIGN • Siege Of Cthonia Optional Rules • Siege of Cthonia Campaign Stratagems Core Missions • How to Use Core Missions ◦ Selecting Armies for Core Missions ◦ Crusade Force Organisation Chart ◦ Select Core Mission to Play ◦ Select Deployment Map 1. Hammer and Anvil 2. Dawn of War 3. Search and Destroy ◦ Placing Terrain ◦ Declare Mission Reserves ◦ Play Core Mission ◦ Decide Victor 1-2 The Crucible Of War 3 The Heart Of Battle 4 Sudden Strike 5 Take And Hold 6 Strike And Fade Apex Missions • Playing Games Using the Apex Missions The Pyre Of Ambition The Ashes Of Victory Zone Mortalis • Zone Mortalis Core Rules • Zone Mortalis Terrain • Terrain Types ◦ Corridors & Chambers ◦ Moving Through Terrain ◦ Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces • Measuring Ranges in Zone Mortalis • Reactions in Zone Mortalis ◦ Deployment and Reinforcements • Firestorm & Shrapnel • Nowhere to Hide • Blind Panic • Objective Markers ◦ Controlling Objective Markers • Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives Preparing for Battle in Zone Mortalis • Selecting Armies for Zone Mortalis ◦ Designating Ceilings • Zone Mortalis Engagement Force Organisation Chart • Behemoths of Destruction • Select Zone Mortalis Mission • Place Zone Mortalis Terrain ◦ Designating Zone Mortalis Terrain • Determine Strategic Advantage • Place Objectives • Determine Starting Reinforcement Points • Reinforcement Points Costs • Deploy Armies ◦ Infiltrate ◦ First Strike • Play Zone Mortalis Mission • Reinforcements ◦ Moving on from Reinforcements ◦ Deep Strike • Decide Victor Zone Mortalis Core Missions Sector Control Sweep And Clear Strategium Assault That Which Waits Below The Rewards Of Corruption Cthonian Underworld Zone Mortalis Terrain Features • Zone Mortalis Campaign Conditions How to Use These Rules


	The following rules present a campaign system that allows players to play a short sequence of linked games. The Onslaught Campaign rules are intended to be used to represent any engagement during the Horus Heresy – but this section also presents a set of additional rules and missions to allow players to replicate the key events of the Siege of Cthonia and re-fight the campaign with their own armies.

Books

Book	Kind	Edition	Version	Last update
The Siege of Cthonia
The Siege of Cthonia	Campaign	2	1.0	August 2023

The Onslaught Campaign System

The Onslaught Campaign system allows for a short series of linked battles of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – sometimes known as ‘Campaigns’. Each battle contributes to a player’s chances of overall success, with a final climactic battle deciding the course of the campaign as a whole. In this context, the Onslaught Campaign system represents two hostile armies manoeuvring and seeking to gain advantage over their enemy, each hoping to force the foe to commit to a final confrontation while they themselves hold the advantage.

An Onslaught Campaign can be used to represent any engagement between the various armies of the Horus Heresy with only the basic rules provided here, or it can be used to represent specific campaigns and historical engagements. When representing a specific campaign, supplementary rules will provide additional rules and options to help theme the battles played as part of that campaign and add further tactical options to battles.

Each Onslaught Campaign requires a minimum of two players and is played over the course of a minimum of two battles and a maximum of six. The armies used by players as part of an Onslaught Campaign can be of any points limit decided by the players involved, but the standard army size of 3,000 points is recommended. In between battles, the players will only need to record the number of battles each has won, though when playing specific campaigns or with certain optional rules other record– keeping may be required between battles.

Onslaught Campaign Overview

The basic sequence of play for an Onslaught Campaign revolves around forcing a Decisive Battle. After each battle that is played as part of an Onslaught Campaign, the player that won the battle must make a Seize the Moment roll, with the chance of success dependent on how many battles in the campaign that player has won. If this Seize the Moment roll is successful then the next battle fought must be the Decisive Battle – and whichever player wins that battle wins the entire campaign, regardless of how many other battles they have won or lost.

Setting up an Onslaught Campaign

To set up an Onslaught Campaign, players should undertake the following steps:

Select a Campaign
Arrange Teams
Select Campaign Stratagems

Select Campaign
Before beginning any battles, the players involved must decide if they are playing a generic Horus Heresy campaign, which is a series of battles not thematically linked to one of the known historical events of the Horus Heresy, or a campaign based upon a specific historical event. Which specific additional rules that will apply to the campaign and all battles played should be decided at this point, with all players being made aware of which rules will be used. Many Warhammer: The Horus Heresy publications will include rules to allow players to theme their Onslaught Campaigns around specific historical events, and will offer advice on which optional rules would best suit such battles.

Arrange Teams
An Onslaught Campaign is intended to be played by two players, with each player taking one side of the conflict. At this stage, the players should decide which Allegiance they will represent during the campaign. When playing a generic Onslaught Campaign, one player should represent the Traitors and the other the Loyalists, while specific campaigns will offer more detailed rules on defining the two sides of the campaign.

However, if desired, an Onslaught Campaign can also be played using two teams of players, with each team representing one side of the conflict. If playing with teams, then those teams should be set at this point of the campaign – with one taking the Loyalist side and the other the Traitor. If possible, teams should be of an equal number of players, and while players may change their army or Faction during the campaign, they should not change team or Allegiance.

Select Campaign Stratagems
Once a campaign has been selected and all teams and Allegiances have been decided, each player must pick four Campaign Stratagems.

These Campaign Stratagems must be selected from either the Core Stratagem list, or from an optional list that is included as part of the specific campaign being played.

A player may select from any available Campaign Stratagem lists, but may not select the same Campaign Stratagem more than once.

Stratagems may be used in any battle played as part of the Onslaught Campaign, and the use of a Campaign Stratagem must be declared before either player has selected an army or scenario to play, with both the number of Campaign Stratagems, but not the name of the specific Campaign Stratagem, being declared to the opposing player.

Each Campaign Stratagem may be used only once per campaign – and once used in any given battle may not be used again. In the Decisive Battle, only the Decisive Player (the player that won the previous battle and succeeded at the Seize the Moment roll) may choose to play Campaign Stratagems, the opposing player may not and any Campaign Stratagems they have left are discarded before the final battle begins and may not be used.

Optional Rules
Some optional Onslaught Campaign rules may require additional setting up before beginning a campaign. If this is the case, then that optional rule will explain how and when to go about this.

Playing an Onslaught Campaign

Once all set-up tasks have been completed, an Onslaught Campaign is played by following these steps, in the sequence shown:

An Onslaught Campaign ends when the Decisive Battle has been resolved – the winner of the Decisive Battle wins the campaign.

Resolving Battles
Each individual battle played as part of an Onslaught Campaign is played as per the standard rules for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy, as agreed by the players. In a standard campaign the following rules apply:

All battles are played with armies of the same points total as agreed at the start of the campaign.
Players may change their army list in between battles, but must adhere to the agreed points limit.
Players may change the Faction of Detachments within their army between battles, but may not change the Allegiance of the army.
All battles must be played using the Core Missions list, the exact mission either randomly determined or agreed upon by both players.

Victory is determined as per the standard rules for Core Missions (see Decide Victor), and once the victor is determined a Seize the Moment roll must be made.

When playing an Onslaught Campaign as part of a team, all members of each team must play a single battle against a member of the opposing team. Once all players have played one battle, then the team that won the most battles must nominate one player to make the Seize the Moment roll. If both sides have won the same number of battles, then the team that scored the highest combined total of Victory points in those battles is the winner. If this still results in a tie, then the two teams must roll off to see which team will nominate a player to make the Seize the Moment roll.

Any player may declare the use of any number of Campaign Stratagems in a battle – though each Campaign Stratagem a player has access to can only be used once per campaign. Campaign Stratagem use is declared before the Mission or Army Lists for a battle have been decided, with either player declaring how many Campaign Stratagems they will commit to the battle at this stage. When the players decide upon their Army Lists, the Campaign Stratagems they intend to use must be noted on those Army Rosters. Once a player has declared the use of a Campaign Stratagem it is considered used, and may not be used again, even if during the course of the battle its effects do not come into play or it is not activated (if the Campaign Stratagem requires activation).

Seize the Moment Rolls
After each battle has been resolved, the winning player must make a Seize the Moment roll. If the battle ended in a draw, then the players must roll-off, with the winner making the Seize the Moment roll. If that Seize the Moment roll is successful, then the next battle played must be the Decisive Battle and the player that succeeded at the Seize the Moment roll is the Decisive player for that battle.

A Seize the Moment roll is made with a single D6, and the score required to succeed is based on the number of battles won by both players up until that point of the campaign, as shown on the table below:

*The winner of the fifth battle in an Onslaught Campaign automatically succeeds at the Seize the Moment roll and no dice are rolled.

When counting the number of battles ‘won’, battles that ended in a draw but for which that player made the Seize the Moment roll are counted as having been ‘won’. In an Onslaught Campaign played with teams composed of multiple players, the number of battles ‘won’ by that team is treated as the number of times that team has been eligible to make the Seize the Moment roll and not the total number of battles the team has won.

Resolving Decisive Battles
A Decisive Battle played as part of an Onslaught Campaign is played as per the standard rules for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy, as agreed by the players.

However, in a standard campaign the following additional rules apply to a Decisive Battle:

All battles are played with armies of the same points total as agreed at the start of the campaign.
Players may change their army list for the Decisive Battle, but must adhere to the agreed points limit.
Players may change the Faction of Detachments within their army for the Decisive Battle, but may not change the Allegiance of the army.
A Decisive Battle may be played using a Mission from an Apex Mission, chosen by the Decisive player. If not using an Apex Mission then any other mission may be chosen by the Decisive player.
When resolving a Decisive Battle, only the Decisive player (the player that succeeded at the Seize the Moment roll) may declare and make use of Stratagems. Any Campaign Stratagems remaining to the other player are discarded before the Decisive battle begins and may not be declared or used.
The player that wins the Decisive Battle wins the campaign, regardless of how many other battles have been won or lost by either player.

Victory in the Decisive Battle is determined as per the standard rules for the Mission being played, and once the victor is determined the Onslaught Campaign ends, with the winner of the Decisive Battle winning the entire campaign. If the Decisive Battle ends in a draw, then the player that has won the most battles over the course of the Onslaught Campaign is declared the winner.

When playing an Onslaught Campaign as part of a team, the Decisive Battle can be handled in a number of ways. The most simple is for the two teams to nominate or randomly select two players to resolve a single Decisive Battle to decide the campaign, in which case all the noted rules for Decisive Battles apply as stated above.

Instead, the two teams can have each player play one opposing player in a Decisive Battle, with the team whose players win the most Decisive Battles claiming victory in the campaign, or the two teams can play a single multi-player battle as the Decisive Battle. In both of these cases, all players on the same team as the player that succeeded at the Seize the Moment roll are treated as Decisive players and can declare and use Campaign Stratagems if they play in a Decisive Battle, while their opponents may not.

Campaign Stratagems

Campaign Stratagems are additional special rules that add beneficial effects to a single game for the player that chooses to use them. They represent the strategic acumen and skill of the commanders directing the campaign and allow the players to tip key battles in their favour – at the cost of losing a potential advantage in a future battle.

At the start of any Onslaught Campaign, each player may select up to four different Campaign Stratagems from either the Core Stratagem list and/or any Campaign Stratagem lists that have been chosen for the campaign they are playing. Each Campaign Stratagem may only be selected once by each player and may only be used once per campaign – and as such its use should be carefully considered, for once expended that advantage is gone.

Before the start of any battle played during the campaign, any player may declare the use of any number of Campaign Stratagems. This must be done before the mission has been selected and before any Army Rosters are finalised, and uses the following procedure:

Both players should secretly record which Campaign Stratagems they wish to declare for the next battle, without showing the opposing player, and then reveal them simultaneously to their opponent. Once both players have seen which Campaign Stratagems have been declared by all players, then armies are selected and a Mission chosen using the standard rules. Note that for the Decisive Battle, only the Decisive Player may declare Campaign Stratagems and as such can simply state to their opponent which will be in use.

The declared Stratagems are then in play for that battle – each individual Campaign Stratagem will detail how and when it is used during a battle. The effects of any given Campaign Stratagem are in play only for the battle for which it was declared, and do not affect any other battle. Note that during the campaign’s Decisive Battle, only the Decisive player (the player that succeeded at the Seize the Moment roll) may declare and use Campaign Stratagems – a key advantage for seizing victory.

Once a Campaign Stratagem has been declared, it will no longer be available in any future battles that take place during that Onslaught Campaign. In order to make best use of their limited pool of Campaign Stratagems, players will have to balance using them to win earlier battles against saving them for the Decisive Battle.

The following list comprises the Core Campaign Stratagems, these are suitable for use in any Onslaught Campaign and are always available for players to select:

Core Campaign Stratagems

Big Guns Never Tire

For this battle the commander has released all reserves of artillery and heavy tanks for one great
assault on the enemy’s lines.

The player that declared this Stratagem may include an additional Heavy Support choice in each Detachment of their army (these must be paid for from the army’s points limit as normal).

Forced March

Pushing their warriors to the limits of their endurance allows a general to claim the greater portion of the battlefield.

The player that has declared this Stratagem may shift the boundary of one edge of their Deployment Zone up to 6" in one direction (this does not allow a player to expand their Deployment Zone off of the battlefield or into another player’s Deployment Zone, and may only be used to have the Deployment Zone cover more of the available battlefield). If both players have declared this Stratagem, then they must roll off to see which player will apply its effects first – this may limit or stop the opposing player from making use of the Stratagem.

Lightning Strike

Warriors ready to pounce, the canny general plans for their reserves to be unleashed as a hammer
blow upon the foe.

The player that declared this Stratagem passes all Reserves rolls they are called upon to make on the roll of a 2+ instead of a 3+. Additionally, if the player that declared this Stratagem has any units in Reserves at the beginning of Turn 3, they may choose to have them enter play automatically without any dice being rolled.

No Surrender

One last assault is often enough to turn the battle around and wear down the enemy’s defences.

The player that declared this Stratagem may, at the end of the last Game Turn of the battle, choose for one additional Game Turn to be played. During this additional Game Turn, all units under the control of the player that declared this Stratagem gain the Fearless special rule for the remainder of the battle (units that were Falling Back stop Falling Back and act normally, while units that were Pinned recover and may also act normally). If both players have declared this Stratagem, then one additional Game Turn must be played (the players may not choose to not play it) and both players gain the benefits of this Stratagem during that Game Turn.

Masters of the Crusade

The Primarchs were masters of entire Legions, but would sometimes take command of smaller forces where the need was dire.

The player that declared this Stratagem may ignore the points limitation placed on models with the Primarch Unit Type for that battle – which means that any amount of the army’s Points Limit may be spent on a Primarch choice, allowing their use in smaller battles than would normally be allowed.

Renewed Zeal

The best generals fight not only on the battlefield, but also in the spirit of their warriors, seeking to exult them to heroism.

During the battle for which this Stratagem has been declared, none of the units under the control of the player that declared this Stratagem may be Pinned. If they would normally be Pinned, then instead that unit moves D6+1" towards the nearest enemy unit it can draw line of sight to (if there are no enemy units in line of sight then it does not move).

The Perfect Ground

It is not only warriors that win battles, a battlefield well chosen and prepared can prove as deadly as any blade or cannon.

The player that declared this Stratagem decides what terrain will be used in the battle and also places it onto the battlefield – the opposing player may not place any terrain (other than Fortifications that are part of their army). If both players have declared this Stratagem, then they must roll-off to see which player will apply its effects, the loser of the roll-off gains no benefit and the Stratagem is still expended.

Remembrancer Corps

Sometimes how a battle is remembered is more important than how well it was fought or how cunning was the general’s strategy.

Whenever the player that declared this Stratagem scores Victory points, roll one D6 for each Victory point scored. For each D6 that results in a 4+, the player that declared this Stratagem scores an additional Victory point.

Into Hel’s Heart

Warriors that are prepared to die serve best when given the chance to prove their convictions.

Any units controlled by the player that declared this Stratagem, that are deployed using the Deep Strike special rule or as part of a Deep Strike Assault, do not scatter when deployed, and whenever a rule would require any model from such a unit to be scattered it is ignored.

The First Cut

Often, it is not strength or cannon that decide victory, but which side strikes first.

The player that declared this Stratagem chooses which player will take the first player turn and which player will deploy first, no dice are rolled to determine this. If both players have declared this Stratagem, then they must roll off to see which player will apply its effects, the loser of the roll-off gains no benefit and the Stratagem is still expended.

Onslaught Campaign Optional Rules

This section presents a number of optional rules that players may choose to add to their Onslaught Campaigns to add an extra challenge at the cost of some additional complexity. These optional rules are not linked to any specific historical campaign and may be used in any Onslaught Campaign.

As with all optional rules, the players involved in any Onslaught Campaign should agree which, if any, of these rules are in effect before the start of the campaign.

Character Casualties
The fate of heroic warlords, as well as famed and infamous characters, is a key part of the struggle and epic scale of the Horus Heresy, and such influential figures cannot simply be expended as resources – for no force can expect to succeed in battle without their greatest warriors.

If a player’s Warlord and/or any model with the Unique Unit Sub-type are removed as a casualty during a campaign battle (including when due to falling back off the battlefield, etc.), the controlling player must roll a D6 for each such model at the end of the battle – after the victor has been decided, but before the victor makes any Seize the Moment rolls. The result of this D6 roll should be referenced on the Character Fatality table (as follows), and apply to the remainder of the model’s controlling player’s battles in the campaign. If the controlling player was victorious in the battle in which the model was removed as a casualty, they may add +1 to the result of the D6 roll on the Character Fatality table.

Note that if a Warlord that does not have the Unique Subtype suffers a negative effect from a roll on the Character Fatality table, then the controlling player may elect to simply not use that model in future battles during that campaign. If they choose to do so then they may not field a model selected from the same unit entry in the next battle of the Onslaught Campaign.

For example, if a player selects a Legion Praetor as part of their army and uses it as the army’s Warlord, but that model is removed as a casualty in play and suffers a negative effect and the controlling player elects not to use that Warlord in following battles, then that player would not be able to select any models using the Legion Praetor Army List entry in their next battle.

Character Fatality Table

D6	Result
1	Mortally Wounded: This model may not be used in any further battles during this Onslaught Campaign – and the opposing player gains a bonus of +1 to any Seize the Moment rolls made for the battle in which this model was removed as a Casualty (if they are eligible to make such a roll).
2-3	Badly Hurt: This model begins the next battle in which it is selected as part of an army with one less Wound than shown on its profile, to a minimum of 1 Wound. After that battle it suffers no further penalties (unless it is again removed from play as a casualty and suffers penalties from a roll on this table).
4-5	Shaken: This model suffers a modifier of -1 to its Leadership Characteristic in the next battle where it is selected as part of an army in this campaign. This penalty will be in effect in every following battle until the controlling player wins a battle in which this model has been deployed, after which it suffers no further penalties (unless it is again removed from play as a casualty and suffers penalties from a roll on this table). This penalty to Leadership stacks (reducing the model’s Leadership Characteristic to a minimum of 1) should the model be removed as a casualty again before the initial penalty has been removed.
6	Unscathed: This model may be used again in subsequent battles without penalty.
7+	Hungry for Revenge: This model gains a bonus of +1 to its Attacks Characteristic in the next battle where it is selected as part of an army in this campaign. After that battle, it gains no further bonus (unless it is again removed from play as a casualty and gains benefits from a roll on this table).

Battlefield Achievements

Victory offers those with the courage to seize it numerous benefits, but to those with the elan to grasp it in the most spectacular or beneficial manner it can be so much greater. When a battle is more than a simple fight, but a tool to force the enemy into the ideal position for the final blow, the ability to make the most of victory is key to controlling the flow of a campaign.

Once a battle has ended and a victor decided, the winning player may apply modifiers to their Seize the Moment roll based on the manner in which they won and the composition of their army – for a greater victory or more manoeuvrable army will allow victory to be more easily followed up on.

If this optional rule is in use, then the following modifiers may be claimed by a victorious player when making their Seize the Moment roll as long as they fulfil one or more of the criteria required, referred to as Battlefield Achievements (future publications or specific campaign rules may provide additional Battlefield Achievements):

Overwhelming Victory

If the winning player has fulfilled the following Battlefield Achievement, then they may roll an additional dice when making a Seize the Moment roll and select a single dice from among those rolled to determine the result of the roll:

If the winning player’s total number of Victory points was double or more than that of the losing player, then the victor has fulfilled this Battlefield Achievement.

Undaunted

If the winning player has fulfilled the following Battlefield Achievement, then they may add +1 to the result of the Seize the Moment roll (to a maximum result of 6):

If, by the end of the battle, all enemy models with any of the following Unit Types or Unit Sub-types in the enemy army have been removed as casualties (Primarch, Unique, Super-heavy, Knights and Titans), then the victor has fulfilled this Battlefield Achievement.

Battlefield Superiority

If the winning player has fulfilled the following Battlefield Achievement, then they may re-roll any one dice rolled to determine the result of the Seize the Moment roll:

If, at the end of the battle, at least half of the units recorded on the victor’s army roster are on the battlefield and have not been entirely removed as casualties and/or are not Falling Back at the end of the battle then the victor has fulfilled this Battlefield Achievement.

Pyrrhic Victory

If the winning player has fulfilled the following Battlefield Achievement, then they must roll an additional dice when making a Seize the Moment roll and select the single dice that scored the lowest result from among those rolled to determine the final result of the roll:

If, at the end of the battle, both players have the same number of Victory points and the victor is decided by a tiebreaker of any kind then the player that counts as the victor has fulfilled this Battlefield Achievement.

THE CTHONIA CAMPAIGN

This section presents a series of additional rules to allow players to tailor their Onslaught Campaign to represent the Siege of Cthonia. A full Siege of Cthonia Onslaught Campaign will use all of the optional rules presented here, and will allow players to select from the additional Campaign Stratagems provided. Additionally, when playing a full Siege of Cthonia Onslaught Campaign, the Decisive Battle should be played using one of the Apex Missions.

While historically, the Siege of Cthonia was fought primarily between forces of the Imperial Fists and Sons of Horus, with aid from the Word Bearers, Raven Guard, Alpha Legion, Iron Hands, Thousand Sons and Dark Angels, players may choose to use any combination of armies and Factions when playing the campaign. Whether it is considered to be an alternative history – a ‘what-if’ situation, or simply a focus on lesser known forces that were present on the sidelines of history, it is completely acceptable to tailor the setting and rules to suit the preferences of the players involved.

Siege Of Cthonia Optional Rules

The following rules are intended as optional rules for the Onslaught Campaign system, allowing players to fight the Siege of Cthonia themselves. These rules are divided into two sections: first are a number of optional rules that are applied to every game played as part of a Siege of Cthonia Onslaught Campaign, and secondly a list of Siege of Cthonia Campaign Stratagems is provided.

As with any Onslaught Campaign, players should agree which of the optional rules presented here are in play before beginning a campaign.

Ancient Domain

Many of the Sons of Horus began their lives in the deep underworld or empty wastelands of Cthonia, and even those recruited from other worlds had long heard tales of that benighted planet. As a result they were intimately familiar with its terrain and secrets, granting them an advantage that few other warriors could match.

If this optional rule is in play during a campaign representing the Siege of Cthonia, then an army whose Primary Detachment has the Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus) special rule may re-roll any dice rolls made to Seize the Initiative and succeeds at Reserves rolls on the score of 2+ rather than 3+.

A Claim Marked in Stone

The Imperial Fists have always been known for marking their conquests with new fortresses, raised to show the dominion of the Imperium and the rule of the Emperor’s law.

If this optional rule is in play during a campaign representing the Siege of Cthonia, then an army whose Primary Detachment has the Legiones Astartes (Imperial Fists) special rule may choose to deploy a Fortified Wall composed of three Strongpoints anywhere within their Deployment Zone at no additional cost in points. If the Imperial Fists player chooses to deploy these Fortifications, and at least one Strongpoint has a friendly unit with the Legiones Astartes (Imperial Fists) special rule Embarked upon it or occupying its battlements, at the end of the final Game Turn, then the Imperial Fists player scores 1 Victory point.

A Seal of Blood

If this optional rule is in play during a campaign representing the Siege of Cthonia, then all Psychic tests made gain a penalty, and all Psychic Weapons and models with the Daemon Unit Type or Corrupted Unit Sub-type gain bonuses based on the number of battles played so far in the campaign – shown on the Blood Seal modifier table below as the ‘Blood Seal modifier’.

When this optional rule is in effect, any model making a Psychic test must apply the Blood Seal modifier as a negative modifier to their Leadership Characteristic, but only for Psychic tests and not for Morale or other Leadership checks. Models with the Daemon Unit Type or Corrupted Unit Sub-type apply the Blood Seal modifier as a positive modifier to the Strength Characteristic of those models. Attacks made with Psychic Weapons apply the Blood Seal modifier as a positive modifier to the Strength of the attack, however if a Psychic Weapon has a Strength of ‘-’ or ‘0’ then it gains no bonus from this optional rule.

BLOOD SEAL MODIFIER TABLE

No. of battles	Modifier
1	0
2-3	1
4-5	2
6+	2 *

*All models with the Daemon Unit Type or Corrupted Unit Sub-type gain the Battle Hardened (2) special rule and all Psychic Weapons gain the Murderous Strike (6+) special rule in addition to all other benefits, while all instances of Perils of the Warp suffered by any model or unit inflict the maximum number of Wounds.

Siege of Cthonia Campaign Stratagems

The following list comprises the Siege of Cthonia Campaign Stratagems. These are suitable for use in an Onslaught Campaign intended to represent the Siege of Cthonia campaign and are only available for players to select if all players in the campaign agree on their use:

Underworld Nexus

Cthonia’s underworld criss-crossed the planet in a network of tunnels and sinkholes, many of which were dangerously close to the surface. While few of these sinkholes were large enough for entire armies to transition between the surface wastelands and the depths of the underworld, many were capable of allowing small units to mount ambushes and surprise attacks on an unsuspecting foe.

When this Campaign Stratagem is declared, the player that declared it may deploy a Sinkhole marker on the battlefield at the start of the battle – before any models are deployed by either player, but after all terrain has been placed. This Sinkhole marker is represented by a Blast (3") marker that may be placed anywhere on the battlefield where the marker is not over terrain of any kind. Once per Game Turn, a single unit composed entirely of models with the Infantry Unit Type controlled by the player that declared this Stratagem that does not include any models with the Bulky (X) special rule may enter play from Reserves using the edge of the Sinkhole marker as the edge of the battlefield.

Inductii Reserves

The armies that came to Cthonia at the end of the Horus Heresy relied heavily on Inductii warriors to form their reserves. These Space Marines were the equal of their veteran brothers in skill at arms, but not their battle record, and when committed to the fray fought that much harder to prove their worth to their commanders.

When this Campaign Stratagem is declared, any units that include one or more models with the Inductii Unit Sub-type that are included in the army of the player that declared this Campaign Stratagem must be placed into Reserves at the start of the battle. When a unit that includes one or more models with the Inductii Unit Sub-type that is controlled by the player that declared this Campaign Stratagem enters play from Reserves, all models in that unit gain the Fearless and Furious Charge (1) special rules until the start of their controlling player’s next player turn.

Titan Support

On the wide plains of Cthonia, the titan battle groups that accompanied the armies were true terrors, vulnerable but dominating. Where they walked, lesser combatants trembled and the commanders committed them only to the most critical battles – for should they be destroyed then the battle for Cthonia would be in grave peril.

When this Campaign Stratagem is declared, the player that declared it may ignore the points limitation placed on models with the Titan Unit Sub-type for that battle – which means that any amount of the army’s points limit may be spent on Titans (but all Compulsory slots on the Force Organisation chart must be filled as normal and models with the Titan Unit Sub-type still use up a Lords of War choice).

Memories of the Crusade

The warriors that fought on Cthonia had seen the worst of the Horus Heresy and the decline of the once-great Legiones Astartes. Many veterans saw the conflict as a chance to re-assert the old ways, the renowned art of battle that had won so many wars in the Great Crusade, heavy infantry in deep formation marching onwards to glory or death.

When this Campaign Stratagem is declared, all Legion Tactical Squads controlled by the player that declared this stratagem that, at the start of the controlling player’s turn, are composed of 10 or more models gain the Inexorable special rule, if composed of more than 10 models they also gain the Feel No Pain (6+) special rule or, if the unit already has a variant of the Feel No Pain special rule adds +1 to the value in brackets of that variant (this stacks with the benefits of the Heart of the Legion special rule to a maximum of Feel No Pain (2+), until the start of the controlling player’s next turn).

Core Missions


	The Core Missions are intended to be used as both part of a linked set of campaign games using the campaign rules, and as the standard Matched Play experience. These missions are balanced for both competitive and casual play alike and allow players to make full use of the tactical options presented in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy rules.

How to Use Core Missions

The following rules will allow players to make use of the Core Missions when playing battles, from selecting armies through to resolving the end result of the mission.

Playing Games Using the Core Missions
Regardless of whether using the Core Missions for standalone battles or as part of a campaign, all players must prepare for the battle using the following preparatory steps. Each of these steps should be completed in the sequence they are presented in, with each step being fully completed before moving on to the next.


	Core Mission Sequence Select Armies Select Core Mission Select Deployment Map Place Terrain Declare Mission Reserves Play Core Mission Decide Victor

Selecting Armies for Core Missions

The first step in preparing to play a Core Mission is for all players to create an Army Roster, a list of all models, units and options to be included in their army.

All armies for use in a Core Mission must use a points limit of 3,000 points, or as dictated by the campaign rules or the choice of all players involved in the battles, selected using the Crusade Force Organisation chart. Furthermore, all armies for use in a Core Mission must be selected before the mission is selected or any other stage of battle preparation is taken – this includes selecting any Warlord Traits, Rites of War, Psychic Disciplines or other such options, which must all be noted on the controlling player’s Army Roster.


	Crusade Force Organisation Chart Primary Detachment (Required) Compulsory: 1 HQ, 2 Troops Optional: +2 HQ, +4 Troops, +4 Elites, +3 Fast Attack, +3 Heavy Support, +1 Fortification, +1 Primarch Allied Detachment (Optional) Compulsory: 1 HQ, 1 Troops Optional: +3 Troops, +2 Elites, +1 Fast Attack, +1 Heavy Support Lords of War Detachment (Optional) Compulsory: 1 Lords of War

Once Army Rosters have been completed by all players taking part in the battle, those Army Rosters are then available for any player to review, excepting only any options where a special rule specifically requires a choice to be kept secret from another player. A player may not choose to amend their own Army Roster after having reviewed that of any of their opponents.

Select Core Mission to Play

Once all Army Rosters are completed, and all players have had the opportunity to review those of their opponents, a Core Mission must be selected for play.

The players may either select one of the Core Missions that both players agree on; roll off and have the winner select a Core Mission to play; or roll a single D6 on the table below to decide which Core Mission will be played. The default method is for the players to roll off and the winning player to roll once on the table below, with that D6 roll determining which mission will be played.

CORE MISSIONS

D6	Result
1-2	The Crucible of War
3	The Heart of Battle
4	Sudden Strike
5	Take and Hold
6	Strike and Fade

Select Deployment Map

Once all terrain has been placed onto the battlefield, a deployment map must be chosen for the deployment of armies.

The players may either select one of the core deployment maps that both players agree on; roll off and have the winner select a core deployment map to use; or roll a single dice on the table below to decide which core deployment map will be used. The default method is for the players to roll off and the winning player to roll once on the table below, with that dice roll determining which deployment map will be used.

CORE DEPLOYMENT MAPS

D6	Result
1-2	Hammer and Anvil
3-5	Dawn of War
6	Search and Destroy

1. Hammer and Anvil

If players are using the Hammer and Anvil deployment map, the battlefield is divided into two equal halves across its width.

For Hammer and Anvil battles, a player’s battlefield edge is the short battlefield edge touching their own Deployment Zone.

2. Dawn of War

If players are using the Dawn of War deployment map, the battlefield is divided into two equal halves across its length.

For Dawn of War battles, a player’s battlefield edge is the long battlefield edge touching their own Deployment Zone.

3. Search and Destroy

The Search and Destroy deployment map divides the battlefield into four equal quarters. Each quarter constitutes a Deployment Zone. Units may not be deployed into the circular 18" diameter area at the centre of the battlefield.

A player’s battlefield edges are any that form part of their Deployment Zone.

Placing Terrain

Once a Core Mission has been chosen and all Army Rosters have been completed, the players place terrain on the battlefield. All Core Missions must be played on a battlefield measuring 6’ x 4’ – this must be a flat area whose edges are clearly defined for all players.

Before placing terrain, the players must decide what terrain will be available to be placed for this battle. When playing a Core Mission, the following is suggested as an appropriate amount of terrain for use, though players may instead choose to use an amount of terrain appropriate to their collection and reference:

Area Terrain

Two large zones of generic Area Terrain (i.e. rubble or other difficult ground that provides a 6+ Cover Save, counts as Difficult Terrain and does not block line of sight) of up to an approximate footprint of 10" x 10" and two smaller zones of specific Area Terrain (Ruins, Woods or Craters) with a footprint of approximately 6" x 6".

Terrain Features

Six Terrain Features, none that occupies an area larger than 4" x 4". These may be either Impassable Terrain that blocks line of sight, or Buildings of a small or medium size that begin the battle controlled by neither player. If desired, Buildings may be replaced with Ruin Area Terrain with the same footprint.

Fortifications

No Fortifications should be placed, unless the Core Mission being played specifically calls for such a piece of terrain. Any Fortifications selected as part of a player’s army are deployed during the deployment stage of a Mission alongside other units and not during this stage.

Once terrain has been assembled, the players should roll off. The player that wins the roll-off then chooses a piece of terrain and places it anywhere on the battlefield, after which the opposing player chooses a piece of undeployed terrain and places it anywhere on the battlefield. The players continue to alternate placing terrain until all available terrain has been placed onto the battlefield.

When placing terrain onto the battlefield, no piece of terrain may be placed so that it overlaps with the base or footprint of another piece, nor in any position that would cause any part of the terrain piece to be outside the boundary of the battlefield. If there are pieces of terrain that cannot be placed due to these restrictions, then those pieces of terrain must be discarded and are not used as part of the battle – if possible, the player attempting to place that piece of terrain may choose a different terrain piece to place.

Once all pieces of terrain have been placed onto the battlefield, each player, starting with the player that placed the first piece of terrain, may choose any one piece of terrain and redeploy or remove that piece of terrain – following the rules listed above. Note that both players may not select and redeploy the same piece of terrain.

Declare Mission Reserves

Once all terrain has been placed, both players should roll off. The player that loses the roll-off must then declare if they intend to make a Deep Strike Assault, Flanking Assault, Subterranean Assault, Drop Pod Assault or other similar special deployment from Reserves, and which units from their Army Roster will be committed to those actions. Once these units have been noted on that player’s Army Roster, the player that won the roll off must declare if they intend to make a Deep Strike Assault, Flanking Assault, Subterranean Assault, Drop Pod Assault or other similar special deployment from Reserves, and which units from their Army Roster will be committed to those actions.


	RESERVES ACTIONS A Reserves Action is any special rule that requires a player to assign units to a specific alternative type of deployment that forces units assigned to the action to begin the battle in Reserves. The most common examples of Reserves Actions are Deep Strike Assaults and Flanking Assaults.

Once both players have declared all appropriate Reserves actions, they may choose to place any other units from their armies into Reserves. These units may not be added to an already declared Reserves Action, nor may further Reserves Actions be cleared at this point.

Note that all players must deploy at least one unit onto the battlefield at the start of play, unless another special rule states otherwise.

During deployment, further units may only be added to Reserves if there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy them according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.

Play Core Mission

Once all prior steps have been completed, the players should begin the battle as instructed in the mission rules.

All Core Missions are played for four Game Turns. At the end of the fourth Game Turn, the battle ends and the players move to the final step to decide the battle’s victor.

Some special rules or missions may allow for additional turns to be played in certain circumstances. In all cases these rules will explain how and when these additional turns come into effect.


	Sudden Death If, at the end of any Game Turn, any player has no models on the battlefield, the battle immediately ends regardless of the number of turns that have been played. Models that are in Reserves do not count as being ‘on the battlefield’, however models in a unit that is Falling Back, or Embarked in a model with the Transport Sub-type or in a Building or Fortification, do. If a battle is ended due to the Sudden Death rule then the victor is still decided by Victory points scored up to that point in the battle, but the player that still has models on the battlefield scores an additional Victory point.

Decide Victor

Once all turns have been completed in a battle played using the Core Missions, the victor is decided by the number of Victory points the players have scored.

Victory points are scored either by the Primary objective, which is unique to the Core Mission being played and detailed as part of that Core Mission, or by Secondary Objectives, which are common to all Core Missions.

In any Core Mission, the following Secondary Objectives will always be in play:

Slay the Warlord

If a player causes the enemy Warlord to be removed as a Casualty for any reason before the end of the battle, that player scores 1 Victory point. If the enemy player’s Warlord also had the Primarch Unit Type then the player that caused it to be removed as a casualty scores an additional Victory point.

Giant Killer

If a player causes an enemy model with the Super-heavy, Knight, Titan or Lumbering Sub-type to be removed as a casualty, then that player scores 2 Victory points (this may only be scored once per battle, regardless of the number of qualifying units removed as casualties).

Last Man Standing

If, at the end of the battle, a player has more units that are not Falling Back on the battlefield than all enemy players combined, then that player scores 1 Victory point. If that player has twice as many units that are not Falling Back on the battlefield than all enemy players combined, then that player scores an additional Victory point.

Break Their Ranks

If a player causes one or more enemy units to have all of their remaining models removed as casualties (units that Fall Back off the battlefield count for this purpose) in their first Player Turn as the Active player, then that player scores 1 Victory point. If at least one of the units whose models were removed as casualties was an Elites or HQ choice then that player scores an additional Victory point.

The player with the most Victory points is the victor. If both players have scored the same number of Victory points then the game is a draw.

MISSION 1-2

The Crucible Of War

This mission is a clash of armies on open ground, each vying to take and control the field of battle and deny the strategic position to the foe.

In order to claim victory in the Crucible of War, players must capture and hold three Objective markers to accumulate Victory points each turn.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: CONTROL THE FIELD

At the end of each of their player turns, the Active player scores 1 Victory point for each Objective marker they control.
Players may also score Victory points from the Core Mission Secondary Objectives.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the player with the highest total of Victory points is the winner.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before beginning set-up, the players should roll off. The winner of this roll-off gains Strategic Advantage.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, and starting with the player with Strategic Advantage, the players must alternate placing Objective markers anywhere on the battlefield that is not within any player’s Deployment Zone, is at least 6" from any battlefield edge, is at least 12" from any other Objective marker and not within any area of Impassable Terrain.

A total of three Objective markers must be placed for this Core Mission.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the player with Strategic Advantage must select a Deployment Zone from the map determined during set-up and deploy their entire army. Once the player with Strategic Advantage has deployed all of their units, the player without Strategic Advantage must set up all of their own units in the Deployment Zone that was not chosen by the opposing player.
If there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy one or more of their units according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played, those units may be placed into Reserves instead. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.
Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

THE FIRST TURN
The player with Strategic Advantage takes the first turn, unless the opposing player can Seize the Initiative.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Core Missions all have the Reserves Mission special rule. Additionally, the player with Strategic Advantage may choose to begin the battle with the Night Fighting special rule in effect.

MISSION 3

The Heart Of Battle

Two determined forces clash in open war, seeking to meet their foe and sweep them from the field. This is war in its most uncompromising form, brutal and unrestrained.

In order to claim victory in the Heart of Battle, players must capture a single central Objective marker to accumulate Victory points each turn.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: THE STORM’S CENTRE

At the end of each of their player turns, the Active Player scores 3 Victory points if they control the Objective marker.
Players may also score Victory points from the Core Mission Secondary Objectives.
At the end of Game Turn Four the player with the highest total of Victory points is the winner.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before beginning set-up, the players should roll off. The winner of this roll-off gains Strategic Advantage.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, a single Objective marker is placed at the centre point of the battlefield. If the Objective marker cannot be placed at the centre of the battlefield, due to the presence of Impassable Terrain or another obstacle, then the player with Strategic Advantage must select a point on the battlefield as close to the centre of the battlefield as possible, whilst also being outside of any area of Impassable Terrain and clear of any obstacles, to place the Objective.

A single Objective marker must be placed for this Core Mission.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the player with Strategic Advantage must select a Deployment Zone from the map determined during set-up and deploy their entire army. Once the player with Strategic Advantage has deployed all of their units, the player without Strategic Advantage must set up all of their own units in the Deployment Zone that was not chosen by the opposing player.
If there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy one or more of their units according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played, those units may be placed into Reserves instead. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.
Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

MISSION 4

Sudden Strike

Two forces must seek to take swift control of the battlefield in order to secure victory. Hesitation will only grant advantage to the enemy, but a bold and committed onslaught will set them on the backfoot.

In order to claim victory in Sudden Strike, players must capture six Objective markers to accumulate Victory points – but beware, as each Objective can be captured only once.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: SHIFTING PRIORITIES

At the end of each of their player turns after the first, the Active Player may select a number of Objective markers from among those that they control based on the current Game Turn (as shown below). The Active Player scores 1 Victory point for each Objective marker selected, but those Objective markers must then be immediately removed and may not be scored again by either player.
- On Game Turn One, no Objectives may be chosen or scored.
- On Game Turn Two, a single Objective may be chosen and scored.
- On Game Turn 3 and all further Game Turns, two
Objectives may be chosen and scored.
Players may also score Victory points from the Core Mission Secondary Objectives.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the player with the highest total of Victory points is the winner.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before beginning set-up, the players should roll off. The winner of this roll-off gains Strategic Advantage.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, and starting with the player with Strategic Advantage, the players must alternate placing Objective markers anywhere on the battlefield that is not within any player’s Deployment Zone, is at least 6" from any battlefield edge, is at least 12" from any other Objective marker and not within any area of Impassable Terrain.

A total of six Objective markers must be placed for this Core Mission.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the player with Strategic Advantage must select a Deployment Zone from the map determined during set-up and deploy their entire army. Once the player with Strategic Advantage has deployed all of their units, the player without Strategic Advantage must set up all of their own units in the Deployment Zone that was not chosen by the opposing player.
If there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy one or more of their units according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played, those units may be placed into Reserves instead. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.
Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

MISSION 5

Take And Hold

To claim victory, an army must seek to hold both their own territory and claim that of the foe. Here, a general must apply both a powerful offence and a solid defence, or be doomed to a stalemate that denies victory to either side.

In order to claim victory in Take and Hold, players must hold an Objective marker in their own territory and capture one in enemy territory to accumulate Victory points.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: ALL OR NOTHING

At the end of each of their player turns, the Active player scores 1 Victory point if they control a single Objective marker, or 3 Victory points if they control two Objective markers.
Players may also score Victory points from the Core Mission Secondary Objectives.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the player with the highest total of Victory points is the winner.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before beginning set-up, the players should roll off. The winner of this roll-off gains Strategic Advantage.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, each player must place a single Objective marker anywhere in the opposing player’s Deployment Zone that is at least 6" from any battlefield edge and not within any area of Impassable Terrain.

A total of two Objective markers must be placed for this Core Mission.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the player with Strategic Advantage must select a Deployment Zone from the map determined during set-up and deploy their entire army. Once the player with Strategic Advantage has deployed all of their units, the player without Strategic Advantage must set up all of their own units in the Deployment Zone that was not chosen by the opposing player.
If there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy one or more of their units according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played, those units may be placed into Reserves instead. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.
Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

MISSION 6

Strike And Fade

The best generals can adapt to the shifting tides of war, and in this battle they must keep pace with changing intelligence and shifting responsibilities to control the battlefield and defeat the foe.

In order to claim victory in Strike and Fade, players must capture an Objective marker that shifts each turn in order to accumulate Victory points.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: TIDES OF WAR

At the end of each of their player turns, the Active Player scores a number of Victory points equal to the current Game Turn number if they control the Objective marker. Once any player has scored Victory points from the Objective, it must be immediately scattered D6+6" as described in the rules for Objectives.
Players may also score Victory points from the Core Mission Secondary Objectives.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the player with the highest total of Victory points is the winner.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before beginning set-up, the players should roll off. The winner of this roll-off gains Strategic Advantage.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, a single Objective marker must be placed at the centre of the battlefield, or as close as is possible without the Objective being placed within Impassable Terrain. Once the Objective marker has been placed it should be scattered D6+2" – if this would place the Objective marker off the edge of the battlefield or on Impassable Terrain, then the player with Strategic Advantage must move the Objective marker the minimum possible distance in a direction of their choosing so that it is on the battlefield and not on an area of Impassable Terrain. If a ‘Hit’ symbol is rolled while scattering the Objective marker, then the Scatter dice must be re-rolled until a result that is not a ‘Hit’ is rolled.

A single Objective marker must be placed for this Core Mission.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the player with Strategic Advantage must select a Deployment Zone from the map determined during set-up and deploy their entire army. Once the player with Strategic Advantage has deployed all of their units, the player without Strategic Advantage must set up all of their own units in the Deployment Zone that was not chosen by the opposing player.
If there is no position where the controlling player can legitimately deploy one or more of their units according to the deployment rules of the Core Mission being played, those units may be placed into Reserves instead. Where this is the case, those units that cannot be deployed are placed immediately into Reserves – but cannot be assigned to any previously declared Reserves Action.
Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

Apex Missions

HOW TO USE APEX MISSIONS

Apex Missions are intended to be used as both part of a linked set of campaign games using the Onslaught Campaign rules, or as one-off gaming events for players interested in a more narrative gaming experience. They are not intended for Matched Play events and will often present asymmetrical or unbalanced situations intended to represent specific background events. As part of an Onslaught Campaign, they are intended for use when players play a Decisive Battle – but may be substituted for a Core Mission during play whenever both players agree to their use.

In all cases, Apex Missions should only be used when all players agree to their use, and are given the opportunity to select an army tailored to the mission – in many cases these missions will prove more difficult or awkward if players do not adjust their forces to meet the unique challenge of each Apex Mission.

The Apex Missions presented here are intended to represent the Siege of Cthonia, and present a series of battles allowing players to refight key parts of the narrative.

Playing Games Using the Apex Missions

Regardless of whether using an Apex Mission for standalone battles or as part of a campaign, all players must prepare for the battle using the following preparatory steps. Each of these steps should be completed in the sequence they are presented in, with each step being fully completed before moving on to the next. Most of the steps are identical to those used when preparing to play a Core Mission and players should consult those rules for further details.


	Apex Mission Sequence Select Apex Mission* Select Armies Place Terrain Declare Mission Reserves Play Apex Mission Decide Victor *Note that some Apex Missions may place specific limits or restrictions on any of the following steps, in all cases these will be detailed as part of that Mission. As such players are encouraged to read the Apex Mission in full at this point before continuing.

SIEGE OF CTHONIA APEX MISSION

The Pyre Of Ambition

The first gambit of the Sons of Horus’ attack on the Cthonia system almost became a disaster for the invasion fleet. The assault was tricked into landing amid a vast minefield and surrounded by Loyalist troops, and was forced into a series of gruelling battles – first in an attempt to push home the attack and then simply to survive. It was only due to the skill and fortitude of the Sons of Horus warriors on the ground that allowed the Traitor host to turn utter disaster into a semblance of victory.

In order to claim victory in the Pyre of Ambition, the defending player must consolidate their scattered forces at the evacuation zones and then hold out for as long as possible – while the attacking player must seek to keep their opponent disordered and use the mission’s unique rules to eliminate a superior foe.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: HOLD UNTIL RELIEVED

At the end of each of their player turns, the Defending player scores 1 Victory point for each Objective marker they control – the objectives representing the evacuation zones. The attacking player scores 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that is entirely removed from play as casualties – including any units that Fall Back off the battlefield and are counted as destroyed.
No Secondary Objectives are used in this mission, but any special rules or Warlord Traits that allow players to score Victory points may be used.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the defending player must roll a D6. On the score of a 4+ the battle ends, if the score is less than 4 then another full turn is played. At the end of Game Turn Five (if Game Turn Five is played), the defending player must roll a dice, on the score of a 3+ the battle ends, if the score is less than 3 then another full turn is played. If a sixth Game Turn is played then the battle automatically ends once that turn is completely resolved.
Once the battle has ended, the player with the highest total number of Victory points is declared the victor.

BATTLE SET-UP ATTACKER & DEFENDER ROLES
Before beginning the Pyre of Ambition mission, the players must determine which player will take the role of the Attacker and which the role of the Defender. This can be done either by player choice or by a roll-off, with the winner assigning roles.

In the narrative of the Siege of Cthonia, the Defenders were the Sons of Horus under the command of Chieftain Ryaeve, while the Attackers were a mixed force of Raven Guard and Imperial Fists. However, players may choose to assign the roles as suits their available forces and players.

ARMY SELECTION
For the Pyre of Ambition mission, the Defender must select an army using 25% more points than the Attacker – for example, if a Points Limit of 3,000 points is used then the Defender may select up to 3,750 points worth of units, while the Attacker must use only 3,000 points to select their army.

Both players must use the Crusade Force Organisation chart to select their army, but neither army may include a Lords of War Detachment or any Primarch choices.

Deployment Maps & Deployment Zones

The Ashes of Victory mission uses the deployment map shown to the right, with the only Deployment Zone used by the Defender, with the Attacker’s units being deployed by an alternative means.

Mission Reserves
For the Pyre of Ambition mission, both the Attacker and Defender must each divide their army into two sections – a Vanguard and a Rearguard – before any models are deployed onto the battlefield.

Each player’s Vanguard must include no more than a third of the total number of units in that player’s army. For example, if a player’s army included 6 units in total, then the Vanguard could include no more than 2 units (for the purposes of this rule Dedicated Transports and Retinue units are not counted as separate units and are counted as part of the unit they were selected for). The Rearguard is composed of all units that are not part of the Vanguard – and all units in the Rearguard must begin the battle in Reserves.

When bringing units into play from Reserves, the Attacking player may bring units into play from any point on the battlefield’s edge within either Deployment Zone, while the Defending player may bring units into play from any point on the battlefield’s edge that is not in any Deployment Zone.

Note that as the Defending player has no Deployment Zone, when a unit under the Defending player’s control Falls Back it must do so towards the nearest Objective marker. If a unit under the Defending player’s control Falls Back into contact with an Objective marker then it is not destroyed, but stops Falling Back and becomes Pinned instead.

Neither player may declare a Drop Pod Assault, Deep Strike Assault or Subterranean Assault in this mission.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, the defending player must place three Objective markers anywhere on the battlefield that is not within any player’s Deployment Zone, is at least 6" from any battlefield edge, is at least 12" from any other Objective marker and not within any area of Impassable Terrain.

DEPLOYMENT

Once all Objectives have been placed, the Attacking player must set up all of the units in their Vanguard in any of the Deployment Zones. If the Attacking player has two or more units in their Vanguard then at least one unit must be deployed in each of the Deployment Zones.
The Defending player must set up all of the units in their Vanguard using the following rules. Place one model from each unit anywhere on the battlefield that is not in either of the two Deployment Zones. That model is then scattered D6", and once its final position is determined, the other models in that unit are placed anywhere the controlling player wishes as long as once all models in the unit have been placed the unit is in coherency. If the initial model scatters off the battlefield or into Impassable Terrain, then the Attacking player may instead determine its final position, placing it anywhere on the battlefield within 12" of its original position that is not in Impassable Terrain, not off the battlefield or within 6" of an enemy model.
Once both players have deployed all of their units the first turn is begun.

THE FIRST TURN
The Attacking player takes the first turn, unless the defending player can Seize the Initiative.

Mission Special Rules

This mission uses the Reserves, Grav-mines and Dropship Hulks mission special rules. Additionally, the Sudden Death rule does not apply in this mission – as long as a player has units in Reserves the battle continues, even if all of a player’s units that are on the battlefield are removed as casualties.

Grav-Mines

The Attacking player may choose to deploy up to D6+1 Grav-mine markers anywhere on the battlefield at the beginning of the battle, before any models are deployed or the Defender deploys any Dropship Hulks. A Grav-mine marker may be deployed in Difficult Terrain or Dangerous Terrain, but not in Impassable Terrain or on top of an Objective marker.

The area within 9" of the Grav-mine is treated as Difficult Terrain (this has no effect if the area is already Difficult Terrain), and at the end of each player turn, the Attacking player must roll a D3 and add one to the result. Any models within 9" of a Grav-mine marker are moved that many inches towards the marker (ignoring the effects of any terrain). If any model comes into base contact with a Grav-mine then it explodes, and all models (friendly and enemy) within 9" suffer a Strength 8 AP4 Hit (any Wounds inflicted do not cause Morale checks). Once all Hits have been resolved, the Grav-mine marker is removed from play.

Dropship Hulks

The Defending player may choose to deploy D3+2 Dropship Hulks anywhere on the battlefield at the beginning of the battle, before any models are deployed but after the Attacker deploys any Grav-mines. A Dropship Hulk may not be deployed in Difficult Terrain, Dangerous Terrain or Impassable Terrain or on top of an Objective marker or Grav-mine.

Each Dropship Hulk is counted as Area Terrain, and counts as Difficult Terrain and confers a 4+ Cover Save on models within its bounds. However, at the end of each Game Turn, roll a dice for each Dropship Hulk that has models within its bounds and apply the result from the Dropship Hulk table:

Dropship Hulk Table
D6	Result
1	Reactor Meltdown – The ruined craft’s reactor explodes. All models within the Area Terrain take a single Strength 8 AP4 Hit. When all Hits have been resolved, the Area Terrain is removed from play.
2-3	Power Surge – The hulk’s failing power systems begin discharging dangerous bursts of power. The Area Terrain counts as Dangerous Terrain until the next time a roll is made on this table.
4-5	Fresh Munitions – The hulk holds a cache of unused munitions. One unit that has at least one model within the Area Terrain, chosen by the controlling player, may re-roll all failed To Hit rolls in the next Shooting Attack it makes. If there are models from units belonging to both players in the Area Terrain then the players must roll off, with the winner gaining this benefit.
6	Void Shields – A short-lived burst of power activates the hulk’s shields. The Area Terrain confers a 3+ Invulnerable Save on all models in its bounds against Shooting Attacks made from outside the Area Terrain. Once this effect has been activated, the Dropship Hulk is removed from play at the end of the Game Turn.

If a Dropship Hulk is removed from play while there are models within its bounds, then those models remain in play in the same position and suffer no additional ill-effects.

SIEGE OF CTHONIA APEX MISSION

The Ashes Of Victory

At the apex of the battle for Cthonia, the Sons of Horus threw all their might at the walls constructed by the Imperial Fists, seeking to break them with sheer numbers. Though after a number of hard-fought battles they would breach the walls, they would find themselves lured into a cleverly laid trap, their vanguard cut off and isolated. Only a dogged defence would allow them to capitalise on their success and break free of the Imperial Fists’ noose.

In order to claim victory in the Ashes of Victory, the defending player must weather the enemy’s assault and await the arrival of their own reinforcements – while the attacking player must seek to make the most of a temporary advantage to reduce their opponent’s forces before they find the tables turned.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: BREAK THE DEFENCES

At the end of each of their player turns, the defending player scores 3 Victory points if they control the Objective, and both players score 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that is entirely removed from play as casualties – including any units that Fall Back off the battlefield and are counted as destroyed.
No Secondary Objectives are used in this mission, but any special rules or Warlord Traits that allow players to score Victory points may be used.
At the end of Game Turn Four, the defending player must roll a dice. On the score of a 4+ the battle ends, if the score is less than 4 then another full turn is played. At the end of Game Turn Five (if Game Turn Five is played), the defending player must roll a D6, on the score of a 3+ the battle ends, if the score is less than 3 then another full turn is played. If Game Turn Six is played then the battle automatically ends once that turn is completely resolved.
Once the battle has ended, the player with the highest total of Victory points is declared the victor.

BATTLE SET-UP ATTACKER & DEFENDER ROLES
Before beginning the Ashes of Victory mission, the players must determine which player will take the role of the Attacker and which the role of the Defender. This can be done either by player choice or by a roll-off, with the winner assigning roles.

In the narrative of the Siege of Cthonia, the Defenders were a mixed force of Sons of Horus and Word Bearers, while the Attackers were the Imperial Fists. However, players may choose to assign the roles as suits their available forces and players.

ARMY SELECTION
For the Ashes of Victory mission, both players should select an army using the same points total. A Points Limit of 4,000 points is recommended for this mission.

Both players must use the Crusade Force Organisation chart to select their army.

Deployment Maps & Deployment Zones

The Ashes of Victory mission uses the deployment map shown to the right, with the only Deployment Zone used by the Defender, with the Attacker’s units being deployed by an alternative means.

Mission Reserves
For the Ashes of Victory mission, the Defender must divide their army into two sections – a Vanguard and a Rearguard – before any models are deployed onto the battlefield.

The Defender’s Vanguard must include no more than half of the total number of units in that player’s army and at least one unit. For example, if a player’s army included 6 units in total, then the Vanguard could include no more than 3 units (for the purposes of this rule Dedicated Transports and Retinue units are not counted as separate units and are counted as part of the unit they were selected for).

The Rearguard is composed of all units that are not part of the Vanguard – and all units in the Rearguard must begin the battle in Reserves.

The Attacking player places all of their units into Reserves.

When bringing units into play from Reserves, both players may bring units into play from any point on the battlefield’s edge that does not have an enemy model within 12". If that restriction would mean there was no possible point by which a unit could enter play, then it may enter from any point on the battlefield edge ignoring the restriction.

When a unit Falls Back in this mission, it must do so towards the nearest point on the edge of the battlefield.

Neither player may declare a Drop Pod Assault, Deep Strike Assault or Subterranean Assault in this mission.

OBJECTIVES
Before any models are deployed onto the battlefield, a single Objective marker is placed as close to the centre of the battlefield as possible.

DEPLOYMENT
Once the Objective has been placed, the Defending player must set up all of the units in their Vanguard in the marked Deployment Zone. The Attacking player places all of their units into Reserves.

Once both players have deployed all of their units, the first turn is begun.

THE FIRST TURN
The Attacking player takes the first turn.

Mission Special Rules

This mission has the Sunken Bastions and Rewards of Valour mission special rules. Additionally, the Sudden Death rule does not apply in this mission – as long as a player has units in Reserves the battle continues, even if all of a player’s units that are on the battlefield are removed as casualties.

Sunken Bastions

At the start of their first player turn, the Attacker must place D3+2 Blast (3") markers anywhere on the battlefield – these markers may not be placed within Dangerous Terrain, Impassable Terrain, on top of any Terrain Feature or within 6" of any enemy model.

These markers represent hidden underground bunkers, and any unit under the Attacker’s control that is composed entirely of models with the Infantry, Dreadnought or Automata Unit Type may enter play counting the edge of one of these Blast markers as the edge of the battlefield (units under the Attacker’s control do not Fall Back to the edge of these Blast markers).

The Defending player may target these Blast markers with Shooting Attacks, counting them as a model with the Vehicle Unit Type and an Armour Value of 13 on every facing and 3 Hull Points – but on a Penetrating Hit automatically apply the effect of the Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table (the markers do not have a Transport Capacity and no unit may Embark upon them and they may not be targeted by Charges or attacks in the Assault phase).

Rewards of Valour

The Defender’s units placed in Reserves may only enter play using this special rule. From the beginning of the Defender’s second turn, that player may discard one Victory point at the start of their player turn as the Active Player to bring a single unit into play from Reserves – if that unit has the Primarch Unit Type or Superheavy Unit Sub-type or is a Heavy Support choice then the cost is increased to 2 Victory points.

Zone Mortalis

Zone Mortalis Core Rules

The Age of Darkness Zone Mortalis additional rules allow players to recreate iconic battles of the Horus Heresy fought in such locations as fortress tunnels and defence networks, inside the crumbling remains of towering hive cities or through spaceport hangars and manufactorum sectors, packed with void craft and industrial machinery. Rarely during these frenetic actions could conventional lines of battle be drawn and the support of artillery and aircraft be relied upon. Instead, victory would rely on the gallant actions of individuals, fighting hand-to-hand after their ammunition had expired and refusing to yield even when their blades were dulled and broken. The confines of these war zones present unique dangers to combatants when compared to an open field of battle, with the possibility of enemies lurking close by, around the blind corners of tight corridors and each high gantry or platform offering a deadly vantage point for marksmen.

The rules presented here detail the use of specific Zone Mortalis terrain to create the cramped and confined environments in which many battles of the Age of Darkness were fought. The use of Reinforcement Points allow players to place units from the army onto the board from Reinforcements and perform daring flanking attacks or strike from behind enemy lines resulting in an exciting, ever-changing dynamic. These rules are a supplemental addition to the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook, which is required to use the Zone Mortalis rules.

Zone Mortalis Terrain

Terrain is an integral part of Zone Mortalis battles and helps provide players with a unique tactical challenge by limiting lines of sight across the battlefield and funnelling troops into deadly kill zones. Battlefields designated as having Ceilings limit the use of Wargear such as jump packs and weapons with the Barrage special rule which causes players to consider which units they include in their armies from a different perspective.

Due to the importance of terrain, the following rules detail the effects of each category of terrain specific to Zone Mortalis battles.

Terrain Types

Zone Mortalis battlefields do not use the categories of Terrain Types detailed on the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook. Instead, Zone Mortalis games use the following categories: Corridors & Chambers, Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces, and Hazardous Debris Terrain.

Corridors & Chambers

No additional rules are used for Corridors & Chambers and, unless otherwise specified, special rules and abilities that affect terrain do not affect Corridors & Chambers.

Moving Through Terrain

In Zone Mortalis battles, models may not move vertically using the rule Moving Vertically. Ladders, Stairways & Hatches offer an alternative method for vertical movement in Zone Mortalis battles.

Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces

General terrain features such as platforms, pipes and railings are all examples of Terrain Pieces. When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces has a 6+ Cover Save. In addition, some terrain can be designated as Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces which have additional rules, as follows:

Walls

The sturdy and impenetrable walls of a ship’s interior or an underhive tunnel network define the fighting spaces of a Zone Mortalis battlefield.

When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Wall Terrain has a 5+ Cover Save. Unless noted otherwise in their special rules, models cannot move or draw line of sight through Wall Terrain in a Zone Mortalis battle. In addition special rules, Wargear, or other effects that affect models within a specified distance cannot affect a model if no straight line can be drawn between the source of the effect and the affected model without passing through Wall Terrain (see Measuring Ranges in Zone Mortalis).

Doors

Chambers and corridors may be sealed off by the use of armoured bulkhead doors, airlocks, or similar apparatus.

When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Door Terrain, including any frame or mounting, has a 5+ Cover Save. Unless noted otherwise in their special rules, models cannot move or draw line of sight through Door Terrain in the Closed state in a Zone Mortalis battle. In addition special rules, Wargear, or other effects that affect models within a specified distance cannot affect a model if no straight line between the source of the effect and the affected model can be drawn without passing through Door Terrain in the Closed state (see Measuring Ranges in Zone Mortalis).

There are two types of Door Terrain in a Zone Mortalis battle – standard doors and wide doors:

Standard doors are roughly human-sized openings such as access hatches and airlocks up to 2" wide.
Wide doors are larger openings such as loading docks or bay doors more than 2" wide. All Door Terrain is defined by two conditions: State and Control.

State

A door can either be Closed or Open. Unless stated otherwise in the mission rules, all Door Terrain begins the battle in the Closed state.

Closed: Models cannot move or draw line of sight through Door Terrain in the Closed state.
Open: Door Terrain in the Open state does not block line of sight and models may move freely through any Door Terrain in the Open state with the following exceptions:
- Models with the Dreadnought and/or Automata Unit Types with a starting Wounds Characteristic of 4 or more may not move through standard doors.
- Models with the Bulky (X) special rule with a value of (4) or greater may not move through standard doors.

Control

Depending on the mission, a piece of Door Terrain may be Accessible, Locked, or Controlled. Unless stated otherwise in the mission rules, all Door Terrain begins the battle as Accessible.

Accessible: An Accessible piece of Door Terrain may be activated once per turn during the Movement phase by a model controlled by the Active player that moves into base contact with the piece of Door Terrain during a normal movement. The Active player may choose to change the state of the piece of Door Terrain (from Closed to Open, or Open to Closed) at the moment the model moves into base contact with that piece of Door Terrain. A model that has Run during that Movement phase or is using a piece of Wargear that allows them to set their Movement Characteristic may not change the state of any piece of Door Terrain. If the models in the unit have not yet moved their full movement distance for the turn, the Active player may continue to move models in that unit. In effect, a unit may open a door in the middle of their movement and continue moving after it has been opened.
Locked: Mission special rules may state that any or all pieces of Door Terrain are Locked. A piece of Door Terrain that is Locked begins the battle in the Closed state and cannot be opened by any means other than destroying it (see below).
Controlled: In some missions, some or all pieces of Door Terrain are controlled by one or more players. Which players control any Controlled Door Terrain will be stated in the rules for the mission. Controlled Door Terrain pieces are Accessible to all models in the controlling player’s army. Controlled Door Terrain pieces are Locked to all models in all other player’s armies.

Destroying Doors

Any pieces of Door Terrain may be targeted by any model when in the Open or Closed state and are treated as Buildings with no Fire Points or Battlements, a Transport Capacity of 0, and a single facing with Armour Value 10. Door Terrain, regardless of its size, has 3 Hull Points, however, when a Penetrating Hit is inflicted on a piece of Door Terrain, it loses D3 Hull Points and no roll is made on the Building Damage table. In addition, when a piece of Door Terrain is reduced to 0 Hull Points, it does not suffer a Total Collapse result. Instead, a piece of Door Terrain with 0 Hull Points is destroyed and removed from the battlefield, if possible.


	Crushed The sudden closing of bulkheads and airlock doors poses a threat in itself to those caught unaware, trapping and crushing limbs with their weight, as the door’s servos repeatedly cycle until they burn out. Despite the risks, many attempt to haul stricken comrades clear of the mechanisms before they close upon them, often risking injury or death themselves. If any model is on a piece of Door Terrain when it is changed from the Open state to the Closed state, or this results in one or more models from any unit being no longer positioned in Unit Coherency, the unit the model is part of suffers an immediate S8, AP-Wound, with no Armour Saves, Invulnerable Saves or Damage Mitigation rolls allowed. The Door Terrain is then destroyed and removed from the battlefield, if possible.

System Override

Once per Movement phase, before any models are moved, the Active player may choose to expend one Reinforcement Point to attempt a System Override. To do so, roll a D6 and add +1 to the result if any friendly model on the battlefield has a cortex controller or an auspectre. If the result is 3+, all pieces of Door Terrain are now Controlled by the Active player and the Active player may immediately change the State of any pieces of Door Terrain that are not Destroyed.

Barricades

Makeshift barricades consisting of wall panels, doors, tyres or containers are commonly erected to give defenders a position of advantage from which to fire their weapons, or to hinder the advance of attackers.

When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Barricades Terrain has a 6+ Cover Save. Models may move over Barricades Terrain, counting each vertical inch moved against the total distance moved. Models may not end their movement on top of Barricades Terrain.

Debris

Zones Mortalis are commonly littered with fallen beams, masonry and the detritus of ages of industry or habitation. Although these heaps of crumbling scrap may provide a modicum of protection from enemy fire, they hinder free movement of even the most agile infantry as care must be taken when traversing them.

When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is in or at least 25% obscured by Debris Terrain has a 6+ Cover Save.

Note that Debris Terrain is neither Difficult Terrain nor Dangerous Terrain and its effects are not mitigated by special rules or Wargear that interact with those terrain types.

Moving Within Debris Terrain

If a model starts their movement in Debris Terrain, their Movement Characteristic is reduced by -2" during that Movement phase.

If a model starts its movement outside an area of Debris Terrain, but has a high enough Movement Characteristic to enter an area of Debris Terrain during the current Movement phase, the controlling player must declare if they want their unit to try to enter it as part of their move. If the controlling player chooses not to enter any area of Debris Terrain the model moves as normal, but may not enter any area of Debris Terrain. If the controlling player chooses for a model to enter any area of Debris Terrain, the model applies a modifier of -2" to its Movement Characteristic during that Phase. This modifier is applied to the model’s Movement Characteristic before it begins its movement and continues to apply as long as the model remains in an area of Debris Terrain, or until the end of the current Movement phase if it leaves an area of Debris Terrain as part of its move. If the application of this modifier would leave the model unable to reach an area of Debris Terrain it is still applied, even if the controlling player alters the model’s Movement Characteristic and no longer intends it to enter an area of Debris Terrain.

Charging Through Debris Terrain

Models are slowed when charging through Debris Terrain. If, when charging, one or more models have to move through Debris Terrain in order to reach the enemy by the shortest possible route, the unit that the model is part of applies a modifier of -2" to its Charge Distance. This modifier is applied in addition to any other modifiers that might apply to the unit’s Charge Distance.

If at least one model in the Charging unit moved through Debris 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 Debris Terrain. Note that charging models must engage as many enemies in the target unit as possible, even when Charging through Debris Terrain.

Hazardous Debris Terrain

Fighting within a Zone Mortalis is a dangerous and treacherous affair, and one in which even armoured combatants can flounder or damage themselves, unexpectedly crashing through buckled deck plating, getting crushed beneath falling rubble, or contacting exposed power conduits with deadly results.

When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is in or at least 25% obscured by Hazardous Debris Terrain has a 6+ Cover Save. Note that Hazardous Debris Terrain is neither Difficult Terrain nor Dangerous Terrain and its effects are not mitigated by special rules or Wargear that interact with those terrain types.

Moving and Charging Within Hazardous Debris Terrain

In addition to the rules that apply to models moving or Charging through Debris Terrain, when moving or Charging through Hazardous Debris Terrain, each model must make a Hazardous Debris Terrain test (as follows) as soon as it enters, leaves, or moves within Hazardous Debris Terrain.

Hazardous Debris Terrain Tests

To take Hazardous Debris Terrain tests, roll a D6. On a 1, that model suffers a Wound. No Armour Save, Cover Save or Damage Mitigation roll may be made against this Wound, but Invulnerable Saves may still be made. Once a model has taken a Hazardous Debris Terrain test for a particular area of Hazardous Debris Terrain, it does not test for that area of Hazardous Debris Terrain again in the same Phase. However, if the model moves into a different area of Hazardous Debris Terrain, this must be tested for as normal.

Shooting While Within Hazardous Debris Terrain

While within an area of Hazardous Debris Terrain, models suffer a -1 penalty to all To Hit rolls made as part of Shooting Attacks. Models with the Primarch Unit Type or the Night Vision special rule do not suffer this penalty.

Ladders, Stairways &Hatches

Whether narrow access ladders or grand staircases, moving up and down within a Zone Mortalis is a difficult affair.

In a Zone Mortalis battle, models may only move vertically when in base contact with a piece of terrain designated as Ladders, Stairways & Hatches. When climbing between levels vertically via Ladders, Stairways & Hatches, models use the rules for vertical movement.

Measuring Ranges in Zone Mortalis

When measuring ranges in Zone Mortalis battles, measure the shortest distance between the bases of the models involved or between the points being measured. If the battlefield has a Ceiling, ranges cannot be measured through Wall Terrain and Door Terrain in the Closed state – instead, the range of the closest path around these terrain types must be measured. If a path cannot be traced between two models due to intervening Wall Terrain and Door Terrain in the Closed state, the effects of any rule that affects models within a defined range that does not require line of sight do not apply and no attack can be made using a weapon with the Barrage, Guided Fire or any other rule that allows attacks to be made without line of sight.

Reactions in Zone Mortalis

When making Reactions during a Zone Mortalis battle, an army may not choose to use any of the Core Reactions presented in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook. Instead, all armies may only choose to use any or all of the Zone Mortalis Reactions as presented in this supplement during a Zone Mortalis battle, any of the Advanced Reactions in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook and any Army List specific Advanced Reactions.

Reactions in the Movement Phase

During the Movement phase, the Reactive player may declare a Reaction if an enemy unit ends a move within 12" and in line of sight of a friendly unit. Once the Active player has completely resolved the movement of their unit, the Reactive player may choose to expend one of their Reactions in that Phase in order to have the unit they control that is within 12" and line of sight perform a Suppress Reaction.

Suppress – The Reacting unit may make a Shooting Attack, targeting the unit that triggered this Reaction and following all the usual rules for Shooting Attacks. A unit that makes a Shooting Attack as part of a Suppress Reaction may not make any attacks indirectly (without line of sight). All Shooting Attacks made as part of a Suppress Reaction are Snap Shots and gain the Pinning special rule if they do not already have it.

Reactions in the Shooting Phase

During the Shooting phase, the Reactive player may react when any enemy unit declares a Shooting Attack targeting a unit they control. Before the Active player resolves the Shooting Attack, the Reactive player may choose to expend one of their Reactions for that Phase to have the unit targeted by the Shooting Attack perform a Displace Reaction.

Displace – Each model in the reacting unit may move a number of inches up to the highest unmodified Initiative Characteristic of any model in the unit. When resolving the Shooting Attack that triggered this Reaction, all range and line of sight is measured to the reacting unit’s new position. If, as a result of this movement, no models in the reacting unit are within line of sight of any models in the triggering unit, the active player cannot choose a new target for their Shooting Attack.

Reactions in the Assault Phase

During the Assault phase, the Reactive player may react when any enemy unit declares a Charge targeting a unit they control. Before the Active player has resolved any Charge rolls, the Reactive player may choose to expend one of their Reactions for that Phase to have the unit targeted by the Charge perform a Brace reaction.

Brace – The Reacting unit must make a Morale check. If the Check is failed, the Reacting unit immediately Falls Back D6" and automatically regroups when this Fall Back Move is completed 1" from the battlefield edge. If the Check is successful, the Reacting unit automatically passes any Morale checks they are required to make as a result of losing an assault during the following Fight sub-phase.

Deployment and Reinforcements

At the start of each game, players place models onto the battlefield during the Deployment phase and may also choose to place models into Reinforcements to be placed on the battlefield later in the battle. Each player has a starting total of Reinforcement Points which they must expend to place models onto the battlefield during Deployment. According to the mission special rules that are being used, players accumulate additional Reinforcement Points during the battle, allowing them to place models from Reinforcements onto the battlefield. A given unit will cost an amount of Reinforcement Points to place onto the battlefield during Deployment based on which Force Organisation slot it has been chosen as and may cost an additional amount to place onto the battlefield from Reinforcements on either Flank edge or the Opposing Player’s edge using the Counter Assault rule. This allows players to deploy units in flanking positions to capture or contest objectives and encircle the enemy’s army. Careful consideration of how these Reinforcement Points are used and where and when units are brought into play presents a unique tactical challenge in Zone Mortalis games.

GAME LENGTH
Unless the Zone Mortalis mission rules specify otherwise, at the end of Game Turn 4, one of the players must roll a D6. On a 2+ the battle continues, otherwise the battle is over. If another turn is played, another D6 must be rolled at the end of Game Turn 5, and this time, the battle only continues on a roll of 4+. The battle automatically ends at the close of Game Turn 6.

BARRAGE WEAPONS IN ZONE MORTALIS
Weapons with the Barrage special rule cannot be used to make Shooting Attacks targeting models to which they do not have line of sight, but may make Shooting Attacks as normal targeting models to which they do have line of sight.

Firestorm & Shrapnel

Attacks made with weapons with the Blast (X) or Template Weapon special rule gain a +1 bonus to any To Wound rolls made for them in Zone Mortalis battles. In addition, if the battlefield has a Ceiling, Blast markers cannot scatter through Wall Terrain or Door Terrain in the Closed state. If a Scatter roll takes a Blast marker’s centre point into contact with Wall Terrain or Door Terrain in the Closed state, the Blast marker scatters only as far as the point where its centre contacts the edge of the Wall Terrain or Door Terrain in the Closed state. Resolve the weapon’s effect from this spot.

If a line cannot be drawn between any point of the base of a model hit by a Blast marker or template and the centre of the Blast marker (or base of the model making the attack in the case of Template weapons), that does not pass through a piece of Wall Terrain or Door Terrain in the Closed state, that model is not hit by the attack.

In the above example, Model A targets Model B with a Shooting Attack, using a frag missile. The frag missile scatters towards the Wall Terrain. Model B and the Door Terrain are both hit, but Model C is not because a line cannot be drawn between its base and the centre of the Blast marker without passing through Door Terrain in the Closed state.

Nowhere to Hide

In Zone Mortalis battles, when determining assault results, the winner adds +1 to Sweeping Advance rolls until the end of that Phase. Contrary to the usual rules for Falling Back, immediately upon failing a Morale check, a unit’s first Fall Back move is directly away from the enemy, and subsequent moves are towards the nearest Access Point.

Blind Panic

If any model from a unit that is Falling Back ends its move or passes within 1" of any model from another friendly unit that is not Falling Back or Pinned, then that unit must immediately take a Morale check. Fearless units are not subject to this effect.

Objective Markers

Some Zone Mortalis missions require the use of one or more Objectives. Objectives can represent a location of importance for one or both armies on the battlefield, which in Zone Mortalis battles will often be particular rooms or corridor junctions. The use of 1"-2" circular markers, such as counters or spare bases, can be used to indicate the specific location of an Objective.

Controlling Objective Markers

An Objective marker is considered under a player’s control if there is at least one model from one of that player’s Scoring units in base to base contact with it, and no models from enemy Scoring or Denial units, within 3" of the centre of the Objective marker.

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, the controlling player must make it clear to their opponent which Objective marker the unit is controlling.

For some missions, an Objective is defined as a certain area of the battlefield rather than an Objective marker – this is an Objective zone. In these situations, the Objective is considered to be controlled by a player if there is at least one of that player’s Scoring units wholly within the defined Objective zone, and no models from enemy Scoring units wholly within the defined Objective zone. Note that, for controlling Objective zones, enemy Denial units are not counted – only Scoring units can control or contest an enemy’s control of an Objective zone.

Terrain as Objectives
Citadel Zone Mortalis Terrain kits are highly detailed and feature numerous elements, such as consoles, control panels and hatches that can be nominated as Objectives, in place of using markers, to create an engaging and immersive gaming experience for players. Players must agree which terrain elements are nominated as Objective points and specify their centre for the purposes of measuring distances when Controlling Objectives and other relevant rules.

Critical Objective
At the start of each turn, the player with Strategic Advantage must roll a D6. The numbered Objective marker that corresponds to the result of the roll is the Critical Objective for the remainder of that turn. The player that controls this Objective marker gains an additional two Reinforcement Points at the end of that turn in addition to the Victory points they gain from controlling an Objective.

Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives

In addition to the Primary Objectives of a given mission, players may score additional Victory points for achieving a number of additional Secondary Objectives used in Zone Mortalis battles. The conditions for achieving Secondary Objectives are listed below and the Secondary Objectives that are used in a mission will be detailed as part of the mission rules.

COUNTER STRIKE
The player without Strategic Advantage gains 1 Victory point if the first unit, of any kind, to be completely destroyed during the battle belongs to the player w ith Strategic Advantage.

If two or more units from opposing forces are destroyed simultaneously (for example, at the same Initiative step in an Assault phase) then no player scores Victory points for this Secondary Objective.

CHAMPIONS OF RENOWN
For each enemy model with the Character Unit Subtype that is removed as a casualty whilst fighting in a Challenge, the Controlling player scores 1 Victory point.

BLOOD TOLL
For each unit in an army selected as either an HQ or Elites choice that is removed as a casualty, the opposing player scores 1 Victory point.

Preparing for Battle in Zone Mortalis

Regardless of whether using the Zone Mortalis Missions for standalone battles or as part of a campaign, players must prepare for the battle using the following preparatory steps. Each of these steps should be completed in the sequence they are presented in, with each step being fully completed before moving on to the next.


	Zone Mortalis Mission Sequence Select Armies for Zone Mortalis Select Zone Mortalis Mission Place Terrain Designate Access Points Determine Strategic Advantage Place Objectives (if applicable to selected Zone Mortalis Mission) Calculate Starting Reinforcement Points Deploy Armies Play Zone Mortalis Mission Decide Victor

Selecting Armies for Zone Mortalis

All armies in a Zone Mortalis mission use an agreed points limit; it is suggested that this limit is between 1,500 to 2,500 points, selected using the Zone Mortalis Engagement Force Organisation chart. Furthermore, all armies for use in a Zone Mortalis mission must be selected before the mission is chosen or any other stage of battle preparation is taken, unless otherwise specified, this includes selecting any Warlord Traits, Rites of War, Psychic Disciplines or other such options, which must all be noted on the controlling player’s Army Roster.

Designating Ceilings

Due to the effect that designating the battlefield as having Ceilings has on many units, players may wish to decide if their battle will take place on a battlefield with or without a Ceiling prior to the selection of their army to ensure that battles are enjoyable and engaging for all participants.


	Zone Mortalis Engagement Force Organisation Chart The Zone Mortalis Engagement Force Organisation chart does not include any optional Detachments and as such may not take Allied Detachments or a Lords of War Detachment. Any Primarch choice may only be included in an army of at least 2,000 points and may not exceed 25% of the army’s total points cost, unless specified otherwise by the mission or Force Organisation chart being used. In addition, additional optional Detachments from other sources may not be included as part of a Zone Mortalis Force.

Forces selected for fighting in a Zone Mortalis mission should be chosen from their army list as normal with the following exceptions:

No unit may include more than 15 models. If a unit’s minimum size is greater than 15 models, that unit may not be chosen. Note that this restriction only applies to individual units during army selection. Models with special rules such as the Legion Apothecarion Detachment that are assigned to units before the first turn, or with the Independent Character special rule that join units during the battle may increase the number of models in a unit to greater than 15.
No models with the Fortification Unit Type, Armiger Unit Type, Vehicle Unit Type or Cavalry Unit Type may be chosen.
No models with the Antigrav Unit Sub-type may be chosen.
No unit may select a Dedicated Transport.
No models with the Dreadnought Unit Type or Automata Unit Type, or the Monstrous Unit Sub-type, may be chosen if they have a Wounds Characteristic of 8 or more.
No units may be placed in Reserves, and any models that must be deployed as Reserves may not be deployed in a Zone Mortalis mission, and are counted as Destroyed for the purposes of the mission.

Behemoths of Destruction

Impervious to many of the weapons able to be brought to bear against them in the confines of Zones Mortalis, and nigh-unstoppable in close assault, engines of destruction such as the Contemptor Dreadnought and the even larger Leviathan Dreadnought, were recognised by strategists as highly advantageous in these environments. The only major drawback suffered by such war machines was the difficulty associated with deploying them in such environs, which limited their availability on the front lines.

Regardless of any Rite of War (or similar army composition rules, such as Cohort Doctrines) used, an army may only include a maximum of one model with the Dreadnought Unit Type per 1,000 points and any unit with the Dreadnought Talon special rule may only consist of a single model. For example, an army that totals at least 1,000 points may include only a single model with the Dreadnought Unit Type, and an army that totals at least 2,000 points may include up to two models with the Dreadnought Unit Type, each selected as a separate Force Organisation choice.


	WARLORDS When choosing your army, you must nominate one model to be your Warlord, following the guidelines in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook. Warlord Traits are not used in battles with a maximum points limit of 500 points or less. In battles with a points limit of 501 points or more, each Warlord has one Warlord Trait, chosen during army selection from the list of Core Warlord Traits of the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook (or another list of traits made available as part of that model’s Allegiance or Army List) and noted on the player’s Army List or Army Roster. Some special rules attached to certain Army Lists or models may allow a Warlord to select Warlord Traits other than those presented in the Core list – such rules will specifically note which other Traits may be selected.

Once Army Rosters have been completed by all players taking part in the battle, those Army Rosters are then available for any player to review, excepting any options where a special rule specifically requires a choice to be kept secret from another player. A player may not choose to amend their own Army Roster after having reviewed that of any of their opponents.

Select Zone Mortalis Mission

Once all Army Rosters are completed, and all players have had the opportunity to review those of their opponents, a Zone Mortalis mission must be selected for play.

The players may either select one of the Zone Mortalis missions that both players agree on, or roll on the table below to determine the mission.

ZONE MORTALIS MISSIONS
D6	Result
1-2	Sector Control
3-4	Sweep and Clear
5-6	Strategium Assault

Place Zone Mortalis Terrain

Once a Zone Mortalis mission has been chosen, the players place terrain on the battlefield. All Zone Mortalis missions are intended to be played on a battlefield measuring 4’ x 4’, although if players have chosen to use larger or smaller armies than 1,500 to 2,500 points, this may be decreased, for example, to 2’ x 2’ for smaller battles, or increased to 6’ x 4’ or more for battles with larger armies. Regardless of the size of battlefield used, it must be a flat area whose edges are clearly defined for all players.

Before placing terrain, the players must decide what terrain will be available to be placed for this battle. Citadel’s Zone Mortalis Floor Tile Set terrain is the perfect basis for Zone Mortalis battlefields, as it allows players to place individual 12" x 12" fixed configuration tiles to cover the battlefield. If such tiles are used, players treat each tile as terrain pieces that fit together to form the desired battlefield surface. To add variety to battlefields, players may find it useful to use additional separate Door Terrain, Barricades Terrain and Debris Terrain alongside fixed configuration tiles.


	Designer’s Note – Terrain Tiles The designation ‘Zone Mortalis’ can apply to a great variety of battlefield environments and varied terrain can be used to reflect this, ranging from tightly packed vertical rock faces to dense concentrations of buildings and containers or even thick vegetation covered by a tree canopy. If alternative terrain is used, the battlefield area must be divided into a 12" grid to facilitate the placement of terrain pieces. Below is a guide to the amount of terrain that is used to populate a Zone Mortalis battlefield: Walls – For three out of every four 12" x 12" grid sectors the battlefield comprises, use at least one piece of Walls Terrain. Each Wall Terrain piece is at least 2" x 2" and does not exceed 12" in length and approximately 2" in width. Doors – For each 12" x 12" grid sector the battlefield comprises, there is up to one piece of Door Terrain. Half of the Door Terrain used are standard doors, up to 2" in width, and half are wide doors, over 2" in width. Players may find it useful to allow Door Terrain to be positioned to indicate Opened or Closed states during the battle. Door Terrain is positioned to fill gaps between two Wall Terrain pieces. Barricades – For each 12" x 12" grid sector the battlefield comprises, use up to two Barricades Terrain pieces. Barricades Terrain may vary in size, representing shipping containers, industrial machinery and makeshift barriers. Debris – Up to two pieces of Debris Terrain, areas of rubble, pools of noxious chemicals or broken ground no larger than 6" x 6" per battlefield. Each piece of Debris Terrain may optionally be designated as Hazardous Debris Terrain.

Once terrain has been gathered in accordance with the guidelines given previously, the players roll off. The player that wins the roll-off then chooses a piece of Wall Terrain and places it anywhere on the battlefield, after which the opposing player chooses a piece of undeployed Wall Terrain and places it anywhere on the battlefield. The players continue to alternate placing Wall Terrain until all available Wall Terrain has been placed onto the battlefield. Players then repeat this process to deploy all available Door Terrain, followed by Debris Terrain. Finally, players take turns to place Barricades Terrain until there are no Barricades Terrain left or one player wishes to place no more Barricades Terrain. The opposing player may then choose to place one final piece of Barricades Terrain, if available, before terrain deployment is completed.

When placing terrain onto the battlefield, no piece of terrain may be placed so that it overlaps with the base or footprint of another piece, nor in any position that would cause any part of the terrain piece to be outside any edge of the battlefield. If there are pieces of terrain that cannot be placed due to these restrictions, then those pieces of terrain must not be used as part of the battle – if possible the player attempting to place that piece of terrain may choose a different terrain piece to place.

Once all pieces of terrain have been placed onto the battlefield, each player, starting with the player that placed the first piece of terrain, may choose any one piece of terrain and redeploy or remove that piece of terrain – following the rules listed above. Note that both players may not select and redeploy the same piece of terrain.

Designating Zone Mortalis Terrain

Certain terrain features must be designated before players deploy their armies. In most cases, the features of the terrain will be easily identified by the models used, but where there is any confusion or ambiguity, the players should come to an agreement on how the specific features will be designated. In addition to all other terrain features, there are several key features that must be determined when designating terrain during every Zone Mortalis mission.

Designating Ceilings

When designating the terrain features of a Zone Mortalis mission, the players must also decide if the entire battlefield or none of it has a Ceiling. If the battlefield has a Ceiling, Wall Terrain and Door Terrain in the Closed state are treated as Impassable Terrain. In effect, the height of the Wall Terrain and Door Terrain in the Closed state are considered to exceed the height of the tallest model on the battlefield. Additionally, if the battlefield has a Ceiling, models may not activate any Wargear and/or rules, such as Legion Warhawk jump packs, that allows them to set their Movement Characteristic to any value and/or move over intervening models and terrain.

If the battlefield does not have a Ceiling, Wall Terrain and Door Terrain are not Impassable Terrain and players can draw a line of sight over Wall Terrain and Door Terrain in the Closed state as detailed on page 155 of the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook.

Designating Access Points

Any point where a model can be placed in contact with the battlefield edge is considered to be an Access Point. If, due to terrain placement, there are no spaces on any battlefield edge that models can be placed in contact with the battlefield edge, players must designate at least one Access Point on each battlefield edge and mark it with an appropriate counter. Models can be placed on the battlefield from Reinforcements as close as possible to the battlefield edge within 6" in either direction of any Access Point.

Designating Ladders, Stairways & Hatches

When designating the terrain features of a Zone Mortalis mission, the players must decide if Ladders, Stairways & Hatches are to be used, which pieces of the terrain represent Ladders, Stairways & Hatches, and which models may use them to move vertically. Each Ladder, Stairway & Hatch should be represented by an appropriate terrain feature.

Determine Strategic Advantage

First, players must roll off to see who has Strategic Advantage. The winner of the roll-off has Strategic Advantage and selects a battlefield edge that then becomes their battlefield edge. The battlefield edge directly opposite this then becomes the opposing player’s battlefield edge.

Place Objectives

Missions that use Objective markers will contain details of 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 Objective 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.

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 established rules. When this occurs, simply nudge the other Objective markers by the smallest distance necessary to allow the last ones to be placed.

Determine Starting Reinforcement Points

Before beginning deployment, each player must calculate how many Reinforcement Points they have as a starting total. Unless otherwise noted this will be six per player, however, some mission rules may mean each player has more or less than this. In these instances, the amount of Reinforcement Points each player has as a starting total will be indicated in the mission rules.

At the end of each turn, each player will gain a number of Reinforcement Points; unless otherwise noted this is 2 per player, but certain mission special rules may affect this amount, for example, for controlling or denying Objectives or destroying enemy units. In these instances, the amount of Reinforcement Points each player gains at the end of each turn will be indicated in the mission rules. Players may find it useful to keep track of how many Reinforcement Points they have by keeping a tally or alternatively using tokens or spare dice.

Reinforcement Points Costs

Depending on which Force Organisation chart slot a given unit is selected as alters how many Reinforcement Points it costs to place in the Deployment Zone during Deployment or place on the battlefield from Reinforcements. Some missions may present an alternative chart of costs, but for Zone Mortalis missions that do not, the following chart should be used.

FOC SLOT	Reinforcement Points Cost
Primarch	8
HQ	4
Elites	2
Troops	1
Fast Attack	2
Heavy Support	3


	Designer’s Note – Larger Armies When fighting battles using armies of around 2,000 points or more, the Zone Mortalis rules and missions presented here (specifically the Reinforcement Points Cost and Reinforcements rules) may mean that even over the course of an extended battle it may not be possible to place every unit on the battlefield. This is a deliberate consequence, intended to cause players to make tactical choices during the course of a dynamic battle, where considered deployment of specific units at the right time and position can have a significant impact on the outcome.

Deploy Armies

The player that does not have Strategic Advantage must place a single unit from their army in their Deployment Zone subtracting the amount of Reinforcement Points that unit costs from their starting total, according to the values on the chart on the previous page. The player with Strategic Advantage must then place a single unit from their army in their Deployment Zone subtracting the amount of Reinforcement Points that unit costs from their starting total, according to the values on the chart on the previous page.

If a model with the Independent Character special rule joins another unit, the Reinforcement Points cost of both the model with the Independent Character special rule and the unit that they have joined must be subtracted from the starting total. Models that must be attached to another unit before deployment, such as those with the Apothecarion Detachment or Techmarine Covenant special rules, may be deployed alongside the unit they are attached to without expending additional Reinforcement Points.

Players then continue to take turns deploying a single unit from their army in their Deployment Zones until either player declares they no longer wish to deploy another unit when it is their turn to do so, or has insufficient Reinforcement Points when it is their turn to do so. When this occurs, the opposing player may place one more unit from their army in their Deployment Zone providing they have sufficient Reinforcement Points to do so.

Players must place any units not deployed on the battlefield into Reinforcements.


	Warlords and Retinues When placing a unit that has been selected using any variation of the Retinue special rule on the battlefield during Deployment or from Reinforcements, the Controlling player subtracts only the amount of Reinforcement Points required to place the model that is the Leader of the Retinue unit on the battlefield from their total. Additionally, the Reinforcement Points cost to deploy an army’s Warlord is halved if the Controlling player chooses to place them on the battlefield during Deployment. Note that this only applies during Deployment before the start of the battle, not if the Warlord moves on from Reinforcements after the start of the battle.

Infiltrate

If either player wishes to place a unit with the Infiltrate special rule on the battlefield during Deployment, they must expend the appropriate amount of Reinforcement Points it costs to do so during Deployment. The unit with the Infiltrate special rule is then set aside and only placed on the battlefield following the normal rules for Infiltrate after all other units, both friendly and enemy, have been placed on the battlefield during Deployment.

First Strike

The player with Strategic Advantage may choose to take the first turn, unless the opposing player can attempt a First Strike.

First Strike: After both players have deployed their army but before the start of the first turn, the player without Strategic Advantage may attempt a First Strike, they must declare they will expend any number of their starting total of Reinforcement Points not spent placing units in their Deployment Zone during Deployment and roll a D6. If the result shown on the D6, plus the amount of Reinforcement Points declared, is 7+, the First Strike is successful and they go first instead. Note that a D6 roll of 1 always results in a failed First Strike attempt.

Play Zone Mortalis Mission

Once all prior steps have been completed, the players should begin the battle as instructed in the Zone Mortalis mission rules.

Reinforcements

Starting with their second player turn and at the start of their subsequent player turns, the Active player may choose to place any of their units that are held in Reinforcements onto the battlefield, providing they have enough Reinforcement Points to do so. The player first selects the unit they wish to deploy from their units in Reinforcements and then selects the battlefield edge that the unit will move on from, subtracting the amount of Reinforcement Points to move on from the selected battlefield edge, as detailed in the Zone Mortalis mission special rules. If an Independent Character joins another unit, the Reinforcement Points cost of both the Independent Character and the unit that they have joined must be subtracted from the total. This process is followed for each unit that is being placed on the battlefield from Reinforcements that turn until the player has expended their current total of Reinforcement Points or no longer has any units in Reinforcements or the battle ends. Any unit that is placed in Reinforcements and has not been placed on the battlefield by the end of the battle does not count as Destroyed for the purposes of Victory points, Primary Objectives or Secondary Objectives.

Moving on from Reinforcements

When a unit is placed on the battlefield from Reinforcements, the controlling player places the unit within a distance equal to the model’s Movement Characteristic from any Access Point on the controlling player’s battlefield edge, as if they had been positioned just off the battlefield. The controlling player may choose to increase the Movement Characteristic of a model by choosing to Run but the 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 Reinforcements. If the Reactive player chooses to declare a Reaction in response to the movement of a unit that has entered play from Reinforcements that turn, then they may only use the Interceptor Advanced Reaction.

If, for some reason, a model’s maximum Movement Characteristic is insufficient to fit the entire model onto the battlefield place the model as far onto the battlefield as you can. If this leaves the model in a position where it may fall off the battlefield, then mark the position the model is meant to be occupying in some manner, and then position it more safely.

Counter Assault: Some Zone Mortalis missions allow players to place units on the battlefield from Reinforcements as a Counter Assault. When a unit is moved into the battlefield from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend Reinforcement Points, in addition to those expended to deploy the unit itself, in order to place the unit on the battlefield using the Counter Assault rule. Instead of moving on from an Access Point on the controlling player’s battlefield edge, the unit may instead be moved onto the battlefield from an Access Point on either of the Flank edges for the additional Reinforcement Points cost indicated, or in some cases an Access Point on the opposing player’s battlefield edge for the additional Reinforcement Points cost indicated. The Counter Assault table for each mission will indicate the Reinforcement Points costs and will show ‘Unavailable’ in positions that cannot be used by that player.

Deep Strike

Many commanders use advanced teleportation technology or specialist vehicles to insert their troops into the thick of Zone Mortalis battles. Even when such bold strategies are employed, the final few yards of advance upon the enemy must invariably be made on foot.

A unit with the Deep Strike special rule reduces the amount of additional Reinforcement Points it costs to be placed on the battlefield from Reinforcements as part of a Counter Assault by -1, to a minimum of 0. Note that the base amount of Reinforcement Points it costs to place the unit on the battlefield in any situation, based on the Force Organisation chart slot the unit was selected as, is unaffected by this special rule.

Decide Victor

Once all turns have been completed in a battle played using the Zone Mortalis missions, the victor is decided by the number of Victory points the players have scored.

Victory points are scored either by the Primary Objective, which is unique to the Zone Mortalis mission being played and detailed as part of that Zone Mortalis mission, or by Secondary Objectives.


	Sudden Death If, at the end of any Game Turn, any player has no models on the battlefield, the battle immediately ends regardless of the number of turns that have been played. Models that are in Reserves do not count as being ‘on the battlefield’, however models in a unit that is Falling Back, or Embarked in a model with the Transport Sub-type, do. If a battle is ended due to the Sudden Death rule, then the victor is still decided by Victory points scored up to that point in the battle, but the player that still has models on the battlefield scores an additional Victory point.

Zone Mortalis Core Missions

ZONE MORTALIS MISSION

Sector Control

Two forces clash within the confines of a subterranean bunker, inside a void station or between the dense spire foundations of a hive city. Troops pour into the area seeking to establish control in areas of strategic importance and gain a foothold in enemy-held territory.

OBJECTIVES

Before any models are deployed, a single Objective marker is placed as close to the centre of the battlefield as possible. Starting with the player without Strategic Advantage, each player takes turns placing a single Objective marker elsewhere on the battlefield no closer than 12" from another Objective marker and no closer than 6" from any battlefield edge, until there are a total of six Objective markers on the battlefield. Once placed, players must assign each Objective a unique number between 1 and 6.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
This mission uses the following Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives:

Counter Strike
Champion of Renown
Blood Toll

VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of each Game Turn, each player gains 1 Victory point for each Objective they control. These Victory points are kept even if that Objective is lost later in the battle, and contribute to the player’s Victory points total at the end of the battle.

The player with the most Victory points at the end of the battle is the winner. If the players have the same number of Victory points, the battle ends in a draw.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
Before setting up the battle, players must determine Strategic Advantage. The player with Strategic Advantage selects which player is the Attacker and which player is the Defender.

REINFORCEMENT POINTS

Both players start with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units in their own Deployment Zones.
Any Reinforcement Points not used to place units in a player’s Deployment Zone during deployment are retained.
Both players gain 2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each Game Turn, in addition to any gained through mission special rules.

DEPLOYMENT

Players must deploy units from their army up to the amount of Reinforcement Points they start with, using the deployment map that follows, placing any remaining units into Reinforcements.

FIRST TURN
The player with Strategic Advantage takes the first turn, unless their opponent successfully rolls for First Strike.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES

Critical Objective
System Override
Counter Assault: When deploying units from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend additional Reinforcement Points to deploy units as a Counter Assault, as per the table that follows:

BATTLEFIELD EDGE	REINFORCEMENT	POINTS COST
	Attacker	Defender
Controlling Player’s Edge	0	0
Flank Edge	+1	+1
Opposing Player’s Edge	+3	+3

DEPLOYMENT MAP

ZONE MORTALIS MISSION

Sweep And Clear

With significant numbers of troops from both sides prowling throughout the sector, intense firefights and bloody melees erupt with regularity. No passage or catacomb offers safe haven from the enemy as each force dispatches combat patrols to eradicate any and all trace of their enemy.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

At the end of each turn, each player gains 1 Victory point for each battlefield quarter they control. A battlefield quarter is controlled if a player has more Scoring units within it than the opposing player. If a Scoring unit has models within two or more battlefield quarters, the controlling player must select which one battlefield quarter they are within that they are controlling.
The player with the most Victory points at the end of the battle is the winner. If the players have the same number of Victory points, the battle ends in a draw.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
This mission uses the following Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives:

Counter Strike
Champion of Renown
Blood Toll

REINFORCEMENT POINTS

Both players start with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units in their own Deployment Zones.
Any Reinforcement Points not used to place units in a player’s Deployment Zone during deployment are retained.
Both players gain 2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each Game Turn, in addition to any gained through mission special rules.

DEPLOYMENT

Players must deploy units from their army up to the amount of Reinforcement Points they start with, using the deployment map that follows, placing any remaining units into Reinforcements.

FIRST TURN
The player with Strategic Advantage takes the first turn, unless their opponent successfully rolls for First Strike.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES

System Override
Counter Assault: When deploying units from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend additional Reinforcement Points to deploy units as a Counter Assault, as per the table that follows:

BATTLEFIELD EDGE	REINFORCEMENT	POINTS COST
	Attacker	Defender
Controlling Player’s Edge	0	0
Flank Edge	+2	+2
Opposing Player’s Edge	+2	+2

DEPLOYMENT MAP

ZONE MORTALIS MISSION

Strategium Assault

The cumulative efforts of the assaulting force have put a contingent of warriors within striking range of a vital control centre or strategium, however, it is heavily defended. They must act swiftly and decisively to wrest control from enemy hands and claim the prize as their own.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Attackers win if, at the end of the battle, they have at least one unit within the Defender’s Deployment Zone, and the Defender has no units within the Defender’s Deployment Zone. The Defenders win if, at the end of the battle, they have at least one unit within the Defender’s Deployment Zone, and the Attacker has no units within the Defender’s Deployment Zone.
If, at the end of the battle, both players have at least one unit within the Defender’s Deployment Zone, or neither player has a unit within the Defender’s Deployment Zone, the player who has scored the most Victory points from Secondary Objectives is the winner.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
This mission uses the following Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives:

Counter Strike
Champion of Renown
Blood Toll

REINFORCEMENT POINTS

The Attacker starts with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units in their own Deployment Zone.
The Defender starts with 8 Reinforcement Points to place units in their own Deployment Zone.
Any Reinforcement Points not used to place units in a player’s Deployment Zone during deployment are retained.
Both players gain 2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each Game Turn, in addition to any gained through mission special rules.

DEPLOYMENT

Players must deploy units from their army up to the amount of Reinforcement Points they start with, using the deployment map as follows, placing any remaining units into Reinforcements.

FIRST TURN
The Attacker takes the first turn, unless their opponent successfully rolls for First Strike.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES

System Override
Lockdown Protocol: At the start of the first turn, before any models are moved, the Defender may select any three pieces of Door Terrain to be Locked.
Counter Assault: When deploying units from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend additional Reinforcement Points to deploy units as a Counter Assault, as per the table that follows:

BATTLEFIELD EDGE	REINFORCEMENT	POINTS COST
	Attacker	Defender
Controlling Player’s Edge	0	0
Flank Edge	+1	+2
Opposing Player’s Edge	+3	Unavailable

DEPLOYMENT MAP

ZONE MORTALIS MISSION

That Which Waits Below

In the tunnels beneath the Yedig Expanse, Archmagos Draykavac unleashes a tide of automata. Programmed with purge-kill protocols, they flood through the subterranean networks, seeking out and slaughtering their Loyalist quarry who are forced into desperate defensive positions. Trapped and beset from all sides, the Loyalists must block critical access points to halt the advance of the cybernetic hordes.

In this mission, the Mechanicum (Traitor) player is the Attacker and the Legiones Astartes (Loyalist) player is the Defender.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Attacker gains 1 Victory point for each enemy unit that is destroyed or removed as a casualty and 2 Victory points if they have more friendly units within the Defender’s Deployment Zone than the Defender at the end of the battle.
The Defender gains 2 Victory points for each Access Point that is Sealed and 2 Victory points if they have more friendly units within the Defender’s Deployment Zone than the Attacker at the end of the battle.
The player with the most Victory points at the end of the battle is the winner. If the players have the same number of Victory points, the battle ends in a draw.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
This mission uses the following Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives:

Counter Strike

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
In this mission the Attacker has Strategic Advantage.

REINFORCEMENT POINTS

The Attacker starts with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units during deployment.
The Defender starts with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units during deployment.
Any Reinforcement Points not used to place units in a player’s Deployment Zone during deployment are retained.
The Attacker gains D3 Reinforcement Points at the end of each turn for each Access Point that has not been Sealed, but loses any Reinforcement Points not expended after placing models on the battlefield from Reinforcements each turn.
The Defender gains 2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each Game Turn.

DEPLOYMENT

Players must deploy units from their army up to the amount of Reinforcement Points they start with, using the deployment map bellow, placing any remaining units into Reinforcements.
The Attacker places units within either 6" of an Access Point on their battlefield edge or 6" of an Access Point on either Flank edge.
The Defender places units within their Deployment Zone.

FIRST TURN
The player with Strategic Advantage takes the first turn and their opponent cannot roll for First Strike.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES

System Override
Lockdown Protocol: At the start of the first turn, before any models are moved, the Attacker may select any three pieces of Door Terrain to be Locked.
Seal the Bulkhead: At the end of the controlling player’s Assault phase, if any model from a unit that is not engaged in close combat, Pinned or Falling Back is within 3" of an Access Point, it may attempt to Seal the Bulkhead. The controlling player must roll 2D6, if the result is less than the lowest Leadership Characteristic of a model in the unit that the model that is attempting to Seal the Bulkhead is part of, the Access Point is Sealed and may not be used to deploy any models from Reinforcements for the remainder of the battle.
Counter Assault: When deploying units from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend additional Reinforcement Points to deploy units as a Counter Assault, as per the table that follows:

BATTLEFIELD EDGE	REINFORCEMENT	POINTS COST
	Attacker	Defender
Controlling Player’s Edge	0	0
Flank Edge	+1	Unavailable
Opposing Player’s Edge	Unavailable	Unavailable

DEPLOYMENT MAP

One Access Point must be designated as close as possible to the centre of each battlefield edge and players may only place models on the battlefield from Reinforcements using these Access Points. The Access Points should be marked with a token or counter, or alternatively an appropriately modelled large blast door or bulkhead terrain positioned on the battlefield edge.
The Defender’s Deployment Zone should be open with no Wall Terrain pieces and no Door Terrain pieces and instead should be populated with Barricades Terrain pieces, representing supply crates and makeshift defensive points erected by the Defenders.

ZONE MORTALIS MISSION

The Rewards Of Corruption

Remnants of the Thousand Sons’ Fifth Fellowship seek to halt the ritual started by the Word Bearers deep in the underworld caverns of Cthonia. A network of warp nexuses, constructed by the Dark Apostles of the XVIIth Legion, threatens to stir a new Ruinstorm into life. Only the psychic might of the XVth Legion Loyalists stands a chance of stopping them.

In this mission the Thousand Sons (Loyalist) player is the Attacker and the Word Bearers (Traitor) player is the Defender.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Attacker wins if, at the end of the battle, the Primary Nexus is Destroyed and they have at least one friendly unit on the battlefield that is not Pinned or Falling Back.
The Defender wins if, at the end of the battle, the Primary Nexus has not been Destroyed or the Attacker has no units on the battlefield that are not Pinned or Falling Back.

OBJECTIVES

Instead of Placing Objectives the Attacker places a Warp Nexus as close to the centre of the battlefield as possible. The Attacker must then place a further two Warp Nexuses within their half of the battlefield. Each Warp Nexus should be represented by a Blast (3") marker or similar sized piece of terrain. Warp Nexuses must be placed no closer than 12" from another Warp Nexus and no closer than 6" from any battlefield edge. The Attacker should select one Warp Nexus as the Primary Nexus and make note of this secretly.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
In this mission the Attacker has Strategic Advantage.

REINFORCEMENT POINTS

The Attacker starts with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units during deployment.
The Defender starts with 6 Reinforcement Points to place units during deployment.
Any Reinforcement Points not used to place units in a player’s Deployment Zone during deployment are retained.
Both players gain 2 Reinforcement Points at the end of each Game Turn.

DEPLOYMENT
Players must deploy units from their army up to the amount of Reinforcement Points they start with, using the deployment map bellow, placing any remaining units into Reinforcements.

The Attacker may deploy units within 6" of their battlefield edge.
The Defender may deploy units within 12" of their battlefield edge.

FIRST TURN
The player with Strategic Advantage takes the first turn if their opponent does not successfully roll for First Strike.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES

System Override
Warp Nexus: The Defender may deploy any unit with the Infantry Unit Type and Corrupted Unit Sub-type from Reinforcements within 6" of any Warp Nexus by expending 1 Reinforcement Point, regardless of which Force Organisation chart slot the unit was selected as. The controlling player of any model with the Psyker Unit Sub-type, that is part of a unit that is not engaged in close combat and is in base to base contact with a Warp Nexus at the end of the Movement phase, may attempt to destroy it. To do so, they must roll 2D6, adding +1 for every additional friendly model with the Psyker Unit Sub-type in base to base contact with the Warp Nexus. The Warp Nexus is successfully destroyed on a result of 10+. If the Warp Nexus is not successfully destroyed, the unit suffers an amount of Wounds equal to the amount of models in base to base contact with the Warp Nexus.
Counter Assault: When deploying units from Reinforcements, the controlling player may choose to expend additional Reinforcement Points to deploy units as a Counter Assault, as per the table that follows:

BATTLEFIELD EDGE	REINFORCEMENT	POINTS COST
	Attacker	Defender
Controlling Player’s Edge	0	0
Flank Edge	1	1
Opposing Player’s Edge	Unavailable	3

DEPLOYMENT MAP

Cthonian Underworld Zone Mortalis Terrain Features

When playing Zone Mortalis: Siege of Cthonia Apex Missions, each player may select one applicable Terrain Feature from the following list, after Placing Terrain but before Designating Access Points.

0-2 Hardened Barricades

In anticipation of a sustained attack on a particular position, the construction of improvised barricades, made from thick plasteel panels torn up from the floors and walls, affixed to armoured shipping containers or an equally suitable frame, became common practice. These barricades would provide defenders with cover from incoming fire and an advantageous position from which to cover the attacker’s primary routes of ingress with their own weapons.

0-2 pieces of Barricade terrain within the Defender’s Deployment Zone, each measuring no more than 6" in length, may be designated as Hardened Barricades Terrain. When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Hardened Barricades Terrain has a 5+ Cover Save.

0-1 Subterranean Tunnel

Forgotten mineshafts, drainage pipes and elevator shafts provide a means by which attackers that are familiar with the local environment can infiltrate behind enemy lines and spring ambushes on their enemies.

After both players have finished placing units on the battlefield during Deployment but before the first Game Turn, the Attacker may place a marker or token measuring up to 2" across on the battlefield or nominate a suitable terrain feature such as a elevator or vent outside of either player’s Deployment Zone to be the Tunnel Opening. The Attacker must then select one unit from their Reinforcements. Starting with their second turn and at the start of the Attacker’s subsequent turns in which the selected unit remains in Reinforcements, before placing any units on the battlefield from Reinforcements, the Attacker must roll a D6. On a 4+, the Attacker must place the selected unit on the battlefield within 6" of the Tunnel Opening without expending any Reinforcement Points. Once placed, the unit may act as if it had been placed on the battlefield from Reinforcements that turn. Any enemy units that have a model within 12" and with line of sight to the Tunnel Opening must immediately take a Pinning test. If, for any reason, it is not possible to place any of the models from the selected unit on the battlefield, those models are counted as destroyed.

Unstable Environment

The subsurface caverns and tunnels of the Cthonian underworld, formed by millennia of mining and excavation, are particularly prone to collapses and cave-ins that open up abyssal pits beneath the feet of combatants.

When a Shooting Attack with a weapon that uses a Blast (3"), Large Blast (5"), Massive Blast (7"), Apocalyptic Blast (10") or Apocalyptic Barrage marker and has Strength 6 or higher is made, after the attack is resolved, leave the Blast marker in position and roll on the following table:

D6	Effect
1-2	Ceiling Collapse: Chunks of plascrete and rock break away from the crumbling ceilings and walls and rain down on the combatants below. Each unit with at least one model wholly or partially under the Blast marker must take a Pinning test. The Blast marker is then removed from play.
3-4	Structural Tremors: Girders and decking buckle and twist as the ground shakes violently, throwing even the most sure-footed warriors off balance. Shooting Attacks made by models under the Blast marker suffer -1 To Hit until the end of the controlling player’s next turn. The Blast marker is then removed from play.
5-6	Maw Pit: The ground is fractured and begins to crumble into a perilous sinkhole that stretches so deep that the bottom cannot be discerned. Leave the Blast marker in place or alternatively replace it with a counter or appropriately sized piece of terrain for the remainder of the battle. For any model that starts, ends or passes through the marker area during any movement, including Charges, roll a D6. On a result of 1, the model is immediately removed as a casualty.

Promethium Condenser Tanks

Promethium is the combustible lifeblood of the Imperium and in many environments it is stored in a liquid state inside heavy-duty industrial compression tanks. This allows it to be piped through manufactorums and hive towers to provide light, heat and motive power to numberless machines and devices.

Although rugged and made to withstand heavy use over many thousands of production cycles, most promethium condenser tanks are not armoured to withstand the rigours of combat and can be damaged by stray small arms fire, or even directly targeted. When ruptured, liquid promethium will decompress explosively into the surrounding atmosphere and can be ignited by even a minuscule spark, usually resulting in a violent and destructive fireball.

0-3 terrain pieces such as storage silos or containers may be designated as Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain. When drawing line of sight to a model that is the target of a Shooting Attack, a model that is at least 25% obscured by Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain has a 5+ Cover Save. Any pieces of Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain may be targeted by any model and are treated as Buildings with no Fire Points or Battlements, a Transport Capacity of 0, and a single facing with Armour Value 8 and 2 Hull points. However, when a Penetrating Hit is inflicted on a piece of Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain, no roll is made on the Building Damage table. When a piece of Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain is reduced to 0 Hull Points, it does not suffer a Total Collapse result and instead players roll on the Volatile Container table.

Watch Your Fire

Promethium condenser tanks are prone to accidental damage and can be ruptured by stray bullets or shrapnel.

If any model from a unit that is the target of a Shooting Attack is within 2" of a piece of Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain, To Hit rolls of 1 are counted as having hit the Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain. Armour Penetration rolls for these hits should be resolved immediately after the resolution of the successful To Hit rolls on the targeted unit.

Volatile Container Table
D6	Effect
1-2	Rupture: The tank has suffered a critical rupture and is leaking its contents into the surrounding area. At the start of every subsequent Shooting phase, roll again on this table and add +1 to the result. Otherwise, the Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain is now counted as a Zone Mortalis Terrain Piece and can no longer be targeted with any attacks.
3-4	Fireball: The tank erupts in a fireball, engulfing the surrounding area in flame. Models within D6" suffer a S4, AP- hit. The Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain is now counted as Debris Terrain and no further rolls are made on this table.
5-6	Explosion: The tank’s contents ignite, resulting in a violent explosion that spreads shrapnel and burning fuel across a wide area. Models within D6" suffer a S8, AP- hit. The Promethium Condenser Tank Terrain is now counted as Debris Terrain and no further rolls are made on this table.

Zone Mortalis Campaign Conditions

Players may decide to incorporate Campaign Conditions into a series of Zone Mortalis battles played as a basic campaign, each condition having an effect on the following battle in the campaign. After determining the victor of a Zone Mortalis mission, both players should roll on the following table to determine the effect on the following battle.

The victor of the mission adds +1 to the result.

D6	Campaign Condition
1	Reserves Forward: Defeat cannot be tolerated as reserves rush in to plug the holes forced in the line. For the duration of the following mission, at the end of each Game Turn, this player gains an additional +1 Reinforcement Points.
2-3	Flank Assault: Reinforcements are pulled in from adjacent sectors in a bid to gain control of this region. For the duration of the following mission it costs this player -1 Reinforcement Points to deploy a unit on a Flank Edge as part of a Counter Assault.
4-5	Carry the Fight: Forward momentum must not falter as the fight is taken directly to the enemy in a swift counter assault. When attempting a First Strike, this player may add an additional +1 to any D6 roll.
6	Firewall Engaged: Fortification protocols are enacted as malicious scrapcode is purged from within sub-routine systems. This player may force their opponent to re-roll any successful System Override attempts.
7+	Committed to Victory: Following the victory over enemy forces within the sector, troops rush into the fray in an attempt to overwhelm and sweep away all resistance in a decisive action. Set the starting amount of Reinforcement Points available to this player during the next battle to 10. After the opposing player wishes to deploy no more units, this player must continue to place units until they have no remaining units, have expended all 10 Reinforcement Points or do not have sufficient Reinforcement Points to deploy another unit.

How to Use These Rules

All Army List Profiles for the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness range are divided into two categories: Core units and Expanded units. All of the units presented in this publication are ‘Core’ units. Both ‘Core’ and ‘Expanded’ types of unit may be freely used in any Horus Heresy battle, and this category does not affect their availability as part of an army or Detachment or the rules for their use during a battle.

The units included in these addenda are all part of the Legiones Astartes Army List presented in Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Liber Hereticus and Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Liber Astartes. Any rules that affect units or models selected or chosen from the Legiones Astartes Army List affect these units, and Detachments selected from those Army Lists may include these units (as long as they are of the correct Faction).

In addition, the units presented in this section are all intended for use as part of a specific Faction of the Legiones Astartes, as shown by the version of the Legiones Astartes (X) special rule that the unit has. All the rules presented in the Liber Astartes and Liber Hereticus books regarding the use of Factions and the Legiones Astartes (X) special rule apply to these new units, which means that units may only be selected as part of a Detachment that has the same Faction or Sub-faction – for example a unit composed of models with the Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus) special rule may only be selected for a Detachment that has the Faction Legiones Astartes (Sons of Horus) unless another special rule states otherwise.

	Range	Str	AP	Type
Astartes shotgun	12"	4	-	Assault 2, Concussive (1)
Rotor cannon	30"	3	-	Assault 4, Pinning, Shell Shock (1)
Autocannon	48"	7	4	Heavy 2, Rending (6+)
Reaper autocannon	36"	7	4	Heavy 2, Rending (6+), Twin-linked
Kheres assault cannon	24"	6	4	Heavy 6, Rending (6+)
Gravis autocannon	48"	7	4	Heavy 3, Rending (6+), Twin-linked
Gravis autocannon battery	48"	7	4	Heavy 4, Rending (6+), Twin-linked
Predator cannon	48"	8	4	Heavy 4, Rending (6+)
Punisher rotary cannon	36"	6	4	Heavy 18, Pinning, Shell Shock (1)
Accelerator autocannon	48"	7	4	Heavy 8, Rending (6+), Exoshock (6+)
Fellblade accelerator cannon
- HE shell	100"	8	3	Ordnance 1, Massive Blast (7")
- AE shell	100"	10	2	Ordnance 1, Armourbane (Ranged)
Skyreaper battery	48"	7	4	Heavy 5, Skyfire, Twin-linked
Anvilus autocannon battery	48"	7	4	Heavy 4, Rending (5+), Sunder, Twin-linked
Anvilus snub autocannon	24"	7	4	Heavy 2, Sunder, Rending (5+), Twin-linked
Leviathan storm cannon	24"	7	4	Heavy 6, Rending (5+), Sunder
Kratos battlecannon
- HE shells	36"	8	4	Heavy 1, Large Blast (5"), Pinning
- AP shells	36"	8	2	Heavy 2, Sunder
- Flashburn shells	24"	10	1	Heavy 1, Armourbane (Ranged), Gets Hot

	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

	Range	Str	AP	Type
Heavy Bolter	36"	5	4	Heavy 4
Icarus Lascannon	48"	9	2	Heavy 1, Skyfire

	Range	Str	AP
Missile launcher
- Frag	48"	4	6	Heavy 1, Blast (3"), Pinning
- Krak	48"	8	3	Heavy 1
- Flak	48"	7	3	Heavy 1, Skyfire


	Any player, unless a special rule or other effect specifies otherwise, may make one Reaction in each Phase of their opponent’s turn.

The Siege of Cthonia

Books

The Onslaught Campaign System

Onslaught Campaign Overview

Setting up an Onslaught Campaign

Playing an Onslaught Campaign

Campaign Stratagems

Core Campaign Stratagems

Onslaught Campaign Optional Rules

Character Fatality Table

Battlefield Achievements

THE CTHONIA CAMPAIGN

Siege Of Cthonia Optional Rules

Siege of Cthonia Campaign Stratagems

Core Missions

How to Use Core Missions

Selecting Armies for Core Missions

Crusade Force Organisation Chart

Select Core Mission to Play

Select Deployment Map

1. Hammer and Anvil

2. Dawn of War

3. Search and Destroy

Placing Terrain

Declare Mission Reserves

Play Core Mission

Decide Victor

The Crucible Of War

The Heart Of Battle

Sudden Strike

Take And Hold

Strike And Fade

Apex Missions

HOW TO USE APEX MISSIONS

Playing Games Using the Apex Missions

The Pyre Of Ambition

Deployment Maps & Deployment Zones

Mission Special Rules

Grav-Mines

Dropship Hulks

The Ashes Of Victory

Deployment Maps & Deployment Zones

Mission Special Rules

Sunken Bastions

Rewards of Valour

Zone Mortalis

Zone Mortalis Core Rules

Zone Mortalis Terrain

Terrain Types

Corridors & Chambers

Moving Through Terrain

Zone Mortalis Terrain Pieces

Walls

Doors

System Override

Barricades

Debris

Hazardous Debris Terrain

Ladders, Stairways &Hatches

Measuring Ranges in Zone Mortalis

Reactions in Zone Mortalis

Reactions in the Movement Phase

Reactions in the Shooting Phase

Reactions in the Assault Phase

Deployment and Reinforcements

Firestorm & Shrapnel

Nowhere to Hide

Blind Panic

Objective Markers

Controlling Objective Markers

Zone Mortalis Secondary Objectives

Preparing for Battle in Zone Mortalis

Selecting Armies for Zone Mortalis

Designating Ceilings

Zone Mortalis Engagement Force Organisation Chart

Behemoths of Destruction

Select Zone Mortalis Mission

Place Zone Mortalis Terrain

Designating Zone Mortalis Terrain

Determine Strategic Advantage