Unit Types

INFANTRY

Infantry units include all types of foot soldiers. A typical unit of Infantry is between five and ten models strong, but they can be much larger. In rare cases, an Infantry unit may comprise only a single model. Infantry are fairly slow moving, but can cross almost any terrain and make the best use of cover to avoid enemy fire.

The wider category of Infantry units contains a number of sub-types which may be referenced in other Age of Darkness books. Infantry represent the most basic element of any army and, as such, require no additional rules.

An Infantry unit may only include or be joined by models of the Infantry or Primarch Unit Type, unless a special rule states otherwise.

CAVALRY

Cavalry use their fast speed to strike deep into enemy territory and escape before their opponent is able to react. This Unit Type includes units mounted on bikes, jetbikes, land speeders and even traditional cavalry mounted on riding beasts.

As with other Unit Types, the Cavalry type includes a number of sub-types which may be referenced in other Age of Darkness books. The following rules apply to all Cavalry models and any Cavalry sub-types:

• Cavalry models cannot be Pinned.
• Cavalry models are not slowed down by Difficult Terrain, even when Charging. However, Cavalry models treat all Difficult Terrain as Dangerous Terrain instead.
• Cavalry models move 3D6" when Falling Back, rather than 2D6".
• No model that is not also of the Cavalry Unit Type may join a unit that includes a Cavalry model.

DREADNOUGHT

These massive engines of war are unlike the soulless warriors of the Mechanicum, for at their heart rests a mortal warrior whose instincts and experience guides their steel body on the field of battle. Employed by both the Legiones Astartes and some regiments of the Imperial Army, these towering behemoths excel as line-breakers and siege engines.

As with other Unit Types, the Dreadnought type includes a number of sub-types which may be referenced in other Age of Darkness books. The following rules apply to all Dreadnought models and any Dreadnought sub-types:

• Successful Wounds scored by attacks with the Poisoned or Fleshbane special rules must be re-rolled against models of the Dreadnought Unit Type.
• All Dreadnought models have the Fearless special rule.
• A model with the Dreadnought Unit Type may fire all weapons they are equipped with in each Shooting Attack they make, including as part of a Reaction.
• A model of the Dreadnought type may fire Heavy and Ordnance weapons and counts as Stationary even if it moved in the preceding Movement phase, and may declare Charges as normal regardless of any Shooting Attacks made in the same turn.
• No model that is not also of the Dreadnought Unit Type may join a unit that includes a Dreadnought model.

DAEMON

The unknown terror of the dark ages of the Horus Heresy, these aetheric horrors defy all logic. Unbound by the normal laws of reality, they mass and attack in defiance of any sound military doctrine and fight without need for the technologies that sustain Mankind on the battlefield.

As with other Unit Types, the Daemon type includes a number of sub-types which may be referenced in other Age of Darkness books. The following rules apply to all Daemon models and any Daemon sub-types:

• All Daemon models have their Strength and Toughness modified by a value determined by the current Game Turn: +1 on Game Turns 1 & 2, +/-0 on Game Turns 3 & 4, -1 on Game Turns 5 & 6, and -2 on Game Turns 7+.
• All Daemon models have the Fear (1) special rule.
• Any Hits inflicted on a model of the Daemon Unit Type by a weapon with the Force special rule gain the Instant Death special rule as well.
• All Daemon models are immune to the effects of the Fear special rule, automatically pass Pinning and Regroup tests and cannot choose to fail a Morale check due to the Our Weapons Are Useless special rule. When a Daemon unit fails a Morale check it does not Fall Back as per the standard rules, but instead suffers D3 automatic Wounds with no Saves of any kind allowed.
• No model that is not also of the Daemon Unit Type may join a unit that includes a Daemon model.

UNIT SUB-TYPES

In addition to the base Unit Types (Infantry, Cavalry, Automata, Dreadnought, Primarch and Daemon), some models might be listed as belonging to one or more sub-types. Some sub-types may grant a model or unit additional special rules, an example of which is the Character sub-type which is covered in its own section of this rulebook. Other sub-types do not grant any special rules to models or units that possess them, but are instead used by other special rules to differentiate between otherwise similar units. In all cases, sub-types are presented after the base Unit Types in brackets. For example, a Legion Cataphract Sergeant has the following base Unit Type and sub-types: Infantry (Heavy, Character).

A number of key unit sub-types are presented here – more may be referenced in other Age of Darkness books.

Line Sub-type

Line units are those sections of any army whose dedicated task is the capture and defence of key objectives and vital choke-points on the battlefield. Though often seen as lacking in glory, it is only by the efforts of these key units that victory can be firmly grasped, and without them any onslaught is doomed to failure.

The following rules apply to all models with the Line sub-type:

• A unit that includes at least one model with the Line sub-type counts as both a Scoring and Denial unit.

Antigrav Sub-type

Whether equipped with antigrav repulsors or empowered by some esoteric, psychic art, this unit is able to skim above the ground. While incapable of true flight, this does allow it to avoid any of the hampering effects of the prevailing terrain, gliding over obstacles that would ensnare or entangle more conventional troops.

The following rules apply to all models with the Antigrav sub-type:

• A unit that includes only models with the Antigrav sub-type may ignore the effects of any and all terrain it passes over during movement, including passing over vertical terrain and Impassable Terrain without penalty or restriction. However, such units may not begin or end their movement in Impassable Terrain, and if beginning or ending their movement in Dangerous Terrain must take Dangerous Terrain tests as normal.
• Models with the Antigrav sub-type may never benefit from Cover Saves of any kind.

Artillery Sub-type

Some weapons are so large and cumbersome that they are usually mounted on vehicles, but are sometimes utilised by artillery teams on foot, particularly if the battlefield’s terrain is not suitable for vehicles. These weapons are typically mounted on wheeled supports, as they are too heavy to be carried across the battlefield.

The following rules apply to all models with the Artillery sub-type:

• If a unit that includes any models with the Artillery sub-type has no models without the Artillery sub-type, then all models in the unit are removed from play as casualties immediately.
• A unit that includes one or more models with the Artillery sub-type may not Run, declare or otherwise make Charge moves, or make Reactions.
• A unit that includes one or more models with the Artillery sub-type may never hold or deny Objectives.
• A unit that includes one or more models with the Artillery sub-type may not make Sweeping Advances and, if targeted by a Sweeping Advance, automatically fails any Sweeping Advance rolls made without rolling any dice and is destroyed.

Heavy Sub-type

Intended to break the lines of the foe or to hold the most dangerous of positions, heavy troops trade speed and manoeuvrability for indomitable toughness and stubborn tenacity. They stand at the heart of battle and dare death to come forth and claim them.

The following rules apply to all models with the Heavy sub-type:

• A unit that includes only models with the Heavy sub- type may re-roll failed Armour Saves against Template and Blast weapons.
• A unit that includes any models with the Heavy sub-type may not Run and when making a Movement during a Reaction based on its Initiative Characteristic, reduces the distance moved by -1.

Light Sub-type

Light troops are equipped and trained to fight on the move, pausing only briefly and trusting to speed over cover or heavy armour. Many armies will make use of such warriors as scouts, but they also serve as admirable harassers and pursuit troops, easily capable of disrupting enemy attacks and advances or hounding a retreat.

The following rules apply to all models with the Light sub-type:

• A unit that includes only models with the Light sub-type gains a +1 modifier to its Initiative when determining how far that unit may Run (this bonus stacks with other bonuses to Run distance, such as the Fleet (X) special rule) and when moving as part of a Reaction.
• A unit that includes only models with the Light sub-type may make Shooting Attacks after having Run, but makes all such attacks as Snap Shots. Models or weapons that cannot attack as Snap Shots may not attack.
• Models with the Light sub-type may never claim a Cover Save in the same turn that it makes a Run move.

Character is effectively a Unit sub-type as described in the previous rules section, but it has a more complex interaction with the rules and thus is dealt with here. As with all Unit sub-types, it is represented on a model’s profile by the term Character added in brackets after the model’s main Unit Type. For example a Legion Tactical Sergeant is of the Unit Type – Infantry (Line, Character). Note that models of the Primarch Unit Type do not have the Character sub-type, but are treated as Characters in all respects and gain the benefits of all the rules presented here.

Character Types

Most Characters are fielded in units from the start of the game, and represent squad leaders, such as a Legion Tactical Sergeant. They have their own profile, but do not have a separate entry. They are effectively just another trooper in their unit, with enhanced Characteristics and perhaps a wider selection of weapons and Wargear choices. Other Characters, such as Horus, Primarch of the Sons of Horus, fight as units on their own. They are mighty enough that they don’t need to take to the battlefield with other warriors. Regardless of their status within their army, all Characters use the same rules.

Independent Characters

Some Characters have the Independent Character special rule, which allows them to join other units.

Characters as Leaders

As Characters normally have better Leadership than other warriors, they make good leaders for units in your army, given that units use the highest Leadership in the unit when determining Leadership tests.

Characters and Moving

Characters follow the Movement rules for models of their type, whether Infantry, Cavalry, etc. Note that they must remain in unit coherency with any unit they are part of.

Characters and Shooting

Characters make Shooting Attacks as normal for models of their type.

Characters and Wound Allocation

When allocating Wounds, a player may always choose not to allocate Wounds to a model with the Character Sub-type, regardless of how many Wounds that model has lost or any other factors that would normally require it to have Wounds allocated to it, as long as there is at least one other valid target model in the same unit to which Wounds may be allocated instead.

Challenges

Characters, no matter their type, can issue Challenges during combat – seeking to call out the enemy’s own leaders and confront them on an equal footing.

Issuing a Challenge

Challenges are issued at the start of the Fight sub-phase, before any attacks are made. Only one Challenge can be issued per combat – the Active player has the opportunity to issue a Challenge first. If that side chooses not to, then the Reactive player can issue a Challenge. Once a Challenge has been declared and accepted, there can be no further Challenges made until the existing Challenge in that combat has been fully resolved.

To issue a Challenge, nominate a Character in one of your units locked in the combat to be the challenger. Once one Challenge has been made, no further Challenges can be issued in that combat that turn. If the Challenge is accepted, no further Challenges can be issued until that Challenge has been resolved. If there are no Characters in the enemy units, then a Challenge cannot be issued. Characters that cannot fight or make Melee Attacks, including those that are not engaged with an enemy model, cannot issue Challenges.

Accepting a Challenge

If your opponent has issued a Challenge, you can now accept it – nominate any Character in one of your units locked in the combat to accept the Challenge. Characters that cannot fight or make Melee Attacks, including those that are not engaged with an enemy model, cannot accept Challenges.

Refusing a Challenge

Alternatively, you can refuse the Challenge. If you refuse, your opponent gets to nominate one of your Characters from those who could have accepted. The chosen model cannot attack in close combat at all this turn. Furthermore, their Leadership Characteristic cannot be used by the rest of the unit for the remainder of the Phase. Once a Challenge has been refused, the model that issued it fights normally.

Combatant Slain

If a Character involved in a Challenge is removed as a casualty, each excess Wound inflicted by the victor is counted toward the Assault result, but is not allocated to any other model. If the winning Character model has any remaining Attacks in the same or later Initiative steps, then these are resolved against the slain Character’s WS and Toughness, but are only counted for the purposes of winning combat and are not Allocated to any other models. When one of the combatants in a Challenge is slain, regardless of which Initiative step it is, the Challenge is still considered to be ongoing until the end of the Phase for the purposes of Outside Forces.

Outside Forces

Whilst the Challenge is ongoing, other models locked in the combat can only Allocate Wounds to the models involved in the Challenge if all other enemy models (if any) that are locked in that combat have been removed as casualties.

Assault Result

Unsaved Wounds caused in a Challenge count towards the Assault result, including any excess Wounds caused by the winner of a Challenge as noted above, alongside any unsaved Wounds caused by the rest of the Character’s units.

Round Two

If both competitors survive a Challenge, and neither side fled from the combat, then they both continue the Challenge in the next round of combat. Note that if a Character is caught by a Sweeping Advance, but is not removed as a casualty due to a special rule, the Challenge does not continue.

In games of the Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness certain models may make use of Psychic Powers to attack the enemy and confound their plans. Psychic Attacks will use the existing rules for attacking the enemy, being resolved as either Shooting or Melee Attacks, and occur during the Shooting and Assault phases as do other attacks. Psychic Powers represent any psychic effect that is not presented as a weapon and resolved as an attack. Psychic Powers are resolved during one of the existing Phases, and have their own unique rules, each of which is explained as part of that power.

In all cases, to use a Psychic Attack, Weapon or Power, a model must possess the Psyker unit sub-type.

Psyker

Much like Character, Psyker is a unit sub-type that can be applied to a model of any other Unit Type. This is used to indicate models that are capable of using Psychic Powers and weapons. On its own this sub-type grants no abilities or rules, but many other rules, weapons and abilities will target or require a model with this sub-type in order to be used. Often, a rule will reference or target a ‘Psyker’, this means any model with the Psyker sub-type. Models that are or can become Psykers are also often given the option to acquire other abilities or attacks that require that unit sub-type. If such options exist, they will be noted on that unit’s profile or Army List entry.

The following examples show some common units or models that also have the Psyker sub-type:

• Legion Centurion with the Librarian Consul upgrade: Infantry (Character, Psyker)
• Ruinstorm Daemon Lord: Daemon (Character, Monstrous, Psyker)
• Imperialis Militia Rogue Psyker: Infantry (Character, Psyker)

Which means any rules or weapons that have additional effects when targeting or activated by a Psyker would apply those effects to these models.

Throughout the rules for Psykers, there are references to Psychic checks. A Psychic check is a kind of Leadership test and is taken in exactly the same manner as any other Leadership test – however, special rules that allow a model to modify or automatically pass Leadership tests have no effect on Psychic checks.

Psychic Weapons

The most common forms of Psychic Power encountered on the battlefield are those that act in a manner akin to more conventional weapons. Whether bolts of eldritch lightning or projectiles ripped from the very earth, these attacks are presented and function in exactly the same manner as any other weapon. They use exactly the same rules, Characteristics and resolution methods as any other attack, and can be both ranged and melee.

A Psyker that gains a Psychic Weapon is ‘equipped’ with it in the same manner as any other model is equipped with the Wargear that is part of its profile. A model that has the Psyker sub-type may make Shooting Attacks using any ranged Psychic Weapon available to it (or more than one if that model has a rule that allows more than one weapon to be used during a Shooting Attack), or during the Assault phase a Psyker may attack using a Psychic Weapon with the Melee type. In close combat, a Psychic Weapon with the Melee type does count for deciding if a model has more than one weapon, but obeys all the usual restrictions. However, a Psychic Weapon can never be destroyed or otherwise removed from a model unless a rule specifically targets a Psychic Weapon (this does not apply to Force Weapons).

In most cases, the Psychic Disciplines available to a Psyker will provide one or more Psychic Weapons as part of their portfolio of abilities.

Psychic Powers

The next type of Psychic ability falls under the more common heading of Psychic Powers. These abilities can achieve many diverse ends, from simple destruction to the subtle subversion of the enemy, and are represented in a form more akin to special rules in order to represent the many effects a trained battle psyker can produce. Not all Psykers have access to the same suite of powers, and those available to any given model will be detailed in that model’s profile or Army List. The key difference between a Psychic Power and a Psychic Weapon is that a Power is not resolved as a standard attack and has its own rules for resolving any effects it may cause, much like other special rules.

In most cases, the Psychic Disciplines available to a Psyker will provide one or more Psychic Powers as part of their portfolio of abilities.

Psychic Disciplines

Both Psychic Weapons and Psychic Powers are often gathered into categories known as Disciplines. Many Psykers’ Army List entries will indicate that a model or unit has access to one or more Disciplines rather than listing all the rules included as part of that Discipline. When a model or unit is granted a Discipline or is asked to select one, they gain all powers, attacks and other rules included as part of that Discipline.

A set of Core Psychic Disciplines is presented as part of this rulebook, but other publications may present additional Disciplines.

Perils of the Warp

Common to all forms of psychic ability is the possibility of the Warp’s power rebelling and wreaking havoc on the Psyker and their allies. This is represented by the Perils of the Warp special rule. Most Psychic Powers and Weapons dictate under what conditions a Psyker must suffer Perils of the Warp, but in most cases this will be as the result of a failed Leadership test while using a Psychic Power or attack.

Whenever a Psyker or other model/unit suffers Perils of the Warp, apply the rule below:

Perils of the Warp: When a model or unit suffers Perils of the Warp, it receives D3 Wounds against which only Invulnerable Saves may be taken (no Damage Mitigation rolls may be made to negate these Wounds). These Wounds may be allocated to any model in the unit, including models without the Psyker Sub-type, in the same manner as those received during a Shooting Attack. If the Psyker is a Vehicle, it suffers D3 Hull Points of damage against which only Invulnerable Saves may be taken.

These Hull Points of damage may be allocated to other Vehicle models in the same Squadron, in the same manner as a Shooting Attack.

Movement (M)

Vehicles have a Movement Characteristic just like other units and it represents the maximum possible speed for that Vehicle. Most Vehicles can choose to move less than their maximum speed in order to fire more weapons with greater accuracy.

Ballistic Skill (BS)

Vehicles have a Ballistic Skill Characteristic just like other Unit Types and it represents the accuracy of the crew as they attack their enemy with the Vehicle’s weapons.

Armour Value (AV)

The Armour Value, sometimes referred to simply as Armour, of a Vehicle represents how hard it is to damage. Vehicles have separate Armour Values to represent the protection on their Front (F), Sides (S) and Rear (R). Armour Values typically range from 10-14, depending on which Facing of the Vehicle is being attacked, with the lightest armour usually on the Rear.

Hull Points (HP)

Every Vehicle has a number of Hull Points, indicating how much damage it can take before it is destroyed. This will normally be shown in the Vehicle’s Characteristics profile.

Vehicles and Measuring Distances

As Vehicle models do not usually have bases, the normal rule of measuring distances to or from a base cannot be used. Instead, measure to and from their hull, ignoring gun barrels, dozer blades, banners and other decorative elements.

There is, however, the notable exception of a Vehicle’s weaponry. When firing a Vehicle’s weapons, ranges are measured from the firing end of the weapon being used to attack, whilst line of sight is determined from the weapon’s Firing Arc, as will be explained later in this section.

Vehicles in the Movement Phase

As with all other models in the Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness rules, Vehicles have a Movement Characteristic which defines the maximum number of inches they may move on the battlefield. This Movement Characteristic is often much greater than any Infantry model, but the distance a Vehicle moves dictates how accurate its weapons fire will be, and so Vehicles that take full advantage of their powerful engines will be less capable of laying down support fire later in the turn.

Stationary – A Vehicle that remains Stationary will be able to attack with all of its weapons, regardless of type, with no modification to their accuracy.

Combat Speed – A Vehicle that travels equal to or less, than half of its Movement Characteristic is said to be moving at Combat Speed. This represents the Vehicle advancing slowly to keep firing. A Vehicle moving at Combat Speed may attack with all non-Ordnance or non-Destroyer weapons with no modification to their accuracy. A Vehicle moving at Combat Speed may only fire a single Ordnance or Destroyer weapon, and if it does so then all other weapons must be fired as Snap Shots.

Difficult Terrain and Dangerous Terrain

Vehicles moving through areas of terrain are not slowed like other units, but still risk becoming stuck or damaged. Vehicles treat all Difficult Terrain as Dangerous Terrain instead. A Vehicle that fails a Dangerous Terrain test immediately loses 1 Hull Point and suffers an Immobilised result on the Vehicle Damage table.

Ramming

When moving a Vehicle, the controlling player may declare that the Vehicle will attempt to Ram instead of moving normally. A Ram Attack allows a Vehicle to use its sheer bulk as a weapon, crushing infantry and battering even the most heavily-armoured war machines. The Vehicle attempting a Ram Attack, and any Embarked troops, may only fire Snap Shots in that turn’s Shooting phase.

To perform a Ram Attack, first turn the Vehicle on the spot to face the direction you intend to move it in, and, after measuring, declare how many inches the Vehicle is going to move, up to a maximum of its Movement Characteristic. If, due to the size of the Vehicle model making the Ram, pivoting the model brings it into contact with an enemy unit then move the Ramming Vehicle the minimum distance required to keep it 1" away from any other model before beginning the Ram. Once the Vehicle has been ‘aimed’ and the intended distance declared, move the Vehicle straight forwards until it comes into contact with a unit, enemy or friendly, or it reaches the distance declared – no other changes of direction are allowed during a Ram.

Note that a Vehicle conducting a Ram may not contact a unit that is locked in combat. If its movement would bring it into contact with a unit that is locked in combat then it must halt its movement 1" away from that unit, ending the Ram.

If a non-Vehicle unit is reached then that unit suffers D6 automatic Hits. These hits are resolved at a Strength equal to half the Front Armour Value of the Ramming Vehicle, rounding up, and with an AP of -. If the Ramming Vehicle is a Super-heavy Vehicle then the Strength of the attack is always 10, and the number of Hits is increased to 2D6. Once all Hits sustained from the Ram have been resolved, the unit that has been rammed must take a Morale check and immediately Fall Back if it fails. Regardless of the result of the check, the Vehicle stops moving 1" away from any other models and does not move any further this turn.

If the Ramming Vehicle comes into contact with an enemy Vehicle or Building, then all Vehicles or Buildings immediately inflict a Hit against any Armour Facing that is in contact with another Vehicle. The Strength of Hits inflicted on all Vehicles will be equal to half the Armour Value, rounding up, on the facing that is in contact with an enemy Vehicle or Building.

If the Ramming Vehicle has more starting Hull Points than any Vehicle or Building it is in contact with, add +1 to the Strength of the Hit, and if the Ramming Vehicle has the Slow or Super-heavy type, or is a Building, add +4 Strength, to a maximum value of 10. Both players roll for armour penetration against any of their opponent’s Vehicles or Building involved in the Ramming Attack, and any results are immediately applied. Regardless of the damage dealt to any Vehicles or Buildings involved in the Ram Attack, once the Ram Attack is resolved the Ramming Vehicle halts 1" away from any other models and does not move further this turn.

If, at any point in its move, the Vehicle would enter into contact with Impassable Terrain or a battlefield edge, or if it passes within 1" of units in combat or friendly units, it immediately stops moving 1" away from any other model.

Units already Falling Back

If a unit that is Falling Back is Rammed, the unit that is Falling Back automatically fails its Morale check. This also applies if a unit Falls Back from a Ramming Attack and the Vehicle’s remaining move brings it into contact with them a second time.

Ramming from Reserve

A Vehicle that moves onto the battlefield from Reserve may attempt a Ram. This must be declared before the Vehicle moves onto the battlefield.

Ramming Restrictions

Units cannot Embark onto or Disembark from a Transport Vehicle in the same Movement phase in which it has already performed a Ram. Likewise, a Transport Vehicle from which a unit has Embarked or Disembarked that Phase cannot perform a Ram in that Movement phase.

A Vehicle that has performed a Ram during the Movement phase may still make Shooting Attacks in the following Shooting phase, but may only make Snap Shots.

Vehicles in the Shooting Phase

When a Vehicle makes a Shooting Attack, it uses its own Ballistic Skill Characteristic and makes any attacks with the same basic rules as any other units, but with a few unique adjustments as follows. Unless a special rule states otherwise, all weapons on a single Vehicle must be fired at the same enemy unit.

Moving and Shooting with Vehicles

Vehicles may shoot with Heavy or Ordnance weapons, counting as Stationary, even if they moved in the Movement phase.

Stationary – A Vehicle that remains Stationary will be able to attack with all weapons regardless of type with no modification to their accuracy.

Combat Speed – A Vehicle that travels no more than half of its Movement Characteristic is said to be moving at Combat Speed. This represents the Vehicle advancing slowly to keep firing. A Vehicle moving at Combat Speed may attack with all non-Ordnance or non-Destroyer weapons with no modification to their accuracy. A Vehicle moving at Combat Speed may only fire a single Ordnance or Destroyer weapon, and if it does so then all other weapons must be fired as Snap Shots.

Cruising Speed – A Vehicle that travels more than half of its Movement Characteristic is said to be moving at Cruising Speed. This represents the Vehicle diverting power to keep it moving as fast as possible, making all of its firepower wildly inaccurate. A Vehicle moving at Cruising Speed may firea single weapon without modificationto its BS and any other weapons as Snap Shots. However, a Vehicle moving at Cruising Speed may not fire Ordnance or Destroyer weapons.

Vehicle Firing Arcs and Weapon Mounts

Unlike most models, which can fire at any target to which they can draw line of sight, Vehicles are more restricted in how they can target an enemy. Each of a Vehicle’s weapons is mounted in a way that allows it to fire at targets in one or more Firing Arcs – specific zones from which targets may be selected if they are within line of sight. The various Arcs of Fire available to Vehicles in Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness games are detailed below:

Firing Arcs

Hull (Arc) – The Hull Firing Arc is divided into four sections: Front, Rear, Left and Right – with most weapons capable of firing into only one of those divisions, as shown on a given Vehicle’s profile. To determine the Hull arcs of any Vehicle, draw two imaginary lines through the corners of the Vehicle as shown in the diagram below.

Centreline – The Centreline arc is determined by drawing two imaginary lines along the sides of the Vehicle’s hull extending out past the front of the Vehicle as shown in the diagram below. The space between the two lines is the Centreline arc. Unless otherwise noted the Centreline arc always extends from the Vehicle’s front, but if specified in the Vehicle’s profile, it can instead/also extend to the Vehicle’s rear.


Sponson – The Sponson Firing Arc is determined by drawing an imaginary line along the centre of the Vehicle, from front to rear, as shown in the diagram below. The left hand side is the Left Sponson arc and the right hand side is the Right Sponson arc, with Sponson weapons only capable of firing into the arc in which they are mounted.

As such, any Vehicle profile will note how its weapons are mounted, with each type of mount allowing a Vehicle to fire those weapons into one or more Firing Arcs as shown:

Weapon Mounts

Hull (Arc) Mounted – Hull (Arc) Mounted weapons will always specify a single Firing Arc and may only fire at targets in that Firing Arc. The different Hull arcs are: Front, Rear, Left and Right. Some units may specify Side as an arc – this means both Left and Right arcs.

For example, a Legion Land Raider Proteus has a Hull (Front) Mounted Heavy Bolter – this weapon may only fire at targets in the Front Firing Arc.

Turret Mounted – Turret Mounted weapons may fire at targets in any Hull arc (Front, Side or Rear) without restriction.

Centreline Mounted – Centreline Mounted weapons may only fire at targets in the Centreline Firing Arc.

Sponson Mounted – Sponson Mounted weapons are usually mounted in pairs, one on each side of a Vehicle (the Vehicle’s profile will note if this is not the case) and fire into the appropriate Sponson Firing Arc (either left or right). If the target of a Vehicle’s Shooting Attack is within the Firing Arc for only one of a pair of Sponson weapons, then the out of arc weapon may be fired at another enemy unit of the controlling player’s choice. This Secondary Target must be in the weapon’s line of sight and Firing Arc, but may be from a different unit than the original target.

Pintle Mounted – Pintle Mounted weapons may fire at targets in any Firing Arc without restriction, but are always counted as Defensive weapons regardless of the weapon type or its statistics.

Shooting at Vehicles

When a unit fires at a Vehicle, it must be able to see its hull or turret (ignoring the Vehicle’s gun barrels, antennas, decorative banner poles, etc). Note that, unlike for other models, a Vehicle’s wings are not ornamental and are a part of its hull. As the whole unit must fire at the same target, even if some of their weapons can’t damage the target Vehicle, in order to speed up play, only make rolls for those weapons capable of damaging the target. If the target Vehicle is in range, roll To Hit as normal. If any Hits are scored, roll for each to see if they penetrate the Vehicle’s Armour Value.

Template and Blast Weapons

If a Vehicle, or its base, is even partially under a Template or Blast marker, it is hit on the Armour Value facing the attacking model. If the direction of the attack is unclear or the final position of the Template or Blast marker is divided between multiple Facings, then the Hit is resolved against the Side Armour.

Armour Penetration Rolls

Once a hit has been scored on a Vehicle, roll a D6 and add the weapon’s Strength, comparing this total with the Armour Value of the appropriate facing of the Vehicle.

• If the total is less than the Vehicle’s Armour Value, the attack has no effect.
• If the total is equal to the Vehicle’s Armour Value, the attack inflicts a Glancing Hit.
• If the total is greater than the Vehicle’s Armour Value, the attack inflicts a Penetrating Hit.

Resolving Damage

A Hit on a Vehicle can have a variety of results. Its armour could be completely pierced, yet result only in shocking the crew, or it could detonate the ammunition cases or fuel tanks.

Glancing Hits – If a Glancing Hit was scored, the Vehicle loses 1 Hull Point.

Penetrating Hits – If a Penetrating Hit was scored, the Vehicle not only loses 1 Hull Point, but also suffers additional damage.

After deducting any Hull Points, roll a D6 for each Penetrating Hit and look up the result using the Vehicle Damage table, applying any appropriate modifiers. All modifiers on the Vehicle Damage table are cumulative. If you inflict a Penetrating Hit, you must roll on the Vehicle Damage table even if the Vehicle loses sufficient Hull Points to be Wrecked, as there is still a chance it might suffer an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table.

Vehicle Damage Results and Hull Points

Occasionally, a rule will state that a Vehicle will suffer the effects of a Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Weapon Destroyed or Immobilised result. Unless that rule also specifies that the Vehicle suffers a Glancing Hit, a Penetrating Hit, or otherwise states that the Vehicle loses a Hull Point, only the relevant result on the Vehicle Damage chart is applied to the Vehicle and no Hull Points are lost.

Wrecked Vehicles

A Vehicle that is reduced to 0 Hull Points is Wrecked. A Wrecked Vehicle is counted as being destroyed and is not removed from the battlefield. If the Vehicle was a Flyer in Zoom mode, it suffers a Crash and Burn result (see the Vehicle Damage table). In any other circumstance, a Wrecked Vehicle is left in place and is treated as a Terrain Piece.

Vehicles and Cover – Obscured Targets

Vehicles do not benefit from cover in the same way as Infantry due to their sheer size and bulk, but they can position themselves in such a way as to make it harder for the enemy to hit them in a vulnerable location. The difference from the way cover works for other models is represented by the following exceptions to the normal rules for cover:

• At least 25% of the Facing of the Vehicle that is being targeted (its Front, Side or Rear) needs to be hidden by intervening terrain or models from the point of view of the firer for the Vehicle to be in cover. If this is the case, the Vehicle is obscured (or ‘hull down’). If a unit is firing at a Vehicle, the Vehicle is obscured only if it is 25% hidden from the majority of the firing models that are able to damage the Vehicle. If a unit has firing models in two or more Facings of a target Vehicle, work out whether or not the Vehicle is obscured separately for each Facing, using only models firing at that Facing.
• Vehicles are not obscured simply for being inside terrain such as Woods or Ruins. The 25% rule given above takes precedence.
• Vehicles cannot be Pinned, voluntarily or otherwise.
• If the target is obscured and suffers a Glancing Hit, a Penetrating Hit, or is otherwise hit by an enemy’s Shooting Attack that inflicts damage upon it, it must take a Cover Save against it, exactly like a non-Vehicle model would do against a Wound. This Cover Save is always a 6+, regardless of the type of terrain involved, unless another special rule specifically states otherwise. If the Save is passed, the Hit is discarded, no Hull Points are lost and no roll is made on the Vehicle Damage table. If a special rule or a piece of Wargear makes a Vehicle obscured even if in the open, this confers a 6+ Cover Save, unless specified otherwise in the Army List or Army List entry. It may rarely happen that the firing unit cannot see any part of the Facing they are in (Front, Side or Rear), but they can still see another Facing of the target Vehicle. In this case they may take the shot against the Facing they can see, but to represent such an extremely angled shot, the Vehicle receives a 5+ Cover Save instead of the standard 6+.

Vehicles in the Assault Phase

Vehicles can be both very dangerous and very vulnerable at close quarters. On the one hand, massively armoured vehicles can scatter infantry before them, however, a stationary vehicle can often be very easily destroyed as individuals clamber over it, hacking at or shooting into vulnerable spots.

Assaulting with a Vehicle

Most Vehicles cannot Charge. Those exceptions to this rule, such as Knights and Titans, will specifically note this in their rules.

Assaulting a Vehicle

Infantry can pose a grave threat to vehicles if they get close enough. They can wreck a vehicle by shooting through vision slits, planting explosives on fuel tanks or tearing open hatches to attack the crew.

A unit can Charge a Vehicle in their Charge sub-phase. The Charge Move is conducted in the same way as for Charging other enemy units. All Vehicles are treated as being Weapon Skill 1, unless they are Immobilised, in which case they are treated as Weapon Skill 0. Any Hits scored against a Vehicle in close combat are resolved against the Vehicle’s Rear Armour using the same procedure as resolving Hits inflicted by a Shooting Attack.

Vehicles, Leadership and Morale

Vehicles never take Morale checks or Leadership tests.

Vehicle Squadrons

Most Vehicles fight as individual units and are represented by a single model. However, some Vehicles operate together in Squadrons. These are treated like normal units, with a few exceptions and clarifications as follows.

Squadrons in the Movement Phase

The Vehicles in a Squadron must maintain coherency, just like models in ordinary units, but Vehicles in a Squadron need only remain within 4" horizontally of each other, rather than within 2" horizontally. They can move at different speeds, provided they maintain unit coherency.

Squadrons in the Shooting Phase

All of the weapons fired by a Squadron of Vehicles in each Phase must target a single enemy unit. Like other units, Vehicles in Squadrons can see and shoot through members of their own Squadron as if they were not there. Sponson Mounted weapons that cannot draw a line of sight to the Squadron’s target unit may instead choose a secondary target that is a valid target for that Sponson weapon. Sponson weapons on different vehicles in the same Squadron may select different secondary targets, as long as that secondary target is within the weapon’s Firing Arc.

Shooting at Squadrons

When a Squadron of Vehicles is shot at, roll To Hit as normal. Once you have determined the number of Hits, these Hits must be resolved, one at a time, against a model in the Squadron selected by the Squadron’s controlling player, as long as the selected model is within line of sight and range of the firing unit. Once the chosen model in the Squadron is destroyed (i.e., is Wrecked or Explodes) or otherwise removed as a Casualty, the controlling player selects another model in the Squadron that is within line of sight and range, continuing until either all Hits have been resolved or all Vehicles in the Squadron have been destroyed.

If a Vehicle Squadron targeted by an attack includes one or more models that have already lost Hull Points, then if such a model is in line of sight and range of the attacking unit, then Hits must be allocated to a damaged model of the controlling player’s choice before any other model in the Squadron.

Abandoning Squadron-mates

Over the course of the battle, it is likely that one or more members of a Squadron will suffer an Immobilised result, preventing it from moving. If a member of a Squadron is Immobilised, the rest of the Squadron are permitted to ‘abandon it’. To do so, the rest of the Squadron must move out of unit coherency with it; treat the Immobilised model(s) as a separate unit from then on for all rules and victory conditions. This cannot be done if a member of a Squadron has only been Crew Stunned.

Vehicle Types

The basic Vehicle rules apply to all models of the Vehicle type. However, the Vehicle type includes a number of sub-types which allows these rules to properly portray the vast panoply of war machines that took part in the wars of the Horus Heresy. Any Vehicle model may also have one or more sub-types, each of which modify how it interacts with the basic Vehicle rules and adds additional special rules to represent that particular role on the battlefield. A Vehicle’s profile will always list which sub-types that Vehicle has, listing them in brackets as part of its Unit Type. The various Vehicle sub-types listed here cover the more common Vehicle variants found on the battlefields of the Horus Heresy, but other books may present new ones.

Transports

Some Vehicles can carry infantry across the battlefield, providing speed and protection. However, if the Transport is destroyed, the passengers risk being killed as well. Transports have several additional Characteristics:

Transport Capacity

Each Transport Vehicle has a maximum passenger capacity that can never be exceeded. A Transport can carry a single Infantry unit and/or any number of Independent Characters with the Infantry or Primarch Unit Types, up to a total number of models equal to the Vehicle’s Transport Capacity. The entire unit must be Embarked on the Transport if any part of it is – a unit cannot be partially Embarked or be spread across multiple Transports.

Only Infantry models can Embark upon Transports unless specifically stated otherwise. Certain special rules, notably the Bulky (X) special rule, may modify the Transport Capacity required for a given model to Embark upon a Transport, and this will be specified in the model’s rules. Sometimes, there will be constraints on which types of models can Embark upon a particular Vehicle, and this will be specified in the unit’s entry. Whilst Embarked upon a Transport, units gain the Fearless special rule and cannot be made to Fall Back or become Pinned while Embarked upon the Transport.

Shooting Attacks while Embarked

Unless a special rule states otherwise, units Embarked upon a Transport Vehicle may not make Shooting Attacks of any kind. If a Transport Vehicle has a special rule that allows such attacks, that rule will define how such attacks are made.

Access Points

Each Vehicle capable of carrying passengers will have a number of Access Points defined in its entry. These are the doors, ramps and hatches that passengers use to get in and out of the Vehicle. Transports on flying bases also count the base as an Access Point.

Embarking and Disembarking

Models can only voluntarily Embark or Disembark in the Movement phase. They cannot voluntarily Embark and Disembark in the same turn. However, they can Embark and then be forced to Disembark if their Transport is destroyed.

Embarking

A unit can Embark onto a Vehicle by moving each model to within 2" of its Access Points in the Movement phase – Dangerous Terrain tests should be taken as normal. The whole unit must be able to Embark – if some models are out of range, the entire unit must stay outside. When the unit Embarks, remove it from the table and place it aside, making a note that the unit is being transported. If the players need to measure a range involving the Embarked unit (except for its shooting), this range is measured to or from the Vehicle’s hull.

If the Vehicle moved before its passengers got aboard, it cannot move further that turn (including pivoting on the spot). If the Vehicle did not move before its passengers got aboard, it can move as normal after they have Embarked. In either case, a Vehicle cannot Ram in a turn that a unit Embarks upon it.

Placing Disembarked Models

When a unit Disembarks, place the models one at a time, using the following method: place the first model in base contact with one of the Vehicle’s Access Points (including its flying base, if it has one). A Disembarking model’s base cannot be placed within 1" of an enemy model or within Impassable Terrain.

The model can then make a normal move – Dangerous Terrain tests should be taken as normal, but it must end its move wholly within a number of inches equal to its Movement Characteristic of the Access Point it Disembarked from. Repeat this process for each model in the unit. At the end of the unit’s move, all models must be in unit coherency.

Disembarkation Restrictions

After Disembarking, models can make Shooting Attacks in their subsequent Shooting phase, counting as having moved that turn, but they cannot declare a Charge in their subsequent Assault phase unless the Vehicle had the Assault Vehicle special rule. If a unit Disembarks from a destroyed Vehicle during the enemy turn, it cannot Charge in the Assault phase of its own turn unless the destroyed Vehicle had the Assault Vehicle special rule.

Emergency Disembarkation

If any models cannot Disembark, because of enemies or because they would end up in Impassable Terrain, the unit can perform an Emergency Disembarkation. In this case, a model can be placed anywhere in contact with the Vehicle’s hull, though it must also be in contact with the battlefield and may not be placed on top of the Vehicle itself, and then can move as for a normal Disembarkation. The unit cannot then perform any voluntary actions for the rest of the turn. If even this Disembarkation is impossible, because it is impossible to place one or more models, then the unit can’t Disembark.

Independent Characters and Transports

If an Independent Character (or even more than one) and a unit are both Embarked upon the same Vehicle, they are automatically joined, just as if the Independent Character was within 2" of the unit. If either an Independent Character or a unit is already in a Vehicle, then the other may Embark, assuming there is enough space. The unit and the Independent Character(s) can, in a later Movement phase, Disembark together as a single unit. Alternatively, they can separate by either the unit or the Independent Character(s) Disembarking while the others remain on board. They can even separate by Disembarking at the same time, so long as they end their moves more than 2" away from each other.

Transport and Assaults

If a Transport Vehicle is assaulted and the Transport Vehicle is Wrecked, Explodes or Crashes and Burns, any Wounds caused to its passengers do not count towards Assault results, and any surviving passengers are not locked in combat with the units assaulting their Vehicle.

Dedicated Transports

Sometimes a unit entry will include a Transport Option, allowing a Vehicle to be selected together with the unit. These Dedicated Transports do not use up a choice on the Force Organisation chart, but count as having the same role as the unit they were bought for in regards to all other rules purposes.

Other Vehicles may also have a Transport Capacity, but they are chosen separately as normal, have a role and occupy a Force Organisation chart choice of their own.

The only limitation of a Dedicated Transport is that, when it is deployed, the unit it was selected with (plus any Independent Characters that have joined it) must be Embarked upon it. After the game begins, that unit may choose to Disembark as per the normal rules and the Transport Vehicle can then transport any friendly Infantry unit, subject to Transport Capacity and other special exclusions, as explained in the Vehicle’s Army List entry.

Effect of Damage on Passengers

When a Transport sustains damage, it can also have an effect on its passengers – even if they Disembark – as follows:

Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Weapon Destroyed and Immobilised – At the end of a Phase in which a Vehicle sustains one or more of these damage results, the passengers must take a Leadership test. If the test is passed, the unit is unaffected. If the test is failed, the unit can only make Snap Shots in their next Shooting phase, but are otherwise unaffected.

Wrecked (other than Zooming Flyers) – The passengers must immediately Disembark in the usual manner, save that they must end their move wholly within a number of inches equal to half or less of their Movement Characteristic from the Vehicle, rather than their full Movement. If, even by performing an Emergency Disembarkation, some models are unable to Disembark, then any models that cannot Disembark are removed as casualties. This does not prevent the rest of the unit from Disembarking. The unit must then take a Pinning test. After this, the Vehicle becomes Wrecked.

Explodes – The unit suffers a number of Strength 8 AP- Hits equal to the number of models Embarked. These wounds are allocated by the Embarked unit’s controlling player. Surviving passengers are placed where the Vehicle used to be, more than 1" from any enemy models and in unit coherency. Any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The unit then takes a Pinning test.

Wrecked (Zooming Flyers) and Crash and Burn – The unit suffers a number of Strength 10 AP 2 Hits equal to the number of models Embarked. These Wounds are allocated by the Embarked unit’s controlling player. Surviving passengers are placed where the Flyer used to be and in unit coherency. Any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The unit then takes a Pinning test.

If a Transport is destroyed by a Shooting Attack, any unit which made a Shooting Attack targeting that Transport can, if allowed, Charge the now Disembarked passengers.

Slow Vehicles

Slow Vehicles are less war machines than mobile fortresses – slow but very durable.

When rolling on the Vehicle Damage table to resolve Hits against a Slow Vehicle, roll an additional D6 and before determining the result discard the highest single dice rolled. In addition, when a Slow Vehicle moves, other than to pivot in place, it is always considered to have moved at Cruising Speed regardless of how many inches it moves.

Fast Vehicles

Fast Vehicles are swift-moving and often fragile, pushing their powerful engines to the limit in order to evade enemy fire. They are commonly employed as initial strike elements or reconnaissance units.

When a Fast Vehicle moves, other than to pivot in place, it is always considered to have moved at Combat Speed regardless of how many inches it moves, unless it chooses to move Flat-out.

In addition, when a Fast Vehicle moves, it may choose to move at Flat-out:

Flat-out - A Vehicle choosing to move Flat-out may move up to twice its Movement Characteristic, but at the end of its move must roll a single D6. If the result of this roll is a ‘1’ then the Vehicle suffers a Glancing Hit and all the effects of the Crew Stunned result on the Vehicle Damage table. Vehicles moving at Flat-out speed may only fire Snap Shots.

Super-heavy Vehicles

From the lumbering Baneblade tanks of the Imperial Army to the destructive power of the Legiones Astartes Falchion, all of the war engines that fall into this category are huge armour-clad constructions that each wield enough firepower to destroy an entire army.

Moving

Super-heavy Vehicles are not affected in any way by Difficult Terrain or Dangerous Terrain, but may still neither pass through nor end their move in Impassable Terrain.

Shooting

When a Super-heavy Vehicle makes a Shooting Attack, it is always treated as if it had remained Stationary in the Movement phase (even if it actually moved), and it may fire each of its weapons at different targets if desired, as long as those targets are within both line of sight and Firing Arc for the weapon in question.

Super-heavy Vehicles and Reactions

The proud crews of these mighty engines of war care little for the antics of mere infantry and lesser vehicles. As such they may only make Reactions in response to actions undertaken by other Super-heavy Vehicles, Lumbering Flyers, Knights and Titans or any model with 8 or more Wounds.

Vehicle Damage

In addition, a Super-heavy Vehicle is so large and strongly built that weapons which degrade the armour of smaller Vehicles will not affect it. Due to this, any attack which says that the target model is destroyed, Wrecked, Explodes or is otherwise removed from play inflicts D3 Hull Points of damage on a Super-heavy Vehicle instead. Any attacks or special abilities which permanently lower the Armour Values of a target Vehicle do not affect a Super-heavy Vehicle. Note that attacks or abilities that count the Armour Value as being lower, but do not actually change it, work normally.

Catastrophic Damage

Immediately after a Super-heavy Vehicle loses its last Hull Point, it suffers Catastrophic Damage and Explodes. Instead of the usual procedure for an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table targeting a Super-heavy Vehicle, remove the model and resolve a Strength 7+D3 Hit with an AP of 4 against every model, friendly or enemy, within 6+D6", measured from the Vehicle’s hull before the model is removed as destroyed. Any unit that suffers one or more Hits from a Catastrophic Damage attack must also take an immediate Pinning test (no unit may take more than a single Pinning test from a single Catastrophic Damage attack).

Super-heavy Transports

If a Super-heavy Vehicle has a Transport Capacity, then it may transport any number of Infantry units (plus any Characters that have joined the units), so long as the number of models in the transported units do not exceed the Vehicle’s Transport Capacity. Some Super-heavy Transports may be able to transport other units in addition to Infantry. Where this is true, the Vehicle’s profile will note exactly which units may Embark on the Transport.

Each unit Embarked within a Super-heavy Vehicle that suffers Catastrophic Damage takes a number of Strength 10 AP 3 Hits equal to the number of models in that unit. These Wounds are allocated by the Transported unit’s controlling player. Surviving passengers are placed where the Vehicle used to be; any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The units then each take Pinning tests.

Knights and Titans

Knights and Titans such as Warlord class Titans or the Cerastus pattern Knight Lancer are towering behemoths, clad in incredibly thick armour and armed with devastating weaponry. They loom above the battlefield, striking down anything in their path.

Additional Characteristics

Unlike other Vehicles, Knights and Titans have Weapon Skill, Strength, Initiative and Attacks Characteristics.

Knights and Titans and Reactions

These towering war machines care little for the antics of mere infantry and lesser engines of war. As such they may only make Reactions in response to actions undertaken by other Knights and Titans, Super-heavy Vehicles, Lumbering Flyers or any model with 8 or more Wounds.

Knights and Titans and Measuring

If a Knight or Titan has a base, measure ranges and distances to and from its base, as for an Infantry model. If a Knight or Titan does not have a base (such as the Warhound Titan), measure to and from its hull (including any legs or other limbs), as normal for Vehicles.

Moving Knights and Titans

Knights and Titans move using the Movement rules for Infantry. They can move a number of inches in the Movement phase equal to their Movement Characteristic, but may not Run. They may Charge in the Assault phase, just as Infantry can. Knights and Titans may Declare Charges regardless of the type of any weapons that unit has used to make Shooting Attacks in the Shooting phase.

Knights and Titans ignore all terrain effects, they are not slowed by terrain and do not take Dangerous Terrain tests – but may not pass through or end their move in Impassable Terrain. Knights and Titans may also move over units composed entirely of models of the Infantry or Cavalry types, whether friendly or enemy, but may not finish their movement within 1" of any model.

Unlike Infantry, Knights and Titans have a Facing, which influences where they can make a Shooting Attack and their Armour Value when fired at.

Knights and Titans and Damage

Each time a Knight or Titan suffers an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table, instead of suffering the effects listed, it loses D3 additional Hull Points as well as the Hull Point it loses for the Penetrating Hit.

Furthermore, Knights and Titans are so large and have so many crew members that the effects of Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results are ignored. However, Knights and Titans are still subject to losing Hull Points from Glancing Hits and Penetrating Hits as usual, just not the extra damage effects from the Vehicle Damage table.

In addition, Knights and Titans are so large and strongly built that weapons which degrade the armour of smaller vehicles will not affect them. Due to this, any attack which says that the target model is destroyed, Wrecked, Explodes or is otherwise removed from play inflicts D3 Hull Points of damage on a Knight or Titan instead. Any attacks or special abilities which permanently lower the Armour Values of a target Vehicle do not affect a Knight or Titan. Note that attacks or abilities that count the Armour Value as being lower, but do not actually change it, work normally.

Catastrophic Damage

Immediately after a Knight or Titan loses its last Hull Point, it suffers Catastrophic Damage and Explodes. Instead of the usual procedure for an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table targeting a Knight or Titan, remove the model and resolve a Strength 7+D3 Hit with an AP of 4 against every model, friendly or enemy, within 6+D6", measured from the Vehicle’s hull before it is removed as destroyed. Any unit that suffers one or more Hits from a Catastrophic Damage attack must also take an immediate Pinning test (no unit may take more than a single Pinning test from a single Catastrophic Damage attack).

Knights and Titans and Assaults

Knights and Titans assault, and are assaulted, like Infantry models, meaning that Knights and Titans make Charge Moves. However, they cannot be locked in combat. Those Vehicles or other units in contact with them outside of the Fight sub-phase may freely move or declare Charges, and may target the Knight or Titan as part of a Shooting Attack. Likewise, a Knight or Titan is never locked in combat and may simply move away from models it is in base contact with during the Movement phase, make Shooting Attacks in the Shooting phase freely and declare Charges without regard for models in base contact, save where they restrict line of sight.

Ramming a Knight or Titan

Knights and Titans may not make Ram Attacks. If a Knight or Titan is Rammed by a Vehicle, the collision is resolved as normal for a Vehicle, except that the Strength of any Hits inflicted on the Ramming Vehicle is always 10, regardless of the Vehicle’s Armour Value, and inflicts D3 Hull Points of damage. If it survives, the Knight or Titan can then attack the Vehicle in the ensuing Assault phase without needing to conduct a Charge. It should be noted that, as Vehicles, Knights or Titans cannot be nominated to perform Death or Glory Reactions.

Flyers

The airspace above a battle is just as frantic as on the ground. Fighters and bomber craft hurtle through the skies, duelling with one another and providing fire support for the troops on the ground.

Aerial Support

Flyers must begin the game as Reserve. Special rules that allow an owning player to move one or more of their units out of Reserve after deployment, but before the game begins, cannot be used to move a Flyer out of Reserve, unless they specifically state that Flyers can start the game deployed on the battlefield.

Flyers and Measuring

Flyers have flying bases that suspend them above the battlefield. However, distances are still measured to and from the Flyer’s hull, with the exception of the Vehicle’s weapons, which all work as normal. The base of a Flyer is effectively ignored, except for when:

• The Flyer is in close combat, in which case models may move into contact with the Vehicle’s hull, its base or both.
• Models are Embarking or Disembarking from the Flyer, in which case the base of the Flyer is used as an Access Point.

Flyers and other Models

Models that physically fit under a Flyer model can move beneath it. Likewise, a Flyer can end its move over such models. However, when moving this way, enemy models must still remain 1" away from the base of the Flyer, and the Flyer cannot end its move with its base within 1" of enemy models.

Flyers and Reactions

The pilots that keep the sophisticated aircraft that stalk the battlefields of the Horus Heresy aloft have little time for the scurrying of their prey. As such, Flyers may only use the Evade Reaction and may not React to any unit in any other fashion. Moves made by Zooming Flyers may not trigger Reactions, but Shooting Attacks made by Zooming Flyers may trigger Reactions as normal.

Zoom

Flyers can usually only make a special kind of move called a Zoom. Some can also Hover. Zooming allows the Flyer to move at extreme speeds, making it very difficult to shoot down, but limits its manoeuvrability.

If a Flyer Zooms, then it may move up to twice its Movement Characteristic. However, a Zooming Flyer can never voluntarily move less than its Movement Characteristic in its own Movement phase. If a Zooming Flyer is forced to move less than its Movement Characteristic in its own Movement phase, it is automatically Wrecked.

To represent its limited manoeuvrability, a Zooming Flyer can only make a single pivot on the spot of up to 90° before it moves. Thereafter, it must move directly forwards in a straight line. In a turn in which a Flyer enters the battlefield from Reserves, it can do so facing any direction you wish, providing that the resulting move will not carry it off the battlefield again.

A Zooming Flyer can move over intervening units and Impassable Terrain exactly as a Skimmer. In addition, a Zooming Flyer does not have to take Dangerous Terrain tests even if it starts or stops over Difficult Terrain, Dangerous Terrain or Impassable Terrain. Finally, unless otherwise stated, models cannot Embark upon, or voluntarily Disembark from, a Zooming Flyer.

Zoom and Ramming

Zooming Flyers cannot Ram, nor can they be Rammed. If a Ramming Vehicle would end up beneath a Zooming Flyer, move the Ramming Vehicle by the shortest distance so that it is 1" away from the base of the Flyer.

Zooming and Shooting

Zooming Flyers can fire up to four of their weapons using their full Ballistic Skill regardless of the distance moved that turn. Zooming Flyers can choose whether or not to use the Skyfire special rule at the start of each Shooting phase. If they do, all weapons they fire that Phase are treated as having the Skyfire special rule.

Shooting Attacks targeting a Zooming Flyer can only be resolved as Snap Shots (unless the model or weapon has the Skyfire special rule). Template and Blast weapons, and any other attacks that do not roll To Hit, cannot hit Zooming Flyers.

Charging Zooming Flyers

Zooming Flyers cannot be Charged.

Repairing Zooming Flyers

Some models have the ability to repair Hull Points, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results on Vehicles. Such models can only use such abilities on a Zooming Flyer if that Flyer is a Transport and the model attempting to repair it is Embarked inside it.

Leaving Combat Airspace

It is likely that a Flyer making a Zoom Move will leave the battlefield, either deliberately or by accident. If this happens, the Flyer is said to have left combat airspace – it then enters Reserves. A Flyer that leaves combat airspace must Zoom back on when it returns from Reserves, even if it has the Hover sub-type.

A Flyer cannot leave combat airspace on the same turn that it entered play from Reserves – the owning player must deploy their model in such a way that it will not leave the battlefield on the same turn.

Flyers and Immobilised Results

If a Zooming Flyer suffers an Immobilised result, roll a D6. On a 1 or 2, the Flyer will immediately Crash and Burn. On a 3+, the Immobilised result counts as a Crew Stunned result instead.

The Hover Sub-type

A Flyer that has the Hover sub-type can choose to Hover instead of Zooming. Hovering makes the Flyer slower, but considerably more agile, and in the case of Transports, it allows passengers to Embark or Disembark.

A Flyer with the Hover sub-type must declare whether it is going to Zoom or Hover before it moves, and before any Embarked models Disembark, each Movement phase. This means that if the Flyer arrives from Reserves, you must declare which type of Movement it is using before placing it on the board. If a Flyer is in a Squadron, all Vehicles in the Squadron must choose the same type of Movement. A Flyer in Hover mode cannot switch to Zoom mode if it is Immobilised.

If a Flyer is Hovering, it is treated exactly as a Skimmer.

The Lumbering Sub-type

Flyers that have the Lumbering sub-type are much larger and heavier than the average aircraft – they are capable of absorbing terrible punishment, but are slower and less manoeuvrable.

Lumbering Flyers have additional rules and exceptions as follows:

Each time a Lumbering Flyer suffers an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table, instead of suffering the effects listed, it loses D3 additional Hull Points as well as the Hull Point it loses for the Penetrating Hit.

Furthermore, a Lumbering Flyer is so large and has so many crew members that the effects of Crew Shaken, Crew Stunned, Immobilised or Weapon Destroyed results are ignored. However, Lumbering Flyers are still subject to losing Hull Points from Glancing Hits and Penetrating Hits as usual, just not the extra damage effects from the Vehicle Damage table.

In addition, a Lumbering Flyer is so large and strongly built that weapons which degrade the armour of smaller Vehicles will not affect it. Due to this, any attack which says that the target model is destroyed, Wrecked, Explodes or is otherwise removed from play inflicts D3 Hull Points of damage on a Lumbering Flyer instead. Any attacks or special abilities which permanently lower the Armour Values of a target Vehicle do not affect a Lumbering Flyer. Note that attacks or abilities that count the Armour Value as being lower, but do not actually change it, work normally.

Lumbering Flyers and Catastrophic Damage

Immediately after a Lumbering Flyer loses its last Hull Point, it suffers Catastrophic Damage and Explodes. Instead of the usual procedure for an Explodes result on the Vehicle Damage table targeting a Lumbering Flyer, remove the model and resolve a Strength 10, AP3 Hit against every model, friendly or enemy, within 6+D6", measured from the Vehicle’s hull before the model is removed as destroyed.

Lumbering Flyers and the Transport Sub-type

If a Lumbering Flyer also has the Transport sub-type then it may transport any number of Infantry units (plus any characters that have joined the units), so long as the number of models in the transported units do not exceed the Vehicle’s Transport Capacity. Some Lumbering Flyers may be able to transport other units in addition to Infantry; where this is true, the Vehicle’s profile will note exactly which units may Embark on the Transport.

Each unit embarked within a Lumbering Flyer that suffers Catastrophic Damage takes a number of Strength 10 AP 3 Hits equal to the number of models in that unit. These Wounds are allocated by the Transported unit’s controlling player. Surviving passengers are placed where the Vehicle used to be; any models that cannot be placed are removed as casualties. The units then each take Pinning tests.