Battlefield Fortifications

Battlefield Fortifications are a special type of Unit that can be added to Armies of any Faction or Allegiance, representing bunkers, emplaced guns and other structures. Unlike Buildings, Fortifications are part of a military strategy to defeat the foe, and as such are intended to be selected as part of one Player’s Army List, rather than simply placed on the Battlefield as Terrain.

Selecting Fortifications

All Fortifications use the Fortification Battlefield Role and are not considered part of any Army List. Instead, any Player may select a Battlefield Fortifications Detachment as part of their Army – this Detachment is an Additional Detachment. A Fortification may be selected for an Army of any Allegiance even though a Fortification cannot have an Allegiance Trait itself. Note that a Fortification may never be added to another Detachment by means of the Logistical Benefit Prime Advantage.

Fortifications and Allegiance

Models with the Fortification Type are not required to have an Allegiance Trait (either Loyalist or Traitor) and can be selected for an Army that uses either Allegiance. Unlike other Models they do not automatically gain an Allegiance Trait based on the Allegiance of the Army for which they are selected. Special Rules which target the Allegiance Trait cannot target a Fortification.

Fortifications in Battle

All Fortifications have the Fortification Type – this is similar to the Buildings in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness Rulebook, but has a number of notable differences. In addition to this core Type, most Fortifications will also have one or more Sub-Types, which will be detailed separately in this document. Models with the Fortification Type only have an Armour and Hull Points Characteristic (certain Sub-Types may add other Characteristics).

Fortification

Military buildings are often vital to defensive operations, serving to shelter vulnerable troops, mount heavy guns or deploy other technological defences. During the Horus Heresy almost every force made use of such defences, though they were rarely considered a decisive element in any order of battle.

The following Rules apply to all Models with the Fortification Type:

• A Model with the Fortification Type can never be moved by any Rule or effect after it has been Deployed.
• A Model with the Fortification Type can never be placed into Reserves and must always be deployed at the start of a Battle (see the Rules for deploying Fortifications on page 192).
• A Model with the Fortification Type may never Hold, Control or Contest an Objective Marker of any kind.
• A Model with the Fortification Type can never be affected by any kind of Status, including both Tactical Statuses and Cybertheurgic Statuses. However, such a Model can be affected by Cybertheurgic Rites that do not apply a Cybertheurgic Status.
• A Unit that includes a Model with the Fortification Type may never be joined by any other Models of any Type.
• A Model with the Fortification Type cannot make Reactions of any kind, unless a specific Sub-Type states otherwise.

Deploying Fortifications

All Fortifications must be deployed after Deployment Maps have been selected and allocated, during Step 5 of the Core Mission Sequence, and before any other Models are deployed. In Step 5 of the Core Mission Sequence, once the Players have selected and allocated Deployment Maps, the Player that rolled highest when determining which Player would use which Deployment Zone must deploy all Fortifications in their Army into their Deployment Zone. Once the first Player has deployed all Fortifications, the other Player must do the same.

When playing Missions other than the Core Missions, Fortifications should always be deployed after Deployment Zones are allocated to Players and before any other Models are Deployed.

Attacking Fortifications

When determining if a Fortification can be targeted by a Shooting Attack, Charged and fought in Combat, or affected by a Special Rule, treat the Fortification as a Vehicle unless it is specifically stated otherwise. When attacking a Fortification, make Hit Tests and Armour Penetration Tests as if it were a Stationary Vehicle. In Combat, Fortifications are hit automatically and treated as having a Movement Characteristic of ‘0’ and can be attacked with Weapons that have the Detonation Special Rule.

If a Fortification suffers a Glancing Hit then it suffers 1 point of Damage, regardless of the Damage Characteristic of the Hit. If a Fortification suffers a Penetrating Hit, then that Fortification suffers Damage equal to the Damage Characteristic of the Hit.

When a Fortification has its Hull Points Characteristic reduced to 0, it is Removed as a Casualty and replaced by a zone of Medium Area Terrain that is also Difficult Terrain that covers the same area as the Fortification previously occupied. Any Unit Embarked on a Fortification that is Removed as a Casualty must immediately Disembark before the Fortification is removed and must have a Panic Check made for it once the Fortification has been Removed as a Casualty.

Fortifications and Combat

A Model with the Fortification Type can be the target of a Charge and can be Engaged and attacked during the Assault Phase. However, a Model with the Fortification Type may never make attacks of any kind during the Assault Phase and cannot Lock an enemy Unit in combat.

In the Resolution Sub-Phase of the Assault Phase, if one side of a Combat includes only Models with the Fortification Type then the opposing side of the Combat is always the winner, regardless of how many Combat Resolution Points are scored. However, a Model with the Fortification Type never takes Panic Checks and has no Aftermath option selected for it – any Units on the opposing side have Aftermath options selected as normal. If a side in a Combat has both Models with the Fortification Type and Models with other Types then the winner of the Combat is determined normally – but any Units that include Models with the Fortification Type do not have Aftermath options chosen for them.

If a Fortification that has a Unit Embarked on it is attacked in the Fight Sub-Phase and loses any Hull Points, then the Player that controls that Fortification must roll a Dice after all Aftermath options for the attacking Units have been resolved – a modifier of -1 is applied to the roll if any attacking Models used melta bombs or breacher charges to make attacks in that Fight SubPhase. If the final result of the roll is less than 2, then all Units Embarked on that Fortification must immediately Disembark and must take a Panic Check. If there is no path for the Embarked Unit to Disembark, due to the placement of enemy Models, then the Controlling Player may choose for any Embarked Units to remain Embarked instead.

Emplacement

Emplacements are either purpose built military structures or civilian buildings hastily converted to mount ranged weapon batteries. Given the limited nature of the systems that control these structures they cannot be relied upon to fight a battle alone, but can serve as a useful means of delaying or corralling the foe while more traditional troops act elsewhere on the battlefield.

The following Rules apply to all Models with the Emplacement Sub-Type:

• A Model with the Emplacement Sub-Type has a Ballistic Skill Characteristic and can make Shooting Attacks.
• A Model with the Emplacement Sub-Type can have the Return Fire and Interceptor Reactions made for it.

Bunker

Bunkers are fortified shelters for infantry, allowing them to find temporary respite on the battlefield. Some such structures also boast fixed weapons batteries, allowing troops to continue to fight even as they take cover.

The following Rules apply to all Models with the Bunker Sub-Type:

• A Model with the Bunker Sub-Type has a Transport Capacity Characteristic.
• Only Models with the Infantry Type that have no variant of the Bulky (X) Special Rule may Embark on a Model with the Bunker Sub-Type.
• A Model with the Bunker Sub-Type can be Captured (see the Rules for Capturing Fortifications on page 194).

Structure

Structures are specialised fortifications that carry no weapons, nor allow troops to shelter within, but instead allow the deployment of rare technological devices. From communications platforms to void shield generators, these platforms may seem irrelevant in the face of armoured gun turrets, but when wisely used can be equally as powerful.

The following Rules apply to all Models with the Structure Sub-Type:

• A Model with the Structure Sub-Type can be Captured (see the Rules for Capturing Fortifications on page 194).

Capturing Fortifications

Fortifications with certain Sub-Types can be Captured during a Battle – allowing the opposing Player to control that Unit until it is re-captured. Unless a Mission Special Rule or other Rule states otherwise, Capturing a Fortification does not allow either Player to score any Victory Points and does not allow the original Controller of that Model to count it as Destroyed or Removed from Play.

To Capture a Model with the Fortification Type, that Model must first have a Sub-Type or Special Rule that states that it can be Captured. If this is true then an Enemy Model can be Captured by the Active Player if, at the start of the Effects Sub-Phase of that Player’s End Phase all of the following conditions are met:

• The Model to be Captured must have at least one Model Controlled by the Player that wishes to Capture it, and that does not have the Routed Tactical Status, in base contact with it.
• There must be no Models controlled by the Player that currently Controls the Model to be Captured within 6" of that Model.
• The Model to be Captured must have no Models Embarked on it in the Sub-Phase where it is to be Captured.

If all of these conditions are fulfilled, then the Active Player may declare they have Captured that Model. From that point onwards the Captured Model is treated as if it was Controlled by the Player that Captured it, and is treated as an Enemy Model by the Player that previously Controlled it. The Player that previously Controlled a capturable Model may attempt to re-capture it using the same Rules, and it is entirely possible that such a Model may change hands several times.