Some Archmagos took to the battlefield on hovering tech-thrones known as abeyants. Each such device was a unique expression of its master’s skills, crafted by their own hand as a symbol of their skill and invested with all the power of their arts. For all their superficial differences, all fulfilled a similar role - serving as ponderous command platforms. They granted their passenger a wider view of the battlefi eld, greater protection from enemy fire and more sophisticated vox and augurs to control their servants, and were favoured by archmagos who preferred to avoid the press of the melee.
| LD | CL | WP | IN | |||||||||||
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD | CL | WP | IN | SAV | INV | |
| Archmagos on Abeyant (⌀60mm) | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||
| Archmagos on Abeyant (⌀60mm) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 2+ | 4+ |
This datasheet has High Command Battlefield Role. Full list of Forces of the Taghmata units sharing same Battlefield Role follows:
Some weapons trade precision for indiscriminate destruction, high explosive impacts that can devastate a wide area. From artillery shells to high energy blasts, such weapons are popular tools of destruction on the battlefields of the Horus Heresy.
Attacks made with the Blast (X) Special Rule use a Blast Marker to determine how many Hits are caused.This class of grenade contains only a small explosive charge, and is intended primarily to disorientate and distract the foe while closing on a fixed position.
Frag grenades can be used to make attacks during the Volley Step.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Frag Grenades | |||||||
| Frag Grenades | 6 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | Blast (3") | Assault |
The [Allegiance] Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
The [Mechanicum] Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
The Cybertheurgist Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
Infantry units include all types of foot soldiers. Infantry are fairly slow moving, but can cross almost any terrain and make the best use of cover to avoid enemy fire.
Infantry is the most basic Type, and is applied to most Models in the game. A Model with the Infantry Type uses the Core Rules without modification, gaining neither benefit nor penalty. Models with the Infantry Type may Embark and Disembark upon Models with the Transport Sub-Type.Representing the elite of any army, commanders oversee the disposition of their troops, set strategy for the coming battle and often stand at the forefront of the conflict. The actions of such heroes can change the tide of battle in an instant.
The following Rules apply to all Models with the Command Sub-Type:Some warriors are so inured to pain and suffering that nothing but the most grievous of hurts will slow their onslaught. The only way to stop such a berserk is to hit them again and again until at last they fall, the toll of their hurts far more than any mortal warrior should be capable of bearing.
Feel No Pain (X) is a Damage Mitigation Test that may be taken in addition to a Saving Throw.The armies of the Mechanicum are made of a host of terrors, from hulking automata to gruesome fusions of man and machine. Yet, while these war engines are capable of immense destruction, it is the tech-priests and magi of the Taghmata that direct them, and without these frail human components the Taghmata has little strategic unity or focus.
If a Model with this Special Rule is part of a Unit then it can score more Victory Points for holding an Objective.An army without war engines is easy prey for the foe, and without specially trained warriors to repair those machines they will soon fail in the face of the Horus Heresy’s fury. Battlesmiths are charged with seeing to the care of the metal behemoths that lead every assault, keeping them operational and ensuring their guns never fall silent.
A Model with the Battlesmith (X) Special Rule can repair Vehicles, Automata and other mechanical Units.The Magi of the Mechanicum are well versed in the vagaries of automata, and in many cases can operate alongside them more easily than they can more conventional units.
A Model with this Special Rule can join Units of Automata.By skill, technological aid or sheer brute strength, this warrior is capable of making use of more than one weapon when engaging the foe at range. Though far from efficient, such an assault is capable of overwhelming the foe with sheer firepower.
A Model with the Firing Protocols (X) Special Rule may attack with more than one ranged Weapon.This device allows the wielder to witness the battlefield through the senses of the battle-automata under their command, and direct them accordingly.
Cortex controllers allow Automata to make Reactions.This energy scanning device pierces weather, camouflage and obscuring smoke, alerting the user and their squadmates to the concealed presence of enemy troops in the vicinity, allowing attacks to be directed more effectively.
Augury scanners allow attacks to ignore Shrouded Damage Mitigation Tests.The cognis-signum is an advanced array of sensory devices, cogitator-assisted communications and telemetry arrays. Installed into a purpose-modified suit of armour, these enable the wearer to coordinate battlefield data with blinding speed.
A cognis-signum allows more accurate attacks to be made with Barrage Weapons.Utilised by Techmarines and the adepts of the Mechanicum, cyber-familiar is a term that encompasses a variety of semi-autonomous devices such as servo-skulls and other smaller drone units tied into the direct neural control of their operator. These are an extension of their master’s will and provide them with a host of additional senses and capabilities.
Cyber-familiars grant a bonus to Intelligence Checks.Many mechanically-minded combatants take to the battlefield bearing additional mechanical arms mounted upon their armour, or even upon their body itself to aid repairs to armoured vehicles.
A Model with a servo-arm repairs additional Wounds or Hull Points when using the Battlesmith (X) Special Rule.Heavy beams and armour-piercing cannon rarely inflict superficial damage, but always blast and break the hull of their target. Such weapons are superior tank killers, their sheer power prized over lesser weapons when the objective is to apply maximum damage without concern for finesse.
A Weapon with the Armourbane Special Rule counts Glancing Hits as Penetrating Hits.Designed to be carefully attached to a target and blast precise holes in the thickest armour, these cumbersome devices are ill-suited to open war. However, when a vulnerable target can be isolated in battle, there are no better tools for piercing its protection.
Weapons with this Special Rule can only attack Vehicles and immobile Models.| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Melta bombs | |||||||
| Melta bombs | -3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 4 | Armourbane, Detonation | - |
Poison is a subtle weapon, relying not on brute strength to bring harm to the foe, hut on its own insidious bite. Though some consider it a dishonourable tool, there are many that are willing to make use of it in the name of victory.
A Weapon with the Poisoned (X) Special Rule has a chance to cause a wound regardless of the target’s Toughness.Vile toxins, exotic radiation and all-consuming chemical agents all sap the abilities of warriors in the field even as they kill them. Most terrible are the effects of phosphex, choking the life and strength from those it touches, or the fleshcorroding properties of the dreaded life-eater virus.
Unsaved Wounds with the Phage (X) Special Rule reduce a Characteristic by 1.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Rad grenades | |||||||
| Rad grenades | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | Poisoned (2+), Phage (T) | Rad |
A nuncio-vox is a beacon and communications array that allows constant coordination with other elements of an army, allowing a commander a measure of control and the ability to direct their forces, even during the most chaotic battles.
Nuncio-vox allow Units to remove Statuses in the Start Phase.The Cybernetica Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
Most of the creations of the Mechanicum draw their power from atomantic or fusion reactors, but some few rely instead on so-called rad furnaces. These devices are based on ancient technology that burns far stronger than modem reactors, but floods the area with deadly radiation, rendering them useless for most applications. However, in battle the deleterious effect on radiation on the enemy becomes a benefit rather than a drawback - though it means that only the most extensively augmented magi can accompany such units into battle.
A Model with a rad furnace reduces the enemy’s Toughness while Locked in Combat.A more complex system akin to the common servo-arm, the machinator array is a semi-autonomous repair system. Unlike the servo-arm this system is not directly controlled by the wielder and instead works to a fixed set of orders, making it less useful as a weapon of war, but vastly more potent as a device for repair and maintenance under fire.
A Model with a machinator array can use the Battlesmith (X) Special Rule twice in the same Turn.The most basic of the Cybertheurgist’s arts allowed them to boost the output of the reactors that powered the various machines in their charge. While such manipulation ran the risk of burning out actuators, voiding cortex chips or crippling electrical relays, it also proved a significant boost to combat prowess.
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In the terrible darkness of the Horus Heresy many among the ranks of the Mechancum swiftly found ways to use their arcane knowledge to undo the works of those of their kin they now called enemy. The subtle data-djinn used to empower a machine could also be turned against it, forcing servos past their tolerance, burning out circuitry and overcharging weapons systems.
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Some tech-priests focussed their skills not on the manipulation of technology on a grand scale, but on the subtle control of hand cogitator and optic relay. In war, such adepts could confound the enemy by debilitating key wargear mid-battle, leaving the foe shorn of the technology they relied on.
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The most powerful cybertheurgists were capable not only of boosting the prowess of their charges, but also of implanting temporary programming shunts. These were intended to allow even simple automata to react with more haste to the changing nature of the battlefield, though at the risk of damage to their internal systems.
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The Lacrymaerta Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
While the vast majority of the servants of the Lacrymaerta are flesh rather than steel, the complex web of implants and augmetics that enslaves them allows their masters to employ Cybertheurgy on them. Though it is more difficult to coax the same performance from sinew and bone, the effect in battle can be worth the difficulty. Sadly, the flesh of servitors and thralls rarely survives the ministrations of their masters, fortunately it is considered easily replaceable.
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With calculated disregard for terror and pain inflicted on their own charges, the priests of the Lacrymaerta have been known to intentionally push their servants past tolerance when battle threatens to overwhelm them. The explosive demise of units whose end was inevitable may yet take some few of the enemy with them - a worthy trade in the eyes of the flesh-smiths of the Lacrymaerta.
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The Reductor Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
The cybernetic creations of the Ordo Reductor had always been more complex engines than simple automata, blending the nervous system of a living being with a cold skeleton of metal. When the priests of the Ordo Reductor let slip the limiters of the Thallax’s reactors it boosted the output of their metal frames, but tormented the living nerves with searing pain, often seeing them loose terrible screams as they were driven into a frenzy.
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The priests of the Ordo Reductor know well the arts of lock and bolt, there are few doors or portals whose mechanisms they cannot subvert. If they can force a passage to any fortress’ gate then they have no need of cannon or drill to pierce its protections, and those that cower inside must face their wrath without the protection of the tall walls or tank’s gullet.
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The Myrmidax Trait is used in the following Forces of the Taghmata datasheets:
The adepts of the Myrmidax have always been some of the most ancient of the creeds of Mars, and within the data-engrams of their remote storage was kept the centuries of accumulated wisdom, the bitterness of defeat and the glory of victory. The tech-priests of that order could loose that ancient data to boost the prowess of their warriors and suffuse their augmetics with the fury of warriors long dead.
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Whether by dint of superior skill or exemplary wargear, some warriors are better able to place strikes on enemy weak points. Such attacks can fell even the most powerful foes with a single well-placed shot.
Attacks made with the Critical Hit (X) Special Rule have a chance to automatically cause a wound and inflict 1 extra point of Damage.Blasts of exotic radiation, malignant scrap-code or other targeted attacks can render the systems of complex war engines vulnerable without penetrating their armour. While such weapons are less likely to leave their target as a broken ruin, the deleterious effects of their attacks can render even the most powerful war machines impotent.
Weapons with the Shock (X) Special Rule have a chance of inflicting Statuses on Vehicles even if it does not penetrate their armour.| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Corposant stave | |||||||
| Corposant stave | I | A | +1 | 3 | 1 | Shock (Pinning, Stunned, Suppressed) | - |
Compact and deadly, pistols are ideal weapons in close quarters. They lack the sheer range of larger weapons, but can be brought to bear with impressive speed and are no less deadly than their larger counterparts.
A Model may attack with two Weapons that have the Pistol Special Rule.Designed to pierce the armour worn by heavy infantry, some weapons have gained a fearsome reputation on the battlefields of the Floras Heresy. While many such weapons are rare or temperamental in use, the sheer power of their attacks more than makes up for this.
With a Weapon that has the Breaching (X) Special Rule there is a chance that a Wound Test may result in the Wound ignoring Armour Saves.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Archaeotech pistol | |||||||
| Archaeotech pistol | 12 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | Pistol, Breaching (3+) | Assault |
Some weapons are almost as dangerous to the wielder as to the foe. Supercharged powerpacks can explode in combat or volatile munitions can jam or even detonate, all of which can prove deadly to those charged with deploying such weapons.
Weapons with this Special Rule may inflict Hits on the Models making Shooting Attacks with them.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Disintegrator pistol | |||||||
| Disintegrator pistol | 12 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Pistol, Overload (1) | Assault, Disintegrator |
On the battlefields of the Horus Heresy, precision proves far more valuable than wanton carnage, allowing attacks to be placed on the most valuable targets and not the chaff of the enemy army. Whether through well-honed skill or artfully crafted weapons, warriors capable of such feats are highly sought after in any host.
Attacks made with the Precision (X) Special Rule are allocated by the Attacking Player, not the Defender.Designed to rip and tear flesh, some weapons are fearsome and intimidating tools of warfare. Whether by the gnashing teeth of a chainblade or the jagged edges of flechette ammunition, these weapons scythe great holes in the lines of even the toughest of infantry and the largest of warriors.
Attacks made with the Shred (X) Special Rule can sometimes inflict an extra point of Damage.Some weapons are designed to crack armour and deal massive damage to internal components of armoured fighting vehicles. Few tanks can withstand the firepower of such weapons for long.
Attacks made with the Armour-breaker (X) Special Rule can sometimes inflict an extra point of Damage.These melee weapons are sheathed in disruption fields that allow them to cleave armour as though it were paper and annihilate flesh or bone with ease. They are both difficult to master, for a single mis-stroke can lead to catastrophe in a close packed melee, and expensive to manufacture and maintain, but are commonplace amongst the metal war-engines of the Mechanicum.
If a Model has a power weapon as part of its Wargear, you can select one of the following for that Model to have:| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Power sword | |||||||
| Power sword | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Power axe | |||||||
| Power axe | -1 | A | +1 | 3 | 1 | Breaching (5+) | Power |
| Power lance | |||||||
| Power lance | +1 | A | S | 3 | 1 | Precision (6+) | Power |
| Power maul | |||||||
| Power maul | -1 | A | +2 | 3 | 1 | Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Thunder hammer | |||||||
| Thunder hammer | -2 | A | +3 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Power fist | |||||||
| Power fist | -3 | A | +4 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Scyllax combat array | |||||||
| Scyllax combat array | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Breaching (5+) | Power |
| Domitar fists | |||||||
| Domitar fists | -1 | A | +1 | 3 | 2 | Breaching (5+), Armourbane | Power |
| Pair of power blades | |||||||
| Pair of power blades | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Breaching (5+), Shred (5+) | Power |
| Pair of Ursarax claws | |||||||
| Pair of Ursarax claws | I | +3 | S | 3 | 1 | Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Pair of Ursarax fists | |||||||
| Pair of Ursarax fists | -2 | A | +2 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Gyges siege claw | |||||||
| Gyges siege claw | I | A | +5 | 3 | 3 | Armour-breaker (5+), Breaching (5+) | Power |
| Paired Gyges siege claws | |||||||
| Paired Gyges siege claws | I | A | +6 | 3 | 4 | Armour-breaker (5+), Breaching (5+) | Power |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Thunder hammer | |||||||
| Thunder hammer | -2 | A | +3 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Chainfist | |||||||
| Chainfist | -3 | -1 | +6 | 2 | 2 | Armourbane, Shred (6+) | Chain |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Chainsword | |||||||
| Chainsword | I | A | S | 5 | 1 | Shred (6+) | Chain |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Chainaxe | |||||||
| Chainaxe | -1 | A | +1 | 5 | 1 | Shred (6+) | Chain |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Heavy chainsword | |||||||
| Heavy chainsword | -1 | A | +2 | 4 | 1 | Shred (6+) | Chain |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Heavy chainaxe | |||||||
| Heavy chainaxe | -2 | A | +3 | 4 | 1 | Shred (6+) | Chain |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Bolt pistol | |||||||
| Bolt pistol | 12 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Pistol | Assault, Bolt |
Exotic beam weapons of arcing energy or sequential explosions triggered by the death of the first victim, some weapons cause not a single casualty, but a slew of them. Such weapons are wielded with grim efficiency against close packed formations of troops on the battlefields of the Horus Heresy. The most well-known examples are the volkite weapons of Mars, but many others are known.
Unsaved Wounds inflicted by attacks with the Deflagrate (X) Special Rule can cause additional Hits.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Volkite serpenta | |||||||
| Volkite serpenta | 10 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | Pistol, Deflagrate (5) | Assault, Volkite |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Plasma pistol | |||||||
| Plasma pistol | |||||||
| - Sustained fire | |||||||
| - Sustained fire | 12 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | Pistol, Breaching (6+) | Assault, Plasma |
| - Maximal fire | |||||||
| - Maximal fire | 12 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 | Pistol, Breaching (5+), Overload (1) | Assault, Plasma |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Volkite charger | |||||||
| Volkite charger | 15 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | Deflagrate (5) | Assault, Volkite |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Maxima bolter | |||||||
| Maxima bolter | 18 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | - | Assault, Bolt |
The beams of energy generated by melta weaponry dissipate over long ranges. When used at close quarters, however, their effect on armoured vehicles is devastating.
This Special Rule increases the amount of Damage against Vehicles when Shooting Attacks are made within a specific range.The crack of the sniper’s rifle or the burst of heavy artillery, both signal a sudden and indiscriminate death and send infantry scurrying for cover. Such weapons are meant as much to pin the foe in place as to kill them, breaking up advancing ranks of troops and shattering defensive formations.
Weapons and other attacks that have the Pinning (X) Special Rule have a chance of inflicting the Pinned Status on the Target Unit.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Graviton gun | |||||||
| Graviton gun | 18 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | Blast (3"), Breaching (6+), Shock (Pinned), Pinning (1) | Graviton |
Template weapons shoot clouds of fire, gas or other lethal substances, rather than shells or bullets.
Weapons and attacks with the Template Special Rule use the Flame Template to determine how many Models they Hit.Some weapons are so terrifyingly potent that their use instils abject fear in even the most strong-willed warriors. In the face of such wanton power the target can only flee or prepare for death, for few would live to tell of the true horrors of the Age of Darkness once they were unleashed on the battlefield.
Weapons and other attacks that have the Panic (X) Special Rule have a chance of inflicting the Routed Status on the Target Unit.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Flamer | |||||||
| Flamer | Template | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Template, Panic (1) | Flame |
Some weapons are so heavy that, while they can be fired on the move, are more powerful when properly braced and made ready before shooting. Warriors on the battlefield must use their judgement to decide when speed is required and when the full firepower of their arsenal must be unleashed.
Weapons with the Heavy (X) Special Rule gain +1 to a Characteristic when Stationary.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Phased plasma-fusil | |||||||
| Phased plasma-fusil | 24 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | Breaching (5+) | Plasma |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Irad-cleanser | |||||||
| Irad-cleanser | Template | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | Template, Phage (T), Poisoned (2+), Panic (1) | Rad |
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: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.
The following Rules apply to all Models with the Heavy Sub-Type:The wargear of many Legiones Astartes warriors and war machines incorporates a variety of targeting and stabilisation systems, enabling larger weaponry to be brought to bear even at close ranges.
Models with this Special Rule can make Volley Attacks with other Weapons.Volatile fuel, overpowered reactors or dangerous munitions can cause some war engines to explode when destroyed. Such explosions can prove devastating to friend and foe alike.
A Model with this Special Rule can explode and cause Hits to nearby Models and Units.Transport vehicles are designed to balance armour and capacity, attempting to mount the most protection without compromising how many warriors they can carry. Yet, some warriors are plated in such imposing armour or even spawned in such an aberrant nature that they occupy far more space than any regular fighter. Such warriors are mighty in both power and stature, but prove more difficult to ferry into battle.
Models with the Bulky (X) Special Rule take up more space on Transport Models.By dint of advanced communication gear, cybertheurgic skill or simply a loud and commanding voice, some leaders are able to keep better control over the warriors under their command.
A Model with this Special Rule can reduce the costs of Reactions declared by the Controlling Player.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Conversion beamer | |||||||
| Conversion beamer | |||||||
<15 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | Heavy (RS), Blast (3") | Conversion | |
15-30 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | Heavy (RS), Blast (3") | Conversion | |