

Although under the unofficial title of the Effrit Stealth Squad, the reality of the organisation and role of this elite echelon of the XXth Legion is far more complex and defies simple conventions. Such squadrons of highly capable individuals, selected for their innate abilities in stealth, subterfuge and reconnaissance, are tasked with undertaking perilous battlefield missions ranging from close observation of enemy commanders to disruptive strikes on vulnerable war machines. In this role they are frequently embedded behind enemy lines for months with little more equipment than can be carried by individual Legionaries.
| LD | CL | WP | IN | |||||||||||
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD | CL | WP | IN | SAV | INV | |
| Principal (⌀32mm) | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | ||||||||||
| Principal (⌀32mm) | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 3+ | - |
| Disruptor (⌀32mm) | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | ||||||||||
| Disruptor (⌀32mm) | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 3+ | - |
Projected from disruption arrays issued to elite forward infiltration teams, the Hydra’s Wail is a set of targeted waves and disruptive signals across a multitude of frequencies. Using systems reckoned to be derived from proscribed Abominable Intelligences dating back to the Dark Age of Technology, these broadcasts can overwhelm enemy comms, scanning and coordination networks, which, unless specifically mitigated, renders swathes of standard Legion equipment useless.
When making Cool or Intelligence Checks for a Unit with at least one Model within 12" of at least one enemy Model with this Special Rule, the Controlling Player must roll an additional Dice and discard the lower roll.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.| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Bolt pistol | |||||||
| Bolt pistol | 12 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Pistol | Assault, Bolt |
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.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 |
| Krak grenades | |||||||
| Krak grenades | -3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | Detonation | - |
The [Allegiance] Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes 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.The humble sergeant stands as one of the greatest weapons in the arsenals of any army. Skilled in war and in leadership, each sergeant is the beating heart of their unit and the cornerstone upon which victory is built.
The following Rules apply to all Models with the Sergeant Sub-Type:The Emperor’s Children Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
The Iron Warriors Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
The Word Bearers Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
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.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.Some weapons are designed for use in personal challenges rather than the vulgar press of battle. Often light and perfectly balanced, they provide a key edge in duels and bouts of honour.
A Weapon with the Duellist’s Edge (X) Special Rule grants a bonus to Focus Rolls in Challenges.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.Some weapons cleave flesh with ease, inflicting terrible wounds that no mortal toughness can resist. Though of less use against armour and steel, such munitions are capable of tearing bloody holes in the ranks of advancing infantry and stalling any attack in its tracks.
With a Weapon that has the Rending (X) Special Rule, there is a chance that a Hit Test may result in an automatic wound.Whether by skill or the merits of a weapon’s design, some warriors are capable of sweeping strikes that scythe through the ranks of the foe.
If a Model with this Special Rule is outnumbered, it gains extra attacks.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.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, and so are mostly found only in the hands of the finest warriors in the Legiones Astartes.
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 maul | |||||||
| Power maul | -1 | A | +2 | 3 | 1 | Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Power lance | |||||||
| Power lance | +1 | A | S | 3 | 1 | Precision (6+) | Power |
| Power fist | |||||||
| Power fist | -3 | A | +4 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Gravis power fist | |||||||
| Gravis power fist | I | A | +3 | 2 | 3 | - | Power |
| Paired Gravis power fists | |||||||
| Paired Gravis power fists | I | +1 | +3 | 2 | 3 | - | Power |
| Thunder hammer | |||||||
| Thunder hammer | -2 | A | +3 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
| Crozius Arcanum | |||||||
| Crozius Arcanum | I | A | +2 | 3 | 2 | Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Lightning claw | |||||||
| Lightning claw | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Rending (6+), Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Pair of lightning claws | |||||||
| Pair of lightning claws | I | +2 | S | 3 | 1 | Rending (6+), Breaching (6+) | Power |
| Saturnine war axe | |||||||
| Saturnine war axe | I | A | +1 | 2 | 2 | Reaping Blow (2) | Power |
| Saturnine concussion hammer | |||||||
| Saturnine concussion hammer | -3 | A | x2 | 2 | 3 | Critical Hit (6+) | Power |
| Saturnine disruption fist | |||||||
| Saturnine disruption fist | -2 | A | +2 | 2 | 3 | - | Power |
Some warriors are trained or equipped to make the most of the force of a charge. When they slam into enemy ranks, it is with the force of a thunderbolt.
On a successful Charge, a Model with the Impact (X) Special Rule temporarily increases a Characteristic by 1.| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Phoenix rapier | |||||||
| Phoenix rapier | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Impact (D), Breaching (6+) | Power |
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.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 |
| Graviton mace | |||||||
| Graviton mace | -1 | A | +3 | 3 | 1 | Armourbane, Shock (Pinned) | Graviton |
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.| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Tainted weapon | |||||||
| Tainted weapon | I | A | S | 3 | 1 | Breaching (6+), Phage (S) | Psychic |
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.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.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 |
Some weapons are designed not only to kill and main, but also to shock and disorient the foe. Such weapons may rely on blinding flares, bursts of enervating energy or even subtle poisons to slow and disable the enemy, but their effects are the same. Debilitated and vulnerable, warriors struck by such weapons become easy prey.
Weapons and other attacks that have the Stun (X) Special Rule have a chance of inflicting the Stunned Status on the Target Unit.The Smokescreen (see Smokescreen Advanced Reaction) Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Melta bombs | |||||||
| Melta bombs | -3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 4 | Armourbane, Detonation | - |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Nemesis bolter | |||||||
| Nemesis bolter | 48 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Heavy (RS), Breaching (5+), Pinning (1), Precision (4+) | Bolt |
Intended to scout enemy positions and screen the advance of heavier units. Skirmishers rely on speed and use of cover to survive rather than heavy armour. Such troops rarely fare well when pitted in open battle against true shock infantry.
The following Rules apply to all Models with the Skirmish Sub-Type:Some warriors are skilled at infiltrating enemy lines. When battle commences the foe will find such warriors almost upon them, ready to fight even before the first shot is fired.
Models with the Infiltrate (X) Special Rule can deploy outside of their Deployment Zone.This datasheet has Recon Battlefield Role. Full list of Legiones Astartes units sharing same Battlefield Role follows:
What the Astartes shotgun lacks in finesse, it more than compensates for in versatility. Normally eguipped to fire rudimentary solid slugs or bursts of scatter shot, they are also capable of being adapted to fire far more specialised ammunition optimised for specific targets.
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Banestrike Shotgun | |||||||
| Banestrike shotgun | 12 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Breaching (6+), Shred (6+), Stun (0) | Assault |
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Power Dagger | |||||||
| Power dagger | +2 | A | -1 | 3 | 1 | Breaching (5+) | Power |
The Alpha Legion Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
Projected from disruption arrays issued to elite forward infiltration teams, the Hydra’s Wail is a set of targeted waves and disruptive signals across a multitude of frequencies. Using systems reckoned to be derived from proscribed Abominable Intelligences dating back to the Dark Age of Technology, these broadcasts can overwhelm enemy comms, scanning and coordination networks, which, unless specifically mitigated, renders swathes of standard Legion equipment useless.
When making Cool or Intelligence Checks for a Unit with at least one Model within 12" of at least one enemy Model with this Special Rule, the Controlling Player must roll an additional Dice and discard the lower roll.