

In the tribal gang cultures of the Cthonian underhives, the title of Chieftain was given to those among the gang lord’s most loyal coterie of warriors, each entrusted with command of one of the gang’s warbands. Following in the tradition of their home world, the Sons of Horus carried the title into their Legion hierarchy, bestowing the honour upon junior officers. In rare cases, groups of these Chieftains would be called together to fight at the side of their overlord, asked to temporarily give up the duties of command for the honour of safeguarding a hero of the Legion and bearing his banner onto the battlefield.
| LD | CL | WP | IN | |||||||||||
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD | CL | WP | IN | SAV | INV | |
| Chieftain (⌀32mm) | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Chieftain (⌀32mm) | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 2+ | 5+ |
The Chieftains of the Sons of Horus had earned their rank through loyalty, honour and sheer bloody-handed violence, their dedication and quality measured against countless foes and never found wanting. It was their duty to ensure that when their lord sought to prove their supremacy in single combat that none interfered, cutting down any who would seek to dishonourably strike a blow against their charge.
When any Model that has joined a Unit that includes any Models with this Special Rule takes part in a Challenge, all Models in that Unit with this Special Rule gain a bonus of +1 to all Wound Tests made during the following Fight Sub-Phase of that Assault Phase.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.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.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 |
| Ranged Weapon | |||||||
Ranged Weapon | R | FP | RS | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Banestrike bolter | |||||||
| Banestrike bolter | 18 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Breaching (6+) | Bolt |
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 |
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:
This datasheet has Retinue Battlefield Role. Full list of Legiones Astartes units sharing same Battlefield Role follows:
| Melee Weapon | |||||||
Melee Weapon | IM | AM | SM | AP | D | Special Rules | Traits |
| Power fist | |||||||
| Power fist | -3 | A | +4 | 2 | 2 | - | Power |
Utilised primarily in boarding actions and Zone Mortalis operations, hoarding shields are bulkier than the similar combat shield, offering a measure of additional protection to the hearer and allowing them to form a formidable bulwark against enemy assault.
Boarding shields grant a 5+ Invulnerable Save, the Shield Trait and the Heavy Sub-Type.The Shield Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
| 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 |
Each Legion maintains the military’ tradition of the battle standard. Be they a tattered flag that has weathered the shot and shell of a hundred battlefields, a burning steel standard, or a trophy rack bedecked with the heads of slain xenos, it is in the shadow of such icons that battles are won or lost.
Legion standards grant bonuses to Combat Resolution.The Sons of Horus Trait is used in the following Legiones Astartes datasheets:
The Chieftains of the Sons of Horus had earned their rank through loyalty, honour and sheer bloody-handed violence, their dedication and quality measured against countless foes and never found wanting. It was their duty to ensure that when their lord sought to prove their supremacy in single combat that none interfered, cutting down any who would seek to dishonourably strike a blow against their charge.
When any Model that has joined a Unit that includes any Models with this Special Rule takes part in a Challenge, all Models in that Unit with this Special Rule gain a bonus of +1 to all Wound Tests made during the following Fight Sub-Phase of that Assault Phase.