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• Legatine Command Section
Retinue
• Companion Section
Heavy Assault
• Charonite Ogryn Section
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• Lasrifle Section
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• Arvus Lighter
• Aurox Transport
Heavy Transport
• Dracosan Armoured Transport
 
 
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Solar Auxilia – Tarantula Section

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Tarantula Section
UNIT COMPOSITION: 2 TARANTULA SENTRY GUNS
35 PointsPts

The Tarantula is an automated weapons platform whose ease of construction, multiple weapons configurations and general reliability have made it a staple of the arsenals of the Great Crusade. The Solar Auxilia use the Tarantula to guard exposed flanks and rear line positions where it is judged less likely, but nonetheless possible, that an enemy will attack, only pressed into service in the front line itself when personnel are stretched dangerously thin. Some older cohorts even maintain chronicles of Tarantula weapons batteries granted honorary induction into their ranks for their pivotal contribution to some great battle.

Armour Transport Capacity
M BS Front Side Rear HP
Tarantula Sentry Gun (⌀Use model)
Tarantula Sentry Gun (⌀Use model) - 3 10 10 10 2 -
WARGEAR
  • Turret Mounted twin heavy bolter
TRAITS
  • [Allegiance]
  • Solar Auxilia
SPECIAL RULES
  • Expendable (3)
  • Automated Fire Protocols
  • Independent Sentries
TYPE
OPTIONS
  • Any Model in this Unit may have its Turret Mounted twin heavy bolter exchanged for one Turret Mounted twin lascannon for +20 Points per Model.
SPECIAL RULES

Automated Fire Protocols

Tarantula sentry guns provide area denial fire, engaging enemies who move within their sensor range with their potent heavy weaponry.

A Model with this Special Rule may not make Shooting Attacks except as part of a Reaction.

A Model with this Special Rule may not be selected to make a Shooting Attack during the Controlling Player’s Shooting Phase and may only make the Overwatch Reaction and the Intercept and Automated Fire Advanced Reactions. When making a Shooting Attack as part of any of these Advanced Reactions, a Model with this Special Rule may attack with any weapons it has, not just Defensive Weapons.

Automated Fire Advanced Reaction
Trigger: The Reactive Player may declare the Automated Fire Advanced Reaction in Step 2 of the Move Sub-Phase process if an enemy Unit ends a move within 48" of a Unit under the Reactive Player’s Control that only includes Models with the Automated Fire Protocols Special Rule.

Cost: The Automated Fire Advanced Reaction has no cost.

Target: The Target Unit is always the Unit whose Move triggered the Reaction. The Reactive Player must select one Unit under their control that only includes Models with the Automated Fire Protocols Special Rule that is within 48" of the Target Unit. That Unit is the Reacting Unit.

Process
  1. Once the Automated Fire Advanced Reaction has been declared, the Reactive Player makes a Shooting Attack with the Reacting Unit. This Shooting Attack must target the Target Unit of this Advanced Reaction.
  2. Once the Shooting Attack made as part of this Reaction has been completely resolved, including removing any Casualties, the Active Player must then completely resolve any remaining elements of the Target Unit’s movement.

Independent Sentries

Tarantula sentries are deployed in key locations on the battlefield, calculated to cover crucial choke-points and provide optimal overlapping firepower with other units.

Tarantulas are deployed and operate individually.

Although included in an army as a Unit that includes multiple Models, each Model with this Special Rule is considered to be a separate Unit for all other purposes, including Deployment and the scoring of Victory Points.
Movement (M) – The Movement Characteristic is primarily used to determine how far a Model can move during the Movement Phase, with higher values denoting an ability to move further (see Moving Units). If a Model’s Movement Characteristic is reduced to 0, then the Controlling Player may not move, Rush or otherwise change the Model’s position on the Battlefield regardless of any other Rules that may affect it until its Movement is changed to a value greater than 0.
Ballistic Skill (BS) – The Ballistic Skill Characteristic is primarily used to determine a Model’s ability to make attacks during a Shooting Attack, with a higher value making it easier to succeed at attacks (see Ranged Hit Tests). If a Model’s Ballistic Skill is reduced to 0 then that Model cannot make Shooting Attacks, even if no Hit Test is required or it would have otherwise automatically succeeded due to the use of a Special Rule.
Strength (S) – The Strength Characteristic is primarily used to determine the effectiveness of Wound Tests inflicted by Melee Weapons, with a higher value making it easier to inflict wounds. If a Model’s Strength Characteristic is reduced to 0 then any Wound Tests made that would use that Characteristic or for any Melee Weapon automatically fails and no Dice are rolled for it (if the Wound Test could have triggered a variable Special Rule, then that Rule is considered to automatically fail to activate as part of the Test).
Range (R) – This Characteristic determines the maximum distance, in inches ("), at which attacks may be made with a Weapon. A Weapon with Range 0 or ‘-’ may not make attacks as part of a Shooting Attack.
Firepower (FP) – This Characteristic is used to determine how many Dice are rolled when making attacks with this Weapon. A Weapon with a Firepower Characteristic of 0 may not be used to make attacks of any kind.
Ranged Strength (RS) – This Characteristic is used only during Wound Tests or Armour Penetration Tests for attacks made using ranged Weapons. If a Weapon has a Strength Characteristic of ‘0’ or then any Wound Tests made for it automatically fail and no Dice are rolled (if the Wound Test could have triggered a variable Special Rule, then that Rule is considered to automatically fail to activate as part of the Test).
Armour Penetration (AP) – This Characteristic is used to determine if a Model Hit by attacks made with a Weapon may make an Armour Test. Like Saving Throws, lower values are more valuable for this Characteristic. When modifying the Armour Penetration Characteristic the same Rules are used as those for modifying Saving Throws.
Damage (D) – This Characteristic determines how the Wounds or Hull Points Characteristic of a Target Model that fails a Saving Throw after sustaining a wound from a Weapon is modified. A Weapon with a Damage Characteristic of 0 cannot inflict Damage on a Model, regardless of the Weapon’s other Characteristics or Special Rules.
Rules and Special Rules
The term Rule refers to any instructions that allow Players to resolve game actions as part of a Battle, covering all of the interactions between Models and Units (such as moving, Shooting and making Assaults). All of the material in the Principles of Combat, Rules of Battle and Battles in the Age of Darkness sections of this book are considered to be Rules. Special Rules modify how a Rule works, but do not present new basic game instructions, and in this book are mostly found in the Armoury of the Age of Darkness section. In all cases, Special Rules take precedence over Rules where the two present differing instructions.
Traits
Traits are a special kind of Characteristic, one which all Models have but which confers no inherent Rules or benefit on its own. Instead, Traits are used by other Special Rules and effects to target specific Models and apply benefits or penalties. The most common Traits are those for Allegiance and Faction, which are possessed by almost all Models. Allegiance requires that each Model have either the Loyalist or Traitor Trait, and most Models will gain one or more Traits based on the Army List from which they were selected.

For example, a Legionary selected from the Imperial Fists Faction and selected as part of a Loyalist Army would have the Loyalist and Imperial Fists Traits. On their own these Traits have no effect on the Model’s Characteristics, Points cost or other features, but Rules that target Imperial Fists or Loyalist Models will apply their effects to the Model.

In addition to Models, Weapons can also have Traits. These are usually different to those possessed by Models, but are used for the same purposes. Weapons will commonly have Traits that define the type of Weapon it is or a specific type of usage. For example, a bolt pistol has the following Traits: Assault, Bolt. These identify which ‘family’ of Weapons it belongs to for any Rules that might only affect ‘Bolt’ Weapons and notes that it can be used for attacks where only ‘Assault’ Weapons may be used.

While they appear similar to Characteristics, it is important to note that Traits never have a ‘value’ attached to them. Furthermore, Traits cannot be modified in any way by another Special Rule or effect during a Battle, unless a Rule specifically states it affects a Trait.
Heavy (X)

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.

When making a Shooting Attack with a Weapon that has the Heavy (X) Special Rule, a modifier of +1 is added to a Characteristic if the Model with that Weapon is part of a Unit that remained Stationary in the Controlling Player’s previous Movement Phase. If the Characteristic listed is AP, then instead it improves the AP by one Step (see the Rules for modifying Saves and AP). The value of X in the specific variant of the Heavy (X) Special Rule determines which Characteristic gains the +1 modifier.
Shooting Attacks
A Shooting Attack is the process by which a Unit makes a coordinated series of attacks targeting an enemy Unit.

In order to make a Shooting Attack for a Unit that has been selected during the Attack Sub-Phase, as part of a Reaction or for any other Rule or Sub-Phase that requires a Shooting Attack to be made, the following procedure must be followed:
  1. Select Target Unit.
  2. Check Target.
  3. Declare Weapons.
  4. Set Fire Groups.
  5. Select Fire Group To Resolve.
  6. Make Hit Tests.
  7. Make Wound Tests.
  8. Select Target Model.
  9. Make Saving Throws & Damage Mitigation Tests.
  10. Select Next Fire Group.
  11. Remove Casualties.
As part of the Rules for conducting a Shooting Attack, the term ‘Attacking Unit’ will be used to refer to the Unit whose Models will be making attacks as part of that Shooting Attack, while the term ‘Attacking Player’ will be used to identify the Player that controls the Attacking Unit. The term ‘Target Unit’ will be used to refer to the Unit that is selected as the Target Unit for the Shooting Attack.
Fall Back – All Models in the Unit gain the Routed Status if they did not already have it. Units with the Routed Status must then make an immediate Fall Back Move.

The [Allegiance] Trait is used in the following Solar Auxilia datasheets:

High Command
Retinue
Heavy Assault
Troops
Transport
Heavy Transport

The Solar Auxilia Trait is used in the following Solar Auxilia datasheets:

High Command
Retinue
Heavy Assault
Troops
Transport
Heavy Transport
Penetrating Hits – For each Penetrating Hit result, the target Unit suffers 1 Penetrating Hit. If available, any Saving Throws or Damage Mitigation Rolls may be made to discard the Penetrating Hit in the appropriate Step of the attack process (see the Rules for Shooting Attacks or Melee Attacks). If not discarded due to a Saving Throw or Damage Mitigation Roll the Model will lose a number of Hull Points equal to the Damage Characteristic of the Penetrating Hit, which is decided by the Characteristics of the Weapon used to inflict the Penetrating Hit in the same manner as wounds.
Combat Initiative Score – A Model’s Combat Initiative score is the combined value of that Model’s current Initiative Characteristic and the Initiative Modifier Characteristic of the Weapon used to make attacks for that Model. It determines in which Initiative Step attacks may be made for that Model.
Initiative Step – A Combat Round is made up of Initiative Steps, each of which has a value assigned to it to show the order in which they are resolved. In each Initiative Step, Models whose Combat Initiative score is equal to the value of the Initiative Step may make attacks. Initiative Steps are always resolved in descending order, from highest to lowest. As such, Initiative Step 10 is resolved before Initiative Step 9. Models removed from Combat before the Initiative Step in which they can attack lose the opportunity to make attacks.
Glancing Hits – A Glancing Hit inflicts no Damage, however for each Glancing Hit, the attacking Player must roll once on the Vehicle Damage Table in Step 11 of the Shooting Attack process or Step 10 of the Initiative Step process (Players may find it useful to place a marker to remind them of this).
Armourbane

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.

When making Armour Penetration Tests for an attack with this Special Rule, a result that is equal to, or greater than, the target Armour Value inflicts a Penetrating Hit. A Weapon with this Special Rule can never inflict a Glancing Hit, and any Rule that would force them to do so instead inflicts a Penetrating Hit.
Army List
Datasheets collated
High Command
• Legatine Command Section
Retinue
• Companion Section
Heavy Assault
• Charonite Ogryn Section
Troops
• Lasrifle Section
Transport
• Arvus Lighter
• Aurox Transport
Heavy Transport
• Dracosan Armoured Transport
Faction Rules
• The Solar Auxilia Army List
• Cohort Doctrines
• Wargear Lists
• Solar Auxilia Auxiliary Detachments
• Legiones Auxilia Designations
• Special Rules
• Wargear
• Solar Auxilia Gambits
• Solar Auxilia Advanced Reactions
• Armoury of the Solar Auxilia

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Transport Capacity – This Characteristic is only used to determine how many Models may Embark upon a Model (see the Transport Rules). Most Models with the Vehicle Type will have a Transport Capacity of 0/-, which simply means that no Models may Embark upon that Model.
Armour (Front, Side, Rear) – This Characteristic will often be presented with various separate Sub-Characteristics, one for each of the Model’s Facings (see the Vehicles and Damage). Each of these Sub-Characteristics is used to determine the effect of a Model’s armour and how hard it is to defeat. When any Armour Sub-Characteristic reaches 0, then any Hit on that facing will result in an automatic Penetrating Hit without any Dice being rolled (if the Hit could have triggered a variable Special Rule, then that Rule is considered to automatically activate as part of the Hit).
Hull Points (HP) – The Hull Points Characteristic is primarily used to determine a Model with the Vehicle Type’s capacity for receiving damage during a Battle, with a higher value allowing a Model to sustain more damage before it is removed from play. When a Model’s Hull Points Characteristic is reduced to 0 that Model is removed from play as a Casualty, see the Rules for Destroyed Vehicles here.
Turret Mounted – Turret Mounted Weapons may attack targets in any Hull arc (Front, Left, Right or Rear) without restriction.

Heavy bolter

Ranged Weapon
Ranged Weapon
R
FP
RS
AP
D
Special Rules
Traits
Heavy bolter
Heavy bolter
36
3
5
4
1
Heavy (FP)
Bolt

Twin lascannon

Ranged Weapon
Ranged Weapon
R
FP
RS
AP
D
Special Rules
Traits
Twin lascannon
Twin lascannon
48
2
9
2
1
Heavy (D), Armourbane
Las
Defensive Weapons – All Weapons on a Model with the Vehicle Type that have a Strength Characteristic of 6 or less are Defensive Weapons. Other Weapons may also be specifically designated as Defensive Weapons on their profile. When a Player chooses to have a Model with the Vehicle Type attack multiple different Units in the same Shooting Phase, Defensive Weapons do not have to make their attacks as Snap Shots.
First Strike (X): If a Player causes one or more enemy Units to have all of their remaining Models Removed as Casualties (Units that Fall Back off the Battlefield count for this purpose) in their first Player Turn as the Active Player, then that Player scores Victory Points. The number of Victory Points scored is equal to the value of X attached to this Secondary Objective.
HIGH COMMAND – The highest ranked officers of an Army.
Slay the Warlord (X): If an enemy High Command Choice is Removed as a Casualty for any reason before the end of the Battle, the Opposing Player scores Victory Points. The number of Victory Points scored is equal to the value of X attached to this Secondary Objective (this may only be scored once per Battle, regardless of the number of qualifying Units Removed as Casualties).
Expendable (X)

Whether forsaken as oathbreakers or simply deemed beneath their superiors’ notice, there are some warriors for whom death offers neither glory nor honour.

A Player scores less Victory Points when they destroy a Unit that includes only Models with this Special Rule.

The number of Victory Points scored by the opponent when a Unit that includes only Models with this Special Rule is entirely Removed as Casualties, for example, as part of the Vanguard (X) Special Rule, First Strike (X) or Slay the Warlord (X) Mission Special Rules, is reduced by the value of X, to a minimum of 1. If a Unit includes Models with different variants of this Special Rule, then the lowest value of X that was present on any Model in the Unit at the start of the Player Turn in which the last Model in the Unit is Removed as a Casualty is used to determine the effect of this Special Rule on that Unit.

Note that, if, at the start of any Player Turn a Unit includes any Models that do not have this Special Rule, then this Special Rule has no effect on that Unit for the duration of that Player Turn regardless of how many other Models in the Unit may have any variant of this Special Rule.
Intercept
This Advanced Reaction allows a Unit to attack Units moving into play from Reserves.

Trigger: The Reactive Player may declare an Intercept Reaction whenever the Active Player brings a Unit into play from Reserves or Aerial Reserves. The declaration is made as soon as the last Model from the Unit is placed on the Battlefield and has made any moves it is permitted to make when it enters play.

Cost: The Reactive Player must spend 1 point of their Reaction Allotment to declare an Intercept Reaction - this cost paid as soon as the declaration is made.

Target: The Unit entering play from Reserves or Aerial Reserves is always the Target Unit of this Reaction. After declaring this Reaction, the Reactive Player must select one Unit under their control, this Unit must be able to draw a Line of Sight to at least one Model in the Target Unit. The selected Unit is the Reacting Unit.

Process
Once an Intercept Reaction has been declared, the Reactive Player may make a Shooting Attack for the Reacting Unit, targeting only the Target Unit. All attacks made as part of this Shooting Attack must be made as Snap Shots and Models with the Vehicle Type may only attack with Defensive Weapons.

This datasheet has Recon Battlefield Role. Full list of Solar Auxilia units sharing same Battlefield Role follows:

Player
A Player is the actual person moving Models and making rolls, the Player of the game. Battles will include more than one Player, and the Rules will often refer to the Active Player (the Player currently taking their Player Turn) and the Reactive Player (the Player not currently taking their Player Turn, and thus only allowed to interact with the game through Reactions) in order to differentiate between them. Sometimes the Rules will also refer to the Controlling Player, that is the Player that Controls the Unit, Model or other game element the Rule is referring to.

Twin heavy bolter

Ranged Weapon
Ranged Weapon
R
FP
RS
AP
D
Special Rules
Traits
Twin heavy bolter
Twin heavy bolter
36
6
5
4
1
-
Bolt
Automated Fire Protocols

Tarantula sentry guns provide area denial fire, engaging enemies who move within their sensor range with their potent heavy weaponry.

A Model with this Special Rule may not make Shooting Attacks except as part of a Reaction.

A Model with this Special Rule may not be selected to make a Shooting Attack during the Controlling Player’s Shooting Phase and may only make the Overwatch Reaction and the Intercept and Automated Fire Advanced Reactions. When making a Shooting Attack as part of any of these Advanced Reactions, a Model with this Special Rule may attack with any weapons it has, not just Defensive Weapons.

Automated Fire Advanced Reaction
Trigger: The Reactive Player may declare the Automated Fire Advanced Reaction in Step 2 of the Move Sub-Phase process if an enemy Unit ends a move within 48" of a Unit under the Reactive Player’s Control that only includes Models with the Automated Fire Protocols Special Rule.

Cost: The Automated Fire Advanced Reaction has no cost.

Target: The Target Unit is always the Unit whose Move triggered the Reaction. The Reactive Player must select one Unit under their control that only includes Models with the Automated Fire Protocols Special Rule that is within 48" of the Target Unit. That Unit is the Reacting Unit.

Process
  1. Once the Automated Fire Advanced Reaction has been declared, the Reactive Player makes a Shooting Attack with the Reacting Unit. This Shooting Attack must target the Target Unit of this Advanced Reaction.
  2. Once the Shooting Attack made as part of this Reaction has been completely resolved, including removing any Casualties, the Active Player must then completely resolve any remaining elements of the Target Unit’s movement.
Independent Sentries

Tarantula sentries are deployed in key locations on the battlefield, calculated to cover crucial choke-points and provide optimal overlapping firepower with other units.

Tarantulas are deployed and operate individually.

Although included in an army as a Unit that includes multiple Models, each Model with this Special Rule is considered to be a separate Unit for all other purposes, including Deployment and the scoring of Victory Points.
Assault Phase: Overwatch
This Reaction allows the Reactive Player to make more powerful Volley Attacks.

Trigger: The Reactive Player may declare an Overwatch Reaction during Step 4 of the Charge process of any Charge declared by the Active Player.

Cost: The Reactive Player must spend 1 point of their Reaction Allotment to declare an Overwatch Reaction - this cost paid as soon as the declaration is made.

Target: For an Overwatch Reaction, the Target Unit is always the Unit whose Charge triggered the Reaction. The Reacting Unit is always the Unit that was declared as the target of the Charge that triggered this Reaction.

Process
  1. Once an Overwatch Reaction has been declared, and once the Active Player has resolved any Volley Attacks they choose to make, the Reactive Player may choose to have the Reacting Unit make a Shooting Attack instead of a Volley Attack.
  2. This Shooting Attack must target the Target Unit and is made at full Ballistic Skill, not as Snap Shots, and may be made using any Ranged Weapon. No Cover Tests or Shrouded Damage Mitigation Tests may be taken against wounds inflicted as part of an Overwatch Reaction.
  3. Once the Shooting Attack made as part of this Reaction has been fully resolved, the Players must move to Step 5 of the Charge Process as normal. However, if, once this Shooting Attack has been fully resolved, all Models in the Target Unit or Reacting Unit have been Removed as Casualties then the Charge process is ended immediately and the Active Player may select another Unit to resolve a Charge for.
Advanced Reactions
Advanced Reactions are more complex ploys and tactical tricks that can be made by commanders in the heat of Battle. They may only be used by the Reactive Player and require the expenditure of Reaction Points in order to be used, following the general Rules presented for Core Reactions. Unlike Core Reactions, which represent the most common types of Reaction and will see use in most Battles, Advanced Reactions represent rarer situations and depending on the Armies in use may not see use in some Battles.

This rulebook presents a number of Advanced Reactions that may be made by a Player of any Faction or Allegiance. Future publications may present additional Advanced Reactions that may only be used by Players of a specific Faction or Allegiance, or that cover more niche situations.

The following Advanced Reactions are presented in this section:
© Vyacheslav Maltsev 2013-2026