Mandrakes
The inhabitants of a realm located beyond the bounds of reality, Mandrakes possess a mastery over shadow. Often serving as mercenaries for the Drukhari, Mandrakes are capable of manipulating darkness itself, slipping undetected through their foes to slaughter victims with wicked glimmersteel blades and soul-freezing baleblasts.
Contents
Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
 Mandrakes | ||||
| Mandrakes | Faction | 3 | 1.1 | April 2025 |
FAQ
Mandrakes
| Q: | If a NIGHTFIEND operative incapacitates an enemy operative, then that enemy operative attempts to inflict damage as a result of being incapacitated (e.g. LEGIONARY Unending Bloodshed) and the NIGHTFIEND operative’s Oubliex rule ignores that damage, does the oubliex become active again when the enemy operative is removed from the killzone? |
| A: | No. The enemy operative is already incapacitated when it attempts to inflict the damage, so the timing required for the oubliex to become active has passed. |
| Q: | How does the Soulstrike weapon rule interact with rules that allow your opponent to retain defence dice results of 5+ as critical successes (e.g. ANGEL OF DEATH Hardy Chapter Tactic), or retain results of a specific number as a success (e.g. ELUCIDIAN STARSTRIDER Armoured Bodysuit faction equipment)? |
| A: | The Soulstrike weapon rule takes precedence. For example, even with the Hardy Chapter Tactic, a 5 would be a fail not a critical success for that ANGEL OF DEATH operative, as it’s higher than their APL stat (3). |
Archetype: Infiltration / Recon
Mandrakes Kill Team
Below you will find a list of the operatives that make up a MANDRAKE kill team, including, where relevant, any weapons specified for that operative.
Operatives
- 1 MANDRAKE NIGHTFIEND operative
- 8 MANDRAKE operatives selected from the following list:
Other than WARRIOR operatives, your kill team can only include each operative on this list once.
Faction Rules
Soulstrike
The balefire hurled by the Mandrakes burns cold and fierce, fed by the tinder of their victim’s life force and animus. Conventional armour offers little protection against this insidious force.
Some weapons in this team’s rules have the Soulstrike weapon rule below.*Soulstrike: Successful defence dice are determined differently. Each result that’s equal to or less than the target’s APL stat is a success and is retained. Each result that’s higher than the target’s APL stat is a fail and is discarded. Each result of 1 is always a critical success. Each other success is a normal success. Each result of 6 is always a fail.
Designer’s Note: Many of this kill team’s rules refer to an enemy operative’s APL stat. This would be the APL stat at the time the rule takes effect (i.e. including changes).
Shadow Passage
Mandrakes can slip into the slightest patch of shadow as if vanishing into dark waters, only to crawl forth from another patch of gloom as though the intervening distance doesn’t exist. This sinister ability allows them to bypass sentries and defences unseen, and to pounce upon their victims from unexpected quarters.
Once per turning point, one friendly MANDRAKE operative WITHIN SHADOW can use a SHADOW PASSAGE when it performs the Reposition action. If it does, don’t move it. Instead, remove it from the killzone and set it back up WITHIN SHADOW in a location it can be placed. When you set it back up, it cannot:- Be within control range of an enemy operative.
- Be a valid target for an enemy operative.
- Perform the Shoot or Fight action until the start of the next turning point.
Umbral Entities
The Mandrakes’ physical forms shift and shudder like shadows smothering the last light of a guttering torch. Those rare survivors of their attacks describe the Mandrakes blending with the encroaching darkness, or even vanishing from sight altogether, confounding the increasingly panicked aim of their prey as they flitter ever closer.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly MANDRAKE operative, ignore the Piercing weapon rule. Whenever a friendly MANDRAKE operative is WITHIN SHADOW, improve its Save stat by 1.Within Shadow
Mandrakes are creatures of shadow, using the darkness to conceal their movements and close in upon their unsuspecting prey.
An operative is WITHIN SHADOW if any of the following are true:- It’s within 1" of Heavy terrain that’s not lower than it.
- Any part of its base is underneath Vantage terrain.
- A Shadow Portal marker is within its control range (see SHADEWEAVER).
Strategy Ploys
CREEPING HORROR
Flitting in and out of the shadows, Mandrakes advance with unsettling speed.
After each enemy operative’s activation, before the next operative is activated, you can perform a free Dash action with one friendly MANDRAKE operative that has a Conceal order if it starts and ends that action WITHIN SHADOW. You cannot use this ploy during the first turning point, and you cannot select each friendly operative for this ploy more than once per turning point.
GLOAMING SHROUD
Cloaked in shadows, a Mandrake’s form is indistinct, rendering it particularly difficult to strike from range.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly MANDRAKE operative that’s WITHIN SHADOW, you can retain one of your defence dice as a normal success without rolling it (in addition to a cover save, if any).
BLADE IN THE DARK
Leaping from shadow to shadow, Mandrakes appear beside unsuspecting foes with blades raised to strike.
Each friendly MANDRAKE operative can perform the Charge action while it has a Conceal order if it starts or ends that action WITHIN SHADOW.
INESCAPABLE NIGHTMARE
The nightmarish appearance of a Mandrake is matched by its terrifying speed and accuracy.
Whenever a friendly MANDRAKE operative is shooting, fighting or retaliating, if it’s WITHIN SHADOW, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.
Firefight Ploys
SLITHER OUT OF SIGHT
Beings of umbral malice, Mandrakes may slip into shadow to evade the attentions of their confounded foes.
Use this firefight ploy at the end of any operative’s activation. Select one friendly MANDRAKE operative that has an Engage order and is WITHIN SHADOW. Change that operative’s order to Conceal.
SOUL FEAST
Mandrakes subsist on the agonies of their victims, gaining vigour with each torturous blow inflicted upon their prey.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly MANDRAKE operative is shooting against, fighting against or retaliating against an enemy operative within 6" of it, at the end of the Resolve Attack Dice step. That friendly operative regains a number of lost wounds equal to that enemy operative’s APL stat, multiplied by the number of your attack dice that inflicted damage during that sequence. Excess attack dice are ignored (i.e. if the enemy operative is incapacitated before remaining attack dice are resolved). You cannot use this ploy if that friendly MANDRAKE operative is incapacitated.
NOWHERE TO HIDE
Walls and other obstructions are of no concern to Mandrakes, who fade in and out of the physical realm at their own whim.
Use this firefight ploy during a friendly MANDRAKE operative’s activation, when it performs an action in which it moves. Until the end of that activation, that operative can move through parts of terrain features as if they were not there, but must end those moves in a location it can be placed.
SHADOW’S BITE
When suffused with shadow, a Mandrake moves with unnatural speed and grace, lashing out preemptively with its glimmersteel blade.
Use this firefight ploy when an enemy operative performs the Fight action during an activation in which it performed the Charge action, and selects a friendly MANDRAKE operative WITHIN SHADOW to fight against. In the Resolve Attack Dice step of that sequence, you resolve the first attack dice (i.e. defender instead of attacker).
Faction Equipment
The following equipment options are available to MANDRAKE kill teams, alongside the universal equipment online. You cannot select each option more than once per battle.
CHAIN SNARE
Composed of hooked blades attached to a length of chain, this weapon bites into the flesh or armour of the wielder’s target, preventing them from fleeing.
Whenever an enemy operative would perform the Fall Back action while within control range of a friendly MANDRAKE operative, if no other enemy operatives are within that friendly operative’s control range, you can use this rule. If you do, roll two D6, or one D6 if that enemy operative has a higher Wounds stat than that friendly operative. If any result is a 4+, that enemy operative cannot perform that action during that activation/counteraction (no AP are spent on it).
SHADOW GLYPH
Etched into the inky skin of the Mandrake, this glyph glows when activated, causing the creature to fade utterly from sight.
Once per turning point, when a friendly MANDRAKE operative is activated WITHIN SHADOW, you can use this rule. If you do, until the start of its next activation, while that operative has a Conceal order and is in cover, it cannot be selected as a valid target, taking precedence over all other rules (e.g. Seek, Vantage terrain) except being within 2".
SOUL GEM
Containing the life force of a tortured victim, this shimmering crystal emits an eerie glow and enhances the supernatural might of the bearer.
Once per turning point, when a friendly MANDRAKE operative is performing the Shoot action and you select a baleblast, you can use this rule. If you do, until the end of that action, that weapon has the Blast 1" weapon rule.
Datacards
APL 2 |
MOVE 7" |
SAVE 5+ |
WOUNDS 9 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Baleblast | ||||||||
| Baleblast | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Soulstrike* | Soulstrike* | |||
| Huskblade | ||||||||
| Huskblade | 5 | 3+ | 4/6 | Lethal 5+, Shock | Lethal 5+, Shock | |||
Harrowing Whispers: Whenever your opponent would activate an enemy operative within 6" of this operative, you can roll one D6 (you cannot do so if you also interrupted that operative’s activation with the DIRGEMAW operative’s Haunting Focus additional rule during this turning point): if the result is higher than that enemy operative’s APL stat, they cannot activate it during this activation. If there are no other enemy operatives eligible to be activated, this rule has no effect.
Oubliex: Whenever this operative is readied, or if this operative incapacitates an enemy operative with its huskblade, its oubliex becomes active. Whenever its oubliex is active and an attack dice would inflict damage on this operative, you can roll one D6: on a 5+, ignore the damage inflicted from that attack dice and its oubliex is no longer active.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, LEADER, NIGHTFIEND
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS8 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Balesurge (blast) | ||||||||
| Balesurge (blast) | 5 | 3+ | 3/4 | Blast 2", Soulstrike* | Blast 2", Soulstrike* | |||
| Balesurge (burn) | ||||||||
| Balesurge (burn) | 5 | 3+ | 3/4 | Lethal 5+, Soulstrike* | Lethal 5+, Soulstrike* | |||
| Glimmersteel blade | ||||||||
| Glimmersteel blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Lethal 5+ | Lethal 5+ | |||
Balefire: Whenever a friendly MANDRAKE operative is shooting an enemy operative that has one of your Balefire tokens, add 1 to both Dmg stats of that friendly operative’s ranged weapons and they have the Saturate weapon rule. Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly MANDRAKE operative that has one of your Balefire tokens, subtract 1 from both Dmg stats of that operative’s ranged weapons (to a minimum of 1).
WREATHE IN BALEFIRE1AP
Select one operative visible to this operative that doesn’t have one of your Balefire tokens. Until the start of this operative’s next activation, until it’s incapacitated or until it performs this action again (whichever comes first), that selected operative gains one of your Balefire tokens.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, ABYSSAL
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS8 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Baleblast | ||||||||
| Baleblast | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Soulstrike* | Soulstrike* | |||
| Baleblade | ||||||||
| Baleblade | 4 | 3+ | 5/6 | Brutal, Lethal 5+ | Brutal, Lethal 5+ | |||
Soul Harvest: Whenever an enemy operative is incapacitated as a result of this operative’s Part Collector rule or baleblade, you gain 1 Soul Harvest point, or two if that enemy operative had an APL stat of 3 or more. Whenever a friendly MANDRAKE operative is activated, you can spend 1 of your Soul Harvest points to either add 1 to its APL stat until the end of the battle, or have it regain up to 2D3 lost wounds. Note you can spend your Soul Harvest points even if this operative is incapacitated.
Part Collector: Whenever an enemy operative performs the Fall Back action while within control range of this operative, you can use this rule. If you do, inflict 2D3 damage on that enemy operative before it moves.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, CHOOSER OF THE FLESH
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS8 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Baleblast | ||||||||
| Baleblast | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Soulstrike* | Soulstrike* | |||
| Horrifying scream | ||||||||
| Horrifying scream | 5 | 2+ | 2/2 | Range 6", Devastating 2, Seek Light, Stun, Soulstrike* | Range 6", Devastating 2, Seek Light, Stun, Soulstrike* | |||
| Glimmersteel blade | ||||||||
| Glimmersteel blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Lethal 5+ | Lethal 5+ | |||
Haunting Focus: STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one enemy operative. Until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, it gains your Haunting Focus token. The next time your opponent would activate an enemy operative that has your Haunting Focus token, if this operative is ready, you can activate this operative first (you cannot do so if you also rolled to prevent that operative’s activation with the NIGHTFIEND operative’s Harrowing Whispers additional rule during this turning point). If you do, during that activation, this operative must fight against or shoot against that enemy operative, and cannot do so against any other enemy operatives until it does (if this isn’t possible, this operative’s activation is cancelled). After completing this operative’s activation, your opponent activates that enemy operative (if possible), or activates a different enemy operative if they can’t.
PAREIDOLIC PROJECTION1AP
Select one enemy operative that’s a valid target for this operative or is WITHIN SHADOW. Until the start of this operative’s next activation, until it’s incapacitated or until it performs this action again (whichever comes first), worsen the Hit stat of that enemy operative’s weapons by 1 and subtract 2" from its Move stat (these aren’t cumulative with being injured); in addition, that enemy operative’s APL stat cannot be added to (remove all positive APL stat changes it has).
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, unless the only enemy operative it’s within control range of is selected for this action.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, DIRGEMAW
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⌀28mm |
Shadeweavers manipulate the stuff of darkness. They are able to leech away natural and artificial light alike, plunging areas into a cloying gloom that even hardened sensors cannot pierce. Twisting the penumbral threads of their weave, they deepen the darkness further until it bores tunnels through reality itself.
Shadeweavers manipulate the stuff of darkness. They are able to leech away natural and artificial light alike, plunging areas into a cloying gloom that even hardened sensors cannot pierce. Twisting the penumbral threads of their weave, they deepen the darkness further until it bores tunnels through reality itself. |
APL2 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS8 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Baleblast | ||||||||
| Baleblast | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Soulstrike* | Soulstrike* | |||
| Glimmersteel blade | ||||||||
| Glimmersteel blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Lethal 5+ | Lethal 5+ | |||
Shadow Portal: Whenever this operative performs the Reposition action using a SHADOW PASSAGE, you can use this rule. If you do, remove your Shadow Portal markers from the killzone (if any), then place one of your Shadow Portal markers within this operative’s control range before it’s removed and one within its control range after it’s set up.
Each friendly MANDRAKE operative can use a SHADOW PASSAGE each turning point (taking precedence over one operative once per turning point) if one of your Shadow Portal markers is within that operative’s control range when it’s removed, and the other is when it’s set up. Note that friendly operatives can do so even if this operative has been incapacitated, and doing so doesn’t prevent one operative from using a SHADOW PASSAGE in the normal manner.
Each friendly MANDRAKE operative can use a SHADOW PASSAGE each turning point (taking precedence over one operative once per turning point) if one of your Shadow Portal markers is within that operative’s control range when it’s removed, and the other is when it’s set up. Note that friendly operatives can do so even if this operative has been incapacitated, and doing so doesn’t prevent one operative from using a SHADOW PASSAGE in the normal manner.
WEAVE DARKNESS1AP
Remove your Weave Darkness marker from the killzone (if any). Then place your Weave Darkness marker visible to this operative, or on Vantage terrain of a terrain feature visible to this operative. That marker creates an area of smoke with the same size and effects of a smoke grenade, except you don’t remove it during the following turning point. If this operative is incapacitated, remove your Weave Darkness marker from the killzone.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, SHADEWEAVER
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE7" |
SAVE5+ |
WOUNDS8 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Baleblast | ||||||||
| Baleblast | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Soulstrike* | Soulstrike* | |||
| Glimmersteel blade | ||||||||
| Glimmersteel blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Lethal 5+ | Lethal 5+ | |||
Shadow Warrior: Whenever this operative is WITHIN SHADOW, add 1 to the Critical Dmg stat of its glimmersteel blade.
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MANDRAKE, AELDARI, DRUKHARI, WARRIOR
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⌀28mm |
Damage
When damage is inflicted on an operative, reduce their wounds by that amount. An operative’s starting number of wounds is determined by its Wounds stat (see datacards). If an operative’s wounds are reduced to 0 or less, it’s incapacitated, then removed from the killzone. Some rules allow an incapacitated operative to perform a free action before being removed from the killzone. Such an operative cannot perform more than one free action (excluding Place Marker) in this instance, and that operative’s player decides the order of any of its rules that occur before it’s removed from the killzone (taking precedence over the player with initiative deciding).While an operative has fewer than its starting wounds remaining, it’s wounded. While it has fewer than half its starting wounds remaining, it’s also injured. Subtract 2" from the Move stat of injured operatives and worsen the Hit stat of their weapons by 1.
Keep track of each operative’s remaining wounds with dice, tokens or by writing it down.
‘Incapacitated’ and ‘removed from the killzone’ are separate. Some rules take effect when an operative is incapacitated, but before it’s removed.
‘Incapacitated’ and ‘removed from the killzone’ are separate. Some rules take effect when an operative is incapacitated, but before it’s removed.
UNENDING BLOODSHED
Even when on the verge of death, the devotees of Khorne spend their last vestiges of energy to kill in the Blood God’s name.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly LEGIONARY KHORNE operative is incapacitated while fighting or retaliating. You can strike the enemy operative in that sequence with one of your unresolved successes before it’s removed from the killzone.
Oubliex
Whenever this operative is readied, or if this operative incapacitates an enemy operative with its huskblade, its oubliex becomes active. Whenever its oubliex is active and an attack dice would inflict damage on this operative, you can roll one D6: on a 5+, ignore the damage inflicted from that attack dice and its oubliex is no longer active.Soulstrike
The balefire hurled by the Mandrakes burns cold and fierce, fed by the tinder of their victim’s life force and animus. Conventional armour offers little protection against this insidious force.
Some weapons in this team’s rules have the Soulstrike weapon rule below.*Soulstrike: Successful defence dice are determined differently. Each result that’s equal to or less than the target’s APL stat is a success and is retained. Each result that’s higher than the target’s APL stat is a fail and is discarded. Each result of 1 is always a critical success. Each other success is a normal success. Each result of 6 is always a fail.
Designer’s Note: Many of this kill team’s rules refer to an enemy operative’s APL stat. This would be the APL stat at the time the rule takes effect (i.e. including changes).
Rending
If you retain any critical successes, you can retain one of your normal successes as a Critical success instead.Brutal
Your opponent can only block with critical successes.Fall Back2AP
The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move within control range of an enemy operative, but cannot finish the move there.
An operative cannot perform this action unless an enemy operative is within its control range. It cannot perform this action during the same activation in which it performed the Reposition or Charge action.
Charge1AP
The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move an additional 2".
It can move, and must finish the move, within control range of an enemy operative. If it moves within control range of an enemy operative that no other friendly operatives are within control range of, it cannot leave that operative’s control range.
An operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, if it’s already within control range of an enemy operative, or during the same activation in which it performed the Reposition, Dash or Fall Back action.
Control Range
Many rules relate to control range such as moving, fighting and using cover. Something is within an operative’s control range if it’s visible to and within 1" of that operative.Control range between operatives is mutual, therefore operatives are within each other’s control range if one of them is visible to and within 1" of the other.
The terrain is within both operative B and C’s control range.
Because of the terrain, operative B is not visible to operative C, and vice versa, therefore they are not within each other’s control range.
Imagine control range as an area of interaction the operative has with things close to it.
Reposition1AP
Move the active operative up to its Move stat to a location it can be placed. This must be done in one or more straight-line increments, and increments are always rounded up to the nearest inch.
It cannot move within control range of an enemy operative, unless one or more other friendly operatives are already within control range of that enemy operative, in which case it can move within control range of that enemy operative but cannot finish the move there.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or during the same activation in which it performed the Fall Back or Charge action.
Devastating x
Each retained critical success immediately inflicts x damage on the operative this weapon is being used against, e.g. Devastating 3. If the rule starts with a distance (e.g. 1" Devastating x), inflict x damage on that operative and each other operative visible to and within that distance of it. Note that success isn’t discarded after doing so — it can still be resolved later in the sequence.Piercing x
The defender collects x less defence dice, e.g. Piercing 1. If the rule is Piercing Crits x, this only comes into effect if you retain any critical successes.Severe
If you don’t retain any critical successes, you can change one of your normal successes to a critical success. Any rules that take effect as a result of retaining a critical success (e.g. Devastating, Piercing Crits, etc.) still do.Saturate
The defender cannot retain cover saves.Chapter Tactics
Each Space Marine Chapter is a martial brotherhood with its own combat philosophies, suited to the unique skills and temperaments of its battle-brothers. These tenets of war may be clothed in esoteric rituals built up over thousands of years, but remain as brutally effective as when they were first laid down.
When selecting your kill team, select a primary and secondary CHAPTER TACTIC for friendly ANGEL OF DEATH operatives to gain for the battle. Multiple instances of the same CHAPTER TACTIC aren’t cumulative.Designer’s Note: If you’re playing a series of games, i.e. a campaign or tournament, you must select the same primary and secondary CHAPTER TACTIC for every battle (you can still change the secondary with the Adaptive Tactics strategy ploy).
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ARMOURED UNDERSUIT
Ablative plates and steel reinforcements are woven into naval fatigues, providing an additional layer of protection.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly ELUCIDIAN STARSTRIDER operative (excluding CANID) that has a 5+ Save stat, you can retain one of your defence dice results of 4 as a normal success.
Shoot1AP
Shoot with the active operative by following the sequence below. The active operative’s player is the attacker. The selected enemy operative’s player is the defender.
An operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, or while within control range of an enemy operative.
Precedence
Some rare rules will conflict with each other, so it must be established which takes precedence. In order of priority, a rule takes precedence if:1
2
3
4
5
If a rule on a datacard says ‘this operative can perform two Shoot actions during its activation’, this takes precedence over the core rules for action restrictions, as per precedence priority 3.
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Counteract
When you would activate a ready friendly operative, if all your operatives are expended but your opponent still has ready operatives, you can select an expended friendly operative with an Engage order to perform a 1AP action (excluding Guard) for free. Each operative can only counteract once per turning point. That operative cannot move more than 2", or must be set up wholly within 2" if it’s removed and set up again, while counteracting (this is not a change to its Move stat, and takes precedence over all other rules). Counteracting is optional, so you can choose not to. In either case, activation alternates back to your opponent afterwards.Counteracting isn’t an activation, it’s instead of activating. This difference is important; for instance, it means action restrictions won't apply.
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Valid Target
Some rules require you to select a valid target for an operative. This is most common when an operative is shooting, but some rare rules require it too.
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Fight1AP
Fight with the active operative by following the sequence below. The active operative’s player is the attacker. The selected enemy operative’s player is the defender.
An operative cannot perform this action unless an enemy operative is within its control range.
Dash1AP
The same as the Reposition action, except don’t use the active operative’s Move stat — it can move up to 3" instead. In addition, it cannot climb during this move, but it can drop and jump.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or during the same activation in which it performed the Charge action.
Within Shadow
Mandrakes are creatures of shadow, using the darkness to conceal their movements and close in upon their unsuspecting prey.
An operative is WITHIN SHADOW if any of the following are true:- It’s within 1" of Heavy terrain that’s not lower than it.
- Any part of its base is underneath Vantage terrain.
- A Shadow Portal marker is within its control range (see SHADEWEAVER).
Seek
When selecting a valid target, operatives cannot use terrain for cover. If the rule is Seek Light, operatives cannot use Light terrain for cover. Whilst this can allow such operatives to be targeted (assuming they’re visible), it doesn’t remove their cover save (if any).Blast x
The target you select is the primary target. After shooting the primary target, shoot with this weapon against each secondary target in an order of your choice (roll each sequence separately). Secondary targets are other operatives visible to and within x of the primary target, e.g. Blast 2" (they are all valid targets, regardless of a Conceal order). Secondary targets are in cover and obscured if the primary target was.Range x
Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets, e.g. Range 9".*Soulstrike
The balefire hurled by the Mandrakes burns cold and fierce, fed by the tinder of their victim’s life force and animus. Conventional armour offers little protection against this insidious force.
*Soulstrike: Successful defence dice are determined differently. Each result that’s equal to or less than the target’s APL stat is a success and is retained. Each result that’s higher than the target’s APL stat is a fail and is discarded. Each result of 1 is always a critical success. Each other success is a normal success. Each result of 6 is always a fail.Lethal x+
Your successes equal to or greater than x are critical successes, e.g. Lethal 5+.Shock
The first time you strike with a critical success in each sequence, also discard one of your opponent’s unresolved normal successes (or a critical success if there are none).Haunting Focus
STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one enemy operative. Until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, it gains your Haunting Focus token. The next time your opponent would activate an enemy operative that has your Haunting Focus token, if this operative is ready, you can activate this operative first (you cannot do so if you also rolled to prevent that operative’s activation with the NIGHTFIEND operative’s Harrowing Whispers additional rule during this turning point). If you do, during that activation, this operative must fight against or shoot against that enemy operative, and cannot do so against any other enemy operatives until it does (if this isn’t possible, this operative’s activation is cancelled). After completing this operative’s activation, your opponent activates that enemy operative (if possible), or activates a different enemy operative if they can’t.The MANDRAKE keyword is used in the following Mandrakes datacards:
The AELDARI keyword is used in the following Mandrakes datacards:
The DRUKHARI keyword is used in the following Mandrakes datacards:
Visible
For an intended target to be Visible, the following must be true:- You can draw an imaginary, unobstructed straight line (known as a Visibility line) 1 mm wide from the head of the active operative’s miniature to any part of the miniature of the intended target (not its base).
In the rare instance that bases or parts of the active operative’s miniature prevent an intended target from being Visible to the active operative, such as when the active operative is directly below or above the intended target, treat those bases and parts as being invisible.
Some rare rules will require you to select a point that is Visible (e.g. a point on the killzone). In such circumstances, you must be able to draw an imaginary, unobstructed straight line 1mm wide from the head of the active operative’s miniature to the point you would select.
Stun
If you retain any critical successes, subtract 1 from the APL stat of the operative this weapon is being used against until the end of its next activation.Shadow Passage
Mandrakes can slip into the slightest patch of shadow as if vanishing into dark waters, only to crawl forth from another patch of gloom as though the intervening distance doesn’t exist. This sinister ability allows them to bypass sentries and defences unseen, and to pounce upon their victims from unexpected quarters.
Once per turning point, one friendly MANDRAKE operative WITHIN SHADOW can use a SHADOW PASSAGE when it performs the Reposition action. If it does, don’t move it. Instead, remove it from the killzone and set it back up WITHIN SHADOW in a location it can be placed. When you set it back up, it cannot:- Be within control range of an enemy operative.
- Be a valid target for an enemy operative.
- Perform the Shoot or Fight action until the start of the next turning point.
Army List