Scout Squad
Most Space Marines begin their service to the Chapter in the Scout Company. Lightly armed in comparison to their elder brothers, Scout Squads wield a range of specialist weapons and equipment to undertake clandestine operations, often deep behind enemy lines.
Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
 Scout Squad | ||||
| Scout Squad | Faction | 3 | 1.3 | April 2025 |
Archetype: Infiltration / Recon
Scout Squad Kill Team
Below you will find a list of the operatives that make up a SCOUT SQUAD kill team, including, where relevant, any weapons specified for that operative.
Operatives
- 1 SCOUT SQUAD SERGEANT operative with one of the following options:
- Astartes shotgun; fists
- Boltgun; fists
- Bolt pistol; chainsword
- 8 SCOUT SQUAD operatives selected from the following list:
- HEAVY GUNNER with fists, bolt pistol and heavy bolter
- HEAVY GUNNER with fists, bolt pistol and missile launcher
- HUNTER
- SNIPER
- TRACKER
- WARRIOR with one of the following options:
- Astartes shotgun; fists
- Boltgun; fists
- Bolt pistol; combat blade
Faction Rules
Forward Scouting
Central to the role of Space Marine Scouts is ranging ahead of the strike force they are attached to, spending extensive periods laying traps for the foe, harassing enemy patrols, gathering intelligence and reconnoitring the ground in preparation for the Chapter’s assault force.
At the end of the Set Up Operatives step, you can select and resolve up to six Forward Scouting options. Each option has a number in brackets, which is the maximum number of times you can select and resolve it for the battle. For example, your five selections could be Reposition (2), Trip Alarm (1), Booby Trap (1) and Diversion (1). If both players have this rule, alternate resolving selection by selection, starting with the player with initiative.Redeploy(1)
Change the set up of one third of your operatives (rounding up).
Reposition(2)
Perform a free Reposition action with one friendly operative that’s wholly within your drop zone. It must end that move wholly within 3" of your drop zone.
Trip Alarm(2)
Place one of your Trip Alarm markers more than 6" from your opponent’s drop zone. During the first and second turning point, whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is shooting an enemy operative that’s within 2" of that marker, that friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Seek weapon rule. In the Ready step of the third Strategy phase, remove that marker.
Booby Trap(1)
Place one of your Booby Trap markers more than 6" from your opponent’s drop zone and more than 2" from other markers, access points and Accessible terrain. The first time your Booby Trap marker is within an enemy operative’s control range, remove that marker and inflict 2D3 damage on that operative; if it isn’t incapacitated, end its action (if any), even if that action’s effects aren’t fulfilled. If it cannot be placed, move it the minimum amount to do so.
Tactical Manoeuvre(1)
Once per battle STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one friendly operative. Until the end of that operative’s next activation, add 1 to its APL stat.
Diversion(1)
Once per battle STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one enemy operative within 6" of a killzone edge. Until the end of that operative’s next activation, subtract 1 from its APL stat.
Devise Plan(1)
You gain 1CP.
Designate Target(1)
Select one enemy operative to gain one of your Target tokens. Whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is shooting against, fighting against or retaliating against an enemy operative that has one of your Target tokens, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.
Spy(1)
Approved Ops only. Your opponent must reveal their selected tac op.
Strategy Ploys
GUERRILLA ENGAGEMENT
Space Marine Scouts learn to use terrain to their advantage, preventing the enemy from getting a bead on them as they move within killing range.
Whenever an enemy operative is shooting a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative, if that friendly operative is in cover and more than 6" from enemy operatives it’s visible to, you can re-roll one of your defence dice.
GUNFIRE AMBUSH
Scout Squads utilise stealth to close within range of their foes, carefully select their targets and unleash a devastating barrage of bolt rounds and shotgun slugs.
Whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is shooting during its activation, if its order was changed from Conceal to Engage at the start of that activation, or it wasn’t visible to enemy operatives at the start of that activation:
- That friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Balanced weapon rule.
- If the target is expended, that friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Ceaseless weapon rule instead.
BLADE AMBUSH
At times when stealth is of the utmost impor tance, the blade is preferable to the bolter, and just as deadly.
Whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is fighting during its activation, if its order was changed from Conceal to Engage at the start of that activation, or it wasn’t visible to enemy operatives at the start of that activation:
- That friendly operative’s melee weapons have the Ceaseless weapon rule.
- If the target is expended, that friendly operative’s melee weapons also have the Rending weapon rule.
STEALTH RELOCATION
Space Marine Scout Squads are highly mobile units, shifting swiftly from cover to cover in order to outmanoeuvre the foe.
Select one friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative more than 6" from enemy operatives. That friendly operative can immediately perform a free Dash action and/or you can change its order. You cannot use this ploy during the first turning point.
Firefight Ploys
ASTARTES TRAINING
Space Marine Chapters are amongst the galaxy’s most elite fighting forces. Even their Neophytes wield their weapons with peerless skill.
Use this firefight ploy during a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative’s activation. Until the end of that activation, that operative can either perform two Fight actions, or two Shoot actions if an Astartes shotgun, bolt pistol or boltgun is selected for at least one of them.
RAW PHYSIOLOGY
Though their training may not yet be complete, Space Marine Scouts possess the same genetically augmented resilience as their fully fledged battle-brothers.
Use this firefight ploy during a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative’s activation. Until the start of its next activation, you can ignore any changes to that operative’s stats from being injured (including its weapons’ stats).
EMBOLDENED ASPIRANT
Surgical enhancement, indoctrination and brutal training instil within a Space Marine Neophyte the confidence and determination to battle powerful foes.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative performs the Shoot or Fight action, at the end of the Roll Attack Dice step. If it’s the first friendly operative to perform either of those actions during this turning point, or if the enemy operative in that action (primary target, if relevant) has a higher Wounds stat than that friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative, you can change one of your retained normal successes to a critical success instead. Any rules that take effect as a result of retaining a critical success (e.g. Devastating, Piercing Crits, etc.) still do.
COVERT POSITION
Space Marine Scouts excel at camouflaging themselves, laying in wait for hours or even days at a time until they identify the perfect moment to strike.
Use this firefight ploy during a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative’s activation. 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".
Faction Equipment
CAMO CLOAK
Crafted from light-manipulating materials such as cameleoline, camo cloaks help the bearer blend into surrounding terrain.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative (excluding SNIPER), if you can retain any cover saves, you can retain one additional cover save. This isn’t cumulative with improved cover saves from Vantage terrain.
TARGETING OCULARS
These highly sensitive multispectral targeting visors serve to aid the bearer’s aim, rendering their weapons even more lethal.
Up to twice per turning point, when a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is performing the Shoot action and you’re selecting a valid target, you can use this rule. If you do, until the end of that action, that friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Lethal 5+ and Saturate weapon rules.
COMBAT BLADE
Space Marine Neophytes wield a variety of short-bladed melee weapons, demonstrating lethal proficiency with them all.
HEAVY WEAPON BIPOD
Deploying a heavy weapon bipod allows the bearer to lay down a hail of suppressing fire.
Whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD HEAVY GUNNER operative is shooting with a heavy bolter or missile launcher, if it hasn’t moved during the activation, or if it’s a counteraction, that weapon has the Ceaseless weapon rule; if the weapon already has that weapon rule, it has the Relentless weapon rule. Note that operative isn’t restricted from moving after shooting.
Datacards
APL 3 |
MOVE 6" |
SAVE 4+ |
WOUNDS 11 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Astartes shotgun | ||||||||
| Astartes shotgun | 4 | 2+ | 4/4 | Range 6" | Range 6" | |||
| Bolt pistol | ||||||||
| Bolt pistol | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 8" | Range 8" | |||
| Boltgun | ||||||||
| Boltgun | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
| Chainsword | ||||||||
| Chainsword | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
| Fists | ||||||||
| Fists | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
Guidance and Experience: Once during each of this operative’s activations, you can select one other friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative visible to it. Until the end of that operative’s next activation, add 1 to its APL stat.
Astartes: During this operative’s activation, it can perform either two Shoot actions or two Fight actions. If it’s two Shoot actions, an Astartes shotgun, bolt pistol or boltgun must be selected for at least one of them. This operative can counteract regardless of its order.
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, LEADER, SERGEANT
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE6" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS10 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Bolt pistol | ||||||||
| Bolt pistol | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 8" | Range 8" | |||
| Heavy bolter (focused) | ||||||||
| Heavy bolter (focused) | 5 | 3+ | 4/5 | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing Crits 1 | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing Crits 1 | |||
| Heavy bolter (sweeping) | ||||||||
| Heavy bolter (sweeping) | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing Crits 1, Torrent 1" | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing Crits 1, Torrent 1" | |||
| Missile launcher (frag) | ||||||||
| Missile launcher (frag) | 4 | 3+ | 3/5 | Blast 2", Heavy (Dash only) | Blast 2", Heavy (Dash only) | |||
| Missile launcher (krak) | ||||||||
| Missile launcher (krak) | 4 | 3+ | 5/7 | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing 1 | Heavy (Dash only), Piercing 1 | |||
| Fists | ||||||||
| Fists | 3 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, HEAVY GUNNER
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE6" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS10 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Bolt pistol | ||||||||
| Bolt pistol | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 8" | Range 8" | |||
| Combat blade | ||||||||
| Combat blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
Grapnel Launcher: Whenever this operative is climbing up, you can treat the vertical distance as 2" (regardless of how far the operative actually moves vertically).
Grapnel Assault: Whenever this operative performs the Charge action during its activation, if it climbs, drops, jumps or its base moves underneath Vantage terrain during that action, its melee weapons have the Lethal 3+ weapon rule until the end of that activation.
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, HUNTER
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE6" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS10 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Bolt pistol | ||||||||
| Bolt pistol | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 8" | Range 8" | |||
| Sniper rifle (mobile) | ||||||||
| Sniper rifle (mobile) | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
| Sniper rifle (stationary) | ||||||||
| Sniper rifle (stationary) | 4 | 2+ | 3/3 | Devastating 3, Heavy, Silent | Devastating 3, Heavy, Silent | |||
| Fists | ||||||||
| Fists | 3 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
Camo Cloak: Whenever an operative is shooting this operative:
- Ignore the Saturate weapon rule.
- If you can retain any cover saves, you can retain one additional cover save, or you can retain one cover save as a critical success instead. This isn’t cumulative with improved cover saves from Vantage terrain.
OPTICS1AP
Until the start of this operative’s next activation, whenever it’s shooting, enemy operatives cannot be obscured.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, SNIPER
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE6" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS10 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||
| Boltgun | ||||||
| Boltgun | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||
| Fists | ||||||
| Fists | 3 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||
TRACK ENEMY1AP
Select one expended enemy operative within 8" of this operative. Until the end of the turning point, whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is shooting that enemy operative, that friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Seek Light weapon rule.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
AUSPEX SCAN1AP
Until the start of this operative’s next activation or until it’s incapacitated (whichever comes first), whenever a friendly SCOUT SQUAD operative is shooting an enemy operative within 8" of this operative, that enemy operative cannot be obscured; if that friendly operative is a SNIPER that’s currently benefitting from the effects of its Optics action, its ranged weapons also have the Seek Light weapon rule.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, TRACKER
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⌀28mm |
| APL2 |
MOVE6" |
SAVE4+ |
WOUNDS10 |
NAME | ATK | HIT | DMG | WR | ||||
| Astartes shotgun | ||||||||
| Astartes shotgun | 4 | 2+ | 4/4 | Range 6" | Range 6" | |||
| Bolt pistol | ||||||||
| Bolt pistol | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | Range 8" | Range 8" | |||
| Boltgun | ||||||||
| Boltgun | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
| Combat blade | ||||||||
| Combat blade | 4 | 3+ | 4/5 | - | ||||
| Fists | ||||||||
| Fists | 3 | 3+ | 3/4 | - | ||||
Adaptive Equipment: You can do each of the following once per turning point:
- One friendly SCOUT SQUAD WARRIOR operative can perform the Smoke Grenade action.
- One friendly SCOUT SQUAD WARRIOR operative can perform the Stun Grenade action.
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SCOUT SQUAD, IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, WARRIOR
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⌀28mm |
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.
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).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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Balanced
You can re-roll one of your attack dice.Expended
- When you’ve finished with your operative’s activation, that operative is expended. While expended, an operative is not ready.
Ceaseless
You can re-roll any of your attack dice results of one result (e.g. results of 2).Rending
If you retain any critical successes, you can retain one of your normal successes as a Critical success instead.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.
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.
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.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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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.
Lethal x+
Your successes equal to or greater than x are critical successes, e.g. Lethal 5+.Saturate
The defender cannot retain cover saves.Relentless
You can re-roll any of your attack dice.Range x
Only operatives within x of the active operative can be valid targets, e.g. Range 9".The SCOUT SQUAD keyword is used in the following Scout Squad datacards:
The IMPERIUM keyword is used in the following Scout Squad datacards:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES keyword is used in the following Scout Squad datacards:
Heavy
An operative cannot use this weapon in an activation or counteraction in which it moved, and it cannot move in an activation or counteraction in which it used this weapon. If the rule is Heavy (x only), where x is a move action, only that move is allowed, e.g. Heavy (Dash only). This weapon rule has no effect on preventing the Guard action.Torrent x
Select a valid target as normal as the primary target, then select any number of other valid targets within x of the first valid target as secondary targets, e.g. Torrent 2". Shoot with this weapon against all of them in an order of your choice (roll each sequence separately).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.Climbing
An operative must be within 1" horizontally and 3" vertically of terrain that’s visible to them to climb it. Each climb is treated as a minimum of 2" vertically (e.g. a 1" distance is treated as 2").
Dropping
Operatives drop down when they move off terrain or after they’ve jumped. Ignore 2" of vertical distance that they drop during each action. This means a vertical drop of 2" or less is ignored. If they drop multiple times during an action, only 2" total is ignored, not 2" from each drop.
Jumping
Operatives can jump from terrain when they move off it. You can move them up to 4" horizontally from the edge when they jump, done like any other move except in one straight-line increment. The operative must then drop or climb from there. When jumping to a terrain feature, you can ignore its height difference of 1" or less, including its rampart (if any). However, when jumping from a terrain feature, if it has a rampart, you must climb it first.
OPTICS1AP
Until the start of this operative’s next activation, whenever it’s shooting, enemy operatives cannot be obscured.
This operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative.
Army List