The Dark Angels were the First Legion. No other Space Marine brotherhood has served the Emperor for as long as they have. Staunch defenders of Mankind, they are merciless in the attack and stubborn in the defence. They are also shrouded in mystery, however, and have secrets so shameful they are kept even from many of their own number.
Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
Space Marines | ||||
Space Marines | Codex | 10 | 1.2 | October 2024 |
Munitorum Field Manual | ||||
Munitorum Field Manual | Expansion | 10 | 1.13 | October 2024 |
Legends Field Manual | ||||
Legends Field Manual | Expansion | 10 | 1.9 | October 2024 |
Legends: Space Marines | ||||
Legends: Space Marines | Datasheet | 10 | September 2024 | |
Dark Angels | ||||
Dark Angels | Codex Supplement | 10 | 1.1 | September 2024 |
Horus Heresy Legends: Adeptus Astartes | ||||
Horus Heresy Legends: Adeptus Astartes | Datasheet | 10 | September 2024 | |
Imperial Armour: Space Marines | ||||
Imperial Armour: Space Marines | Datasheet | 10 | September 2024 | |
Legends: Dark Angels | ||||
Legends: Dark Angels | Datasheet | 10 | September 2024 | |
Balance Dataslate | ||||
Balance Dataslate | Rulebook | 10 | June 2024 | September 2024 |
Q: | Can I use a Captain’s Rites of Battle ability to target that Captain’s unit if it is in Reserves or Strategic Reserves? |
A: | Yes. |
Q: | Does an objective marker that has been Sabotaged by my army using the A Deadly Prize Stratagem remain Sabotaged if my opponent controls it at the start or end of any turn? |
A: | Yes. However, while your opponent controls that objective marker, its ability to inflict mortal wounds is not active. |
Q: | If a Hellblaster is destroyed by anything other than an attack, can that model use its For the Chapter! ability? |
A: | No. |
Q: | While an Attached unit is embarked within a TRANSPORT, do weapons that TRANSPORT shoots with using the Firing Deck ability benefit from any abilities the attached Leader has (e.g. a |
A: | No. Firing Deck enables a Transport to be equipped with a number of weapons equipped by its passengers, but the TRANSPORT itself is not part of that Attached unit, and embarked units cannot use abilities unless otherwise stated. |
Q: | When an Attached unit is selected as an Oath of Moment target, if that unit ceases to be an Attached unit, does the effect persist on the remaining unit? |
A: | Yes. See Persisting Effects in the Core Rules Errata |
Q: | Can a unit embarked within a TRANSPORT be selected as the Oath of Moment target? |
A: | No. See the Embark section. |
Q: | Can a unit in Reserves be selected as the Oath of Moment target? |
A: | Yes. |
Q: | Can a unit in Reserves use an Enhancement (following all restrictions outlined by that Enhancement)? |
A: | Yes. |
Q: | If I have two or more Impulsors within 6" of a unit I target with a Stratagem, do each of their Orbital Comms Array wargear abilities trigger? |
A: | No, they are Aura abilities and so do not stack. |
Q: | If I use a Stratagem on a unit within 6" of an Impulsor with an Orbital Comms Array, but I do not roll high enough to gain 1CP as a result of that wargear, if that same unit is within 6" of a different Impulsor that also has an Orbital Comms Array, can I attempt to roll another D6 to try to gain 1CP? |
A: | No. |
Q: | Do multiple instances of the Astartes Banner(e.g. ANCIENT) ability stack? |
A: | Yes. |
Q: | If I select one MONSTER or VEHICLE unit as the target of all of a Stormspeeder Thunderstrike’s ranged weapons, and the first weapon that model makes attacks with scores one or more hits, do I add 1 to the Wound rolls made for attacks with its remaining weapons? |
A: | No. Only after you have resolved the attacks with all weapons it is shooting with this phase, has that model shot (see ‘Shot’ in the Rules Commentary). |
Q: | If the mission rules I am using state that Reserves units cannot arrive on the battlefield during the first battle round (e.g. the Pariah Nexus mission pack), can I target my Drop Pod with the Rapid Ingress Stratagem during the first battle round if I have the second turn? |
A: | No. |
Q: | Can I set up a unit that has the Hunter’s Instincts Enhancement from Strategic Reserves during the first battle round? |
A: | Yes. Additionally, you can set up such a unit within your opponent’s deployment zone during the second battle round. |
Q: | Can I target a unit that has the Hunter’s Instincts Enhancement with the Rapid Ingress Stratagem during the first battle round? |
A: | Yes. |
Q: | When making attacks with a unit from my army, I split my attacks between the first Oath of Moment target selected as part of my army rule and the second Oath of Moment target selected using ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN’S Master of Battle Author of the Codex ability. If I destroy the first Oath of Moment target before resolving my attacks against the second Oath of Moment target, will those attacks against the second Oath of Moment target benefit from the re-rolls to hit? |
A: | No. Only after all of the attacks from that unit have been resolved will the second Oath of Moment selection become active. |
Q: | When using Lion El’Jonson’s All Secrets Revealed ability, if my opponent targets a unit with a Stratagem and subsequently fails the Battle-shock test triggered by this ability, do they reduce their CP total despite the Stratagem’s effects not being resolved (but still counting as having been used)? |
A: | Yes. |
In battle, Space Marines swear mighty oaths to destroy the enemies of the Emperor and uphold the honour of their Chapter, and such vows are sacrosanct. When the Angels of Death strike, they do so with the precision of a surgeon and the force of a thunderbolt. Experience and strategic expertise help them to read the shifting shape of the battle with post-human speed and clarity, directing their wrath towards one priority target after another. Command assets are annihilated, leaving the enemy reeling leaderless. Heavy armour, potent artillery and the vaunted elites of the foe’s forces are laid waste with horrifying speed, until the Emperor’s Angels of Death stand victorious over a field of smouldering wreckage and bolt-riddled corpses, and honour is finally satisfied.
If your Army Faction is ADEPTUS ASTARTES, at the start of your Command phase, select one unit from your opponent’s army. Until the start of your next Command phase, that enemy unit is your Oath of Moment target. Each time a model with this ability makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, you can re-roll the Hit roll.The Codex Astartes has proven its worth as a superb treatise on warfare over countless battlefields, and has remained so even after ten thousand years. Many Space Marines hold its wisdom in awe, and exemplify its teachings, employing a flexible set of combat doctrines to eliminate their enemy. Few opponents can withstand the fury of such an onslaught.
At the start of your Command phase, you can select one of the Combat Doctrines listed below. Until the start of your next Command phase, that Combat Doctrine is active and its effects apply to all ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from your army. You can only select each Combat Doctrine once per battle.Devastator Doctrine The Codex Astartes details the strategic value of overwhelming firepower applied to key targets while advancing into position to eliminate threats. This unit is eligible to shoot in a turn in which it Advanced. |
Tactical Doctrine As the warring armies close upon one another and vicious fire-fights erupt, the Codex lays out strategies for swiftly seizing the initiative and combining versatility with firepower. This unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back. |
Assault Doctrine The Codex Astartes leaves no doubt that the killing blow in most engagements must be delivered with a decisive close-quarters strike. It presents plentiful tactical means to achieve this end. This unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced. |
Crafted by the Chapter’s finest artificers, this suit of armour provides superior protection. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. The bearer has a Save characteristic of 2+ and the Feel No Pain 5+ ability. |
This stanza is inscribed on thrice-blessed parchment and affixed to its bearers’ wargear with a purity seal, there to inspire them to heroic acts of martial prowess. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. Add 1 to the Attacks and Strength characteristics of the bearer’s melee weapons. While the bearer is under the effects of the Assault Doctrine, add 2 to the Attacks and Strength characteristics of the bearers melee weapons instead. |
An ardent student of the Codex Astartes, this commander epitomises its tactical genius, and the wisdom gleaned from its teachings guides their measured strategic responses amidst the fiercest battle. CAPTAIN model only. At the start of your Command phase, if the bearer is on the battlefield, instead of selecting a Combat Doctrine to be active for your army, you can select the Tactical Doctrine. If you do, until the start of your next Command phase, that Combat Doctrine is active for the bearer’s unit only, even if you have already selected that Combat Doctrine to be active for your army this battle. |
This commander drills his warriors relentlessly; combined with the Adeptus Astartes’ incredible reflexes, they produce a devastating rate of fire. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, ranged weapons equipped by models in that unit have the [SUSTAINED HITS 1] ability. In addition, while the bearer’s unit is under the effects of the Devastator Doctrine, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack, a successful unmodified Hit roll of 5+ scores a Critical Hit. |
Across blood-drenched battlefields, within towering citadels and isolated orbital stations, the Angels of Death throw back tides of traitors, mutants, xenos and heretics, and purge enemy holdings of foes thanks to their disciplined strategies and fighting skills. All who oppose them are met with volleys of deadly accurate firepower long before they reach the battle-brothers’ razor-sharp blades.
Ranged weapons equipped by ADEPTUS ASTARTES models from your army have the [HEAVY] ability. If such a weapon already has this ability, each time an attack is made with that weapon, if the attacking model’s unit Remained Stationary this turn, add 1 to the Wound roll.
This hero refuses to yield whilst foes remain, fighting back from the brink of death like a vengeful demigod. GRAVIS model only. The first time the bearer is destroyed, roll one D6 at the end of the phase. On a 2+, set the bearer back up on the battlefield, as close as possible to where it was destroyed and not within Engagement Range of any enemy units, with its full wounds remaining. |
The Chapter’s orbiting warships stand ready to unleash devastation at this leader’s command. CAPTAIN model only. Once per battle, at the start of your Shooting phase, you can select one point on the battlefield and place a marker on that point. At the start of your next Shooting phase, place another marker on the battlefield within 12" of the centre of the first marker, then draw a straight line between the centre of each of these markers. Roll one D6 for each unit that line passes over or through: on a 3+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. Both markers are then removed. |
This commander and their warriors hold their ground tenaciously against even overwhelming numbers. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, models in that unit have the Feel No Pain 6+ ability while they are within range of an objective marker you control and, while that unit is Battle-shocked, halve the Objective Control characteristic of models in that unit instead of changing it to 0. |
There are few who have a deeper understanding of the tenets of siege warfare than this warrior. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, ranged weapons equipped by models in that unit have the [IGNORES COVER] ability. |
An Ironstorm Spearhead’s commanders guide their assault with pre-cogitated fire solutions, cycling data-gheist inloads and whispered binharic auguries. These ensure their warriors, and the belligerent machine spirits inhabiting their war engines, deliver their fire with inescapable accuracy.
Once per phase for each ADEPTUS ASTARTES unit in your army, you can re-roll one Hit roll, one Wound roll or one Damage roll made for a model in that unit.
This spearhead commander uses advanced augmetics to distribute targeting data. With these, they direct the fire of their war engine crews and rouse their machine spirits to operative superiority. TECHMARINE model only. In your Command phase, select one ADEPTUS ASTARTES VEHICLE model within 6" of the bearer. Until the start of your next Command phase, weapons equipped by that VEHICLE model have the [LETHAL HITS] ability. |
The injuries of past battles have seen this warrior heavily rebuilt with ultra-durable cybernetic limbs and organs that render them extremely difficult to kill. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. The bearer has the Feel No Pain 4+ ability. |
This battle-brother is steeped in hidden technological rites. Should their armoured charges be threatened, a burst of arcane binharic screed can rouse their machine spirits to vigilance. TECHMARINE model only. Once per battle round, when a saving throw is failed for a friendly ADEPTUS ASTARTES VEHICLE model within 6" of the bearer, you can change the Damage characteristic of that attack to 0. |
This commander is supremely gifted in the strategies of armoured warfare, understanding the capabilities of every war engine in the Chapters arsenal. Delivering precision orders, they ensure the vehicles under their command inflict the most punishing damage to the enemy even amidst complex manoeuvres. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. In your Command phase, select one ADEPTUS ASTARTES VEHICLE model within 6" of the bearer. Until the start of your next Command phase, that VEHICLE is eligible to shoot even if it Fell Back or Advanced this turn. |
The Space Marines are the Emperor’s finest shock troops, striking at the foe before they can react. In their rapid, mechanised assaults, Space Marines smash aside the enemy, destroying them at close quarters without mercy.
Ranged weapons equipped by ADEPTUS ASTARTES models from your army have the [ASSAULT] ability, and each time an attack made with such a weapon targets a unit within 12", add 1 to the Strength characteristic of that attack.
This commander and their warriors have vowed to secure victory and defend the Imperium from the horrors of the galaxy. TACTICUS model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, models in that unit can ignore any or all modifiers to their characteristics and/or to any roll or test made for them (excluding modifiers to saving throws). |
Having laboured long in the Chapter’s forges, this warrior-smith has crafted his personal armaments. Each weapon is a masterwork tool of death-dealing, wrought with care and strength, and embellished with the icons of their maker’s brotherhood. ADEPTUS ASTARTES INFANTRY model only. Add 3 to the Strength characteristic of the bearer’s melee weapons. |
To this Angel of Death, war is the anvil upon which their strength is wrought. Every battle is seen as a test in which they and their battle-brothers can prove themselves, and the superior craftsmanship of their weapons and armour. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, once per turn, after making a Hit roll or a saving throw for a model in that unit, you can change the result of that roll to an unmodifed 6. |
This flowing cloak or finely wrought tabard is laced through with threads of braided adamantine. When combined with armour and energy fields, it has been shown time and again that these symbols of office are proof against even the very strongest attacks. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. Each time an attack is allocated to the bearer, subtract 1 from the Damage characteristic of that attack. If that attack was made with a Melta or Torrent weapon, change the Damage characteristic of that attack to 1 instead. |
The warriors of a Stormlance Task Force employ high-speed tactics and hit-and-run warfare. They do battle on the move, wrong-footing their enemies with breakneck manoeuvres and melting away one moment only to crash home like a thunderbolt the next.
ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from your army are eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which they Advanced or Fell Back.
This aggressive warrior channels their eagerness to kill into each and every strike. They hit the enemy’s lines with all the ferocity of a raging tempest. ADEPTUS ASTARTES MOUNTED model only. Improve the Strength and Armour Penetration characteristics of the bearer’s melee weapons by 1. Each time the bearer ends a Charge move, until the end of the turn, improve the Strength and Armour Penetration characteristics of the bearers melee weapons by 2 instead. |
This warrior has been made privy to omens of great threats in the wars to come. Armed with this knowledge, they and their battle-brothers enter battle with a boldness that some mistake for recklessness. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, you can re-roll Advance rolls made for that unit. |
This living legend of the Chapter is known for their calm in the heat of battle. Ever-observant of the ebbs and flows of the engagement, they can withdraw their warriors from the fray in good order, ready to hammer home a torrent of fire. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, that unit is eligible to shoot in a turn in which it Fell Back. |
This mounted huntsman espouses the value of circling the enemy and striking suddenly from an unexpected quarter upon their speeding steed, the better to land the killing blow. ADEPTUS ASTARTES MOUNTED model only. If the bearer’s unit is in Strategic Reserves, for the purposes of setting up that unit on the battlefield, treat the current battle round number as being one higher than it actually is. |
The warriors of a Vanguard Spearhead slip through the shadows, half-seen spectres barely visible to the foe. Enemies blaze away into the gloom with increasing panic, their shots flying wide as covert specialists encircle their victims and prepare to level the killing blow.
Each time a ranged attack targets an ADEPTUS ASTARTES unit from your army, unless the attacking model is within 12", subtract 1 from the Hit roll and the target has the Benefit of Cover against that attack.
This battlefield stalker slips through enemy territory like a spectre, leading their warriors in daring behind-enemy-lines operations. ADEPTUS ASTARTES INFANTRY model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, models in that unit have the Infiltrators ability. |
Hand-stitched by blinded servitors and anointed with distilled blood, this cloak contains strands of mnemothread. It throws up a field of techno-spiritual dissonance that veils its wearer from sight and sensors, allowing them to slip across the battlefield like a wraith. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. The bearer has the Stealth and Lone Operative abilities. |
The battle-brothers under this warrior’s command seize every opportunity to strike while the initiative is theirs, harrying the foe with gunfire before returning to the shadows. PHOBOS model only. In your Shooting phase, after the bearer’s unit has shot, if that unit is not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units, it can make a Normal move of up to 6". If it does, until the end of the turn, that unit is not eligible to declare a charge. This cannot allow the bearer’s unit to move more than once in your Shooting phase. |
By the time the enemy believes battle has begun, their rear lines have already been attacked at this warriors command - their supply lines cut and their communications in disarray - choking them off from vital battlefield support. PHOBOS model only. Gain following ability: |
The 1st Company’s veterans have fought at the forefront of their Chapter’s wars for many mortal lifespans. Experience has taught them to identify the foe’s lethal threats and to lead their battle-brothers to purge them from existence.
Once per battle, in your Command phase, you can use this ability. If you do, until the start of your next Command phase, each time a model from your army with the Oath of Moment ability makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, you can re-roll the Wound roll as well.
This hero and the veterans they lead cut down their foes like a reaping whirlwind. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. Add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of the bearers melee weapons. Once per battle, at the start of any phase, the bearer can use this Enhancement. If it does, until the end of the phase, add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of melee weapons equipped by all other models in the bearer’s unit as well. |
This warrior personifies the Emperor’s wrath. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While an enemy unit (excluding MONSTERS and VEHICLES) is within 6" of the bearer, each time that unit fails a Battle-shock test, one model in that unit is destroyed (chosen by its controlling player). Once per battle, when such an enemy unit fails a Battle-shock test, you can choose for D3 models in that unit to be destroyed in this way instead. |
The commanders of the 1st Company vow before the Chapter and the Emperor to secure victory. ADEPTUS ASTARTES TERMINATOR model only. Improve the Objective Control characteristic of the bearer by 1. Once per battle, at the start of any phase, the bearer can use this Enhancement. If it does, until the end of the phase, add 1 to the Objective Control characteristic of all other models in the bearer’s unit as well. |
This hero shrugs off even horrendous wounds. ADEPTUS ASTARTES TERMINATOR model only. The bearer has the Feel No Pain 5+ ability. Once per battle, after the bearer’s unit is selected as the target of one or more attacks, the bearer can use this Enhancement. If it does, until the end of the phase, models in the bearer’s unit have the Feel No Pain 5+ ability. |
None fight with more grim determination than the sons of the Lion, and their specialised companies - known as the Deathwing and the Ravenwing in the case of the Dark Angels - are the bane of their terrified foes.
The Dark Angels are renowned for their unshakeable resolve, enduring tenacity and strict discipline in battle. They are tactically astute, able to prosecute their wars on any front. On the offence, they strike with all the martial pride of the Lion, while in defence they are stalwart, determined to accomplish their mission no matter the cost.
While an ADEPTUS ASTARTES unit from your army is Battle-shocked, change the Objective Control characteristic of models in that unit to 1, instead of 0. In your Command phase, select one ADEPTUS ASTARTES unit from your army; until the start of your next Command phase, add 1 to the Objective Control characteristic of models in that unit.
Formed from the death shrouds of some of the Chapters greatest warriors, this robe inspires its wearer with the might and selflessness of those who came before. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. The first time the bearer is destroyed, roll one D6 at the end of the phase. On a 2+, set the bearer back up on the battlefield as close as possible to where it was destroyed and not within Engagement Range of any enemy units, with 3 wounds remaining (if the bearer was Battle-shocked when it was destroyed, it is instead returned with its full wounds remaining). |
Even for a Chapter as famously stubborn as the Dark Angels, this warrior is known for their intractable nature. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, each time a model in that unit makes an attack, add 1 to the Hit roll if that unit is below its Starting Strength, and add 1 to the Wound roll as well if that unit is Battle-shocked and below its Starting Strength. |
Beneath the surface of the Rock lie vaults within which weapons of antiquity and terrible power are stored. ADEPTUS ASTARTES model only. Add 1 to the Attacks, Strength and Damage characteristics of the bearer’s melee weapons. While the bearer is Battle-shocked, add 2 to the Attacks, Strength and Damage characteristics of the bearer s melee weapons instead. |
This hallowed banner records the names and deeds of legendary members of the Deathwing, stoking still firmer resolve in those who fight beneath it. ANCIENT model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, models in that unit have the Feel No Pain 6+ ability. While that unit is Battle-shocked, models in that unit have the Feel No Pain 4+ ability instead. |
Whether its true significance is kept a secret or not, there is a singular prize here that the Inner Circle have come to either secure or destroy. They will pursue this strategic objective with cold ferocity.
At the start of your Movement phase, select one of the following:
Even amongst the elite of the Unforgiven, this warrior is a paragon of duty and martial might. DEATHWING model only. Melee weapons equipped by the bearer have the [lethal hits] ability, and each time the bearer makes a melee attack, if it is within range of your Vowed objective marker, a Critical Hit is scored on an unmodified Hit roll of 5+. |
It is said that no secret can escape the gaze of this ocular augmetic, which belonged first to the feared Interrogator-Chaplain Enoch. DEATHWING model only. Each time you target the bearer’s unit with a Stratagem, roll one D6, adding 1 if the bearer is within range of your Vowed objective marker: on a 5+, you gain 1CP |
This warrior lets nothing stand in their way or slow their advance, closing swiftly and relentlessly with their quarry DEATHWING model only. Each time the bearer’s unit Piles In or Consolidates, models in that unit can move an additional 3". |
Employing shock assault doctrines requiring ancient technology and immense tactical skill, the Deathwing are masters of catching their foes wholly unawares. DEATHWING model with the Deep Strike ability only. The bearer’s unit can be set up using the Deep Strike ability in the Reinforcements step of your first, second or third Movement phase, regardless of any mission rules. |
The Ravenwing are fearsome and daring hunters, relentless in pursuit and furious on the assault When they lead the Dark Angels to war they inspire their battle-brothers with their strategic and tactical mastery of high-speed warfare, knightly bike-mounted venators leading every charge and rapidly outmanoeuvring the foe.
ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from your army are eligible to shoot in a turn in which they Advanced or Fell Back.
Those who command the Ravenwing on their hunts are often honoured with a masterwork blade, mace or other deadly close-quarters weapon. Such implements are fashioned by the Chapters artificers and weighted perfectly to be wielded from the saddle of a speeding armoured steed. RAVENWING model only. Melee weapons equipped by the bearer have the [PRECISION] ability. |
This warrior has mastered the art of such advanced ploys as feigning flight only to turn swiftly upon overextended foes and launch a devastating counter-offensive to shatter their lines. RAVENWING model only. The bearer’s unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced or Fell Back. |
Daring and audacious, this commander favours breakneck outflanking manoeuvres that allow them to plunge into the enemy's midst from unexpected quarters. RAVENWING model only. If the bearer’s unit starts the battle in Strategic Reserves, its points value does not count towards the combined points limit for units from your army that are in Strategic Reserve, and for the purposes of setting up that unit on the battlefield, treat the current battle round number as being one higher than it actually is. |
This commander is an expert scout as well as hunter, and takes advantage of these skills to seize the most advantageous position before battle begins. RAVENWING model only. Models in the bearer’s unit have the Scouts 9" ability. |
In this section you’ll find additional rules for playing Crusade battles that are bespoke to ADEPTUS ASTARTES units. You can find out more about Crusade armies in the main Crusade rules.
Your Crusade force can use the Oathsworn Campaigns rules featured in Space Marines page to embark on Oathsworn Campaigns unique to the Dark Angels and their successors. Each Oathsworn Campaign offers Bonus Agendas to gain Honour points, allowing your Characters to become members of Chapter Command and - unique to this publication - the secretive Inner Circle.
The Adeptus Astartes confront and drive back invasions of every loathsome kind across the Imperium’s worlds. Destructive hordes spreading carnage through a planet’s macro-cities must be halted in their tracks to enable desperate evacuations. Predatory raiders plundering frontier settlements or void ships must be corralled into efficient kill zones. From the walls of vital Imperial fortifications, Space Marines hold positions that would otherwise have fallen. Enemy assaults are thrown back as the battle-brothers unleash a deluge of firepower to cut them down. The Space Marines’ aggressive defence grants other Imperial forces the chance to regroup and exploit the gains won by the sudden intervention, even as the Angels of Death themselves leave for the next war zone.
The strategic brilliance of a strike force’s commanders means Space Marines can often ensure the enemy fights them only on their terms, drawing the Imperium’s foes into carefully chosen battle sites. Utilising the full extent of their siegecraft, the Space Marines erect solid redoubts, fortified walls and dedicated kill zones. Any forces attempting to invade the area find their advance swiftly halted by these masterful creations and their determined defenders.
The Adeptus Astartes are utterly focused on their mission parameters. Those Space Marines sworn to the defence of their battle lines will take not one backward step nor be lured into reckless assaults. Any foe who dares venture into these warriors’ priority kill zones are subjected to a thunderous fusillade of long-range firepower that scours them from critical battlefield targets.
While some of a defensive Space Marine force may be tasked with counter-assaults, others stamp the Chapter’s presence upon the war zone by planting a sacred banner or ancient sigil in full view of the foe. With undisguised bombast, the action proclaims the resolve of the battle-brothers to retake the battlefield and signals to the foe their imminent destruction.
Whether safeguarding an extraction or in a final push towards the foe’s last redoubt, the Space Marines have vowed to cleanse the enemy from their lines and allow none to slip past.
The Adeptus Astartes confront and drive back invasions of every loathsome kind across the Imperium’s worlds. Destructive hordes spreading carnage through a planet’s macro-cities must be halted in their tracks to enable desperate evacuations. Predatory raiders plundering frontier settlements or void ships must be corralled into efficient kill zones. From the walls of vital Imperial fortifications, Space Marines hold positions that would otherwise have fallen. Enemy assaults are thrown back as the battle-brothers unleash a deluge of firepower to cut them down. The Space Marines’ aggressive defence grants other Imperial forces the chance to regroup and exploit the gains won by the sudden intervention, even as the Angels of Death themselves leave for the next war zone.
Space Marines are the ultimate assault force. Deploying from orbiting strike cruisers or drop ships, roaring into the fray in armoured transports or charging from ambush, they are capable of surprise attacks that hit with meteoric force. Such assaults are unleashed after rapid and incisive assessment of carefully harvested intelligence filtered through the warriors’ long years of combat experience, and can catch even the most alert of sentries flat-footed.
Any advances or gains made by the enemy must be taken from them by swift and unremitting force. None can be left in any doubt that to stand against the Adeptus Astartes is to feel the wrath of the Emperor himself.
Space Marine commanders do not orchestrate victory from the safety of a strategium, but as the speartip of their strike force that plunges into the enemy’s heart.
Adapting their priorities on the move with post-human cogitation, Space Marines will rapidly assess the most dangerous threats amongst the foe. Any that pose a risk to the battle-brothers’ mission targets will be picked out for eradication.
In millennia-old archives are accounts of the supernatural heroism of the Adeptus Astartes’ champions. A Chapters honour is of utmost importance to its warrior-knights. In campaigns where it can be upheld or avenged - the recovery of a fallen battle-brother or relic, the hunting down of a reviled foe or the reclamation of a Chapter bastion - personal heroism surges to the fore. The greatest of a force’s combatants lead their battle-brothers in wrath-filled charges to topple enemy champions and strike down the largest of threats. Such strength and skill can crush an enemy’s cohesion as the foe witnesses their best and greatest cast down by a single warrior.
Space Marine commanders are entrusted with great latitude in dispensing honours - and summary justice - upon their battle-brothers. Even amongst some of the Imperiums greatest heroes, there are those leaders whose courage and skill exceeds even their commander's lofty expectations. Such valour in the Emperor's name is deserving of recognition.
Chapter legend recounts many epic duels in which the greatest of its warriors cast down the most heinous enemies in fights that shook the firmament and awed those who witnessed them. These legends are a potent source of inspiration to those who would uphold their brotherhood's honour.
The battlefield echoes to the roaring engines or guttural howls of an enemy monstrosity. Through tactical consideration of their threat to his battle-brothers, as well as being a matter of personal pride, a Chapter’s noble champion will make its slaying their personal vow.
The heroic commanders of a Space Marine strike force lead from the front in stunning displays of their combined strategic acumen and martial skill. They stamp their presence onto the battlefield so that none are left in doubt as to the power of the Angels of Death.
Chapter Masters are some of the greatest military minds in the galaxy. There are few elements of strategy and tactics they have not studied and mastered, and they have tested their skills against innumerable enemies. They are magnificent leaders, able to inspire their warriors to acts of legendary valour. There is no task to which they will set their battle-brothers that they have not completed themselves, and when they lead from the front, they wield their blades with incomparable ability, slaughtering more of the foe than any of their warriors.
Chief Apothecaries are the most senior surgeons and battle medics available to Space Marine Chapters. Calm and resolute, they maintain the life force of their battle-brothers on and off the battlefield. Most importantly, they are responsible for their Chapter’s future in the preservation of Space Marine gene-seed. With vast experience to draw upon, a Chapter's Chief Apothecary is its ultimate practitioner of the healer’s art.
Masters of Sanctity are the High Chaplains of the Space Marine Chapters. They maintain the spiritual well-being of their brothers, ensuring none falter in their responsibilities. Their mere presence inspires fervent aggression amongst their kin, though they are just as capable of delivering retribution first-hand.
Masters of the Forge are the chief artificers of the Space Marines, responsible for maintaining the arms, armour and vehicles of their Chapter. Having distinguished themselves from their brother Techmarines, Masters of the Forge oversee the Chapter’s Armoury, and have an intimate knowledge of its workings and the machine spirits that reside there.
For a Space Marine to have become one of the Chapters Honour Guard is to have fulfilled many centuries of exceptionally courageous service. In battle, they act as personal retinues for the strike force’s leaders, ensuring their safety with selfless valour.
At the head of each Chapter’s Librarius can be found the Chief Librarian. Battle scholars with vast experience and immense psychic power, they are as much invaluable warriors as they are dependable advisors. When mastery of the warp is required, none are better equipped to deal with its turbulent nature. On the battlefield, Chief Librarians direct the energies of the immaterium with unrivalled precision and power.
Only the most distinguished Space Marines are granted the title of Chapter Ancient. Given the sacred task of bearing the Chapter’s standard to war, they selflessly fly the colours even as they slay their foes. The sight of such a holy relic flying high above the battlefield inspires the Ancients’ brethren to give their all. The mere presence of the Chapters standard is worth a fortified bastion to the warriors of the Adeptus Astartes.
During their long years, Space Marines advance through their Chapters companies, gaining new skills and a wealth of experience on their journey.
In addition to spending Honour points on Chapter Command promotions, you can also spend them to assign or promote other units to new positions within the Chapters structure. After an Oathsworn Campaign ends, just as with Chapter Command promotions, you can spend the required number of Honour points to assign or promote a unit, but if you do, instead of selecting a Battle Honour for that unit, you must instead remove it from your Order of Battle and replace it with another unit from those listed. When a unit is replaced in this way, the new unit starts with the same XP as the one it replaced.Once deemed worthy, a neophyte is elevated from the Scout Company to the status of full battle-brother and serves in the first of the Reserve Companies. Should they continue to distinguish themselves, they may progress to the Battle Companies and throughout their lives learn to fight in many different roles. Experienced battle-brothers of the Scout Company’s Vanguard complement may be requisitioned to support other companies, their battle prowess granting them a potent reputation.
Select one of the following units:Elevation to the elite 1st Company of a Chapter is never automatic, no matter how long a battle-brother serves with the incredibly high levels of skill expected of all Space Marines. To be so honoured, they must have proved superior even amongst an entire brotherhood of post-human champions. Each has performed legendary deeds of bravery and mastered all of the Chapter’s ways of war. They are master marksmen, exceptional duellists and incredible pilots, with tactical insight far beyond any mortal soldier and a devotion to duty that is fierce in its intensity. They truly are the heroes of their Chapter.
Select one ADEPTUS ASTARTES INFANTRY or ADEPTUS ASTARTES MOUNTED unit (excluding CHARACTERS and SCOUT SQUADS). You can spend 5 Honour points to replace the selected unit with one of the following units. If the selected unit has the Terminator Honours Battle Trait, this promotion costs 0 Honour points.The honour of command amongst the Adeptus Astartes recognises a battle-brother whose past is littered with conquered enemies. Yet it is not enough to be a skilled fighter; they must also have an unassailable grasp of strategy and tactics. Centuries of battlefield experience have taught them every facet of war, trained them in the tools of slaughter and honed their wits to the level of instinct. To lead the Emperor’s greatest shock troops in battle, to marshal their strength and mete it out efficiently to maximise its potential against the ceaseless waves of foes that embattle the Imperium, is a singular and grave responsibility.
Select one LIEUTENANT model. You can spend 10 Honour points to replace that model with one CAPTAIN model (excluding EPIC HEROES).For the Space Marines, only the total destruction of the Emperor’s enemies is acceptable.
The Space Marines know no fear. Superhuman courage in the face of terrifying horrors and overwhelming odds are expected from each and every battle-brother. Fleeing from the conflict is as anathema to them as allowing the enemies of the Emperor to draw breath.
Battle-brothers who pilot their Chapter’s war engines often have a natural affinity for their mechanical steeds. With prayers to the vehicles’ machine spirits, the crews urge them forth in unstoppable spearheads. Those war engines that leave a great wake of the foe’s twisted corpses are immortalised for their deeds with devotional seals and trophies in a dedicated shrine within the Chapter’s Armoury.
The warriors of the Chapter who bear the Mark of Censure have submitted themselves to the Reclusiam for their failures, and been set upon a quest for absolution in their Chapter’s eyes. Only by striking down the mightiest foes of the Emperor will their shame be absolved.
Death in battle is the fate of almost all Space Marines. But if the Chapter’s Apothecaries can preserve the gene-seed of fallen battle-brothers, then something of them can live on in a new generation of warriors. The heroic warrior-chirurgeons make their battle-brothers' death an honoured gift of legacy to the Chapter.
To triumph in spectacular and glorious fashion over the Imperiums enemies is reward enough for those heroes who bought the victory with deadly skill and unflinching conviction.
On occasion, the Space Marines' famously rapid and efficient campaigns must be extended. They may uncover evidence of a deeper conspiracy that must be broken or details of hidden enemy reserves that must be crushed. Whatever new intelligence comes to light, the Adeptus Astartes will not shirk from acting upon it to ensure their final victory is total.
A mortally wounded Space Marine may be interred in the sarcophagus of a Dreadnought, allowing them to bring death to their foes in a new form.
Awarded to those warriors who prove their accuracy in combat, these badges are constructed by coating spent bolter shell casings, ejected from the weapons of great heroes, in gold.
Awarded to the most superlative duellists of the Chapter, this honour badge is shaped like a dagger and proclaims the bearer’s skill at arms.
These rivets are stamped into a warrior’s cranium to record ten, fifty or a hundred years' service. Though described in the Codex, the awarding of studs is not officially required.
Purity seals record not so much honours as blessings given by the Chapter’s Chaplains before battle. When a battle-brother receives a seal, the Chaplains chant litanies before affixing it to the Space Marine's armour.
Veterans who have earned the honour of waging war in Terminator armour are permitted to wear these badges - smaller representations of the Crux Terminatus - when fighting.
Awarded to those who have shown great resolve, this eagle emblem is emblazoned on the warrior’s chest plate.
Enemy champions and the guardians who shelter them are priority targets for this squad of skilled assassins.
Adept in the sudden unbalancing of their foes, this agile squad can evade closing foes and leave them exposed.
These Chapter warriors are shades made manifest, using every sensory distraction to veil their advance and utilising every scrap of cover to their advantage.
Tasked with holding their ground, the veterans of the 1st Company will stand as intimidating sentinels, throwing the broken foe back unto their very last breaths.
These veterans can unleash a flurry of masterful blows said to reflect their Primarch’s martial perfection.
These veteran battle-brothers have sworn to banish the shades of the Imperium’s enemies in every benighted reach they fight in. While they stand, the light of Humanity will never fade.
This machine spirit seeks to grind its foes beneath the ironclad hull it inhabits.
The might of this indomitable machine spirit is legendary.
Even under duress, the attacks of this machine remain precise.
This chest plate bears an aquila crest wrought in adamantine, rendering it proof against even the mightiest blow.
Add 1 to the bearer’s Toughness and Wounds characteristics.Incorporating arcane technology found in suits of Terminator armour, this unassuming device allows the bearer to be teleported accurately into the thick of battle from their orbiting spacecraft.
During the Declare Battle Formations step, if this model is attached to a unit, until the end of the battle, that unit has the Deep Strike ability.This iron halo protects the bearer from harm, while proclaiming them to be a mighty hero of the Imperium.
This blade is a relic of the Great Crusade and is rumoured to have been crafted on Terra. It is now borne by only the greatest heroes of the Space Marine Chapters.
The bearer is equipped with the following melee weapon in addition to its other weapons:MELEE WEAPONS | RANGE | A | WS | S | AP | D |
Paragon blade | ||||||
Paragon blade | Melee | 6 | 2+ | 6 | -3 | 3 |
This bloodstained banner lists the atrocities and injustices committed by the Emperor’s foes, a reminder of the duty of the Adeptus Astartes to purge the stars of the heretic and the alien.
ANCIENT model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, add 1 to the Strength characteristic of melee weapons equipped by models in that unit.Crafted long ago in forges lost to the mist of time, these immensely rare rounds create a miniature vortex within the target upon their detonation. Such an event causes catastrophic damage to even the largest enemies, and psykers who miraculously survive are driven mad by the creatures of the warp that flow from the tear in reality.
Select one ranged weapon equipped by the bearer; that weapon is now a Crusade Relic. Note this on the bearer’s Crusade card and give that weapon a suitable name. Once per battle, when the bearer shoots with that weapon, you can choose for it to fire a vortex bolt instead of shooting that weapon normally. If it does, resolve that shooting using with the following profile:RANGED WEAPONS | RANGE | A | BS | S | AP | D |
Vortex bolt [ANTI-INFANTRY 3+, ANTI-PSYKER 2+, DEVASTATING WOUNDS] | ||||||
Vortex bolt [ANTI-INFANTRY 3+, ANTI-PSYKER 2+, DEVASTATING WOUNDS] | 24" | 1 | 2+ | 4 | 0 | D3+3 |
In the deepest vaults of every Chapter are ancient relics inherited from the personal wargear of their gene-sire. Only in the direst circumstances are these brought to the field of war to inspire battle-brothers to even greater deeds; if these relics were to be lost, it would be a tragedy on par with the blackest days in the Chapter’s history.
Once per battle, in your Command phase, the bearer can unveil the Relic of the Primarch. If it does, until the start of your next Command phase, the bearer has the following ability:The loss of one of the Primarch’s priceless relics is an unthinkable shame that cannot be allowed to pass.
At the end of the battle, if you control the Relic of the Primarch objective marker, you can select one unit from your Crusade army that is within 3" of that objective marker; that unit gains 3XP. If you do not control that objective marker at the end of the battle, you lose 10VP (to a minimum of 0).Your strike force’s battles against the myriad dangers facing the Imperium have seen your Space Marines hailed as true crusaders and enactors of the Lord Commander’s vision. Each of your successful assaults against Humanity’s enemies has helped liberate Imperial worlds through fire and blood. You have pushed back the hateful tide of heretics, mutants and xenos, but in spreading the Emperor’s light you have discovered new vistas of invasion and corruption. Honour demands you cannot stop now.
Proving the nobility of your Chapter in the Emperor’s service, your force has won a tally of victories. Bastions of Mankind’s foes have been breached, invasions held and pushed back, and abominations purged. Your experienced warriors have been highly honoured by their Chapter, but with each surge into the darkness, your foes - and the chances to lay them low - multiply.
Your heroic battle-brothers have visited death and destruction upon worlds thought beyond the Imperium’s reach. Your Chapter lords lead blistering assaults of veteran battle-brothers in strikes so swift and overwhelming that none may stay their wrath. You are the vengeance of the Emperor made manifest and a shining exemplar of your gene-sire’s martial doctrines!
In this section you’ll find additional rules for playing Crusade battles that are bespoke to Dark Angels units. If your Crusade army includes any Adept us Astartes units from the Dark Angels Chapter (or one of its successors), you can use any of the following Crusade rules.
The Unforgiven toil beneath the weight of doubled duties. Not only must they fight alongside the armies of the Imperium in defence of Humanity, they also pursue secretive quests that may force them to abandon the most loyal or desperate of allies in pursuit of clandestine goals. That these secretive operations all serve the ultimate goal of redemption for the Lions sons is cold comfort at such times, but loyalty to the Chapter must come first.
The Dark Angels and their successor Chapters have had long practice in the art of concealing their true intentions. Indeed, even within the ranks of their own strike forces there may be precious few warriors with any true understanding of the wider strategic ramifications of the missions they undertake.
The Unforgiven act without hesitation or mercy should they receive the merest hint that their foes have gleaned knowledge of their hidden secrets.
At times the Unforgiven focus on seemingly minor locations or assets, enemies and allies alike blind to the wider value of intelligence secured.
Some enemy commanders may not even realise the explosive value of the knowledge they hold or the risks it could pose to the Unforgiven. Such ignorance will not save them, of course.
The return of Lion El’Jonson has energised and inspired the Unforgiven Chapters. Whether they do so out of a desire to honour their gene-sire or in fear of his judgement, whether they fight on the same battlefields as the Primarch or make war half a galaxy from his shadow, their battle-brothers fight harder than ever before. No challenge is too great nor hardship unendurable if it meets the Lions approval.
To stand unyielding no matter the fury of your foes or the losses amongst your ranks, until duty is done and the day carried - such is the essence of service to the ideals of the First Legion. Those battle-brothers who embody these teachings bring glory not only to themselves but also reflect it upon those who lead them to victory.
All those who defy the will of the Master of Mankind are enemies of the Imperium and - by extension - bitter foes of the Lion and his sons. To slaughter a great tally of such unclean xenos and perfidious traitors is a sure way to do honour to the Primarch of the Unforgiven.
There can be no greater honour for the Unforgiven than to know they follow the Lions own commands. Fighting as living embodiments of their gene-sires ironclad will, the devoted battle-brothers lay claim to that which their master commands and hurl back the foes every attempt to seize it from them.
The warriors of the Inner Circle fight with an insight and context denied to most of their battle-brothers, and know only too well the price to the Unforgiven should they fail in their duty. Thus, nothing short of their swift and total victory over their foes will suffice to honour the Lion.
Underpinning everything the Unforgiven do is the hunt for the Fallen. Never will the sons of the Lion be absolved until every last traitor who brought Caliban to damnation has been apprehended and judged for their sins.
You can only embark on this Oathsworn Campaign if your Crusade force has already completed a Secrets of the Unforgiven Oathsworn Campaign and at least one other Dark Angels or Adeptus Astartes Oathsworn Campaign. Unlike other Oathsworn Campaigns, you must complete this campaigns three Bonus Agendas in sequential order, one per battle, starting with A Trail Uncovered. If you fail to complete a Bonus Agenda, the campaign immediately ends as you lose the Fallens trail (note that you can still use the Penitents Hope Requisition to re-attempt the Capture the Fallen Bonus Agenda). Otherwise, once you complete Capture the Fallen, your hunt is successful and the campaign is completed.Acting on hard-won intelligence, you take the first painstaking steps along the trail of one of the Fallen.
Once they have marked their quarry, the Unforgiven pursue with relentless determination.
The quarry stands at bay, yet the Fallen are ancient warriors who will not be taken without a fight!
The Master of the Dark Angels 1st Company is second only to the Chapter Master in experience and knowledge of the Fallen.
TERMINATOR CAPTAIN model only. Once per battle, after selecting your Oath of Moment target, you can use this ability. If you do, until the start of your next Command phase, each time this models unit makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, add 1 to the Wound roll.The Master of the Dark Angels 2nd Company is able to react to changing battlefield situations in the blink of an eye and deploy their high-speed forces to wherever they are needed. Whether hunting the Fallen or pursuing a more conventional foe, they can be relied upon to rapidly scout enemy positions and overrun even the most veteran or swift-witted of foes with their sudden shock assaults.
RAVENWING model only. This models unit can declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced, and you can re-roll Charge rolls made for that unit.The Master of the Dark Angels 5th Company is responsible for curating what scraps of knowledge remain concerning the ancient Calibanite orders. He is expected to be an expert in the martial traditions and codes of honour carried forward through the millennia amongst the Unforgiven Chapters, and to provide his unique strategic insight when it is needed most.
CAPTAIN model only. Once per battle, when you target another unit with a Stratagem. If it does, reduce the CP cost of that use of that Stratagem by 1CP.The Master of the Dark Angels 7th Company is responsible for the vast network of informants and sleeper cells the Chapter has seeded onto worlds across the Imperium. The resultant flow of information - sporadic and maddeningly vague though it can be - provides not only leads on the Fallen but also many other uncovered secrets and hints of grand strategic opportunities to be seized.
At the end of each battle, if your Crusade army for that battle included this model, your Crusade force gains D3 Honour points.Local rumour has it that an enemy commander was seen dealing with a mysterious black-armoured figure. This commander must be brought in for interrogation.
The Ravenwing seek to encircle their foe, corralling them to ensure there can be no escape, before summoning the Deathwing to deliver the killer blow.
Deathwing Terminators often stand ready in teleportariums aboard orbiting Dark Angels void ships, ready to strike as soon as crucial enemy units or commanders are identified by their swifter brethren. Upon arrival, devastation follows in their wake.
The Librarians of the Dark Angels are well-practised at scanning the minds of their foes for any clues about the Fallen.
Sombre and stern as they are, the Unforgiven do not revel in glorious victory as do some of their brother Chapters. Rather, they honour successful conquests through ancient and obscure rituals, while the architects of such success are rewarded - if they are judged ready - with advancement into the inner mysteries of the Chapter.
There can be no more vital a duty for any champion of the Unforgiven than capturing a Fallen brother, and few marks of shame greater than failing to do so. Only rarely does such prey linger long enough to offer a second chance at capture. When they do, however, they unwittingly offer a chance of redemption to the one who first failed to apprehend them.
By the will of Chapter command and the hidden wisdom of the Inner Circle, the ranks of Unforgiven strike forces may be bolstered with seasoned battle-brothers from the 1st or 2nd Companies. Such reinforcements may well indicate that one of the Fallen has been discovered and the hunt has now begun!
This pilot has been awarded the Silver Talon for their incredible feats of daring flying. Only a handful of Ravenwing pilots have ever been awarded this honour, but the prestige it imparts ensures their name goes down in legend.
Combat experience coupled with relentless training and directed combat meditation has improved this pilot’s reaction time in battle to nigh-supernatural levels. They are able to anticipate incoming enemy fire and jink their craft around it almost as though the foe’s deadly projectiles flew towards them in slow motion.
These Deathwing battle-brothers have fought together for decades, always surviving against the odds. So ironclad is their will that they can shrug off and ignore hurts that would lay even a normal Space Marine low.
The enigmatic Watchers in the Dark haunt these warriors’ steps, flitting through the shadows wherever they go and whispering inscrutable words of guidance and warning.
So swift and relentless is the pursuit of these warriors that they fall upon their foes almost before the enemy are aware of their peril. What panicked shots the prey do loose off, the Ravenwing evade with ease.
Even the most cunning ordug-infoes are an easy mark for these veteran hunters, whose accuracy is such that they can place precise and deadly volleys while hurtling at breakneck speeds into battle.
Embodying the grim stoicism that is their Chapter’s watchword, these battle-brothers stand firm in the face of even the most terrible foes and punishing onslaughts.
These warriors’hearts burn with cold hatred for the enemies of the Imperium. No foe can escape their steely gaze, nor the vengeful fury of their blasts and blades.
It is a rare honour for a warrior s firearm to be taken by the Chapter artificers and enhanced with ancient augmentative technologies drawn from the vaults of the Rock. Such adaptations are performed with the greatest of care, for the resultant melding of machine spirits is invariably bellicose in the extreme.
Select one ranged weapon equipped by the bearer (excluding a weapon that has been replaced by an Enhancement or upgraded using the Weapon Modifications Battle Honour). Make a note on the bearer s Crusade card and give that weapon a suitable name. That weapon is now a Crusade Relic; improve its Strength, Armour Penetration and Damage characteristics by 1, and that weapon has the [hazardous] ability.The enhanced autosensorium of this artefact helm way-finds for its wearer with hyper-reactive speed, highlighting hazards that lie in their path and guiding them unerringly around or through them.
RAVENWING model only. The bearer’s unit can ignore any or all modifiers to its Move characteristic and to Advance and Charge rolls made for it.Rare indeed are the chances for an Interrogator-Chaplain to add a black pearl to their rosarius, and even one such accolade has an electrifying effect upon the bearer. Ever after they fight with redoubled zeal and ferocity, especially against the servants of the Ruinous Powers.
CHAPLAIN model only. To be eligible for this Crusade Relic, a CHAPLAIN model must have participated in a battle in which you successfully completed the Capture the Fallen Bonus Agenda. Each time the bearer makes a melee attack that targets a CHARACTER unit, you can re-roll the Hit roll. In addition, if that CHARACTER unit is a CHAOS or FALLEN unit, the bearers melee weapons have the [LETHAL HITS] ability for that attack.This weapon was traditionally bestowed upon the most honourable knight of the Order. It is said that as long as its owner stays pure, it will strike down the greatest of foes.
The bearer is equipped with the following melee weapon in addition to its other weapons:RANGED WEAPONS | RANGE | A | BS | S | AP | D |
Monster Slayer of Caliban [ANTI-MONSTER 4+, ANTI-VEHICLE 4+] | ||||||
Monster Slayer of Caliban [ANTI-MONSTER 4+, ANTI-VEHICLE 4+] | Melee | 7 | 2+ | 6 | -2 | 2 |
It is believed that this vast shield was once carried into battle by a legendary Dark Angels hero who fought during the Great Crusade. So potent is its aegis, so impenetrable a bulwark of crackling protective energies does it cast about its bearer when roused to wakefulness, that there can be little doubt the device shares its technological roots with the mighty void shield generators of Imperial Titans.
Once per battle, at the start of any phase, the bearer can use this ability. If it does, until the end of the phase, the bearer has the Feel No Pain 4+ ability against mortal wounds and a 2+ invulnerable save.This mantle was fashioned from the skin of a mighty beast of Caliban, slain by the Lion himself. Kept in stasis and only removed in the direst need, only the greatest champions are granted the honour to wear it over their armour. In battle, the bearer becomes a beacon of inspiration to those around them, reminding all of the savagery and martial tradition of lost Caliban.
Your victories and conquests have been noted amongst the upper ranks of the Chapter, as has your stoic obedience of even those commands that tested your loyalty and seemed inexplicable. You have been chosen for advancements into the deeper rites and mysteries of your brotherhood. Oaths you have taken and truths have you learned, your eyes opened through allegory and catechism. Never has your desire for vengeance upon the foes of Mankind burned more fiercely. Use that fire, and your newfound insights, to guide your next steps along the road of righteous war.
With each martial victory so have you advanced through the rarefied circles of truth that coil ever inwards toward the heart of your Chapter. Every footfall along the spiral brings another dreadful revelation, another spiritual weight to add to the burden you must bear. Yet you are not brought low. Instead, your grim determination only increases. You will fight on for vengeance and redemption no matter the cost.
If any truth of the Unforgiven remains hidden from you it is only by the will of the Lion himself. The burden you bear is terrible indeed, yet it is matched by the power you wield, the insight you possess and the peerless honour roll of your many victories. You are a trusted champion of the Primarch himself, a bane of the Fallen, a mighty lord amongst the Unforgiven, and all wise foes should tremble at your name.
Space Marines excel in the sort of fast-paced, ferociously violent battles that erupt during voidship boarding assaults. Moving fast and hitting hard, they swiftly secure enemy vessels, or else sweep impertinent foes from their own warships’ decks.
The Adeptus Astartes launch their shipboard strikes with precision and lethal momentum, sweeping aside each new obstruct ion to their progress and pressing ever forward.
Each time an ADEPTUS ASTARTES unit from your army is selected to shoot, if one or more models from that unit are within 1" of an open Hatchway and every model in that unit is on the same side of that Hatchway, select one enemy unit on the opposite side of that Hatchway from your unit. Until the end of the phase, ranged weapons equipped by models in your unit have the [sustained hits 1] ability while targeting that enemy unit.Adamantine Mantle Bestowed as a mark of honour, this venerated relic lends an extra layer of armour protection that proves especially useful amidst vicious void war. Each time an attack is allocated to the bearer, subtract 1 from the Damage characteristic of that attack. |
Clavitine Reliquary A timeless and unique example of Chapter artifice, this device rapidly synchronises with the data spirits of locking devices and renders them quiescent. In your Movement phase, each time the bearer is selected to make a Normal or Advance move, if it is within 1" of a Hatchway, it can attempt to operate that Hatchway. If it does, it cannot attempt to operate a Hatchway again this turn. |
Comprising veterans in the theatre of ship-to-ship void war, pilum strike teams are cast through the void like a spear aboard shrouded boarding torpedoes to infiltrate key enemy warships. Once aboard, the Phobos-armoured Space Marines wage a terror campaign to destabilise the target vessel from within.
These vanguard specialists stay on the move, laying down hails of fire to harass and disrupt their foes even as they hit-and-fade through chambers and corridors.
ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from your army are eligible to shoot in a turn in which they Advanced or Fell Back.Omni-Structural Auspex A rare device with a potent and knowledgeable machine spirit, this implement analyses the integrity of foes’ armour and isolates weaknesses to exploit. In your Shooting phase, after the bearer has shot, select one enemy unit hit by one or more of those attacks. Until the end of the phase, each time a friendly ADEPTUS ASTARTES model (excluding CHARACTER models) makes an attack that targets that unit, improve the Armour Penetration characteristic of that attack by 1. |
Void Warrior Having mastered the arts of shipboard warfare over many battles, this warrior moves swiftly through them and strikes with unerring skill. You can re-roll Advance and Charge rolls made for the bearer. In addition, the bearer is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced. |
The Imperium has no finer or more perfectly suited warriors for cleansing the claustrophobic decks of voidships than Terminators. Each battle-brother is an army unto themself. Their armoured resilience is second to none, while their massive firepower allows them to turn gloomy corridors into killing grounds.
Space Marine Chapters do not lightly commit their precious suits of Terminator armour to battle, nor the storied veterans who wear them. When they go to war, they always do so with a vital duty and a crucial target.
Once per battle, at the start of your Command phase, when you select a target for Oath of Moment, you can use this Detachment rule. If you do, until the start of your next Command phase, each time an ADEPTUS ASTARTES model from your army makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, you can re-roll the Wound roll.Seal of Indomitability This ancient honour is said to fortify the machine spirit of a suit of Terminator plate against even the most dolorous of blows. Once per battle, when the bearer’s unit is selected as the target of one or more attacks, it can use this Enhancement. If it does, until the end of the phase, the bearer has a 3+ invulnerable save. |
Resolute Allowing nothing to bar his path, this champion of the Chapter ploughs a bloody path through the foe. The bearer is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back. In addition, Desperate Escape tests taken for the bearer are automatically passed, and each time the bearer makes a Fall Back move, it can move through enemy models as if they were not there. |
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and INFANTRY keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and MOUNTED keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Weapons powered by unstable and dangerous energy sources pose a substantial risk to the wielder every time they are used.
Weapons with [HAZARDOUS] in their profile are known as Hazardous weapons. Each time a unit is selected to shoot or fight, after that unit has resolved all of its attacks, for each Hazardous weapon that targets were selected for when resolving those attacks, that unit must take one Hazardous test. To do so, roll one D6: on a 1, that test is failed. For each failed test you must resolve the following sequence (resolve each failed test one at a time):Some attacks are so powerful that no armour or force field can withstand their fury.
Some rules inflict mortal wounds on units. Each time mortal wounds are inflicted on a unit, each of those mortal wounds inflicts one point of damage to that unit, and they are always applied one at a time. Each mortal wound is allocated to a model in the same manner as allocating an attack. Excess damage from mortal wounds is not lost if the damage can be allocated to another model. Instead, keep allocating damage to another model in the target unit until either all the damage has been allocated or the target unit is destroyed.The TRANSPORT keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Some transports have firing hatches, ports or platforms from which embarked passengers can shoot.
Some TRANSPORT models have ‘Firing Deck x’ listed in their abilities. Each time such a model is selected to shoot in the Shooting phase, you can select up to ‘x’ models embarked within it whose units have not already shot this phase. Then, for each of those embarked models, you can select one ranged weapon that embarked model is equipped with (excluding weapons with the [ONE SHOT] ability). Until that TRANSPORT model has resolved all of its attacks, it counts as being equipped with all of the weapons you selected in this way, in addition to its other weapons. Until the end of the phase, those selected models’ units are not eligible to shoot.Some weapons can inflict fatal injuries on any foe, no matter their resilience.
Weapons with [LETHAL HITS] in their profile are known as Lethal Hits weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, a Critical Hit automatically wounds the target.In battle, Space Marines swear mighty oaths to destroy the enemies of the Emperor and uphold the honour of their Chapter, and such vows are sacrosanct. When the Angels of Death strike, they do so with the precision of a surgeon and the force of a thunderbolt. Experience and strategic expertise help them to read the shifting shape of the battle with post-human speed and clarity, directing their wrath towards one priority target after another. Command assets are annihilated, leaving the enemy reeling leaderless. Heavy armour, potent artillery and the vaunted elites of the foe’s forces are laid waste with horrifying speed, until the Emperor’s Angels of Death stand victorious over a field of smouldering wreckage and bolt-riddled corpses, and honour is finally satisfied.
If your Army Faction is ADEPTUS ASTARTES, at the start of your Command phase, select one unit from your opponent’s army. Until the start of your next Command phase, that enemy unit is your Oath of Moment target. Each time a model with this ability makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, you can re-roll the Hit roll.The ANCIENT keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
|
Some units make their way to battle via tunnelling, teleportation, high-altitude descent or other extraordinary means that allow them to appear suddenly in the thick of the fighting.
During the Declare Battle Formations step, if every model in a unit has this ability, you can set it up in Reserves instead of setting it up on the battlefield. If you do, in the Reinforcements step of one of your Movement phases you can set up this unit anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from all enemy models. If a unit with the Deep Strike ability arrives from Strategic Reserves, the controlling player can choose for that unit to be set up either using the rules for Strategic Reserves or using the Deep Strike ability.This mounted huntsman espouses the value of circling the enemy and striking suddenly from an unexpected quarter upon their speeding steed, the better to land the killing blow.
ADEPTUS ASTARTES MOUNTED model only. If the bearer’s unit is in Strategic Reserves, for the purposes of setting up that unit on the battlefield, treat the current battle round number as being one higher than it actually is.
The CHARACTER keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The greatest warriors, most cunning tacticians and seers lead their armies to war possessed of hard-won skills and powerful artefacts that mark them out as legendary commanders.
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and PSYKER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The APOTHECARY keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Some warriors refuse to be laid low, even by what should be fatal wounds.
Some models have ‘Feel No Pain x+’ listed in their abilities. Each time a model with this ability suffers damage and so would lose a wound (including wounds lost due to mortal wounds), roll one D6: if the result is greater than or equal to the number denoted by ‘x’, that wound is ignored and is not lost. If a model has more than one Feel No Pain ability, you can only use one of those abilities each time that model suffers damage and so would lose a wound.Assault Doctrine
The Codex Astartes leaves no doubt that the killing blow in most engagements must be delivered with a decisive close-quarters strike. It presents plentiful tactical means to achieve this end.
This unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced.
The CAPTAIN keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The Codex Astartes has proven its worth as a superb treatise on warfare over countless battlefields, and has remained so even after ten thousand years. Many Space Marines hold its wisdom in awe, and exemplify its teachings, employing a flexible set of combat doctrines to eliminate their enemy. Few opponents can withstand the fury of such an onslaught.
At the start of your Command phase, you can select one of the Combat Doctrines listed below. Until the start of your next Command phase, that Combat Doctrine is active and its effects apply to all ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from your army. You can only select each Combat Doctrine once per battle.Devastator Doctrine The Codex Astartes details the strategic value of overwhelming firepower applied to key targets while advancing into position to eliminate threats. This unit is eligible to shoot in a turn in which it Advanced. |
Tactical Doctrine As the warring armies close upon one another and vicious fire-fights erupt, the Codex lays out strategies for swiftly seizing the initiative and combining versatility with firepower. This unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back. |
Assault Doctrine The Codex Astartes leaves no doubt that the killing blow in most engagements must be delivered with a decisive close-quarters strike. It presents plentiful tactical means to achieve this end. This unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced. |
Tactical Doctrine
As the warring armies close upon one another and vicious fire-fights erupt, the Codex lays out strategies for swiftly seizing the initiative and combining versatility with firepower.
This unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back.
Some weapons strike in a flurry of blows, tearing the foe apart with relentless ferocity.
Weapons with [SUSTAINED HITS X] in their profile are known as Sustained Hits weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, if a Critical Hit is rolled, that attack scores a number of additional hits on the target as denoted by ‘x’.Lance weapons are deadly on the charge.
Weapons with [LANCE] in their profile are known as Lance weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, if the bearer made a Charge move this turn, add 1 to that attack’s Wound roll.Some weapons are designed to root enemy formations out of entrenched positions.
Weapons with [IGNORES COVER] in their profile are known as Ignores Cover weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, the target cannot have the Benefit of Cover against that attack.Heavy weapons are amongst the biggest guns on the battlefield, but require bracing to fire at full effect and are unwieldy to bring to bear at close quarters.
Weapons with [HEAVY] in their profile are known as Heavy weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, if the attacking model’s unit Remained Stationary this turn, add 1 to that attack’s Hit roll.The GRAVIS keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The TECHMARINE keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and VEHICLE keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
From detonating ammo stores to corrosive innards or frenzied death throes, some targets are deadly even in defeat.
Some models have ‘Deadly Demise x’ listed in their abilities. When such a model is destroyed, roll one D6 before removing it from play (if such a model is a TRANSPORT, roll before any embarked models disembark). On a 6, each unit within 6" of that model suffers a number of mortal wounds denoted by ‘x’ (if this is a random number, roll separately for each unit within 6").The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and WALKER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Assault weapons fire so indiscriminately that they can be shot from the hip as warriors dash forward.
Weapons with [ASSAULT] in their profile are known as Assault weapons. If a unit that Advanced this turn contains any models equipped with Assault weapons, it is still eligible to shoot in this turn’s Shooting phase. When such a unit is selected to shoot, you can only resolve attacks using Assault weapons its models are equipped with.The TACTICUS keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Melta weapons are powerful heat rays whose fury is magnified at close range.
Weapons with [MELTA X] in their profile are known as Melta weapons. Each time an attack made with such a weapon targets a unit within half that weapon’s range, that attack’s Damage characteristic is increased by the amount denoted by ‘x’.Torrent weapons shoot clouds of fire, gas or other lethal substances that few foes can hope to evade.
Weapons with [TORRENT] in their profile are known as Torrent weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, that attack automatically hits the target.The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and TRANSPORT keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The WALKER keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES, FLY and VEHICLE keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Shattered ruins and twisted wreckage afford much-needed shelter from enemy salvoes. Even heavily armoured warriors unfazed by small arms fire are thankful for such cover when foes bring their biggest guns to bear.
Models can sometimes gain a measure of protection from terrain features. The rules below detail the conditions under which a terrain feature confers the Benefit of Cover on a model.Many armies employ reconnaissance units who can sit concealed, waiting for the right moment to strike.
During deployment, if every model in a unit has this ability, then when you set it up, it can be set up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" horizontally away from the enemy deployment zone and all enemy models.Some warriors are masters of disguise and concealment.
If every model in a unit has this ability, then each time a ranged attack is made against it, subtract 1 from that attack’s Hit roll.Mighty heroes fight at the forefront of battle.
Some CHARACTER units have ‘Leader’ listed on their datasheets. Such CHARACTER units are known as Leaders, and the units they can lead – known as their Bodyguard units – are listed on their datasheet.Assassins and other covert agents are difficult to track and pinpoint in the swirling maelstrom of battle.
Unless part of an Attached unit (see Leader), this unit can only be selected as the target of a ranged attack if the attacking model is within 12".The PHOBOS keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Precision attacks can pick high-value targets out in a crowd, whether through the unerring aim of a sniper or the pinpoint accuracy of a blade-master’s strike.
Weapons with [PRECISION] in their profile are known as Precision weapons. Each time an attack made with such a weapon successfully wounds an Attached unit (see Leader ability), if a CHARACTER model in that unit is visible to the attacking model, the attacking model’s player can choose to have that attack allocated to that CHARACTER model instead of following the normal attack sequence.The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and TERMINATOR keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The VANGUARD VETERAN SQUAD keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The DARK ANGELS and EPIC HERO keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The RAVENWING keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The MOUNTED keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The VEHICLE keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The DEATHWING keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The TERMINATOR keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The DREADNOUGHT keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The DEATHWING and INFANTRY keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The BATTLELINE keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Scouts form the vanguard of many armies. Unnoticed by the enemy, they range ahead of the main force.
Some units have ‘Scouts x"’ listed in their abilities. If every model in a unit has this ability, then at the start of the first battle round, before the first turn begins, it can make a Normal move of up to x", with the exception that, while making that move, the distance moved by each model in that unit can be greater than that model's Move characteristic, as long as it is not greater than x".The RAVENWING and MOUNTED keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and CHARACTER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The EPIC HERO keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The INFANTRY keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The CHAPLAIN keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Whether shielded by force fields, enveloped in mystical energies or simply possessed of preternatural senses and lightning-fast reflexes, some warriors are protected by more than mere physical armour.
Some models have an invulnerable save listed on their datasheet. Each time an attack is allocated to a model with an invulnerable save, the controlling player must choose to use either that model’s Save characteristic or its invulnerable save, but not both. If a model has more than one invulnerable save, it can only use one of them – choose which it will use.The LIBRARIAN keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Veterans who have earned the honour of waging war in Terminator armour are permitted to wear these badges - smaller representations of the Crux Terminatus - when fighting.
The LIEUTENANT keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES, INFANTRY and CHARACTER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES, MOUNTED and CHARACTER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Certain weapons are the bane of a particular foe.
Weapons with [ANTI-KEYWORD X+] in their profile are known as Anti weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon against a target with the keyword after the word ‘Anti-’, an unmodified Wound roll of ‘x+’ scores a Critical Wound.In the deepest vaults of every Chapter are ancient relics inherited from the personal wargear of their gene-sire. Only in the direst circumstances are these brought to the field of war to inspire battle-brothers to even greater deeds; if these relics were to be lost, it would be a tragedy on par with the blackest days in the Chapter’s history.
Once per battle, in your Command phase, the bearer can unveil the Relic of the Primarch. If it does, until the start of your next Command phase, the bearer has the following ability:The HERETIC ASTARTES and CHARACTER keywords are used in the following Chaos Space Marines datasheets:
The TERMINATOR and CAPTAIN keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The ADEPTUS ASTARTES and CAPTAIN keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The Master of the Dark Angels 1st Company is second only to the Chapter Master in experience and knowledge of the Fallen.
TERMINATOR CAPTAIN model only. Once per battle, after selecting your Oath of Moment target, you can use this ability. If you do, until the start of your next Command phase, each time this models unit makes an attack that targets your Oath of Moment target, add 1 to the Wound roll.The Master of the Dark Angels 2nd Company is able to react to changing battlefield situations in the blink of an eye and deploy their high-speed forces to wherever they are needed. Whether hunting the Fallen or pursuing a more conventional foe, they can be relied upon to rapidly scout enemy positions and overrun even the most veteran or swift-witted of foes with their sudden shock assaults.
RAVENWING model only. This models unit can declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced, and you can re-roll Charge rolls made for that unit.The Master of the Dark Angels 5th Company is responsible for curating what scraps of knowledge remain concerning the ancient Calibanite orders. He is expected to be an expert in the martial traditions and codes of honour carried forward through the millennia amongst the Unforgiven Chapters, and to provide his unique strategic insight when it is needed most.
CAPTAIN model only. Once per battle, when you target another unit with a Stratagem. If it does, reduce the CP cost of that use of that Stratagem by 1CP.The AIRCRAFT and RAVENWING keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The INFANTRY and DEATHWING keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The RAVENWING and AIRCRAFT keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The CHARACTER and DEATHWING keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
Many warriors thunder headlong into combat, using the impetus of their charge to bring swift death to their foes.
Each time a unit makes a Charge move, until the end of the turn, that unit has the Fights First ability.The INFANTRY and CHARACTER keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The CHARACTER and TERMINATOR keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The FLY keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The BATTLELINE and ADEPTUS ASTARTES keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets:
The PHOBOS and LIEUTENANT keywords are used in the following Space Marines datasheets: