Hexfire is a tale of lethal ambition and colliding destinies. As Magnus the Red’s Traitor Legion reels from a surprise attack, new champions look to propel themselves into his service through brute force and guile. Amongst these aspirants is the Infernal Master Xentep Korazon, whose plans rest upon the seizing of an infamous relic held by the Grey Knights.
On Sortiarius, the Planet of the Sorcerers, the balance of power is in flux. Through the combined might of the Grey Knights and Dark Angels, a ritual long in the making has been thwarted, stalling the momentum of Magnus’ plans. Yet in turmoil there is opportunity, and none understand this better than the ambitious devotees of Tzeentch.
Xentep Korazon has bided his time. For years he has schemed and toiled in his master’s shadow, gathering more and more daemon allies to his side while casting his avaricious gaze far beyond his haunt in the Senvorth System. But now his hour has come - many of the Legion’s Sorcerers lie slain, and before long the favour of Magnus will fall upon others. When Korazon learns that pockets of battle-weary Grey Knights remain on Sortiarius, he launches an audacious gambit; one that might snare him the greatest daemonic ally he could hope for and quicken his own rise to daemonhood.
To the Grey Knights, Humanity’s fate has never looked more bleak. Numberless evils flow from the Cicatrix Maledictum, and wildfires of unsanctioned psychic activity continue to rage throughout the Imperium. The halting of the Crimson King’s great ritual bought the Sons of Titan valuable time, but it cost their elite ranks dearly, and the Chapter’s remaining assets are spread thinly across the galaxy. Leading one of these far-flung forces is Castellan Garran Crowe, head of the Purifier order and keeper of a dreaded artefact, the Black Blade of Antwyr. To be the warden of this sentient sword is to stand alone against relentless corruption, yet it is a duty in which Crowe has never faltered. Further trials now await him, however - distressing voices emanate from the Prosperan Rift, suggestive of Grey Knights taken prisoner and, far worse, bled of their innermost secrets. If such is true, the Emperor’s realm may already be doomed.
This boxed set contains two psychically gifted Warhammer 40,000 armies whose allegiances could not be further apart. Diverse in their detail and their weapons of war, assembling and painting these Citadel miniatures will provide an exciting and varied hobby experience, even before a single dice is rolled. When you arc ready to pit the two armies against each other, we recommend getting together with a friend and playing through the missions in this booklet. By the time you have experienced both scenarios, you will have a good idea of how these forces work on the tabletop, and will be ready to consider how you might expand your collection further.
Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
 Hexfire | ||||
| Hexfire | Boxset | 9 | Indomitus 1.0 | September 2021 |
The Rules
THEATRE OF WAR: HEXENFAST
Theatres of War offer a unique and exciting way to represent a wide array of different battlefield environments on the tabletop, some more extreme than others, and can be incorporated into any games of Warhammer 40,000 that you might play. The Hexenfast Theatre of War is highly customisable, offering options to replicate many of the diverse regions and threats spread across the aforementioned planet. When incorporating a Theatre of War into your games, you can choose to roll randomly on the various tables that it contains, thereby ensuring a different experience every time you play, or you can select the options that you find most appropriate for the conflict that you and your opponent are trying to represent.
MISSION 1: ARCANE AMBUSH
Arcane Ambush is the first of the narrative missions included in this booklet. It allows both players to use the miniatures found in Warhammer 40,000: Hexfire to fight the opening gambit as Castellan Crowe’s vanguard is lured into an ambush at the hands of Korazon’s nefarious ally, the Tzaangor Shaman Razyrak.
MISSION 2: FATES COLLIDE
Fates Collide enables players to fight the final, critical moment of the Hexfire conflict, as Crowe commits the last of his forces in an effort to free his captured Grey Knight brothers, forcing Korazon to reveal his hand and make an appearance.
Theatre of War: Hexenfast
The gas giant Hexenfast is a planet plagued by daemonic entities and warp energies that flow from the rift at its core. To enter the planet’s storm-wracked atmosphere is a dangerous act in itself, and forces who do battle in its midst must steel themselves against myriad horrors.
When fighting a battle on Hexenfast, the following rules apply:
Atmospheric Effects
Before the battle, after the battlefield has been created, one player should roll one D6 and consult the table below, or agree on the most suitable option. The result is an additional rule for the battle.| D6 | ATMOSPHERIC EFFECTS |
| 1 | Malicious Vapours The clouds of gas that roil across Hexenfast are inherently treacherous, but the foul influence of the warp makes them deadlier still. Each time an attack is allocated to a non-VEHICLE model, improve the Armour Penetration characteristic of that attack by 1. |
| 2 | Eldritch Appetites Daemonic entities of many kinds slither through the skies of Hexenfast, ever eager to feast upon the bright souls of psykers. Each time a PSYKER unit manifests a psychic power, after resolving that psychic power’s effects, roll one D6; on a 1-2, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. Each time a PSYKER unit passes a Deny the Witch test, roll one D6; on a 1-2, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. |
| 3 | Shifting Reality As empyric currents rush from the rift at the planet’s core, reality warps and convulses, shaking the senses of even the most seasoned veterans. In the Shooting phase, the first time each unit is selected to shoot that phase, roll one D6; on a 1-3, until the end of the phase, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack against a target that is not within half range, subtract 1 from that attack’s hit roll. |
| 4 | Warp Flare Periodic surges of warp energy can wreak havoc with the battle systems of war machines, rendering them cumbersome and ineffective. Reduce the Movement characteristic of VEHICLE models by 4", to a minimum of 0". Halve Advance rolls made for VEHICLE units. |
| 5 | Hunters of the Swift Amongst the predatory warp-spawn that have made Hexenfast their lair, there are some that are particularly drawn to fast-moving prey. In the Movement phase, after a unit has finished being moved, if any monels in that unit moved 10" or more, roll one D6; on a 1-2, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. |
| 6 | Capricious Storms Descending through the tempestuous skies of Hexenfast is fraught with dangers both atmospheric and arcane. Each time a unit is set up on the battlefield as reinforcements, roll one D6; on a 1-3, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. |
Mysterious Objectives
If you are using any objective markers, before determining deployment zones, one player should roll one D3 and consult the mysterious objective markers table below, or agree on the most suitable option. The result is an additional rule applied to all objective markers for the battle.| D6 | MYSTERIOUS OBJECTIVES |
| 1 | Arcane Loci Currents of empyric energy converge at certain points on Hexenfast, lending those nearby unexpected protection from sorcerous attacks. Each time a Deny the Witch test is taken for a unit within 3" of an objective marker, if the unit attempting to manifest the psychic power is within 12" of any objective markers, add 1 to that Deny the Witch test. |
| 2 | Prismatic Illusions Those battling on Hexenfast must grapple not only with the enemy, but also with the fickle tides of the warp. As reality splinters around them, some warriors become emboldened by illusory visions, while others find themselves gripped with terror. At the start of the first battle round, each player takes it in turn to select one objective marker on the battlefield that has not already been selected, until no unselected objective markers remain. Until the end of the battle:
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| 3 | The Veil is Weak Amidst Hexenfast's surging storms, warp energy gathers in unseen pools and eddies, thinning the veil of the immaterium and magnifying the psychic strength of those able to sense such locations. Each time a psychic test is taken for a unit from your army, add 1 to that Psychic test for every two objective markers that you control. |
Terrain Rules
| D6 | TERRAIN RULES |
| 1 | Ensorcelled Rock Even the rocky foundations of Hexenfast’s chemical facilities have become imbued with sorcerous energies. Each time a Psychic test is taken for a unit within 3" of a Ruins or Ruined Walls terrain feature, re-roll any or all dice rolls of 1. If that unit already had such an ability, instead re-roll any or all dice. |
| 2 | Caustic Sludge Though industry in Hexenfast’s facilities is long ceased, poisonous chemical run-off still lingers in many places. While an INFANTRY, CAVALRY, SWARM or BEAST unit is within a Crater terrain feature, subtract 1 from the Toughness characteristic of models in that unit. |
| 3 | Treacherous Shelter Warped by the magic of Tzeentch, battlefield debris has been known to betray those seeking cover behind it. Each time a model makes a ranged attack against a unit that was within 3" of a Battlefield Debris terrain feature when that model was selected to shoot, on an unmodified wound roll of 6, that attack has an Armour Penetration characteristic of -4. |
| 4 | Warped Ammunition Bullets and other missiles that pass through the densest areas of empyric corruption can emerge doubled in number. Randomly select D3 Area Terrain features.
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| 5 | Ravenous Denizens The suffering of stricken warriors draws hungry warp entities out of the shadows. Each time a wound is lost by a model while it is within an Area Terrain feature, roll one D6; on a 1, that model’s unit suffers 1 mortal wound. |
| 6 | Living Corruption Strange predatory growths have taken root in the clefts and crevices of the chemical plant, poised to prey upon those nearby. At the start of the first battle round, each player takes it in turn to select one Area Terrain feature on the battlefield that has not already been selected, until each player has selected two Area Terrain features. Those terrain features are infested with mutated life forms.
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| D6 | LIVING CORRUPTION |
| 1 | Null Weed Originating in the Realm of Chaos, these creeping tendrils disrupt the minds of psykers. While a unit is within a selected terrain feature, subtract 1 from Psychic tests taken for that unit. |
| 2 | Ephemeral Barrier Sprouting ana withering in moments, this plant’s frenzied life cycle creates temporary barriers that deaden the force of attacks. Each time a model makes a ranged attack against a unit that was within a selected terrain feature when that model was selected to shoot, that attack has an Armour Penetration characteristic of 0. |
| 3 | Warp Spores The sorcerous spores of this parasitic plant rob warriors of their resilience. Each time an attack is allocated to a model within a selected terrain feature, an invulnerable saving throw cannot be made against that attack. |
| 4 | Psyk-vines Those bold enough to endure the aura of the psyk-vine feel their eldritch powers soar. While a unit is within a selected terrain feature, add 1 to Psychic tests taken for that unit. |
| 5 | Void Lotus The dark petals of this deadly growth can sense the psychic efforts of beings nearby, telling its fanged appendages exactly when to strike. While a unit is within a selected terrain feature, each time a Psychic test is taken for that unit, it suffers Perils of the Warp on a roll of any double. |
| 6 | Sentient Roots Grasping from the shadows, spined roots reach out to entangle those attempting to fight. Each time a model makes a melee attack against a unit that was within a selected terrain feature when that model was selected to fight, if that model’s unit made a charge move this turn, subtract 1 from that attack’s wound roll. |
Arcane Ambush
Castellan Crowe and his Purifiers have been surrounded in the cavernous depths of a usurped chemical plant. Their exit blocked by crazed Tzaangors and their advance halted by formidable Scarab Occult Terminators, they must call upon all of their inner fire to burn a path to victory.
The Grey Knights army consists of: Castellan Crowe; 2 Purifier Squad units, each containing 5 models.
The Thousand Sons army consists of: 1 Tzaangor Shaman; 1 Tzaangors unit containing 10 models; 1 Scarab Occult Terminators unit containing 5 models.
THE BATTLEFIELD
Use the deployment map shown below to create the battlefield. Ensure that several pieces of Area Terrain are placed on the battlefield to represent the ambush site, including at least one piece within the Grey Knights player’s deployment zone.
DEPLOYMENT
The Grey Knights player sets up their army, wholly within their deployment zone. Then the Thousand Sons player sets up the Scarab Occult Terminators unit wholly within one of their deployment zones, and the rest of their army wholly within their other deployment zone.
FIRST TURN
The Thousand Sons player has the first turn.
BATTLE LENGTH
The battle lasts for 4 battle rounds.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the battle, if CASTELLAN CROWE and at least five PURIFIER SQUAD models still remain on the battlefield, the Grey Knights player wins. Otherwise, the Thousand Sons player wins.
ENDLESS HORDES
At the start of the Reinforcements step of the Thousand Sons player’s Movement phase, if there are five or more destroyed TZAANGOR BRAY models, then the Thousand Sons player can choose to set those models back up on the battlefield as a new unit. If they do, they must set up this new unit wholly within 3" of any battlefield edge and more than 9" away from any enemy models.
Fates Collide
Xentep Korazon had deemed his trap watertight, but the spiritual radiance of the Grey Knights cannot long be contained. Having weathered the enemy’s ambush, the Sons of Titan now close on the site of their brothers’ imprisonment, determined to learn the truth and see their enemy slain.
The Grey Knights army consists of: Castellan Crowe; 2 Purifier Squad units, each containing 5 models; 1 Nemesis Dreadknight unit.
The Thousand Sons army consists of: 1 Infernal Master; 1 Tzaangor Shaman; 1 Tzaangors unit containing 10 models; 1 Scarab Occult Terminators unit containing 5 models.
THE BATTLEFIELD
Use the deployment map shown below to create the battlefield. Ensure there is a fairly dense distribution of terrain features to represent the ravaged landscape.
DEPLOYMENT
The Grey Knights player sets up their Nemesis Dreadknight unit in Strategic Reserves and one of their Purifier Squad units on the centre of the battlefield. They then set up the rest of their army wholly within their deployment zone.
Then the Thousand Sons plaver sets up their Scarab Occult Terminators unit in Strategic Reserves and the rest of their army wholly within their deployment zone.
FIRST TURN
If the Grey Knights player won the Arcane Ambush mission, they have the first turn. Otherwise, the Thousand Sons player has the first turn.
BATTLE LENGTH
The battle lasts for 5 battle rounds.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the battle, if all of one player’s CHARACTER units have been destroyed while their opponent s have not, their opponent wins the battle. Otherwise, the battle is a draw.
BAIT IN THE TRAP
The Purifier Squad that was set up in the middle of the table during deployment has been imprisoned by the Thousand Sons forces. While imprisoned:
That unit cannot be selected to move, manifest psychic powers, Deny the Witch, shoot or fight.
That unit cannot be selected as the target of an attack, be affected by psychic powers or be the target of a charge.
Enemy units can move within Engagement Range of that unit without having selected it as a target of a charge.
At the start of the Grey Knights player’s turn, if there are no enemy forces within Engagement Range of the imprisoned unit, they roll one D6; on a 3+, the imprisoned unit frees themselves and is no longer considered imprisoned.
STRATEGIC RESERVES
If the Thousand Sons player won the Arcane Ambush mission, the Grey Knights player cannot set up any of their Strategic Reserve units until the third battle round.
The INFERNAL MASTER keyword is used in the following Thousand Sons datasheets:
The CASTELLAN CROWE keyword is used in the following Grey Knights datasheets:
To manifest the psychic power, you must first pass a Psychic test. The opposing player can then select one of their PSYKER units that is within 24" of the PSYKER unit attempting to manifest the power and attempt to deny that power before its effects are resolved by passing a Deny the Witch test.
So long as the Psychic test was successful and the psychic power was not denied by a successful Deny the Witch test, the psychic power is successfully manifested and its effects, which will be described in the power itself, are then resolved. If the PSYKER unit can attempt to manifest more than one psychic power in its Psychic phase, you can then attempt to manifest those, one at a time, as described above. The number of psychic powers each PSYKER unit can attempt to manifest in its Psychic phase is listed on its datasheet.
- Select psychic power.
- You cannot select the same psychic power more than once per battle round, unless that power is Smite.
- Attempt to manifest the psychic power by taking a Psychic test.
- The opponent can attempt to deny the psychic power by taking a Deny the Witch test.
- If successfully manifested, resolve the psychic power’s effects.
- Select another psychic power.
If an attack inflicts mortal wounds in addition to the normal damage, resolve the normal damage first. If an attack inflicts mortal wounds in addition to the normal damage, but the normal damage is subsequently saved, the target unit still suffers the mortal wounds, as described before. If an ability modifies the damage inflicted by a weapon, and that weapon can inflict mortal wounds in addition to the normal damage, the modifier does not apply to any mortal wounds that are inflicted (unless the rule specifically states otherwise).
- Each mortal wound inflicted on a unit causes one model in the unit to lose one wound.
- No saving throws can be made against mortal wounds.
- Mortal wounds inflicted by attacks in addition to normal damage always apply, even if normal damage saved.
- Deny the Witch: Passed if 2D6 exceeds result of the opposing PSYKER’s Psychic test.
- Only one attempt can be made to deny each psychic power.
If an attack is made with a weapon that has an ability that says it ‘automatically hits the target’, no hit roll is made – that attack simply scores one hit on the target unit. An unmodified hit roll of 6 always scores a hit, and an unmodified hit roll of 1 always fails. A hit roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1. This means that if, after all the cumulative modifiers to a hit roll have been calculated, the total modifier would be -2 or worse, it is changed to be -1. Similarly, if, after all the cumulative modifiers to a hit roll have been calculated, the total modifier would be +2 or better, it is changed to be +1.
- Advance: Models move up to M+D6".
- Cannot move within Engagement Range of enemy models.
- Units that Advance cannot shoot or charge this turn.
- Psychic test: Passed if 2D6 equals or exceeds psychic power’s warp charge.
- If double 1 or double 6 rolled, PSYKER suffers Perils of the Warp.
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If the result of the wound roll is less than the required number, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. An unmodified wound roll of 6 always successfully wounds the target, and an unmodified wound roll of 1 always fails. A wound roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1. This means that if, after all the cumulative modifiers to a wound roll have been calculated, the total modifier would be -2 or worse, it is changed to be -1. Similarly, if, after all the cumulative modifiers to a wound roll have been calculated, the total modifier would be +2 or better, it is changed to be +1.
- Invulnerable save: Saving throw that is never modified by attacking weapon’s AP.
- A model with an invulnerable save can use it instead of its normal Sv.
- Perils of the Warp: The PSYKER unit manifesting the power suffers D3 mortal wounds.
- If PSYKER unit is destroyed, the psychic power fails to manifest.
- If PSYKER unit destroyed, every other unit within 6" suffers D3 mortal wounds.
- Engagement Range: 1" horizontally + 5" vertically.
- Models cannot be set up within Engagement Range of enemy models.
- Declare targets of the charge (must be within 12").
- Charge roll = 2D6".
- If insufficient to move charging unit into Engagement Range of all targets, charge fails.
- If charge successful, models make their charge move.
- Cannot make a charge move within Engagement Range of any unit that was not the target of the charge.
The PURIFIER SQUAD keyword is used in the following Grey Knights datasheets:
The TZAANGOR and BRAY keywords are used in the following Thousand Sons datasheets:
Note that CHARACTERS cannot use their Aura Abilities while performing actions.
