Vigilus is a world on the brink of destruction. First attacked by bestial xenos hordes from within and without, its parched hivesprawls then trembled before the nightmarish assaults of Chaos worshipers. War continues to ravage the planet, bringing it ever closer to doom. Its people cling to their waning faith, many praying salvation as the warp storms of the Great Rift draw ever nearer.


Vigilus and its neighbouring systems within the Nachmund Sub-sector are the last islands of Imperial resistance at the northern end of the vital Nachmund Gauntlet. This huge corridor of space is one of the few known channels that connects the two halves of the galaxy, now divided by the Cicatrix Maledictum - the Great Rift. No one knows for certain how this seemingly stable region came about, though there are whispers of towering, black obelisks that pulse with arcane power buried deep under Vigilus’ surface. While the surrounding violent storms have rent reality and swallowed entire sectors and thousands of worlds in their seething embrace, the Nachmund Gauntlet remains navigable. Yet it is no sanctuary. To the Imperium, it is a last, desperate lifeline - their best means of breaking through the Great Rift from the Imperium Sanctus, and sending aid to the nightmarish and embattled region of the Imperium Nihilus.

However, this lifeline - stretching from the relative sanity of the Imperium Sanctus - is also an exposed artery to its beating heart. Imperial commanders, planetary governors, keen-minded strategos and even the High Lords of Terra themselves understand the immense strategic importance of holding the Gauntlet. It must be held not only for the sake of Mankind’s future across the galaxy, but also to protect Holy Terra itself. Yet a keener intellect still - darker and far more ancient - has other plans for the Nachmund Gauntlet, and Vigilus is only the latest step in a long-crafted scheme of conquest. Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster and Lord of the Black Legion of Heretic Astartes, first invaded Vigilus in the wake of Ork hordes and Genestealer Cults uprisings. The warlord unleashed a devastating apocalypse against the planet, but his swift conquest was averted by the Imperium through the sacrifice of a great hero and a blow to Abaddon’s pride.

Now, the Warmaster’s plans have refocused on his wider strategy. Abaddon seeks to control the entire Nachmund Gauntlet, stranding Imperial forces on either side and luring them into a war to retake it that they can ill afford. There are some who even think he seeks to understand by what means the Gauntlet is held open at alL While his ambition stretches out. Abaddon has issued edicts to conquer Vigilus in his name. Though his initial invasion was rebuffed, the planet’s defences were sorely weakened. Xenos raiders still plague Vigilus. Many companies of Space Marines have left to redeploy to other war zones. At the same time, many surrounding systems have been overwhelmed, and Vigilus has become a haven for surviving forces of Astra Militarum, Knight households and the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Wardens of the Gauntlet still maintain a defensive presence around Vigilus and will not see it lost without a fight. Darkness and despair crowd around the guttering beacon of hope that Vigilus once embodied, circling like vultures sensing the end of a dying beast. If Vigilus falls, the last hopes of those within the Imperium Nihilus could be snuffed out.

Books

BookKindEditionVersionLast update
  War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus Alone
  War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus AloneExpansion9Indomitus 1.0March 2022
  War Zone Nachmund: Rift War
  War Zone Nachmund: Rift WarExpansion9Indomitus 1.0July 2022

Vigilus Alone

War of Faith Campaign

The ongoing war in the Nachmund Gauntlet had been grinding for years, neither side able to finally achieve the killing blow and drive their foe out of the region. Below, you will find a campaign system that allows you and a group of players to retell the events of the War Zone Nachmund Gauntlet story for yourselves, in the onslaught within the Vigilus System.


Where one-off games against favoured opponents and new foes alike offer plenty of fun and enjoyment, campaigns are something special, adding even more excitement, consequence and narrative to every tabletop clash. By entering a campaign you get to play not just one game, but a series of interlinked battles. You’re not just playing to see who wins, but to seize hard-fought territory or resources, avenge an earlier defeat or earn fresh rewards for your army. Before each battle, you determine context; where the conflict is taking place, why, and what stakes and consequences it will have. At each game’s end you discover what cost the battle has levied on your forces, and what experience or potent relics they have gained. If participating as part of a team, you play knowing your fellow campaign commanders are battling at the same time on nearby tabletops, all of you fighting for the same goal. It is an exciting and immersive experience.

At its heart, playing in a campaign is a narrative experience that forges war stories you and your fellow commanders will share for years to come. It can be the highlight of an entire gaming year and can spawn future events where you revisit old grudges or beloved settings. Whether you’re completely new to campaign gaming, or a veteran looking for a new thrill, all you need to do is gather your armies and read on to discover how to get the most out of War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus Alone.

Introduction

A War of Faith campaign allows a group of players to get together, form alliances and play a series of games. It is split into campaign phases, each of which takes part in the key regions of Vigilus, or on the symbolically critical planetoid of Hearthlack. There can be any number of campaign phases, split across the three locations as the Campaign Master sees fit. Each battle will be fought with unique rules inspired by the key stages in War Zone Nachmund Gauntlet. At the end of each campaign phase, the balance of power in each locale will shift, the alliance with the most war zone points achieving victory in that phase and pushing back their foes. A new phase then begins, with each alliance trying to keep their foe on the back foot or stem the onslaught.

Campaign Master

A War of Faith campaign is best run with a Campaign Master. This is a heroic individual who takes on the mobilisation and organisation of the campaign so that the other players can focus on playing games. A Campaign Master is in a privileged position that offers a degree of leadership to the individual who takes on the role; however, its primary purpose is to facilitate a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players involved. A Campaign Master can indeed play in the campaign, but in larger campaigns that include a multitude of players, it may be they prefer to solely oversee the campaign rather than play in it.

Over this page we will refer to the Campaign Master and how they can go about organising a War of Faith campaign. Campaign Master’s Edicts are useful tools and rules ideas that the Campaign Master can use to add further excitement to the campaign. If this is the first campaign for many of the players, or they would otherwise prefer to keep things as simple as possible, then these are not necessary for a War of Faith campaign. Otherwise, they are a useful tool for players to get the most out of a War of Faith campaign.

Ways to Play

The first step in the War of Faith campaign is for the Campaign Master to determine the type of play for the campaign: open, matched or narrative play. The Campaign Master will also need to determine the battle size (or battle sizes) that will be used in the campaign, and which mission packs they will draw missions from. It is important for the Campaign Master to specify these from the outset so that each player knows what to expect from the campaign before committing to it. We would always encourage a Campaign Master to take advice from their proposed group of players on which type of play is preferred, and what size armies players are able to muster for the Faction or Factions they wish to use for the duration. Taking part in a campaign of this type is a collaborative effort and requires agreement and cooperation from all involved to ensure that it runs smoothly, and that the maximum amount of enjoyment can be experienced by each participant.

Players and Alliances

Once a Campaign Master has stepped forward, their first task in organising a War of Faith campaign is to gather the players and sort them into alliances. The system is flexible enough to support various numbers of people; an experienced Campaign Master could run the campaign for dozens of gamers, and equally just two players could use the system to tie the results of their regular games together into a greater whole. The campaign is at its best, however, with a small group of like-minded and enthusiastic players who can meet on a regular basis, and who can be evenly distributed across two alliances.

The two alliances should be organised evenly and, where possible, based on the Faction being played, so have a chat with the group to determine this. Once players are assigned to an alliance, their army is committed to the cause and will do their all to achieve victory. For this reason, players should play the same Faction throughout the campaign. If they wish to change their Faction, they can do so at the Campaign Master’s discretion. The alliances are as follows:

Imperial: Vigilus and its surrounding system are still nominally held by the Imperium, with their forces engaged on all fronts ensuring the tide of traitors does not overwhelm them. These desperate defenders draw upon strong reserves of faith and determination to ensure that the system is not lost forever to the servants of the Dark Gods. Any army with the IMPERIUM keyword is best suited to this alliance, as well as any who would seek to thwart the machinations of the gods of the warp.

Chaos: The many varied forces of Chaos share a strong need to subjugate Vigilus once and for all. Alongside these, many other forces would benefit from the disruption a Chaos victory would bring, from the Orkish hordes, who seek constant warfare against the strongest foes, to the Drukhari raiders, who would seek to take advantage to reap a toll of captives and terror from the population. Any army without the IMPERIUM keyword is best suited to this alliance.

These alliances allow for a well-rounded campaign, with each side battling back and forth for dominance.

Allies of Convenience

Note that the options above are guidelines on how to organise players into an alliance, rather than a requirement. If it suits the group better to organise the alliances differently, then the Campaign Master should feel free to do so. For example, if many of the players in the group play armies associated with a single alliance, then to make the alliances more evenly numbered some of them may have to fight for a different alliance than we have recommended. This is fine. You could always create some interesting narrative to explain why that side chose to fight for a different alliance. Here are a few examples:
  • The Aeldari seek to thwart the desires of the servants of Slaanesh. They appear from webway gates and fight on the side of the Imperial alliance, then disappear again before the worshippers of the Dark Gods are able to bring forces to bear against them.
  • The Necrons view the increasing number of Noctilith Crowns as a threat, bleeding uncontrollable warp energies into their future domains. Emerging from hidden gateways, or fleets that appear suddenly in orbit, the relentless phalanxes of undying warriors destroy these structures wherever they find them.
  • A Genestealer Cult, thus far unrevealed, works alongside the advancing Chaos forces to overwhelm the entrenched Imperial defenders, casting down their edifices. Seeing the fractious Chaos factions as an easy target, they are sure they can drive them off easily once the Imperial oppressors are defeated.
  • A force of Orks have detected the ongoing battles and want their share. Sensing their ships arrive in orbit, the Chaos forces move aside and allow the Orks to land and slake their thirst for battle on the Imperials below, confident they can mop up the survivors, whoever they may be, in the aftermath.
Equally, if it is just not possible to arrange alliances evenly, then the system will still work with a little extra organisation from the Campaign Master, as described later.

The Campaign Tracker

A War of Faith Campaign uses a tracker, found below. This tracker features three war zones, each crucial to victory. Every war zone features a victory track, and will require a marker to indicate the current status of that war zone. This marker will start in the contested area of each war zone.

At the end of each campaign phase, the Campaign Master will reveal which alliance has been victorious in each war zone. If the Imperial alliance is victorious in a war zone, the Campaign Master moves the marker a number of steps downwards on the appropriate tracker. If the Chaos alliance is victorious in a war zone, the Campaign Master moves the marker a number of steps upwards on the appropriate tracker.

Dontoria


Storvhal


Hearthlack


Campaign Length

A War of Faith campaign is split into a number of phases. Before the campaign begins, the Campaign Master should determine the number of phases in the campaign. Once the final phase ends, the winning alliance is determined and the campaign ends.

A campaign can be a long and expansive experience where each campaign phase takes place over a month, with many battles fought and mighty heroes lost to the fires of war. Equally, it can be a short and focused campaign played over a weekend, with each campaign phase consisting of just one battle representing the key moments of the conflict. Ultimately, the Campaign Master should determine a campaign length that best suits the gaming group taking part, thinking about how regularly they can meet and how many games they are likely to play.

As a guide, we recommend ensuring that each participant is able to play at least one battle in each phase. Whilst it is tempting to plan out an epic campaign for galactic domination, we recommend keeping your campaign to 5-7 phases. If, at the end of the final phase, all the players are thirsting for more war, the Campaign Master can always decide to add an extra phase (or start a new campaign altogether).

Campaign Phases

During each campaign phase, any player can play more than one battle if they wish. The result of each battle is about more than just personal glory. Your presence contributes to the success of your alliance in the greater war. This is achieved with war zone points. Each time you play a game, your alliance earns war zone points as follows:

WAR ZONE POINTS
COMBAT PATROLINCURSIONSTRIKE FORCEONSLAUGHT
Play a game1111
Draw a game1234
Win a game2345

For example, if you play a Combat Patrol game and win, your alliance earns a total of 3 war zone points. It is the players’ responsibility to determine how many war zone points are earned. They then report their results and which war zone their battle took place in to the Campaign Master, who keeps a record of each alliance’s total war zone points for each war zone. Once the current stage of the campaign phase comes to an end, the Campaign Master then moves the marker for each war zone along the track one space based on which alliance scored the most war zone points in that. war zone. If an alliance’s war zone points total for a war zone is double or more the war zone points total of the other alliance, the Campaign Master moves that marker two spaces instead. If the alliances are tied for the most war zone points, that marker does not move at the end of that phase.

UNEVEN ALLIANCES
If an alliance has an uneven number of players, the Campaign Master is at liberty to reward extra War Zone points to make up the inherent deficit. Perhaps they could set a challenge for one player in each campaign stage, with War Zone points awarded to their alliance for playing that game, and a greater points return if they achieve victory and complete that challenge.

Arranging Games

To play a game, a player must arrange one with a player from the opposing alliance. When they meet on the battlefield, they follow the battle sequence as specified in their mission pack, with the following exception:
  • At the start of the Determine Mission step, the players should agree which war zone their battle will take place in. If the players cannot agree, they should roll off. The battle takes place in the winners’ preferred war zone.
  • Instead of selecting a mission as normal, the players can then select to play that war zone’s Legendary Mission.
Once the players have finished their game and determined the victor, they earn war zone points for their alliance, as detailed above.

The Campaign Master has a few options concerning how players are matched up for games. They can leave the players to arrange games themselves, with challenges thrown down and honour at stake. This is perhaps the simplest way of arranging games, and lets the campaign progress naturally with plenty of friendly rivalries to go with it!

Alternatively, it may be appropriate to introduce more structure to the matchups. For example, a matchup schedule will ensure that everyone gets an equal amount of games. Or, in campaigns with a large amount of players, breaking each alliance into smaller subgroups that are then matched against their enemies can make arranging games even simpler. The Campaign Master might also choose to ignore part of the additional step above, and allocate each pairing or group to a specific war zone. This can also add to the narrative, as you can imagine each group battling in a different area of the Vigilus System, wherever their commanders send them!

Additional Keywords

While a player is part of the Imperial alliance, units from that player’s army are considered to have the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE keyword.

While a player is part of the Chaos alliance, units from that player’s army are considered to have the CHAOS ALLIANCE keyword.

If you are using the Crusade system for your campaign, the first time a unit from your Order of Battle is included in your army roster for a battle as part of this campaign, that unit gains the appropriate keyword instead. Make a note on that unit’s Crusade card. These keywords are not lost at the end of the campaign.

Winning the Campaign

Once the final phase of the campaign ends, the campaign has reached its conclusion. Alliances have had victories in the various campaign phases, and these victories determine the overall winner of the War of Faith campaign. The final position of the markers in each war zone provides each alliance with a number of Strategic Victory points (see below).

Alliance Strategic Victory Points


Dontoria


Storvhal


Hearthlack


The alliance with the highest Strategic Victory points total is the victor. If both alliances have the same score, use the war zone points total for the final phase as a tiebreaker. If this is still tied, use the war zone points total for the previous phase as a tiebreaker and so on until a victor is crowned.

War Zone Abilities

Before each battle, players agree which war zone their battle is taking place in. If those players wish, they can use the following additional rules during battles taking place in each of these war zones as described below.

Dontoria

Burning Conviction

Inspired by the Living Saint and repulsed by Dontoria’s corruption, the Imperial forces in this region are sure of the righteousness of their cause.

Once per turn, when an IMPERIAL ALLIANCE unit within 6" of an enemy unit is selected to shoot or fight, each time a model in that unit makes an attack, you can re-roll the hit roll and you can re-roll the wound roll.

Rampant Corruption

The hivesprawl has endured a long time in the malignant grip of Chaos. Its very transitways seep with corruption, and even the purest are overwhelmed by the horror of this once-holy continent.

Once per turn, during a Chaos alliance player’s Command phase, that player can select one IMPERIAL ALLIANCE unit that is not within the controlling player’s deployment zone and roll one D6: on a 2+:
  • That unit suffers 1 mortal wound.
  • Until the start of that Chaos alliance player’s next turn, subtract 2 from that IMPERIAL ALLIANCE unit’s Leadership characteristic.

Storvhal

Tectonic Instability

Though the lava fields of Storvhal no longer echo with the screams of the daemonic, the tortured landscape rumbles with unstable tectonic energy in the wake of Fabricator Vorsch’s great gambit.

If you are using this war zone ability, at the end of the Creating the Battlefield step, players should set up two sets of markers and number them 1-6, as shown on the map below. These are known as tectonic locations. Each player has 6 tectonic locations (Imperial alliance player’s tectonic locations are shown in green, Chaos alliance player’s tectonic locations are shown in red).

At the start of each battle round, the player who is taking the first turn rolls one D6. On a 5+, a tectonic event has been triggered. If a tectonic event is triggered, each player randomly determines one of their tectonic locations by rolling one D6. Once both tectonic locations have been determined, draw a line between those two points on the battlefield. For each unit this line passes over (excluding AIRCRAFT units):
  • That unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.
  • Until the start of the next battle round, halve the Move characteristic of models in that unit.


Hearthlack

Holy Elation

This golden orb transiting the sky is of great spiritual importance. Hearthlack’s artificial atmosphere trails in its wake like emanations from a holy censer; the moon’s defilement would cause incalculable damage to morale across the entire system. Filled with a fervent desire to prevent this, or intoxicated by the atmosphere’s miasma, the Imperium’s defenders there are emboldened to a zealous degree.

Each time a Combat Attrition test is taken for an IMPERIAL ALLIANCE unit, add 1 to that Combat Attrition test.

Desperate to Despoil

To the dark forces of Chaos, there is no greater prize than seeing an enemy’s hope sputter and die. Each idol and symbol cast down, whether still living or carved from stone, is a step towards victory over their hated foe. Displaying these shattered icons as trophies only lends further impetus to their unholy assault, and they stop at nothing to do so.

Each time a CHAOS ALLIANCE unit makes an attack against a CHARACTER unit, add 1 to that attack’s hit roll.
Legendary Mission – Strike Force

The Purging of Dontoria

MISSION BRIEFING
Imperial forces descend on the tainted hivesprawl like the avenging wrath of the God-Emperor himself - purging every alcove and fissure where corruption could fester, and cleansing every stronghold available to the forces of Chaos. As Imperial armies stoically advance, their enemies seek to smother the fires of their faith, and spread their malignancy ever further.

MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the player from the Chaos alliance should be the Defender. The player from the Imperial alliance should be the Attacker.

Corrupted Strongpoints
If the mission pack you are playing has the Place Objective Markers step before the Create the Battlefield step, swap the order of these two steps for this mission. During the Place Objective Markers step, the Defender sets up 5 objective markers on the battlefield. Each must be set up within an Area Terrain feature if possible, or within 1" of a non-Area Terrain feature. A maximum of two of these markers can be set up in the Defender’s deployment zone. While a unit from the Attacker’s army is within 3" of a terrain feature that has an objective marker that is not aflame (see below) within 1" of it, each time a Combat Attrition test is made for that unit, subtract 1 from that Combat Attrition test.

Units from the Attacker’s army can perform the following action:

Purging Fire (Action): One INFANTRY unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Command phase if it is within range of an objective marker. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is completed, that objective marker is considered to be aflame.

At the end of each battle round, each player rolls one D6 for each unit from their army that is within 1" of a terrain feature that has an aflame objective marker within 1" of it. On a 1, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound for every 5 models that unit contains.

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

FEND OFF THE ASSAULT
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Defender’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points):
  • They control one or more objective markers.
  • They control two or more objective markers.
  • Three or less objective markers are aflame.
This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.
PURGE IN FLAME
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Attacker’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points):
  • They control one or more objective markers.
  • They control two or more objective markers.
  • Two or more objective markers are aflame.
This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.
DONTORIA BURNING
End Game Objective
At the end of the battle:
  • The Defender scores 5 victory points for each objective marker that is not aflame (for a maximum of 15 victory points).
  • The Attacker scores 5 victory points for each objective marker that is aflame (for a maximum of 15 victory points).

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle, the victor of this mission increases their Requisition points to 5. If the Attacker is the victor, and three or more objective markers were aflame at the end of the battle, the Attacker’s WARLORD is Marked for Greatness in addition to any other units. If the Defender is the victor, and two or fewer objective markers were aflame at the end of the battle, the Defender’s WARLORD is Marked for Greatness in addition to any other units.

Legendary Mission – Strike Force

The Crowning of Storvhal

MISSION BRIEFING
The forces of Chaos have taken advantage of the apocalyptic, volcanic landscape of Storvhal to raise a nexus of Noctilith Crowns. A completed network would flood the area with warp energy. Imperial forces directed by Inquisitor Cartavolnus have launched a desperate spearhead thrust into the region to disrupt the energy nodes focusing power into these nascent Noctilith Crowns, and prevent them being fully activated.

MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the player from the Chaos alliance should be the Defender. The player from the Imperial alliance should be the Attacker.

Deactivated Crown Objective Marker
The deactivated crown objective marker has the following ability. The range of this ability is equal to 6" for each remaining energy node objective marker:

Abyssal Energies (Aura):
  • While a CHAOS unit is within range of this ability, each time a Psychic test is taken for that unit, add 1 to that Psychic test.
  • Each time a unit from the Attacker’s army that is within range of this ability suffers Perils of the Warp, that unit suffers 3 mortal wounds instead of D3.

Units from the Attacker’s army can perform the following action:

Demolish Energy Nodes (Action): One unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is within range of an energy node objective marker. It cannot start this action while there are any enemy units (excluding AIRCRAFT units and units with the Fortification Battlefield Role) in range of the same objective marker. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is completed, that objective marker is considered to be demolished.

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

CHANNELLED ENERGY
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Defender’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each energy node objective marker that has not been demolished.

This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.
DESTROY THE NODES
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Attacker’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each energy node objective marker that has been demolished.

This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.
THE CROWN ASCENDANT
End Game Objective
At the end of the battle, the player who controls the deactivated crown objective marker scores 15 victory points.

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle, the victor can select one unit from their Order of Battle. If that unit can gain a Battle Honour, it gains a Battle Trait of the victor’s choice. Make a note of it on that unit’s Crusade card and increase its Crusade points accordingly.

Legendary Mission – Strike Force

The Corruption of Hearthlack

MISSION BRIEFING
Though strategically a planetoid of little significance, the trailing atmospheric vapours left behind as it crosses the heavens have led to this rock being held as a symbol of potent religious power to the system’s defenders. Sensing a chance to cripple Imperial morale, the forces of Chaos have launched an assault to corrupt the atmospheric generators; with daemonic nanophages, sorcerous infections and malicious spirits, they hope to turn the encircling halo into a terrifying noose around the system.

MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the player from the Chaos alliance should be the Attacker. The player from the Imperial alliance should be the Defender.

Objective Markers
The objective markers in this mission represent atmosphere generator control panels. During the Create the Battlefield step, we recommend setting up a building or ruins terrain feature adjacent to each objective marker.

Units from the Attacker’s army can perform the following action:

Corrupt Generator (Action): One unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is within range of an objective marker you control. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is completed, that objective marker is considered to be corrupted.

Units from the Defender’s army can perform the following action:

Purge Generator (Action): One unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is within range of a corrupted objective marker. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is completed, that objective marker is no longer considered to be corrupted.

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

CORRUPTING FUMES
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Attacker’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points):
  • They control one or more objective markers.
  • They control one or more corrupted objective markers.
  • Two or more objective markers are corrupted.
This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.
PURIFYING FUMES
Progressive Objective
At the end of the Defender’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points):
  • They control one or more objective markers.
  • They control one or more objective markers that are not corrupted.
  • Two or more objective markers are not corrupted.
This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle:
  • The victor of this mission gains 2 Requisition points after this battle, instead of 1.
  • The unit from the victor’s army that destroyed the most enemy units during the battle gains 3 additional experience points. If two or more units are tied, the victor can select one of these to gain this bonus.

Campaign Master’s Edicts

Critical Location

High command has dictated that a specific war zone holds significant military value. Whether some vital resource has been discovered, a senior enemy commander has been spotted there, or the region has become an iconic symbol of the wars outcome is not yet clear. What is certain is that your forces must be poured into this region to wrest and maintain its control at all costs.

At the start of any campaign phase, the Campaign Master can declare one or more war zones to be critical locations to one or more of the alliances. They may do this to encourage more players to fight battles in a certain war zone, or to help one alliance which was being overwhelmed in the previous campaign phase.

When the Campaign Master declares one or more critical locations, they should also declare the bonus for victory in this location, as well as which alliance or alliances that bonus is available to.

This bonus is entirely at the Campaign Masters discretion, but examples could include:
  • Additional war zone points for winning or playing a game in the specified war zone.
  • If the campaign is using the Crusade system, the Campaign Master can award additional Victor Bonuses, Experience points or Requisition points for victories in the specified war zone.
  • Victories of particular magnitude earn additional war zone points.
  • The victor in a specific war zone during a phase gains a bonus in the next phase. This could be bonus war zone points or could be an in-game ability, such as the ability to use certain types of Stratagems for 1 fewer CP, or if you are using the Crusade system, additional Requisition points for victories in that war zone.

Concealed Deployment

Many battlefields throughout the system are cursed with drifting ash clouds, empyric miasmas or dense atmospheric fumes. Armies from all sides have been known to take advantage of this, opportunistically moving troops into position under cover of these conditions, while fire lines are obscured and sensors befuddled, before signalling the attack.

Concealed Deployment is a means by which one or both sides have chosen to deploy their forces in hiding at the start of the battle, forcing their foes to commit to battle without truly knowing what they will face. At the start of a phase, the Campaign Master can choose for this rule to be in effect in one or more war zones, at their discretion. These rules explain how to place units into Concealed Deployment, as well as how to reveal them and set them up on the battlefield.

Placing Units Into Concealed Deployment

You can only place units into Concealed Deployment if your army is Battle-forged. Before the battle, at the start of the Deploy Armies step of the mission, you can select one or more units from your army to he placed into Concealed Deployment (TITANIC units, AIRCRAFT units and units with the Fortification Battlefield Role cannot be placed into Concealed Deployment). You must pay Command points (CPs) to place your units into Concealed Deployment; the number of CPs required depends on the combined Power Ratings of all the units you wish to place into Concealed Deployment (including those embarked within TRANSPORT models that are themselves placed into Concealed Deployment), as shown in the table below. If you do not have enough CPs for your current band, you must reduce the number of units you wish to place into Concealed Deployment until you do have sufficient CPs.

CONCEALED DEPLOYMENT
COMBINED POWER RATING OF UNITS PLACED INTO CONCEALED DEPLOYMENTCPs TO PLACE INTO CONCEALED DEPLOYMENT
1-141
15-292
30-443
45-594
etc.etc.

Concealed Deployment Counters

Next, you must assign a unique number for each unit from your army that you placed into Concealed Deployment, and make a note of this on your army roster. During deployment, instead of setting up a Concealed Deployment unit on the battlefield, you instead set up a counter with that units number on it face down (you can alternatively place a number or dice next to the counter, just so long as it corresponds to one of your Concealed Deployment units and is kept secret from your opponent for now), These counters must be set up within your deployment zone - if the unit has a rule that enables it to be set up elsewhere on the battlefield, that rule cannot be used.

Revealing Concealed Units

Once both players have finished deploying, but before either player uses any rules that would trigger ‘at the end’ of deployment, the players must reveal their concealed units. To do so, starting with the Attacker, the players alternate selecting one of their Concealed Deployment counters, flipping it over to reveal its number and setting up the corresponding unit. Each time they do so, the first model in the unit being set up must be placed touching the corresponding marker, and the entire unit must be set up wholly within the player’s own deployment zone. That Concealed Deployment counter is then removed. If one player has no Concealed Deployment counters left to reveal, their opponent then reveals all their remaining counters in any order they choose, as described above.

Crusade Relics

The following Crusade Relics are all treated as Artificer Relics, and can only be selected for IMPERIAL ALLIANCE or CHAOS ALLIANCE units during a War of Faith campaign. These Relics are retained by that unit after the campaign ends.

LIGHT OF DONTORIA

This simple icon, worn upon the bearer’s armour or around their neck, was seen carried by some who showed particular zeal during the Purging of Dontoria, or who were inspired by the hivesprawl’s distant inferno to conduct violent purgation of their own. Its holy form was thrice-blessed by Saint Celestine herself, and is anathema to the corrupt and the diabolic. It blazes with a burning light, fired by the warrior’s soul, searing and blinding the servants of darkness that stand against them.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only.

At the end of the Fight phase, roll one D6 for each enemy unit that is within 3" of the bearer, adding 1 to the result if that unit is a CHAOS unit, and 2 to the result if it is a DAEMON unit. On a 6+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.

THE ARMOUR OF STORVHAL

This single, embossed plate is all that remains of a masterwork war suit crafted by the Tech-Priests who guarded the energy farms of Storvhal. Its esoteric alloys were smelted in the hivesprawl’s volcanic forges, and quenched in sigma-grade coolant. Inlaid with microactuators and thermo-harmonic emitters, this plate is nigh-unbreakable.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only.

  • Improve the bearer’s Save characteristic by 1 (to a maximum of 2+).
  • Each time an attack is made against the bearer, roll one D6: on a 4+, subtract 1 from the Damage characteristic of that attack (to a minimum of 1).

VIAL OF THE HALO WORLD

This small ampoule - filled in the Cathedrum of Saint Calgar with a small portion of the golden atmosphere of Hearthlack - is held in great regard by the pious, its radiance blessing their holy strikes.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only. The bearer has the following ability:

Vial of the Halo World (Aura): While a friendly IMPERIAL ALLIANCE CORE unit is within 6" of the bearer, each time a model in that unit makes a melee attack, re-roll a hit roll of 1.

THE NOCTILITH EYE

This rune-carved talisman appears to be nothing more than a small trinket. The dark stone at its centre is carved from pure noctilith, however, marking the bearer as a locus for the energies of the warp, and granting them murky visions of a possible future.

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only.

  • The bearer has a 4+ invulnerable save.
  • At the start of your Command phase, if the bearer is on the battlefield, roll one D6: on a 5+, you gain 1 Command point.

THE CROWN OF VONTHAK

Originally torn from the brow of a defeated Dark Apostle, this ichor-slick wreath of daemonic horns melds with the wearer’s own skull, and projects a sinister nimbus of terrifying dominance.

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only. The bearer has the following ability:

Crown of Vonthak (Aura): While an enemy unit is within 6" of the bearer, each time a Combat Attrition test is taken for that unit, subtract 1 from that Combat Attrition test.

THE BURNING SKULL

This blackened skull - found in Storvhal after one of the Coronal War’s deadliest battles - is pocked with mutation, barbed spurs of extruded bone growing from its obviously Astartes form. When words of power are spoken over it, glowing runes appear across its surface and jets of flame blast forth from its empty eyes, like an accusatory stare of wrath from beyond the grave.

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only. The bearer is equipped with the following weapon:
WEAPON
RANGE
TYPE
S
AP
D
The Burning Skull
The Burning Skull
12"
Pistol 1
5
-2
3
Abilities: Each time an attack is made with this weapon, if a hit is scored, draw a straight line between the closest point of this model’s base (or hull) and that of the closest model in the target unit. Make one wound roll against the target unit, and one wound roll against each other unit this line passes over.

Crusade Rules

In this section you’ll find additional rules for your crusade armies, themed around the War of Faith, including rules for representing ancient relic standards, as well as rules for creating deadly armies of zealous Imperial defenders. You can find out more about Crusade armies in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book.

This section contains the following additional rules:

BANNERS OF RENOWN
Many of the banners that flutter above the Adeptus Astartes as they make war are ancient and storied relics that have stood over battlefields for millennia and seen victories uncounted. These new Crusade rules supplement the Crusade rules found in Codex: Space Marines and allow you upgrade Ancients with powerful upgrades to the banner they carry into battle.

ARMIES OF FAITH
All across the Vigilus system, ragged survivors of the ongoing war against the forces of Chaos band together, held together by their common faith in the Emperor of mankind. This section contains rules for creating an Army of Faith Crusade army. Here you will find a list of restrictions required to forge such an army and a list of additional rules and benefits that such an army gains.

BATTLEZONE: FRONTERIS
The frontier worlds of the Imperium are often inhospitable, requiring buildings of rugged construction to survive their adverse conditions. In this section you will find rules for these new terrain features, as well as a Theatre of War for battlefields that use them, and a series of new Agendas for use in Crusade games on battlefields featuring these imposing constructs.

Army of Faith Crusade Rules

An Army of Faith Crusade force functions a little differently to a normal Crusade force. Consisting of fractured Imperial forces fighting in any number of protracted war zones and shorn from central command, the warriors that form this force are held together by their common faith in the Emperor.


Fighting as a loosely organised force, this Crusade army relies on zealotry to maintain momentum and prevent its forces dispersing or becoming overwhelmed as it builds religious fervour during the Fervour stage.

Once a player decides their Army of Faith force has built up sufficient fervour, they can enter what is called the Retribution stage. During this part of the campaign, their army strikes out in aggressive attacks against their hated foes, fueled by their fervour. Eventually this righteous anger may dissipate, and the player can choose to enter the Fervour stage again to rebuild their army’s momentum, before once more entering the Retribution stage, and so on.

When creating an Army of Faith Order of Battle for the first time, and when adding units to it, you can only include the following:
  • ADEPTUS ASTARTES units (excluding DEATHWATCH units).
  • ADEPTUS MINISTORUM units.
  • ASTRA MILITARUM units.
Each time a unit is added to an Army of Faith Order of Battle, it gains the ARMY OF FAITH keyword.

After creating your Army of Faith Order of Battle, it immediately starts in the Fervour stage.

Mustering an Army of Faith Army

  • An ARMY OF FAITH Detachment is one that only includes models with the ARMY OF FAITH keyword.
  • An ARMY OF FAITH Detachment counts as an ADEPTA SORORITAS, ADEPTUS ASTARTES and ASTRA MILITARUM Detachment for the purpose of any Detachment abilities your army gains (e.g. Stratagems you can use).
  • When mustering your army:
    • Your army must contain at least one PRIEST unit.
    • In order to include any ADEPTA SORORITAS units that do not have the Troops Battlefield Role, your army must contain at least one ADEPTA SORORITAS Troops unit.
    • In order to include any ADEPTUS ASTARTES units that do not have the Troops Battlefield Role, your army must contain at least one ADEPTUS ASTARTES Troops unit.
    • In order to include any ASTRA MILITARUM units that do not have the Troops Battlefield Role, your army must contain at least one ASTRA MILITARUM Troops unit.

Religious Fervour Points

An Army of Faith Crusade force will accumulate Religious Fervour points during the Fervour stage. At the start of your first Fervour stage, begin a Religious Fervour points tally for your Crusade force (the Crusade goals, notes and additional information box is ideal for this).

Once you have accumulated sufficient Fervour points, you can enter the Retribution stage. Over the course of the Retribution stage, your army will expend the accumulated fervour until it runs low or runs out, and the army must rebuild its fervour. When you gain any points, add the appropriate number to your Crusade army’s tally. When you lose any points, delete the appropriate number from your Crusade army’s tally.
  • At the end of any battle during the Fervour stage, if your army has 20 or more Religious Fervour points, you can choose for your army to move to the Retribution stage.
  • At the end of any battle during the Retribution stage, if your army has 5 or fewer Religious Fervour points, the Retribution stage ends and your army moves back into the Fervour stage.
  • Your total cannot go below 0: If an ability would potentially take you below 0 (e.g. an ability which requires you to lose D3 Religious Fervour points when you have fewer than 3 available) that ability cannot be used.

Gaining Religious Fervour Points

At the end of each battle during the Fervour stage, gain Religious Fervour points for each of the following. When you do so, add that number to your tally.
  • If you won or drew the battle, gain D3+3 Religious Fervour points.
  • If you lost the battle, gain D3 Religious Fervour points.
  • If the enemy WARLORD was destroyed, gain D3 Religious Fervour points.
  • If any enemy CHAOS units were destroyed, gain D3 Religious Fervour points.

Losing Religious Fervour Points

At the end of each battle during the Retribution stage, lose Religious Fervour points for each of the following. When you do so, subtract that number from your tally.
  • If you lost or drew the battle, lose D6 Religious Fervour points.
  • If your WARLORD was destroyed, lose D3 Religious Fervour points.
  • If any units from your army that were destroyed by a CHAOS unit failed an Out of Action test, lose D3 Religious Fervour points.

Army of Faith Crusade Relics

When an ARMY OF FAITH CHARACTER gains a Crusade Relic, you can instead select one of the Relics listed below. All the usual rules for selecting Crusade Relics, as described in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book, apply.

ARTIFICER RELIC

The Blood of Saint Calgar

It is said that when Saint Calgar was laid low by the Despoiler, his blood flowed like a river. Following the battle, some of this divine blood was collected in small ampoules by fervent adorants. When the bearer holds one of the surviving phials tightly a portion of Saint Calgar’s might is imparted, allowing even the mightiest foe to be struck down.

ARMY OF FAITH model only.

  • Add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of the bearer.
  • While your army is in the Fervour stage, if this model is on the battlefield at the end of the battle, gain 1 Religious Fervour point.
  • While your army is in the Retribution stage, once per battle, in your Command phase, you can lose D3 Religious Fervour points. Until the end of the turn, add the result to the bearer’s Strength characteristic.

ANTIQUITY RELIC
An ARMY OF FAITH CHARACTER model of Heroic rank or higher can be given the following Antiquity Relic instead of one of the ones presented in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book. Add 1 to a unit’s total Crusade points for each Antiquity Relic it has - this is in addition to the +1 from gaining a Battle Honour, for a total of +2.

Penitent’s Band

This thin metal circlet, taking the form of an ornate garland of thorned briars, is worn around the brow of one who feels that they have been found wanting in their duty to the Emperor. Responding to the warrior’s fervent emotions, the psychoreactive metal tightens, causing rivulets of blood to run down their face - the pain fuelling their determination to right their perceived wrongs.

ARMY OF FAITH model only.

  • Each time the bearer makes a melee attack, re-roll a hit roll of 1 and a wound roll of 1.
  • While your army has 20 or more Religious Fervour points, the bearer has the following ability:

Pious Example (Aura): While a friendly ARMY OF FAITH CORE unit is within 6" of the bearer, each time a model in that unit makes a melee attack, re-roll a hit roll of 1 and a wound roll of 1.

LEGENDARY RELIC
An ARMY OF FAITH CHARACTER of Legendary rank can be given the following Legendary Relic instead of one of the ones presented in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book. In addition, in order to give a model a Legendary Relic, you must also pay 1 Requisition point (if you do not have enough Requisition points, you cannot give that model a Legendary Relic). Add 2 to a unit’s total Crusade points for each Legendary Relic it has - this is in addition to the +1 from gaining a Battle Honour, for a total of +3.

The Blade of Retribution

This large power sword has variously been identified as the double-handed blade wielded by Canoness Hrethnar’s most senior Palatine, the duelling sabre carried by a warrior of the Black Templars as they fought the Black Legion at Saint’s Haven and the heirloom weapon of vanished Proctor-Commander Venedar. When discovered, the broken blade was buried in the chest of a hulking traitor of Abaddon’s legion. Reverently gathered, the shards were laid before the altar of the Tower of St Barthom, and a prayer of retribution spoken over the fragments. After Celestine’s miraculous appearance, the sword was found reformed, glowing with an inner light, ready to destroy the foul heretics anew.

ARMY OF FAITH model with blessed blade, power sword or master-crafted power sword only. This Relic replaces a blessed blade, power sword or master-crafted power sword and has the following profile:
WEAPON
RANGE
TYPE
S
AP
D
The Blade of Retribution
The Blade of Retribution
Melee
Melee
+2
-4
3
Abilities: While the bearer’s army is in the Fervour stage, add 1 to the bearer’s Attack’s characteristic. While the bearer’s army is in the Retribution stage, change this weapon’s Strength characteristic to +4.

Fervour Stage

Abilities

During the Fervour stage, instead of any Chapter Tactics, Order Convictions or Regimental Doctrines, ARMY OF FAITH units from your army have the following ability:

Faith in the Emperor
  • Add 1 to the Leadership characteristic of models with this ability.
  • Each time a unit with this ability is selected to shoot or fight, you can re-roll one hit roll when resolving that unit’s attacks.

Requisitions

If your Army of Faith Crusade force is in the Fervour stage, you can spend Requisition points (RPs) on any of the following Requisitions in addition to those presented in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book.

MARTYRS TO THE CAUSE1RP

Warriors in an Army of Faith will think nothing of their own lives, their sacrifice setting a potent example to their allies about the righteousness of the cause.

Purchase this Requisition when an ARMY OF FAITH unit from your army fails an Out of Action test. Gain a number of Religious Fervour points equal to the number of Crusade points that unit has, then remove that unit from your Order of Battle.

Agendas

If your Crusade army is in the Fervour stage and includes any ARMY OF FAITH units, you can select the Army of Faith Agenda, listed below. This is a new category of Agendas, and follows all the normal rules for Agendas (for example, when you select Agendas, you cannot choose more than one from each category).

RECLAIM THE RELIC
Army of Faith Agenda

In order to gain momentum, an Army of Faith will seek out fallen relics for reconsecration, bringing them to a safe haven where they can be used in acts of divine worship, as intended.

If you selected this Agenda, then after both sides have finished deploying, your opponent must set up one Relic of the Faithful objective marker anywhere on the battlefield that is not within 9" of any battlefield edge. This objective marker represents a Relic of the Faithful that must be reclaimed, but does not count as an objective marker for any rules purposes other than for this Agenda.

The Relic of the Faithful can be carried if a unit successfully completes the Carry Relic of the Faithful action (see below). If this model is destroyed (even if it is subsequently resurrected or returns to the battlefield), place the Relic of the Faithful objective marker as close as possible to the spot where the destroyed model was. While it is carrying the Relic of the Faithful, that model’s unit cannot embark within a TRANSPORT, nor can it use any rule that enables it to be removed from the battlefield and set back up again.

Carry Relic of the Faithful (Action): One INFANTRY unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is within 1" of the Relic of the Faithful objective marker. The action is completed at the end of your turn so long as the unit performing it is still within 1" of that objective marker and there are no enemy units (excluding AIRCRAFT units) within Engagement Range of it. If completed, remove the Relic of the Faithful objective marker from the battlefield and select one model in the unit that completed this action - that model is carrying the Relic of the Faithful.

At the end of the battle, if you control the Relic of the Faithful objective marker, or a model from your army is carrying the Relic of the Faithful, your Crusade force gains 3 Religious Fervour points.

At the end of the battle, you can select one unit from your army that is within range of the Relic of the Faithful objective marker, or the unit that is carrying the Relic of the Faithful. That unit gains 4 experience points.

Retribution Stage

Abilities

During the Retribution phase, instead of any Chapter Tactics, Order Convictions or Regimental Doctrines, ARMY OF FAITH units from your army have the following ability:

Crusading Wrath
  • Add 1" to the Move characteristic of models with this ability.
  • Each time a unit with this ability is selected to shoot or fight, you can re-roll one wound roll when resolving that unit’s attacks.

Agendas

If your Crusade army is in the Retribution stage and includes any ARMY OF FAITH units, you can select the Army of Faith Agenda, listed below. This is a new category of Agendas, and follows all the normal rules for Agendas (for example, when you select Agendas, you cannot choose more than one from each category).

BRINGING LIGHT TO THE DARKNESS
Army of Faith Agenda

An Army of Faith at peak fervour is a deadly proposition for any foe, its forces surging across the battlefield, their absolute belief in their cause unbreakable.

If you selected this Agenda, keep a Bringing Light tally for each ARMY OF FAITH unit from your army. Add 1 to a unit’s Bringing Light tally each time that unit destroys an enemy unit that was within 12" of it. Add 2 to the tally instead if that enemy unit was within your opponent’s deployment zone when it was destroyed.

Each unit gains 1 experience point (to a maximum of 3) for each mark on its Bringing Light tally.

At the end of the battle, add the total of all Bringing Light tallies from your army together. For every 5 marks, gain 1 Religious Fervour point.

Divine Retribution

During each battle during the Retribution stage, you can spend Religious Fervour points to use the Divine Retribution abilities listed below. When you do so, select which Divine Retribution ability you wish to use from those listed below, and subtract the listed number of Religious Fervour points from your tally. You can only use each Divine Retribution ability once during each turn.

DIVINE RAGE 1 POINT
Use this ability before an ARMY OF FAITH model from your army makes a melee attack. Add 1 to the Damage characteristic of that attack (to a maximum of 3).

DIVINE AIM 1 POINT
Use this ability before an ARMY OF FAITH model from your army makes a ranged attack. You can ignore any or all modifiers to the hit roll for that attack.

DIVINE INSPIRATION 1+ POINTS
Use this ability in your Command phase. Select one ARMY OF FAITH CHARACTER model from your army. Until your next Command phase, that model has the following ability:

Divine Inspiration (Aura): While a friendly ARMY OF FAITH unit is within 6" of this model, each time a Combat Attrition test is made for a model in that unit, add a number to the result equal to the number of Religious Fervour points spent to gain this effect.

DIVINE FURY 1+ POINTS
Use this ability after making a charge roll for an ARMY OF FAITH unit from your army. Add a number to the result equal to the number of Religious Fervour points spent to gain this effect (to a maximum of 3).

DIVINE INTIMIDATION 2 POINTS
Use this ability at the start of any turn. Select one enemy CHARACTER unit that is within 6" of an ARMY OF FAITH CHARACTER model from your army. Until the end of that turn, halve the range of that enemy CHARACTER unit’s Aura abilities.

Battlezone: Fronteris

Many Imperial worlds are not perfectly adjusted to habitation, but contain important resources that are too valuable to ignore. On such worlds sturdy and thoroughly reinforced buildings are the norm, whether built in their hundreds, or simply used for small outposts and containing extensive tunnels below ground.

In this section you will find guidance and additional rules for using Battlezone: Fronteris terrain features in your games of Warhammer 40,000. Whether using only terrain features from this set, or simply including one on a battlefield with other terrain features, the following rules will provide interesting new challenges for these battles.

Battlezone: Fronteris Crusade Agendas

If you are playing a Crusade battle and the battlefield features any Battlezone: Fronteris terrain features, you can select an Agenda from the Battlezone: Fronteris Agendas, listed below. This is a new category of Agendas, and follows all the normal rules for Agendas (for example, when you select Agendas, you cannot choose more than one Battlezone: Fronteris Agenda).

TRANSMIT SIGNAL
Battlezone: Fronteris Agenda

When conditions become especially difficult, personal communications devices are inadequate. To communicate with commanders in orbit, vastly distant outposts or far-ranging allied forces, reconnaissance information, pleas for aid and intelligence vital to a campaign must be transmitted through larger arrays.

CHARACTER units from your army can perform the following action:

Transmit Signal (Action): At the end of your Movement phase, one CHARACTER unit from your army that is on a Vox-Antenna terrain feature and not within Engagement Range of any enemy models can start to perform this action. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If completed, that model is said to have transmitted a signal. Each time this action is completed, roll one D6, subtracting one from the result if any Theatre of War: Fronteris abilities are in effect: on a 4+, that signal is acknowledged by the recipient.

At the end of the battle, each unit that has transmitted any signals gains 1 experience point. If any of those signals were acknowledged by the recipient, that unit gains 2 additional experience points.
DOWNLOAD ORDERS
Battlezone: Fronteris Agenda

While short orders can be pushed through dangerous atmospheric conditions relatively uncorrupted, in order to retrieve more detailed intelligence, a larger receiver is required. Once tapped in, warriors can download this information onto portable data-slates before moving off to carry out their instructions.

CHARACTER units from your army can perform the following action:

Download Orders (Action): At the end of your Movement phase, one CHARACTER unit from your army that is within 1" of a Auspex Shrine terrain feature and not within Engagement Range of any enemy models can start to perform this action. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If completed, that unit is said to have downloaded new orders. If this action is completed by your WARLORD, you can select one of your Agendas (excluding this one) and replace it with a new Agenda selected as normal as if it were the Select Agendas step. Any tallies for the replaced Agenda are lost, and units from your army cannot gain any experience points for the replaced Agenda.

At the end of the battle, each unit that has downloaded new orders gains 2 experience points.

Theatre of War: Fronteris

Fronteris worlds are often wracked by terrible storms, making travel difficult and disrupting communications. Those who do battle in these environments find themselves fighting not only their foe, but also the weather itself.


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 Fronteris Theatre of War is highly customisable, offering options to replicate many of the oppressive conditions assailing warriors on these worlds. 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.

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.

1. ACIDIC DELUGE

The atmospheres of some worlds are dangerously corrosive, ensuring that any structures must be sturdily built and chemically resistant. Troops battling on these worlds find even the most sturdy protective equipment disintegrating under the incessant erosion.

After the battlefield has been created, players should agree which Area Terrain features on the battlefield should be considered to be sheltered (this should be terrain features which are covered from above, have a roof, or otherwise would allow models to be covered from above) and if necessary, adjust the terrain set up to ensure these are evenly distributed across the battlefield. Each player should also keep a Corrosion tally for each unit from their army. At the end of each battle round, each unit that is not wholly within a sheltered terrain feature gains 1 mark on their Corrosion tally. Once a unit has three marks on its Corrosion tally, until the end of the battle, each time you make an armour saving throw for a model in that unit, subtract 1 from the result.

2. LIGHTNING STRIKES

Beneath especially turbulent atmospheres, deploying large war engines to the battlefield that attract numerous bolts of cracking power is especially dangerous, not just for the crew, but for those who fight alongside such potent conductors.

At the end of each battle round, roll one D6 for each unit from your army that contains any model greater than 6" in height, or is within 1" of a terrain feature which greater than 6" in height. On a 1, that unit suffers D6 mortal wounds.

3. ABRASIVE DUST STORM

Deadly, high-speed dust storms that can abrade even rigid structures are common on many Fronteris worlds that lack dense habitations to shelter within. While rugged buildings can often resist the effects for years, newcomers to these worlds find exposed flesh is quickly torn, their equipment clogged with gritty dust, blocking heat vents and causing dangerous munitions to jam.

Each time a model makes a ranged attack, on an unmodified hit roll of 1, roll one D6: on a 1, that model suffers 1 mortal wound after resolving all of its attacks.

4. BLASTING GALES

Subject to complex solar and magnetic interactions, this world is prone to particularly violent winds, demolishing lighter structures. These cyclonic gusts hamper the movement of warriors in their path, and affect the accuracy of ranged weaponry fired at anything over the shortest distances.

  • Each time a model makes a ranged attack, if the target is more than 12" from that model, subtract 1 from that attack’s hit roll.
  • Subtract 1 from charge rolls.

5. CHILLING BLIZZARD

On certain worlds, far from a star’s warmth or subject to strange endothermic phenomena, thick and well-insulated structures are required to overcome the biting cold atmosphere. Such weather also grips warriors on the ground, as blizzards restrict visibility and freezing temperatures foul delicate communications gear.

Subtract 3" from the range of Aura abilities.

6. BATTERING HAILSTORM

On this planet, a millennia-old hailstorm is a deadly threat to life. Shards of ice, some razor sharp and the size of a fist, blaze from the skies at terrific speeds. While they might shatter against a sturdy structure, exposed warriors find themselves pulverised or sliced in two by these deadly projectiles.

After the battlefield has been created, players should agree which Area Terrain features on the battlefield should be considered to be sheltered (this should be terrain features which are covered from above, have a root, or otherwise would allow models to be covered from above) and if necessary, adjust the terrain set up to ensure these are evenly distributed across the battlefield. At the end of each battle round, roll one D6 for each unit from your army that is not wholly within a sheltered terrain feature. On a 2-3, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. On a 1, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Terrain Traits

Below you will find suggested terrain traits for each Battlezone: Fronteris terrain feature, as well as an additional Narrative Play ability. We recommend agreeing with your opponent before using any of these Narrative Play abilities in your games.

Designer’s Note: It is possible to combine several of these terrain features together to form one larger feature. If you do so, we recommend discussing with your opponent which of the following abilities and terrain traits that larger terrain feature should use.

Fronteris Landing Pad

Many cargo fronteris landing pads contain servo-shutters which can be opened, allowing small craft to land and cargo to be deposited in safety away from furious meteorological conditions, or watchful excise-enforcers.

Terrain Category: Area Terrain

Terrain Traits: Light Cover, Scaleable, Exposed Position, Obscuring

Narrative Play Ability
Hidden Supplies: At the end of the Movement phase, one unit that is on top of this terrain feature and not within Engagement Range of any enemy models can attempt to access the cargo hold. Roll one D6: on a 5+, that unit finds additional supplies. Until the end of the turn, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack, add 1 to that attack’s hit roll.

STC Hab-bunker

Armoured structures exist in many forms across the breadth of the Imperium - their brutal, martial appearance accepted as part of the landscape. Some are designed purely to protect from enemy fire, while others ward against dangerous environments. Those found on fronteris worlds are sturdy enough to fulfil both roles.

Terrain Category: Area Terrain

Terrain Traits: Light Cover, Scaleable, Exposed Position, Obscuring

Designer’s Note: We suggest that even though this terrain feature is not at least 5" in height, models should not be able to see through this terrain feature, though they can see over it as normal.

Narrative Play Ability
Take Shelter: If the Acidic Deluge or Battering Hailstorm Theatre of War: Fronteris effects are in use, when determining which units are sheltered, you can roll one D6 for each INFANTRY unit from your army that is within 1" of this terrain feature’s door and not within Engagement Range of any enemy units. On a 2+, that unit is considered to be wholly within a sheltered terrain feature.

Auspex Shrine

Large receiver arrays are vital on fronteris worlds, able to capture data-packets of defensive, mercantile or esoteric information from a host of sources. They are also a means by which emboldening catechisms and surreptitious propaganda is disseminated that can keep an outnumbered force in the fight against aggressors.

Terrain Category: Obstacles

Terrain Traits: Light Cover, Unstable Position

Narrative Play Ability
Download Propaganda: CHARACTER units from your army can perform the following action:

Download Propaganda (Action): At the end of your Movement phase, one CHARACTER unit from your army that is within 1" of a Auspex Shrine terrain feature and not within Engagement Range of any enemy models can start to perform this action. This action is completed at the end of your shooting phase. If completed, until the start of your next turn, while a unit is within 6" of this terrain feature, each time a Combat Attrition test is taken for that unit, ignore any or all modifiers.

Vox-antenna

Many fronteris installations feature large and robust vox-antenna - fitted with an array of aerials and antenna - able to remain undamaged in the abject weather conditions they are placed in, while still broadcasting its signal clearly through storm clouds and atmospheric interference.

Terrain Category: Area Terrain

Terrain Traits: Light Cover, Scaleable, Exposed Position, Obscuring

Narrative Play Ability
Rousing Broadcast: CHARACTER units from your army can perform the following action:

Rousing Broadcast (Action): At the end of your Movement phase, one CHARACTER unit from your army that is within 1" of a Vox-Antenna terrain feature and not within Engagement Range of any enemy models can start to perform this action. This action is completed at the end of your shooting phase. If completed, until the end of the turn, while a friendly unit is within 6" of that Vox-Antenna terrain feature, each time you make a charge roll for that friendly unit, you can re-roll the result.

Rift War

War of Desperation Campaign

The war for the Nachmund Gauntlet was vicious, bloody and long. Below, you will find a campaign system that allows you and a group of players to retell the events of the War Zone Nachmund Gauntlet story for yourselves, in the battle for the Dharrovar System and Haarken Worldciaimer’s drive along the length of the Gauntlet to secure it for the forces of Chaos.


Where one-off games against favoured opponents and new foes alike offer plenty of fun and enjoyment, campaigns are something special, adding even more excitement, consequence and narrative to every tabletop clash. By entering a campaign you get to play not just one game, but a series of interlinked battles. You’re not just playing to see who wins, but to seize hard-fought territory or resources, avenge an earlier defeat or earn fresh rewards for your army. Before each battle, you determine context; where the conflict is taking place, why, and what stakes and consequences it will have. At each games end you discover what cost the battle has levied on your forces, and what experience or potent relics they have gained. If participating as part of a team, you play knowing your fellow campaign commanders are battling at the same time on nearby tabletops, all of you fighting for the same goal. It is an exciting and immersive experience.

At its heart, playing in a campaign is a narrative experience that forges war stories you and your fellow commanders will share for years to come. It can be the highlight of an entire gaming year and can spawn future events where you revisit old grudges or beloved settings. Whether you’re completely new to campaign gaming, or a veteran looking for a new thrill, all you need to do is gather your armies and read on to discover how to get the most out of War Zone Nachmund: Rift War.

Introduction

A War of Desperation campaign allows a group of players to get together, form alliances and play a series of games. It is split into campaign phases, during which players will fight it out in the three key war zones of the Dharrovar conflict. Each battle will be fought with unique rules inspired by the location that it is taking place in. At the end of each campaign phase, the balance of power in each of these locales will shift, the alliance with the most war zone points achieving victory in that phase and pushing back their foes. A new phase then begins, with each alliance trying to keep their foe on the back foot or stem the onslaught.

Campaign Master

A War of Desperation campaign is best run with a Campaign Master. This is a heroic individual who takes on the mobilisation and organisation of the campaign so that the other players can focus on playing games. A Campaign Master is in a privileged position that offers a degree of leadership to the individual who takes on the role; however, its primary purpose is to facilitate a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players involved. A Campaign Master can indeed play in the campaign, but in larger campaigns that include a multitude of players, it may be they prefer to solely oversee the campaign rather than play in it.

On this page we will refer to the Campaign Master and how they can go about organising a War of Desperation campaign. Below, you will also find Campaign Master Edicts, which are useful tools and rules ideas that the Campaign Master can use to add further excitement to the campaign. If this is the first campaign for many of the players, or they would otherwise prefer to keep things as simple as possible, then these are not necessary for a War of Desperation campaign. Otherwise, they are a useful tool for players to get the most out of a War of Desperation campaign.

Ways to Play

The first step in the War of Desperation campaign is for the Campaign Master to determine the type of play for the campaign: open, matched or narrative play. The Campaign Master will also need to determine the battle size (or battle sizes) that will be used in the campaign, and which mission packs they will draw missions from. It is important for the Campaign Master to specify these from the outset so that each player knows what to expect from the campaign before committing to it. We would always encourage a Campaign Master to take advice from their proposed group of players on which type of play is preferred, and what size armies players are able to muster for the Faction or Factions they wish to use for the duration. Taking part in a campaign of this type is a collaborative effort and requires agreement and cooperation from all involved to ensure that it runs smoothly, and that the maximum amount of enjoyment can be experienced by each participant.

Players and Alliances

Once a Campaign Master has stepped forward, their first task in organising a War of Desperation campaign is to gather the players and sort them into alliances. The system is flexible enough to support various numbers of people; an experienced Campaign Master could run the campaign for dozens of gamers, and equally just two players could use the system to tie the results of their regular games together into a greater whole. The campaign is at its best, however, with a small group of like-minded and enthusiastic players who can meet on a regular basis, and who can be evenly distributed across two alliances.

The two alliances should be organised evenly and, where possible, based on the Faction being played, so have a chat with the group to determine this. Once players are assigned to an alliance, their army is committed to the cause and will do their all to achieve victory. For this reason, players should play the same Faction throughout the campaign. If they wish to change their Faction, they can do so at the Campaign Masters discretion. The alliances are as follows:

Imperial: Imperial forces desperately need to maintain control of the Nachmund Gauntlet, a vital strategic point that helps Imperial authorities in the Imperium Sanctus stay in contact with the worlds of the Imperium Nihilus. Any army with the IMPERIUM keyword is best suited to this alliance, as well as any who would seek to thwart the machinations of the gods of the warp.

Chaos: The Worldclaimer’s warbands have one goal, to smash through Imperial forces in the Nachmund Gauntlet to reach the worlds at the other end. Alongside these, many other forces would benefit from the disruption a Chaos victory would bring, from the Orkish hordes, who seek constant warfare against the strongest foes, to the Drukhari raiders, who would seek to take advantage to reap a toll of captives and terror from the population. Any army without the IMPERIUM keyword is best suited to this alliance.

These alliances allow for a well-rounded campaign, with each side battling back and forth for dominance.

The War Zone Trackers

Each of the war zones in a War of Desperation Campaign uses its own tracker, found below (see The Surface of Dharrovar), to keep track of the tug of war between the two alliances for control of that locale. At the start of the campaign, the Campaign Master will place a marker in the Contested spot on each tracker.

At the end of each campaign phase, the victorious side at each of the locales will be able to move the marker a number of spaces on that war zone’s tracker based on their level of success. When moving the marker one space on the tracker, the victorious alliance can move it from the current position to any other connected position on the tracker. We recommend that each alliance nominates a commander from their side for each of the war zones, whose responsibility it is to decide where to move the marker on the war zone tracker in the event of their victory. Note that if the winning alliance is happy with the current position of the marker on the war zone tracker, they are not required to move it to another position.

Each space on the various war zone trackers will award one side or the other a number of Strategic Victory points at the end of each campaign phase, which are used to ultimately determine which alliance wins the overall campaign. However, some spaces on the war zone trackers also feature rules that can affect battles taking place during the next campaign phase within that war zone, or even within a different war zone. Players must remember that the key to ultimate victory may mean winning the war, at the expense of losing an individual war zone.

Allies of Convenience

Note that the options above are guidelines on how to organise players into an alliance, rather than a requirement. If it suits the group better to organise the alliances differently, then the Campaign Master should feel free to do so. For example, if many of the players in the group play armies associated with a single alliance, then to make the alliances more evenly numbered some of them may have to fight for a different alliance than we have recommended. This is fine. You could always create some interesting narrative to explain why that side chose to fight for a different alliance. Here are a few examples:
  • The Aeldari seek to thwart the desires of the servants of Slaanesh. They appear from webway gates and fight on the side of the Imperial alliance, then disappear again before the worshippers of the Dark Gods are able to bring forces to bear against them.
  • The Necrons view the increasing number of Noctilith Crowns as a threat, bleeding uncontrollable warp energies into their future domains. Emerging from hidden gateways, or fleets that appear suddenly in orbit, the relentless phalanxes of undying warriors destroy these structures wherever they find them.
  • A Genestealer Cult, thus far unrevealed, works alongside the advancing Chaos forces to overwhelm the entrenched Imperial defenders, casting down their edifices. Seeing the fractious Chaos factions as an easy target, they are sure they can drive them off easily once the Imperial oppressors are defeated.
  • A force of Orks have detected the ongoing battles and want their share. Sensing their ships arrive in orbit, the Chaos forces move aside and allow the Orks to land and slake their thirst for battle on the Imperials below, confident they can mop up the survivors, whoever they may be, in the aftermath.
Equally, if it is just not possible to arrange alliances evenly, then the system will still work with a little extra organisation from the Campaign Master, as described later.

Campaign Length

A War of Desperation campaign is split into a number of phases. Before the campaign begins, the Campaign Master should determine the number of phases in the campaign. Once the final phase ends, the winning alliance is determined and the campaign ends.

A campaign can be a long and expansive experience where each campaign phase takes place over a month, with many battles fought and mighty heroes lost to the fires of war. Equally, it can be a short and focused campaign played over a weekend, with each campaign phase consisting of just one battle representing the key moments of the conflict. Ultimately, the Campaign Master should determine a campaign length that best suits the gaming group taking part, thinking about how regularly they can meet and how many games they are likely to play.

As a guide, we recommend ensuring that each participant is able to play at least one battle in each phase. While it is tempting to plan out an epic campaign for galactic domination, we recommend keeping your campaign to 5-7 phases. If, at the end of the final phase, all the players are thirsting for more war, the Campaign Master can always decide to add an extra phase (or start a new campaign altogether).

Campaign Phases

During each campaign phase, any player can play more than one battle if they wish. The result of each battle is about more than just personal glory. Your presence contributes to the success of your alliance in the greater war. This is achieved with war zone points. Each time you play a game, your alliance earns war zone points as follows:

WAR ZONE POINTS
COMBAT PATROLINCUR­SIONSTRIKE FORCEON­SLAUGHT
Play a game1111
Draw a game1234
Win a game2345

For example, if you play a Combat Patrol game and win, your alliance earns a total of 3 war zone points. It is the players responsibility to determine how many war zone points are earned. They then report their results and which war zone their battle took place in to the Campaign Master, who keeps a record of each alliances total war zone points for each war zone.

Once the current stage of the campaign phase comes to an end, for each of the war zones, the Campaign Master tallies the war zone points earned at that locale for each alliance. If one side has scored more war zone points than the other, then they are that war zones winning alliance. If the winning alliance scores at least twice as many war zone points as the opposition at that war zone, then they can move the marker two spaces on the war zone tracker. Otherwise, the winning alliance can move the marker one space on the war zone tracker. The Campaign Master should co-ordinate with the winning alliance’s commander for that war zone to determine where they want to move the marker to on the war zone tracker.

UNEVEN ALLIANCES
If an alliance has an uneven number of players, the Campaign Master is at liberty to reward extra war zone points to make up for the inherent deficit. Perhaps they could set a challenge for one player in each campaign phase, with extra war zone points awarded to their alliance for playing that game, and a greater points return if they achieve victory.

Alliance Strategic Victory Points

For each war zone, after the war zone tracker marker has finished being moved (if at all), the Campaign Master checks whether the position it is on rewards either of the alliances with any Strategic Victory points and keeps a record of these.

Arranging Games

To play a game, a player must arrange one with a player from the opposing alliance. When they meet on the battlefield, they follow the battle sequence as specified in their mission pack, with the following exception:
  • At the start of the Determine Mission step, the players should agree which war zone their battle will take place in. If the players cannot agree, they should roll off. The battle takes place in the winners’ preferred war zone.
  • Instead of selecting a mission as normal, the players can then select to play that war zone’s Legendary Mission.
Once the players have finished their game and determined the victor, they earn war zone points for their alliance, as detailed above.

The Campaign Master has a few options concerning how players are matched up for games. They can leave the players to arrange games themselves, with challenges thrown down and honour at stake. This is perhaps the simplest way of arranging games, and lets the campaign progress naturally with plenty of friendly rivalries to go with it!

Alternatively, it may be appropriate to introduce more structure to the matchups. For example, a matchup schedule will ensure that everyone gets an equal amount of games. Or, in campaigns with a large amount of players, breaking each alliance into smaller subgroups that are then matched against their enemies can make arranging games even simpler. The Campaign Master might also choose to ignore part of the additional step above, and allocate each pairing or group to a specific war zone. This can also add to the narrative, as you can imagine each group battling in a different area, wherever their commanders send them!

Additional Keywords

While a player is part of the Imperial alliance, units from that players army are considered to have the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE keyword.

While a player is part of the Chaos alliance, units from that players army are considered to have the CHAOS ALLIANCE keyword.

If you are using the Crusade system for your campaign, the first time a unit from your Order of Battle is included in your army roster for a battle as part of this campaign, that unit gains the appropriate keyword instead. Make a note on that unit’s Crusade card. These keywords are not lost at the end of the campaign.

Winning the Campaign

Once the final phase of the campaign ends, the campaign has reached its conclusion. After tallying up any Strategic Victory points earned from the final phase, the alliance with the highest Strategic Victory points total across all phases is the victor. If both alliances have the same score, use the total war zone points for the final phase as a tiebreaker. If this is still tied, use the war zone points total for the previous phase as a tiebreaker and so on until a victor is crowned.

The Surface of Dharrovar

Dharrovar was home to the Chaos Knights of House Mandrakor and posed a significant threat to Imperial shipping through the Nachmund Gauntlet.


War Zone Abilities

When playing a battle in this war zone, if both players wish, they can use the following additional rules during the battle.

Harsh Terrain

Much of Dharrovar s landmasses were made up of dense rock formations that made hasty movement extremely difficult. Troops moving quickly were often exposed to enemy fire from multiple directions and vantage points.

In your Movement phase, each time a unit is selected to make a Normal Move, Advance or Fall Back, until the start of your next Movement phase, that unit cannot receive the benefits of cover.

Dug-in Zealots

House Mandrakor and their slave armies were fighting to defend their home world. With no where to retreat to, they fought all the more fiercely to drive away Imperial troops and to win the favour of the Dark Gods.

  • Each time a Morale test is taken for a CHAOS ALLIANCE unit from your army, you can ignore any or all modifiers to that units Leadership characteristic.
  • You can re-roll Morale tests taken for CHAOS ALLIANCE units from your army.

Fiery Determination

The armies of the Imperium are determined to wipe out for the forces of the Arch-enemy on Dharrovar.

Each time an IMPERIAL ALLIANCE unit from your army Advances, you do not have to make an Advance roll. Instead, until the end of the phase, add D3+3" to the Move characteristic of models in that unit.


Munition Supplies: If an alliance has Munition Supplies, each time a player from that alliance plays a battle in the Dharrovar Mandeville Point war zone, at the start of the first battle round, that player gains 1 Command point.

Legendary Mission: Seek the Light.

Mandeville Point of Dharrovar

When Imperial forces assaulted Dharrovar, they left a sizeable contingent of ships around the system’s Mandeville Point, knowing that they were vulnerable to a rear attack if this region was left unguarded.


War Zone Abilities

When playing a battle in this war zone, if both players wish, they can use the following additional rules during the battle.

Defensive Positions Held

Imperial ships were placed around the Mandeville Point on high alert, ready for any Chaos ships which might pour through.

If you are not playing a Legendary Mission, the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player gets to decide which of the deployment zones they will use.

Strike of the Worldclaimer

The Imperial forces could never be sure if or when, a Chaos armada might pour through the Mandeville Point to assail their lines.

If you are not playing a Legendary Mission, after determining who has the first turn, the CHAOS ALLIANCE player can roll one D6: on a 5+, they can change who takes the first turn.


Orbital Dominance: If an alliance has Orbital Dominance, each time a player from that alliance plays a battle in the Dharrovar Surface war zone, at the start of the first battle round, they can select up to three units from their army. Remove those units from the battlefield. That player can then set them up anywhere on the battlefield that is wholly within their deployment zone.

Legendary Mission: Scorched Stars.

The Grakiliod Narrow

The Battle of the Grakiliod Narrow was the Imperium’s last ditch effort to hold back the forces of Haarken Worldclaimer long enough for Indomitus Crusade reinforcements to reach the Sanctus Wall.


War Zone Ability

When playing a battle in this war zone, if both players wish, they can use the following additional rule during the battle.

Led by Might

Both the forces of Chaos and the Imperium were led by mighty warriors, skilled generals and adept admirals.

In your Command phase, if your WARLORD is on the battlefield, roll one D6: on a 4+, you gain 1 Command point.


Fanatical Belief: If an alliance has Fanatical Belief, each time a player from that alliance plays a battle in the Grakiliod Narrow war zone, that player can use the Insane Bravery Stratagem up to three times that battle, and each time that player uses that Stratagem, it costs 1 CP.

Legendary Mission: Last Stand.
Legendary Mission – Strike Force

Seek the Light

MISSION BRIEFING
During the fight on Dharrovar, Space Marines of the Castellans of the Rift had to fight their way clear of an underground cavern complex through countless enemies.

Designer’s Note: This mission takes place underground in an open cavern buried amidst a twisted network of caves and tunnels. As such we recommend using a mix of terrain consisting primarily of tall, line of sight blocking rock structures and pieces of Area Terrain that have the Difficult Ground terrain trait, to represent the uneven ground and unstable stone scree.


MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the CHAOS ALLIANCE player should be the Defender and the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player should be the Attacker.

Desperate Escape
The Attacker has the first turn.

Close Confines
Neither army can contain any units with the Flyer Battlefield Role.

Trapped Below Ground
  • The Attacker cannot make use of any rules that allow them to remove a unit in their army from the battlefield, other than to embark that unit within a TRANSPORT model.
  • The Attacker cannot place units in Strategic Reserves and cannot set up any units from their army in locations other than on the battlefield.

Destined Champions
At the start of the first battle round, the Attacker selects five units from their army (if the Attacker has less than five units in their army, they select as many as possible) to be Destined Champion units.

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

DEATH BELOW GROUND
Progressive Objective
The Defender scores 15 victory points for each of the following:
  • Each time a Destined Champion unit is destroyed.
  • If the enemy WARLORD is destroyed and not subsequently returned to the battlefield.
ESCAPED
End Game Objective
At the end of the battle, the Attacker scores 20 victory points for each Destined Champion unit that is wholly within their opponent’s deployment zone (to a maximum of 90 victory points).

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle:
  • If the CHAOS ALLIANCE player is the victor, the unit from their army that destroyed the most Destined Champion units gains 3 experience points.
  • If the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player is the victor, they gain 2 Requisition points after the battle, instead of 1.

Legendary Mission – Strike Force

Scorched Stars

MISSION BRIEFING
A Chaos ship in possession of a great, tooth-lined maw has seized a mighty Imperial vessel, slowly consuming the warship. With little left to lose and a determination to ensure no other Imperial Navy ship suffers the same fate, the crew strive to detonate their munitions stores and warp drive to destroy their predatory foe.

Designer’s Note: This mission takes place deep within the bowels of an Imperial vessel. As such we recommend using a dense collection of industrial scenery when setting up the battlefield to represent the inner manufacturing and maintenance bays of this warship.


MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the CHAOS ALLIANCE player should be the Attacker and the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player should be the Defender.

Everyship is an Island
The Defender has the first turn.

Close Confines
Neither army can contain any units with the Flyer Battlefield Role.

Rig to Blow
Units in the Defenders army can perform the following action:

Rig To Blow (Action): One or more INFANTRY units from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase. Each unit from your army that starts to perform this action must be in range of a different objective marker that is not rigged to blow. A unit cannot start this action while there are any enemy units (excluding AIRCRAFT units) in range of the same objective marker. The action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is successfully completed, that objective marker is said to be rigged to blow.

Defuse Explosives
In the Attacker’s Command phase, for each objective marker they control that is rigged to blow, roll one D6: on a 3+, that objective marker is no longer rigged to blow.

Grinding Destruction
At the start of the battle round, for each unit on the battlefield, if that unit is within Sawing Range (see the table below) of any battlefield edges, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. If that unit is also within Grinding Range of any battlefield edges, that unit suffers an additional D3 mortal wounds.

BATTLE ROUNDSAWING RANGEGRINDING RANGE
13"0"
26"0"
39"3"
412"6"
515"9"

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

DETONATION
End Game Objective
At the end of the battle, each player scores the number of victory points shown in the table below:

NUMBER OF OBJECTIVE MARKERS RIGGED TO BLOWDEFENDER’S VICTORY POINTSATTACKER’S VICTORY POINTS
0090
12070
24050
37020
4900

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle:
  • If the CHAOS ALLIANCE player is the victor, they can use the Increase Supply Limit Requisition once for free.
  • If the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player is the victor, the unit from their army that rigged the most objective markers to blow gains 3 experience points.

Legendary Mission – Strike Force

Last Stand

MISSION BRIEFING
At the Grakiliod Narrow, Imperial forces made one last effort to stall the advance of Haarken Worldclaimer, determined to buy every second for the defences at the Sanctus Wall to be raised higher, and for desperately needed reinforcements to arrive.

MISSION RULES

Forces
When playing this mission, the CHAOS ALLIANCE player should be the Attacker and the IMPERIAL ALLIANCE player should be the Defender.

Commit All Forces, Fight to the Last
It does not cost a player any Command points to place a unit from their army into Strategic Reserves. However, no more than half the total number of units from a players army can be Strategic Reserve and/or Reinforcement units, and the combined points value of all their Strategic Reserves and Reinforcement units (including those embarked within TRANSPORT models that are Strategic Reserves and/or Reinforcement units) must be less than half of their army’s total points value, even if every unit in their army has an ability that would allow them to be set up elsewhere.

Attack Swiftly! Give Them Nothing!
Each time a Strategic Reserves unit is set up on the battlefield, in addition to the usual rules for setting that unit, it can also be set up anywhere on the battlefield wholly within 6" of an objective marker controlled by that unit’s player. This cannot allow a unit to be set up within Engagement Range of any enemy models.

Righteous Inspiration
Each time a unit is destroyed as the result of an attack, the attacker’s unit becomes Righteously Inspired until the end of the battle. While a unit is Righteously Inspired, each time a model in that unit makes an attack, on an unmodified wound roll of 6 improve the Armour Penetration characteristic of that attack by 1.

MISSION OBJECTIVES
Victory points are awarded as follows:

DENY THE ENEMY
Progressive Objective
At the end of each player’s Command phase, they score 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points):
  • They control one or more objective markers.
  • They control two or more objective markers.
  • They control more objective markers than their opponent controls.
This mission objective cannot be scored in the first battle round.

HIGH STAKES
End Game Objective
At the end of the battle, each player scores 5 victory points for each objective marker they control.

VICTOR BONUS
If this battle was a Crusade battle, the victor can select one unit from their Order of Battle. If that unit can gain a Battle Honour, it gains a Battle Trait of the victor’s choice. Make a note of it on that unit’s Crusade card and increase its Crusade points accordingly.

Campaign Master’s Edicts

Campaign Master’s Edicts are tools the Campaign Master has at their disposal to add further depth to a campaign. The Campaign Master should use these at their discretion, if it is appropriate for their gaming group and the circumstances the campaign is built upon. To use them, the Campaign Master simply declares to the players which of these edicts will be active, where they will apply and for how long - be it the rest of that phase, or longer. Once active, the selected edicts apply to all games played in that war zone for that duration.

Inspiring Command

Across battle zone after battle zone in the Nachmund Gauntlet, disparate forces waged bloody campaigns. Among these, leaders emerged, urging their warriors on to victory.

At the start of the first battle round, each player can select one CHARACTER model from their army that does not have a Warlord Trait and then select one Warlord Trait that model can have. Until the end of the battle, that model gains that Warlord Trait. That model is only regarded as your WARLORD for the purposes of that Warlord Trait. Each Warlord Trait in your army must be unique (if randomly generated, re-roll duplicate results).

Full-scale Bombardment

With such large forces at work, heavy fire support is plentiful, whether from emplaced artillery behind the lines or even orbital assets. These are not limitless, however, and command over their application is assigned to more senior officers within a force, and with a direct view of the battle at hand.

Each army can perform a number of bombardment attacks during the battle, based on the total combined Power Rating of the units with the HQ Battlefield Role and SUPREME COMMANDER keyword within your army. Add up the total combined Power Ratings of the units with the HQ Battlefield Role and the SUPREME COMMANDER keyword from your army that are on the battlefield, or embarked within TRANSPORT models that are on the battlefield at the start of the first battle round, then consult the table below to determine how many bombardment attacks you can make during the battle.

FULL-SCALE BOMBARDMENT
COMBINED POWER RATING OF UNITS ON THE BATTLEFIELD WITH THE HQ BATTLEFIELD ROLE AND SUPREME COMMANDER KEYWORDFULL-SCALE BOMBARDMENT ATTACKS
1-100
11-201
21-302
31+3
etc.etc.

Each turn, in their Command phase, a player can resolve one bombardment attack. Once a player has resolved all of their bombardment attacks, they cannot resolve any more for the rest of that battle.

To resolve a bombardment attack, that player selects a point on the battlefield that is visible to a unit with the HQ Battlefield Role and SUPREME COMMANDER keyword from their army, or a TRANSPORT model that has one of these units embarked upon it, and places a marker on that point. The players then roll off, with the player resolving the attack adding 1 to their roll. The winner can move the marker a number of inches equal to the difference between the rolls. If the roll is tied, the marker does not move. Once the final position of that marker is determined, roll one D6 for each unit that is within 3" of the centre of that marker, subtracting 1 if that unit is an INFANTRY CHARACTER unit. On a 5+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Crusade Relics

The following Crusade Relics are all treated as Artificer Relics, and can only be selected for IMPERIAL ALLIANCE or CHAOS ALLIANCE units during a War of Desperation campaign. These Relics are retained by that unit after the campaign ends.

THE LIGHT OF SISTER JEMRETA

When the correct prayers are made, this card, the only one still in existence of the Emperors Tarot deck once used by the martyr, Sister Jemreta, glows with a bright, holy light. None know how this occurs, only that surely Sister Jemreta was truly a blessed daughter of the Emperor, a woman of such holiness that even the most loyal citizens could aspire to.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only. Once per battle, in your Command phase, the bearer can use this Relic. If it does, until the start of your next Command phase, it gains the following ability:

The Light of Sister Jemreta (Aura): While an enemy unit is within 9" of this model, each time an attack is made against that enemy unit, it does not receive the benefits of cover against that attack.

VIAL OF BLESSED TEARS

This vial contains miraculous tears that fell from the eyes of the statue of Saint Bethin the Blind during a time of great doubt among the people of the statues world. In the same way those citizens repented their sins, so now are the carriers of this vial filled with hope and conviction, fighting more surely than ever.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only. In your Command phase, select one friendly unit within 6" of the bearer. Until the start of your next Command phase, each time that unit is selected to shoot or fight, you can re-roll one hit roll, you can re-roll one wound roll and you can re-roll one damage roll when resolving that unit’s attacks.

ASHES OF SAINT SVETANUS GOLDENHELM

Though killed saving the lives of hundreds of comrades after the emergence of the Great Rift, already this heros name is shrouded in legend. Those holding his ashes seem to be shielded from the power of the Arch-enemy. Indeed, such is the radiance emitting from the urn that it actively harms the enemy.

IMPERIAL ALLIANCE model only. Once per turn, when a friendly unit within 6" of the bearer passes a Morale test, the bearer can use this Relic. If it does so, the closest enemy unit to the unit that passed the Morale test, if it is within 9" of that unit, suffers 2D3 mortal wounds.

PENDANT OF RORKRAS THE DAMNED

Rorkras was once a loyal captain of the Imperial Navy. When his ship veered too near to a wave of warp energy emanating from the Great Rift, he begged any being who would listen to save him. A daemon answered his pleas. Now, it wants the favour returned...

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only. The bearer gains the following ability:

Pendant of Rorkras the Damned (Aura): While an enemy unit is within 6" of the bearer:
  • Subtract 2 from the Leadership characteristic of models in that enemy unit.
  • Each time that enemy unit fails a Morale test, the bearer regains 1 lost wound (to a maximum of 3 regained wounds per phase).

THE WARP-BLESSED REMNANT

This fragment is all that remains of a suit of power armour that spent millennia drifting among warp tides, its original owner long since killed in some horrific incident in the immaterium. It has absorbed so much empyric power that it offers incredible protection to whoever holds it.

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only.
  • The bearer has a 4+ invulnerable save.
  • Each time the bearer would lose a wound as the result of a mortal wound, roll one D6: on a 4+, that wound is not lost.
  • Each time the bearer suffers Perils of the Warp, subtract 1 from the number of mortal wounds suffered (to a minimum of 1).

TWILIGHT ORB OF KHARAXIIS

The origins of this bizarre device are unknown to even the most learned of scholars of the immaterium and the daemon. Perfectly smooth, the sphere appears to be hollow, containing an ever-roiling swirls of energy in countless shades of grey. Empyric power radiates from it, blurring the bearers form to such an extent that they appear to be little more than a mirage to even those standing right next to them.

CHAOS ALLIANCE model only. Once per battle, in your Command phase, the bearer can use this Relic. If it does, until the start of your next Command phase:
  • Each time an attack is made against the bearer, subtract 1 from that attack’s hit roll and subtract 1 from that attack’s wound roll.
  • Each time an attack is allocated to the bearer, subtract 1 from the Damage characteristic of that attack (to a minimum of 1).

Army of Chaos Undivided Crusade Rules

An Army of Chaos Undivided Crusade force functions a little differently to a normal Crusade force. Consisting of cults and bands of thralls in service to Haarken Worldclaimer, they ravage the Nachmund Gauntlet on their way to smash the Sanctus Wall.


Fighting their way from one end of the Nachmund Gauntlet to the other, this Crusade army pillages and desecrates in the name of the Chaos Gods, gaining favour from the dark deities as they do so and beseeching them for their warp-given gifts.

When creating an Army of Chaos Undivided Order of Battle for the first time, and when adding units to it, you can only include CHAOS units.

Each time a unit is added to an Army of Chaos Undivided Order of Battle, it gains the ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED keyword.

After creating your Army of Chaos Undivided Order of Battle, begin a Dark Patronage tally on your Order of Battle (starting at 0) for each of the following Chaos Gods: Khorne; Nurgle; Slaanesh; Tzeentch.

Mustering an Army of Chaos Undivided Army

  • An ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED Detachment is one that only includes models with the ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED keyword.
  • An ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED Detachment counts as a HERETIC ASTARTES and CHAOS DAEMON Detachment for the purpose of any Detachment abilities your army gains (e.g. Stratagems you can use).
  • When mustering your army:
    • Your army must contain at least one PRIEST unit.
    • An ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED Detachment that contains at least one THOUSAND SONS Troops unit counts as a THOUSAND SONS Detachment for the purpose of any Detachment abilities your army gains (e.g. Stratagems you can use).
    • An ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED Detachment that contains at least one DEATH GUARD Troops unit counts as a DEATH GUARD Detachment for the purpose of any Detachment abilities your army gains (e.g. Stratagems you can use).

Gaining and Losing Dark Patronage Points

You can gain Dark Patronage points using the Army of Chaos Undivided Agendas. In addition, at the end of each battle:
  • If you won the battle and your WARLORD has the KHORNE, NURGLE, SLAANESH or TZEENTCH keyword, add D3+1 Dark Patronage points to the respective tally on your Order of Battle.
  • If you lost the battle and your WARLORD has the KHORNE, NURGLE, SLAANESH or TZEENTCH keyword, subtract 1 Dark Patronage point from the respective tally on your Order of Battle (to a minimum of 0).
  • If the enemy WARLORD was destroyed by a unit from your army with the KHORNE, NURGLE, SLAANESH or TZEENTCH keyword, add D3 Dark Patronage points to the respective tally on your Order of Battle.

Agendas

If your Crusade army includes any ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED units, you can select one Agenda from the Army of Chaos Undivided Agendas, listed below. This is a new category of Agendas, and follows all the normal rules for Agendas (for example, when you select Agendas, you cannot choose more than one from each category).

SEED PLAGUES
Army of Chaos Undivided Agenda

Heretics who worship the Plague God Nurgle delight in being catalysts for the spreading of diseases and maladies.

Keep a Seed Plagues tally for each unit from your army. Add 1 to a units Seed Plagues tally each time it successfully completes the Seed Plagues action (see below). If you selected this Agenda, then ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED NURGLE INFANTRY units in your army can attempt the following action:

Seed Plagues (Action): One ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED NURGLE INFANTRY unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is more than 12" from any Plague Seed objective markers (see below). This action is completed at the end of your turn. Once completed, place an objective marker anywhere within 1" of the unit that completed this action. This objective marker represents a Plague Seed objective marker, but does not count as an objective marker for any rules purposes other than for this Agenda.

At the end of the battle, each unit gains a number of experience points equal to their Seed Plagues tally, and your Crusade force gains half the number of your Plague Seed objective markers (rounded up) as Nurgle Dark Patronage points.
CHAMPION OF VIOLENCE
Army of Chaos Undivided Agenda

The only way to assert dominance as a follower of Khorne, the Blood God, is to kill, kill and kill again.

If you selected this Agenda, then after both sides have finished deploying, select one ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED KHORNE CHARACTER model from your army. Keep a Champion of Violence tally for that model.

In the Fight phase:
  • Each time that model destroys an enemy unit, add 1 to its Champion of Violence tally.
  • Each time that model destroys an enemy CHARACTER unit, add an additional 1 to its Champion of Violence tally.

At the end of the battle, that model gains a number of experience points equal to double its Champion of Violence tally, and your Crusade force gains a number of Khorne Dark Patronage points equal to its Champion of Violence tally.
BEGUILING INFLUENCE
Army of Chaos Undivided Agenda

The influence of Slaanesh hangs over the Prince of Excess’ followers like a musk that is both horrifying and tempting. It takes strong warriors to overcome this distracting power.

Keep a Beguiling Influence tally for each unit from your army. If you selected this Agenda, then ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED SLAANESH CHARACTER units in your army can attempt the following action:

Beguiling Influence (Action): One or more ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED SLAANESH CHARACTER units from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase. Each unit from your army that starts to perform this action must be within 12" of and visible to a different enemy CHARACTER unit that has not been influenced. The action is completed at the end of your turn. If completed, roll 3D6: if the result is greater than that CHARACTER units Leadership characteristic, add 1 to the Beguiling Influence tally of the unit performing this action and that CHARACTER unit is considered to be influenced. Each time an influenced enemy unit starts to perform an action, roll one D6: on a 5+, that action fails.

At the end of the battle, each unit gains a number of experience points equal to double their Beguiling Influence tally, and your Crusade force gains a number of Slaanesh Dark Patronage points equal to the combined total of all of your units Beguiling Influence tallies.
GIFTED SORCERERS
Army of Chaos Undivided Agenda

The blessings of Tzeentch find their way to skilled witches and users of magicks.

Keep a Gifted Sorcerers tally for each ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED TZEENTCH unit from your army.
  • Each time a unit successfully manifests a psychic power, if the result of the Psychic test was 9 or more, add 1 to that units Gifted Sorcerers tally.
  • Each time it successfully denies a psychic power, if the result of the Deny the Witch test was 9 or more, add 1 to that units Gifted Sorcerers tally.
At the end of the battle, each unit gains a number of experience points equal to half their Gifted Sorcerers tally (rounded up), and your Crusade force gains a number of Tzeentch Dark Patronage points equal to half the combined total of all of your units’ Gifted Sorcerers tallies (rounded up).

Requisitions

If your Crusade force includes any ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED units, you can spend Requisition points (RPs) on any of the following Requisitions in addition to those presented in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book.

THE DARK PATH1RP

Casting aside any other goals or ambitions, this army dedicates itself to the furthering of the wills of the Dark Gods.

Purchase this Requisition at the Select Agendas step of the battle. You can select one additional Agenda to use during this battle and up to two of your Agendas can be selected from the Army of Chaos Undivided Agendas. At least one of the Agendas you select must be from the Army of Chaos Undivided Agendas.
CEREMONY OF DEVOTION1RP

A champion of Chaos seeks to demonstrate his devotion to their dark patron, and thus gain a blessing from the deity.

Purchase this Requisition at any time. Select one of your Dark Patronage tallies that has at least 5 Dark Patronage points. Reduce that tally by 5 points and select one ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED CHARACTER model from your Order of Battle that has the keyword of the respective Chaos God. That model gains that gods Blessing of Chaos.
TRUE KNOWLEDGE1RP

A priest of Chaos reaches an inner circle of understanding for their chosen god, gaining new tools to bring their patron's will to their subjects.

Purchase this Requisition at any time. Select one of your Dark Patronage tallies that has at least 8 Dark Patronage points. Reduce that tally by 8 points and select one ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED PRIEST model from your Order of Battle that has the keyword of the respective Chaos God. You can select one of the prayers presented below for that model to know in addition to any they already do. Increase that model’s Crusade points by 1.

Prayers

The following additional prayers can be learned by CHAOS PRIEST models using the True Knowledge Requisition.

IMBUEMENT OF STRENGTH

The priest beseeches Khorne to imbue his followers with might.

KHORNE PRIEST only. If this prayer is heard, select one friendly KHORNE HERETIC ASTARTES unit within 6" of this PRIEST. Each time a model in that unit makes a melee attack, you can re-roll the wound roll.

THE SICKENING BLESSING

Channelling Nurgle's spirit, the Priests's prayer causes some of the Grandfather's followers' skin to break out in hardened lesions.

NURGLE PRIEST only. If this prayer is heard, select one friendly NURGLE HERETIC ASTARTES INFANTRY unit within 6" of this PRIEST. Add 1 to the Toughness characteristic of models in that unit.

PRETERNATURAL REFLEXES

The blessings of Slaanesh give their followers an uncanny ability to know exactly where a foe's attacks will land, and how to avoid them with minimal effort.

SLAANESH PRIEST only. If this prayer is heard, select one friendly SLAANESH HERETIC ASTARTES unit within 6" of this PRIEST. Each time a melee attack is made against that unit, subtract 1 from that attack’s hit roll.

THE ENNEANID (AURA)

Should Tzeentch deign to grant its followers a mote of its power, then those psykers find their spells immeasurably easier to cast.

TZEENTCH PRIEST only. If this prayer is heard, then while a friendly TZEENTCH HERETIC ASTARTES PSYKER unit is within 6" of this PRIEST, add 1 to Psychic tests taken for that unit.

Blessing of Chaos

If a model earns the favour of their chosen deity, they will gain an additional ability from one of the Blessing of Chaos tables. However, the Chaos Gods are fickle and they can turn their backs on their mortal servants as readily as they bestow their gifts. As such, when a model gains a Blessing of Chaos, the ability that model gains will only last for the duration of the next battle that they fight in, after which, the roaming eyes of their deity will move on to another would-be champion.

Each time a model gains a Blessing of Chaos, roll one D3 and consult the relevant table.
  • That model gains that ability during the next game in which they are a part of your army.
  • While that model has that ability: if it has a Power Rating of 10 or less, increase its Crusade points by 2; otherwise, increase its Crusade points by 4.
  • After they have taken part in a game, they lose that ability and their Crusade points return to normal.
  • A model can never have more than one Blessing of Chaos at any one time.

Khorne Blessing of Chaos

D3BLESSING OF CHAOS
1

Raw Ferocity

The fury of this favoured fighter cannot be contained.

  • Add 1 to this model’s Strength characteristic.
  • Add 1 to this model’s Attacks characteristic.
  • Each time this model makes a melee attack, improve the Armour Penetration characteristic of that attack by 1.

2

Wall of Anger

This individual becomes an all but unstoppable force, smashing aside all in their path.

  • You can re-roll charge rolls made for this model.
  • Each time this model finishes a charge move, select one enemy unit within Engagement Range of it and roll one D6: on a 2-4, that enemy unit suffers D3 mortal wounds; on a 5+, that enemy unit suffers 3 mortal wounds.

3

Bastion of Violence

On occasion, the warrior seems filled with the living wrath of Khorne itself. When this happens, few foes will survive their brutal attacks.

Once per battle, in the Fight phase, when this model is selected to fight, it can use this ability. If it does so, then until that fight is resolved, each time this model makes a melee attack:

  • Add 4 to the Strength characteristic of that attack.
  • Improve the Armour Penetration characteristic of that attack by 3.


Nurgle Blessing of Chaos

D3BLESSING OF CHAOS
1

Hive of Parasites

This warrior is surrounded by a cloud of parasites that not only consume incoming enemy fire but also coat rounds fired so they might infect targets.

  • Each time a ranged attack is made against this model, subtract 1 from that attack’s wound roll.
  • Each time this model makes a ranged attack, add 1 to that attack’s wound roll.

2

Unbound Vitality

The favoured's body is constantly growing and generating new plagues. Such rapid growth keeps them alive even after suffering grievous injuries.

Each time an attack is made against this model, an unmodified wound roll of 1-4 for that attack fails, irrespective of any abilities that the weapon or the model making the attack may have.

3

Virulent Rot

So much rot infects their form that it can corrode away even powerful close combat weapons in a matter of seconds.

Once per battle, in the Fight phase, when this model is selected to fight, it can use this ability. If it does so, select one melee weapon that an enemy model within Engagement Range of this one is equipped with. Until the end of the battle:

  • The Strength characteristic of that weapon is ‘User’.
  • The Armour Penetration characteristic of that weapon is reduced by 2.


Slaanesh Blessing of Chaos

D3BLESSING OF CHAOS
1

Whirlwind Reflexes

Incredibly agile and nimble, this warrior is capable of avoiding what should be killing blows at the last second.

Once per battle round, when a saving throw is failed for this model, it can use this ability. If it does so, the Damage characteristic of that attack is changed to 0.

2

Whip-like Limbs

Gifted by Slaanesh, this favoured fighter keeps up a never-ending barrage of swift attacks and strikes.

Each time this model is selected to fight, select one enemy unit within Engagement Range of it and roll one D6: on a 2-4, that enemy unit suffers D3 mortal wounds; on a 5+, that enemy unit suffers 3 mortal wounds.

3

Blur of Death

Lightning fast, they are a blur of movement and blades, attacking with ferocious speed and darting out of the fray at will.

Once per battle, in your Movement phase, when this model is selected to Fall Back, it can use this ability. If it does so:

  • For each enemy unit within Engagement Range of it, roll one D6: on a 2-5, that enemy unit suffers D3 mortal wounds; on a 6, that enemy unit suffers D3+3 mortal wounds.
  • Until the end of the turn, this model is eligible to charge in a turn in which it Fell Back.


Tzeentch Blessing of Chaos

D3BLESSING OF CHAOS
1

Living Flames

Tzeentchian flames encircle this blessed warrior, snapping out and striking any unwary foes that foolishly come too close.

Each time a melee attack is made against this model, on an unmodified hit roll of 1, after the attacker’s unit has finished making its attacks, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.

2

Psychic Puppetry

Able to insert their consciousness into another, this favoured champion can bury a psychic conduit into an ally and use them as an arc node.

At the start of the first battle round, select one other friendly TZEENTCH PSYKER model. Until the end of the battle, each time this model manifests a psychic power, when resolving that psychic power, you can measure distances and visibility from the selected model instead of this one.

3

Temporal Rift Corridor

Using the gifts of Tzeentch, this skilled fighter has the ability to rip a hole in realspace and use it to reappear wherever they want. None are safe on the battlefield when distance means nothing.

Once per battle, at the end of your turn, this model can use this ability. If it does so, remove it from the battlefield and set it up on the battlefield anywhere that is more than 9" away from any enemy models.

Glossary

Below you will find a glossary that contains a number of terms used in those books.


Vigilus Alone

Alliances: For a War of Faith Campaign, players are organised into teams, known as alliances. The results of each of their games contribute to their alliance’s overall result.

Army of Faith: A series of rules for Imperial Crusade armies, made up of various Factions unified by their strength of faith in the Emperor.

Army of Renown: A variant army list for a Faction that can be used in your games of Warhammer 40,000 to represent a specialised force. It must be Battle-forged, cannot include any Specialist Detachments, and will have other specific restrictions that must be adhered to. Doing so, however, will provide you with unique benefits.

Banners of Renown: A series of additional Crusade rules allowing ADEPTUS ASTARTES ANCIENT models to gain upgrades and damage effects for their mighty banners.

Campaign Master: The individual who organises and runs a War of Faith campaign.

Campaign Master’s Edicts: Optional rules for a Campaign Master to use when running a War of Faith campaign.

Campaign Phase: A War of Faith campaign is split into a number of phases, determined by the Campaign Master, in which players play games.

Codex Supplement: Order of the Bloody Rose: Additional rules for ADEPTA SORORITAS Detachments drawn from the Order Militant of the ORDER OF THE BLOODY ROSE.

Fervour Stage: A stage for an Army of Faith Crusade army in which it accumulates Religious Fervour points.

Legendary Missions: Unique missions played as part of a War of Faith campaign inspired by a key event from War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus Alone.

Theatre of War: Fronteris: Unique atmospheric effects for use in your battles on battlefields featuring Battlezone Fronteris terrain features.

Tools of the Vanguard: Additional wargear options for INFILTRATOR SQUAD and INCURSOR SQUAD units as part of a VANGUARD SPEARHEAD Army of Renown.

Retribution Stage: A stage for an Army of Faith Crusade army in which it spends its accumulated Religious Fervour points.

Strategic Victory Points: At the end of a War of Faith campaign phase, each alliance scores a number of Strategic Victory points based on the position of each war zone tracker. These determine the overall winner of the campaign.

War of Faith Campaign: A campaign system for your games of Warhammer 40,000 inspired by the events of War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus Alone.

Rift War

Alliances: For a War of Desperation Campaign, players are organised into teams, known as alliances. The results of each of their games contribute to their alliance’s overall result.

Arcane Materials: A resource that can be earned by THOUSAND SONS units from Crusade battles and that can be spent on Ritual Incantations. There are three types of Arcane Materials: Inscriptions; Offerings; Souls.

Army of Chaos Undivided: A series of rules for Chaos Crusade armies, made up of various Factions unified by their strength of faith in the Chaos Gods.

Army of Renown: A variant army list for a Faction that can be used in your games of Warhammer 40,000 to represent a specialised force. It must be Battle-forged, cannot include any Specialist Detachments, and will have other specific restrictions that must be adhered to. Doing so, however, will provide you with unique benefits.

Campaign Master: The individual who organises and runs a War of Desperation campaign.

Campaign Master’s Edicts: Optional rules for a Campaign Master to use when running a War of Desperation campaign.

Campaign Phase: A War of Desperation campaign is split into a number of phases, determined by the Campaign Master, in which players play games.

Campaign Tracker: Each war zone in a War of Desperation campaign uses a campaign tracker to keep track of each alliance’s relative power in that war zone.

Codex Supplement: Castellans of the Rift: Additional rules for ADEPTUS ASTARTES units drawn from the Castellans of the Rift Chapter.

Coteries of the Haemonculi: An Army of Renown for Drukhari.

Driven by Fear: An ability for units from a Coteries of the Haemonculi Army of Renown.

Legendary Missions: Unique missions played as part of a War of Desperation campaign inspired by a key event from War Zone Nachmund: Rift War.

Raider Force Battle Traits: A type of Crusade Battle Trait that can be gained by ADEPTUS ASTARTES units in a Warden Raiders Force.

Ritual Incantations: A means of upgrading THOUSAND SONS units in a Crusade Order of Battle using Arcane Materials.

Strategic Victory Points: At the end of a War of Desperation campaign phase, each alliance scores a number of Strategic Victory points based on the position of each war zone tracker. These determine the overall winner of the campaign.

Strength of the Brayherd: An ability forTZAANGOR SHAMAN units from a Warpmeld Pact Army of Renown.

Touched by Tzeentch: An ability for some units from a Warpmeld Pact Army of Renown.

Unyielding Resistance: Chapter Tactic for ADEPTUS ASTARTES units from the Castellans of the Rift Chapter.

War of Desperation Campaign: A campaign system for your games of Warhammer 40,000 inspired by the events of War Zone Nachmund: Rift War.

Warpmeld Pact: An Army of Renown for Thousand Sons.
Roll-offs
Some rules instruct players to roll off. To do so, both players roll one D6, and whoever scores highest wins the roll-off. If there is a tie for the highest roll, make the roll-off again. Neither player is allowed to re-roll or modify any of the D6 when making a roll-off.

  • Roll-off: Both players roll a D6 – highest wins.
  • Roll again if a tie.
Hit Roll
When a model makes an attack, make one hit roll for that attack by rolling one D6. If the result of the hit roll is equal to or greater than the attacking model’s Ballistic Skill (BS) characteristic (if the attack is being made with a ranged weapon) or its Weapon Skill (WS) characteristic (if the attack is being made with a melee weapon), then that attack scores one hit against the target unit. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends.

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.
Wound Roll
Each time an attack scores a hit against a target unit, make a wound roll for that attack by rolling one D6 to see if that attack successfully wounds the target. The result required is determined by comparing the attacking weapon’s Strength (S) characteristic with the target’s Toughness (T) characteristic, as shown on the following table:

WOUND ROLL
ATTACK’S STRENGTH vs TARGET’S TOUGHNESSD6 ROLL REQUIRED
Is the Strength TWICE (or more) than the Toughness?2+
Is the Strength GREATER than the Toughness?3+
Is the Strength EQUAL to the Toughness?4+
Is the Strength LOWER than the Toughness?5+
Is the Strength HALF (or less) than the Toughness?6+

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.
Mortal Wounds
Some attacks inflict mortal wounds – these are so powerful that no armour or force field can withstand their fury. Each mortal wound inflicts 1 point of damage on the target unit, and they are always applied one at a time. Do not make a wound roll or saving throw (including invulnerable saves) against a mortal wound – just allocate it as you would any other attack and inflict damage to a model in the target unit. Unlike damage inflicted by normal attacks, excess damage from mortal wounds is not lost. 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.

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.
Combat Attrition Tests
If a unit fails a Morale test, then after the first model has fled the unit, you must take Combat Attrition tests. To do so, roll one D6 for each remaining model in that unit, subtracting 1 from the result if the unit is below Half-strength; for each result of 1, one additional model flees that unit. You decide which models from your unit flee – those models are removed from play and count as having been destroyed, but they never trigger any rules that are used when a model is destroyed.

  • Combat Attrition tests: Roll one D6 for each remaining model in unit; for each 1, one additional model flees.
  • Subtract 1 from Combat Attrition tests if unit is below Half-strength.
Characters
Some models have the CHARACTER keyword. These models can make Heroic Interventions in Charge Phase and are not easy targets in the Shooting Phase (see Look out, Sir, rule). If your Warlord has the CHARACTER keyword he may be able to have a Warlord Trait (see Warlord Trait section on model’s faction page).

Note that CHARACTERS cannot use their Aura Abilities while performing actions.
Requisition Points
Requisition points can be used to purchase Requisitions: these can upgrade your Crusade force, or units within them. Each time you spend a Requisition point, reduce your total by 1. Any Requisition points you do not spend are saved and can be used later. As you play more battles, you can accrue additional Requisition points, but a Crusade force can never have more than 5 (any additional Requisition points acquired beyond this are lost). Each time you play a battle, you will gain 1 Requisition point after that battle has been completed, regardless of the result of the battle itself. You should keep track of how many Requisition points you have on your Order of Battle.

The Requisitions you can purchase can be found here. Each Requisition will tell you when it can be purchased; they can never be purchased during a battle. Unless stated otherwise, there is no limit on the number of Requisitions you can purchase, the number of times you can purchase each Requisition, nor on the combination of Requisitions you can purchase, so long as you have enough Requisition points. If you do not have enough Requisition points to purchase a Requisition, you cannot purchase it.

  • Requisitions cost Requisition points to purchase.
  • You can never have more than 5 Requisition points.
  • Each battle you play earns you 1 Requisition point (win, lose or draw).
The Warlord
While mustering your army, you can nominate one model (except a model with the FORTIFICATION keyword) to be your Warlord. That model gains the WARLORD keyword. If this model is a CHARACTER, you can also assign a Warlord Trait to it. Note, that more than one model in your army can have a Warlord Trait (e.g. by using Stratagems), but they are only considered your Warlord for the purpose of that trait.
Psychic Tests
When a PSYKER unit attempts to manifest a psychic power, you must take a Psychic test for that unit by rolling 2D6. If the total is equal to or greater than that power’s warp charge value, the Psychic test is passed. If you roll a double 1 or a double 6 when taking a Psychic test, that unit immediately suffers Perils of the Warp.

  • 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.
Perils of the Warp
When a PSYKER unit suffers Perils of the Warp, it suffers D3 mortal wounds. If a PSYKER unit is destroyed by Perils of the Warp while attempting to manifest a psychic power, that power automatically fails to manifest. If a PSYKER unit is destroyed by Perils of the Warp, then just before removing the last model in that unit, every unit within 6" of it immediately suffers D3 mortal wounds.

  • 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.
Battle Honours
Units gain one Battle Honour each time they gain a rank. Sometimes, a unit can gain an additional Battle Honour by other means (such as by winning certain missions). There are several types of Battle Honours that can be bestowed onto a unit: Battle Traits, Psychic Fortitudes, Weapon Enhancements and Crusade Relics. Each time a unit gains a Battle Honour, it can select from one of those categories. A unit can never have more than six Battle Honours. Make a note of each Battle Honour a unit has on its Crusade card.

Each time a unit gains a Battle Honour you must increase its Crusade points total by 1 (if the unit has a Power Rating of 10 or less) or 2 (if the unit has a Power Rating of 11 or higher).

  • There are four types of Battle Honours:
    • Battle Traits: New skills and abilities.
    • Weapon Enhancements: Upgrade an item of wargear.
    • Psychic Fortitudes: Boosts a unit's psychic might.
    • Crusade Relic: Gain a rare and powerful artefact.
  • Each time a unit gains a Battle Honour, increase its Crusade points by:
    • 1 if unit has a Power Rating of 10 or less.
    • 2 if unit has a Power Rating of 11 or more.

Command Points
The starting number of CPs each player starts with for Battle-forging their army depends on the size of the battle you are playing. This is usually defined in the mission pack that is being played, but if one is not presented in the mission pack, use the following table. Note that the total Power Level is based on the combined power of all the models used in the battle (so the combined Power Level of both your and your opponent's armies). If you are using a game that uses points values, then the points limit is the maximum points limit per side.

COMMAND POINTS
BATTLE SIZETOTAL POWER LEVELPOINTS LIMITCOMMAND POINTS
Combat PatrolUp to 50Up to 5003
Incursion51-100501-10006
Strike Force101-2001001-200012
Onslaught201-3002001-300018

  • Starting number of Command points varies with battle size.
Power Ratings
Every unit has a Power Rating listed on its datasheet, and it is a measure of its efficacy on the battlefield. They are designed to give players, at a glance, an idea of how mighty a unit is on the battlefield, irrespective of the weapons its models can be equipped with. They can therefore be used as a quick guide to establish the comparative strength of each army.

The Power Rating on a datasheet is for a minimum-sized unit. A unit’s Power Rating can be increased if additional models are added to the unit, and occasionally if other options are taken for the unit (such as equipping a unit with jump packs) - in either case the unit's datasheet will make it clear if the Power Rating listed at the top of the datasheet is increased as a result.

  • Power Ratings: Quick measure of a unit's efficacy.
Saving Throw
The player commanding the target unit then makes one saving throw by rolling one D6 and modifying the roll by the Armour Penetration (AP) characteristic of the weapon that the attack was made with. For example, if the weapon has an AP of -1, then 1 is subtracted from the saving throw roll. If the result is equal to, or greater than, the Save (Sv) characteristic of the model the attack was allocated to, then the saving throw is successful and the attack sequence ends. If the result is less than the model’s Save characteristic, then the saving throw fails and the model suffers damage. An unmodified roll of 1 always fails.
Invulnerable Saves
Some models have an invulnerable save. Each time an attack is allocated to a model with an invulnerable save, you can choose to use either its normal Save (Sv) 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. If you use a model’s invulnerable save, it is never modified by a weapon’s Armour Penetration value.

  • 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.
PISTOL
Due to their compact size, pistols can even be used in melee to shoot at point-blank range.
A model can make attacks with a Pistol even when its unit is within Engagement Range of enemy units, but it must target an enemy unit that is within Engagement Range of its own unit when it does so. In such circumstances, the model can target an enemy unit even if other friendly units are within Engagement Range of the same enemy unit.

When a model equipped with both a Pistol and another type of ranged weapon (e.g. a Pistol and a Rapid Fire weapon) shoots, it can either shoot with its Pistol(s) or with its other ranged weapons. Choose which it will fire (Pistols or non-Pistols) before selecting targets.

  • Can be shot even if firing model’s unit is within Engagement Range of enemy unit.
  • Cannot be shot alongside any other type of weapon.
Select Weapon
When a model makes a close combat attack, it must do so using a melee weapon (i.e. a weapon that has the ‘Melee’ type). The weapons a model is equipped with are described on its datasheet. If a model is not equipped with any melee weapons, or if it cannot make an attack with any of the melee weapons it is equipped with, then that model makes its attacks using a close combat weapon, which has the following profile:

WEAPONRANGETYPESAPD
Close combat weaponMeleeMeleeUser01

If a model has more than one melee weapon, select which it will use before resolving any attacks. If a model has more than one melee weapon and can make several attacks, it can split them between these weapons however you wish – declare which attacks are being made with which weapons before any attacks are resolved. If the selected weapon has more than one profile that you must choose between, you must declare which profile is being used at the same time. Different attacks made with such a weapon can be made using different profiles if you wish.

If your unit is making attacks with more than one melee weapon against a unit, and those weapons have different characteristics profiles, then after you have resolved an attack with one of those weapons you must, if any other weapons with the same characteristics profile are also being used to make attacks against that unit, resolve those attacks before resolving any attacks against the target with a weapon that has a different characteristics profile. Note that all the attacks you have declared are always resolved against the target unit even if, when you come to resolve an individual attack, no models in the target unit remain in range (this can happen because of models being destroyed and removed from the battlefield as the result of resolving other attacks made by the attacking model’s unit first).

  • Each close combat attack is made with a melee weapon.
  • A model makes attacks using the close combat weapon profile if it has no other melee weapons.
  • If a unit attacks with multiple weapons, all attacks made with weapons that have the same profile must be resolved before resolving attacks with the next.
Embark
If a unit makes a Normal Move, an Advance or it Falls Back, and every model in that unit ends that move within 3" of a friendly TRANSPORT model they can embark within it. A unit cannot embark within a TRANSPORT model that is within Engagement Range of enemy models, and it cannot embark if it has already disembarked from a TRANSPORT model in the same phase. Remove the unit from the battlefield and place it to one side – it is now embarked within the model.

Units cannot normally do anything or be affected in any way while they are embarked. Unless specifically stated, other units’ abilities have no effect on units while they are embarked, and Stratagems cannot be used to affect units while they are embarked. For all rules purposes, units that are embarked within a TRANSPORT model that has made a Normal Move, Advanced, Fallen Back or Remained Stationary also count as having made the same kind of move that turn.

  • Units can embark in a friendly TRANSPORT if every model ends a Normal Move, an Advance or a Fall Back within 3" of it.
  • A unit cannot embark within a TRANSPORT that is within Engagement Range of any enemy models.
  • A unit cannot embark and disembark in the same phase.
  • Units cannot do anything, or be affected in any way, while they are embarked within a TRANSPORT.
Engagement Range
Engagement Range represents the zone of threat that models present to their enemies. While a model is within 1" horizontally and 5" vertically of an enemy model, those models are within Engagement Range of each other. While two enemy models are within Engagement Range of each other, those models’ units are also within Engagement Range of each other. Models cannot be set up within Engagement Range of enemy models.

  • Engagement Range: 1" horizontally + 5" vertically.
  • Models cannot be set up within Engagement Range of enemy models.
Charging with a Unit
Once you have chosen an eligible unit to declare a charge with, you must select one or more enemy units within 12" of it as the targets of its charge. The target(s) of this charge do not need to be visible to the charging unit. You then make a charge roll for your unit by rolling 2D6. This is the maximum number of inches each model in the charging unit can now be moved if they can make the charge move. To make a charge move, the unit’s charge roll must be sufficient that it is able to end that move in unit coherency and within Engagement Range of every unit that was a target of its charge, without moving within Engagement Range of any enemy units that were not a target of its charge. If this is possible, then the charge is successful and the models in the unit make a charge move so as to fulfil the above conditions. If this is impossible, the charge fails and no models in the charging unit move this phase.

  • 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.
Aura Abilities
Some abilities affect models or units in a given range – these are aura abilities. A model with an aura ability is always within range of its effect. The effects of multiple, identically named aura abilities are not cumulative (i.e. if a unit is within range of two models with the same aura ability, that aura ability only applies to the unit once).
Light Cover
When an attack made with a ranged weapon wounds a model that is receiving the benefits of cover from this terrain feature, add 1 to the saving throw made against that attack (invulnerable saving throws are not affected).

  • +1 to saving throws against ranged weapons.
  • Invulnerable saving throws unaffected.
Scaleable
Only INFANTRY, BEASTS and SWARM models, and models that can FLY, can be set up or end a move on top of an Obstacles terrain feature with this trait. Only INFANTRY, BEASTS and SWARM models, and models that can FLY, can be set up or end a move on the upper floors of an Area Terrain feature with this trait (other models can be set up or end a move on the ground floor). INFANTRY, BEASTS and SWARM models can move through the floors, ceilings, and gantries of this terrain feature without impediment.

  • Only INFANTRY, BEAST, SWARM and FLY models can be set up or end a move on top of this terrain feature (excluding ground floor).
  • INFANTRY, BEAST and SWARM models can move through the floors, ceilings and gantries.
Exposed Position
Models never receive the benefits of cover while they are on top of this terrain feature, but they can gain the benefits of cover while they are behind it.

  • Models do not receive benefits of cover while on top of this terrain feature.
Obscuring
If this terrain feature is at least 5" in height, then models cannot see through or over this terrain feature. This means that one model is not visible to another if you cannot draw a straight line, 1mm in thickness, between them without it passing through or over any part of this terrain feature. The height of a terrain feature is measured from the highest point on that terrain feature.

Models that are on or within this terrain feature can see, and can be seen and targeted normally. AIRCRAFT models, and models with a Wounds (W) characteristic of 18 or more, are visible and can be targeted even if this terrain feature is in-between it and the firing model (note that the reverse is not true).

  • Blocks visibility if at least 5” tall.
  • Models on or within can see and be seen normally.
  • AIRCRAFT and models with W characteristic of 18+ can be seen normally.
Obstacles
Obstacles include Barricades, Ruined Walls and other battlefield debris that your models have to move over or around. Models can move up, over and down Obstacles following the normal rules for movement. A model on or behind an Obstacle uses the normal rules for determining if another model is visible to it, or if it is visible to another model. Obstacles cannot be chosen as the target of an attack.

An INFANTRY, BEAST or SWARM model receives the benefits of cover from an Obstacle while it is within 3" of that terrain feature unless, when you resolve an attack that targets that model's unit, you can draw straight lines, 1mm in thickness, to every part of that model’s base from a single point on the attacking model’s base (or hull) without any of those lines passing over or through any part of this terrain feature.

  • Models move over Obstacles using normal rules for movement.
  • Models use normal rules to determine if model behind an Obstacle is visible.
  • Obstacles cannot be attacked.
  • INFANTRY, BEASTS and SWARM models receive the benefits of cover while within 3", unless a Straight line can be drawn from the attacker to all parts of the target model without it passing over or through this terrain feature.
Unstable Position
Models cannot be set up or end a move on top of this terrain feature (they can move up, over and down this terrain feature, but they cannot end a move on top of it).

  • Cannot be set up or end a move on top of this terrain feature.
Factions
A unit's Faction is important when building a Battle-forged army, because most Detachments require all units included in them to be from the same Faction. Importantly, for an army to be Battle-forged it must have an Army Faction (see below).

The Factions that a unit belongs to will be listed in the Faction keywords section of its datasheet.

  • Faction: Described by Faction keywords on a unit's datasheet.
  • If Detachment requires all units to be from the same Faction, they must all share at least one Faction Keyword.

For example: An Intercessor Squad has the IMPERIUM and ADEPTUS ASTARTES Faction keywords, so belongs to both the Imperium and Adeptus Astartes Factions. This means that if an Intercessor Squad was part of a Detachment that specified that all units in it must be from the same Faction, all other units in that Detachment must either be from the Imperium Faction, or they must all be from the Adeptus Astartes Faction.
Normal Move
When a unit makes a Normal Move, each model in that unit can move a distance in inches equal to or less than the Move (M) characteristic shown on its datasheet, but no model can be moved within Engagement Range of enemy models.

  • Normal Move: Models move up to M".
  • Cannot move within Engagement Range of any enemy models.
Advance
When a unit makes an Advance, make an Advance roll for the unit by rolling one D6. Add the result in inches to the Move (M) characteristic of each model in that unit until the end of the current phase. Each model in that unit can then move a distance in inches equal to or less than this total, but no model can be moved within Engagement Range of enemy models. A unit cannot shoot or declare a charge in the same turn that it made an Advance.

  • Advance: Models move up to M+D6".
  • Cannot move within Engagement Range of enemy models.
  • Units that Advance cannot shoot or charge this turn.
Fall Back
When a unit Falls Back, each model in that unit can move a distance in inches equal to or less than the Move (M) characteristic shown on its datasheet, and when doing so you can move it within Engagement Range of enemy models, but it cannot end its move within Engagement Range of any enemy models – if it cannot do this then it cannot Fall Back. A unit cannot declare a charge in the same turn that it Fell Back. A unit cannot shoot or attempt to manifest a psychic power in the same turn that it Fell Back unless it is TITANIC.

  • Fall Back: Models move up to M".
  • Units that Fall Back cannot charge this turn.
  • Units that Fall Back cannot shoot or manifest psychic powers this turn unless they are TITANIC.
Terrain and Cover
Some pieces of terrain can provide certain bonuses to units in your army. Each bonus and how to acquire it is described in the Terrain Features section of the Core Rules. There are ways for some models to ignore such bonuses while making an attack, but it should be known what kind of benefit is ignored (see the Rare Rules for clarification).
Morale Tests
To take a Morale test, roll one D6 and add the number of models from the unit that have been destroyed this turn. If the result is equal to or less than the highest Leadership (Ld) characteristic in the unit, the Morale test is passed and nothing else happens. An unmodified roll of 1 also always results in a passed Morale test, irrespective of the total result. In any other case, the Morale test is failed, one model flees that unit, and you must then take Combat Attrition tests for the remaining models in the unit. You decide which model from your unit flees – that model is removed from play and counts as having been destroyed, but it never triggers any rules that are used when a model is destroyed.

  • Morale test = D6 + number of models destroyed this turn.
  • Unmodified roll of 1 always a success (no models flee).
  • If Morale test exceeds unit’s Ld, one model flees and other models must take Combat Attrition tests.
INSANE BRAVERY2CP
Core Stratagem
Use this Stratagem before you take a Morale test for a unit in your army. That test is automatically passed (do not roll any dice). You can only use this Stratagem once per battle.
Difficult Ground
If a unit makes a Normal Move, Advances or Falls Back, and any of its models wish to move over any part of this terrain feature, subtract 2" from the Move characteristic of every model in that unit (to a minimum of 0), even if every part of this terrain feature is 1" or less in height. If a unit declares a charge, and any of its models wish to move over any part of this terrain feature as part of its subsequent charge move, subtract 2 from that unit’s charge roll, even if every part of this terrain feature is 1" or less in height. These modifiers do not apply if every model in the moving unit can FLY. These modifiers do not apply if every model in the moving unit is TITANIC and this terrain feature is less than 3" in height. The height of a terrain feature is measured from the highest point on that terrain feature.

  • Subtract 2" when making a Normal Move, Advance, Fall Back or charge move over this terrain feature (unless the moving unit can FLY, or if the moving unit is TITANIC and the terrain feature is less than 3" in height).
INCREASE SUPPLY LIMIT1RP
Purchase this Requisition at any time. Increase your Crusade force's Supply Limit by 5 Power.
Points Values
Every model and weapon has a points value, which is found in a number of Warhammer 40,000 publications. Points values are similar to Power Ratings, in that they give you a guide as to how powerful certain warriors and weapons are, but they offer a greater degree of granularity. A unit’s points value is calculated by adding together the points value of every individual model in that unit and the points value of every individual weapon equipped by a model in that unit. Certain items of wargear also have a points value, and must be included in a unit's points value if equipped by a model in that unit. While it takes a little longer to work out each unit's points value, doing so enables you to differentiate between two similar squads equipped with different weapon options, as the points values listed in our publications reflect the fact that some weapons are more powerful than others.

  • Points values: Detailed measure of a unit's efficacy.
Warlord Traits
Warlord Trait is a bonus that your Warlord receives upon being nominated. Such Traits can be found in Codices, Supplements and another Games Workshop publications. Any Warlord can have the Inspiring Leader Warlord Trait. Normally, only one Warlord Trait can be given to the Warlord, but there are ways to bypass this restriction (e.g. by using Stratagems). You can choose a Warlord Trait randomly by rolling a dice, or simply pick one. Note, that named characters usually have predetermined Warlord Traits and receive them after being nominated as Warlord.

The datasheets using SUPREME COMMANDER keyword can be found in the following Factions:

Chaos: Chaos Daemons, Chaos Space Marines, Death Guard, Thousand Sons, World Eaters.
Imperium: Adepta Sororitas, Adeptus Mechanicus, Astra Militarum.
Xenos: Necrons, Orks, T’au Empire.

The SUPREME COMMANDER keyword is used in the following datasheets:

The CHAOS and PRIEST keywords are used in the following Chaos Space Marines datasheets:

Manifesting Psychic Powers
When you select a PSYKER unit to manifest psychic powers, you select one psychic power that unit knows and attempt to manifest it. With the exception of Smite, you cannot attempt to manifest the same psychic power more than once in the same battle round, even with different PSYKER units. The same PSYKER unit cannot attempt to manifest Smite more than once during the same battle round.

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.
Deny the Witch
When a PSYKER unit attempts to deny a psychic power, you must take a Deny the Witch test for that unit by rolling 2D6. If the total is greater than the result of the Psychic test, the Deny the Witch test is passed and the psychic power is denied. Only one attempt can be made to deny a psychic power. If a PSYKER unit can attempt to deny more than one psychic power in a psychic phase, this will be listed on its datasheet.

  • 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.
TRUE KNOWLEDGE1RP

A priest of Chaos reaches an inner circle of understanding for their chosen god, gaining new tools to bring their patron's will to their subjects.

Purchase this Requisition at any time. Select one of your Dark Patronage tallies that has at least 8 Dark Patronage points. Reduce that tally by 8 points and select one ARMY OF CHAOS UNDIVIDED PRIEST model from your Order of Battle that has the keyword of the respective Chaos God. You can select one of the prayers presented below for that model to know in addition to any they already do. Increase that model’s Crusade points by 1.

The INFILTRATOR SQUAD keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:

The INCURSOR SQUAD keyword is used in the following Space Marines datasheets:

The TZAANGOR and SHAMAN keywords are used in the following Thousand Sons datasheets:

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