Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
Arks of Omen: Vashtorr |
Arks of Omen: Vashtorr | Expansion | 9 | | March 2023 |
The Rock Besieged Campaign Missions
On this page you will find eight inter-linked missions that allow you to play through the Rock Besieged campaign in your Boarding Action games. If you have the
Boarding Action rules from
Arks of Omen: Abaddon and the Warhammer 40,000
Boarding Actions Terrain Set, then you can play any of the missions presented here. These battles have been designed to work best when played in sequence as part of an ongoing narrative for two players, but have also been balanced to be playable as standalone missions, if you so choose.
They have been broken down into four chapters, each representing a crucial series of events from the storyline presented in
Arks of Omen: Vashtorr book. Each mission will have a rule called Campaign Outcome, which will describe the battle’s effects on a later battle. When playing these missions as part of a campaign, these sections will explain what details you need to make a note of and give you some hints as to how your future fortunes will be affected by the day’s results.
The chapters and their associated missions are as follows:
SCOUR THE DARKNESSThe forces of Vashtorr assault an Inquisition outpost in their hunt for the location of the Rock.
♦
Find the Signal Data ♦
RECLAMATIONWith the loyalist fleet returning, the Rock’s defenders are able to take back the initiative and launch a counter-offensive. Will they be able to exorcise the taint of Chaos from their fortress monastery:
♦
Retake the Elevator ♦
♦
Hunt the Damned ♦
Chaos vs Imperium
This storyline presented in this campaign revolves around the Chaos forces’ attack on the Rock and several other Imperium installations. As such (and because the role of Attacker and Defender changes between these two factions depending on the mission involved) each player in a mission is labelled as either the Chaos player or the Imperium player. However, when playing these missions, there is no requirement for either player to have one of these armies, and we encourage you to repurpose these missions for whichever factions you and your opponent have to hand, with the battles on offer easily representing any number of other similar orbital attacks on planetary-based incumbents.
If you are playing these missions as part of an ongoing campaign, then before the first battle, you and your opponent should each pick which role you want to take on and then continue to play as that role throughout all of the games to come.
Killzone Upgrade: Shadowvaults
Some of these missions can also be augmented with the
Killzone Upgrade: Shadowvaults set. This set provides several new elements, including a scenery piece that can be incorporated into the game board and new models that can become a part of a player’s army. These are broken into two categories -
Attacker’s Upgrades and
Defender’s Upgrades.
If the mission you are playing uses this set, then it will state so and also specify which upgrades each player has access to. Each of these upgrades costs a number of points that must be paid when mustering your army. Any upgrades a player takes must be included on their
army roster.
A Boarding Action game is waged by following the sequence below.
1. Determine Mission
Players determine which mission to play from the Boarding Action missions presented on this page. This will determine the deployment map that players use, as well as the specific mission briefing. Players can either simply agree which they will use with their opponent, or, if playing these missions as part of an ongoing campaign, play them in the order below.
2. Read Mission Briefing
Each mission has a mission briefing that will detail the aims of the battle. Each mission will also list one or more additional mission rules that will apply for the duration of the battle, and a series of objectives that award victory points. Players should read and familiarise themselves with these before proceeding.
3. Muster Boarding Patrol
Players must first
muster their Boarding Patrol, as described in
Arks of Omen: Abaddon. If the Mission Briefing allows either player to take any
Killzone Upgrade: Shadowvaults upgrades, they may do so and add these to their
army roster. Each player must then provide a copy of their army roster for their opponent to read through. If, when players compare their points total, one player’s is at least 30 points less than their opponent’s, then the player with the smaller points total is the Underdog, and they may receive an Underdog Bonus as detailed in the mission they are playing.
4. Create the Battlefield and Place Objective Markers
Players now create the battlefield and set up
terrain features. Missions are played on
Boarding Action battlefields and the position of all terrain features - Walls and Hatchways - and
objective markers that must be placed on the battlefield will be shown on the deployment map of the mission players are playing. Each mission will also specify which Hatchways start the mission open and which start the mission closed. If either player has any of the
Defender’s Upgrades in their army, these will be set up on the battlefield in this step.
5. Form Boarding Squads
Each unit in a player’s Boarding Patrol that has a Unit Strength of 10 must now be split into two units, each containing 5 models. When splitting a unit, make a note of which models form each of the two new units. From this point onwards, these split units count as independent units for all rules purposes.
6. Generate Starting Command Points
Each player starts with 1
Command point.
7. Deploy Armies
Players alternate setting up their units one at a time, starting with the Defender. For each of a player’s
Entry Zones (as shown in the mission map), that player sets up one unit within that Entry Zone.
If a unit has a pre-battle rule that allows it to be set up anywhere on the battlefield, that unit is instead set up
wholly within 6" of its Entry Zone. That Entry Zone is then considered to have had a unit set up within it, and cannot have another unit set up within it before the start of the battle. If one player finishes deploying all their units, their opponent then deploys the remainder of their units, until either both players have set up one unit per Entry Zone, or all units have been deployed.
If both players have units with abilities that allow them to be set up after both armies have deployed, players must
roll off after all other units have been set up and alternate setting up these units, starting with the winner.
8. Determine Reserves
Any units in a player’s army that do not start the battle on the battlefield, will start the battle in
Strategic Reserves. This does not cost any
Command points to do so.
In the
Reinforcements step of a player’s
Movement phase (starting from the first battle round onwards), that player can select one of their Strategic Reserves units for each of their
Entry Zones that has no models within it and set those units up within those Entry Zones.
If one or more of a player’s Strategic Reserves units has a rule that would allow them to be set up in a location other than the battlefield (e.g.
Teleport Strike) then in each of that player’s turns (starting from the second battle round onwards), one of those units can be set up on the battlefield as described by their rule that turn, instead of being set up within an Entry Zone. Any Strategic Reserves units that have not arrived on the battlefield by the end of the fourth battle round count as having been destroyed (this does not apply to units that are placed into Strategic Reserves, after the first battle round has started).
9. Determine First Turn
Players
roll off and the winner takes the first turn.
10. Resolve Pre-battle Abilities
Each player can resolve a single pre-battle ability that units in their army may have, irrespective of how many units in their army may have them, starting with the player taking the first turn.
11. Begin the Battle
The first
battle round begins. Players continue to resolve battle rounds until the battle ends.
12. Ending the Battle
The battle ends after five
battle rounds have been completed. If one player has no models remaining in their army at the start of their turn, the other player may continue to play out their turns until the battle ends.
13. Determine Victor
At the end of the battle, the player with the most victory points is the winner. If players are tied, the battle is a draw.
Each player can score a minimum of 90 victory points from
mission objectives (any excess victory points awarded are discounted). If every model in a player’s army was painted to a
Battle Ready standard, that player is awarded a bonus 10 victory points. This gives players a maximum total score out of 100 victory points.
14. Campaign Outcome
If playing this mission as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, players will need to make a note of certain aspects of the game’s outcome, as described in the Mission Briefing. Each player should make a note of these now.
Some missions on this page support the Killzone Upgrade: Shadowvaults set. If you have this, then you can incorporate its components into your games. When mustering your Boarding Patrol for such a mission, you can add the upgrades listed below by paying the appropriate points costs for them (even though some of them have the
VEHICLE keyword and do not share a Faction keyword with the rest of your Boarding Patrol). The mission you are playing will specify whether you have access to the
Attacker’s or
Defender’s upgrades (such upgrades will not take up a
Battlefield Role slot). Note that all of these missions are designed to be balanced, whether you use these upgrades or not, but they can add an extra level of environmental immersion to your games.
Defender’s Upgrades
If you have access to the Defender’s Upgrades, you can take up to one
Sentry Turret and up to two
Searchlights for the points shown below.
Sentry Turret
A Sentry Turret is equipped with: twin heavy bolter.
WEAPON | RANGE | TYPE | S | AP | D | ABILITIES |
Twin heavy bolter |
Twin heavy bolter | 36" | Heavy 6 | 5 | -1 | 2 | - |
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UNALIGNED
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VEHICLE, SENTRY TURRET
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Searchlight
Unit size: 1
Unit cost: 10
pts
Wall: This model is a
terrain feature and counts as a Wall.
Camera Network: Before the battle, in the
Create the Battlefield and Place Objective Markers step, set this terrain feature up in one of the searchlight positions, marked D2 on the mission map, that does not already contain a Searchlight.
Enemy Spotted: Each time you select targets for a ranged attack made by a friendly model, if the target is within 9" of and visible to any Searchlights from your army, re-roll a
hit roll of 1, and, if the model making the attack is a
Sentry Turret, add 1 to that attack’s hit roll.
Attacker’s Upgrades
If you have access to the Attacker’s Upgrades, you can take up to one
Breaching Robot for the points shown below.
Breaching Robot

A Breaching Robot is equipped with: cutting blade; cutting gear.
WEAPON | RANGE | TYPE | S | AP | D | ABILITIES |
Cutting blade |
Cutting blade | Melee | Melee | User | -2 | 1 | - |
OTHER WARGEAR | ABILITIES |
Cutting gear |
Each time the bearer finishes a Normal Move, you can open one Hatchway that is within 1" of it. Your opponent cannot attempt to prevent that Hatchway from opening. |
Cutting gear | Each time the bearer finishes a Normal Move, you can open one Hatchway that is within 1" of it. Your opponent cannot attempt to prevent that Hatchway from opening. |
Bomb kit |
In your Command phase, the bearer can trigger its bomb. If it does so: - Open each Hatchway that is within 3" of it. Your opponent cannot attempt to prevent those Hatchways from opening and those Hatchways cannot be closed again.
- Roll one D6 for each other unit within 3" of and visible to this model: on a 2+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. This model is then destroyed.
When the bearer is destroyed (other than through triggering its bomb), roll one D6 before removing it from play. On a 6, it explodes, and each unit within 3" of and visible to it suffers 1 mortal wound. |
Bomb kit | In your Command phase, the bearer can trigger its bomb. If it does so: - Open each Hatchway that is within 3" of it. Your opponent cannot attempt to prevent those Hatchways from opening and those Hatchways cannot be closed again.
- Roll one D6 for each other unit within 3" of and visible to this model: on a 2+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. This model is then destroyed.
When the bearer is destroyed (other than through triggering its bomb), roll one D6 before removing it from play. On a 6, it explodes, and each unit within 3" of and visible to it suffers 1 mortal wound. |
• This model’s cutting blade and cutting gear can be replaced with 1 bomb kit.
|
Assault Robot: Before the battle, in the Deploy Armies step, when setting up a unit from your army within an Entry Zone, you can set this unit up alongside that unit as if it was a part of it, using the same Entry Zone. Limited Loadout: This model cannot attempt to close Hatchways and is ignored for the purpose of controlling objective markers.
|
UNALIGNED
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VEHICLE, BREACHING ROBOT
|
MISSION BRIEFINGAn Inquisitorial way station with knowledge of the Rock’s location is stormed. The forces of Chaos have breached it, slaughtering all in their path. They are here for one reason: the data stored within the way station’s infocores.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades.
Rapid Offence: The Chaos player has the first turn.
Hide the Intel: Before the battle, at the start of the
Deploy Armies step, the Imperium player must secretly select one of the
objective markers to hide the intel within. That player should make a note of this.
Search the Terminal: Units from the Chaos player’s army can perform the following
action:
Search the Terminal (Action): One or more units can start to
perform this Action at the end of the
Move Units step of your
Movement phase if they are within range of an objective marker. The action is completed at the end of the turn. If completed, the Imperium player must reveal if that objective marker contains the intel. If it does not: remove that objective marker from the battlefield; otherwise, remove all other objective markers from the battlefield and make a note that the unit that performed this action is carrying a copy of the intel. Note that other units from the Chaos player’s army can continue to perform this action on that objective marker in order to gain their own copy of the intel.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional
Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of whether the Chaos player identifies which objective marker contained the intel, and if so, in which battle round they did this in. How quickly the Chaos player is able to find the intel will affect on how quickly they can move against the Rock. This will have an impact on the
Drastic Defence mission.
OBJECTIVESPICK IT CLEAN
End Game Objective
The forces of Chaos will stop at nothing to glean the knowledge of where the Rock can be located.
At the end of the battle, the Chaos player scores 30 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 90 victory points):
- They identified which objective marker contained the intel.
- They have one or more units left alive at the end of the battle that have a copy of the intel.
- They have two or more units left alive at the end of the battle that have a copy of the intel.
BLOODY DELAY
End Game Objective
Agents of the Inquisition will fight to the death to prevent the forces of Chaos from accessing their databanks and intelligence archives. Even if every last one of them be slain, their sacrifice will slow down the heretics and thwart their plans at least for a time.
At the end of the battle, the Imperium player scores the number of victory points shown in the table below, based on when the Chaos player identified which
objective marker contained the intel.
VITAL INTEL | BATTLE ROUND INTEL IDENTIFIED | VICTORY POINTS SCORED | 2 | 35 | 3 | 55 | 4 | 70 | 5 | 80 | Never | 90 |
|

MISSION BRIEFINGThe fighting aboard the ship has reached a critical juncture, with fierce, bloody battle raging around vital enginarium and teleportarium locations. Should the former fall, the forces of Chaos will have the means to deny power to vital ship functions. Should the latter fall to the heretics, they will have the means to rapidly reinforce multiple areas of the war zone. The Emperor’s loyal warriors must stop at nothing to ensure the forces of Chaos are thwarted.MISSION RULESSeparate Locations: When setting up the battlefield, each game board represents a different location within the ship. It is not possible to move units from one game board to another unless using the Activate Teleportarium action (see below), and units on one game board cannot affect units on the other.
Activate Teleportarium: Units from your army can perform the following
action:
Activate Teleportarium (Action): One unit from your army can start this action at the start of your
Command phase if it is within the Teleportarium Control Zone. The action is completed at the end of your next
Movement phase. If successfully completed, select one friendly unit within the Teleportarium and remove it from the battlefield. Set that unit up on the battlefield anywhere within the Enginarium and not within 9" of any enemy models. Until the end of the turn, that unit cannot move.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional
Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle and secured ultimate control over the teleportarium controls. This will have an impact on the
Geller Field Collapse mission.
OBJECTIVESFEROCIOUS CONTEST
Progressive Objective
It is imperative that at no point the enemy be left unmolested in the teleportarium. The disruption of battle will surely prevent them from exploiting its powerful capabilities. They must be kept under relentless pressure.
At the end of each player’s
Command phase, the player whose turn it is scores 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 in the Teleportarium.
- They control two or more objective markers.
- They control three or more objective markers.
This objective cannot be scored in the first battle round. In the fifth battle round, the player who has the second turn does not score any victory points at the end of their Command phase; instead, at the end of their turn, they score 5 victory points for each of the above conditions they satisfy (for a maximum of 15 victory points).
ABSOLUTE CONTROL
End Game Objective
Both forces seek total control of the teleportarium. With an uncontested hold over this powerful strategic asset, they can bring greater strength to bear in other areas of the battle, turning the tide in their favour.
At the end of the battle, if one player has one or more units within the Teleportarium and their opponent does not, they score 15 victory points.
MASTERY
End Game Objective
Whoever controls the critical node in the enginarium has the ability to restrict power to multiple essential systems.
At the end of the battle, if one player controls the Critical objective marker, they score 15 victory points.

MISSION BRIEFINGThe forces of Chaos have succeeded in collapsing the Geller field generators, exposing the ship to the raw power of the empyrean. Warp energy runs rampant through corridors and chambers and the laws of realspace cease to function. For the Imperial defenders it is imperative the Geller fields be restored. For the heretics who oppose them, all they have to do is stop the lackeys of the False Emperor and the ship is doomed.Warp Tear Zone: Warp tears open intermittently in these Zones, creating connected tunnels between them that allow units to travel through and shoot at targets on the other side.
MISSION RULESEmpyric Strike: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, before the battle, at the start of the
Deploy Armies step, the player who won the
Take the Teleportarium mission can select one of their units to set up in a teleportarium chamber instead of setting it up on the battlefield. If they do so, then in the
Reinforcements step of one of their
Movement phases they can set up that unit anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" away from any enemy models.
Warp Tears: From the second battle round onwards, at the start of the battle round, roll one D3 and, until the end of the battle round, the two Warp Tear Zones shown in the table below are connected to one another. When two Warp Tear Zones are connected, they are said to form a Warp Tunnel.
WARP TEARS | D3 | WARP TEAR ZONES CONNECTED | 1 | A and E | 2 | B and D | 3 | C and F |
|
Warp Transit: In the
Movement phase, each time a unit ends a move (excluding
Remaining Stationary), if every model in that unit is within a connected Warp Tear Zone, that unit can travel through it. If it does, remove that unit from the battlefield and set it back up with each model within the Warp Tear Zone at the other end of the Warp Tunnel. This can allow a unit to be set up within
Engagement Range of enemy units. If this happens, then those units will be eligible to fight during the subsequent
Fight phase, but none of them will count as having made a
charge move this turn.
Warpshift: Each time a model makes a ranged attack, if a connected Warp Tear Zone is visible to it, that model can make that ranged attack through it so long as there is not any friendly units within the Warp Tear Zone at the other end of the Warp Tunnel. If that model does so:
- When determining which units are visible to that model, check visibility from any point within the Warp Tear Zone at the other end of the Warp Tunnel.
- When measuring the distance to an enemy unit, the distance is the combined total of the distance from the attacking model to the Warp Tear Zone it is shooting through and the distance from the Warp Tear Zone at the other end of the Warp Tunnel to the target.
- If there are any enemy units within the Warp Tear Zone at the other end of the Warp Tunnel, that attack must be made against one of those units.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional
Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle. If the
Chaos player wins, the ship is destroyed in the warp, but if the
Imperium player wins it will be able to return later to aid in the defence of the Rock. This will have an impact on the
Retake the Elevator mission.
OBJECTIVESGELLER FIELDS SECURE
Progressive Objective
The fate of the ship will be decided by the victor of the battle.
At the end of each player’s
Command phase, the player whose turn it is scores 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy. In the fifth battle round, the player whose turn it is scores 10 victory points for each of the conditions instead:
- They control one or more objective markers.
- They control two or more objective markers.
- They control more objective markers than their opponent controls.
This objective cannot be scored in the first battle round. In the fifth battle round, the player who has the second turn does not score any victory points at the end of their Command phase; instead, at the of their turn, they score 10 victory points for each of the above conditions they satisfy.

MISSION BRIEFINGHaving recovered the data of the Rock’s position, the forces of Chaos have attacked the Dark Angels’ fortress monastery and achieved surprise over its defenders. Desperately racing to throw back their attackers, the Rocks garrison is hurriedly establishing defensive positions from which to blunt the heretics’ assault and launch the counter-attacks to drive them from the Rock forever.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades.
Preparedness: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, before the battle, in the
Generate Starting Command Points step, the Imperium player starts with the additional number of Command points shown in the table below based on the outcome of the
Find the Signal Data mission.
PREPAREDNESS | BATTLE ROUND THE CHAOS PLAYER IDENTIFIED THE OBJECTIVE CONTAINING THE INTEL | IMPERIUM PLAYER ADDITIONAL COMMAND POINTS | 1-2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5/Did Not Identify | 3 |
|
Erect Defences: Before the battle, at the start of the
Deploy Armies step, the Imperium player selects one of the
objective markers shown on the deployment map. Remove that objective marker from the battlefield (this objective marker does not count as having been overrun, see below), and, when the Imperium player is setting up their units, they cannot use the
Entry Zones adjacent to that objective marker.
Forward Positions: Before the battle, the Imperium player cannot set up any units from their army within their Backup Entry Zones. Once the first battle round has started, they can only use these Backup Entry Zones when setting up any
Strategic Reserve units from their army in an Entry Zone.
Hold At All Costs: For each objective marker on the battlefield, if, at the end of the turn there are no models from the Imperium players army within range of that objective marker and it is controlled by the Chaos player, then that objective marker is overrun, and is removed from the battlefield.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle. If the Imperium player wins, they will have bought valuable time for their fellow defenders to reach their regrouping points before being overrun, but if the Chaos player wins, they will be able to push through the outer defences of the Rock at a more rapid pace. This will have an impact on the
Rapid Withdrawal mission.
OBJECTIVESIN THE LION’S NAME, STAND FIRM
End Game Objective
The defenders will fight with a fury even they did not know they possessed to hold their ground and slaughter their foul attackers.
At the end of the battle:
- The Imperium player scores 30 victory points for each objective marker that remains on the battlefield.
- The Chaos player scores 30 victory points for each objective marker that was overrun.

MISSION BRIEFINGThe hordes of Chaos drive ever deeper into the Rock. A force of defenders deployed to stall the heretics’ advance is close to becoming encircled by the rapidly encroaching traitors, and the time has come for them to withdraw.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades.
Fall Back: The Imperium player has the first turn. In addition, units from the Imperium player’s army are eligible to shoot in a turn in which they
Fell Back; if they do so, then until the end of the turn, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack, it requires an unmodified
hit roll of 6 to score a successful hit against the target.
Trapped: Other than setting them up in
Strategic Reserves, the Chaos player cannot make use of any rules that allow units to be set up anywhere other than on the battlefield. The Imperium player cannot make use of any rules that allow a unit to be set up anywhere other than on the battlefield and cannot set up any units in Strategic Reserves - if they have more units than they are able to set up on the battlefield, then those units do not partake in the battle (but do not count as destroyed).
Encirclement: The Chaos player cannot use the Initial Reinforcements or Later Reinforcements
Entry Zones until the battle rounds shown in the table below. If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign and the Chaos player won the
Drastic Defence mission, they will be able to use these Entry Zones in earlier battle rounds as shown.
ENCIRCLEMENT | | BATTLE ROUNDS IT CAN BE USED IN | ENTRY ZONE | CHAOS PLAYER WON DRASTIC DEFENCE | OTHERWISE | Initial Reinforcements | 1+ (Not before the battle) | 2+ | Later Reinforcements | 2+ | 3+ |
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They’re Everywhere: In the Chaos player’s
Movement phase, at the start of the Reinforcement step, if they have no Strategic Reserves units, they can select one Boarding Squad from their army that has been destroyed and place it into Strategic Reserves with all of its models having their full wounds remaining.
It’s Too Late for Them: Each time a
Morale test is taken for a unit from the Imperium player’s army, it is automatically passed.
The Doors are Sealed: Units cannot perform the
Operate Hatchway action on the Hatchways labelled 1 to 6. Starting in the third battle round, at the start of each battle round, the Imperium player rolls one D6, and for each
objective marker they control they can add 1 to the roll or subtract 1 from the roll: if the Hatchway whose label corresponds to that result is closed, open it.
Escape: At the end of the Imperium player’s turn, they can choose for any units from their army that are within any Escape Zones to escape. For any that do, remove those units from the battlefield, they count as having escaped and have not been destroyed.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, at the start of the first battle round, that player can select one unit from their army and it can make a
Normal Move of up to 6".
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle. If the Imperium player wins, more of their troops will have escaped to prepare future traps and ambushes for the Chaos player’s forces. This will have an impact on the
Desperate Holdout mission.
OBJECTIVESRUN THEM DOWN
Progressive Objective
Every dead defender weakens defences yet to be reached.
Each time a unit from the Imperium player’s army is destroyed, the Chaos player scores 10 victory points.
LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY
Progressive Objective
Every defender who escapes is one more to man the barricades.
Each time a unit from the Imperium player’s army escapes, they score 15 victory points. If that unit was not below
Half-strength, the Imperium player scores an additional 5 victory points.

MISSION BRIEFINGThere is nowhere left to retreat to. This is the final line of defence. As the forces of Chaos move in for the kill, it is time for the defenders to make their last stand. They must achieve victory, or they will be slaughtered.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades.
Mine the Hatches: Before the battle, at the start of the
Deploy Armies step, for each half of the battlefield, the Imperium player secretly selects four Hatchways within that battlefield half to sabotage and makes a note of their selections.
When playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, if the Imperium player was victorious in the
Rapid Withdrawal mission, they can sabotage one additional door within each battlefield half.
Each time a unit from the Chaos player’s army opens a Hatchway, if that Hatchway has not been opened before, the Imperium player must reveal if it was sabotaged. If it was, roll one D6: on a 2+, that unit suffers 1
mortal wound and, until the end of the Chaos player’s next
Movement phase, halve the Move characteristic of models in that unit and those models cannot make ranged attacks.
Beleaguered Reinforcements: Before the battle, when setting up units from their army, the Imperium player can only set up units on the battlefield using the Holdout Entry Zones (they cannot use the Backup Entry Zones). In addition,
Strategic Reserves units from the Imperium player’s army cannot be set up on the battlefield in the first battle round, and when they are, they can only use the Backup Entry Zones.
Push Through: The Chaos player has the first turn.
Ready and Waiting: At the start of the battle, units from the Imperium player’s army count as having
Set Overwatch and
Set to Defend. Until the start of the Imperium player’s first turn, those units also count as
Holding Steady.
Null Blockers: In the
Reinforcements step of the Chaos players
Movement phase, each time they set up a unit on the battlefield, that unit cannot be set up within 9" of any
objective markers or within 9" of any of the Imperium players
Entry Zones.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional
Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle. If the Chaos player wins, they will have dealt a devastating blow to the Rock’s defenders, earning the favour of their Chaos masters. This will have an impact on the
Hunt the Damned mission.
OBJECTIVESGIVE NOTHING, TAKE EVERYTHING
End Game Objective
The loyalists refuse to die cowards and without forcing the attackers to pay a heavy price. The heretics scent blood and victory in the air, and know all they must do is win one final battle.
At the end of the battle, each player scores 30 victory points for each objective marker they control.

MISSION BRIEFINGThe defenders of the Rock are on the counter-attack, eager to kill the invaders of their fortress. To reclaim fallen levels, they turn to an elevator which will grant them swift access. Unsuspecting of attack, the heretics guarding the lift are little prepared for what is coming.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades.
Lift Defenders: Before the battle, the Chaos player cannot set up any units from their army within their Lift Entry Zones. Once the first battle round has started, they can only use these Lift Entry Zones when setting up any
Strategic Reserve units from their army in an
Entry Zone.
Teleportarium: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, and the Imperium player won the
Geller Field Collapse mission, during deployment they can select one unit from their army and set up this unit in a teleportarium chamber instead of setting it up on the battlefield. If they do so, when that unit arrives from
Strategic Reserves, they can set it up either
wholly within one of their Entry Zones, or anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9" away from any enemy models.
Emplaced Defenders: Before the battle, after Determining Reserves, the Chaos player decides who has the first turn.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, that player starts the battle with 1 additional
Command point.
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the Rock Besieged campaign, make a note of which player wins the battle. If the Imperium player wins, they will have pushed through and seized the lift early, allowing them to get reinforcements to the upper levels of the Rock much earlier. This will have an impact on the
Hunt the Damned mission.
OBJECTIVESSECURE AND PACIFY
Progressive Objective
For the Rock’s defenders, securing the elevator will give them swift and easy access to swathes of their fortress to retake it from the invaders. For the heretics trying to stop them, all of their hard- won gains will be at risk if they lose control of the elevator.
At the end of each player’s
Command phase, the player whose turn it is scores 5 victory points for each of the following conditions they satisfy. In the fifth battle round, the player whose turn it is scores 10 victory points for each of the conditions instead:
- They control one or more objective markers.
- They control two or more objective markers.
- They control more objective markers than their opponent controls.
This objective cannot be scored in the first battle round. In the fifth battle round, the player who has the second turn does not score any victory points at the end of their Command phase; instead at the of their turn, they score 10 victory points for each of the above conditions they satisfy.
PURGE THE UPPER LEVELS
End Game Objective
Stopping at nothing, the defenders of the Rock storm the elevator's access area, determined to eliminate the traitors protecting it and eager to advance into upper levels of the Rock to purge it of heretics.
At the end of the battle, if there are any units from the Imperium player’s army that have every model in them within one of the Lift Entry Zones, the Imperium player scores 30 victory points. Otherwise, the Chaos player scores 30 victory points.

MISSION BRIEFINGThe forces of Chaos are defeated, yet many of their warriors remain. Like poison they linger. They must be exterminated.MISSION RULESShadowvaults: In this mission, the
Imperium player can use the
Attacker’s Upgrades, and the
Chaos player can use the
Defender’s Upgrades.
Reinforcements from Below: During deployment, the Imperium player can select up to two units from their army to be set up in the lift instead of setting them up on the battlefield. These units can only be set up in the Lift Entry Zones later in the battle (and no other units can use these
Entry Zones). The Imperium player cannot use the Lift Entry Zones when setting up any
Strategic Reserve units from their army in an Entry Zone until the third battle round. If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign and the Imperium player won the
Retake the Elevator mission they can use the Lift Entry Zones from the second battle round onwards instead.
Trapped: Other than setting them up in Strategic Reserves or using the Reinforcements from Below rule, the Imperium player cannot make use of any rules that allow units to be set up anywhere other than on the battlefield. The Chaos player cannot make use of any rules that allow a unit to be set up anywhere other than on the battlefield and cannot set up any units in Strategic Reserves - if they have more units than they are able to set up on the battlefield, then those units do not partake in the battle (but do not count as destroyed).
Fall Back: The Chaos player has the first turn. In addition, units from the Chaos player’s army are eligible to shoot in a turn in which they
Fell Back; if they do so, then until the end of the turn, each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack, it requires an unmodified
hit roll of 6 to score a successful hit against the target.
Blessed by the Gods: If playing this battle as part of the Rock Besieged campaign and the Chaos player won the
Desperate Holdout mission, each time a model from a unit in the Chaos player’s army would lose a wound, if that unit is within an Escape Zone, roll one D6: on a 5+, that wound is not lost.
Go to Ground: At the end of the Chaos player’s
Command phase, they can choose for any units from their army that have every model within any Escape Zones to escape. For any that do so, remove those units from the battlefield; they count as having escaped and have not been destroyed.
Underdog Bonus: If a player receives an Underdog bonus, at the start of the first battle round, that player can select one unit from their army and it can make a
Normal Move of up to 6".
Campaign Outcome: If playing this battle as part of the
Rock Besieged campaign, congratulations; you have reached the end of the campaign! The Chaos forces have dealt a savage blow to the forces of the Imperium, yet the Rock remains in the hands of its rightful owners. The winner of this battle is the overall victor of the campaign, the amount of further destruction wreaked on the fortress as a result being critical in how far back the Imperium war machine has been set.
OBJECTIVESERADICATE THE INVADERS
Progressive Objective
The defenders seek to wipe out the heretics entirely.
Each time a unit from the Chaos player’s army is destroyed, the Imperium player scores 10 victory points.
GUERILLA WAR
Progressive Objective
Those heretics who survive slink away into the bowels of the Rock.
Each time a unit from the Chaos player’s army escapes, they score 10 victory points. If that unit was not below
Half-strength, the Chaos player scores an additional 5 victory points. In addition, if that unit was the Chaos player’s
WARLORD, they score an additional 15 victory points.
