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MIKE MAYDAY’S
40k CHANGES
alpha 1 v013
1
PREFACE
Greetings, Tester. I thank you for your interest in the 40k Changes
project and your declaration of help. What follows is the very first
alpha version of the manual. It is not a complete product, but contains
more than enough substance to let you see what the game has to offer.
The book is currently missing most formatting, illustrations and
examples – those will be added later.
In its current form, the game draws heavily from the 7th edition of
Warhammer 40k, the most notable differences being the structure of
the turn and model characteristics. If you want to start by getting to
know the biggest changes, I recommend the following chapters:
Individual Model Rules, Unit Orders, Unit State and The Game Turn.
My goals for the game -A balanced, tournament-ready gameplay without sacrificing the
narrative and modelling aspects.
-A dynamic play style, where both players need to constantly pay
attention and make decisions
-A comprehensive set of rules, clear and accessible even to new
players.
It is not my aim to make this a fully tournament-oriented game. I leave
enough randomness to make the experience enjoyable even when
neither player is in a competitive mood. At the same time, I strive for
enough balance and difficult tactical options to make the game a true,
fair challenge to those who want it to be. I also try to make the rules
as clear and concise as possible, cutting out any narrative explanations
– I believe those help build the mood on the first read-through, but
become a nuisance when you need to consult the manual during play.
How to provide feedback?
All feedback should be emailed to [email protected] with the
title 40k Changes. The emails may be written in English or Polish. I’m
interested in most manners of feedback. Do let me know if you spot
any of the following: obvious mistakes in the rule text, rules with
unclear meaning, rules that could be interpreted in many ways, rules
that could be made more concise, game mechanics that are needlessly
complex and could be replaced with something simpler, game
mechanics that are too difficult to memorize.
At this point, I am not looking for help with editing the text, except for
typos and obvious grammar mistakes. The rules are subject to change
and it’s not yet worthwhile to make the text perfect.
If you want to propose new game mechanics, be aware that I am more
interested in trimming the rulebook down, rather than bloating it.
However, ideas for new game mechanics are still extremely welcome,
but only after you’ve familiarized yourself with the whole rulebook, so
that you can be sure the suggested new rules fit in with the rest.
Mike Mayday
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER
The following document is a non-commercial, unofficial work of a fan, in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited.
GW, Games Workshop, Citadel, White Dwarf, Space Marine, 40K, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 and all associated logos, illustrations, images,
names, creatures, races, vehicles, locations, weapons, characters, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are either ® or ™, and/or © Games Workshop
Limited, variably registered around the world. All Rights Reserved.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTSPREFACE .............................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 4
How this book works ..................................................................... 4
How to Start Playing ...................................................................... 4
THE BASICS .......................................................................................... 5
Game summary ............................................................................. 5
Models .......................................................................................... 5
Vital and non-vital parts ........................................................... 5
Model Contact ............................................................................... 5
Units .............................................................................................. 5
Unit coherency .............................................................................. 5
Measuring Distances ..................................................................... 5
Distance vs. Movement Distance ............................................. 6
Line of Sight ................................................................................... 6
Line of sight through self and own unit .................................... 6
Cover ............................................................................................. 6
Cover from terrain .................................................................... 6
Cover from other units ............................................................. 6
Dice ............................................................................................... 6
Roll threshold ........................................................................... 6
Roll modifier ............................................................................. 7
Automatic failure and success .................................................. 7
Re-roll ....................................................................................... 7
Roll-off ..................................................................................... 7
Randomising ............................................................................ 7
Scatter ...................................................................................... 7
Cocked and fallen dice ............................................................. 7
Templates ...................................................................................... 7
Casualties and removing from play ............................................... 7
Sequencing .................................................................................... 7
Vocabulary ..................................................................................... 8
INDIVIDUAL MODEL RULES ................................................................. 9
Characteristics ............................................................................... 9
Infantry Characteristics Profile ................................................. 9
Vehicle characteristics Profile ................................................... 9
Weapon Characteristics Profile ................................................ 9
Granting, Replacing and Modifying Characteristics .................. 9
Characteristics Tests .................................................................... 10
Unit Characteristics Test ......................................................... 10
Attack Rolls ............................................................................. 10
Morale Tests ........................................................................... 10
Psychic Tests ........................................................................... 10
Other Individual Rules ................................................................. 11
Unit type ................................................................................ 11
Special rules ........................................................................... 11
Weapons ................................................................................ 11
Equipment .............................................................................. 11
Size ......................................................................................... 11
Point cost ............................................................................... 11
Status .......................................................................................... 11
MOVING ............................................................................................ 12
Movement Distance ............................................................... 12
Unit Coherency While Moving ............................................... 12
Movement Restrictions .......................................................... 12
Vertical Movement ................................................................. 12
Moving Vehicles .......................................................................... 12
Moving Vehicles Through Enemy Infantry .............................. 12
Ramming (Moving Vehicles Through Enemy Vehicles) ........... 12
SHOOTING ........................................................................................ 13
Shot types.................................................................................... 13
How to shoot ............................................................................... 13
Declaring your targets ............................................................ 13
Salvo Sequence ...................................................................... 13
Shooting at Characters ................................................................ 13
Shooting with Vehicles ................................................................ 14
Vehicle shot types .................................................................. 14
Weapon mounts and arc of sight ........................................... 14
Horizontal Weapon Rotation .................................................. 14
Vertical weapon rotation ........................................................ 14
Measuring vehicle weapon range and line of sight ................ 14
Fast dice ................................................................................. 14
Shooting at Vehicles .................................................................... 15
Vehicle facing and cover ......................................................... 15
Vehicle penetration ................................................................ 15
Vehicle Damage Table ............................................................ 15
Salvo....................................................................................... 15
CHARGING ........................................................................................ 16
Charging path ......................................................................... 16
Determining charge range ...................................................... 16
Charge sequence .................................................................... 16
Charging with Successfully Charged units .............................. 16
Charging at Vehicles .................................................................... 16
Charging with Vehicles ................................................................ 16
FIGHTING .......................................................................................... 17
3
Close Combat Attack.................................................................... 17
Fighting Sequence ....................................................................... 17
Declare weapons .................................................................... 17
Strike 1 ................................................................................... 17
Strike 2 and higher ................................................................. 17
Additional Fighting Rules ............................................................. 17
Fighting with two weapons .................................................... 17
Melee weapons with a range value ........................................ 17
Determining Close Combat Results ............................................. 17
Fighting with Characters .............................................................. 18
Challenges .............................................................................. 18
Duel ........................................................................................ 18
Intervention ........................................................................... 18
Fighting Vehicles .......................................................................... 18
Fighting WITH Vehicles ................................................................ 18
TRANSPORTERS ................................................................................. 19
Embarking and Disembarking ...................................................... 19
Embarking .............................................................................. 19
Disembarking ......................................................................... 19
Speed limit ............................................................................. 19
Starting the Game Embarked ................................................. 19
Independent Characters and Transports ................................ 19
TRANSPORTER MODELS .............................................................. 19
Transport Capacity ................................................................. 19
Access Points .......................................................................... 19
Effects of Vehicle Damage on Passengers ............................... 19
Sorcery and Transporters ....................................................... 19
Dedicated Transporters .......................................................... 19
SORCERERS ....................................................................................... 20
Casting Spells ......................................................................... 20
Spell descriptions ................................................................... 20
Power Points .......................................................................... 20
Psychic Test ............................................................................ 20
Deny ....................................................................................... 20
Resist ...................................................................................... 20
Spell Types ............................................................................. 20
TERRAIN ............................................................................................ 21
Terrain Special Rules .................................................................... 21
Example terrain models ............................................................... 21
UNIT ORDERS .................................................................................... 22
Infantry Orders ............................................................................ 22
Moving during infantry orders ............................................... 22
Shooting during infantry orders ............................................. 22
Infantry orders ....................................................................... 22
Vehicle orders .............................................................................. 22
Moving during vehicle orders ................................................. 22
Shooting during vehicle orders .............................................. 22
Vehicle orders ........................................................................ 22
UNIT STATE ........................................................................................ 23
Unit Readiness ............................................................................. 23
Unit and Model Status ................................................................. 23
Example statuses .................................................................... 23
THE GAME TURN ............................................................................... 24
Start of The Turn .......................................................................... 24
Transporter Phase ....................................................................... 24
Sorcery Phase .............................................................................. 24
Combat Phase ............................................................................. 24
Panic Phase.................................................................................. 24
Active Units Phase ....................................................................... 24
Reactive Units Phase ................................................................... 24
End Of The Turn ........................................................................... 24
PLAYING THE GAME .......................................................................... 25
Creating Your Army ...................................................................... 25
The Mission ................................................................................. 25
Mission Special Rules ............................................................. 25
Choosing the Active Player ..................................................... 25
The Scenario .......................................................................... 25
Objectives .............................................................................. 25
Game Length .......................................................................... 26
Setting up the Terrain .................................................................. 26
Deployment ................................................................................. 26
Before the Game Begins .............................................................. 26
Playing the Game Turns ............................................................... 26
End of The Game ......................................................................... 26
MISSIONS .......................................................................................... 27
SPECIAL RULES .................................................................................. 28
4
INTRODUCTION Welcome to 40k Changes, a miniature wargame set in the dark future
of humanity, designed for balanced and challenging competitive play.
This game was developed as an alternative set of rules to the
Warhammer 40k™ game by Games Workshop Limited. However, it may
be played in any setting, with proper Army Lists – additional sets of
rules that describe the characteristics of armies the players can field.
Besides this book and an army list, you will need models that represent
your troops, a model of the battlefield, some dice, a tape measure and
blast templates. You will find detailed descriptions of all these elements
further in the book.
The book presents the rules for the game from the ground up – it starts
with the absolute basics like rolling dice, reading model characteristics,
measuring distances etc. It then proceeds to talk about carrying out
various actions like moving, shooting, charging and fighting. Next
comes the description of how those actions can be combined to form
an order – a set of instructions that a unit may perform during a single
turn. The book then describes the structure of a turn, and finally – how
the turns combine to form a complete game, along with any
preparation and finishing activities like setting up the board and
determining the winner.
HOW THIS BOOK WORKS This is a rule text. It describes how, when and what to do to play the
game. It defines and references KEYWORDS, and the most important
aspects of the rule are sometimes written in bold. Note that keywords
are not always written in capitals, especially the more common ones
like ‘unit’ or ‘model’.
This is a flavour text. It describes the role of a rule in the broader scope
of the game. It lists battlefield situations and other aspects of warfare
that the rule is trying to simulate. It also contains tips on memorizing
the rules, carrying them out with as little hassle as possible, and some
additional explanations for people with no previous experience with
miniature wargaming. While some of the tips provided in the flavour
text are optional, remember to pay attention to these parts of the text
especially during a rule-related dispute, or when you’re generally not
sure on how to proceed.
This is an example. It describes a hypothetical situation in
the game and shows how to resolve it, using the recently
discussed rules. Examples often contain illustrations showing
the situation.
HOW TO START PLAYING If you can find someone in your area who is already familiar with the
game, we recommend asking them for an introductory play. While the
rulebook is pretty extensive compared to that of a typical board game,
the rules covering a standard set of situations are actually very simple,
easy to grasp within half an hour. If you are a pioneer in your area, fret
not! The rulebook is as clear as possible, even for people who have no
experience with miniature wargames.
5
THE BASICS
GAME SUMMARY Changes is played with miniature models that represent your troops on
a model of the battlefield.
Players begin by agreeing on a points limit and using these points to
build their armies. For that, they use an Army List – a separate set of
rules that details which models you may field, which options the
models may purchase, what their characteristics and special rules are.
The more points you choose for the game, the larger and more
powerful the armies and the longer the game will last. Once the armies
are decided on, players determine the missions they must accomplish,
set up the battlefield terrain on the game board, deploy their armies
and the battle begins.
The game is divided into turns during which every unit gets to perform
some actions like moving, shooting, fighting in close combat,
disembarking from transporters, casting spells etc. In each turn, one of
the players is the active player, the other is the reactive player. The turn
is divided into phases – in each phase the active player has the
advantage of making decisions – he attacks one or two reactive units,
using a number of his units of choice. The reactive player has the choice
of either returning fire or suffering the casualties and shooting at
another target later on. In each phase, a unit gets to choose between
several orders – which range from a simple task like moving and
shooting to complex ones like charging an enemy unit to fight them in
close combat. Whenever a model attacks (by shooting or in melee) its
controlling player rolls dice and compares the result with the
characteristics of his model and its target. This is to check whether the
attack hit its target, pierced its armour and finally – successfully
wounded. Models that suffered enough wounds (one is usually
enough!) are marked as casualties and removed from play at the end
of the phase. At the end of the turn the player roles are reversed and
a new turn begins.
The game ends after the agreed (or randomly determined) amount of
turns, at which point the winner is either the one who completely
destroyed all the enemy units or scored the most victory points for
accomplishing missions.
The following chapter explains the very basics of the game, like models,
rolling dice, measuring distances and checking line of sight.
MODELS The models used in the game represent infantry units, vehicles, terrain
and other objects on the battlefield. Each infantry and vehicle model
has a set of characteristics like Strength, Armour, Ballistic Skill,
weapons and equipment. Those define a model’s chance of success,
but the outcome of actions often depends on the results of dice rolls
as well.
Most models are mounted on a base – for the purpose of the game
rules, this base counts as a part of the model itself. The Army List
provides information on the minimal size of the base that the model
should be mounted on.
Vital and non-vital parts
In the case of infantry, the vital parts of a model are the head, torso,
legs and arms – if you can see at least one of them, the model is in
sight. Ignore the base, weapons (unless they’re also the model’s
limbs!), wings, tails, antennae, banners, spikes, horns etc.
In the case of vehicles, the hull, sponsons, tracks, hatches, wheels,
wings and weapons are all vital parts. Non-vital parts that you should
ignore are elements like spikes, banners, antennas, icons, visible crew
members etc.
MODEL CONTACT When the bases of two based models are touching, the models are said
to be in contact. If one of the models does not have a base, or its shape
prevents it from touching the base of the other model, it is enough that
any part of it is touching the other model.
Being in contact with an enemy model means the model is charging,
being charged or already locked in close combat.
UNITS All models in the game are organized into units. All members of a unit
move and attack together. Infantry units typically consist of several
models. A single vehicle model always constitutes a separate unit
(even if initially deployed as a unit with other vehicles), while
independent characters are one-model units that may join or leave
other units over the course of a game.
UNIT COHERENCY In a multiple-model unit, every model must always remain within 2”
from at least one other model from the same unit - this is called
coherency. You may never voluntarily break unit coherency, but it may
happen because of enemy attacks or involuntary actions.
Stray models
If a model that is not a casualty finds itself out of coherency with the
rest of its unit, it is called a stray model (if a group of models is out of
coherency with another group from the same unit, these are both stray
groups). The next time a stray model or group gets to execute an order
it must choose an order that allows for a move long enough to bring
the whole unit back into coherency. If such an order is not available to
the unit, execute one that allows for the longest move available and
try to bring the stray models as close to coherency as possible – by
moving them towards the rest of the unit and moving the unit towards
them.
MEASURING DISTANCES The distance in the game is measured in inches, typically using a tape
measure. This is necessary when determining how far you may move
a model, whether your target is within the maximum range of your
weapons, etc. Measuring distances is performed according to the
following rules:
The distance between two models with bases is measured
from the closest point of one base to the closest point on
the other base.
If one of the models doesn’t have a base, you must
measure to or from the closest vital part of that model
instead
For the purpose of shooting with vehicles, the range of
a weapon is measured from the end of its barrel.
The distance between two units is the distance between
the two models (one from each unit) that are closest to
each other.
6
If every model of a unit is within a certain distance from an object, the
unit is said to be WHOLLY WITHIN that distance from the object – parts
of their bases may be outside this radius, but at least one point of each
base (or one point of the model for models without a base) must be
within it.
Unit A is within shooting range of unit B if at least one model from unit
A is within the range of a ranged weapon of at least one model from
unit B.
Unit A is within charge range of unit B if at least one model from unit
A is within the charge range of at least one model from unit B.
Distance vs. Movement Distance
Whenever the rules mention distance, it simply means the length of
the line between one point and another, ignoring any obstacles along
the way. Movement distance, on the other hand, is the total distance
a model must traverse in order to reach a point – going around any
obstacles.
LINE OF SIGHT Most attacks require that you can trace a line of sight between your
model and its target, i.e. the target must be in sight of (visible to) the
attacker. Line of sight is an unbroken line between the attacker’s head
and a target’s vital part. If the attacking model doesn’t have a distinct
head, trace it from its vital part of your choice. When shooting with
vehicles, you trace the line of sight from the tip of the weapon that is
currently firing.
Unit A is in line of sight of unit B if at least one of its models is in line
of sight of at least one model from unit B.
To correctly trace the line of sight, position yourself in such a way, that
the attacker’s head is between your eyes and the target. You now see
from the attacker’s point of view. If you can see the target – it is in sight
of the attacker (assume you may see through all models in the firing
unit!).
Line of sight through self and own unit
When checking the line of sight of a model, treat it and all models in
its unit as if they weren’t there – they do not block its line of sight and
do not provide cover to its target. Since the facing of an infantry model
is irrelevant, it may trace line of sight through its wings, for example.
Vehicles are different in this regard – their facing matters and the vital
parts of the model may block their weapon rotation and line of sight.
COVER When at least one vital part of a target infantry model is completely
obscured from the point of view of a shooting model, that target
model is said to be in cover. A vehicle is in cover if the targeted side is
at least 25% obscured. A model in cover receives an evasion modifier
from the model that obscures it – the height of that modifier depends
on the obscuring model in question. Models do not gain cover by being
obscured by other models from the same unit.
Cover from terrain
Being obscured by terrain is the most common source of cover. The
descriptions of terrain pieces located in the Terrain chapter hold
information on the amount of Evasion that each model grants.
Cover from other units
A target model is in cover whenever its vital part is completely
obscured by a model from another unit OR when it is visible between
two models from another unit (both must be from the same unit) from
the point of view of the firing model. The Evasion modifier granted by
other units is +1 from Infantry and +2 from Vehicles.
DICE Any action which isn’t automatically successful, usually requires you to
roll a die to determine its result.
Dice rolls are usually written as Dx where x is the number of sides the
required die has. D6 means a six-sided die; D12 means a twelve-sided
die. While D3 means a three-sided die, you can substitute it by rolling
a D6: treat a result of 1-2 as 1, 3-4 as 2 and 5-6 as 3. For D2 you may
flip a coin or roll a d6 and treat 1-3 as 1 and 4-6 as 2. When the type
of die is not provided, a dice roll means a D12 roll.
yDx means you need to roll a number of dice specified by the y value
and sum up the results.
3D6 means you need to roll three six-sided dice and a 3D6
roll which results in 3, 5 and 1 produces a final value of 9.
Sometimes you are asked to compare the results instead and discard,
choose or sum up some of them.
When asked to “roll 4D6 and sum up the two highest results”
a 4D6 roll that results in 4, 3, 6 and 2 produces a final value
of 4+6=10.
yDx+z means you need to roll y x-sided dice and add z to the final
result.
A roll of 3D6+2 that results in 5, 3 and 4 produces a final
value of 5+3+4+2=14.
Whenever you are asked to multiply or divide a roll of many dice,
remember to roll them first then apply the calculation. When dividing,
round the result to a whole number – round down if the first decimal
is less than 5, round up otherwise.
A roll of 3d12*3 that resulted in 5, 8 and 11 produces a final
value of (5+8+11)*3 = 72.
A roll of 2d6/3 that resulted in 2 and 5 produces a final value
of 2 because (2+5)/3 =2,333 ≈ 2
A modifier of -5 results in -3 when halved because -5/2 = -2,5
≈ -3
Roll threshold
The most common type of roll is one where you must roll a certain
number or a higher one. This number is called the roll threshold and is
written as x+ where x is the minimum number you must roll.
A threshold written as “X” means that this model cannot perform this
test at all – it is an automatic failure.
A roll of 7+ means you must roll 7 or more.
7
Roll modifier
Modifiers apply to many rolls, these are written as +y or -y and denote
the amount by which the threshold must be increased or decreased.
A modifier written as “X” means the roll is automatically successful,
“-” simply means 0 (the modifier does not apply).
A roll of 3+ with a +2 modifier results in a roll of 5+.
Automatic failure and success
Whenever some action is described as an automatic success or failure,
you do not need to roll any dice – the result is provided in the rule.
Every time the roll threshold is higher than the amount of sides the
required die has, the roll is an automatic failure as well.
Sometimes you are asked to perform a D12 roll of 13+ or
even more (e.g. 15+ or 20+) – this may be due to the unit’s
innate clumsiness or some harsh modifiers, but such a roll is
an automatic failure. Remember that a modifier might bring
the threshold below 13 later on!
Conversely, a roll of 1+ or less (e.g. 0+ or -2+) is an automatic success,
regardless of the die type.
Re-roll
Whenever you are allowed a re-roll, you may pick a certain amount of
the dice you’ve just rolled and roll them again – disregarding the initial
result. Depending on the situation, you may get to re-roll the failed
results, choose whether to re-roll all or none of the dice, re-roll any
dice of your choosing or be forced to re-roll the successful results.
Every dice roll may only be re-rolled once. Whenever two rules
combine that that force you to re-roll both the failed and successful
rolls, they cancel each other out and you do not get to re-roll any dice.
Roll-off
A roll-off means that both players roll a specific die and the one who
rolled the higher result wins. If both results are the same, continue
rolling-off until there is a winner. Sometimes modifiers are applied
before the players compare their results.
Randomising
Whenever you are asked to pick an element, model, weapon etc. At
random, check how many possible elements there are and assign each
of them a number. Pick up a die that has a number of sides equal to
the amount of elements and roll it – the resulting number shows you
which element to pick. If there are no dice with an equal amount of
sides, choose a die that has more (but still as few as possible) and roll
the die again if it shows a number that doesn’t correspond to any of
the elements (this does not count as a re-roll). If there are more than
12 elements to randomly choose from, split them into groups as even
as possible and first randomly determine which group to pick, then roll
to check which element in the group will be chosen.
You are asked to randomly pick a model in a squad of 19. You
split the squad into two groups of 10 and 9 and flip a coin to
randomly choose one of them – this points to the set of 9.
You assign each model a number from 1 to 9 and roll a D12 –
this gives you 11, so you re-roll and this time the result is 5 –
this is the model you must pick.
Scatter
Scatter dice are a special type of D6. They show a “Scattered!” symbol
in the form of an arrow on four of the sides and a “Hit!” symbol on two
of them. These dice are used to determine a random direction in which
something must move – a template, a deep-striking model etc. To
scatter something, determine its initial position, roll the scatter die as
close to it as possible and, if the result is an arrow, move it by the
distance specified by the rule in the direction indicated by the arrow,
unless the distance is negative. In the events where something is said
to “always scatter”, the “Hit!” symbol also has a small arrow to denote
the direction.
Cocked and fallen dice
Whenever a die falls off the table or lands in a way that makes it
impossible to clearly read the result (e.g. because it is cocked or in
a crevice) pick up the die and roll it again. This does not count as a re-
roll.
TEMPLATES Templates are shapes held over the battlefield to determine the
damages done by explosions, flamethrowers, etc. The most common
templates are: Blast (a circle 3” in diameter), Large Blast (a circle 5” in
diameter) and Spray (a teardrop shape, roughly 8” long). Detailed rules
on using templates are located in the Special Rules chapter. You can
find the specific template shapes in the Appendix at the end of the
book.
CASUALTIES AND REMOVING
FROM PLAY Whenever you assign a wound to a model, it loses a HIT POINT. When
a model loses its last HIT POINT, it becomes a casualty. This model may
still give off its dying shot, but it cannot move anymore and the rest of
its unit needn’t maintain coherency with it.
At the end of a phase, all casualties are removed from play – this
means they are taken off the table and do not take part in the rest of
the battle. Should a special rule cancel one (or more) of the wounds of
a casualty before it is removed from play, it regains its HIT POINT(S),
loses its CASUALTY status and becomes a normal part of its unit again.
If all models from a unit are removed from play, the unit is said to be
completely destroyed.
SEQUENCING If several events happen at the same time (e.g. at the end of a turn, at
the beginning of a phase), the active player decides on the order in
which they are resolved.
8
VOCABULARY Throughout this book, certain words and expressions have specific
meanings – familiarising yourself with them will help you better
understand the rules. It is not necessary to memorize these terms,
simply return here if the meaning of a rule is unclear.
The model’s owning player is the player who deployed the
model in question.
The model’s controlling player is the player who is currently
commanding the model in question – this is not necessarily
the owning player.
Whenever the text refers to “you”, it refers to the player
who is currently executing a rule.
The opponent is the other player than the player currently
executing a rule.
Friendly models are all models under control of the
controlling player.
Enemy models are all models under control of the
opponent of the controlling player.
In each turn there is an active player and a reactive player.
Their roles are defined in the Game Turn chapter.
The units controlled by the active player are called active
units, the ones controlled by the reactive player – reactive
units.
An unmodified roll is the result visible on the die, before
any modifiers are applied.
A final roll threshold is the threshold after applying all
modifiers. An unmodified roll threshold is the threshold
before applying any modifiers.
9
INDIVIDUAL MODEL RULES Each model in the game has a set of individual rules that set it apart
from others - its abilities, equipment and special rules. The actual
individual model rules are found in your Army List – the separate
publication that you need to construct your army.
CHARACTERISTICS Characteristics (sometimes referred to as stats) define a model’s innate
strengths, weaknesses and abilities. They are divided into three types:
THRESHOLD (T), MODIFIER (M) and VALUE (V). The first two types are
utilised whenever a model performs an action that requires
a characteristic test. When and how to use different characteristics is
described in detail in the following chapters, here’s a quick overview of
them for now.
Infantry Characteristics Profile
The sum of a model’s characteristics forms a Characteristics Profile. An
example profile looks like this:
CS P BS E S T HP A W Mov Type
4 Space Marines 6+ +1 5+ - 6+ +5 1 2 5+ - Infantry
NAME - The first value is the model’s name, preceded by the amount
of models of this type that are included in the default configuration of
the unit.
CS – COMBAT SKILL (T) – the ability to land blows in melee. This
threshold is used when a model is rolling TO HIT another model during
close combat.
P – PARRY (M) – the ability to avoid attacks in melee. This modifier is
applied to a roll TO HIT in close combat
BS – BALLISTIC SKILL (T) – the accuracy of a model. This threshold is
rolled TO HIT when making a shooting attack
E – EVASION (M) – protection from getting hit at all – cover, force fields,
precognition, displacement etc. all grant this modifier, which is applied
to TO HIT rolls made against this model in shooting attacks.
S – STRENGTH (T) – the force of a model’s blow in melee. When
fighting without a melee weapon, this threshold is rolled TO WOUND
or TO PIERCE during close combat attacks.
T – TOUGHNESS (M) – the model’s resistance to blows. This modifier is
applied to a roll TO WOUND.
HP – HIT POINTS (V) – the amount of blows a model may take. This
value is decreased by 1 every time a successful TO WOUND roll is made
against the model (i.e. the model receives a wound). When it reaches
0, the model becomes a casualty.
A – ATTACKS (V) – ferocity, quickness. This value represents the
number of close combat attacks a model makes during a FIGHT action.
W – WILLPOWER (T) – leadership, intelligence, courage etc. This
threshold is used when the squad morale is in danger of breaking,
when casting spells or trying to resist manipulation.
Mov – Additional Movement (V) – this value is the additional
movement distance (measured in inches) that a unit may travel
whenever it moves.
Type – the model type dictates the rules it must follow – the way it
moves, shoots, charges, fights and the way in which it is attacked.
Deployable model types include infantry, characters and vehicles.
Vehicle characteristics Profile
Vehicles don’t have many of the characteristics that infantry models
have, while some are changed. Here’s an example vehicle profile:
P BS E FA SA RA Mov Type
1 Rhino -2 5+ - +6 +6 +5 - Vehicle
FA / SA / RA - FRONT / SIDE / REAR ARMOUR (M) – after a vehicle
receives a hit, you perform a roll TO PIERCE against it, using its Armour
as the modifier. Which value is used depends on the direction from
which the attacker is shooting.
Weapon Characteristics Profile
Whenever a model is attacking with a weapon, use its appropriate
stats (instead of the model’s) for the purpose of the characteristics
tests of the attack. Here’s an example weapon’s profile:
Name Mode R Sh S Rules
Boltgun burst 12" 2 6+ - shot 24" 1 6+ -
NAME – the name of the weapon.
Mode – some weapons have more than one mode of shooting – each
one has its own characteristics. When making a shooting attack, you
declare which mode you’ll be using.
R – RANGE (V) – this is the maximal distance (measured in inches) in
which the target of the attack may be located. Some weapons have
both a maximal and a minimal range, written as x” - y” (min – max).
Sh - SHOTS (V) – this is the amount of shots a shooting weapon may
make in a single order.
S – STRENGTH (T) – if a model is attacking with a weapon, the TO
WOUND or TO PIERCE roll is resolved using its STRENGTH value. Some
melee weapons have a strength dependant on the user’s STRENGTH,
which is designated with a U symbol, that can be further modified, this
is written as U+x, U-x, xU or U/x, which means the owner’s
characteristic must be increased, decreased, multiplied or divided.
When there are multiple calculations involved, divide and multiply
first, then add and subtract.
Rules – the special rules that this weapon follows.
Granting, Replacing and Modifying Characteristics
Some circumstances, special rules and equipment options are said to
grant, replace or modify a characteristic of a model.
When a rule grants a characteristic, it gives the player the
option to replace the model’s innate characteristic.
When a rule replaces a characteristic, the appropriate
innate characteristic is automatically overwritten.
When a rule modifies a characteristic, the value of that
characteristic is increased, decreased, divided or
multiplied.
Sometimes a model is subject to several rules that grant, modify
and/or replace the same characteristic. To determine the final
characteristic value, they need to be processed in the following order:
10
First decide if you’re going to use one of the options which
grant a characteristic.
From among the rules that replace a threshold, choose the
one that offers the highest.
From among the rules that replace a modifier or value
characteristic, choose the one that offers the lowest.
Finally apply all rules that modify your characteristic.
A model with Strength 5+ has a special rule that replaces its
strength with 6+ and another special rule that modifies its
Strength by -3. The model’s final Strength value is 3+.
Remember, a weapon’s characteristics do not replace the model’s –
you simply use them instead when appropriate.
A model with Strength 8+ carries a weapon with Strength
2U-5 and has a special rule that modifies his Strength by -1.
Apply any granting, replacing and modifying rules (in this
case just a -1 modifier) and then calculate the weapon’s
Strength, which is based on the user’s. This means the model
attacks with a final strength threshold of 9+, because 2*(8-
1)-5=9.
CHARACTERISTICS TESTS A characteristic test is a roll to determine if a model successfully made
use of its characteristic. It is always a D12 roll. To perform it, check the
context-appropriate threshold stat of the model performing the action
(e.g. check the BALLISTIC SKILL to see if a model successfully hits its
target), then apply the corresponding MODIFIER stat of the target (e.g.
Apply the EVASION modifier to the BALLISTIC SKILL threshold). The
resulting number is the minimum number you need to roll to
successfully perform your action.
Modifier Characteristics Test Sometimes you will be asked to take a Parry, Evasion, Toughness or
Armour Test. Since these are modifiers, not thresholds, assume a roll
threshold of 6+ and apply the opposite of the appropriate
characteristic as a modifier (use a positive value if the characteristic is
negative and vice versa).
Unit Characteristics Test
Whenever a whole unit must pass a Characteristics Test and there are
different values of this characteristic in the unit, use the lowest
threshold available (or the highest modifier, if the required
characteristic is a modifier).
A unit of Space Marines consists of 9 Space Marines with
a Willpower of 5+ and 1 Space Marine Sergeant with
a Willpower of 4+. As long as the sergeant is alive, the unit
passes Willpower tests on a roll of 4+.
Attack Rolls
The most numerous characteristic tests made during the game are the
rolls TO HIT and TO WOUND.
To Hit A roll TO HIT determines whether the attacker manages to land a blow
on his enemy. It is made at the beginning of shooting and close combat
attacks. When shooting, use the BALLISTIC SKILL of the shooting model
as a threshold and the EVASION stat of the target as a modifier. When
attacking in close combat, use the WEAPON SKILL of the attacker and
the PARRY stat of the target instead.
To Wound
Once you’ve hit your target you need to check if your blow was strong
enough to actually harm it. You then roll TO WOUND, using the
weapon’s STRENGTH stat – or the model’s if it’s fighting in close combat
with no melee weapons. Apply the target’s TOUGHNESS as a modifier.
A successful roll TO WOUND causes a wound to the target, which is
enough to kill most infantry models.
If the final threshold of the roll TO WOUND is 5+ or lower, the attack
has the INSTANT DEATH special rule. A model that receives a wound
from an attack with this special rule is immediately removed from
play, regardless of how many HIT POINTS it has left.
Morale Tests
A morale test is a special case of a willpower test. As all willpower tests,
it is a characteristics test performed with the unit’s Willpower
characteristic as the threshold. Some units have special rules that allow
them to automatically pass Morale tests, while still having to take other
Willpower tests normally.
Psychic Tests
Much like a Morale test, a Psychic Test is also a Willpower test that
follows special rules. These are discussed in the Sorcerers chapter.
11
OTHER INDIVIDUAL RULES Apart from the characteristics, each model has a number of other rules
listed in its Army List Entry.
Unit type
The type of a model indicates the general set of rules it follows. The
game features the following model types:
INFANTRY – the standard type of a military unit. Most rules described
in this book pertain to infantry models. Other types of non-vehicle
troops like bikes, beasts and giant monsters are also classified as
infantry.
CHARACTER – heroes, leaders, sergeants etc. These units count as
infantry for all intents and purposes, but have some additional rules in
the way one shoots at them and in the way they fight in close combat.
Whenever a rule pertains to infantry, it pertains to characters as well.
VEHICLE – tanks, cars, hovercraft and other vehicles differ from
infantry in terms of the way they shoot, the way one shoots at them,
the orders they may execute and other features. Vehicles do not keep
coherency – as soon as they are deployed, all models in a multi-vehicle
unit form a separate unit.
TERRAIN – though rarely controlled by individual players, terrain
models play a very important role in the game – providing cover,
blocking line of sight and allowing for advanced tactics.
All rules presented in the first part of each chapter on moving,
shooting, charging and fighting are general rules that pertain to all
model types. Additional rules on performing those actions with or
against a character or vehicle are located at the end of the respective
chapters. All rules regarding interacting with terrain are located in the
Terrain chapter, since Terrain operates almost exclusively on special
rules.
When shooting at a vehicle with an infantry unit, read the
chapter on shooting, then the sub-section on shooting at
vehicles. When moving a vehicle through difficult terrain,
read the chapter on moving, the sub-section on moving
vehicles, then the chapter on terrain.
Special rules
Most models possess innate special rules even despite having no
notable equipment. Common special rules are listed in the Special
Rules chapter; army-specific ones are defined in the Army Lists.
Weapons
Most models carry weapons that are used in shooting and close
combat attacks. These have their own characteristics which are used
instead of the model’s while utilising the weapon.
Equipment
Some models carry special equipment that modifies their
characteristics or grants them special rules.
Size
Army List Entries list the size of models. This is written as X / øY, where
X is the number of spaces a model occupies in a Transporter, while øY
is the minimum diameter of a base the model must be mounted on.
øYo denotes an oval base, in which case the number provided is the
longer diameter. øYf denotes a flying base, where the model is placed
on a stem to imitate hovering above the ground. øYof means an oval
flying base.
Point cost
Each player starts the game with an agreed upon amount of points that
he uses to put his units on the battlefield. Every model controlled by
a player has a point cost, which gets higher if you purchase additional
equipment or special rules for the model.
STATUS A status is a special rule assigned to a unit, model or weapon through
various events in the game. A status may be permanent or temporary.
If a status is said to be permanent, or its duration is not specified, it
lasts until something specifically removes it. If it is temporary, the rule
that assigns it specifies its duration. Statuses are thoroughly described
in the Unit State chapter.
12
MOVING Careful positioning of your troops across the board is the most common
and also the most important task in the game. This chapter discusses
the rules one must follow when moving models.
Movement Distance
Most orders a unit may execute contain a distance in their names – this
is the maximum distance the unit may move while executing the order.
Moving infantry units needn’t be done in a straight line – the models
might turn, zig-zag or move along an arc, as long as they do not exceed
their move distance. The model may be rotated in any way you wish at
the end of the move.
To move a model correctly, pick a point on the model and move it in
such a way, that the chosen point has moved by a distance no greater
than the model’s allowed move distance.
If the movement distance is provided as “exactly X”, the unit must
move this exact distance – no more, no less.
Modified distance Some models have characteristics or special rules that modify their
allowed move distance. Thus, each model in a unit may have
a different minimum or maximum move distance.
Unit Coherency While Moving
The first model you move may, of course, end its move out of
coherency with its unit. However, each model you move after the first
one must end its move in coherency with the ones that have already
moved. At the end of the move, the whole unit must be in coherency.
Movement Restrictions
A model must finish its move somewhere on the game board, unless
circumstances force it otherwise. If a model is forced to move off the
game board, its whole unit is placed in Reserves. Unless its unit was
performing a CHARGE, no model may move within 1” of an enemy
model – it must go around it. You may not end your move in a place
where your model is unstable (that is, if a push of the game board
makes it wobble or fall over).
A model may not move through or end its move in a place where it
doesn’t physically fit in a stable way – any vertical rotation must
correspond to the slope of the terrain it is placed on.
Vertical Movement
Models are not allowed to freely move vertically, except for jumping
down off a ledge or down a hole. To travel to an upper level, a model
must use stairs, ladders or a ramp. The following cases do not affect
the movement:
Any stairs with treads large enough for the moving models
to firmly stand on and accessible enough for the players to
comfortably place models on them
Any slope or ramp that is gentle enough for a model to
firmly stand on it
Any slope, ramp or stairs that are short enough to move the
whole unit across it and fit it on the target level.
The distance travelled along these elements simply counts as part of
the model’s movement distance (the element may constitute difficult
terrain though). In other cases, modifications apply:
Scaling low walls and ledges A model may freely climb up a ledge, jump over or go up a wall if the
element isn’t higher than the model itself (disregard non-vital parts of
the model). The vertical distance travelled this way doesn’t count as
part of the move distance. Moving up a wall and climbing up or down
a ledge counts as moving through difficult terrain (described in the
Terrain chapter).
High walls and ledges, ramps, stairs, ladders If the wall or ledge is higher than the model itself (disregard non-vital
parts of the model), it may not be freely climbed to reach another level.
Instead, the unit must execute a CLIMB order while in contact with
a ramp, staircase or ladder. Any stair landings, open or closed hatches
count as part of the stairs, ladder or ramp that they are connected to.
Jumping down A model may elect to jump off an edge of the terrain or down a hole.
To do this, move the model off the edge horizontally, then as soon as
it’s possible move it vertically down until it reaches a floor. The vertical
distance traversed this way does not count towards its movement
range but it does count as moving through difficult terrain. If the height
is greater than three times the height of the model (disregard non-vital
parts), it receives an automatic hit. The Strength of the hit depends on
the height:
3-4 times model height –S 6+
4-5 times model height –S 4+
More than 5 times model height – S 2+
MOVING VEHICLES Moving Vehicles follows similar rules, but there are crucial differences.
The vehicle may only move straight ahead or backwards by half its
movement range. The rotation of a vehicle is very limited – it may only
pivot as described in the order it is executing. Pivoting is performed by
rotating the model horizontally around its centre. Remember that even
the moment at which you pivot is restricted by the order.
Moving Vehicles Through Enemy Infantry
The path of a vehicle’s movement (or pivot) may be traced through
enemy infantry models, as long as they are not LOCKED IN CLOSE
COMBAT or SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED. When the vehicle comes into
contact with an enemy infantry model, the opponent must move the
model by the minimal distance required to place it out of the vehicle’s
path. Each model that fails to do so, due to being blocked by enemy
models or impassable terrain, is removed from play.
Ramming (Moving Vehicles Through Enemy Vehicles)
The path of a vehicle’s movement may be traced through enemy
vehicle models, as long as the vehicle is ZOOMING. This is called
RAMMING. If this happens, the model stops upon coming in contact
with the enemy vehicle. Both vehicles receive a hit – the moving
vehicle gets hit in its front armour, the enemy vehicle receives a hit
against the side that was impacted.
The strength of each hit equals 13 minus the impacted ARMOUR of the
other vehicle.
13
SHOOTING When executing an order with a shooting symbol in its name (•, •• or
•••), the unit may shoot at one of the currently engaged enemy units
within its line of sight and shooting range. Shooting is done by
performing attack rolls - to hit and to wound - for each shooting model
in the unit. Each successful roll to wound causes a wound in the enemy
unit.
SHOT TYPES Which weapons may fire and how their accuracy is modified depends
on the type of shot denoted in the order name:
• - SNAP SHOT – the BALLISTIC SKILL of models firing non-light
weapons is modified by +4, blast weapons always scatter by BS-D6.
Only one shot may be performed, regardless of weapon
characteristics.
•• - NORMAL SHOT – the BALLISTIC skill of models firing heavy
weapons is modified by +4, heavy blast weapons always scatter by BS-
D6. All other weapons are fired with full Ballistic Skill.
••• - AIMED SHOT – all models in the unit fire their weapons with their
full BALLISTIC SKILL.
HOW TO SHOOT Shooting is divided into salvos. In each salvo, all models firing with the
same weapon, the same firing mode, the same to hit threshold and the
same special rules pertaining to their attack perform their rolls at the
same time.
Declaring your targets
Before you declare an enemy unit as a target for your shooting attacks,
you must make sure that at least one model from your unit has an
enemy model from the target unit both in sight and in range of its
weapon. Once that’s confirmed, declare the target enemy unit to your
opponent. Unless rules specifically instruct you to do otherwise, you
may only shoot at enemy units.
Split fire Before you begin shooting, you may declare that your unit will split fire
between two engaged enemy units. In that case, you must specify
which unit will be the target of the first salvo and which other unit will
be the target of the remaining salvos.
Salvo Sequence
A salvo is performed in the following steps:
1. Choose a group of models that are firing with the same weapon,
the same firing mode, the same TO HIT threshold and the same
special rules pertaining to their attack.
2. Check which enemy models are in range and sight of the firing
group. Any model that doesn’t have a target enemy model both
in range and in sight – may not fire (it doesn’t constitute a “firing
model” in the following steps). Any enemy model that is not
within both range and sight of at least one firing model – may not
have wounds allocated to it in this salvo (it does not constitute a
“target model” in the following steps).
3. Determine the cover status of the target models. To do this,
check the line of sight of a single model firing in this salvo, chosen
by the owner of the targeted unit. If at least half of the target
models are in cover from this model’s point of view, all target
models are granted an EVASION modifier, its value depending on
the models obscuring the unit. EXCEPTION: if the targeted unit is
a single model, you need to determine the cover status of the
target for each firing model separately, and apply an appropriate
EVASION modifier to each shot.
4. Roll to hit for each firing model – multiply the amount of firing
models in the group with the amount of shots their weapons
allow – the result is the amount of to hit rolls you must make.
Each successful roll TO HIT causes a hit in the target unit.
5. For each hit roll TO WOUND. Remember that TO WOUND roll
thresholds of 5+ and less have the INSTANT DEATH special rule.
Each successful roll TO WOUND causes a wound in the target
unit.
6. Allocate the wounds. Allocate one wound to the target model
that is the closest to the firing unit and continue doing so until it
becomes a casualty. Then move on to the next closest model.
Continue this procedure until all wounds have been allocated. If
you run out of eligible models to assign wounds to, start assigning
wounds to eligible casualties one by one, starting with the
closest.
7. Select another group that meets the requirement outlined in
step one and start another salvo. Continue performing salvos
until all models in the unit have had a chance to fire. You may
forfeit any salvo you wish.
Rolling against multiple EVASION or TOUGHNESS values
If there are multiple evasion or toughness values among the target
models, pick the one which is in the majority for each modifier. If
multiple values are tied for majority, pick the highest one among them.
Indeterminable Closest Model Whenever there are multiple models equally distant to the firing unit
and you need to allocate a wound to one of them, their owning player
decides which model gets the wound.
Whenever it’s impossible to determine the closest model (e.g. when
the direction of the attack cannot be determined), allocate the wounds
randomly among all non-casualty models of the unit (casualties may
only have wounds allocated to them if all models targeted in the salvo
are already casualties).
Fast dice Whenever you’re planning multiple salvos, you may actually perform
them together, as long as you use dice of different colours to denote
which dice represent which salvo.
SHOOTING AT CHARACTERS Shooting at characters works the same as shooting at infantry, with the
following exception:
Look Out, Sir! Once you’ve finished allocating wounds, any character that has
wounds allocated to it in this salvo, may perform a “Look Out, Sir!” roll.
You may roll D6 for each wound allocated to it - the test is successful
on a roll of 4+. For each successful test, you may take one of the
wounds allocated to the character and allocate it to the closest non-
casualty infantry model from the same unit instead, as long as it is
located within 6” of the character.
14
SHOOTING WITH VEHICLES When shooting with a vehicle, there are several additional rules that
one must follow.
Vehicle shot types
The shot types indicated in the order name have different meanings
for vehicles
• - SNAP SHOT – the BALLISTIC SKILL of the vehicle is modified by +4,
blast weapons always scatter by BS-D6.
•• - NORMAL SHOT - one heavy weapon and all non-heavy weapons
fire at full BALLISTIC SKILL, the BALLISTIC SKILL is modified by +4 for the
purpose of firing other heavy weapons.
••• - AIMED SHOT - all weapons are fired with full BALLISTIC SKILL
Weapon mounts and arc of sight
Unlike infantry models, which always have a full 360° view around
them, vehicle weapons have arcs of sight – which means that some
weapons may only shoot at a limited area around the model. To check
if a target is within the weapon’s arc of sight, rotate the weapon to
point at it and trace the line of sight from the tip of the barrel. If the
weapon is sponson- or turret-mounted but has been glued in place,
assume it may move as if it wasn’t and trace its line of sight accordingly,
as described below.
Horizontal Weapon Rotation
Turret A turret may rotate 360° before a shot, unless a vital element blocks its
rotation. The turret-mounted weapons may only shoot at a model they
can point at. Assume the barrel may pass and shoot through any non-
vital parts of the vehicle.
Sponson Sponson mounted weapons may freely rotate until a vital part blocks
their rotation. They may only shoot at the model they are pointing at.
Hull For hull-mounted weapons, which usually cannot rotate, always
assume a 45° horizontal arc of sight, the centre of the arc runs along
the barrel of the weapon on the model. Weapons that are hull-
mounted on the sides of the vehicle may have their arc of sight
obstructed by vital parts of the vehicle itself.
Pintle Pintle mounted weapons have a full horizontal arc of sight, completely
ignoring the firing vehicle model for the sake of checking line of sight.
Vertical weapon rotation
Every weapon has a vertical arc of sight of 45° (22,5° up and 22,5° down
from a horizontal position), ignoring any vital parts of the vehicle.
Pintle mounted weapon have a full vertical arc of sight.
Measuring vehicle weapon range and line of sight
Unlike with infantry, where you check the model’s point of view, you
must check the point of view (and thus, the overall visibility and cover
status of the target) of each vehicle weapon separately. A vehicle
weapon may shoot if the target is within its arc of sight.
Vehicle weapon range is also measured from the tip of the barrel. Any
model that stands closer to the weapon mounting than the tip of the
barrel is not within line of sight of that weapon.
Fast dice
Vehicles do not fire in salvos (since it’s always just one model shooting
at once) but you might want to carry out all the shots of a vehicle at
once – simply use different coloured dice to denote each weapon.
15
SHOOTING AT VEHICLES Shooting at vehicles differs greatly from shooting at an infantry model.
The biggest differences are the importance of the vehicle facing, and
the vehicle damage effects.
Vehicle facing and cover
Since vehicles often have different armour modifiers for each side -
the front, sides and rear - each model shooting at a vehicle fires at the
side it is facing, using that side’s Armour as a modifier TO PIERCE. If
that side is at least 25% obscured from the firing model’s point of view,
the vehicle counts as being in cover from this model.
Completely obscured vehicle facing It is possible that a model cannot trace line of sight towards the side it
is facing (it is completely obscured) but can see another side. In that
case, it fires at the side it can see, but treats its armour as being 3
points higher than stated in the vehicle’s characteristics.
Vehicle penetration
After a successful hit you roll TO PIERCE the vehicle’s armour, using the
STRENGTH of the weapon as a threshold and the vehicle’s ARMOUR as
a modifier. A successful roll TO PIERCE causes a penetration in a
vehicle. After a vehicle suffers a penetration, check by how many
points you’ve exceeded the final threshold to pierce. This value
determines the vehicle damage effect, as shown in the Vehicle Damage
Table.
Vehicle Damages caused by infantry models are applied immediately,
those caused by other vehicles are applied at the time casualties are
removed.
Vehicle Damage Table
0 – Immobilized
1 – Weapon malfunction
2 – Immobilized and Weapon malfunction
3 – Weapon Destroyed
4 or more – Engine Destroyed
When shooting with a krak missile (S 2+) against a Rhino’s
front side (FAV 7+) you score a roll of 11. This means you’ve
exceeded the penetration threshold by 2 points and the
Rhino suffers the Immobilized and Weapon malfunction
effects.
Damage Effects
Immobilised – the model receives the CAN’T MOVE status until the end
of the next turn.
Weapon malfunction – a randomly chosen weapon receives the CAN’T
SHOOT status until the end of the next turn. This weapon must be
chosen from among weapons that do not have this status yet. If no
such weapons are available, the vehicle suffers the WEAPON
DESTROYED effect instead.
Weapon destroyed – a randomly chosen weapon of the model is
destroyed – it receives a permanent CAN’T SHOOT status. This weapon
must be chosen from among weapons that do not already have a
permanent CAN’T SHOOT status. If the vehicle has no such weapons, it
suffers an Engine Destroyed effect instead. If this was its last such
weapon, and the vehicle has the Engine Destroyed status or the
IMMOBILE special rule, the vehicle is Wrecked (see below).
Engine Destroyed – the model receives a permanent CAN’T MOVE
status. If the model already has a permanent CAN’T MOVE status, it
Explodes! (see below). If the model has the Immobile special rule,
nothing happens. If the model has no weapons without a permanent
CAN’T SHOOT status, it is Wrecked (see below).
Wrecked – the model may no longer execute any orders in this battle,
cannot be embarked upon and counts as completely destroyed. To
signify this, you may turn the model over or place an appropriate
marker on it. If there is a unit embarked on the vehicle when it is
wrecked, it must immediately Disembark – it is now OCCUPIED,
POSTPONED and EVADING.
Explodes! – all models within D6 inches of the hull receive an S 5+ hit.
All models embarked on the vehicle receive an S 4+ hit. Remove the
vehicle and place a crater of a similar size in its place (if you have one).
Next, place all surviving models that were embarked on that vehicle in
place of it, they are now OCCUPIED and EVADING. The vehicle is
completely destroyed.
Salvo
A salvo targeting a vehicle looks like this:
1. Choose a group of models that are firing with the same weapon,
firing mode, to hit thresholds, special rules pertaining to the
attack and firing at the same side of the vehicle.
2. Any model that doesn’t have the target vehicle both in range and
in sight – may not fire.
3. Determine the EVASION of the target side by checking the
characteristics and cover of the vehicle. Check the line of sight of
every model firing in this salvo and determine the cover-based
EVASION modifier separately for each firing model.
4. Roll to hit for each firing model.
5. For each hit (a successful roll to hit), roll to pierce.
6. For each penetration (a successful roll to pierce), determine the
Vehicle Damage Effect. Apply it immediately (when caused by
infantry) or later on at an appropriate step of the phase (when
caused by a vehicle).
7. Select another group that meets the requirement outlined in
step one. Continue performing salvos until all models (that had
at least one model within range and line of sight) have fired.
16
CHARGING Normal movement doesn’t allow to come into contact with enemy
models. In order to attack an enemy in melee, you must first charge
him. A charge is a special type of a move, which follows a set of rules
quite different to that of normal moving. The unit and its models that
are executing the current charge order are called the charging unit and
the charging models. The enemy unit that is the target of the current
charge and the models within it are called the charged unit and
charged models. There are a few types of charges available, whenever
the rules mention a CHARGE, they mean any of them. Apart from the
exceptions listed in this chapter, all rules pertaining to movement also
pertain to charging.
Charging path
Every model that is charging must move across the shortest possible
path towards the charged unit – even if the charge is unsuccessful (i.e.
no models are able to reach the enemy) or if it forces the model to pass
through difficult or dangerous terrain.
Determining charge range
The charge range of the unit is the distance every model is allowed to
move during the order. It is influenced by the type of charge that the
unit is attempting, its models’ characteristics and any terrain it must
pass through. In some cases, this range is random. If some of the
models have different rules regarding their charge range, determine
their charge ranges first, then pick the lowest one available and use it
for the whole charging unit.
Charge sequence
Here is the sequence of actions you must perform when charging with
a unit that has not yet been SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED:
1. Designate the engaged enemy unit (or units) that you wish to
charge. The target unit(s) must be within line of sight of the
charging unit.
2. Determine the charge range.
3. Pick the charging model that is within the shortest movement
distance to a charged enemy unit. Move it into contact with the
charged model that is within the shortest movement distance. If
it’s impossible, proceed to step 4.
4. Repeat step three for every model that hasn’t charged yet. After
completing this step, the model must be in coherence with at
least one model that has already charged.
5. All charging models that can’t reach the charged enemy unit
must move into as close a movement distance to a charged unit
as possible – even if the charge is unsuccessful!
6. All units that have successfully charged or been charged receive
the SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED status.
Charging with Successfully Charged units
A unit that has been SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED may only CHARGE at one
of the units that charged it. It may execute no other orders in this turn.
CHARGING with a unit that has been successfully charged is performed
in the same way as normally, with the following exception: models that
are already in contact with enemy models may not move (they may still
shoot though).
CHARGING AT VEHICLES Vehicles do not receive the SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED status. A vehicle
that has been charged is free to move away in the same turn (unless it
is already OCCUPIED or CAN’T MOVE).
If, for whatever reason, the vehicle stays in contact with the models
that charged it until the beginning of the next turn, the models get to
fight it in the Combat Phase.
CHARGING WITH VEHICLES Vehicles may not charge.
17
FIGHTINGDuring the Combat Phase all units that are in contact with enemy
models (i.e. LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT) perform the involuntary
action of FIGHTING – attacking the enemy models in melee. Note that
a unit that has come to contact with an enemy unit DURING the
current phase is not LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT yet – it is either
charging or being charged and, as such, may shoot or be shot at.
CLOSE COMBAT ATTACK The most important part of fighting are the close combat attacks.
These may occasionally be carried out in other circumstances as well.
A roll to hit performed by a model in contact with an enemy is a single
attack. The close combat rolls to hit and to wound differ somewhat
from shooting:
To hit Use the attacker’s WEAPON SKILL as the threshold and the target’s
PARRY characteristic as modifier.
To wound If a model is attacking with a melee weapon, use its STRENGTH value
as the threshold to wound. Otherwise, use the model’s STRENGTH. Use
the target model’s TOUGHNESS as the modifier.
Number of attacks
The amount of rolls to hit that each model makes depends on the
following factors:
The Attacks value provided in its characteristics.
Attacking with two weapons at once allows for one
additional roll to hit.
Some special rules allow models to make additional attacks.
In all cases however, all attacks are still carried out with just one
weapon.
FIGHTING SEQUENCE During a fight, attacks are carried out in order of the models’ COMBAT
SKILL threshold. This means all models with the same COMBAT SKILL
(on both sides of the fight) attack at the same time, and casualties
caused by their attacks are removed before the models with a higher
Combat Skill threshold get a chance to attack. A sequence of attacks
carried out by models with the same Combat Skill is called a Strike. The
events in a fight happen in the following order:
Declare weapons
At this point, both players declare which weapons from their current
equipment will their models use (if they do have any options to choose
from).
Strike 1
Both players must perform the sequence described below, taking turns
to perform each step (First the active player performs step 1, then the
reactive player does it. Then the active player performs step 2, then
the reactive player does it etc.)
1. Among the models attacking with Combat Skill 1+, choose
a group of models that have not attacked in this turn yet and are
attacking with the same weapon, the same thresholds to hit and
to wound and the same special rules pertaining to their close
combat attacks.
2. Check which enemy models are in contact with models from this
group. Determine their PARRY and TOUGHNESS modifiers. If
there are multiple parry or toughness values among the target
models, pick the values which are in the majority for each
modifier. If multiple values are tied for majority, pick the highest
one among them for each modifier.
3. Roll to hit for each attacking model.
4. For every successful hit, roll to wound.
5. For every successful roll to wound, the enemy unit suffers a
wound. Each player allocates the wounds caused by his enemy
among those of his models that were in contact with the
attacking models. Once you pick a model to assign wounds to,
keep doing so until it becomes a casualty, then move to the next
model. If there are still wounds left to assign after they all
become casualties, distribute the wounds as evenly as possible
among the casualties.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 until all models with the currently processed
Combat Skill (that are in contact with the enemy) have attacked.
7. After both players have performed steps 1-7, remove any
casualties and apply any vehicle damage effects caused in this
fight so far and proceed to the next Strike.
Fast dice For models with the same Combat Skill, you may simultaneously
resolve the attacks of multiple groups – simply use a different colour of
dice to denote each group, but remember that a group may only cause
wounds to models it is in contact with.
Strike 2 and higher
Each following Strike is performed exactly the same way as Strike 1 –
simply process the models with the appropriate Combat Skill.
ADDITIONAL FIGHTING RULES
Fighting with two weapons
When attacking in close combat, each model may choose one or two
melee weapons from their current equipment. Choosing two weapons
grants the model one additional attack – all its attacks are still carried
out with only one of the weapons declared (chosen by the owner).
Melee weapons with a range value
A model armed with a melee weapon that has a range value counts as
being in contact with the enemy models located within that range for
the purpose of its attacks – but not the attacks of its enemies (they
must be in actual contact with this model).
DETERMINING CLOSE COMBAT
RESULTS After all the attacks in a fight are carried out, it is time to determine
the results of the combat. Consider all units that belong to one of the
players and took part in this combat as one side of the combat, all the
other units form the other side.
If any side has been completely eliminated, the other side has won the
combat.
18
If both sides inflicted the same amount of wounds, it’s a draw and the
fight continues – there is no winning or losing side. Both sides must
now perform a Pile In (described below).
If no side was completely eliminated, but one of the sides inflicted
more wounds than the other, it has won the combat. All surviving units
on the losing side must now take a Morale Test, with the threshold
increased by the amount of wounds by which their side lost. If the test
is failed, the unit that failed it receives the FLEEING status and is no
longer LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT.
All units that took part in the combat and are no longer in contact with
a non-FLEEING enemy unit, receive the EVADING status. If they are not
FLEEING, they also receive the POSTPONED status. Each such unit that
was on the winning side may now perform a Sweeping Advance.
Sweeping Advance Every unit that performs a sweeping advance nominates one of the
enemy units FLEEING from this combat. Both units Roll-off a D12 and
subtract their COMBAT SKILL value from their results. If the winning
unit has a higher result, it gets to perform a NORMAL SHOT or a full
number of close combat attacks (as indicated by the models’ Attacks
characteristic) against the designated enemy unit. Casualties are
removed immediately. The sweeping unit is now OCCUPIED and loses
its POSTPONED status.
Pile In If a unit is performing a Pile In, those models which are not in contact
with an enemy model must now charge 3” + their Mov characteristic
towards the nearest enemy model (from a unit locked in the current
close combat) that has enough room around it to come into contact
with it.
FIGHTING WITH CHARACTERS
Challenges
Whenever two units containing characters fight each other, and there
is no duel already in progress in this close combat, one of the players
may issue a challenge to a duel. This is done before weapons are
declared. An accepted challenge means the two characters will be
fighting each other.
If the active player wishes to issue a challenge, he must nominate his
character that will issue the challenge, and the enemy character
towards whom the challenge is issued. If the reactive player accepts,
he may nominate any of his characters (locked in the same close
combat) to fight in the duel, not necessarily the one chosen by the
challenger.
If the reactive player refuses, his model that was chosen by the active
player may not issue any melee attacks in this turn and doesn’t Pile In.
His Willpower Characteristic is replaced with 12+ until the end of the
turn.
If the active player did not issue a challenge, the reactive player may
do so now – following the above rules.
Right after a challenge is accepted, place the challenging model into
contact with the challenged model. If that is not possible, first move
the challenged model to the nearest place, where there is enough
room around him to place the challenger in contact with him. The two
are now locked in a duel.
Duel
The duel is resolved before Strike 1, after declaring weapons. The
characters locked in it fight each other while ignoring (and being
ignored by) all the other models in the fight until one of them dies.
Fighting a duel
Resolve the attacks of the characters locked in the duel before Strike 1.
The character with the lower Combat Skill threshold strikes first – apply
the wounds he caused (and remove the enemy from play if he becomes
a casualty) before his enemy gets a chance to attack. If their Combat
Skills are tied, they strike simultaneously and wound allocation and
casualty removal happens immediately after their attacks.
Excess wounds in a duel Characters locked in a duel may only attack each other, unless one of
them inflicts more wounds than was necessary to kill the opponent. In
that case, the model joins the remaining units in the main close
combat, but his Attacks characteristic equals the amount of excess
wounds he caused in the duel (no modifiers to this amount are
allowed, even by special rules!).
Idle bystanders A model that is not locked in a duel may only attack a character locked
in a duel if there are no other enemy models locked in the same fight.
Intervention
If your character is already fighting in a duel in the current close
combat, you may perform an Intervention before weapons are
declared. To do it, take a Combat Skill test with another friendly
character fighting in this close combat. If the test is successful, switch
places between the two characters. The character that was previously
locked in the duel now fights normally, while the other one is locked in
the duel.
If there is not enough space to place the intervening character in
contact with the opponent, move the opponent to the nearest possible
place where there will be enough space. If there is not enough space
to place the relieved character in place of the intervening one, place it
at the closest place where it’s possible.
FIGHTING VEHICLES If your models are in contact with an enemy vehicle during the Combat
Phase, they may deal all their attacks as in a normal FIGHT. Much like
when shooting, you roll TO PIERCE instead of TO WOUND. Penetration
rolls for those attacks are resolved against the vehicle’s BACK
ARMOUR. Much like in infantry shooting attacks against vehicles, apply
the Vehicle Damage Effects immediately.
For the purpose of determining close combat results, a vehicle
penetration counts as two wounds. A unit that deals at least one attack
against a vehicle in the Combat phase receives the POSTPONED status.
A unit that chooses to forgo its attacks behaves normally during this
turn.
Units that are in contact with an enemy vehicle do not count as LOCKED
IN CLOSE COMBAT and they do not receive the EVADING status after
fighting it. They are free to move, they may shoot and be shot at.
FIGHTING WITH VEHICLES Vehicles can’t do anything in the Combat Phase. A vehicle that was
fought is free to act normally during its action phase.
19
TRANSPORTERS A model with the Transporter (x/y) special rule allows other models to
embark on or disembark from it, carrying them across the battlefield.
The x stands for the model’s transport capacity, while the y stands for
the maximum size of the models that may embark on it.
EMBARKING AND
DISEMBARKING Units embark on or disembark from a transporter during the
Transporter Phase, start the game already embarked or are forced to
disembark during the unit phases as an involuntary action. Whenever
a unit embarks on a transporter, all its models are taken off the table –
it is now considered to be inside the transporter. While inside, the unit
may not be ENGAGED by the enemy.
The entire unit must embark or disembark (or begin the game
embarked) together.
Embarking
A unit may EMBARK on a transporter during the Transporter Phase, as
long as each model in the unit is in contact with at least one other
model from the unit and at least one model is in contact with an access
point of the transporter.
Disembarking
A unit embarked on a transporter may DISEMBARK from it during the
Transporter Phase. To do it, pick at least one access point on the
transporter and place all the models in the unit as close to the chosen
access points as possible. Each model must be placed in contact with
at least one other model from the unit. A unit that disembarks cannot
perform the HOLD GROUND order in the same turn.
Involuntary Disembarkation If a unit is forced to Disembark outside of the Transporter Phase, it is
OCCUPIED and receives the POSTPONED and EVADING statuses.
Speed limit
A transporter that is embarked on or disembarked from may not
ZOOM.
Starting the Game Embarked
While deploying a Transporter that isn’t a Dedicated Transporter, you
may declare that one of the units that hasn’t been deployed yet starts
the game embarked on it – as long as it doesn’t exceed the capacity or
access point size of the model.
Independent Characters and Transports
An Independent Character embarked on a Transporter with another
unit counts as part of that unit. Independent Characters may be left
behind in a transporter while their unit is disembarking or vice versa.
An Independent Character that is a part of a disembarking unit may be
placed out of coherency with that unit.
TRANSPORTER MODELS
Transport Capacity
Each transporter model has a transport capacity, which is measured in
spaces, as designated in the special rule name. Each infantry model
occupies a certain amount of spaces, as indicated by the size listed in
its Army List Entry.
A Transporter can carry a single Infantry unit and/or any number of
Independent Characters, provided the capacity isn’t exceeded.
Access Points
Access Points are the elements of the transporter model, usually in the
form of a hatch, through which other models embark or disembark.
They have a size value (provided in the Transporter’s special rule name)
that indicates the maximum size of models that may embark on this
vehicle. The location of Access points is provided in the model’s Army
List Entry.
A Transporter 6 / 1 can carry up to 6 size 1 models.
A Transporter 10 / 2 can carry up to 10 size 1 models or 5
size 2 models.
Effects of Vehicle Damage on Passengers
A unit embarked on a transporter that becomes wrecked must
immediately disembark – it is now OCCUPIED, POSTPONED and
EVADING.
All models embarked on a transporter that explodes receive a S 4+ AP
4+ hit. Casualties are immediately removed from play. After the
exploded transporter is removed, the unit that was embarked on it
must be placed in its former location. The unit is now OCCUPIED and
EVADING (but not POSTPONED).
Sorcery and Transporters
A sorcerer embarked on a transporter may cast any spell he knows on
himself or his unit. A unit embarked on a transporter may not be
targeted by spells from outside of the Transporter.
Dedicated Transporters
A transporter purchased for a unit as a Dedicated Transporter does not
use up a Force Organization slot (these are explained in the Army List).
The unit MUST start the game embarked on that transporter.
Independent Characters are the only other models that may begin the
game embarked on it.
20
SORCERERS Models with the Sorcerer (X) special rule may cast spells. The number
in the rule name indicates the sorcerer’s Mastery Level – the amount
of Power Points a sorcerer is able to use in a single turn.
Casting Spells
A sorcerer can only cast the spells he knows – these are indicated in its
model profile, very often as options to purchase before the game.
Spells are cast during the Sorcery Phase at the beginning of the turn.
The specific rules on how to use them are located in the spell
description, but the sequence is always as follows:
1. Declare the caster and the spell he’s casting
2. Declare the target (unless the spell doesn’t require one).
3. Expend the caster’s Power Points.
4. Take a Psychic Test.
5. If there are sorcerers in the target unit(s), they may take
a Deny Test. If they forfeit it, fail it or have no sorcerers, the
spell is successfully cast.
If you are unable to carry out any point of the sequence, you fail to cast
the spell.
Spell descriptions
Each spell is described by a specific name, followed by the spell type,
its cost in Power Points and then the precise rules of the spell itself. For
example:
Fire Shield Transmutation 1
Until the end of the turn, any successful hit made against the
Sorcerer in close combat results in a S 6+ hit against the
model that hit him
Power Points
Before the spell is cast, the sorcerer must expend the amount of Power
Points indicated in the spell description. The sorcerer’s reserve of
Power Points replenishes at the beginning of every turn. A model that
has no Power Points left may not cast spells.
Psychic Test
After expending Power Points, the sorcerer must take a Psychic test. If
the test fails, the model failed to cast the spell. The Psychic test is
a special Willpower test, which follows the following additional rule:
Psychic backlash If the unmodified Psychic Test results in 1, the sorcerer lost
concentration and suffered some negative effects. Roll the die again
(even if the test is considered successful) to determine them.
1 - The sorcerer and his unit receive 6 S6+ randomly allocated hits,
casualties are resolved immediately.
2 – The sorcerer receives a wound (casualties are resolved
immediately).
3 – The sorcerer forgets the spell he was trying to cast - he can no
longer cast it.
4-12 – Nothing happens.
Deny
If a unit affected by an enemy spell contains a sorcerer, he may expend
Power Points equal in amount to the cost of the spell to negate the
effects of that spell on his unit only. He must take a Psychic Test for
every Power Point expanded this way. If all Tests succeed, the spell has
no effect on this sorcerer’s unit.
Resist
A unit affected by a suggestion spell may attempt to Resist it instead of
Denying it. A Resisting unit needn’t contain a Sorcerer. To Resist
a suggestion spell, take a Willpower test. If the test fails, nothing
happens. If it passes, compare the roll result with the result of the
Psychic Test taken by the sorcerer that was casting the spell, increased
by the sorcerer’s mastery level. If the result of your Willpower test is
higher, you succeed in Resisting the spell – the targeted unit suffers no
effects from it.
Spell Types
Each spell has a type which influences the way it is cast.
Devastation
Devastation spells grant the sorcerer a weapon for a single turn. The
spell description consists entirely of the weapon’s characteristics.
Transmutation Transmutation spells create an effect on their target, most often
granting a modification to characteristics or a special rule. This effect
of the spell lasts until the end of the turn (unless specified otherwise).
Suggestion Suggestions work almost exactly like transmutations, but the target
may Resist the spell. This effect of the spell lasts until the end of the
turn (unless specified otherwise).
Conjuration
Conjuration spells deal with teleportation and summoning new models
to the battlefield. These may be units waiting in reserve or completely
new units that are not part of the player’s original army. The results of
Conjuration spells are permanent (unless specified otherwise).
21
TERRAIN Terrain models are static neutral models placed on the game board
before the battle begins. Other models may move through, from or
into them. Terrain is essential to the game, so before you begin playing,
make sure both players agree on the type of terrain each model
represents.
TERRAIN SPECIAL RULES Terrain models have their own set of special rules, listed below:
Difficult terrain
Whenever at least one model in a unit is tracing its movement path
through, from or into difficult terrain, modifications apply to the
movement of the whole unit. For each order that offers a 6" base move
or charge distance, the distance equals 3+d3" instead. For each order
that offers a 9+d3" base move or charge distance, the distance equals
2D6" instead. All models charging through difficult terrain receive the
CLUMSY status until the end of the next turn – unless the unit they
charged was already LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT.
If the unit tracing its movement path through Difficult Terrain is a
vehicle, its move distance remains unchanged, but CRUISING or
ZOOMING means the owner must perform a Difficult Terrain test. To
do it, roll a D6 – on a result of 1 the test is failed and the vehicle
receives the CAN’T MOVE status until the end of the next turn.
Dangerous terrain
For every model moving through, from or into Dangerous terrain, take
a Dangerous Terrain Test. To do it, roll a D12. A result of 1 means the
model suffers a wound. If the model was a vehicle, it receives a
permanent CAN’T MOVE status.
Impassable terrain
No model may trace its path through, from or into impassable terrain.
Units may not be deployed within or on top of it either.
Accessible passages
Infantry models may pass through doors, windows and ruined
segments of this terrain, even if they are closed or too small to
physically fit through them. Solid walls that are part of this model count
as impassable terrain.
Cover area
Models standing within this terrain receive its cover bonus even if
they’re not obscured in any way.
Cover +x
Being in cover from this terrain grants an Evasion modifier, the height
of which is specified in the rule name.
EXAMPLE TERRAIN MODELS The following is a list of example terrain pieces to use in your battles.
You are encouraged to come up with your own, making use of Terrain
Special Rules listed above.
Ruins
Cover +2
Special Rules: Difficult Terrain, Cover area, Accessible passages
Crater
Cover +1
Special rules: Difficult Terrain, Cover area
Minefield
Special rules: Dangerous terrain
Defence Line
Cover +3
Special rules: Difficult terrain
Hill
Cover +2
Special rules: Difficult terrain
Rock outcropping
Cover +2
Special rules: Impassable terrain
Industrial silo
Cover +2
Special rules: Impassable terrain
22
UNIT ORDERSTasks like moving, shooting and charging combine in many
configurations to form an order – a set of instructions that a unit may
perform during a single turn.
Whenever a READY or UNDER FIRE unit is forced to execute an order,
its readiness changes to OCCUPIED.
INFANTRY ORDERS
Moving during infantry orders
The distance included in the order name is the maximum movement
distance that every model can traverse during this order. The Mov
characteristic or some special rules may influence this amount, but if
there is no distance provided in the order name, the unit may not move
at all.
Shooting during infantry orders
The dot symbols included in the order name indicate the type of shot
that the unit may perform when executing this order:
• - SNAP SHOT – the BALLISTIC SKILL of models firing non-light
weapons is modified by +4, blast weapons always scatter by BS-D6.
Only one shot may be performed, regardless of weapon
characteristics.
•• - NORMAL SHOT – the BALLISTIC skill of models firing heavy
weapons is modified by +4, heavy blast weapons always scatter by BS-
D6. All other weapons are fired with full Ballistic Skill.
••• - AIMED SHOT – all models in the unit fire their weapons with their
full BALLISTIC SKILL.
Infantry orders
Here is a list of orders that an infantry unit may voluntarily execute:
Advance 6" •• - move all models in the unit, then shoot at an
ENGAGED unit.
Hold Ground 3” ••• - You may move any models, then shoot at an
ENGAGED unit. Only the models that remained stationary may shoot.
Run 9+d3" - move all models in the unit up to 9+d3”.
Tactical Charge • 6" - Shoot at an ENGAGED unit, then charge it
Furious Charge 6” - Charge an ENGAGED enemy unit (or units). Once
the charge is complete, each model in the charging unit that is in
contact with an enemy model immediately performs one close combat
attack.
Desperate Charge 6+D6” - Charge an ENGAGED enemy unit (or units).
Climb • – If at least one model from the unit is in contact with a ramp,
ladder, staircase, hatch etc., the whole unit may move to another
terrain level connected to this element. At least one model must
remain in contact with the climbed element. The unit may then shoot
at an ENGAGED unit.
Postpone 6" – move the unit and assign the POSTPONED status to it.
Evade 6” – if this unit is not within LINE OF SIGHT of any enemy units,
you may move the unit and assign the POSTPONED and EVADING
statuses to it.
VEHICLE ORDERS
Moving during vehicle orders
Unlike with infantry, the order a vehicle is executing limits not only the
distance it may travel but also its ability to pivot.
Shooting during vehicle orders
• - SNAP SHOT – the BALLISTIC SKILL of the vehicle is modified by +4,
blast weapons always scatter by BS-D6.
•• - NORMAL SHOT - one heavy weapon and all non-heavy weapons
fire at full BALLISTIC SKILL, the BALLISTIC SKILL is modified by +4 for the
purpose of firing other heavy weapons.
••• - AIMED SHOT - all weapons are fired with full BALLISTIC SKILL
Vehicle orders
Hold Ground ••• - the vehicle may not move or pivot, it may shoot at
an ENGAGED unit.
Pivot freely •• - the vehicle may pivot at any angle, then shoot at an
ENGAGED unit.
Evade 6” - if this vehicle is not within LINE OF SIGHT of any enemy units,
you may move the vehicle and assign the POSTPONED and EVADING
statuses to it. The vehicle may pivot once, by a maximum angle of 90°,
at a chosen moment during this move.
Crawl 6" •• - the vehicle may pivot once, by a maximum angle of 90°,
at a chosen moment during this move. After the move it may shoot at
an ENGAGED unit.
Cruise 12" • - the vehicle may pivot once, by a maximum angle of 90°,
at a chosen moment during this move. After the move it may shoot at
an ENGAGED unit.
Zoom 18” - the vehicle may pivot once, by a maximum angle of 90°,
only at the beginning or the end of this move
23
UNIT STATE The state of a unit determines what it may currently do and what
bonuses and penalties it receives. The readiness of a unit changes
because of executing orders and being attacked, while the status of
a unit may cause and be caused by a multitude of events.
UNIT READINESS The readiness of a unit is modified by the orders it has executed in this
turn – and orders that have been executed against it. It influences what
the unit can do in many ways. There are three states of readiness in
the game:
READY - Units that have been neither engaged nor attacked yet. These
units may still perform voluntary orders and be designated as a target
for attacks.
UNDER FIRE – Reactive units that have been attacked but have not
executed their order yet. Such a unit may not act until a special
moment at the end of the turn. It can only be directly attacked during
the phase in which it comes UNDER FIRE.
OCCUPIED - Units that have both already acted and been attacked.
Their orders have already been resolved and they may normally be
harmed only because of scattering explosions or otherwise random
effects.
UNIT AND MODEL STATUS A status is a lasting special effect that pertains to a unit, model or, in
some cases, a weapon on the model.
Whenever a status is assigned, it is either permanent (remains active
until the end of the game unless something specifically removes it) or
temporary (remains active for a specified amount of time).
Example statuses
The following is a list of common statuses that may occur because of
the standard game rules. Special rules and other events may introduce
other statuses.
CASUALTY – a model that has lost all its HIT POINTS. It may shoot but
it cannot move and it needn’t remain in coherency with the rest of its
unit. At the end of a phase, casualties are removed from play. Should
a model regain a hit point before it is removed from play, it loses this
status.
CAN’T MOVE – the model may not move, charge or pivot. If this is
a vehicle, its PARRY characteristic is decreased by 10.
CAN’T SHOOT – this unit, model or weapon may not shoot as long as
this status is active.
CLUMSY – The Combat Skill of the model is modified by +2.
ENGAGED – a unit that is currently executing its order or being
attacked.
EVADING – this unit can only be fired at with SNAP SHOTS. The unit
loses this status at the end of a turn.
FLEEING – a unit that is FLEEING may not voluntarily execute orders,
but falls back during the Panic Phase. If a FLEEING model touches
a table edge, its entire unit is immediately removed from play. If a
FLEEING unit is successfully charged, it is immediately removed from
play. A unit firing at a FLEEING unit receives a -3 modifier to its
BALLISTIC SKILL for the purpose of this shot. A FLEEING unit always
counts as ENGAGED (and may thus always be fired at).
LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT - Units that are locked in close combat may
not execute any orders and cannot be shot at.
POSTPONED – the only action this unit may undertake is a SNAP SHOT
at an enemy unit, only at a point in the turn that specifically allows
POSTPONED units to shoot. If it does so, it loses this status
immediately. If it doesn’t, it loses this status at the end of a turn.
SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED – units that have or were successfully
charged during the current turn. They can be freely shot at, but they
themselves can only CHARGE at a unit that charged them. This status
changes into LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT at the end of the turn.
24
THE GAME TURN The game is divided into TURNS, during which every unit gets a chance
to act. During one turn, one player is the ACTIVE PLAYER, the other
player is the REACTIVE PLAYER. A TURN is divided into PHASES, the
most important of which are the ACTIVE UNITS PHASES. During a single
ACTIVE UNITS PHASE, one or two REACTIVE UNITS are attacked by any
number of ACTIVE UNITS. A game turn looks like this:
START OF THE TURN Set the readiness of all units to READY. Resolve all events that are said
to happen at the start of the turn – as outlined in the active special
rules and statuses.
TRANSPORTER PHASE All eligible units may embark on or disembark from transporters, as
described in the Transporters chapter. A unit that disembarks cannot
perform the HOLD GROUND order in the same turn.
SORCERY PHASE At this point, all sorcerers may cast their spells. The active player casts
one spell using any of his sorcerers, then the players alternate doing
this until their sorcerers run out of Power Points or they declare that
they forfeit casting any further spells. If a player runs out of PP or
forfeits, the other player may still cast spells with his sorcerers, as long
as they have enough PP. Casting spells is described in the Sorcerers
chapter.
COMBAT PHASE If there are any units LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT, perform their FIGHT
actions, as described in the Fighting chapter.
PANIC PHASE Each FLEEING unit must execute a RUN order towards the nearest point
of its table edge by the shortest route possible (or the nearest table
edge, if it doesn’t have its own table edge). If the unit cannot trace its
path towards the appropriate table edge because of intervening
enemy models or impassable terrain, it is removed from play. After
moving a unit, perform a Morale test – if it is successful, remove the
FLEEING status.
ACTIVE UNITS PHASE 1. The ACTIVE PLAYER ENGAGES one or two READY reactive units.
Only ENGAGED units can be directly attacked during this phase.
2. The active player ENGAGES any number of his READY units.
3. The REACTIVE PLAYER declares which (if any) of his ENGAGED
READY units change readiness to UNDER FIRE. A unit UNDER FIRE
can’t execute any voluntary orders in this phase.
4. The ACTIVE PLAYER resolves the orders of his ENGAGED units.
5. The REACTIVE player resolves the orders of his ENGAGED units.
6. Any active POSTPONED units may now SNAP SHOOT at an
ENGAGED enemy unit, then the reactive POSTPONED units may
do the same.
7. Remove all casualties. Apply vehicle damage effects caused by
other vehicles. Any unit that lost more than 25% of its numbers
during this phase must take a Morale test – if it fails, it receives
the FLEEING status.
8. All ENGAGED units that are READY become OCCUPIED. All
ENGAGED units (except FLEEING ones) lose the ENGAGED status.
9. End of the phase. If there are any READY ACTIVE units, you may
play another ACTIVE UNITS PHASE - return to step 1 of this list.
Otherwise, proceed to the REACTIVE UNITS PHASE.
REACTIVE UNITS PHASE 1. All active units become ENGAGED. The REACTIVE PLAYER may
now ENGAGE and execute orders of all his READY and UNDER
FIRE units, one by one. They cannot move and shoot in the same
order (they may shoot and charge though).
2. Any active POSTPONED units may now SNAP SHOOT at an enemy
unit (regardless of its readiness), then the reactive POSTPONED
units may do the same.
3. Remove all casualties. Apply vehicle damage effects caused by
other vehicles. Any unit that lost more than 25% of its numbers
during this phase must take a Morale test – if it fails, it receives
the FLEEING status. All ENGAGED units (except FLEEING ones)
lose the ENGAGED status.
END OF THE TURN All units with the SUCCESSFULLY CHARGED status become LOCKED IN
CLOSE COMBAT instead. Remove all POSTPONED and EVADING
statuses. Resolve all special events that are said to happen at the end
of the turn. Switch active/reactive roles between players and begin the
next turn (or end the game, if this was the last turn).
When resolving the events of a turn, remember that should multiple
events have to be resolved simultaneously, the active player decides on
the order in which they are resolved.
25
PLAYING THE GAME Now that you know all the rules for carrying out any order and action
that your models may perform, all that remains are the rules for setting
the game up. A standard game is divided into the following stages:
Create your army
Determine all details of the mission
Set up the terrain
Deploy your troops
Play the game turns
Determine the winner
CREATING YOUR ARMY The first thing to do before you begin playing is to choose the models
that you will deploy during the game. To do this, you need an official
40k Changes Army List. Both players must first agree on a point limit –
the more points to spend, the larger the armies and the longer the
game.
Once you know the point limit, consult an Army List of your choosing.
It will contain all the rules necessary for building your army – including
the units you may field, their point costs, model characteristics, default
and optional equipment, special rules, constraints on fielding various
units together and so on. Use the Army List to create a roster – the list
of models you are going to field, along with all their optional
equipment and point costs.
Once your roster is ready, grab the chosen models from your collection.
Make sure the models have the right equipment – as long as your
opponent is familiar with your Army List, he should be able to identify
a model and its equipment at a glance.
If your opponent is not familiar with your Army List, make sure he gets
a copy of your roster and take the time to explain which models
represent which units from it.
THE MISSION The mission is a set of rules that determine the situation on the game
board – limitations on creating the armies, special rules active
throughout the game that pertain to all or some of the models, the
way in which the armies are deployed, the way in which terrain is
placed on the game board, the victory conditions and the length of the
game. The mission may be agreed on by the players or chosen
randomly.
Mission Special Rules
Many missions include special rules to make the game more
interesting. The following is a list of default Mission Special Rules that
missions may draw from – if a mission introduces original special rules,
they will be fully explained in the mission description.
Seize Initiative Once all units that aren’t held in reserve are deployed, the reactive
player may roll a D12 – on a roll of 12, the players switch roles.
Night Fighting Before units are deployed, roll a D6. On a roll of 4+, this rule is in effect
- all units in the game have their BS increased by +2 during the first
turn.
Varied Tactical Opportunities Missions with this special rule present different circumstances for both
players. If you’re planning to play a mission with this special rule,
determine all details of the mission first and then create your army.
Choosing the Active Player
During the next steps of setting up the game, it may be important to
know which player will be the active player during the first turn of the
game. The mission may offer the following choices:
Random Selection Flip a coin to determine the Active Player in the first turn.
Fixed Active Player Some missions require that a specific player starts the game as Active.
The one who got there later Some missions allow for a convenient solution: one player arrives
early, chooses the scenario and sets up the terrain, while the other
player arrives later and becomes the Active Player by default – this
means he gets to choose his deployment zone.
The Scenario
The scenario dictates the location of deployment zones on the
battlefield. These are areas of the board where each player sets up
their models at the beginning of the game. All other areas of the board
are called the neutral zone. A traditional game table size is 72” by 48”,
this is appropriate for a roughly 1500-point game. You are free to use
a smaller or larger table, just remember that the neutral zone between
the deployment zones must be at least 24” wide. The parts of the
edges of the table that are located in a player’s deployment zone are
called his table edges.
Choose the scenario randomly by rolling a D3 or pick the one you’d like
to play.
1 - Long edges The deployments zones are located along the long edges of the board,
with a strip of battlefield between them that is at least 24” wide.
2 - Short edges The deployments zones are located along the short edges of the board,
with a strip of battlefield between them that is at least 24” wide.
3 - Opposite corners
The deployments zones are located on the opposite corners of the
board, with a strip of battlefield between them that is at least 24”
wide.
Objectives
Mission objectives are the goals that may be performed during the
game to earn Victory Points (VP) – calculate these at the end of the
game to determine the winner! Here is a list of universal objectives
that missions may draw from – if a mission introduces original
objectives, they will be fully explained in the mission description.
Sudden Death
If, at any point in the game, one of the players concedes, the other
player is the winner. If, at the end of a turn, one of the players has no
models on the battlefield, the other player is the winner.
26
Annihilation
At the end of the game, sum up the point cost of each enemy unit that
is completely destroyed, in reserve or FLEEING. You get one VP for each
full 100 points.
Area Control Right after placing the terrain, the players alternate placing D3+2
Objective Markers on the battlefield, starting with the active player.
They must be placed in the neutral zone between the deployment
zones. They must be located at least 6” away from the table edges, 12”
away from each other and cannot be placed within impassable terrain.
At the end of the game you receive 3VP for every Objective Marker you
control. You control an Objective Marker if you have a unit (that isn’t
LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT or FLEEING) within 3” of it and there are no
enemy units (that aren’t FLEEING) within 3” of it.
Game Length
There are multiple options for deciding when the game ends. Some
missions require a specific game length; others leave the choice up to
you. When the game ends, resolve all events that are said to happen
at the end of the game and proceed to count victory points to
determine the winner.
Standard Random Length At the end of turn 5 roll a d6 – on a roll of 3+, the game continues. At
the end of turn 6 roll a d6 again, this time the game continues on a roll
of 4+. The game ends automatically at the end of turn 7.
Time-based Length If you have a limited amount of time to spare, you may agree to end
the game after a set amount of time has passed.
Set Length Some missions last an exact amount of turns.
SETTING UP THE TERRAIN Once the scenario is chosen, place the terrain on the game board. This
may be done in one of two ways: either the player who arrives earlier
places all the terrain in a way of his choosing or both players work
together to decide on the optimal way of placing the terrain.
It is important to remember that terrain plays a huge role in the game.
Make sure there are enough terrain pieces that will completely
obscure the units, enough cover and some difficult terrain to provide
tactical options. Generally speaking, the more large terrain pieces and
cover, the easier the game will be for melee-oriented armies, and the
harder for shooting-oriented armies. More terrain also means that
players will need to make more difficult tactical decisions. Try to strike
a good balance – it is unfortunately impossible to enforce it with a set
of rules.
DEPLOYMENT Once all terrain is placed on the game board, the active player gets to
choose his deployment zone. The other deployment zone is assigned
to the reactive player. The active player must now place all his units in
his deployment zone – skipping the ones that are starting the game
embarked on transporters or held in reserve. Then the reactive player
deploys his units in his deployment zone.
A unit may be deployed on levels other than the ground level, as long
as it could get there over the course of the game by executing an order.
If there is not enough room to place a unit in your deployment zone,
you must place that unit in reserve instead.
Deploying Vehicle Squadrons While all models in a vehicle squadron must be deployed together (as
is the case with all units), as soon as the first turn of the game begins,
each model in the squadron becomes a separate unit.
Reserves During deployment, you may declare that you will keep some of your
units in reserve instead of deploying them. Units that are held in
reserve are not deployed on the battlefield at the start of the game –
they arrive during one of the later turns. At the start of turn 2 and 3
perform your Reserve Rolls: roll a D6 for each unit that is in reserve. On
a result of 3+, deploy each model in that unit in contact with a table
edge located in your deployment zone. During turn 4, all units in
reserve arrive automatically, in the same way. The Reactive Player may
skip any of his Reserve Rolls.
If a player doesn’t have a table edge, he may not place a unit in reserve,
unless that unit have the Deep Strike special rule. A unit without that
rule that is involuntarily placed in reserve during the game is
completely destroyed.
If an Independent Character is held in Reserve, you must specify if he
is alone or joins another unit in reserve (if so, you must specify the unit
he’s joining). If you choose the latter, do not perform a Reserve Roll for
the Character – he arrives as part of the unit he’s joined – when that
unit arrives. Similarly, if a Transporter is held in Reserve, you must
specify if any of the other units held in reserve are embarked on it. If
yes, do not perform a Reserve Roll for the units embarked on the
Transporter – they arrive embarked on it when it arrives.
BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS Resolve all special events that are said to happen before the game
begins, then start the first turn!
PLAYING THE GAME TURNS At this point, play a number of game turns as described in the previous
chapter.
END OF THE GAME Once the game ends, each player must simply count his Victory Points
according to the objectives outlined in the Mission Description. The
player with the most points is the winner!
27
MISSIONS The following chapter contains a list of missions to get you going.
Remember – you are encouraged to seek out more or come up with
your own!
MOTHER OF ALL MISSIONS This is an alpha version of the rulebook, so here’s the most basic
mission you can play to test the rules.
Mission Special Rules
Seize Initiative, Night Fighting
Active Player
Random Selection or The One Who Got There Later
Scenario
Long Edges, Short Edges or Opposite Corners
Objectives
Sudden Death, Annihilation, Area Control
Game Length
Standard Random Length
28
SPECIAL RULES The following chapter lists the meaning of Special Rules that pertain to
chosen models from a wide number of Army Lists. Whenever a special
rule contradicts a standard rule (as discussed in the previous chapters),
apply the special rule and ignore the contradicting part of the standard
rule.
A model that has a special rule or is attacking with a weapon that has
a special rule is said to be attacking with that special rule (alternatively,
its blows, shots or wounds caused by it have this special rule).
If a special rule is listed here with (x), (x+), (x”) etc. in its name, the
actual Army List entry will have a number in place of that x. The
meaning of this number is explained in the rule description.
When a rule pertains to a unit, it means that every model in the unit
must have this special rule. If at least one model in the unit doesn’t
have it, the rule is not active.
Always Scatters
When something “always scatters”, a “Hit!” result is treated as
a “Scattered!” result when rolling to scatter. Use the small arrow on
the “Hit!” symbol to determine the direction of the scatter.
Ambush
A unit with this special rule may charge a unit that is not within its line
of sight. If the charge is successful, both units immediately become
LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT.
Armourbane
A model attacking with this special rule rolls D12+D6 on its roll TO
PIERCE.
Armoured Turret
A turret-mounted weapon of a vehicle with this special rule may only
rotate up to 90° before the shot. If the vehicle suffers a destruction or
malfunction of the turret-mounted weapon, roll a D6. On a result of
5+, the damage effect is ignored.
Assault Vehicle
An active unit may disembark from an ENGAGED Assault Vehicle after
it has moved, as long as it didn’t CRUISE or ZOOM. You may
immediately ENGAGE the unit if you wish. If a unit elects to shoot out
of the Fire Points of an Assault Vehicle, it may not disembark during
the same turn.
Barrage
A barrage weapon may be fired at a unit that is not visible to the firing
model. If that’s the case, the attack always scatters by D12-3. For the
purpose of wound allocation, treat the direction of the attack as
coming from the centre of the blast marker.
Blast (x)
When shooting with a Blast weapon, hold a blast template with the
centre over an enemy model located within the range of the weapon
(measured from the firing model horizontally). There can be no friendly
models under the template. Scatter the template by BS-D12. If, after
any potential scattering, there are models under the template, their
units receive x hits each (where x is the number provided in the rule
name). Wounds from these hits may be allocated to models outside of
the firing model’s sight and range.
When firing multiple shots with a Blast weapon, scatter each shot
separately.
Clumsy
A model attacking with this special rule has the CLUMSY status - its
COMBAT SKILL is modified by +2.
Concussive
A model that receives a wound from a Concussive attack has the
CLUMSY status until the end of the next turn.
Deep Strike
If all models in a unit (including any Independent Characters that join
it before deployment) have this special rule, the unit may enter the
game from reserves anywhere on the table. You must inform your
opponent which of the units held in reserve will be Deep Striking when
deploying your troops.
Deploying Deep Striking units When deploying a Deep Striking unit, place one of its models
anywhere on the table and scatter it by 2D6 inches. If a vehicle scatters,
do not change its facing. Next, keep placing remaining models from the
unit in base contact with the first one in a circle, until there is not
enough space around it. Keep placing models in concentric circles
around the models already placed on the table in base contact with
them. Models arriving via deep strike treat difficult terrain as
dangerous terrain. If they Deep Strike into a multi-level terrain model,
they are placed on the ground floor.
Shooting after a Deep Strike Models arriving from Deep Strike cannot make Aimed Shots on the
turn they arrive – if an order allows them to make one, it may make
a Normal Shot instead.
Deep Striking Transporters A Transporter may Deep Strike even if its passengers do not have the
Deep Strike special rule.
Deep Strike Mishaps If one of the Deep Striking models must be placed in Impassable
Terrain, partially or fully off the table, on top of a friendly model or
within 1” of an enemy model, the whole unit suffers a Deep Strike
mishap. Roll a D6 to determine what happens:
1: The entire unit (along with any passengers) is destroyed.
2-3: Your opponent may deploy the unit anywhere on the table,
without scattering, as long as the whole unit may be placed there
without a mishap.
4-6: The unit is placed back in Reserves.
Eternal
This model is immune to the INSTANT DEATH special rule.
Fearless
A unit with at least one Fearless model automatically passes all Morale
tests. It may never receive the FLEEING status.
Feel No Pain (x+)
After all wounds caused in a salvo or another event have been
allocated, a model with this special rule gets to perform a Feel No Pain
29
roll for each wound that was assigned to it, as long as the wound didn’t
have the INSTANT DEATH special rule. The roll threshold is indicated in
the rule name. If the roll is successful, the wound is negated.
Fire (x)
An infantry model with this special rule may fire x different weapons
during a single shooting attack.
Flush out
Models possessing a weapon with this special rule do not receive the
CLUMSY status for charging through difficult terrain.
Force
A Sorcerer with a Force Weapon may expend a Power Point during the
Sorcery Phase to give this weapon the INSTANT DEATH special rule until
the end of the current turn.
Gets Hot
When a model firing with this weapon rolls a 1 on its roll TO HIT, this
weapon has the CAN’T SHOOT status until the end of the next turn. If
an attack made with this weapon doesn’t require a roll TO HIT (or if it
would be automatically successful), roll a D12 before attacking, a result
of 1 means this weapon has the CAN’T SHOOT status until the end of
the next turn.
Heavy
The accuracy of Heavy weapons is affected by the order being executed
by the model shooting them, as explained in the Unit Orders chapter.
Ignores Evasion
Models attacked with this weapon cannot use their current EVASION
as the modifier to hit.
Immobile
An Immobile model may not move or pivot under any circumstances.
Independent
A character with this special rule may join and leave other friendly
units, as long as they do not contain vehicles.
Joining An independent character may become a part of another unit in two
ways: he may start the game as part of another unit or join another
unit during the battle. This happens at the end of an order during
which the character and another eligible friendly unit end up in
coherence with each other – this may also happen during a charge.
Whenever an independent character that isn’t part of another unit
comes into coherence with multiple friendly units at once, you must
declare the one that he is a part of. An Independent Character
embarked on a Transporter with another unit counts as a part of that
unit.
When an independent character joins another unit, that unit may no
longer voluntarily execute orders in this turn.
Leaving An independent character leaves (or is left behind by) a unit that he is
a part of whenever it ends up out of coherency with it. This may be
done voluntarily. He cannot leave the unit while in Reserves, locked in
close combat or fleeing.
Unit statuses An independent character does not confer its model/unit status upon
a unit he joins and vice versa.
Worthy of Sacrifice
Independent Characters pass Look Out, Sir! Rolls on 2+.
Instant Death
A model that suffers a wound from an attack with this special rule is
immediately removed from play.
Invulnerable
When this model is attacked with a weapon that has the IGNORES
EVASION special rule, that rule is ignored – the model’s EVASION
modifier applies.
Jink
As soon as a jink model is engaged, it may declare that it will have the
JINK status until the end of the turn – this status grants an EVASION of
+2 but the model may only fire SNAP SHOTS.
Jump (x”)
A model with this special rule may declare at the beginning of its order
that it will be using its Jump ability.
If it does, it moves in a straight line, ignores any obstacles along the
way (including friendly, enemy and terrain models) and may end its
move on a different level. The amount of inches provided in the rule
name is the additional range by which the model may move or charge
if making the Jump.
Jumping units may end their movement on top of impassable terrain.
Ending a jump move in difficult or impassable terrain forces the model
to take a Dangerous Terrain Test.
A fleeing Jump unit MUST use its Jump ability.
Large Blast (x)
This special rule works exactly like Blast (x), but requires a Large Blast
template instead. Rules that pertain to Blast weapons also pertain to
Large Blast weapons.
Large Target (x)
A weapon with this special rule cannot be used against targets with
a Size lower than the value provided in the rule name.
Light
The accuracy of Light Weapons is never affected by the order being
executed by the model shooting them, as explained in the Unit Orders
chapter.
Manoeuvrable
This vehicle may pivot twice in a single move – at any time during the
move.
Melee
Melee weapons may be used in close combat attacks.
Multishot
When fired in a SNAP SHOT, this weapon shoots the number of times
indicated in its profile (instead of just once).
One attack
A model attacking with this special rule may only make one attack,
regardless of the model’s characteristics and other special rules.
30
Open-topped
Whenever this vehicle receives a penetration, add 1 to the result of the
Vehicle Damage Table. Visible crew models are vital parts of an open-
topped vehicle.
Ordnance
An infantry model may not move at all during the phase in which it fires
an ordnance weapon. A vehicle that fires an ordnance weapon has its
BALLISTIC SKILL modified by +4 for the purpose of shooting all other
weapons.
Pistol
A model with two Pistol weapons may fire them both during its
shooting attack.
Poisoned (x+)
A model attacking with this special rule always rolls TO WOUND with
the final roll threshold indicated in the rule name.
Relentless
Relentless models perform snap shots and normal shots as if they were
aimed shots.
Rending
When a model attacking with this special rule rolls 11 or 12 on its roll
TO HIT, the attack rolls D12+D6 on its roll TO WOUND.
Scout
A unit with at least one model with this special rule may “scout move”:
execute one free ADVANCE order at the start of the first turn, but it
can’t shoot while doing so and can’t end up within 12” of an enemy
unit.
If both players have Scouts, the active player must either perform or
forfeit the scout move of one of his Scout units first, then the reactive
player must do the same. The players then alternate performing or
forfeiting their scout moves until all scouts have either moved or
forfeited their scout move.
Shred
During attacks made with this special rule, any failed roll TO WOUND
or TO PIERCE may be re-rolled.
Skimmer
A model with this special rule ignores the effects of Difficult Terrain and
Dangerous Terrain special rules. It doesn’t receive a hit for Jumping
Down, even if the fall is longer than three times its height.
Sniper
When a shot with this special rule rolls 12 on its roll TO HIT, the
attacking player may assign wounds caused by this attack to any model
in the target unit, as long as it’s within line of sight and range of the
firing model.
When a roll to hit made with this special rule results in 10 or more, the
roll TO WOUND is successful on 2+, regardless of the weapon’s
characteristics.
Sorcerer (x)
A model with this special rule follows additional rules presented in the
Sorcerers chapter. The number provided in the rule name is the
amount of the model’s Power Points.
Specialized
A model attacking with a weapon with this special rule doesn’t get the
bonus attack from attacking with two melee weapons, unless it’s
attacking with two identical weapons.
Spray (x)
When attacking with a spray weapon, do not roll to hit. Instead, place
a spray template over the battlefield, with the smaller tip placed over
the tip of the weapon. If you can position the template in such a way,
that no friendly models are under it, but there is a model from the
targeted enemy unit under it, that enemy unit receives an amount of
hits from this weapon, indicated in the rule name.
Storm-through
A model with this special rule treats Difficult Terrain as Dangerous
Terrain instead.
Trample
A model with this special rule that successfully performs a charge of
any kind, immediately deals a single attack to each enemy model it
ends up in contact with. The attack results (wounds, vehicle damage)
are applied immediately. The attack counts as S U+2.
Transporter (x/y)
A model with this special rule follows additional rules presented in the
Transporters chapter. The numbers provided in its name are the
transport capacity and the maximum size of the models that may
embark on it.
Twin-linked
During a shot made with this special rule, you may re-roll failed rolls
TO HIT. Twin-linked Blast, Large Blast and Spray weapons may re-reroll
their failed rolls TO WOUND or TO PIERCE.
Walker
A walker is a vehicle that has the same set of orders as infantry, but it
performs SNAP SHOTS, NORMAL SHOTS and AIMED SHOTS in the way
a normal vehicle would. A walker may thus pivot anytime during its
order, as many times as it wants, it may charge and fight in close
combat, and has the Combat Skill, Strength and Attacks characteristics,
unlike other vehicles.
A walker’s weapons all count as hull-mounted. It gains an additional
attack for EACH of its melee weapons beyond the first one.
Close combat attacks against a Walker are carried out against its
FRONT ARMOUR, unless it CAN’T MOVE, in which case they are carried
out against its REAR ARMOUR. Shooting attacks against a walker are
resolved in the same way as those against other vehicles.
