Warhammer 40,000: Heroes of Black Reach Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Game Overview
• Chapter 2: Ready? Action!
  • Order Phase
  • Activation Phase
  • Supply Phase
• Chapter 3: The Battlefield
• Chapter 4: Units and Unit Abilities
  • Units
  • Light Vehicles
  • Heavy Vehicles
  • Special Abilities
  • Movement Special Abilities
  • Firing Special Abilities
  • Assault Special Abilities
  • Defence Special Abilities
  • Command Special Abilities
  • Psychic Special Abilities
  • Other Special Abilities
• Chapter 5: Action Cards
• Chapter 6: Effect Markers
  • Suppressed Markers
  • Activated Markers
  • Life Points
• Chapter 7: Recruitment
  • Recruitment Tiles
  • Support Tiles
  • Aviation Tiles
  • Characters
  • Command Tiles
  • Recruitment Options
• Chapter 8: Psychic Powers
  • Manifesting a Psychic Power
  • Librarians
  • Weirdboyz
  • The Psychic Powers
• Chapter 9: Reference Sheet
  • Order Phase
  • Activation Phase
  • Supply Phase
  • Movement Actions
  • Firing Actions
  • Penalties Inflicted by Suppressed Markers
  • Perils of the Warp for Weirdboy
  • Perils of the Warp for Librarians
  • Keywords

Chapter 1: Game Overview

In Heroes of Black Reach, you take command of a detachment of humanity's finest warriors — the Ultramarines of the Adeptus Astartes — or a mob of battle-hungry Orks in bitter no-holds-barred firefights. The scenario you choose will determine what forces you have at your command, as well as your objectives — what you have to do to claim victory!

The action is fought on a battlefield made of one or more Terrain Boards, which depicts the Terrain Elements that your warriors must contend with during the fight.

Your forces are represented on the battlefield by Unit counters. Each counter shows all of the information you need to use that Unit in the game: its Combat Value, Defence Value, Movement Value, and any Special Abilities the Unit can use.

To help you build and organize your forces, Heroes of Black Reach uses a system of Recruitment Tiles and Recruitment Options. During the game, these help you keep track of your forces and their abilities — and record when they have reached their Breaking Point!

During each Game Turn, you will secretly use your Order Tokens to determine which of your Units you will command to take actions, and the order in which they will act.

Each of these Units may take a Movement Action — to maneuver into a better position or claim an objective — or attack your enemies by taking a Firing Action.

You and your opponent will alternate, taking turns to activate one Unit at a time. Once all of your Order Tokens have been activated, the rest of your forces will have a chance to maneuver. Then you will prepare for the next Game Turn.

In addition to Units and vehicles, you will also command Characters, leaders with their own skills and talents, or Psykers with Psychic Powers. Action Cards can give you an edge, or turn the tide of battle with a well-timed stratagem.

In the end, the commander who can best lead his troops to complete their mission objectives will be the victor.

Chapter 2: Ready? Action!

Heroes of Black Reach is played over a series of Game Turns. Each Game Turn is divided into three phases:

1. Order Phase — where you assign Order Tokens to your Units
2. Activation Phase — where Units with Order Tokens move and attack
3. Supply Phase — where other Units can move and you prepare for the next Game Turn

At the end of the Supply Phase, check to see if either side has won the scenario, or if you have reached the scenario's time limit. If not, start the next Game Turn.

Initiative: Each Game Turn, one player will have the Initiative for that turn. This is indicated by the Initiative Marker near the number of the current turn on the Turn Counter track. The player with Initiative acts first during each Phase of the Game Turn. At the end of the Game Turn, the Initiative switches to the other side.

Order Phase

Steps of the Order Phase

During the Order Phase, both players assign Order Tokens to their Units. Only Units that have Order Tokens will be able to move and attack during the Activation Phase (the others will have a chance to act during the Supply Phase, so don't worry). The Order Phase is split into four steps:

1. Resolve Effects
2. Take Order Tokens
3. Assign Order Tokens
4. Resolve Effects

Step 1 — Resolve effects that occur at the Start of the Order Phase

Some effects in the game are resolved at the beginning of the Order Phase. The first thing you must do each Game Turn is resolve these effects, in this order:

1. Special Abilities (see p.14)
2. Action Cards (see p.22)
3. Recruitment Options (see p.24)
4. Scenario Specific Effects

Step 2 — Take Order Tokens

Each Game Turn, you get a number of Numbered Order Tokens equal to the number of Order stars you have on your Units, Recruitment Tiles, and Recruitment Options. Count up the number of Order stars you have and take that many Order Tokens. Make sure you take the Order Tokens with the lowest numbers.

Note that when an Order star is pictured next to a Unit on a Recruitment Tile, it is a reminder of that Unit's Special Ability. It does not count as an additional Order Star.

Sudden Death: If you don't have any Numbered or Special Order Tokens to assign to your Units at this point, you immediately lose the game!

Losing Orders...: If you lose a Unit that has an Order star, you also lose their Order Token for the rest of the game, starting at the beginning of the next Order Phase (you do not lose them during an ongoing turn).

Example: An Ork Mob with 4 Order stars gets 4 Numbered Order Tokens, numbered 1 through 4. Four of the Ork Units will be able to act during the Activation Phase. A Boss Mob provides 2 Order tokens to his Mob (one for his Order Special Ability and one because of the Boss option). If the Boss Nob is destroyed, the Ork player will only get 2 Order Tokens each Game Turn instead of 4.

Step 3 — Assign Order Tokens

First, the player who has the Initiative places all of his Order Tokens on Units in his army, then his opponent does the same. During the Activation Phase, only Units that have a Numbered or Special Order Token can take actions. Units that don't have an Order Token or have a Bluff Order Token can take a Movement Action during the Supply Phase (if it doesn't have an Activated Marker — see p. 23).

Decide which Units you want to assign Order Tokens to, and place the tokens on them so that you can read the numbers and your opponent cannot. Be careful about which number you assign to each Unit — they will take their actions in number order!

WARNING: A Unit can never have more than one Order token at a time!

Bluff Order Tokens: The Ultramarines can get a Bluff Order Token by taking the Bluff Recruitment Option. A Bluff Order Token looks just like a Numbered Order Token on the back, but it shows a "?" on the front. If you have a Bluff Order Token, you place it just like a Numbered Order Token, at the same time. But, the Bluff Order Token does not activate a Unit. Its purpose is to trick your opponent into believing you might.

Special Order Tokens: The Ultramarines can get a Special Order Token if they take the Battle Plan Recruitment Option (available in the Ultramarines Reinforcement expansion).

A Special Order Token is placed on a Unit just like a Numbered Order Token, at the same time, but it is not activated in numerical order. Instead, it can be activated before or after any other Order Token (including before a #1 Order Token, making it an "Order 0"). However, it cannot be used to interrupt another activation. If both players want to activate a Special Order Token at the same time, the player who has Initiative gets to reveal and activate his Special Order Token first, followed by his opponent.

Order Token Limit: You can never have more than 10 Order Tokens total, counting Numbered Order Tokens, Special Order Tokens and Bluff Order Tokens.

Step 4 — Resolve effects that occur at the End of the Order Phase

Some effects are resolved at the end of the Order Phase. Once all Order Markers have been placed, you must resolve these effects, in this order:

1. Special Abilities
2. Action Cards
3. Recruitment Options
4. Persistent Psychic Powers (see p.27)
5. Scenario Specific Effects

Activation Phase

During the Activation Phase, the players take turns activating their Units and taking actions. Normally, only Units marked with a Numbered or Special Order Token can take actions during this phase, but some Action Cards and Special Abilities may allow a Unit to act out of turn.

The player who has the Initiative plays first. The player with Initiative starts the phase by revealing his #1 Order Token. The Unit with that token may then take an action.

WARNING: Remember to take into account any Special Order Tokens you may have assigned to Units.

When the Activated Unit's action is complete, the other player reveals his #1 Order Token and takes actions with that Unit. The players continue taking turns, revealing their next Numbered Order Token and taking actions, until all Units with Numbered or Special Order Tokens have been Activated. Leave the Order Tokens next to the Units they were on so you can remember which Units were Activated in this phase (to tell them apart from those that may still act during the Supply Phase).

If you have no more Numbered or Special Order Tokens to reveal, your opponent continues to activate his Units (in order). If you had to discard an Order Token before it was resolved (because the Unit was Destroyed or it received an Activated Marker), you still have to reveal the token when that Unit's activation would have occurred. However, nothing happens and your opponent gets to activate his next Numbered Order Token.

Unit Actions

The Unit can take one of the 2 following actions when Activated:

• a Movement Action, or
• a Firing Action

You may also have your Unit do nothing, but it won't be able to act later in the Game Turn.

Movement Actions

When a Unit takes a Movement Action, it can move a number of squares up to its Movement Value. This Movement Action can be a 0 square move, which is called a 0 move.

Units can move diagonally.

Two Units cannot occupy the same square at the end of a Movement Action.

Terrain and Movement: Some Terrain Elements have an effect on movement. They are described in "Chapter 3: The Battlefield."

Penalties related to Suppressed markers (see p.23): Each marker inflicts a -2 penalty to the Unit's Movement Value. If this value drops to zero or less, the Unit is Immobilised.

Moving Infantry Units

An infantry unit cannot move through enemy infantry units, or though friendly or enemy vehicles. Infantry Units may move through "allied" Infantry Units as long as they do not share the same square at the end of the Movement Action.

WARNING: An Infantry Unit can change its facing at the beginning or the end of its Movement Action, even if it's an X or 0 move (see Change of State p.15).

X Movement Value: If a Unit has a Movement Value of X, it cannot move. It also cannot use any bonuses to Movement Actions. Even an Action Card cannot allow it to move. If it must make a Forced Move, it is Destroyed instead. A Unit with an X Movement Value may still change its facing, but this is considered a Movement Action (called an "X move").

Moving Vehicles

How the Vehicle moves varies depending on how many squares the Unit occupies:

Moving 1-square Vehicles: A Vehicle that occupies one square (such as a Dreadnought) moves like an Infantry Unit (though Terrain Elements may have a different effect on Vehicles, see p. 11). It may also change its facing during its move, just like Infantry.

A Vehicle that occupies a single square may end its Movement Action (including a 0 move) facing diagonally, at a 45° angle, with the center of the counter still on the center of the square. This is particularly useful for Units with a limited Firing Arc (see p. 16).

Moving 2-square Vehicles: When moving a two-square Vehicle forward, count the number of spaces moved from the front of the Unit counter. If you wish to move backwards, count the number of squares from the rear of the Unit counter. Both forward and backward movement can be combined in a single Movement Action.

The Vehicle may also pivot in place without moving forward or backward, keeping either its front or rear in the same square. Each 45° turn costs one square of movement.

The Vehicle may carry out or finish its movement diagonally, even if the two squares on either side of it are Impassable (see p.11).

If the Vehicle ends its movement in a diagonal position, it still only occupies two squares. In this case, Unit counters may overlap.

Moving 4-squares Vehicles: In order for a four-square Vehicle to move, all of the squares it covers during and at the end of its Movement Action must be legal. In addition, the movement of every part of the Unit counter, taken individually, must be legal.

Diagonal moves are forbidden, but the vehicle can move forward and backward as a 2-square Vehicle.

During its Movement Action, a four-square Vehicle may also pivot without moving at a cost of 1 square of Movement Value for each 90° turned.

Forced Moves

Some situations or Action Cards can force a Unit to move. This is called a Forced Move. Unlike normal movement, Forced Moves do not trigger special actions that are related to movement, such as Overwatch (see p.16). If a Unit with the Active Side up (see "Changes of State," p. 14) is forced to move, it is flipped to the Inactive Side first. If a Unit is forced to move off the board or into an Impassable Terrain Element, the Unit is Destroyed (see p. 11).

Running Over Infantry

When a Vehicle moves, it may pass through a square that contains an allied or enemy Infantry Unit. If the Vehicle ends its Movement Action in a square that is occupied by an Infantry Unit, the Infantry Unit must make a Forced Move into an adjacent unoccupied square of its owner's choice. It also gains a Suppressed Marker. If there is no adjacent unoccupied square for the Infantry to move to — they are all occupied, Impassable, require moving through an enemy Zone of Control (see next column), or it's the edge of the battlefield, for example — or if it has no Movement Value (0 or X), the Infantry Unit is immediately Destroyed.

Crushing Wrecks

If a Heavy Vehicle enters a square that has a Wreck counter, it immediately deals 1 Destruction Point to the Wreck (see p. 15). If it moves through multiple squares occupied by a Wreck counter, it immediately deals 2 Destruction Points.

WARNING: Some Wreck counters prohibit any Unit (Infantry or Vehicle) from entering the squares they occupy.

Special Movement Abilities

Some Special Abilities can modify a Movement Action, these two in particular:

• The Assault Special Ability lets you try to move into a square occupied by an enemy Unit to initiate hand-to-hand combat.
• The Fire on the Move Special Ability lets you take a Firing Action at the beginning of, during, or at the end of your Movement Action.

You can find detailed descriptions in "Chapter 4: Units and Unit Abilities."

Zone of Control

All Units exercise a Zone of Control (or "ZoC") over the squares around it, as long as the Unit has a Clear or Obscured Line of Sight to those squares (see "Line of Sight," p. 8). If a square is Impassable to that Unit, that square is not part of its ZoC.

An Infantry Unit may move into or out of an enemy Infantry Unit's ZoC, but cannot move through one.

EXCEPTION: A Unit can try to move through an enemy ZoC to enter the square occupied by an opponent, but only if it has the Assault Special Ability (see "Assault," p. 17).

Light and Heavy Vehicles also have a ZoC, however their ZoC has no effect on the movement of enemy Units. Enemy Units can, therefore, move freely through squares adjacent to any Vehicle. Unlike Infantry Units, Vehicles are not affected by the ZoC of enemy Infantry Units.

Penalties related to Suppressed markers (see p.23): Enemy Infantry Units are not affected by a Suppressed Unit's Zone of Control.

Firing Actions

An Activated Unit that does not move may take a Firing Action to attack a Unit. In order to attack, the Unit must meet four conditions:

• Attack type
• Line of Sight
• Range
• Firing Arc

Attack Type

Every Unit has one or more Combat Values. A Unit can only attack if it has a Combat Value that is the same colour as the target's Defence Value. An "X" indicates that the Unit cannot fire at a Unit with a Defence Value of that colour. For example, Infantry Units have a yellow Defence Value, so Units must use a yellow Combat Value to attack them. If a Unit's yellow Combat Value is marked with an "X", that Unit cannot attack Infantry Units at all!

Line of Sight

A Unit needs a Clear or Obscured Line of Sight (or "LoS") in order to attack a target. To check whether the shot is possible, trace an imaginary straight line from the center of the attacking Unit's square to the center of the target's square:

• A clear LoS is one that does not cross any Obstacles (see p.11).
• An obscured LoS is one that passes through one or more Obstacles that do not block LoS but which do provide concealment, such as short walls (see p. 11).

In addition to Firing Actions, LoS is used for other situations, such as some Special Abilities, which are explained later in these rules.

Obstacles

An Obstacle is anything that can block or obscure LoS: Infantry Units block LoS if the firing Unit and the target are both Infantry Units. All Vehicles always block LoS.

Effect of different Unit types on LoS: Units connected by green arrows can shoot at each other, while Units connected by red arrows cannot.

A Terrain Element marked with the "blocks LoS" symbol completely blocks LoS. You cannot shoot at an enemy Unit if there are any Terrain Elements of this type between the two Units.

Every square marked with an obscuring symbol (-1 or -2) obscures LoS that passes through it (even partially). For every square that obscures LoS, subtract the value printed in the symbol from the attacker's final die roll result (instead of directly from the Unit's Combat Value). These penalties are cumulative.

WARNING: Do not count the square that the firing Unit is in or the square occupied by the target when checking for LoS and obscuring terrain!

In all cases, if a Unit is in another Unit's LoS, both Units can see each other.

Vehicle Line of Sight

When a Vehicle occupies two or more squares, you can trace LoS from the center of any square occupied by the Vehicle or any point between them.

Similarly, when a Vehicle is the target, the attacker can aim at the center of any square occupied by the Vehicle, or to any point between them.

Range

Most weapons have no range limit (though see "Limited Range," p. 16). But, any shot longer than 7 squares is considered to be at Long Range and suffers a -2 penalty to the final result of the die roll.

When counting the number of squares to the target, you can use diagonals. You must always count the shortest route. Do not count the square the firing Unit is in.

WARNING: If the LoS drawn to the center of a Vehicle that occupies more than one square is in doubt, the disagreement is settled by tracing the shortest LoS possible.

Firing Arc

A Unit can only fire at a target that is inside the Unit's Firing Arc. Unless otherwise noted (by a Special Ability), all Units have a 360° Firing Arc. Some Units (usually Heavy Weapons) have a Limited Firing Arc (see p.16).

WARNING: Firing Arc and LoS are two different things: Firing Arcs only apply to Firing Actions — a Unit can see in all directions, but can only fire where the weapons are pointed!

Alternate Fire Actions: Some Special Abilities, Recruitment Options and Action Cards can modify a Firing Action, or can be used instead of a Firing Action. This is called "taking an Alternate Firing Action." Unless otherwise indicated, an Alternate Firing Action does not use the Special Abilities or Combat Value printed on the Unit counter. Instead, it only uses the values from the ability that granted the Alternate Firing Action. Special Abilities that trigger a Firing Action can also be used to trigger an Alternate Firing Action.

Vehicle Weapons

Vehicles that have more than one weapon may use all of them each time they take a Firing Action. Your Vehicle may fire its weapons at the same or different targets, as you wish. If a Vehicle fires more than one weapon, the attacks are not resolved simultaneously: you may see the results of each attack before you declare the next.

If your Vehicle is using the Fire on the Move Special Ability to make attacks during a Movement Action (see p. 15), you can only fire weapons that have the Fire on the Move Special Ability. Typically, support weapons like heavy bolters will have this ability, while larger weapons like lascannons do not!

Resolving a Firing Action

To resolve the Firing Action, roll 1 die and add the number rolled to the attacking Unit's Combat Value (with the same colour as the target's Defence Value). Then add any other bonuses that apply before subtracting any penalties.

Penalties related to Suppressed markers (see p.23): Each Suppressed Marker on a Unit inflicts a -2 penalty to all of the Unit's die rolls, including Firing Actions.

If the final result is equal to or higher than the target's Defence Value, the target takes a Hit.

Example: The Ork Unit performs a Firing Action and rolls a "5" on the die. It adds its yellow Combat Value (+1), and a bonus of +1 from the Ammo token it's using, for a total of 7. The Ultramarines Unit has a Defence Value of 5 and it is located in a Terrain Element that gives a Defence Bonus of +2, for a total of 7. Since the Ork's total is equal to the Ultramarine's defence, the attack hits.

The Effect of a Hit

If a target with the "Destroyed" symbol is Hit, that Unit is Destroyed and removed from the game.

If a target with the "flip" symbol is Hit, that Unit counter is flipped over. If the target is an Infantry Unit, it is not Destroyed.

If a Light Vehicle is Hit, it is Destroyed. The Vehicle counter is flipped over and becomes a Wreck Terrain Element.

If a Heavy Vehicle is Hit, you must determine which part of the Vehicle was Damaged by making a Hit Location Roll (see p. 10, "Hitting a Heavy Vehicle").

Double Hits

If the result of the die roll (including any bonuses) is equal to or higher than twice the target's Defence Value (including any bonuses), the target is immediately Destroyed (this includes Heavy Vehicles).

Destroyed Units

When an Infantry Unit is Destroyed, it is removed from the game board. Place the Destroyed Unit on the matching Recruitment Tile.

When a Vehicle (Light or Heavy) is Destroyed, it is not removed from the board (except if it has no Wreck side). Instead, the counter is flipped over and it becomes a Wreck. A Wreck counts as a Terrain Element (see p.11). A Wreck can be removed from the battlefield if enough Damage Points are inflicted upon it (see p. 15).

When a Unit is Destroyed, it may Break the combat group that it is part of. If the total number of Unit counters shown on the Recruitment Tile that have been Destroyed is equal to or higher than the Breaking Point on that tile, the combat group is broken (if no number appears inside the Breaking Point symbol, the Breaking Point is 1 Unit). Flip the Recruitment Tile over to the broken side (see "Chapter 7: Recruitment").

Firing on a Vehicle

There are a number of special rules that apply whenever you use a Firing Action to attack a Vehicle:

Attacking From the Rear (Heavy Vehicle): Shots that target a Heavy Vehicle (but not a Light Vehicle) receive a +2 bonus to the attack roll if the LoS for the attack crosses the Rear edge of the Vehicle counter. The Rear edge is marked with a coloured band, below the image of the Vehicle on the counter.

Hitting a Heavy Vehicle

When you score a Hit on a Heavy Vehicle, it is not automatically Destroyed. Instead, you must roll to see what part of the Vehicle was damaged by the attack.

To determine the location of the Damage on the Heavy Vehicle, the attacker rolls one die and places the Damage Marker that matches the number rolled on the Vehicle.

There are four sets of Damage Markers. The colour of the Damage symbol on the Heavy Vehicle's Recruitment Option tile indicates which set you must use when you Damage that Vehicle.

The effect of the Damage to the Vehicle is indicated by the symbol on the Damage Marker:

• TRACKS: The Vehicle cannot take any Movement Actions for the rest of the game. If it was moving when it suffers this Damage, it stops immediately.
• HULL: Put two Suppressed Markers on the Vehicle in addition to the Damage Marker. If the Vehicle was moving, it stops immediately.
• SECONDARY WEAPON DESTROYED (yellow outline): The Vehicle may not fire its Secondary Weapon(s) for the rest of the game.
• PRIMARY WEAPON DESTROYED (red outline): The Vehicle may not fire its Primary Weapon for the rest of the game. Some Heavy Vehicles have more than one Primary Weapon. The number written in the symbol corresponds to the Primary Weapon bearing the same number.
• EXPLOSION!: The Vehicle is Destroyed. Flip the counter over: it becomes a Wreck.

If a Vehicle ever receives a second Damage Marker of the same kind, the Vehicle is Destroyed.

If a Heavy Vehicle receives a double Hit (see above), the Vehicle is automatically Destroyed.

Supply Phase

During this phase, Units that did not receive an Order Token (not counting Bluff Order Tokens) and do not have an Activated Marker may take a Movement Action. Some Special Abilities or other effects may even allow them to take other actions. Then the players get ready for the next Game Turn.

The absolute rule of the Supply Phase is that no Firing Actions nor any Assaults may happen during this phase! The Supply Phase only allows Units that haven't yet played to take one Movement Action.

Steps of the Supply Phase

1. Resolve effects that occur at the Start of the Supply Phase in the following order:

   • Special Abilities
   • action cards
   • recruitment options
   • scenario specific effects

2. Discard Bluff Order Tokens.

3. The player who has the Initiative plays first and must carry out the following actions in the indicated order:

   • Take a Movement Action (see p. 5) with any or all of his Units that do not have an Order Token or an Activated Marker. Once this player is done, the opposing player does the same.

4. Discard one (and only one) Suppressed Marker from each of his Units.

5. Resolve effects that occur at the End of the Supply Phase in the following order:

   • Special Abilities
   • action cards
   • recruitment options
   • scenario specific effects

6. Discard as many Action Cards as you wish, then draw until you reach your maximum hand size as indicated by the scenario.

7. The player who had Initiative this Game Turn moves his marker down to the first empty box below his opponent's marker. The other player will have Initiative for the next Game Turn.

YOU ARE NOW READY FOR A NEW TURN!

Chapter 3: The Battlefield

The nature of the battlefield is a key element in your strategy, affecting movement as well as combat. The battlefield is created using a combination of Terrain Boards and Terrain Tiles, as shown in the scenario you are playing. Anything in the battlefield that has an impact on the fighting, such as pipes or rocks, is called a Terrain Element.

The larger Terrain Boards show large sections of the battlefield. By combining Terrain Boards in different ways, you can create a wide variety of theaters of operations.

The smaller Terrain Tiles can be used to modify the Terrain Boards, creating even more variety of battlefields for you to fight over. Terrain Tiles often show Terrain Elements, such as Buildings, thickets, or Defensive Positions that can have a tactical impact on the game.

Each Terrain Element includes one or more squares surrounded by a coloured border, and may also be identified by a set of symbols that summarize its effects. The effects of a Terrain Element apply to all of the squares or Interspaces (the intersection of four squares) that make up that Terrain Element. In order to receive any bonuses from a Terrain Element, a Unit must be completely inside that Terrain Element.

Terrain Effects

Here, each symbol's effects will be explained, as well as how they define the various Terrain Elements and the special rules for each type.

Barricade: A Unit that engages another Unit in an Assault by crossing this Terrain Element suffers a penalty to its Assault dice rolls equal to the value shown in the symbol.

Defensive Bonuses (+1 / +2): Any Unit in this Terrain Element receives the bonus if the colour of the Unit's Defence Value type is the same as the colour of the Terrain Element's symbol. Add the bonus printed in the symbol to the Unit's Defence Value.

Difficult Passage: As soon as a Unit moves into or within this Terrain Element, it must immediately stop its move. In order to move through a Difficult Passage area, a Unit can only move a single square at a time, ending its move after each one.

A Unit that occupies more than one square is no longer affected by a Difficult Passage Terrain Element as soon as the front of the counter (or the rear if it is moving backwards) is no longer in the Terrain Element.

Elevation: This Terrain Element is only found between squares. LoS that cross this Terrain Element have their range reduced to one square past the Elevation Terrain Element. Like other Obstacles, a Unit directly adjacent to the Elevation Terrain Element ignores its effects. All other Units are affected normally.

Impassable: No Unit may enter this Terrain Element. Any Unit that somehow finds itself partially or fully entering such a square is automatically Destroyed. If the Unit is a Vehicle, put its wreck as close as possible to the Impassable Terrain Element without being in it.

Impassable to Some Units: These Terrain Elements prevent certain Units from entering. The type of Unit is identified by the colour of the shield or shields that accompany the Impassable symbol. Any restricted Unit that somehow finds itself partially or fully entering a square Impassable to it is automatically Destroyed. If the Unit is a Vehicle, put its wreck as close as possible to the Impassable element without being in it.

Obstacles: A Terrain Element marked with this symbol completely blocks LoS. You cannot shoot at an enemy Unit if there are any Terrain Elements of this type between the two Units.

Every square marked with an obscuring symbol (-1 or -2) obscures LoS that passes through it (even partially). For every square that obscures LoS, subtract the value printed in the symbol from the attacker's final die roll result (instead of directly from the Unit's Combat Value). These penalties are cumulative. Do not count the squares occupied by the firing Unit or the target Unit.

WARNING: Do not count the square that the firing Unit is in or the square occupied by the target when checking for LoS and obscuring terrain!

When an Obstacle between two squares obscures LoS (but does not block it) — such as a wall — any Unit directly adjacent to the Terrain Element ignores its effects, even if using a Flamer Template. All other Units are affected normally.

If a Template (not a Flamethrower template) is placed on a Terrain Element that is between two squares, the penalty is applied to Units and Structures located on both sides of the Terrain Element.

Structures: Some Terrain Elements, such as Buildings or wrecked Vehicles, are called Structures. Unlike other Terrain Elements, Structures can be Destroyed. In order to destroy them, you need to deal as many Destruction Points as are printed on the symbol (see Destruction, p.15). Once this number has been reached, turn the Terrain Element over to its rubble side, or, if it is a Wreck, remove it from the game.

Interspace

If an Interspace is part of a Terrain Element, the effects of that Terrain Element also apply to any diagonal moves through that Interspace.

Chapter 4: Units and Unit Abilities

Units

Units are the core elements of your army. A Unit can represent a group of soldiers, Vehicles, or individual characters under your command.

Infantry Units

These Units include squads, or Units with Heavy Weapons as machine guns, etc. Every Unit has a Defence Value, a Movement Value, and several Combat Values. Some Units also have one or more Special Abilities. All of a Unit's stats and abilities are shown on the Unit Counter.

For most Units, the front side of the counter shows the Unit at full strength, and the back side shows the same Unit, but with lower values. This shows that the Unit has suffered a Hit. Sometimes, the Defence Value of a Unit that has been Hit will be higher — since there are fewer soldiers left, it's harder to successfully attack them. This is not the case for most Ork Units, as the smaller their numbers the more reckless they tend to be!

In some cases, the two sides of a counter represent the same Unit, but in different States. Typically, these are Heavy Weapons that have to be set up before they can be used. The two sides of these counters are referred to as the Active and Inactive Sides.

Battlefield Role

Each Infantry Unit is trained to fill a certain role during a firefight, which is indicated on the counter by the outline: the faction's colour for regular soldiers; red for Heavy Weapons; and yellow for leaders.

Reading an Infantry Unit Counter (example: Sgt. Vorolanus)

• Badge: Shows which sub-formation the Unit is a member of (e.g. an Ultramarines Tactical Squad).
• Role: The border colour indicates the Unit's Battlefield Role (e.g. a yellow border indicates a leader).
• Movement Value: The number of squares the Unit can move.
• Combat Value Against Infantry Units: Added to combat rolls against Infantry (any target whose Defence Value is printed in a yellow shield).
• Combat Value Against Light Vehicles: Added to combat rolls against Light Vehicles (any target whose Defence Value is printed in a purple shield).
• Combat Value Against Heavy Vehicles: Added to combat rolls against Heavy Vehicles (any target whose Defence Value is printed in a grey shield). An "X" means the Unit cannot do any damage to that Vehicle type.
• Defence Value: For Infantry, printed in a yellow shield. If fired upon, the Unit suffers a Hit if the opponent's roll plus modifiers is equal to or higher than this value.
• Unit Name: When printed in red, it indicates the Unit has suffered a Hit and the counter is in its reduced state.
• Hit symbol: Shows that the Unit is flipped over if it suffers a Hit.
• Special Abilities: Represented by symbols (e.g. Order, Assault (+1), Fire on the Move (-1), Limited Range (4)).

Light Vehicles

These Units include transport, recon, and support Vehicles. They are represented in the game by counters that are usually larger than Infantry Units. Light Vehicle counters come in different sizes, and may occupy one or two spaces, depending on size. On the game board, always center the counter on the square or squares that it occupies.

Light Vehicles have light armour, if any. Their Defence Values are printed inside a purple shield.

Light Vehicle counters are double-sided. On one side, the Vehicle is in perfect working order. On the other side, it has been reduced to a wreck.

In some cases, both sides of a counter represent the same Unit in different states. They are referred to as Active and Inactive Sides.

Reading a Light Vehicle Counter (example: Trukk)

• Badge: Shows which mob the Unit is a member of (e.g. an Ork Goff mob).
• Combat Value Against Light Vehicles: Added to combat rolls against Light Vehicles.
• Movement Value: The number of squares the Unit can move.
• Combat Value Against Infantry Units: Added to combat rolls against Infantry.
• Defence Value: Printed in a purple shield, since this Unit is a Light Vehicle. If fired upon, it suffers a Hit if the opponent's roll plus modifiers is 8 or higher (in this example).
• Combat Value Against Heavy Vehicles: An "X" means this Unit cannot do any damage to Heavy Vehicles.
• Special Abilities: Represented by symbols (e.g. Transport (8), Fire on the Move (-2), and Suppressive Fire).
• Hit symbol: Shows that the Unit is flipped over if it suffers a Hit.

Heavy Vehicles

Usually much larger than Infantry, these Units include tanks, combat walkers, and other armoured Vehicles. Heavy Vehicle counters come in different sizes, and may occupy one or more spaces, depending on size. On the game board, always center the counter on the square or squares that it occupies.

Heavy Vehicles have thick armour that makes them immune to most personal arms carried by Infantry, so they rule over the battlefield. But, they can be vulnerable to special weapons when not accompanied by friendly Infantry. Their Defence Values are printed inside a grey shield.

Heavy Vehicle counters are double-sided. On one side, the Vehicle is in perfect working order. On the other side, it has been reduced to a wreck.

All Heavy Vehicles have one or more Primary Weapons, which have Combat Values and Special Abilities outlined in red. Most also have a Secondary Weapon (outlined in yellow). Some Heavy Vehicles only have one weapon, in which case it is both their Primary and Secondary Weapon.

Reading a Heavy Vehicle Counter (example: Predator)

• Badge: Which army the counter is part of (e.g. the Ultramarines army).
• Vehicle Front / Vehicle Rear: The front and rear edges of the counter, used for Rear-arc and firing-arc purposes.
• Movement Value: The number of squares the Vehicle can move.
• Primary Weapon: Its Combat Values against Infantry, Light Vehicles, and Heavy Vehicles, plus its Special Abilities (e.g. Machine Gun, Suppressive Fire, and Fire on the Move (-1)).
• Secondary Weapon: Its Combat Values against Infantry, Light Vehicles, and Heavy Vehicles, plus its Special Abilities (e.g. Piercing and Fire on the Move (-2)).
• Unit Name: The name of the Vehicle.
• Defence Value: Printed in a grey shield, since this is a Heavy Vehicle. It suffers Damage when an opponent's roll plus the appropriate Combat Value is equal to or higher than this value if attacked from the front or from the side, and a lower value if attacked from the Rear (per the Attacking From the Rear bonus, p.10).

Special Abilities

Some Units, because of their specialized equipment or training, have one or more Special Abilities. There are seven categories of Special Abilities:

• Movement
• Firing
• Assault
• Defence
• Command
• Psychic
• Other (Uncategorised)

Movement Special Abilities

Changes of State

In order to activate or deactivate these Special Abilities, you need to turn the Unit over at the beginning or the end of a Movement Action.

You can do this during a 0 move even if the Unit has a Movement Value of X.

A Unit may voluntarily change state only once, at the start or at the end of its Movement Action.

One face is called Inactive; the other face is called Active.

A Unit that has one of these Special Abilities may deploy with either side faceup. A Unit showing one face cannot use the Special Abilities and values of the other face.

Flying (Special Movement)

A Unit that has this special movement can fly over Terrain Elements or other Units if its Movement Value allows it. Move it as if there were no Obstacle or ZoC. It cannot stop on a normally Impassable Terrain Element.

If it has the Assault Special Ability, it can end its Movement Action on an enemy Unit. Resolve an Assault. If the flying Unit loses, it is Destroyed if it did not begin its Assault in an unoccupied square or if it started the Assault in a normally Impassable square.

Ramming

If this Unit ends its Movement Action with its Front edge adjacent to an enemy Vehicle, it may try to ram it. Each player rolls 1 die and adds the Defence Value of his Unit (Heavy Vehicle) or half of it (Light Vehicle, rounded up). If the player controlling the Ramming Unit gets a higher total than his opponent, the target Vehicle suffers a Hit (roll for location if it is a Heavy Vehicle).

Firing Special Abilities

Signum (Artillery Spotter)

If you have at least one Signum Unit with a Clear LoS to the Interspace targeted by an Indirect Fire template, reduce the scattering distance by 1 Interspace.

Destruction

If a Unit or Gear with this Special Ability targets a Structure or a Unit inside a Structure during a Firing Action or an Assault, it may inflict Destruction Points on the Structure.

If the Firing Action is directed against a Unit (and not specifically the Structure), resolve the attack against the Unit as normal, then determine if the Structure receives any Destruction Points. If it targets the Structure, then simply roll for Destruction Points.

To determine if the Structure takes Damage, roll the number of dice indicated on the Special Ability symbol. Each result of 4 or higher adds 1 Destruction Point to the Structure. Place a Destruction Marker on the Structure with the 1-point side up, or flip a 1-point marker over to the 2-point side.

If the total Destruction Points on the Structure now equals or exceeds the value of the Structure, it is Destroyed. If it was a Wreck, remove it from the game. Otherwise, flip over the Terrain Tile.

Double Fire

When this Unit is activated, it may take two Firing Actions against two different targets. It cannot fire twice at the same target. Make a separate roll against each target.

Fire on the Move

This Unit may take a Firing Action during its Movement Action. The Fire on the Move attack can be executed once during each Movement Action the Unit takes, either before the Unit leaves a square or immediately after entering a square.

Attacks made with Fire on the Move are less accurate than normal attacks, so the Unit suffers the penalty (if any) indicated in the Fire on the Move symbol (subtract it from the Unit's Combat Value).

Flamethrower (Alternate Firing Action)

A Unit that has a Flamer uses a special Template (Light Flamer / small template, Flamer / medium template, or Heavy Flamer / big template). Use the Combat Values on the Template when it uses the Flamer. Use the Unit's normal Combat Values if it attacks without using the Flamer (or fights in an Assault).

The Unit also has the Fire on the Move (-2) Special Ability when using the Flamer.

When a Unit uses a Flamer, place the small end of the Template at the center of the counter's square. Then, orient the Template in whatever direction you choose, taking into account any limited Firing Arcs (see p.16).

Any Unit other than the Unit that is firing the Flamer, whether friend or foe, that is even partially covered by the Template is affected by the flames.

Every Unit affected by the Template, whether Infantry or Vehicle, gains a Suppressed Marker, even if the Unit does not suffer a Hit.

Attacks using a Flamer Template are affected by Obstacles as normal. It is also blocked as soon as it reaches the center of any square occupied by a Vehicle. Template that cross this Terrain Element have their range reduced to one square past the Elevation Terrain Element.

Frightening Shot

If a Firing Action by this Unit fails (no Hit, Suppressed Marker, or Damage Marker), you may place 1 Suppressed Marker on the target. This Special Ability cannot be used in combination with the Machine Gunner Special Ability.

Howitzer (Alternate Firing Action)

When you use this Special Ability, you must target an Interspace. There is no range limit or Long Range penalty (see p.8). But, you need to have a Clear or Obscured LoS to the target Interspace.

Place the Template with the same letter as the Special Ability symbol on the target interspace, and use the Combat Values corresponding to the Special Ability letter.

Units and Structures even partially under the Template are affected by the explosion. Resolve each attack individually.

Penalties from Obstacles that obscure LoS to the target Interspace modify the attack as normal.

• Templates never affect Concealed Units (see p. 20).
• If the Template affects a Heavy Vehicle, it never benefits from the bonus for shooting the Rear of a Vehicle (see p. 10 and the vehicle never benefits from the Front armour bonus.)

Indirect Fire (Alternate Firing Action)

This Special Ability works just like Howitzer, but it is used when the firing Unit does not have a Clear LoS to the target Interspace. If the Unit does have a Clear LoS, it uses the Howitzer Special Ability instead.

Indirect Fire does not always Hit the target Interspace — it may Scatter. Place the Template, orient it as you wish, roll 1 die and use the Scatter Chart on the Template.

EXCEPTION: Template C does not have a Scatter Chart. Do not roll the die: it always Hits the target Interspace.

On a roll of 1 to 4, the shot scatters in the direction indicated, a distance equal to the number printed on the Scatter symbol. On a roll of 5 or 6, the shot is on target and Hits the intended Interspace.

Suppressed Markers do not affect Scatter rolls.

After checking for Scatter, any Unit or Structure even partially under the Template is affected. Resolve each attack individually. Penalties from Obstacles that obscure LoS do not modify the attack.

Hawk-Eyed

When this Unit fires, it ignores penalties for Long Range fire.

Limited Firing Arc (Also affects Alternate Firing Action)

Unless otherwise indicated, all Units have a 360° Firing Arc. Some weapons, however, have a Limited Firing Arc — 90° or 180°, as indicated on the Special Ability symbol.

Limited Range

The Unit may not fire at a target that is farther than the number of indicated squares/Interspaces. One symbol affects Firing Actions that target squares; another affects Firing Actions that target Interspaces (such as Grenades).

Machine Gunner

During a Firing Action, a Unit that has this ability can split its Combat Value (modified by any bonuses or penalties) between several targets, provided it grants at least a +1 bonus to each target (one roll must be made for each target).

The player must announce this split before making the first roll and may only target Units within 2 squares of each other and of the same type (Infantry, Light Vehicles, or Heavy Vehicles). The firing Unit naturally needs to have a Clear or Obscured LoS to each target.

Each shot is separately affected by the Obstacles it crosses.

Example: A Battlewagon performs a Firing Action with a +3 Combat Value, using the Machine Gunner Special Ability. It starts with Unit A, assigning +1. Unit B is 1 square away from Unit A, so it can be targeted as well. Unit C is 2 squares away from Unit B, so it can be the third target. The Battlewagon cannot target Unit D because it is more than 2 squares away from all the other targeted Units.

Munitions Carrier

This Unit grants a +1 bonus to all Firing Actions taken by allied Infantry Units in its ZoC. This bonus does not apply to Alternate Firing Actions. The Unit does not receive its own bonus. Units can't benefit from more than one Munitions Carrier bonus.

Overwatch

During the Activation Phase (only), a non-activated Unit with this Special Ability may take a Firing Action against an enemy Unit after that Unit completes a Firing Action or at any time during that enemy Unit's Movement Action.

If the Unit fires, it loses any Order token it had and receives an Activated Marker.

The target Unit does not interrupt its movement even if it takes a Hit and it keeps the Movement Value of its unharmed/intact side until the end of its activation.

Piercing

This Unit has weapons that are exceptionally good at penetrating enemy armour. Add 1 to the die roll when rolling for the Damage location on a Heavy Vehicle Hit by this attack. Also, any Unit Hit by this attack cannot attempt an Armour Save.

Sniper (Alternate Firing Action)

A sniper can only target Infantry Units. Its player rolls a die, modified by Suppressed markers and Obstacles, and checks the following table:

1: No effect. 2-3: Put a Suppressed Marker on the target. 4-5: Deal one Hit to the target. 6: Deal one Hit to the target and give it a Suppressed Marker if it isn't Destroyed.

EXCEPTION: If there is a firing table on the Sniper's Recruitment Tile, use that table instead of this one.

If this Special Ability is printed on a Unit's Concealed side (see p. 20), do not flip the counter over when using the Sniper ability.

Suppressive Fire

This is one of the most important Special Abilities in the game! It enables you to temporarily neutralize well-protected Units or prepare for an Assault by inflicting a penalty on the enemy.

When using Suppressive Fire, all the normal rules for Firing Actions apply except that the attacker's Combat Value and all other bonuses are doubled. But, the attack cannot cause any Hits. Instead:

• If the result of the attack is equal to or higher than the target's Defence Value (including bonuses), the target receives one Suppressed Marker.
• If the result of the attack is equal to or higher than twice the target's Defence Value (including bonuses), give the target 2 Suppressed Markers (and so on).

There is no limit to the number of Suppressed Markers a Unit can have.

Penalties Related to Suppressed Markers

Each marker inflicts a -2 penalty to ALL of the Unit's die rolls, except Scatter rolls, when locating Damage on Heavy Vehicles, and Destruction tests. This penalty is not subtracted from the attacking Unit's combat value, but rather from the final result of the die roll.

Each marker also inflicts a -2 penalty to Movement Value. If this value drops to zero or less, the Unit is Immobilised. A Unit that is given a Suppressed marker during its Movement Action completes its Movement Action without taking into account the marker's penalty. Furthermore, enemy Infantry Units ignore the suppressed Unit's Zone of Control.

Twin-Linked

During a Firing Action, roll two dice and keep the best result.

Assault Special Abilities

Assault

Only Units that have the Assault Special Ability may engage an enemy Infantry Unit or Vehicle in close combat. In most cases, a Vehicle will not have this ability.

Units that do not have the Assault Special Ability can still defend themselves in close combat, but they only roll 1 die. If a Unit has an X for a Combat Value, it means that it cannot Assault a target of that type (unless you have another Special Ability or Gear that allows it).

Assault Rules

In order to launch an Assault, you must declare it before beginning your Unit's Movement Action. You must carry out the Assault, all the way through, if possible. When you declare an Assault, you must designate the target of the Assault. The target may be an invalid target when you declare the Assault (for example, if another Unit blocks access and you hope to destroy it during the Movement Action).

The Assault can only be launched from an unoccupied square or square occupied by an allied Vehicle that has the Transport Special Ability (see p.21). The square must be adjacent to the defender. The attacker must follow the movement rules as they are described in Chapter 2 and its Movement Value must enable him to move INTO the target's square.

If the designated Unit is Destroyed before the Assault is resolved (by a Firing Action taken during the Movement Action thanks to an Action Card or a Special Ability), the player can change targets or cancel the Assault. The player can complete the Unit's Movement Action freely.

If the target cannot be reached (the Unit that was in the way has not been Destroyed), the player can complete the Movement Action but cannot assault a different Unit.

Enemy ZoCs do not prevent a Unit from moving into a square occupied by an enemy Unit if this movement leads to an Assault.

In order to symbolise an ongoing Assault, put the attacking counter partly on the defending counter. This will also enable you to recall which square the attacking Unit is assaulting from. Until the Assault is resolved, the attacking Unit is considered as being in the square from which it launched the Assault.

Example: An Ork Unit moves into the ZoC of Units A and B with movement 1. It can launch an assault on Unit B by moving into Unit A's ZoC because this move is an assault.

Support

Allies of the attacking Unit that are in the ZoC of the defending Unit may provide a bonus to the Assault. In order to support the Assault, the Unit must:

• Have the Assault Special Ability,
• Not be Activated yet this turn, and
• Have no Suppressed Markers.

This bonus is called the "Support Bonus." It adds +1 to the attacker's Assault die rolls.

If you decide to have your Unit provide support during an Assault, you must place an Activated Marker on that Unit. If the Unit has an Order Token, it is discarded. You must declare if any Units are supporting the attack before rolling any dice.

Resolving the Assault

The attacker rolls 2 dice, keeps the best result, and discards the other. Add your Unit's Combat Value against the target Unit (vs. Infantry, Light Vehicles, or Heavy Vehicles), as well as any other bonuses that apply (Special Abilities, Action Cards, Recruitment Options, Support, etc.) and subtract any penalties. Make sure you include the Unit's Assault Special Ability bonus!

The defender rolls 1 die (2 dice if they also have the Assault Special Ability, keeping the best result) and adds its Combat Value against the attacker and any Defence Bonus provided by the Terrain Element it occupies, as well as any other applicable bonuses (Special Abilities, Action Cards, Recruitment Options, etc.) and subtracts any penalties.

Heavy Vehicles

If a Heavy Vehicle is involved in an Assault and has more than one weapon, it may use the weapon of its choice, but cannot use an Alternate Firing Action.

If the attacker enters the Heavy Vehicle's square from the Rear of the Vehicle, it gets a +2 bonus to its roll in the Assault. The rear of the Vehicle is the side with the coloured band below the illustration.

A defending Unit that has an X for its Combat Value against the attacker (and no useful Gear or Special Ability) is immediately Destroyed unless it is a Heavy Vehicle. Heavy Vehicles with an X Combat Value automatically lose the Assault and suffer 1 Hit (roll for location as normal).

The player who obtains the highest result wins the assault.

Example: The Ork attacker rolls 2 dice. He gets a 4 and a 1. He chooses the 4, adds his Unit's Combat Value (+1), its Assault Special Ability bonus (+3), a Support Bonus (+1) from unit C (which is marked with an Activated Marker), and another +1 bonus thanks to the Alternate Bonus on the Action card he just played. This makes his total 10. The defender also rolls 2 dice, getting a 3 and a 2. He chooses the 3 and adds his Unit's Combat Value (+1), its Assault Special Ability bonus (+1), and another +2 bonus thanks to the defender's Terrain Element Defence Bonus, for a total of 9. The attacker thus wins the assault.

If the Attacker is Victorious

If the defending Unit is Infantry, it takes 1 Hit: The Unit must immediately fall back to one of the three squares away from the attacker. This retreat is a Forced Move and is therefore not considered a Movement Action.

If none of these three squares can be entered, the defending Infantry unit is immediately Destroyed.

The Unit can retreat from the ZoC of an enemy Unit into the ZoC of another enemy Unit (A in the example below), but is Destroyed if the retreat would move it from one square in an enemy's ZoC to another in that same ZoC (B in the example below).

If the defending Unit has the "Destroyed" symbol, that Unit is destroyed and removed from the game. If the defending Unit has the "flip" symbol, that Unit counter is flipped over (it is not Destroyed).

After the defender has been Destroyed or has retreated, the attacking Unit must take its place in the square where the Assault was fought, if that square can still be entered. If not, the attacking Unit returns to the last square it was in before the Assault.

If the defending Unit is a Light Vehicle, it takes 1 Hit: If the defending Unit was a Light Vehicle and has a Wrecked Side, it is turned over where it is, and becomes a Terrain Element. Otherwise, apply the same rules as Infantry Units. When a Light Vehicle loses an Assault, it never retreats. If the attacker was an Infantry Unit or a Light Vehicle, it must return on the square the Assault was launched from (Forced Move). If the attacker was a Heavy Vehicle, it occupies the target square and deals one Destruction Point to the defender's Wreck (if there is one).

If the defending Unit is a Heavy Vehicle, it takes 1 Hit. Roll for location as normal. When a Heavy Vehicle loses an Assault, it never retreats. Attacking Infantry or Light Vehicles must return to the square the Assault was launched from (Forced Move), unless:

• the attacking Unit is a Heavy Vehicle, AND
• the defending Unit has a Wreck Side which is not Impassable to Heavy Vehicle.

In which case the attacking Unit occupies the target Unit's square and deals 1 Destruction Point to the defender's Wreck. Otherwise, it falls back as above.

If the Defender is Victorious

The attacker takes a Hit (locate the Damage if necessary) as explained when the attacker is victorious.

Attacker Was an Infantry Unit: The attacking Unit returns to the square from which it launched the Assault. This is a Forced Move. The defender does not move.

Attacker Was a Vehicle: If the attacker was a Vehicle, whether it was Wrecked or not, it takes the place of the defender if the defender was an Infantry Unit. The defending Infantry Unit is pushed back into an adjacent square chosen by its owner. This is not a Movement Action but instead a Forced Move.

If the defender was a Vehicle, the attacker return on the square the Assault was launched from (Forced Move).

In Case of a Tie

Neither Unit suffers a Hit.

If the attacker was an Infantry Unit or if the defender was a Vehicle, the defender stays in the square. The attacking Unit stays on the square it launched the Assault from, and this is a Forced Move. No Hit is applied.

If the attacker was a Vehicle and the defender an Infantry Unit, the attacker takes the defender's place and the defender is pushed into an adjacent unoccupied square chosen by its owner. This is not a Movement Action but a Forced Move.

Assault and Units with a Limited Firing Arc (see Firing Arc, p.9)

If you Assault a Unit that has the Limited Firing Arc Special Ability and you assaulted from a square that is outside of that Unit's Firing Arc, the defender receives a Suppressed Marker before the Assault is resolved.

Suppressed Marker Penalties (see p.23): Each marker inflicts a -2 penalty to ALL of the Unit's die rolls.

Charge

When this Unit launches an Assault, it may make a free attack before resolving the Assault. Move the Unit next to the target, then resolve the attack as you would a Firing Action (but it is not a Firing Action). The target receives any Defensive Bonuses from the Terrain Element. If the target survives, resolve the Assault.

This free attack ignores any range restrictions.

If the target is Destroyed, the Unit must end its Movement Action in the square the target was in before the attack.

This Special Ability may be combined with the Fire on the Move Special Ability.

Demolishing

If this Unit is adjacent to a Structure at the end of its Movement Action and it did not make an Assault, it can try to damage the Structure. Roll the number of dice indicated on the Special Ability symbol. Each result of 4 or higher adds 1 Destruction Point to the Structure (see Destruction p.15).

Long Distance Assault

This Unit can initiate an Assault without entering the target Unit's square, up to the maximum distance (in squares) indicated on the Special Ability symbol. The resolution of a Long Distance Assault follows the normal rules for an Assault, except as changed below:

• Long Distance Assaults are modified by any Obstacles between the two Units involved in the Assault. Therefore, you cannot launch a Long Distance Assault through a Terrain Element that blocks LoS.
• If the attacker wins, the defending Unit must retreat as described above, but the attacker does not enter the square left unoccupied by the defender.

Tearing

This ability works just like Piercing (Firing Action Special Ability p.14), but only during an Assault.

Terrifying

If this Unit is in an Assault and does not Destroy its opponent, put 1 Suppressed Marker on the opposing Unit.

Defence Special Abilities

Ambush

This Unit can conceal itself from observation by the enemy. When a Unit is Concealed (Active Side up), it follows these rules:

• It cannot be the target of a Firing Action.
• It ignores Templates.
• It does not block LoS.
• It can be engaged in an Assault, its counter must be flipped over to its Inactive Side. This is a Forced Move and a 0 Move.
• If the Concealed Unit takes a Firing Action, it must flip over to its Inactive Side. This is a Forced Move and a 0 Move.
• No one except the Unit's controller may look at the face-down side of a Concealed Unit.

The enemy can "spot" a Concealed Unit to reveal it. In order to spot a Concealed Unit, you must have a Clear LoS from one of your Units. If the Concealed Unit is in a Terrain Element, your Unit must have a Clear LoS and be within 2 squares of the Concealed Unit. If you spot an enemy Concealed Unit, flip it over to its Inactive Side. This is a Forced Move and a 0 Move.

When a Concealed Unit moves, you must check if it is spotted every time it enters a new square. Also, check if any Concealed Units are spotted at the end of every enemy Unit's Movement Action.

Two Concealed Units can spot each other.

Heavy Vehicles cannot spot Concealed Units.

A Concealed Unit can only be spotted or flipped over once per Movement Action.

A Concealed Unit that was spotted during its own Movement Action continues to use the Movement Value of its Concealed side until the end of that Movement Action.

Armour Save

This Special Ability indicates that the Unit is equipped with heavy protective gear. It allows the Unit to attempt to ignore any Hit it suffers from a Firing Action or in an Assault. An Armour Save cannot prevent a Unit from being Destroyed as a result of a Forced Move. This Special Ability is present on the Recruitment Tile, not on the Unit.

If the Armour Save symbol is yellow, the Armour Save can only be attempted if an Action Card is played for an Armour Save Alternate Bonus (see p.22).

If the Armour Save symbol is green, the Armour Save is "automatic" and the roll can be attempted without playing an Action Card.

To attempt an Armour Save, roll 1 die: if the result is equal to or greater than the value shown in the Armour Save Special Ability symbol, the Unit ignores the Hit it was supposed to take.

Auspex

When this Unit is Activated, it automatically spots all Concealed enemy Units (see above) within the number of squares indicated on the Special Ability symbol.

Bodyguard

This Unit can take all the Hits in place of a Character within 2 squares provided it has a LoS (Obscured or Clear) to the Character.

Front Armour

This Unit adds +2 to its Defence Value if an attacker's LoS crosses the Front edge of its counter. The Front edge is the side opposite the coloured stripe located below the illustration.

Grot Oilers

If a Unit uses the Mekaniak Special Ability while it is in the ZoC of an unactivated Grot Oiler, it may increase or reduce the result of the Damage location roll by 1 or 2 points. If you use this ability, you must place an Activated Marker on the Grot Oiler Unit and discard any Order Token on it.

Mekaniak

Ork Mekaniaks have an uncanny ability to keep their Vehicles and machines operating, though no one can seem to figure out how they do it. They can use this Special Ability any time a friendly Heavy Vehicle up to 3 squares away (or the vehicle transporting the Mekaniak) suffers a Hit if the Mekaniak has not already been activated this turn and it does not have any Suppressed Markers on it. When your opponent rolls to determine which Damage your Heavy Vehicle receives, you can increase or reduce the result by 1, after the die is rolled. If you use this ability, you must place an Activated Marker on the Mekaniak Unit and discard any Order Token on it.

No Weak Point

This Vehicle is equipped with "all-around" armour, so its Rear armour is just as strong as the front. Attacks against this Vehicle do not receive any bonus for attacking it from the Rear.

Techmarine

Techmarines are Space Marines that have been inducted into the secrets of the Machine Cult. They can use this Special Ability any time a friendly Heavy Vehicle up to 3 squares away (or the vehicle transporting the Techmarine) suffers a Hit if the Techmarine has not already been activated this turn and it does not have any Suppressed Markers on it. When your opponent rolls to determine which Damage your Heavy Vehicle receives, you may force him to roll 1 additional die and choose which result will be applied. If you use this ability, you must place an Activated Marker on the Techmarine Unit and discard any Order Token on it.

Command Special Abilities

Fragile

The Unit's morale is very low. It immediately deserts if it loses an Assault or if it has a Suppressed marker when it is engaged in an Assault. The Unit is Destroyed before the Assault resolution.

Inspiration

When this Unit is activated during the Activation or Supply Phase, in addition to its normal action, it may remove 1 Suppressed Marker from every friendly Infantry Unit within the number of squares indicated on the Special Ability symbol. It must have a Clear or Obscured LoS to each Unit it helps in this way.

Order(s)

This Special Ability provides one or more additional Order Tokens. The number of tokens depends on how many Order stars are in the Special Ability symbol. If this Unit takes a Hit or is Destroyed, adjust your number of Order Tokens accordingly at the start of the next Order Phase (you never lose Order Tokens in the middle of a Game Turn).

Personal Order

This Unit provides one additional Order Token, just like the Order Special Ability above, but, you must give this Unit an Order Token every turn (numbered, Special, or Bluff).

Scout

Scouts are specially trained soldiers who maneuver ahead of their comrades to gather information about the enemy before the battle begins.

After you deploy your army in your Deployment Area or off the board, any Units you have with the Scout Special Ability may take a free Movement Action using the number on this symbol as its Movement Value.

This movement ignores the Difficult Passage terrain effect. However, the Unit cannot end its Movement Action in a square that is adjacent to an Objective or in an Objective Building. The Scout may not take a Firing Action or make an Assault during this Movement Action.

If a Scout Unit also has the Concealed Special Ability, you may make this move without revealing the Inactive Side of your Unit to your opponent.

If a Vehicle with the Transport Special Ability (see below) wants to use its Scout Special Ability, it may only embark Units that also have the Scout Special Ability. The embarked Units cannot also use their own Scout ability.

Psychic Special Abilities

Psykers — as those with Psychic Powers are known — are powerful mystic fighters who can unleash their mental strength in all sorts of ways.

The use and effects of Psychic Powers are described in Chapter 8: Psychic Powers (see p.27).

Other Special Abilities

Aircraft

Units with this Special Ability are not present on the battlefield: they fly over it. They always have Clear LoS to every Unit except those that are inside of Buildings. On the other hand, all Units that do not have a Limited Range Special Ability also have clear LoS to all Aircraft Units.

An Aircraft Unit may take a Firing Action only if a Numbered or a Special Order Token has been placed on its Recruitment Tile.

Large

A red chevron above a Unit's Movement Value indicates that it is "Large." Only Vehicles with a red Transport Special Ability can transport Large Units.

Transport

A Vehicle with this Special Ability can transport Infantry Units. The capacity of the Vehicle is equal to the number in the Special Ability symbol.

If the symbol is red, the Vehicle may transport Units with the Large Special Ability.

Units that have the "Character" symbol and all Characters use 1 point of Transport capacity. All other Units use 2 points.

During the Activation or Supply Phase, an Infantry Unit can move into or out of a Vehicle at the beginning or end of its Movement Action, from or into any unoccupied adjacent square.

Units cannot enter or leave a Vehicle if the Vehicle is on its flying side (when the wings framing the Movement Value are visible).

It is possible to launch an Assault from a Vehicle that has the Transport Special Ability, and it is also possible for a Unit that loses an Assault to retreat into a Transport, whether it is the attacker or the defender.

A Unit that is on a Transport may be assigned an Order Token, which allows it to fire from the Vehicle or move off of it. If such a Unit takes a Firing Action, draw the LoS for the embarked Unit from any square the Vehicle occupies. Heavy Weapon Units (outlined in red) cannot fire from inside a Transport unless they have the Fire on the Move Special Ability, in which case the Fire on the Move penalty does not apply.

Infantry Units do not block the LoS of Units that are embarked when taking a Firing Action.

A Unit inside a Transport cannot be targeted by a Firing Action or Assault, and it is not affected by any Templates.

A Unit inside a Transport does not exert a ZoC while it is embarked.

If a Transport Vehicle is Destroyed, the Units inside do not suffer any Hits, but they must be redeployed into unoccupied squares adjacent to the Wreck, chosen by the player who controls them. This is a Forced Move. If applicable, they must be deployed with the Inactive Side up when their Transport is Destroyed. Each Unit redeployed in this way receives 1 Suppressed Marker. These Units cannot be redeployed in a square that is inside an enemy's ZoC. If there is no unoccupied out of ZoC square for them to redeploy to, they are Destroyed in the explosion.

Unstable (Also affects Alternate Firing Action)

When you activate a Unit or use a marker that has this Special Ability during a Firing Action, it might not work. You must roll 1 die: if the result is equal to or higher than the value in the Special Ability symbol, the gear works correctly. If the total is lower, the Unit's Activation is canceled and it does nothing. If the result is 1, the Unit also suffers 1 Hit.

Chapter 5: Action Cards

Action Cards spice up the game and make your battles more heroic. Each player has their own deck of Action Cards, specific to the faction they are leading into battle, representing the unique tactics and advantages of that faction.

At the beginning of the game, you will draw a hand of Action Cards. At the end of each Supply Phase, you will draw up to a full hand again, so there's no reason to hoard them! In fact, it's usually best to use as many Action Cards as you can every Game Turn!

If two players want to play an Action Card at the same time, the player who has the Initiative resolves his card first.

Action Card Effects

Each Action Card can be played two ways: as a Battle Event or for an Alternate Bonus. The effect of the card depends on which way you play it. You cannot use both the Battle Event and the Alternate Bonus on the same card when you play it.

Battle Events

Every Action Card describes a special action or event that you can use when you play the card. You can only play a Battle Event during the phases indicated in the description, but you may play as many cards as you want in a turn — even more than one for a single action.

When you play a Battle Event, follow the instructions printed on the card, then discard the card. If the Action Card goes against a game rule, the text of the card always applies — except for the Absolute Rule of the Supply Phase.

Alternate Bonus

Action Cards show an Alternate Bonus. This is a modifier that you can apply to an action, or to give a Unit a chance to make an Armour Save. Simply play the card and apply the bonus shown, then discard the card.

You may not combine multiple Alternate Bonuses during the same action.

If you choose to use an Alternate Bonus, you must play the Action Card and declare it before rolling any dice or beginning a Movement Action.

• Grants a +X bonus during an Assault, whether attacking or defending.
• Grants a +X bonus to one Firing Action or to the use of one Recruitment Option or Action Card that allows an Alternate Firing Action.
• Grants a +X square bonus to a Unit's Movement Value during a Movement Action.
• Allows the Unit to attempt an Armour Save. Only Units with the Armour Save Special ability can use this Alternate Bonus.
• Grants a +X bonus to any die roll.

Explanations of Selected Cards

Burst Into Action: May be played when a Heavy Vehicle is taking a Movement Action to fire all of its weapons without any penalty (as if it was using Fire on the Move). Note that if the Vehicle already has Fire on the Move, this card does not allow it to take two Firing Actions.

Initiative: This card does not allow you to steal the Initiative when your opponent uses a Special Order.

Reactive: You may not move an Order Token that has already been Activated.

Return to Sender: This card allows you to throw back any type of Grenade.

Second Chance: If more than one die was rolled, you must re-roll them all.

Fall Back: If the Unit is showing its Active Side, you must flip it over to the Inactive Side before moving. This is a Forced Move. You must apply Terrain Effects as normal, but you ignore any Suppressed Marker penalties. If this move forces the Unit off the board, it is Destroyed.

Sons of Gork (or Mork): If the Unit you put back into play restores a Recruitment Tile that has reached its Breaking Point (see p.9), flip the tile back over to its unbroken side (the side without victory points). You regain any lost Order Markers and Special Abilities that the Unit lost and your opponent no longer receives those victory points.

Chapter 6: Effect Markers

Suppressed Markers

When a Unit suffers from a temporary physical or psychological condition that limits their ability to fight, it is marked with a Suppressed Marker. The Unit may have been caught by Suppressive Fire, have lost morale, been pushed to the limit, or simply be in dire straits.

Each Suppressed Marker inflicts a -2 penalty to all of the Unit's die rolls, and a -2 penalty to its Movement Value. If a Unit's Movement Value drops to 0 or less, the Unit is Immobilized. Enemy Units ignore the ZoC of any Unit with a Suppressed Marker.

Also, Units with a Suppressed Marker cannot provide any Support Bonus during an Assault.

A Unit that receives a Suppressed Marker during its Movement Action completes the Movement Action without taking into account the Suppressed Marker's penalty.

Activated Markers

Some Action Cards or Special Abilities, such as Overwatch, can activate Units that don't have an Order Token/Activated Marker or that have an Order Token but haven't been Activated yet. If this happens, you must place an Activated Marker on the Unit.

A Unit that receives an Activated Marker loses any Order Token it may have (without revealing it), and the Unit can no longer be Activated or take any action for the rest of the turn (except to defend itself during an Assault).

In addition, the Unit cannot take a Movement Action during the Supply Phase.

Life Points

Some Units use Life Point markers. Discard one to cancel one Hit the Unit just suffered. If the shot inflicted a double loss, you must discard 2 Life Point markers to prevent the Unit from being Destroyed. If the Unit does not have enough Life Point markers, it suffers one regular Hit per missing marker.

Chapter 7: Recruitment

Building an army is easy in Heroes of Black Reach thanks to the different tiles. They can represent an entire combat group, or a single Character such as an important leader or hero.

Recruitment Tiles

The illustrations on a Recruitment Tile show which Unit counters — known as a combat group — and Markers you may deploy during a battle when that tile is part of your army.

Most Recruitment Tiles have one to two spaces where you can attach special Recruitment Tiles called Support Tiles (see p.24). Usually, there will be a space on the left for Support Tiles that are specific to that combat group and a space on the right for Support Tiles that are available to your entire army.

Many Recruitment Tiles also have one or more spaces for Recruitment Options. These allow you to customize your army to suit your personal playing style. Some Recruitment Option spaces can only be used for options that are restricted to a specific Recruitment Tile, while others can be used for any option available to your army. The coloured stripes that surround the Recruitment Option spaces indicate which options can be placed there.

Some Recruitment Tiles provides Markers (such as Gear), they can only be used by the Units shown on the Recruitment Tile.

Reading a Recruitment Tile (example: The Green Raiders)

• Support Tile Spaces: Support Tiles can improve or reinforce the Units shown on a Recruitment Tile. A Recruitment Tile can have a Support Tile exclusive to this combat group on the left (specific colour stripes of this combat group), and one common to the entire army on the right. The shape and colour of the stripes on each side of the Recruitment Tile indicate which Support Tiles you can attach there.
• Squad Badge: In this case, Goffs.
• Faction Badge: Here, the Orks.
• Name: The name of the combat group the tile represents.
• Option Stripes: The coloured stripes determine which Recruitment Options can be added to the combat group. You can only add a Recruitment Option if it has stripes that match the ones on either side of the Recruitment Option space.
• Cost: Expressed in army points. Some scenarios let you build your army by spending army points.
• Units in the Combat Group: The number and type of Unit counters that make up the combat group are shown here. In this case, that's four Sluggas Units. If an Order star is shown here, it is a reminder that the combat group's leader provides a Numbered Order Token each Game Turn. It is not an additional Order star.
• Breaking Point: Even the toughest combat group have their limits, known as their Breaking Point. If this number of Units from this combat group is destroyed (3 in this case), the group is broken: you must flip the Recruitment Tile over. Your opponent scores victory points equal to the number printed in red on the back of the tile. Usually, you will also lose the Recruitment Tile's Special Abilities, including Order stars.
• Special Ability: Some Recruitment Tiles have a Special Ability, much like Units can have Special Abilities. In this case, you get a Numbered Order Token each Game Turn. If the combat group is broken, you'll lose any Special Abilities (unless the Special Ability is also present on the back of the tile).

Support Tiles

Support Tiles are special Recruitment Tiles that add additional Units to another combat group. Support Tiles can only be attached to a Recruitment Tile that has matching stripes. They cannot be added to your army without being attached.

Otherwise, Support Tiles have the same rules as Recruitment Tiles, and they may have matching Support Tiles attached to them as well.

If the Support Tile provides Markers (such as Gear), they can only be used by the Units shown on the Support Tile.

Aviation Tiles

Some Support Tiles show Aviation Units. Unlike other Recruitment Tiles, they do not add counters that are placed on the battlefield. Instead, these Units exist "off board." To activate these Units, you must place an Order Token on their Support Tile.

Characters

Heroes of Black Reach is not only a strategy game. As befits the 41st Millennium, it is also a heroic adventure game, and Characters can play a significant role in your battles. Characters may be simple soldiers, famous heroes, or field leaders. Some Recruitment Tiles have "supporting role" Characters, such as a Space Marine sergeant, as part of the combat group, while more powerful "leading role" Characters appear on their own Recruitment Tile or Support Tile. There is no game rule difference between the two types of Characters: they behave the same way during the game.

Leading role Characters are those whose portrait is displayed on their Recruitment Tile. They often join your army on their own, but can sometimes come with other Units known as a "bodyguard." Supporting role Characters are usually part of a Recruitment Tile or Support Tile's combat group.

The only rule that applies solely to Characters is the following: they are the only ones authorized to use Customization Recruitment Options.

Who's There?: A Character is often the primary Unit on a Recruitment Tile. It may be a lone hero, or a leader (indicated by a yellow outline) for the combat group.

Command Tiles

A Recruitment Tile with a title that is flanked by a badge on a background of laurels is a Command Tile. Most often, these tiles show a Character, such as a high-ranking leader, but sometimes it will show a complete combat group. Recruitment Options assigned to a Command Tile can be used by all of the Units in your army (except Customizations which can only be used by Characters).

Recruitment Options

You can add Recruitment Options to Recruitment Tiles and Support Tiles to enhance their abilities. Recruitment Options can include additional Units, Vehicles, Gear, Customization or even Orders from high command. Some Recruitment Options are restricted to specific Recruitment Tiles and have the same colour stripes as that tile, while others are generic and have stripes of a neutral colour.

The stripes on the Recruitment Option must be the same colour as at least one set of stripes on the edge of the space.

Different Types of Recruitment Options

There are five types of Recruitment Options: Support Options, Gear Options, Customization Options, Psychic Powers, and Orders.

Support Options

Support Options are Infantry or Vehicles you can add to the combat group on the Recruitment Tile. Just like Recruitment Tiles, the illustration on a Support Option indicates which counters and markers you can deploy during a battle when this tile is included in your army.

Reading a Support Option (example: Rhino)

• Option Stripes: Each Recruitment Option is framed with colour stripes that identify which Recruitment Tile spaces it can be added to.
• Name: The name of the option is printed in white. Here, a Rhino.
• Composition: This squad is made up of one Rhino.
• Cost: Expressed in army points.
• Breaking Point and Special Ability

Replacements

Some Support Options show a Replacement icon, which can be blue or red. If you add this Support Option to a Recruitment Tile, you must replace the Unit(s) on the Recruitment Tile that are marked with the same icon (of the same colour) with the Units provided by the Replacement Support Option. These Units have the same coloured bands as the Recruitment Tile.

If multiple Units are available when you only need to replace one Unit (as is the case with the Ultramarines Tactical Squad Heavy Weapon option), you choose any one of the available Units to replace.

Example: A Tactical Squad Vorolanus Recruitment Tile has a Heavy Weapon Replacement Support Option. The squad can be equipped as a Tactical squad, OR its Heavy Weapon Unit can be replaced with a Rocket Launcher or a Lascannon Unit.

Gear Options

Gear Options represent special gear carried by a combat group.

Reading a Gear Option (example: Ammo)

• Name: e.g. "Ammo."
• Option Stripes: Identify which Recruitment Tile(s) the Gear Option matches.
• Cost: Expressed in army points.
• Effect: Here, take 3 Ammo markers and put them on the option.

WARNING: Only Units that have the specific colour stripes that match the Recruitment Tile that holds the Gear Option can benefit from that gear. This includes Units from the Recruitment Tile itself and from attached matching Support Tiles (same colour stripes). Units that display stripes of a different colour cannot benefit from the option or use that gear.

EXCEPTION: If the Gear Option is on a Command Tile, then every Unit in your army benefits from it.

If your army includes a Gear Option, take the number of markers indicated and put them on the Gear Option. Each marker can be used once during the game to receive the benefit of that Gear Option. Once the markers run out, you can no longer use the Gear Option. You must declare that you are using the marker before your action or before any die roll (yours or your opponent's).

Unless the Gear Option specifies that it is an Alternate Firing Action, you may use up to 3 identical markers on the same action.

Ammo (Restricted to Infantry): This option gives you 3 Ammo markers. Each Ammo Marker grants a +1 bonus to your die roll during a Firing Action (regular or Alternate).

Camo Cloak (Restricted to Infantry): This option gives you 3 Camo Cloak markers. Each Camo Cloak Marker grants a +1 bonus to an Infantry Unit's Defence Value. This option does not work if the Unit is Hit by a Template.

Grenades (Alternate Firing Action / Restricted to Infantry): This option gives you 3 Grenade markers. The Combat and maximum range value for the grenades are printed on the Grenade Marker.

A Unit can throw a grenade over Terrain Elements that block LoS, as long as it does not exceed the maximum range.

When you use a grenade, place the "G" Template on the target Interspace. There is never any scatter. Every Unit even partially under the Template is attacked. Resolve each attack individually.

Example: Unit A is not in the Terrain Element, but the grenade's total (3) is less than the Unit's Defence Value (4). Unit B benefits from the Defence Bonus granted by the Terrain Element. The attack on this Unit has a total value of 7, which is greater than the Unit's Defence Value even after the bonus (6); this Unit takes a Hit.

Purity Seals: This option gives you 3 Purity Seal markers. A Purity Seal Marker allows you to re-roll any die roll — yours or your opponent's — if you don't like the result. You must keep the new result. You may use a Purity Seal Marker on a die roll you just re-rolled.

Rokkit Hammers (Restricted to Infantry): This option gives you 3 Rokkit Hammer markers. During an Assault, discard the Rokkit Hammer marker to benefit from the Tearing Special Ability (see p.20) and a +1 Bonus to your dice roll.

Tankbusta Bombs (Alternate Firing Action / Restricted to Infantry): This option gives you 3 Tankbusta Bomb markers. Tankbusta Bombs are used like other Grenades, but they only affect a single square.

Vehicle Gear Options

These Gear Options are restricted to Vehicles.

Ammo: This option gives you 3 Ammo markers. Each Marker grants you the Piercing Special Ability (see p.17) and a +1 bonus to your Firing Action (Alternate or not).

Auspex: This option gives your Vehicle the Hawk-Eyed and Auspex (6) Special Abilities (see p.16 and 20).

Extra Armour: This option gives you 3 Extra Armour Markers. Each Marker grants you a +1 bonus to your Vehicle's Defence Value.

Machine Spirit: This option gives your Vehicle the Personal Order Special Ability (see p.20).

Red Paint Job: This option gives your Vehicle +1 Movement Value.

Reinforced Ram: This option gives your Vehicle the Ramming Special Ability (see p.14).

Grot Rigger: This Vehicle has Gretchin on board to repair minor Damage. If the Vehicle suffers a Hull Damage Marker, it gains only 1 Suppressed Marker instead of 2.

Grabbin' Klaw: The Vehicle has the Assault (see p.17) and Long Distance Assault Special Abilities (1) (see p.19).

Customization Options

Customization Options can only be added to Characters. They can provide support Units, equipment. If the Customization Option provides one or more Markers (such as Grenades), their use is limited to the number of Markers.

WARNING: Unless otherwise indicated, only the Character from the Recruitment Tile that holds the Customization Option can benefit from that Customization.

Boss / Planning: You get an additional Numbered Order Token each Game Turn.

Boss Pole: This Customization Option gives you 3 Boss Pole Markers. Each Marker provides a different bonus that can benefit the Character or any Unit within 3 squares of that Character:

• Dakka: +1 to any die roll.
• Boss: Allows an "automatic" Armour Save of 4+ (see p.20).
• Zag: +1 Movement Value.
• Grim: Re-roll any die roll — yours or your opponent's — if you don't like the result. You must keep the new result. You may use a Grim Marker on a die roll you just re-rolled.

Combat Shield: This Character has a Defence Value of 7.

Digital Weapons: This Character has the Charge Special Ability (see p.19).

Eavy Armour: This Character has a yellow Armour Save of 4+ (see p.20).

Flamer Pistol: This Character has the Flamer (F) Special Ability (see p.15).

Iron Halo: This Character has an "automatic" Armour Save of 5+ (see p.20).

Kombi Weapon: This Customization Option gives you 3 Kombi Weapon Markers. You may use the Markers as an Alternate Firing Action Howitzer (B) (see p.15) with a maximum range of 6 Interspaces or Flamer (M) (see p.15).

Kustom Force Field: This Character has an "automatic" Armour Save of 4+ (see p.20).

Relic Blade: This Character has the Assault (+3) (see p.17) and Tearing Special Abilities (see p.20).

Waaagh! Banner: Allied Units within 2 squares of a Character equipped with the Waaagh! Banner gain a +1 bonus to all Assault die rolls.

Order Options

Order Options represent the planning and strategy from headquarters. They can give bonuses to your entire army.

Bluff: This Order gives you 1 Bluff Order Token to use for the entire game. You may never have more than 2 Bluff Order Tokens or 10 Order Tokens total.

Gork's Blessing: At each end of Supply Phase, draw 1 more Action Card than your normal hand limit, but you must then discard 1 Action Card. You may also use this ability at the beginning of the game.

Chapter 8: Psychic Powers

Manifesting a Psychic Power

When a Psyker uses a Psychic Power, it is known as "manifesting" that power. Manifesting a Psychic Power is an exhausting and often dangerous process.

A Psyker can only manifest a Psychic Power when it is activated. This counts as an Alternate Firing Action. First, you must give the Unit a number of Suppressed Markers equal to the Psychic Power's Cost (listed in the description, see p. 28).

Manifesting a Psychic Power, however, is not always safe. Hungry entities lurk within the Warp, eager to feast upon the mind and soul of an unwary Psyker. Sometimes, the Warp will flow through the Psyker in an unexpected way, making its powers even more potent. Every time a Psyker manifests a power, after paying the Cost, you must check for Perils of the Warp. This process is different depending on the type of Psyker (see below).

After any Perils of the Warp have been resolved, the Psychic Power takes effect: follow the instructions for the Psychic Power that was manifested.

Persistent Powers

Most Psychic Powers have an instantaneous effect: they do what is described in the description and then end. Other powers can be kept active for a longer period of time. These are known as Persistent Psychic Powers.

Persistent Psychic Powers always have a Marker associated with them, which is placed on a Unit or the battlefield. If the Psyker wants to, it may "maintain" the Persistent power from turn to turn. If the Psyker does not maintain the Persistent power during the Order Phase, the Marker is discarded. If the Psyker uses the same power again before recovering the Marker, move the Marker to the new target.

If the Psyker is Destroyed, remove the Persistent Psychic Power Marker: its effects end immediately.

Maintaining Persistent Powers

At the beginning of the Order Phase, each Psyker (starting with those controlled by the player with Initiative, followed by those controlled by his opponent) may decide to maintain a Psychic Power that it manifested in the previous round, even if it has some Suppressed Marker on it. Simply place a number of Suppressed Markers equal to the Cost of the Psychic Power on the Psyker and leave the Marker in place. In this case, do not test for Perils of the Warp (see below). If the Psyker does not maintain the power, the marker is discarded and becomes available again.

Beam Powers

When a Psychic Power with the Beam keyword is manifested, target a square within Limited Range (see p.16) of the Psychic Power and draw an imaginary line from the center of the target's square to the center of the Psyker's square. This line ignores all Obstacles (both Terrain Elements and Units). All Units (friend or foe) along that line are affected by the Psychic Power. LoS is not needed to manifest such a power.

Librarians

A Librarian's ability level is indicated in the Librarian symbol.

Perils of the Warp for Librarians

At the beginning of the game, place the Peril of the Warp Markers face down next to the battlefield. When a Librarian manifests a Psychic Power, place a number of Suppressed Markers equal to the power's Cost on the Librarian.

Then, before resolving the effects of the Psychic Power, you must make a Perils of the Warp Test: Roll 1 die, add the Librarian's ability level, and subtract 2 for each Suppressed Marker on the Librarian.

• On a result of 1 or less, draw a Peril of the Warp Marker.
• On a result of 2 or more, apply the effects of the Psychic Power normally.

The results of a Peril of the Warp Marker are:

• The power has no effect, and you must discard the Psychic Power Option that you just used (the Librarian cannot use that power again this game). Discard all Suppressed Markers from the Librarian.
• Apply the effects of the Psychic Power then the Psyker suffers 1 Hit. Discard all Suppressed Markers from the Librarian.
• Apply the effects of the Psychic Power then add 1 Suppressed Marker to the Librarian.
• Apply the effects of the Psychic Power then add 2 Suppressed Markers to the Librarian.
• Apply the effects of the Psychic Power then discard all Suppressed Markers from the Librarian. The Librarian may immediately use the same Psychic Power again by paying the Cost as normal.

Focus

A Librarian can focus to discard a Suppressed Marker. At the beginning of the Supply Phase, if the Librarian was not activated this Game Turn, you may remove 1 Suppressed Marker instead of taking a Movement Action (this is in addition to the 1 Suppressed Marker you remove normally each Supply Phase).

Weirdboyz

A Weirdboy's ability level is indicated in the Weirdboy symbol.

When a Weirdboy manifests a Psychic Power (but not when he maintains one), the Weirdboy must place the first Suppressed Marker he gains as part of the Cost on himself, but he may then place 1 of the other Suppressed Markers on any Ork Infantry Unit within 2 squares. Any remaining markers must be placed on the Weirdboy.

Perils of the Warp for Weirdboyz

When a Weirdboy manifests a Psychic Power, place Suppressed Markers equal to the power's Cost (remember that the second Marker can be placed on another Ork Infantry Unit within 2 squares). Then, before resolving the effects of the Psychic Power, you must make a Perils of the Warp Test:

Roll 1 die, add the Weirdboy's ability level, and subtract 2 for each Suppressed Marker on the Weirdboy.

• On a result of 1 or less, DO NOT apply the effects of the Psychic Power. Instead, the Weirdboy is Destroyed. Place a "B" Template on one of the Interspaces next to the Weirdboy's square, covering the most Units possible. Every Unit even partially covered by the Template is attacked using the Combat Values listed on the Template.
• On a result of 2 or 3, apply the effects of the Psychic Power then the Weirdboy suffers 1 Hit. Discard all Suppressed Markers from the Weirdboy.
• On a result of 4 or more, apply the effects of the Psychic Power normally.

The Psychic Powers

Only Psykers — Librarians or Weirdboyz — can use Psychic Power Recruitment Options. Otherwise, they are treated the same as other Recruitment Options.

All Psychic Powers are assigned to a Psychic Domain, which is made up of powers with similar effects:

Power of the Waaagh!

Da Jump — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. Effect: The Weirdboy and an Infantry Unit in its ZoC are removed from the game. They return during the next turn's Supply Phase (Step #3 or #4) through any edge of the battlefield except the opposing side's deployment zone with a Movement Action. They must enter through the same terrain edge.

Warpath — Cost: 1 Suppressed Marker. Effect: Place a Warpath Marker on the Weirdboy that manifests this power. All Orks within 3 squares of the Weirdboy gain a +1 bonus to their die rolls during Assaults (attack and defence).

Da Krunch (Beam) — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. You must have a Clear LoS to the target. Effect: Place the Template on an Interspace within a maximum range of 6. Make an attack against every Unit even partially under the Template. Resolve it as a Firing attack die roll but roll 2 dice instead of 1, add them to determine the total for each attack. If you roll double-6, the Unit is automatically Destroyed.

Killbolt — Cost: 1 Suppressed Marker. Effect: Beam — Take a Firing Action (max. range 6 squares) against all Units along the path of the Beam using the Combat Values on the Psychic Power tile.

The Biomancy Domain

Enfeeble — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. You must have a Clear or Obscured LoS to the target. Effect: Place an Enfeeble Marker on any Unit within 6 squares of the Librarian. That Unit suffers a -2 penalty to all die rolls.

Endurance — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. You must have a Clear LoS to the target. Effect: Heal 1 Hit worth of Damage to a Unit located within 6 squares of the Librarian (flip the counter over to its Unharmed Side).

The Divination Domain

Perfect Timing — Cost: 1 Suppressed Marker. You must have a Clear or Obscured LoS to the target. Effect: Place a Perfect Timing Marker on a Unit located within 3 squares of the Librarian. When that Unit takes a Firing Action, it ignores Obstacles that obscure LoS or any Defence Bonuses from Terrain Elements.

Scrier's Gaze — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. Effect: You keep the Initiative for the next Game Turn: shift your opponent's Initiative Marker down one box on the Turn Counter track. At the end of this Game Turn, move your marker to the now empty box.

The Telekinetic Domain

Objuration Mechanicum — Cost: 1 Suppressed Marker. You must have a Clear or Obscured LoS to the target. Effect: Place an Objuration Marker on a Unit located within 6 squares of the Librarian. That Unit cannot take any Firing Actions. If that Unit is a Vehicle with more than one Weapon, place the Marker on the weapon of your choice. The Vehicle may use the other weapon normally.

Telekinetic Dome — Cost: 2 Suppressed Markers. Effect: Place a Telekinetic Dome Marker on the Librarian. The Librarian and all allied Units in his ZoC gain an "automatic" Armour Save of 5+.

Chapter 9: Reference Sheet

Order Phase

1. Resolve effects that occur at the Start of the Order Phase in the following order: Special Abilities; Action Cards; Recruitment Options; Scenario specific effects.
2. Take the number of Order Tokens you are entitled to. Sudden Death: If you don't have any Order tokens to assign to your Units (not counting Bluff Order Tokens), you immediately lose the game.
3. Place your Order Tokens so you can read the numbers and your opponent cannot. No more than one single Order Token per Unit! The player who has the Initiative places all of his Order Tokens on any Units in his army then his opponent does the same. Players may decide to place their Order tokens simultaneously.
4. Resolve effects that occur at the End of the Order Phase in the following order: Special Abilities; Action Cards; Recruitment Options; Persistent Psychic Powers; Scenario specific effects.

Activation Phase

Units with Numbered or Special Order Tokens may take a Movement or Firing Action.

Supply Phase

1. Resolve effects that occur at the Start of the Supply Phase in the following order: Special Abilities; Action Cards; Recruitment Options; Scenario specific effects.
2. Discard all Bluff Order Tokens from all Units.
3. The player who has the Initiative plays first and must carry out the following actions in the indicated order: Take a Movement Action (see p. 5) with any or all of his Units that do not have an Order Token or an Activated Marker. Once this player is done, the opposing player does the same.
4. Discard 1 Suppressed Marker from each Unit.
5. Resolve effects that occur at the End of the Supply Phase in the following order: Special Abilities; Action Cards; Recruitment Options; Scenario specific effects.
6. Discard as many Action Cards as you wish, then draw until you reach your maximum hand size as indicated by the scenario.
7. Move the Initiative Marker of the player with Initiative next to the last player on the Turn Counter.

Movement Actions

Declare Movement Action and any Assaults

• Possibility of Fire on the Move
• Possibility of Overwatch (if Fire on the Move)

Move 1 square or change state

• Check whether a Concealed moving Unit is spotted
• Possibility of Fire on the Move
• Possibility of Overwatch
• Repeat this step until the end of the Movement Action

End of the Movement Action:

• Resolve any Assaults
• Check whether enemy Concealed Units are spotted

Firing Actions

Declare type of fire (normal or Suppression) and name target.

Calculate the modified Combat Value:

• Combat Value of the Unit
• Fire on the Move penalty (if the Unit uses the Fire on the Move Special Ability)
• Other bonuses (Gear, Action Cards, etc.)
• Double the total if the Unit uses the Suppressive Fire Special Ability
• Split the attack bonus if the Unit uses the Machine Gunner Special Ability
• Roll 1 die (2 dice and keep the best if the Unit has the Twin Linked Special Ability)
• Add die roll to modified Combat Value
• Subtract penalties from the final result of the roll (Suppressed Markers, long range penalty, Obstacles, Action Cards, etc.)
• Apply Hits or give Suppressed Markers

Penalties Inflicted by Suppressed Markers

Each Suppressed Marker inflicts a -2 penalty to ALL of the Unit's die rolls, except Scatter, Damage location, and Destruction rolls.

This penalty is not subtracted from the Unit's Combat Value: it is subtracted from the final result of the attack.

Each marker also inflicts a -2 penalty to the Unit's Movement Value. If this value drops to zero or less, the Unit is Immobilized. A Unit that is given a Suppressed Marker during its Movement Action completes its Movement Action without taking into account the Marker's penalty.

Furthermore, enemy Infantry Units ignore a suppressed Unit's Zone of Control.

A Unit receives a Suppressed Marker when:

• A Vehicle ends its Movement Action in the space it occupies (running over Infantry),
• The Vehicle in which it was embarked is Destroyed,
• It is covered by a Flamer Template,
• It suffers the effects of some Action Cards,
• It manifests a Psychic Power,
• It suffers the effects of a Suppressive Fire.

Perils of the Warp for Weirdboy

• 1 or less: No Psychic Power effect + Weirdboy explosion.
• 2 or 3: Psychic Power effects + 1 Hit on the Weirdboy + all Suppressed Markers removed from him.
• 4 or more: Psychic Power effects.

Perils of the Warp for Librarians

• 1 or less: One Peril of the Warp Marker.
• 2 or more: Psychic Power effects.

Keywords

Activated Marker: Marker used to indicate that a Unit has been activated without previously receiving an Order Token.

Activated Unit: A Unit that has already taken an action this Game Turn. This is indicated by its revealed Order Token or by an Activated Marker.

Activation Phase: Phase of the game during which the players activate the Units they gave Order Tokens to in the Order Phase.

Active Side: When a Unit can change states, the Active Side represents the Unit in its active state.

Alternate Firing Action: Firing Action provided by a Special Ability, Action Card, or Recruitment Option that the Unit can use instead of its normal attack. It does not benefit from the Unit's Special Abilities.

Bluff Order Tokens: Blank Order tokens that do not provide an activation and whose purpose is to trick the opponent.

Change of State: Various Special Abilities that enable a Unit to flip over once per Movement Action, at the start or at the end, in order to change states (such as from Inactive to Active).

Combat Value: Bonus to the Unit's die roll in a Firing Action or an Assault. For a Firing Action, it is compared to the Defence Value of the target. For an Assault, it is compared to the opponent's die roll plus bonuses.

Command Tile: Special Recruitment Tile that represents a leader. It is indicated by laurels framing the title of the tile.

Damage: Damage is suffered by a Heavy Vehicle that takes a Hit. A die roll is required to determine the location of the Damage and its effect.

Defence Value: Score that must be equalled or exceeded with a Firing Action in order to inflict a Hit on the target Unit.

Defensive Bonus: Bonus that increases a Unit's Defence Value.

Destroyed: A Destroyed Unit is removed from the game. This may cause a combat group to break if it reaches the Breaking Point on its Recruitment Tile.

Firing Action: Action taken by a Unit in order to attack another Unit. Only possible during the Activation Phase.

Forced Move: A Movement Action provoked by a specific situation. If this movement is impossible, the Unit is Destroyed. This movement cannot trigger Overwatch.

Heavy Weapon: Infantry Unit equipped with a weapon such as a Heavy Bolter, Big Shoota, or Missile Launcher. It is identified by a red outline.

Hit: Damage suffered by a Unit. When a Unit suffers a Hit, it is either flipped over to its Reduced Side or to its Wrecked Side, or Destroyed. Heavy Vehicles that are Hit suffer Damage to a random location.

Inactive Side: When a Unit can change states, the Inactive Side represents the Unit in its normal state.

Initiative: The player who has the Initiative plays first in each phase. Also used to settle any timing issues that may need resolving.

Interspace: The point where the corners of four squares intersect, which is targeted or counted by some Special Abilities or Options.

Line of Sight (LoS): Lets you know if a Unit can see another Unit. LoS can be: Clear: The target is visible. Obscured: The target is visible but the Firing Action receives a penalty. Blocked: The target is not visible.

Movement Action: Action taken by a Unit during the Activation Phase or the Supply Phase in order to move on the game board.

Movement Value: Value printed in the blue arrow that indicates the number of squares a Unit can move during a Movement Action.

Numbered Order Tokens: Order tokens that have a number and enable you to activate Units in ascending order.

Obstacles: Terrain Elements that block or reduce LoS.

Order Phase: Phase of the game during which players assign Order Tokens to their Units.

Primary Weapon: Main weapon of a Heavy Vehicle. It is identified by a red outline.

Recruitment Tile: Tile that represents a character and/or a combat group composed of several Units. Its cost is expressed in Army Points.

Reduced Side: The side of a Unit that shows that it has suffered a Hit.

Secondary Weapon: Auxiliary weapon on a Heavy Vehicle. It is identified by a yellow outline.

Space: A location on a Recruitment Tile where you can add a Recruitment Option that matches the stripes on either side of the space.

Special Order Token: Order tokens that have a medal symbol instead of a number and enable you to activate a Unit outside the normal sequence of numbered Order tokens.

Supply Phase: Phase of the game during which the players have Units that were not activated in the Activation Phase take movement actions or carry out other specific actions.

Suppressed Marker: Marker that indicates a state of stress or a difficult situation in which a Unit may be. The marker inflicts a -2 penalty to all the Unit's die rolls and to its Movement Value.

Template: Cardboard tile used to represent a special kind of attack (such as a flamethrower) or an explosion. Every Unit that is covered by a template, even partially, is affected by it.

Terrain Effects: Special effects that represent the nature of a Terrain Element as well as its specific rules.

Terrain Elements: Area printed on a terrain board or a terrain tile, identified by a specifically drawn border or contained in a terrain tile, and defined by one or more terrain effects.

Unharmed Side: The side of a Unit that shows it has not suffered a Hit.

Wrecked Side: The side of a light or Heavy Vehicle that represents it as a wreck.

Zone of Control (ZoC): Squares that are adjacent and passable to a Unit and on which it has a clear or obscured Line of Sight. Vehicles ignore other Units' ZoC and their own ZoC is ignored by other Units during their Movement Action.