Venenum

2023-05-25T20:08:25Z

2A02:1808:82:20B5:1CDB:46AC:7621:BEB3:

[[File:Venenum.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Just because your [[Officio Assassinorum|assassin temple]] doesn't get as much screentime as the [[Vindicare|super snipers]], [[Callidus|morphing ninja infiltrators]], [[Culexus|soulless psyker hunters]] and [[Eversor|screaming junkie berserkers]], there's no excuse to stop looking boss.]]
{{topquote|Somebody's poisoned the waterhole!|Renegade leader, mere seconds before his whole army died of dysentery}}
{{topquote|You come for the toxin, but you stay... because you're dead!|Dr. Thrax}}
'''Venenum [[Assassin]]s''' are an [[Officio Assassinorum]] clade that specializes in poisoning people (their name is the <s>Latin</s> High Gothic word for "venom"). They use all sorts of natural poisons, and presumably an impressive array of synthetics too. While one would assume they would just poison food and drink as well as use discreet injectors, they're trained to utilize unconventional delivery methods too, [[What|like poisoning chairs]] (Poisons that soak through the skin and clothes, become only apparent once body heat is applied...). They're also known to use blessed psi-negative poisons to kill daemons or chaos corrupted targets, suggesting that they don't just sit around palaces messing with the seating arrangements.

==Overview==
Despite the utility of such killers, they're a more behind-the-scenes type. Their specialization and training doesn't appear well optimized for battlefield roles, and thus [[Games Workshop]] doesn't seem to care much about them. Probably because the "I poisoned the well and caused your entire army to get sick and die" angle doesn't translate well to game rules. [[Vanus|Just like the "I hacked your fap folder, Inquisition's on their way"]].

[[File:VenenumAssassin.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Took us long enough...]]
...and here we are in 2022, as the revamped [[Horus Heresy]] wargame has seen the overlooked [[Vanus]] and Venenum assassins getting models and statlines. These guys now weild two primary weapons, a [[Miscellaneous_Weapons#Hookfang|Hookfang]] on one arm and a [[Miscellaneous_Weapons#Venenum Toxin Injector|Venenum Toxin Injector]] on the other. They also carry a bunch of [[Grenades & Explosives#Poison Globe Grenade|Poison Globe Grenades]] for a more ranged touch and wear the standard-issue [[Bodyglove|Panoply of the Assassin]] for protection.

==Crunch==
===Homebrew Venenum Assassin===
{{Officio Assassinorum Assassin|name=Venenum}}
**Explosive Injections: Each time an enemy model is destroyed by an attack made by this model, that enemy model’s unit suffers 1 mortal wound after your model has resolved all of its attacks.
**Poisonous Miasma (Aura): While an enemy non-{{W40Kkeyword|VEHICLE}} unit is within 6" of this unit, subtract 1 from the Strength and Toughness characteristics of models in it.
**Lesser Catachan Barking Toad Protocol: If this model is destroyed, roll one D6: on a 2+, the closest enemy unit to it (this model's player breaks ties) suffers D3+3 mortal wounds.
*Wargear
**2 Venom Injectors; dual profile:
***Melee: Melee SU AP-5 D1, Poisoned (2+), Hypertoxic, Slow Toxin.
***Shooting: 12" Pistol 1 S4 AP-5 D1, Poisoned (2+), Hypertoxic, Slow Toxin.
****Hypertoxic: Each time an attack is made with this weapon, if the target is not a {{W40Kkeyword|VEHICLE}}, the Damage of this attack is increased by 2.
****Slow Toxin: Models that suffer an unsaved wound from this weapon must take a Toughness test at the start of each turn for the rest of the game. If the test is failed, it suffers 1 mortal wound.

===Horus Heresy 2.0===
TBA

==Notable Venenum Assassins==
*'''Esad Wire''' - Aka Beast Krule. He was originally a Venenum who was converted into an Eversor, as a bodyguard for Drakan Vangorich. The guy is like Bane on steroids, he was able to "slow time" through his perception and went toe to toe with an Eldar.

*'''Drakan Vangorich''' - Yep, the Grand Master who carried out the infamous [[The Beheading|Beheading]]. Pretty much an all-round good guy as far as assassins go. Known to be quite deadly and a prodigy and by skill and his superior biology didn't require as many augmentations as his peers. He also was good at politicking (read: Threaten and blackmail) during his tenure as a High Lord of Terra. Was eventually killed by the above mentioned Esad Wire.

{{Inquisition}}
{{Template:Imperium}}

Vanus

2023-05-25T20:06:28Z

2A02:1808:82:20B5:1CDB:46AC:7621:BEB3:

[[File:Vanus.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"Mom, just leave the pizza rolls there! I can't pause this!"]]
{{Topquote|1=[[Just As Planned|The cleanest kill is one that another performs in your stead with no knowledge of your incitement.]]|2=Fon Tariel, Infocyte of the Clade Vanus, M31}}
{{topquote|They won't even notice.|Black Lotus}}

'''Mr Vanus''', also known as '''Mr Raidus ''', '''Mr Wrongus''', '''Insanus''' or '''Timeandagainus''', is an [[Assassin]] temple of the [[Officio Assassinorum]] in [[Warhammer 40,000]]. The Vanus are the intelligence-gathering division of the Assassinorum, specializing in using humans augmented to collect and analyze data and find traitors to the [[Imperium of Man]]. They also specialize in arranging "unfortunate accidents" that will remove said traitors without anyone being aware of the Assassinorum's involvement. Originally, this focus on data analysis leaves no room for actual physical training in assassination, leaving them extremely vulnerable in the "field". However, by M32 they were accomplished infiltrators and martial artists who come armed with the standard synskin, blades, pistols and augmented muscle fibres, with one hiding on Mars for a few weeks before deciding to go full commando and taking out a trio of skitarii single-handedly.

Actually, some Vanus on occasion are designated 'Unbound Infocytes' and allowed to pursue their own targets and objectives, extrapolating from starting data. One is on Tallarn during the Iron Warriors invasion in the Heresy and is responsible for destroying the Alpha Legion cell there, as well as manipulating Horus' emissary into ordering Perturabo to abandon the fight, thus leading to Imperial victory.

Contemporary cyber warfare, mobbing, and lurking through the internet can be seen as ancestral relatives of the "getting information" aspect of the Vanus Temple. Operational similarities to [[Alpha Legion]] are obvious, and it can probably be assumed these fine fellas emerged at about the same time Alpharius became a toxic asset.

[[awesome|In one novel, it is stated that Vanus assassin training includes entering a blank white room and gorging yourself on information until you go into a coma.]]

Although he does not appear in the board game, a Vanus assassin appears in the novel Assassinorum: Execution Force. He is the sole survivor of the mission, and is haunted by his teammates' deaths.

==Horus Heresy==
[[File:VanusInfocyte.jpg|thumb|Looks less nerdy than we imagined, [[No Girls on the Internet|and female at that]]]]
GW has announced that we're getting a Vanus Infocyte model for the new edition of Horus Heresy! We don't know the full specifics, but it can apparently [[Awesome|make enemies fire on their own infiltrating models]] and wreak havoc with Mechanicum Robots. For actual self-defence and protection, the Vanus is known to use two [[Laspistol]]s to gun akimbo and wear your standard [[Bodyglove|Panoply of the Assassin]] for protection.

==Homebrew Vanus Assassin==
{{Officio Assassinorum Assassin|name=Vanus|points=125}}
**Character Assassination: When resolving an attack made by a model in this unit against a {{W40Kkeyword|CHARACTER}} unit or a unit with the HQ, Elites, or Lord of War Battlefield Role, you can re-roll the hit roll and you can re-roll the wound roll.
**Controlled Information: If you have any models with this ability in your army, then roll one D6 each time your opponent spends Command Points (CPs) to use a Stratagem. On a 6+ your opponent must spend 1 additional CP to use that Stratagem, or else it has no effect (any CPs spent so far are lost). This ability cannot affect Stratagems used before the battle.
**Deceitful: While an enemy model with a Leadership characteristic less than the Leadership characteristic of this model is within 6" of this model, that model’s unit cannot make use of the Objective Secured ability or any similar abilities, it cannot perform any Actions, and its aura abilities (excluding those that are psychic powers) do not function.
**Manipulative: At the start of the Fight phase, you can select one enemy unit within 6" of this model. That unit always fights last this phase. At the start of the Fight phase, you can select one friendly {{W40Kkeyword|Imperium}} unit within 6" of this model. That unit counts as having made a charge move in the previous Charge phase for the rest of the phase.
**Knowledge is Power: If you have any models with this ability in your army and you are playing a mission that requires you to select either secondary objectives or Agendas, then after selecting them, you may choose one of them. Do not reveal it to your opponent. The first time you score victory points or experience points for it, reveal it to your opponent. Note that you must still have a record of your selection. We recommend writing it down and concealing it until revealed. Furthermore, after both players have revealed their selections you can select one of your secondary objectives or Agendas and replace it with a different one (make a note on your army roster as to your new selection and inform your opponent; if you replace the one you are not revealing, do not reveal the replacement). All the normal rules for selecting secondary objectives and Agendas apply. If both players have a rule that allows them to select new secondary objectives or Agendas, both players make their new selections before revealing them simultaneously to their opponent.
**Spy: Enemy units that are set up on the battlefield as reinforcements or that are set up before the battle begins cannot be set up within 12" of this model without your permission. When an enemy unit is set up on the battlefield as Reinforcements, you can select one friendly {{W40Kkeyword|Imperium}} unit within 6" of this model. The selected unit can shoot at that enemy unit as if it were your Shooting phase.
**Unfortunate Rumors: Pick 1 unit in your opponent's army list. Stratagems your opponent uses that would affect it cost 1 additional CP and it cannot be affected by the aura abilities (excluding those that are psychic powers) of units from your opponent's army.
*Wargear
**2 '''Digital Laser Implant'''s.
***Shooting Profile: 12" Pistol 1 SU AP0 D1; each time an attack is made with this weapon, if a hit is scored, the target suffers 1 mortal wound and the attack sequence ends.
***Melee Profile: Melee Melee SU AP0 D1; each time an attack is made with this weapon, if a hit is scored, the target suffers 1 mortal wound and the attack sequence ends. Each time the bearer fights, it can make one (and only one) attack with this weapon. This is in addition to the bearer’s attacks.
{{Inquisition}}
{{Template:Imperium}}

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