Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Kill Team(9E) Imperium

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Space Marines

Why Play Space Marines

• Pros
  • Space Marines are very flexible and forgiving all-rounders, great for beginners or for when you don't know what you're playing against.
  • Each model is a massive mountain of wounds. They can reliably tank lasguns and things like that fairly easily, and their armour can mitigate quite a bit beyond that.
  • All of your marines have at the very least a 3+ WS/BS with their weapons and their sergeants are usually at a 2+. They'll usually hit their marks.
  • Your average marine has 3 APL, allowing them to handle objectives while gunning down the opposition.
  • Low model count typical to marines makes teams relatively quick and easy to build and play.
• Cons
  • As generalists, you'll find that other Kill Teams with a more dedicated focus towards Melee or Range might have better toys than you. Bolters are nothing out of the ordinary.
    • Even Reivers, lacking melee AP, will struggle against other dedicated melee units. They can definitely deal with the enemy, but the point here is that you have to actually think in order to do it.
  • Low model count typical to marines means any casualties will hurt. Most of your fire teams will max out at just five models.
  • Only get one fire team deployment. They lack the ability to mix and match (which makes the specific rule that scouts and tacticals can't be in a Deathwatch affiliated team, while flavorful, kind of pointless) despite your massive range of models compared to other kill teams, especially the ones with only one fire team deployment.
  • A lot of your primaris models are locked in their loadouts. While your firstborn aren't so stuck to a specific loadout, their melee capabilities are a little lacking without using the Deathwatch.
  • No options for firstborn veterans outside of simply count as'ing them as a Deathwatch team. Which, to be fair, you were probably going to do anyway, but it's the principle of the thing.
  • Chapter affiliation has no tangible effect.
  • Being one of the most popular and common armies means everyone is going to be familiar with what you can bring and what you can do, and build their teams with killing Marines as a baseline requirement.
  • Compendium Space Marines have largely fallen into obsolescence for Primaris, with everything except Heavy Intercessors now being grouped into the Intercession Squad and Phobos Strike Team respectively.

SM Wargear

• 0-1 Auspex (3 EP): Provides a unique action that costs 2 AP. They allow one friendly marine within square/3" to shoot as though they have the No Cover rule, making it incredibly useful for certain guns that otherwise suffer from cover.
• 0-1 Auxiliary Grenade Launcher (1 EP): Intercessor operatives only. It radically changes the way to use grenades, from risky to an actual primary weapon. While the bearer can fire a grenade, this doesn't replace the Intercessor's weapon. Instead, this lets them throw out a frag or krak grenade, ignoring the range cap as well as the Indirect rule they have. Also helpful is that this lets grenades be used twice, giving you an extra shot with them.
  • Frag Grenade (2 EP): Frag grenades have limited damage, but Blast lets them hit multiple people at once. As a grenade, this also carries a range cap and Indirect to go through cover - if you grab an AGL for an intercessor, you can make it a more direct blast.
  • Krak Grenade (3 EP): Krak grenades are more dangerous than the frag grenade and use AP1 to punch past armor. This makes it a more viable option for the intercessor's AGL if you need to break armor as the typical intercessor lacks that sort of power.
• Grapnel Launcher (1 EP): Reiver operatives only. This allows the reivers to traverse up and down terrain far more easily, making your drop distance count as half the distance while climbing far higher.
• Grav-Chute (1 EP): Reiver operatives only. Like the grapnel launcher, this allows the spooky marines to float down from a vantage point as if they had Fly. In addition, if they're within your DV during the Scouting step of the game, they can fly 2 circles/4" around, giving them a chance to get better ground immediately.
• 0-1 Haywire Mine (3 EP): Incursor Warrior operatives only. This allows the bearer to drop the mine and flee. During any shooting phase, they can trigger the mine on any enemies close to the mine, a Silent explosion that also deals Stun on a crit.
• 0-1 Helix Gauntlet (2 EP): Infiltrator Warrior operatives only. This grants the marine a Medic keyword as well as a special action that allows them to restore 2d3 wounds to a nearby marine if they're not dealing with enemy combatants.
• Purity Seal (3 EP): Allows the bearer to trigger the Command Re-Roll tactical ploy once for free when using it on a fight, shoot or save roll. This is pretty important and will likely be used to preserve a vital part of your team.
• Shock Grenade (3 EP): Reiver operatives only. This is another single-use grenade that allows them to potentially rob AP from an enemy on a 4+ (-1 if the enemy is concealed) if within the blast zone.
• Smoke Grenade (3 EP): Infiltrator, Incursor, Reiver or Scout operatives only. This permits the user to throw a single-use grenade to make a bubble with a radius of 2"/circle, allowing your team some protection from enemy fire for the turn. Note that this is for any lines of fire going THROUGH the smoke cloud, not just those inside it.
• Suspensor (3 EP): Allows an operative with a Heavy weapon to move three circles/6" before shooting, providing some more flexibility for a weapon that seriously needs it like a heavy intercessor's heavy guns or a heavy bolter.

SM Units

NOTE Tactical Marines and Scouts cannot be used in kill-teams that pick Deathwatch for their chapter keyword. Similarly, Deathwatch Veterans can only be used in kill-teams that pick Deathwatch for their chapter keyword. <tabs> <tab name="Intercessor Fire Team">

As of the free PDF this fire team has largely been superseded by the Intercession Squad below

• Pros
  • A modest bit of flexibility in firepower with the different bolt rifles.

• Cons
  • Melee is an absolute joke outside of the sergeant.

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Intercessor Sgt
• 5 Intercessor Warriors

• Intercessor Sergeant (Staunch, Marksman): The sarge gets to utilize a bunch of other weapons - something the rest of the lot is incapable of doing.
  • All of your pistols remain confined by the 6"/pentagon range for shooting. Aside from the base bolt pistol, you also have the hand flamer, which has Torrent to handle multiple foes but deals pitiful damage. The potent plasma pistol grants the more reliable AP1 that punches armor on any hit, as well as the ability to overcharge for more AP but the risk of overheating and eating three mortal wounds. Of course, you could instead just grab the regular bolt rifles available to intercessors for full ranged firepower.
  • Aside from the chainsword, you've got more melee options as well. Power weapons are all mothballed into one generalized "power weapon", which deals a bit more damage on a crit, which is triggered on a 5+ thanks to Lethal. The thunder hammer does more damage at the cost of WS, though crits let you overpower an enemy's defenses and rob an enemy of precious AP with each successive crit. The power fist also provides major pain at the cost of WS, with the addition of Brutal in case you really just want to murder the enemy - crits are the only way to parry it.

• Intercessor Warrior (Staunch, Marksman): As a primaris marine, you get a good lot of wounds over your firstborn brethren, letting them tank some punishment. Of course, your strong Defense and armour save also lets you ignore a few hits in the process.
  • Your base bolt rifle has P1, allowing crits to puncture armor. The auto bolt bolt rifle have Ceaseless, re-rolling all 1s to hit - a decent insurance policy. The stalker bolt rifle hobbles your guy with Heavy, but AP1 lets them punch through armor on any hit.

</tab>

<tab name="Assault Intercessor Fireteam">

As of the free PDF this fire team has largely been superseded by the Intercession Squad below

• Pros
  • Chainswords are quite powerful for melee weapons.

• Cons
  • Get used to the chainswords and bolt pistols. You can't do crap about them.
  • All of your guns have range limitations.

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of:

• 1 Assault Intercessor Sergeant
• 5 Assault Intercessor Warriors

• Assault Intercessor Sergeant (Combat, Staunch): The sarge gets to utilize a bunch of other weapons - something the rest of the lot is incapable of doing.
  • All of your pistols remain confined by the 6"/pentagon range for shooting. Aside from the base bolt pistol, you also have the hand flamer, which has Torrent to handle multiple foes but deals pitiful damage. The potent plasma pistol grants the more reliable AP1 that punches armor on any hit, as well as the ability to overcharge for more AP but the risk of overheating and eating three mortal wounds.
  • Aside from the chainsword, you've got more melee options as well. Power weapons are all mothballed into one generalized "power weapon", which deals a bit more damage on a crit, which is triggered on a 5+ thanks to Lethal. The thunder hammer does more damage at the cost of WS, though crits let you overpower an enemy's defenses and rob an enemy of precious AP with each successive crit. The power fist also provides major pain at the cost of WS, with the addition of Brutal in case you really just want to murder the enemy - crits are the only way to parry it.

• Assault Intercessor Warrior (Combat, Staunch): Assault Intercessors are specially geared for fighting up-close. Their chainswords are a good deal more effective than the base intercessor's fists and you get one attack over even the intercessor sarge who grabs one. Their ranged game suffers though, as their bolt pistol has range limits despite P1 making crits breach defenses.

</tab>

<tab name="Incursor Fire Team">

As of Warzone: Moroch this fire team has largely been superseded by the Phobos Strike Team below

• Pros
  • No Cover is a very powerful buff to slap upon their guns.

• Cons
  • Melee is only slightly better than punching.

This Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Incursor Sergeant
• 5 Incursor Warriors

• Incursor Sergeant (Marksman, Scout): Phobos armor actually only provides a minor downside in Kill Team by docking your marines by a wound compared to Tacitus armor. Aside from that, these sergeants aren't any different than the base incursor.

• Incursor Warrior (Marksman, Scout): Your basic incursor is relying upon their oculus bolt carbine to pick out the opposition, as it has the ability to circumvent cover wherever it shows. Rather than base fists, your incursor gets a combat blade, which merely deals an extra hit on a crit.

</tab>

<tab name="Infiltrator Fire Team">

As of Warzone: Moroch this fire team has largely been superseded by the Phobos Strike Team below

• Pros
  • A bit of sniping power on their guns.

• Cons
  • Melee is absolutely disposable.

This Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Infiltrator Sergeant
• 5 Infiltrator Warriors

• Infiltrator Sergeant (Marksman, Scout): Phobos armor actually only provides a minor downside in Kill Team by docking your marines by a wound compared to Tacitus armor. Aside from that, these sergeants aren't any different than the base infiltrator.

• Infiltrator Warrior (Marksman, Scout): Your basic infiltrator is pretty much reliant upon their marksman bolt carbine, a base bolt rifle with Lethal 5+ to ensure a better number of crits than usual.

</tab>

<tab name="Reiver Fire Team">

As of Warzone: Moroch this fire team has largely been superseded by the Phobos Strike Team below

• Pros
  • Flexibility in going between ranged and melee.

• Cons
  • Your weapons are a bit limited when compared to others.
  • Most of the gadgets that give Reivers their special abilities and mobility (grapnels, grav-chutes, smoke and shock grenades) have to be bought with EP.

This Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Reiver Sergeant
• 5 Reiver Warriors

• Reiver Sergeant (Combat, Marksman, Scout): As with the other Phobos marines, this guy doesn't come with as many wounds as his Tacitus brethren. As the leader, this guy gets to cart around both of the weapons his troops have access to on top of his bolt pistol for some short-ranged AP1. If you go for the knife and not bolt carbine you get Lethal 5+, allowing for a bit of extra sting up close.

• Reiver Warrior (Combat, Marksman, Scout): All reivers come with a short-ranged bolt pistol with AP1 to rip through enemy armor. From there, they're split between two forms of fighting: The combat knife gives you an extra attack over the base fists, and unlike the sergeant there is no Lethal to make it any more enticing. The bolt carbine is effectively as same as the base bolt rifle given to intercessors.

</tab>

<tab name="Heavy Intercessor Fire Team">

• Pros
  • Gravis armour makes them literal mountains of wounds.
  • A bit of variety in your guns.

• Cons
  • Melee remains pointless.
  • The smallest Marine fire team, capping off at just five models.

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Heavy Intercessor Sergeant
• 4 of the following:
  • 2-4 Heavy Intercessor Warriors
  • 0-1 Heavy Intercessor Heavy Gunner

• Heavy Intercessor Sergeant (Staunch, Marksman): Unlike most sergeants, your heavy intercessor sarge is pretty much a normal guy with an extra wound and better accuracy.

• Heavy Intercessor Warrior (Staunch, Marksman): The bulk of gravis armor limits your heavy intercessors to only a poor APL of 2. Thankfully, these guys have all the wounds to prove their worth. Their guns also deal more damage than the basic intercessor.
  • Your base heavy bolt rifle has P1, allowing crits to puncture armor. The hellfire bolt rifle have Ceaseless, re-rolling all 1s to hit - a decent insurance policy. The executor bolt rifle hobbles your guy with Heavy, but AP1 lets them punch through armor on any hit.

• Heavy Intercessor Heavy Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Heavy gunners are hardcapped to only one model for your kill-team. With the sorts of shenanigans you have, you're pretty keen to find out why. All of your guns have heavy, meaning that they'll probably confined to camping in order to rain fire upon your opposition.
  • Your base heavy bolter has P1 and Fusillade, letting you re-roll as many hits as you want to guarantee some extra crits. The hellstorm heavy bolter have Ceaseless and Fusillade, letting you at least guarantee that you can hit whoever you split your firepower to. The executor heavy bolter provides AP1 and Lethal 5+, a pretty deadly combination.

</tab>

<tab name="Tactical Marine Fire Team">

• Pros
  • The most flexible loadouts in the list short of the Deathwatch.
  • Your sergeant has access to hand flamers and inferno pistols regardless of chapter choice.

• Cons
  • You were expecting your melee situation to get better? Fat chance.
  • Some particular bits of wargear and combos on your sergeant haven't made it over to Kill Team. No melee weapons paired with combi-weapons or storm bolters, no thunder hammer.
  • Your heavy weapons are limited to just a missile launcher or heavy bolter. No multi-meltas or grav/las/plasma cannons.

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Tactical Marine Sgt
• 5 of the following:
  • 3-5 Tactical Marine Warriors
  • 0-1 Tactical Marine Gunner
  • 0-1 Tactical Marine Heavy Gunner

• Tactical Marine Sergeant (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): The base tactical marine is about on level with Phobos marines with less wounds when compared to intercessors but the same good defenses and improved APL. Where the firstborn excel is in their more diverse loadouts, where primaris are mostly static in their equipment.
  • If you go barehanded, you can pick up the basic bolter or grab one of the combi-weapons. As we're rolling with pre-8E combi-weapons, you'll have to be very judicious in picking when to blow your singular use of that alternate weapon and unlike Deathwatch, you're not getting special ammo.
  • Picking pistols obviously limits you in range. Aside from that limitation of range (which will also hinder the spread of your hand flamer), these guns all remain as deadly as their full-sized counterparts. They also provide the choice of actual melee weapons: The chainsword gives you better damage than your basic fists, as does the power weapon thanks to including Lethal for more crits. Power fists lay down serious hurt with Brutal to overwhelm defenses.

• Tactical Marine Warrior (Staunch, Marksman): Your basic beakie, given only a boltgun and a slap on the back. The bolter is statistically the same as a bolt rifle, dealing 3 damage or 4 on a crit. With 4 shots at a 3+ BS, they can easily gun down a weaker enemy and ding up anything close to their level of tankiness.

• Tactical Marine Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Your special weapons marines, given the most potent of arms. The flamer deals the least damage and suffers range caps, but it has a 2+ BS and Torrent lets it spread through clumps of enemies. The grav-gun can handle most armor with AP1 but it's especially dangerous against 3+ saves, where it becomes Lethal 4+. The meltagun has issues with range too, but between AP2 and a guaranteed 4 mortal wounds on a crit, you can easily demolish the competition. The plasma gun also deals a lot of damage and AP1 lets it weaken armour, though if you want to play dangerous you can overcharge it for AP1...just be careful not to suffer from Hot and lose wounds.

• Tactical Marine Heavy Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Sadly, your heavy gunners don't get to carry some of the fancier guns like plasma cannons and heavy flamers. All you're stuck with is the heavy bolter and missile launcher. In either case, you're likely going to be camping behind the rest of your team, blowing up enemies like there's no tomorrow.
  • The heavy bolter lets you mow down gunlines with Fusillade letting you split fire across visible targets. The missile launcher has two profiles to pick between. The frag missiles do less damage, but get Blast to cover crowds in the open. Krak missiles do more damage and pierce armour with AP1, making it more keyed to nailing enemy marines.

</tab>

<tab name="Scout Fire Team">

• Pros
  • Your most numerous Fire Team
  • Scouts are the most capable of utilizing cover to their advantage
  • Between bolters, shotguns, sniper rifles, heavy bolters, and missile launchers, Scouts offer a surprisingly decent choice of shooting.
  • Sniper rifles allow you to hit things while still hiding

• Cons
  • Your weakest fireteam, being only slightly better than basic humans
  • While you can specialize in melee with Scouts, it's probably not a good idea, considering your combat knife and pistol are little better than a power armored marine's fists with an extra attack. Decent shooting is the Scout's strength, use it.

This Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of the following:

• • 0-1 Scout Sergeant or Scout Sniper Sergeant
• 9 of the following:
  • 4-9 Scout Warriors
  • 0-2 Scout Heavy Gunners
  • 0-3 Scout Sniper Warriors

• Scout Sergeant (Combat, Marksman, Scout): Your scouts are sadly little better than hampered humans with APL2, GA1, and only 9 wounds compared to the Krieger's 7. What you do have is the best WS/BS to crush the opposition as well as the numbers to actually compete with the enemy. In addition, this guy has various equipment loadouts.
  • The shotgun is short-ranged, but Balanced lets you re-roll one of your hits. This is pretty handy as the shotgun deals the most damage without regard to crits.
  • The Boltgun offers no range limitations, dealing 3 damage normally but 4 damage on a crit.
  • The bolt pistol has limited range, but comes with the chainsword, which has a 2+ WS and deal more damage than barehanded.

• Scout Sniper Sergeant (Marksman, Scout): This sergeant only has the sniper rifle as a gun, but this rifle has Balanced to re-roll a hit and Silent lets you shoot it while concealed, an option even Phobos marines lack. A crit even stacks on a Mortal Wound on top of everything else. In addition, you also get a Camo Cloak to add another roll to your defenses when he gets shot at behind cover.

• Scout Warrior (Combat, Marksman, Scout): The scout is the most like the average human with APL2, a 4+ save and 8 wounds, but a GA of 1 means that you'll often be outpaced by actual guardsmen and gaunts.
  • The shotgun is short-ranged, but 2+ BS makes it an accurate choice. This is pretty handy as the shotgun deals the most damage without regard to crits.
  • The Boltgun offers no range limitations, dealing 3 damage normally but 4 damage on a crit.
  • The bolt pistol has limited range, but comes with the combat knife, which gives an extra attack over the fist.

• Scout Heavy Gunner (Marksman, Scout): The heavy gunner can't pick up a knife, but will often sit in the back lines, firing with their heavy weapons.
  • The heavy bolter has P1 so crits can rip through armour. Fusillade lets you re-roll as many hits as you want, allowing you to perhaps turn misses into crits. The missile launcher has two profiles to pick between. The frag missiles do less damage, but get Blast to cover crowds in the open. Krak missiles do more damage and pierce armour with AP1, making it more keyed to nailing enemy marines.

• Scout Sniper Warrior (Marksman, Scout): Like the sniper sergeant, you will make use of the camo cloak for better defenses while in cover. Their lone implement is the sniper rifle, a Heavy gun with Silent to fire while concealed and deals a mortal wound on a hit.

</tab>

<tab name="Deathwatch Veteran Fire Team">

• Pros
  • High variety of potent special and heavy weapon choices, both melee and ranged, allows Deathwatch to be customized for any situation.
  • Special ammo bolters + power weapons makes a team of regular warriors not only viable, but powerful.
  • If you want to represent a team of firstborn veterans, of any chapter, Deathwatch is the best way to do it in Kill Team.
  • Even with the limitations, Kill Team is a game that really plays to the Deathwatch's strengths. These are the operations they were meant for, rather than the open battlefields of 40k.

• Cons
  • Some particular bits of wargear and combos haven't made it over to Kill Team. No melee weapons paired with combi-weapons or storm bolters, no guns alongside a storm shield, etc.
  • No more frag cannon spam, though that's probably for the best. Nobody (except possibly the asshole running Custodes) deserves that.
  • Only two of your dudes can truly specialize in melee. Not that you really need more than that, when everyone else can be running with a power weapon.

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Deathwatch Veteran Watch Sergeant
• 5 of the following:
  • 1-5 Deathwatch Veteran Warrior
  • 0-1 Deathwatch Veteran Fighter
  • 0-1 Deathwatch Veteran Gunner
  • 0-1 Deathwatch Veteran Heavy Gunner

• Deathwatch Veteran Watch Sergeant: Your most widely-equipped veterans. Literally, all the weapons available to the base DW team are available to him and then some. For sake of expediency, the following bullets are of particular loadouts available to him.
  • The heavy thunder hammer is so powerful that it's capped to only one per kill-team if you didn't grab it on a fighter. This weapon can easily splat most enemies, with Stun allowing crits to overpower those that survive. Of course, you'd need him to actually make it into the fight first.
  • Paired lightning claws naturally provide a step up from the base fists in regard to damage, with Lethal giving you a lower barrier for crits. As if that's not enough, there's Relentless to make sure you can re-roll any rolls you want to guarantee those crits. Again, the lack of shooting requires that he be protected enough to rip into the opposition.
  • Going with fists provides you all the guns available to the gunner. Combi-weapons sound like a really tempting option, but since we're counting on pre-8E combi rules, that other gun will only be usable once before being just another bolter. Consider your use carefully.
  • Going for the melee weapon will restrict you to the loadout of the warrior, though at an improved WS/BS. Unique among the options is the xenophase blade, a power weapon that also includes Brutal to utterly crush the opposition without impacting WS.
  • The one thing the Sergeant can't be equipped with is a combi-weapon and melee weapon, which is ironic considering the model example pic in the fucking datasheet has that loadout. Even the most recent FAQ has overlooked this, only letting you grab a power weapon and bolter as a separate option.

• Deathwatch Veteran Warrior: Standing out amongst other marines, your veterans have two loadouts capable of levying different types of mayhem depending on how you use it.
  • Taking the bolter also includes a welcome power weapon for easy crits. The deathwatch bolter is mostly a base bolter with a few minor tweaks depending on which ammo type you utilize: the Dragonfire bolts ignore all cover, the Hellfire bolts add a bonus crit on top of any other crits you have thanks to Rending, the Kraken shells pack P1 for more dangerous crits, and the Vengeance shells make the bolter's base damage equal to its crit damage.
  • Going barehanded allows access to other guns. The stalker boltgun lacks the ammo types and is limited by Heavy, but AP 1 lets it rip through armor. The storm bolter has Relentless, allowing you to guarantee all the hits you can get. The shotgun, like the base bolter, has different ammo types: Cryptclearer shells lack a range restriction and deal serious damage at the cost of a 3+ BS, Wyrmsbreath shells carry Torrent and a bundle of shots but suffer the shortest range and pitiful damage, and Xenopurge shells get decent range and P1 at a basic bolter's statline.

• Deathwatch Veteran Fighter: Fighters carry the most melee weapons, though they're not the only source of melee power with warriors carrying power swords. This makes fighters more specialized in facing off in melee, likely against other warriors.
  • The heavy thunder hammer is so powerful that it's capped to only one per kill-team if you didn't grab it on your sergeant. This weapon can easily spat most enemies, with Stun allowing crits to overpower those that survive. Of course, you'd need him to actually make it into the fight first.
  • Paired lightning claws naturally provide a step up from the base fists in regard to damage, with Lethal giving you a lower barrier for crits. As if that's not enough, there's Relentless to make sure you can re-roll any rolls you want to guarantee those crits. Again, the lack of shooting requires that he be protected enough to rip into the opposition.
  • Most of your loadouts will usually compose of a pistol and hand weapon:
    • All of your pistols will all have to contend with range limitations. Grav-pistols have good damage with AP1, and Grav makes it the most effective against 3+ saves or better by making it Lethal 4+. Hand flamers have the worst damage, but are the easiest to hit and have Torrent to cover groups. The inferno pistol has the shortest range, but AP2 makes armor a non-issue and crits deal mortal wounds. Plasma pistols provide good damage and AP1, but you can overcharge for AP2 if you feel lucky. If you don't care about shooting at all, you can instead grab a shield to improve your save to 2+.

• Deathwatch Veteran Gunner: As with the warrior, you have access to the ever-versatile bolter ammo. However, the gunner lacks access to power weapons. They compensate by allowing access combi-weapons, allowing a single use of a flamer/plasma/grav/melta.
  • Flamers are short-ranged and deal miserable damage, but Torrent lets them cover plenty of enemies and scores hits the easiest. The grav-gun deals decent damage and AP1 manages some armor, but Grav makes its preferred prey obvious: Space Marines and other 3+ saves make it Lethal 4+. The meltagun is devastating despite its range, with AP2 to negate most armor and crits dealing a LOT of mortal wounds. Plasma guns deal quite a lot of damage at AP1 with the option to gamble overloading for AP2.

• Deathwatch Veteran Heavy Gunner: Unless you tote the frag cannon, Heavy will force this guy to hunker down at a certain point just to unleash hell upon whoever he sees.
  • The frag cannon lacks Heavy, allowing you to use it while carrying out other tasks: The frag rounds deal Blast to cover blobs and crowds while shell rounds deal more damage at AP1 for direct fire. The heavy bolter lets you mow down gunlines with Fusillade letting you split fire across visible targets. The heavy flamer lacks range and damage, but has a lot of attacks and Torrent. The infernus heavy bolter, naturally, combines both the heavy flamer and heavy bolter without the worried of limited ammo like combi-weapons. The missile launcher lets you switch between Frag missiles for limited-strength crowd coverage with Blast or high-damage AP1 krak missiles.
  • Without points, there really isn't any practical reason not to take an infernus over a regular heavy bolter or flamer, unless you just really want to use a model that's already been built with one or the other.

</tab> </tabs>

SM Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Bolter Discipline (1 CP): This allows any of your non-scout marines to fire all their bolt weapons twice until the end of their turning point so long as they don't fight up-close. This is especially powerful for your heavy bolters so they can clean up anything they don't blast the first time around.
• Shock Assault (1 CP): This allows any of your non-scout marines to fight twice until the end of their turning point so long as they don't shoot. A lot of your weapons are quite dangerous, and this is especially the case for some of the more attack-laden ones like what your fighters and sergeants wield. If you're stuck with your hands, then this might let a lone marine still nail one enemy in the fight.
• Tactical Precision (1 CP) Anyone within square/3" of a visible Leader operative (Read: Sergeants) can re-roll one hit die when shooting or fighting, which can be a bit helpful.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• And They Shall Know No Fear (1 CP): The chosen marine ignores all penalties to AP and won't count as injured for their activation. Helpful if you need to shut off a battle scar for a critical moment.
• Multi-Spectrum Array (1 CP): When activated, your chosen Incursor can ignore the obscured condition in case terrain is being annoying.
• Omni-Scrambler (1 CP): Pick an enemy within pentagon/6" of an Infiltrator. This operative can't be activated until the enemy activates someone else.
• Only in Death Does Duty End (1 CP): Any time a marine dies, you can pull this and let them stay up a little longer until your next activation ends. Even after that, they won't count as injured, which can help avoid the more crippling battle scars.
• Terror Troop (1 CP): The stratagem for your Reivers. Any operatives that pick up something while within square/3" of your chosen reiver must spend an additional AP to block out the spoopy noises. In addition, when determining control over an objective, Reivers count enemies as having one less APL.
• Transhuman Physiology (1 CP): Your Primaris operatives can reduce one critical hit to a basic hit after rolling for saves. This can be useful considering how you'll run into guns that fire enough times to overwhelm your defenses.

</tab> </tabs>

SM Strategies

SM Killteams:

Fireteams. Instead of mixing fire teams and/or operative types like most other factions, you get only one pick from a single type of marine. the Firstborn and 2 out of the 6 Primaris Fire teams have the flexibility to pick gear, with the rest being identical static outside of wargear. <tabs> <tab name="Intercessors"> </tab> <tab name="Assult Intercessors"> </tab> <tab name="Heavy Intercessors"> </tab> <tab name="Incursers"> now getting into the Phobos primaries, the guys that are supposed to specialize in stealth. All geared the same being Intercessors with rifles that ignore cover and have +1 on crit damage in melee. Don't get that superior firepower or melee of an Intercessor, but gets additional tools. They play the mid-game while on the move, a theme of denying enemy things, Removing the benefit of an enemy shooting behind cover, while denying sight with a smoke grenade and area with a Haywire Mine. </tab> <tab name="Infiltrators"> The sneaky marksmen of primaries. Will get lots of crits on their ranged attacks and some good abilities like the rare ability to heal each turn and prevents an enemy within a pentagon/6" from acting, especially stops them from doing something important before gunning them down. While also getting that smoke grenade, and Primarius Transhuman Physiology, make this a durable and allrounder fire team as long your using your resources correctly, but more focused on keeping distance than Incursers or Reivers due to only having fists. </tab> <tab name="Reivers"> Infiltrators but way more in your face. Less strong than Incursers or Infiltrators in firefights as they lack special rules on their guns, but prefers to get close up with their heavy pistols and more so if you picked knife on your operatives. Your wargear tools make you the most mobile of marines as the Grapnel Launcher and Grav-Chute when it comes to the verticality encouraged in kill team terrain pieces. while also having Terror Troop and shock grenade to prevent the enemy from fulfilling objectives while your close by. </tab> <tab name="Tactical"> </tab> <tab name="Scout"> </tab> <tab name="Deathwatch"> </tab> </tabs>

Counterplay:

The best way to deal with SM is experience. Really, once you see the opponent's list, you may know what he can do, but SM are the ultimate jack of all trades in KT, and can adapt well enough to most situations. Generalist lists only get you so far, though, and will leave the player using them rather exposed to the strategy of his opponent. Weapon-wise, marines are strong against basic weapons, particularly when wielded by BS4+ models since they can reliably save most hits and have the wounds to soak a bolter shot before feeling the effects. A single shot from something like a meltagun or overcharged plasma gun however has a high likelihood of causing critical existence failure, and those weapons are often powerful enough that any cover a marine uses to protect his ass ends up mostly irrelevant. Any team that can get plenty of AP should also enjoy good success against marines, as those guns will very reliably whittle the marines down in just a few shots. The main weakness off a marine team is the low number of activations. With the exception of scouts, which are a whole nother deal to the rest of their brothers, marines cap out at 6 operatives. This means that for every additional model you have on the table above that, you can keep a hard-hitting gunner concealed and ready to strike until after each marine has moved. Marines can use their 3APL to do some cool tricks, but if you conceal your operatives - especially behind heavy cover if there is a high ground for the marines to abuse - they will be forced to engage to clear out your operatives from objectives eventually. Once they do, they will be exposed to whatever horrors you have in store for them. Wait until your last activation possible to ensure you do not eat any overwatch on the return. Even if your gunner dies on return fire, this is a positive trade for most teams; once a marine team loses two or three operatives this way, they'll no longer have the presence on the board required to contest objectives effectively against even your basic models.

There are three big tricks that marines can use against you if you don't stay aware of them. First, always remember that 3APL lets a model move up, shoot, and dash away. In combination with either the right kind of heavy terrain or a vantage point, this lets a marine stay invulnerable while still going on the attack. If at all possible, do not let a marine player do this. Another trick of the increased actions of a marine is the ability to pop the heads of two enemies in one turn. This is where bolter discipline becomes a problem, especially when those bolters are more than just your standard D3/4 basic gun. Furthermore, this sort of 2 kills in one activation can be done even without the strategic ploy by charging, fighting, and then shooting from the new position. Be careful if you have a model weak on wounds within charging distance of a marine. Fortunately, any marine that goes on the offensive only has one more action for movement for that turn. If it has to move out of concealment for this, then you can earn compensation by taking the marine out later in the turn. However, just about the biggest loss you can take is to expose two models to a marine waiting with a conceal order. This lets them kill or injure both and then move away back into cover. Finally, Only In Death Does Duty End can be a serious tool for vengeance in their hands. You cannot easily avoid this, but it is good to keep it in mind so you don't get taken by surprise. It allows the marine to potentially go out guns blazing for one or even two kills, or to run up and press an objective to deny VPs. tl;dr use plenty of conceal early in the game, use higher number of models to force the marine player to engage first, don't let them cheese you, and then start trading your gunners one-for-one for marine lives.

SM Example Teams

Standard Kill Teams

Intercession Squad (PDF)

Why Play Intercession Squad

• Pros
  • Each model is a massive mountain of wounds. They can reliably tank lasguns and things like that fairly easily, and their armour can mitigate quite a bit beyond that.
  • All of your marines have at the very least a 3+ WS/BS with their weapons and their sergeants are usually at a 2+. They'll usually hit their marks.
  • Your average marine has 3 APL, allowing them to handle objectives while gunning down the opposition.
  • Low model count typical to marines makes teams relatively quick and easy to build and play. Doubling this is the rather cut-and-dry roles available to them.
  • Doubling onto this, Shock Assault and Bolter Discipline mean that you're literally fighting at twice the combat output.
  • Your entire ruleset comes as a single PDF, you don't need to buy either a full boxset, the Compendium or a limited-release White Dwarf just to access them.
  • Being able to mix and match regular and assault intercessors gives you a healthy choice of shooting and melee options. Not overly strong ones, mind, but good as far as Primaris goes.
  • You get chapter tactics. Of a sort.
  • Free grenades and grenade launcher on the grenadier and gunner, respectively. And this grenade launcher is miles better than what the Compendium has.

• Cons
  • Low model count typical to marines means any casualties will hurt. Your fire team will max out at just six models.
  • A lot of your primaris models are locked in their loadouts. While you can swap out the guns for the Intercessors, they won't do much beyond their basic roles. All of them are stuck to their specific roles.
    • Unlike most bespoke Kill Teams from the boxes or WD, this team is a very distilled list that lacks any of the fun stuff like Comms-fuckery or medics.
  • Being one of the most popular and common armies means everyone is going to be familiar with what you can bring and what you can do, and they will build their teams with killing Marines as a baseline requirement.
  • The Intercession Squad is a true jack of all trades, master of none. They can be decent at anything, but excel in nothing in particular, beyond just being ded 'ard.

IS Wargear

• 0-1 Auspex (2 EP): Provides a unique action. One enemy within 6"/pentagon is no longer obscured and can't rely on cover for automatic saves.
• Combat Blade (1 EP): A slight step up from bare hands with 3/5 damage, this only has some use on the shooty Intercessors.
• Frag Grenade (2 EP): Frag grenades have limited damage, but Blast lets them hit multiple people at once. As a grenade, this also carries a range cap and Indirect to go through cover.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Krak grenades are more dangerous than the frag grenade and use AP1 to punch past armor.
• Purity Seal (3 EP): Allows the bearer to trigger the Command Re-Roll tactical ploy once for free when using it on a fight, shoot or save roll. This is pretty important and will likely be used to preserve a vital part of your team.
• 0-1 Reclusiam-Blessed Bolts (3 EP): Improves one bolt weapon by adding +1 to their damage profiles.
• Tilting Shield (3 EP): Prevents enemies from scoring a crit on the bearer on anything less than a 6, negating Lethal and anything like it. Vital against snipers and anything else twith mean crit effects.
• Vengeance-Class Scope (3 EP): One bolt rifle or stalker bolt rifle gains Lethal 5+ for a little edge in its lethality.

IS Special Rules

• Bolter Discipline: Your Intercessors can shoot twice in a turn, but only if they shoot with a bolt weapon at least once. Thie will only matter if you grab a plasma pistol on your Intercessor Sergeant.
• Shock Assault: Your Assault Intercessors can fight twice in a turn without restrictions.

Chapter Tactics

Contrary to what one may think, this gives you more mutable rules to customize your Intercessor's traits to better emulate a specific chapter. Each Kill Team can only pick two special rules from these lists, though some ploys let you swap off. This doesn't require you to pick from two different lists, but it might be recommended due to how the Adaptive Tactics ploy works.

<tabs> <tab name="Discipline of Iron">

• Accurate: When an operative shoots and scores any crits, the rest of the attacks gain No Cover. A great way to capitalize on a crit, as cover is something your enemy will desperately want to avoid you. Pairs well with the Vengeance-Pattern Scope.
• Methodical: Your operatives ignore any modifiers to their WS and BS. Useful if you expect to deal with something like the Death Guard, who inflict something similar to Injured just by being next to them.
• Deadly Sharpshooter: All bolt weapons reduce their critical damage by 1 but gain the MW1 crit effect. Pointless on anything with already poor saves, but it can punch through anything with Invulnurables (Daemons, Wyches) or good saves (Marines, Custodes).

</tab> <tab name="Gene-Wrought Resilience">

• Durable: Critical hits reduce their damage by 1. Very helpful against anything with MW.
• Hardy: When rolling for defense, you score a critical save on a 5+ instead of a 6. Can be helpful in blocking out a lot more than just crits.
• Unyielding: +1 Wound to all operatives.

</tab> <tab name="Martial Zealotry">

• Aggressive: Your operatives' melee weapons gain Rending when they charge.
• Dueller: When this operative fights and scores a critical parry, it can now discard an additional hit (so either three normal hits or a crit and a normal hit).
• Rapid: +1"/Triangle Movement to all operatives.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Evasion">

• Mobile: The Fall Back action costs 1 AP less for your operatives. More useful for your shooty Intercessors, but equally valuable to all.
• Raider: Your operatives can charge while engaged with an enemy. They can also move within an enemy's threat range without provoking any attacks, preventing things like the Legionary Butcher from barring their path.
• Stealthy: When an enemy shoots at one of your operatives from over 6"/pentagon away and your operative is behind cover, you can have them either score an additional cover save or upgrade one save into a crit save.

</tab> </tabs>

IS Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Champions of Mankind: Revealed whenever you kill an enemy. You gain 1 VP if the operative that triggered this Tac Op kills more than any friendly operative and another if this operative has killed more than any enemy operative.
• Indomitable Superiority: Revealed at the end of the game. You score 1 VP if you control objectives while the enemy doesn't and 1 VP if there are more friendly operatives than there are enemy operatives.
  • This one is incompatible with Tac Ops that require an operative to flee the field for reasons other than death, such as Interloper.
• Shock and Awe: Score 1 VP for each turn where you wrest objectives from enemy control.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Defenders of Humanity"> Note - This counts as the Secure District Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Establish Superiority: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Protect Assets, Indomitable Superiority, or Hold the Line Tac Ops. Lots of tanking and survival necessary, but you've got tough guys.
2. Shock Elimination: Finish one last game where you win VP through any Security Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 2 RP and you also get either one piece of Rare Equipment or improve your Asset cap by +1. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Mankind's Vengeance"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Strategic Dominance: Finish five games where you scored VP from any of your unique Tac Ops.
2. Targeted Destruction: Finish one last game where you score at least 2 VP from any Seek & Destroy Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op lets you get either one piece of Rare Equipment or improve your Asset cap by +1. You also score 10 XP that you can distribute among all your operatives, with a cap of 3 XP for each one. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Marksman's Honour: Improve the BS of one of this operative's guns by 1, to a max of 2+.
2. Bladesman's Honour: Improve the WS of one of this operative's weapons by 1, to a max of 2+. Not worth it for a fist, maybe for a combat blade.
3. Chapter Exemplar: This operative can select an additional Chapter Tactic, but it must be from one of the lists where it had already chosen one.
4. Spiritual Resolve: This operative can re-roll Recovery checks and roll twice when determining battle scars, picking which one fucks you over the least.
5. Specialised: This operative can take a Battle Honour from one of the CRB specialisms. Note that this doesn't have to be one the operative can already select, which can be very handy.
6. Honoured by the Armoury: This operative can take one piece of equipment for 1 EP less, meaning a grenade or combat blade can be free.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Artificer-Wrought Weapon (1 RP): After any game where an operative of Ace rank or higher gains XP, you can pull this to give your operative a unique piece of Rare Equipment that is exclusive to them. Nobody else can take this equipment and if the operative dies or is otherwise removed from the roster, so is his gear.
• Solemn Oath (1 RP): An operative takes an Oath of Moment, giving a special objective to either score the most kills, score the most VPs, or move into the enemy's DZ. They score 2 XP for fulfilling this Oath but failing it auto-inflicts the Cerebral Affliction Battle Scar. In any case, you can only have one operative take one Oath at a time, with each operative only able to take each oath once.
  • Some of these tasks are a bit of a gamble depending on the game's setup, but the XP boost is a worthwhile reward to consider, especially for those behind the curve.
• Tribute to Noble Duty (1 RP): When you win a game with 16+ VP, you can spend 1 RP to gain a piece of Rare Equipment, a nice trophy for your victory.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Arsenal Sub-Vault: Lets you re-equip your operatives when setting up your team, allowing you to save Requisition that would've been spent on hiring new troops.
• Hypnoindoctrination Shrine: Only usable if you have an operative of Veteran rank or higher. At the end of a game, one operative that didn't fail a Casualty check and has the lowest XP of the lot gains 1 free XP to keep up.
• Intel-Cache Uplink: Your operatives can now be set up within 1"/triangle of your DZ instead of having to be deployed in it.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Bastion Field Generator (2 EP): Grants a 4++ Invuln. Not many high-AP guns are out there, but you'll be thankful for this the moment you run into one.
2. Adamantine Mantle (2 EP): Once per turn, the bearer can degrade one incoming critical hit to dealing normal damage. This doesn't say anything about any other effects like Stun or MW.
3. Targeting Ocular (2 EP): When the bearer shoots, they can easily disregard the Obscured condition. Not quite the power of the Auspex or anything with No Cover, but an equally vital edge.
4. Servo-Cherub (3 EP): Once per turn, the operative can perform an objective action at a 1 AP discount, which can be helpful if you intend to flee afterwards.
5. Artificer Armour (3 EP): Improves the bearer to a 2+ save. Breathe it in because not much else can ever reach this power.
6. Chapter Artefact (1 EP): Essentially a standard for other armies, this makes the bearer's APL count as one higher for the sake of capping objectives.

</tab> </tabs>

IS Units

This Security/Seek & Destroy Fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Assault Intercessor Sergeant or Intercessor Sergeant
• 5 of the following:
  • 0-5 Assault Intercessor Warriors
  • 0-1 Assault Intercessor Grenadier
  • 0-5 Intercessor Warriors
  • 0-1 Intercessor Gunner

• Intercessor Sergeant (Staunch, Marksman): The sarge gets to utilize a bunch of other weapons - something the rest of the lot is incapable of doing. In particular, this sergeant is actually capable of fighting in melee with something besides their hands, thus making them a decent backup combatant.
  • No pistols for you, only rifles.
  • Aside from the chainsword, you've got several melee options. Power weapons are all mothballed into one generalized "power weapon", which deals a bit more damage on a crit, which is triggered on a 5+ thanks to Lethal. The thunder hammer does more damage at the cost of WS, though crits let you overpower an enemy's defenses and rob an enemy of precious AP with each successive crit. The power fist also provides major pain at the cost of WS, with the addition of Brutal in case you really just want to murder the enemy - crits are the only way to parry it.

• Assault Intercessor Sergeant (Combat, Staunch): The sarge gets to utilize a bunch of other weapons - something the rest of the lot is incapable of doing.
  • All of your pistols remain confined by the 6"/pentagon range for shooting. Aside from the base bolt pistol, you also have the hand flamer, which has Torrent to handle multiple foes but deals pitiful damage. The potent plasma pistol grants the more reliable AP1 that punches armor on any hit, as well as the ability to overcharge for more AP but the risk of overheating and eating three mortal wounds.
  • Aside from the chainsword, you've got more melee options as well so long as you don't pick up the plasma pistol. Power weapons are all mothballed into one generalized "power weapon", which deals a bit more damage on a crit, which is triggered on a 5+ thanks to Lethal. The thunder hammer does more damage at the cost of WS, though crits let you overpower an enemy's defenses and rob an enemy of precious AP with each successive crit. The power fist also provides major pain at the cost of WS, with the addition of Brutal in case you really just want to murder the enemy - crits are the only way to parry it.
  • You can be gunslinger and take two pistols if you want, but keep in mind that pistols have no special rules in 9th. You don't get any special benefits or extra attacks for having two, and you can't shoot them in close combat like in last edition, so your space marine can't fight in melee at all if you don't take some kind of melee weapon.

• Assault Intercessor Warrior (Combat, Staunch): Assault Intercessors are specially geared for fighting up-close. Their chainswords are a good deal more effective than the base intercessor's fists and you get one attack over even the intercessor sarge who grabs one. Their ranged game suffers though, as their bolt pistol has range limits despite P1 making crits breach defenses.
  • Shock Assault is an incredibly powerful ability to consider, as your Assault Intercessors are the only things that should be fighting. Being able to fight twice means that even if you have one bad turn, you can immediately follow up with an additional round of attacks and guarantee that you rip the enemy to pieces.

• Assault Intercessor Grenadier (Combat, Staunch): Identical to the Warrior in every way, except he gets free frag and krak grenades.

• Intercessor Warrior (Staunch, Marksman): Your base bolt rifle has P1, allowing crits to puncture armor. The auto bolt bolt rifle has Ceaseless, re-rolling all 1s to hit - a decent insurance policy. The stalker bolt rifle hobbles your guy with Heavy, but AP1 lets them punch through armor on any hit. Whichever one you pick, you can guarantee plenty of hits thanks to Bolter Discipline letting them shoot twice. Whether this means taking down two targets at once or nailing something that didn't die the first time, you're making more than plenty of firepower.
  • While we do insist that these guys shouldn't be in melee, it's not like they're absolutely garbage at it. With 3/4 damage, it's about as effective as a bolter. However, you have absolutely no benefits for doing it, especially when you have Assault Intercessors ready to do the dirty work instead.

• Intercessor Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Identical to the Warrior in every way, except he gets an auxiliary grenade launcher. Unlike with the Compendium Intercessors, this is an infinite-use infinite-range gun so you can always cover crowds with frag grenades or smash armor with krak. The one holdup with this launcher is that it can't be used for overwatch, but that's what the main gun's for.
  • Bolter Discipline will absolutely be useful for the Gunner, as it lets them shoot twice so long as one of those times is with a bolt weapon. This means that you can pop a grenade to clear up a crowd or soften up an enemy enough for the bolt rifle to finish the job or vice versa.

IS Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys"> Warning: You can only use one Doctrine ploy each turn. All of them also let you re-roll one hit die in case you scored a nat 1.

• Assault Doctrine (1 CP): When your operatives charge, you can re-roll one hit.
• Devastator Doctrine (1 CP): When your operatives shoot at an enemy over 6"/pentagon away, you can re-roll one hit.
• Tactical Doctrine (1 CP): When your operatives shoot at an enemy within 6"/pentagon, you can re-roll one hit.
• And They Shall Know No Fear (1 CP): Your operatives ignores all penalties to APL and won't count as injured for their activation. Helpful if you need to shut off a battle scar for a critical moment.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Adaptive Tactics (1 CP): When the game begins, you can swap one of your two chapter tactics for another one in the same list as the one you're replacing.
• Angel of Death (1 CP): At the end of the Firefight phase, one of your operatives can fight again. Very important for your Assault Intercessors since they're your only fighty boys.
• Transhuman Physiology (1 CP): One of your operatives can reduce one critical hit to a basic hit after rolling for saves. This can be useful considering how you'll run into guns that fire enough times to overwhelm your defenses.
• Wrath of Vengeance (1 CP): When one of your operatives dies, you can have them shoot before going down.

</tab> </tabs>

IS Strategies

SM Killteams:

Counterplay:

The best way to deal with SM is experience. Really, once you see the opponent's list, you may know what he can do, but SM are the ultimate jack of all trades in KT, and can adapt well enough to most situations. Generalist lists only get you so far, though, and will leave the player using them rather exposed to the strategy of his opponent. Weapon-wise, marines are strong against basic weapons, particularly when wielded by BS4+ models since they can reliably save most hits and have the wounds to soak a bolter shot before feeling the effects. A single shot from something like a meltagun or overcharged plasma gun however has a high likelihood of causing critical existence failure, and those weapons are often powerful enough that any cover a marine uses to protect his ass ends up mostly irrelevant. Any team that can get plenty of AP should also enjoy good success against marines, as those guns will very reliably whittle the marines down in just a few shots. The main weakness off a marine team is the low number of activations. With the exception of scouts, which are a whole nother deal to the rest of their brothers, marines cap out at 6 operatives. This means that for every additional model you have on the table above that, you can keep a hard-hitting gunner concealed and ready to strike until after each marine has moved. Marines can use their 3APL to do some cool tricks, but if you conceal your operatives - especially behind heavy cover if there is a high ground for the marines to abuse - they will be forced to engage to clear out your operatives from objectives eventually. Once they do, they will be exposed to whatever horrors you have in store for them. Wait until your last activation possible to ensure you do not eat any overwatch on the return. Even if your gunner dies on return fire, this is a positive trade for most teams; once a marine team loses two or three operatives this way, they'll no longer have the presence on the board required to contest objectives effectively against even your basic models.

There are three big tricks that marines can use against you if you don't stay aware of them. First, always remember that 3APL lets a model move up, shoot, and dash away. In combination with either the right kind of heavy terrain or a vantage point, this lets a marine stay invulnerable while still going on the attack. If at all possible, do not let a marine player do this. Another trick of the increased actions of a marine is the ability to pop the heads of two enemies in one turn. This is where bolter discipline becomes a problem, especially when those bolters are more than just your standard D3/4 basic gun. Furthermore, this sort of 2 kills in one activation can be done even without the strategic ploy by charging, fighting, and then shooting from the new position. Be careful if you have a model weak on wounds within charging distance of a marine. Fortunately, any marine that goes on the offensive only has one more action for movement for that turn. If it has to move out of concealment for this, then you can earn compensation by taking the marine out later in the turn. However, just about the biggest loss you can take is to expose two models to a marine waiting with a conceal order. This lets them kill or injure both and then move away back into cover. Finally, Only In Death Does Duty End can be a serious tool for vengeance in their hands. You cannot easily avoid this, but it is good to keep it in mind so you don't get taken by surprise. It allows the marine to potentially go out guns blazing for one or even two kills, or to run up and press an objective to deny VPs. tl;dr use plenty of conceal early in the game, use higher number of models to force the marine player to engage first, don't let them cheese you, and then start trading your gunners one-for-one for marine lives.

IS Example Teams

Standard Kill Teams

Phobos Strike Team (Moroch)

Why Play Phobos Strike Team

• Pros
  • Each model is a massive mountain of wounds. They can reliably tank lasguns and things like that fairly easily, and their armour can mitigate quite a bit beyond that.
  • All of your marines have at the very least a 3+ WS/BS with their weapons and their sergeants are usually at a 2+. They'll usually hit their marks.
  • Your average marine has 3 APL, allowing them to handle objectives while gunning down the opposition.
  • Free-reign combination between all of your various Phobos marines.
  • Lots of fuckery between special actions given to the various sorts of operatives and the ability to freely swap between Conceal and Engage orders.
• Cons
  • Your entire force is stuck to their basic bolters. Sure, some have bells and whistles to them, but they'll still deal 3/4 damage and nothing you can do changes that.
    • While your army is capable in melee, your Infiltrators are the least-equipped to handle it, with Incursors only being slightly better. Even your Reivers, your best melee boys, are pretty barebones with their tools.
  • No Silent, so you can't stay hidden while shooting. You're relying on Guerilla Warfare for that.
  • The absence of Ony in Death Does Duty End means that any deaths you suffer won't have any chance for revenge if you lack a helix adept to revive them.

PST Wargear

• Frag Grenade (2 EP): Frag grenades have limited damage, but Blast lets them hit multiple people at once. As a grenade, this also carries a range cap and Indirect to go through cover.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Krak grenades are more dangerous than the frag grenade and use AP1 to punch past armor.
• Grapnel Launcher (1 EP): Reiver operatives only. This allows the reivers to traverse up and down terrain far more easily, making your drop distance count as half the distance while climbing far higher.
• Grav-Chute (2 EP): Reiver operatives only. Like the grapnel launcher, this allows the spooky marines to float down from a vantage point as if they could fly. In addition, if they're within your DZ during the Scouting step of the game, they can fly 2 circles/4" around, giving them a chance to get better ground immediately.
• Purity Seal (3 EP): Allows the bearer to trigger the Command Re-Roll tactical ploy once for free when using it on a fight, shoot or save roll. This is pretty important and will likely be used to preserve a vital part of your team.
• Shock Grenade (2 EP): Reiver operatives only. This is another single-use grenade that allows them to potentially rob AP from an enemy on a 4+ (-1 if the enemy is concealed) if within the blast zone.
• Smoke Grenade (3 EP): Throw a single-use grenade to make a bubble with a radius of 2"/circle, allowing your team some protection from enemy fire for the turn. Note that this is for all lines of fire going THROUGH the smoke cloud, not just those inside it.
• Throwing Knife (2 EP): A single-use throwing weapon. While it does little damage normally and has a short range, it has Silent and its crits can be particularly nasty.

PST Special Rules

• Guerilla Warfare: A special action for all of your stealth marines, this lets them all spend an action to swap orders after the first turn so long as they aren't within 6"/pentagon of an enemy. You'll be relying on this a lot as your supposedly snipey guns lack Silent.
• Multi-Spectrum Array: Part of the reason why Incursors make cover into a joke. Not only do targets need to be further away from obscuring terrain to count as being behind cover, but smoke grenades mean nothing to these marines.
• Omni-Scrambler: An activation-denial tool given to your Infiltrators. Once per turn you can shut down an enemy visible to an operative with this rule, locking them to GA1 and denying them from activating until they either activate ALL of their operatives or just activate as many operatives as operatives you have with this rule, whichever comes first.
• Saboteurs: A special action tied to a specific Tac Op. All of your operatives can pick up a nearby Saboteur token as an action, but only the Infiltrator Saboteur and Incursor Minelayer can do this while engaged with the enemy.
• Terror: The Reiver's totally-not-a-banshee-mask, now made an action. When used, enemies within 3"/square of this operative must spend another AP to accomplish objective actions, which can shaft APL2 enemies hard. In addition, enemies count their APL as 1 less when trying to contest an objective against your Reivers.

PST Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Shock and Awe: Score 1 VP for each turn where you wrest objectives from enemy control.
• Saboteurs: You and your opponent help set up three special Sabotage tokens on the board that are at least 6"/pentagon away from your DZ and 3"/square away from the board edges at the beginning of the game. Your operatives have a special Saboteurs action to let them snag these tokens, scoring 1 VP if you remove at least two of them and another VP if you take the third.
• Guerilla Tactics: Score 1 VP for each turn where you score more kills than the enemy.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Tormentus Doctrine"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Shock and Destruction: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Shock and Awe, Rout, or Saboteurs Tac Ops. Lots of ground to cover, lots of things to steal.
2. Wrath of Angels: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Execution or Guerilla Tactics Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 4 XP to share among your operatives and 2 RP. You also get either one piece of Rare Equipment or improve your Asset cap by +1. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Scout and Sabotage"> Note - This counts as the Demolition Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Strategic Scrying: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Plant Signal Beacon, Triangulate, or Vantage Tac Ops. All of these require covering ground to reach certain spots, so be sure you can get there with minimal interference from the enemy.
2. Sabotage Strike: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Saboteurs or Sabotage Tac Op.

Finishing this Spec Op scores you 1 RP and the option of either a piece of rare equipment or improving your asset cap by +1. One of your operatives who accomplished that last Tac Op also gains a hefty 6 XP as a reward. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Ghost: This operative can use the Guerilla Warfare at a 1AP discount once per game, usually meaning that they can pull it off for free after sniping the head off a leader.
2. Assassin: This operative can charge while under the Conceal order. This is best saved for your Reivers with their big knives.
3. Mobile: This operative can fall back at a 1AP discount, which is incredibly handy if you intend to kite enemies around or keep them away from fighting.
4. Raider: This operative can charge while engaged with another enemy. Best used if your guy's up against something you're sure can kill them immediately and you know there's someone nearby that's easier to wipe.
5. Guerilla: Reduces the minimum range enemies must be for this operative to use the Guerilla Warfare action from 6"/pentagon to 3"/square.
6. Dynamic: This operative ignores all APL and movement modifiers. There's a lot of these out there, so this can easily trigger plenty of enemies.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Adaptation in the Field (1 RP): Before or after a game, you can replace one operative with another. While they can re-select any Battle Honours they earned, they retain any Battle Scars they suffered and set their XP to the lowest amount needed for their rank. Way more useful for lower-ranked operatives, but a lot harder to justify as campaigns go on and especially as the XP piles up.
• Rapid Resupply (1 RP): Lets you either replace 1+ piece of equipment with extra equipment of equal or lesser value or replace 1+ assets with an equal number. Pretty much lets you re-shuffle all that you have available to guarantee a perfect counter to whatever your foe has set up.
  • Does not count Rare Equipment, but that's because it's really hard to find that stuff anyways.
• Solemn Oath (1 RP): An operative takes an Oath of Moment, giving a special objective to either score the most kills, score the most VPs, or move into the enemy's DZ. They score 2 XP for fulfilling this Oath but failing it auto-inflicts the Cerebral Affliction Battle Scar. In any case, you can only have one operative take one Oath at a time, with each operative only able to take each oath once.
  • Some of these tasks are a bit of a gamble depending on the game's setup, but the XP boost is a worthwhile reward to consider, especially for those behind the curve.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Lodestar-Class Auspex: Lets you use either the Vanguard or Elite Reconnaisance ploys at the beginning of the game without spending CP. Neat setup tricks.
• Shroud Skulls: Lets you add +1 to one Casualty or Recovery check, helping ensure that your troops remain operational.
• Enhanced Surveillance System: Lets you re-roll when determining who is the attacker who is the defender.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Artificer's Blade (3 EP): Reiver or Incursor operatives only. Their knives gain +1 critical damage and Lethal 5+ to see it happen more often.
2. Umbra Shroud (3 EP): Enemies must re-roll critical hits when shooting the bearer of this gear. Expect to see a lot of anger when facing snipers.
3. Exogheist Scrambler (2 EP): Infiltrator operatives only. This improves the Omni-Scrambler by now making it ignore LOS when targeting enemies and the bearer will count as 2 operatives for the sake of determining how many can go before the targeted foe can finally act. Absolute dickery taken to a whole new scale.
4. Aerial Tracking Augur (3 EP): Infiltrator Commsman only. Lets you re-roll initiative once per game.
5. Enhanced Optic (2 EP): Improves the BS of one gun to 2+. Useless for Sergeants, save for somebody else. The Infiltrator Veteran's variable bolter is a pretty easy pick, as are any of the Incursors with their cover-denial.
6. Reaper Rounds (3 EP): Reiver operatives only. Their bolt pistols gain Silent and AP1, making them far more dangerous whether they're hidden or not.

</tab> </tabs>

PST Units

This Recon/Security/Seek & Destroy Fireteam is composed of:

• 1 Infiltrator Sergeant or Incursor Sergeant or Reiver Sergeant
• 5 of the following:
  • 0-1 Infiltrator Commsman
  • 0-1 Infiltrator Helix Adept
  • 0-1 Infiltrator Saboteur
  • 0-1 Infiltrator Voxbreaker
  • 0-1 Infiltrator Veteran
  • 0-5 Infiltrator Warriors
  • 0-1 Incursor Marksman
  • 0-1 Incursor Minelayer
  • 0-5 Incursor Warriors
  • 0-5 Reiver Warriors

• Incursor Sergeant (Marksman, Scout): Your elite Incursor, complete with the mandatory bonus wound and a 2+ BS, oddly not giving a 2+ to WS despite having a legitimate weapon. They gain a unique action that lets them generate 1 CP when not around any enemies, which can help free up a re-roll when necessary.
• Infiltrator Sergeant (Marksman, Scout): Your elite Infiltrator, complete with the mandatory bonus wound and a 2+ BS. They gain a unique action that lets them generate 1 CP when not around any enemies, which can help free up a re-roll when necessary.
• Reiver Sergeant (Combat, Marksman, Scout): Your elite Reiver, complete with the mandatory bonus wound and a 2+ WS/BS. They gain a unique action that lets them generate 1 CP when not around any enemies, which can help free up a re-roll when necessary.

• Incursor Marksman (Marksman, Scout): The marksman's bolter is a bit more capable of handling the competition with AP1 and Lethal 5+ but it's ultimately still just a bolter. The reason you take him is because he has a special action that lets him immediately shoot overwatch to interrupt an enemy's action, foiling whatever it is they were doing. Whether that's objective actions or just attempting to charge an exposed operative, this can offer a bit of extra security in wasting turns, especially when using Terror as well. Just beware that your gun lacks No Cover like the other Incursors, so you'll require that vantage point.
• Incursor Minelayer (Staunch, Scout): An Incursor with a mine that you can set up and then explodes when the enemy moves within 3"/square of it. This mine relies on Lethal 5+ to deal serious damage and trigger Interference, not only stopping targets dead in their tracks but also robbing them of 1 AP - even if it has to come out of their next activation. If you're using the Saboteurs tac op, then you might want to consider taking him to at least handle that while also being able to fight.
• Incursor Warrior (Marksman, Scout): Your base Incursor comes with a bolt carbine that can see through any cover. Combine that with the Multi-Spectrum Array and you can pretty much hunt down the enemy from wherever. While their knives are a little better than bare fists, they aren't going to be able to do a lot more when compared to the Compendium.
• Infiltrator Commsman (Marksman, Scout): This Infiltrator comes with a Comms Array to feed other operatives an AP. Unlike most Comms operatives, this can be done anywhere on the board, allowing them to hide wherever they have to while supporting the rest of the squad.
• Infiltrator Helix Adept (Staunch, Scout): The mini-apothecary of the group. Not only does he get the revival ability offered to other medics, he also gets to heal 2d3 wounds to a nearby operative if he didn't resurrect them. Considering the mountain of wounds your operatives are, you'll likely only use it to keep them out of the Injured state and little else.
• Infiltrator Saboteur (Staunch, Scout): This Infiltrator comes with more dangerous explosives, dealing 5 damage with AP1 on a normal hit. Unlike the minelayer, this bomb has to be manually detonated and will hit friendlies, so you'll need to plan out the explosion a little better.
• Infiltrator Veteran (Marksman, Scout): For some reason, this Infiltrator is able to tinker with their gun. Fortunately, this gives you a decent range of mods from which you can pick two of: Balanced, Lethal 5+, No Cover, MW1, P1 and Rending. This allows you to tailor your weapon to the opposition and pick out what matters the most to you.
• Infiltrator Voxbreaker (Marksman, Scout): The debuffer of the Infiltrators with an aura that bars an enemy within 6"/pentagon from re-rolling any hits. Their special ability marks a concealed enemy within 6"/pentagon and lets an ally within 3"/square to shoot them as if the enemy used the Engage order. While this will likely require the voxbreaker to accompany another operative in their goings-on, their debuffs will be vital in flushing out any snipers and other cover-campers.
• Infiltrator Warrior (Marksman, Scout): The Infiltrators are the more efficient in shooting, as their bolters come with Lethal 5+ for extra crits. While not as capable up close, they can still fight and their Omni-Scramblers can help shut down a key enemy from accomplishing anything until it's too late to remedy the situation.
• Reiver Warrior (Combat, Marksman, Scout): While their bolt carbines are little better than mere bolters, their melee loadouts are more deserving of being the dedicated melee warriors. Their knives are not only more dangerous than the Incursors', but they also have AP1 on their pistols to compensate for their limited range. Combined with Terror, they can handily overpower nearby enemies while they try to accomplish objectives.

PST Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Bolter Discipline (1 CP): This allows any of your marines to fire all their bolt weapons twice until the end of their turning point so long as they don't fight up-close.
• Deadly Shots (1 CP): A whole new ploy introduced in the Q3 2022 Balance Dataslate. If an operative scores a crit while shooting and hasn't moved, charged or fallen back, that crit gains the P1 rule if it doesn't already have that rule or AP. Especially dangerous on your Infiltrators with their Lethal 5+ bolters.
• Shock Assault (1 CP): This allows any of your marines to fight twice until the end of their turning point so long as they don't shoot. A lot of your weapons are quite dangerous, and this is especially the case for your Reivers and Incursors, who carry something more than mere fists.
• Vanguard (1 CP) Whenever any operative is activated, they add 1"/triangle to their movement, auto-pass jump tests and ignore the first 2"/circle of climbing, making your forces a good bit more mobile.
• And They Shall Know No Fear (1 CP): Your operatives ignore all penalties to APL and can ignore the Injured condition, letting you handle key objectives and surmount any AP debuff auras your enemy might impose.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Stealth Assault (1 CP): When an operative under the Conceal order is activated, your first two hits in melee (no shooting) are registered at the same time, circumventing any attempts to parry them.
  • Note that again, you'll need Guerilla Warfare to make use of this unless you have the Battle Honour to charge while concealed.
• Transhuman Physiology (1 CP): Your operatives can count one normal save into a critical save, negating Brutal weapons like power fists. This can be useful considering how you'll run into guns that fire enough times to overwhelm your defenses.
• One Step Ahead (1 CP): You can swap out one operative for another. Arguably one of the most meta, as it gives you free license to just make one slot your floating member. Better hope you have everything magnetized though...
• Elite Reconnaissance (1 CP): During the Scouting phase, you can immediately deploy two operatives and select a different Scouting option, though initiative will be determined by your first option.

</tab> </tabs>

PST Strategies

Tactics:

Phobos marines are unique in that they can get more CP back over the course of a game, in theory your likely to get 1 or two CP with your strategizing leader. As such it can often be very worth it to play somewhat passivily during the first turning point, so that when you go into the second you have a CP advantage letting you pop off more ploy's and rerolls then your opponent.

Counterplay:

The best way to deal with SM is experience. Really, once you see the opponent's list, you may know what he can do, but SM are the ultimate jack of all trades in KT, and can adapt well enough to most situations. Generalist lists only get you so far, though, and will leave the player using them rather exposed to the strategy of his opponent. Weapon-wise, marines are strong against basic weapons, particularly when wielded by BS4+ models since they can reliably save most hits and have the wounds to soak a bolter shot before feeling the effects. A single shot from something like a meltagun or overcharged plasma gun however has a high likelihood of causing critical existence failure, and those weapons are often powerful enough that any cover a marine uses to protect his ass ends up mostly irrelevant. Any team that can get plenty of AP should also enjoy good success against marines, as those guns will very reliably whittle the marines down in just a few shots. The main weakness off a marine team is the low number of activations. With the exception of scouts, which are a whole nother deal to the rest of their brothers, marines cap out at 6 operatives. This means that for every additional model you have on the table above that, you can keep a hard-hitting gunner concealed and ready to strike until after each marine has moved. Marines can use their 3APL to do some cool tricks, but if you conceal your operatives - especially behind heavy cover if there is a high ground for the marines to abuse - they will be forced to engage to clear out your operatives from objectives eventually. Once they do, they will be exposed to whatever horrors you have in store for them. Wait until your last activation possible to ensure you do not eat any overwatch on the return. Even if your gunner dies on return fire, this is a positive trade for most teams; once a marine team loses two or three operatives this way, they'll no longer have the presence on the board required to contest objectives effectively against even your basic models.

There are three big tricks that marines can use against you if you don't stay aware of them. First, always remember that 3APL lets a model move up, shoot, and dash away. In combination with either the right kind of heavy terrain or a vantage point, this lets a marine stay invulnerable while still going on the attack. If at all possible, do not let a marine player do this. Another trick of the increased actions of a marine is the ability to pop the heads of two enemies in one turn. This is where bolter discipline becomes a problem, especially when those bolters are more than just your standard D3/4 basic gun. Furthermore, this sort of 2 kills in one activation can be done even without the strategic ploy by charging, fighting, and then shooting from the new position. Be careful if you have a model weak on wounds within charging distance of a marine. Fortunately, any marine that goes on the offensive only has one more action for movement for that turn. If it has to move out of concealment for this, then you can earn compensation by taking the marine out later in the turn. However, just about the biggest loss you can take is to expose two models to a marine waiting with a conceal order. This lets them kill or injure both and then move away back into cover. Finally, Only In Death Does Duty End can be a serious tool for vengeance in their hands. You cannot easily avoid this, but it is good to keep it in mind so you don't get taken by surprise. It allows the marine to potentially go out guns blazing for one or even two kills, or to run up and press an objective to deny VPs. tl;dr use plenty of conceal early in the game, use higher number of models to force the marine player to engage first, don't let them cheese you, and then start trading your gunners one-for-one for marine lives.

Grey Knights

Why Play Grey Knights

• Pros
  • One of only two factions in the game (so far) that can make use of Kill Team's psychic actions.
  • With every model having access to the psychic phase, guns that lets them handle teams many times their size, and blades that can reliably deliver true kills Grey Knights don't have to worry about crippling overspecialization and predictability.
  • The Storm Bolter is among the best base guns out there.
  • Small model count makes teams quick and easy to build and manage.
  • Psyk-Out Grenades give you an easy venue to fuck up daemons and psykers.

• Cons
  • Your entire fireteam composes of three different unit selections, and one is hardcapped to 0-1 for the entire kill-team.
  • Your Kill Team will be more of a Kill squad of 5 models at most, meaning each casualty is going to hurt hard. Good luck in objective games.
  • GA 1 means that many forces will outmaneuver you with ease.

GK Wargear

• 0-1 Hexagrammic Ward (2 EP): Once per game this can be used to deny an enemy's psychic power. Absolutely priceless when dealing with Thousand Sons, otherwise it's worth stowing.
• Purity Seal (3 EP): A free use of the Tactical Re-Roll ploy when fighting, shooting, or rolling a save.
• 0-1 Psybolt Ammunition (3 EP): The bearer's storm bolter deals +1 more damage, which is handy enough.
• Psyk-Out Grenade (3 EP): A pitiful fart of a grenade whose value only shines against Daemon and Psyker enemies, where it'll deal more respectable damage and has Lethal 5+ for more crits.
• Santic Blessing (2 EP): The bearer can cast twice once per game, which is a big deal with how precious it is.
• 0-1 Truesilver Armour (3 EP): 2+ Save. That's an extreme gift.

GK Psychic Powers

Rather than needing to roll for anything like in Bighammer, you only need to spend an action to cast any of these powers. Unlike forces like the Warp Coven, you don't have any inherent limits on how much you can cast these powers.

• Armoured Resilience: The caster's save improves by 1, which will be very helpful if you're dealing with any weapons with P1 or AP1.
• Hammerhand: Deals +1 additional damage the first time the caster hits in combat. Fortunately, all of your weapons deal some decent damage.
• Astral Aim: The caster's guns gain No Cover, which is absolutely valuable for all your storm bolters.

GK Units

This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Grey Knight Justicar
• 5 of the following:
  • 4-5 Grey Knight Warriors
  • 0-1 Grey Knight Gunner

• Grey Knight Justicar (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Grey Knights are just as impressive as any other marine, equipped with 11 wounds and a 3+ save as well as some of the most dangerous weapons out there.

• Grey Knight Warrior (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): As with the Justicar, you're a very powerful force. Most armies would kill to have force weapons on every soldier, much less actual psykers. The nemesis daemonhammer is extremely powerful and can rob an enemy of AP with stun, as does the nemesis warding stave. The nemesis force weapon offers Lethal 5+ to give you more crits, making it a good fallback. The nemesis falchions do slightly less damage than the base force weapon, but Relentless lets them re-roll for more hits.

• Grey Knight Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Your big guns are stuck onto a guy who's hardcapped to one per kill-team. As all of these guns are Heavy, you're likely to be relying on your storm bolter if you plan on having him move anywhere. The incinerator does poor damage, but it scores a lot of hits between a 2+ BS and Torrent spreading fire. The psilencer deals decent damage and has Fusillade so you can split your precious shots on many targets. The psycannon is your real heavy weapon, dealing the most damage of the lot without any frills.

GK Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Bolter Discipline (1 CP): So long as your knights don't fight, they can shoot twice this turn, which is a great tool for all the storm bolters you have running around.
• Shock Assault (1 CP): So long as your knights don't shoot, they can fight twice this turn. You got force weapons on most of your guys, so this will see tons of use.
• Tide of Shadows (1 CP): Even if an enemy on a vantage point, they cannot fire at one of your knights who's using the conceal order, behind cover and more than 6"/pentagon away. It's a lot of conditions, but it can help keep you from an annoying sniper from across the field.
• Tide of Celerity (1 CP): Your knights can add another triangle/1" when they charge, which is a neat little addition.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Only in Death Does End (1 CP): Even if your knight is killed, they'll stay around for one more activation and won't count as injured - and you'll need him alive because you will almost always be at a numbers disadvantage.
• And They Shall Know No Fear (1 CP): One of your knights will ignore any penalties to APL and won't count as injured, which will help for dealing with the more crippling ones.

</tab> </tabs>

GK Strategies

GK Strategies:

Grey Knights are a high risk, high reward team of elites. Every model counts, and you will need every scrap of cover you can find to keep your dudes alive.

Counterplay:

Grey knight are still 1 wound space marines. Ignore cover and AP2 will remove them in short order. With only 5 guys, a loss removes 1/5 of the damage they can do. Playing on a low line of sight blocking board, or with objectives in the open, gives a Grey Knights player few options for hiding their few units.

GK Example Teams

Standard Kill Teams

Talons of the Emperor

Why Play Talons of the Emperor

• Pros
  • You'll be fielding some of the most game-breakingly overpowered motherfuckers in all Kill Team, with the most durable baseline troops in the game - you'll have WS, BS, Sv 2+, W18 on all your troops even before you equip them with their fearsome weapons.
  • Almost all of the things that might give your golden boys trouble in 40k, hordes, heavy weapons, tanks, most mortal wounds sources, flyers, etc, are out of the equation in Kill Team. This is the game that really plays to the Custodes' strengths.
    • 9th has further patched a lot of what threatened Custodes in the last edition, nerfing heavy and special weapon spamming (no more frag cannon or plasma spam in particular) and adding Sisters of Silence to your roster to shut up any psykers.
  • You enjoy making people yell "What the hell am I supposed to do about that?" when they see your team.
  • Custodes get APL3, letting them carry out a lot in an activation.
  • You get to play the Juggernaut's theme song as your Custodes are carving their way through the enemy team.

• Cons
  • You'll be seen as a major that guy.
    • No seriously, a guy that fields a Warlord Titan in 40k will have more people willing to go up against him than you will with your golden boys.
    • To compensate some, your bananas have only two loadout choices.
  • You'll be able to tally off your entire list with one hand, with a normal sized Kill Team of only 4 if running pure Custodes (and why wouldn't you).
  • Swarms can still a problem. If you can't break a large team for one reason or another, you may have trouble killing them fast enough. Which leads to the next problem...
  • Your low model count and relatively slow movement will likely see your 4-man squad being outmaneuvered. Controlling objectives could be will be a problem.
  • Everyone is scared of you. Everyone will be brainstorming a way to counter you. Odds are every team you go up against will be optimized to give you as hard, and annoying, of a fight as possible. Don't expect victories to be quick or fun.

TotE Wargear

• Oath Parchment (3 EP): Once per battle, you can give them a free use of the Command Re-Roll ploy.
• Tanglefoot Grenade (3 EP): Adeptus Custodes A thrown weapon with short range that robs the target of 1 AP, which can be absolutely hampering to lesser operatives and inconvenient to marines.
• Misericordia (2 EP): Adeptus Custodes without storm shield only. when they fight, they deal a addtional 2 MW on a 3+.
• Psyk-out Grenade (2 EP): Anathema Psykana only, meaning your sisters. Like with the Grey Knights it's utterly meaningless without Daemon or Psyker targets to make it worth something.
• Vratine Faceplate (2 EP): Anathema Psykana only, meaning only your sisters. Once per battle, a sister can subtract 3 damage from any injury they take, effectively giving her 11/12 wounds.

TotE Units

This kill-team consists of two Fire teams. <tabs> <tab name="Custodian Guard Fireteam"> This Seek & Destroy/Security fireteam is composed of 2 of the following:

• 0-1 Custodian Guard Leader (if there are no other leaders)
• 1-2 custodian Guard Warrior

• Custodian Guard Leader (Combat, Staunch, Marksman, Scout): The leader of your Custodes is little different from the basic one, and that's fine. With an OP template to work from, you won't find much else to improve upon without breaking stuff. Hell, they ignore Injured and any APL penalties! Not even space marines can brag about that anymore!
• Custodian Guard Warrior (Combat, Staunch, Marksman, Scout): Your golden banana is the apex of all that there is to offer in the entirety of Kill-Team. 2+ save, 19 wounds and an APL3 means that they can easily carry out a job by themselves. Of course, you are the least-numerous force in all of the game, so you're gonna likely expect nothing but people running circles around you.
  • Your weapon loadouts are locked to only two: The classic guardian spear, giving better damage and infinite shooting range, and the sentinel sword, which is weaker and has range limitations on the gun but also has a 4+ invulnerable save and improved parrying power for tanking.

</tab> <tab name="Sister of Silence Fireteam"> This Seek & Destroy/Security/Recon fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Sister of Silence Superior (if there are no other leaders)
• 0-5 Sister of Silence Prosecutor
• 0-5 Sister of Silence Witchseeker
• 0-5 Sister of Silence Vigilator

• Sister of Silence Superior (Marksman, Scout): The Sisters of Silence aren't as tanky as the custodians. Though they only have 8/9 wounds, they get the 3+ save of space marines and plenty of different weapons. Also helping them is the Psychic Abomination rule, which shuts off psykers and makes them untouchable by psykers. The Sister Superior can pick up whatever weapons her sisters can, though she'll lack any of the honours better suited for melee in a longer-term game.
• Sister of Silence Prosecutor (Staunch, Marksman, Scout): The sister with the boltgun. While not capable of covering all the space, she can fire from any distance and can deal more damage than the witchseeker's flamer.
• Sister of Silence Witchseeker (Marksman, Scout): The flamer has limited range, but can cover crowds due to Torrent and has a 2+ BS. This allows you to overcome the numbers issues your sisters will likely encounter.
• Sister of Silence Vigilator (Warrior, Staunch): This particular picks up a greatblade, a rather potent power sword with Lethal 5+ to grant more crits. That said, she does it at the cost of her gun, meaning that she'll need cover in order to close the distance with the opposition.

</tab> </tabs>

TotE Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Aegis of the Emperor (1 CP): Degrades any crits your operatives cover into normal hits. With how valuable these guys are, you'll absolutely be needing them to avoid the serious damage.
• Creeping Dread (1 CP): For the turn, any operatives within square/3" of a Anathema Psykana unit see their WS/BS suffer as if they were injured. This is especially helpful for your vigilator, who'll need those WS penalties to avoid injury.
• Peerless Warriors (1 CP): For this turn, your Adeptus Custodes units can shoot and fight twice in their activations, which will be crucial when you only have two to four models.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Arcane Genetic Alchemy (1 CP): When rolling saves, you can trigger this for a Adeptus Custodes operative and make one save into a crit save and negate a serious crit like a melta.
• Brotherhood of Demigods (1 CP): At the end of the firefight phase, one Adeptus Custodes operative makes one free Fight or overwatch action (it won't count as activation). Getting in that one more jab in before points are scored up.
• Talons (1 CP): Triggered when your operatives are within pentagon/6" of an enemy operative or within circle/2" of an objective. This allows one custodian and sister within square/3" of each other to be activated simultaneously, giving a sort-of GA 2.

</tab> </tabs>

AC Strategies

Counterplay

Let's all just be honest here, AC players don't actually need to be given strategies to win with Adeptus Custodes. This is why you're really looking at this section - figuring out how to try and fight Custodes with everyone else. As a general rule, be prepared to pull out every last bit of underhanded Powergamer That Guy Cheese you can if you want any chance of victory. This isn't about about "fun" or "fair." Those ideals were thrown out the window by the guy that’s sending Custodes against you. You cannot afford to fight fair.

• A good general bit of advice for fighting against Custodians is to play using the Narrative Play missions from the Kill Team: Elites codex, which all have a 125 point limit. Because the cheapest Custodian model is 33 points, they'll be unable to spend any of the additional points, essentially giving you a 25 point advantage (which still won't guarantee a win for you, just raise the odds in your favor a bit). If they complain, just point out that the elites codex also includes the rules for their kill team, so if they want to use some parts of the book they should be prepared to use all of it. Plus they'll start with two extra CPs.
• Space Marines: The jack of all trades faction invariably suffers against the custodes. The basic model isn’t strong enough to ever stand a chance against a custodian, while their “relatively” high cost and lack of invulnerability saves outside of commanders means that each loss you take will hurt. Your only real option is to play like the imperial guard, take as many special weapons as you can and stay in cover/on the run. This tactic works exceptionally well with the primaris psykers, who are not only accurate with great guns, but are also exceptionally tough and hard to hit in cover. If you prefer a melee set up then your best bet is to grab a captain in gravis armour to ignore their strength 5 and 8 weapons. Either loadout you’ll want to bring psykers to both fire mortal wounds and the boost your guys to the point that they’re not horribly outclassed.
• Deathwatch: This is where you bring your four frag cannons. And nobody will begrudge you for it, but be careful, as chances are you’ll only have one more model than your opponent and if the custodies catch you in melee you're doomed.
• Grey Knights: Considering that you're budget custodes (admittedly not by much) your fighting strategy doesn’t change too much. Mortal wound spam them from afar along with as much psi bolt ammunition as you can possibly throw. Melee will be a close call (most likely being down to who charges first) as the custodes and grey knights have very similar weapons, with the custodes having better weapons and more attacks, but the grey knights have more bodies. Overall, probably the “fairest” matchup in kill team.
• Astra Militarum: Even in swarms you're too weak to fight custodes, so your only choice is to spam special and heavy weapons. Meltas, plasma, or call in storm troopers for their special weapons, hide in cover, obscure yourself, plant explosives, just do everything you can to avoid a straight up fight against all the custodes strength 6 weapons.
• Adeptus Mechanicus: This is where you want all that minus one toughness goodness. The ad mech punch above their weight category in melee with strength 5 melee weapons, an invulnerability save and numerous buffs, so you're the best GEQ for fighting custodians. Just don’t expect a lot of your guys to live.
• Chaos Space Marines:
• Death Guard: Death Guard have two options (more than most factions). Firstly, pour everything you have into a Plague Marine (or termie) fighter with the Flail. Give him Grandfather's Blessing, bring a pair of PMs with big guns and a Champion with a Fist along for the ride and curse the errata that dropped its damage down to 1. Also, bring poxwalkers and use Cloud of Flies to stop him being sniped. If you feel like properly picking on custodes like they’re small children with milk money then there’s option two, which is to take two death shroud terminators (although only in an elite game) and something to make up the cost for a three man minimum team. Deathshrouds are the toughest thing in the game after custodes, with toughness 5, 2+/4++/5+++ and weapons which deal a straight 3 damage. They are the only thing in the game which can fight a custodes and win without cheating, making this tactic a simple matter of playing a game of tag (embarrassing for the custodes, exhausting for you with your 4” move and cataphracti armour).
• Thousand Sons: Your Brotherhood of Psykers special rule can allow you to simply overwhelm the Custodes with psychic casts. However, you're slow and you won’t get get all is dust against the custodes multi damage weapons so you’ll need to get lucky with the dice rolls.
• Eldar: For games with commanders, Farseers have multiple casts per turn, letting you reliably get at least one power off without a hitch. Use it to either spam Psybolt and/or buff one of your dudes with a Fusion Gun or a Bright Lance platform. Your Warlock's/Spiritseer's Jinx power can be incredibly useful, as it's one of the precious few ways to reduce their invuln saves. Alternatively, Wraithguard with Wraithcannons or D-Scythes can potentially kill a Custodes model with a few lucky shots. Defensively, use your slightly superior speed to attempt to kite them or at the very least duck behind cover.
• Dark Eldar: All your poison weaponry with some reasonable ap gives you a better chance of wounding a custodian than most factions, but you're extremely squishy and not as good in melee as you need to be to 1.kill a custodian or 2. Actually survive the encounter. Stay at range, stay mobile and stay hidden.
• Harlequins: 4+ invulnerability saves and large numbers of high quality attacks will serve you well, but unfortunately that’s your only option as your ranged weapons are not up to the task of fighting a custodian. Make your pistols as cheap as possible, take your best melee weapons and get the charge, which, admittedly, is precisely what the space clowns are good at.
• Necrons: Take full advantage of how resilient necrons are, the multiple damage custodes deal combined with buffs to reanimating protocols means that it will be disproportionately difficult for a custodian to kill a necron warrior. With this you either have the choice of buffed hordes, swamping your foe with all that beautiful ap-1 fire you have, or close in with necrons with pseudo storm shields and melee weapons.
• Orks: Tell the Custodian player that a Meganob costs one point more than a custodian guard despite having a worse movement, weapon skill, ballistic skill, toughness, and leadership, no invulnerable save, a worse shooting attack, worse special rules, and a comparable melee weapon that actually costs points. That way, when you inevitably lose, you might make the other guy feel a bit guilty. Seriously, there's not much you can do. You don't have any of the tools necessary to beat the bananas. Maybe just take 16 boyz and 1 grot to drown them in dice rolls before your team gets broken by morale, but even then it's a long shot.
  • Counterargument: Orks are some of the best armies to play against Custodes, simply because the amount of bodies they can throw at the Emperor's caretakers. A Kommando Boss, Two Kommandoes, a Burna Boy, a Boy Gunner with the Rokkit Launcher and 15 gretchins are more than six times the amount of bodies the Custodes can kill. If you send the gretchins to block the custodes' movements by keeping them in melee, the kommandoes to get the "Kunnin’ Infiltrators" stratagem to move behind enemy lines and take difficult objectives, and the boy with the rockit just in case you get lucky and manage to get one down in one shot, you can have uncontested control of the battlefield. They can kill three of your units at most each turn (and you can improve those odds with "Just a Flesh Wound" stratagem, so your team will hardly be broken by morale before getting all of the objective points and winning the game. Throw garbage at them, one gretchin at a time, keep them from moving, and keep your leader hidden. That's the way the cheapest unit in the game can win against the most elite of teams.
    • This assumes that you're dedicating your entire roster to just fight AC and only works in missions that don't have killing victory conditions.
• T'au Empire: Mobility is your only option. The tau have excellent guns, but if a custodian gets into melee with any of your units (anything from warrior to battle suit) you're dead. Period. Instead, fill up on battle suits or stealth suits and keep the custodes at a distance, make maximum use of cover, line of sight and any additional buffs and hope that the boys in gold don’t catch up.
• Tyranids: Did someone say lictors? We did, and they’re right behind you. Take four lictors and dog pile the two or three custodians you’ll be fighting. The lictors high attacks count, strength 6 and good ap means that one or two lictors on the charge (which you will have) have a “good” chance of killing a banana. Downside, lictors are very squishy, if you're caught in the open, wait too long to charge or get stuck in melee you’ll be dead, 4 wounds is not enough against 4 strength 6 ap-3 DD3 attacks. As they want to get into melee range as well, if the terrain allows save your CP you normally might use for Veteran or Metabolic Overdrive and use it instead on Adrenaline Surge to try and get whoever you gang up on first dead before the other 2 join the fray. Caustic Blood and Implant Attack are less useful but given your entire battle is likely to be decided entirely in 2 or 3 fight phases, it can be worth spending the CP.
  • Pretty much uniquely, the nids have access to the only commander capable of going toe-to-toe with custodes and coming out on top: the broodlord. Make him a level 3 melee specialist, and you get 7 WS2+ attacks rerolling ones, wounding on 4s, also rerolling ones, and with AP-3 Dd3. The clincher here, however, is that on a wound roll of 6 your damage is upped to 3 (courtesy of the claws) and turned into MORTAL wounds (courtesy of the level 3 melee ability). This means if you roll one 6 out of 7 hits (and the maths is firmly in your favour here) you INSTAKILL CUSTODES. Two 6s and you're instakilling shield captains. Plus you're faster than them so they can't run away, and you can cast catalyst on yourself for a 5+++. However, your defence is far weaker than theirs, so if they charge first you can take some serious damage, and they can whittle you down in the shooting phase as well. Stick to cover and let them come close to you before charging (charging happens in the movement phase in kill team, after all, so if they want to get closer they won't be able to swing first).

• Genestealer Cults: Rock Cutters. You have 4 of them and they're your best hope, but pray to the great devoured in the sky that the dice gods are merciful. Alternatively go as cheap as possible on your models to take one patriarch as your commander and go to town with your 6 multi damage attacks at strength 6 rerolling failed wounds. In both scenarios however you’ll need to dodge from cover to cover to avoid being blown to pieces by the custodes shooting.

TotE Strategies:

OK fine, we'll talk about how best to use your Golden Boys. First, its key to keep in mind that with 2-3 unit kill teams you can fit every possible kill team combination possible in 100pt games on your Roster. There's no real reason not to take the perfect list. Second, you're godlike in melee. That is where you live. But outside of it, your D2 AP-1 might look attractive but it's low strength and there's only 3 of you putting out fire. If all three of you fired at a lowly guardsman theres a 10% he walks away. Sounds good until you realize theres 8 of them, averaging 5+W of damage against you a around, because don't doubt they'll resort to plasma spam if they're facing you. And guardsmen aren't even particularly good shots compared to some of the other things out there. But in melee, you're safe. They can't run any more, their buddies can't shoot you and you're dishing out between 3 up to 5 attacks with a WS2+ and a strength and damage equivalent to a Supercharged Plasma Gun plus an extra attack with the Misercordia. Terrain use is key, as is using the Balistus's Concussion Grenades if you're taking an Allarus. When losing one model is 1/2 of your team, you don't want to be at the whims of the RNGod. Coupling Take Forward Positions and the Veterans Adaptive Tactics and a first round Charge can lock down several models early and end the game before it begins. A scout can also help but keep in mind that with 2 or 3 models, Take Forward Positions 20% only applies to 1 model.

Also while your golden boys are harder thenall the sailors lineing up to meet your mum, you still only have four of them and objective games will be a struggle. As such don't discount the Sisters of Silence. A kill team of five sisters and two Custodes strikes a balance between numbers and toughness and increases range firepower with just more bolter bodies.

Imperial Guard

Why Play Imperial Guard

• Pros
  • Kill Team is where the variety of the Imperial Guard can really shine, allowing you play obscure or custom regiments (those fancy conversions shown off in the codex for example) that would be too troublesome to convert or too expensive to buy for a full 40k army.
  • Orders let your guardsmen shoot better, stand firmer, move faster, and fight harder than the cultists they otherwise share stats with.
  • You have the most options for accuracy buffing of most teams, dirt cheap units and special weapons.

• Cons
  • No Ratlings or Ogryns, despite them being perfect for Kill Team operations.
  • Most of your units will drop like flies.
  • No access to heavy weapons.
  • Losing your leader, and thus CP and orders, is much like Tyranids losing synapse. The rest of the match after that is probably going to be very brief and very painful.
  • Sergeants don't have access to boltguns in Kill Team. If you regularly model yours with a real man's gun in 40k you'll have to make a new one with something else for Kill Team.
  • No Sly Marbo
  • You're SOL for melee, considering that your only unit capable of doing any damage up close and personal is also the one unit you depend on for orders and will want to keep out of harm's way.

IG Wargear

• Frag Grenade (2 EP): Rather useless for your gunners with a grenade launcher, but this does give your other guardsmen the ability to toss out a Blast to cover some enemies.
• Krak Grenade (2 EP): Another weapon for your other guardsmen, though this one is better suited for popping armor with high damage and AP1.
• 0-1 Medkit (2 EP): Grants your operative the Medic keyword and a special action that lets them heal a friendly operative 2d3 wounds, which is pretty major.
• Carapace Armour (3 EP): Guardsman operatives only. Gives the average guardsman a 4+ save.
• Scion Blade (1 EP): Tempestus Scion operatives only. This provides the guy slightly more powerful weapon with 3/4 damage.
• 0-1 Regimental Standard (3 EP): Grants the bearer a bigger boost, providing +1 APL to this model when capping objectives. They also get a new action where they plant the standard, letting any operatives of the same <Regiment> or <Tempestus Regiment> within square/3" to re-roll one defense die until the end of the turn.

IG Units

You may take two from the following list of fire teams. <tabs> <tab name="Guardsman Fire Team"> This Security fireteam is composed of 7 of the following:

• 0-1 Guardsman Sergeant (if you don't have another leader)
• 1-7 Guardsman Troopers
• 0-1 Guardsman Comms
• 0-3 Guardsman Gunners

• Guardsman Sergeant (Warrior, Staunch, Marksman): The sergeant is likely going to be your go-to melee guy, as all your other operatives are stuck with mere bayonets while you get chainswords...or power weapons that do everything the chainsword does but better and costs nothing because NO POINTS LOL.
  • Of course, this fighting style limits you to only pistols, with their limited range. In this regard, don't bother with the laspistol. There's no use when the bolt pistol does its job but better. The plasma pistol does better than the other ones but getting the most out of it might prove dangerous with overcharging.
  • All this talk, however, discards the real reason you grab him - ORDERS! That's right, this guy is the only one who can issue orders by taking a Strategic Ploy and distributing it to all your friends within pentagon/6" of him. This is critical considering how many guys you'll be taking care of, and a guardsman comms becomes indispensable in that regard.

• Guardsman Trooper (Marksman, Scout): Your average steadfast guardsman, stuck with his ever-trusty lasgun and bayonet. Being one of the few units with GA 2, this means that you'll compensate for their obvious frailty by being able to activate twice for every single space marine or tyranid and compensate for their measly APL 2. Don't be fooled by the 7 wounds you get, those 7 wounds means that this guy can take about 2-3 lasgun shots before going down

• Guardsman Comms (Staunch, Scout): A trooper with the vox-caster, something made very important in the new edition. Not only can this device let the guardsman sacrifice an AP to grant a fellow Guardsmen operative within 6"/pentagon a free AP, but they can also spend an AP to relay any orders a leader issues to all Guardsmen operatives in the field. All of them. For that reason, you should be keeping this guy at least within ordering range of the sergeant.

• Guardsman Gunner (Marksman): The value of this guy is apparent - You can only bring one of each gun for your team, so each choice has to be used to perform a specific goal.
  • The flamer is held back by its range and poor damage, but Torrent means that it can hit multiple targets and hit multiple times. The grenade launcher essentially gives you infinite grenades, but these fire directly rather than indirectly in a short range - The frag grenade compensates its damage with Blast while the krak grenade deals AP1 with plenty of damage. The meltagun is short-ranged but provides lots of damage with AP2 and crits deal lots of mortal wounds. The plasma gun deals plenty of damage with AP1, with an option for overcharging to get AP2 - and in here, overheating won't kill you outright! The sniper rifle comes with plenty of caveats (Heavy means you can't move and shoot, damage isn't the greatest) but it comes with a better BS than any other gun short of the flamer, has Silent so you can hide and shoot, and deals a mortal wound on a crit.

</tab> <tab name="Tempestus Scion Fire Team"> This Security/Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Tempestor (if you don't have another leader)
• 1-5 Tempestus Scion Troopers
• 0-1 Tempestus Scion Comms
• 0-2 Tempestus Scion Gunners

• Tempestor (Warrior, Staunch, Marksman): The Tempestor comes as your most powerful warrior, acting as a slightly stronger guardsman. As with the sergeant, he has an unnecessary chainsword, leaving you an option between the power weapon's easier crits and the stronger but unwieldy power fist.
  • As with the sergeant, your melee weapon limits you to only pistols, with their limited range. In this regard, don't bother with the laspistol. There's no use when the bolt pistol does its job but better. The plasma pistol does better than both of the other ones, but getting the most out of it might prove dangerous with overcharging.
  • The standout feature of the tempestor is its ability to be a mini-Rambo. Each turn lets him pull off a Tactical Ploy without wasting a CP. This alone can give you a lot of mileage to make him a big badass.

• Tempestus Scion Trooper (Marksman, Scout): Slightly better than the guardsman, but not by much. Each scion gets a spare wound, a 4+ save and their hotshot lasguns are a step up from the base guardsman's lasgun. In exchange, however, your scions are all GA 1. You're going to need all the advantages you can take if you want to nail a space marine.

• Tempestus Scion Comms (Staunch, Scout): Unlike the guardsman, this vox-caster isn't quite as vital. What this provides is an AP exchange to a friendly Tempestus Scion Operative nearby. This means that they aren't as dependent on hanging around a Tempestor, so their purpose is more to support their fellow not-stormtroopers.

• Tempestus Scion Gunner (Marksman): Your gunners are largely similar in options compared to the guardsman answer, though at a slightly stronger baseline.
  • The flamer is held back by its range and poor damage, but Torrent means that it can hit multiple targets and hit multiple times. The grenade launcher essentially gives you infinite grenades, but these fire directly rather than indirectly in a short range - The frag grenade compensates its damage with Blast while the krak grenade deals AP1 with plenty of damage. The meltagun is short-ranged but provides lots of damage with AP2 and crits deal lots of lots of mortal wounds. The plasma gun deals plenty of damage with AP1, with an option for overcharging to get AP2 - and in here, overheating won't kill you outright! Your one unique weapon is the hot-shot volley gun, which is your closest answer to a heavy weapon with Fusillade to offer covering fire and some mild armor-punching with P1.

</tab> </tabs>

IG ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys"> Unique among the entirety of Kill-Team is that these can be shared among your team. When your leader takes one of these ploys, he shares that ploy with any fellow operatives within pentagon/6". Of course, using this with a guardsman comms makes that effect board-wide too. On the other hand, all Tempestus operatives always get orders map-wide regardless of a Sergeant or comms. I guess all that fancy academy training really does pay off.

• Take Aim! (1 CP): Any operatives affected by this order can re-roll 1s to hit while shooting.
• Take Cover! (1 CP): Any operatives affected by this order can re-roll 1s when rolling saves.
• Fix Bayonets! (1 CP): Any operatives affected by this order can re-roll 1s to hit while fighting in melee.
• Move! Move! Move! (1 CP): Any operatives affected by this order can add a triangle/1" to their movement, which lets them slide a little bit further.
• Special Forces (1 CP): The only non-order tactical ploy, and it's made for the scions. This allows any Tempestus Scion operative to use the Pick Up or any other mission-based action at one less AP. This has no minimum, meaning that you can have any scion to fulfill missions at the same rate as space marines.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Bring it Down! (1 CP): The one thing guardsmen are known for - being a massive wall of lasfire. Whenever one operative shoots an enemy, any successive guardsmen that fire on this same enemy can re-roll their hit rolls. This is how you compensate for the weaknesses of your basic guardsmen by making each one support each other.

</tab> </tabs>

IG Example Teams

Standard Kill Teams

Veteran Guardsmen (Octarius)

Why Play Veteran Guardsmen

• Pros
  • Kill Team is where the variety of the Imperial Guard can really shine, allowing you play obscure or custom regiments (those fancy conversions shown off in the codex for example) that would be too troublesome to convert or too expensive to buy for a full 40k army. Veterans in particular are perfect for representing super characterful Guard teams like the Last Chancers or Gaunt's Ghosts.
  • Assets allow you to be more flexible with your tactical choices with an option between artillery or some spare bodies.
  • Your Orders do not take up CP, unlike the Compendium guardsmen.
  • Confidants give you a little breathing room so that your order-eggs aren't all in one basket.
  • Real men's guns! Sergeants and Confidants can both bring boltguns, giving you some extra shooting power and letting your officers contribute to the fight if you'd rather keep them away from danger.
  • Between hand axes, confidant, bruiser and hardened veterans, you have quite a few more melee options than Compendium guard do.

• Cons
  • Your entire army is pretty much guardsmen with their less than effective 5+ saves.
  • Still no heavy weapons.
  • Just like in real life, your assets are rather inaccurate compared to your lasguns.
    • Speaking of, your lasguns remain the same flashlights as ever, meaning you'll need to mass fire if you want to nail things like marines.
  • Even with more melee options, your guardsmen are nothing spectacular up close and personal, and heavy hitting options like power weapons are still coming from your main source of orders.
  • Vets lack the numbers of regular guardsmen and the armor of tempestus.
  • You can't bring as many special weapons as regular guardsmen, and are stuck with just one of each while they can double up with their second fire team.

VG Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Boots on the Ground: At end of a Turning point and subsequent turning points after revealing it, you gain a 1VP you have more operatives within Pentagon/6" of both drop zones.
• Stand Fast: At end of a Turning point's reveal Tac Ops step and subsequent end of turning points after revealing, you gain a 1VP you control 2+ objectives and control more than your opponent.
• Glory in Death: At end of a game, gain 2VP if your operative was incapacitated but earned more VP from mission objective.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Victory or Death"> Note - This counts as the Honor-Bound Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. In Life, War: Win six games. Unlike most Spec Ops, you need to actually WIN your games, though you have free reign on Tac Ops.
2. In Death, Peace: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Glory in Death Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 1 XP for all operatives who took part of this last match, 1 XP for all operatives who died in this game, and an additional 1 XP if they got downed after completing any objective actions or controlling an objective. Any operatives that pass their recovery checks can gain all 3XP from these commendations, regardless of any limitations applied to XP gain because of being incapacitated.

• Doing this will demand that you actually pick winning goals for the first step, but if you pull it off, you'll manage to score hefty XP gains for each operative in the team. Just hope you've got everything in order to win.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Grand Offensive"> Note - This counts as the Secure District Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Secure Approaches: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Boots on the Ground or Stand Fast Tac Ops. Both require your guardsmen to cover ground quickly and get their goals quickly.
2. All-Out Offensive: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Plant Banner Tac Op.

Finishing this Spec Op scores you 3 RP and the option of either a piece of rare equipment or improving your asset cap by +1. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Capable Under Fire: When this operative is using the Conceal order and hiding behind Light cover, enemies can't shoot them - even when they're sitting on a vantage point. Snipers are now not gonna be able to wipe out your sniper or other key operative while being protected.
2. Brash: When this operative receives an order, you can make them use a completely different order than the rest of their teammates. Especially helpful for someone like the Bruiser or Confidant who won't focus as much on shooting.
3. Siege Specialist: One of this operatives' guns gains No Cover. Now that flashlight is now one that can ALWAYS plink off the enemy, regardless of what's in the way.
4. Grit and Determination: While this operative is within 2"/circle of an objective, they gain +1 to their defense. If you need to keep ana objective out of enemy hands, you might as well be the tankiest mofo there is.
5. Decorated Veteran: This operative improves their BS by +1 to a max of 3+. The most basic of Battle Honors and also one of the most effective.
6. Final Litany: When this operative dies, you can use the In Death, Redemption tactical ploy on them for free - doing so also improves their WS and BS to 2+ so you can guarantee that they go down swinging.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Unending Manpower (1 RP): Whenever at least one of your operatives fails their casualty test and dies, you can use the Operative Assigned Requisition action to replace each dead guy with a fresh Veteran Guardsman. This unfortunately means that if you lose an operative, you'll need to spend that extra requisition to get their replacement on board.
• Field Promotion (1 RP): You can turn an Ace, Grizzled, or Revered-rank Trooper Veteran into a different operative that isn't a Veteran Sergeant. They even get to keep the XP they had before the promotion, allowing you to pick out new Battle Honors. While this can somewhat compensate for Unending Manpower's lack of specialists, you likely won't be seeing this until you've gone for quite a while in a campaign.
• Accolade of Distinction (1 RP): When an operative reaches Revered rank, you can give them a special Battle Honour rather than using the list(s) they'd normally be using. This new Battle Honour improves the operative's APL to 3, which gives you a whole load of options in setting them up. If you stack this with the Focused Battle Honor, you can even cap points from under a Custodian's nose.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Preliminary Bombardment: When setting up your models, you can mark one piece of terrain with Heavy; nobody can be set up within 1"/triangle of it on account of all the artillery that just shelled that place. However, this forces you into using the Fortify action during the scouting phase unless you set up a Spotter Veteran on the board.
• Munitorum Supply Lines: During the first turn, you gain +1 CP. Feel free to spend it as you wish.
• Expanded Engineering Bay: Incidentally doesn't need the basic one from the CRB. If you pick the Fortify option during the Scouting phase or set up a Demolitions Veteran, you can place a Fortify marker within 6"/pentagon of your DZ. Any time an operative Dashes, they can't cross within 3"/square of this token, and even operatives that fly can't land within that same range. Any operative that charges within 3"/square of the token must take 2"/circle from their charge distance, and operatives that fly still suffer that penalty if they land within that range. You now have a total no-fly zone that keeps your enemies from charging through an exposed venue.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Relic Sidearm (2 EP): One laspistol or bolt pistol gains +1 to BS and attacks, making it a bit more accurate and more than just a sidearm.
2. Prized Saber (1 EP): One power weapon gains the Balanced rule, giving a bit of reliability...which is also possible using the CRB. Only take this if you spent Perfectly Balanced on a chainsword.
3. Vid-Capture Relay (2 EP): Comms Veteran only. This expands the range of their Signal ability to infinity, letting you further manage AP to operatives at any part of the table.
4. Litany of Sacrifice (3 EP): Zealot Veteran only. The bearer gains a special action that motivates a friendly operative within 6"/pentagon of them, giving them the ability to reduce one critical hit they suffer into a normal hit.
5. Regimental Heirloom (2 EP): Whenever the bearer does not shoot during an activation, they count their APL as +1 higher and halve any damage they suffer until their next activation. This is especially handy for melee veterans as this makes them incredibly tanky for a guardsman.
6. Diagnosticator (2 EP): Medic Veteran only. Their medkit now restores 3+d3 wounds rather than 2d3 and allows you to re-roll two casualty tests. Both of these are incredibly handy as it gives a major boost to the survivability of your troops.

</tab> </tabs>

Guardsman Orders

Whenever you use your ploys in the Strategy Phase, you can also have your Leader operative issue an order to fellow operatives within 6"/pentagon of them. This order remains in effect for the rest of the turn.

• Move! Move! Move!: Your operatives get +1"/triangle to their movement. Double up with the dash or charge action to cover greater distances.
• Take Aim!: Your operatives can re-roll 1s to hit while shooting. However, this does nothing for assets nor can it be used on the remote mine or mortar barrage weapons.
• Hold Position!: When the enemy fires upon your operatives while they're in cover, they can re-roll save rolls of 1. This comes with the drawback of barring your operatives from using the Dash or Charge actions.
• Fix Bayonets!: Your operatives can re-roll 1s to hit when fighting.

VG Wargear

• Hot-shot Capacitor Pack (2 EP): The bearer's lasgun and laspistol adds +1 to all damage dealt. This will help almost everyone except for the sniper, who instead uses the incompatible long-las.
• 0-1 Rosary (2 EP): Once per game, the bearer can trigger this to ignore the damage dealt by one hit in shooting or combat. While this means the bearer will still be kicking after a bad hit, any critical effects like Stun or Rending will still be in effect.
• Hand Axe (2 EP): A slightly stronger melee weapon with 3/5 damage, so crits mean more. Perhaps useful for any operative meant for combat and a useful target for a zealot veteran to boost.
• Trench Shovel (2 EP): While within your DZ, this operative can count as if they are in light cover when shot at by enemies further than 2"/circle away, making for a decent fortified position for a sniper or spotter veteran. However, the instant this operative moves, that trench is gone, so you'd best make sure that this cover is used to its fullest.
• Frag Grenade (2 EP): A basic single-use grenade. Though weak and limited in range, Indirect lets it ignore cover and Blast hits crowds.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Stronger than the frag grenade with higher damage and AP1, but still limited by range.
• 0-1 Chronometer (3 EP): Once per game, you can re-roll your initiative die. Useful if you really need that first hit on the turn.
• 0-1 Topographical Chart (3 EP): During the Scouting step, you can pick a second option to use alongside your initial choice. However, your initiative is still determined by the first choice.

VG Units

This Security fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Sergeant Veteran
• 9 of the following:
  • 0-9 Trooper Veterans
  • 0-1 Confidant Veteran
  • 0-1 Zealot Veteran
  • 0-1 Medic Veteran
  • 0-1 Comms Veteran
  • 0-1 Demolition Veteran
  • 0-1 Bruiser Veteran
  • 0-1 Hardened Veteran
  • 0-1 Sniper Veteran
  • 0-1 Spotter Veteran
  • 0-4 Gunner Veterans (Each weapon can be selected only once)

• Sergeant Veteran (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Comes with an extra wound and the vastest selection of loadouts short of the gunner. As your sole means of issuing Orders, the sarge's survival is paramount to ensuring your team's survival.
  • Unlike your guardsmen, your sergeant can go fully ranged by grabbing a bolter. While you can't overcharge it like your lasguns, it offers a bit of extra damage.
  • If you plan to go more melee, you have options. The laspistol is a shorter-ranged lasgun (and thus can't be overcharged), the bolt pistol offers bolter-tier damage at shorter range, and the plasma pistol does the most damage and comes with AP1 (as well as an option for AP2 at the risk of triggering Hot). For melee, your chainsword offers bolter-tier damage and Balanced for a re-roll to hit while the power sword does big damage with Lethal 5+ to guarantee crits.

• Trooper Veteran (Marksman, Scout): Each of your guardsmen remain modestly durable, with 7 wounds allowing them to take about 2-3 bolter rounds before exploding. However you can grab a bunch of them and they have GA2 to let them swarm around the enemy, especially if you grabbed extra troopers from the Ancillary Support.

• Sniper Veteran (Marksman): Comes with a long-las, a special lasgun that does 3/3 damage on a 2+ BS. While this looks like the damage remains constant regardless of whether or not you crit, it also has MW3 so you can score some lasting damage on a lucky shot. Also interesting is that this doesn't come with Heavy, meaning that you have some very mobile snipers. Also helping is that if they remain stationary, their gun also gets Silent so they can fire while using the Conceal order.

• Gunner Veteran (Marksman): The gunner is your only means to get guns that aren't that flashlight, so be sure to pick your weapon choices with care. The flamer is short-ranged, but Torrent allows it to cover crowds of enemies fairly easily. The grenade launcher doesn't have any way of circumventing cover, but has the option between frag's Blast to pop mobs or krak's high damage and AP1 for tough targets. The plasma gun deals a lot of damage with AP1, but you can risk Hot in order to make it AP2 and nail high-save units like space marines with ease and use the Take Aim! order to mitigated that risk. The melta gun is your extreme measures gun, dealing insane amounts of damage with AP2 as well as dealing MW4 on critical hits, but at very short range.

• Confidant Veteran (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): As the second in command of the detachment, your options for the confidant almost mirror the options available to the sergeant. Indeed, if your Leader operative ever dies, you can make this guy take their place and gain the ability to issue orders. If they aren't made the Leader operative though, they can mark a friendly operative within 6"/pentagon of them to immediately activate after them (though they act as if their GA is 1 so you can't nominate a base trooper and have two of them immediately move), giving you a means to further assert your numbers superiority.
  • Going full ranged gives them two options: the basic guardsman's lasgun (enabling them to use the overcharge ploy) or the sergeant's stronger bolter.
  • For melee, your only melee option is the chainsword, a decent tool with Balanced for a re-roll. Shooting gives you either the laspistol or the bolt pistol, without the sergeant's option for a plasma pistol.

• Demolition Veteran (Staunch, Scout): This guardsman's special tool is the remote mine. Using 1 AP, they can plant the mine anywhere within 1"/triangle of them and then immediately make a Dash move out of the way. At any point afterwards, the operative can detonate the mine, attacking any operatives within 3"/square of the mine for incredible damage and AP1. As this is an indirect attack, this has Silent so you can trigger it while using the Conceal order.

• Zealot Veteran (Staunch): The ballsiest of all guardsmen, gaining the ability to re-roll all their saves thanks to their faith in the Emperor. In addition, they can spend 1 AP to inspire a friendly operative within 3"/square, letting them score crits on a 5+ regardless of whether they fight or shoot. This makes for especially good times for weapons with high crit damage like the gunner's or special crit effects like the bruiser's.

• Medic Veteran (Staunch, Scout): A guardsman whose duty is to save lives. Once per turn they can immediately save a friendly operative within 3"/square who just went down, putting that operative at 1 wound and then sending them scurrying away for the cost of 1 AP for both the medic and the patient. Unfortunately, this ability can't be used while in engagement range with the enemy, which limits their uses. In addition, on a turn where they didn't already resurrect an ally, they could also spend 1 AP to heal a friendly operative by 2d3 wounds, which is handy for those who are on death's door or to counter the injured status.

• Comms Veteran (Staunch, Scout): This guy is likely to be an auto-take just because of their effects on orders. If this operative is issued an order, they can spend 1 AP to broadcast it, making it spread to ALL operatives on the board. On top of this, they can transfer 1 AP to a friendly operative within 6"/pentagon to give a means of compensating the limitations of APL2.

• Bruiser Veteran (Combat, Staunch): A trooper with a trench club, a slightly stronger weapon compared to the bayonet with Stun to knock aside one attack. Interestingly, this operative has the ability to ignore the damage dealt by one normal hit made against them in combat. This might just amount to surviving a random swing, but it's one more turn you can have this guy make their worth.

• Hardened Veteran (Combat, Staunch): A guardsman with a bionic arm, making for a powerful melee weapon AND a badass fashion statement! Even better is that this guy has a 5+++ FNP on any wounds lost and ignores APL modifiers, allowing them to keep on fighting as long as possible.

• Spotter Veteran (Scout): This guardsman gets both a mortar and a pair of magnoculars to spot for his comrades. The mortar's not much more dangerous than a lasgun and Unwieldy makes it impossible to use on overwatch, but it's got Barrage to ignore most cover and Blast to hit crowds of foes. Silent also helps the spotter by letting them hide while shooting. The magnoculars are used for a special action costing 2 AP, letting you mark an enemy operative and a friendly operative with GA1 within 2"/circle. Your friend can now treat that target as if they have the Engage order on their next activation, ignoring any attempts to be sneaky.

Ancillary Support

Alongside your troopers, you can also choose one of the following options based on what you think you'll need for the fight..

• Trooper Veterans: Four spare Trooper Veteran operatives, all ready to go and open fire in His name.
• Veteran Guardsmen Tactical Assets: Rather than any manner of troops, you gain two artillery/bombardment options you can trigger once per battle each. You activate one of these assets in place of one of your operatives, which also means that your enemy can immediately fire back after you go and use it.
  • Artillery Barrage: You open fire with something like a mortar, using one of your operatives to draw line of sight. While the damage isn't spectacular, Barrage and Indirect let it ignore most forms of cover while Blast lets it hit groups of foes.
  • Marked Air Strike: A friendly bomber blasts a location, using one of your operatives to draw line of sight. The attack is slightly better with a 4+ BS and better damage, but sacrifices Indirect. Aside from that, it remains a good way to flush out creeps hiding behind a wall with Blast and Barrage.
  • Guided Missile: Guessing one of your guys got a single-use rocket launcher. This is another shooting attack using one of your operatives to draw line of sight. This option deals the most damage out of all your assets and AP1 lets it demolish enemy armor. However, cover is an issue for them and you're only targeting one enemy.
  • Strafing Run: Your operative first has to mark an enemy to target. Then they have to place a strafing run token anywhere on the map, so long as it's not closer to the table edge than the mark is. Then draw a line from this token to the target, firing upon them and any other operatives in light cover (Drawing LoS from the token). While this isn't more powerful than the artillery barrage, it can hit a very wide swathe of foes with the right positioning.

VG ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Overcharge Lasguns (1 CP): Your operatives can pick a new statline for their lasguns, giving them a means for AP1 on those flashlights but risking Hot in order to get them. It's best to save this option only for taking down marines or units that have ways to improve their AP while in cover as it doesn't improve the lasgun's damage.
• Take Cover (1 CP): Operatives shot at while in cover improve their saves by 1. You'll be needing that because of how weak your save is.
• Into the Breach (1 CP): Operatives in your DZ can make a free Dash action, but that movement has to push them closer to the enemy DZ than your own. Especially favorable for your melee operatives or for gunners with limited range.
• Clear the Line (1 CP): When your operatives fight, they can immediately score one hit without rolling.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Inspirational Leadership (1 CP): When your Leader operative is activated, they can issue a second order, allowing you to adapt a little faster to a sudden change in the situation.
• In Death, Atonement (1 CP): If your guardsman dies, they won't leave the board until the end of your next activation and will ignore the injured status for this single moment.
• Combined Arms (1 CP): After one operative fires, you can use this to make sure another operative firing upon the same operative your first one did hits by letting them re-roll all their hit die. As ever, the wall of guns remains the guardsman's best strategy.

</tab> </tabs>

VG Strategies

VG Strategies:

Counterplay:

Strategies for playing against this faction go here

Kasrkin (Shadowvaults)

Why Play Kasrkin

• Pros
  • You've always favored the Kasrkin of old Cadia over those Tempestus Usurpers.
  • Simple rules make this one of the easiest bespoke Kill Teams to pick up and play.
  • Guns! The Kasrkin seem able to carry around more special weapons than the other Guardsmen teams
  • Elite dice mitigate the risk of plasma overcharge.

• Cons
  • Your entire team is, with few exceptions, 4+ saves and 4+ BS despite being the best of the best.
  • Still no heavy weapons.
  • There aren't many specialists, you are going to be lugging at least one basic trooper along per game.
  • Your numbers won't be the expected tides of green like the guardsmen.
  • Elite dice being limited to changing one dice does not completely remove overcharge risk unless combined with CP rerolls.

K Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Vital Objective: When you reveal this Tac Op, mark one objective that you don't control as a Vital Objective. You score 1 VP for each turn you control this Vital Objective.
• Secure Zone: At the target reveal step of each Turning Point, you can set one temporary marker over 6"/pentagon of your DZ and 2 circles/4" from any enemies. You score 1 VP for each turn where you have an operative within 2 circles/4" of that marker but no enemies.
• Stand Fast: 1 VP for each turn where you control 2+ objectives and have more objectives than the enemy.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Neutralize Threat"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Engage on Sight: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Secure Zone, Rout, or Execution Tac Ops.
2. Cripple Base: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Secure Ground Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 1 RP and the option of either a piece of rare equipment or improving your asset cap by +1. In addition, you get 5 XP to share among your operatives. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Special Forces"> Note - This counts as the Secure District Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Advanced Warfare: Pick one Kill Team archetype. Finish six games and score VP from every Tac Op on that list. Unconventional, but it will require you to focus on a particular task. Unlike other Spec Ops, this is all you need to do.

Finishing this Spec Op scores you 2 RP and 5 XP to split across all your operatives. On top of that, any incapacitated operatives auto-pass all casualty and recovery checks. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. War-hardened: The first time this operative kills an enemy, you regain an Elite point.
2. Vengeful: Whenever this operative shoots or fights a non-Imperium enemy, you can auto-score one hit. Situational due to how many Imperial teams there are out there.
3. Resolute: Whenever this operative is carrying an objective or within 2 circles/4" of an objective, you auto-score one defense roll.
4. Kill shot: One of this operative's gun gains +1 critical damage.
5. Sharp Instincts: Enemies must be over 2 circles/4" away from this operative to be considered in cover. Awesome for foiling close-quarters campers.
6. Independent Equipage: When selecting gear for this operative, one piece gets a 1 EP discount.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Assess and Optimize (1 RP): When you select a Spec Op, you can use both the Asset Acquired and Equipment Drop actions for free. Helpful, but you'd best hope that this will last you for the rest of the Spec Op.
• Deeds of the Fallen (1 RP): Whenever an operative gains a Battle Scar and dies for good, the rest of the team gains 1XP as they mourn their lost comrade.
• Elite Compatriots (2 RP): When you acquire a new operative, you can spend this to kick-start their experience with 6XP right off the bat.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Field Recovery Unit: Each operative can re-roll a recovery check in between battle. However, whenever you fail one check, this item shuts down until the next game.
• Mission Command: Start the game with d3 extra Elite points. Great to offset a bad first turn.
• Shrine to lost Cadia: Your operatives can only gain up to 4XP whenever they pass a casualty check. Your operatives also all count as having one less Battle Scar and consider the Cerebral Affliction result as a passed check.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Plasteel Armour Enhancement (1 EP): Kasrkin Demo Trooper only. Any crits the bearer suffers deals only normal damage.
2. Tactical Vox-Net (3 EP): Kasrkin Vox-Trooper only. Whenever you spend an Elite point during the firefight phase, you can roll a d6 and regain it when you roll a 6.
3. Memento of Cadia (4 EP): Once per game, you can trigger this item on the operative and gains the ability to shoot twice on this activation.
4. Diagnosticator (2 EP): Kasrkin Combat Medic only. This lets them heal d3+3 wounds instead of 2d3 and lets you re-roll 2 casualty checks when updating datasheets. Both of these are incredibly handy as it gives a major boost to the survivability of your troops.
5. Emperor's Light (3 EP): One hot-shot lasgun gains AP1 for the fight, which is flat-out incredible for your workhorse gun.
6. Kasrkin Surveyor (2 EP): Kasrkin Recon-Trooper only. Once per turn, the bearer can perform one objective action with a 1 AP discount.

</tab> </tabs>

Elite

The Kasrkin are among the best of the best of the Cadians, and this here proves it. At the start of each game, you get 10 Elite Points you can spend to influence rolls. In particular, you can spend one point to improve the roll of one of your operatives' attack dice by one.

• While you need to be judicious about usage, you aren't completely limited. You get 2 Elite points each turn and so long as your Kasrkin Sergeant is alive, you gain an edditional Elite Points each Strategy phase.

K Wargear

• Adrenaline Shot (1 EP): A single-use item that lets the bearer ignore any APL or movement mods for a turn. Handy for any suicide runs you might need to make.
• Combat Blade (1 EP): The Q4 2022 Dataslate gave you a basic 3/4 damage knife as a consolation prize so your troops can fight back with something more than the butts of their lasguns.
• Foregrip (2 EP) Hot-shot lasgun only. The bearer will never degrade their AP when firing this gun in Overwatch.
• Long-Range Scope (2 EP): Hot-shot lasgun or Hot-shot marksman rifle only. This adds an additional crit effect when hitting an enemy over 6"/pentagon away. Any crits that are made from past that range gain No Cover, letting you flush out any campers that might show up.
• Frag Grenade (2 EP): A basic single-use grenade. Though weak and limited in range, Indirect lets it ignore cover and Blast hits crowds.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Stronger than the frag grenade with higher damage and AP1, but still limited by range.
• Decoy Grenade (2 EP): A special grenade with a spread of two circles/4", giving a chance to prevent the target from taking Overwatch. Might see use for a bumrush of Kasrkin smacking things with their guns.
• Stun Grenade (3 EP): Seen elsewhere, this gives a grenade that can sap away AP from nearby enemies if you need to force an enemy to pick between capping or shooting.

K Units

This Recon/Security/Seek & Destroy fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Kasrkin Sergeant
• 0-9 of the following:
  • 0-9 Kasrkin Troopers
  • 0-4 Kasrkin Gunners
  • 0-4 Kasrkin Sharpsooters
    • The You can only take up to 4 between Gunners and Sharpshooters
  • 0-1 Kasrkin Combat Medic
  • 0-1 Kasrkin Demo-Trooper
  • 0-1 Kasrkin Recon-Trooper
  • 0-1 Kasrkin Vox-Trooper

• Kasrkin Sergeant (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): While not stronger than the rest of his squad, the sergeant is incredibly vital by dint of his Leadership ability granting Elite points each turn. The other vital detail is that he will most likely be stuck with a melee weapon as, unlike with the Breachers or even the Veterans, this is your only melee operative.
  • In regards of melee weapons, you have either the power weapon or the chainsword. The chainsword is quite powerful and carries ceaseless, but you are stuck to the plasma pistol, a dangerous gun with AP1 stock, but risking AP2 might cost you. The power weapon has more crits thanks to Lethal 5+, but your pistol choices are limited to the bolt pistol and hot-shot laspistol - a matter of cosmetics before counting on upgrades/ploys.

• Kasrkin Trooper (Marksman, Scout): The Kasrkin are about on level with the Tempestus in regard to stats. A 4+ save means that they won't have to worry so much about going down easily, but not enough to become reckless with them. In addition, each one carries a hot-shot lasgun for the firepower of a bolter, bolstered by a special action letting them spend a free Elite point each turn for an effective 3+ BS on one shot.
• Kasrkin Combat Medic (Staunch, Scout): If you've seen the medic anywhere else, you've seen him here - One action heals 2d3 wounds on an ally, a special action that costs 1 AP for both medic and patient as the patient survives death. Having a 4+ save just means that they're not utterly hosed if they get caught in the middle of a firing line.
• Kasrkin Demo-Trooper (Staunch): Rather than a lasgun, this guy just gets a hot-shot laspistol and insulated armor that lets them re-roll saves against Blast weapons and renders them immune to Splash attacks. Their special weapon is the Melta Mine, a remote mine that goes off the moment someone approaches it. With 4/2 damage with AP2 and MW3, this is a terrifying weapon that you don't want anyone to be near.
• Kasrkin Gunner (Marksman): Your trooper, but now with special guns. Flamers help give wide coverage against crowds, grenade launchers allow for versatility between crowd-covering frags and armor-popping kraks, hot-shot volley guns give you crowd control with Fusillade, the meltagun demolishes anything super-tough, and the plasma gun gives you high-power anti-armor with a risky means to pop more armor.
• Kasrkin Recon-Trooper (Marksman, Scout): While a basic trooper, the Recon-Trooper does provide a second Recon option so you can set up a second opinion. On top of that, they can spend an action on the Warden Auspex, which can mark an enemy and make them count attacks on them as having No Cover, as well as not having cover for the sake of any ploys.
• Kasrkin Sharpshooter (Marksman): This Kasrkin has a Camo-Cloak, allowing them auto-score one cover save. Their weapon of choice is a hot-shot marksman rifle, quite accurate whether used in the basic Sharpshoot mode or the Snipe mode with 3/3 damage but 2+ BS, Sniper and MW3 to blow away leaders.
• Kasrkin Vox-Trooper (Staunch, Scout): Basic trooper with a vox-caster to let them share an AP with any allies. Unlike certain Compendium vox-troopers, this can be spread anywhere on the board without concern for range and can be used twice per activation if you really need to support multiple fronts.

K ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Clearance Sweep (1 CP): Place a token on the board. When a friendly operative within 4"/2 circles shoots at an enemy within that range, you can spend a free Elite point on their shooting. This lasts for the rest of the turn before vanishing, meaning that trapping an enemy within prime firing range of a couple operatives can spell their doom.
• Elimination Pattern (1 CP): When your operatives fire their hot-shot weapons (barring the sniper profile of the marksman rifle), any attacks against enemies not in cover gain P1 for some slightly more effective crits.
• Reposition (1 CP): When you have an operative further than 3"/square of any enemies, they and any others within 3"/square that also qualify can make a free Dash action. Very helpful for any backline supports, but it can only work after the first turn.
• Safeguard (1 CP): When your operatives are behind cover, they can re-roll any saves of 1.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Cover Retreat (1 CP): Whenever an operative is activated within 6"/pentagon of a fellow operative that isn't engaged, they can fall back with a 1 AP discount, helping the survivability of your troops.
• For Cadia! (1 CP): Your troopers gain a 5+ FNP save, which means a lot to your 4+ save goons. They also add +1 to the damage of any melee weapons they have. Rather pointless for their lasguns, but spending a few equipment points on some combat blades makes this a lot more palatable.
• Neutralize Target (1 CP): When an operative shoots a target that has the Engage order or isn't in cover, you can re-roll all hits.
• Seize the Initiative (1 CP): Lets you re-roll your initiative dice.

</tab> </tabs>

K Strategies

K Strategies:

Counterplay:

Strategies for playing against this faction go here

Imperial Navy Breachers (Into the Dark)

Why Play Imperial Navy Breachers?

• Pros
  • Guardsmen with decent armor and chainfists.
  • Absolutely brutal in close quarters.
  • Breach and Clear effectively makes your entire army GA2.

• Cons
  • While excellent in tight spaces, open spaces see their advantages fade.
  • Those shotguns adhere to vidya logic where their effectiveness fades after a certain range.
  • the range limitations of Breach and Clear might leave them vulnerable to Blast/Torrent weapons and massed charges.

INB Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Storm Target: Your enemy marks one permanent objective. You gain 1 VP if you control this objective at the end of a turn, with another if you control it by the end of the game.
• Into the Breach: Revealed at the end of turn 4. Score 1 VP if an operative (barring the Gheistskull or C.A.T.) are within 6"/pentagon of the enemy's board edge, and another if you got more operatives there.
• Breach and Clear: Requires use of the Breach and Clear ability. You gain 1 VP for each time you use this and have one operative kill an enemy while another kills a second enemy or scores an objective you didn't already own.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Breach, Clear and Secure"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Rapid Push: Finish five games where you scored VP from any of the exclusive Tac Ops. All of them require covering a lot of ground quickly.
2. Secure Breach: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Seize Ground Tac Op. This is pretty much the finale after all the territory-snagging you've made.

Finishing this Spec Op scores you 1 RP and the option of either a piece of rare equipment or improving your asset cap by +1. You also get 5 XP you can distribute among all your operatives. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Scorched Deck"> Note - This counts as the Demolition Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Discern and Destroy: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Execution, Headhunter, Rob & Ransack or Rout Tac Ops. Note that you need to have scored with at least three of these Tac Ops in order to move on.
2. Call for Extraction: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Plant Signal Beacon Tac Op.

Finishing this Spec Op scores you 3 RP and all operatives auto-pass any Casualty and Recovery tests. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Gutsy: This operative is always under the benefits of the Close Assault ploy for extra hits.
2. Assured: When this operative is shot at while within range of an objective or carrying one, they count one save as an auto-pass for guaranteed protection.
3. Deckhand: When operating a hatch, there's a 50% chance that your AP is refunded.
4. Bruiser: Melee weapons gain Brutal. Now nobody's laughing when your basic armsman's hatchet is cutting them down as well as any slasher movie.
5. Scrapper: This operative improves their WS by +1 to a max of 2+. The most basic of Battle Honors and also one of the most effective.
6. Gallant: When this operative fights or shoots within 6"/pentagon of the enemy's DZ or board edge, they can re-roll one hit.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Reinforcements (1 RP): Two new Navis Armsmen enter your roster.
• Mission Critical (1 RP): This can let your operatives ignore any Battle Scars they suffer for the upcoming game. After the battle, roll a d6 for any operatives that failed a Casualty check, passing on a 4+. Pretty necessary if you had a bad game and really need to catch back up with the enemy.
• Hero in the Ranks (1 RP): Used when a Navis Gunner or Navis Endurant rank up. This operative can select a number of operatives (barring other Gunners and Endurants) equal to twice their rank to distribute 1 XP to.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Colours: Requires an operative of Veteran rank or higher. This allows you to give 1 XP to one operative you fielded and has the least XP, helping you normalize any newcomers on the roster.
• Extended Supply Bay: INFINITE GEAR. Sure, you still have to contend with the relay being 0-1 and your EP limits, but you can now give fucktons of grenades to anyone you want or give everyone slugs and rebreathers.
• Void Augur: Pick one turn after the first. When rolling for initiative on that turn, you can re-roll to seize.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Relic Cutlass (1 EP): Navis Sergeant-at-Arms with power weapon only. This improves the weapon with Balanced for a re-roll and potentially another crit.
2. Navis Cuirass (2 EP): Navis Sergeant-at-Arms only. Any incoming damage is reduced by 1, which makes this redundant with the Brace for Counter-Attack ploy. Still vital for keeping the leader alive.
3. Enhanced Energy Cell (2 EP): Navis Gunner with Navis Las-Volley only. The heavy gun gains Rending, so now your crits hurt a little harder.
4. Remote Access Device (2 EP): You get a remote. A remote that lets the bearer shut a hatch from 6"/pentagon away. Skip unless you're in a space hulk.
   • Does not work with the Deckhand Battle Honour or when using the Hatchcutter action.
5. Auspiciator (3 EP): Once per turn, the bearer can perform one objective action at a 1 AP discount, which can help keep them moving when picking up the goods.
6. Auto-Medicae Unit (2 EP): Not quite a medic, but it can help just as much. If this operative survives a game, you can re-roll one casualty test.

</tab> </tabs>

INB Wargear

• Frag Grenade (2 EP): A basic single-use grenade. Though weak and limited in range, Indirect lets it ignore cover and Blast hits crowds.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Stronger than the frag grenade with higher damage and AP1, but still limited by range.
• Stun Grenade (2 EP): Another grenade, roll a 4+ (-1 if they're behind cover) to rob an AP for any enemy within 2"/circle of the grenade's explosion.
• Rebreather (1 EP): Ignore all APL penalties and Stun, which can be brutal for APL2 armsmen.
• Slugs (1 EP): Operative with Navis Shotgun only. You gain a second set of ammo you can use instead of the standard ammo in a shotgun, spending 1 AP to alternate between the basic shells and slugs. The Slugs only work on the long-range profile of the shotgun, but the shotgun adds +1 to both damage profiles and +1 to BS so it's more effective as a weapon. Thankfully, this cheapness makes this a decent decision for any operatives that are going to be relying on their shotguns.
• Stimm (1 EP): Gives a bonus wound.
• 0-1 System Override Device (2 EP): During the Scouting step, you can open one hatchway before the game begins. As expected, this only has use when you have any hatches on the board.

INB Special Rules

• Breach and Clear: The big rule for your guys, letting you effectively give some goons GA2 alongside the basic armsmen. Once per turn, one activated operative has to mark a second one within 3"/square of them to then be activated afterwards. Of course, this comes with the drawback of requiring your force to crowd around each other and that makes them easy prey for any Blast or Torrent weapons.
• Void Armour: Your basic armsman only has a 4+ save, but you can re-roll one save when dealing with Splash or Torrent weapons and they aren't the primary target. It also renders your armsmen immune to Splash crits.
  • This is your compensation against the obvious weaknesses of Breach and Clear's setup. This won't make you immune to these effects, but it will make them a bit less effective.

INB Units

This Security/Seek & Destroy fireteam is composed of the following:

• 1 Navis Sergeant-At-Arms
• 11 of the following:
  • 0-11 Navis Armsmen
  • 0-1 Navis Axejack
  • 0-1 Navis Endurant
  • 0-1 Navis Grenadier
  • 0-2 Navis Gunners
  • 0-1 Navis Hatchcutter
  • 0-1 Navis Surveyor
    • 0-1 Navis C.A.T if you include a Navis Surveyor
  • 0-1 Navis Voidjammer
    • 0-1 Navis Gheistskull if you include a Navis Voidjammer

• Navis Sergeant-At-Arms (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Comes with the requisite extra wound and improved BS/WS. While you lack orders, the sergeant can pick between Attack Order and Defense Order ploys and use only one for free each turn. Of course, you can just keep him as an amped-up Voidsman with their navis shotgun to alternate between a high-damage but limited-reach Close Range profile or the infinite-range but puny Long Range profile. You're not utterly defenseless here either, as the Navis Hatchet gives him a decent weapon for fighting back in melee.
  • If you plan to go more melee, you have options. The heirloom autopistol gives you low damage but reliability in Balanced and Lethal 5+, the bolt pistol offers better damage at shorter range. For melee, the chainsword offers higher damage with Ceaseless for re-rolls while the power weapon gives better crits than the chainsword but only Lethal 5+ for more crits.

• Navis Armsman (Staunch, Marksman): Your most basic trooper is akin to a stormtrooper with a 4+ save and 7 wounds. However, you have two major advantages over the Tempestus: 1. Armsmen are GA2 and Breach and Clear can let you activate other nearby operatives. 2. Your Armsmen come with 3/4 damage hatchets as standard issue, so they can actually put up a fight in combat. They also come with Navis Shotguns, which come with two different profiles: At Close Range (around 6"/pentagon), this gun deals quite a good bit of damage with good accuracy. However, past that they need to rely on an unreliable and ineffective Long Range profile, which will usually lock your forces into close quarters.
  • Slugs are a very vital item to buy if you can. Especially if you don't grab the Voidjammer/Surveyor and their pets, you'll be needing something more reliable for long-range conflicts. While the Slug's improved profile aren't better than the Close Range profile, it makes them more reliable as marksmen.

• Navis Axejack (Combat, Staunch): While lacking the shotgun, the Axejack comes with a dangerous power axe with Lethal 5+ for more frequent crits. They live off charging into the fray, as they gain a 5+ FNP every turn they charge. On top of that, they gain a special charge action that lets them immediately fight afterwards, adding Reap 2 to the axe for some potential splash damage in a fight.

• Navis Endurant (Staunch): A big bloke carrying a heavy shotgun with Relentless for re-rolls. While his shield can be used as a weapon, it's trash there and better used as a parrying weapon that can block two hits with each parry. Thankfully, he has a special action that lets him immediately fall back.
  • The Endurant's key role is blocking friendlies from enemy fire. If this operative is under the Engage Order, they can shield one ally that moves next to them. Placed as such, the shielded operative is not considered within enemy LoS unless they have some elevation over that shield.

• Navis Grenadier (Staunch): This armsman not only comes with Frag and Krak Grenades like other grenadiers, but they also get a single-use Demolition Charge, an explosive with short range but a decent Blast radius and AP1 so it can pop through armor. Simply put, this guy will only see uses in cases where they can exploit close quarters.

• Navis Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): An armsman with a unique gun. The meltagun straight-up deletes most things it can go up against with high damage and AP2 with MW4 but is held back by its range. The plasma gun gives decent damage and AP1 with the chance to risk bodily harm for AP2. The Navis Las-Volley is their version of a multi-las, a Heavy gun with rapid-fire bolter strength and the extra coverage of Relentless and Fusillade to guarantee hits no matter who you target.

• Navis Hatchcutter (Combat, Staunch): You've got a fucking chainfist. A stormtrooper with a FUCKING CHAINFIST. This motherfucker can straight-up DELETE an enemy in melee, because this chainfist has a decent WS, gives no drawbacks and with Rending and Brutal, nobody can even stop you from ripping them to bits.
  • The real goal of a Hatchcutter is taking care of the many hatches and halls that show up in in a space hulk. They never need to spend more than 1 AP to open hatches, but they can weld a closed hatch shut so enemies need to spend extra AP in order to open it. In addition, they have a second action that lets them place a breach token on a wall that lets friendly operatives march right through that wall as if it weren't there.

• Navis Surveyor (Scout): This operative's not much better than a basic armsman, but they have special actions that require a C.A.T unit to work. One lets the nearby C.A.T unit add +1 to its APL for the turn for extra zoom. The other action slaps a special Surveillance token within 6"/pentagon of the C.A.T unit. Anyone within 3"/square of the token is now spotted, counted as under the Engage order. This makes the Surveyor great at flushing out hiding threats, but this does require...

• Navis C.A.T Unit: A tiny drone that's not very strong. It's super-nimble with 4-circle movement and a pregame Dash, but with a flimsy DF2 and 5+ save and only 5 wounds, any smart enemy that sees an unattended C.A.T will smash it, channeling the frustration of ancient Space Hulk games gone south. It's not really meant to fight either, as it's got no weapons and can't even fight - all it can do is move, dash or fall back (at a 1 AP discount), and unless the owning Surveyor spends an action, you've only got APL1 to contend with.

• Navis Voidjammer (Scout): Another generic armsman with some special tricks. One such trick lets the Voidjammer zap an enemy within 6"/pentagon of the Gheistskull, robbing them of an AP on a 3+ (+1 if the enemy's within the skull's LOS).

• Navis Gheistskull: The Voidjammer's charge is a fancy servo-skull, just as exposed and as zippy as the C.A.T unit. It can only move, dash, fall back (with a 1 AP discount) or use its own unique action, Boost. Boost lets it mark a single spot within LOS and let it immediately zoom on over to anywhere within 1"/triangle of that spot.
  • Unlike the C.A.T unit, this servo-skull isn't entirely defenseless. The Voidjammer can let the skull self-destruct, hitting anyone within 2"/circle of the skull. While it's not very dangerous, EMP makes it have a Lethal equal to the enemy's armor save - very irritating for MEQ, less so for GEQ.

INB ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Attack Order (1 CP): Place an Attack Token on the board. When your operatives attack within 3"/square of this token, you can re-roll all hit rolls of one result. Cannot be used alongside Defense Order.
• Close Assault (1 CP): When an operative fights or shoots an enemy within 3"/square of them and scores two hits, you can make a miss into a hit. Great for guaranteeing that someone dies on that turn without climbing back up.
• Brace for Counter-Attack (1 CP): When an enemy attacks an operative that hasn't moved, charged or fallen back, any damage they take is reduced by 1 to a minimum of 3.
• Defense Order (1 CP): Place an Defense Token on the board. When your operatives roll for saves within 3"/square of this token, you can re-roll all save rolls of one result. Cannot be used alongside Attack Order.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Blitz (1 CP): Used when an operative fights or shoots an enemy within 6"/pentagon. If this operative is the first one activated, they can make one attack an insta-crit, but if the operative's just the first one to fight/shoot, they can make one attack an instant hit.
  • The Q1 2023 Dataslate adds a major provision to this, namely that if you use this, you can't re-roll or adjust any other rolls you make, meaning that you'll need to make sure that you make the other attacks count.
• Calm Head (1 CP): This operative ignores all movement and WS/BS penalties, always handy if you lack rebreathers.
• Lock It Down (1 CP): Mark one objective. Until the end of the game, this operative counts their APL as one higher when capping this particular objective.
  • This is a very tricky ploy to work with - Not only is this only usable once for each operative, but you also run the risk of spreading your forces too thin just to cap something.
• Overwhelm Target (1 CP): When using Breach and Clear, one of the recipients of the ability gains +1 to their APL to guarantee a capped objective or a kill.

</tab> </tabs>

INB Strategies

INB Strategies:

Counterplay:

Strategies for playing against this faction go here

Forge World

As of the Q1 2022 Dataslate, this kill-team has been superseded by the Hunter Clade kill-team below.

Why Play Forge World

• Pros
  • A versatile middle spot between IG and SM, with units that can hit hard at long range, move fast into melee, and cause all kinds of pain everywhere in between.
  • You have some of the best guns in the whole setting, and you can take a lot of them.
  • Ruststalkers provide some serious melee hurt.
• Cons
  • Everyone in your team is extremely specialized: Your dedicated shooters suck in melee, and your rustalkers have great melee but no shooting.
  • Skitarii Vanguard can't use their rad saturation power in Kill Team for some reason.
  • Strategic Ploys are all single-use.
  • Tyranids and Harlequins, in general, can shut you down HARD with multiple super fast melee fighters murdering your expensive models turn by turn. You do have counters against the spammable or the big fast ones (Sicarians, Plasma), but the thing is you have to prepare for it. It's not like you aren't putting out the firepower of a kill-team twice your size, though.

FW Wargear

• Cense Bearer (2 EP): Any friendly operatives activated within circle/2" of the bearer can move as if it isn't injured, which can be useful for escape strategies.
• 0-1 Data Tether (4 EP): Absurdly expensive for equipment, but it's quite powerful. For the cost of 1 AP, you can get 1 CP. The use of this can be easy to find, especially if you're making very liberal use of ploys.
• Enhanced Bionics (2 EP): The bearer can re-roll any saving throws of 1.
• 0-1 Omnispex (2 EP): This provides its own action. When used, the bearer marks a friendly operative within square/3" as well as one enemy operative. The ally can shoot the enemy operative, ignoring obscuration and gaining No Cover on their gun. This is all quite powerful, so much so that the bearer can't shoot or fight on their own until their next activation.
• 0-1 Servo-Skull (2 EP): The bearer of this thing reduces the AP cost of any objective actions by 1, meaning that you can perform certain tasks for free - incredibly useful depending on the case.
• Uplinked Video Feed (2 EP): Ranger or Vanguard only. This allows the bearer to fire overwatch without any penalty to their BS, a vital implement considering how their guns are all they focus on.

FW Units

You my take two from the following list of fire teams. <tabs> <tab name="Skitarii Ranger Fire Team"> This Recon/Security fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Skitarii Ranger Alpha (if you don't have another leader)
• 2-5 Skitarii Ranger Troopers
• 0-2 Skitarii Ranger Gunners with either Arc Rifle, Plasma Caliver, or Transuranic Arquebus

• Skitarii Ranger Alpha (Warrior, Marksman, Scout): Unlike most leaders, the alpha has the option to go primarily shooting with the galvanic rifle. However, you can bring it into line with other leaders with a pistol+melee weapon.
  • The arc pistol is limited in range like other pistols, but it deals decent damage with AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The phosphor blast pistol provides a means to circumvent cover with Blast. The radium pistol does pitiful damage, but Rending does give you an extra crit.
  • The taser goad does the least damage of all the dedicated melee weapons, but it has Lethal 5+ for more crits and to make Stun even more of a pain to deal with by robbing AP. The arc maul does more damage but deals Stun without any help from Lethal. The power weapon is the strongest but simplest with Lethal 5+.

• Skitarii Ranger Trooper (Marksman, Scout): The basic Skitarius is about as protected as a guardsman but has a slightly better 4+ save. The galvanic rifle it comes with is inconvenienced by having Heavy on a gun that's about as strong as a bolter with P1 for slightly meaner crit.

• Skitarii Ranger Gunner (Marksman): All of the guns the gunner can use are more effective at nailing enemies and two of them are going to be more mobile than the base troopers.
  • The arc rifle is the least hindering of the set, providing good damage at AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The plasma caliver is the strongest with AP1, and you can risk overheating for AP2 if you want to flatten high saves. The transuranic arquebus is essentially a louder sniper rifle, hindered with Heavy and Unwieldy but does good damage with AP1 and inflicts mortal wounds on a crit.

</tab> <tab name="Skitarii Vanguard Fire Team"> This Security fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Skitarii Vanguard Alpha (if you don't have another leader)
• 2-5 Skitarii Vanguard Trooper
• 0-2 Skitarii Vanguard Gunner

• Skitarii Vanguard Alpha (Warrior, Marksman, Scout): Unlike most leaders, the alpha has the option to go primarily shooting with the radium carbine. However, you can bring it into line with other leaders with a pistol+melee weapon.
  • The arc pistol is limited in range like other pistols, but it deals decent damage with AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The phosphor blast pistol provides a means to circumvent cover with Blast. The radium pistol does pitiful damage, but Rending does give you an extra crit.
  • The taser goad does the least damage of all the dedicated melee weapons, but it has Lethal 5+ for more crits and to make Stun even more of a pain to deal with by robbing AP. The arc maul does more damage but deals Stun without any help from Lethal. The power weapon is the strongest but simplest with Lethal 5+.

• Skitarii Vanguard Trooper (Stanch, Marksman): The basic Skitarius is about as protected as a guardsman but has a slightly better 4+ save. The radium carbine it comes with is pretty pitiful damage-wise, but Rending means you can get multiple crits out of just one. Compared to the rangers, these are the ones more likely to be up-front as they can shoot after moving.

• Skitarii Vanguard Gunner (Marksman): All of the guns the gunner can use are far and away more dangerous compared to the base radium carbine.
  • The arc rifle is the least hindering of the set, providing good damage at AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The plasma caliver is the strongest with AP1, and you can risk overheating for AP2 if you want to flatten high saves. The transuranic arquebus is essentially a louder sniper rifle, hindered with Heavy and Unwieldy but does good damage with AP1 and inflicts mortal wounds on a crit.

</tab> <tab name="Sicarian Fire Team"> This Seek & Destroy/Infiltration/Recon fireteam is composed of 4 of the following:

• 0-4 Sicarian Ruststalker
• 0-4 Sicarian Inflitrator
• 1 of the following(if you don't have another leader):
  • 0-1 Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
  • 0-1 Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps

• Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps (Warrior, Scout): The ruststalker princeps is basically a copy-paste of the base ruststalker, which is a fine enough option if you're looking for an elite beatstick with that beastly 2+ WS to guarantee hits.

• Sicarian Ruststalker (Warrior, Scout): Compared to the Skitarii, the Sicarians come with 10 wounds for some extra tankiness. This is especially vital for the ruststalker, who is your dedicated melee machine. This means that they will favor mobility over anything else.
  • The only choice for loadout is between how you plan on cutting up the enemy. The chordclaw+transonic razor comes with Balanced, providing a chance to re-roll one hit die. The transonic blades deal more damage on a crit - something that it's built around thanks to Rending providing more crits.

• Sicarian Inflitrator Princeps (Warrior, Marksmen, Scout): The infiltrator princeps is the same as the normal one.

• Sicarian Infiltrator (Warrior, Marksmen, Scout): Compared to the Skitarii, the Sicarians come with 10 wounds for some extra tankiness. While still important to the infiltrator, they aren't quite as dependent as going up-close and personal.
  • The taser goad does rather modest damage, but has Stun to rob AP on a crit. The power weapon is the weapon of choice for straight-up damage.
  • The stubcarbine has infinite range and Ceaseless for accuracy, and its output is decent. The flechette blaster has poor damage and limited range, but Relentless and Fusillade means that you're laying down all sorts of suppressive fire.

</tab> </tabs>

FW Ploy

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Aggressor Imperative (1 CP): Once per game, your operatives add 1"/triangle when moving or charging but you must re-roll one successful save roll. For the most part, this is keyed towards the Sicarians, who are primarily focused on getting up-close and personal.
• Bulwark Imperative (1 CP): Once per game, your operatives can re-roll one failed save roll but sacrifice 2"/circle in movement. This won't mean much if your team's already in place, but this will hurt for your melee-focused operatives.
• Conqueror Imperative (1 CP): Once per game, you can let your operatives re-roll one hit roll when fighting without regard of hit or miss if you need a crit. However, your operatives need to re-roll one successful hit when shooting as well. This is meant for the Sicarians who live to get in the fight.
• Protector Imperative (1 CP): Once per game, you can let your operatives re-roll one hit roll when shooting without regard of hit or miss if you need a crit. However, your operatives need to re-roll one successful hit when fighting as well. Skitarii will mostly be unaffected by this, as they need to be at range anyways.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Control Edict (1 CP): When a Forge World Leader is activated, you can trigger this and activate another friendly operative within 3"/square. As GA2 is fairly minimal in this game, you'll be needing whatever advantage you can get to speed up certain tasks.
• Electrostatic Interference (1 CP): When an enemy operative is within pentagon/6" of an Infiltrator, they can't be activated until another enemy operative is activated first. This is primarily for area denial, especially when dealing with objectives or trying to eliminating a choice target.

</tab> </tabs>

AdMech Strategies

AdMech Strategies:

Admech are a very versatile team. You need to have a list in your rooster to appropriately deal with every type of opponent you might encounter. To start with, a Vs GEC/horde list (highest number of attacks per model) and Vs MEC list (most powerful weapons), is probably enough, then you can expand later. You also have the choice of whether to go full on shooty, full on melee or a mixture of the two depending on your playstyle, which needs deciding before building your rooster - you won't have enough models to effectively vary this. Although be aware, for example, you're not going to win against Tau in a straight out shooting match.

As a shooty one, you better make sure you pick an Arquebus as a sniper. Hell, even melee teams would want one of this as fire support. Choose Ranger as you don't want this thing to ever, EVER, go to melee. Well placed and protected, the sniper will become your best friend, and the best bet you could have at killing heavy units in one hit. Rerolling ones and with the hyper penetrative shot stratagem that makes it ignore injury and cover, and it will pretty much hit all the time. After that, S7 AP-2 will make sure the shot actually wounds, and with D3 and a mortal wound after 6+, it has a chance of taking a unit each turn. With that, you should take three things into consideration:

• The transuranic arquebus is expensive, so you'll probably have just one. Two or more is just inviting trouble.
• It's a heavy weapon that can't fire after moving, even with the Heavy speciality. As such, you better put it on a location where it can do the most from the very beginning.
• Anyone who's played against AdMech before will immediately try to kill it, shooting it or going melee against it fast. Keep it protected.

The Arquebus is also useful against Custodes, due to having the potential of killing them in one hit while also being so far away from them they'l need a turn or two to actually reach it. BS3+ or more with comn/stratagems, S7 vs T5 and 3/4++, it has a decent chance of hitting, and once it hits, a roll of 3 (or a 2 + mortal wound) could do it. Considering the range of the gun, it could be interesting to bring at least two of them to a fight against Custodes, but assume that once they start reaching shooting range, your snipers won't be save. Plasmas are also interesting, but they are withing shooting range of the custodes' weapons, so do it at your own risk. Against MEQs you might want to drop that Arquebus. Why? Plasma. They are 2 points cheaper, can shoot after moving (and running), have more shots and the better AP is vital against 2+ saves. It's not unreasonable for one Plasma to take out a 38point Terminator in a single round. Take 6 of them, or as many as you can squeeze in point and $$$ wise (maybe you might want to try proxying your Arc Rifles as Plasma). For more relaxed beer and pretzel games don't go above four. Make one a sniper and always overcharge it, overcharge the others if you have spare CPs. Consider taking one as heavy too.

One or two Omnispex's, with one as scanner, are good at helping get the Arquebus/Plasmas off. Take a shooty Ranger Alpha as your leader and then put him as far away from the enemy as possible, either out of enemy range or totally hidden - those extra CPs are too valuable to risk. Data Tether? Meh, too expensive.

After that, a shooty kt has to choose between vanilla Rangers or Vanguards. Rangers have 4S compared to Vanguard's 3S, but vanguards are Assault 3 in comparison to Rapid Fire 1. Vanilla vanguards are better spamming attacks, while the rangers are better with the specialisms. Rangers are better for shooting GEQ from long distances, while vanguards are more versatile and flexible overall. Against the bigger MEQs Rangers and Vanguards are mostly irrelevant - even taking account your superior numbers and number of shots, you might as well be firing paper darts against those high saves, don't even bother.

For melee, Skitarii melee Alphas and Corpuscarii should be ignored. Rustalkers and Fulgurites should only be considered if you can work with melee only units effectively.

Infiltrators are our standard melee units, with decent pistols to back them up. Taser against GECs and squishier for the exploding number of attacks to wipe them out, Powersword against MECs for that sweet AP. Give you standard Infiltrators Combat speciality, so both him and your Princeps have 3 attacks each (making the Princeps a combat specialist just makes him too much a target). The -1 to enemy leadership in melee is also a decent plus.

A melee AdMech list will run into the problem of having low unit count, considering the price of the Sicarians, W2 is not a safe number when having only S3. With that said, a good use of cover will make this team into a rather striking force, considering how fast they are, plus the 6++ can always come in handy. Just don't push your luck and don't send them alone. Mixing them with shooters with help your numbers.

Counterplay:

You want to defeat the followers of the Omnissiah? Well read on...

Admech are good on the attacking, pumping out lots of attacks and/or high damage in both shooting and melee. But they can't take the damage and will fall apart quickly when attacked back. In general against Admech you want to get to them before they get to you.

Admech is also vulnerable to bringing the wrong trousers list. If you've got MECs and they bring standard Vanguard/Rangers then just wade in, soaking up the bullets and laughing. If you've got GECs/hordes and they bring plasma/sniper spam or Sicarians, then take the numbers and spread out and spray with as many attacks as you can. Expect the Admech player have fixed this the next time they play you. The following assumes the Admech player hasn't fallen to that trap.

A 4+/6++ save means you don't need anything better than AP -2, and in most cases AP -1 is plenty, especially if it allows you to bring something with more attacks. 2 damage is useful to give the double injury roll dice, but 1 is fine, and you certainly don't need anything higher. Universal 3T means you can mostly not care about your own strength. Flamers are an interesting proposition, but a smart Admech player won't charge against a flamer that can hit the charging unit, so there's that.

Admech are good at hiding via abilities and model sizes. Bring as many +1s to hit as you can.

They also have no psykers or psychic defense, not in vanilla KT, not in Elites, so they will be victim to smite and other mortal wounds caused by them.

A single Plasma or Arquebus can take down the biggest guy. Protect your expensive guys - a hit at the beginning of the match can cripple a good team. Low model count MECs teams can be especially vulnerable here.

Where possible, shoot the Sicarians and Electro Priests, but get into Melee against the Skitarii. Remember the Admech player will be trying the opposite. And also anything below a super MEC should still be wary of any guns on a Sicarian or Electro Priest.

The Arquebus can be especially difficult to take out. Plasma spam is more likely to be moving forward giving chance to take them out. But the Arquebus will be most likely sat on the back lines, and its range means nowhere is safe from the risk. Its value and killing potential means that it will be defended tooth and nail before something can use CQC against it.

• Trying to counter this sniper with another sniper is difficult, considering the arquebus practically doubles the range of every other sniper weapon. SM Scout sniper with missile launcher could do it if it rolls enough attacks, but has no AP whatsoever, and the krack missile has to hit first (considering it could have -2 hit modifiers from cover and range, the krack is somewhat unreliable, though rather deadly if it actually hits). Tau could use markerlights to deal with it, though for once the blueberries will be outranged in this endeavour. Units like the AM's ratling sniper can give the transuranic arquebus a run for its money, especially in sniper duels. Assuming they both have the sniper speciality:
  • Reim can move after shooting, has Raus as backup for repeating failed rolls, has two wounds, gets extra protection in cover and has has a BS2+. On the other hand, it crumbles like paper in melee, T2 and 6+ is ridiculously low (and considering how annoying it is to shoot down, they will go to kick him out from his sniper's nest hand to hand) and needs Raus to be deployed as well, which makes the Reim & Raus combo 18p compared to the 15p a ranger sniper costs. Plus, it can only make 2 damages for shot at the very best (regular attack plus the 6+ mortal wound), meaning some tankier units can brush its attacks off if they so wish.
  • The transuranic sniper has a BS3+ with a decent amount of stratagem options to boost him, and the weapon in question has the longest range in the whole game (seriously, 60" means it will never be out of reach), has S7, AP-2 and D3 damage, meaning it only needs one hit to cripple units with multiple wounds. Any character with 3 wounds or less will be at risk of dying to this guy early on, and even 4 wound characters are at risk of that extra mortal wound. Not that many units can really be safe of that kind of firepower. Plus, the 4+/6++ of the unit means it can actually resist some attacks decently enough. If it's a vanguard sniper, it gets the sweet radiation effect against enemy toughness in melee, but this is pretty much something of a last resort, only really useful when locked in melee alongside a support unit of the sniper. Alone, it's not going to do much with one S3 attack. And there's the chance of actually having more than one arquebus on the team, even without the Sniper speciality. The problem comes with the inability of shooting after moving, meaning if you want to use it, it will be a sitting duck.
  • TLDR: Reim is the more precise sniper, and can actually move around the map, but the arquebus is better at everything else.
• Other ways to deal with the sniper are fast units with a decent invulnerable save, though you'll have to consider the chance of the mortal wound getting in. Cheap melee units like genestealers are also a good option: even if one falls on the way, other is bound to reach it, though it will have to actually go through the rest of the team if the AdMech player is smart. Tau players could use the battlesuits protected by drones to tank the sniper hits as well, but considering how expensive those are, that's a considerable risk if the dron fails to take the hit. The lictor is also a decent bet, but mostly as a Distraction Carnifex, as its high point cost and W4 means that the AdMech are going to fire everything at it. Again, one lucky shot of the arquebus will put the sneaky lictor down, but those are risks you have to deal with.

Hunter Clade (WD 468)

Why Play Hunter Clade

• Pros
  • The combination of Skitarii and Sicarians in combinations otherwise impossible for base kill-teams.
  • Special units that offer new strategies otherwise impossible for the base AdMech kill-team.
  • Your Doctrina Imperatives last for the entire game rather than one turn.
• Cons
  • The units remain as vulnerable as ever, with Rangers stuck in the backline.
  • You can't have a kill-team entirely made of Sicarians, as you NEED to take more Skitarii than Sicarians.

Doctrina Imperatives

Unlike the base Mechanicus, you can use the Doctrina Imperatives for the entire battle rather than just one turn, being able to swap them off once per turn instead of once per game thanks to the Q2 2022 balance dataslate. While each of them has a drawback, they don't take effect unless they're active for more than 1 turn

This can also be used on top of any other ploys you utilize.

• Aggressor Imperative: Your operatives add 1"/triangle when moving or charging but you can't retain any saves due to cover. For the most part, this is keyed towards the Sicarians, who are primarily focused on getting up-close and personal.
• Bulwark Imperative: Your operatives can re-roll one failed save roll if you failed at least two saves but sacrifice 2"/circle in movement. This won't mean much if your team's already in place, but this will hurt for your melee-focused operatives.
• Conqueror Imperative: You can let your operatives re-roll one hit roll when fighting without regard of hit or miss if you need a crit. However, your operatives need to re-roll one successful crit when shooting as well. This is meant for the Sicarians who live to get in the fight.
• Protector Imperative: You can let your operatives re-roll one hit roll when shooting if you miss two or more shots. However, your operatives need to re-roll one of your crits when fighting as well. Skitarii will mostly be unaffected by this, as they need to be at range anyways.
• Equalized Imperative: AKA It's Fucking Nothing. No stat changes.

HC Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Relentless Pursuit: Score 1 VP if there are no enemies beyond 6"/pentagon of your operatives, with another VP if you accomplish this past the first turn. This is a Tac Op specially crafted for your Sicarians, who want to be that close, so make sure that they are covered.
• Calculated Eradication: Revealed whenever you activate a Doctrina Imperative. At end of any turn where you dealt more wounds than the enemy dealt to your operatives, you score 1 VP. You score an additional VP on a turn where you activated a different Doctrina.
• Assassination Order: Revealed in the first turn. Score 1 VP for killing an enemy before the last turn, scoring another if you have an operative within 3"/square of that target.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Dauntless Pursuit"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Pursuit: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Boots on the Overrun, Rout or Relentless Pursuit Tac Ops. All of these focus on closing in and taking out the enemy as you take their ground.
2. Execution: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Execution of Calculated Eradication Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 1 RP and a choice between one piece of Rare Equipment or expanding your Asset cap by one. In addition, you gain 5 XP to share between your operatives, letting you bump up any laggards in the team. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Expeditious Assassinations"> Note - This counts as the Elimination Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Assassinations: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Assassination Order or Headhunter Tac Ops. Both require your skitarii to kill quickly.
2. Signal Lander for Extraction: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Vantage Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 1 RP and a choice between one piece of Rare Equipment or expanding your Asset cap by one. In addition, your operatives will immediately pass any recovery and casualty checks they make. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Fixated: The first time this operative rolls to attack and does not score a crit, you can turn a normal hit into a crit for some early-game damage. While helpful, this can't be used for scoring further crits, like on a Rending weapon.
2. Faith in the Machine: Ignores all penalties to APL when activated.
3. Blessed Components: This operative can re-roll recovery checks, prolonging their value to the team.
4. Enhanced Bionics: Provides a 6+++, which is a bit of added insurance to survive.
5. Consecrated Cybernetics: Each turn this operative can ignore the penalties of their Doctrina on a 4+. Considering the very visible drawbacks each one comes with, you'll have plenty of reason to consider this.
6. Autonomic Cortex: This operative can use the Command Override Tactical Ploy once per game for free.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Archaeotech Vault (1 RP): Allows you to swap one piece of Rare Equipment for another. Of course, this will only see use after you actually get a piece of Rare Equipment.
• Recycled (0 RP): When removing an operative from the team, you gain a number of RP equal to their rank minus the number of battle scars they had upon death. Waste not what the Omnissiah provides.
• Mark Assigned (1 RP): Mark one enemy operative for your team to kill. All your operatives now hate that guy so much that they re-roll one hit die when attacking them, with the lucky son of a servitor who kills the mark gaining an extra 2 XP.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Electromagnetic Spectra-Storm: For the first turn your models count as being in cover when fired at from over 6"/pentagon range. This gives you a decent amount of protection at the start, allowing your sicarians to close in to kill or claim objectives.
• Repair Repository: Whenever an operative rests (read: isn't on the field for a game), they automatically pass recovery checks so you don't need to worry as much about long-term injuries.
• Data-Augur: Lets you pick two Tac Ops in one draw.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Thorium Rounds (2 EP): One radium pistol (Meaning only the Ranger Alpha or Vanguard Alpha can use this) gains Lethal 5+ and deals 3/4 damage. This unfortunately doesn't stack with Enriched Rounds, but it's a bit of a bump up to the effectiveness of your pistol.
2. Technodermic Weave (3 EP): 3+ Save is hard to deny.
3. Auto-Repair Appendage (2 EP): Allows the bearer to use Motive Force Vitality for free, which is pretty crazy since it can make them almost immortal.
4. Amplified Data Emitter (3 EP): Diktat operative only. The bearer can now use their enhanced data-tether on anyone on the table, providing all manner of AP support to the team.
5. Omnispectral Analyzer (3 EP): Surveyor operative only. Their Omnispex now allows their chosen ally to gain Relentless, making for an incredible asset to support your team.
6. Arc Grenade (3 EP): A frag grenade with Stun.

</tab> </tabs>

HC Models

This Recon/Seek & Destroy fireteam is composed of 10 of the following:

• 1 of the following:
  • Skitarii Ranger Alpha
  • Skitarii Vanguard Alpha
  • Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps
  • Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
• 10 of the following:
  • 0-10 Skitarii Ranger Marksmen
  • 0-10 Skitarii Vanguard Shocktroopers
  • 0-1 Skitarii Ranger Surveyor or Skitarii Vanguard Surveyor
  • 0-1 Skitarii Ranger Diktat or Skitarii Vanguard Diktat
  • 0-3 Skitarii Ranger Gunners or Skitarii Vanguard Gunners
  • 0-4 Sicarian Ruststalker Assassins
  • 0-4 Sicarian Infiltrator Trackers
• NOTE - You cannot have more Sicarian operatives than you do Vanguard or Ranger operatives.
• NOTE - If you have four or fewer Sicarian operatives, you can acquire an additional operative, so you have 11 operatives total.

• Skitarii Ranger Alpha (Marksman, Scout): Unlike most leaders, the alpha has the option to go primarily shooting with the galvanic rifle. However, you can bring it into line with other leaders with a pistol+melee weapon. Unique to this team is the ability that allows you to activate a friendly operative within square/3" of them if another one activates within that same range - making your army close to having GA2 without having it.
  • The arc pistol is limited in range like other pistols, but it deals decent damage with AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The phosphor blast pistol provides a means to circumvent cover with Blast. The radium pistol does pitiful damage, but Rending does give you an extra crit.
  • The taser goad does the least damage of all the dedicated melee weapons, but it has Lethal 5+ for more crits and to make Stun even more of a pain to deal with by robbing AP. The arc maul does more damage but deals Stun without any help from Lethal. The power weapon is the strongest but simplest with Lethal 5+.

• Skitarii Ranger Marksman (Marksman, Scout): The basic Skitarius is about as protected as a guardsman but has a slightly better 4+ save. The galvanic rifle it comes with is inconvenienced by having Heavy on a gun that's about as strong as a bolter with P1 for slightly meaner crit.

• Skitarii Ranger Gunner (Marksman): All of the guns the gunner can use are more effective at nailing enemies and two of them are going to be more mobile than the base troopers.
  • The arc rifle is the least hindering of the set, providing good damage at AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The plasma caliver is the strongest with AP1, and you can risk overheating for AP2 if you want to flatten high saves. The transuranic arquebus is essentially a louder sniper rifle, hindered with Heavy and Unwieldy but does good damage with AP1 and inflicts mortal wounds on a crit.

• Skitarii Ranger Diktat (Scout): A base Skitarii Ranger with a Vox-Caster from the guardsmen. This means that they can spend an AP to grant it to another operative within pentagon/6" of them. Given the right setup, you might provide some major advantages for your team. Of course, you're gonna need to build your team around getting this guy to support you as the gun remains Heavy.

• Skitarii Ranger Surveyor (Scout): A base Skitarii Ranger with an Omnispex. For 1 AP, this means that they can mark a friendly operative within square/3" and an enemy operative. For the rest of the turn, the enemy isn't obscured and can't hide behind smoke. In addition, the ally you marked counts their gun as having the No Cover rule when firing upon the enemy you marked. For a Ranger, there's not much that can top this.

• Skitarii Vanguard Alpha (Staunch, Marksman): Unlike most leaders, the alpha has the option to go primarily shooting with the radium carbine. However, you can bring it into line with other leaders with a pistol+melee weapon - and that latter option has more uses thanks to the Rad-Saturation aura. Unique to this team is the ability that allows you to activate a friendly operative within square/3" of them if another one activates within that same range - making your army close to having GA2 without having it.
  • The arc pistol is limited in range like other pistols, but it deals decent damage with AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The phosphor blast pistol provides a means to circumvent cover with Blast. The radium pistol does pitiful damage, but Rending does give you an extra crit.
  • The taser goad does the least damage of all the dedicated melee weapons, but it has Lethal 5+ for more crits and to make Stun even more of a pain to deal with by robbing AP. The arc maul does more damage but deals Stun without any help from Lethal. The power weapon is the strongest but simplest with Lethal 5+.

• Skitarii Vanguard Shocktrooper (Stanch, Marksman): The basic Skitarius is about as protected as a guardsman but has a slightly better 4+ save. The radium carbine it comes with is pretty pitiful damage-wise, but Rending means you can get multiple crits out of just one and it's mobile. The big change here is Rad-Saturation, a circle/2" aura that forces enemies inside it to suffer the movement penalties as if they were injured. This is helpful for tying up enemies so that your allies don't need to move as far to attack them.

• Skitarii Vanguard Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): All of the guns the gunner can use are far and away more dangerous compared to the base radium carbine.
  • The arc rifle is the least hindering of the set, providing good damage at AP1 and has Stun on a crit. The plasma caliver is the strongest with AP1, and you can risk overheating for AP2 if you want to flatten high saves. The transuranic arquebus is essentially a louder sniper rifle, hindered with Heavy and Unwieldy but does good damage with AP1 and inflicts mortal wounds on a crit.

• Skitarii Vanguard Diktat (Staunch): A base Skitarii Vanguard with a Vox-Caster from the guardsmen. This means that they can spend an AP to grant it to another operative within pentagon/6" of them. Given the right setup, you might provide some major advantages for your team. The issue here is that the Rad-Saturation aura will conflict with the ability to provide AP. You'll likely need to build upon one purpose and make full use of it.

• Skitarii Vanguard Surveyor (Staunch): A base Skitarii Ranger with an Omnispex. For 1 AP, this means that they can mark a friendly operative within square/3" and an enemy operative. For the rest of the turn, the enemy isn't obscured and can't hide behind smoke. In addition, the ally you marked counts their gun as having the No Cover rule when firing upon the enemy you marked. The ranges aren't such an issue for the Vanguard, as the range seems to only apply to marking an ally. This allows you to boost a friendly infiltrator or vanguard so they can shoot without fear of reprisal or help a ranger ignore cover on their sniping.

• Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps (Warrior, Scout): The ruststalker princeps is basically a copy-paste of the base ruststalker stuck with a chord-claw and transonic blades, providing the best of both worlds on an elite beatstick with that beastly 2+ WS to guarantee hits. Unique to this team is the Wasteland Stalkers rule, allowing them to retain an additional save when hiding behind cover - incredibly useful. Couple with the Optimised Gait and cover becomes nothing but a benefit for you as you can step out of cover and into the fight.

• Sicarian Ruststalker Assassin (Warrior, Scout): Compared to the Skitarii, the Sicarians come with 10 wounds for some extra tankiness. This is especially vital for the ruststalker, who is your dedicated melee machine. Between this and Wasteland Stalkers improving the benefits of cover, they will favor mobility over anything else.
  • The only choice for loadout is between how you plan on cutting up the enemy. The chordclaw+transonic razor comes with Balanced, providing a chance to re-roll one hit die. The transonic blades deal more damage on a crit thanks to Rending and a slightly higher damage on crits.

• Sicarian Inflitrator Princeps (Warrior, Marksmen, Scout): The infiltrator princeps is the same as the normal one. They gain a special ability that lets them perform a mission action at a discount of 1 AP, though this won't stack with a Servo-skull. This might make this guy into your go-to guy for capping objectives.

• Sicarian Infiltrator (Warrior, Marksmen, Scout): Compared to the Skitarii, the Sicarians come with 10 wounds for some extra tankiness. While still important to the infiltrator, they aren't quite as dependent as going up-close and personal.
  • The taser goad does rather modest damage, but has Stun to rob AP on a crit. The power weapon is the weapon of choice for straight-up damage.
  • The stubcarbine has infinite range and Ceaseless for accuracy, but its output is decent. The flechette blaster has poor damage and limited range, but Relentless and Fusillade means that you're laying down all sorts of suppressive fire.

HC Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Accelerant Agents (1 CP): A Hunter Clade Ruststalker can either make a free fight action (If you spend your actions on running or grabbing something) or fight twice in a turn when they would otherwise be limited to only once.
• Calculated Approach (1 CP): Whenever an operative is more than pentagon/6" away from an enemy that's shooting them, they can turn a failed save into a pass if they also score a critical save as well.
• Martial Protocol (1 CP): Any time a Hunter Clade Vanguard is within 2"/circle of an objective or within pentagon/5" of an enemy drop zone, they can re-roll one hit die. Similarly, whenever a Hunter Clade Ranger does not move and shoots, they can re-roll one hit die.
• Neurostatic Interference (1 CP): When an enemy operative is within pentagon/6" of an Hunter Clade Infiltrator, they can't re-roll any hits in melee or shooting. A pretty considerable step down from the base kill-team's ploy.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Command Override (1 CP): When you activate your operative, you can force it to accept the effects of a different Doctrina rather than the one activated for the whole team. This is only effective for one turn, which might help that Sicarian close the distance for the kill or provide some emergency protection for a lone operative facing a sniper.
• Concealed Positions (1 CP): When deploying a Hunter Clade Infiltrator, you can give them the Hide order when they're within 1"/triangle of some heavy cover and more than 5"/pentagon from any enemies or their drop zone. In return, this operative is stuck under this order for this entire turn, even if using Infiltrate during the Scouting step.
• Motive Force Vitality (1 CP): One operative gains d3 wounds upon activation. Booyah.
• Pursuers (1 CP): During the Scouting step, you have two options. If you use Recon, two Hunter Clade Rangers can make a free dash if they're within their DZ. IF you use Infiltrate, two Hunter Clade Rangers can choose to swap their orders upon their activation on their first turn.

</tab> </tabs>

HC Wargear

• Cense Bearer (2 EP): Any friendly operatives activated within squaree/3" of the bearer can move as if it isn't injured, which can be useful for escape strategies. Note that this isn't effective on those models using the Bulwark Imperative.
• 0-1 Command Uplink (4 EP): Absurdly expensive for equipment, but it's quite powerful. For the cost of 2 AP, you can get 1 CP. Unlike the Data-Tether of the base kill-team, this is a lot more of a cost and will only be worth it if you really need to pull off a certain ploy.
• Enriched Rounds (2 EP): Pick one Radium Carbine or Master-Crafted Radium Pistol the bearer has. That gun adds +1 to their base damage.
• 0-1 Mechadendrites (2 EP): Allows the bearer to perform the Pick Up action with the AP cost reduced by 1. As with the Servo-Skull, the use of this is dependent on the mission you have, but this can ease the cost if your enemy pulls something to jack up the AP cost of picking up an object.
• Optimised Gait (1 EP): Ruststalker only. Allows them to ignore the first circle/2" of distance spent climbing, falling, or running over terrain.
• 0-1 Refractor Field (3 EP): Leader only. This grants the bearer a 4+ Invulnerable save, a pretty useful boost when facing enemies that carry plenty of AP or P on their guns.
• 0-1 Servo-Skull (2 EP): The bearer of this thing reduces the AP cost of any objective actions by 1, meaning that you can perform certain tasks for free - incredibly useful depending on the case.
• Uplinked Video Feed (2 EP): Ranger or Vanguard only. This allows the bearer to fire overwatch without any penalty to their BS, a vital implement considering how their guns are all they focus on.

Ecclesiarchy

Why play Adepta Sororitas

• Pros
  • Bolter Bitches (Now in plastic!)
  • Actual bolters, 3+ armor and 10 models means you get the best of both elite and horde teams. Both IG and marines will envy you!
  • Divine Intervention Tactical Ploy lets you no-sell a crit at a crucial moment
  • Have some strong shooting (meltas, storm bolters, heavy bolter)
• Cons
  • Aren’t actually female space marines (Not really a con tho - )
  • Can't take a Heavy Gunner without giving up melee options
  • Strategic Ploys are a little lackluster - getting a reroll only when you crit is pretty meh, Arco ploy is only usable if half your team can't take mission actions.
  • No miracle dice mechanic means the SoB in KT are left without their best tool. Seriously, what the fuck...

SoB Wargear

• 0-1 Rosarius (2EP): Provides a 4++. Yeah, you can see how this can come in handy, especially for a leader.
• 0-1 Phial of Restoration (2EP): A single-use item to restore 2d3 wounds. Save this for a model that you cannot afford to lose.
• Frag Grenade (2EP): A single-use thrown weapon with a short range, but has Blast and Indirect to get through cover.
• Krak Grenade (3EP): A single-use thrown weapon that has a short-range, but Indirect allows you to ignore cover. This makes for a particularly deadly weapon as it has high damage and AP1.
• Purity Seal (3EP): Once per game, this allows your operative to get a free use of the Command Re-roll Tactical Ploy.
• Scourging Barbs (2EP): Sister Repentia only. This allows your naked sisters to re-roll one hit die, but if that re-roll lands on a 1 or 2, that sister takes a mortal wound. It's one of several way to make sure this repentia can actually kill.

SoB Units

<tabs> <tab name="Battle Sister Fire team"> This Security fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Battle Sister Superior (if you don't have another leader)
• 0-5 Battle Sister Warrior
• 0-1 Battle Sister Icon Bearer
• 0-1 Battle Sister Gunner
• 0-1 Battle Sister Heavy Gunner (only if including 2 Battle Sister Fire teams)

• Battle Sister Superior (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Your leader is a melee-focused one, but she's just as versatile in any role. Quite frankly, she can pick up a distressing number of loadouts.
  • Your base bolter can be made into a combi-weapon, each of them only being single-use before going away. Unique among the lot is the condemnor boltgun, providing Silent as well as P1 MW1 on crits, making it more effective if no longer effective against psykers.
  • Your pistols all face issues with range, with the bolt pistol providing decent damage. The hand flamer has a small spread for its Torrent but can stack up damage with a good BS. The plasma pistol deals plenty of damage with AP1, and risking overheating gives AP2.
  • For melee weapons, just ignore the gun butt - You have no need to even use it. The chainsword is a bit better, but still is lacking compared to other options. The power weapon deals better damage and has Lethal to make more crits. The power maul deals 1 point less damage on a crit, but can Stun on a crit to knock off AP.

• Battle Sister Warrior (Staunch, Marksman): Your basic bolter bitch. Each comes with a 3+ save and 8 wounds, making them about as tanky as a space marine, but their melee prowess absolutely leaves something to be desired. In most cases, they should be not even humor the idea of punching something. That bolter is their lifeline, and without it she is dead.

• Battle Sister Icon Bearer (Staunch, Marksman): A warrior who carries with her a holy icon. This allows her to count as having +1 APL when capping objectives and she can plant it for a turn, allowing any friendly sisters within square/3" to count one 5+ to hit in melee or shooting to count as a crit. This can have several uses depending on what the rest of your team is built around, and some are particularly nasty.

• Battle Sister Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): A gunner is quite vital in that they can pick up specialized weapons that can fit niches otherwise undoable to basic boltguns. Of course, if boltguns are fine you can grab a storm bolter with Relentless to guarantee some hits. The flamer and meltagun are inconvenienced by range, with the meltagun dealing massive damage to compensate while the flamer spreads to others with Torrent and is very easy to hit with.

• Battle Sister Heavy Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): To even grab this one requires a serious commitment as you can't even grab a heavy gunner without dedicating two fireteams to the base sisterhood. In this case, both weapons have Heavy to limit their mobility.
  • Is taking this sister worth it? Well, the heavy bolter provides some decent damage with Fusillade to spread fire. The heavy flamer has short range, but Torrent lets it spread to other enemies. As for the multi-melta? Not a sight to be seen.

</tab> <tab name="Repentia Fire team"> This Seek & Destroy fireteam is composed of 5 of the following:

• 0-1 Repentia Superior (if you don't have another leader)
• 4-5 Sisters Repentia

• Repentia Superior (Combat, Staunch): Unlike her subordinates, the superior is equipped with a 3+ as befits power armor as well as 9 wounds. Their whips are the stars of the show, as they're your superior's gun, melee weapon, and implement for supporting these insane bitches.
  • The whips aren't any different in melee or shooting, though their range is pitiful, only at square/3". Lethal 5+ means that crits are more prone to going off. It also allows them to spend an AP to whip one of her Repentia, adding +1 to their APL and circle/2" to their movement for the activation. This can make the sisters she tends to much more dangerous as they can suddenly just run straight into the enemy to rip them apart.

• Sister Repentia (Combat, Scout): While absolutely fragile, the Repentia get a 5+++ FNP save, which no amount of AP is going to affect, allowing a modicum of tankiness most sisters won't get. That said, their options as operatives are few - their singular weapon is the eviscerator, an insanely dangerous weapon with Brutal to overwhelm defenses and Reap to spray some damage onto nearby opponents.

</tab> <tab name="Arco-Flagellant Fire team"> This Seek & Destroy fireteam is composed of 5 Arco-Flagellants

• Arco-Flagellant (Combat, Scout): You're getting a bunch of angry bastards, all packing 10 wounds and a much-needed 5+++ FNP considering how pitiful their defense is. Their singular purpose is to go apeshit, as they can't do any mission stuff. Their weapons are quite effective at the job too, dealing 3/4 damage with Ceaseless to guarantee hits and Reap dealing splash damage on crits.

</tab> </tabs>

SoB Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Emperor's Guidance (1 CP): For the rest of the turn, any Adepta Sororitas operative can re-roll one die to hit when shooting or fighting in melee - if they retain a critical hit.
• Divine Shield (1 CP): For the rest of the turn, any Adepta Sororitas can re-roll one failed saving throw - if they retain a critical save.
• Extremis Trigger Word (1 CP): Usable once per game. For the rest of the turn, all Arco-Flagellants add +1"/triangle when they dash or charge and their weapons gain the Lethal 5+ rule. This makes your kill-bots even scarier because those terrifying flails are now able to get much closer.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Penance Through Death (1 CP): Any time a Sister Repentia or Arco-Flagellant dies in combat, they can make one last swing before going down. This is going to be pretty necessary because you need these units to make every hit they can, especially when they die.
• Storm of Retribution (1 CP): when a Battle Sister Gunner and Heavy Gunner is activated, their guns lose heavy and gain No Cover, letting them unload quite a lot of punishment.
• Divine Intervention (1 CP): This allows a Adepta Sororitas operative to ignore damage from one successful attack roll, which can be helpful depending on the circumstance.

</tab> </tabs>

SoB Strategies

SoB Strategies:

The Sisters of Battle finally get their chance of being playable in Kill Team after their renewal in holy plastic. And after all of the wait for this army, the results are... dissapointing. Similar to the way GW released the Daemon rules, the Adepta Sororitas get very little in terms of in-depth rules, and even less in mechanics similar to their own in 40k. It feels like it was a rushed afterthought, and while it's understandable they are focusing on the main 40k game first, it's rather infuriating to see the poor sisters limited in such a way.

But let's start with the beginning. As a leader, you have two options, the Sister Superior, and the Sister Repentia. Right of the bat, you'll see neither option is particularly tanky, though considering the leader is usually best on the back of your army, it should not be a problem at first. The problems come when you look at the options a bit more carefully and realize you can only have one of each. That is crippling from the get go. Only one Sister Superior means you can't put the only sister with access to combi-weapons as specialist of any kind, either Sniper or Demolitions, which would help a lot with their firepower. And a limit of only one Repentia means that you can say goodbye to any Repentia spam strategy you might have concocted. Oddly enough, you are probably going to want the Repentia as leader, as the Sister Superior is too good as the aforementioned specialisms. 7+/6++/5+++ is not the best defensive power, but you could always buff it through other means. Counterpoint - the Repentia is very fragile, and is so good in melee that you really want to keep her there. This means you're constantly risking your source of CP. Meanwhile you can keep your Superior to the rear, limiting exposure and use tactical rerolls to save her from her own combi-plas

Now, for the regular gals. The regular Battle Sister is similar to the vanilla tactical marine, but with less toughness. S3 A1 won't get them anywhere in melee, thus you want them shooting. On the defensive, T3 3+/6++ is quite decent, being slightly better than similar priced units such as regular Skitarii. The bolter is its basic weapon, and it's the only weapon she can have, and with S4 AP0 D1, it's not a very intimidating gun. Plus the obligatory frag/krack grenades, but those are always very situational. Keep in mind that while the Battle Sisters innate ability to deny Psykers cost you nothing, it is also basically useless. Not only are Psykers relativity rare, the chances of successfully resisting a power with 1d6 is vanishingly small. The value has to be GREATER than their Psychic test. This means to successfully deny a psybolt, the most common power in the game and the only one outside of Commanders, you have to roll a 6 AND your opponent has to roll a 5 exactly. In all other cases, they either pass anyway, or would have failed anyway. Only in 1.85% of psybolts does it actually affect the outcome. Against GK, that drops to 1.38%. The real reason you want a regular SoB going around is the Simulacrum Imperialis, a relic that gives all units all SISTERS at 6" from it 5++. This greatly increases the survivability of all of your gals, but by that same reason, it's going to be targeted by the enemy. FAST. So keep her protected.

The Sister Superior has access to a lot of weapons, both melee and ranged, though it should always focus on ranged since her options on that front are way better, plus S3 is not going to impress anyone on the tabletop anyway. Now, there are many options for it, the best ones being the combis: combi-flamer, combi-melta and combi-plasma.

• Combi-flamer will disuade charges and work well as a demolitions, though it still takes the risk of being too close to the enemy.
• Combi-melta is the best choice of this team against heavy armour (assuming you are unwilling to supercharge and willing to get up close to use it) and multiple wound characters, and having the bolter as well is always a plus.
• Combi-plasma is the most well rounded choice, considering you can always give her the Sniper specialism and just have her always overcharge for extra damage. Though if you want plasma, you could always take the combi-flamer and the plasma pistol, thus having the option for extra AP and the dissuasive power of the flamer.

The other interesting choice is the condemnor boltgun, with is just a regular bolter that does D3 damage to psykers. And it's... rather bad, when you think about it. The most frequent psykers in KT are Thousand Sons' Rubrics, and they are not going to reliably fall for a S4 AP0 gun. Grey Knights? The same. It's pretty much only effective against T4 or lower and low saves, like the Tzeench's daemons, imperial navegator, eldar spiritseer, the SotA's Rogue Psyker... And, with S4 and AP0, it's going to struggle against those. Considering you can pretty much get the same effect with any of the combi weapons, and against a much wider arrange of units, I feel this is useless.

The Battle Sister Gunner is interesting. Limited to two gunners. Access to basic guns like flamers and meltaguns is self-explanatory, you know what they do and how to use them if you've played any other team before. Heavy Bolter is your best ranged option, though as a Heavy 3 gun, it tends to limit the mobility of the user. Heavy Flamer is stronger and with better AP, but you can't run and shoot, so only better if you pick the heavy (A regular flamer with demolitions will pretty much accomplish the same thing offensively, and cheaper). The Storm Bolter can be buffed immensely by the "Blessed Bolts" stratagem, adding AP-2 D2 to the shots, which increases quite a lot its killing potential, though its 2CP, so make it count. Overall it's good, but it's shocking the lack of general access to plasma, multimeltas or other hard hitting options.

Sister Repentia are a missed opportunity. Only one Repentia per squad is not very effective, considering it needs all of the support of the Simulacrum Imperialis to arrive safely to melee. At a regular WS3+ S3 A2, it needed to be faster than 6" to be really effective alone. The eviscerator, while a beast, only really hits at 4+ without extra need. If you want melee, you want Arco-Flagellants: 7" S4 T3 A2 W2... it outclasses the Repentia in all stats but save throws, and you can just pile in a bunch of arco-flagellants with the Simulacrum Imperialis giving them 5++/5+++, which is quite good, no you can't. Simulacrum only buffs models with the Shield of Faith ability, which Flagellants don't have. and the flail can do D3 hits for each attack. And even more so with the special Flagellant, the Endurant, with an extra attack. The "Frenzied Thrashing" is quite a power multiplier, giving it an extra attack for each unit, though this means you'll be attack by multiple enemies.

Counterpoint - Even hitting on 4+ and with no exploding hits, the Repentia is incredibly deadly. After a charge, she's likely the deadliest model you have on the field. Against any single model without an invuln, she's significantly deadlier than an Endurant worth 1 pt more. Against invulns she's at worst on par with a base model flagellant that she costs the same as, and is usually better. The extra 1" of movement on the flagellants is nice, but niche and has no affect on charge range where it'd be most useful. The Repentia also benefits more from both her specialism and her unique tactic as many weak attacks offer diminishing returns. She can be squishy with only 1W and an iffy save, but at least has a save unlike the flagellants. If you have CP to spare for rerolls, this makes her much more durable. In short, you want her when you absolutely must delete a given unit, and to sucker punch other factions heavy melee hitters by striking first. Keep the flagellants as well for general melee support and for crowd control when you can lock down multiple units and split attacks. Keep both out of view from flamers

The SoB list has two commanders: the Canoness and the Repentia Superior. The Repentia Superior is pretty much useless due to the one Repentia limit, unless you have a good strategy, avoid her. The Canoness is a buffed Sister Superior, with better invul 4++, and access to the relics.

Overall, this team needs buffing fast. It has little to no AP firepower, and it can't compensate for this through numbers. Lack of weapon variety, limited numbers and very small save options makes this team a challenge to have for those interested in making it competitive. If only we had the miracle dice mechanic here, things would be really different.

Counterplay:

Countering the SoB is relatively easy for any army with access to decent AP weapons. They are easily outranged by armies such as Tau, IG, AdMech, Astartes teams... If you have access to multiple plasmas, you can deal with them easily. On the other hand, if you have a melee focused team, you still have a decent shot at dealing with them: Orks will win through sheer numbers, CSM will have Khornate Berserkers, Nids will just spam genestealers... The problem will come with teams with little to no AP. A natural save of 3+ is quite good, and as such teams like Rogue Traders, SotA and Kroot (of course the poor kroot can't catch a break) will struggle. It's not a lost fight, though, since all of those teams still have an ace in the hole, like the use of the Specialist Retainers and the Assassin Cultist, Negavolt Spam and Hit and Run Krootox.

But really. The Best strategy to counter SoB is killing the gal with the Simulacrum first. That general 5++ will be used as much as possible to move whole squads to the frontlines, you take that away and the general invulnerable becomes 6++ or lost entirely. Arco-Flagelants are tough, though. T3 and W2 with a 5+++ is quite tough, so you'll need to focus on them to avoid letting them close to your dudes. If you add the 5++ of the Simulacrum, you actually face a quite threatening unit, more so if you face a whole spam of them. So, once again, kill the Battle Sister with the Simulacrum, then deal with the Arco-Flagellants and the Repentia, then the rest.

Here are a couple of recommendations for other teams to put into practise this:

• SM teams have all the tools in the toolbox to deal with the SoB, both in melee and in range. Plasma, Grav-gun, Power Swords... Anything with S4+ and decent AP will do the job. Plus, they can resist the ocasional wound with their auto-save stratagem, Death Denied, so even numbers won't be an issue.
• DeathWatch will work in a similar way, but with access to extra weapons and with less bodies around. The Deathwatch Frag Cannon is still the best option against SoB, it will wreck havoc in their lines.
• Grey Knights are too tough for SoB, though they might be able to stop the ocasional psychic attack due to their Shield of Faith. The Daemonhunters can just go through Sororitas to recreate the Matt Ward days for a bit of a refreshment.
• Imperial Guards have both the bodies and the tools for the job. Plasmaspam will be enough to hit them where it hurts, though they have to be careful as most IG units are not tough enough to survive in melee against the Flagellants. Bullgrins with shield will do the job for that, but it's still recommended to charge first, to avoid possible risks.
• AdMech is pretty similar to SoB, but with much better tools. Skitarii have an almost identical statline than Battle Sisters, but with slightly lower save, only 4+ against SoB 3+. In exchange, the Vanguard has the radiation effect of T-1 when close, and the Ranger/Vanguard unit compensate this with much better weapon choices: Plasma Calibers are great Assault 2 weapons, and the Transuranic Arquebus can just stay in the background sniping any enemy that might need a mortal wound or D3 damage. Compare this with the melta and the flamer, which need to be quite close to the enemy, and the Heavy Bolter as the best sniper weapon, with not nearly enough AP to hurt heavier units and 36" range, practically half of the Transuranic Arquebus. To be fair, Skitarii and Infiltrators are all T3, so the regular Bolter still poses a threat, and no unit is really safe from a Flagellant's charge, so be aware. The sollution? Play like Tau. A Plasmaspam team can have a similar number of units than a full Arco-Flagellants team, deal with the gal with the Simulacrum from afar using the Sniper Arquebus, and just shower the Flagellants with plasma until they fall. Maybe have one or two Ruststalker/Infiltrator to deal with strugglers in melee, or to contest objectives. Once you have their whole team within range, just choose the Canticle of repeating 1s during Shooting, and OVERCHARGE EVERYTHING. Just be aware that, once the Battle Sister with the Simulacrum falls, the Flagellants are going to start desperately running towards you, so keep your distances.
• Adeptus Custodes are a match the Sororitas can't win. Seriously, they can only do anything to the golden bananas is with the melta, and even having three of those means you have to be pretty fucking close to them, and the same with the Repentia. If the enemy decides to go with 3++ shields, it's over. They can try to overwhelm them with Arco-Flagellants, though. 3 Flagellants and a Repentia are bound to get something in eventually.
• Euclidian Starstriders just don't have enough AP to deal with them. Once the Death Cultist is gone, the rest of the team will have to desesperately resist until the Sisters get in close, and by then, it's game over.
• Harlequins will do what harlequins do best: move and charge in melee. Though considering the amount of flamers the Sororitas can handle, it will be best to charge from afar: flamers are 8" after all, and you can use 3D6 dice to charge, so you still have a great chance of reaching them from 9" or further. In melee, try taking down the Simulacrum first, and after that the invulnerable of the Flagellants will be gone, and you will only have to deal with the 5+++. Though be aware, harlequin teams will probably be outnumbered, and if you are close to them, they can just charge back and demolish you. You are too frail to survive to an eviscerator or the flails, so you better hope the 4++ of the player works. Seriously, D3 attacks for each attack plus the "Frenzied Thrashing" (which means another D3 attacks for every unit close) will wipe out any clown anyday.
• Necrons are an interesting match, as neither of them are ready to deal with the other, due to the lack of general AP in both armies. However, the necrons do have the advantage due to slightly better weapon variety and reanimation protocols. Just avoid being dragged into melee with non-melee units, the flagellants are no joke.
• Orks have more than enough bodies to drown the SoB, though be aware of flamers, they pack quite a punch. Plus, regular Bolters are quite effective against the orks, with only T4 6+ they can actually hurt them and put them down fast. Also, be aware of the Flagellants and the "Frenzied Thrashing", D3 extra attacks for each unit close means 3-4 orks near it can translate into a monstruous slaughter of greenskins.
• Tyranids' reliable Full Genestealer strategy can struggle against the SoB due to flamers and Flagellant's counterattacks. A ranged strategy might not be the best either due to poor AP on the part of the Nids. Lictors with genestealers might be a better combo to deal with the enemies from the start.
• Tau can just snipe everyone from their deployment zone and stop any attempt of counter with drones. The Simulacrum can only do so much if they still can't arrive in one piece through sheer firepower.
• Kroot can try and snipe the Simulacrum and the Flagellants from afar, while the rest of the chickens pile in and focus fire of an enemy unit ibe by one to try and hurt them. Otherwise, the SoB will go full KFC on them.
• CSM have both Plasma and Khornate Berserkers, both of them can deal horrible damage to the SoB.
• Death Guard is prepared to deal with them, considering they have many disgusting tools to destroy the SoB, and they in turn can't really compensate the general T5 of the Plague Marines plus their 5+++. Be aware that poxwalker spam is not recommended here, the SoB will go through them like butter.
• SotA can have their Psyker attack them quite reliably, Smite is activated at 5+, so SoB will only be able to stop the barely successful ones. After that, the lack of AP will hurt them once again, though the sheer number of attacks the negavolt cultists can do means something is bound to get in (nd don't forget the chance of mortal wound when charging), plus being quite resilient themselves with their 5++(4++ when using a stratagem)/5+++. Protect your psyker, hunt down the Simulacrum, and the rest will fall, but not without casualties.

SoB Example Teams

Standard Kill Teams

Example teams for regular points values - 100pt&125pt in Core/Elites and Arena here.

8 Models, 99 Points

• [Leader] Sister Superior (Boltgun & Chainsword, or spend the last point on a Powersword vs. Power Armor) - 10 Points
• [Heavy] Battle Sister Gunner (Heavy Bolter) - 13 Points
• Battle Sister Gunner (Flamer or Melta) - 13 Points
• Battle Sister (Simulacrum) - 14 Points
• Battle Sister (Boltgun) - 9 Points
• [Combat] Sister Repentia - 13 Points
• [Zealot]Arco-flagellant Endurant - 14 Points
• Arco-flagellant - 13 Points

Melee Spam 100p

8 Models, 100 Points

• [Leader] Sister Superior (Combi-Melta/Flamer) - 13 Points
• [Veteran/Comms] Battle Sister (Simulacrum Imperialis) - 14 Points
• [Combat] Sister Repentia - 13 Points
• [Zealot]Arco-flagellant - 13 Points
• Battle Sister - 9 Points
• Battle Sister (Storm Bolter) - 12 Points
• Arco-Flagellant x2 - 26 Points

The idea is simple: Get as close to the enemy, and shoot/charge. You have everyone move in unison, like a procession, around the Simulacrum. That will give everyone a decent 5++, allowing you to move relatively safe. The vanilla Battle Sister can stay back and take objectives, the rest will move forward. The Superior with melta will be needd for those cases that need extra AP, and combined with the Comms, it will actually wound most of the time. Then, the Repentia and the Flagellants will move in and charge everyone.

Noviatiates (Chalnath)

Why play Noviatiates

• Pros
  • A whole set of models never before seen
  • Your flamers deal some lasting damage
  • Acts of Faith are actually usable here, and not for the Compendium sisters

• Cons
  • Aside from your superior, your operatives are going to be operating on the guardsman-strong 4+ save
  • Your guns will mostly be unimpressive autoguns

Acts of Faith

Unique to your faction are the Faith Points that your codex have and what your power-armored superiors should have had. As before, you can spend these Faith Points to perform various miracles for your sisters.

You gain 3 Faith Points each turn and gain more through the following:

• A friendly Combat operative kills an enemy in close combat
• A friendly Marksman operative kills an enemy with their gun
• A friendly Staunch operative performs an objective action
• A friendly Scout operative activates within pentagon/6" of the enemy's edge of the table.

As in Bighammer, your points are cumulative and you aren't forced to spend them on the turn they're generated. The only major restriction is that you can only use one act (unless otherwise noted) once per activation.

• Faithful Blessing: 1 FP. Your most utilitarian act, which is why it's the only one you can use multiple times in an activation, even if you've used another act. Each use lets you re-roll one attack or defense die in combat or shooting. While trying to turn a bad roll will cost you Faith, it can be vital in making a merely good turn of combat turn into one that kills the enemy. On the plus side, it also lets you save Command Re-roll for the operatives that need it.
• Guiding Light: 2 FP. Turns one bad hit roll in combat or shooting into a normal hit. Likely the one to turn to if you really just want something dead and don't care about crits.
• Vengeful Strike: 3 FP. Turns a hit into a critical hit in combat or shooting. This is incredibly useful for those weapons with special effects like Reap or Stun.
• Divine Shield: 2 FP. Turns a bad saving throw into a successful one, which you'd like since your women aren't as untouchable as their betters.
• Armour of Contempt: 3 FP. Turns a good saving throw into a crit, which can render them immune to one crit.
• Emperor's Protection: 1 FP. Negates one mortal wound, which can offset something like the auto-chastiser but is less useful against things like meltaguns and snipers. Fortunately, you can use it multiple times in an activation so you can cancel out snipers.
• Blessed Rejuvenation: 2 VP. An operative restores d3 wounds, something so unexpected that you may want to use it two times to save an injured or dying sister's life.
• Blinding Light: 2 VP. When shot at by an enemy over 2"/circle of the operative, that operative counts as hiding within cover for the activation.

Nov Wargear

• Adamantine-Weave Surplice (2 EP): The bearer gets a 3+ save, which will go a decent way in protecting your sisters.
• Auto-Chastiser (2 EP): The bearer can re-roll any 1s to hit when shooting or fighting, but if that re-roll also ends up as a 1 the bearer will instead suffer a mortal wound.
• Chaplet Ecclesiaticus (2 EP): Every time the bearer is activated, roll a d6. On a 6, they gain +1 to their APL for this activation, which can help them complete an objective a little faster.
• Frag Grenade (1 EP): Frag grenades give you a way of popping enemies that hide behind cover, though your range is limited.
• 0-1 Icon of Faith (1 EP): Once per game, the bearer can use an Act of Faith without blowing Faith Points. This won't be of much use when pulling off any of the re-rolls, but more for the ones that guarantee that one extra hit/save or for converting a hit to critical.
• Krak Grenade (1 EP): Krak grenades also have Indirect to go past cover, but they will only hit one enemy.
• Sainted Reliquae (2 EP): The bearer scores 1 Faith Point for every crit they trigger.

HC Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Purge with Flame: Score 1 VP if you kill two or more operatives by a weapon with the Inferno crit effect. You score a VP it you manage to down an enemy Leader with the weapon. This requires you to field either the Purgatus or Exactor, who are your only sources of this effect if you lack the Inferno Rounds Rare Equipment.
• Reconsecrate Ground: Revealed during the first turning point. Mark an objective not within 6"/pentagon of your DZ. You win 1 VP if you take this objective at the end of any turn and score a second if the game ends with you claiming the objective.
• Glory to the Martyrs: Revealed when one of your operatives die within 2"/circle of an objective. If another operative is within 2"/circle of that same objective, you score 1 VP. The upside is that this can be repeated, though for obvious reasons this shouldn't be something to aspire to, fluff be damned.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Purge the Unclean"> Note - This counts as the Purge Order Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Track Down the Heretic: Win six games. While you can pick out which spec ops you want to accomplish, you need to actually win these games.
2. Purge with Fire: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Purge with Flame Tac Op. Better keep the flamers handy for this one.

Completing this Spec Op scores 1 RP for each enemy that died while suffering from Inferno and 1 XP for each operative that you used. In addition, you gain 1 XP to share between your operatives with the Inferno rules if you managed to kill the enemy leader by a weapon with the Inferno rule. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Reclamation Sweep"> Note - This counts as the Extraction Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Recon Sweep: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Reconsecrate Ground or Triangulate Tac Ops.
2. Collect and Keep Safe: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Retrieval Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores either up to three pieces of Rare Equipment or expand your Asset cap by one. In addition, you gain a relic if you have a Sanctum Asset. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Devout: During your first turn, this operative can spend an action to gain an extra CP for an additional ploy.
2. Pious: Whenever you use an Act of Faith on this operative, you can regain a Faith Point on a 5+.
3. Righteous Purpose: Whenever this operative suffers a crit, you can degrade that hit to deal normal damage.
4. Glare of Condemnation: Whenever an enemy within 3"/square of this operative casts a psychic power, this ability forces the target to spend an additional AP to channel their power. While highly situational based on your opponent, this can be very powerful in limiting your enemy's options for their psyker.
5. Determined: This operative gains +1 to their APL when activated within 2"/circle of an objective, giving them a necessary push to claim something.
6. Quick of Thought and Action: This operative can gain a free Dash action when not engaged with an enemy. Note that this triggers at the start of the turning point, allowing you to cut off an enemy.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Blessed Martyrdom (1 RP): Whenever an operative dies and fails their casualty check, another operative gains 1XP in honor of their sacrifice. This repeats for every operative that fails their casualty check, saving you some RP.
• Field Punishment (1 RP): When you have an operative that died and did not perform an objective action, you can turn them into a Novitiate Penitent. This operative will retain her XP and Battle Scars, but their Battle Honors have to be reselected.
• Saint Potentia (1 RP): When you have an operative reach Revered rank, you can slap on the Saint Potentia keyword if you don't already have one with it. This operative gives +1 Fate Point each turn while alive and gives an extra relic for the Sanctum Asset. Considering how critical your Acts of Faith are, having a spare point to blow on the repeatable ones is pretty big deal while also slapping on a fancy badge of "Baddest Bitch on the Team".

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Incendiary Bombs: When setting up operatives, you can bomb one Vantage Point or Punishing Vantage Point terrain. Anyone on top of that point eats a mortal wound for their arrogance.
• Sanitorium: Requires both a Med Bay asset and a Novitiate Hospitaller on your roster. This asset rides off both of these by letting you remove a Battle Scar from an operative after rolling recovery checks.
• Sanctum: After a battle where you used your Novitiate Pronatus, you can roll a d6, adding +1 if the operative did any mission actions; on a 6 you count as having dug up a (functionally useless) relic for the collection. Whenever you start any future games, you add in a number of Faith Points equal to how many relics you own, which can build up to be quite powerful, especially late game with a Saint Potentia for another relic.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Relic Gunsight (3 EP): One autogun improves its BS by +1 and provides the bearer with a special action that lets them count a visible enemy as having the Engage Order. This might be some good incentives to pick up a ranged Novitiate Warrior, which is the only person who can use this item.
2. Blessed Blade (2 EP): One novitiate blade (Meaning melee Novitiate Warriors only) improves its WS by +1 and adds +1 to their critical damage.
3. Blessed Incense (2 EP): Novitiate Preceptor only. Their big mace gains both Rending and Brutal, a lethal combination that makes it hard to ignore.
4. Inferno Rounds (3 EP): One autopistol or autogun gains the Inferno 1 crit effect.
5. Saint-Touched Cloth (2 EP): Novitiate Reliquarius only. Their not-Shroud of Turin boosts the range of their aura by 3"/square.
6. Proclamation Broadcaster (2 EP): Once per game the bearer can turn this on, immediately scoring a number of Faith Points equal to the number of friendly operatives within 3"/square of the bearer to a max of 4.

</tab> </tabs>

Nov Units

Your Security/Recon kill team can take 10 the following:

• 1 Novitiate Superior
• 9 of the following:
  • 0-9 Novitiates Militant
  • 0-1 Novitiate Penitant
  • 0-1 Novitiate Pronatus
  • 0-1 Novitiate Exactor
  • 0-1 Novitiate Reliquarius
  • 0-1 Novitiate Hospitaller
  • 0-1 Novitiate Preceptor
  • 0-1 Novitiate Dialogus
  • 0-1 Novitiate Duelist
  • 0-1 Novitiate Condemnor
  • 0-2 Novitiate Purgatus

• Novitiate Superior (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Your designated leader among the lot, gifted with actual power armor for that 3+ save. Aside from being just a better leader, they're also one who works best by being active in the field and fulfilling objectives. Whenever she does an objective action or kills an enemy, you can then activate another operative within 6"/pentagon of her right after, giving you the ability to press an advantage.
  • Going full-ranged gives you only the bolter as an option, offering decent damage but lousy melee prowess. Going melee gives you a power weapon for strong melee as well as the option for either a bolt pistol or a plasma pistol.

• Novitiate Militant (Combat, Marksman, Scout): The basic novitiate is about as powerful as a tempestus scion, given 7 wounds on a 4+ save for modest protection. The autogun is as unremarkable as a lasgun and provides infinite range. The novitiate blade, however, is considerably stronger and has Balanced to re-roll to hit and only suffers having an autopistol for short-ranged harassment.

• Novitiate Penitent (Combat, Staunch): Rather than being a crazed nudist running around in strips of cloth and purity seals, your penitent here is merely a novitiate carrying the vicious eviscerator, complete with Reap to cut through nearby foes. This skill is improved by both a special action that lets her fight twice for 1 AP and the ability to re-roll the first attack.

• Novitiate Purgatus (Staunch, Marksman): Of course the sisters love their flamers, which is why this operative is 0-2 rather than the basic 0-1. While their flamers don't look much different than the ones the Compendium slaps sisters with, these come with a special crit effect. After scoring a crit, the enemy gets marked and at the end of each turn the target takes a mortal wound on a 4+, spending the mark. This can make flamers into a recurring menace most wouldn't expect, even against better-armored foes. Even more helpful is that she can dash and shoot for 1 AP, making her very mobile in flushing out the opposition.

• Novitiate Pronatus (Staunch, Scout): While useless in combat, she is your operative of choice for carrying out objectives. She can perform any one mission action without spending her precious APL and can spend an action to provide you with extra Faith Points. For this reason, she shouldn't be sent alone to any task without giving her at least one other sister to support her.

• Novitiate Exactor (Combat, Scout): A lesser version of the Repentia Superior, given a 4+ save. As with the repentia, these girls come with neural whips, very short-ranged weapons that don't do much damage, but have Lethal 5+ and Stun in order to rob enemies of AP. In addition, she has a special action that lets her (harmlessly) whip a friendly operative to add +1 to their APL and, for Novitiate Penitent operatives, add +2"/circle to their movement on their next activation.

• Novitiate Reliquarius (Staunch, Scout): Another sister stuck with only an autopistol. Her icon is made for the purpose of letting her sisters get one last shot off before dying, which for most of them is...not really the best use of their dying breaths. However, unlike most icon bearers who boost the APL of nearby allies, you can plant her standard as an action in order to halve the APL of any enemy operatives within 2"/circle of it, which will foil an overconfident player expecting to cap a point just by bringing a marine over to flex their 3 APL.

• Novitiate Hospitaller (Staunch, Scout): This sister's stuck with an autopistol and a saw that's not far removed from simply punching aside from Lethal 5+. Their important role is for keeping your sisters from dying, letting you resurrect a fallen sister and then letting them Dash away at 1 wound. Even when nobody's dying, you can use her special action in order to heal 2d3 wounds on a nearby operative, possibly pushing them back from the injured status.

• Novitiate Preceptor (Combat, Staunch): This sister hauls a pretty hefty mace, dealing 5 damage and carrying Stun and Inferno 2 to make crits extra vicious. While she lacks an autopistol for shooting, she offers her own style of support for your sisters that is hard to replicate. Any operatives within 3"/square of her can re-roll one saving throw when shot at and she has another action that allows a friendly operative within 6"/pentagon to re-roll any hit rolls of 1 or 2 in melee, improving their output by a considerable margin.

• Novitiate Dialogus (Scout): A pistol-toting sister carrying her staff as a weapon. That said, her role isn't for fighting, it's to be the comms officer for your forces. As with any like her, you can give an AP to a nearby operative to help them carry out a task faster, which is especially handy if you set up your superior to then activate another operative right after. Her other ability is to set down a Condemning Sermon, providing a small bubble to debuff enemy BS.

• Novitiate Duelist (Combat, Staunch): Your choppa-crazy sister. Rather than the big sword the novitiates militant carry, the duelist carries a paired set of blades that aren't as powerful but have Lethal 5+ and makes any parries you make in melee also count as critical hits - not critical parries, but your parries actually deal damage in return. This alone makes her a force to be reckoned with in any combat, as the only weapon that can overcome her are things with Brutal like power fists.

• Novitiate Condemnor (Combat, Marksman): It's unconventional to see a sister acting as a sniper, but she comes with the ability to defend herself in melee as well. The condemnor stakethrower she carries isn't any stronger than the basic autogun, but it has Silent so she can shoot while concealed and P2 and MW2 can capitalize on any hits to rip past any protection she faces. Her null rod gives her a slightly stronger hit in melee and Stun, but its biggest role is forcing any Psyker operatives within pentagon/6" to spend an additional AP in order to cast a spell as well as capping the APL of all enemy operatives at 2. While the psyker-nerfing only affects 2(3 if you count Warpcoven) different kill teams, the APL-capping positively cripples space marines and can foil the use of any other comms who transfer their AP to another foe.

Nov Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Aegis of the Emperor (1 CP): Whenever an enemy within 6"/pentagon of an operative tries to cast a psychic power, you can immediately inflict a mortal wound on them. This is mostly to scare of those psykers who need to be at a fixed range - meaning the Thousand Sons. That said, it can give breathing room when dealing with the Grey Knights too...if you think it'll make a difference.
• Defenders of the Faith (1 CP): For this turn, one operative within 2"/circle of each objective can make a free shoot and fight action if they get the Engage order, giving you a fighting chance at keeping your objectives.
• Eyes of the Emperor (1 CP): Your sisters with pistols ignore the range limitations for this turn. A nice little trick if you plan on harassing an enemy before closing in for combat.
• Sanctified Rounds (1 CP): Your autoguns and autopistols add +1 to their damage characteristics. This will see the most use for those militants that keep to their autoguns and the occasional specialists that need to shoot their autopistols.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Burning Wrath (1 CP): One Novitiate Purgatus operative amps up their flamer during their activation, improving its damage to 3/4 and Inferno 2. If you're planning on killing tougher foes like tyranid warriors or just want to finish off a crowd of softer enemies before they dare to run.
• Glorious Martyrdom (1 CP): Use when an operative dies. All enemies within 2"/circle of them take a mortal wound and you get d3 Faith Points, offering a token advantage for triggering another act of faith.
• Righteous Condemnation (1 CP): A Novitiate Condemnor operative can re-roll their hit rolls while shooting.

</tab> </tabs>

Elucidian Starstriders (Annual 2022)

Why play Elucidian Starstriders

• Pros
  • You have last edition's Rogue Trader box.
  • Warrant of Trade gives you some unique ways to gain a leg up on the enemy.
  • Constant orbital death-beams.

• Cons
  • Static team comp. No other Rogue Traders from BSF, no other specialists.
    • This static team comp also means static loadout. Don't like a gun? Tough luck.
  • Only two truly dedicated melee operatives and a third that can pull some weight but has other non-combat uses.

Warrant of Trade

Three times per game, you can open up a big box of diplomatic options that let you mess around with the game, but all of them only work in specific points.

• Coerce: Lets you re-roll to determine whether you are the attacker or defender.
• Coordinate: Adds an additional CP at the start of the game.
• Adaptable Terms: Lets you pick Tac Ops from two of your Kill-Team archetypes.
• Consideration: Gain 6EP right off the bat for more costly gear.
• Explore: Lets you pick a second scouting option, but you are only deemed the winner or loser determined by your first action.
• Seize: Lets you re-roll to seize the initiative.

Privateer Support Assets

Similar to the Veteran Guardsmen, you can spend an activation to instead fire a number of spectacular bombardments, drawing LOS from any Voidsman, Voidmaster or Elucia herself. While all of them have a 3+ BS thanks to the Q4 2022 Balance Dataslate, they can't benefit from any other ploys aside from Command Re-Roll and can't be used on two consecutive turns.

• Archaeotech Beam: A high-damage AP2 death-laser with Barrage, so most cover can be ignored. Best for eradicating single targets like Nightmare Hulks or anything with high wounds and some other form of damage mitigation.
• Cluster Bombs: Less damage than the Guided Shell, but has Barrage and a wider Blast range to cover more enemies.
• Guided Shell: More traditional artillery with decent damage and Barrage and Blast to cover crowds.

ES Wargear

• Carapace Armour (2 EP): Voidsman or Voidmaster only. Gives the operative a 4+ save.
• Concussion Grenade (2 EP): A flash/photon grenade type weapon, able to rob AP from enemies on a 4+ (-1 if the enemy's behind cover) if they're near the grenade..
• Frag Grenade (1 EP): Frag grenades give you a way of popping enemies that hide behind cover, though your range is limited.
• Hot-Shot Capacitor Pack (2 EP): Operative with a lasgun or laspistol only. This deals +1 damage to both statlines for these guns, making them a bit more dangerous.
• Flash Visor (1 EP): Ignores all APL penalties and the effects of Stun. Pretty important for operatives with APL2 like the Voidsmen.
• Krak Grenade (1 EP): Krak grenades also have Indirect to go past cover, but they will only hit one enemy.

ES Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Reputation to Maintain: Revealed when either Leader first shoots or fights. Both leaders must now keep a "negotiation" tally for each wound they inflict for the game. You gain 1 VP if you deal 12+ wounds, with a second coming if you beat the enemy's tally.
• Claim for House Vhane: Revealed during the first turning point. Your enemy marks one objective that can't be permanently removed. You win 1 VP if you take this objective at the end of any turn and score a second if the game ends with you claiming the objective.
• Investigate the Motive Force: A Tac Op dedicated to your Lectro-Maester. He gains a new action he can take when he controls an objective outside of your DZ. Score 1 VP if you investigate two different objectives, and another VP for any more.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Eliminate Obstacles"> Note - This counts as the Elimination Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Remove Support: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Claim for House Vhane, Reputation to Maintain or Challenge Tac Ops.
2. Final Blow: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Headhunters Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 5 XP for the operative that finished the Tac Op and another 5 XP to share among your other operatives. In addition, all operatives can immediately pass any Casualty and Recovery checks. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Glory and Profit"> Note - This counts as the Extraction Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Investigate Sources: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Investigate Motive Force, Upload Signal Beacon or Upload Viral Code Tac Ops.
2. Retrieve Prize: Finish one last game where you score VP from the Retrieval Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores either 1 RP and 5 XP for either Elucia Vhane or the Lectro-Maester. In addition, you can pick between a piece of Rare Equipment or increasing your asset capacity by one. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Loyal to House Vhane: Whenever this operative is within 6"/pentagon of Elucia Vhane, you auto-score one hit. Big question is if the boss can use this on herself...?
2. Close-Quarters Composure: Any shots against enemies within 6"/pentagon gain No Cover. Excellent on the Voidmaster and Elucia.
3. Voidmaster's Commendation: All guns gain Balanced.
4. Discretionary: This operative can use the Daring ploy for free once per game.
5. Veteran of the Frontier: Whenever this operative is over 3"/square from any friendly operatives and an enemy within 6"/square shoots them, one save can be upgraded to a critical save to block out a lucky crit.
6. Well Prepared: Pick one item. Any operative with this Battle Honour that can take this item can do so at a 1 EP discount.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Negotiate (1 RP): When you finish a Spec Op, you can replace one of the rewards you get for completing it for one from another Spec Op you have access to so long as it doesn't give RP or anything you'd already have gotten. Great for spinning any Spec Op to your direct advantage.
• Hand-Picked Retinue (1 RP): When you have Elucia Vhane at Ace rank or higher, you can hire a new Navis operative (the Voidsmen, Canid or Voidmaster) with 6 XP right off the bat. Excellent in bouncing back from losing some of your most important linemen.
• Trade (1 RP): This lets you either swap off one asset for another or trade off any amount of non-rare equipment for extra gear of equal or lesser value. Why would you want this? Because this lets you do tricks that would normally only be possible once you've maxed out your assets.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Envoy Strategium: You get four uses of Warrant of Trade.
• Fleet Uplink Booster: Allows you to use the same fleet asset for two consecutive turns once per game, only needing to wait one turn before firing again.
• Family Chronicle: Whenever Elucia Vhane gains a rank, you can share an amount of XP equal to twice her rank among all of the operatives.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Archaeotech Grenade (4 EP): A super grenade with Lethal 4+. While its damage is poor, crits deal MW4, which is a lot more than you'd expect and it pops through any armor.
2. Decksweeper (3 EP): Voidsman only. Their gun gains the Relentless rule for more re-rolls.
3. Medicae Servo-Unit (2 EP): Rejuvenat Adept only. This expands the range of their wound-restoration ability to anyone within 6"/pentagon of them rather than adjacent models.
4. Aggression Serum (2 EP): Canid only. This angers the dog, as it now ignores any movement penalties and gains Relentless on their bite, making combat a bit less of a hassle.
5. Relic Voltagheist Generator (4 EP): Lectro-Maester only. Gain a 3++ Invuln save, huzzah.
6. Support Uplink (1 EP): Allows this operative to be a vector for the support assets, even if they aren't anything that would normally be allowed to do so.

</tab> </tabs>

ES Units

Your Security/Recon kill team must take 10 the following, you don't get to pick or customize:

• 1 Elucia Vhane
• 1 Canid
• 1 Death Cult Executioner
• 1 Lectro-Maester
• 1 Rejuvenat Adept
• 1 Voidmaster
• 4 Voidsmen, three with a lasgun and one with a rotor cannon

• Elucia Vhane (Combat, Marksman, Scout): Madam Vhane got a bit more of a combat edge to her this edition, as she not only gets a 4++ save, but also a free fight or shoot option each turn, complete with one re-roll to hit when attacking an enemy who has been damaged. This isn't just dressing either, as she's got both a sword-cane that gets some wicked crits on a Lethal 5+ as well as an heirloom pistol with decent damage, P1 and Indirect but limited by its range. On top of this is also her single-use super short-range Digital Laser, which requires Lethal 3+ in order to trigger and deal MW2 - it's not much but it can give you a guaranteed death blow against an enemy.

• Canid (Combat, Scout): Yes, you have a pupper on your team. One with 6 wounds and a 4-circle movement speed. While it can't take most equipment and can't perform most objective actions, it can spend a special action to move and Pick Up something like the kroothound and has an easier time with movement actions.
  • This dog is a very good boy. He can take blows for other operatives if they're engaged with the same enemy in combat and can counter-charge if an enemy charges an operative within 3"/square of the canid. Man's best friend won't rest until the enemies of man are stopped.

• Death Cult Executioner (Combat, Scout): A genuine killing machine with APL3, a 5++ Invuln and 6+ FNP. Her power sword is as dangerous as any other, but she can also automatically use a successful hit in melee to instead parry an enemy attacker. Aside from that, she also has a mask-mounted dartgun that does poor damage and has limited range, but Lethal 5+ and Stun give it some use. Best of all is her special action that lets her switch her order at any point. This can be very useful for blasting out of cover in order to kill the enemy or for falling back and becoming invisible.

• Lectro-Maester (Staunch, Marksman): The resident electro-priest of the retinue, this guy only gets a decent Voltaic Pistol for combat, short-ranged but with okay damage and Rending with Splash for some coverage. His value lies in his support assets, as he spends one less AP for objective actions and the ability to let friendly operatives within 2 circles re-roll a save.
  • He gets two mutually exclusive special actions, both of which are now free thanks to the Q4 2022 Balance Dataslate. One of them lets him electrocute one enemy performing an objective action within 2 circles, dealing d6 MW. The other amps up his pistol with Lethal 4+, making those splashes a bit more reliable.

• Rejuvenat Adept (Staunch, Scout): Your dedicated medic of the lot, armed with a laspistol and a pretty gnarly scalpel claw with Rending. Alongside the emergency revival action typical of most medic types (such as the Veteran Medic and Pathfinder Medic) that costs 1 AP from both healer and patient, you also get a special action that restores d3+3 wounds to a nearby operative and an aura that lets operatives within 6"/pentagon ignore the Injured status.

• Voidmaster (Staunch, Marksman): A support leader for your Voidsmen. Any Voidsmen within two circles add Balanced to their guns, which is especially handy on the split-firing Rotor Cannon. While not very tanky at 8 wounds with a 5+ save, he does have a once-per-game ability to negate damage from one attack.
  • Just like the Voidsmen, the Voidmaster has no place in combat. All he has is a laspistol and a shotgun with an absolutely devastating close-range profile and an average long-range profile. While he can fire either on any turn, he has a special action that lets him fire the laspistol and shotgun at the same time if there's an enemy within close range.

• Voidsman (Staunch, Marksman): Essentially guardsmen. Three of them come with lasguns, complete with all the things you can do with them, but a fourth comes with a rotor cannon, a Heavy gun that has slightly better damage with Relentless and Fusillade to spread that firepower across multiple foes.

ES Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Lethal Proximity (1 CP): All operatives that shoot at an enemy within 6"/pentagon can re-roll one hit.
• New Frontier (1 CP): All operatives except the Canid gain +1"/triangle to normal movement, but this movement must push them closer to the enemy DZ. Better for Tac Ops that require you there or for an early game rush.
• Stake Claim (1 CP): Mark one spot of the board. Any operatives that fight within 3"/square of it can score one automatic hit. Mostly important for defending a key objective.
• Undaunted Explorers (1 CP): Whenever your enemies hit your operatives while they're within 2"/circle of an objective or within 6"/pentagon of the enemy's DZ, you can halve the damage of one hit. Save that for the unlucky crit if you can.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Combined Arms (1 CP): When one operative finishes shooting at a target, another operative can re-roll any hits when they shoot that same target during the same turn. Very handy if you want a specific enemy to drop dead, especially if you're pulling out the Digital Laser.
• Daring (1 CP): When one Navis operative is activated, they gain +1 to their APL.
• Survivalist (1 CP): If an operative is activated over 3"/square from an enemy, they can heal 4 wounds off the bat. This gives you a vital boost, but it's also single-use on each one so you'll need to be careful when choosing when to use it.
• Well-Drilled (1 CP): When one Navis operative is activated, another such operative within 6"/pentagon can immediately be activated after them. Especially handy in supporting the dog and Voidmaster.

</tab> </tabs>

Adeptus Arbites Exaction Squad (Soulshackle)

Why play Exaction Squad

• Pros
  • YOU ARE! THE LAW!
  • The best dog ever.
  • Ruthless Efficiency helps out ignore issues of fighting in very tight quarters or shooting into melee.
  • Shieldwalls are incredibly powerful defensive tools.

• Cons
  • You are effectively as good as guardsmen or Kasrkin.
  • Your army lives and dies on shotguns, and unlike the Breachers you don't have Slugs for a fallback.
  • You'll be very envious of the armies that get cool shit like plasma guns and flamers when all you can field are webbers and grenade launchers.

Ruthless Efficiency

The special rule for your not-Dredds. Whenever they fire with a non-blast non-grenade weapon, they can always target any valid enemies within 6"/pentagon and ignore any friendly operatives they're engaged with. This really matters more in close-quarters match like the one they're packed with.

AAES Wargear

• Manacles (2 CP): You're cops, you should've expected this. Using the manacles is a special action that's used in a fight against an enemy with 7 or fewer wounds. If both sides are still standing at the end of the fight, the enemy is now arrested, making them unable to do anything so long as they're fighting your cops, making this massively crippling on a melee unit like a Legionary Butcher or Kabalite Flayer.
• Reinforced Mirror-Visor (1 EP): Ignores the Stun property and any other APL penalties.
• Shotpistol (1 EP): Gives you only the short-range profile on the shotgun at 3/3 damage. Only handy for the Subductor or shield Proctor-Exactant, who don't get guns to begin with.
• Strobing Phosphor-Lumen (1 EP): When an enemy shoots a friendly operative within 2"/circle of the bearer, they can't re-roll to hit by any means. Handy, but won't help against rapid-fire weapons.
• Frag Grenade (2 EP): A basic single-use grenade. Though weak and limited in range, Indirect lets it ignore cover and Blast hits crowds.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Stronger than the frag grenade with higher damage and AP1, but still limited by range.
• Stun Grenade (3 EP): Seen elsewhere, this gives a grenade that can sap away AP from nearby enemies if you need to force an enemy to pick between capping or shooting.

AAES Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Seize or Incapacitate: Mark one enemy to be the Criminal at the start of the game. When you kill that enemy and score 1 VP, they drop an Criminal token that any operative aside the Cyber-Mastiff can pick up. Though you score an additional VP for picking up the criminal and holding it at the end of the game, it's not that easy since the enemy's heavy enough that the operative's movement is reduced by 2"/circle while carrying that enemy.
• Contain Threat: Score 1 VP each turn where you have every enemy either within 6"/pentagon of their own DZ or within 2"/circle of any of your operatives.
• Gather Evidence: The Malocator, Revelatum and Cyber-Mastiff gain a special action they can perform at objectives to score VP. Though this sound easy, they also need to stay alive until the game's end.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Seize Lawbreaker"> Note - This counts as the Elimination Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Investigate Leads: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Gather Evidence, Upload Viral Code or Plant Signal Beacon Tac Ops.
2. Capture or Kill: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Seize or Incapacitate Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 5 XP for the operative that finished the Tac Op and another 5 XP to share among your other operatives. In addition, You get your choice of either a piece or Rare Equipment or improve the Asset capacity by 1. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Crush Dissent"> Note - This counts as the Secure District Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Take Control: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Contain Threat, Protect Assets or Central Control Tac Ops.
2. Implement the Lex: Finish one last game where you score VP from either the Execution or Rout Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores either 1 RP and lets all operatives auto-pass any Casualty or Recovery checks. In addition, you can pick between a piece of Rare Equipment or increasing your asset capacity by one. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Obstinate: Rolling a 5+ on a save counts as a critical save. Might be worth it to make super-tanky shieldwalls.
2. Precinct Champion: Improves the WS of any melee weapons by +1 to a max of 2+.
3. Rigid Determination: This operative can ignore all penalties to movement, WS and BS. Not worth it on the Castigator since they already get this.
4. No Lenience: Ranged attacks against enemies outside of cover get the Lethal 5+ quality. Expect to use this a lot with a shotgun.
5. Judicious Efficiency: Ruthless Efficiency can be used on any enemies. Excellent for the Marksman and Revelatum since they got sniper weapons.
6. Priority Endowment: Pick one item. Any operative with this Battle Honour that can take this item can do so at a 1 EP discount.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Focused Adaptation (1 RP): You can replace one Vigilant or Subductor with any other operative (aside from the dog, of course). Though they keep their Battle Scars and lose any XP that puts them over the minimum of their Rank, you can reselect any Battle Honours they get.
• Monopoly On Justice (1 RP): Good ol' historical revisionism! If you're in a Spec Op but fail to score any VP that would have contributed to the first step of that Spec Op, you can spend 1 RP to go "Nuh-uh! I totally did that thing!"
• Terminus Decree (1 RP): When using a Spec Op, you can use this before or after a game to permanently mark one enemy for the Exaction Order ploy. This doesn't necessarily block you from using that ploy during the game, but it should be used just the same: On an enemy that's been such a pain in the ass that you need it dead pronto.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Portable Bibliocrypt: When updating dataslates, you can give d6 operatives a +1 to their recovery checks.
• Scrutineer-Class Detection Suite: Whenever you're the defender in a game or whenever you use the Fortify option in the Scouting step, you get +1 CP for early ploys.
• Writ of Judgment: Roll a d6 after each game, adding +2 if you won. You gain 1 CP on a 6+.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Flak-Weave Greatcoat (2 EP): Proctor-Exactant only. Reduces any damage they take by 1, making this great for keeping them alive.
2. Executioner Rounds (1 EP): Operative for Combat Shotgun only. They gain an alternate ammo they can use for their shotgun that's long-range but has 3/4 damage with No Cover and +1 to BS. Sucks that you can only give one guy this, but damn if it doesn't offset the issues with shotguns.
3. Relic Silencer (2/3 EP): Operative with Scoped Shotpistol (meaning the Revlatum) or Shotpistol only. Grants Silent, which is great for any close-range skirmishes. Costs 3 EP for the Scoped Shotpistol.
4. 'Last Breath' Gas Bomb (2 EP): Tear gas. Slightly bigger blast at 3"/square instead of 2"/circle, but its damage is pretty poor unless you score the Lethal 5+ crits.
5. Volition Inhibitor (3 EP): Enemies within 3"/square of the bearer suffer a -1 penalty to WS and BS. Excellent for trying up enemies, especially when you throw this on a shield.
6. CX-19 Web Agent (1 EP): Gunner with Webber only. The Webber gains Torrent 2"/circle, allowing it to tie up more enemies.

</tab> </tabs>

AAES Units

Your Security/Recon kill team can take 11 the following:

• 1 Arbites Proctor-Exactant
• 10 models from the following:
  • 0-10 Arbites Vigilant
  • 0-1 Arbites Castigator
  • 0-1 Arbites Chirurgant
  • 0-2 Arbites Gunner
  • 0-1 Arbites Malocator
  • 0-1 Arbites Marksman
  • 0-1 Arbites Revelatum
  • 0-4 Arbites Subductor
  • 0-1 Arbites Vox-Signifier
  • 0-1 Arbites Leashmaster
    • 0-1 R-VR Cyber-Mastiff

• Arbites Proctor-Exactant (Combat, Staunch, Marksman): Your leader. Comes with either the base Vigilant's shotgun and repression baton or a melee-dependent dominator maul and a reprssion shield, making them a meaner Subductor thanks to the maul having Lethal 5+ and Stun and a super-defensive shield.
  • Their bigger specialty is the Nuncio-Aquila they can deploy as an extra action, forcing anyone within 3"/square of it performing objective actions to spend another AP to pull it off. Though the combat potential is something that hinges on loadout, this does give consistent denial for any objectives since it can't be hurt.

• Arbites Vigilant (Staunch, Marksman): Your basic goons are as tough as the Breachers and Kasrkin, though they're more akin to the former thanks to their shotguns. These shotguns are the same in that they have dedicated range bands, but these pack more of a punch, with its close-range profile being locked on 4 damage and short-range being locked to 2 damage. The compromise is that their melee weapon, a mere baton, is now much weaker at only 2 damage.

• Arbites Castigator (Combat, Staunch): The hard-ass of the group, gaining not only a 6+ FNP but also the ability to ignore any penalties to their stats. Their Excruciator Maul is more than a step up from the base Vigilant's baton with 4/4 Damage with Rending and Stun for some fierce crits. They also come with their own special manacles they can use to effectively arrest enemies with 10 wounds or fewer as if they had that item. This makes them excellent for locking down melee monsters like Legionary Butchers and Tyranid Warriors.

• Arbites Chirurgant (Staunch, Scout): Your dedicated medic, complete with the ability to heal 2d3 wounds on a nearby operative. Also comes with the basic ability to resurrect a fallen ally, restoring them to 1 wound before sending them off. Considering your troops are only as strong as guardsmen, keeping them alive is a big deal.

• Arbites Gunner (Staunch, Marksman): Your special-weapons goon, sadly without the cool shit like meltas and plasma. Your strongest weapon is instead the Grenade Launcher, which provides decent damage and AP1, but sadly doesn't benefit from Ruthless Efficiency. The Heavy Stubber has Fusillade and Ceaseless, making it ideal for covering a lot of things but Heavy means that the gunner will be stuck in the backlines. The Webber is your most accurate gun and has Lethal 5+ to set off Stun more easily, but it's short-ranged and has abysmal damage.

• Arbites Leashmaster (Staunch, Scout): Specially tasked for leading the Cyber-Mastiff since they can be activated at the same time. The Leashmaster can set their dog to one of three different attack modes (Relentless on weapons, +2"/circle movement or +1 to saves) when the game begins and can swap out the mode for free if the dog's within 6"/pentagon of them, making it more versatile than you'd expect.

• Arbites R-VR Cyber-Mastiff (Staunch, Scout): Fuck. Yes. Cyber-doggo. Even better is that they're as tough as any cop out there and have a pretty strong bite. Though they can't take any gear and can't perform any objective actions aside from a single Spec Op-related one, they do have a special they can utilize. This action deals d3 MWs and forces enemies trying to fall back from them to roll a d6 (+1 for every wound the enemy has over the dog) and try to roll over the dog's current wounds or else be trapped in a fight.

• Arbites Malocator (Staunch, Scout): Comes with some sort of auspex they can use as an action to mark an enemy they can see, letting any other operatives score an automatic hit when they attack the mark. This combined with the 1 AP discount when they perform one objective action makes them the go-to guy when you're on a mission that requires a lot of special actions.

• Arbites Marksman (Marksman): Your dedicated sniper, with a literal fucking sniper-shotgun. While Heavy and a bit lacking at 3+ BS and 3/1 damage, it packs a punch with MW3 crits and if you spend an action with aim you can also give it Balanced and No Cover so you can aim at anything anywhere. As such, they're not really there to straight-up kill something outright, but more to finish off an injured enemy so that the others can move on and get to the next target.

• Arbites Revelatum (Marksman, Scout): Some sort of scouting cop, meaning that they can make a free flying move before the game starts. They're equipped with a scope-pistol, giving you a long-ranged gunner that deals 3/1 damage with MW2 on crits. They also have a special mark that lets them pick out enemies within 6"/pentagon and let other operatives within 3"/square of them count the marked enemy as being under the Engage order, which is great for flushing out any cover-campers.

• Arbites Subductor (Combat, Staunch): The big wall of the team, given a shock maul and riot shield for high defense against guns. In combat, it's better than the base Vigilant with a 4/4 damage and your pick between either Stun for offensive edges or a defensive mode that treats you as the attacker and makes each parry block two hits so you can bat aside power fists. With the fact that you can grab so many of them, you can easily set up a good wall to block early firing lines while your other troops cover other objectives before closing in to lock down enemies.

• Arbites Vox-Signifier (Staunch, Scout): A basic comms trooper. Has the ability to feed an AP to any other operative on the board aside from the cyber-mastiff anywhere across the board. You'll be needing it considering how you're dealing with merely slightly better guardsmen with shotguns.

AAES Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Dispense Justice (1 CP): Operatives can re-roll one hit in melee if they don't move more than their basic movement speed. Expect to use this more once everyone's stuck in.
• Guilt Reveals Itself (1 CP): When an enemy hides behind cover, they need to be over 4"/2 circles from a piece of terrain to benefit from the cover, which helps flush out any stealthy foes.
• Inviolate Jurisdiction (1 CP): Your operatives can re-roll a save when they're within 2"/circle of an objective.
• Terminal Decree (1 CP): Your operatives can re-roll a hit against an enemy within 4"/2 circles of them.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Brutal Backup (1 CP): When one operative fights with combat support, that supporting operative can also fight that same enemy, meaning you can make for some incredible backup.
• Exact Punishment (1 CP): When an enemy fights an operative or shoots an operative within 3"/square of them, the targeted operative can immediately fight back or fire overwatch in retribution.
• Exaction Order (1 CP): When you activate your Proctor-Extant, you can mark one enemy they can see. Anyone who attacks this enemy can re-roll to hit. While this all sounds excellent, it is a single-use ploy so you need to save this for taking down a leader or some other key operative.
• Long Arm of the Emperor's Law (1 CP): During the Scouting step, you can block the enemy from making their choice. Unfortunately this won't stop them from using any other means for a second scouting choice.

</tab> </tabs>

Inquisitorial Agents (Ashes of Faith)

Why play Inquisitorial Agents

• Pros
  • The most customizable team out there
  • You can bring in small detachments of other armies to supplement your own

• Cons
  • You are carrying a bunch of barely-armored madmen, protected by faith more than armor.

IA Wargear

• Manacles (2 CP): You're cops, you should've expected this. Using the manacles is a special action that's used in a fight against an enemy with 7 or fewer wounds. If both sides are still standing at the end of the fight, the enemy is now arrested, making them unable to do anything so long as they're fighting your cops, making this massively crippling on a melee unit like a Legionary Butcher or Kabalite Flayer.
• Reinforced Mirror-Visor (1 EP): Ignores the Stun property and any other APL penalties.
• Shotpistol (1 EP): Gives you only the short-range profile on the shotgun at 3/3 damage. Only handy for the Subductor or shield Proctor-Exactant, who don't get guns to begin with.
• Strobing Phosphor-Lumen (1 EP): When an enemy shoots a friendly operative within 2"/circle of the bearer, they can't re-roll to hit by any means. Handy, but won't help against rapid-fire weapons.
• Frag Grenade (2 EP): A basic single-use grenade. Though weak and limited in range, Indirect lets it ignore cover and Blast hits crowds.
• Krak Grenade (3 EP): Stronger than the frag grenade with higher damage and AP1, but still limited by range.
• Stun Grenade (3 EP): Seen elsewhere, this gives a grenade that can sap away AP from nearby enemies if you need to force an enemy to pick between capping or shooting.

IA Campaign Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Tac Ops">

• Seize or Incapacitate: Mark one enemy to be the Criminal at the start of the game. When you kill that enemy and score 1 VP, they drop an Criminal token that any operative aside the Cyber-Mastiff can pick up. Though you score an additional VP for picking up the criminal and holding it at the end of the game, it's not that easy since the enemy's heavy enough that the operative's movement is reduced by 2"/circle while carrying that enemy.
• Contain Threat: Score 1 VP each turn where you have every enemy either within 6"/pentagon of their own DZ or within 2"/circle of any of your operatives.
• Gather Evidence: The Malocator, Revelatum and Cyber-Mastiff gain a special action they can perform at objectives to score VP. Though this sound easy, they also need to stay alive until the game's end.

</tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Seize Lawbreaker"> Note - This counts as the Elimination Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Investigate Leads: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Gather Evidence, Upload Viral Code or Plant Signal Beacon Tac Ops.
2. Capture or Kill: Finish one last game where you win VP through the Seize or Incapacitate Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores 5 XP for the operative that finished the Tac Op and another 5 XP to share among your other operatives. In addition, You get your choice of either a piece or Rare Equipment or improve the Asset capacity by 1. </tab> <tab name="Spec Ops - Crush Dissent"> Note - This counts as the Secure District Spec Op for terms of repeating

1. Take Control: Finish five games where you scored VP from the Contain Threat, Protect Assets or Central Control Tac Ops.
2. Implement the Lex: Finish one last game where you score VP from either the Execution or Rout Tac Op.

Completing this Spec Op scores either 1 RP and lets all operatives auto-pass any Casualty or Recovery checks. In addition, you can pick between a piece of Rare Equipment or increasing your asset capacity by one. </tab> <tab name="Battle Honors">

1. Obstinate: Rolling a 5+ on a save counts as a critical save. Might be worth it to make super-tanky shieldwalls.
2. Precinct Champion: Improves the WS of any melee weapons by +1 to a max of 2+.
3. Rigid Determination: This operative can ignore all penalties to movement, WS and BS. Not worth it on the Castigator since they already get this.
4. No Lenience: Ranged attacks against enemies outside of cover get the Lethal 5+ quality. Expect to use this a lot with a shotgun.
5. Judicious Efficiency: Ruthless Efficiency can be used on any enemies. Excellent for the Marksman and Revelatum since they got sniper weapons.
6. Priority Endowment: Pick one item. Any operative with this Battle Honour that can take this item can do so at a 1 EP discount.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Focused Adaptation (1 RP): You can replace one Vigilant or Subductor with any other operative (aside from the dog, of course). Though they keep their Battle Scars and lose any XP that puts them over the minimum of their Rank, you can reselect any Battle Honours they get.
• Monopoly On Justice (1 RP): Good ol' historical revisionism! If you're in a Spec Op but fail to score any VP that would have contributed to the first step of that Spec Op, you can spend 1 RP to go "Nuh-uh! I totally did that thing!"
• Terminus Decree (1 RP): When using a Spec Op, you can use this before or after a game to permanently mark one enemy for the Exaction Order ploy. This doesn't necessarily block you from using that ploy during the game, but it should be used just the same: On an enemy that's been such a pain in the ass that you need it dead pronto.

</tab> <tab name="Assets">

• Portable Bibliocrypt: When updating dataslates, you can give d6 operatives a +1 to their recovery checks.
• Scrutineer-Class Detection Suite: Whenever you're the defender in a game or whenever you use the Fortify option in the Scouting step, you get +1 CP for early ploys.
• Writ of Judgment: Roll a d6 after each game, adding +2 if you won. You gain 1 CP on a 6+.

</tab> <tab name="Rare Equipment">

1. Flak-Weave Greatcoat (2 EP): Proctor-Exactant only. Reduces any damage they take by 1, making this great for keeping them alive.
2. Executioner Rounds (1 EP): Operative for Combat Shotgun only. They gain an alternate ammo they can use for their shotgun that's long-range but has 3/4 damage with No Cover and +1 to BS. Sucks that you can only give one guy this, but damn if it doesn't offset the issues with shotguns.
3. Relic Silencer (2/3 EP): Operative with Scoped Shotpistol (meaning the Revlatum) or Shotpistol only. Grants Silent, which is great for any close-range skirmishes. Costs 3 EP for the Scoped Shotpistol.
4. 'Last Breath' Gas Bomb (2 EP): Tear gas. Slightly bigger blast at 3"/square instead of 2"/circle, but its damage is pretty poor unless you score the Lethal 5+ crits.
5. Volition Inhibitor (3 EP): Enemies within 3"/square of the bearer suffer a -1 penalty to WS and BS. Excellent for trying up enemies, especially when you throw this on a shield.
6. CX-19 Web Agent (1 EP): Gunner with Webber only. The Webber gains Torrent 2"/circle, allowing it to tie up more enemies.

</tab> </tabs>

IA Units

Your Security/Recon kill team can take 11 the following:

• Interrogator Agent: You were probably expecting more, right? They're not very well-armed, carrying only an autopistol that's more accurate up close. Their main value is in setting up the Tome-Skull with one of two settings at the start of the game (Giving an extra attack to a friendly operative within 2"/circle or making enemies lose an attack when fighting within 2"/circle of it) that you can change when walking right next to them.

• Autosavant: Likely to be useless in combat, but can have better uses on objectives.

• Death World Veteran: Seems to lack any shooting, but they get a knife and a polearm that has a mace on the other end of it.

• Enlightener: A knife-wielding lunatic. Those knives are likely coated with poison or he's just that precise that he can cripple foes.

• Hexorcist: Don't know why he's called that, but he's got a shotgun.

• Mystic: Likely to be your only psychic asset for the team.

• Penal Legionnaire: What better agent to field than a man who's already slated for death?

• Pistoleer: Carries two pistols of any type.

• Questkeeper: Carries a chainsword.

• Servitor: Your only means of getting heavy weapons on the board, be it a plasma cannon or a heavy bolter.

• Tome-Skull: An asset of value for an Interrogator because this is how the Tome abilities work.

Ancilliary Support

Similar to the Veteran Guardsmen, you have the ability to replace five of your operatives with five operatives from one of the following armies, with the support agents replacing their faction keyword with Inquisitorial Agents. To support this, your campaign roster size is upped from 20 operatives to a full 30.

• Exaction Squad: If you're stuck in close quarters and need either shotguns or riot shields, the Arbites are a good choice to work with.
• Imperial Navy Breachers: While their Boarding Drills abilities won't transfer to your guys, this does make them more mobile than you'd expect. You'll need that since they're also stuck with shotguns.
• Kasrkin: Elite gives them the ability to handle themselves a bit without needing Inquisitorial assistance, which is just as well because their firepower will do more than most of your goons.
• Veteran Guardsmen: It's uncertain how their orders will operate without a Sergeant Veteran at the helm, but they're still more lasguns at the end of the day, and some of the more unique operatives aren't available anywhere else.
• Sisters of Silence:
• Tempestus Scions:

IA Ploys

<tabs> <tab name="Strategic Ploys">

• Dispense Justice (1 CP): Operatives can re-roll one hit in melee if they don't move more than their basic movement speed. Expect to use this more once everyone's stuck in.
• Guilt Reveals Itself (1 CP): When an enemy hides behind cover, they need to be over 4"/2 circles from a piece of terrain to benefit from the cover, which helps flush out any stealthy foes.
• Inviolate Jurisdiction (1 CP): Your operatives can re-roll a save when they're within 2"/circle of an objective.
• Terminal Decree (1 CP): Your operatives can re-roll a hit against an enemy within 4"/2 circles of them.

</tab> <tab name="Tactical Ploys">

• Brutal Backup (1 CP): When one operative fights with combat support, that supporting operative can also fight that same enemy, meaning you can make for some incredible backup.
• Exact Punishment (1 CP): When an enemy fights an operative or shoots an operative within 3"/square of them, the targeted operative can immediately fight back or fire overwatch in retribution.
• Exaction Order (1 CP): When you activate your Proctor-Extant, you can mark one enemy they can see. Anyone who attacks this enemy can re-roll to hit. While this all sounds excellent, it is a single-use ploy so you need to save this for taking down a leader or some other key operative.
• Long Arm of the Emperor's Law (1 CP): During the Scouting step, you can block the enemy from making their choice. Unfortunately this won't stop them from using any other means for a second scouting choice.

</tab> </tabs>