The Angrier Initiative
What is this? This is a set of house rules for shared Stratagems and Warlord traits between factions. You can play with these rules however you want, but it is suggested you ignore Stratagems found in the codexes and instead pick five Stratagems from below when making your list and those are the only ones you can use during your games with that list with the exception of those available in the mission (so you'd still be able to use the New Orders Stratagem for example).
Stratagem List
Adamantium Will
1 CP: Use this Stratagem when an enemy unit manifests a Psychic power. One of your units within 24” may attempt to deny that Psychic power as if it was a Psyker or can deny one additional psychic power this turn if it is a Psyker.
Armourbane
1 CP: Use this Stratagem before shooting with a unit, add +1 to the Damage of that unit’s weapons against VEHICLES for that attack.
Counter-attack
1 CP: This Stratagem is used right after an enemy unit that charged has fought. Select one of your own eligible units and fight with it next.
Deep Strike
1-4 CP: You can put a non-Titanic unit into Deep Strike reserve. At the end of any Movement phase after the first the unit can arrive anywhere on the table more than 9” away from enemy models. The first time you use this Stratagem it costs 1 CP, otherwise it costs 2 CP. If the unit is transporting other units then this Stratagem costs an extra CP. If the unit has 15 or more wounds total this Stratagem costs an extra CP.
Eternal Warrior
1 CP: You can re-roll any single dice.
Fearless
1 CP: You can automatically pass a single Morale test (this Stratagem must be used before taking the test).
Feel No Pain
1 CP: Use this Stratagem at the start of any player turn. Select one of your units currently on the battlefield, whenever that unit suffers a Wound this turn roll a D6. On a roll of 6+ the Wound is ignored.
Fleet
1 CP: Use this Stratagem after a unit has moved that unit may move and Advance again this turn, but it may not Shoot or Charge this turn. The unit cannot be made to move a third time through any means.
Fleshbane
1 CP: Use this Stratagem before shooting with a unit, add +1 to the Damage of that unit’s weapons against MONSTERS during that one shooting attack.
Hatred
2 CP: Use this Stratagem after a unit has finished shooting in the Shooting phase, choose one of the targets of the unit’s shooting that suffered a wound, all units with exactly the same faction keywords add +1 to their hit rolls when shooting at that target this phase.
High Command
1+ CP: Use this Stratagem before deployment, you can generate Warlord Traits for any number of CHARACTERS in your army. Each HQ and Elites unit that generates a Warlord Trait costs 1 CP (rounding up) each Lord of War costs 2 CP. For the purpose of the Warlord Trait the model that you generated the Warlord Trait for counts as your Warlord.
Hit & Run
2 CP: Use this Stratagem after falling back with a unit, that unit can still Shoot and Charge this turn.
Infiltrate
1 CP: Use this Stratagem before the first turn starts, move one of your units up to 9", this move cannot end within 9" of enemy units.
Look Out Sir
1 CP: Use this Stratagem when a CHARACTER would lose its last wound, each time this happens for the rest of the phase roll a D6, on a roll of 2+ the wound is ignored, instead a friendly unit within 3” of the model takes a Mortal Wound, if no such units remain then the model suffers the wound as normal.Note that you cannot use any rules to ignore the last wound caused on the character before using this Stratagem to ignore the wound.
Sniper
2 CP: Use this Stratagem when a unit from your army fires in the Shooting phase, until the end of this phase the unit does not suffer any penalties to its Hit rolls and they can target CHARACTERS with a Wounds characteristic of 9 or less, but if they are not the closest enemy unit the firing unit only hits on a 6+ regardless of modifiers unless the unit already has an Ability that allows them to do this.
Outflank
1 CP: Use this Stratagem at the end of your Movement phase. Select a unit from your army that has been completely destroyed. Add a new unit that is identical to the one that was destroyed and set it up as reinforcements wholly within 6” of any board edge, more than 9” from enemy models. This Stratagem may not be used in games which do not use the rules for Reinforcement Points.
Preferred Enemy
1 CP: Use this Stratagem when a CHARACTER unit from your army kills a CHARACTER in the Fight phase. Gain D3 CPs.
Mastery Level 2
1 CP: Use this Stratagem when a Psyker from your army has manifested the last psychic power they can manifest in their Psychic phase, that Psyker can immediately attempt to manifest one more psychic power this turn.
Rage
3 CP: Use this Stratagem at the end of your Fight phase. Choose a unit that has already fought this phase, it can fight again.
Unique
1/2 CP: Use this Stratagem before the battle. Your army can have one extra Relic, but a single model cannot have more than one Relic. The first time you use this Stratagem it costs 1 CP, otherwise, it costs 2 CP. Space Marine successor chapters may take a Relic from the founding chapter when using this Stratagem by paying an extra 1 CP.
Shrouded
2 CP: Use this Stratagem when a unit from your army is targeted for a Shooting attack until the end of this phase your opponent suffers a -1 to hit while firing at that unit.
Slow and Purposeful
2/4 CP: Use this Stratagem at the end of your Shooting phase by choosing a unit which did not move or arrive from Reserves this turn. The chosen unit can shoot again. If the unit is a TITANIC this Stratagem costs 4 CP, otherwise, it costs 2 CP.
Stubborn
1 CP: Use this Stratagem when a model from your army regains a wound lost earlier in the battle, it immediately regains another wound lost earlier in the battle.
"Friendly units" is subfaction specific to discourage soup, or it could be faction ambivalent if you use my Stratagem rules since those don't encourage soup as much as the current Stratagem system does.
You may not pick the same WL trait twice. If you randomly determine your WL trait re-roll duplicates until you roll a result that is not a duplicate.
Command
- 1 Inspiring Presence
Friendly units within 6" of your Warlord automatically pass morale tests. In addition, increase the range of all abilities, except those that can cause damage, on your Warlord's datasheet by 3" to a maximum of 12". Note that this does not expand the magnitude of any effects that change Movement speed or range of weapons only which of your units may be affected by the ability.
- 2 Intimidating Presence
Subtract 1 from the Leadership of enemy units within 6" of your Warlord. In addition, each time your opponent uses a Stratagem roll a D6 if you haven't already gained any CP this turn, on a roll of 5+ you gain 1 CP.
- 3 The Dust of a Thousand Worlds
Add 2" to the Movement characteristic of friendly units within 6" of your Warlord at the start of the Movement phase until the end of the Movement phase.
- 4 Master of the Vanguard
Friendly units within 6" of your Warlord add 2" to their Charge rolls.
- 5 Target Priority
Once per turn at the beginning of your Shooting phase the Warlord can nominate a friendly unit within 6", until the end of the phase that unit ignores all penalties to its hit rolls.
- 6 Coordinated Assault
Once per turn after successfully completing a charge you may use the charge roll for the next unit you declare a charge with instead of rolling normally.
Personal
- 1 Master of Defence
Your Warlord always fights first in the fight phase. If an enemy unit has charged or also has this ability to alternate going back and forth with units that have this ability. In addition, if your Warlord is within range of an objective marker (as specified in the mission) you control that objective marker even if there are more enemy models within range of it. If an enemy unit within range of the same objective marker has a similar ability then the objective marker is controlled by the player who has the most models within range of it as normal.
- 2 Master of Offence
Each time you make an unmodified hit roll of 6 with a melee weapon for a friendly unit within 6" of your Warlord you can immediately make an additional hit roll with the same weapon against the same target.
- 3 Master of Manoeuvre
Instead of deploying normally your Warlord and up to one other unit may Outflank. At the end of any of your Movement phases, your Warlord and the other unit may arrive anywhere on the table more than 9" from enemy units, within 6" of each other and entirely within 6" of a board edge.
- 4 Legendary Fighter
Add 1 to your Warlord's Attacks characteristic. In addition, your Warlord can make a Heroic Intervention when enemy units are within 6" rather than 3" and can move up to 6" when making a Heroic Intervention.
- 5 Tenacity
Add 1 to your Warlord's Wounds characteristic. In addition, roll a D6 each time your Warlord would lose a wound, on a roll of 6+ the wound is not lost.
- 6 Immovable Object
Add 1 to the Warlord's Toughness characteristic. During your opponent's psychic phase your Warlord may attempt to deny one psychic power as if your Warlord was a psyker or attempt to deny one additional power if your Warlord is already a psyker.
Strategic
- 1 Conqueror of Cities
Friendly units within 6" of your Warlord ignore the benefits of cover when making a shooting attack.
- 2 Night Attacker
Each time an opponent uses a Stratagem in their first turn roll a D6, on a roll of 4+ your opponent loses 1 CP.
- 3 Master of Ambush
Before the first turn starts you may redeploy your Warlord anywhere within your deployment zone. In addition, each time you roll an unmodified saving throw of 6 for this Warlord in the Fight phase, the enemy unit that made the attack suffers a mortal wound after it has resolved all of its attacks.
- 4 Strategic Genius
Each time you use a Stratagem roll a D6 for each CP spent to use the Stratagem if you haven't already gained any CP this turn, you gain 1 CP if you rolled at least one 5+.
- 5 Divide to Conquer
Increase the Damage characteristic of weapons used by this Warlord by 1 against CHARACTERS.
- 6 Princeps of Deceit
Subtract 2" from charge rolls made against friendly units within 6" of your Warlord. In addition, subtract 1 from hit rolls that target your Warlord in the Shooting phase.
Unique Character Warlord Traits
Adeptus Custodes
- Trajann Valoris has Inspiring Presence
Adeptus Mechanicus
- Belisarius Cawl has Inspiring Presence
Astra Militarum
- Commissar Yarrick has Inspiring Presence
- Lord Castellan Creed has Strategic Genius
- Knight Commander Pask has Divide to Conquer
- Colonel Iron Hand Straten has Legendary Fighter
- Colour Sergeant Kell has Immovable Object
- Nork Deddog has Tenacity
- Sergeant Harker has Target Priority
Blood Angels
- Astorath has Immovable Object
- Brother Corbulo has Tenacity
- Captain Tycho/Tycho the Lost has Legendary Fighter
- Chief Librarian Mephiston has Master of Defence
- Commander Dante has Inspiring Presence
- Gabriel Seth has Legendary Fighter
- Lemartes has Immovable Object
- The Sanguinor has Inspiring Presence
Chaos Daemons
- Skarbrand has Master of Offence
- Skulltaker has Divide and Conquer
- Karanak has Intimidating Presence
- Kairos Fateweaver has Immovable Object
- The Changeling has Princeps of Deceit
- The Blue Scribes has Target Priority
- Rotigus has Master of Defence
- Horticulous Slimux has Coordinated Assault
- Epidemius has Master of Offence
- The Masque of Slaanesh has Legendary Fighter
Chaos Space Marines
- Abbadon the Despoiler has Master of Offence
- Fabius Bile has Intimidating Presence
- Haarken Worldclaimer has Intimidating Presence
- Huron Blackheart has Tenacity
- Khârn the Betrayer has Legendary Fighter
- Lucius the Eternal has Tenacity
Craftworlds
- Eldrad Ulthran has Strategic Genius
- Prince Yriel has Immovable Object
- Illic Nightspear has Divide and Conquer
Dark Angels
- Azrael has Strategic Genius
- Belial has Divide to Conquer
- Sammael has Master of Manouvre
- Ezekiel has Inspiring Presence
- Asmodai has Master of Offence
Dark Eldar
- Drazhar has Legendary Fighter
- Lelith Hesperax has Master of Ambush
- Urien Rakarth has Strategic Genius
Death Guard
- Mortarion has Master of Offence
- Typhus has Master of Defence
Deathwatch
- Watch Captain Artemis has Strategic Genius
Rogue Trader
- Elucia Vhane has Strategic Genius
Gellarpox Infected
- Vulgrar Thrice-Cursed has Intimidating Presence
Grey Knights
- Lord Kaldor Draigo has Divide to Conquer
- Grand Master Voldus has Target Priority
- Castellan Crowe has Legendary Figther
- Brother Captain Stern has Inspiring Presence
Imperial Knights
- Canis Rex has Inspiring Presence
Necrons
- Imotekh the Stormlord has Intimidating Presence
- Nemesor Zahndrekh has Strategic Genius
- Vargard Obyron has Immovable Object
- Illuminor Szeras has Inspiring Presence
- Orikan the Diviner has Night Attacker
- Anrakyr the Traveller has The Dust of a Thousand Worlds
- Trazyn the Infinite has Master of Defence
Orks
- Ghazghkull Thraka has Legendary Fighter
- Boss Snikrot has Princeps of Deceit
- Boss Zagstruk has Master of the Vanguard
- Kaptin Badrukk has Strategic Genius
- Mad Dok Grotsnik has Princeps of Deceit
Space Marines
- Roboute Guilliman has Strategic Genius
- Marneus Calgar has Strategic Genius
- Chief Librarian Tigurius has Strategic Genius
- Chaplain Cassius has Immovable Object
- Captain Sicarius has Legendary Fighter
- Sergeant Tellion has Target Priority
- Sergeant Chronus has Tenacity
- Kor’sarro Khan has The Dust of a Thousand Worlds
- Vulkan He’stan has Inspiring Presence
- Kayvaan Shrike has Master of the Vanguard
- Captain Lysander has Master of the Vanguard
- Pedro Kantor has Master of Offence
- High Marshal Helbrech has The Dust of a Thousand Worlds
- Chaplain Grimaldus has Tenacity
- The Emperor's Champion has Legendary Fighter
Space Wolves
- Arjac Rockfist has Tenacity
- Bjorn the Fell-Handed has Inspiring Presence
- Canis Wolfborn has Master of Offence
- Harald Deathwolf has Master of Offence
- Krom Dragongaze has Master of Defence
- Logan Grimnar has Inspiring Presence
- Njall Stormcaller has Inspiring Presence
- Ragnar Blackmane has Master of Offence
- Ulrik the Slayer has Divide and Conquer
Tau Empire
- Commander Shadowsun has Princeps of Deceit
- Commander Farsight has Target Priority
- Aun'va has Inspiring Presence
- Aun'shi has Master of Offence
- Darkstrider has Princeps of Deceit
- Longstrike has Divide and Conquer
Thousand Sons
- Magnus has Immovable Object
- Ahriman has Tenacity
Tyranids
- The Swarmlord has Strategic Genius
- Old One Eye has Tenacity
- Deathleaper has Divide and Conquer
- The Red Terror has Master of Defence
Example Armies and Guide to Picking Stratagems
Craftworlds (Biel-tan) - Storm of Blades
Biel-tan’s forces favour an overwhelming show of force putting the enemy at an immediate disadvantage, they are unyielding and stubborn.
- Counter-attack
- Eternal Warrior
- Fearless
- Rage
- Slow and Purposeful
Drukhari (Poisoned Tongue) - Fortune Favours the Depraved
The forces of the Poisoned Tongue kabal never fare well in even engagements, but only because they only face their opponents where they know they will win.
- Adamantium Will
- Eternal Warrior
- Fleet
- Infiltrate
- Rage
Space Marines (Ultramarines 2nd Company) - Guardians of the Temple
Most honoured among any Ultramarine battle company, the forces of Ultramarines 2nd Company value honour and a steadfast resolve.
- Counter-attack
- Eternal Warrior
- Fearless
- Feel No Pain
- Preferred Enemy
Space Marines (Ravenguard 1st Company) - Blackwings
Not much is known about the Ravengaurd 1st Company, the Ravenguard remain secretive about their most honoured company and few live to tell of the Blackwings.
- Eternal Warrior
- Fleet
- Preferred Enemy
- Rage
- Shrouded
Blood Angels and Astra Militarum (Flesh Tearers and Cadian alliance)
The Cadians are steadfast and skilled, the Flesh Tearers are brutal yet noble close combatants.
- Eternal Warrior
- Fearless
- Preferred Enemy
- Rage
- Slow and Purposeful
Building Lists based on Stratagems
Example list Raven Guard 1st Company Blackwings: 23 PL 4 CP
Captain with jump pack (Vykar Kaed Lord of Deliverance) - 6 PL
Company Champion (Rostue Actas) - 3 PL
Apothecary (Arvin Gregoris) - 3 PL
5 Company Veterans (Mortal Screams) - 8 PL
Rhino (Gregor Minimus) - 4 PL
In this list you would put Vykar Kaed high in the skies, while putting the rest of the infantry inside Gregor Minimus. On turn 1 you would drive up Gregor Minimus to the enemy’s front line with the Fleet Stratagem. Then Vykar Kaed can arrive behind Gregor Minimus and be relatively safe from enemy fire. Vykar can attempt to charge and since he’ll be invisible behind Gregor Minimus he won’t be suffering Overwatch. Whether you get first turn or not, the Shrouded Stratagem is sure to come in handy for Gregor Minimus which will be the only unit your opponent can target.
Example list Raven Guard 1st Company Blackwings: 100 PL 6 CP
Captain with jump pack (Vykar Kaed Lord of Deliverance) - 5 PL
Apothecary (Arvin Gregoris) - 3 PL
5 Company Veterans (Mortal Screams) - 8 PL
10 Vanguard Veterans with jump packs (Black Murder) - 16 PL
Chaplain (Kyabek the Absolution) - 5 PL
10 Vanguard Veterans (Exosus Eviscero) - 14 PL
Company Ancient (Jadyr the Grim) - 4 PL
Company Champion (Rostue Actas) - 3 PL
Lieutenant (Eitath Ekvinus) - 4 PL
Rhino (Gregor Minimus) - 4 PL
Techmarine (Evtor Klexus) - 4 PL
Repulsor (Gregor Maximus) - 16 PL
Vindicator (Factorem Exitium) - 7 PL
Vindicator (Exocis Ruinas) - 7 PL
We’ve built up the initial force, this force like the original is based around transports with elite melee units, this time it is backed up by mobile firepower. We’ll put Black Murder high in the sky along with Vykar Kaed, all the other characters in the list go with Mortal Screams inside Gregor Minimus, Exosus Eviscero go inside Gregor Maximus. Eternal Warrior is going to come in handy when we fire our Vindicators if we roll a low number of hits or when we attempt to charge with our melee elements. Fleet, isn’t as essential in this list as it is in the first, but being able to rapidly move one of our jump pack units 24” in one turn could come in handy when taking an objective or after clearing out one part of the table. Preferred Enemy is nice because we have relatively few CPs from our formations, our wealth of characters are sure to generate more. Rage is essential in a melee list such as this, especially for Exosus Eviscera, Shrouded is awesome for protecting our transports until they can spit out the elite assault units close to the enemy.
Taking Stratagems Based on Your Army
Canoptek Wraiths and C'tan
Instead of building an army around a set of five Stratagems you might build a force and then select suitable stratagems.
Catacomb Command Barge with warscythe and tesla cannon - 162 pts
C’tan Shard of the Deceiver - 225 pts
C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer - 210 pts
6 Canoptek Wraiths - 330 pts
6 Canoptek Wraiths - 330 pts
5 Canoptek Wraiths with particle casters - 295 pts
Transcendent C'tan - 225 pts
Transcendent C'tan - 225 pts
1997 pts - 4 CP.
The Catacomb Command Barge and The C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer can both shoot, but ideally, they want to be in close combat, we can discard Slow and Purposeful. We don’t have any psykers so we can discard Mastery Level 2. All our units have high Leadership and our unit sizes are small therefore we can discard Fearless. Sniper could work well with the C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer, but the usage is very limited. We only have one non-unique character, so taking more relics is not going to be an option, Unique goes out the window. Outflank is best if your list includes slow units since this list is composed entirely of fast units we will not be having problems getting around the table, we are better off just taking more units on the table at the start of the game instead of tying up points in Reinforcement Points.
This list offers very few CP and some strong melee characters, Preferred Enemy seems like a good idea. We have lots of big tough units, making them even tougher with Feel No Pain seems great. Eternal Warrior is going to be essential in case we fail a charge or fail to activate Antimatter Meteor on 2+ to do D3 Mortal Wounds or fail a Wound roll for the Nightbringer, with an AP of -4 and a Damage of D6 we would be remiss not to take Eternal Warrior. Rage in a melee list like this is a must.
Adamantium Will, Counter-attack, Hit & Run, Infiltrate and Shrouded could all become useful and are all equally valid. Because the army relies on invulnerable saves it would be a good idea to take Adamantium Will to protect the expensive units from the Smite psychic power.
Adamantium Will, Eternal Warrior, Feel No Pain, Rage and Preferred Enemy are our final selections.