Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Choose an Army to Command
Two armies of Citadel miniatures are included in Dark Vengeance. You can command an army of noble Dark Angels, or be the leader of the corrupted followers of the bloodthirsty gods of Chaos.
The Armies. A Warhammer 40,000 army is a number of units of Infantry and Bikes, Vehicles, Monstrous Creatures and characters under the command of an army leader known as a Warlord.
The models that make up an army are formed into 'units' of one or more models that move and fight together.
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Characters. Characters are heroes that lead the army into battle – usually from the front! Each character is an expert fighter. Some Independent Characters can operate on their own or lead other units by joining them. One character in each army is the Warlord, who represents you!
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Vehicles. The galaxy is home to many kinds of armoured vehicles, such as the Helbrute in the Chaos Space Marine army. Vehicles are deadly adversaries, but few in number, so they usually appear as a unit that consists of one model. The Helbrute is a special type of vehicle known as a Walker.
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Infantry. The mainstay of an army is its Infantry. Models in a unit move as a group, and must stay within 2" of another model from the same unit. As a unit suffers casualties in battle, models are removed.
Infantry are the foot-soldiers that make up the vast bulk of an army. Depending on their equipment and training, some will be better at shooting, while others will be better at fighting in close combat.
- Bikes. Bikes are capable of moving about the battlefield quickly. Each Bike is armed with ranged weapons that can be used to shoot at the enemy, and they can also launch devastating charges. As with Infantry, each Bike unit consists of several models that move as a group.
Learning the Rules
Basic Rules: The basic rules boxes explain the fundamentals of the game: how to move, shoot and fight with the models in your army. The basic rules are used in every game you play, and should be the first things you learn. Some basic rules require you to carry out a sequence of steps, in a specific order. These appear as a series of instructions. When you see a set of instructions, simply start with step 1, and follow the instructions in order.
Advanced Rules: Advanced rules boxes describe how rules apply to specific models or weapons, and so are not used all of the time. Only the advanced rules for the models included in Dark Vengeance are given in this booklet.
Preparing for Battle
In order to prepare for battle, you first need to assemble the models included in Dark Vengeance. Then, choose which side you want to command and get ready to take part in your first battle as a Warlord.
Prepare to Fight: Set up the models as shown, and then copy the examples. To begin, set up the Citadel miniatures from Dark Vengeance as shown in this book, then copy the examples described with your own models.
Scenery: If you have scenery from the Citadel scenery range for Warhammer 40,000, you can use it in your battle. However, since one side may be ambushed as they cross open ground, you can set up the game without any scenery if you prefer.
Play Aids: The following aids are used to play the game: Dice, Blast Markers, Rulers, a Flamer Template, and a Reference Sheet.
Unit Coherency
Models from the same unit must be within 2" of each other. When you set up the models in a unit, each must be within 2" of another model from their unit. When a unit moves, all models must end up within 2" of another model from their unit.
Example: Squad Raphael. The Dark Angels in Squad Raphael work as a team, and must stay within 2" of each other.
Deathwing Terminators & Ravenwing Bikes
Some units are not included in the initial set-up because they are waiting in Reserve. They will arrive on the battlefield when they are most needed. See Reserves and Deep Strike, below.
Playing the Game
Warhammer 40,000 is played in turns. In your turn, you move, shoot and assault. Each player takes a turn. In your turn, you first move, then shoot, and finally charge into assaults.
The Armies
In a game of Warhammer 40,000, each player controls an army of Citadel miniatures. Dark Vengeance includes units from two armies: the Dark Angels and the Chaos Space Marines.
Dark Angels
- Company Master Balthasar
- Librarian Turmiel
- Squad Raphael: Dark Angels Tactical Squad
- Squad Barachiel: Deathwing Terminator Squad
- Squad Arion: Ravenwing Bike Squadron
Chaos Space Marines
- Chaos Lord Kranon the Relentless
- Mortis Metalikus: Helbrute
- Draznicht's Ravagers: Chosen
- Sect Anarkus: Chaos Cultists
- Sect Tetchvar: Chaos Cultists
The Reference Sheets
The reference sheet includes all of the important game information you will need to play Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance. Keep it close to hand as you read through the rest of this book.
Squad Raphael: Dark Angels Tactical Squad
| WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | Sv | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vet. Sgt. Raphael | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3+ |
| Space Marine | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3+ |
Unit Type: Infantry. Sergeant Raphael: Infantry (Character)
Unit Composition & Wargear:
- 1 Veteran Sergeant with chainsword, plasma pistol.
- 1 Space Marine with plasma cannon, bolt pistol.
- 1 Space Marine with plasma gun, bolt pistol.
- 7 Space Marines with boltgun, bolt pistol.
- All models have frag grenades and krak grenades.
| Weapon | Range | S | AP | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma pistol | 12" | 7 | 2 | Pistol, Gets Hot |
| Chainsword | - | User | - | Melee |
Game Characteristics
You will often need to look up the characteristics of a model or weapon. For example, when Raphael shoots his plasma pistol, you will need to know Raphael's Ballistic Skill, and the plasma pistol's Range, Strength and so on.
Characteristic Profile
All models have a characteristic profile that lets you know how strong and skilful they are.
- WS: Weapon Skill. How skilful the model is in close combat.
- BS: Ballistic Skill. How skilful the model is at shooting.
- S: Strength. How strong the model is.
- T: Toughness. How tough the model is.
- W: Wounds. How many wounding hits the model can survive.
- I: Initiative. How fast the model's reactions are.
- A: Attacks. How many times the model can attack in close combat.
- Ld: Leadership. How brave the model is.
- Sv: Armour Save. How resilient the model's armour is.
Weapon Profile
Weapon: The name of the weapon.
Range: The range, in inches, that the weapon can fire.
S (Strength): The Strength of the weapon. 'User' means that the Strength is equal to the user's Strength characteristic.
AP (Armour Piercing): Weapons with a good Armour Piercing value can easily punch through defensive armour.
Type: A weapon's type lets you know how easy it is to use, and if any special rules apply to it. Explanations of the type and special rules can be found on the reference sheet.
Movement Phase
In your turn, you can move as many, or as few, models as you wish: none, some or all.
Measuring Moves
Most models move 6". Move each model up to 6" from its starting position. After the moves, all models in a unit must be within 2" of each other.
Difficult Terrain
Models that move through difficult terrain must roll two dice to see how far they can move. If you want to move any models through difficult terrain, roll two dice and pick the one with the highest result. This is the distance, in inches, that the models in the unit can move up to.
Bike Movement
Bikes move 12". Bikes are far faster than a man on foot and can move 12" rather than 6". They are not slowed by terrain, but must roll a dice to weave their way through difficult terrain safely. On a roll of 1, the bike has hit something, and unless the rider passes an armour saving throw, it crashes and the rider is killed!
Independent Characters
Some models are mighty heroes, who can move on their own or lead other units. Independent Characters can move and fight on their own, or join other units and lead them. At the end of the Movement phase, if there are any units within 2", then the Independent Character joins one of them. The Independent Character can leave the unit later by moving away on his own, or stay with them, moving as part of the unit.
Reserves
At the start of the battle, some units can be held in Reserve. Sometimes units are held back in Reserve instead of being deployed on the battlefield.
Deep Strike
Some troops can appear anywhere on the battlefield. This is called a Deep Strike.
Deep Striking models arrive by teleporting onto the battlefield. Put one model from the unit anywhere on the battlefield, and then roll the special 'scatter' dice. If you roll a 'Hit!', the model arrives right on target. If you roll an arrow, roll two ordinary dice and add them together. Then move the model in the direction the arrow is pointing a number of inches equal to the dice roll. The rest of the models in the unit are placed so they are all touching the first model. Deep Striking units cannot move or charge the turn they arrive, though they can still shoot or choose to Run. If the models scatter off the battlefield or on top of another model, roll on the Deep Strike Mishap table on the reference sheet to see what happens.
Shooting Phase
After moving, you can shoot with the models in your army.
Shooting Instructions
1. Nominate Unit to Shoot. Pick a unit from your army to shoot with. A unit which chooses to Run cannot shoot in the same turn.
2. Choose a Target. Each unit can shoot at one enemy unit in each Shooting phase. Every model that wishes to shoot must be able to see an enemy model in the target unit, and must be within range of the target model. Models do not block the line of sight for other models in their own unit.
3. Roll To Hit. Select a weapon that the firing unit is equipped with. All models in the unit that are equipped with that weapon now shoot. Once these shots have been resolved (see steps 4 and 5) you can select another weapon the unit is equipped with (if any) and shoot with it at the same target unit in the same way until everyone has shot with a weapon.
Roll one dice for each shot fired. The number of shots each weapon fires depends on its Type (see the reference sheet). Then look up the firing model's Ballistic Skill (BS) on the Shooting table to determine what you must roll in order to score a hit. For example, a model with a BS of 3 must roll a 4+ on each dice to hit.
4. Roll To Wound. For each shot that hits, roll again to see if it wounds the target. The roll needed is determined by comparing the Strength of the firing weapon with the Toughness of the target on the To Wound chart.
5. Allocate Wounds. One model is removed for each Wound inflicted, starting with the model closest to the attackers, and working back (the defender decides who is hit if two targets are equally close).
Before removing the model, it may take a saving throw. Look up the Armour Save for the model, and roll a dice. If the dice roll is equal to or greater than the Armour Save, then the Wound has no effect and the model is saved! If the roll is less than the model's Armour Save, it suffers a Wound and is removed. Then, the next Wound is allocated.
As saving throws are taken one at a time, a model may have to make several saving throws in a row, until it fails its save or all of the Wounds have been saved.
Armour Piercing Weapons
Some weapons are so powerful that they ignore a target's armour. Weapons have an Armour Piercing (AP) value. If the AP value is equal to or lower than the target's Armour Save, it gets no armour saving throw. So, a weapon with an AP of 5 ignores Armour Saves of 5+ or 6+.
Example: Fire Full Auto! The autoguns used by the Chaos Cultists have an AP value of '-' which means that a target may always take its Armour Save.
Flamers
Flamer weapons use the special teardrop shaped template. All models under the template are hit.
When a flamer weapon is fired, the template is placed so that the narrow end is by the model that is shooting it. All models under the template are hit and are not allowed to take cover saves.
| Weapon | Range | S | AP | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flamer | Template | 4 | 5 | Assault 1 |
Cover Saves
Models that are in cover receive a cover saving throw. If you are using scenery, any models in cover can choose to take a cover save instead of using their Armour Save. Cover saves are listed on the reference sheet. The most important benefit of cover saves is that they are never negated by a weapon's Armour Piercing value.
More Than One Wound
Some models can survive more than one Wound. Some models have more than one Wound on their profile. Such models are only removed from play when the number of Wounds they have suffered equals their Wounds characteristic.
| WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | Sv | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Librarian Turmiel | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 3+ |
Run!
A unit can Run instead of shooting. Roll a dice to see how far the unit runs.
A unit that Runs cannot charge later in the turn. Roll a dice – the result is the maximum distance the models in the unit can move.
Example: Onwards to Victory! Draznicht's Ravagers Run instead of shooting. A dice is rolled scoring 4 – they move forward another 4".
Invulnerable Saves
Invulnerable saves can always be taken. An invulnerable save can always be taken, even against weapons that have an equal or better Armour Piercing value. If a model has more than one type of save, it may only use one against each Wound (the best one). The models with invulnerable saves are:
- Company Master Balthasar: 4+ invulnerable save
- Chaos Lord Kranon: 5+ invulnerable save
- All Deathwing Terminators: 5+ invulnerable save
Plasma Cannon
When you fire the plasma cannon, place the blast marker over the target. All models under the marker are hit.
To attack with the Dark Angels' plasma cannon, take the special blast marker, and place it over an enemy model. Then roll the scatter dice. If you roll a Hit!, the shot lands on target. If you roll an arrow, the shot scatters in the direction of the arrow. To find how far the shot scatters, roll two dice and subtract the Ballistic Skill of the shooter. The result is how far you must move the marker. The unit suffers a number of hits equal to the number of its models underneath the marker's final position.
Morale
A unit that loses a quarter of its models must pass a Leadership test or flee.
If a unit loses a quarter or more of its models in a shooting phase, it must make a Morale check. Roll two dice and add them together. If the result is equal to or lower than the best Leadership value in the unit, then they pass the test and hold their ground. If not, roll the two dice again, and move the unit that many inches towards the nearest table edge.
Example: Hold Your Ground! Sect Tetchvar is fired on by the Deathwing, and more than a quarter of the Cultists are killed. The unit makes a Morale test, rolling two dice and scoring a total of 7. They pass the test and hold their ground.
Ravenwing Bikes
The rider of a bike can fire one weapon in the Shooting phase, or move an extra 12".
The rider of a Ravenwing Bike can shoot with one weapon, which can either be a weapon fitted to the bike or one that they carry themselves. Alternatively, the Ravenwing Bike can make a special Turbo-boost move, travelling up to 12" instead of shooting.
Example: To the Rescue! The Ravenwing realise that they are still too far away to help Squad Raphael, and so Turbo-boost forward another 12" to help their comrades. Altogether they have moved 24" across the battlefield!
Shooting at Vehicles
The battlefields of the 41st Millennium are battled over by a host of different vehicles, such as the Helbrute. Most of these vehicles are protected by thick armour, making them invulnerable to all but the heaviest of weapons.
The Helbrute included in Dark Vengeance is a special type of walking vehicle. Because it is a Walker, it moves like the Infantry models and can Run.
However, unlike the other models in the game, it has a set of three Armour Values, instead of having a Toughness. One Armour Value is used for attacks against its front, the second for attacks against its sides, and the third for attacks against its rear.
In addition, the Helbrute has Hull Points (HP) instead of a Wounds characteristic. Once it has lost all of its Hull Points, it becomes a wreck, and can no longer move, shoot or charge.
| WS | BS | S | Armour F | Armour S | Armour R | I | A | HP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helbrute | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Shooting the Helbrute
Here is what you must do if you want to make a shooting attack against the Helbrute:
1. Choose a Target, Check Range and Roll To Hit. Do these things in exactly the same manner as you would in order to shoot at any other type of target.
2. Find Armour Value. If any of the attacks hit, determine the Helbrute's Armour Value based on the location of the attacking models. If models from the attacking unit hit the Helbrute from different directions, resolve the attacks separately.
3. Armour Penetration. Roll separately for armour penetration for each attack that hit. Roll a dice, and add the Strength value of the attack to the dice roll. If the result is less than the Helbrute's Armour Value on that side, the shot bounces off and has no effect. If the result equals the Helbrute's Armour Value, a glancing hit is scored and it loses one of its Hull Points. If the value is greater than the vehicle's Armour Value, a penetrating hit is scored; it loses one Hull Point and a further roll is made on the Vehicle Damage table. Carry on making armour penetration rolls until you have rolled for all of the hits on the target vehicle.
4. Cover Saves. The Helbrute doesn't have an Armour Save, but can make cover saves which work in the same way as they do for any other unit.
Vehicle Damage Table
| D6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Crew Shaken | The vehicle can only fire Snap Shots until the end of the next turn. |
| 4 | Crew Stunned | The vehicle can only fire Snap Shots until the end of the next turn and cannot move. |
| 5 | Weapon Destroyed | One of the vehicle's weapons (randomly chosen) is destroyed. If the vehicle has no weapons left treat this as an Immobilised result instead (see below). |
| 6 | Immobilised | The vehicle cannot move for the rest of the game. It may not turn either. A vehicle that is already Immobilised loses an additional Hull Point instead. |
| 7+ | Explodes! | The vehicle is destroyed. All units within D6" of the vehicle take a number of Strength 4 AP- hits equal to the number of models from their unit that are in range. Remove the vehicle from play, replacing it with a suitably sized crater if you have one. |
If an AP2 weapon scores a penetrating hit, add a +1 modifier to the roll on the Vehicle Damage table.
If an AP1 weapon scores a penetrating hit, add a +2 modifier to the roll on the Vehicle Damage table.
Example: Stopping the Beast! The Helbrute stomps towards the Dark Angels bellowing metallic battle cries. Unless stopped, it will doom them all! In a desperate bid to stop it, the Company Master fires the plasma gun of his combi-weapon at the Helbrute and scores one hit. The Company Master is to the front of the Helbrute, so it has an Armour Value of 12 against the shot. The Dark Angel player rolls a 6, then adds the plasma gun's Strength of 7, for a total of 13. This is higher than the Helbrute's armour, so it loses a Hull Point, and a dice is rolled to see what else happens. The dice roll is 3, but 1 is added to the score because the plasma gun is AP2, for a total of 4. This means the Helbrute is Stunned; it can only fire Snap Shots and cannot move in its next turn. The Dark Angels have earned a short reprieve...
Assault Phase
After moving and shooting, troops that are close to the enemy can launch an assault.
Charge
After moving and shooting you can charge. The first step in the Assault phase is to move charging units into combat:
1. Declare a Charge. Any of your units that have a model within 12" of the enemy can choose to charge, unless they Ran or fired Heavy or Rapid Fire weapons in the Shooting phase. Pick a unit that is in range and declare that they are going to charge!
2. Resolve Overwatch. The unit that is being charged may shoot at their attackers. This is carried out like a normal shooting attack, except that all of the models have only a moment to fire and therefore must make a Snap Shot. Models making a Snap Shot count as having a Ballistic Skill of 1, which means that only dice rolls of 6 will be enough to score a hit on a model in the charging unit. Flamers instead cause D3 hits. Plasma cannons cannot fire Overwatch.
3. Determine Charge Range. The charging unit can now move. Roll two dice and add them together. The result is the number of inches that the models in the unit can move.
4. Move Charging Unit. As long as the charge range is far enough for the closest model to reach the target of the charge, then the unit can make it into close combat! If the roll was too low, then the charge fails and the assaulting unit remains in place.
Assuming the target is within charge range, you must move all of the models in the unit the distance rolled and get them as close to the enemy as possible (right into base to base contact if possible), starting with the closest charging model.
5. Any More Charging? If you want to charge with any more of your units, then you can do so by returning to step 1. If you have launched all of the assaults you want to this turn, you are ready to fight the resulting close combats.
Example: Charge!!! Yelling a war cry, the squad of Chaos Cultists armed with autopistols and close combat weapons, charges Squad Raphael. The Dark Angels fire Overwatch at the crazed cultist mob, but their hastily fired Snap Shots only cut down 3 of them.
Next, the Chaos Space Marine player rolls two dice, getting a total of 10. This allows the Cultists to charge a massive 10", more than enough to get them into combat. The Cultists surge towards the Dark Angels – as many as possible move into base contact with the Dark Angels, and the others move as close as their 10" move will allow. Combat is well and truly joined!
Fight
After all charges have been carried out, the units involved in the combats must fight:
1. Pick A Combat. Pick a combat and resolve it as described below. Both sides are allowed to fight.
2. Who Fights First. Look up the Initiative characteristics of the models. The models with the highest Initiative fight first (see 3 to 6 below). Then the models with the next highest Initiative fight, and so on.
3. Pile In. Before attacking, models that are not in base contact with an enemy must make a special 3" Pile In move, to get as close to the enemy as they can.
4. Attack. Models that are in base contact with an enemy, or who are within 2" of a friendly model that is in base contact with an enemy, are allowed to attack. When a model attacks, you must first look up its Attacks characteristic. This is the number of dice you roll when the model attacks. Add 1 extra dice if the model charged this turn and another extra dice if it is fighting with two melee weapons, or a pistol and a melee weapon.
5. Roll To Hit. The roll required on each dice to hit the target is found by comparing the attacker's Weapon Skill to that of the defender on the To Hit chart on the reference sheet.
6. Allocate Wounds. Roll for Wounds, make armour saving throws and remove casualties as you would for a shooting attack, starting with models in base contact with an enemy (the player under attack decides who is hit if several models are in base contact).
7. Resolve Next Initiative Step. Models with the next lower Initiative value must now Pile In and fight, until all models in the combat have either been slain or have fought.
Example: Battle is Joined. A fierce combat erupts between Squad Raphael and the Chaos Cultists. The Dark Angels are Initiative 4, compared to the Cultists' Initiative of 3, so the Dark Angels go first – although the Cultists are fierce warriors, they cannot match the speed of the Dark Angels!
The Dark Angels who are not in base contact with the Cultists make Pile In moves of 3" to get into base contact with an enemy if they can. Then, all of the Dark Angels attack. Sergeant Raphael has 2 Attacks, plus 1 because he is armed with a pistol and a Melee weapon, for a total of 3 Attacks. The 8 surviving Space Marines have 1 Attack each, for a total of 11 Attacks.
The Dark Angels have a Weapon Skill of 4, compared to the Cultists' Weapon Skill of only 3, and so require rolls of 3 or more to hit. Eleven dice are rolled (one for each Attack) and the Dark Angels score 8 hits. The Dark Angels must now roll to see if the blows cause serious wounds. The Dark Angels have a Strength of 4 compared to a Toughness of 3 for the Cultists, and so require 3s or more to wound. Eight dice are rolled, and 4 Wounds are scored.
The Cultists have an Armour Save of 6+. Four dice are rolled, one for each Wound, but none are a 6, so all four of the wounded Cultists are slain.
The surviving Cultists retaliate. First they Pile In, then they attack. Their leader has 2 Attacks, plus 1 for charging and 1 for having two Melee weapons, for a total of 4 Attacks. The remaining three Cultists have 1 Attack each, plus 1 for charging and 1 for having two Melee weapons, giving a total of 3 Attacks per model – 9 Attacks total.
This gives the Cultists an impressive 13 Attacks altogether. However, they only have a Weapon Skill of 3 compared to a Weapon Skill of 4 for the Dark Angels, which means they require a 4 or more To Hit. Thirteen dice are rolled, and seven of them hit.
Next, the Cultists must roll To Wound the Dark Angels that have been hit. Chaos Cultists have a Strength of 3, which when compared to the Dark Angels' Toughness of 4 means they require 5s or more To Wound. Out of the seven hits, they only score 3 Wounds. The Dark Angels have an Armour Save of 3+. They save two of the Wounds, and so one Dark Angel is removed as a casualty.
Assault Results
Close combat is so bloody and vicious that sometimes one side or the other will flee rather than fight to the death!
After all of the models have fought in an assault, you must determine the winner. The losing side then has to pass a test to avoid running from their victorious opponents!
1. Determine the Winner. The side that inflicted the most Wounds, after saving throws have been made, is declared the winner. In the case of a tie, both sides simply Pile In (see 5, below).
2. Loser Checks Morale. The loser must pass a Morale check. Look up the Leadership characteristics of the models in the losing unit (use the highest one if any are different). Subtract the amount the losers lost the combat by from the characteristic. Then, roll two dice, and add them together. If the total is higher than the loser's modified Leadership, then they fail the Morale check and must Fall Back.
3. Sweeping Advance. If the losers of the combat Fall Back, the winners are allowed to try and kill them as they turn and flee. Both players roll a dice and add the single highest Initiative value of a model on their side to the result. If the winner equals or beats the loser's result, then the losing models are killed.
4. Fall Back. If the loser failed the Morale check, but escaped the winner's Sweeping Advance, then roll two dice again and move the losing models that many inches away from the enemy.
5. Consolidate or Pile In. If the winners of the combat wipe out the losers, or the losers fail their Morale check, then the winners can Consolidate their position. Roll a dice. All of the models on the winning side can move up to that many inches in any direction.
In any other circumstances, any models that are not in base contact with an enemy Pile In. The player whose turn it is Piles In first, then his opponent. The models will fight again in the next Assault phase. You can't shoot into or out of a continuing assault – you might hit warriors from your own side!
Example: Fight or Flight? The Chaos Cultists have suffered a shattering defeat at the hands of the Dark Angels. This is hardly surprising as the Dark Angels outclassed their opponents in every respect, being faster, more skilled, stronger and more heavily armoured!
Such difficult odds will make even a crazed follower of the Chaos Gods think twice about sticking around. To reflect this, they must take a Morale check to see if they continue to fight or instead decide to Fall Back. The Cultists use Anarkus' Leadership of 8 for the test. However, they lost the combat by 4 Wounds to 1, which means that their Leadership is reduced by 3 points down to 5.
The Chaos Space Marines player rolls two dice and adds them together. He needs to roll equal to or less than the Cultists' modified Leadership value of 5. Luckily, he rolls a total of 3 on the two dice, and passes the Morale check. This means that both sides Pile In towards each other and the combat continues into the next turn.
Scenery in an Assault
Attacking a defender that is behind defensive terrain is fraught with peril. As the attackers launch their charge, the terrain will slow them down and make them advance more cautiously. Sometimes these factors will stop an attack in its tracks. If the attackers are lucky enough to reach their target, the obstructive terrain will make their attacks clumsy and uncoordinated.
Two special rules apply if the defender is in cover:
- The attackers roll 2D6-2 to determine their charge range.
- The attackers count as having an Initiative characteristic of 1, unless they are equipped with frag grenades.
Ongoing Combats
Units locked in combat from a previous turn must fight in the Assault phase. Other models may join in by charging into the assault against the enemy unit. Resolve the combat using the normal rules, but remember that only models that charged in the current turn get a bonus Attack.
Example: Back at Them! Squad Raphael and Sect Anarkus are still locked in combat, and so fight a second round of close combat in the Dark Angels turn.
Falling Back
Units that Fall Back move a distance equal to the roll of two dice. They must keep on Falling Back until they pass a Regroup test. Units that fail a Morale check must Fall Back, as described earlier. Unless they can pass a Regroup test they will continue Falling Back until they run off the board.
Example: Cut & Run. Sect Anarkus is all but wiped out in the close combat. The only survivor fails his Morale test and Falls Back. Who can blame him!
Regrouping
A unit that is Falling Back must attempt to Regroup before making a move or if it is assaulted.
Roll two dice and add them together. If the result is equal to or lower than the unit's Leadership, they pass the test and Regroup, otherwise they must Fall Back. If the unit Regroups, it can move 3" and shoot (but not Run or charge). If less than a quarter of the unit's models remain, the test is only passed on a double 1.
Advanced Rules
You can use any of these rules in your games if you wish to do so. It is recommended that you leave them out of the first couple of games that you play, adding them in once you are confident using the basic game rules.
And They Shall Know No Fear
Dark Angels always Regroup.
Dark Angels Space Marines automatically pass the Leadership test needed to Regroup – you don't even have to roll the dice. In addition, if they are caught by a Sweeping Advance, they are not run down. Instead they remain locked in the combat.
Bike Cover Saves
Bikes receive a 4+ cover save if they choose to Jink.
When Bikes are targeted by a shooting attack, you may say that they will Jink to attempt to dodge the incoming fire. If you do so, the Bikes immediately gain a 4+ cover save, but they will only be able to fire Snap Shots in their next turn.
Challenges
Characters may issue a challenge to an enemy to fight them in single combat.
Characters are allowed to issue a challenge in the Assault phase, calling out an opponent to fight in single combat! Both the challenger and their opponent must be part of the same combat. The opponent must either accept the challenge or not fight this round. If accepted, the models are moved so they are touching. Models fighting in a challenge must direct their Attacks (and any Wounds they inflict) on each other before other models in the combat (and vice versa).
Fighting the Helbrute
In an assault, all attacks hit the Helbrute's front armour.
Models hitting the Helbrute in close combat always roll for Armour Penetration against its front armour, unless it has been Immobilised, in which case all hits are made on its rear armour.
Going to Ground
A unit can dive for cover, adding +1 to its cover save.
Before you make any saves, you may say that an Infantry unit is 'Going to Ground'. If you do so, its cover saves are increased by 1. However, in its next turn, the unit cannot move, Run or charge. It can only fire Snap Shots when it wishes to shoot, and cannot fire Overwatch. Models in the open can Go to Ground, and receive a 6+ save.
Grenades
When a unit shoots, one model may throw a grenade.
When a unit shoots, one model in the unit may 'shoot' a grenade instead of any other weapon. In addition, a charging model equipped with frag grenades is not affected by cover and strikes with its normal Initiative value. A model equipped with krak grenades that is fighting a vehicle, can make a single Attack with a Strength of 6 instead of its normal close combat attacks.
The Missions
A mission is a set of instructions that tells you how to play a game of Warhammer 40,000. Each mission includes information on the armies you will use, how to set up the battlefield and deploy the armies, what you need to do in order to win, and any special rules that apply in the battle you will fight.
Mission Key
Each mission is presented using the following ten sections:
- Mission Overview. This briefly describes the background for the mission. It will give you a good understanding of what the mission is about and what you will need to do in order to win.
- The Armies. This tells you how many players the mission is designed for and which miniatures to use in the battle.
- The Battlefield. This entry tells you the size of the battlefield, how to set up any scenery, and if anything else needs to be set up (such as objectives markers or models) before the battle starts.
- Deployment. This describes how the armies are set up for the battle. Sometimes models will be kept off board 'in Reserve', and will not arrive until the start of a future game turn.
- First Turn. This tells you which side takes the first turn.
- Game Length. This entry explains how long the game lasts. Some battles last for a certain number of turns, while other battles continue until a certain condition is met. Some battles have a variable game length, determined by a dice roll.
- Victory Conditions. How to determine who has won. If neither player achieves the mission's victory conditions then the battle is a draw.
- Mission Special Rules. Some missions have one or more special rules that apply only in that battle.
- Battle Tactics. Some hints and tips about how to do well in the mission.
- The Map. The map shows where the two sides deploy, and also the location of other things you may need to set up or know about (where objectives are placed or where Reserves will enter play, and so on).
Mission 1: Rampage
The Helbrute known as Mortis Metalikus has gone berserk and is attacking his own comrades. They must try to deactivate the rampaging behemoth before he destroys them all!
Mission Overview. Helbrutes are little more than wild beasts preoccupied with violence. Inside their armoured shell is a badly wounded Chaos Space Marine. The Helbrute's powerful armour keeps the Chaos Space Marine alive, and he controls the actions it takes on the battlefield.
Trapped inside the Helbrute for long millennia, the tormented pilot is soon driven mad by the pain of his lingering wounds and prolonged incarceration. Before long, he becomes prone to psychotic rampages that can be as dangerous for his comrades as for his enemies.
The Helbrute known as Mortis Metalikus has suddenly been gripped by just such a psychotic episode, and is attacking the rest of the Chaos Space Marine army. You must slow the rampaging war machine down, so that Chaos Lord Kranon the Relentless can activate the system shutdown device on the back of the Helbrute.
This is a solo mission, which means it is meant to be played by a single player. The mission rules determine what one side does (the Helbrute, Mortis Metalikus, in this case) and you control the actions of the other side. Because there is no opponent, you can take your time, which will allow you to practice the game rules and look up anything you are not sure about.
The Armies. One army consists only of the psychotic Helbrute. The opposing army consists of all the remaining models in the Chaos Space Marine army. As already noted, this mission is designed to be played by a single player who controls all of the models except for Mortis Metalikus. The Helbrute moves, shoots and fights using the instructions given in the special rules to the right.
The Helbrute: Mortis Metalikus.
The Chaos Space Marines: Kranon the Relentless, Draznicht's Ravagers, Sect Tetchvar, Sect Anarkus.
The Battlefield. The battlefield is a small area 24" square. The Helbrute starts at the centre of the battlefield. No scenery is required for the battle, but if you have any Citadel scenery, you should set it up as you see fit.
Deployment. Set up the Helbrute first, at the centre of the battlefield as shown on the map. Then, set up the Chaos Space Marines anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 6" away from the Helbrute. If you have set up any scenery, then models may deploy in or on it.
First Turn. The Helbrute has the first turn, moving and attacking following the instructions in the special rules below. The Chaos Space Marines then have a turn. Carry on alternating between the two sides until the battle is over.
Game Length. The battle lasts until the Helbrute is deactivated or destroyed, or all of the Chaos Space Marines are dead.
Victory Conditions. The Chaos Space Marines win if they can successfully deactivate the Helbrute. They lose if all of the Chaos Space Marine models are killed. If they destroy the Helbrute, the battle is a draw.
Mission Special Rules.
Rampaging Helbrute: When it is the Helbrute's turn, follow the instructions for the first entry that applies.
- If the Helbrute is engaged in close combat, he continues fighting. If not, go to 2.
- Move the Helbrute 6" towards the closest Chaos Space Marine or Cultist unit, and then shoot at it. Then go to 3.
- If there are any Chaos Space Marines or Cultists within 12" of the Helbrute, declare a charge against the closest unit.
Don't Destroy Him!: The Chaos Space Marines are trying not to destroy the Helbrute; they simply want to deactivate it and get it to the next battle. To reflect this, count all penetrating hits as glancing hits instead. Note that the Helbrute will still be destroyed by the third glancing hit, since it will have no Hull Points remaining.
Deactivation Sequence: Once the Helbrute has been reduced to 1 Hull Point, it can be deactivated by the Chaos Lord, Kranon the Relentless. In order to do this, Kranon must successfully hit the Helbrute with a melee attack. However, don't roll for Armour Penetration for the hits. Instead, roll a dice for each of Kranon's Attacks that hit the Helbrute. On a roll of 5 or 6, the Chaos Lord has managed to enter the deactivation sequence and the Helbrute is deactivated (praise be to the Dark Gods!).
Battle Tactics. Try to keep your distance from the Helbrute at first. Use the Chaos Cultists to distract it, while using the more powerful weapons carried by the Chosen to bring the Helbrute down to a single Hull Point. Once this is done, charge in with Kranon and attempt to deactivate the Helbrute. If Kranon is slain, you are still able to achieve a draw by destroying the Helbrute.
The Map. A 24" x 24" battlefield. The Helbrute starts at the centre.
Mission 2: The Long & Winding Road
The Dark Angels arrive on Bane's Landing, and send out a Ravenwing patrol. It immediately runs into detachments of Chaos Cultists, and is forced to fight a series of running battles to survive.
Mission Overview. Ravenwing Bike Squadrons frequently carry out long-range patrols. However, the Warhammer 40,000 galaxy is a dangerous place, and Ravenwing patrols often come under attack.
In this mission, the player controls a Ravenwing Bike Squadron, and must battle past three waves of Chaos Cultists in order to complete the patrol the squadron has been ordered to carry out. The mission is fought as a series of three engagements. In each engagement, the Ravenwing enter from one table edge, and must battle their way past a force of Chaos Cultists to exit from the other table edge. In order to win, at least one member of the Ravenwing must survive through all three engagements.
This mission is another solo mission where special rules will determine what the Chaos Cultists do, while the player controls the actions of a Ravenwing Bike Squadron. The mission will allow you to try out the rules for Bikes, and gain further practice with the Warhammer 40,000 game rules.
The Armies. One army consists of the Ravenwing Bike Squadron. The opposing army consists of the Chaos Cultists from the Chaos Space Marines army. This mission is designed for a single player, who controls all of the models in a Ravenwing Bike Squadron. The Ravenwing are opposed by several different groups of Chaos Cultists. For each engagement, use the appropriate models from your collection according to the lists below.
The Ravenwing: Squad Arion.
The Chaos Cultists: Engagements 1 & 2. Cultist Squad One: 5 Chaos Cultists with autoguns. Cultist Squad Two: 5 Chaos Cultists with pistols.
The Chaos Cultists: Engagement 3. Cultist Squad Three: 4 Chaos Cultists with autoguns and Tetchvar. Cultist Squad Four: 4 Cultists with autoguns and 1 with a heavy stubber. Cultist Squad Five: 4 Chaos Cultists with pistols and Anarkus. Cultist Squad Six: 4 Chaos Cultists with pistols and 1 with a flamer.
The Battlefield. The battlefield is a small area 48" long and 24" wide. No scenery is required for the battle, but if you have any Citadel Scenery you should set it up as you see fit.
Deployment. This mission is played as three engagements, fought one after the other. In each engagement, set up the Ravenwing first, wholly within 12" of the narrow edge they are entering the table from and not within 6" of either of the long table edges. Then, set up the Chaos Cultists units, one after the other, anywhere on the table that is more than 12" from a Ravenwing model and more than 9" away from any models that belong to other units of Chaos Cultists.
First Turn. The Chaos Cultists have the first turn in all three engagements.
Game Length. Each engagement lasts until all the Ravenwing are killed, or all of the surviving Ravenwing have exited the table (see below).
Victory Conditions. If at least one Ravenwing Biker is able to exit the table in the third engagement, then the Ravenwing win. Any other result is a victory for the Chaos Cultists.
Mission Special Rules.
Chaos Cultists with Autoguns: Chaos Cultist units armed with autoguns will always move 6" towards the Ravenwing in their Movement phase if they are free to do so, and will shoot in the Shooting phase unless they have been engaged in close combat by the Ravenwing (in which case they will fight in close combat, of course!). They will not charge.
Chaos Cultists with Pistols: Chaos Cultist units armed with pistols will always move 6" towards the Ravenwing in their Movement phase if they are free to do so, and will shoot in the Shooting phase unless they have been engaged in close combat by the Ravenwing (in which case they will fight in close combat, of course!). They will always declare a charge in the Assault phase if any Ravenwing models are within 12".
Exiting the Battlefield: Ravenwing models can exit the battlefield by moving off the table edge opposite the one that they entered by. Once all surviving Ravenwing models have exited the battlefield, the engagement ends.
Further Engagements: Dark Angels models that are killed cannot be replaced and cannot be used in future engagements. If you are using any Citadel scenery, you should move it around to represent the fact that the following engagement is taking place in a different location.
Battle Tactics. There are two tactics you can follow in this mission. One is to go flat out for the exit point in each engagement, not slowing down for anything, and always Turbo boosting with your Bikes. The other option is to shoot and assault the Cultists as long as you have all three Ravenwing remaining. This will reduce the number of models you have to face during the current battle, and may make escaping easier. Try both tactics for yourself to see which you think is best.
The Map. A 48" x 24" battlefield. The Ravenwing enter from one narrow edge and exit from the opposite edge.
Mission 3: Ambush
A combat squad of Dark Angels Space Marines are in position to ambush a much larger force of Chaos Cultists. At a whispered command, the Dark Angels launch their surprise attack!
Mission Overview. This battle recreates a vicious small-scale ambush by a handful of Dark Angels on a much larger force of Chaos Cultists. One player controls the Dark Angels and the other controls the Chaos Cultists that they are ambushing. The Dark Angels must make the element of surprise work to their advantage, inflicting heavy casualties in the opening stages of the battle, while their opponents must weather the storm and make their superior numbers count.
This mission is designed for two players. In this mission, one side is ambushing the other, which means that each side has a different set of tactical challenges to overcome. Because of this, we highly recommend that you play the mission twice in a row, swapping sides for the second game. This will allow both players to have a go at springing the ambush and defending against it.
The Armies. One army consists of a Dark Angels combat squad. (A Dark Angels Tactical Squad of ten models can be split down into two combat squads with 5 models each.) The opposing army consists of two units of Chaos Cultists.
The Dark Angels. Combat Squad Primus: 3 Dark Angels with boltguns and bolt pistols, 1 Dark Angel with a plasma cannon and Sergeant Raphael.
The Chaos Cultists. Sect Tetchvar. Sect Anarkus.
The Battlefield. This minimum size of the battlefield is 48" by 24". Although scenery is not strictly required, the battle will be more interesting if you include some for the Dark Angels to hide behind. If you don't have any Citadel scenery in your collection, the mission can still be played without.
Deployment. The Chaos Cultists must deploy first. The first unit to deploy must be set up with all models between 9" to 12" away from one narrow table edge, and with no models within 9" of either long table edges. The second unit is then deployed, with all of its models within 12"-15" of a model from the first unit, and no model within 9" of either long table edges.
The Dark Angels deploy after the cultists, anywhere on the table more than 6" from any Chaos Cultist model.
First Turn. The Dark Angels have the first turn.
Game Length. The battle lasts until one side has no models left, either because they have been killed or all have fled off the table.
Victory Conditions. In order to win, each player must eliminate all of the models in the opposing army, either by killing them or forcing them to flee off the table. The first player to achieve this wins the battle. In the unlikely event that the last model on each side dies at exactly the same time, then the battle is a draw.
Mission Special Rules.
Surprise: The Chaos Cultists have been surprised by the Dark Angels. In their first turn, no Chaos Cultist models are allowed to declare a charge, and any shooting attacks that they make are Snap Shots (i.e. they are made as if the model had a Ballistic Skill of 1 and therefore require a 6 to hit). In addition, in the Dark Angels' first turn, the Cultists are not allowed to Go to Ground or fire Overwatch if they are charged by an enemy unit.
Battle Tactics. The Dark Angels are outnumbered by 4 to 1, and will need to make their initial shooting attacks really count. Keep shooting one unit of Chaos Cultists until they either start Falling Back or are destroyed, before switching to the other unit.
The Chaos Cultists should think about Going to Ground with whichever unit is coming under fire, engaging the Space Marines with the other unit. Always move towards the Space Marines if you can, and charge them if you are able to do so – the Space Marines are much better man-for-man but your superior numbers can overwhelm them if you can get enough models into close combat.
The Map. A 48" x 24" battlefield. One unit of Cultists starts 9" from a narrow edge; the second unit starts 12" further along.
Mission 4: Psychic Storm
Following reports from the Ravenwing, Librarian Turmiel uses his powerful psychic powers to attack the Chaos Cultists in their base. Turmiel is unaware that the Cultists have powerful allies...
Mission Overview. Space Marine Librarians are powerful psykers, capable of unleashing terrifying attacks through focussing the power of their mind and manipulating the power of the Warp. In this mission, the Dark Angels Librarian, Turmiel, takes on a small army of Chaos Cultists on his own, before calling on the aid of the Deathwing when the cultists are reinforced by a squad of Chosen – even Librarians find the mighty Chosen to be dangerous adversaries!
This mission introduces you to the special rules for psychic powers – powerful mental abilities that certain characters are able to use in battle. Although not used by every army, psychic powers are an important part of the Warhammer 40,000 game, and this mission will give you the chance to learn how they work, and practice how to get the most out of the psykers in your army.
The Armies. This mission is designed for two players. One player controls Turmiel and the Deathwing Terminators and the other the Chaos Cultists and the Chosen.
The Dark Angels Starting Force: Librarian Turmiel. The Dark Angels Reserves: Squad Barachiel.
The Chaos Space Marines Starting Force: Sect Tetchvar. The Chaos Space Marines Reserves: Sect Anarkus. Draznicht's Ravagers.
The Battlefield. The minimum size of the battlefield is 48" by 24". No scenery is required for the battle, but if you have any Citadel scenery, you should set it up as you see fit.
Deployment. The Chaos Space Marines starting force must deploy first. All of the models must be placed wholly within 12" of one of the narrow table edges, and more than 6" away from either long table edge.
Librarian Turmiel deploys second, exactly 6" away from the opposite narrow table edge, in the centre of the table.
All of the remaining units start the battle in reserve. See the special rules opposite to find out when each unit arrives on the battlefield.
First Turn. The Dark Angels have the first turn.
Game Length. The battle lasts until one side has no models left, either because they have been killed or all have fled the table.
Victory Conditions. In order to win, each player must eliminate all of the models in the opposing army, either by killing them or forcing them to flee off the table. The first player to achieve this wins the battle. In the unlikely event that the last model on each side dies at exactly the same time, then the battle is a draw.
Mission Special Rules.
Reserves: Reserve units arrive on the following turns:
Chaos Cultists: Enter from the table edge on the Chaos Space Marines' 2nd turn.
Chosen: Enter from the table edge on the Chaos Space Marines' 3rd turn.
Deathwing Terminators: Enter on the Dark Angels' 4th turn, using the rules for Deep Strike.
Turmiel's Powers: Turmiel, as a Space Marine Librarian, is able to manifest psychic abilities. This is done in the Psychic phase, which occurs in-between the Movement and Shooting phases. Before he can manifest psychic powers though, we need to generate his Warp Charge as follows: roll a D6 and add 1 to the result. Put a number of dice equal to the total into a pile – this forms the Warp Charge pool that Turmiel can draw upon this turn.
Smite: Turmiel may use the Smite psychic power once per turn. In order to manifest Smite, Turmiel must pass a Psychic test. To do so, take any number of dice from the Warp Charge pool and roll them together. If at least one of the dice results was a 4+, Turmiel makes a shooting attack with the following profile:
| Weapon | Range | S | AP | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smite | 18" | 4 | 2 | Assault 4 |
Force: Turmiel may imbue his sword with psychic energy, as long as there is still at least one dice left in the Warp Charge pool. In order to do this, Turmiel must pass a Psychic test as described above. If he does so, then, until his next turn, Turmiel's force sword instantly kills any model it wounds!
Perils of the Warp: If, when taking a Psychic test, Turmiel rolled two or more 6s, he is harmed by the malign powers of the Warp and suffers 1 Wound with no saves allowed. The psychic power still works, even if the resulting Wound kills him.
The Map. A 48" x 24" battlefield. Turmiel starts 6" from one narrow edge; one unit of Chaos Cultists starts within 12" of the opposite narrow edge; the remaining units enter from that edge as Reserves.
Mission 5: Firefight
Following Turmiel's attack, the two sides have gathered all of their troops, and a bloody firefight ensues. Whichever side can inflict the heaviest casualties on the enemy will be victorious.
Mission Overview. This battle recreates a brutal head-to-head confrontation between two determined military forces. The aim for each side is straight-forward: maximise the number of enemy casualties while keeping losses on your own side to a minimum. Whichever side achieves this objective most effectively will win the battle.
This mission uses all of the models included in Dark Vengeance. It is a classic example of what many people call a 'pick-up game' of Warhammer 40,000. In a pick-up game, each player fields an army made up of models they choose from their collection. The battlefield is set up, an objective is decided upon, and the two players then fight the battle to see whose army can perform best. This style of play makes it easy to include more models and more players in the battle should you wish to do so. We've included guidelines on how to incorporate these extra elements in the instructions that follow.
The Armies. This mission is designed for two players, but is easy to expand if you have more players that also own Dark Vengeance. One army consists of all of the Dark Angels Space Marines models. The opposing army consists of all of the models in the Chaos Space Marine army.
The Dark Angels: Balthasar, Dark Angels Company Master. Librarian Turmiel. Squad Barachiel. Squad Raphael. Squad Arion.
The Chaos Space Marines: Kranon the Relentless. Draznicht's Ravagers. Mortis Metalikus. Sect Tetchvar. Sect Anarkus.
Expanding the Armies. Players should feel free to add further models in their collection to the two armies. If you have additional models available, talk to your opponent, and agree between the two of you which models you will add to the armies. Your aim should be to include equally powerful models on each side, in order to ensure that the battle remains an even contest.
Team Play. If there are more than two players, split the participants into two teams. Players on the same team take their turns together, but are only allowed to move and attack with their own models.
The Battlefield. This minimum size of the battlefield is 48" by 48". You should increase the size of the battlefield if you decide to add more players or models.
Although scenery is not strictly required, the battle will be far more interesting if you include some, as this will allow your troops to take cover from enemy fire and defend against assaults. If you have any Citadel scenery you should set it up as you see fit. If you don't have any Citadel scenery in your collection yet, you can improvise by using objects you can find around the house and garden – just be careful not to use anything that is either fragile or valuable!
Deployment. Roll-off to see who deploys their army first. To roll-off, each player rolls a dice, and whoever rolls higher wins the roll-off. If there is a tie, the players must roll-off again.
The player that wins the roll-off deploys their army first, wholly within 12" of one of the long table edges as shown on the map. After they have deployed their army, their opponent deploys wholly within 12" of the opposite table edge.
First Turn. The player who set up second must roll a dice before the beginning of the first turn. On a roll of a 6, he has successfully seized the initiative and he goes first on the first turn. His army's general has clearly managed to outwit his opponent! On any other roll, the player that set up first has the first turn.
Game Length. The battle lasts until both players have had 5 turns.
Victory Conditions. The winner is the player who has scored the most victory points for destroying enemy units. The victory points each player scores are listed below. To get the victory points for a unit of models, the entire unit must be completely destroyed or have fled off the table.
| Victory Points | Destroyed Unit |
|---|---|
| 3 | Kranon the Relentless |
| 3 | Company Master Balthasar |
| 2 | Helbrute |
| 2 | Librarian Turmiel |
| 1 | Any other unit of models |
Expanding the Victory Points Table. If you've added any new models to the armies, you may want to say that killing them earns more than 1 victory point. For example, if you've added a Space Marine Dreadnought to the Dark Angels army, then destroying it should probably be worth 2 victory points rather than 1.
It is up to you and your opponent to agree this when you add the new models to the armies – if nothing was said then all the new units are worth 1 victory point each.
Mission Special Rules. None.
Battle Tactics. Set up in such a way that all of your army is fighting against part of the enemy army. This will allow you to overwhelm the outnumbered enemy units, before moving on to deal with the rest of the army. Remember you only score victory points for units that are destroyed, so make sure that nobody escapes!
The Map. A 48" x 48" battlefield. Each army deploys within 12" of an opposing long table edge.
Mission 6: The Hellfire Stone
The Dark Angels have discovered that the Chaos Space Marines' objective is to steal an ancient artefact called the Hellfire Stone. They must be stopped from doing this at any cost!
Mission Overview. In this battle, both sides are desperate to capture a valuable object known as the Hellfire Stone. The Hellfire Stone is represented in the game by an objective marker that can be picked up and moved by any model that moves on top of it. Whichever side has the Hellfire Stone at the end of the battle will win the game.
This mission uses all of the models included in Dark Vengeance, but it is easy to include more models and more players in the battle should you wish to do so. Guidelines on how to incorporate these extra elements are included in the instructions that follow.
This mission introduces objectives and objective markers, which are used to show the location of objects or locations that need to be captured. Most battles are fought in order to capture objectives like this, and because of this, you will find that objective markers are used in many of the missions in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. The objective markers themselves can be any small object that you have to hand; a small coin serves the job well, but because they are used in so many games, players often model appropriate markers from spare model parts in their collection.
The Armies. This mission is designed for two players, but is easy to expand if you have more players that also own Dark Vengeance. One army consists of all of the Dark Angels Space Marines models. The opposing army consists of all of the models in the Chaos Space Marine army.
The Dark Angels: Balthasar, Dark Angels Company Master. Librarian Turmiel. Squad Barachiel. Squad Raphael. Squad Arion.
The Chaos Space Marines: Kranon the Relentless. Draznicht's Ravagers. Mortis Metalikus. Sect Tetchvar. Sect Anarkus.
Expanding the Armies. Players should feel free to add further models in their collection to the two armies. If you have additional models available, talk to your opponent, and agree between the two of you which models you will add to the armies. Your aim should be to include equally powerful models on each side, in order to ensure that the battle remains an even contest.
Team Play. If there are more than two players, split the participants into two teams. Players on the same team take their turns together, but are only allowed to move and attack with their own models.
The Battlefield. This minimum size of the battlefield is 48" by 48". You should increase the size of the battlefield if you decide to add more players or models. Place the objective marker representing the Hellfire Stone at the centre of the battlefield.
Although scenery is not strictly required, the battle will be far more interesting if you include some, as it will allow troops to take cover from enemy fire and defend against assaults. If you have any Citadel scenery you should set it up as you see fit. If you don't have any Citadel scenery in your collection yet, you can improvise by using objects you can find around the house and garden – just be careful not to use anything that is either fragile or valuable!
Deployment. Roll-off to see who must deploy their army first. To roll-off, each player rolls a dice, and whoever rolls higher wins the roll-off. If there is a tie, the players must roll again.
The player that wins the roll-off deploys their army first, wholly within 12" of one of the narrow table edges as shown on the map. After they have deployed their army, their opponent deploys wholly within 12" of the opposite table edge.
First Turn. The player that won the deployment roll-off, and therefore deployed first, takes the first turn.
Game Length. The battle continues until both players have had 6 turns.
Victory Conditions. The winner is the player who controls the Hellfire Stone at the end of the battle (see Controlling the Objective below). If neither player controls the Hellfire Stone, then the battle is a draw.
Mission Special Rules.
Controlling the Objective: The first model that moves into base contact with the objective marker controls the Hellfire Stone. Move the marker around with that model from now on to show that it has picked the objective up. The model will only drop the objective if it is killed or if it is forced to Fall Back. In either of these cases, the marker is dropped and left in the location that the model occupied when it was slain or started to Fall Back. The dropped objective will be picked up by the next model that moves into contact with it.
Battle Tactics. Remember that only one thing matters in this mission: controlling the Hellfire Stone. Concentrate all your efforts on capturing it. Try to ensure that your most powerful model picks it up, so it is harder for the enemy to make you drop it. If the enemy captures the objective, focus your attack on wiping out the unit carrying the objective, and do your best to surround them so they cannot make off with their ill-gotten gains.
The Map. A 48" x 48" battlefield. Each army deploys within 12" of an opposing narrow table edge; the Hellfire Stone objective marker starts at the centre of the battlefield.