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Prologue The Information Broker leans across the table, his hand clamping over the Rich Patron’s mouth before the man can speak. His eyes, wide with panic, dart around the curtained booth. "Do you want to get us killed?" His whisper is sharp, slicing through the stillness. "That thing is dangerous... even the Inquisition fears it." The Rich Patron mumbles against his palm, eyes flashing with irritation, but the Broker keeps his grip firm. He shoots a glance through the gap in the curtain, where two hulking Ogryn bodyguards stand like statues, their broad shoulders casting long shadows into the booth. Reassured they are alone, he lets go, pulling his hand back as if he’s touched fire. "Keep your voice down," the Broker hisses, eyes still scanning nervously. "Even here, someone could be listening." The Rich Patron leans back, brushing at his finely tailored coat, his annoyance barely concealed. "You overestimate the risk," he says, voice calm but tinged with disdain. The Broker isn’t convinced. He leans in again, voice barely a whisper. "This... mirror... it’s no ordinary relic. It was part of the Emperor’s own Webway Project. Sealed with Imperial tech, covered in purity sigils." The Rich Patron’s eyes gleam, catching the faint candlelight. "All the more reason to acquire it. My rival, zu Rosenstein... he has everything. Except a cursed fate." The Broker hesitates, glancing nervously at the candle’s flickering flame. But his greed is triggered, and sneeks into his eyes. He leans forward, lowering his voice: "Fate is a very exclusive kind of gift." "So," the Patron says, a sly smile curls on his lips. "Can you get it for me?" *** The flicker of the candle fades into a sepia-toned memory. The webway mirror gleams with an unnatural light as it is installed in a massive chamber, surrounded by arcane Imperial machinery. Tech-priests and servitors chant litanies of purity, their movements precise, almost reverent. "A tool forged in secrecy, bound by xenos origins…" The webway mirror is carefully placed into the heart of a larger device, wires and mechanical components connecting around it. A Tech-priest, solemn and hooded, presses a final purity seal onto its surface, locking it into place. "…and contained within the heart of the Emperor’s greatest ambition: the Webway Project." Suddenly, the scene erupts into chaos. Alarms blare, distant explosions echo through the chamber as Imperial guards and tech-priests scramble for an exit. The mirror is left behind, glowing ominously in the abandoned device. "But when the project failed, it was abandoned, left in a forgotten vault…" The webway mirror now gathers dust in a dark, secure storage facility, detached from the Imperial machinery but still encased in its protective frame. A dim light flickers above, casting long shadows that stretch across the floor. "…still guarded, but ultimately forgotten." *** The Rich Patron leans back in his seat, a satisfied smile playing at his lips. "So," he asks, fingers drumming on the table, "you can get it for me?" The Information Broker raises an eyebrow, curiosity slowly overtaking his anxiety. "Where do you want to receive it?" "Oh, me?" The Rich Patron grins, leaning back slightly in his seat, "Not at all! Put it into a cargo box, bring it to the spaceport, and stick a nice dispatch note to Port Gyre on Mars." The Broker seems intrigued but cautious. "And what happens when it gets to Mars?" The Rich Patron leans in, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Make sure that when it’s unloaded, there’s a little accident with the servitor grappler. The box gets damaged, the dispatch note unreadable. Zu Rosenstein will have to open it to inspect the contents—he’s in charge of customs control at the spaceport." A slow smirk spreads across the Broker’s face, now fully understanding the plan. "He won’t be able to resist… thinking it’s some valuable trade good he can embezzle… or worse." *** The next meeting takes place in a more private, richly decorated room. The Rich Patron and Information Broker are now poring over blueprints spread across a table, schematics and notes cluttering the surface. "So, you have a plan?" The Patron’s voice is calm, expectant. The Broker nods, pointing at the blueprints. "The webway mirror is held in a deep vault, under Ordo Xenos custody. Heavy security, but there’s a way… with the right incentives." A hefty satchel of thrones lands on the table with a satisfying thud, the Rich Patron’s hand resting on it, fingers tapping. "Money is no object. I trust you have the right people for this?" The Information Broker smiles, a glint of confidence in his eyes. "I’ve already arranged it. They specialize in this sort of… retrieval." *** Night falls over the Ordo Xenos facility, its Gothic architecture looming over the landscape. Guards patrol the perimeter, unaware of the danger closing in. In the shadows, a group of thugs approaches, moving with practiced stealth. The Thug Leader whispers, "We’re in... keep it quiet and fast." Inside the facility, they move silently through dark hallways, avoiding patrols and security drones. They reach the vault—a massive door adorned with purity seals. A thug pulls out a device, attaching it to the lock. The seals burn away, and the door creaks open. Inside the vault, the webway mirror waits, glowing faintly in the darkness. The thugs hesitate, awe and fear washing over them. "That’s it… just like he said," one mutters. "Quickly now," the Leader orders, "before anyone notices." They lift the mirror, securing it in a padded crate. One thug glances nervously at his distorted reflection on its surface. "Let’s get this over with. This thing gives me the creeps." As they make their escape, alarms begin to blare, but they’re already gone, the webway mirror in tow. *** In zu Rosenstein’s office, a monitor shows the spaceport cargo area below. A large crate is being unloaded by a servitor grappler, which suddenly malfunctions, dropping the crate to the ground. The side cracks open slightly. Zu Rosenstein turns from his desk, annoyance creasing his face. "What happened out there?" He walks to the window, staring down at the damaged crate and the servitors gathering around it. "A crate bound for Port Gyre, sir. Damaged in transit… the dispatch note is unreadable," a subordinate reports. Later, zu Rosenstein stands beside the crate. He opens it, finding a faintly glowing mirror nestled inside. A folded note catches his eye. He unfolds it briefly. "To a worthy adversary, may the webway mirror reflect your true greatness." He crumples the note, tossing it aside, but the mirror draws his attention. He traces his fingers along the intricate, alien patterns etched into its frame. Beneath the glass, strange shadows ripple, as if alive. His breath catches. "This... this is no ordinary device." His mind races, recalling fragments of forbidden lore—rumors of ancient xenos technology capable of unimaginable feats, relics tied to powers long buried and forgotten. His heartbeat quickens as the possibilities unfold. He carefully takes it back to his office, preparing for what is sure to be his greatest discovery. "This mirror," he mutters to himself, "could amplify my reach into the Warp... unlock new powers... make me unstoppable." “But the webway mirror’s allure is a trap for the soul… “ *** A surreal, shifting landscape with undefined terrain stretches into a horizonless void. At the center, a dark chasm splits the ground, its edges crumbling into the abyss. Khorne and Khaine clash at the chasm's edge, their blades meeting with explosive sparks. Shadows flicker around them, twisting into monstrous shapes that dance and melt back into darkness. Isha is tenderly holding a grotesque, infant-like Nurgle amidst a garden of withering flowers. The image fades, transforming into Nurgle, now an adult, cradling Isha as he flees from Slaanesh. The background shifts from lush green to decay, a seamless blending of life and rot. Tzeentch and Cegorach are seated at a floating chessboard, pieces shifting and morphing with every move. Their expressions are frozen in wide, unnerving grins, as cracks begin to form across their faces. The chessboard hovers above a void, dissolving at the edges into a sea of black. Khorne and Khaine fighting, Isha and Nurgle in an embrace, Tzeentch and Cegorach playing chess, all just reflections in a cracked mirror. Each shard reflects a different distorted reality. Slaanesh wields the mirror in a duel against the Emperor in the Webway, the shards casting fragmented beams of light and shadow across the battleground. Zu Rosenstein's face, the mirror's shards embedded in his skin, each shard reflecting a different, twisted version of his own face. His eyes are wide, filled with terror and pain as the shards begin to pull towards the center, merging into a singular, nightmarish visage. The mirror shatters completely, its pieces exploding into a swirling vortex that engulfs zu Rosenstein. He is torn apart by unseen forces, his mouth open in a silent scream, spiraling down into the endless darkness of the abyss. *** Morning light seeps into zu Rosenstein’s cluttered office at the top of the spaceport's security tower. He wakes up in his chair, his face pale and drawn with fear. He sits up, trembling, eyes darting around the room as if expecting the dream’s horrors to appear. “Awakening… but the nightmare lingers.” Zu Rosenstein is leaping from his chair in a panic, rushing towards the office window. His movements are frantic, driven by terror. Papers and objects are knocked over in his frantic escape. Zu Rosenstein’s hand as it reaches for the window latch, his fingers trembling uncontrollably. He throws open the window, his eyes wide with a wild, uncontrollable fear. He looks out over the spaceport, but his gaze is unfocused, his mind still caught in the grip of the mirror’s influence. In a moment of frenzied panic, zu Rosenstein climbs onto the window ledge. His face is a mask of terror and madness as he leaps, unable to endure the torment any longer. “There is no escape from the webway mirror’s curse…” A novice in a white robe below sees zu Rosenstein's body plummeting down from the tower above. Shocked faces turn upward, staring in horror. Inside the office, in the background, the mirror is small but clearly visible, standing on a pedestal. It still glows faintly, as if satisfied with its latest victim. “...only the final release.” Final close-up of the mirror, its surface now still, reflecting only the empty office. The faint glow pulses, waiting for its next prey. “And so, the webway mirror waits… for the next soul to dare gaze within.”

A sudden burst of lighting erupts in the orbit of an unnamed planet in the Ishtar fringe of the Segmentum Ultima. The mighty prows of the Mechanicus Cruisers Bronze Expanse and Steel of Invention bursts out of the warp. Seconds later the rest of it's supporting fleet with the escorts in a spherical formation around the vulnerable transports burst out from the warp. An aging Archmagos of Mjorn would rise from his command chair his massive amount of bionics assisting the aging man along with a cane being held by what remains of his right arm. He addressees the bridge crew "We have arrived at the coordinates indicated by the rumors. If there is some truth to these words upon this lowly rock will be a vault of artifacts dating back to possibly even before the Dark age of technology and a map leading to an undamaged STC. By the Omnissiah's will we shall find this vault and crush anything that dares to stand our way on this most holy of quests!" He looks to one of the communications officers "Instruct the escorts to break formation and to begin mapping out the surface of the planet and instruct the transports to ready drop-ships to land on the surface and begin to send out survey teams." "Yes lord!" The communications officer salutes and instructs the vox operators to send the orders to the ships. The transports of the fleet each ready a Devourer dropship for landing equipping them with long range scanning equipment and loading building supplies into them so permanent outposts can be made after the initial landing. The majority of their passengers are aspiring Tech priests that volunteered to take part in the expedition though some Skitarii Rangers and battle servitors are also being sent down to protect the outposts and the would be explorers during their expeditions into the alien wilds. The inquisitorial representative and his routine are also being sent down at their own request. The personnel being sent down have been assembled in the main bay of the transport for a quick briefing before launch. The ship's captain would walk up to a raised platform in front of the assembled passengers. "Your dropship has been assigned to land near a large purple gash in the north west side of the planet. Orbital imaging has suggested this is some kind of sea though the reason to it's strange coloration is currently unknown." An image would be brought up on a large screen that was moved there for the briefing. "To be precise the landing point will be here in the large plain that separates this sea from the planet's North Pole. Our main objective will be to track down the whereabouts of the vault containing the artifacts through any means necessary. If studying either the North Pole or the sea could lead to finding the vault you may do so and remember any and all Xenos must be catalogued but you have full authorization to exterminate anything if they pose a threat to the operation. Are there any questions before you are sent off?" "Initial scans and orbital imaging have found several signs of large flora and fauna but have found no signs of advanced civilization either they are underground or life on this planet hasn't evolved to that point. As always caution is advised even the most simple of creatures can kill a man and if scans are correct this planet is in no short supply of beasts. Are there any other questions?" The Inquisitor revealed his presence among the mass of Mechanicus acolytes having transferred over for this briefing. He quickly asked a questions about the survey teams and how they plan to be transported around when landed. The captain was somewhat startled by the inquisitor revealing himself. He had been told the inquisitor would be sent down from his ship but he had net seen him until now. "Ye.. Yes lord the survey teams will be sent out upon landing and be given a modified Taurus that has had the weapon and ammo stores replaced with seats for passengers. The fleet will be on stand by and continually scan the planet and anything with in it's orbit like it's two moons." A communications officer would walk up to the Captain and whisper something to him and run back to the bridge. "Very well I have just been informed that you must be sent down immediately. Please proceed to the boarding ramps leading to the top floor of the dropship the servitors will be loaded into the vehicle bay." With that the rows of assorted soldiers and tech priests move into the dropship which filled relatively quickly do to it being mostly filled with building materials and supplies rather than troops like it would normally be under other circumstances. Maneuvering thrusters lift the ship up and out of the bay and past an enormous air lock and into the void through the few view ports the planet took up the entirety of the view. The intercom would spark to life "Prepare for atmospheric entry." The safety bars on the seats and the mag locks in the cargo bay would activate holding everything and everyone down. The view ports were quickly covered by a protective blast panel that came down from above it. From the outside it looked as if the ship was spewing flames from it's fins as the shear force of friction blackened the belly of the ship. The planet's atmosphere was thicker than expected this made maneuvering difficult for the lumbering ship as it seemingly plummeted towards the ground. Until the pilots activated it's thrusters slowing it down almost immediately if it weren't for the safety bars every single passenger would have been thrown from their seats. Using their new means of control the pilots steered the beast of a dropship towards where the plains meet the purple sea. With a final blast from their forward facing maneuvering thrusters they where able to stop their forward momentum and ease the ship into a large clearing now devoid of wild life as they were scared off due to the amount of noise coming from the ship. With the push of a button the landing gear unfold from their shielded compartments and touch the alien red soil. Once it was confirmed the landing gear had made contact the pilots cut the engines and released the shaft bars and mag locks. The intercom sparked up again "Landing successful you may get up and walk around, once comfortable head outside and group up with your assigned survey team or guard patrol. Before anyone asks yes the air is breathable readings show the atmosphere actually has a high oxygen percentage and gravity is slightly lower than Terran gravity but it is not really noticeable unless your bionics are overly sensitive. Good hunting and Omnissiah watch over you." The crimson courier shuttle touched down in the immediate proximity of the makeshift landing field springing up almost organically around the dropships. The loading ramp descended with a muted hiss of hydraulics. A quartet of crimson robed Tech Guard marched down the ramp fist. Their brass skull masks denoting them as Martian Protectors, the noble Forge Guards of Mars. They swiftly proved the area secure to a satisfactory standard. The whirring of servos heralded the descent of their illustrious charge. A Magos-Errant scuttled down the ramp on his brass-gilded stilt legs like a predatory arachnid. His optics scanned the noosphere in the area and locked on the to the signatures of the rest of the team. They were already boarding transports, to his immediate displeasure. [Command: Follow] The Magos-Errant spat in a hasty binaric burst. His guards followed their impatient master in earnest, barely managing to keep up with his fevered pace. The salamander transports were already starting up, their combustion engines revving up to speed. All were full save the last transport in line, which had but one occupant. The fact that he would have to share a transport with a servant did not improve his mood. None the less, he scuttled inside and found a place to secure himself. He activated the mag-locks in his stilt-legs to secure him to the transport deck plates. The Magos-Errant paid no mind, as it was barely above a servitor in sentience as it was. Instead he reached out through the noosphere to his intended contact. Opening a heavily encrypted channel, he extended a greeting to the Magos-Explorator. [Acknowledgement: Greetings my Lady Magos. I am the Magos-Errant of this expedition. You no doubt received the data package from my superiors, and as such know why I am here. My Masters hold the Archmagos in high regard. He has done much to further our cause. Let us hope you live up to his expectations] His cant was formal, but with an undercurrent of expected skepticism. Wright was untested. She no doubt understood that the Magos-Errant was as much a useful asset, as he was insurance. Much hinged on their success. The leaders of the Xenarite Cults expected much from this expedition, if their sources were indeed correct about the supposed Vault. The presence of the Inquisition complicated this however. No doubt they were aware of the Magos-Errant' presence. The Ordo Machinum were ever vigilant in that regard. No matter. They had no evidence to doubt his loyalties, but there would be suspicions. There always were. If Adam Clarke or any of his Inquisitorial lackeys obstructed his objectives, they would be removed . . .

Soooo seems my old plog has been archived from disuse so i guess its time for a new one With the Heresy stuff shelved for the forseeable and 8th feeling like the best 40k yet ive gone back to the Dark Millenium, specifically Primaris marines are super sexy, even if their fluff often feels like being hit in the face with a shoe... Broader focus on the forum is also pretty welcome, for example ive been working on Fantasy stuff and Eldar Corsairs around my Angels None of that for now, but maybe later! So, the Scythes! I went through a long process of picking the Chapter to come back to, other Candidates were the Red Scorpions, Raven Guard, Raptors, Dark Angels and my own old Homebrew the Blazing suns. Let alone all the Alt Heresy Legions ive fluffed out over the years... But in the end a few things tipped it: 1. A Bunch of my buddies have Scythes Armies from an Old Tempus Fugitives campaign weekend (I ran Tyranids, really siiiick Tyranids...) 2. I wanted a Codex Adherant Chapter to play with markings and such, ive been so anti codex for years, i guess this is me growing up? 3. They have amazing fluff! Specifically Heresy links are always cool. 4. The Polish aspect from Rogue Trader is also quite interesting... 5. The Mix of old and new marines should be interesting too... Been a while without a picture so heres my concept models 19095646_10155299917120797_2588717845232583032_o A Squad of Tyranid hunters (Rules wise ill be cloning Ultramarines to steal their stuff!). All Deathwatch Veterans returned to the chapter and attached to the Fledgling 3rd Company long term to keep them honest. 19113773_10155299917410797_640703996637877549_n And Apothecaries! On the Left the 3rd Companies Apothecary and on the Right an Attached 1st Company Apothecary, also a Deathwatch veteran. Ill probably convert a Primaris Apothecary at some point too, i figure lots of Apothecaries around the primaris is kinda inevitable, if only to learn! These figures were basically pulled out of my Bits box to kick around some ideas, A friend of mine gave me some Deathwatch pads in a trade a while back, the Apothecaries got cannibalised to make Heresy Apothecaries for the Iron Warriors and Angels and most of the rest had been earmarked for my last revamp of the Blazing suns, like 10 years ago I also Dug out a Storm i had earmarked for use by Alpha Legion Operatives (And basically mothballed for years ) and the Scouts from Shadow war, plus the old Serf dude from the Battle for Macragge box. 19242989_10155326863895797_4449847247156921192_o The Storms base (POssibly too much foliage...) and Serf! 19275256_10155326863130797_1668137090430596232_n And an awful pic of the PIP Storm, picking a scheme for vehicles based on non standard heraldry is as always a ballache of indecision! The Infantry scouts are still waiting on some heads because the normal scout heads are godawful... I popped some Skitarrii heads on the Storm crew, i figured they are both walking wounded but not 100% thus the slightly less demanding role and heavy bionics The 10th Company assets are a Reclamation team added to back up the Primaris, i suspect a techmarine might be converted if i ever field more than just 1 speeder So thats the Intro.. Ill get some Primaris pics up next!

With another year finished and more side projects building up, I've decided to try and focus myself by showing my progress (or lack thereof) focusing on my Imperial Projects (first?) Although there will be periods of inactivity when I'm working on some of my historicals and my Death guard. I don't expect to hit all my targets, but the visible reminder they are out there should stop me from quite as many impulse purchases... Project 1: Blood Angels - Target reached Target - Get the 5th (Primaris) company to nominal company strength (circa 100 Marines, plus Officers and at least 3 Vehicles/walkers) Progress pre 2020 - Officers and 45 Marines 2020 Progress: 15 Intercessors: 10 Reivers: 6 Inceptors Redemptor Dreadnoughts 10 Assault Intercessors 5 Helblasters 3 Eradicators 10 Incursers 3 BladeGuard 3 Bladeguard Characters Repulsor Charaters: Model Backlog: 10 25 Intercessors 15 done, last ten might get bounced if 'Heavy Intercessors turn up) 10 Reivers Done 6 Inceptors Done 5 HellBlasters Done 3 Aggressors 2 Redemptor Dreadnoughts 1 Repulsors - One cone Extras 10 Incursors - Done 10 Assault Intercessors 3 Bladeguard Done 3 Eradicators 5 Indominus Characters Project 2: House Raven Target: Paint my Knight Backlog.... - Failed... Progress pre 2020 - 1 Questoris, 2 Armigers 2020 Progress: Knight 2 Helverins Model Backlog: 1 Knight Castellan 1 2 Questoris Knights 1 Armiger 1 3 Helverins Project 3: Ad Mech - COMPLETE Target: A well populated Battalion Detachment Progress pre 2020 - 2 Enginseers, 16 Vanguard, 9 Rangers, all still needing basing. 2020 Progress: 2019 progress completed & based Datasmiths and robots: Onager: Dominus 2nd Dominus and his smithy friend Kataphrons Skitarii Model Backlog: 2 Magos Dominus Done 4 Vanguard (part painted) Done 1 Ranger (part painted) Done 10 Skitarii Done 1 Onager -Done 6 Robots Done 3 Datasmiths Done 3 Kataphrons - Done Project 4: Deathwatch - FAILED Target: A Battalion Detachment Progress pre 2020 - A 4th Ed Kill team, somewhere in one of my cases.... 2020 Progress: Characters and Powr armur marines from Kill team Cassius Model Backlog: 1 Captain Artemis 1 Kill team Cassius 9 of 11 models done 2 Veteran Kill teams 1 Primaris Kill team 1 Venerable Dreadnought Project 5: Space Wolves - COMPLETE Target: A Battalion Detachment 2020 Progress: 20 Grey hunters: 10 Blood Claws: Heroes: Terminators: ThunderWolves: Intercessors Model Backlog: 1 Krom Dragongaze - 1 Primaris Battle leader (I think Hastor Icepelt or something like that) 1 Battle leader - forgot I had the chap from the Prospero box 20 Grey hunters 10 Blood Claws 5 Wolf Guard Terminators - Built 5 Intercessors 3 Thunderwolves Project 6: Dark Angels - COMPLETE Target: A strong Patrol Detachment 2020 Progress: Tactical Squad: Deathwing: Intercessors: Dark Vengance Characters Extras: Model Backlog: 1 Master 1 Chaplain 1 Librarian 10 Tactical Marines 5 Deathwing 5 Intercessors Extras allocated: 1 Ancient 1 Primaris Lt Project 7 Talons - COMPLETE Target: A Custodes Patrol 2020 Progress Vexalia and 4 Sword and shield Custodes: Impulse buy captain Spear Custodes including maybe captain 5 Sisters: 5 more Sisters: Model Backlog: 5 10 Custodes 5 10 Sisters of Silence And Oh dear, typing that out its a lot more than I thought.... Well lets see how I get on.

So as part of the Iron Gauntlet challenge we have to paint up models from our organization. Since I have already completed 1 Dominus, 3 Questoris and 6 armigars in the house colours I wanted to work on other schemes. I already had a plan for this, since my Knight house is based on a school to train pilots and support personal, why not do other knights piloted by graduates that went on their own. Kind of like freeblades, but still supported by the main house. Thieu main goal to protect the planet they are assigned to after graduation. I already have a few ideas for these garrison lances. Most anime based and will not see the table for years down the line, but that's how I do these things. Go big or go home as they say. Let's not even touch how big the house army will be. The first one here is a green/ghost knight group. I'm doing a test pattern on a armigar before I commit to the larger paladin knight. I do have a wip on the lance leader. A paladin class that I'm going to have the CCW magged to either the lance (shown) or a mace. They will count as a reaper chainsword and thunderfist gauntlet respectively. Bases will have lots of foliage, I'm even looking at a small tree on the base of the helverin planned for the force. Along side this I'll be painting a moriax armigar for my wolf knight lance. Pilots for the armigars are grads of the JKA and the pilot of the styrix is a founding member. Added plans If this lockdown thing ends before the painting phase of the challenge is over I have funds set aside for getting some moriaxes which will be in the house colours. I planned to have at least two squads with magged weapons. If curious at other lances planned:

Greetings all! So recently I've been playing 40k online with a friend a lot lately, and it gave me a hankering for a good custom army, specifically Dark Mechanicum. What started out as just an idea of a simple handful of units from the Adeptus Mechanicus and Chaos Space Marine lists quickly grew in ambition and scope until it turned into a full 120 page homemade codex, borrowing and/or modifying some units, but also creating a bunch of fresh ones. I'd love to share with the community here, both because I'm pretty pleased with the result, and also to get feedback and maybe help refine it further. Especially with regards to tabletop, I'm more into the lore and models than the gaming, so I'm sure there are aspects of the actual rules or points values that need a lot of work. That said, please keep in mind this is intended as a fun little project rather than an attempt to make a watertight set of perfectly balanced rules. Oh and this is all based in 8th edition, as I haven't been following the 9th details so much yet. Anywho, I'll start posting here, and naturally I'll be removing anything taken from GW's published materials. Opening up with general army rules: HERALDS OF THE TRUE MECHANICUM <HELLFORGE> Most of the forces of the Dark Mechanicum belong to a Hellforge, or other similar force. Some datasheets specify what Hellforge a unit is drawn from. If a DARK MECHANICUM datasheet does not specify which Hellforge it is from, it will have the <HELLFORGE> keyword. When you include such a unit in your army, you must nominate which Hellforge that unit is from. There are many different Hellforges to choose from; you can use any of the Hellforges described in Games Workshop's books, or make up your own Hellforge if you prefer. You then simply replace the <HELLFORGE> keyword in every instance on that unit's datasheet with the name of your chosen Hellforge. <QUESTOR TRAITORIS> & Dreadblades [sEE RULES IN CODEX: CHAOS KNIGHTS] ABILITIES The following abilities are common to several Dark Mechanicum units: Supplications of the Octed: The followers of the Dark Mechanicum have long since abandoned the beliefs and dogma of the Imperial Mechanicum, and in their place taken up worship of the Ruinous Pantheon. In battle their fervent prayers and benedictions are often answered with direct and devastating effect. All units with this ability gain a bonus during battle depending on the Supplication currently in use. At the start of each battle round, pick one Supplication from the below list to be in effect for the duration of that battle round. The same Supplication may not be picked twice during the same battle. Alternatively, you can randomly determine which Supplication is in effect by rolling a D6 and consulting the list. Note that if you randomly determine a Supplication, it takes effect even if the same Supplication has been in effect earlier in the battle. If you have a Battle-forged army, units only receive the bonus if every model in their Detachment has this ability. D6 1 - Litany of Blood Hellish beasts of brass and iron snort and snarl, furnaces burn the weak into billowing clouds of ash, and boiling blood is used to oil the gears. Such is the prayer to the Blood God. All affected units gain +1 Attack in the Fight phase 2 - Invocation of Rust The adepts steel themselves with the knowledge that all will rust and shatter with time, and welcome the entropic touch of Grandfather Nurgle. All affected units reduce damage by 1 (to a minimum of 1) 3 - Communion of Innovation The Architect of Fate is beseeched to guide his followers' weapons to points of weakness, and to infuse their bolts with the power of sorcery. All affected units increase the AP of all weapons by 1 4 - Incantation of Excess All feel the gaze of the Dark Prince upon them, driving them to push themselves and their engines harder in the hopes of retaining the ecstasy of his attentions for just one more moment. All affected units may add +1 to Advance and Charge rolls 5 - Scrapcode Benediction The unholy prayers of the Scrapcode are recited and broadcast, foiling the weaponry and targeting systems of the unenlightened. All affected units gain a -1 to hit buff vs. enemy shooting 6 - Machine-Prayer to the Omnissiah Undivided Just as other heretics may revere the united pantheon of Chaos Undivided, so do the Dark Magi worship it as the embodiment of the Omnissiah, whose gifts will empower the faithful. All affected units regenerate D3 wounds Death to the False Mechanicum: The Magi of the Dark Mechanicum believe themselves to be the true followers of the Omnissiah, unrestrained by the petty concerns and limitations of the Adeptus Mechanicus. There is none they despise more than the servants of the False Mechanicum. Each time you roll a 6+ for a model with this ability in the Fight phase, it can, if it was targeting an ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit, immediately make an extra attack against the same unit using the same weapon. These extra attacks cannot themselves generate any further attacks. Infernal Regeneration: The Daemon Engine creations of the Dark Mechanicum are built as much from daemonic aether-flesh as they are from metal. Empowered by warp energies, these monstrous machines will repair themselves before their foes' eyes, plates of metal knitting together and lost weapons or limbs reforming and growing back in mere moments. At the start of your turn, this model regains 1 lost wound. Daemonic: The denizens of the warp do not have a true physical form; they are beings of energy, given fell shape and terrible purpose. Such a creature defies the natural laws of the universe and many of the most powerful weapons are all but useless against them. This unit/model has a 5+ invulnerable save. Marks of Chaos Many Dark Mechanicum units dedicate themselves to a single Chaos God, whilst others worship the entire pantheon in all its dark glory, often in the form of the Omnissiah Undivided. The Chaos God a unit is dedicated to is denoted by the Mark of Chaos that it bears. Some datasheets specify the Mark of Chaos for a unit. If a Dark Mechanicum datasheet does not specify which Mark of Chaos a unit has, it will have the <MARK OF CHAOS> keyword. When you include such a unit in your army, you must nominate which (if any) Mark of Chaos that unit has. You then simply replace the <MARK OF CHAOS> keyword in every instance on that unit's datasheet with one of the following: KHORNE, TZEENTCH, NURGLE or SLAANESH. Note that PSYKERS cannot have the KHORNE keyword. You do not have to choose a Mark of Chaos for a unit if you do not want to; if you do not, it is assumed that the unit has not dedicated itself to a specific Dark God. Vehicle Equipment: Bound Daemon Spirit - Any model with this upgrade does not suffer any penalty for moving and firing Heavy weapons. Smoke Launchers - [as per Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus]. Broad Spectrum Data-tether - [as per Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus] but applying to <HELLFORGE> units. Hellish Defence - At the end of the Fight phase, roll a D6 for every enemy INFANTRY model within 1" of this model. On a 6+, that models takes 1 mortal wound. Helram - If a vehicle with a helram charges, add 1 to hit rolls made for it until the end of the ensuing Fight phase. Bellow of the Battle Lord - Vehicles with the Mark of Khorne only. On the turn that a vehicle with this upgrade charges, enemy units within 1" of it suffer a -1 penalty to their Leadership. Cloud of Flies - Vehicles with the Mark of Nurgle only. Any ranged attacks targeting a vehicle with a Cloud of Flies suffers a -1 to hit penalty. Time Sphere - Vehicles with the Mark of Tzeentch only. Once per battle, at the end of one of your Movement phases, a vehicle with this upgrade that is within 1" of an enemy unit may be removed from the battlefield and placed anywhere within 12" of its previous location, provided it ends more than 1" from any enemy models. Lashing Tongue - Vehicles with the Mark of Slaanesh only. A vehicle with this upgrade gains the following weapon in addition to any others it possesses:Lashing Tongue - R: Melee | T: Melee | S: User | AP: 0 | D: 1 | When the bearer fights, it makes 2 additional attacks with this weapon and no more than 2 attacks can be made with this weapon. WARPFORGED HORDES Visionaries Without Limit The Heretek Priests and their infernal creations push forward with the certainty that they carry the flag of the True Mechanicum, their advances on the battlefield mirroring the progress they push forward for all of humanity. If your army is Battle-forged, all Troops units in DARK MECHANICUM Detachments gain this ability. Such a unit that is within range of an objective marker (as specified in the mission) controls 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. Hellforge Traits There are Hellforges and Heretek factions scattered throughout the galaxy, some within the madness of warpstorms, others hidden within the Imperium itself. Heretek Priests are free from the constraints of Adeptus Mechanicus dogma, and it is no surprise that each Hellforge follows its own path and behaves differently upon the battlefield. If your army is Battle-forged, units with the appropriate keyword will receive the corresponding Hellforge trait, detailed below, so long as every other unit in their Detachment is from the same Hellforge. If you have chosen a Hellforge that does not feature on this list, you can choose the trait that best suits the fighting style and battlefield strategies of the warriors that hail from it. XANA II: MASTERS OF DAEMONCRAFT The Dark Magi of Xana II are legendary masters of their craft, experts in both the construction and perfect usage of warp-powered weaponry. All units with this trait gain +1 to hit in the shooting phase. SARUM: SURGE INTO CARNAGE The dread lords of Sarum have calculated that their biggest hindrance to slaughter in Khorne's name is getting their forces into melee, and so they devote a significant portion of their time and energy to overcoming this with new bionics and technologies. All units with this trait add +1 to all advance rolls and +2 to all charge rolls. POLIX: WARP-SATURATION Those of Polix are so immersed in their never-ending studies of warp energies that they end up saturated with it, giving it off like a deadly radiation. Reduce the Toughness characteristic of enemy units (other than VEHICLES) by 1 whilst they are within 1" of any unit with this trait (this is not cumulative). TEMPORIA: STEADY SUPERIORITY The forces of Temporia are so sure of themselves and their inherent superiority, they calmly wait as lesser beings hurl themselves in close, only unleashing their devastating firepower at the perfectly calculated moment. When firing Overwatch, units with this trait hit on a roll of 5+, instead of only 6+, irrespective of modifiers. THE LOGICIANS: DELETION SQUADS While many Hellforges make ample use of disposable chaff soldiers, the Logicians believe that the use of small, highly-trained squads of elites is much more efficient. Any Troops unit at minimum size can re-roll hit rolls of 1 in both the Shooting phase and the Fight phase.