CHAOS SPACE MARINES – SLAVES TO DARKNESS

STRATAGEMS
If you are using the Slaves to Darkness Detachment rule, you can use these Slaves to Darkness Stratagems.

INFERNAL RITES ETERNAL HATE

SLAVES TO DARKNESS – BATTLE TACTIC STRATAGEM SLAVES TO DARKNESS – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM

With gruesome offerings and ritualised Heretic Astartes are fuelled by hate, a searing
promises, the Chaos Space Marines seek spite that burns fiercely within them unto the
the protection of their infernal masters.
1CP very moment of death. Even as their life force
pours from terrible wounds, this loathing can
WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase or
drive them to fight on in a second wind of
the Fight phase, just after an enemy unit
2CP wrath. Those Heretic Astartes in thrall to the
has selected its targets.
Blood God feel this enmity to an even greater
TARGET: One Heretic Astartes unit extent than others, exploding with violence
from your army that was selected as the just as the enemy think they have finally
target of one or more of the attacking ended them.
unit’s attacks.
WHEN: Fight phase, just after an enemy unit
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, each has selected its targets.
time an attack targets your unit, worsen
the Armour Penetration characteristic of TARGET: One Heretic Astartes unit from
that attack by 1. your army that was selected as the target of
one or more of the attacking unit’s attacks.

PROFANE ZEAL EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, each

time a model in your unit is destroyed, if that
SLAVES TO DARKNESS – BATTLE TACTIC STRATAGEM model has not fought this phase, roll one
Fervent mortal followers flock to the D6, adding 1 to the result if it is a Khorne
champions of Chaos, damning their souls unit: on a 4+, do not remove it from play. That
seeking promises of dark power. destroyed model can fight after the attacking
model’s unit has finished making its attacks,
WHEN: Your Shooting phase or the and is then removed from play.
Fight phase.
1CP TARGET: : One Heretic Astartes unit from
your army that has not been selected to
shoot or fight this phase.
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, each
time a model in your unit makes an
attack, re-roll a Hit roll of 1 and re-roll a
Wound roll of 1. If your unit is a Chaos
Undivided unit, you can instead re-roll
the Hit roll and you can re-roll the Wound
roll for that attack.
CHAOS SPACE MARINES – SLAVES TO DARKNESS
STRATAGEMS
If you are using the Slaves to Darkness Detachment rule, you can use these Slaves to Darkness Stratagems.

SKINSHIFT DARK OBSCURATION

SLAVES TO DARKNESS – EPIC DEED STRATAGEM SLAVES TO DARKNESS – STRATEGIC PLOY
STRATAGEM
With the Dark Gods and the powers of the
warp on their side, Chaos Space Marines Choking fogs echoing with the screams
1CP can cheat death altogether. Their foes
1CP of tortured souls; dense clouds of bloated
look on in horror as killing wounds knit flies; deluges of bloody rain; whirlwinds of
themselves together in a cacophony coruscating flames blazing in a thousand
of hideous cracks and squelches and hues. Such warp-born phenomena can
shattered armour reforms. After such a appear on the battlefield in an instant,
blessing, the Heretic Astartes are both and disappear just as quickly. All serve
something far greater, and far less, than to obscure the Heretic Astartes from their
what they once were. terrified foes.

WHEN: Your Command phase. WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase,

just after an enemy unit has selected
TARGET: One Heretic Astartes unit from
its targets.
your army.
TARGET: One Heretic Astartes unit
EFFECT: One model in your unit regains
from your army that was selected as the
up to 3 lost wounds. In addition, if your
target of one or more of the attacking
unit is a Tzeentch unit below its Starting
unit’s attacks.
Strength, one destroyed model (excluding
Character models) is returned to your EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, your
unit with its full wounds remaining. unit has the Stealth ability. In addition, if
your unit is a Nurgle unit, until the end of
the phase, your unit can only be selected
UNNATURAL SWIFTNESS as the target of a ranged attack if the
SLAVES TO DARKNESS – STRATEGIC attacking model is within 12".
PLOY STRATAGEM

Some Heretic Astartes appear to move

1CP with a speed that should be impossible,
weapons and bodies seemingly moving
from one place to another in the blink of
an eye.
WHEN: Your Movement phase.
TARGET: One Heretic Astartes unit from
your army.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, your unit
is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in
a turn in which it Fell Back. In addition, if
your unit is a Slaanesh unit, until the end
of the turn, your unit is eligible to shoot
and declare a charge in a turn in which
it Advanced.
 STRATAGEMS
Command points can be spent during the battle to use Stratagems. All players can use the Core
Stratagems presented here. Additional Stratagems can be found in Codexes and other publications.

When you use a Stratagem, reduce your

CP total by the amount listed on that STRATAGEM CATEGORIES
Stratagem. If you do not have enough Each Stratagem belongs to one of four categories, as
CP for a specific Stratagem, you cannot described below. There are some rules (especially in
use it. You can use the same Stratagem Crusade games) that interact with Stratagems of a
multiple times during a battle, but you particular category.
cannot use the same Stratagem more than
once in the same phase. BATTLE TACTIC: These Stratagems bolster a unit’s efficacy in
battle, boosting their attacks or defensive capabilities at a
critical moment.
■ To use a Stratagem you must pay
the CP specified. EPIC DEED: These Stratagems are used by individual models
■ The same Stratagem cannot or units to perform mighty feats of heroism.
be used more than once in the
same phase. STRATEGIC PLOY: These Stratagems enable units to gain
new strategic insights, granting them a small but valuable
window of opportunity.
STRATAGEMS KEY
WARGEAR: These Stratagems represent the effects of using
EITHER PLAYER’S TURN
specialised items of equipment in battle.
YOUR TURN
OPPONENT’S TURN

COMMAND RE-ROLL COUNTER-OFFENSIVE

CORE – BATTLE TACTIC STRATAGEM CORE – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM

A great commander can bend even the vagaries In close-quarters combat, the slightest hesitation
of fate and fortune to their will, the better to can leave an opening for a swift foe to exploit.
1CP ensure victory.
2CP
WHEN: Fight phase, just after an enemy unit
WHEN: In any phase, just after you have made a Hit has fought.
roll, a Wound roll, a Damage roll, a saving throw, an TARGET: One unit from your army that is within
Advance roll, a Charge roll, a Desperate Escape test, Engagement Range of one or more enemy units
a Hazardous test, or just after you have rolled the and that has not already been selected to fight
dice to determine the number of attacks made with a this phase.
weapon, for an attack, model or unit from your army.
EFFECT: Your unit fights next.
EFFECT: You re-roll that roll, test or saving throw.

EPIC CHALLENGE
CORE – EPIC DEED STRATAGEM

The legends of the 41st Millennium are replete with

deadly duels between mighty champions.
1CP
WHEN: Fight phase, when a Character unit from
your army that is within Engagement Range of one or
more Attached units is selected to fight.
TARGET: One Character model in your unit.
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, all melee
attacks made by that model have the [PRECISION]
ability (pg 26).

41

CORE RULES | STRATAGEMS

 INSANE BRAVERY FIRE OVERWATCH
CORE – EPIC DEED STRATAGEM CORE – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM

Indifferent to their own survival, these warriors hold A hail of wildfire can drive back advancing foes.
their ground against seemingly impossible odds.
1CP WHEN: Your opponent’s Movement or Charge phase,
WHEN: Battle-shock step of your Command phase, just after an enemy unit is set up or when an enemy
just after you have failed a Battle-shock test taken unit starts or ends a Normal, Advance, Fall Back or
for a unit from your army (pg 11). Charge move.
1CP
TARGET: The unit from your army that Battle-shock TARGET: One unit from your army that is within 24" of
test was just taken for (even though your that enemy unit and that would be eligible to shoot if
Battle-shocked units cannot normally be affected by it were your Shooting phase.
your Stratagems). EFFECT: Your unit can shoot that enemy unit as if it
EFFECT: Your unit is treated as having passed that were your Shooting phase.
test instead, and is not Battle-shocked as a result. RESTRICTIONS: Until the end of the phase, each
time a model in your unit makes a ranged attack,
GRENADE an unmodified Hit roll of 6 is required to score a hit,
irrespective of the attacking weapon’s Ballistic Skill
CORE – WARGEAR STRATAGEM or any modifiers. You can only use this Stratagem
Priming their hand-held projectiles, these warriors once per turn.
draw back and hurl death into the enemy’s midst.
1CP
WHEN: Your Shooting phase. GO TO GROUND
TARGET: One Grenades unit from your army that is CORE – BATTLE TACTIC STRATAGEM
not within Engagement Range of any enemy units
Seeking salvation from incoming fire, warriors hurl
and has not been selected to shoot this phase.
themselves into whatever cover they can find.
EFFECT: Select one enemy unit that is not within 1CP
Engagement Range of any units from your army and WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase, just after an
is within 8" of and visible to your Grenades unit. enemy unit has selected its targets.
Roll six D6: for each 4+, that enemy unit suffers 1 TARGET: One Infantry unit from your army that was
mortal wound. selected as the target of one or more of the attacking
unit’s attacks.
TANK SHOCK EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, all models in
your unit have a 6+ invulnerable save and have the
CORE – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM Benefit of Cover (pg 44).
Ramming the foe with a speeding vehicle may be an
1CP
unsubtle tactic, but it is a murderously effective one.
SMOKESCREEN
WHEN: Your Charge phase. CORE – WARGEAR STRATAGEM
TARGET: One Vehicle unit from your army.
Even the most skilled marksmen struggle to hit targets
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, after your unit veiled by billowing screens of smoke.
ends a Charge move, select one enemy unit within 1CP
Engagement Range of it, then select one melee WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase, just after an
weapon your unit is equipped with. Roll a number of enemy unit has selected its targets.
D6 equal to that weapon’s Strength characteristic. TARGET: One Smoke unit from your army that was
If that Strength characteristic is greater than that selected as the target of one or more of the attacking
enemy unit’s Toughness characteristic, roll two unit’s attacks.
additional D6. For each 5+, that enemy unit suffers 1 EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, all models in your
mortal wound (to a maximum of 6 mortal wounds). unit have the Benefit of Cover (pg 44) and the Stealth
ability (pg 20).
RAPID INGRESS
CORE – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM HEROIC INTERVENTION
Be it cunning strategy, potent technology or CORE – STRATEGIC PLOY STRATAGEM
supernatural ritual, there are many means by which a
1CP commander may hasten their warriors’ onset.
Voices raised in furious war cries, your warriors surge
forth to meet the enemy’s onslaught head-on.
2CP
WHEN: End of your opponent’s Movement phase. WHEN: Your opponent’s Charge phase, just after an
TARGET: One unit from your army that is in Reserves. enemy unit ends a Charge move.
EFFECT: Your unit can arrive on the battlefield TARGET: One unit from your army that is within 6"
as if it were the Reinforcements step of your of that enemy unit and would be eligible to declare
Movement phase. a charge against that enemy unit if it were your
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot use this Stratagem to Charge phase.
enable a unit to arrive on the battlefield during a EFFECT: Your unit now declares a charge that targets
battle round it would not normally be able to do so in. only that enemy unit, and you resolve that charge as
if it were your Charge phase.
RESTRICTIONS: You can only select a Vehicle unit
from your army if it is a Walker. Note that even if 42
this charge is successful, your unit does not receive
any Charge bonus this turn (pg 29).

CORE RULES | STRATAGEMS