Editing Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Imperial Militia and Cults (30k) (section)

===Wargear===
====Ranged Weapons====
This army has staggering variety of less than staggering guns, allowing you precise control over the balance and type of your firepower to affordability.
*'''Auxilia Rifle''': the standard-issue rifle for most of your units. Just an 18" S3 Assault 1 gun. They are described as any weapon ranging from black powder muskets to esoteric lasrifles not seen anywhere else, ''Survivors of a Dark Age'' doesn't apply to it in any case. Kudos to anyone who actually takes fantasy empire muskets on their models and starts mowing down space marines with them.
*'''Auxilia Pistol:''' Flintlock pistols essentially, 8" range and the same damage as the rifle. Characters don't really have the option to take them, since they'll have better laspistols to start with anyway. But your infantry/levy/grenadier squads can take them instead of a rifle giving you extra attacks in close combat when paired with their close combat weapons.
*'''Auxilia Lascarbine:''' The same as the 40k lasgun.
*'''Auxilia Lasrifle:''' Better than the 40k lasrifle because they have 30" range. With the ''Advanced Weapons'' Provenance upgrade from ''Survivors of a Dark Age'', you can overmatch basic bolters at the same strength, but mildly more range.
*'''Bolter:''' Better than the 40k lasrifle because it's an ARMOUR PIERCING ROCKET RIFLE. Not as impressive as it sounds, but you know it and you might just love it. Available to Grenadiers and Command Squads.
*'''Blast Pistol:''' available to most characters. It's S5 and twin linked, which for 5 points seems like a bargain, however it only has a 6" range and ''Gets Hot!'' So you might have little opportunity to use it. 
*'''Hand Flamer:''' available to all of your characters and squad leaders. A good option since you don't have to rely on Ballistic Skill to hit anything and it adds to your overwatch. It is usually one if your more expensive options, but it adds more to a squad than a Bolt pistol or blast pistol, so it should always be considered for each squad sergeant.
*'''Laslock:''' 18" S4 Assault 1, so a straight upgrade from the Auxilia rifle, optionally becoming S5 if you have the ''Survivors of a Dark Age'' Provenance with ''Advanced Weapons'' upgrade (but only for Grenadiers and Platoon Command).
*'''Shotgun:''' Compared to the alternatives is a shorter range but (relatively) strong rank and file assault weapon. Not exactly shooty enough for shooty armies (like most of the other options) nor slashy enough for slashy armies, but an option if you just have to deny charges and want to hurt them at least a little.
*'''Needle Pistol:''' Its a ''Poisoned, Rending'' pistol, not available to regular sergeants but can be taken by Force Commanders and Discipline Masters. At 5 points it should be the default option as it can be a threat to near enough any form of infantry barring Death Guard.
*'''Rotor Cannon:''' Just like what the Legions get, S3 Salvo 3/4 (though it will be S4 if you use the ''Survivors of a Dark Age'' Provenance and ''Advanced Weapons'' upgrade, but only for Grenadiers and Platoon Command). Not very good here either, as it is further hampered by the fact that it can only be taken as a special weapon option in Grenadier squads where it competes with better options. Or by Servo-Automata, who can't even improve it using a Provenance.

====Melee Weapons====
*'''Augmented Weapon:''' An S4 close combat weapon, no matter what the strength of your model is. Can be bought for most characters, but grenadiers can have the whole squad take them instead of their close combat weapon. Still not great considering if you wanted a close combat unit, you'd have built your army with specific provenances to do the job. That said, Gene-Crafted isn't the only melee option so this does have a place, such as in tainted ferals or... Various ferals.
*'''Charnabal Saber:''' Only the Force Commander can take one, giving him/her the Rending rule in melee and +1 Initiative in a Challenge. It's cheap at 5 points and can be considered a throwaway option, but is outclassed by nearly every other option and if your opponent is decked out for melee you're likely going to die. The <u>only</u> situation where it is of any use is if you took the ''Gene Crafted'' provenance so your commander can now strike at S4 & I5 and have a shot against marine sergeants and lesser characters.
*'''Power Weapons:'''
**'''Power Sword:''' In most cases this is a bad option for militia, as you strike after Marines you're likely to never get a chance to use it. As with the Saber above, its function radically changes when you take ''Gene Crafted'', so now you hit at the same strength and speed as those Marines. Just avoid challenges, as you are going to die.
**'''Power Mace:''' A better option than a sword, because unless your opponent forgets to clothe his characters in highly artificed fineries, that S+2 and ''Concussive'' rule will help you a lot more than AP3 will.
**'''Power Axe:''' Probably your best option. You were going to strike last anyway so you might as well resign yourself to that fact. With a few swings this will likely cause wounds to anyone without an Invulnerable save. 
*'''Power Fist:''' Only available to Force/Platoon Commanders. For five more points than an axe you can have a Fist, which wounds on a 2+ rather than the axe's 4+ ''(not counting Gene Crafted, where you could then even insta-kill a marine with your S8)''. However, the Fist falls into the points vortex which sucks up more points because you have to justify your investment: so as a ''Specialist Weapon'' you've got nothing to pair it with, so you need to buy Digi-Weapons or Master-Craft it to improve your attacks, then you'll need a good invulnerable save in order to protect it long enough to take a swing... It goes on, but you're still going to die.
*'''Tainted Weapon:''' specialist weapon CCW that causes instant death. Get your psykers to take it because it's cheap and they have no other option anyway, so you might get lucky. If your Force Commander has the option of taking it, you've bought ''Cult Horde'' and you need to give them a better weapon than this to take advantage of ''Hatred'' and ''Preferred Enemy'' - unless you've taken Tainted Flesh as well, in which case the combination of ''Preferred Enemy, Rending'' and ''Instant Death'' makes the weapon scarier than you think.... Especially against battle automata.

====Special Issue Gear & Armour====
*'''Flak Armour:''' Default for most units and characters. It's a 5+ save but you know that's practically worthless in a marine heavy environment like the Horus Heresy. However with the right Provenance, beefed up flak is as good as Carapace Armour. At least it's better than...
*'''Sub-Flak Armour:''' When you thought Flak offered as much defense as your t-shirt. Sub-Flak is more like wet tissue paper, offering only a 6+ save. Even ''Survivors of the Dark Age'' wont offer any relief cause you're only bumping back to 5+ ''(still useless)'' Thankfully only your disposable Levy squads wear this, so it doesn't really matter if they die.
*'''Carapace Armour:''' comes standard on Grenadiers and can be bought as an upgrade for your HQ units. DO THIS even if you don't take the ''Survivors'' provenance, it gives you an actual save against bolt weapons.
*'''Power Armour:''' you know what this does. Sadly 3+ is as good as it gets; it is not further upgraded using Provenances and you can find ways to get yourself a 3++ save instead, so buying it is strictly optional.
*'''Refractor Field:''' 5+ save for your Force Commander. Can be bought for your Platoon Commanders Enginseers or Discipline Masters.
*'''Iron Halo:''' only available to your Force Commander.
*'''Cyber Familiar:''' This is where it gets interesting: it adds +1 to Invulnerable saves ''(to a maximum of 3+)'' and let's you reroll failed characteristic tests [[Fail|(but not Ld checks)]]. Your first option is to take it as a budget Iron Halo, as its five points cheaper than the Halo for the same save. Or you go the full nine yards and get the 3++ save for twenty five points. You need to decide if your Force Commander is worth that much, cause now you need to load up on even more gear to make your investment worthwhile. But at least this means you don't need to buy Carapace/Power Armour.
**Enginseers can buy a familiar too, but they also need to buy the Refractor Field separately, falling into the same points vortex as the Commander for only a single wound model.
*'''Nuncio Vox:''' only two ways of getting this in your army: either buying it for Enginseers or taken as a compulsory member of your Platoon Command Squad, so they'll rarely be seen on the field. It helps prevent deep strike scatter and spots for barrage weapons. Not a big deal because your army doesn't really deep strike, and Space Marine allies have these pretty much everywhere.
*'''Vexilla:''' available to your big Troops units for 10 points and let's you add +1 to combat resolution, as well as allowing you to attempt regroups normally when below 25% strength. Is it worth it? Ugh... Your soldiers are likely to die in droves in melee, but since your Provenances are nearly all geared towards getting you into melee you're going to want this on your side, if only to stop the pain from being laid on so thickly. If it ever helps you win combat then you've entirely justified its cost.
*'''Platoon Standard:''' only on your Platoon Command Squad, so it won't be a regular fixture in most armies. It grants pseudo-stubborn to friendly militia within 24".  Very useful and is the glue that holds together most militia armies, unlesss you have stubborn elsewhere/in provenance.
*'''Infravisor:''' available to your Force Commander and your Recon squads. Grants ''Night Fight'' but makes you take ''Blind'' tests at Initiative 1. It's cheap enough but you really need to think about what to go with it, as Night Fighting never lasts past the first few turns. So make sure your Recon troops have Sniper Rifles and/or you attach your Force Commander to an artillery battery so you can get the most out of your early game advantage.

====Psyarkana====
As of ''HH8: Malevolence'' the Imperial Militia were granted access to Psyarkana items. Although their level of access is severely limited compared to Space Marine Legions, they do have a handful of items that they are permitted to take. Bearing in mind that the only available Independent Character in the army is the Force Commander.

*'''Icon of the Blazing Sun:'''  Available to Loyaltist Independent Characters. Daemons locked in combat get their WS reduced to 1. With the right gear and Provenance this could make your warlord merely ''alright'' against Daemons as well as giving an attached melee squad a sorely needed edge. The other ability allows you to nullify psychic powers, though with a base Leadership of 8 it is a bit of a gamble otherwise you lose wounds for the attempt. This psy-relic does have uses, but it's almost certainly not worth specialising that much.
*'''Liber Magra Veneficarum:''' Traitor Independent Characters only. Get one level of Psychic Mastery and the ''Incursion'' power. The guaranteed ability to summon Daemon Brutes/Beasts can be pretty cool, though as a WC3 Daemonology power it might be a bit difficult to manifest without having a few extra warp charges in the bank, but luckily traitors can also take Rogue Psykers as other HQ choices. 
*'''Terminal Lucidity Injectors:''' No, your Force Commander is not strong enough to justify one final burst of ranged shooting or one final melee attack ''(that still needs to roll to hit and to wound)'' is just not worth it.
*'''Psy-Resonant Pentacles:''' A cheap option that can really mess with Daemons or Psykers in close combat by dropping them to the rear of the Initiative order, so if you have the Force Commander in a melee squad like Ogryns you could pull off something surprising. It's cheap enough that if you know you're fighting the right opponent you can take it as a throwaway option that makes itself useful, just don't spring for an Iron Halo because it overrides the save with a 5++.
*'''Armatus Necrotechnica:''' 50 points to give a tank the ability to self-heal on a 6+ whenever models within 6" lose wounds, as well as dropping Ld values by -1 in the same radius. While this sounds underwhelming, it does apply the healing ''every time'' models lose wounds and not just once per turn. It is probably too expensive to put on a Leman Russ tank, Malcadors might do better, but Stormhammers with EIGHT Heavy Flamers are suddenly going to be impossible to kill once they get within firing range and have a large enough table footprint that the Ld Aura will be huge.

====Relics====
The Imperial Militia use the generic list of Dark Age of Technology relics everyone uses, but there are no specific ones to their army. So they don't get anything unique. Since they are restricted for IC use, the only ones with access to them would be the Force Commander or a Traitorous Rogue psyker, and both would  be good recipients for such an item, particularly because the army relies on them much more than the Solar Auxilia does.

In a campaign you're only allowed one character with a relic which you'll be stuck for the rest of the campaign, so be sure of your decision. If the relic bearer is killed, the side that killed him can choose to play a Relic Hunt mission, where the winner steals (or recovers) the relic, even if it's a Legion specific one, but a Draw means that relic is effectively lost for everyone. Still, you can always opt to play a 'Relic Hunt' mission at the beginning of every campaign phase to [[Blood_Ravens|acquire]] FREE relics, where your war zone-assigned character must be deployed and thus miss all other missions played in that phase...but that way you can [[Adeptus_Mechanicus|hoard up]] on [[Blood_Ravens|relics]], even getting duplicates of the non-faction-specific ones, by rolling a D6 on the 'Relic Uncovered' table below. Of course, this only matters when playing missions instead of casual gaming, enjoy!

*'''#1 Nanyte Blaster:''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_goo Grey Goo] gun of uncontrolled carnage!!! It's a S5 AP2 Fleshbane weapon, where if it kills anyone you center a large blast over the dead model on a die roll of 4+, causing a S5 AP2 hit to those underneath it. Unlike Volkite, each model who dies to this can cause ''yet MOAR'' large blasts on further rolls of a 4+. All you need to do is get one casualty and you can wipe out an entire unit! Smashing! Hilarious when it really works.
*'''#2 Warp Shunt Field:''' 3++ against shooting, however for every save of a 6+ (against direct fire weapons) the shooting unit suffers D6 S5 hits. This is the only risk-free defensive relic. Also hilarious if you get really lucky. 
*'''#3 Phase Walker:''' Each moving phase, instead of moving you may place the bearer anywhere you like, counting as having just deep struck but with no scatter. If you move through a solid object you have to take a dangerous terrain check for EACH solid object you went through (including all models) so be wary of abusing it in city scenarios. Quite nice for Void Masters, who have Move through Cover, so feel free to abuse it. Too bad this leaves behind the rest of his unit, and commanders aren't known for being one-men armies. If you're up against an Assault heavy army though or are playing a Zone Mortalis/Cities of Death game it can make it's points back as your Warlord retreats through walls (and into another unit) so he can't be assaulted, like a panic button.
*'''#4 Combat Augment Array:''' Once per game, at the beginning of any of the controller's player turn, he may count any '''single''' die (only 1) rolled as an automatic 6 (Emails from FW confirm). However, he must also pass Toughness tests for each remaining wound. If he fails he suffers a wound with no saves or mitigating FnP rolls of any kind. A Cyber familiar can mitigate the danger by granting a re-roll on the commander tests. However, you're paying 35pts for '''one''' guaranteed 6 - nice combo with a Paragon Blade, but given that everyone strikes before you...[[Tau|do you really want to be in Close combat]]?
*'''#5 Cloaking Array:''' Once per game, at the ''beginning'' of ANY game turn you may make yourself invisible for that whole game turn (ie. on the 3rd turn both in your and your opponent's turn, thus starting on your enemy's turn if he goes first). You cannot be shot or charged at unless the enemy unit contains psykers or daemons, in which case the array immediately shuts down (so now ''everyone'' can hit you, not just the previous two). Unfortunately you cannot activate it while attached to a squad or if engaged in close combat already. You also cannot shoot, assault, move or ''do anything at all''. So your model stands on the same spot invisible but doing nothing during a whole game turn. Since you don't want your commander to be alone, pass on this one.
*'''#6 Void Shield Harness:''' Yep. You can get a [[Void_shields|voidshield]] for your dude. It's a large blast-sized shield, centered on your dude but protecting anyone that fits inside. Glancing, Penetrating and Destroyer hits will collapse the shield, but it can be restored at the end of your turn on a 5+, and with AV12 you'll be immune to most small arms fire. However, a result of Explodes! will overload the shield, disabling it for the rest of the game and placing a S6 AP4 Large Blast template centered on the bearer - that's '''Instant Death''' for your commander and his friends, who won't get their armor saves, so get the hell away from Meltaguns.