Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Deathwatch

This page is in need of cleanup. Srsly. It's a fucking mess.

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This is the current 9th Edition's Deathwatch tactics. 8th Edition Tactics are here.

Why Play Deathwatch

Cover art for the 7th Ed codex. Yes, he has a Necron sword. Just plug in the batteries....

The battle-brothers of the Deathwatch are the foremost xenos hunters in the Imperium. They are a black-clad brotherhood of noble warriors, bound by ancient oaths to defend Mankind from the alien, no matter its form. Hand-picked from the breadth of the Adeptus Astartes for their expertise in the slaughter of xenos threats, each of those who have joined the Long Vigil is a hero, tempered in the furnace of conflict and girded for battle with an arsenal of specialist weaponry. When the Watch Companies of the Deathwatch go to war en masse, there is no alien in the expanse of the galaxy that they cannot overcome.

"Amongst a hundred men, there may be one fit for the Adeptus Astartes. Amongst a hundred Space Marines, there may be one fit for the Deathwatch."- Watch Captain Brand MacLir

Pros

• Spacemarines: If you like space marines, these are space marines...
• Simple Paint Scheme: No sub-chapters in Deathwatch, just the one Black+Silver faction. Makes for a very easy paint scheme.
• Improved Tactical Flexibility: Base Space Marines already Specialize in tactical Flexibilty, Deathwatch take it a stepfurther. Lots and lots of options.
  • Mixed weapon loadouts within your Troops units.
  • Pseudo Devastator Troops: Deathwatch Veterans with Missile Launchers/heavy Bolters
  • Biker/Terminator/Aggressor Troops and others: Kill Team troops allow non-troop for the second half of their unit, can then combat squad and effectively have 5-man troops outriders, terminator-troops, and so forth
  • Teleportation Stratagem for Infantry/Bikers/Dreadnoughts: For the many units that don't have/don't want to pay for a transport, you can now just deep strike them with a stratagem.
• Hobby Flexibility: Really flexible chapter from a kitbashing/converting standpoint
  • If you assembled your primaris kit wrong and have a weird mix of weapons in your primaris unit that can't be taken in another chapter, no problem in deathwatch. Mixed weapons for everyone.
  • Deathwatch are drawn from every loyalist chapter, so if you have a bunch of marines from random chapters, no problem, they can all go Deathwatch.
    • Depending on how much you care about the fluff, this could include chaos space marines. As long as they are black with the silver shoulder, they're just another Deathwatch Marine as far as most care.
• Codex is optimized for Crusade games.

Cons

• Tough learning army: Too many choices, both in list creation and while playing. And the army needs you to remember everything to maximize it's potential.
• Lots of Tempting Expensive Choices: Deathwatch armies tend to be low model count because of all the fun toys they can buy.
• You're still Space Marines: still vulnerable to anything space marines struggle against.
• Several Stratagems are enemy faction specific, so it can be disheartening feeling like you have less than others since 5 of the stratagems only apply when engaging a specific xenos faction.
• Compared to a bunch of newer codexes in 9th, such as Chaos Space Marines or T'au, the Crusade Rules section is very lackluster. Newer codexes have an interesting mechanic to help grow your force (going back to CSM, you can expand your warband, make deals with the gods, ascend to daemonhood, etc.), and Deathwatch doesn't, making it feel very one-dimensional. Somehow, the official "your dudes" faction of 40k is one of the least unique in the game.

Special Rules

• Xenos Hunters (Chapter Tactic): Everything in the Deathwatch Detachments has this. Re-roll melee hit rolls of 1 against Tyranids, Aeldari, Ork, Necrons or T'au Empire units. After deployment, pick a battlefield role (Troops, Fast Attack, Elites, Heavy Support, HQ, Flyers, Dedicated Transports, Fortifications, or Lords of War), all units re-roll 1s to wound against anything belonging to one chosen battlefield role.

• Kill-Team Specialisms: Interacts with Chapter Tactic above. This lets you re-roll wound rolls against specific battlefield slots. Upgrades Kill Team units (increases power level and points cost), but each upgrade once per army. Each Kill Team can be upgraded once with one of the following:
  • Aquila: After picking a Battlefield Role for your Chapter Tactic, this unit can pick another role to re-roll wounds against.
  • Venator: Re-roll wound rolls of 1 (or all wound rolls if you picked this role for your Chapter Tactics) against Fast Attack and Flyers.
  • Malleus: Re-roll wound rolls of 1 (or all wound rolls if you picked this role for your Chapter Tactics) against Heavy Support, Lord of War, Dedicated transports.
  • Dominus: Re-roll wound rolls of 1 (or all wound rolls if you picked this role for your Chapter Tactics) against Elites.
  • Furor: Re-roll wound rolls of 1 (or all wound rolls if you picked this role for your Chapter Tactics) against Troops.
  • Purgatus: Re-roll wound rolls of 1 (or all wound rolls if you picked this role for your Chapter Tactics) against HQ.

• Special Issue Ammunition: Weapons with this rule can pick between "ammo types" right before they shoot, to modify their shooting.
  • Dragonfire Bolts: Ignores the "benefits of cover" for this attack. Note that if the target has an improved bonus for cover, this ignores that too, as it's still a benefit of cover.
  • Hellfire Rounds: Attacks with this ammo gain +1 to the wound roll against non-Vehicle and non-Titanic targets.
  • Kraken Bolts: This ammo grants +6" range and improves the AP by -1. This is one of the few rules that is explicitly cumulative with Combat Doctrines.
  • Vengeance Round: Add 1 damage to the attack.

• Troops gain Objective Secured.

• Company Command: Can only have one Captain and two Lieutenant per Detachment. There's no chapter variants for Deathwatch so other aspects of this C:SM rule don't apply.

• Chapter Command: Explains how some characters can be upgraded to improved versions of themselves. Librarian becomes Chief Librarian sort of thing. It is noteworthy that Deathwatch cannot upgrade a Captain to a Chapter Master - the Watch Master (C:DW) is the Chapter Master equivalent for Deathwatch.

• Combat Squads: If a squad is at max size and has this rule, then, during deployment, you can split them into two half-size units that operate for the entire game as if they were separate units. For Deathwatch Kill Teams, this is big thing because Deathwatch can take mixed units, so we can create combinations of these half-size units that are not normally allowed in Space Marine Armies.
  • Regarding the trade-off, with two half-size units you'd normally have two sergeants which have the better leadership and attacks. So you just get the one sergeant, but you have a Max squad that can also be 2x half squads AFTER knowing what the opponent has. Sometimes you want the bigger unit, sometimes you want more targets for the opponent to have to choose between.
  • You can also use this to effectively exceed unit entry maximums. Like if you want to spam Devastator Centurions, for example, but the 40k format you are playing says no more than 3x duplicate unit entries. So you can field 3x max units of Devastator Centurions, and then split them into 6x half-size squads, effectively giving you what would normally require 6x duplicate unit entires.
  • In Crusade, a unit is not considered destroyed unless BOTH halves of the unit are deceased, at least with regards to the roll to see if the unit earns battle scars. So if half dies horribly and the other half stays out of danger, then the whole unit survives (somehow) without any roll to earn battle scars.

• Mixed Units: Explains how to handle the weird situations that occur with mixed units made via Kill Teams having so many options.
  • If you have a squad with mixed toughness scores (by adding Bikers to a Veteran Squad for instance), you use the majority toughness for the unit. If there is an even split, you choose.
  • The unit as a whole is treated to only have the Infantry keyword for the sake of simplifying terrain interaction. Terminators, Bikers, and Jump Pack models retain their keywords only for the purpose of Bolter Discipline, Transports, or they make a unit of only them.

• Angels of Death: A rule owned by all Space Marine whatever its colour, subdivided into four. Because GW likes to keep it simple.
  • And They Shall Know No Fear: When taking Combat Attrition Tests, ignore all modifiers.
  • Bolter Discipline: In addition to normal rapid fire rules, this rule tweaks rapid fire bolt weapons wielded by SM to also grant the rapid fire double shots for Terminators AND Bikers. And for Movement Phase Stationary Infantry (excluding Centurions) units (whole unit).
  • Shock Assault: If a unit with this rule charges, gets charged, or performs a Heroic Intervention, models in the unit gain +1A until the end of the turn. This is every model with this rule, even ones with cruddy melee stats, such as a Rhino.
  • Combat Doctrine: (Armies entirely SM get this one, so if you take non-SM allies, ignore this one). Anyway, this rule is handled in weapon groups, called doctrines. Devastator Doctrine covers Heavy Weapons and Grenades, Tactical Doctrine is Rapid Fire and Assault weapons, and Assault Doctrine is Melee weapons and Pistols. When activated, the doctrine will apply a -1 AP modifier to those weapons from your army. So like when Assault Doctrine is active, every pistol in the army has an extra -1 AP. This lasts for an entire battle round.

If the Army is entirely Deathwatch, you can just pick, in the command phase, which doctrine to use. Devastator Doctrine can be picked once, Tactical Doctrine twice, and Assault Doctrine up to three times.

If the Army is entirely SM, but not entirely Deathwatch, you don't pick the order. Instead, Devastator Doctrine is always round 1. Tactical Doctrine is always round 2. On round 3, you can pick between either Tactical or Assault Doctrines. And on round 4+ it's always Assault Doctrine.

• Armour of Contempt: The Balance Dataslate added this rule (which is not to be confused with the stratagem of the same name). Any ranged attacks against your SM reduce their AP by 1. The only time this doesn't apply is if you already have a Storm Shield/Relic Shield, or if you have any other AP reduction power (like if you reduced the AP of incoming attacks).

• Death From Above/Teleport Strike: Deep Strike rule. Set them to side during deployment and set them up 9" from enemy models during the Reinforcement Step.

• Concealed Positions: Infiltrate. Set them up anywhere on field 9" from enemy deployment zone or models during deployment.

• Outflank: Like Deep Strike, but must be wholly within 6" of a board edge and 9" from enemy models during the Reinforcement Step.

• Martial Legacy (FW): Relic unit rules for certain Forge World models. If your army is battle-forged, each unit with this rule increases the cost of a detachment that includes it by 1CP. Essentially you pay 1CP per Martial Legacy unit in your army.

Crusade Additions

<tabs> <tab name="Agendas">

• Secure Xenotech - "Steal Alien Weapons" if you selected this Agenda then, after Deployment, your opponent must place 1 additional Objective Marker anywhere on the battlefield that is not in their respective Deployment Zone. Deathwatch Infantry units can perform Secure Xenotech Action at the end of your Movement phase, while within 3" of this objective and there is no enemy units within 3" of the Objective. This Action is completed at the beginning of your next Command Phase and if it is completed the Xenotech Objective is removed. At the end of the battle:
  • If Unit completed this action it receives 3 Exp;
  • If this Unit is wholly within your Deployment zone, it receives 5 Exp instead of 3 and before the next battle you can use Relic Requisition or Bestowed in Honour and Necessity Requisition for 0 RP.
• Watch Eternal - if there are no enemy units within 6" of your Deployment zone at the end of the battle each alive Deathwatch unit gains 2 Exp;
• Suffer not the Alien - can only select this Agenda if you fight against Xenos Faction. Keep a tally for each unit increasing it by 1 for each Xenos unit detroyed by them. The unit gains 1 Exp for each 2 points of their tally.
• Strength from Diversity - keep Ranged and Melee tallies for each unit increasing it by 1 for each enemy unit destroyed by ranged or melee attack. Your units receive 2 Exp if they have at least 1 point in each tally;
• Xenopsyker Assault - can only select this Agenda if your opponent have Xenos Psyker units in their army. Keep a tally for each of your units, increasing it by 1 for each successful Deny the Witch test and by 2 for each Xenos Psyker unit killed. Your units receive Exp points equal to their tally.

</tab> <tab name="Requisitions">

• Bestowed in Honour and Necessity (1 RP) - finally the way for Sergeant to have a Relic! Purchase this when you add a Crusade Card or when unit gains a rank. You can give one of the following Relics to Sergeant model as if they were Character: Artificer Armour, Master-crafted Weapon, Digital Weapons, Banebolts of Eryxia or Artificer Bolt Cache;
• Kill-Team Specialism (1 RP) - give one of the Specialism to your Kill-Team unit when it reaches Battle-Hardened rank;
• Expiation in Vigil (1 RP) - some more Black Shields in your army! Purchase this requisition when you add a Deathwatch Core unit to your Order of Battle, one of it's not-Sergeant models becomes a Black Shield - it gains 2+ WS, +1A and +1W and counts as Black Shield for the purposes of Atonement through Honour Stratagem;
• Rearm, Reform, Redeploy (1 RP) - Purchase this Requisition before or after the Battle. You can reconfigure wargear options for one of your Kill-Team units and also change it's optional models. As with all Requisitions like this, your Order of Battle must have enough Supply Limit to handle extra weight of your units, should it increase.

</tab> <tab name="Battle Traits">

• Watch Master or Watch Captain only:
  • Voice of Experience - pick a Deathwatch unit within 6" of the model in your Command Phase and until the end of the turn it is considered being in range of all aura abilities that this model have;
  • Executioner Emeritus - improve the AP of each attack the model makes by one, both ranged and melee.
• Deathwatch Chaplain only:
  • Perpetual Repugnance - if Chaplain is within 12" of any Xenos Faction he is to angry to be uninspiring, so his rolls for Litanies automatically pass;
  • Promulgator of the Litany - increase Chaplain's Spiritual Leaders aura radius by 6".
• Deathwatch Librarian only:
  • Scholar of the Forbidden Librarius - each time at the beginning of battle Librarian can change Smite to one of the Xenopurge Discipline powers for the duration of battle;
  • Mental Duellist - once per enemy Psychic Phase Librarian can reroll one of Deny the Witch tests.
• Deathwatch Units only (except Vehicle units):
  • Duty's Bond - unit can use Brotherhood of Veterans Stratagem for 0 CP;
  • Unwavering Enmity - while unit is in Engagement Range of any Xenos it always counts as charged for the purposes of Shock Assault;
  • Chosen Prey - pick one of the Xenos Factions (Necron, Aeldari, T'au Empire, Orks or Tyranids). Add +1 to hit each time unit attacks selected Faction in both Shooting and Melee;
  • Rapid Appraisal - unit can use Special-issue Loadout Stratagem for 0 CP;
  • Mobile Hunters - unit counts as Remained Stationary for the purposes of Bolter Discipline;
  • Special Operations - while unit is in opponent's Deployment zone it counts as having ObSec (or twice as many models if it already has ObSec, which will come much more often).

</tab> <tab name="Masters of the Specialisms"> Deathwatch alternative to Space Marines Honorifics for your Watch Masters and Watch Captains. Watch Captains can only have one of them and you can't have 2 Captains with same specialism in your Order of Battle. Watch Master are exempt from both of this rules - they can have more than 1 specialism and RAW you can have more than one Watch Master with the same set of Specialisms.

• Master Aquila:
  • Character gains Aquila Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 4 Exp instead of 3.
• Master Venator:
  • Character gains Venator Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy Fast Attack or Flyer unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 5 Exp instead of 3.
• Master Malleus:
  • Character gains Malleus Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy Heavy Support, Lord of War or Dedicated Transport unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 5 Exp instead of 3.
• Master Dominatus:
  • Character gains Dominatus Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy Elites unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 5 Exp instead of 3.
• Master Furor:
  • Character gains Furor Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy Troops unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 5 Exp instead of 3.
• Master Purgatus:
  • Character gains Purgatus Specialism.
  • At the end of the battle they took part of, you can also pick a Core unit that destroyed an enemy HQ unit. If it is "Marked for Greatness" it receives 5 Exp instead of 3.

Captain Artemis is considered to have Master Furor.

</tab> <tab name="Battle Scars"> Deathwatch specific Battle Scars are interesting, as they simultaneously buff and debuff your units:

• Bring not Shame to Your Chapter:
  • Buff - Affected unit is able to use Atonement Through Honour Stratagem even if it doesn't have Black Shield in it. In case it has - the Stratagem costs 0 CP.
  • Debuff - Each time affected unit is selected to Shoot or Charge roll a D6 - on a roll of 1 it can only Shoot or Charge the closest enemy unit.
• A Brotherhood in Turmoil:
  • Buff - Affected unit gains +1S and +1 on Charge and Advance rolls.
  • Debuff - Unit suffers from both Disgraced (can't use any Stratagem's on the unit) and Mark of Shame (unit is unaffected by friendly aura abilities) Battle Scars from the Core rulebook.
• Xenophobic Furore - can only be received if unit was destroyed by Xenos Faction and works only if the same Faction is present on the battlefield (doesn't matter whether said Faction is friendly or enemy):
  • Buff - Affected unit gains +1A.
  • Debuff - Unit can't perform any actions and are ignored for the purposes of holding objectives (Black Rage: Light Edition I guess...).

</tab> <tab name="Special-issue Equipment"> Deathwatch Infantry and Biker units can pick SIW or SIA from this categories as their Battle Honour, but no more that one from each category per unit.

• Special-issue Wargear:
  • Onyx-class Blind Grenades - gain Smokescreen keyword;
  • Dragonheart Charges - gain Melta Bomb keyword;
  • Neurostun Grenades - gain Shock Grenades keyword;
  • Heuristic Revelators - if you attack enemy unit within 18" it doesn't receive benefits of cover (thanks to FAQ all of them: Light, Dense, etc.);
  • Teleport Transponders - each model in the unit gains Teleport Strike ability;
  • Soultrawl Divinator - Lowers the cost of Auspex Scan Stratagem to 1 CP for the unit and increases the Stratagem's range to 18".
• Special-issue Ammunition - can be picked even by units, whose weapons don't have Special-issue Ammunition rule, but will only be able to use it through Special-issue Loadout Stratagem or Artificer Bolt Cache Relic.
  • Derevenant Shells - can't make Reanimation Protocol rolls for Necron models killed by this SIA;
  • Helspears - Psyker and Daemon units invulnerable saves are only successful on an unmodified roll of 6 against this SIA;
  • Tempest Bolts - the weapon loses 6" of range but wounds Vehicle units on unmodified roll of 4+;
  • Metal Storm Frag Shells - weapon becomes Assault D3 with Blast rule.
  • Thermic Penetrator Rounds - gain +1AP (-1 becomes -2) and +1 to hit. AP buff is cumulative with the one from the Combat Doctrines;
  • Inertial Fusion Bolts - models can't use any rules to ignore wounds (aka Feel no Pain) against wounds from this SIA.

</tab> <tab name="Crusade Relics">

• Artificer Relics - Can be taken by any Deathwatch Character
  • The Arachnosavant's Illuminator - something to bump up your weapons with access to Special-issue Ammo, the target suffers a mortal wound per each successful wound roll instead of other damage.
• Antiquity Relics - Can be taken by Heroic or higher ranked Deathwatch Character and increases their Crusade Points by 1 (to a total of 2 if you account Battle Honour).
  • Mag-Pulse Discharger - once per enemy Charge Phase select charging enemy unit within 12" of the bearer. The selected unit suffers -2 to their charge roll.
• Legendary Relics - Can be taken by Legendary ranked Deathwatch Character. It requires 1 RP to be spent and increases Character's Crusade Points by 2 (3 in total with Battle Honour).
  • The Watcher's Veil - makes Deathwatch Core and Character units within 6" of the bearer untargetable for enemy units further than 30" and enemy units also suffer -1 to hit them with ranged attacks.

</tab> </tabs>

Secondary Objectives

<tabs> <tab name="Purge the Enemy">

• Cull Order (End Game): After deployment, both players (starting with your opponent) alternate picking Battlefield Roles from units in your opponents army until both players have selected three in total (if your opponent has no Heavy Support units, you cannot nominate that as one of your three choices). Score 5VP at the end of the game if you destroy all units in your opponents army with that role.

</tab> <tab name="No Mercy, No Respite">

• Suffer Not The Alien (End Game): Score 1VP at the end of the battle round for each Aeldari, Necron, Ork, Tau Empire, and Tyranid unit killed by a Deathwatch unit.

</tab> <tab name="Shadow Operations">

• Cripple Stronghold (Progressive): after deployment, your opponent selects one objective as a stronghold. If there are objectives in your opponents deployment zone, one of those objectives must be picked. Deathwatch Infantry units can perform the Cripple Stronghold Action by being the only friendly unit in range of that objective at the end of your Movement Phase until the start of your next Command Phase. Score 6VP if you successfully complete this action.

</tab> <tab name="Battlefield Supremacy">

• The Long Vigil (Progressive): +5VP at the start of your Command Phase if there are no enemy non-Aircraft units within 6" of your deployment zone and one non-Aircraft Deathwatch unit entirely within your deployment zone. Cannot be scored in the first battle round.

</tab> </tabs>

Stratagems

<tabs> <tab name="Battle Tactics">

• Death to the Alien! (1 CP): Used when a DEATHWATCH unit is selected to fight. Gain +1 attack when in engagement range with a Tyranid, Aeldari, Ork, Necrons, or T'au Empire unit.

• Prognostication Volley (1 CP): Anti-Eldar. When a Deathwatch unit shoots at a Aeldari unit, ignore any hit and ballistic skill modifiers.
  • Since you can only take a final max of -/+ 1 for hit rolls this is especially useful for shooting flyers, as it is effectively a normal round of shooting against something with the "hard to hit" rule. Alternate take... However you can still shoot bikes, HQ's and all of the other non-aircraft units that have flying, not to mention this also works against Drukhari as they also have the correct keyword. Of course, don't forget that you do have access to auto hitting weapons like heavy flamers that will put Eldar jetbikes in a world of hurt no matter how many debuffs to hit those pointy-eared cowards hide behind.

• Synaptic Severance (1 CP): Anti-Tyranid. Until the end of the phase, a DEATHWATCH unit auto-wounds on hit rolls of 6 against Tyranid Synapse units.

</tab> <tab name="Epic Deed">

• Adaptive Tactics (2 CP): In the command phase, if you have a Watch Master on the battlefield, you can change the battlefield role you selected for Xenos Hunters.

• Atonement through Honour (1 CP): During opponent's charge phase, a Deathwatch unit with a black shield can heroically intervene.

</tab> <tab name="Requisition">

• Sanction of the Black Vault (1 CP): One use. A sergeant can take Artificer armour, Master-crafted weapon, Digital weapon, Banebolts, or Artificer bolt cache. The best uses here are either storm bolters a bolters-only Centurion SERGEANT with an Artificer bolt cache (this is the only way to put special-issue ammunition on heavy bolters or hurricane bolters, and you can do both on one model), or a master-crafted thunder hammer. Hell, double down and mastercraft a heavy thunder hammer for a whopping D5 beat-stick hidden away in your vet squad. Overkill? Maybe, but hilarious nonetheless!

• A Vigil Unmatched (1 CP): One use. Give an additional DEATHWATCH warlord trait to your DEATHWATCH character Warlord. Absolute bargain, the potential combos are mouthwatering.

</tab> <tab name="Strategic Ploy">

• Priority Doctrine Adoption (1 CP): Usable only if running a pure DEATHWATCH army. A DEATHWATCH unit can benefit from a different combat doctrine.

• Brotherhood of Veterans (2 CP): For the turn, a DEATHWATCH unit can replace Xenos Hunters with another Chapter or successor tactic.
  • This is actually so incredible, and so versatile. Got a backfield unit with lots of heavy weapons, whack the Dangles tactic so they're hitting on a 2+. Got a melee unit about to charge in, stick the Flesh Tearers' tactic to get your rip and tear on. With all the different chapter tactics available its less of a "should I use this?" and more of a "who do I use this on?" Not to mention super fluffy.
  • Warded Successor trait allows a 5+ ignoring of mortal wounds.

• Disruptive Launch (1 CP): A DEATHWATCH unit with a Jump Pack model can shoot when they fallback.

• Teleportarium (1 CP): You can set a DEATHWATCH INFANTRY unit, DEATHWATCH Biker or DEATHWATCH DREADNOUGHT in a Teleportarium chamber instead of placing it on the battlefield. One use only for small-sized games, two uses in Strike Force games, and three uses for Onslaught sized games.
  • Allows units like DEATHWATCH CENTURION ASSAULT SQUAD to deepstrike with meltas and hurricane bolters 9-11" from of the enemy, which really, rather dramatically improves the viability of that unit.

• Relentless Assault (1 CP): A DEATHWATCH unit with a biker model can fall back and charge.
  • note that this applies to

• Overkill (1 CP): Anti-Necron. After fighting or shooting a Necron unit, -1 to its reanimation protocols from that attack.

• Stem the Green Tide (2 CP): Anti-Ork. Use when a Ork unit charges a Deathwatch unit, they can fire Overwatch and grant the charging unit -2" to their charge roll if you kill a model. High risk high reward: reducing enemy charge ranges is always useful, but you have to hit the orks in overwatch first, let alone kill them. Useful if you have a Captain nearby, but still a gambit against armoured things like Mega-armoured Nobz. Useless if the ork charges with the transport first.
  • Auto-hit weapons (Frag Cannons, Combi-Flamers, Flamestorm Gauntlets) benefit the most; they'll need to be in the 8" range, but even such a close-range charge will automatically fail if you kill 5 orks. Only 4 kills needed to completely deny a 9" deepstrike charge, and even a single casualty debuffs the Here We Go chance from roughly 1/2 to 1/3.
  • Now it only subtracts 2" if you kill any models, so arguably lost a lot of its function.
  • Doesn't require you to use the Overwatch stratagem, so you can use this to Overwatch twice

• Targeting Scramblers (1 CP): Anti-Tau. Use after an enemy T'au unit has resolved all attacks in the shooting phase against a Deathwatch unit. Remove all markerlight tokens from it.

</tab> <tab name="Wargear">

• Shroud Field (2 CP): During the first battle round, Corvis Blackstars can't be targeted with shooting unless they're the closest target.

• Clavis (1 CP): During fight phase, Select a vehicle within 1" of a Watch Master. The Vehicle suffers D3 mortal wounds and it fights last. Good for dealing that last bit of damage to destroy it or bring it down a wound bracket, and then letting the guys beat it up more in case it's a Dreadnought or titanic.

• Special Issue Loadout (2 CP): Can give one Deathwatch infantry's bolt weapons Special issue ammunition but their type is changed to Heavy 1. For obvious reasons this works well with bolt weapons that are already Heavy 1 (e.g. stalker bolt rifles, executor bolt rifles). Can't be used with the bolt sniper rifles the Eliminators use since they already have their own specialist ammunition.
  • Since it changes the type to Heavy, that does mean that the current doctrine will apply as if the weapon is heavy, which is something to consider when using. Also means potential penalties for moving and shooting as infantry or for shooting from melee as a vehicle, and will make Pistols on non-vehicles unable to fire in melee.

</tab> </tabs>

Warlord Traits

Named Characters MUST use their designated Chapter-Specific trait, thus increasing the appeal of taking an unnamed character.

<tabs> <tab name="Deathwatch">

1. Vigilance Incarnate: Each Command Phase, pick a Battlefield Role. Deathwatch Core units within 6" re-roll wound rolls of 1 against those units. Useful on a Captain to save you taking a Lieutenant. Watch Captain Artemis fixed trait.
2. Paragon of their Chapter: Pick <Chapter> Warlord Trait from Codex Space Marines (you can't pick one from a supplement). Note you have to pick one from the Chapter your Character is modelled from. Successor Chapters must choose the WT of their parent chapter.
   • White Scars - Deadly Hunter: When the Warlord makes a charge move, choose one enemy unit within 1" and roll a d6. It suffers a mortal wound on a 2+.
   • Space Wolves - Beastslayer: +1A and +1 to hit and wound rolls when fighting a Monster or Vehicle. Use a S8 weapon to wound most models on a 2+.
   • Imperial Fists - Architect of War: Nearby Deathwatch Core units in cover treat AP-1 attacks as AP0. Lessens the effect of common AP-1 multi damage weapons. The only Aura guy.
     • Doesn't stack with Armour of Contempt universal matched play rule.
   • Crimson Fists - Refuse to Die: When at the end of the phase in which this model loses their last wound. On a 4+, they are placed as close as possible to their last position with d3W remaining.
   • Black Templars - Oathkeeper: 6" horizontal and 5" vertical heroic intervention. Not being left out is good, I guess.
   • Blood Angels - Speed of the Primarch: Always fight first. And you're the faction with heavy thunder hammers and invulnerable-ignoring swords.
   • Flesh Tearers - Merciless Butcher: +d3A if there are five or more enemy models within 3" of the Warlord.
   • Iron Hands - Adept of the Omnissiah: Non-Techmarine Warlords heal one Deathwatch Vehicle within 1" by one lost wound. Techmarine Warlords heal d3+1 lost wounds.
   • Ultramarines - Adept of the codex: Refund 1 CP on 5+. You always need more CP.
   • Salamander - Anvil of Strength: +2S. Rarely a bad thing. You always wound T3 on a 2+ and T4 on a 2+ if your weapon is at least +2S (power axes and relic blades).
   • Raven Guard - Echo of the Ravenspire: If your Warlord is 6" or more from an enemy model, then once per game you may remove the model from the board at the end of your Movement Phase and Deep Strike him at the end of your next one. Lets your Warlord keep up with your Spectrus team when they do their own "Guerrilla Tactics" teleport.
   • Dark Angels - Brilliant Strategist: Select one friendly unit within 6" of the Warlord. Until the next Command Phase, that unit counts as being in the Devastator Doctrine if the Tactical Doctrine is active for your army, or in the Tactical Doctrine if the Assault Doctrine is active for your army.
3. Nowhere to Hide: Select an enemy unit at the start of each Shooting Phase. That unit cannot claim cover against attacks made by Deathwatch Core units within 6" of the Warlord.
4. Optimised Priority: Deathwatch Core units within 6 of a Warlord can shoot and make an action.
5. Castellan of the Black Vault: The Warlord can take one of the following in addition to any other relics: Master-Crafted, Artificer Armour, Adamantine Mantle.
6. The Ties That Bind us: Deathwatch Core units within 6" of the Warlord re-roll morale checks. In addition, in your Command Phase pick one Deathwatch Core unit within 6" of the Warlord to gain Objective Secured. If that unit already has Ob Sec, each model counts as two for purposes of deciding who controls the objective.

</tab> <tab name="Space Marine">

1. Fear Made Manifest (Aura): Enemy units within 6" suffer -1Ld and -1 to Combat Attrition Tests.
   • Can be combined with other Ld debuffs to make a leadership bomb, but even on its own losing people on a 5+ Combat Attrition roll already means losing 1/3rd of the unit, or half of it when understrength.
2. The Imperium's Sword: What Smash Captains are made of. Warlord gains +1S and +1A when he charges or Heroically Intervenes, and rerolls failed charge rolls. The bonus attack stacks with Shock Assault.
3. Iron Resolve: What Smashfuckers are made of. Warlord gains +1W, and can ignore wounds on a 6. Not dying is nice, and it's better the more wounds your character has.
4. Champion of Humanity: Warlord gains +1A if an enemy Character is within 1", and gains +1 to hit and wound rolls against Characters within 1".
   • Remember, you don't have to attack the Character to gain +1A, you just need to be within 1".
5. Storm of Fire (Aura): Wound rolls of unmodified 6 made by and <Chapter> Core unit within 6" gains an additional point of AP. This does not stack with Combat Doctrines.
   • Since light weapons with high rates of fire are often cheaper than stronger, single-shot ones, this Warlord Trait can allow a detachment to pull its weight even at low point limits. Furthermore, it's easy for them to synergize with your Warlord because many are Infantry or Transports that can accompany him. While mechanized and Biker lists are shooty, Bolter Discipline means bolt-using units from this list are no longed forced to move into rapid fire range.
6. Rites of War (Aura): Friendly <CHAPTER> Core and <CHAPTER> Character units within 6" gain Objective Secured.

</tab>

<tab name="Vanguard"> Available only to Phobos characters, aka the tacticool Captain, Lieutenant, and Librarian found in the Shadowspear box. Chaplains can suck it because yelling catechisms isn't stealthy and Tech Marines haven't yet learned whatever trick the Helix Adepts are using to fix broken things quietly, so they can suck it, too.

1. Shoot and Fade: After one <chapter> phobos unit within 6" of the warlord shoots, They can move or advance but can't charge.
   • Imperial stealthy Jump-Shoot-Jump baby! Break LoS and avoid retaliation. That way your Infiltrator/Incursor squads can keep up with your Eliminators, the first dashing in and out of LoS while the later shoot without visual contact with complete impunity.
2. Lord of Deceit: After both sides deploy, you can remove and redeploy up to 3 <Chapter> Phobos units present on the battlefield or put them into reserve for no CP.
   • Results depend on the mental games you can play on your enemy - it's not going to be a surprise to your opponent, but being able to make corrections after your enemy's cemented his choice instead of being part of the simultaneous deployment process can be an amazing benefit, and one that Eldar pay 2CP for.
   • Bear in mind, this trait now goes off after deployment, which means you haven't yet rolled off for first turn.
3. Master of the Vanguard (Aura): Friendly <chapter> phobos units within 6" of the Warlord gain +1" to their move, advance, fall back, and charge distances. Useful to Reivers or charging out of Deep Strike, pairs well with the Chapter Tactic Hungry for Battle as well as several characters.
4. Stealth Adept: Can't be targeted by ranged attacks unless he is the closest target. Protects from snipers or if you find yourself with just one of two guys from your accompanying squad left. Often get more mileage on your Phobos Librarian trying to get off their close range power.
5. Target Priority: Select a friendly <chapter> phobos unit within 6" in the Command phase. Until the start of your next Command phase, that unit gets +1 to hit. And he doesn't have to give up his shooting either. Now all those pointy finger models have found their worth!
   • Less helpful for Eliminators now they have BS2+, but could be used to negate cover penalties. Doesn't affect Infiltrators' automatic wounds as they only happen on an unmodified 6.
6. Marksman Honours: +1D to all of the Warlord's guns, but not grenades or relics. Completely wasted on a Librarian or Lieutenant, but bumps the Phobos Captain's Instigator Bolt Carbine to an eye-watering D4.

</tab> </tabs>

Psychic Powers

In addition to Smite, you have access to a faction-specific table of powers. The Librarius Discipline has power for pretty much every situation, but they're mostly niche enough that it's difficult deciding upfront which powers to take. The Phobos Librarian-exclusive Obscuration Discipline focusses on messing with movement and dice rolls at the cost of mortal wound output.

<tabs> <tab name="Xenopurge"> Your Deathwatch-specific psychic discipline.

1. Peremorphic Resonance (WC6, Blessing): a Deathwatch unit within 18", until next psychic phase, it hits on 5+ on Overwatch and fights first plus +1 to melee hits.
2. Fortifed With Contempt (WC6, Blessing): a Deathwatch infantry or Deathwatch Bike unit within 18", gains a 5+++ FNP. Useful against Mortal Wound spam and high ap.
3. Neural Void (WC7, Malediction): One enemy unit within 18" loses -1 attack and can only charge the nearest enemy unit. A really useful power, especially powerful against melee armies/units. With clever positioning you can force a debuffed enemy unit to either charge your CC kill team, or not charge at all.
4. Psychic Cleanse (WC6, Witchfire): Roll a dice for each enemy model within 9", on a 6 they take a MW. Librarians lack an Invul save and this requires them to be in the thick of an enemy horde. Very situational and risky.
5. Mantle of Shadow (WC6, Blessing): a Deathwatch infantry unit within 12", If they don't shoot or charge, enemy models can't shoot them unless they are within 12" or closest eligible target. Useful for protecting either a backline unit that isn't shooting for whatever reason, or a unit doing an action this turn. The main limitation is that if the unit charges or shoots, the power is broken. Use with caution.
6. Severance (WC7, Malediction): one enemy Character within 18", they take 1 MW, -3" on their Aura range, and if the psychic test is greater then their ld, then their subordinates can't benefit from their auras. The singular mortal wound isn't great, but shutting auras down can be really helpful. Good if you know there's a buff character being the lynchpin for your enemy's army like a Synapse Tyranid or an Apothecary. Note that it says enemy units cannot benefit from the total aura shutdown, so debuff auras will still effect your guys, even if the range of the aura is reduced.

</tab>

<tab name="Librarius"> General-use powers for Marines. Depending on your <Chapter> they may not have the greatest synergy but still fairly useful with many melee and close range blessing.

1. Veil of Time (WC6, Blessing): Select one <CHAPTER> unit within 18". Until the start of the next Psychic Phase, that unit re-rolls charge and advance rolls, and always fights first.
   • 9" charges are still below a 50% chance at 47.84%, although you can combine it with a CP re-roll. If you can find a source for +1" to charge distances, your odds rise to 65.97%.
2. Might Of Heroes (WC6, Blessing): Select one <CHAPTER> CORE or CHARACTER model within 12". That model gains +1S, +1T, and +1A.
   • An awesome power for your beatstick models. Dreadnought CHARACTER's will love this, as well as Chaplains buffed by Mantra of Strength. Sergeants kitted for melee are also viable models to buff.
3. Null Zone (WC7, Blessing): Until the start of your next Psychic Phase, ALL units within 6" can't take invulnerable saves, and enemies cut the results of their Psychic Tests in half.
   • Obviously most powerful against enemies that depend on their invulnerable saves or psychic powers (Harlequins, Hive Tyrants, Daemons, for example). Less effective against heavily armoured units (Terminators, Wraith Guard, Mega-Nobz). Don't be afraid to advance into position and let other things do the murder work for you.
   • IMPORTANT REMINDER: This affects ALL invulnerable saves on ALL units in range, even yours. Don't use with your own storm shield units in range.
4. Psychic Scourge (WC6, Witchfire): Select one visible enemy unit within 18" of the caster. The caster and the target unit roll off and add their units Ld to the result. The target suffers d3 mortal wounds if your score is higher, one mortal wound if the score is equal, or nothing if your score is lower.
   • Less powerful than smite, but it's better for sniping Characters since it isn't restricted to the closest enemy unit. Best used in combination with something that inflicts a Ld penalty to the target or a Leadership bonus to the caster, if you brought any.
5. Fury of the Ancients (WC7, Witchfire): Select one visible enemy model within 18" and draw a line from any part of the casters base to any part of the targets base. the caster to that model. The target unit and each enemy unit this line passes through suffers one mortal wound.
6. Psychic Fortress (WC6, Blessing): <CHAPTER> units within 6" gain a 5++ invulnerable save. Just awesome due to the lack of restrictions allowing even your Land Raiders to gain this buff.

</tab>

<tab name="Obscuration"> These powers can only be used by Phobos Librarians. They don't do much damage, but god damn can they fuck with your enemy. They'll only buff Phobos units, so no combo-ing with Aggressors.

1. Shrouding (WC6, Blessing): Pick a friendly <CHAPTER> Phobos unit within 18". Until the start of the next Psychic Phase, enemies can only shoot that unit if they're the closest eligible target. Protects from snipers, but not enemy psychic powers.
2. Soul Sight (WC6, Blessing): Pick a friendly <CHAPTER> Phobos unit within 18". Until the start of your next psychic phase, that unit re-rolls all failed hits when using their ranged weapons and their ranged attacks ignore enemy cover save bonuses.
3. Mind Raid (WC6, Witchfire):: Select a visible enemy unit within 18". It takes a mortal wound and if the power targeted a character, roll 3d6. If the result is greater than or equal to the target's Ld, you get a free Command Point! Remember the limit on 1CP gained per battle round though, not a power to use if you have a Relic or Warlord Trait that also refunds CP.
4. Hallucination (WC6, Malediction): Select a visible enemy unit within 18". They suffer -1Ld and -1 to all hit rolls until your next turn.
5. Tenebrous Curse (WC7, Malediction): Select a visible enemy unit within 18" that does not have the Fly keyword. It takes a mortal wound, their move distance is halved, and suffer -2 to their advance and charge distances. Effectively pin one Death Guard unit in their half of the board.
6. Temporal Corridor (WC5, Blessing): Pick a friendly <CHAPTER> Phobos unit within 6". It can make a normal move or advance as if it was the Movement Phase, and if it advances it adds 6" to their move rather than rolling. However, the unit cannot shoot or fight this turn. Great repositioning tool at the cost of damage output.

</tab> </tabs>

Litanies of Battle

Litanies happen in your Command Phase, going off on a 3+. Like psychic powers, each litany can only be cast once per turn, no matter how many Chaplains know it. Deep Striking and passenger Chaplains are a touch less-useful on their first turn, as they arrive AFTER their casting window. There is the 2CP Commanding Oratory stratagem that can be used to cast a litany in any phase if the Chaplain has not already cast one this turn.

Litany of Hate: Default prayer, 6" aura of re-rolling all melee hit rolls (not just misses) for your <chapter> core or <chapter> Character units. Stronger now that the Chapter Master's Aura has been reigned in.

1. Litany of Faith: 6" Aura of ignoring mortal wounds on a 5+ for friendly <chapter> core or <chapter> Character units. Not cumulative with other rules, as per usual.
2. Catechism of Fire: Select a friendly <chapter> core or <chapter> Character unit within 6" to gain +1 to the wound rolls when "resolving a shooting attack" against the closest enemy unit, meaning it affects Overwatch, too.
   • You're already accurate, so you'll get the most out of +1 to wound rolls from units that hit often but not hard; Intercessors with auto bolt rifles, Flamer Veterans, and Aggressors.
3. Exhortation of Rage: Select a friendly <chapter> core or <chapter> Character unit within 6". They get +1 to their wound rolls in melee. Very strong (unless you're the Blood Angels of course). This is often worse than the default Litany of Hate. If you're hitting on a 3+ or worse and wounding on a 4+ or better (e.g. most attacks with fists, hammers, lightning claws, and power weapons), use Litany of Hate. If you're hitting on a 2+ or wounding on a 5+, use Exhortation of Rage. Of course, a Master of Sanctity can use both.
4. Mantra of Strength: The casting Chaplain gains +1S and +1A, and one melee weapon gains +1D.
   • Smash Chaplain is a viable build. Combine it with the Benediction of Fury (WS2+, S7, AP-2, D4) or a powerfist (WS3+, S9, AP-3, D3). Add Warlord Traits, stratagems, doctrines, and psychic powers as you can afford and be bothered with.
5. Recitation of Focus: Select a friendly <chapter> core or <chapter> Character unit within 6" to gain +1 to their hit rolls when shooting.
   • While +1 to hit is better than a Captain's re-roll, this alone isn't a replacement for it (since it has a 1/3 chance to fail, affects single unit and doesn't work in melee or when the chaplain doesn't start on the field). Instead, it's better used when a unit cares about +1 to hit beyond improving BS by 1. If you just want a second HQ to support a gun-line bring a Lieutenant instead.
6. Canticle of Hate: Non-cumulative 6" aura of +2" to charge distances and +3" to pile in and consolidation moves. In all cases, the friendly <chapter> core or <chapter> Character unit in question has to be within the aura by the time the move is made - the consolidate move especially will often not happen unless the Chaplain also made his charge.
   • Amazing for those who can re-roll charge distances, increasing the odds of a successful 9" charge up to 85% (58.3% for non-rerolling lads).
   • Do keep in mind the Chaplain has to be on the field at the beginning of the battle round to cast his litany. A Jump Pack or Biker Chaplain is fast enough, but if you are patient, you can use an Impulsor or Drop Pod to get him in position in the first turn and use the Litany for your deep strikers in the second turn.

Deathwatch Specific Wargear

In addition to the standard Space Marine fare of Ranged and Melee weapons, the Deathwatch get access to some of the rarest and deadliest wargear the Imperium has to offer.

Deathwatch Ranged Weapons

• Deathwatch Combi-Weapons: A Deathwatch boltgun taped to one of the special weapons. Exclusive to Deathwatch, you still retain Special Issue Ammo with these weapons.
• Infernus Heavy Bolter: The heavy version of a combi-flamer, being a heavy bolter taped to a heavy flamer. Works in the same way, being that you suffer -1 to hit rolls if you fire both profiles, which the flamer part gives exactly zero fucks about.
  • Also of note, with modifiers to hit rolls being capped at -1, you're more free to move and shoot this as you please. If you fired both profiles in 8th edition, the heavy bolter would have -2 to hit rolls; -1 from moving and shooting a heavy weapons and -1 from firing both profiles. 9th edition has capped this at -1.
• Deathwatch Frag Cannon: A slight modification from 8th edition's version. Frag is now 12", assault 2d3, S6, AP-1, D1, blast and shell is now 24", assault 2, S7, AP-2, D2. A big fall from the S6 heavy flamer and 12" lascannon they were a year ago.

Deathwatch Melee Weapons

• Heavy Thunder Hammer: Sx2m AP-3, D4, -1 to hit rolls. Only available to standard Deathwatch Veterans and Vanguard Veterans. An enormous two-handed thunder hammer that lets you play whack-a-mole with Carnifexes.
  • Taking a melee weapon that costs almost as much as the marine who's carrying it isn't always a great choice, but multiple lascannon-strength melee attacks boosted by Mission Tactics can lay low even the biggest of xeno monsters (or enemy Vehicles and Characters). Be wary of overkill and choose your targets wisely - if you're killing enemies with 3 wounds or less, the regular Thunder Hammer is slightly cheaper and does a consistent 3 damage. However, if you fancy ghetto stomping a Carnifex, here is your weapon of choice.
  • Two basic Vanguard Veterans will put out 6 attacks with these on the charge, costing 68 points for the two models, and will on average kill a single 8 wound, T7, 3+ save Carnifex every turn before even a single re roll or modifier is applied. When combating foul Xenos monstrosities, sometimes brute force trumps complex strategy.
• Xenophase Blade: S+1, AP-4, D1, ignores invulnerable saves. More common than the heavy thunder hammer, literally jacking Necron Phase Swords (necrons don't have this option anymore), at only an extra 5pts over the standard power sword it's not a bad choice at all, particularly when facing enemies who fall back on invulnerable saves regularly. Deathwatch Veteran Sergeants, Veteran Bike Sergeants, and non-Terminator/Primaris Captains can take this.
  • Master-crafting this weapon makes it quite the Character-killer, with the bump from D1 to D2, the high AP, and ignoring invulnerables really pushing it into the realms of excellent.
    • Being able to ignore invulnerable saves used to be more notable when mortal wounds weren't a thing. It looks good on paper, but is rather mediocre in practice, as just dealing mortal wounds is usually better, and further paying to make this a relic is paying to make it into a decent weapon, rather than just taking a decent weapon for a relic. Digital Weapons will almost always outshine making this a relic, if only because they add an attack and auto-wound. And there are better relics.

Relics

If your Warlord is a Space Marine Character, you can give one Character a Relic, absolutely free. Weapon Relics can only be taken by a unit that can take the weapon it's based on and you have to pay for the base weapon (e.g. a Terminator Captain does not have access to a chainsword and thus cannot take the Teeth of Terra). The Relic of the Chapter Stratagem can be used for extra relics, number depending on the size of the game.

Named Characters and vehicles cannot be given a Relic. But only That Guy would try to force a Chaplain Dreadnought into the Armour Indomitus or something like that.

• Beacon Angelis: Once per battle, in the reinforcement step of your Movement Phase, you can teleport a Deathwatch Infantry or Biker unit from any point on the battlefield or from reserve to within 6" of the bearer and more than 9" from enemy models.
  • With the addition of Litanies of Battle, a Chaplain with an active litany can be beaconed over to our deep strikers, or a fast-moving Chaplain (say, on a bike) can chant the litany, move/turbo-boost where needed, and then beacon over a unit for some nice turn one alpha-strike shenanigans.

• Dominus Aegis: A buffed shield that replaces a combat, storm, or relic shield. +1 to armour saves and all friendly Deathwatch Core and Deathwatch Character models within 6" gain a 5+ invulnerable save.
  • Note that as it Replaces the shield, Storm/Relic Shield model will lose 4+ inv and also Relic Shield 4+ mortal Wound FNP, though models with a 4+ Inv from another source (such as captain with Iron Halo) can just use that inv save.

• The Osseus Key: Watch Master only. Enemy vehicles get -1 to hit and -1 to attack if they are within 12" of him.

• Thief of Secrets: Replaces bearers power sword, master-crafted power sword, or xenophase blade. Identical to a xenophase blade, but becomes D2 against the Xenos (Tau, Tyranids, Orks, Necrons, or Aeldari).
  • You are always better off with a master-crafted xenophase blade if using on a Firstborn Captain, as it has D2 against everything rather than just Xenos. There are also ways of master-crafting and taking an additional relic with the right warlord trait.
  • Note that this is the only way to take a xenophase blade on Characters other than a regular Firstborn Captain. If you have a Biker, Terminator, Primaris, or Gravis Captain, Company Champion, Company Ancient, Firstborn or Primaris Lieutenants, or even a Techmarine that you feel could use some extra bite against invulnerable saves, this is what you're looking for. Beware that some options will cost more than others if they're locked into swapping a master-crafted sword, and that you'll lose the extra damage from master-crafting unless you're facing Xenos.

• Tome of Ectoclades: Once per battle, during the command phase, pick an enemy datasheet; all Deathwatch Core within 6" reroll wounds against units of that datasheet until your next command phase.
  • Works best on units that your opponent is spamming and is integral to their list. Riptides, Drones, Boyz, Dreadnoughts, etc.

• Adamantine Mantle: When this model loses a wound, roll a D6; on a 5+, the wound isn’t lost. Not that great in an army with access to so many rolls to negate wounds.
• Artificer Armour: Gives a model a 2+ armour save and a 5++ invulnerable save.
• Master-Crafted Weapon: Give a weapon +1D. Good on a thunder hammer for D4 or on weapons with variable damage (force weapons and chainfists) to guarantuee at least 2D.
• Digital Weapons: When you fight, you make one extra attack that scores a mortal wound if it hits. Not terrible, but your Characters are pretty much renown for how hard they punch stuff. It's better to invest Relics in durability or supporting other troops.

• The Blackweave Shroud: In case you really need to tank things up and don't expect high AP, you can grab this. The bearer gains +1T and a 4+ save against MW's.
  • It's enough to protect you a bit more against plasma, but it's nothing against meltas and lascannons. Characters with an innate 2+ armour and any invulnerable save are pretty fond of this relic.

• Spear of the First Vigil: Upgrade for your Watch Master's Vigil Spear. The mele profile gets an increased fire rate by 1 (now Rapid Fire 2) and it's Mele profile gets +1S (now +2) while upgrading it's D from d3 to a flat 3.
  • If you don't care about going from S5 to S6 (like being against MEQ's), just Master-Craft a Vigil Spear; The melee profile deals 2-4 damage (averaging out at 3), but you also gain +1D to the boltgun welded to the top to let you pop Terminators, Custodes, etc, with one-shot. Since 9th the increase in fire rate makes this upgrade strictly better than Master Crafting it.
  • If you use this, Imperium's sword and Anvil of Strength (Through Paragon of their Chapter) your watch master can have 6 attacks at Str 9, AP3, 3 on the charge.

• The Soul Fortress: Librarian only. 24" Hood and can ignore all modifiers for a psychic test.

• Banebolts of Eryxia: Let a bolt weapon fire a single shot with S6, AP-2, D3.
  • Somewhat debateable use. You can use it on anything with a bolt pistol, but there are better relics. It's a little boost the the dedicated shooting Characters (master-crafted heavy/instigator/stalker bolt rifles, etc).

• Vhorkhan-Pattern Auspicaction: Deathwatch Core within 6" gain +1 to hit a unit with fly.

• Artificer Bolt Cache: A bolt weapon gains special issue ammunition.
  • Not bad use on one of the vanilla Characters from the Codex and is much more flexible than Banebolts.

• Eye of Abiding: The bearer can ignore any and all modifiers to hit, wound, WS, and BS, and the enemy can't use invulnerable saves against your attacks that make an unmodified 6 to wound.

Unit Analysis

HQ

• Watch Master: For footslogging, this is your top HQ choice. A Deathwatch 'Chapter Master' equivalent, his stat line is impressive with WS2+, BS2+, W6, Sv2+/4++. Has a Captain's Rites of Battle Aura (Deathwatch Core units within 6" re-roll hit rolls of 1) and a reskinned Chapter Master's ability (One Deathwatch Core or Character unit within 6" re-rolls all failed hit rolls). So whether at the front lines or in the back, there's a place for him. You get him for 130pts.
  • His (quite good) loadout is fixed, but the guardian spear (master-crafted bolter with SIA and S+1, AP-3, Dd3 melee weapon) packs a punch both at melee and range. Furthermore, it can be improved substantially with the Spear of the First Vigil relic, which pumps the bolter half up to Rapid Fire 2, and the melee profile to S+2, AP-3 and a flat D3. The Clavis is now a stratagem, which is better to some and not to others.
  • The big downside of this unit is if you like Primaris models, as this replaces your Chapter Master option in the army, and this model is not Primaris and cannot be put inside Primaris Transports.

• Captain: Existing Entry in Codex SM for Captain (non-primaris, non-terminator, non-bike), but noting the Deathwatch specific option that he may take a xenophase blade (S+1, AP-4, D1, ignores invulnerable saves). Jump-pack is now an upgrade, not an additional datasheet, so he is your bestOnly character option for fielding a xenophase blade.
  • We now have one of the best smash-captains in the game. At the cost of 1CP for 'A Vigil Unmatched' we can get two warlord traits, going with a Salamanders 'Paragon of their Chapter' and 'The Imperium's Sword' on a captain with jetpack, storm shield, and master-crafted xenophase blade. On the charge, you get six S8, D2, AP-4, ignoring invulnerable save attacks hitting on a 2+, and can reroll failed charge rolls. Even better on those times it combines with Xenos Hunters. SMASH.
  • Also if in a pinch, don't forget you can pay 2CP to swap chapter tactics with 'Brotherhood of Veterans'. Notably, the Blood Angels +1 to wound or +1 to charge rolls can help with a hail-Mary charge on something big and nasty, or White Scars to fall-back and charge again if you get bogged down by a blob unit and to re-proc Imperium's Sword.

Special Characters

• Watch Captain Artemis: A throwback from the days of Inquisitor. Regular Watch Captain in terms of stats and rules, but also has Unstoppable Champion (ignores lost wounds on a 6). He's armed with the Hellfire Extremis (a Deathwatch combi-flamer whose flamer wounds non-Vehicle/Titanic targets on a 2+), a master-crafted power sword, and a stasis bomb (one-use grenade 1 weapon that inflicts d6 mortal wounds if it hit the target). An interesting alternative to a standard Captain at 110pts, so make his stasis bomb count.
  • In terms of cost, a Captain with Power Sword and Combi-flamer is 95pts to Artemis's 110. You're paying 15pts for his FNP, a boosted Deathwatch combi-flamer, a master-crafted power sword (saving you a relic slot), and a fuck-you grenade. I'd say it's worth it, but only if you want that kind of kit - Artemis is good for killing infantry and exactly one tough thing up close, and he doesn't have a jump pack to get him in range with his more effective weapons. He's only useful if you can get him up the table. Put him in a Corvus Blackstar with a squad of Veterans outfitted with close-range weapons and he'll pay for himself quickly by one-shotting an enemy HQ. Save a command reroll if you really want to screw somethings day!

• Chaplain Cassius: Took a time machine and now back in Deathwatch, with his datasheet even suggesting that you don't use Primaris units in your army for a thematic fit. Compared to a normie Chaplain, he gains +1A, +1Ld, SIA on his bolt pistol, +1AP on his crozius, and yells his litany on a 2+ instead of 3+. Well worth the +20pts.

• Codicier Natorian: New to 9th edition, he's a named Librarian from the Blood Ravens from the Kill Team Cassius box. WS2+, +1 to casting smite or witchfire, SIA on his bolt pistol, and +1AP on his force sword. Bargain for an extra 10pts.
  • Unfortunately locked to the Deathwatch psychic powers, which makes his +1 witchfire spells pretty meh. Still good for smiting, but is tooled for close combat with no speed to get there and only just better than Librarian stats. Give him a transport, or go with a regular jump-pack, primaris or terminator librarian instead. Like Cassius, very useful for smaller games where he can footslog his way around.

Troops

• Deathwatch Veteran Squad: Deathwatch Kill-Team Default. The unit is 5-10 Vets and forms the core of a Proteus Kill-Team. The default models, yet the best if what you want is to keep it simple. Deathwatch Veterans and Sergeants share stats with a regular Veteran team (i.e. Sternguard or Vanguard). The Blackshield is a Veteran with +1A, rising to +2A if they have any two melee weapons. As standard, each model has a boltgun with SIA, power sword, and grenades. Any model can replace their boltgun and power sword for a Deathwatch shotgun (Cryptclearer; 18", assault 2, S4, AP0, D1. Wyrmsbreath; 8", assault d6, S4, AP0, D1, automatically hits. Xenopurge; 12", assault 2, S4, AP-1, D2)., stalker boltgun (30", heavy 1, S4, AP-2, D2, SIA), or two weapons from the Deathwatch Equipment list (pistols, DW boltgun and combi-weapons, melee weapons, storm shield, and xenophase blade). Any four models have access to a unique list of heavy weapons (heavy bolter, heavy flamer, infernus heavy bolter, missile launcher, and frag cannon), and only 1-in-5 models can swap their weapons for a heavy thunder hammer (best candidates are Black Shield or Sergeants for the +1A stat). Finally, the Sergeant can take a combat shield without swapping a weapon.
  • With so many options it can get tempting to go overboard, but try not to make a 'jack-of-all-trades' unit. Pick what you want them to do, and do it well.
  • Good candidates for a Black Shield's weapons are lightning claws (7A on the charge that re-roll wound rolls), heavy thunder hammer (make the most of those 3A's), or powerfist and power sword (able to take on everyone and gains +2A for two weapons).
  • A squad of Marines with stalker boltguns are a decently hard-to-move unit from a home Objective, especially in conjunction with the +1D Vengeance Shells or the +6" and +1AP Kraken Bolts.
  • Deathwatch boltguns/storm bolters and storm shields combined with their Troops nature still make them a good choice to hold an Objective. 125/135pts gets you five T4, W2, Sv2+/4++ models spitting out either 20 boltgun shots or 10 SIA boltgun shots per turn. Giving them combi-weapons keeps their SIA while also giving every Marine a special weapon, but this obviously gets far more expensive per model. Gone are the days of the stalker-boltgun and storm shield combination however.

• Kill-Team Cassius: A fixed-loadout nine-man Deathwatch Veteran Squad that automatically passes morale tests and has the Smokescreen keyword. Most of the individual models are baller as fuck though. In addition, kill team Cassius is upgraded to an Aquila kill team for free and it doesn't block you from upgrading another kill team to have the Aquila specialism in your army. The biggest downside of this unit is that it specialises against absolutely nothing and is a chore to roll attacks for.
  • Sergeant with only a boltgun and SIA (not even a melee weapon to make the most of the 3A, thanks a bunch).
  • Veteran with plasma pistol and power sword, Veteran with DW boltgun and chainsword, Veteran with DW combi-melta, and Veteran with frag cannon.
  • Vanguard with twin lightning claws, Vanguard with hand flamer and chainsword.
  • Terminator with unique loadout of Deathwatch heavy flamer, powerfist + meltagun, and Deathwatch teleport homer. The Deathwatch heavy flamer is unique to this model and has three different profiles for your xenos roasting needs, all of which automatically hit; hellfire (12", heavy d6, S2, AP0, D1, wounds non-Vehicle and non-Titanic models on a 2+), infernum (12", heavy 2d6, S4, AP0, D1, blast), and promethium (regular heavy flamer).
  • Biker with twin DW boltgun and power sword (N.B., this is the only Biker with SIA (wargear states "twin Deathwatch boltgun" compared to "twin boltgun").

• Proteus Kill-Team: The classic Kill-Team, A.K.A. Deathwatch Kill-Team. One of your four Kill-Team options and what may well be the most complex unit in the whole Emprah-damned game. The Hammer to your Intercessors' Anvil, the unit starts at five Deathwatch Veterans, a Kill-Team's core. Adding models is where things begin to get odd since vets aren't your only choice. You have a plethora of transport options, including the bike-carrying Corvus Blackstar and teleportation, so that won't be much of an issue. Each model other than veterans adds a possible stratagem to use on your entire unit:

<tabs> <tab name="Veterans"> The default models, yet the best if what you want is to keep it simple, praise Emps and pass the Special Ammunition. Deathwatch Veterans and their Sergeant share stats with a regular Veteran team. They have nice Leadership values and 2 attacks base. Up to four of them can take heavy weapons (like a different Devastator team), for every 5 vets one of them can take a heavy thunder hammer, and the sergeant can pick up a combat shield. </tab> <tab name="Deathwatch Terminator"> Like the Elites version (up to three with special weapons) but with Defenders of Humanity instead of Teleport assault. More than firepower, you bring them to tank damage, especially AP0. They can also have TH/SS, but Veterans are better Stormshield bearers - they don't have to give up their shooting to get one unlike the termie, two 2+/4++ storm bolter marines cost slightly more than a single 2+ (adding 1 to the roll)/4++ termie (27pts, you're NOT giving them Thunder Hammers) and if one of them tanks a lascannon, you only risk losing up to one marine instead of the 3W 2+save model. Keep your termies simple, focus on what you want the unit to do and they'll make their points back. </tab> <tab name="Deathwatch Biker"> 14" move, T5 3W, with a Twin Bolter and a melee weapon (taking the bolt pistol is stupid). All of which is wasted unless you combat-squad three of them alongside two Vanguard Vets. Which is useful, since the Relentless Assault stratagem lets them charge even if they fall back. One comes stock with a teleport homer - more bikers don't bring more homers. They're not bad by any meaning of the word, it's just that terminators are better, and Vets are cheaper. If you really want access to Relentless Assault and a teleport homer, go ahead. Bear in mind that these guys take up 3 spaces in a Blackstar, so 9 vets and a biker can't bring a character along with them. </tab> <tab name="Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran"> While at least one Vanguard Veteran with a jump pack lives, the entire unit has access to a stratagem that allows them to fall back and shoot. Doesn't have Fly unless the whole unit contains only vanguard vets with jump packs, so various AA things don't get +1 to hit while shooting him or his squad. If you brought one for the stratagem, don't give him a Storm shield to tank wounds - if he dies, you lose the bonus. Now what? Give the storm shield to a regular no-name Vet, it's not like they gave up shooting to get the invulnerable. Vanguard vets are the only models with no restrictions on the number of heavy thunder hammers. Meaning, 5 normal vets + 5 vanguard vets with jump packs and heavy thunder hammers + combat squading gets you a 5 man assault unit of pure melee hatred. Be sure to give them some kind of rerolls to maximize their hatred. This even makes Blood Angel players jealous. </tab> <tab name="Sample unit builds"> Sample unit builds: The sky is the limit! Three tenets here: what you want them to do, how you want them to do it, and transport options. As in, if they bring a Biker, they're forced to ride a Blackstar. The same principals of the regular veteran squad apply, the addition of the extra possible units doesn't provide as much extra boosts as it did last edition, but it does open up a few extra stratagems. While expensive, you can put out some extreme firepower with this unit by adding three Terminators with heavy weapons to your existing four Veteran Heavy Weapons.

• The Krak Dealers: Four veterans with missile launchers, three Terminators with cyclone missile launchers & 3 vets (inc sgt) with storm shields. VERY expensive (just shy of 400pts), but hilarious none the less. 10 Krak missiles a turn with some additional bolter/storm bolter shots & ablative wounds with the storm-shields is some serious firepower, especially considering it can switch to flakk in an instant for anti horde. As all weapons are fired at once, you can split fire and get the most out of the blast rules before casualties are taken away. Can be combat-squaded into two pseudo devastator squads pumping out five missiles each, or kept as one to take advantage of stratagems like 'Brotherhood of Veterans' to give them the Dark Angel's +1 to hit. Provides some great back-field support that Deathwatch often lack, but beware of line-of-sight issues.
• Killteam TROGDOR: BURNINATING THE COUNTRYSIDE, BURNINATING THE XENOS! Same vet/terminator combination as above, but with infernus heavy bolters, heavy flamers on the terminators & combi-flamers on the remaining three. Can also swap one of the vets for a vanguard vet (with hand flamer of course) to get access to the 'Disruptive Launch' stratagem to enable them to fall back and shoot if they get bogged down in close combat (not that anyone is stupid enough to face THAT overwatch). Put them in a Teleportarium or use the Beacon Angelis to get them in somethings face and watch it go up in flames. The infernus heavy bolters & combi-bolters are capped at -1 to hit no matter how many negatives, so feel free to run and shoot with them at whatever you want, it's still only a 4+ to hit. Give the terminators chainfists to deal with any vehicles trying to ruin your day too. 7D6 S5 AP-1 autohits, 3D6 S4 autohits, 12 S5 AP-1 D2 BS4+ shots & 4 BS4 SIA rounds deepstriking straight into range? Thats enough flaming death to make both Vulkan and Celestine weep joyful tears of pure promethium. Don't forget we can pick when and where we use our combat doctrines, so make sure devastator doctrine is in place for maximum burninating.
• The Five Horsemen: Ravenwing/White Scars, eat your heart out! Five veterans (inc sgt) and five veteran bikers. Whilst the Fortis killteam with Outriders has the better bikers, this runs about 60pts cheaper, which co-incidentally is the same cost as four heavy weapons, meaning that you can combat squad the unit into the equivalent of an obsec bike squad and an obsec devastator squad should you wish. The bikers can also be swapped out for one or two vanguard vets as well, giving the bikes the ability to treat terrain as infantry and the vanguards to absorb some wounds with storm-shields, at the expense of 2" movement & some bolter rounds. As with the vet-biker squad elsewhere in the list, theyre better off with power weapons (axes your best bet) than chainswords, as the outriders vastly outperform in that area, but like most firstborn VS primaris arguments, it's often an argument of flexibility VS specialization. Both have their merits.
• Hammer Town: 5 veterans with anything you want. BUT most importantly, 5 Vanguard vets each with jump packs and heavy thunder hammers. Combat squad them and now you have a melee unit with obsec that can take out any vehicle/monster or elite 3-4 wound model unit (such as Deathguard terminators) in a single blow. Be sure to give them some kind of "rerolls to hit" and try to optimize their close combat with your active combat doctrine and "rerolls of 1's to wound" chapter tactic. Although not very durable, use their maneuverability to keep them alive as long as possible until their job is complete.

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• Fortis Kill-Team: The Primaris "Tacticus" Armour Kill-Team. Intercessor Squads can be taken similarly to their vanilla cousins, but where they really shine is their role as the base for the mixed Primaris units called Fortis Kill-Teams. Where normal Space Marine armies can sometimes struggle to find a use for Intercessors, the Deathwatch actually appreciates them a bit more, namely as backfield cover-campers and cheap-ish wounds. Your normal Kill Teams, being as loaded with great gear as they tend to be, are damn expensive, while a unit of Intercessors is unlikely to run you much more than their base cost. Take 5, then add other flavours of Primaris Marines to match the role you have in mind for them:

<tabs> <tab name="Intercessors"> The shooty core of the team. Your going to have 4 of them plus a Sergeant. Sergeant has become better in melee with access to Astartes chainswords, power swords, hand flamers, and thunder hammers. </tab> <tab name="Assault Intercessors"> The choppy Primaris marines. The Intercessors can hold their own in melee with 3 attacks each, give cheap chopyness but the Intercessors portion prefers shooting. could use combat squad to separate from the guns portion and make a separate melee squad with the Outriders. </tab> <tab name="Outriders"> Pay extra for a bike ridden by a Primaris. Has extra durability (+1T and +2W) and makes more attacks, especialy on the charge. And remember - you can take more than 3 and then Combat Squad them to recieve up to an ungodly unit of 5 Outriders with ObSec. Spicy! </tab> <tab name="Hellblaster"> Does not add any extra rules of its own. It does add a lot of extra firepower, and they definitely benefit from being in a unit full of models far more expendable than itself. </tab> <tab name="Sample Unit Builds"> Sample Unit Builds: As there aren't quite as many potential combinations to work with for these guys as there are for their shorter cousins, here are some example Primaris kill-team loadouts to consider using:

• Intercessors and Outriders: You get a unit of five Intercessors to hold objectives, which is ok, and also get a monstrous five Outriders that can hold objectives if they wish to. It's the biggest Outrider unit you can field for now, and with the ability to hold objectives, they can steal lightly defended objectives and keep them for quite a while.
  • Alternative Opinion - as with Proteus Kill-Team Bikers, you actually better of taking 4 Outriders and an extra Primaris of your choice because of Mixed Squads rule, as if the unit contains at least 1 non Biker model it is still considered Infantry for Terrain and Movement. While you do sacrifise an extra Outrider and automatic 6" Advance, you can benefit from such rules as Breachable, Scalable, Defensible, etc.
• Intercessors and Hellblasters:
  • Most obvious composition - Intercessors with Stalker Bolt Rifles can shoot from afar while the Hellblasters with either Heavy or Rapid Fire Plasma Exterminators can bring on the pain. If you get hit, just prioritize the Intercessors to save points.
  • It is also worth considering to take 5 Intercessors with Auto Bolt Rifles accompanied by 5 Hellblasters with Assault Plasma Exterminators. As Assault PE now have extra shot and blow on an unmodified hit roll of 1, they provide a decent if a bit expensive midrange objective holder with quite a bit of plasma to punish someone.

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• Indomitor Kill-Team: the Gravis-armoured Kill-Team. These big boys are your most durable option when it comes to kill teams, having Toughness 5 across the board, making them very survivable. In addition, they might have the most shooting attacks per model of the Primaris kill teams, with loads of options to tear through GEQ and MEQ units. Sadly, the one thing that their let down by is their speed; unless you stick these guys in the Teleportarium, they aren't going anywhere quickly. Still, plop them down on the objective and laugh as your opponent cries salty tears while struggling to shove them off of it.

<tabs> <tab name="Heavy Intercessors"> The thickest of the intercessors, these big lads are the core around which you will be building your most durable unit. While expensive in terms points per model cost, they more than makeup for it with their weapons, which are STR 5 versions of the normal bolt rifle variants. Just don't stick them in melee, though, as they have 0 options outside of punching people. </tab> <tab name="Aggressor"> With the loss of their special rules, these guys have lost their coveted top spot on the throne of Primaris units, but they are still some of the best objective holders and assault units available to the Space Marines. Combat squad these guys, stick them with a Gravis Captain, and watch them work wonders together. Unlike regular marine lists, their lack of mobility can be mitigated by putting them in the teleportarium. </tab> <tab name="Inceptor"> These guys have also sadly lost their Meteoric charge rule, but they are still very good flanking units; combat squad them together and plop them down with some units from the Teleportarium, and rip the enemy a new one with either assault bolters or plasma exterminators. </tab> <tab name="Eradicator"> The only unit in this squad with an actual special rule, and GW says only they can use it! Well, actually this one is kind of understandable. These guys are your means of combatting a glaring weakness in the Deathwatch's arsenal: mid-range anti-tank weaponry. Being able to fire at the same unit twice with their melta rifles means that whether in line with the Heavy Intercessors or moving forward with the Aggressors, these guys can take care of your tank problem. </tab> <tab name="Sample Unit Builds"> Sample Unit Builds: Given that these thick lads are all T5, any loadout you could take will be a tough nut to crack for your opponent. Here are some example Indomitor Kill-Team loadouts:

• Heavy Intercessor and Inceptors: Similar to the other two Kill-Teams above that mix the minimum compulsory models with the optional models that have better movement speed. Combat squad them at the start of the game and the five Heavy Intercessors can do an excellent job of squatting on an objective with heavy bolt rifles or clearing one with the assault version. The Inceptors can make best use of their faster speed to zip around the board as needed while also being objective secured to cap anything that may present an opportunity.
• Five-man Eradicator Squad: Combat squad some Heavy Intercessor's for some back-field objective camping and you've got a five-man Eradicator Squad that can Deep Strike with the Teleportarium into melta range. There is very little (if anything) that can survive that. Throw in the fact they're now obsec too, probably one of the most dangerous units in the game.
• The Immovable Object: Five Heavy Intercessors with hellstorm bolt rifles and five Aggressors. Throw them in the Teleportarium, drop them onto the most important objective and laugh as your opponent tries to shift them off it. The Aggressors provide enough combat punch to deter any assaults and they spit out a lot of shots to remain a danger. Swap a single Aggressor for an Eradicator if you want to add some extra anti-tank in the same way you'd add a heavy weapon to a firstborn squad.

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• Spectrus Kill-Team: The Phobos Kill-Team, for when you want maximum Sneaky Beaky. Being able to deny deep strikers, ignore all penalties to hit, and/or just flat out ignore cover, these guys are the stars of the new Kill Teams. Starts off with 4 Infiltrators and an Infiltrator Sergeant. From there, you can add in up to 5 more dudes, of the following:

<tabs> <tab name="Infiltrators"> Your basic Vanguard Marines. Capable of either taking a comms array (which means the squad always counts as being within aura range of your Phobos Captains/Lieutenants), or a helix gauntlet (which turns the first failed save into 0 damage). Other than that, each also has a marksman bolt carbine, which is a boltgun that on a hit roll of unmodified 6 auto wounds as well. </tab> <tab name="Incursors"> Similarly armed to the Infiltrator, but instead of the auto wound gimmick, ignores cover instead. 1 Incursor can take a haywire mine, which once per game, when an enemy unit charges the squad, on a 2+ that unit takes d3 mortal wounds, or 3 if that unit was a vehicle. The Incursors themselves can ignore negative BS modifiers, but this ability does not transfer to the whole squad, unlike the Infiltrator's comms array or helix gauntlet. </tab> <tab name="Reivers"> Gives the whole unit a fear aura of -2Ld to enemy units in 3". Also does NOT have concealed positions, so if your Kill-Team has one of these scary marines, you have to deploy normally. In terms of loadout, they're in an interesting place, as the Infiltrators and Incursors are way better at shooting, and the unit as a whole doesn't want to be in close combat, so the knife will be wasted. Should probably give this guy a pass unless you plan on combat squad them for maximum deep striking shenanigans. </tab> <tab name="Eliminators"> Let's face it, this is why you took a Spectrus kill team. Armed with either the delicious bolt sniper rifle, or the not-quite-as-strong-as-a-lascannon-but-is-more-reliable las fusil. Unlike Vanilla Marines, you can mix and match as to which Eliminators carry what, allowing for way more versatility. Also come equipped with camo cloaks, which is an additional +1 to armour saves if they're in cover, and the Eliminator is taking the brunt of the attack; probably not a good idea as you want these guys alive. If you're taking 5 of these snipers (and you should, they're amazing), then take the comms array on one of your meat-shield Infiltrators, so you're always in range of those sweet sweet auras. For 275 points, that's a 10 man squad, 5 of which are some of the best snipers in the game, a guy who's buffing them to high hell, and 4 meat shields. Dodge this bitch. </tab> <tab name="Sample Unit Builds"> Sample Unit Builds: While there aren't quite as many potential combinations to work with for these guys as there are for their shorter cousins, Spectrus Kill-Teams have extremely versatile sniping units, able to assassinate characters from long range and just generally make your opponents day worse. Here are some example Spectrus Kill-Team loadouts to consider using:

• Eliminators with Haywire Mine or Comms Array: The number of Eliminators depends if you want both Haywire Mine and Comms Array. Four Eliminators with a Comms Array Infiltrator would be the ideal, but you can swap an Eliminator for a Haywire Mine Incursor if you think you're going to get charged. The Comms Array lets your Phobos Captains and Lieutenants do something more useful than babysitting, and this unit in general is one of your best home objective squatters.
• Infiltrators and Reivers: The other half of the above. Four Incursors and a Reiver gives you okay-ish shooting, but the Reiver really gives the Squad a buff to melee.

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Elites

• Deathwatch Vanguard Veterans: Vanguard Veterans, but with slightly more toys. Replace both weapons for a heavy thunder hammer and start playing whack-a-mole with Carnifexes, or replace one weapon for hand flamers or inferno pistols.

• Deathwatch Terminator Squad: Smash together a Terminator and Terminator Assault Squad, and this is what you're left with. They start out equipped like a regular Terminator Squad (sword and bolter Sergeant, and four fist and bolter Terminators). But up to three of them can swap out their bolter for a Terminator Heavy Weapon (which includes plasma cannons this edition), any powerfist can be replaced with a chainfist or power weapon, and any model can swap their default guns for a thunder hammer and storm shield, or a pair of lightning claws.
  • 9th edition has been a kneecap for these guys. Losing special issue ammo for their storm bolters and the bonkers-tier customisation that they used to enjoy makes them a little less flexible in their desired role.
  • The points difference between a power weapon and a powerfist is only 2pts for these guys. Sarge is stuck with the pointy sword, but any other guy can take whatever they wish.
  • TDLR version of the Dark Angels comparison: Plasma Cannons excel against hordes and the odd TEQ. Assault Cannons are great against MEQs and light vehicles. While Cyclones are the most expensive option, they are superior to both. Since Deathwatch doesn't have a reliable source of rerolls such as DA Grim Resolve without HQs. You might as well take all three Cyclones. Combined with Bolter Discipline they can put out an absurd amount of Dakka.
  • The best IC for them is obviously a Terminator Watch Captain with a Combi-Plasma (for four shot rolls at 12") and a wrist mounted grenade launcher. The best relic option for him are the Banebolts.

Fast Attack

• Veteran Bike Squad: Their twin boltguns have lost Special Issue Ammunition and they lost the teleport homer, because GW's balancing department is run by idiots. Where they shine is in close quarters; four boltgun shots followed up by three power weapon attacks the charge from each model will bring the pain. For their troubles, they do now have the ability to take a single Attack Bike. Woo.
  • If you give these guys chainswords, have a think about taking Primaris Outriders instead; Outriders will hit just as hard (S4, AP-1, D1), but they hit far more often (6A on the charge with Outriders compared to 4A on the charge with Bikers). This in addition to having +6" range and AP-1 on their boltguns AND heavy bolt pistol to fire in melee. The only one-up Deathwatch Bikers have is the power weapon option and even then they're only 33pts each.
• Vanguard Veterans As an honorable mention, Codex SM allows units of Deathwatch Chapter Vanguard Veterans to take Heavy Thunderhammers on any, and all, models in the unit.

Flyers

• Corvus Blackstar: The Blackstar is a solid choice for getting your Marines around in style, even if it's as aerodynamic as a Brick. A hover-jet stealth bomber, it's quick and tough with a massive 20-50" move, T7, and 14W. It can carry 12 Deathwatch Infantry or Bikers, with Terminators and Jump Packs taking up the usual two spaces and Bikers taking up three (still no Primaris transport though). It has the usual Airborne, Supersonic, and Hard to Hit rules as most Aircraft, but it also has Hover Jet to reduce your movement distance to 0-20" at the cost of ditch those three rules. The Blackstar Cluster Launcher gives you a chance to dish MW's against a unit you moved over; roll a d6 for each model in that unit (10d6 maximum) and each 6 deals a MW. It has the option of taking an Auspex Array (ignores cover with ranged attacks) OR an Infernum Halo Launcher (+1 to armour saves against ranged attacks made by enemy Aircraft). It comes with a twin assault cannon or twin lascannon, two Blackstar rocket launchers (30", heavy 2d3, S5, AP-1, D1, blast) or two stormstrike missile launchers (72", heavy 1, S8, AP-3, D3), and an optional hurricane bolter.
  • Weapons-wise, you get to pick between "fuck W1 targets" and "fuck big targets". You can try mixing, but none of the weapons by themselves will be enough to delete most units in one phase.
  • The Blackstar does have drawbacks when compared to the Storm Raven; no Machine Spirit keyword, no Dreadnought transport, and fewer/less flexible weapons. That being said, the Blackstar is only 180pts without the optional wargear or hurricane bolters (but it's free to mix any of the weapons) and the Storm Raven starts at 310pts.
  • Deathwatch Errata changed the transport capacity to also transport Centurions (take the same space as bikers).

Tactics

Without Allies

• The Old One-Two (Three): Take a Battalion. Fill your HQs with whatever you like. Your 3 Troops should be 2 Vet Squads, one tooled as an Anvil and one tooled as a Hammer, and a foot-slogging Intercessor Squad. Also take a Corvus and a Redeemer. Combat Squad all three troops choices, put the Anvil in the Redeemer and the Hammer in the Corvus. Deploy the Intercessors in your backfield and have them foot-slog and advance everywhere or camp a home objective. The Corvus should drop its 2 squads near something that needs to die and then all three should spend the rest of the game killing important units. Finally, the Redeemer and its 2 squads should be delivered to 1-2 objectives and refuse to move for the rest of the game if possible.
• Forge World Assistance: With the introduction of Combat Doctrines, there is now a slightly greater incentive to try to run without allies. Unfortunately, as a monofaction, Deathwatch have some serious holes (anti-tank is a big one). Forge world has a number of units that can help fill them in, most notably their dreadnought line up. Contemptor Dreadnoughts are an excellent source of lascannons, and the ability to deep strike a Leviathan or Chaplain Dread is very strong.

With Allies

Deathwatch players aren't required to have armies that are dramatically different from regular SM armies. The Kill Teams and DW specific units are optional. You can run regular units, they don't need to be kill teams. As a Deathwatch player there are two main obstacles: Your units aren't tougher than regular space marines, and, your army will often have less than regular space marines (because the cool options cost more). Deathwatch specific options, just like Allies, can be a great way to compensate for your weaknesses, or to further improve your strengths against a particular foe.

• Ad-Mech and Imperial Guard: One of the biggest problems any DW player will face is that you won't have many units on the table at the beginning of the game. Thus, it's really easy for your opponent to focus fire on lone Corvus or a Raider, destroying it first turn and leaving your kill teams far away from the enemy and exposed. That is where Ad Mech and Guard comes in. Both factions have cheap troops that want to stay back (Skitarii snipers, Infantry Squads with heavy weapons), have excellent sources of long-range firepower that will ruin your opponents day if not dealt with (Cadian HWTs, Leman Russes, Basilisks, Onager Dune Crawlers). For example, for 670 points you can field 4 infantry squads, 2 company commanders, and 3 Leman Russ Battle Tanks. Use your Kill Teams as scalpels - eliminating key enemy threats while your allies deal with the rest of enemies army (Hammer of The Emperor Style). It's fluffy, looks cool, and is brutally efficient.
• Inquisition: An IMPERIUM force can include a single INQUISITOR in one of their (Patrol, Battalion, or Brigade) detachments without breaking "pure army" rules, and they can also hitch a ride in your (non-primaris) vehicles. They have access to a unique psyker discipline, that includes Terrify, which turns off overwatch. They're kinda squishy to be used as a warlord, especially when stuck in with a front-line melee unit, however, they have a nifty 1CP (!) Stratagem that allows them to take both a Warlord Trait and a Relic; the Blackshroud might be a good choice, as its -1 to wound makes this character pretty much immune to sniper mortal wounds.
  • Selecting <Ordo Hereticus> makes the No Escape Warlord Trait available, a 6" heroic intervention and enemy units can't fall back on a 4+. Alternatively, the <Ordo Xenos> Warlord Trait Esoteric Lore generates a CP on a 5+ whenever your opponent uses a stratagem. Best of all, they're super-cheap, starting at a mere 60pts. Unfortunately, there is only one Deep Strike options: Hector Rex. Of course you can pop them in a Deathwatch Drop Pod with your Kill-Team, so it's not all bad news.
• Grey Knights: Deathwatch has everything a Space Marine Xeno-Hunter could want... Except powerful Psykers. And Xenos feature some of the most power psykers you'll face (like Tyranids and Eldar). Whether psychic offenses or psychic defenses are sought, Grey Knights have them. For about 180pts (or 10PL) you can have a Patrol Detachment of Grey Knights (Champion and Strike Squad) adding two psychic powers cast per turn and two denied. When compared to Deathwatch Kill Teams, GK aren't particularly expensive or elite, with the added bonus of all being able to deep strike without paying extra command points.
  • Downside is that GK aren't Adeptus Astartes, they're Santic Astartes, so for the overall army, Deathwatch lose out on Combat Doctrines for not being pure Adeptus Astartes (and mission tactics for not being pure Deathwatch). The Grey Knights lose out on Masters of the Warp.
• Space Marines: Unlike most faction detachment bonuses, the Deathwatch one only changes the order in which the Doctrines are applied but doesn't actually give the Deathwatch any actual bonuses. Mission Tactics lets you choose rather than being in a set order. So you don't get less Doctrines or less bonuses by being Deathwatch and another Adeptus Astartes.
  • That said, unless you REEEEEAAAAALLLY have the urge to field Scouts, Devastators with any ___-cannon weapons, Scout Bikes, or unique units, there really isn't much point. Almost anything you can do, the Deathwatch can do better!
• Space Wolves: As allies, honorable mention goes to the Hounds of Morkai. It's a Space Wolf Chapter-specific Reiver (same models) Unit that specialise in anti-Psyker. Elites slot, but they don't need to benefit from their chapter trait to benefit from their unit rules (so they can be an Auxiliary Support detachment).
  • Unit isn't amazing, but if going for a thematic Deathwatch army and you want some anti-psyker allies...

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (10th Edition)

General Tactics	General Weapons Terrain
Imperium	Space Marines (Black Templars, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Deathwatch, Space Wolves) Grey Knights
	Adeptus Mechanicus Adeptus Titanicus Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Sisters of Battle
	Adeptus Custodes & Sisters of Silence Imperial Agents (Inquisition, Rogue Traders, etc.)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons World Eaters)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Chaos Titans
Eldar	Eldar (Craftworlds, Corsairs, Harlequins, Ynnari) Dark Eldar
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults
Votann	Leagues of Votann

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (9th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications Tactical Terrain Weapons Apocalypse
Imperium	Space Marines (Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Space Wolves) Grey Knights
	Adeptus Mechanicus Adeptus Titanicus Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Sisters of Battle
	Adeptus Custodes & Sisters of Silence Inquisition Officio Assassinorum Rogue Traders
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons World Eaters)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Craftworld Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins Ynnari
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults
Votann	Leagues of Votann

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (8th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications Apocalypse
Imperium	Space Marines Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Talons of the Emperor (Custodes and Sisters of Silence) Adeptus Mechanicus
	Adeptus Ministorum (Sisters of Battle and minor factions) Adeptus Titanicus
	Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Inquisition Officio Assassinorum
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (7th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications
Imperium	Space Marines (Siege Assault Vanguard) Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Adeptus Custodes Cult Mechanicus Skitarii Adeptus Sororitas
	Imperial Knights Inquisition Officio Assassinorum
	Imperial Guard (Armoured Battlegroup Death Korps of Krieg Assault Brigade Death Korps of Krieg Siege Regiment Elysian Drop Troops D-99)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines Khorne Daemonkin Chaos Daemons Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins Corsairs
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks Ork Dred Mob
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (6th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications
Imperium	Space Marines Blood Angels Dark Angels Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Adeptus Sororitas Inquisition
	Imperial Guard (Armoured Battlegroup Death Korps of Krieg Assault Brigade Death Korps of Krieg Siege Regiment Elysian Drop Troops) Militarum Tempestus
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines Chaos Daemons Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Corsairs
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks Ork Dred Mob
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (All)

General Tactics	General (8th) Movement (8th 7th) Psychic (8th 7th 2nd) Fortifications (8th 7th) Tactical Terrain Apocalypse (8th)
Imperium (8th)	Space Marines (8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd) Blood Angels (8th 7th) Dark Angels (8th 7th) Deathwatch (8th 7th) Grey Knights (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd, AKA Daemonhunters) Space Wolves (8th 7th 6th 5th)
	Talons of the Emperor (Custodes and Sisters of Silence) (8th 7th) Adeptus Mechanicus (8th 7th) Adeptus Ministorum (Sisters of Battle and minor factions) (8th 7th 6th 3rd, AKA Witch Hunters) Adeptus Titanicus (8th)
	Imperial Knights (8th 7th) Imperial Guard (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd) Inquisition (8th 7th 6th) Officio Assassinorum (8th 7th)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (8th 7th 6th 5th) Death Guard (8th) Khorne Daemonkin - 7th Edition Thousand Sons (8th) Chaos Daemons (8th 7th) Chaos Knights (8th) Renegades and Heretics (8th 7th 6th)
Eldar	Eldar (8th 7th 6th 5th) Dark Eldar (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd Revised) Harlequins (8th 7th)
Necrons	Necrons (8th 7th 6th 5th 4th)
Orks	Orks (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd) Ork Dred Mob - 7th edition (6th 5th) Ork Kult of Speed - 3rd edition Feral Orks - 3rd edition
Tau	Tau (8th 7th 6th 5th)
Tyranids	Tyranids (8th 7th 6th 5th) Genestealer Cults (8th 7th)

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