Shadow War: Armageddon
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Openly labeled as the spiritual successor to Necromunda, Shadow War: Armageddon is a standalone boxed game pitting kill teams against each other in skirmish combat in the depths of a hive city. The stock scenario is set in Hive Acheron on Armageddon between Space Marine Scouts and Orks, but there's also extended rules for kill teams from virtually every other faction: Chaos Space Marines, Tyranids, Genestealer Cults, Imperial Guard, Eldar, Skitarii, Grey Knights, Necrons, Tau, pretty much the whole shebang.
The Game
[to be filled out in greater detail once some git can get his hands on the game].
Expect most games to be over in 2-3 turns between the SM scouts and the Orks. This is not necessarily true as it heavily depends on how much terrain you have, how each player plays (do you run at them or move around cover - tip: use cover) and of course, how quickly does stuff die since you might hit, wound, and he fails his armour save but he can then just get straight back up next turn.
Rules for Space Marine Scouts, Astra Militarium Veterans, and Ork Boyz kill teams are found in the Shadow War: Armageddon rule book, currently only available in the starter box. Updated book is now up for preorder, and contains all the online profiles listed below. The starter box was a limited release; any components will all be sold separately.
Rules for Adepta Sororitas, Chaos Space Marines, Dark Eldar Wych Cult, Craftworld Eldar, Genestealer Cult Hybrid, Grey Knights, Harlequin Troupe, Inquisition, Necron, Skitarii Ranger, Tau Pathfinder, and Tyranid Warrior kill teams are currently available in pdf format through the Games Workshop website.
A kill team is made up of 1000 points, for perspective a single Grey Knight Justicar with no hand-to-hand weapon or upgrade is 250 points. Unless otherwise stated, a kill team will have a minimum of 3 models and a maximum of 10. Hits and wounds work differently here, just because you're wounded doesn't mean you're dead. If a model is shot at and gets hit then that model is deemed as pinned for the next turn, this means that he can only move 2 inches, can't shoot and can't charge. To get a guy up from pinned you must have another model within 2 inches unless the rules state otherwise. Now if you get wounded and fail your cover/armour save then your model is classed as downed. Now instead of just getting up at the end of your next turn you have to roll a die, on a 1 your guy gets back up but is lightly wounded meaning he loses 1 in his WS and BS. 2-5 he gets up and his fine. On a 6 your guy is removed from play *but is not necessarily dead* If 25% of your guys are downed or removed you must take a bottle test to see if the game ends unless rules state otherwise. If you're playing something like Space Marines you can choose to bottle out so you don't have to watch as your guys get mercilessly get mowed down. Each model has a different movement stat, running and charging is double your movement allowance. Hand-to-hand is quite complicated, essentially, someone charges, both of you roll a dice add your initiative +1 for the guy who charged +A whoever has the highest gets to attack, the amount of attacks he gets is attackers total - defenders total = number of attacks. Now to the end of the game, roll a D6 for all your guys that got removed, if any, on a 4+ they're good if you fail it he's dead. You can then choose one guy to advance, each unit has certain skill trees he can go down, pick one of these lob a D6 and boom new skill. You then get 100 points to upgrade living models or replace dead ones (fuck you if you play an elite army) you either spend these points now or lose them you can't save them. If you win you get D3 "promethium cache" if you lose you get 1. The cache's can be spent to bring a Special Operative to your next game OR can be traded in for another 100 points. Some special operatives offer "Bounty" or "Premium Bounty" these are usually stuff like Terminators. A normal bounty offers 1 promethium cache for killing the unit, a premium bounty offers D3 promethium cache's on top of your whatever you got at the end. Considering that ALL special operatives only cost 1 cache it's worth buying the best SO you can get and running it at whatever your opponent is bringing since you'll probably make a profit and then you can just rinse and repeat. As a final note, this game thrives upon large amounts of terrain, so if you don't have any then you might want to get some if you want to play.
Kill Teams
Space Marines
Currently, Space Marine kill teams can only include scouts as their primary members. Space Marines can be added as Special Operatives.
- Special Rules
- And They Shall Know No Fear: Models don't take fear/terror tests; models can recover from pinning early without needing a friendly model within 2".
- Kill Team Leader
- Scout Sergeant: 200 pts. Combat blade and Scout armour (4+). +1 A and Ld than Scout.
- Trooper
- Scout: 100 pts. Combat blade and Scout armour (4+). +1 WS and BS than Novitiate Scout.
- New Recruit
- Novitiate Scout: 75 pts. Combat blade and Scout armour (4+). WS/BS of 3; S/T/I of 4; Ld of 8.
- Specialist
- Scout Gunner: 110 pts. Combat blade and Scout armor (4+). Same stats as Scout, but access to Heavy Weapons instead of Basic Weapons and no Hand-to-Hand Weapons.
- Special Operatives
- Apothecary: Chainsword, bolt pistol, frag/krak grenades, power armour (3+). Friendlies within 3" -2 to Injury rolls during Recovery Phase. Can reroll Serious Injury rolls after the battle.
- Veteran: Boltgun w/ telescopic sight or red-dot laser sight, bolt pistol, frag/krak grenades, power armour (3+). Can change weapons (more variety than Deathwatch Veteran).
- Terminator: Power sword, storm bolter, Terminator armour (3+ on two dice; 5+ invuln; can't be pinned by shooting unless S7). Can change weapons. Causes Fear. If down or out-of-action at end of mission, gives opponent 1 extra promethium cache.
- Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun w/ hellfire bolts and telescopic sights or red-dot laser sight, frag/krak grenades, power armour (3+). Can change weapons. Scores critical hits in hand-to-hand combat with 5 or 6, instead of just 6, vs Ork models.
Imperial Guard
Currently, Astra Militarum kill teams consist primarily of veterans, while also able to recruit regular guardsmen. Unlike the average kill team, Guard kill teams can recruit 3 Specialists instead of just 2.
- Special Rules
- Voice of Command: Instead of shooting, the kill team leader lets all members of his kill team within 6" of him to reroll 1s to hit during shooting.
- Kill Team Leader
- Veteran Sergeant: 120 pts. Combat blade and flak armour (6+, 5+ vs template). +1 Ld than Veteran Guardsman.
- Trooper
- Veteran Guardsman: 60 pts. Combat blade and flak armour (6+, 5+ vs template). +1 BS than Guardsman.
- New Recruit
- Guardsman: 50 pts. Combat blade and flak armour (6+, 5+ vs template). WS/BS/S/T/I of 3; Ld of 7.
- Specialist
- Special Weapons Operative: 70 pts. Combat blade and flak armour (6+, 5+ vs template). Same stats as Veteran Guardsman, but access to Special Weapons instead of Basic Weapons.
- Special Operatives
- Officio Prefectus Commissar: Bolt pistol, chainsword, frag/krak grenades, flak armour (6+, 5+ vs template). Can change weapons. While not down, broken, or out-of-action, friendlies within 6" can use his Ld of 9 during break and regroup tests; I of 3 for escaping pinning early; kill team automatically passes bottle tests.
- Tech-Priest Engineseer: Laspistol, power axe, servo-arm, frag/krak grenades, power armour (3+). Friendlies within 6" can reroll Ammo checks.
- Ogryn: Ripper gun, frag grenades, flak armour (6+, 5+ vs templates). Can change weapons/armour. Gains 1 Muscle skill. If down or out-of-action at end of mission, enemy gets 1 extra promethium cache.
- Militarum Tempestus Scion: Lasgun w/ hotshot laser pack and red-dot laser sight, photo-visor, frag/krak grenades, carapace armour (4+, -1 I). Can change weapons. Can reroll Injury roll when shooting at an enemy.
Orks
Orks are as they always are. A big boss leading a bunch of boyz into combat. Unlike the average kill team, orks can field 3-20 models per kill team, instead of the usual 3-10.
- Special Rules
- Ere We Go!: +1 to attack roll to orks who charge in same turn.
- Mob Rule: If an ork kill team has more models than the enemy kill team (not including down and out-of-action), +1 L to all friendly ork models. Bonus is +2 if ork kill team has at least twice as many. Expect it to be in effect pretty much all the time.
- Kill Team Leader
- Boss Nob: 160 pts. Shank and squig-hide armour (6+). +1 S,W,I,A than Boy.
- Trooper
- Boy: 60 pts. Shank and squig-hide armour (6+). +1 WS and A than Yoof.
- New Recruit
- Yoof: 30 pts. Shank and squig-hide armour (6+). WS of 3; BS of 2; S of 3; T of 4; I of 2; A of 1; Ld of 7
- Specialist
- Spanner Boy: 70 pts. Shank and squig-hide armour (6+). Same stats as Boy but access to Special Weapons instead of Hand-to-Hand Weapons and Basic Weapons.
- Special Operatives
- Painboy: 'urty Siringe, squig-hide armour (6+). Friendlies within 3" -2 to Injury rolls during Recovery phase. Friendlies within 6" can use I of 3 to test escaping pinning early if Painboy isn't down or broken. If not out-of-action, can reroll 1 Serious Injury roll after mission.
- Mek: Slugga, wrench, stikkbombs, squig-hide armour (6+). Can change weapons. Can reroll first failed Ammo roll, regardless of model. Friendlies within 3" can re-roll Ammo rolls.
- Runtherd/D6 Gretchin: Runtherd: grabba stikk, slugga, stikkbombs, squig-hide whip, squig-hide armour (6+). Can change weapons. Gretchin: grot blasta, shank. If Runtherd doesn't go out-of-action, +50 pts for after mission Recruit or Rearm. Gretchin count as New Recruits. If starting with only 1 Gretchin, +1 A to Gretchin.
- Flash Git: Snazzgun w/ gitfinda, shank, stikkbombs, squig-hide armour (6+). Can change weapon. Can reroll Injury roll when shooting an enemy.
Chaos Space Marines
- Special Rules
- Marks of Chaos: Aspiring Champions and Chaos Marines can take one of five marks (yes, Chaos Undivided is back!). You can't change Marks, though.
- Khorne: Gain +1 attack.
- Tzeentch: Gain a 5+ invuln save.
- Nurgle: Gain +1 Toughness.
- Slaanesh: Gain +1 Initiative.
- Chaos Undivided: Gain +1 Leadership.
- Champion of Chaos: Aspiring Champion only. If you take an enemy leader out of action in melee, you immediately roll on the Advance table.
- Marks of Chaos: Aspiring Champions and Chaos Marines can take one of five marks (yes, Chaos Undivided is back!). You can't change Marks, though.
- Kill Team Leader
- Aspiring Champion:
- Trooper
- Chaos Space Marine:
- New Recruit
- Chaos Cultist:
- Specialist
- Chaos Gunner:
- Special Operatives
- Raptor:
- Chaos Terminator:
- Chaos Spawn:
Dark Eldar Wych Cult
These dudes are just as squishy as you'd expect them to be +some, so you better pray to the dice gods that you get both good cover and first turn. Similar to their vanilla counterparts, these dudes are also speedy fast and their weapons hit hard, but if you want Eldar that perform, just choose Harlequins. However, there are some gems. All of their elite choices, especially the scourge, are decent. Their melee weapons can and will perform, if you make it to combat, and they have some of the highest initiatives in the game. It cannot be re-iterated enough, however, that this game's meta works against your strippers. Good luck.
- Kill Team Leader
- Syren:
- Trooper
- Wych:
- New Recruit
- Debutante:
- Specialist
- Bloodbride:
- Special Operatives
- Succubus:
- Haemonculus:
- Scourge:
Craftworld Eldar
- Kill Team Leader
- Dire Avenger Exarch:
- Trooper
- Dire Avenger:
- New Recruit
- Guardian Defender:
- Specialist
- Guardian Defender Gunner:
- Special Operatives
- Autarch:
- Wraithblade:
- Wraithguard:
Genestealer Cult Hybrids
- Kill Team Leader
- Neophyte Leader:
- Trooper
- Neophyte Hybrid:
- New Recruit
- Neophyte Initiate:
- Specialist
- Neophyte Heavy:
- Special Operatives
- Acolyte Hybrid:
- Hybrid Metamorph:
- Purestrain Genestealer:
Grey Knights
- Kill Team Leader
- Justicar:
- Trooper
- Grey Knight:
- Specialist
- Grey Knight Gunner:
- Special Operatives
- Purifier:
- Interceptor:
- Grey Knight Terminator:
- Paladin:
Harlequin Troupe
- Kill Team Leader
- Troupe Master:
- Trooper
- Player:
- New Recruit
- Mime:
- Specialist
- Virtuoso:
- Special Operatives
- Death Jester:
- Shadowseer:
- Solitaire:
Necrons
- Kill Team Leader
- Appointed Immortal:
- Trooper
- Immortal:
- New Recruit
- Warrior:
- Specialist
- Deathmark:
- Special Operatives
- Lychguard:
- Triarch Praetorian:
Skitarii Rangers
- Special Rules
- Artificer Weaponry: A Skitarii fighter may ignore the first failed Ammo roll in each game.
- Kill Team Leader
- Skitarii Ranger Alpha: 150pts. combat blade and Skitarii war plate (4+). +1 Bs, I, W, A, Ld than Fresh-forged.
- Trooper
- Skitarii Ranger: 80pts. combat blade and Skitarii war plate (4+). +1 Bs than Fresh-forged.
- New Recruit
- Skitarii Fresh-forged: 65pts. combat blade and Skitarii war plate (4+). WS 3; BS 3; S 3; T 3; W 1; I 3; A 1; Ld 8.
- Specialist
- Skitarii Specialist: 90pts. combat blade and Skitarii war plate (4+). same stats as Ranger but access to Skitarii Pistols, Special Weapons, Grenades and Miscellaneous Equipment lists.
- Special Operatives
- Tech-Priest Enginseer:
- Sicarian Ruststalker:
- Sicarian Infiltrators:
Tau Pathfinders
- Kill Team Leader
- Pathfinder Shas’ui:
- Trooper
- Pathfinder:
- New Recruit
- Pathfinder Cadet:
- Specialist
- Pathfinder Specialist:
- Special Operatives
- Stealth Team Shas’ui:
- Cadre Fireblade
- Ethereal:
Tyranid Warriors
- Kill Team Leader
- Alpha:
- Trooper
- Warrior:
- New Recruit
- New-spawn:
- Specialist
- Gun-beast:
- Special Operatives
- Ravener:
- Zoanthrope
- Tyranid Prime:
Sisters of Battle Rumored to be releasing in Rulebook reprint.
- Kill Team Leader
- n/a:
- Trooper
- n/a:
- New Recruit
- n/a:
- Specialist
- n/a:
- Special Operatives
- n/a:
- n/a:
- n/a:
Inquisition Rumored to be releasing in Rulebook reprint.
- Kill Team Leader
- n/a:
- Trooper
- n/a:
- New Recruit
- n/a:
- Specialist
- n/a:
- Special Operatives
- n/a:
- n/a:
- n/a:
What Rocks
- IT'S NECROMUNDA! (sorta)
- WITH ALL THE FACTIONS! (most of them, at any rate)
- Comes with a set of awesome modular Hive City terrain that's begging (and advertised) to be used for standard 40k, and can be built into constructions of truly epic proportions. Even better, the terrain is now separately available for purchase.
- There will be a standalone rulebook released with all the rules and factions packaged together, even expanded to include some of the factions that got left out initially.
- Unlike Kill Team you can include some HQ choices like Autarchs, Ethereals and Fireblades.
- Fully customisable wargear options for different models in your team. Want 3 Genestealer cultists with laspistols and knives, 4 with autoguns and 2 with lasguns? That's do-able.
- Actual fluffy differences between weapons that are the same in normal 40k. The humble lasgun is finally better than the crude autogun.
What Sucks
- It's not Necromunda. The closest things we have to the hive gangs and mutants of old are Chaos and Genestealer cultists, and that's...just not the same. This is probably because GW, for better or worse, seems to be be on a big kick lately to have their standard model range cross-compatible with all of their specialist games, and is apparently unwilling to make a bunch of new models just for a faithful Necromunda reboot. Far easier to just bring back the Necromunda style of gameplay using the existing factions and models. With any luck, though, Inquisition warbands should provide an easy count as solution for hive gangs if they're allowed to be as varied as they are in 40k.
- The boxed set is a limited release, and initial pre-orders completely sold out within minutes, catching GW completely off-guard with a demand that they hadn't expected or prepared a supply for. Whoops.
- Unlike Kill Team, Shadow War is much more limited in what kind of units are allowed. Rather than bringing whatever you want within a set of loose parameters, you're given a specific set of units for leaders, troopers, new recruits, specialists, and special operatives, and that's it. No vehicles.
- The unit choices for some factions don't make much sense. If Space Marines get a "scout unit" as do the Tau with Pathfinders (but no Kroot!), then surely other factions would have similar fluffy units...what's this? Eldar get Guardians and not Rangers? Eldar are sending what are basically civilians on a scouting/commando raid? (correction: Eldar unit is the Dire Avenger. Any guardians are new recruits, and they essentially become Avengers when they 'level up'. Not that this makes it any less strange, weird or unfluffy given Rangers make no appearance in any form).
- Balance is a bad joke, with some factions so overpowered it isn't even funny. (see Discussion page for a more in-depth look)