Codex - Blood Pact: /tg/'s 9th Edition

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE

LONG LIVE THE GAUR

Welcome to the Blood Pact /tg/ codex. This Codex was made because gw hates everything that isn't a space marine and won't give us rules for some of the coolest factions in the lore. Hopefully these rules should allow you to finally put those nasty red cultists on the field without having to make them world eaters. Spill some blood for us, and long live the Gaur.

Design Theory

PLAN: The goal with this codex is to make an army that reflects the lore of the blood pact with a few rules to make a unique experience. The general plan is to base the units in this codex off of ones from the imperial guard, gene stealer cults, renegades and heretics, and past examples of rulesets like the lost and the damned.

MODELS: The intent is to also provide possible examples for what sort of models that can be used or kitbashed to create a convincing model for each unit

BALANCE: The intent is to make this codex so that it will be abstractly "C" Tier, and when in doubt, to make it worse. Sometimes it can be hard enough to get people to agree to playing against a completely homebrew codex, let alone a good one.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: THE BLOOD PACT IS NOT A TRAITOR ENTITY, IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE IMPERIUM BUT IS SIMPLY A RESULT OF A LOST DARK AGE COLONY AFTER THE AGE OF STRIFE

Army Rules

Universal

order system similar to imperial guard

Orders ideas: instead of in the shooting phase, orders happen in the fight phase

• Shoot guns in melee at -1 to hit
• Fight again
• Reroll hits to fight
• Have a unit fight first
• Give a unit +1 toughness for the fight phase
• A Taunt that won’t let enemies in engagement range of this unit pull back unless they get a 6+ on a dice roll

Detachment Rules

• Warbands Pact: In the grim darkness of the 41st millennia the Blood God Thirsts. The forces of the blood pact are unique amongst other contemporary chaos warbands in their conduct and organisation. They are not mindless berzerkers, and while they show these traits at times, in truth, the blood pact wants blood, and as much as they can possible provide. The Gaur leads his followers to murder and destroy as much as possble, not to blindlessly waste their lives, but to serve the blood god with their full capability. The Gaur wants blood, and he will get blood.

All Blood Pact units with this ability, and all the models in them, gain a Warband Pact so long as every unit in that Detachment is from the same warband. The Warband Pact they gain depends upon which warband they are from.

• Objective Secured Placeholder: x

If your army is Battle-forged, all Troops units in Blood Pact detachments gain this ability. Such a unit that is within range of an objective marker (as specified in the mission) controls the objective marker even if there are more enemy models within range of that objective marker. If an enemy unit within range of the same objective marker has a similar ability, then the objective marker is controlled by the player who has the most models within range of it as normal.

Warbands Pact

• Atlarius - Unending Tide: For those from Atarius there is only one strategy, and that is to never stop. For every man who is thrown against them they throw back ten more. For every bullet which slays their own there is another to take their place. For every stronghold they lose they are raid another belong to their enemy. To fight those from Atarius is to drown and choke on the blood, flesh and bullets of Atarius.

All Atlarius Infantry units add 1 to their hit rolls if the total number of attacks it directs at a unit in the Fight phase is greater than the total number of models in the unit it is targeting. All Atlarius Vehicle units may fire Blast weapons while within engagement range of enemy units

• Belshiir - Proven Fortitude: x

All Belshiir Infantry units that don't Advance count as having the benefit of Light Cover. Enemy units do not benefit from Light Cover if they are attacked by a Belshiir Vehicle unit that hasn't Advance in the previous Movement phase and do not gain the benefit from Heavy Cover if they are attacked in the fight phase by a Belshiir Infantry unit which charged them in the previous charge phase.

• Sabbat - First to the Fray: x

All Sabbat units may re-roll their Advance rolls and may also charge in a turn in which is advanced. If that unit could already charge after advancing then they may re-roll their charge distances instead.

• Son of Sek - Anakwanar's Blade: x

All Son of Sek models in your army may re-roll hit rolls of 1 if they moved closer to the nearest enemy model in your previous Movement phase. In addition, Son of Sek Infantry units ignore damage received on a roll of 6+ on a D6 until their next turn if they moved during their movement phase and are not benefiting from any form of cover.

• Urdeshi - Blood and Iron x

All Urdeshi Vehicle units may Advance and fire all of their weapons at -1 to hit. When calculating the damage bracket of Urdeshi Vehicle models, consider the number of wounds left to be doubled.

• Vraks - Masters of the Trench and Mud: For many years, Vraks was a cauldron of mud and blood into which a never ending tide of bodies were thrown into. In the never ending trenches and tunnels on that forsaken planet men were converted into bodies in rancid mud and darkness. Very few escaped Vraks with their lives, but those who did so came out...changed.

Add 1 to the strength characteristic of all Infantry Vraks units. All Vraks units may re-roll any die used to determine the number of shots of weapons which would automatically hit their target.

Stratagems

Strategem ideas:

• 2cp: Blood for the Blood Pact: Unit fights again
• 1cp: For the Gaur: Unit can advance and charge
• 2cp: Flood them with Lead: shooting phase, unit gets -1 to hit but if they hit an enemy unit, that enemy unit can’t make overwatch shots until your next shooting phase

• Gather the Survivors: The war bands in the 42nd millennium are used to taking catastrophic losses. But the grind of battle never ends, even for those who have seen their comrades massacred around them.

1 CP

At the start of your Command phase or at the start of any morale phase we select two INFANTRY units within 2" of each other that share the same <REGIMENT>, with one of the units having lost at least 1 model. The selected units combine to form one big unit.

• 1cp: Crush them: A Vehicle Unit may charge, even if it has advanced this turn. In addition, all attacks made by the vehicle will hit on a 2+.
• 1cp: Grenadiers: Use this stratagem before a BLOOD PACT INFANTRY unit either shoots or fires overwatch. Up to ten models in the unit that are armed with grenades can throw a grenade this phase, instead of only one model being able to do so
• 1cp: Flames of Rage: unit may reroll wound rolls with “flamer” weapons
• 1cp: Bayonet Drill: fight phase: when resolving an attack, unmodified hit rolls of 6 generate an additional attack
• 2cp: Brass Treads: fight phase: use on a vehicle that is in combat: the unit gains objective secured while the unit is in combat until your next fight phase
• 1cp: Forward for Khorne: Use at the start of a turn; pick a Chimera in your army and until the end of the turn, any embarked officers may issue orders to units outside the vehicle, measuring range from the vehicle. He is also treated as having access to a Vox.
• 1cp: Bring them with us: when one of your vehicles is destroyed, it automatically explodes

Epic Deed Stratagems

• Dark Sacrifices: x

1 CP

Whenever a unit loses any number of models due to combat attrition while within 3” of a Blood Pact character then 1 of those models is sacrificed to the dark gods. Roll a D6; on a 1 nothing happens, on a 2-5 return D3 previously lost model to a friendly unit within 3” of the character, on a 6 return D3+2 models instead.

Requisition Stratagems

• Murky Motivation: Even in a war band there is never cohesion in ideals and motives. Some of the group may be lone survivors, their part of the group merely hoping to survive in a desperate situation. Others may be loyal to humanity, wishing to join up with others and return to a normal life. Perhaps the group thinks (not unfairly so) that humanity has abandoned them to their fate, and are fiercely independent. There are those however who... well, the dark powers do need their servants, after all.

2 CP

Although your army has come from a specific planet humanity is diverse. When mustering your army you can declare what your armies driving motivation is. If so your army benefits from the associated ability.

Loyal - Seekers of Humanity:

Rogue - Independent and Resourceful: Roll a D6 at the start of each of your command phases, adding 1 to the roll for each enemy unit slain during the previous turn. On a 6+ you gain 1 command point, on an 8+ you gain D3 command points.

Chaos - Sorcerous Cabal: 1 Character in your army gains the psyker keyword. They know smite and can manifest and deny 1 psychic power each turn.

Remnants - Desperate to Survive: Enemy units subtract 1 from hit rolls which targets Infantry units which are more than 12” away and are in cover.

Warlord Traits

• Possessive Soul: x

The first time this unit is slain select the nearest enemy Infantry model and roll a D6. On a 1 nothing happens, the warlord is removed as normal. On a 2+ the warlord soul moves from its original body into that selected infantry model, remove your warlords original model, it is slain but your opponent gains no victory points for this. The selected model is now your warlord, it has the same keywords, abilities and psychic powers as your warlord, expect that it has the characteristics profile and weapons of the selected infantry model. If the model was within 1” of an enemy unit then it is now engaged in melee. The next time your warlord is slain repeat this process, but subtract 1 from the dice roll. Repeat this process until your warlord fails the D6 roll, at which point it is removed from the battlefield and counts as being slain.

• Commander against the Odds: x

You begin the battle with D3 extra command points. In additional, roll a D6 every time a friendly unit is slain; on a 5+ your opponent does not gain any victory points for slaying that unit.

• Visions of Blood and Skulls: x

Your warlords attack characteristic becomes xD6, where x is your warlords original attack characteristic. However, when determining your warlords number of attacks each fight phase for every roll of 1 your warlord suffers 1 mortal wound.

Wargear

Weapon ideas:

• Plasmagun that is stuck on overcharged but in return has s9
• Flamer that blows up if you roll a 1 for shots but in return has ap-2
• Autogun = lasgun
• Blessed combat weapon, gives an extra attack like a ccw, but also gives ap-1
• Bayonet upgrade that just gives an extra ap but costs a point or two

Units

Named Characters

Named Character Ideas:

• Urlock Gaur - Gaur - To the Blood Pact, the only personality of note is Urlock Gaur himself, for not only is he their warlord and commander-in-chief, but it is to him personally that they pledge themselves forever in blood. Gaur sometimes leads the massed Pact forces himself, but so tight is its discipline, and so great his faith in it, he is happy to charge divisions to the command of senior officers or other warlords.
• Enok Innokenti - Sirdar - Enok served as one of Gaur's trusted demagogue lieutenants.
• Vesh Etogaur - Etogaur - Vesh Etogaur (the second word possibly indicative of rank, as in "demi-gaur" or colonel). Under his strict command, his forces demonstrated brutal efficiency during the battle of the Akkorite Peninsula on Belshiir Binary in 771.M41, when they lay in baking heat for three days without faltering or breaking line until the Imperial Guard unit had moved into the cone of their ambush. Not one Guardsman survived the brutal slaughter.

HQs

• Gaur (Commander-in-chief) (Creed or something)
• Etogaur (Colonel) (Strakken-esk)
• Damogaur (Major) (better commander boi)
• High Sirdar (Captain) (Company Commander)
• Sirdar (Lieutenant) (Platoon Commander)

Troops

• Pact Militia Squad (Chaos Cultist Squad)
• Pact Trooper Squad (Infantry Squad)
• Death Brigade Squad (Melee Tempestus Scion minus the deepstrike)

rough concept for layout:

• Militia, 4-5 points, 10-30 man
• BS: 5+, WS: 5+, Sv: 7+
• Range 24”, Rapid Fire 1, S-3, AP-0, D-1 Or Pistol and ccw
• Trooper, 5 points, 10 man
• BS: 4+, WS: 4+, Sv: 5+
• Range 24”, Rapid Fire 1, S-3, AP-0, D-1 Or Pistol and ccw
• Death Brigade, 8 points, 5-10 man
• BS: 4+, WS: 3+, Sv: 4+, maybe 2 attacks?
• Range 18”, Rapid Fire 1, S-3, AP-2, D-1 or Hot-shot laspistol and some kind of hot-shotish ccw, maybe chainswords or chain axes

Elites

• Blood Priest (Adminostorum Priest)
• Pact Enforcer (Commissar)
• Death Brigade Champion (character killer thing)
• Gore Mage (Astropath thingy) (trust me, it exists in the lore)
• Here-Tek (Tech-Priest Enginseer)
• Pact Weapons Squad (Special Weapon Squad)
• Pact Command Squad (Command Squad)
• Blood Wolves (Possessed Troopers) (trust me, it exists in the lore)
• Death Brigade Scouts (forward deploying death brigade)
• Ogryns
• Korngryns
• Pestigryns
• Slaangryns
• Tzaangryns

Astartes Benefactor

There is a long, bloody history of astartes influencing and supporting the factions of a war. Whether they be loyalist, renegade or traitor they provide tactical, strategic and firepower support that only the Angels of Death can provide. But mortals being visited by such an astartes who promises them that they are there to help them fight should take heed. An astartes values his life and goals far above those of any mortal, and the support an army might be relying on may simply vanish or turn on them when they least expect it.

This unit contains 1 "Astartes Benefactor" (Power Rating: y).

Name	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	A	Ld	Sv	Pts/model
"Astartes Benefactor"	6”	3+	3+	4	4	5	4	9	3+	x

Wargear:

-Bolt Pistol

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Bolt Pistol	12”	Pistol 1	4	-	1	-

-Plasma Gun

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Plasma Gun (Standard)	24"	Rapid Fire 1	7	-3	1	-
Plasma Gun (Supercharge)	24"	Rapid Fire 1	8	-3	2	If any hit rolls of 1 are made for attacks with this weapon, the bearer is destroyed after shooting with this weapon.

-Astartes Chainsword

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Astartes Chainsword	Melee	Melee	User	-1	1	Each time the bearer fights it can make 1 addition attack using this weapon.

Special Rules: <tabs> <tab name="Angel of Death"> This unit rerolls hit rolls of 1, adds 1 to its attack characteristic in a turn in which it charged, was charged or made a heroic intervention, has a 5+ invulnerability save and whenever it takes a wound roll a D6; on a 6 that wound is ignored. </tab> <tab name="Support of an Angel"> At the start of your command phase roll a D3 and consult the table below:

1, Strategic: All friendly units within 6” can reroll hit rolls of 1 until your next command phase.

2, Tactical: You gain D2 command points.

3, Firepower: Select an enemy unit within 24”; that unit takes D3 mortal wounds.

</tab> <tab name="Secret Motivation"> At the start of your command phase after your first turn roll a D6, adding the current turn number minus 1. On a 6 this unit true motivation is revealed; roll a D6 and consult below.

1, Intel Gathered: Remove this unit from your army, it does not count as being slain so your opponent gains no victory points for its removal.

2, Heretics Identified: The nearest friendly unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. Remove this unit from your army, it does not count as being slain so your opponent gains no victory points for its removal.

3, Dark Pleasures: The nearest friendly unit suffers D3 mortal wounds and all friendly units within 12” subtract 1 from their leadership characteristic for the rest of the battle. Remove this unit from your army, it does not count as being slain so your opponent gains no victory points for its removal.

4, Plague Released: The nearest friendly unit suffers D6 mortal wounds. Remove this unit from your army, it does not count as being slain so your opponent gains no victory points for its removal.

5, Gift of Mutation: The nearest friendly Character unit is immediately slain and replaced with a Chaos Spawn model (this does not cost any points to do so). Remove this unit from your army, it does not count as being slain so your opponent gains no victory points for its removal.

6, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!!: Your opponent gains control of this unit. It heals any previously lost wounds and adds 2 to its attacks characteristic. This unit counts as being slain, so your opponent gains victory points accordingly.

</tab> </tabs>

Keywords:

• Faction: x
• x

Fast Attacks

• Technical (stats for the dedicated transport truck, but replace the transport capacity with a few gun options, anti tank, anti infantry, or anti air)
• Sentinel (maybe with a better melee weapon option)
• Light Tank / hellhound
• Troopers on Bikes
• Death Brigade on Bikes

Heavy Supports

• Leman Russ (and variants)
• Basilisk
• Earthshaker gun
• Stalk Tank
• Heavy Weapon Team

Aircraft

• Fighter
• Transport
• Heli Gunship

Dedicated Transport

• Chimera (give an option to replace guns with melee weapons)
• Cheap Unarmored Transport Truck (think ork trukks)

Haulage Truck

This unit contains x "Models" (Power Rating: y). It can include up to x more "Models" (Power Rating: +y) or up to x more "Models" (Power Rating: +yy).

Name	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	A	Ld	Sv	Pts/model
"Haulage Truck"	10”	6+	4+	5	6	8	4	8	5+	x

Wargear:

-Wargear name

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Name	range	type	S	AP	D	-

Special Rules: <tabs> <tab name="Rule name"> See Army Rules - Detachment Rules </tab> <tab name="Rule name1"> See Army Rules - Universal </tab> <tab name="Rule name2"> Effect </tab> </tabs>

Upgrades: <tabs> <tab name="Upgrade name"> effect </tab> </tabs>

Options:

Any model may replace its weapon name for a weapon option - cost

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Name	range	type	S	AP	D	-

• The entire unit may take the Upgrade upgrade - +x pts./model

Keywords:

• Faction: x
• x

Lords of War

• Baneblade
• Some kind of Railway Gun or something cool
• Melee baneblade?

UNIT TEMPLATE (TEMP)

UNITNAME

This unit contains 10 UNITNAME (Power Rating: 3). It can include up to 10 more UNITNAME (Power Rating: +3)or up to 20 more UNITNAME (Power Rating: +6).

Name	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	A	Ld	Sv	Pts/model
MODELNAME	6"	4+	4+	3	3	1	1	6	5+	5
MODELSARGE	6"	4+	4+	3	3	1	2	7	5+	5

Wargear:

-Autogun

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Autogun	24"	Rapid Fire 1	3	0	1

Special Rules: <tabs> <tab name="Command Protocols"> See Army Rules - Detachment Rules </tab> <tab name="Reanimation Protocols"> See Army Rules - Universal </tab> </tabs>

Upgrades: <tabs> <tab name="UPGRADE NAME"> UPGRADE ABILITY DESCRIPTION </tab> </tabs>

Options:

Any model may replace its Autogun with an Autopistol and a Melee Weapon- free

Weapon	Range	Type	S	AP	D	Abilities
Autopistol	12"	Pistol 1	3	0	1
Melee Weapon	Melee	Melee	User	0	1	When this model fights, make a single additional attack with this weapon

The entire unit may take the UPGRADE NAME upgrade and UPGRADE KEYWORD keyword - +3 pts./model

Keywords:

• Faction: <FACTION KEYWORD>, Blood Pact
• Troops, Infantry, Cultist, Core

Crusade Rules

Probably not in the current scope, will add once I personally get some experience with crusade.