Monday, August 27, 2007
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Monday, August 27, 2007
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*Crackle*
... Is it on yet? Hello? Anyone there? What does this green light mean?
Oh we're Live?
At last, I have managed to get a fragment of the once mighty Relictors.com back online.
Yes, like the Relictors Sky Fortress, our original webserver was destroyed in an event of cataclysmic proprtions (a RAID controller failure). Unfortunately, just like the secrets of the Diamedes Archive, much of what was once known to us has been destroyed...
But we can rebuild, my brothers!! What was once great can be so again!
If you have any of the original Relictors.com articles on your home PCs, please contact me. If I can get hold of enough of the original material, I will attempt to get another webserver together (a proper one this time, with data recovery and everything!) and try to get our little community back up and running again.
Relictors.com can be great again!!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
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Saturday, August 25, 2007
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Introduction
The Relictors are a chapter of Space Marines that live by the edict that "the ends justify the means". They are a relatively young and arrogant chapter, strong in their belief that it is only they who have the strength of mind to withstand the taints of Chaos and only by using recovered Chaos relics in battle can they defeat the ultimate enemy of mankind.
Despite their ardent faith and loyalty to the Emperor, to most of the Imperium, including other Space Marine Chapters, they are considered heretics. It is only through unshakeable faith in their cause and renewed alliances with other Radical Inquisitors that the Relictors continue their fight.
The Relictors army should appeal to any player considering a standard Codex Space Marine army but is looking for something with a little more edge. The inclusion of unusual wargear, alliances with dark factions of the Inquisition, and all the while treading the edge of heresy and Exterminatus is what makes the Chapter so unique. The Relictors are a perfect fit for the renewed gothic focus in Warhammer.
Because the rules and information on this chapter are spotty at best, what follows is an attempt to create a semi-conclusive source for information, tactics, and modeling for the Relictors chapter. We have tried to avoid repeating what is already printed except where necessary to illustrate the multiple facets of the Relictors army.
Sources
First off, we will cover the Relictors chapter as it pertains to rules and articles necessary to field an army on the tabletop. This has become a task unto itself, going back to the chapter's first appearance in the Armageddon campaign of 2001.
Graham McNeill, Scotland born and one time professional architect before joining Games Workshop as a staff writer, was given among his initial tasks the job of writing various army-based stories, including a brief bio of the Relictors chapter, for inclusion into the Armageddon 3 website. The first printed instance of the Relictors chapter was an illustration found in the "Index Astartes: Space Marine Chapters of the Armageddon War" inside US White Dwarf #248. It wasn't until much later just prior to the Eye of Terror campaign that the Relictors received a full Index Astartes article in US WD #280. "Know Thine Enemy", written by Graham McNeill and Andy Hoare, provided the history of the chapter and unique rules for the inclusion of Chaos artifacts including a random daemon weapon and random Chaos standard.
Seven months later a two-page article written by Phil Kelly, "Chaoticians and Cataclysms", was printed in US WD #287 about specific wargear and weapons for Relictors and Radical Inquisitor armies including a new mission scenario. About the same time the Australian edition WD #288 also included a story written by Graham McNeill about the Grey Knights destroying the Relictors fortress monastery. This collectively made it to the UK with the addition of a modeling article in UK WD #295. Finally, the modeling article itself by Guy Haley can be found in the US WD #300 although the fortress monastery incident has yet to make it to the US.
In order to fully play a Relictors army you will need a copy of the current Space Marine Codex, either {US WD #280 and #287} or OZ WD #288 or UK WD #295, as well as the Chaos Space Marine Codex for rules on the random daemon weapon, chaos relics, and mastery tests. The Relictors are a US Grand Tournament approved army list for 2005 using the rules found in US WD's #280 and 287 with the new Space Marine Codex however this excludes the use of the new Space Marine trait system. Since the Relictors closely follow the Codex (more on this later) in their tactical doctrine, the use of any chaos artifacts found in a White Dwarf would in our opinion make up for the lack of any additional traits.
History
The Relictors are allegedly one of the Praesus Chapters founded during the Age of Apostasy to protect the Eye of Terror. This was a time of tumultuous anarchy and civil war within the Imperium and much of the galaxy was embroiled in massive warp storms that isolated hundreds of systems. Sensing a weakness in the Imperium, Chaos raiders streamed from the Eye of Terror in bloodthirsty crusades and only the Praesus chapters stood in their way. Many records of this time were lost so the actual founding is unknown. We do know they were created sometime during the 36th Millennium (M36) leaving the possibility that they were one of the 21st Founding or Cursed Founding Chapters although it is more likely they were instead a 22nd Founding chapter.
Originally called the Fire Claws, the Relictors were created from geneseed collected from Terra's storage banks reportedly of both the Ultramarines and Dark Angels origin. Their home world was established on the feral planet Torva Minoris in a small system around a blood-red gas giant near the Eye of Terror.
The Relictors acquired their name after many decades of uncovering Chaos relics from the worlds around the Eye and have continued using these found relics in battle even after the Inquistion placed the entire chapter on a penitent crusade for 100 years and kept them from their home world.
The Relictors have a hefty independent streak, eclipsing even the headstrong nature of the Space Wolves. On Armageddon, they answered the call to arms to defend the system, but virtually ignored Commander Dante's orders for reinforcements preferring to investigate Angron’s Monolith in the equatorial jungles, abruptly leaving when they had finished. The same was to happen to Logan Grimnar during the Eye of Terror Campaign when he requested the aide of the Relictors. The Old Wolf in the end washed his hands of any responsibility and left them to their own devices.
Their Fortress Monastery was a Ramilies Class Star Fort in orbit over their home world, until recently, when a strike force of Grey Knights under the influence of a secretly corrupt Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus destroyed it. Only through an unwavering faith in the Emperor and a belief in their cause are the remaining Relictors forces in operation today.
Composition
At the tactical level the Relictors ardently adhere to the Codex Astartes with a standard 10 companies. Differences in their organization only make an appearance at command level, where the higher ranked officials, those proven in combat and purity, are organized into a group known as the Conclave responsible for the decisions of the Chapter regarding doctrine and deployment. This organization will guarantee the purity of the Chapter's leaders and prevent any possible corruption from taking control of the Chapter.
Recent events aside, for the last century, the Relictors have been a space-borne crusading army in a manner similar to the Imperial Fists and Black Templars. Prior to Inquisitorial intervention, all neophytes would have been recruited from the feral world Torva Minoris. However, during the penitent crusade and up to present time, new recruits would have came from wherever the crusade and subsequent quest for Chaos relics took them including the worlds of Armageddon, Cadia, and even prison worlds such as St. Josmane’s Hope in the Cadian sector. This presents the intrepid modeler with all sorts of possibilities and cultures in which to draw upon.
Possibly caused by their proximity to the Eye of Terror or possibly because they are needed to safeguard against the threat of a weak mind, the Relictors are known for their higher than usual reliance upon Librarians. It is through the visions and guidance of these Librarians that the Chapter can continue their crusade.
Even though they are expensive, the Librarian is rarely a bad selection for your army, except possibly when fighting an Inquisitor-Heavy Witch-Hunters Army. The Librarian represents a heavy close combat warrior in his own right with the included force weapon, which also allows the single daemon weapon to be relegated to another character in the army. It is not usually expected that an Assault Veteran Sergeant can hold a sword of daemonic nastiness. However, by keeping the given Force Weapon and taking a random daemon weapon as well, you are guaranteed a Librarian with a serious power weapon and the potential for something much worse.
Although some people have a distinct distaste for Über-Characters, a Librarian does fit with the history of the Relictors army. Those who choose not to use them, usually go for a flexible middle-weight commander, as they provide not only a solid command base for an army, but become a platform with which to easily utilize specific daemonic weapons and equipment such as the Artekus Scourge, without wasting any points buy purchasing redundant wargear. This can be an important consideration especially when taking a large Inquisitorial Retinue.
As for heavier equipment, since the entire chapter was mobilized and sent to Cadia at the time, the effects of the destruction of their fortress monastery are debatable. It can be very easily argued that the Relictors would have been organised into smaller raiding parties. These parties would have consisted mostly of an entire Company or varying parts of several Companies, transported by Strike Cruisers. Indeed, it is reported that a few Strike Cruisers managed to escape the Monastary when the Grey Knights attacked it. Most of the Relictors assets may well have been saved by those few individuals. Regardless, these strike groups would operate like any other force from a likewise Codex chapter. With the size of battles conducted on the tabletop it is doubtful that there would be any discernable difference in our games between a chapter on the edge of annihilation such as the Celestial Lions or the Relictors and one that is not.
There are however many things you can do to make your army composition different and reflect the current state of the Chapter. As Relictors would be recruiting and training brethren as they move forward on their Crusade, or indeed, their run for cover, there would be quite a few Veteran Battle-Brothers found throughout the force which can be represented by the inclusion of several Veterans throughout your squads. You could also limit the number of organizational slots in a particular area to illustrate the army having limited resources in which to draw upon.
Wargear
One thing that usually distinguishes the Relictors army on the tabletop versus any of the other loyalist Space Marine armies, and something for which we think is practically mandatory, is the inclusion of a daemon weapon. For about 25 points one character in your army may carry a daemon weapon that is either rolled randomly as per US WD #280 or chosen from a list in US WD #287. The random weapon can sometimes, although not always, be too unpredictable for tournament play however it always makes for a fun and characterful addition for any game.
A common favorite is the Artekus Scourge, a daemonic faced flail, which is a cheaper force weapon of sorts and makes for a great character killer. A Veteran Sergeant thus equipped, can quickly and quite unexpectedly turn the tides on any big scary character your opponent has brought along with him. The somewhat simple and single minded tactic for this weapon is to find the biggest character in the opposing army and go after him!
Another personal favorite is the Sword of St. Aquitaine. This weapon allows the controlling player the ability to make the next game turn be played using the Night Fight rules. The trick to using this however is for the first few turns to have a force capable of massive long-range fire support to soften the enemy. Then it is imperative to have the wielding character in assault by turn 2 or 3 at the latest in order to cause a wound and essentially turn off the lights. This allows the remainder of your army to creep up in darkness and assault the enemy with a minimum of return fire. This tactic plays into the Marines tactical attributes of being able to provide decent fire support as well as being effective in assault. Additionally this tactic denies the opponent continued fire support while you close in.
A solid method of transport for the wielder of the Sword such as the Land Raider, jump pack, or tactical dreadnaught armor for a teleport attack, all provide a secure method for quick engagement. Once the character is in combat, foot-slogging troops can stop shooting and advance in relative safety and fast units such as Land Speeders and bikes can speed up the flanks engaging the enemies’ rear lines.
Under the new fourth edition assault rules, a worthwhile option is to entrust a Veteran with Terminator Honors that leads an assault unit with one of the daemon weapons and get his unit into assault as soon as possible. As part of the unit, the Veteran remains un-targetable and allows for more damage to be created by the weapon.
Also found within "Chaoticians and Cataclysms", is the Shard of the Monolith, discovered while the Relictors were in the equatorial jungles of Armageddon. Befitting an artifact recovered from a temple dedicated to Angron, primarch of the World Eaters, the Shard turns your character into a bloodthirsty killer increasing his strength and initiative and is such a worthwhile boost for any commanding character it far outweighs its cost. The combination of the Scourge and the Shard for example, allows your character to usually strike first destroying your opponent. The Shard could be represented by the stone within a Crux Terminatus, incased in a small container on the character’s armor, or modeled to hang from a chain. Unlike Furious Assault, the character with the Shard keeps his strength and initiative bonus throughout the battle.
There is some question as to what happens to a squad that the Shard-bearing character joins, since the Character must always advance if it is possible. The way we have interpreted it is that if the character can assault or advance then so too should the squad he has joined. "Hey Cap? Where are... Oh MAN... Not TOWARDS the Bloodthirster... Geeze, thats the third time this week....." This can be nicely augmented by having the character join a command squad or veteran squad that has the Furious Assault skill to create a truly menacing assault unit. Besides, if your commander is geared for assault like he should be, there is no reason not to!
Also within WD#280 is the option of taking a random Chaos Standard. With the new Space Marine codex this has become rather redundant. By paying for the standard bearer in the new command squad you automatically receive a standard so a questionable item to begin with becomes somewhat pointless unless taken purely for pride.
There are more role-specific wargear available, such as the Grimoire Pandaemonica or Blade of Phaedron when facing a heavily daemonic army, however these are usually too specific for much use unless you know the opponent you are facing ahead of time or prefer to choose wargear based on a specific theme, in this case that of the ultimate daemon hunter.
Exitus Acta Probat
A few pieces of wargear aside the remaining composition of the Relictors army would be very similar to any other Space Marine army. The one exception to this would be the inclusion of a Radical Daemonhunter ally, which is the only ally available to a Relictors army. A very good tactica on Inquisitors produced by Salpyro can be found here. At some point we will cover the Radical Inquisitor in as much detail as Salpyro has done but for now this is a general idea. While not as 'mandatory' as a daemon weapon, a Radical Daemonhunter and two or three Daemonhosts add an authentic and somewhat hell-bent twist to the Relictors army.
The trick with using a Daemonhunter is that concerning the allies rule there is a limitation of available choices. In general, you are only allowed to have a maximum of 1 HQ Choice, 1 Elite, 1 Fast Attack, and 2 Troops Choices allied with your army. Also, in order for an Inquisitor to be designated radical, you may not include any Grey Knights. The only Fast Attack in the Daemonhunter Codex is a unit of Grey Knights, so that's out. Apart from Inquisitorial Stormtroopers as troops, you are left with only a few more options and these all fall under you single Elites or HQ choice.
An Elite Inquisitor is an okay choice for the fluff-minded-yet-points-conscious. A single Inquisitor gives you a shot at some alternate skills and abilities that a Space Marine Army lacks. High Initiative and potentially a second Halo and Force Weapon are about where it stays here, although as Salpyro suggests, occasionally a bodyguard of shooty-plasma-death will suffice nicely.
The HQ Inquisitor Lord is essentially the same as above only better, but more importantly, including it instead of the vanilla Inquisitor opens up your Elite slot. Just about all of the Elites in the Daemonhunter Codex require an Inquisitor or Inquisitor Lord to field so by having the Inquisitor Lord you are free to chose a single unit of either Daemonhosts, Death Cult Assassins, or the Officio Assassinorum Operatives.
Deamonhosts are the scary nightmare of low-armor, low-toughness armies, hellooo Mr. Guardsman! On their own, Daemonhosts are very useful. They strike like Grey Knights, take wounds like Marines - and refuse to die so long as no-one uses a Marine power-fist on them. Sure, they're a little random, but the trick to using them is to hedge your bets. Never deploy one Daemonhost since it usually will not make up the points. When you deep strike them, remember they take up one slot on the organizational chart, so you roll for all of them as one unit, but they can be placed separately. Instead, consider deploying them together ready for an assault. Two or three of them slamming into one unit from a completely different angle often means that unit will be tied up for a very long time. With 4 wounds, and a 1 in 6 chance of healing all the way to the top every turn, and if not healing, doing something really nasty, they should not be overlooked. Their drawbacks are that they are random by nature and although their weapons are high strength, they don't ignore armor saves.
Death Cult Assassins are almost never seen in any of our local battles which make them perfectly worth taking for the surprise factor. A trio of Assassins is fairly cheap, but they are very fragile. If you can keep them out of sight and mind, you will get a massive amount of power weapon attacks into any target you desire. Other Officio Assassinorum Operatives such as the Cullexus or Calidus among others, may not be the best choice for the Relictors player. More often then not, these types of Assassins would be working for the ‘other side’.
Finally, don't let anything limit you when you are going with a Radical Inquisitor and his entourage. They can serve as defacto-command of a Relictors army, in that maybe a Veteran Sergeant and his band are directly under their authority. Or maybe the Inquisitor is a dark figure, moving separately in the shadows, pulling the strings like some sinister puppet master.
Modeling
The only color reference we have for the grey power armor shows a grey that is darker than normal Codex Grey. Codex has been listed as the 'official' color although the Relictors can benefit from a shade or two darker grey. There are many ways of painting the Relictors but we will present two of them here, debatably the hard and easy way.
The more advanced method is to use a Codex Grey with a slight touch of black mixed in on a black primer undercoat. The trick is in applying a wash. You can use a dish soap wash or you could use a Future Floor Wax wash method (I believe the product is called Klean in the UK). There are plenty of tutorials out there on the subject but essentially a drop of soap or FFW in a small amount of water is mixed with a bit of Chaos Black and maybe a light amount of Chestnut Ink which is then applied over the whole miniature. This wash ensures the 'shading' falls nicely into all the little crevices. When dry, highlight first w/ Codex Grey, then mix in a little Fortress Grey, and then finally mix in a little more Fortress.
Even better is Vallejo’s line of Model Color paints as they have hundreds of shades of grey such as VC867-164 shown above. Finally think about painting weathering and armor chipping on your models as it would be appropriate considering the chapter's lengthy crusade.
For those of us who are either uncultured Australians, or otherwise inept when it comes to the finer art of painting, a simple base coat of Codex Grey over Black looks fine, if you are careful not to get grey into the lines between armor plates. Yes this is the standard color scheme for the 13th Company, but without their wolven-esqe look and their occasional piece of chaos equipment, they look different enough to tell on the Tabletop. Just dry brush them a little with a slightly lighter grey, avoiding a highlight of straight Fortress Grey, as it is just too bright.
The Chapter icon has been described as a grimacing skull seen in profile facing to the left. It is very similar and often confused with the Revilers Chapter, a Raven Guard successor, who happen to also wear grey and display a similar skull motif with a lightening bolt in the background. There are many ways to display this badge but none of them are perfect.
Possibly the best way is by using custom decals which are unfortunately no longer available by a company in the US called Griffon Games. These go on fairly easily and present an accurate depiction of the Chapter icon. Freehand painting is another, much more difficult, option. We would suggest using a pencil to sketch out the design on the shoulder pad and then paint over your sketch in white then adding the details such as the teeth and eye. You could also use white and black paint pens or charcoal pencils if you could find them with enough detail.
Character can be added to the Relictors in many, many ways. An army of relic hunters leads to many possibilities of including found acquisitions or many other shiny things. More so than most Marine armies, if you are creating a Relictors army the bits box is about to become your best friend. Consider the chapter's feral origins when modeling Veterans and other Commanders by possibly incorporating some Space Wolf, Fantasy Marauder, or even, in moderation, Chaos Marine bits. A source of a good book and other bits such as a lantern can be found on the Mordheim accessory sprue. Finally the Chaos Vehicle Spiky Bits Sprue offers a range of large chaos icons that can be used to create Chaos Icon bearers.
As for daemon weapons, there are many options of currently available parts, such as Abaddon's sword arm, but we would suggest creating your own. A few pieces of plastic-card can be whittled down using a dremel or knife forming a new blade to replace any of the normal power weapon blades found in the Space Marine line. A good article on creating plague swords was written by Brother Sinear and can be found here. For the Artekus Scourge, the Fantasy Marauder sprue has excellent flails that could be used as is or have the ends replaced with skulls. Another possibility is a clear sword made in a similar way to the above plague swords but using clear Plexiglas that is whittled down and then flame polished, or lightly hit with a small propane torch. This creates a rough hewn but crystal clear sword.
The general idea when it comes to daemon weapons and standards is the old adage that anything goes. A normal Codex Marine Standard Bearer proudly holding aloft a Rapturous Standard of Slaanesh goes a long way towards your opponent’s bewilderment!
Conclusion
With any army for Warhammer 40,000, there are many more interpretations and variations that are possible than simply what is presented here. This article has been put together to provide a somewhat concise point of departure in the creation, modeling, and tactics of your own personal Relictors army. We hope it has been helpful in some way and wish you all the best on the tabletop of the dark future.
Friday, August 24, 2007
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Friday, August 24, 2007
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(Humbly borrowed from The Bolter and Chainsword)
The Relictors
Date:..............3117252.M40
Ref:................LBC/21354F/Scy
By:.................Brother Scythe
Re:.................Adeptus Astartes Relictors
Thought:.........Nobody is innocent, there are merely varying degrees of guilt
The Relictors slow descent into heresy has profoundly changed their relationship with the Legio. Where once a cordial, fraternal bond existed is now an open sore, with neither side able or willing to trust the other.
Origins  A Relictors Battle-Brother
During the events of the Thirteenth Black Crusade, the Relictors were drawn to Subiaco Diablo after learning of an artefact that was held there in a chamber known as the Diamedes Archive. Whilst retrieving the artefact, they fought with and defeated several units of Imperial Guardsmen and the forces of Inquisitor Cyarro. Once recovered, Cyarro successfully petitioned the highest echelons of the Ordo Malleus and Ordo Hereticus to have the Relictors declared 'Excommunicate Traitoris' - enemies and traitors to the Imperium of Man.
The Relictor's Fortress Monastery was subsequently assaulted and destroyed by the joint forces of the Grey Knights and Inquisitor Cyarro. The remaining Relictors have divided and gone into hiding in and around the Eye of Terror, where they still fight against Chaos in the name of Humanity and the God-Emperor of Mankind.
Organization
Before their 'Fall', the Relictors conformed to the Codex Astartes as far as typical Company formation is concerned. However there was always some divergance at the higher levels. The Chapter's command ranks are filled only with those judged pure by the Chapter's Librarians and form a shadowy group known as the Conclave. Every situation that demands the Chapter's attention is carefully reviewed and examined by the Conclave before any action is taken.
Homeworld
During the time that the Ramilies Star Fort was home to the Chapter, the Relictors called Torva Minoris their Homeworld. Classified by the Administratum as a feral world the planet is populated by savages of a superstitious nature. They believe that the Relictors are the emissaries of the God-Emperor himself and are sent to take their best away to join them at their "sky fortress". However as part of the punishment laid upon the Chapter for the use of sorcery and Chaos tainted relics the Recictors were forced to give up their feudal rights to the planet and the people of Torva Minoris have begun to believe the God-Emperor has forsaken them and as such have begun a series of violent cermonies of debasment to try and bring the emissaries back.
Since the destruction of the Sky Fortress, the Relictors have not dared to return to Torva Minoris. They have been forced to rebuild their numbers from anywhere that they can - it has been rumoured that they have even harvested inmates from Penal Colonies to build up their ranks.
Combat Doctrine
The Relictors follow the fighting styles of the codex and as such are trained in all forms of combat. The Chapter does however have a high number of Librarians and as such these mystic individuals are often attached to even small Relictor battle formations. Although the Chapter is versed in various styles they prefer to attack in small groups at undisclosed locations rather than in the center of conflicts, something that has caused some animosity between the Chapter and other Imperial forces.
Geneseed
Rather uncommonly the geneseed of the Relictors is believed to have come from a mix of two First Founding Chapters. That of the Ultramarines and the Dark Angels is what forms the basis of the chapters geneseed. As it sits there is no signs of mutation withing the chapters ranks, however the apothecaries and librarians carefully screen all zygotes and are rumored to allow those that show signs of mutation to mature in order to better understand Chaos.
Interaction with the Legio
While the Relictors have in the past observed the Compact that ensures the Legio is properly manned they are not known to be close to the Legio. In recent times their dwindling numbers mean that they can no longer commit forces to the Legio.
These rules were originally put together as part of a discussion at Bolter and Chainsword for part of a potential Codex that was to be known as Chapters of Legend. These rules have not been thoroughly playtested and should therefore only be used with your opponent's consent.
Codex: Chapters of Legend: Relictors Beta Rules
We stand alone: "The Relictors have been excommunicated and are considered traitors. Their Fortress Monastery was utterly destroyed and they are on the run" As a result a Relictors force may not take allies with the exception of Radical Daemonhunters from Codex: Daemon hunters. The units that may accompany a Radical Daemonhunter from the Codex Daemonhunters are an Inquisitorial retinue, Inquisitorial storm troopers and Daemon hosts.
Rites of purity: "Before someone is considered capable of entering the Conclave and become wielder of the Chapter’s most secret weapons he must first be pure in Mind and Body" As a result Relictors Daemon weapon wielder must purchase the Purity seals upgrade.
RELICTORS ARMORY: The Dark Artefacts:
These artefacts are legendary in their rarity, kept safe in stasis chambers deep within heavily fortified reclusiams and lead-lined sacristies. There exists only one of each of these artefacts, so only one of each type may be taken in any given army.
Added to Relic list:
1) Artekus Scourge*
2) Sword of St. Aquitaine*
3) Blade of Phaedron*
4) Sword of Devouring Light*
5) Tongue of Kdaai(Ether Lance)*
6) Banner of Rage
7) Plague Banner
8) Rapturous Standard
9) Blasted standard
* Daemon Weapon 0-1 per Army
Added to Wargear list:
1) Book of Pain(0-1)
2) Shard of the Monolith(0-1)
3) Grimoire Pandaemonica(0-1)
Books of Pain
25 pts Inquisitors and Inquisitor Lords only
The fabled Books of Pain contain every word that has ever been used to describe sensation from discomfort to screaming agony. In times of dire necessity, a few words from these blasphemous texts can cause all those within earshot to fall into paroxysms of suffering.
The Books of Pain can be used once per game, at the beginning of any movement phase. All units, friend or foe (including the bearer's own) with a model within 3" of the bearer count as pinned until the beginning of the owner's next turn.
Artekus Scourge
25 pts Relictors only
The Artekus Scourge is a flail tipped with balls of pure energy in the form of screaming daemonic faces. Originally wielded by the Chapter Master of the Relictors. Artekus Bardane, the flail snaps and gnashes at the souls of those it hits.
The Artekus Scourge is a daemon weapon, and follows the appropriate rules from Codex: Chaos Space Marines. If the Scourge wounds a model with more than one wound, that model mus! roll under its Ld on 3D6 or be removed as a casualty. The Scourge is a power weapon.
Sword of St. Aquitaine
25 pts
The Sword of St. Aquitaine was recovered by the Relictors immediately prior to its debasement and subsequent possession by a daemonic entity, and contains a nightmarish creature of such power it can turn day into night.
If the Sword of St. Aquitaine causes a wound, and the bearer passes his Mastery test, he may force the entirety of the next game turn to be fought using the Night Fight rules. The Sword of St. Aquitaine is both a daemon weapon and a power weapon.
Shard of the Monolith
20 pts Relictors only
Recovered from the twisted, debased Monolith at the heart of the Equatorial Jungle on Armageddon and set into an ornate chain of consecrated lead, this shard of obsidian imbues the wearer with great speed and strength, but at a price...
The bearer gains +1 S and +1 I. He must always move towards and assault the nearest enemy if possible and must always perform a sweeping advance if at all possible.
Grimoire Pandaemonica
25 pts
This daemonic Grimoire weighs heavily with the sacrifices made in its name and has the power to greatly augment the power of dark ritual. When read backwards, passages from within its pages can cause tidal waves in the ether, disrupting any control over daemonic summoning.
The bearer can force his opponent to re-roll Daemonic Possession or a single Summoning roll each game turn.
Blade of Phaedron
15 pts
Inside the Blade of Phaedron lies the seething soul of a daemon possessed of a great enmity for all its kin. Although it is unremarkable when employed against a living thing, against a daemon the blade will blaze white with the pure heat of the captive daemon's rage.
The Blade of Phaedron wounds all Daemons on a 2+, and adds +D3 to the bearer's Attacks characteristic when charging a Daemon instead ot the usual +1. The Blade of Phaedron is a daemon weapon.
The Tongue of Kdaai
25 pts
A seemingly ordinary sword, The Tongue of Kdaai has unusual glowing crimson runes inscribed along the blade. Only with the help of the most potent of Librarians has the chapter managed to translate the inscription: ”I hear the roaring of waves whose waters are red and whose mists are black.” After intoning these words the Fire Daemon imprisoned inside the weapon awakes lashing out in a wave of crimson fire.
The Tongue of Kdaii follows the rules of the Ether Lance from Codex Chaos SM .
The Sword of the Devouring Light
25pts
Locked deep in a vault inside the Diamedes Archive was found the Blade which contains the Daemon Jerbag Dragth, a great Daemon imprisoned many thousands of years ago. Just unsheathing this massive sword unleashes such a powerful force that few who have seen it live to tell about it.
During the assault phase at Initiative 10, place the Ordnance Template over the Bearer causing one Str5 AP4 hit for every model under the template, friend or foe. The Sword counts as a two handed daemon and power weapon and as such does not confer a bonus for an additional CCW.
Cthon’s Axe
25 pts
Cthon’s Axe was recovered in the equatorial Jungles of Armageddon during a battle with the Freal Ork chieftain Vahr Buz, an Ork of great age and size yet he looked remarkably agile and swift when wielding the Axe. After close examination the chapter’s Librarians managed to identify the Daemon bound in the weapon as Cthon a Daemon with the ability to absorb the life essence from his victims giving each wielder inhuman longevity and energy taken from his victims.
The bearer of Cthon's Axe can ignore one failed save inflicted by a close combat wound per turn if the wielder has conferred a.wound with the Axe in the same turn. Cthon's Axe counts as a daemon and power weapon.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
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Thursday, August 23, 2007
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Courtesy of the legendary Brother Merrick:
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
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Wednesday, August 22, 2007
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I've just put a new Relictors Decal together. Heres a quick preview:
 Its based on the excellent design of the Decal Sheet over at The Bell of Lost Souls, but I have used the Relictors Skull symbol from the original Relictors.com.
You can download a copy of this Decal Sheet for free from here.
Monday, August 20, 2007
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Monday, August 20, 2007
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Founded to guard against the threat of the Traitor Legions attacking from the Eye of Terror, the Relictors were once counted amongst the most stalwart defenders of humanity. But Chaos is insiduous and a sinister secret now lurks at the heart of the Chapter, a secret that almost destroyed it and now threatens its very existence.
Origins
Originally designated the Fire Claws, it is thought the Relictors were founded during the dark days of the Age of Apostasy, though records of events during that strife-torn period are notoriously ambiguous and difficult to uncover. One transcription of the Mythos Angelica Mortis suggests that the Fire Claws maybe have been one of the so-called Astartes Praesus Chapters, a founding intended to bolster the defenses around the Eye of Terror be deploying twenty or so newly formed Chapters at strategically vital points in the region. The Fire Claws' fortress-monastery was based on an ancient Ramillies class star fort in geostationary orbit around the world of Torva Minoris, and the Chapter served as part of the Imperium's defences against the forces of Chaos for nigh on five millenia.
The Fire Claws are listed in the annals of Imperial history on many occasions, and have taken part in many glorious victories. Not least amongst these conflicts were the Purging of the Cult of the Inner Eye, the First Seige of Cocalus, and the Albrecht IV Landings. They were also part of the relief force that made possible the evacuation of the millions-strong crusade army of Warmaster Hendrik during his ill-fated expedition into the Wheel of Fire, far from the Eye of Terror...
In the middle of the ninth century of the 41st Millennium, the Emperor's Tarot revealed the existence of a badly damaged space hulk emerging from the Warp near the forge world of Stygies in the Segmentum Obscurus, and the Fire Claws mobilised to intercept it. The hulk, codified as the Captor of Sin, contained a renegade warband led by a Tzeentchian Chaos Chamption known as the Excoriator.
The Fire Claws' strike cruisers crippled the vessel as it entered the Stygies system and Terminator Assault Squads led by Librarian Decario and the shadowy figure of Inquisitor De Marche stormed the vessel. Realising they were doomed, the renegades made their stand in the cavern-sized engine room where furious battle was joined and Decario and de marche fought the Excoriator.
The Champion was a mighty warrior and carried a weapon forged in the heart of the Eye of Terror, a terrible Daemon sword with the essence of a Greater Daemon bound within its unearthly steel. The Inquisitor hacked at the Champion with his power axe, but the unnatural armour of the Excoriator was impervious to his blows.
The Chaos Champion retaliated, his Daemon weapon easily cutting through De Marche's armour and greviously wounding him. With another strike, the Excoriator shattered Decario's force sword and laid open his Terminator armour. Decario staggered, but struck back with his power fist, ripping the Chaos Champion's sword arm from its socket in a welter of vlood. Even mortally wounded and unarmed, the Champion fought with hideous ferocity, smashing the Librarian to the ground and slaughtering four Terminators. Decario muttered a prayer to the Emperor, reached for the nearest weapon to hand and struck out at the Champion. The Excoriator's head was chopped from his shoulders and Decario realised he had picked up the Daemon sword, killing the Champion with his own weapon.
Decario was filled with a sense of utter purpose as he weilded the Chaos sword and instinctively felt that this was a weapon that could be turned against the forces of Chaos. The wounded De Marche cautioned the Librarian to put the weapon down, that only he was trained in the use of such artifacts. The Librarian handed the Inquisitor the weapon and the Space Marines returned to their ship, leaving behind an Adeptus Mechanicus survey teams to search the hulk for any archaeotech.
De Marche explained that he also believed that such weapons could be used to fight Chaos and should not be destroyed out of hand as was current Imperial policy. With the aid of Decario, he was able to convince the Fire Claws' Chapter Master of this and, under De Marche's guidance, the Fire Claws embarked on a crusade to explore the worlds around the Eye of Terror and uncover more such relics. Over the decades that followed, many such artifacts were discovered and the Fire Claws Chapter became known as the Relictors.
However, it was only a matter of time before others discovered the Relictors' practise of using Chaos weapons in battle. A cell of Inquisitors backed up by the fleets of no less than four Chapters of Space Marines and an Emperor class battleship descended upon the Relictors' fortress-monastery and demanded they hand over De Marche and all recovered Chaos weaponry or be destroyed. Faced with destruction, the Chapter had no option but to obey. As penance for dealing with heretical weaponry, the Chapter was despatched on a century long penitent crusade. De Marche was taken by the Inquisitors and executed as a heretic.
As part of their crusade, the Relictors recently took part in the Third War for Armageddon. However, the Chapter was publicly criticised, as the majority of its warriors concentrated their efforts in the equitorial jungle, particularly in the region surrounding Angron's Monolith, despite repeated requests for assistance else where.
 Home World
Torva Minoris, the Relictors' homeworld, is situated in an area of the Segmentum Obscurus notorious for the intensity of the Warp storms afflicting it, and it is believed the world was trapped within such a storm throughout the early years of the Chapter's founding. A plague of Warp storms affected the Imperium during the Age of Apostasy, during which invasion and insurrection were rife. The area surrounding the Torva system was so ravaged by the taint of the storms that frequent pogroms are, to this day, carried out to ensure instances of mutation within the population do not rise above tolerable levels.
Torva Minoris is a satellite of the massive, blood red gas giant Torva Prime, and is classified by the Administratum as a Feral world. The population are superstitious savages who worship the Relictors as emissaries of the God-Emperor when the Chapter visits them, once a generation, to carry off the most promising young warriors to its "sky fortress". The tribes are known to revere the artefacts carried by the Space Marines as divine weaponry that can only be weilded by true and worthy servants of the Emperor; an attitude that seems to have been carried forwards into the dogma of the Chapter.
The "sky fortress" is the Relictors' fortress-monastery, a massive Ramilies class star fort that orbits Torva Minoris. Few emissaries are known to have returned from the fortress, but those few that survive speak of a monastery wreathed in perpetual gloom, where acolytes toil within locked cells to transcribe ancient, some say forbidden, texts as part of their training to become a brother of the Chapter. One such report, recounted by the notorious Heretic Archivist of the Gethsemane Reclusium, tells of the existence of a chamber deep within the fortress, sealed behind stasis fields and protected by the most severe of wards. Exactly what is held within this chamber is unknown, but the account speaks of a miasma of evil that leaks through the metre-thick adamantium blast doors despite the safeguards. The Heretic Archivist's writings suggest that the original witness was driven insane by what he saw, and died a slow, painful death within the torture chambers of the Ordo Malleus.
After the Inquisiton censured the Relictors for the actions of Inquisitor De Marche, the Chapter lost its feudal rights to Torva Minoris, which meant they could no longer recruit from amongst its feral tribes. The Relictors were forced to gather potential acolytes from amongst the populations they encountered during their penitent crusade. The Inquisiton has ruled that no Aduptus Astartes Chapter may recruit from Torva Minoris, and it is believed the Ordo Malleus keeps a close watch on the world to ensure its ruling is adhered to. The superstitious natives of Torva Minoris now believe the God-Emperor has forsaken them, and every year their ceremonies of abasement grow more extreme in their attempts to atone for whatever fault has caused the emissaries of the Emperor to turn from them.
Combat Doctrine
The Relictors are known to follow the Codex Astartes as far as overall organisation is concerned, but it has been noted that they have strayed from approved doctrine in a number of other areas. The major difference between the Chapter's combat doctrine and that of any other is in its use of captured enemy weapons. Many Chapters indulge in trophy taking, but the Relictors have in the past gone out of their way to capture, master and utilise weapons taken from the forces of Chaos. Despite the evident consequences of Inquisitorial sanction, they are thought by some to be continuing this practise.
Another notable feature of the Chapter's organisation is the inclusion of more Librarians than is usual, a feature some observers have attributed to the Relictors' proximity to the Eye of Terror. To date, the Inquisition has not acted on this information, though with the Chapter's recent conduct on Armageddon, it will doubtless be led to investigate further. In terms of battlefield tactics, many Imperial commanders who have fought beside the Chapter have voiced concerns about its behaviour. It has been noted on many occasions that the Relictors will only embark upon a specific course of action if it meets with some criteria only they are party to and will often only fight alongside other Imperial forces if that agenda can be furthered. This is most evident in the Chapter's actions at Armageddon, where it answered the general call to defend the world from the Ork invasion, but ignored all specific instructions and requests, despite these orders originating from Commander Dante of the Blood Angels himself.
The Third War for Armageddon
When the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka led the largest Ork invasion in many centuries against the Hive world of Armageddon, the Relictors were amonngst the first of the twenty plus Space Marine Chapters to rush to its aid. Commander Dante of the Blood Angels took overall command of the Chapters present, and each was utilised to the best of its abilities towards the goal of pushing back the millions-strong Ork horde.
Alone of all the Chapters, the Relictors did not acknowledge the authority of Commander Dante, or of any other Imperial leader. Dante was far more forgiving in this regard than General Kurov and others, who publicly decried the Relictors as oath-breakers, after the majority of the Chapter spent the greater proportion of their time on Armageddon engaged in operations of their own in the vicinity of Angron's Monolith. The equatorial jungle in this area is dark and twisted, the only living creatures frequenting it are the Feral Ork tribes who were said to perform dark ceremonies beneath the gloomy jungle canopy.
As the first phase of the campaign drew to a close, and the Season of Fire approaced, a ceasefire of sorts was achieved, with both sides digging in to weather the coming storms. Many Space Marine Chapters withdrew, as their lightning attack style of warfare was of less relevance in this new stage of the war. First to withdraw were the Relictors, who, with no explanation whatsoever, emerged from the jungle, boarded their Thunderhawk gunships and simply left. Imperial Navy picket ships in orbit challenged them, and a violent confrontation between supposed allies was only narrowly averted when Commander Dante ordered the picket ships to stand down and allow the Relictors' ships to rendezvous with their fleet.
The next time the Relictors were seen was one month later, when they arrived at the orbital shipyards of Belis Corona and demanded a complete resupply of their entire fleet. After some tense altercations with officious Departmento Munitorum officials, the Chapter's demands were acceded to and their ships resupplied.
With no further explanation, the Chapter left in the direction of the Cadian Gate. Nothing has been heard of them since.
Organisation
The Relictors conform, at first appearance, to that of a standard codex Chapter, with ten companies divided into a standard mix of Battle, Assault, Tactical, Devastator and Scout Companies. But it is in the higher echelons of the Chapter that many differences become apparent. The Chapter's command ranks are gathered together in a group known as the Conclave and every decision concerening the Chapter's deployment and operational doctrine is made here. Only those proven in combat and of guaranteed purity are permitted to rise to become members of the Conclave, and privy to the true nature of the Chapter. As a warrior rises through the ranks he is gradually initiated deeper into the Chapter's mysteries and when he is judged worthy to join the Conclave the truth about the powerful weapons weilded by its senior officers is finally revealed. It is these warriors who, after many days praying and shriving their souls of all impure thoughts, are permitted to carry the Chapter's Daemon weapons into combat. The Chapter's Librarians, of which there are a great many more than a Chapter should normally possess, meticulously screen potential initiates, rejecting all but the strongest willed candidates.
In batlle the Chapter fights with a balanced mixture of forces, appropriate to the given threat, and deviates little from standard battlefield operation. Only when members of the Conclave take to the field do the Relictors become something much more sinister. Senior members of the Chapter employ the weapons of the enemy against them, and individual squads carry unholy artefacts, utilising the power of Chaos against its foul minions.
Beliefs
Central to the Relictor's belief system is the tenet that Chaos is not inherently evil, that it is merely a power that may be turned against those who weild it for evil. This manifests most commonly in the Chapter's use of captured Daemon weapons, but also extends to their increased reliance on Librarians. As a relatively new Chapter, the Relictors display a confidence of youth that borders on arrogance, as they believe that they have the strength of will and faith to resist the corruption of Chaos. They disdain those who have not the courage to use such artefacts, claiming that the power of Chaos is a weapon like any other and that the evil that threatens to engulf the galaxy merits the use of such weapons.
The Librarians and Chaplains of the Relictors teach that a warrior who is armoured in faith can withstand the temptations of Chaos and it is their belief that they possess this in sufficient amounts to do so. They believe it is their sword duty to hunt down such artefacts and study them that they might better understand the machinations of the enemy. This attitude has often brought the Relictors into confrontation with other Imperial organisations when their objectives are in direct opposition, but thus far open conflict has been avoided.
Geneseed
The source of the Relictors' geneseed is largely based on gene stock taken from the laboratorium on Mars and is thought to be composed of that grown from the Ultramarine and Dark Angels. If this is the case, then it would appear that the High Lords of Terra's reluctance to sanction the use of Dark Angel's geneseed in the creation of new Chapters has relaxed somewhat. There are no recorded instances of unacceptable mutation in the Relictors' geneseed, though given their close working with the powers of the Warp, the Apothecaries and Librarians maintain close watch on the purity of their Battle Brothers for any signs of aberration. It is rumoured that those zygotes that display mutation are allowed to mature before implantation into a host organism in order that the Apothecaries might better study the workings of Chaos on the flesh and how to defeat it. The source and veracity of these rumours are unclear and, in all likelihood, they are the product of a fevered imagination.
ARTEKUS BARDANE - Chapter Master of the Relictors A fierce warrior from the wilds of Torva Minoris, Artekus Bardane was the son of a battle chieftain and learned the way of war as soon as he could hold a sword. On Torva Minoris a child learned to fight quickly or he died, and this resulted in a warrior people, living a precarious existence plundering meighbouring clans for sustenance. His confidence and courage saw him easily best his rivals, and he was chosen by the Librarians of the Relictors to become a Space Marine, quickly adapting to the ways of the Imperium and its weapons of war. His supreme confidence, some would say overbearing arrogance, saw him rise rapidly through the ranks of the Chapter, accepting each new mystery revealed to him by the Conclave with ease. His skill in mastering the weapons and artefacts of Chaos led to his being given command of a company that penetrated deep into the Eye of Terror on a mission to hunt down and capture Chaos weaponry. On the world of Eidolon, Artekus defeated a mighty Champion of Slaanesh, taking up his accursed weapon, a screaming flail of daemonic faces, and destroying the fiend's warband with the howling Daemon weapon. The Screaming Flail was placed in stasis at the heart of the Relictors' fortress-monastery, where it is kept until needed. Before weilding the Daemon weapon, its bearer must spend many days in penitent fasting and prayer, purifying his soul and steeling his faith to resist the whispered imprecations of the imprisoned daemon within. Artekus Bardane continued to serve with great distinction, earning yet higher rank, learning more of the Chapter's secrets and unearthing more and more Chaos artefacts. After the destruction of the Cult of the Scarlet Vein, a bloody battle of which Artekus was the only survivor, he was finally elevated to the rank of Chapter Master at the recommendation of his predecessor, who was mortally wounded in the final battle against the cult. When the call for aid came from Armageddon, the Relictors mobilised their entire Chapter and set off for the system-spanning conflict. Artekus ordered his captains to gether their warriors, and the entire Chapter journeyed to this war-torn world. Artekus led his men deep into the heart of the equatorial jungle, where he believed the greatest potential lay for the study of Chaos, given that the cursed monolith of Angron squatted in its haunted depths. All through the war for Armageddon, the Relictors remained within the depths of the jungle, famously refusing even the personal commands of commander Dante of the Blood Angels. When the war on Armageddon drew to a close, the Librarians of the Relictors claimed to have had visions of a giant eye, dripping with blood, and Artekus immediately withdrew his Chapter from the warzone. Following the Conclave's vision, he began the journey towards the Eye of Terror. Battlecry
"Strength of will, courage of will!"
A Basic Guide to Painting Rank-and-file Relictors Space Marines.
By Urza. 
- Undercoat with GW Chaos Black Spraypaint.
- Basecoat with a 50:50 mix of GW Chaos Black and GW Codex Grey. Alternatively, use either Tamiya German Grey or Vallejo Model Colour German Grey.
- Use a Pigma Micron .005 fineliner pen to fill in the eyes, vents and flexible joints in the armour (knees, ankles and elbows).
- Highlight the armour plates with GW Codex Grey.
- Next do a very fine highlight on the armour armour with GW Fortress Grey.
- Paint Shoulderpads and kneepads with GW Chaos Black.
- Use GW Goblin Green for the eye lenses.
- Finish off the weapons with GW Chaos Black and GW Boltgun Metal.
Last but not least, apply some Relictors Decals!
RADICAL MEASURES IN WARHAMMER 40,000 by Phil Kelly
DARK SECRETS
If you've been following the events surrounding the ever-dubious Relictors Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes over the last few issues of White Dwarf, you'll no doubt be wondering just how far this rogue Space Marine Chapter is prepared to go in its quest to turn Chaos against itself. Well, so are we, but we're prepared to investigate every possible outcome. As a result, here's some extra goodies for those who would battle not just for life or death, but for the souls of an entire chapter...
Daemonhunters players of a Radical bent will no doubt have considered the potential power they could wield with a full chapter ot Space Marines devoted to their cause. No doubt the shadier members of the Ordo Malleus are very glad that instead of asking awkward questions and screaming about heresy, the Relictors actively further their forbidden research. As a result, we've brought a few more tainted artefacts utilised by senior ranking Relictors and the Radical factions of the Ordo Malleus alike out of their thrice-consecrated confinement chambers for those (ahem) open-minded players out there who are not averse to toying with the dark path. But remember, be careful where it leads...
In the Relictors' special rules in WD 281, it states that Relictors may only ally with Radical Daemonhunters. We know that an Inquisitor's loyalty is not always discemable by the company he keeps, so here's a clarification:
"Inquisitors that are not accompanied by ANY type of Grey Knight Space Marines may be designated Radical (Grey Knights will not fight alongside those who dabble in the Dark Arts). They may take Daemonhosts in their allied force and use the artefacts printed below"
DARK ARTEFACTS
These artefacts are legendary in their rarity, kept safe in stasis chambers deep within heavily fortified reclusiams and lead-lined sacristies. There exists only one of each of these artefacts, so only one of each type may be taken in any given army.
Books of Pain
25 pts
Inquisitors and Inquisitor Lords only
The fabled Books of Pain contain every word that has ever been used to describe sensation from discomfort to screaming agony. In times of dire necessity, a few words from these blasphemous texts can cause all those within earshot to fall into paroxysms of suffering.
The Books of Pain can be used once per game, at the beginning of any movement phase. All units, friend or foe (including the bearer's own) with a model within 3" of the bearer count as pinned until the beginning of the owner's next turn.
Artekus Scourge
25 pts
Relictors only
The Artekus Scourge is a flail tipped with balls of pure energy in the form of screaming daemonic faces. Originally wielded by the Chapter Master of the Relictors. Artekus Bardane, the flail snaps and gnashes at the souls of those it hits.
The Artekus Scourge is a daemon weapon, and follows the appropriate rules from Codex: Chaos Space Marines. If the Scourge wounds a model with more than one wound, that model mus! roll under its Ld on 3D6 or be removed as a casualty. The Scourge is a power weapon.
Sword of St. Aquitalne
25 pts
The Sword of St. Aquitaine was recovered by the Relictors immediately prior to its debasement and subsequent possession by a daemonic entity, and contains a nightmarish creature of such power it can turn day into night.
If the Sword of St. Aquitaine causes a wound, and the bearer passes his Mastery test, he may force the entirety of the next game turn to be fought using the Night Fight rules. The Sword of St. Aquitaine is both a daemon weapon and a power weapon.
Shard of the Monolith
20 pts
Relictors only
Recovered from the twisted, debased Monolith at the heart of the Equatorial Jungle on Armageddon and set into an ornate chain of consecrated lead, this shard of obsidian imbues the wearer with great speed and strength, but at a price...
The bearer gains +1 S and +1 I. He must always move towards and assault the nearest enemy if possible and must always perform a sweeping advance if at all possible.
Grimoire Pandaemonica
25 pts
This daemonic Grimoire weighs heavily with the sacrifices made in its name, and has the power to greatly augment the power of dark ritual. When read backwards, passages from within its pages can cause tidal waves in the ether, disrupting any control over daemonic summoning.
The bearer can force his opponent to re-roll Daemonic Possession or a single Summoning roll each game turn.
Blade of Phaedron
15 pts
Inside the Blade of Phaedron lies the seething soul of a daemon possessed of a great enmity for all its kin. Although it is unremarkable when employed against a living thing, against a daemon the blade will blaze white with the pure heat of the captive daemon's rage.
The Blade of Phaedron wounds all Daemons on a 2+, and adds +D3 to the bearer's Attacks characteristic when charging a Daemon instead ot the usual +1. The Blade of Phaedron is a daemon weapon.
NEW MISSION
This mission, Daemonhunt, is along similar lines to the Terminate the Daemonvessel mission from Codex: Daemonhunters, but with more of a Radical bent. It is ideally played with a force of Space Marines (the Relictors) versus a Chaos force (Lost and the Damned or Chaos Space Marines), although enterprising players may like to use the Adversaries rules on page 49 of Codex: Daemonhunters so that they can use an army of their choice. If you haven't got a copy of Codex: Daemonhunters, rules for Inquisitors can be found in the Chapter Approved section of White Dwarf 275 and rules for Daemons can be found in WD 272. Now grab a forbidden tome and a nice sharp daemon weapon and get ghostbusting...
DAEMONHUNT
ATTACKER'S OVERVIEW
You have located the Chaos worshipper's stronghold, but moments too late! The worst possible fate can only be avoided by turning the tools of Chaos against the foul apparition before you.
DEFENDER'S OVERVIEW
The ritual is complete. Only mere seconds stand between you and the incarnation of your god, provided you can contend with the meddling fools of the Ordo Malleus and their Astartes lackeys. Kill them all!
SCENARIO SPECIAL RULES
Daemonhunt uses the Deep Strike and Infiltration special rules.
SET UP - Place a suitable terrain piece in the table centre. This is the sacnficial altar and will take the place of the Daemonvessel when the Greater Daemon emerges.
- The defender deploys his forces anywhere entirely within 12" of the Altar.
- The attacker's forces are deployed anywhere in the areas marked on the map.
- Roll a dice, whoever rolls highest gets the first turn.
MISSION OBJECTIVE
The attacker must slay the Greater Daemon to achieve victory. Any and all other considerations are irrelevant. If this is achieved it is a victory to the attacker.
The defender must keep the Greater Daemon alive by any means necessary. If this is achieved it counts as a victory to the defender.
The attacker counts as having 1 Inquisitor Lord in addition to his normal force (player's choice). This Inquisitor may spend a free 150 points on any wargear. Henchmen, psychic powers, transports and weapon upgrades. The Inquisitor Lord is automatically equipped with the Blade of Phaedron (see opposite page) in addition to the 150 pt bonus.
The attacker counts as having a Greater Daemon of his choice in addition to his force, held in reserve. Use the normal Reserve rules for the Greater Daemon instead of the usual Summoning rules.
RESERVES
When the Greater Daemon becomes available it will appear directly on the sacrificial altar (which cannot be destroyed) and may move and fight as normal. Note that this bypasses the usual rules for Daemonvessels.
GAME LENGTH
The game lasts for six turns.
LINE OF RETREAT
Units that are forced to fall back will do so towards the nearest board edge, using the normal Fall Back rules
The Relictors Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes were once amongst the staunchest of Humanity's defenders. Now, however, the insidious, corrupting tendrils of Chaos have tainted the very heart of this once-proud chapter. Graham McNeill recounts recent events and the threat to the Relictors' existence...
The dream memory always begin in the same way. Katanen would see the face of the man he had just killed, begging him through bloodied lips not to open the vault as his lifeblood flooded from a fist-sized crater in his chest. Katanen and his battle-brothers of the Relictors Chapter had ignored the dying guardian of the vault and pressed on towards their goal - the Diamedes Archive. Great monolithic doors, weathered and dusty with age, swung wide on squealing cogs that had not turned in millenia and Katanen felt a great vindication as Captain Pediese entered the vault.
But then his dream no longer mimicked his memories as a bright light shone from the depths of the vault, searing and unbearable in its intensity. It burned through him. darkening to become a sickly yellow glow that reeked of corruption and evil. A laughing from the vault, its features cruel and hungry. It turned its gaze upon him, burning eyes stripping the armour and flesh from his body even before he had breath to scream.
Katanen awoke, instantly alert, his senses razor sharp. For the briefest instant, he believed he could still smell the stench of scorched flesh, but dismissed the notion as ludicrous. A Space Marine did not dream. He did not know what these things he was experiencing were, but they could not be dreams. The hour was early, he still had some time before morning devotions and prayer, so he rose and donned his exercise garments, padding silently from the dormitory and into the attached gymnasia. Katanen eased into his morning ritual of devotional callisthenics, stretching and working his muscles in time to catechisms of ritual obeisance. Though he knew it was impossible for a Space Marine to dream, the images of the mission to Fremas kept intruding on his rest period.
The Diamedes Archive had been constructed, as near as the Techmarines could deduce, almost four thousand years ago, though how it had come to exist buried in the heart of a mountain top, with no obvious way in or out, was a mystery they had no answer to. An earthquake some five centuries ago had cracked open one of the deep tunnels that led within and soon after its contents had been sealed by order of the Ordo Malleus. No one, save the highest adepts on Terra, truly knew the contents of the Archive. No one, that is, until the Relictors had captured a newly-created daemon blade from a warband of Word Bearers on Subiaco Diablo. The Librarians of the Chapter had coerced the bound entity to translate ancient texts known to have been penned by its servants thousands of years ago. The text had spoken of the Diamedes Archive and the ecret held in its hidden vault; a secret that had been sealed away for all time.
Time had made its guardians complacent and it was a simple matter for the six Space Marines to overwhelm the company of Guardsmen stationed within the fastness and open the vault. Inside was a treasure of the Ruinous Powers, a treasure that groaned with the weight of ages and dark knowledge. Reverently placed within a stasis chest before being transported in great secrecy to the Chapter's fortress-monastery, it now sat in the warp-sealed Reliquarius, studied by the most powerful and pure Librarians of the Chapter. The secrets of the Immaterium it could unlock would make the deaths it had taken to retrieve it worthwhile and, though there would be those who would persecute them for their chosen path, the Relictors were careful to leave none alive who could speak of what they did.
* * *
Inquisitor Cyarro watched the burning wreck impassively from the bridge of the battle barge, Hammer of the Unrighteous, his breath wheezing from the gurgling machinery attached to his back. Thick pipes coiled from the machine, sutured to his flesh and piercing his ribcage with puffs of steam venting from the artificial pumps that now breathed for him. His own lungs had been destroyed by the strike of a daemon weapon on Subiaco Diablo and only the swift attention of an Ordo Malleus Medicae team had saved his life. That and his own determination to hunt down those who had killed his men and left hirn to die in the blasted ruins of the defiled cathedral. The Relictors Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.
The ship burning in space before him was one of their vessels; a rapid strike cruiser ambushed and destroyed while refuelling at an outer-rim waystation. The Hammer's Astropath had detected no outgoing messages from the stricken vessel, and Cyarro was confident the element of surprise had been maintained. Another three days travel would see his fleet detachment reach the core systems where his spies had informed him the Relictors' fortress-monastery was anchored, badlv damaged after the fighting in and around the Eye of Terror during Abaddon's devastating invasion. The Relictors` fleet was depleted, their cursed base weakened; there would never be a better time to enact retribution on these traitors. Following the Relictors' treachery on Subiaco Diablo. Cyarro had woken upon the medicae slab in Nemesis Tessera, the finest Chirurgeons of Inquisitor Lord Coteaz having rebuilt his shattered body with prosthetics, bionics and vat-grown plasflesh. Upon his recovery, Cyarro had convened a gathering of the most senior Inquisitors who had survived the relentless assaults of the Ruinous Powers on the Inquisition fortress, and petitioned the Secret Masters of his Ordo to have the Reliciors declared Extremis Diabolus and their lives forfeit. The decision was swift and unanimous. The Relictors had turned from the Emperor's Light and were to be hunted down and destroyed; their gene-seed wiped from the galaxy and all record of their deeds expunged from Imperial history.
The thought made Cyarro smile.
* * *
Katanen felt a shiver of premonition as he lifted his bolter from the racking and slid a magazine of shells home. He whispered the Prayer of Armaments and completed the seven Rites of Ordnance before kneeling and offering his strength-at-arms to the Emperor's shrine that sat at the end of the armoury. He and his fellow battle-brothers were hardened veterans, who had fought with courage and determination during the titanic conflict that had raged around the Eye of Terror, but they had lost a greal many of their number and their beloved monastery had been badly damaged during the recapture of Finreht. It had taken all the skill of the Chapter's Master of the Fleet to secretly move them to anchor in the Taeloth systems, where they could recover their strength and make use of the knowledge they had gleaned from the dark treasure within the Diamedes Archive.
* * *
"Will they be aware of us?" asked Cyarro, his voice rasping and cold.
"No." said the Hammer's Master of Surveyors, confidently. "I have brought us in on the far side of the planet to which the Ramilies is anchored. They will not know we are here."
"What of their Astropaths?"
"We dropped out of Warp space much further out than normal. If they have felt our arrival at all, it is likely that they will believe it to be navy ship passing through to Chinchare or Jubal."
Cyarro nodded, sure that the silver armoured Master of Surveyors was correct, but needing to hear the words spoken aloud. He had suffered too much and the Relictors had committed too many atrocities for him to fail now. His fresh skin, pink and raw from surgery was now stippled with dark inks, tattooed with the names of those men who had been murdered by the Relictors while under his command on Subiaco Diablo: Chouan, Kaotsu and many more. His heart burned with hatred for these traitors who had betrayed their oaths of loyalty to the Emperor. Cyarro himself bad once crossed the line into what many amongst his Ordo termed Radicalism, but he had suffered for that mistake wilh the blood of innocents and had paid his penance. He had returned to the path of righteousness and though the temptation of his former path still gnawed at him daily, he would persecute those who had fallen with the fiery passion of a zealot.
"All ships report that they are in position and ready to commence the attack." said the Master of Surveyors.
Cyarro turned to the captain's pulpit, where an armoured giant in blue-steel armour nodded solemnly.
"Commence the attack." Cyarro said simply.
* * *
The first lance strikes from the two Retributor battleships smashed through the outer hull of the Relictor`s fortress monastery, blowing whole decks into space and venting crystallizing oxygen like glittering blood. A flurry of torpedoes, launched from half a dozen smaller vessels roared from their launch bays and ponderously gained speed is they slashed towards their target. Ruby red explosions rippled across the surface of the fortress-monastery and it shuddered like a wounded beast. Though weakened and damaged, a Ramilies starfort is a terrifying enemy to fight and once its defenders overcame their surprise, a deadly tracery of fire erupted from its guns. One of the attacking vessels was crippled almost immediately, its shields overloaded and its engines blasted from the hull. The attacking fleet scattered, the larger ships concentrating their fire upon the damaged sections and manoeuvring to take advantage of the dead zones in the starfort's coverage. Space between the attacking ships and the starfort was criss-crossed by torpedo trails and streaks of bittery fire, a lethal web of explosions that lit up the stars around Taeloth with dazzling explosions. The Hammer of Righteousness surged forwards to a sagging, firelit wound in the side of the starfort, her prow launch bays rumbling open and disgorging a host of Thunderhawk gun ships that flocked towards the fortress-monastery like hunting birds of prey.
* * *
Katanen stumbled as the fortress monastery shook under another barrage of explosions. Klaxons blared and warning bells chimed, sounding for all the world like his sacred home was screaming in pain. An explosion ripped through the basalt corridor before him, knocking him to the ground and filling the air with fire and smoke. Crackling vox contacts in his helmel told him that their fortress-monastery was dying, breaches were being blasted all across its structure and boarding parties were penetrating deep into its sacred depths. Shadowy figures moved through the haze, firelight gleaming from long bladed polearms. He picked himself up, shouting. "Up, brothers, up! The enemy is upon us!" before firing a hail of shells into the fiery maelstrom before him.
Sparks flew from the impacts of his shots, but none of the figures fell. Internal recyc-umts fought to clear the air and Katanen could see the attackers clearly for the first time. Armoured in burnished suits of Terminator armour that gleamed with a blue-steel sheen, the warriors were figures of awe and terror. Covered in embossed scriptwork and with a multitude of purily seals fixed to their armour, the warriors were the very image of the Emperor's fiery retribution. Katanen was transfixed as he recognised the attackers for what they were; Grey Knights; scourge of daemon kind and the corrupt. The lead Terminator, a magnificent warrior with a crimson, fur-edged cloak swirling about him raised his bulky gauntlet and spat. "Trafficker with daemons, prepare to die."
Katanen dived to the side as a storm of gunfire and flame filled the corridor, hearing the cries of wounded men behind him. He rolled to his feet and deflected a blow from a crackling blade that would surely have decapitated him, but succeeded only in tearing his helmet free of his gorget. The blade bit into the wall, flaring sparks leaping from its energy-wreathed edge. Katanen dragged free his own sword and hacked through the polearm's shaft as a gauntlet hammered into his chest and sent him sprawling. He reached for his weapon, hearing the sounds of desperate battle behind him, the dish of steel and the roaring of boilers filling his senses, but an armoured boot slammed down on his arm and pinned it in place. He tried to pull himself free, but a hissing blade touched his neck and he froze, feeling the hot from the power sword scorch his skin.
He looked up into the face of the man who held the blade, a hairless, scarred individual wreathed in voluminous red robes stitched with gold Inquisitorial rosettes. He bore hissing machinery upon his back and was surrounded by faceless, hooded adepts and servitors. A trio of Grey Knights kept their storm bolters trained on him and a flitting skull with a burning red eye buzzed around the Inquisitor. The man`s skin was covered with swirling text that Katanen realised were names, scores upon scores of names. It was the face of a fanatic. Worse, it was a fanatic he recognised.
"I know you." he said "You were on Subiaco Diablo."
The tattooed man's eyes narrowed, "I was, yes." he said slowly "You murdered my men.
"We had no choice," said Katanen. "They had seen the daemon blade."
"You are a murderer and a trafficker in blasphemous magicks. I will see you and your kind wiped out for your crimes against the Imperium!"
"Crimes?" snapped Katanen, the skin of his chin blistering and raw from the heat of the Inquisitor's sword. "You dare accuse me of crimes? We seek to preserve the Imperium by whatever means necessary. If that means shedding blood then I am not afraid to see it spilled."
"You consort with daemons and slay the true warriors of the Emperor." snapped Cyarro, forcing the blade lower. "You are a traitor with no right to live and I will not bandy words with a trator any more."
Katanen closed his eyes and said, "Do what you will, you merely doom yourself to an earlier extinction without the knowledge we have gained."
The inquisitor's sword sliced downwards.
* * *
Cyarro witched as the fleet he had assembled at Belis Corona hammered the dying remains of the Relictors fortress-monastery with concentrated fire from their gun batteries. A Ramilies starfort was a missive edifice and took time to fully destroy, but they would love only when no stone was left upon another and every trace of the Relictors was reduced to dust. He felt a grim satisfaction as he watched mother powerful explosion rip through the remains of the starfort, his fingers drumming upon a carved wooden box, locked tight with silver chains and inscribed with powerful pentagrammic wards. He heard armoured footfalls behind him and turned, drawing a black cloth over the box to hide it from view.
"What news, Captain Pelega?" asked Cyarro.
Some of their ships managed to fight their way past our picket line." said the Grey Knight Captain.
"The starfort is no more. Inquisitor, we must give chase to those who escaped its destruction before we lose them in the Eye."
"Yes..." said Cyarro at last, resting his hand atop the cloth covered box.
"It is almost certain that whatever the Relictors stole from the Diamedes Archive is aboard one of those ships. We cannot afford to let them get away."
"Very well." said Cyarro. "Weigh anchor and give pursuit. Indeed you are correct, Captain Pelega, the prize must be with one of the traitors who fled like cowards"
The Grey Knight Captain bowed and retreated from the Inquisitor's chambers.
Cyarro ran his hands across the black cloth covering the sigil-carved box.
And smiled.
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