True Warhammer 40,000

True20 adventure in the Warhammer 40,000 setting

Version 6 – January 2008

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................6
The Background in a Nutshell.........................................................................................................6
HISTORY.............................................................................................................................................................................7
Timeline...........................................................................................................................................7
THE IMPERIUM OF MAN...............................................................................................................................................10
The Emperor..................................................................................................................................10
The High Lords of Terra................................................................................................................11
Culture...........................................................................................................................................12
Organisations.................................................................................................................................12
The Adeptus Mechanicus..........................................................................................................12
The Administratum...................................................................................................................12
The Adeptus Terra....................................................................................................................12
The Adeptus Astartes................................................................................................................13
The Adepta Sororitas................................................................................................................14
The Officio Assassinorum........................................................................................................14
The Inquisition..........................................................................................................................15
The Navis Nobilite....................................................................................................................17
Imperial Governors...................................................................................................................17
Human Subraces............................................................................................................................17
Mutants......................................................................................................................................17
Navigators.................................................................................................................................18
Ogryns.......................................................................................................................................18
Ratlings.....................................................................................................................................18
Squats........................................................................................................................................18
Language........................................................................................................................................18
Technology....................................................................................................................................19
THE FORCES OF CHAOS................................................................................................................................................20
History...........................................................................................................................................20
Culture and Organisation...............................................................................................................20
Khorne.......................................................................................................................................20
Nurgle........................................................................................................................................20
Slaanesh....................................................................................................................................21
Tzeentch....................................................................................................................................21
Language........................................................................................................................................21
Technology....................................................................................................................................21
THE ELDAR......................................................................................................................................................................21
History...........................................................................................................................................22
Culture...........................................................................................................................................22
Organisations.................................................................................................................................23
Dark Eldar......................................................................................................................................23
Language........................................................................................................................................23
Technology....................................................................................................................................23
NECRONS..........................................................................................................................................................................24
ORKS..................................................................................................................................................................................24
Biology...........................................................................................................................................25
Culture...........................................................................................................................................25
Organisations.................................................................................................................................26
Technology....................................................................................................................................26
THE TAU EMPIRE............................................................................................................................................................26

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 Culture and Organisations.............................................................................................................27
Other Species.................................................................................................................................27
Kroot.........................................................................................................................................27
Vespid.......................................................................................................................................27
Humans.....................................................................................................................................28
Other Species............................................................................................................................28
Language........................................................................................................................................28
Technology....................................................................................................................................28
TYRANIDS........................................................................................................................................................................28
Culture...........................................................................................................................................28
Organisations.................................................................................................................................29
Language........................................................................................................................................30
Technology....................................................................................................................................31
THE GALAXY...................................................................................................................................................................31
Astrography...................................................................................................................................31
World Types..................................................................................................................................31
Major Worlds.................................................................................................................................32
Segmentum Solar......................................................................................................................32
Segmentum Obscurus...............................................................................................................32
Segmentum Pacificus................................................................................................................33
Segmentum Tempestus.............................................................................................................33
Ultima Segmentum...................................................................................................................33
Tau Empire................................................................................................................................34
Minor Worlds.................................................................................................................................35
HERO CREATION............................................................................................................................................................36
Backgrounds..................................................................................................................................36
The Imperium of Man...............................................................................................................36
Eldar and Dark Eldar.................................................................................................................37
Orks...........................................................................................................................................38
Tau............................................................................................................................................38
Chaos Space Marines, Necrons and Tyranids...........................................................................39
Skills and Feats..............................................................................................................................39
Armour Training, Powered (General).......................................................................................39
Benefit (General).......................................................................................................................39
Dedicated (General)..................................................................................................................40
Diehard (Warrior).....................................................................................................................40
Exotic Weapon Training (General)...........................................................................................40
Familiar.....................................................................................................................................40
Hard-Wired Systems.................................................................................................................40
EQUIPMENT.....................................................................................................................................................................41
Tech Ratings..................................................................................................................................41
Weapons.........................................................................................................................................41
Weapon Notes...........................................................................................................................43
Armour...........................................................................................................................................45
Powered Armour.......................................................................................................................46
Personal Equipment.......................................................................................................................46
Drones, Familiars and Servitors.....................................................................................................48
Drones.......................................................................................................................................48
Familiars....................................................................................................................................48
Servitors....................................................................................................................................49
Animals..........................................................................................................................................49
Attack Squig..............................................................................................................................49

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 Kroot Hounds ...........................................................................................................................49
Krootox.....................................................................................................................................50
Vehicles.........................................................................................................................................50
Eldar Wave Serpent..................................................................................................................50
Imperial Chimera Transport......................................................................................................50
Imperial Rhino Transport..........................................................................................................51
Tau Stealth Suit.........................................................................................................................51
Tau Crisis Battlesuit..................................................................................................................51
Tau Devilfish Troop Carrier.....................................................................................................52
PSIONICS..........................................................................................................................................................................52
Psychic Powers..............................................................................................................................52
Quick and Dirty Psychic Powers..............................................................................................52
Eldar Powers.............................................................................................................................53
Human Powers..........................................................................................................................53
Necron and Tau Powers............................................................................................................53
Types of Imperial Psyker ..............................................................................................................54
Alpha-Level Psykers.................................................................................................................54
Astropaths.................................................................................................................................54
Sacrifices...................................................................................................................................54
Navigators.................................................................................................................................54
The Tainted...............................................................................................................................55
Psykers of Other Races..................................................................................................................55
Necrons and Tau.......................................................................................................................55
Tyranids....................................................................................................................................55
SHIPS.................................................................................................................................................................................55
Distances and Travel Times...........................................................................................................56
The Webway..................................................................................................................................56
The Shadow in the Warp...............................................................................................................57
Unusual Ship Types.......................................................................................................................57
Craftworlds................................................................................................................................57
Space Hulks...............................................................................................................................57
Tyranid Ships............................................................................................................................57
Ship Systems..................................................................................................................................57
Ship Combat..............................................................................................................................57
ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES........................................................................................................................................58
Ability Points.................................................................................................................................58
Conviction......................................................................................................................................58
Generic...........................................................................................................................................58
Target........................................................................................................................................58
Redshirt.....................................................................................................................................58
Chaos.............................................................................................................................................59
Chaos Cultists and Cult Champions..........................................................................................59
Chaos Space Marine and Aspiring Champion..........................................................................59
Daemons and Other Nastiness..................................................................................................59
Eldar...............................................................................................................................................59
Exarch.......................................................................................................................................59
Guardian....................................................................................................................................60
Dark Eldar......................................................................................................................................60
Warrior and Sybarite.................................................................................................................60
Imperial Inquisition........................................................................................................................60
Inquisitor...................................................................................................................................60
Stormtrooper / Adeptus Arbites................................................................................................61

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 Sister of Battle...........................................................................................................................62
Imperial Guard...............................................................................................................................62
Junior Officer............................................................................................................................62
Guardsman................................................................................................................................62
Space Marines................................................................................................................................63
Veteran Sergeant.......................................................................................................................63
Space Marine.............................................................................................................................63
Space Marine Scout..................................................................................................................63
Necrons..........................................................................................................................................64
Necron Warrior.........................................................................................................................64
Orks................................................................................................................................................64
Ork Nob.....................................................................................................................................64
Ork Boyz...................................................................................................................................64
Tau.................................................................................................................................................65
Ethereal.....................................................................................................................................65
Shas'la and Shas'ui....................................................................................................................65
Gun Drone.................................................................................................................................65
Kroot Carnivore Squad Member...............................................................................................66
Human Auxiliary.......................................................................................................................66
Tyranids.........................................................................................................................................66
Genestealer................................................................................................................................66
Genestealer Broodlord..............................................................................................................67
Termagaunt...............................................................................................................................67
CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES...............................................................................................................................67
For the Greater Good.....................................................................................................................67
Adventures................................................................................................................................67
Kill Team.......................................................................................................................................68
A Plague On Both Your Houses....................................................................................................69
No-One Expects The Imperial Inquisition!...................................................................................69
Adventures................................................................................................................................70
Truth, Justice and the Imperial Way!.............................................................................................71
Adventures................................................................................................................................71
DARK SECRETS...............................................................................................................................................................71
The Emperor's Soul........................................................................................................................71
The Black Library of Chaos...........................................................................................................71
The Legacy of the Old Ones..........................................................................................................72
APPENDIX A: RESOURCES...........................................................................................................................................73
Official Materials...........................................................................................................................73
Fan Materials.................................................................................................................................73
Recommended Reading and Viewing............................................................................................73
APPENDIX B: CONVERSION GUIDELINES................................................................................................................74
Statlines..........................................................................................................................................74
Weapon and Ballistic Skill........................................................................................................74
Armour Save.............................................................................................................................75
Weapons.........................................................................................................................................75
Wargear..........................................................................................................................................75
Feats and Skills..............................................................................................................................75
Vehicles.........................................................................................................................................76
APPENDIX C: VERSION HISTORY...............................................................................................................................76
APPENDIX D: LEGAL DISCLAIMERS..........................................................................................................................76
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a.....................................................................................77

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INTRODUCTION
At the time of writing, my two main gaming interests are True20 roleplaying and Warhammer
40,000 wargaming. It seemed natural to combine the two, if only out of sheer laziness. Since both
rules systems are simple, and the setting is extensively documented elsewhere, this is a relatively
short worldbook.
Individual adventures are much like the Kill Team missions in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook –
bigger battles are better done as wargames. So, this worldbook focuses on infantry units and
wargear that might be carried by an adventuring party, for the most part ignoring vehicles, ordnance
weapons and so on.
Thanks to all the people on the True20 Forum who contributed ideas and comments! And to the
other Warhammer 40,000 webpages and forums I mined for ideas.
Andy Slack - December 2007
sablemage@yahoo.co.uk

The Background in a Nutshell

“In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.”
In the 41st Millennium, humanity has settled much of the Galaxy, but due to an extensive period of
civil war known as the Age of Strife has lost most of its technological base. This is a fantasy/horror
setting with daemonic powers, psionics, and strong Gothic and World War I influences; it just
happens to be set in space, in the distant future.
Mankind is beset by numerous adversaries:
• The forces of Chaos, inhabitants of hyperspace drawn to psionic activity. These generally
work through human sympathisers.
• Eldar and Dark Eldar, factions of an incomprehensible and dying race.
• Necrons, ancient robots with the sole aim of destroying all life in the Galaxy.
• Orks, the warrior caste of a long-vanished interstellar empire. Lacking any other direction
since the demise of all the other castes of their race, they are locked in continuous combat
with everyone, including each other.
• The Tau, a young and expanding race, and their allies, the Kroot and the Vespid.
• Tyrannids, big space bugs from another Galaxy,controlled by a hive mind, who want to
consume all organic matter and use it to create more of their species.

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HISTORY
Bear in mind that very few characters know anything about the history below. In particular,
knowledge of what happened prior to the Fall (c. -4,000,000) is restricted to Eldar Harlequins and
other visitors to the Black Library.

Timeline
As an example of the Warhammer 40,000 date format, 745.M41 means the 745th year of the 41st
Millenium, or 40,745 AD.
Date Events
c. -60,000,000 Old Ones (also called the Old Slann) flourish, create the Webway, and use it
to colonise the Galaxy, seeding it with life.
c. -60,000,000 Necrontyr arise and flourish, and develop technology superior even to that of
the Old Ones. War between the races ensues. However, without access to the
Webway, the Necrontyr cannot win, and are pushed back into the Halo Stars.
c. -60,000,000 Necrontyr establish contact with C'tan energy vampires, and create metallic
bodies for them. C'tan establish themselves as gods to the Necrontyr, and offer
them immortal robot bodies. However, the conversion process destroys their
intellects and souls, and they are reborn as the Necrons.
c. -60,000,000 C'tan-led Necron armies destroy the Old One empire, leaving only isolated
bastions. C'tan begin to fight amongst themselves.
c. -60,000,000 Old Ones nurture many warrior races, including the Eldar and the Krork
(forerunners of the Orks), imbuing them with psychic powers. The previously-
placid Warp begins to reflect the psychic warfare in realspace, and the
formless energies of the Immaterium coalesce into psychic, predatory life-
forms, which break through into normal space and eradicate the Old Ones and
their Young Races.
c. -60,000,000 Necrons and C'tan retire to their stasis Tombs, planning to wait until the
invading Warp entities have consumed all other life, then starved to death.
? Warp entities consume almost all life in the Galaxy, and then either starve to
death or return to the Warp.
c. -4,000,000 Rise of the Eldar, who learn their technology from the Old Ones. Eldar rule
the Galaxy.
c. -4,000,000 The Fall. Eldar decadence and misuse of psychic powers creates Slaanesh, the
first God of Chaos, the most powerful Warp entity to date. Slaanesh destroys
the Eldar core worlds, replacing them with the Eye of Terror.
? Passing of the Old Slann.
c. M2 c. 2000 AD. Timeframe of the players, rather than their characters.
c. M20. Initial human colonisation of the Galaxy.
?-M25 Dark Age of Technology. Humanity's Golden Age, with its highest
technological achievements. Human subspecies such as navigators, ogryns,
ratlings and squats develop naturally by mutation, or are genetically
engineered for specific roles. Navis Nobilitie (Navigator Houses) founded.
Sol System is isolated by warp storms for much of this period.

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 Date Events
M26-M31 Age of Strife. Extended warfare between humans gradually destroys their
technological base. The Emperor realises that humanity's emerging psychic
powers must be unified and regulated to protect them from the creatures of the
Warp, and plans the Great Crusade to unite humanity. Space Marines created
from warrior stock by genetic engineering and elective surgery.
c. M30. Foundation of the Imperium of Man. Space Marine Primarchs mysteriously
scattered across the Galaxy, but slowly re-contacted. Great Crusade. Emperor
attempts to cleanse the Maelstrom of Chaos, but fails. Warmaster Horus
strikes a bargain with the Dark Gods of Chaos, wipes out all life on Istvaan
III, and attempts a coup. The Emperor kills Horus thanks to the sacrifice of
Primarch Sanguinius, but is mortally injured in the fighting, and survives only
thanks to complex life support equipment and regular human sacrifice. Horus'
surviving troops withdraw to the Eye of Terror to plot their revenge.
Inquisition founded. Visionaries appear throughout the Imperium, preaching
that the Emperor still watches over the faithful.
M32 Roughly 2/3 of the Imperium united by worship of the Emperor. Temple of
the Saviour Emperor recognised as the state religion and renamed the Adeptus
Ministorum, or Ecclesiarchy.
M34 – Present Ongoing “cold war” between the Administratum and the Ecclesiarchy for
control of the Imperium.
781.M31-999.M41 The Black Crusades. Every 200 years or so, the hordes of Chaos emerge from
the Eye of Terror led by Abaddon the Despoiler, heir to Horus. So far, each
has been beaten off. In the wake of the first Black Crusade, which reaches the
Imperium via the Cadian Gate, Cadia is fortified and some 20 additional
Space Marines chapters are founded specifically to repel Chaos incursions.
M35 Ecclesiarchy relocates Holy Synod and other senior bodies to Ophelia VII to
escape interference by the Administratum, effectively abandoning Terra to the
control of their rivals, but after some 300 years moves back.
598.M35 Tiger Claws Space Marines chapter (also known as the Astral Claws) founded
to guard the Maelstrom.
789.M35 Imperial explorers make first contact with Tau, then in a Stone Age level of
development. Routine extermination and colonisation is prevented by freak
warp storms and Vandire's Reign of Blood, allowing the Tau to develop
unmolested.
200.M36 Age of Apostasy. Goge Vandire attempts a coup, leading to civil war in the
Imperium.Vandire's Reign of Blood and the associated Wars of Faith kill
millions over a 70 year period. Eventually Vandire's bodyguard, the Brides of
the Emperor, are persuaded to execute him, and thereafter form the core of the
Sisters of Battle, the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's newly-formed Ordo
Hereticus – the Witch Hunters.
Mid to Late M36 The Reformation. Sebastian Thor, leader of the Confederation of Light which
broke Vandire's power, is appointed Ecclesiarch; his reforms include the
Decree Passive, which forbids the Ecclesiarchy from having armed forces of
its own, with the exception of the Adepta Sororitas or Sisters of Battle.

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 Date Events
Early M37 Elijah of Mephisto VII, greatest Imperial scholar of Chaos, executed by the
Inquisition for heresy. His works remain the definitive descriptions of Chaos,
but are esoteric almost to the point of insanity.
Late M37 Tau develop gunpowder and city states. Tau race unified by Ethereals.
M38 First Tau phase of expansion, colonising the First Sphere of worlds. Tau
develop spaceflight, then starflight, and expand rapidly to control a volume of
space 300 lightyears in diameter, with eight heavily-settled core worlds. Tau
ally with Kroot to defeat Ork warbands, and encounter other alien races.
Late M38 Second phase of Tau expansion reaches Imperial borders, and begins to
absorb human worlds, persuading them to join the Tau Empire.
143-160.M41 The Gothic War. Chaos warmaster Abbadon the Despoiler leads a fleet out of
the Eye of Terror to capture the Blackstone Fortresses; he is driven back by
the Imperial Navy at great cost.
444.M41 First War for Armageddon. Rebellion in Armageddon hive cities is a
precursor to a Chaos invasion, eventually defeated at great cost by the Grey
Knights Space Marines.
742.M41 Imperium launches the Damocles Gulf Crusade to exterminate the Tau, but is
forced to withdraw its forces to fight the Tyranids before the Crusade can be
completed. Some humans, left behind in the withdrawal, offer allegiance to
the Tau; these become known as Gueve'sa, and are used as mercenary troops
amongst other roles.
745.M41 – Present The Tyrannic Wars. Tyranid super-organism launches repeated invasions by
Hive Fleets.
745.M41 Battle of Macragge. Hive Fleet Behemoth defeated.
780.M41 Fourth Quadrant Rebellion.
897.M41 First Contact between Imperium and Necrons, when Necron raiders wipe out
an Adepta Sororitas sanctuary in the Eastern Fringe of the Galaxy.
901-912.M41 The Badab War. Master Lufgt Huron of the Space Marines Tiger Claws (also
known as the Astral Claws) Chapter sides with Chaos and initiates a rebellion,
eventually involving numerous Chapters on both sides. At length the
Imperium crushes the revolt, although 200 Tiger Claws manage to escape;
Huron takes the name Huron Blackheart and renames the Chapter the Red
Corsairs. Several Chapters who aided the Tiger Claws are granted
forgiveness, subject to completing a 100 year Crusade as a penance.
993.M41 Hive Fleet Kraken attempts to infiltrate Ichar IV and other nearby worlds as a
prelude to full-scale invasion. Ultramarines Space Marines from Macragge
eventually crush the Tyranids and force them back.

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 Date Events
997.M41 Kryptman Census attempts to contact all known Imperial worlds by psykers,
to confirm which ones have not been overrun by Tyranids. This reveals the
full extent of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Inquisitor Kryptman temporarily halts the
Fleet with bioweapons, then razes hundreds of worlds to create a “firebreak”.
He is expelled from the Inquisition for genocide, and forced into hiding. Orks
claim many worlds in the “firebreak” and fight invading Tyranids to keep
them. Kryptman deliberately infests a nearby Ork empire with Genestealers to
lure the Fleet away from the Imperium.
998.M41 The Armageddon War. Hive world of Armageddon is invaded by Chaos
forces, then twice by Orks, over a period of less than a century.
Late M41 The present day. Third phase of Tau expansion.

THE IMPERIUM OF MAN

“If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.”
- George Bernard Shaw
The Imperium rules over a million worlds, spread throughout the Galaxy (with the exception of the
Eastern Fringe, almost directly opposite Earth). Interstellar travel within the Imperium depends on
the Astronomican, a powerful psychic beacon directed by the Emperor himself, and used by
Navigators to chart courses through warp space. This beacon allows human starships to travel much
farther, faster and more reliably than those of other races; compared to most species, humanity is
spread thinly over a very large volume of space.
While the Imperium considers all other races than humanity as alien scum fit only for enslavement
or death, Ratlings, Squats and Ogryns are currently accepted as abhumans – human subspecies
which evolved naturally from the base stock during the Dark Age of Technology and the Age of
Strife, and so are worthy of being treated as humans proper.
Humans no longer understand how their technology works, and since much of it has a rudimentary
self-awareness, complex devices are treated as if they contained spirits; for example, the Machine
Spirit of a powerful war machine may be propitiated by sacrificing animals to it, preferably
predators. Equipment which is shown proper respect and care, using the appropriate rituals,
functions not because it is correctly maintained, but because you have pleased its spirit. The rituals
work not because they are checklists, but because they are prayers.
The Imperium is a religious dictatorship devoted to the worship of the God Emperor; it is the most
brutal and oppressive fascist regime imaginable. The only thing to be said in its defence is that if it
were not, humanity's enemies would have wiped it out by now.

The Emperor
The God-Emperor of Mankind was born a mortal man, in a time so distant only he now remembers
it. A powerful psyker, he concealed his powers and lived in secret amongst the mass of humanity
for many centuries – for one of his most important psychic attributes was immortality.
He came to know and understand the powers and dangers of the Warp, and that humanity was on
the verge of evolving to its next level, that of a race of psykers. He decided that for the race to
survive this crucial period, he must unite it and arm it against the powers of Chaos. So began the
Great Crusade. Amassing power, the Emperor created the Space Marines, genetically engineered
super-warriors, to enforce his will, and unified the worlds of Man into the Imperium by conquest.
However, on the eve of his triumph, one of his most trusted Warmasters, Horus, attempted to stage

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a coup. Thanks to the intervention of Warmaster Sanguinous, the coup failed; but the final battle left
Sanguinous dead and the Emperor mortally wounded and crippled. Horus fled with his troops into
the Eye of Terror, where constant exposure to Warpspace rapidly tainted them with Chaos.
Since then, the Emperor has been confined to the Golden Throne, a huge life-support mechanism of
ancient technology. He retains absolute power over humanity, and directs the Astronomican, which
is essential to Warpspace navigation, and thus to the continued existence of the Imperium.
The Emperor survives only by his enormous force of will, and his psychic powers. Unfortunately,
maintaining these requires the sacrifice of hundreds of lesser psykers every day.
After ten millenia of Godlike powers and human sacrifice, many ordinary citizens see the Emperor
as a living God. This view is not officially recognised, but is accepted, and encouraged by the
Ecclesiarchy, who would also like the man in the street to believe that it is the mouthpiece of the
Emperor, and consequently is locked in a centuries-old cold war of Galactic scale and glacial pace
with the Administorum, the Imperial Bureaucracy. The Adeptus Astartes (Space Marines) and
Adeptus Mechanicus (Tech Priests) still consider the Emperor an unusually gifted human, but these
are organisations which worked with the Emperor during the Great Crusade, rather than having
grown up millenia afterwards.

The High Lords of Terra

This council of twelve high lords rules the Imperium in the Emperor's name. Nine posts are always
present on the council, and the remaining three are selected from seven optional candidates. The
Emperor selects one of the council as the Master of the Adeptus Terra, who leads the High Lords.
The nine permanent members of the council are as follows; note the heavy bias towards interstellar
transport and secret service interests:
• The Master of the Administratum, representing the Imperial bureaucracy.
• The Inquisitorial Representative.
• The Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum, representing the Ecclesiarchy. Technically, this
person is subordinate to the Master of the Administratum, but his power is sufficient to
warrant a separate seat.
• The Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus, representing the Tech-Priests of Mars.
• The Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites, representing Imperial law enforcement.
• The Paternoval Envoy of the Navigators.
• The Master of the Astronomican.
• The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, controlling the Imperium's assassins.
• The Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica.
The three optional members of the council are chosen from among these individuals; note the
military and religious emphasis:
• The Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar, representing the Imperial Navy in general
and the Segmentum Fleet defending Terra in particular.
• The Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard.
• One or more Cardinals of the Holy Synod of Terra.
• The Abbess Sanctorum of the Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle), the military arm of the
Ecclesiarchy.
• The Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes, representing the Emperor's personal guards.

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 • The Chancellor of the Estate Imperium. (One of the surest signs that the Imperial mind-set is
different from that of 20th-century Earth; the representative of the Imperial Treasury is not
part of the inner circle of decision-makers.)
• The Speaker for the Chartist Captains, representing the Imperium's merchant fleets.

Culture
Humanity is in a new Dark Age. The Imperium of Man is beset on all sides by hideous enemies,
and Mankind has forgotten how most of its technology works. The typical citizen of the Imperium
has a different world view and mind set than the players, formed by the following facts and beliefs:
• Facts: Demons, monsters and witches really do exist, and they really do want to kill you and
consume your soul. Belief: War against these dark forces is a religious duty.
• Facts: Humanity has fallen from grace. Its period of greatest achievement and highest
standard of living are far in the past. Belief: These great achievements were the cause of the
fall, and any attempt to reproduce them will bring death and destruction.
• Facts: The Emperor is an immortal being of enormous psychic power. His powers are vital
to the continued integrity of the Imperium, and he requires hundreds of human sacrifices per
day to maintain them. Belief: The Emperor is a god, and should be worshipped as such.
Consequently, the average Imperial citizen is paranoid, superstitious and xenophobic; his thoughts
and beliefs are more like those of a Mediaeval peasant than those of a contemporary inhabitant of
the industrialised and democratic Western nations. The Imperium does not solve problems with
rational thought and applied technology; it solves them with brute force and ignorance. Scientific
investigation and open-mindedness are at best viewed with suspicion, and at worst lead to an
unpleasant and untimely death.

Organisations
The Imperium is a religious autocracy, ruled by the twelve High Lords of Terra in the name of the
God-Emperor of Mankind. Their commands are executed by a number of subordinate organisations.

The Adeptus Mechanicus

Also known as the Tech-Priests, these are partly scientists, and partly an arcane cult. They guard
and apply what little technical knowledge Mankind still possesses, without really understanding it.
Their headquarters are on Mars. The Adeptus Mechanicus acknowledges the Emperor as ruler of
Mankind, but does not consider him a god; for them, all creatures and devices which embody
knowledge are holy, and the Emperor is holiest of all because he knows so much.

The Administratum
This organisation administers the Imperium, maintaining records, collecting taxes, distributing
resources and so on.

The Adeptus Terra

This is the God-Emperor's priesthood, which interprets the Emperor's will for the masses, and thus
controls the Imperium on a day-to-day level. It is subdivided into numerous groups.
The Adeptus Ministorum, or Ecclesiarchy, is devoted to furthering the worship of the Emperor. It
has numerous churches, missionaries and so on, as well as its own armed forces – the Adeptus
Sororitas and Adeptus Fratis – which it uses to mount crusades.
The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor's palace guards, and are a sizeable unit since the palace

12
covers a significant fraction of the planet Earth. The Companions are a select group of 300 troops
who act as the Emperor's personal bodyguard.
The Adeptus Astropathica recruits and trains psykers, especially the Astro-Telepaths used for
communications between Imperial worlds. Messages sent in this way are not instantaneous, but are
fast enough to be useful, and much faster than any technological means of communication.
Astropaths (recognisable by their green habits and white staves) undergo rigourous training,
followed by painful mind-shaping at the hand of the Emperor himself; a side-effect of this is
considerable damage to the optic nerves, so most Astropaths are blind. However, their psychic
powers allow them to sense objects and creatures within 20 metres as if they were sighted. Within
the Adeptus Astropathica there are several further divisions of interest:
• The Scholastia Psykana is the teaching organisation with the Adeptus.
• The League of Blackships is the recruiting arm of the Adeptus, which collects levies of
psykers from various Imperial worlds. Each world can expect to be visited at least once per
century.
• The Chosen are a group of Astropaths granted the signal honour of helping to operate the
Astronomican, the vast psychic beacon on which Imperial star travel depends. This drains
their life force over a period of about three months; dozens die each day, and are constantly
replaced.
The Adeptus Arbites are the Imperium's police force, with a status exceeding that of planetary
police. Note, however, that they are technically clergymen, the martial arm of the priesthood,
empowered to act as judge, jury, and (if need be) executioner. They are commonly known as
Judges, and handle situations which are too serious for the local police, but not soluble by either
assassinating a single key figure, or outright war. Common citizens have no rights in the face of the
Arbites, and must accept whatever decision or punishment they hand out; only high-status
individuals such as priests or inquisitors could successfully demand a trial.
Rogue Traders are trusted Imperial servants whose role combines that of explorer, merchant and
conquistador. Equipped by the priesthood with a ship, a crew, several companies of troops, and
carte blanche to explore beyond the Imperial borders in search of knowledge and artefacts useful to
the Imperium. This role is sometimes assigned by the priesthood as a sort of benign exile for
troublemakers with influential families, or whose talents may be needed in future.

The Adeptus Astartes

The Adeptus Astartes begin as ordinary human beings, but years of genetic modification, elective
surgery, and intensive training render them effectively a separate subspecies.
There are approximately 1,000 Chapters of Space Marines in the Imperium, each with roughly
1,000 Marines. Each Chapter is self-sufficient, with its own fleet of ships, home world, rituals and
distinctive livery. The original Marines were created in the late 30th Millennium by the Emperor's
scientists, as shock troops for the First Crusade. The first twenty Marines were known as Primarchs,
and each present-day Marine contains some genetic material from one of these. Over the millennia,
some genetic drift has occurred, and the therapy is nowadays conducted by Chapter Apothecaries
who don't really understand what they're doing. Consequently, the efficiency of the individual
processes varies from Chapter to Chapter.
Space Marines are created in several stages, and are always male, as some of the gene therapies are
keyed to the Y chromosome. Many do not survive the process, becoming horribly crippled or
mentally unstable; these are culled. Initiates are selected at the age of 16-18 from the many warrior
cultures on the Imperium's more primitive worlds, and undergo several years of treatment before
becoming Brother Marines. It is normal for the Initiate to spend some time as a Scout before being
given the final set of implants, the Black Carapace, which acts as an interface to the Marine's

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powered armour.
There are 19 distinct stages of therapy, which give the Marine the following benefits:
• Increased size and strength.
• Accelerated healing.
• Natural torso armour (caused by the ribs growing into an interlocking shield).
• Control over whether, or when, he sleeps. This extends to voluntary suspended animation
lasting months or years at need.
• Ability to eat almost anything he can swallow, and absorb some of a creature's memories by
eating its flesh.
• Ability to detect poison by taste, and track by smell.
• Immunity to most poisons.
• Improved eyesight and hearing.
• Ability to spit corrosive acid, either to blind foes in melee or to chew through iron bars.
• The ability to wear and use powered armour effectively.
The typical Marine is in combat, or combat training, 23 hours 30 minutes per day, 365 days per
year; this leaves little time for non-military adventures. (Some Chapters believe that allowing their
Marines 30 minutes a day to themselves is dangerous and distracting, and refuse to allow it.)

The Adepta Sororitas

Founded at the end of the Age of Apostasy from the remains of Vandire's bodyguard, the Sisters of
Battle are the only armed force permitted to the Ecclesiarchy. Their day-to-day duties include
guarding important Ecclesiarchy sites, responsibility for the safety of pilgrims, escorting hierarchs,
and ensuring that the general populace provide suitable deference and finance to the Emperor's
clerics. When the Ecclesiarchy declares a War of Faith, it is the Adepta which persecutes the
enemies of the Imperial Creed, by whatever means necessary, up to and including planetary
obliteration. However, the Ecclesiarchy is never completely comfortable with the Sisters, as they
are also the military arm of the Ordo Hereticus, that section of the Inquisition charged with ensuring
the Ecclesiarchy itself remains loyal.
Like Space Marines, Sisters of Battle spend their time when not actually in combat either training or
in prayer. The majority are warriors, but there are a number of non-militant orders: The Orders
Famulous act as advisors, diplomats and chatelaines to noble families; the Orders Hospitaller
provide medical personnel to all arms of the Imperial military except the Space Marines; and the
Orders Dialogous are scholars and translators.

The Officio Assassinorum

This group recruits, trains and deploys assassins to further Imperial policy. Normally this requires
them to remove key individuals in a conspiracy or revolt. The Inquisition has close ties with the
Officio, and the two often work together. The Officio has four main divisions, known as Temples.
• The Callidus Temple specialises in disguise and infiltration, masquerading as members of
the target's retinue and using close-range weapons and poisons to dispose of them.
• The Culexus Temple choses assassins for their lack of visible presence in the Warp,
rendering them difficult for psykers to detect. To all intents and purposes, a Culexus Temple
Assassin has no soul. Ordinary people can barely stand to be in the same room as these
beings; psykers find them intolerable. Their powers are contained between uses by a huge

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 helm known as an Animus Speculum.
• The Eversor Temple uses tactics of shock, terror and overkill to instill fear of Imperial
retribution into the powerful. An Eversor operation is as much a propaganda action as it is
an assassination, and will be accompanied by extensive collateral damage to make
absolutely certain that heresy or corruption are stamped out completely, root and branch.
Eversor assassins have a heightened metabolism, and move with uncanny speed.
• Vindicare Temple assassins are snipers, skilled in stealth, evasion and marksmanship. They
are most often used to kill those suspected of harbouring a daemon, hopefully before it can
emerge onto the material plane.

The Inquisition
“Innocence is no excuse.”
In such an incredibly large and bureaucratic state as the Imperium, there must be people with the
authority to cut through the red tape and deal with emergencies promptly. Those people are the
Inquisition, and they have absolute authority over Imperial forces and personnel, answering only to
the Emperor. An Inquisitor's authority is limited only by that of other Inquisitors, and they are
organised at an individual level; there are factions, and Ordos of like-minded Inquisitors, but the
Inquisitor essentially stands alone, and acts alone, in what he considers the best interests of
humanity at large. Inquisitorial Conclaves of two or more Inquisitors are occasionally called to
share information, debate the proper course of action, or hold an Inquisitor to account for his
actions; invitations are sent by the calling Inquisitor either to specific invitees, or to all Inquisitors
willing and able to attend. Some threats may require the continued attention of multiple Inquisitors,
who then form an ad-hoc group called a cell, which works on the problem until it is resolved to their
satisfaction.
Often, a threat can be contained or eliminated by the Inquisitor alone, or by his retinue of followers.
If this is not possible, the Inquisitor can requisition whatever forces he needs from local officials, or
from the Imperial Navy or Imperial Guard. In theory, the Space Marines can also be drafted, but
historically their chapters have been extended a great deal of latitude and are fiercely independent,
answering only to their Chapter Masters and the Emperor himself.
Theoretically, an Inquisitor has enormous power, but in practice he is limited by several factors.
First, the size and bureaucracy of the Imperium means that while he can requisition anything, it can
easily arrive far too late to be of any use. Second, the more dangerous the corruption and treason,
the more senior those involved; asking for help may simply tip off the quarry.
The Inquisition is officially divided into several main arms:
• The Ordo Hereticus, or Witch Hunters, tasked with rooting out and eliminating rogue
psykers, heretics, and mutants. Amongst other things, this makes them the group which
monitors the rest of the Inquisition, the Ecclesiarchy, the Space Marines and other Imperial
organisations, ensuring that doctrinal and physical purity are maintained. The Adepta
Sororitas acts as their Chamber Militant, as well as being the Ecclesiarchy's primary armed
force. The original intent of this organisation was to ensure that the Ecclesiarchy never again
breeds a serpent such as Vandire, and that the Age of Apostasy never returns.
• The Ordo Malleus, or Daemon Hunters, who exist to seek out and destroy Chaos daemons.
These are the most formidable and righteous of the Inquisition, and their dedicated Space
Marines chapter, the Grey Knights, are exceptionally skilled and well-equipped even by
Space Marines standards.

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 • The Ordo Xenos, or Alien Hunters, whose purpose is to investigate alien races, and destroy
those which threaten humanity. This original purpose has expanded over time, so the Ordo is
now also responsible for policing those who negotiate or trade with aliens.
• The Ordos Minoris are a variety of small, specialised Ordos focussed on particular tasks.
They include:
• The Ordo Sepulturum, operating around the Eye of Terror and dedicated to
investigating and containing the Zombie Plague, a Chaos disease which degenerates
its victims and turns them into Zombies.
• The Ordo Sicarius, which investigates and controls the Officio Assassinorum. By
ancient decree, no assassin may be deployed without direct authorisation from the
High Lords of Terra; however, the Ordo Sicarius has been known to forge such
edicts to ensure a sufficiently rapid response to threats.
Informally, there is the division between Radicals and Puritans. Radicals believe that the end
justifies the means, fire should be fought with fire, and thus the weapons and powers of Chaos can –
and should – be channelled in the service of the Emperor. The Puritans believe that even
considering such actions is, itself, treasonous. In truth, the line between the Radical and the heretic
is a fine one, and easily crossed without recognising one has done so; but the most extreme Puritans
feel that even Navigators and Space Marine Librarians are witches, fit only to burn, and if they had
their way, the Imperium would collapse. Individual Inquisitors can be found at any point along the
spectrum from extreme Radical to extreme Puritan.
Finally, there are differing philosophies and approaches, made manifest in various factions.
• The Amalathians believe that change should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, and if
it is essential, then it must be conducted slowly and in a measured manner. In this way, the
Emperor's divine plan can unfold as he decreed. The Amalathians are thus less concerned
with crimes against the Imperium, and more interested in minimising political infighting and
intrigue, holding to a doctrine of strength through unity. Amalathians are liberal Puritans,
and work well in support of other Imperial organisations. They can be found in any of the
Ordos, and have close ties with the Adeptus Arbites. The Amalathians are arch-enemies of
the Recongregators, as the two philosophies are diametrically opposed.
• The Istvaanians believe that humanity is at its strongest in its times of greatest adversity,
and thus encourage warfare and strife of all kinds to improve the race. Often they will
support Chaos cults purely so that they can also encourage a pro-Imperial cult to fight them.
These are a Radical faction, widely distrusted by other Inquisitors, but found in all Ordos.
The Istvaanian's stock in trade is paranoia, superstition and violence, and it's all for your
own good in the long run.
• The Monodominants believe that the survival of the Emperor's loyal servants can only be
ensured by exterminating everyone and everything else. These are the most extreme of
Puritans. To the Monodominants, blasphemy, witchcraft and even civil disobedience are
crimes that deserve death; no excuses and no exceptions. If everyone and everything else is
killed, then humanity will fulfill its manifest destiny of ruling the Galaxy. Monodominants
are ruthless, unforgiving, inflexible and intolerant; they also tend to be young. They can be
found in any of the Ordos, or even acting independently.
• The Recongregators hold that the Imperium is a corrupt, decaying state which should be
rebuilt in a form which better serves Mankind, before it collapses under the weight of its
own bureaucracy. Recongregators work to replace the conservative or corrupt officials with
those of greater initiative and more radical views. In extreme cases, this may mean
subverting anti-Imperial sects or Chaos cults so that they serve the Recongregators'
purposes. Members of this Radical faction are most often found in the Ordo Hereticus, as

16
 this gives them access both to their targets, and those suitable to replace them.
Recongregators and Amalathians work towards mutually exclusive and opposing goals, and
so are great enemies.
• The Thorians, named for Saint Sebastian Thor, who overthrew Lord Vandire in the Age of
Apostasy, believe that the Emperor acted through Thor and that his soul can be reborn again,
if a person of suitable piety and holiness is found. Thorians are mostly Puritan in outlook,
and believe that the Emperor walks amongst humanity in secret once more, as he did before
the Imperium was founded. However, his current vessels are weak avatars. The Thorian goal
is to find or create an immortal body worthy of the Emperor, and guide his soul back from
the Warp to inhabit it. The Thorians' opponents argue that this is too dangerous, as even the
Emperor's soul must have been changed and corrupted by the Warp, and that his return will
both deactivate the Astronomican and cause civil war. Most Thorians are found in the Ordo
Malleus, with a few in the Ordo Hereticus.
• The Xanthites are a Radical faction who believe that Chaos, being at least partly a reflection
of the human psyche made manifest in the Warp, can never truly be defeated; however, it
can be harnessed for Mankind's benefit. Xanthites strive to understand and tame Chaos,
rather than destroy it. The Horusians are a group within the main Xanthite faction, who
believe that a second Horus could be created, a new Emperor embodying all that was good
of the old, and also all the powers of Chaos. Most other Inquisitors describe the Xanthites,
and especially Horusians, as Meddling With Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. Their
study of daemons and the Warp means that most Xanthites are found in the Ordo Malleus.
However, they have been known to deal with Chaos cults to expand their knowledge.

The Navis Nobilite

These are the Great Families of Navigators, a human subspecies. They alone can pilot starships
through warp space at faster-than-light speeds.

Imperial Governors
Individual worlds are governed by hereditary Imperial Commanders, who control insystem
spacecraft, but not starships. Given the sheer scale of the Imperium, it is inevitable that each
Commander rules in a different way; the Imperium tolerates this, so long as taxes are paid, levies
are provided on time, and the Commander does not involve himself with the enemies of the
Imperium. If he fails in his duty, sanctions range from intervention by the Inquisition or the
Adeptus Arbites, through assassination and outright war, up to total planetary obliteration.

Human Subraces
Over the millennia, evolution, genetic engineering, and mutation have resulted in a number of
subraces splitting off from the “purestrain human” genome.

Mutants
Commonly known in the Imperium as “twists”, these are the result of millennia of exposure to alien
environments and industrial pollutants. Even the best pure-bred Imperial families risk nearly a 5%
chance that any specific child will be a mutant; unfortunates with obvious deformities are often
quietly disposed of in one way or another, especially among the upper classes.
The survivors are at best second-class citizens, eking out a precarious living in the worst slums of
the Imperium; and at worst hunted, down and killed. The superstitious see little difference between
a warp-tainted minion of Chaos and a mutant.

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Navigators
Navigators are a human subspecies who eventually develop the ability to steer ships through the
Warp. In the early stages of their lives, they have no psychic powers. They are identifiable by the
third eye in the middle of their foreheads, which they often cover to avoid unwanted attention, and
may (but need not) have other mutations. The third eye allows Navigators to see into the Warp even
when in the material universe; it is believed that this constant exposure to the Warp is the cause of
their other mutations.
The third eye is rumoured to have other powers, which develop as the Navigator ages. It is said that
mature Navigators can kill a man with the stare from the third eye, that they can see into the future,
and that duels between them are settled with spectacular bursts of energy from it.

Ogryns
These are a human subspecies which were either genetically engineered for strength and toughness,
or developed those characteristics during long isolation from the mainstream of human culture.
However, their intellects leave much to be desired. Ogryns are typically from cold, harsh worlds
with rocky, barren terrain.

Ratlings
Ratlings have developed along the lines of small stature, speed, and stealth. They are renowned for
their marksmanship and culinary skills.

Squats
Squats (many of them prefer to be called Dwarfs) are the descendants of miners and technicians
sent to heavy-gravity worlds in the Galactic core millennia ago to mine them for minerals. The most
effective way to colonise these inhospitable planets was by building underground cities. At some
point, the proto-Squats were cut off from the rest of humanity by warp storms, and developed their
own culture, based on guilds and feudal rulers. During this period, they were assaulted by Orks, and
are still engaged in low-level fighting with them; they also developed skill in maintaining their
aging equipment, and creating new devices.
There are some things that skill, hydroponics, and mines can't produce, so the Squats prefer to
remain neutral in order to trade for these items. Traditionally they are hostile to Orks, and neutral to
the Imperium and Eldar, although if the Council of Strongholds or the Confederation of
Homeworlds are threatened, the Squats will fight anyone.
While officially human, the last Squat Stronghold seceded from the Imperium during the Age of
Apostasy. So, although they are not aliens, the Squats are rebels and heretics. For this reason it
would be unusual to find a live Squat in the Imperium.

Language
The Imperium of Man uses three main languages:
• Tech: Also known as Ancient Gothic, this is a distant descendant of English, European and
Pacific languages, the lingua franca of the Dark Age of Technology. Ancient works such as
operating manuals for Dark Age devices are written in Tech. It is represented in the game by
pseudo-Latin, to show its ancient nature and links to religion and ritual.
• High Gothic: This is the language of rule, a further descendant of Tech, with additional
borrowings from various Asian languages. This, too, is represented by pseudo-Latin.
• Low Gothic: A debased form of High Gothic, represented in the game by English. This is

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 the language of trade and daily life, spoken as a first language on many planets, and as a
second language on all but the most isolated and barbaric ones. It is also called Imperial.

Technology
Humans no longer understand how their technology works, and since much of it has a rudimentary
self-awareness, complex devices are treated as if they contained spirits; for example, the Machine
Spirit of a powerful war machine may be propitiated by sacrificing animals to it, preferably
predators. Equipment which is shown proper respect and care, using the appropriate rituals,
functions not because it is correctly maintained, but because you have pleased its spirit. The rituals
work not because they are checklists, but because they are prayers.
The designers and developers of Warhammer 40,000 took a conscious decision not even to attempt
to explain the game's devices, as the technology of the 41st Millenium is as far in advance of our
own as we are in advance of the Stone Age. Further, no-one currently alive understands how the
equipment works, anyway. What's important to the game is what a device can do, not how it does it.
Noteworthy items of Imperial technology include:
• Dreadnoughts: Heavily-armed suits of powered armour, operated by a dead soldier.
• Cybernetic Implants: These serve a variety of purposes, but typically are bulky and
obtrusive, often deliberately so.
• Electoos: Electronic tattoos inserted between skin layers. Citizens of Earth each have an
electoo containing credit and security ratings, amongst other data; buildings are able to read
these, and grant or deny access as appropriate. Other popular electoos include subcutaneous
watches and the “thief's light”, a small light-generating patch on the user's palm.
• Electrografts: Electoos tattooed directly onto the brain, used to pass on information (such
as languages) without training. Much of the Imperium's remaining technical knowledge is
passed on it this way. However, it's a risky process which can result in personality disorders,
memory problems or mental breakdowns.
• Gravity Reactors: These are used to create antigravity effects. The knowledge of creating
them has been lost, and only a limited stockpile remains, so they are rarely encountered.
• Servitors: These are the Imperial equivalent of robots; mechanical bodies controlled by a
lobotomised human brain. The Adeptus Mechanicus makes extensive use of such cyborgs as
slave labour, typically created from mind-wiped criminals or others who have offended
them in some way. Cherubim are servitors which take the form of small, flying children;
they are a fashion statement or status symbol as much as they are a useful tool.
• Servo-Skulls: The engraved and gilded skulls of those whose service to the Imperium was
so valuable that they are granted the honour of continuing to serve after death. Servo-skulls
are able to fly, and are used for military reconnaissance, as assistants to surgeons, and so on,
and are equipped with sensors, laser scalpels, quill pens etc. as appropriate to their role.
• Standard Template Construct System (STC): STCs were developed to provide a font of
all knowledge for human colonies in the Dark Age of Technology. In essence, they were
automated factories with blueprints for any item a colony might want, allowing them to
build high-technology items from local materials without the need for skilled professionals
to design or assemble those items. During the Age of Strife all known STCs were destroyed
or broke down, but some designs survived, in the form of manuscript copies of original
printouts; these are ardently collected, and jealously guarded, by the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Equipment build from an STC template design is intended to work effectively when
assembled and operated by unskilled labour, which is exactly what the Imperium needs, and
explains the bizarre juxtaposition of technologies often encountered – a war machine may

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 have laser cannons, but a diesel power plant. A working STC system would be a treasure
beyond price, if one were ever discovered.
• Titans: Massive humanoid war machines, tens of metres high and bristling with weapons.
Originally created to defend Mars by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

THE FORCES OF CHAOS

History
Since its beginning, the Imperium of Man has been threatened by Chaos from within, by rebel
Chaos Space Marines and by cults of Chaos-worshippers.

Culture and Organisation

The culture of Chaos forces is essentially an evil version of that found in the Imperium proper, since
the bulk of Chaos forces are subverted Imperial citizens. “Organisation” is a loose term when
applied to the forces of Chaos, but cultists and traitor Space Marines alike each follow one of the
four main Chaos gods – the most powerful of the intelligences adrift in warpspace. Mortal followers
are useful both because their worship provides psychic sustenance to the gods, and because the gods
themselves are unable to enter the material universe to further their plots. Mortals may advance to
become Champions of their god, and possibly even daemons. The majority of each Chaos God's
followers live in the Eye of Terror.
The gods of Chaos are fierce rivals, and their armies fight each other more than any other foes.
However, when one marches to war against the Imperium, or another interstellar state, the rest
follow, to prevent one god gaining an advantage over the others.

Khorne
God of battle, anger and destruction. Khorne has no temples as such; he is worshipped on the
battlefield. Followers of this god have a certain twisted sense of honour; since Khorne's power
grows each time one of his followers kills a foe on the field of battle, they avoid killing innocents –
this robs Khorne of potential future warriors, either as followers or sacrifices. They do not build
temples or idols; Khorne would prefer that they did not waste effort in those activities when they
could be out killing for him. He is, however, fond of the number 8; followers often form groups of 8
as a consequence.
Khorne is particularly fond of those who kill their friends and allies, and the more violent death a
being has caused, the better a sacrifice it becomes. Consequently followers of Khorne are a
suspicious lot, prone to internecine strife, whose alliances are guarded and temporary at best.
On every human world, there are warriors, driven by pride, honour and courage. These are a short
step away from the hatred, vengeance and bloodlust upon which Khorne thrives, and these warrior
elites are a ready source of Khorne cultists. Followers of Khorne despise the decadence of Slaanesh
worshippers, and consider Tzeentch cultists scheming cowards.

Nurgle
God of plague, pestilence, decay and corruption; and also of the cycle of life, and rebirth, although
rebirth is often in a form humans find unpleasant. Followers of Nurgle preach that happiness and
endeavour grow from acceptance of the inevitable decay of all things, and that the proper response
to despair is defiance. The number 7 is sacred to Nurgle followers.
Nurgle worshippers are usually “gifted” with repulsive diseases and deformations, which eventually
kill them. The god does not care, so long as his gifts are spread in the meantime.

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Tzeentch, who sponsors change and evolution, is in conflict with Nurgle, as decay and entropy
oppose those forces.

Slaanesh
Slaanesh is the god of hedonism, whose followers abandon all restraint and inhibition. He is the
enemy of Khorne, since death and destruction have no place in a life devoted to sensual pleasure.
The number 6 carries symbolic weight for Slaanesh worshippers. They see the followers of Khorne
as crude barbarians, and are often gifted with exceptional skill in some field, or physical beauty,
which Slaanesh uses as lures for the unwary.

Tzeentch
God of change, luck, destiny and fate, Tzeentch is known for the convoluted nature of his plots,
which are so subtle and far-reaching that none of his followers are sure of his ultimate purpose.
Tzeentch feeds upon humanity's dreams of a better future and desires for change; his Champions are
often powerful psykers. Since Tzeentch favours excitement and ambition, he is in opposition to
Nurgle, who nurtures defiance born of hopelessness and despair. His sacred number is 9.
Where Tzeentch strives to build and evolve, Nurgle strives to break down and decay, so the two
cults are opposed.
Tzeentch cultists are normally lured into his worship by promises of forbidden knowledge or
political power, as he is the god of sorcery, scheming and manipulation. The temporary alliances of
the various Chaos cults are normally controlled by a Tzeentch worshipper who has brokered the
necessary deals; however, the plot will always be designed to further Tzeentch more than the other
gods.

Language
The main languages of the forces of Chaos are the High and Low Gothic of the Imperium.
However, each god of Chaos has its own tongue, used mostly by daemons and sorcerers.

Technology
The bulk of the technology used by the forces of Chaos would be recognisable to, and usable by, an
ordinary Imperial citizen or trooper. However, Chaos is Chaos; any number of weird devices or
exotic upgrades can be justified by daemonic possession.

THE ELDAR
The Eldar are based not on planets, like other species, but in a series of giant slower-than-light
starships, the craftworlds, floating in interstellar space throughout the galaxy. These are connected
to each other, and to planets, by a labyrinth of wormholes and dimensional portals collectively
known as the Webway. The Webway is between warpspace and realspace, part of both; it was
inherited by the Eldar from an earlier race who created it. Only the Eldar Seers know some of the
safe paths through it. Webway tunnels vary in size from those passable only by Eldar on foot, up to
those capable of passage by giant starships.
The former location of the Eldar homeworlds is now the Eye of Terror, a rent torn in spacetime
where warpspace and realspace overlap.
There are four surviving factions of Eldar:
• The Eldar proper, descendants of puritans who opposed the decadence of the mainstream
Eldar civilisation. Their motives are not clearly understood by other races, who perceive
them as a random force, which may help them or hinder them unpredictably. Young Eldar

21
 hope to rebuild the ancient Eldar empire; older ones hope only that their race may survive.
• The Dark Eldar, descendants of that mainstream civilisation, lurking in unknown corners of
the Webway and emerging only to feed their darker urges for slaughter, or capture slaves for
torture later on.
• The Exodites, survivalists who foresaw the Fall and evaded it by reverting to more primitive
lifestyles. Note that just because they don't use Eldar technology doesn't mean they don't
understand it.
• Outcasts; those who, for whatever reason, leave the constraints of Eldar society to wander
the galaxy. Some eventually return home and take up a normal life again; some do not.
The Eldar are all but extinct. The warp hungers for their souls. Their gods are dead, consumed by
the Chaos Gods they themselves created in their pride and folly. The wargod, Khaine, was torn into
fragments and driven out of the warp forever; each shard of his spirit came to rest in a craftworld,
growing over time into an Avatar to lead the Eldar to war.

History
The now-vanished Old Slann acted as mentors to the Eldar, granting them knowledge of the
Webway amongst other matters. The Old Slann also taught the Eldar that upon death, one's soul
passes into the Warp. If sufficiently strong, it retains consciousness and individual identity,
becoming a spirit in warpspace. However, if weak, or too closely aligned to its baser impulses, it is
absorbed into one of the Powers of the Warp.
Unfortunately, most Eldar failed to heed their warnings about the dangers of a lifestyle of ease and
pleasure. The Eldar are a highly psychic race, and their collective psyches, immersed in hedonism,
caused a positive feedback loop in one Power of the Warp, which over millenia developed an
intelligence and motives of its own. At length, it burned out the minds of the Eldar, draining their
souls into itself, and transformed their worlds into the Eye of Terror. Thus was Slaanesh, God of
Pleasure, born.
The aftershocks of what Eldar now refer to as “the Fall” cleared storms from warpspace, allowing
humanity to travel between the stars once more after millennia of isolation; the death of the Eldar
cleared the path for the Imperium of Man to be born.

Culture
Eldar live both faster and longer than other races. Their minds and bodies operate at twice the speed
of a human, and continue to do so for ten times as long before age claims them. Thus they
experience all emotions to a depth unknown by lesser races; to yield to their desires would destroy
them, so their way is one of dedication and discipline.
Most of the surviving Eldar are those whose ancestors chose a more spartan life, and fled the home
planets aboard their Craftworlds. These Eldar know that when they die, they have no chance of
surviving as individual entities; their souls will be inexorably drawn into the Power that became
Slaanesh, further invigorating that which is the eternal shame of their race.
Before the Fall, the Eldar terraformed the so-called Maiden Worlds for their own later occupation;
but after the Fall, other races settled them, most of all humans. Eldar see this is invasion of their
territory, pure and simple, which must be repelled.
The Eldar are an old race, long-lived, but slow to reproduce. Their population is slowly declining,
and they are sometimes called the Dying for this reason. Some hope that when all Eldar souls are
stored in Spirit Stones (see Technology below), they will unite to form a new and virtuous Power of
Chaos, able to overthrow Slaanesh and free the spirits he consumed. Such a Power must necessarily
focus on Eldar virtues, so the Eldar focus themselves with grim determination on a virtuous and

22
monastic existence.

Organisations
Eldar are organised into clans, each associated with a specific Craftworld. The Eldar life of
discipline and purpose, together with the troubled times they find themselves in, predisposes them
to military careers, and the Craftworlds are most often characterised by their armed forces. The
best-known craftworlds are these:
• Craftworld Alaitoc relies on a large number of Rangers to scout ahead, both as it travels
through space and in battle.
• Craftworld Biel-Tan has a large professional military, with a large number of Aspect
shrines. Militia units of artisans, farmers etc. are used less often than by other craftworlds.
The Biel-Tan Eldar have an unparalleled hatred of Chaos, and are rumoured (probably
incorrectly) to hold the legendary Black Library of Chaos, the repository of all surviving
Eldar knowledge.
• Craftworld Iyanden treats war as an exercise in surgical strikes at command centres; cut
off the head, they reason, and the body poses no threat. Currently engaged with the
Tyrannids of Hive Fleet Kraken. They have an unusually large number of Wraithlords,
battle-suits directed by the Spirit Stones of dead warriors.
• Craftworld Lugannath was almost completely destroyed four centuries ago by warp gate
failures, which allowed the forces of Chaos aboard their Craftworld. Since then they have
rebuilt, and even increased, their power.
• Craftworld Saim Hann Eldar are stereotypically selfless, heroic and self-sacrificing. Their
military is biased towards jetbikes and skimmers for hit-and-run attacks.
• Craftworld Ulthwe is near to the Eye of Terror, and has an unusually high proportion of
Farseers and Warlocks. The Craftworld's military are in almost continuous action against
Chaos, Orks, the Imperium, and the mysterious Sleeping Ones.

Dark Eldar
At the time of the Fall, some Eldar withdrew to a realm called Commoragh, in the furthest reaches
of the Webway, rather than taking sanctuary on the Craftworlds. In their isolation, they became
warped, and addicted to causing pain. They are now known as the Dark Eldar, and raid the other
races mostly for captives to enslave and torture, but also partly just because they enjoy it.
Dark Eldar are physiologically and technically much the same as other Eldar, although their skin
tends to be paler. They are organised into Kabals, each ruled by a Kabal Leader. The Kabal's
second-in-command is known as a Hierarch, and his principal duty is to guard the Kabal Leader
against coups and assassination attempts. Betrayal and intrigue are staples of Dark Eldar life, and
members of one's Kabal can be trusted only slightly more than outsiders.

Language
All Eldar and Dark Eldar share a single common language, named for their race.

Technology
Eldar technology is ancient beyond belief, and based on the psychic manipulation of matter.
Knowing that in death they cannot be immortal spirits, but will be subsumed into the life-force of
their greatest enemy, the Eldar devised a technology known as the Infinity Circuit. Each Craftworld
has its own Infinity Circuit, which consists of a number of Spirit Stones, each of which contains one

23
or more spirits of dead Eldar. The combined experience and wisdom of their ancestors guides the
Eldar constantly from their Craftworld's Infinity Circuit.
Each Eldar constantly wears a Way Stone, a device which captures his spirit at death, and can
maintain it in the material plane for a short time – hopefully long enough for it to be transferred into
a Spirit Stone.
Spirit Stones housing a few spirits are used as the guiding intelligences of vehicles or spacecraft, in
much the same way that human craft have artificial intelligences called Machine Spirits. The most
extreme use of this technology is in Avatars, battle-suits directed by the embodied spirit of an Eldar
archetype or Principle. An Eldar crewing such a suit forgets his own personality, and becomes part
of the gestalt embodying that Principle; when he dies, his spirit is absorbed into the Stone
controlling the suit, which then awaits a new operator.
Acquiring Spirit Stones is extremely hazardous, as they are found only in regions where the Warp
overlaps real space, such as the Eye of Terror. The primary sources of Stones are the Crone Worlds
– former Eldar worlds now contained within the Eye.

NECRONS
Necrons are all that remains of the Necrontyr, manipulated by the energy beings known as the C'tan
into becoming their soulless slaves 60 million years ago, and encased in robot bodies. The C'tan
themselves are vampires who savour the essence of sentient creatures, feeding on their emotions
(especially terror) and consuming their souls. They have spent the last few tens of millions of years
in stasis tombs, waiting for the fallout from the war with the Old Ones to settle, and for new life to
arise upon which they can feed.
Necrons are a mysterious race to most others in the Galaxy; they are not interested in seizing
territory, and primarily manifest themselves in raids to “harvest” sentient life for consumption by
the C'tan.
Necron technology is far in advance of any of the other races, and effectively grants them the
capability to use the Phase or Teleport powers at will. Note that not all Necrons have access to these
powers, but Necron raiding forces make extensive use of them to strike without warning, and
disappear if the tide of battle turns against them.
The Tyranid invasion of the Galaxy appears to be diverting around specific worlds; these are
possibly the sites of Necron stasis tombs, capable of defending themselves even against the hive
fleets.

ORKS
“I's in charge, 'cos I's the biggest!”
Orks are green-skinned humanoids, the relic of a formerly powerful and widespread culture, which
they served as a genetically-engineered warrior subrace. This vanished species was ruled by a caste
of great intelligence, known to orks in the 41st millenium as Da Brain Boyz. It is possible that the
Brain Boyz were in fact the Old Ones, also known as the Old Slann.
On realising that their time was nearly over, the Brain Boyz further engineered ork DNA so that it
carried certain types of useful professional knowledge, for example medicine. Individual orks in
which this latent knowledge becomes manifest can thus call upon some skills without having
studied them.
At present, Orks are the most numerous, widespread and violent race in the Galaxy. Fortunately,
with no purpose or interest other than war, and no oversight from more strategically-minded
masters, they spend most of their time fighting each other, just for the fun of it.

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Biology
Ork biology is sufficiently different from other races to be worthy of note. It is thought that these
differences stem from their origins as a genetically-engineered race of slave soldiers.
Ork DNA is a mixture of what might be expected for a humanoid species, and algae or fungi. Orks
are constantly shedding fungal spores, which contain the entire genetic code of all Orkoid races.
These can be detected by Ork noses at distances of several miles, allowing them to locate each other
and “mob up” easily; at close range, they also allow Orks to rate each other in terms of status, age
and so on by smell. In wounded Orks, the algal structures respond to damage, granting them the
ability to heal wounds which in other races might be mortal. (It's also worth noting that Orks seem
designed for ease of organic and cybernetic grafting, so that bionic or transplant surgery has almost
no risk of rejection.)
However, the main purpose of the spores is reproduction. Those which settle in dark, dank locations
such as caves or forests spawn first surface fungi, and then subterranean cocoons where Orkoid
embryos develop. Smaller Orkoids mature more quickly, so the spawning ground will first develop
squigs, which breed quickly to provide a food source for the others, and then Snotlings, which begin
to prepare the area for their larger cousins. Next come the Gretchin, who set up the community, and
finally the Orks themselves, who occupy it. The whole process takes about one standard year.
Older and larger Orks shed more spores, with a mass release of them on death. This means that
areas where Orks have been killed in large numbers are more likely to suffer repeat infestations.
It's notable that the denser the Ork population, and the more intense the violence around them, the
bigger and stronger Orks become, both individually and as a group.

Culture
The orks are a nomadic warrior culture; brutal, savage, and anarchic. They live for war, and have
little use for other pastimes. Further, orks live entirely in the present; they have no interest in the
past, and act without thought for the future. If they thought in terms of slogans or vision statements,
the ork motto would be “If it feels good, do it!” - and what feels good to an ork is violence.
All Orks emerge from their cocoons knowing basic military skills at a subconscious level; they no
more need to learn these than a human child has to learn how to breathe. Some, such as Meks or
Doks, also express crude engineering or medical skills. As these skills are subconscious, Orks often
have no idea what they are doing, or why; and being Orks, they don't care, and waste no time on
introspection.
Each ork community is a warband or tribe united by a powerful Warboss, composed of clans. Tribes
may wander through space in ramshackle ships, or settle on planets. Ork society is composed of
several related species.
Orks, the biggest and toughest group, form a warrior elite by virtue of their size and viciousness.
The typical ork is muscular, rugged, and stands about about human height, despite a hunched
posture. The best fighters are referred to as Nobz, and form a sort of non-hereditary aristocracy. The
biggest and meanest Nob enjoys the title of Warboss, and rules the tribe. While most orks are
warriors, pure and simple, there are several specialist castes, recognisable by the tools they carry:
• Mekboyz act as armourers and mechanics.
• Doks or Painboyz are battlefield surgeons, and also implant the orks' primitive bionics.
• Weirdboyz are ork psykers.
• Runtherds breed and train the Gretchin and Snotlings.

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Gretchin are smaller and weaker, but alert and cunning. Gretchin are the slaves of the warrior class,
and operate Orkish society at the day-to-day level.
Snotlings are small, mischievous creatures, mainly employed to gather food, cultivate fungus and
so on.
Squigs are half-flesh, half-fungus, but mostly teeth, claws and a bad attitude. There are many
variations, which differ enormously in form, although all have a recognisably squig-like (and
cavernous) toothy maw. They are used in ork society as food, guard beasts, and even wigs. The
largest commonly-encountered version is the Squiggoth, which is occasionally laden with armour
plates and guns, and pressed into service as a kind of war elephant.

Organisations
Each ork community is independent, although a sufficiently terrifying Warboss can unite several
tribes for an orkish crusade or Waaagh! Organisation within the community is simple; bigger
orkoids dominate smaller ones through violence.
However, every 200-300 years, the orks organise on a higher level, in a great wave of migration and
conquest known as a Waa-Ork. The imminent onset of a Waa-Ork can be recognised by the
spontaneous construction of giant humanoid war machines called Gargants by Mekboyz.
On the fringes of ork society, the remnants of devastated tribes often band together as freebooters,
conducting random acts of piracy and hiring themselves out as mercenaries.

Technology
Devices built by the orks themselves rely on simple technology and massive firepower. Ork
cybernetics are rough and ready devices, easily visible from a distance. Vehicles tend to be painted
red, because their drivers believe that red ones go faster.
In addition to their own creations, orks need regular supplies of arms and other technology which
they cannot provide for themselves. Their usual solutions are slave labour, raiding parties, and
demanding weaponry with menaces (and more weaponry).

THE TAU EMPIRE

“A place for everyone, and everyone in his place.”
The Tau are a young and dynamic race, whose society is based on efficiency and harmony. Their
Empire occupies a small volume of space on the other side of the Galaxy from Earth, about 300
light-years in diameter. Uniquely in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Tau Empire accepts other
species as full members; even so, it is effectively a religious dictatorship, combining features of
Stalinist Russia and Conquest Arabia.
The Tau are densely packed into a small volume of space by human standards, as their technology
for interstellar travel is relatively inefficient. However, unlike human starships, Tau ones do not
draw the attention of the hostile Chaos entities which live in hyperspace. Since the other thing
which summons Chaos is psychic activity, and the Tau are completely non-psychic, they are
fortunate enough to know little of Chaos and the Warp.
The Tau believe they are destined to rule the Galaxy for the Greater Good of all species. Those who
resist must be persuaded of the error of their ways, or conquered – for their own good, of course.
The Third Wave of Tau expansion is nearing completion; they will probably consolidate their
holdings before expanding again.

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Culture and Organisations
Tau society is based on five main castes; Tau are born into their castes, and do not change caste
later in life.
• The Air Caste were originally couriers, but now operate Tau air and space vehicles. The Air
Caste typically live in orbital habitats, and are rarely seen by outsiders. They are rumoured
to have membranous wings, much like a flying squirrel.
• The Earth Caste are the builders and scientists. Like the Adeptus Mechanicus of the
Imperium, they are responsible for creating and maintaining their race's technology; unlike
the Adeptus, they understand that technology, and are capable of extending it, rather than
simply recovering and replicating existing designs.
• The Ethereals are the rulers of the Tau Empire, exerting pheromone-based control over the
other castes, who obey them without question in all matters, up to and including instant
suicide. For example, the Ethereals forbid marriage between castes, and have ordered the
Earth Caste to arrange all Tau reproduction, matching couples for optimum genetic
contribution to the race; yet the Tau have no objection to this practice.
• The Fire Caste are the warriors of Tau society, protecting the other castes. Since the Tau are
not well suited to melee, Fire Warrior tactics stress ranged combat and mobility over hand-
to-hand combat.
• The Water Caste negotiate, trade, and administer on behalf of all castes. They manage the
interfaces between the Tau castes, and between the Tau and other races, so that all proceeds
smoothly.
Tau education makes extensive use of technology, notably the so-called “didactic learning
modules”. There is some evidence (in the novel Fire Warrior) that Tau use these cybernetic
implants to learn languages and other knowledge-based skills.

Other Species
While the other races in the Tau Empire are subservient to the Tau, they are not mistreated; the Tau
are benevolent masters, so long as their rule is not challenged.

Kroot
Kroot are descended from an arboreal, avian species, and have been part of the Tau Empire since a
Tau expeditionary force helped liberate several Kroot enclaves from Orks, early in the Tau
expansion into space.
Kroot don't fight or adventure for idealism or noble causes, but for personal reward. They are also
voracious carnivores, and given half a chance will eat the bodies of fallen enemies. Their allies and
mentors, the Tau, find these traits disturbing, but respect the Kroot for their skill at arms. The avians
serve the Tau as shock troops in exchange for access to Tau technology, especially weapons, and
the corpses of their foes.
Tau scientists theorise that Kroot can actually take on some of the characteristics of the creatures
they eat, thus accelerating their evolution; and that this process is consciously directed by the Kroot
leaders known as Shapers. Whether this is true or not, the rank-and-file Kroot believes it.

Vespid
The Vespid are flying insectoids, loyal allies of the Tau. While the Kroot fight for the Tau in
exchange for material benefits, the Vespid do so because they share a belief in the Greater Good. As
their language is so alien, their leaders have been given Communion Helms so that they can

27
communicate with the Tau; the idea that these contain mind-control devices is, of course, a vile
rumour spread by the Imperium of Man.

Humans
Humans in the Tau Empire are descendants of military units left behind by the Imperium of Man
when its armies retreated from Tau space at the end of the failed Damocles Crusade; they were
allowed to settle some Tau worlds in exchange for swearing allegiance to the Greater Good.

Other Species
The Tau Empire is the best place to introduce new minor races, as the Tau are the only major power
which would grant them citizenship rather than wiping them out. So, if you have a favourite race,
cool miniatures, or anything else you want to add to the W40K universe, this is where to put it.

Language
The Tau share a single language, also called Tau. However, a number have learned the Kroot
language or human tongues to communicate with their neighbours.

Technology
Tau cybernetics includes a variety of implants, granting the user night vision, the ability to control
drones by thought alone, and so on. Tau implants are less obtrusive than those of other races, and
often not detectable without medical examination.

TYRANIDS
The Tyranids are a swarm of biological constructs from another galaxy, controlled by the Hive
Mind, a single alien entity controlling billions of creatures. Individual creatures take an infinite
variety of forms, each genetically engineered by the Hive Mind for a specific purpose, from cat-size
rippers to individual warrior-forms to huge living starships. Having exhausted the possibilities of
the genetic stock in its original Galaxy, the Hive Mind has now invaded this Galaxy in search of
new material to absorb. Entering from several points in Segmentum Tempestus and Ultima
Segmentum, the Tyranids are destroying planets one by one, all organic matter on each new world
being absorbed into the hive's genetic stocks, eaten as food, or discarded as useless, leaving only
sterile balls of rock behind. The Tyranids cannot be reasoned or bargained with; one can only defeat
them, or die.
Most Tyranids have a basic six-limbed body plan, with four arms, two legs tipped in bony hooves,
and a head armed with powerful jaws. Their bodies are armoured with chitinous plates, and ooze
slime continuously to lubricate the joints between plates, minimising wear and tear. The lower arms
are equipped with fearsome claws for fighting, and the upper arms with more delicate appendages
for manipulation.
Depending on their role in the Hive, individual Tyranids range from automata to quite sophisticated
beings, capable of rational thought and able to reach decisions without guidance from the Hive
Mind, although they still obey it without question. However puny a Tyranid's intellect, it still retains
a spark of consciousness and a psychic connection to the Hive Mind. Tyranids which somehow lose
contact with the Hive Mind revert to animalistic behaviour, unless they are aware of a Synapse
Creature (Broodlord, Hive Tyrant, etc) nearby, in which case they fall back towards that creature for
further orders.

Culture
Tyranids have no culture humans would understand. They simply live to eat, and eat to live.

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Organisations
Tyranid organisation is largely unknown. However, the following main types of bio-construct are
known:
• Biovores are large, mobile nurseries for clusters of Spore Mines (see below), which they
carry into combat and release. They appear as quadrupeds with a ventral egg-sac holding
spore mines, and a dorsal “cannon barrel” for launching the mines.
• Broodlords are larger and more powerful versions of the Genestealer (see below), often
found in command of Genestealer broods.
• Carnifexes are a genus of large, combat life-forms. The basic body plan is heavily modified
with weapon symbiotes and upgrades of all types, so it is difficult to describe an “average”
Carnifex.
• Coffin Crawlers exist to gather up the bodies of the fallen, of whatever species, and carry
them to the Norn Queens for processing.
• Gargoyles are flying versions of Termagants (see below). They are used to terrify
opponents and drive them out into the open, where the rest of the Tyranid swarm can
assimilate them at leisure.
• Gaunts are the rank-and-file Tyranid troops, armed with claws and various weapon
symbiotes. They are of no more value to the Hive Mind than rounds of ammunition are to a
human commander.
• Genestealers are six-limbed, human-sized creatures used as infiltrators and shock troops, an
advance guard preparing new worlds for conquest. They insinuate themselves into the
population, using their hypnotic powers to interbreed, creating hybrid Genestealers which
bide their time until a sudden appearance and uprising can help the Tyranid invasion. In the
Imperium, they often form the upper levels of secret cults, which worship the Tyranids as
gods. Their leader, known as a Patriarch, also provides a psychic beacon on which the Hive
Fleet can home in. Once the Fleet arrives, Genestealers are used to destroy enemy command
and control capabilities.
• Grabber-Slashers are assassins, thought to be created from Ork DNA. In their natural form
they have a powerful tail, used to propel them in a leap towards their target, a strong hand
used to grab the target, and a vicious, razor-sharp claw used to disembowel it. However,
they are able to temporarily assume other forms, helping them gain access to their victim.
• Hive Tyrants are large Tyranids with multiple weapon symbiotes grafted to their six-limbed
frames. They are highly psychic, and believed to be combat leaders – the equivalent of
human platoon commanders.
• Hormagaunts are roughly man-sized close combat forms, fast and tireless, and capable of
leaping great distances to the attack.
• Hunter-Slayers are fast, vicious creatures some two metres high, generally humanoid in
form but with the usual six limbs. They are normally encountered as ship's troops aboard
Tyranid starships.
• Lictors are infiltrator units, waylaying the unwary and absorbing their brains, then
transmitting knowledge of the enemy’s weaknesses to the Hive Mind.
• Mind-Slavers are crablike organisms. Their normal function is to take over the minds of
malfunctioning constructs, bringing them back under the thrall of the Hive Mind. The pea-
sized larva is implanted near the brain stem of the victim, and grows into a Mind-Slaver,
gradually taking over the host. Eventually the Mind-Slaver grows so large that the host dies,

29
 consumed as the Slaver feeds before metamorphosis into its adult form. They can also be
used to enslave captives.
• Norn Queens, or Splicer Beasts, are huge, immobile, living factories. They live only in
deep space, never landing on planetary surfaces. They produce the eggs and larvae of
existing Tyranid constructs, and also analyse and manipulate the DNA of newly encountered
races to create new types of construct. Norn Queens destroyed by enemies of the Tyranids
emit a psychic pulse which triggers reproduction in other, nearby Queens – the so-called
“Hydra Effect”, as killing one Norn Queen simply creates many more.
• Raveners are combat Tyranids which move by burrowing quickly underground, before
emerging next to their foes, opening fire with their weapon symbiotes, then closing to melee
with vicious talons.
• Ripper Swarms are found during the later stages of a Tyranid invasion. They consume all
organic matter voraciously, before immersing themselves in giant pools of digestive juices,
bringing all they have eaten back to the Hive. The resulting goo is piped through capillary
towers to Tyranid ships, which then convey it to the Norn Queens for processing. The
famous Catachan Devils of the Catachan Deathworld are thought to be devolved Rippers,
abandoned by some earlier Tyranid incursion.
• Shroud-Spinners are used to create anaesthetising coccoons around captives the Tyranids
want to keep fresh and whole for some reason. Boarding parties entering Tyranid ships may
find serried ranks of cocoons containing prisoners.
• Spore Mines resemble flying jellyfish, which are attracted to heat or movement, and
detonate if their tentacles contact a non-Tyranid, filling the air nearby with shrapnel or toxic
spores. They are deployed from high in the atmosphere, and drift down into areas ripe for
infestation.
• Termagants are the basic Tyranid infantry life-form, roughly man-sized and armed with
claws and a weapon symbiote, usually the fleshborer, which fires heat-seeking beetles.
• Tyranid Warriors are large, powerful Tyranid combat forms some 12 feet high. However,
their primary role is as psychic relay stations, strengthening the bond between the Hive
Mind and lesser Tyranids to allow finer control.
• Tyrant Guards are large, blind Tyranids which act as living shields for synapse creatures.
They are able to absorb terrific punishment; they are blind, half-sentient and ferocious.
• Zoanthropes are living psychic artillery, large snakelike Tyranids which move by levitation
and attack with bolts of psychic energy. They appear to have been engineered to project the
psychic power of the Hive Mind directly onto the battlefield.
• Zoats are thick-skinned, six-limbed constructs bred for communication. Their function is to
learn the languages of the newly conquered, so as to learn about them and thereby unlock
any special capabilities they may have.
Tyranids are controlled psychically by Synapse Creatures – these are the more intelligent Tyranids
such as Broodlords, Hive Tyrants, Tyranid Warriors, and some (but not all) Zoanthropes. If in any
doubt what to do next, lesser Tyranids will fall back towards the nearest Synapse Creature for
further instructions.

Language
Tyranids have no language as such, since they communicate psionically.

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Technology
Tyranid technology is based on genetic manipulation of living tissue, rather than mechanical or
electronic devices. The Norn Queens are a type of Tyranid used to engineer and manufacture other
types, in effect living factories.
Initially, Tyranid warriors encountered by the Imperium carried their weapons, although those
weapons were themselves smaller creatures. More recently, the weapon symbiotes have fused into
their carrier organisms, and it is hard to tell where one creature ends and another begins. The rounds
fired by Tyranid weapons are themselves alive, heat-seeking worms or beetles which bore into the
target’s flesh to devour it.

THE GALAXY
The majority of habitable worlds are 10-40 thousand light-years from the Galactic hub, in the spiral
arms. Those of the major races tend to specialise in a particular aspect of the race's economy; the
minor races tend to occupy one, or a few, planets which are self-sufficient and not specialised to the
same extent.
Roughly one star system in 100,000 has a habitable world, so they are far apart and somewhat
isolated. Warp storms may also block safe access to any given world for months, years or even
centuries at a time, which is one factor driving worlds to low levels of population and technology –
they must be able to sustain both in the absence of interstellar commerce.
Human worlds are governed as feudal fiefs by Imperial Commanders, who can rule as they please
so long as tithes and levies (of troops and psykers) are provided on time, and the rule of the
Imperium is maintained. A certain amount of rivalry, or even outright fighting, is accepted by the
Imperium for the simple reason that it can't completely stamp it out.

Astrography
The Imperium of Man views the Galaxy as divided into five Segmenta: Segmentum Solar,
Segmentum Obscurus, Segmentum Pacificus, Segmentum Tempestus, and Ultima Segmentum.
Each Segmentum is divided into sectors of roughly 7 million cubic lightyears (which may, or may
not, be cubes some 200 lightyears on a side), which in turn are divided into subsectors, each
containing 8-10 star systems of interest. Subsectors are groups of worlds, not divisions of volume;
consequently there are large tracts of empty space between subsectors.

World Types
• Agri-world: An Imperial farming planet, dedicated to raising food for other worlds.
• Cardinal World: An Imperial world where every building is given over to the Emperor's
worship.
• Civilised World: The default world type – one with a balance of industry and agriculture in
its economy. Populations are predominantly urban, though they live in cities rather than
hives, with some rural population still remaining. Present-day Earth would be classed as a
Civilised World.
• Crone World: Eldar term for a former Eldar planet, now subsumed in the Eye of Terror.
• Daemon World: A world where Chaos reigns supreme. Daemons and other manifestations
of Chaos are able to travel easily between the Warp and Daemon Worlds, which are
effectively their colonies in the material universe. Generally these worlds are locked in
conflict between the daemonic armies of the four Chaos Gods.
• Deathworld: An Imperial world noted for its hostile environment and hardy inhabitants.

31
 • Feral World: Generally a lost colony which has regressed to Stone Age levels of
technology, or worse. The majority of Imperial Assassins are recruited (read “abducted”)
from such worlds at around the age of 5 for extensive training and bio-enhancement.
• Forgeworld: An Imperial world devoted to munitions production, generally controlled by
the Adeptus Mechanicus.
• Hive World: A high-population Imperial world. Inhabitants generally live in gigantic,
crumbling arcologies known as hives; higher-status families live on higher levels, with the
highest spires being reserved for the ruling class. Most Imperial Guard recruits come from
the rough areas of the lower levels on Hive Worlds.
• Industrial World: A mining or manufacturing colony. Differs from a Forgeworld in not
being wholly devoted to arms production.
• Maiden World: Eldar term for a world which they seeded with life long ago. Most of these
have been occupied since by human or Ork squatters.
• Mediaeval Worlds: Typically these are lost colonies which have regressed to a Mediaeval
level of technology.

Major Worlds
With 400 billion stars in the Galaxy, and one in every 100,000 having a habitable world, the Milky
Way contains roughly 4,000,000 habitable planets, of which over one million have human
populations. No document could hope to discuss all of them. Even the Imperium of Man does not
know for certain how many worlds it claims to rule, what they are called, or where they are.
However, an educated Imperial Human, with Knowledge (Current Affairs) or Knowledge (Earth
Sciences), probably knows the names of the worlds listed below, and can offer a one or two
sentence summary of their most important characteristics.

Segmentum Solar
This is the volume of space centred on Holy Terra.
• Armageddon: A jungle planet, polluted by millennia of heavy industry, and the site of an
ongoing war between Imperial forces and Ork invaders.
• Holy Terra: A Hive World. Capital of the Imperium.
• Mars: A Forgeworld. Home world of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and primary source of high-
technology manufactured goods in the Imperium.
• Titan: One of Saturn's moons, and the home of the Grey Knights, a Space Marine chapter
dedicated to the service of the Inquisition.

Segmentum Obscurus
This volume is to spinward of Terra. It includes the Eye of Terror, where real space and warp space
overlap.
• Cadia: Imperial Guard homeworld (Cadians). Cadia lies on the only reliable warp route in
or out of the Eye of Terror, known as the Cadian Gate. It is the first line of defence against
Black Crusades, and consequently has developed an entire culture devoted to the military
virtues; on Cadia, the birth rate and the enlistment rate are identical.
• Cypra Mundi: Segmentum capital and Imperial Navy base.

32
 • Dimmamar: Cardinal World. Homeworld of Sebastian Thor, leader of the Confederation of
Light, which overthrew Goge Vandire and ended the Age of Apostasy.
• Eye of Terror: This volume of space includes numerous worlds and star systems, but each
is somehow twisted, a unique and nightmarish sub-reality, due to the overlap between real
space and the Warp. Their inhabitants may be human, or may have been grotesquely
deformed by exposure to Chaos. Existence in the material universe is easier for daemons
and other powers of Chaos in the Eye than elsewhere.
• Fenris: Space Marine home world.
• Caliban: Deathworld, Space Marine home world.
• Medrengard: Daemon World.
• Mordian: Imperial Guard home world (Mordian Iron Guard, famous for their discipline).
• Port Maw: Imperial Navy base.
• Nemesis Tessera: Inquisition stronghold.

Segmentum Pacificus
This segment is to rimward of Terra; beyond it lie the impossibly ancient Halo Stars.
• Chiros: Cardinal World.
• Hydraphur: Segmentum capital and Imperial Navy base.
• Joura: Imperial Guard home world.
• Macharia: Imperial Guard home world.

Segmentum Tempestus
This lies to antispinward of Terra, and includes both the Veiled Region and the Hell-Stars of the
Garon Nebula.
• Bakka: Segmentum capital, and Imperial Navy base.
• Gryphonne IV: Forgeworld.
• Ophelia VII: Cardinal World. The Holy Synod and other senior bodies of the Ecclesiarchy
temporarily relocated themselves here from Terra in M35 to create a power base less easily
contained by the Administratum.
• Pavonis: Imperial World.
• San Leor: Cardinal World.

Ultima Segmentum
This segmentum is to coreward of Terra, and includes the Galactic Core, the Ghoul Stars, the Storm
of the Emperor's Wrath, the Gates of Varl, the Mordant Zone, the Eastern Fringe, and the Dominion
of Storms. Towards its far edge lies the Tau Empire.
• Attila: Imperial Guard home world.
• Baal: Space Marine home world (Blood Angels, famous for their berserker rages and blood
rituals). Baal has two moons, and was devastated millennia ago by nuclear and biological
warfare. Warmaster Sanguinius was born here, and even today the Blood Angels are
recruited from among the hardy warriors of Baal's moons.
• Calth: Cavern World.

33
 • Clax: System rendered inaccessible in late M36 by a gigantic warp storm, still raging and
now known as the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath. This storm destroyed Goge Vandire's
warfleet en route to Dimmamar, and thus triggered the end of the Age of Apostasy.
• Kar Duniash: Segmentum capital and Imperial Navy base.
• Iax: Garden World.
• Ichar IV: Site of a rebellion in 993.M41, fomented by Genestealers infiltrated by Hive Fleet
Kraken. The Tyranids were eventually routed by Ultramarines Space Marines, with
surviving splinters of the Hive Fleet heading for the Galactic Core.
• Istvaan III: Former Hive World, devastated by Warmaster Horus as his first act of
Rebellion c. M30.
• Konor: Adeptus Mechanicus research base.
• Macragge: Space Marines home world (Ultramarines). Successfully repelled an attempted
invasion by Tyranids in 745.M41, though with heavy casualties.
• The Maelstrom: A volume of space riven by intense warp storms, and thus nearly
impassable by starships. The difficulty of navigation here has turned the Maelstrom into a
haven for pirates and bandits of all kinds, and it is home to an estimated twenty plus Ork
empires, as well as countless human pirate bases. It is also said to house a contingent of
Chaos Space Marines of the Word Bearers chapter.
• Masali: Agri-world.
• Mundus Planus: Space Marines home world (White Scars chapter).
• Necromunda: Hive World.
• Parmenio: Space Marines training base (Ultramarines).
• Prandium: Dead world.
• Quintarn: Agri-world.
• Talasa Prime: Inquisition stronghold.
• Talassar: Ocean world.
• Tarentus: Agri-world.
• Thandros II, Thandros III: Former mining colonies, close to Tyran, and overrun by
Tyranids soon after that world.
• Tyran: Former Adeptus Mechanicus outpost, first Imperial world overrun and consumed by
Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth. (Tyranids are so named because they were first encountered
by humans at Tyran. At least, by humans who survived to tell of it.)
• Valhalla: Imperial Guard home world.
• The Ymga Monolith: Classified.

Tau Empire
First Phase colonies:
• Bork'an: A stronghold of the Earth caste, rich in academic institutions and research labs.
• Dal'yth: A centre of Water caste operations, a cosmopolitan trading centre which has more
contact with alien races than any other Tau world.
• D'yanoi: A tidally-locked world with twin moons, in a perpetual half-light. The colonists

34
 were isolated from the mainstream Empire for many years, and are still regarded as rustic
and backward.
• Fal'shia: Famous for the skill and innovation of its artisans and engineers.
• Sa'cea: Hot, densely populated, and highly militarised. The stereotypical Sa'cean is
disciplined and honourable.
• Tau: The Tau homeworld. Largely arid, leading to the Tau preference for hot, dry worlds.
Inhabitants are considered to be learned and wise by other Tau.
• Tau'n: This was the first Tau colony system, and consequently Tau from this world are
considered to have a pioneering spirit.
• Vior'la: Site of the oldest and most respected Fire caste military academy, whose graduates
are famous for their skill and aggression.
Second Phase colonies:
• Au'taal: A beautiful and verdant world, and a popular tourist attraction. Locals are
easygoing and laid-back by Tau standards.
• Elsy'eir: A world or intellectuals, poets and artists.
• Ke'lshan: The colonists of this world, near the Perdus Rift, have suffered greatly in raids
and attacks from various other races. They are consequently taciturn and unfriendly.
• N'dras: This colony was abandoned for unknown reasons 50 years ago. Survivors are
typically irritable, brooding and untrustworthy.
• Tash'var: On the current frontiers of Tau space, and subject to repeated piracy by Orks and
others. The inhabitants have grown tenacious and pragmatic as a result.
• T'olku: Home of famously wise Ethereals, who are adept at negotiating with aliens.
• Vash'ya: A centre of the Air caste, which provides most of the pilots and ship crews for Tau
starships.
Third Phase colonies:
• Fi'rios: A former Ork colony, conquered by the Tau at great cost.
• Ksi'm'yen: The first of the Third Phase colonies, Ksi'm'yen was taken from the Imperium
by stealth, with numerous Second Phase cadres moving in while Imperial troops were
occupied offworld. While yet to emerge as a distinct society, the rest of Tau space sees its
inhabitants as lucky, subtle and opportunistic.

Minor Worlds
These are simply worlds which have not so far been significant enough in the unfolding story of the
41st Millennium to have been mentioned in official materials. The Narrator should add minor worlds
as necessary for his campaign, using whatever means of generation appeals to him.

35
HERO CREATION
"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm." - George Orwell.

Backgrounds

The Imperium of Man

Imperial citizens are divided into humans, abhumans, and mutants. The latter two are very much
second-class citizens; mutants form an underclass, not even permitted to join the military. Space
Marines are technically human, but so altered by genetic engineering and surgery as to need a
specific background. Sisters of Battle are again human, but require their own background to reflect
their upbringing and training.
Humans
Humans are the baseline species against which all others are measured. See True20 Adventure
Roleplaying (“the rulebook”) pp. 16-17 for the relevant background.
Abhumans
Abhumans are those who have adapted to conditions on their homeworlds: Ogryns, Ratlings and
Squats. This adaptation may have been evolutionary, or due to genetic engineering during the Dark
Age of Technology; no-one is sure.
• Ogryns use the Ogre statistics on p. 137 of the rulebook. They are not suitable as player
characters; if sent to get medical supplies for a wounded comrade, they are strong enough to
drag a wrecked APC across the battlefield, but also stupid enough not to realise they could
just take out the first aid kit and bring that back.
• Ratlings are space hobbits – actually, they are closer to the members of the Hobbits' Guild
in Fineous Fingers, or Boggies in Bored of the Rings. To quote the designer of the revised
Imperial Guard Codex, “If Sergeant Bilko were in the Imperial Guard, he would be a
Ratling”. They use the Halfling background from p. 17 of the rulebook.
• Squats are asteroid-mining dwarves, and use the Dwarf background from p.17 of the
rulebook. Squats are not much talked about since they seceded from the Imperium; it is not
desirable that the masses should learn the Squats wanted to secede, and even less desirable
for it to be known that they succeeded.
Mutants
Mutants are the result of genetic damage caused by thousands of years of exposure to radiation,
pollution, and industrial waste. They are treated as Calibans (rulebook pp. 132-133). Player
Characters may be mutants, but only if not obviously so – obvious mutants are rigorously
suppressed, and would not be allowed the necessary skills or opportunities to become adventurers.
Navigators
Player Character Navigators are assumed to be young members of one of the Great Families,
waiting for their mental talents to mature to the point where they can take up their ordained role.
They are created as if normal humans, but tend to be pilots of high social status.
Sisters of Battle
Members of the Adepta Sororitas are a good choice for the player looking for a stereotypical
Amazon Warrior PC. Their Acts of Faith are represented in the game by their use of Conviction, so
even NPC Sisters will always have Conviction.

36
Members of the Adepta Sororitas are humans, but to represent their cloistered upbringing,
regimented training and the elective surgery needed to wear powered armour, Adepta PCs have a
specific background of their own. Note that unlike standard humans, Sisters of Battle do not receive
an addition skill or an additional feat of their choice; their training is too restrictive to permit this.
• Ability Adjustments: None.
• Bonus Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy and Powered).
• Bonus Skills: None.
Space Marines
Space Marines are recruited from among hardy Warriors born on the Imperium's harsher worlds,
and gradually transformed into superhumans by extensive gene therapy and elective surgery. Space
Marines are not recommended as player characters; as the ultimate human killing machines, they
are likely to unbalance scenarios, and in the setting they are depicted as fighting, or training to fight,
24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which leaves little time for adventuring. Further, in an Imperium of
over a million worlds, there are no more than a million Space Marines at any one time; the average
citizen – even the average soldier – will live his entire life without seeing one.
However, Space Marine PCs are likely inevitable, so...
• Ability Adjustments: Str +1, Dex +1, Con +1.
• Bonus Feats: Diehard, Talented (Notice and Search).
• Bonus Powers: Body Control.
• Favoured Powers: Body Control.
• Level Lag: 1. Space Marines count as one level higher than their actual level for purposes of
party balance and setting up encounters.
Almost all Space Marines have the Warrior role. However, they replace the Warrior's normal core
ability (Determination) with the Fearless core ability from the True20 Companion (And They Shall
Know No Fear...) This means that:
• Space Marines are immune to effects that cause fear (including supernatural powers).
• Space Marines are immune to the effects of the Intimidate skill unless the user's total level
exceeds theirs by at least 4 levels.
• Space Marines can remove a fear-induced condition from an ally by spending a Conviction
point and standing up to the source of the fear (usually by issuing a war cry such as “For the
Emperor!” and attacking).
This description covers the generic Space Marine. Narrators interested in creating different roles for
the various Chapters should refer to Chapter One of the True20 Companion.

Eldar and Dark Eldar

When the Galaxy-spanning Eldar Empire was destroyed during the period known as the Fall, the
survivors took refuge on gigantic sublight spacecraft called Craftworlds. Faster-than-light travel
remains available to them via the Webway, a labyrinth of tunnels through warp space.
Eldar are generally humanoid in appearance, but abnormally tall and thin by human standards, with
pale skin and pointed ears. Their metabolism is faster than the human norm, giving them greater
dexterity and a quick intellect; but they are physically fragile.
Eldar are essentially space elves, and use the Elf background on p. 17 of the rulebook.
Dark Eldar are created in the same way as other Eldar, but their sadistic tendencies are likely to

37
isolate them from other PCs, and they are better suited as villains. It's difficult to say what their
Virtues are, if any, but Vices abound; the more popular are devious, vain, self-serving, and sadistic.

Orks
Orks are the degenerate remnants of a much more advanced race. They are spread widely
throughout the Galaxy, a testament to the achievements of their forebears. Orks are brutal,
aggressive and anarchic, unable to organise at any level above that of the simple warband;
considering their martial prowess, this is just as well.
Orks are space orcs; use the half-orc background on p. 17 of the rulebook.
Gretchin are not suitable for use as player characters, as they are too small, weak and cowardly; but
they will be encountered frequently as NPCs. Use the goblin statistics from pp. 135-136 of the
rulebook.

Tau
The Tau Empire includes members of several races, most notably the Tau themselves, the Kroot,
the Vespid, and renegade humans.
Tau
Tau are generally humanoid in appearance, although the legs end in hooves, they are noseless (the
nostrils being placed above the eyes in the middle of the forehead), the hands have only three
fingers and a thumb, and the skin is a bluish-grey colour. Tau prefer arid climates.
Fire Caste Tau must be Warriors. Other Tau Castes must be Experts. No Tau may be an Adept.
• Ability Adjustments: Dex -1, Wis +1.
• Bonus Feats: Connected (other Caste members), Dedicated (to the Greater Good).
• Favoured Feats: Familiar (gun, marker or shield drone).
• Typical Virtues: Co-operative, determined, efficient, obedient.
• Typical Vices: Arrogant, dislike inefficiency, gullible, naive.
Kroot
Kroot are tall, slender, avian humanoids; they have beaked faces and prominent crests, used for
signalling each other. Their limbs end in hands or feet with two fingers and an opposable thumb,
like the claws of parrots. Kroot may not be Adepts. They are most at home in forest or jungle
environments.
• Ability Adjustments: Str +1, Cha -1.
• Bonus Feats: Cleave, Rage.
• Favoured Feats: None.
• Typical Virtues: Honourable, loyal.
• Typical Vices: Bloodthirsty, cannibal, impolite, mercenary, rude..

Vespid
Vespid can fly, and have diamond-hard claws.
• Ability Adjustments: Dex -1, Wis +1.
• Bonus Feats: Dedicated (to the Greater Good), Fly (30 ft, Poor), Natural Attack (Claws, +1

38
 damage).
• Favoured Feats: Move-By Action.
• Typical Virtues: Not known.
• Typical Vices: Not known.
Humans
These are descendants of Imperial military units cut off during the abortive Damocles Gulf Crusade
and subsequently absorbed into the Tau Empire. They use the same background as Imperial
humans, and for the most part are armed and equipped like the Imperial Guard.

Chaos Space Marines, Necrons and Tyranids

These races are not suitable for use as player characters. Expect to meet them only as “monsters”;
they will attempt to kill you, and consume your body (Tyrannids), your soul (Necrons), or both
(Chaos Space Marines). Examples of these races are to be found in the Adversaries section.

Skills and Feats

Armour Training, Powered (General)

Prerequisites: Armour Training (Light) and Armour Training (Heavy).
This feat is required to operate powered armour safely and effectively. It is taken by Space Marines
and Sisters of Battle to represent the Black Carapace elective surgery which allows them to
interface to their powered armour. It is also taken as a normal feat by Tau battlesuit pilots.

Benefit (General)
Additional potential Benefits for this setting are:
• Commissar. (Imperial humans only.) You are an officer of the Imperial Guard charged with
maintaining the morale and loyalty of the troops. While technically a staff officer, you fight
on the front lines as an example to the ordinary soldier. You are probably an Imperial zealot,
so you may wish to consider taking Dedication (The Emperor) at some point. You were
most likely raised in the Schola Progenium, the orphanages for the children of Imperial
servants. You have the power to order, or carry out, summary executions in combat
conditions. This can result in a certain unpopularity with the Guardsmen in your care, so
beware of “accidents”.
• Ethereal. (Tau Ethereals only.) Your body exudes pheromones which render other Tau calm
and obedient, and they are indoctrinated from birth with the myth of your supremacy. Other
Tau (not other Ethereals) will obey you instantly and without question. However, if you are
rendered Unconscious, Disabled or Dying, any other Tau in line of sight must make a DC15
Will save or flee in terror.
• Harlequin. (Eldar only.) You are one of the warrior-troubadours who wander the Webway,
retelling stories of Eldar mythology through mime and acrobatics. You are one of the
keepers of the Black Library and its terrible secrets, and know where it is. You should really
take some ranks in Perform (Dance) to go with this Benefit.
• Inquisitor. (Imperial human Adepts only.) You are a member of the Imperial Inquisition.
You can do what you like, to whom you like, when you like, up to and including ordering
the obliteration of entire planetary populations; the only official check on your powers is the
view other Inquisitors take of your actions. However, you work alone, or with a small group
of companions, and often undercover; so unofficially, the corrupt thugs, bandits and Chaos

39
 cultists you are tasked with eliminating might eliminate you first. You carry an Inquisitorial
Seal, which is a ring, pendant or other device you can use to prove your identity.

Dedicated (General)
Tau Fire Warrior teams who have performed the Ta'lissera ritual and bonded as a group are
Dedicated to the team, and must all have the Dedicated feat; the team leader carries a ceremonial
sword known as a Bonding Knife to make this obvious to other Tau, or if he is a battlesuit pilot, he
may have a representation of the Bonding Knife painted on the outside of his suit.

Diehard (Warrior)
Humans taking the Diehard feat may optionally state that this is due to bionic limbs replacing arms
or legs amputated following combat wounds. Imperial bionics are large, obvious, and not at all
good-looking; but nobody seems to mind.
A serving Imperial soldier with the Diehard feat earns the Medallion Crimson the first time he uses
that feat in battle. This medal denotes those who fought on despite severe injury.

Exotic Weapon Training (General)

To discourage PCs from collecting and using the best weapons from their fallen foes, each weapon
type not available to their species requires a separate Exotic Weapon Training feat. For example,
Tau human mercenaries are armed and equipped like the Imperial Guard. It's possible, though rare,
for their leaders to be issued with Tau pulse rifles, but to make use of them the humans would need
Exotic Weapon Training (Pulse Rifle). As another case in point, an Ork wanting to use an Eldar
Triskele he captured in battle would need Exotic Weapon Training (Triskele) to do so.
Bear in mind that being an Imperial human who prefers the weapons of alien scum pretty much
guarantees awkward questions from the Inquisition.

Familiar
Imperial Inquisitors and similar Adepts may take the Familiar feat. The Familiar may be an
augmented animal, a Cherubim, a Servitor, or a servo-skull. See Personal Equipment for details, or
choose an animal from Chapter 8 of the rulebook.
Tau characters may take the Familiar feat as a Hard-Wired System; see below.

Hard-Wired Systems
Tau characters (only) acquiring the following feats at second level or higher do so by having
cybernetic upgrades implanted. The cost for this is waived, since the character would get the feat
anyway; it is provided solely to give a view of the relative status of the users within their caste.
• Night Vision: A blacksun filter implant improves the character's low-light vision. Cost 18.
• Familiar: A drone controller implant allows the character to control one or two AI drones
by thought alone. Cost 15 for the implant; gun drones cost 25 each, marker drones cost 45
each, shield drones cost 30 each. One drone comes with the implant; replacements, or
second drones, must be purchased.
• Skill Training: Didactic learning modules implanted by the Earth caste allow the character
to learn new languages or Knowledge skills. Cost 15. Note: Uniquely, this implant may be
taken at first level, since it is routinely provided to Ethereals and low-ranking Fire Warriors.
• Two-Weapon Fighting: A hard-wired multi-tracker allows the character to fight effectively
with two weapons, reducing the penalty for doing so by 2 for the primary hand and 6 for the

40
 off hand. Tau normally use this feat with ranged weapons. Cost 20.
The hard-wired target lock has no real equivalent in True20, as all characters can attack different
targets should they so wish.

EQUIPMENT
Tech Ratings
TR Description Examples TR Description Examples
0 Stone Age 5 Information Age Present-day Earth
1 Bronze / Iron Age 6 Fusion Age Imperium of Man (standard
items)
2 Middle Ages 7 Gravity Age Eldar, Tau
3 Age of Reason 8 Energy Age Imperium of Man (relics)
4 Industrial Age Kroot, Orks 9 Beyond Comprehension Necrons

Weapons
RI = Range Increment. * = item from True20 Adventure Roleplaying. ** = item from True20
Companion.
Simple Weapons Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users
Knife* +1 19-20 / +3 Piercing 10 ft Tiny 7 Everyone

Martial Weapons Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users

Bonding Knife (Sword*) +3 19-20 / +3 Slashing - Medium 11 Tau
Chainsword** +5 20 / +4 Slashing - Medium 13 Imperium
Close Combat Wpn (Sword*) +3 19-20 / +3 Slashing - Medium 11 Everyone
Gauss Flayer (melee) +3 20 / +4 Slashing - Large 9 Necrons
Honour Blade (Spear*) +3 19-20 / +4 Piercing 20 ft Large 6 Tau
Power Weapon (High +6 19-20 / +3 Slashing - Large 15 Imperium
Frequency Sword**)

Firearms Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users

Autopistol (Heavy Pistol*) +4 20 / +3 Ballistic 40 ft Medium 18 Imperium
Bolt Pistol +6 20 / +3 Ballistic 30 ft Medium 15 Imperium
Digital Weapon +5 20 / +3 Energy 25 ft Fine 27 Imperium
Fleshborer +6 20 / +3 Ballistic 30 ft Medium 17 Tyranids
Hellpistol, Laspistol +5 20 / +3 Energy 50 ft Medium 17 Imperium
(Laser Pistol**)
Plasma Pistol** +6 20 / +3 Energy 60 ft Medium 17 Imperium
Pulse Pistol +7 20 / +3 Energy 30 ft Medium 15 Tau

41
 Firearms Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users
Shuriken Pistol +6 20 / +3 Ballistic 30 ft Medium 15 Eldar
Slugga +6 20 / +3 Ballistic 30 ft Medium 15 Orks
Splinter Pistol +5 20 /+3 Ballistic 30 ft Medium 15 Dark Eldar
Shotgun* +5 / +6 20 / +3 Ballistic 40 ft Large 15 Imperium
Autogun (Assault Rifle*) +5 20 / +3 Ballistic, 50 ft Large 16 Imperium
Autofire
Boltgun +6 20 / +3 Ballistic, 50 ft Large 16 Imperium
Autofire
Gauss Flayer (ranged) +6 20 / +3 Energy, 50 ft Large 15 Necrons
Autofire
Hellgun, Lasgun (Laser +6 20 / +3 Energy, 60 ft Large 19 Imperium
Rifle**) Autofire
Kroot Rifle +6 20 / +3 Ballistic, 50 ft Large 15 Kroot
Autofire
Neutron Blaster +7 18-20 / Energy 30 ft Medium 15 Vespid
+3
Plasmagun (Plasma +8 20 / +3 Energy 80 ft Large 19 Imperium
Rifle**)
Pulse Carbine +7 20 / +3 Energy, 60 ft Medium 15 Tau
Autofire
Pulse Rifle +7 20 / +3 Energy, 40 ft Large 15 Tau
Autofire
Shuriken Catapult, +6 20 / +3 Ballistic, 30 ft Large 15 Eldar
Standard Autofire
Shuriken Catapult, +6 20 / +3 Ballistic, 40 ft Large 15 Eldar
Avenger Autofire
Shoota +6 20 / +3 Ballistic, 50 ft Large 15 Orks
Autofire
Splinter Rifle +5 20 / +3 Ballistic, 50 ft Large 15 Dark Eldar
Autofire
Sniper Rifle* (and Eldar +5 19-20 / Ballistic 250 ft Large 22 Imperium,
Ranger Long Rifle) +4 Eldar
Rail Rifle (Railgun**) +7 20 / +3 Ballistic 170 ft Large 24 Tau
Ripper Gun +6 / +7 20 / +3 Ballistic 30 ft Large 15 Imperium

Exotic Weapons Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users

Burst Cannon +7 20 / +3 Ballistic, 40 ft Large 15 Tau
Autofire

42
 Exotic Weapons Damage Critical Descriptor RI Size Cost Users
C'tan Phase Sword +6 19-20 / +3 Slashing - Medium - Imperium,
(High-Frequency Necrons
Sword**, but ignores
armour)
Flamer, Incinerator, +6 - Fire - Large 17 Imperium,
Burna (Flamethrower*) Orks, Tau
Grenade Launcher* +5 - Explosive 70 ft Large 14 Imperium
Kroot Rifle (in melee) +3 20 / +4 Slashing - Large 15 Kroot
Missile Launcher +10 - Explosive 150 ft Large 15 Imperium
(Rocket Launcher*)

Explosive Effect Radius Reflex Save Size Cost Users

Frag Grenade* +5 damage explosion 50 ft 15 Tiny 15 Imperium
Photon Grenade (Flash- Blinding/deafening 20 ft 14 Tiny 16 Tau
Bang*)
Demolition Charge (Plastic +10 damage explosion 100 ft 20 Small 30 Imperium
Explosive*)

Weapon Notes
Boltgun: A stockless longarm much like a 20th century SMG. Fires .75 calibre rocket-propelled
explosive rounds; the mechanism is similar to that of the 20th century Gyrojet.
Bolt Pistol: A smaller, lighter version of the boltgun, intended for use in one hand.
Bonding Knife: A ceremonial knife carried by leaders of Fire Warrior teams who have performed
the Ta'lissera ritual and bonded as a group. See Skills and Feats. Effectively a short sword.
Burst Cannon: A light support weapon, carried by various types of battlesuit, and used as a
defensive weapon on Tau vehicles.
Chainsword: A combination of sword and chainsaw, used as a close combat weapon. Eviscerators
are a heavier, two-handed version, used only by Imperial priests.
Close Combat Weapon: A generic term for a variety of swords, axes, maces etc. used for close
combat. Since most models seem to have swords, by default they are treated as swords. This
category includes Ork Choppas.
C'tan Phase Sword: These items are never found for sale, but must be recovered from Necron
stasis tombs. They are occasionally used by Imperial assassins of the Callidus Temple. Phase
swords ignore any physical armour, like the Psychic Weapon power; an application of the Necrons'
advanced technology.
Digital Weapons: These powerful miniaturised weapons are ancient relics, and almost priceless.
They are small enough to be disguised as rings, or even implanted in the user's fingers. In game
terms they have the statistics of energy pistols (for example, a laspistol), except that their range
increment is halved, they have a size of Fine, and a cost 10 higher than usual.
Diresword: A Eldar Close Combat Weapon, a diresword has a spirit stone in the hilt. This
unleashes a Psychic Blast (rulebook p. 68) on the target should the weapon hit.
Flamer: A basic flamethrower, counts as an area attack in an area 5 feet wide and 25 feet long in

43
front of the firer.
Fleshborer: The basic Tyranid infantry weapon symbiote; fires heat-seeking, flesh-boring beetles.
Force Weapon: Only usable by Adepts, force weapons are permanently imbued with the Psychic
Weapon power, and so do not require fatigue saves to activate or maintain. They are otherwise
treated as Psychic Weapons (see rulebook p.68).
Gauss Weapons: A technology unique to the Necrons, Gauss weapons use intense magnetic fields
to strip the target's constituent atoms from its surface, pulling them towards the weapon. No other
race is sufficiently advanced to manufacture these items, even reverse-engineering them from
captured units. The most common variant is the Gauss Flayer carried by the stock Necron warrior,
which is fitted with an axe blade below the muzzle and can be used as a battleaxe in melee.
Grenades, Grenade Launcher: These have changed little since the 20th century. Frag grenades are
general-purpose anti-infantry items, krak grenades are intended for heroic (and probably suicidal)
close combat attacks against tanks.
Hellgun, Hellpistol: More powerful versions of the standard lasgun and laspistol, respectively. The
differences are insignificant in True20 terms.
Honour Blade: A ceremonial spear used by members of the Ethereal cast to settle disputes in
bloodless duels.
Kroot Rifle: A primitive slugthrower, firing bullets enhanced by Tau technology; the standard-
issue battlefield weapon for Kroot carnivore squads. The Kroot rifle may be used either as a ranged
weapon, or as a vicious melee weapon, since it has blades at either end; it requires an Exotic
Weapon Proficiency feat to use without injuring oneself on the blades.
Lasgun: The basic weapon of the Imperial Guard. Essentially an energy version of the assault rifle.
Laspistol: The standard Imperial Guard officer's sidearm, an energy version of the heavy pistol.
Lightning Claw: One of many types of power weapon, see below. Normally used in matched pairs
with the Two Weapon Fighting feat.
Meltagun: A fusion gun, used as a squad support weapon.
Missile Launcher: A squad support weapon using either armour-piercing (krak) or fragmentation
(frag) rounds. Fired from the shoulder.
Needlegun, Needle Pistol, Needler: Lightweight weapons which fire poisoned darts rather than
conventional ammunition. Treat these as the equivalent standard weapon except for damage, for
which see rulebook p. 130.
Neutron Blaster: A hybrid of Vespid and Tau technology, firing radiation blasts.
Plasma Gun, Plasma Pistol: These fire balls of superheated plasma at their targets. However, they
are prone to overheating; on a natural roll of 1-3 when rolling to hit, the weapon explodes,
rendering itself useless and applying its damage to the operator rather than the intended target.
Power Fist, Power Weapon: Gloves or weapons sheathed in a disruptive energy field, increasing
their armour penetration. Power weapons ignore physical armour just like the Psychic Weapon
power, but gain none of that power's other benefits.
Pulse Pistol: An energy pistol used for close-in personal defence.
Pulse Carbine: A short-range version of the pulse rifle, sacrificing range for easier handling and an
underslung photon grenade launcher; sometimes provided to senior members of allied races. Instead
of making a normal attack, the user can instead fire a single photon grenade using the same range
increment.

44
Pulse Rifle: The basic longarm of the Tau armed forces, sometimes provided to senior members of
allied races; fires a plasma pulse.
Rail Rifle: An experimental, limited-issue Tau military weapon.
Ripper Gun: An oversized and exceptionally rugged shotgun, designed for Ogryn use.
Shotgun, Sniper Rifle: These are identical to the standard True20 weapons of the same names.
Shuriken Weapons: Ranging from pistols to tank main weapons, these all use the same principle;
the mechanism slices disks from a plastic crystal cylinder, and accelerates them through the
weapon's barrel at high speed.
Singing Spear, Witchblade: Witchblades and Singing Spears are Eldar Close Combat Weapons
with ignore physical armour like the Psychic Weapon power, but gain none of that power's other
benefits.
Splinter Weapons: Ranging from pistols to cannons, these are the Dark Eldar standard weapons.
An energy pulse propels an ammunition crystal down the barrel, shattering it along the way. The
target is showered with high-velocity, crystalline shrapnel, often impregnated with poisons or other
toxins. Splinter weapons have remarkably low recoil.
Storm Bolter: Designed for close assaults, this is simply two ordinary bolters combined into one
weapon.
Triskele: An Eldar power weapon which can also be thrown.

Armour
It's more convenient to group non-powered armour into classes based on the Warhammmer 40,000
armour save than to list many individual armour types.
W40K Toughness Cost Examples
Armour Bonus
Save
- +0 - Civilian clothing, basic uniform.
6+ +2 13 Eldar Shimmershield*, Imperial Catachan armour, Imperial
Refractor Field (weak version)*, Kroot armour, Ork armour.
5+ +4 17 Eldar Guardian armour, Imperial Guard flak jacket, Imperial
Refractor Field (strong version)*
4+ +6 21 Eldar Aspect Warrior armour, Imperial carapace armour; Imperial
Rosarius*; Fire Warrior armour; Tau shield drone* or shield
generator*, Imperial Storm Shield*.
3+ +8 24 Enhanced Eldar Aspect Warrior armour.
2+ +10 27 Imperial Terminator armour, Tau Broadside battlesuits, Tau
Iridium armour.

Items marked * in the armour table above provide Invulnerable saves. A character wearing armour
and using such an item adds together their two bonuses. For example, a Tau Fire Warrior with a 4+
armour save and carrying a shield generator with a 4+ Invulnerable save has a Toughness Bonus of
6 + 6 = 12. However, a character may not claim protection from more than one Invulnerable save
item at a time; if the Tau had two shield drones, he would still only have a +12 Toughness Bonus.

45
Powered Armour
Several races have some form of powered armour; the statistics below are for suits designed using
the True20 Companion rules. Figures in ( ) are Construction Point costs. Tau battlesuits cannot be
designed as powered armour – by the time all the features are added, there aren't enough CP left for
the armour – so they have been designed as vehicles.
Space Marine Powered Armour
Space Marine powered armour is pretty basic stuff, using most of its CP to give good armour
protection.
TR6 powered armour, 10 CP. Features: +8 Toughness Bonus (8). Accessories: Communication
Unit (1). Options: Jump Pack – Class II Personal Flight Jets (1).
Vindicare Temple Stealth Suit
The secretive Vindicare Temple of the Officio Assassinorum has access to a limited number of
these suits. Their origin is uncertain, since they are neither the TR6 of standard Imperial equipment
nor the TR8 of relics from the Dark Age of Technology.
TR7 powered armour, 11 CP. Features: +6 Toughness Bonus (6), Holoscreen (3). Accessories:
None. Options: None.
The Holoscreen allows the operator to disguise himself as any Medium sized object, and counts as
20% concealment if attacked.

Personal Equipment
A selection of Warhammer 40,000 wargear of use to the adventuring party...
Item Users Cost Description
Auspex Imperium 17 A handheld sensor used to detect hidden enemy troops,
ambushing predators and so on. While active, it grants the user
the Talented (Notice and Search) feat, giving +2 to those rolls.

Banshee Eldar, 17 Several races have masks or other items which strike fear into the
Mask, Dark hearts of their opponents. In game terms, these grant the ability to
Gruesome Eldar use the Heart Shaping power (rulebook p. 63) to cast Despair on
Talismans, their foes
Hell Mask
Chart Table Imperium 23 Essentially a tablet-style laptop, used to display tactical maps etc.

Combat Dark 15 Typical effects include: +3 Strength, +3 Dexterity, Cleave, or

Drugs Eldar Improved Initiative. They last for two turns. Users must make a
modified Toughness save against +0 damage on taking the drugs;
armour does not count, but Tough and Constitution do.

Dataslate Imperium 16 The Imperial equivalent of a PDA, used to store and transfer
information, such as orders.

Field Medical Everyone 15 These count as “appropriate medical equipment”, allowing the
Kit use of Medical skill at no penalty. The kit's name varies with the
user; the Imperial Guard call one of these a Medi-Pack, the Space
Marines, a Narthecium, and so on.

46
 Item Users Cost Description
Flying Dark 35 A number of races have Large devices, worn on the back, which
Device Eldar, allow them to fly (30 ft, Poor). These include Eldar Swooping
Eldar, Hawk wings, Imperial Jump Packs etc; in game terms, they are
Imperium, all much the same.
Orks
Lamp-pack Imperium 4 Standard Imperial Guard-issue flashlight, can be hand-held or
fitted to a lasgun's bayonet lugs.
Magnoculars Imperium 7 Imperial officer's binoculars. More expensive models may have
rangefinders, azimuth readouts, or infrared sensors.
Markerlight Tau 25 A laser target designator, usually mounted on a longarm. Works
like a targeting scope (rulebook p. 84), except that the user's
comrades benefit from the bonus to hit, not the user himself.
Microbead Imperium 7 Standard Imperial commlink, usually only available on
industrialised worlds, small enough to be worn in the ear.
Polymorphine Imperium 15 A rare, shape-altering drug used by the Callidus Temple of the
Officio Assassinorum. Conveys the Self-Shaping power on the
user, without requiring them to have the Body Control power.
Regular doses are required to maintain the changed shape.
Psychic Hood Imperium 35 Grants the wearer the Psychic Shield power.
Psyocculum Imperium 18 Witch-finding eyepieces used to detect the presence of psykers.
Grant the user Second Sight while worn.
Purity Seal Imperium 15 The bearer of a Purity Seal gains the Iron Will feat.
Sensors Everyone 17 These grant the user the Skill Focus (Notice) feat, namely he
enjoys a +3 bonus on Notice rolls. Again, various users give
these devices different names: Auspex, Surveyor, etc.
Signum Imperium 30 Targeting and communications device issued to Enginseers. The
user, or one of his Servitors, benefits from the Hope effect of
Heart Shaping. (The user's level counts as his Adept level.)

Soul-Seeker Dark 25 Made from wraithbone looted from the bodies of dead Eldar, and
Ammunition Eldar used in splinter weapons; ignores the effects of cover.

Spirit Stone Eldar - All craftworld Eldar wear a spirit stone, which captures their soul
at death, avoiding the terrible fate of being consumed by the
Chaos Gods. The Eldar use the spirits of their ancestors, held in
these stones, in the same way that other races use computers.
Cost 0 for Eldar, unavailable to other races (except by looting).

Targeter Imperium 11 Essentially a targeting scope as per rulebook p. 84

Vox-Caster Imperium 7 A commlink as described on p. 78 of the rulebook. A Master-Vox

is similar, but is larger and has more features; cost 15.

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Drones, Familiars and Servitors

Drones
Drones are flying disks, extensively used by the Tau. They are equipped with antigrav units and
Artificial Intelligence, and programmed to protect their owners. In game terms, they are essentially
cybernetic familiars. A drone will manoeuvre so as to stay within 10 feet of its owner, or as close to
this as it can manage. Drones are not intended to fight in melee, but can do so if necessary, ramming
their opponents.
Gun Drones are the commonest type of drone, equipped with twin pulse carbines for ranged
combat. Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: Fly 60 ft (Poor). Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0,
Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Pilot 4 (+4). Feats: Firearms Training,
Improved Initiative, Night Vision. Traits: Construct traits, Flight 60 feet (Poor). Combat: Attack +0
(+0 base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 unarmed or +7 (energy, autofire) pulse carbine, Defence +0 (+0
Dex), Initiative +4 (+0 Dex, Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +5
natural armour, +1 construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).
Marker Drones are equipped with a markerlight (see Personal Equipment, above), and used to
paint targets for their owners. Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: Fly 60 ft (Poor).
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Pilot 4 (+4). Feats:
Firearms Training, Improved Initiative, Night Vision. Traits: Construct traits, Flight 60 feet (Poor).
Combat: Attack +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 unarmed, Defence +0 (+0 Dex), Initiative +4
(+0 Dex, Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +5 natural armour, +1
construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).
Shield Drones are defensive units, protecting their owner with a personal force field; the drone's
owner may add its Toughness Bonus (+6) to his own while it is within 10 feet of him. Type: 1st
level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: Fly 60 ft (Poor). Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con -, Int +0, Wis
+0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Pilot 4 (+4). Feats: Firearms Training, Improved Initiative, Night
Vision. Traits: Construct traits, Flight 60 feet (Poor). Combat: Attack +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex),
Damage +0 unarmed, Defence +0 (+0 Dex), Initiative +4 (+0 Dex, Improved Initiative). Saving
Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +5 natural armour, +1 construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex),
Will +0 (+0 Wis).

Familiars
Human Adepts (such as Inquisitors or Space Marine Librarians) may be accompanied by one or
more Familiars. These take various forms; cherubim, psyber-creatures, or servo-skulls, but all have
roughly the same attributes. They are encountered as often in high society as on the battlefield, and
are as much a fashion statement or status symbol as they are a tool. Cost: Free on taking the
Familiar feat, 25 to replace if destroyed or lost.
Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft, fly 30 ft (Perfect). Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0,
Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Any four of the owner's choice. Feats: Any one of the owner's
choice, plus Night Vision. Traits: Construct traits. Combat: Attack +2 (+0 base, +2 Dex), Damage
+2 unarmed, Defence +2 (+2 Dex), Initiative +2 (+2 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1
construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).

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Servitors
Servitors occupy the same niche in the Imperium that robots do in most science-fiction settings.
However, rather than being completely artificial beings, servitors are the bodies of lobotomised
humans, surgically enhanced with cybernetic upgrades. Imperial citizens take a certain superstitious
comfort from the fact that servitors are not soulless machines, but are partly constructed from real
(if naughty) people who once had souls.
Combat Servitor. These are built for close combat, and deployed in support of battlefield
specialists such as Enginseers to defend them while they work. Cost 40. Type: 1st level construct.
Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice
4 (+4), Search 4 (+4). Feats: Attack Focus, Night Vision, Weapons Training. Traits: Construct
traits. Combat: Attack +1 (+0 base, +0 Dex, +1 Attack Focus), Damage +0 unarmed or +3 close
combat weapon, Defence +0 (+0 Dex), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+5
natural armour, +1 construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).
Gun Servitor. These are used to provide fire support for Enginseers and similar. Their cost depends
on the weapons they carry; cost 50 if armed with a multi-melta, 40 if a heavy bolter, 60 for a plasma
cannon. An unarmed gun servitor would cost 25. Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: 30
ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Search 4 (+4).
Feats: Attack Focus, Firearms Training, Night Vision. Traits: Construct traits. Combat: Attack +1
(+0 base, +0 Dex, +1 Attack Focus), Damage +0 unarmed or by weapon type, Defence +0 (+0
Dex), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+5 natural armour, +1 construct),
Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).
Technical Servitor. These are a common sight in the Imperium, and are used to repair and maintain
equipment. They are neither armed nor programmed for combat, and come in a wide variety of
shapes and sizes. Cost 25. Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0,
Dex +0, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Craft (any two) 4 (+6). Feats: Improvised Tools
(represents built-in toolkits), Night Vision, Talented (any two craft skills). Traits: Construct traits.
Combat: Attack +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 unarmed, Defence +0 (+0 Dex), Initiative +0
(+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+3 natural armour, +1 construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0
(+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).

Animals

Attack Squig
The Ork equivalent of dogs, vicious predators trained to attack on command and armed with razor-
sharp fangs. Some species are also poisonous. Squighounds (used to control unruly mobs of
Gretchin) are essentially similar, but with Dex +0, and corresponding reductions in other statistics.
Type: 2nd level animal. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con +0, Int -4, Wis
+0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 2 (+2), Survival 4 (+4). Feats: Improved Initiative, Night Vision. Traits:
Scent. Combat: Attack +4 (+1 base, +3 Dex), Damage +0 (fangs), Defence +3 (+3 Dex), Initiative
+7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (+0 base, +0 Con), Fortitude
+2 (+2 base, +0 Con), Reflex +5 (+2 base, +3 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis). Cost: 21.

Kroot Hounds
The Kroot equivalent of dogs, armed with ferocious fangs, and used to harry retreating enemies.
Type: 2nd level animal. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +2, Con +0, Int -4, Wis
+0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 2 (+2), Survival 4 (+4). Feats: Improved Initiative, Night Vision. Traits:
Scent. Combat: Attack +3 (+1 base, +2 Dex), Damage +3 (fangs), Defence +2 (+2 Dex), Initiative
+6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (+0 base, +0 Con), Fortitude

49
+2 (+2 base, +0 Con), Reflex +4 (+2 base, +2 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis). Cost: 21.

Krootox
Large quadrupeds which look much like a gorilla knuckle-walking. They are used by the Kroot as
beasts of burden, notably to carry Kroot Guns into battle.
Type: 3rd level animal. Size: Large. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +9, Dex +0, Con +0, Int -4, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Survival 4 (+4). Feats: Endurance, Night Vision. Traits: None.
Combat: Attack +1 (+2 base, +0 Dex, -1 Size), Damage +9 (fangs), Defence +0 (+0 Dex), Initiative
+0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +2 (+0 base, +0 Con, +2 Size), Fortitude +3 (+3 base, +0
Con), Reflex +3 (+3 base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis). Cost: 38.

Vehicles
Here are some common vehicles rated using the True20 Companion rules; figures in ( ) are
Construction Point costs. A roleplaying scenario shouldn't really include more than a couple of
vehicles; their costs are deliberately left high to keep them out of the reach of PCs.
Note that Tau battlesuits have been designed as vehicles – powered armour doesn't have enough CP
for the armour and features. Legs are considered to have the same statistics as tank treads, although
realistically they should have a higher minimum TR.
House Rule: To make sure that troop carriers have less powerful weapons and thinner armour than
tanks, each passenger carried consumes 4 CP if human-sized, and 8 CP if a Wraithguard, or in
Terminator armour.

Eldar Wave Serpent

The standard Eldar APC, the Wave Serpent has a crew of two (pilot and commander) and can carry
up to 12 passengers. It normally has twin-linked shuriken catapults, and twin-linked shuriken
cannon (although other weapons can be fitted in place of the cannon). A variety of sensor and ECM
upgrades are possible, and 12 CP are reserved for these. The statistics below assume a crew of level
1 Guardians.
Type: TR7 vehicle, 100 CP. Size: Gargantuan. Speed: 100 mph. Abilities: Str +15, Dex -, Con -, Int
-, Wis -, Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +2 (crew +1 Base, +1 Dex), Damage +6
(shuriken catapult) +8 (shuriken cannon), Defence +6 (+10 Base, -4 Size), Initiative +1 (crew Dex
+1). Saving Throws: Toughness +17 (+11 Base, +6 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 90
plus options.
Motivators: Class III Hover Unit (5). Features: Communications Unit (1), Deflection Shield +4 (4),
Environmental Seal (1), Life Support (1), 12 passengers (48). Armour: +6 Toughness (6). Weapons:
Twin shuriken catapults (2 x 6), twin shuriken cannon (2 x 8). Options (6 CP available): Autopilot
Comp (Drive bonus +4) (2) and Gunner Autocomp (+1 attack bonus) (4), which between them
represent the Spirit Stone upgrade.

Imperial Chimera Transport

The amphibious Chimera is the standard Imperial Guard battlefield troop transport. The statistics
below assume a crew of 1st level Imperial Guardsmen.
Type: TR6 vehicle, 70 CP. Size: Huge. Speed: 50 mph. Abilities: Str +5, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis -,
Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +1 (crew +1 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +7 (heavy
bolter), Defence +8 (+10 Base, -2 Size), Initiative 0 (crew Dex +0). Saving Throws: Toughness +13
(+9 Base, +4 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 70 plus weapons.
Motivators: Class II Tank Treads (3), Class I Water Turbines (1). Features: Communications Unit

50
(1), 12 passengers (48). Armour: +4 Toughness (4). Weapons: Heavy Bolter (7). Options (6 CP
available): Smokescreen/Displacer (2); other weapons (varies).

Imperial Rhino Transport

The Rhino is the standard transport for mechanised Space Marine and Chaos Space Marine squads.
The statistics below assume a crew of 2nd level Space Marines.
Type: TR6 vehicle, 70 CP. Size: Huge. Speed: 50 mph. Abilities: Str +5, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis -,
Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +5 (crew +2 Base, +3 Dex), Damage +6 (storm
bolter), Defence +8 (+10 Base, -2 Size), Initiative 3 (crew Dex +3). Saving Throws: Toughness +14
(+9 Base, +5 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 50 plus options.
Motivators: Class II Tank Treads (3). Features: Communications Unit (1), 10 passengers (40).
Armour: +5 Toughness (5). Weapons: Storm Bolter (6). Options (15 CP available): Autopilot Comp
(Drive bonus +4) (2) and Gunner Autocomp (+1 attack bonus) (4), which between them represent
the Power of the Machine Spirit upgrade; Smokescreen/Displacer (2); second storm bolter (6).

Tau Stealth Suit

Tau XV-15 and XV-25 Stealth Suits are used in small groups of 3-6 suits for scouting and
infiltration. The statistics below assume a 3rd level Fire Warrior as pilot.
Type: TR7 vehicle, 40 CP. Size: Medium. Speed: 25 mph. Abilities: Str +2, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis
-, Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +2 (crew +3 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +7 (burst
cannon), Defence +10 (+10 Base, +0 Size), Initiative -1 (crew Dex -1). Saving Throws: Toughness
+8 (+5 Base, +3 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 30 plus weapons and options.
Motivators: Class I Jet Engine (12), Class I “Legs” (Tank Treads) (2). Features: Communication
Unit (1), Engine Strength Boost +2 (1), Environmental Seal (1), Holoscreen* (3), Life Support (1).
Armour: +3 Toughness (3). Weapons: Burst Cannon (7). Options (9 CP available): +3 Gunner
Autocomp (8), representing Targeting Array wargear; Fusion Blaster (10, but 7 of these are gained
by removing the burst cannon, so effectively 3).
* The Holoscreen provides 20% concealment, and allows the operator to disguise himself and the
suit as any Medium sized object. The suit normally carries a burst cannon (damage +7/20, +3) as
listed under Weapons.

Tau Crisis Battlesuit

XV-8 Crisis Suits are the rapid response units of the Tau military, normally worn by commanders
or elite troops. The statistics below assume a 3rd level Fire Warrior as pilot.
Type: TR7 vehicle, 60 CP. Size: Large. Speed: 25 mph. Abilities: Str +7, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis -,
Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +2 (crew +3 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +9 (missile
pod) +8 (plasma rifle), Defence +10 (+10 Base, -1 Size), Initiative -1 (crew Dex -1). Saving
Throws: Toughness +8 (+5 Base, +3 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 50 plus weapons
and options.
Motivators: Class I Jet Engine (12), Class I “Legs” (Tank Treads) (2). Features: Communication
Unit (1), Engine Strength Boost +2 (1), Environmental Seal (1), Life Support (1). Armour: +3
Toughness (3). Weapons: Missile Pod (9), Plasma Rifle (8). Options (22 CP available): +3 Gunner
Autocomp (8), representing Targeting Array wargear; Anti-Accident System (2), representing
Ejection System wargear; increase Toughness bonus to +6 (+3), representing Iridium Armour
Plates; Absorption Shield +6 (6), representing Shield Generator; other weapons*.
* The standard weapons can be replaced by others, such as Fusion Blasters. In this case, deduct the
CP for the weapon removed before adding the CP for the weapon added.

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Tau Devilfish Troop Carrier
The workhorse of the Tau military, the Devilfish has a crew of two (pilot and commander) and can
carry up to 12 passengers. It normally has a burst cannon (damage +7/20, +3) in a chin turret, and
two gun drones carried in external cheek mounts. A variety of sensor and ECM upgrades are
possible, and 12 CP are reserved for these. The statistics below assume a crew of level 1 Fire
Warriors.
Type: TR7 vehicle, 80 CP. Size: Huge. Speed: 100 mph. Abilities: Str +10, Dex -, Con -, Int -, Wis
-, Cha -. Skills: -. Feats: -. Traits: -. Combat: Attack +0 (crew +1 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +7 (burst
cannon), Defence +8 (+10 Base, -2 Size), Initiative 0 (crew Dex +0). Saving Throws: Toughness
+14 (+9 Base, +5 armour), Fortitude -, Reflex -, Will -. Cost 80 plus options.
Motivators: Class III Hover Unit (5). Features: Communications Unit (1), Environmental Seal (1),
Life Support (1), 12 passengers (48). Armour: +5 Toughness (5). Weapons: Burst Cannon (7).
Options (12 CP available): +3 Gunner Autocomp (8), representing Targeting Array wargear;
Sensor Cloak/Jammer (1 CP, +5 to Difficulty); Sensors +5 (5); Smokescreen/Displacer (2).

PSIONICS
Warp space is composed of psychic energy. Psykers – individuals gifted with psionic powers – are
able to channel this energy from the Warp into real space to achieve specific effects.
However, warp space is home to a number of hostile entities, known as Daemons, which hunger
after mortal flesh and souls. It is difficult for these beings to enter real space, as they need some
kind of portal to do so. The largest known portal is the Eye of Terror, which encompasses the
locations of the former Eldar home worlds; the smallest and commonest portals are the minds of
individual psykers. Untrained psykers are a danger to themselves and others, as they are prone to
unwittingly allowing Daemons to enter real space to wreak havoc. For this reason, most cultures
register, train, and control their psykers closely; further, witch-hunts by Inquisitors or angry mobs
are a fact of life on many Imperial worlds. The Imperium's fleet of Blackships travels from world to
world, collecting the levy of registered psykers planetary governors are obliged to provide.

Psychic Powers
Using psychic powers in this setting risks drawing the attention of vile Chaos creatures from the
Warp, who will attempt to fry the Adept's brain – or worse.
Whenever an adept tries to use a supernatural power and fails, he suffers the perils of the Warp.
(This can be rationalised by saying that the reason he failed was because Something Man Was Not
Meant To Know was nibbling on his cortex, attracted by the psychic emanations.) The adept must
expend a Conviction point to avoid being immediately destroyed in a gruesome way; exploding
head, dragged screaming through a portal to Chaos by gibbering demons, etc. – knock yourself out.
If the adept spends a Conviction point, he is merely attacked by a Psychic Blast with a power rank
twice his own – stronger adepts attract more powerful Chaos nasties. PCs are advised to keep a
Conviction point in reserve against this risk; minions, having no Conviction, are doomed.

Quick and Dirty Psychic Powers

Narrators pressed for time, or desiring a simpler approach, should note that Warhammer 40,000
Psykers powers are most often Heart Shaping or Elemental Blast, but with different names.

52
Eldar Powers
Powers True20 Equivalent (Prerequisites) Users
Conceal Illusion, Widen Power Warlocks
Destructor Elemental Blast (Energy Shaping) Warlocks
Doom Heart Shaping – Despair Farseers
Eldritch Storm Elemental Blast (Energy Shaping), Weather Shaping Farseers
Embolden, Enhance Heart Shaping – Hope Warlocks
Fortune, Guide Heart Shaping – Hope Farseers

Human Powers
Powers True20 Equivalent (Prerequisites) Users
Banishment, Severance; success against a daemon forces Ordo Malleus Inquisitors
Destroy Daemon it to leave realspace, either temporarily or
permanently as the Narrator sees fit.
Divine Heart Shaping – Fear Inquisitors (any Ordo)
Pronouncement,
His Will Be
Done, Word of
the Emperor
Hammer of the Widen Power and Psychic Blast, used to Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors
Witches disrupt enemy psykers
Hammerhand Enhance Ability, used to increase Strength Inquisitors (any Ordo)
Holocaust Elemental Aura (Energy Shaping) Ordo Malleus Inquisitors
Lightning Arc Elemental Blast (Energy Shaping) Imperial Guard Sanctioned Psykers
Machine Curse Computer Link, used to trigger self-destruct Imperial Guard Sanctioned Psykers
or shutdown sequences.
Purgatus Dominate (Mind Touch). The target is Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors
being asked to do something against his
nature, and so gets a saving throw.
Psychic Lash Harm Imperial Guard Sanctioned Psykers
Psychic Ward Ward Imperial Guard Sanctioned Psykers
Sanctuary Ward Ordo Malleus Inquisitors
Scourging Elemental Blast (Energy Shaping) Inquisitors (any Ordo)
Telepathic Order Mind Touch, Widen Power Imperial Guard Sanctioned Psykers

Necron and Tau Powers

These races have no psykers, and consequently no powers.

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Types of Imperial Psyker

Alpha-Level Psykers
Also called Primary Psykers, or the Chosen, these are the most powerful psionics, strong enough to
withstand daemonic taint or possession under most circumstances. They are trained for five years in
the Scholastia Psykana. The youngest are then assigned as Librarians to various Space Marine
Chapters; Librarians have a range of powers, but their primary role is battlefield communications,
using their telepathic abilities to coordinate their Chapter's actions. The most powerful are allocated
to the Grey Knights, or become Inquisitors.

Astropaths
Astropaths are selected from the second rank of psykers, and have considerable power, but lack the
strength to withstand daemonic possession. Astropaths always have the Astro-Telepathy power,
enabling them to send and receive psychic messages over a range of up to 50,000 lightyears with a
base 50% chance of success (DC 15 for the average first level psyker). They typically have up to
five other powers in addition, usually related to warp travel, and conferred by the Emperor during
his shaping of their minds. Astropaths are unusually resistant to warp creatures and psychic attacks.
Typical powers include:
• Locate Warp Gate/Portal: This gives the Astropath a base 10% chance (i.e., DC 23 for the
average level 1 psyker) of locating any portal between warp space and real space within 10
lightyears if he is in warp space; in real space, success is automatic.
• Psychic Beacon: The Astropath can create a psychic beacon, allowing any Navigator within
10 lightyears to navigate starships through the warp, even if out of range of the
Astronomican. The Astropath himself must be in real space to use this power.
• Warp Space Trail: This allows the Astropath to embed a harmless psychic beacon in the
mind of a ship's crewman, allowing the psyker to sense the ship's destination if it enters
warp space within 1,000 kilometres of him.
Astropath adepts may select these powers in the normal way. They are all fatiguing.

Sacrifices
Those whose minds are too vulnerable, or whose powers are too random, cannot be allowed to
wander the Imperium freely. They are too likely to become portals by which daemons can enter the
material universe. Also, the Emperor must feed upon raw psychic energy if he is to survive.
Consequently, such unfortunates are sacrificed to the Emperor. Confusingly, these too are
sometimes called the Chosen.

Navigators
Navigators are a human subspecies, created either by mutation or genetic engineering (no-one is
sure which) during the Dark Age of Technology. They are able use psychic powers to navigate
through warp space, although they have no other psionic abilities. Navigators tend to be tall and
spindly; all have a third eye in the centre of their foreheads, and may have one or other more
mutations such as large eyes, eyes without an iris, under-developed facial features, large or webbed
hands and feet, or no body hair.
Young Navigators generally work as pilots while their mental capabilities mature, which happens at
around the age of 50. As Navigators have greatly extended lives (typically 300-400 years), this long
apprenticeship is not an issue.

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Navigator Houses (also called Great Families, or collectively the Navis Nobilite) are powerful
families, with traditional alliances (usually by marriage) and rivalries. Each maintains a large
fortified mansion as its base of operations.

The Tainted
Any of the above types of psyker may have become Tainted by daemonic influence. Despite all the
efforts of the Imperium, these may burrow deep into Imperial organisations, biding their time until
the moment is right to strike.

Psykers of Other Races

Necrons and Tau

While they are aware of the existence of psychic powers, the Necrons and Tau themselves have no
such abilities. No Necron or Tau may be a psyker.

Tyranids
All Tyranids are linked psionically into the Hive Mind.
Genestealers are able to hypnotise the other races, which they do to implant their genetic material so
as to create hybrids by which they can infiltrate other cultures.

SHIPS
Starships are propelled at faster-than-light speeds by warp drives, which enable them to leave the
material universe (also called real space or the Materium) and enter warp space (also called the
Immaterium, the Empyrean or the Void). Once in warp space, the ship is carried along by the
currents and tides of the warp. Since the Materium and the Immaterium are in constant motion
relative to each other, when (after an appropriate time) the ship again uses its engines to return to
normal space, it has moved significant distances in real space. However, this motion cannot be
detected within warpspace, which means that longer jumps are progressively more unpredictable
and dangerous.
Warp space is a swirling mass of raw energy and emotion; in a sense, it is the collective
unconscious mind of the universe. Dangerous warp storms are common, with the effects of entering
one ranging from ships being thrown thousands of light-years off course to being utterly destroyed.
Some localised nodes of this chaotic energy achieve sentience; they are mostly hostile, and referred
to as Daemons.
Starships in the Warhammer 40,000 universe are kilometres long, weighing many thousands of
tons, and often thousands of years old. The smallest escort is roughly the size of a 20th century
cruiser. While insystem craft are owned by planetary governors or small organisations, starships are
typically owned and operated by interstellar navies or governments.
Commercial starships represent 90% or more of the fleet operated by a typical major race. Merchant
ships of the Imperium are licensed by the Administratum for a fixed period, usually 100 years; since
no-one wants their licence to expire while they are in warpspace, merchantmen tend to avoid long
jumps. Each commercial ship operates under one of these four types of charter:
• Hereditary Free Charter. The ship is licensed to trade as the captain sees fit anywhere
within a specified Segmentum. The captain nominates his successor.
• Hereditary Charter. The ship is licensed to trade on a specified route within one
Segmentum. The captain nominates his successor, who inherits not only command, but also
the route.

55
 • Free Charter. The ship is licensed to trade as the captain sees fit, across all Segmentae. The
ship's owner (normally a corporation) nominates the captain's successor.
• Fleet Charter. The ship is licensed to trade on a specific route within one Segmentum. The
ship's owner (normally a corporation) nominates the captain's successor.
Military starships are 10% or less of a race's spacecraft. The Imperium assigns one Segmentum
Fleet (commanded by a Warmaster) to each Segmentum. Each sector has a Sector Fleet
(commanded by a Space Commander), and within this are the sub-fleets, commanded by Group
Commanders and tasked with patrolling and defending individual subsectors or the spaces between
them. Engagements are fought by task forces known as Battlefleets; usually these are composed of
whatever fighting ships can be found within 10-20 light-years of the action, although for especially
important actions which can be planned far in advance, ships may be gathered from within a 50
light-year radius.

Distances and Travel Times

Insystem travel times are measured in days or weeks.
Time passes at a different, and variable, rate in warpspace; it is only when a ship returns to normal
space that the journey's duration as observed in real space is known. Durations in ship time are
typically 1-4 days per thousand light-years of travel, while to someone left in real space, they
appear to last for 1-6 months per thousand light-years. The Imperium is some 75,000 light-years
across; a starship could theoretically cross this distance in 75-300 days of ship time, which would
be 6-40 years in real time. Since roughly one star system in 100,000 has a habitable world, they are
on average about 280 light-years apart. Consequently the average travel time to the next nearest
system is roughly a day in ship time, or 4-6 weeks in real time. Stars without habitable worlds are
much closer together – an average of 12 light-years.
There are two types of warpspace jump: Calculated and piloted. Calculated jumps assume that the
tides and currents of warpspace do not change significantly during flight; in practice, this limits
them to short hops of 4-5 lightyears.
Piloted jumps are controlled by members of the human subspecies called Navigators, who can use
their psychic powers to sense the Astronomican, a psychic beacon maintained on Earth by the
continuous concentration of thousands of psykers, and directed by the mind of the Emperor himself.
A piloted jump can be up to 5,000 light-years, or more. The Astronomican's signal can be distorted
by warp storms, and has a range of only 50,000 light-years, meaning that the edge of the Galaxy
furthest from Earth is out of range. However, possession of this unique resource gives humanity a
distinct edge over most other races; it is for this reason that the Imperium has footholds across most
of the Galaxy, while other races tend to occupy a relatively small spherical volume of space centred
on their homeworld.

The Webway
The Eldar, and the Old Slann before them, have never used warp drives as humanity knows them;
instead, their ships fly between the stars along sealed tunnels driven through warpspace. This
protects Eldar shipping from the ravages of the Warp.
Portals to the Webway vary in size, from large ones capable of passing multi-kiloton spacecraft, to
the smallest, barely large enough for a single Eldar to enter. Some gates lead to former Eldar worlds
in the Eye of Terror; these are now sealed by impenetrable wraithbone bonds, and warded with
powerful runes.

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The Shadow in the Warp
Any ship travelling through the warp makes a small disturbance, which can be detected by
Astropaths. The Tyranid Hive Fleet is so vast that the disturbances from its individual ships merge
into a huge shadow in the Warp, blocking all psychic detection and communication. As each world
is enveloped by the Tyranids, to the Imperium it simply disappears, with no clue as to what has
happened. The miniscule percentage of the population which escapes is the only source of
information on the Tyranids.

Unusual Ship Types

Craftworlds
These are the giant sublight spacecraft, meandering endlessly through real space, which serve as the
last remaining homes of the Eldar. They range from city-sized to ships built on a planetary scale.
All have numerous gates to the Webway, including at least one large enough for spacecraft to use.

Space Hulks
These are derelict starships, trapped by some mysterious current of the Warp. There is no telling
when or where they will appear out of warpspace, or how long they will remain before returning
there. They may be empty, they may have valuable cargoes, or they may be inhabited by the
descendants of the original passengers and crews. Some have been drifting in this way since the
Dark Age of Technology, and hold valuable machinery or information. Tyranids have infected
some hulks with Genestealers in cryogenic suspension, awaiting a boarding party which they can
take over and use to infiltrate the boarders' society. Orks occasionally board hulks, which can then
carry them to random parts of the Galaxy.

Tyranid Ships
Tyranid starships are huge living creatures, feeding on the debris left over from solar system
formation (such as comets) and swimming slowly through the Warp between systems. In transit, the
Tyranids within sleep in suspended animation, only waking when the ship enters a star system. At
this point, the ship is briefly vulnerable, as its defences must literally awaken.

Ship Systems
Starships are spacegoing cities, often thousands of years old, in a state of constant repair and
renewal. Ship systems range from newly-installed, clean and functional, to units as old as the
Pyramids, only maintained by dint of constant effort. Up to one-third of a ship's volume is taken up
by drives, fuel, and associated infrastructure.
Warp drives are discussed above under Distances and Travel Times. Sublight propulsion is by
means of plasma drives, which drive starships to the edge of star systems, so that the rents they tear
in space will not wreak havoc on planets.

Ship Combat
Due to the size of warships and their crews, adventuring characters will have little to do in a fleet
action; they will likely sit helpless somewhere, waiting for the crew to win or die, and are unlikely
to get involved personally unless a boarding action must be conducted or repelled.

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ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES
These are brutes and bosses from Kill Team, and assorted other NPCs of interest. Excepting the
Generic Target for assassination missions, they are Minions unless the Narrator rules otherwise.

Ability Points
Allies and adversaries are built on varying numbers of points, depending on how common they are.
Points Rarity Examples
0 The average man; found everywhere. Imperial Guard, Fire Warriors, Eldar Guardians
3 One in every platoon or company. Eldar Exarchs, Imperial Guard Senior Officers, Tau
Shas'vre and above.
6 One or two per division. Beginning PCs, Inquisitors, Space Marines
9 One in every few million men. Independent Characters

Conviction
Wounds in Warhammer 40,000 are represented by Conviction in True20. Models with one Wound
have no Conviction; those with multiple Wounds have the Conviction for their role and level.

Generic

Target
This represents a corrupt governor or other high-ranking official, selected for assassination by the
PCs' patron. The Target is built on 0 ability points, but is never a Minion.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +3. Skills: Bluff 4 (+4), Diplomacy 4 (+4), Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+4). Feats: Armour
Training (Light), Benefit (Status – assassination target!), Firearms Training, Weapon Training.
Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed) +3 (close combat weapon), Defence
+1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws:
Toughness +2 (+0 Con, +2 undercover shirt), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base,
+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Two close combat
weapons (damage +3/20, +3). Armour: Undercover shirt (+2 toughness, -1 armour check penalty).
Wealth: 5.

Redshirt
The Redshirt is a useless NPC foisted on the player characters for the duration of the scenario; the
suit from head office, the patron's brother-in-law, etc. They must not only complete their assigned
mission, but keep him alive as well. The Redshirt is built on 0 ability points, or less.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Drive 4 (+4), Jump 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Swim 4 (+4,
-2 in armour). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy), Firearms Training, Weapon Training.
Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed), Defence +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex),
Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +4 flak
jacket), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis).
Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Whatever is appropriate for his race. Armour: Flak jacket
(+4 toughness, -3 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

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Chaos
Chaos figures are essentially “evil” versions of standard Imperial units; the quick and dirty way to
represent them is to add Caliban features to ordinary adversaries. For simplicity when handling
Minions, the Narrator may rule that those features are cosmetic only, making the opponent look
weird and evil without changing his statblock.

Chaos Cultists and Cult Champions

These are essentially evil versions of the Imperial Guard, often sponsored by the Alpha Legion of
Chaos Space Marines as a Fifth Column inside the Imperium. Use the statblocks for Imperial
Guardsmen and Junior Officers (see below under Imperial Guard).

Chaos Space Marine and Aspiring Champion

These have the same statistics and equipment as the Space Marine and Veteran Sergeant,
respectively (see below under Space Marines). Optionally, the Narrator may grant them features
from the Caliban Mutation Table on p. 133 of True20 Adventure Roleplaying.
Higher-level Chaos Space Marines are likely to have feats depending on the god they serve;
followers of Khorne favour Rage, those worshipping Nurgle may take Great Fortitude (to better
resist the diseases they spread). Higher-level followers of Tzeentch are likely to have at least some
levels of Adept.

Daemons and Other Nastiness

“There is no limit to the number of rapacious warp entities eager to feast on the flesh and souls of
the living. They have infinite different forms and equally infinite malice.” – Codex: Chaos Space
Marines.
While the tabletop Chaos armies have only a few types of daemon and daemonic beast in play, the
Narrator of a roleplaying campaign need not limit himself to those; pretty much any Aberration or
Outsider can be pressed into service as a Chaos entity to oppose the PCs. True20 Adventure
Roleplaying offers the Caliban, Crypt Wight and Dire Rat as possibilities; the True20 Bestiary has a
wide range of suitable creatures, including the Avatar of Decay (obviously aligned to Nurgle), Dire
Animals (clearly normal creatures mutated by the effects of Chaos), the complete set of Fiends,
Flesh Freaks, Hell Hounds, Jade Eviscerators, Liches (particularly good as cult leaders), Oozes of
all descriptions, Ropers, Shambling Mounds, and others. These work better if you describe them
without giving a name, invent a new name, or modify some features, to maintain at least the illusion
that they aren’t just retreads of d20 monsters.

Eldar

Exarch
The Exarch is a warrior-priest who has become “lost on the path” of the warrior, unable to change
role. Exarchs are built on 3 ability points.
Role: Warrior 5th. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +1, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 8 (+9, +2 in armour), Drive 8 (+10), Jump 8 (+9, +2 in armour), Swim 8 (+9,
-5 in armour). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy), Cleave, Dedicated (Khaine), Endurance,
Firearms Training, Night Vision, Run, Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Combat:
Attack +7 (+5 Base, +2 Dex), Damage +1 (unarmed), Defence +7 (+5 Base, +2 Dex), Parry +6 (+5
Base, +1 Str), Initiative +2 (+2 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +9 (+1 Con, +8 armour), Fortitude
+5 (+4 Base, +1 Con), Reflex +3 (+1 Base, +2 Dex), Will +1 (+1 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +1.
Conviction: 5. Weapons: Any two Eldar ranged and/or melee weapons. Armour: Enhanced Aspect

59
Warrior Armour (+8 toughness, -7 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Guardian
Eldar militia, called up for temporary military service when there aren't enough Aspect Warriors to
meet tactical requirements. (For this reason, the Narrator might want to replace some of their skills
with civilian ones such as Craft.) Guardians are built on 0 ability points.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con -1, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Drive 4 (+5), Jump 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Swim 4 (+4,
-2 in armour). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Firearms Training, Night Vision, Run,
Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +2 (+1 Base, +1 Dex), Damage
+0 (unarmed) +6 (shuriken catapult), Defence +2 (+1 Base, +1 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str),
Initiative +1 (+1 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +4 armour), Fortitude +1 (+2 Base,
-1 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0.
Weapons: Shuriken catapult (damage +6/20, +3). Armour: Guardian Armour (+4 toughness, -3
armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Dark Eldar

Warrior and Sybarite

Dark Eldar warriors are the basic raiders most often encountered by other races. Sybarites are their
squad leaders; essentially similar, but typically 2nd level Warriors, with slightly higher skill levels
and combat statistics, and the Cleave feat.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con -1, Int +0, Wis -1,
Cha -1. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Jump 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Pilot 4 (+7), Swim 4 (+4, -2
in armour). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Firearms Training, Night Vision, Run,
Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +4 (+1 Base, +3 Dex), Damage
+0 (unarmed) +5 (splinter rifle), Defence +4 (+1 Base, +3 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str),
Initiative +3 (+3 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +4 armour), Fortitude +1 (+2 Base,
-1 Con), Reflex +3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Will -1 (+0 Base, -1 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0.
Weapons: Splinter rifle (damage +5/20, +3). Armour: Warrior Armour (+4 toughness, -3 armour
check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Imperial Inquisition

Inquisitor
The Inquisitor is the secret policeman of the Imperium, always an abnormally powerful psyker and
often a trained warrior as well. An Inquisitor is built on 6 points, and has Conviction, just like
Player Characters. His first level is in Adept, lending him the Talent as his core ability; relatively
junior Inquisitors such as the one shown below rely on using Conviction to gain access to the
Elemental Blast and Heart Shaping powers, more senior Inquisitor Lords will have those as specific
powers, and probably Second Sight as well. The Medicine skill is an adjunct to torture, and is used
to keep victims alive, not necessarily to heal them.
Role: Adept 2nd/Warrior 3rd. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int
+0, Wis +3, Cha +3. Skills: Diplomacy (8) +11, Intimidate (8) +11, Knowledge (Supernatural) (8)
+8, Medicine (8) +11, Sense Motive (8) +11. Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Cleave,
Firearms Training, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Training. Powers (key
ability Charisma, power rank 5, save DC 11): Energy Shaping. Combat: Attack +3 (+3 Base, +0
Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed) +5 (laspistol) +3 sword, Defence +3 (+3 Base, +0 Dex), Parry +3 (+3
Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +8 (+0 Con, +8 armour), Fortitude

60
+3 (+3 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +7 (+3 Base, +2 Wis, +2 Iron Will).
Reputation: +2. Conviction: 5. Weapons: Lasgun (damage +5/20, +3), sword (damage +3/19-20,
+3). Armour: Inquisitor's armour (+8 toughness, -7 armour check penalty). Wealth: 10.
An Inquisitor may accompanied by a retinue of up to 12 followers, especially if he takes the
Leadership feat. Except as noted otherwise below, henchmen are built on 0 points, and do not have
Conviction.
• Acolytes are Inquisitors in training, junior Adepts specialising in torture, but hoping to reach
the rank of Inquisitor themselves one day. Inquisitors who attract Acolytes to their retinue
have generally served for over a century, and built a solid reputation for success. Acolytes
are first level Adepts, built on 6 ability points, with Conviction. They always have Medicine
as a skill (they start as torturers, and must learn anatomy for that role), and will generally
have Energy Shaping or Heart Shaping as powers. Alternative powers are Elemental Blast
and Second Sight.
• Chirurgeons have extensive medical training, and assist the Inquisitor to inflict as much
pain on his interrogation subjects as they can survive, then nurse the subject back to health
for the next torture session. Chirurgeons are Ordinaries with Medicine skill. (Ordo Hereticus
only.)
• Familiars are Cherubim, servo-skulls or psyber-eagles attuned to the Inquistor's mental
signature. See the Equipment section for details.
• Hierophants are priests or exorcists, whose litanies steady the faithful in the Inquisitor's
band and also repel daemons. In game terms, these are first level Adepts with Heart Shaping
and Ward. (Ordo Malleus only.)
• Mystics are human psychics with precognitive powers, who accompany the Inquisitor to
give him advance warning of daemons emerging from the Warp. They are generally used by
Inquisitors who have limited psychic powers of their own, as bloodhounds, advisors,
psychic shields, or bait. These are first level Adepts with Scrying and Second Sight;
daemons materialising are considered to use the Plane Shift power, and can be detected
shortly before they appear by using Scrying or Second Sight. (Ordo Malleus only.)
• Penitents are reformed rogue psykers, used as psychic lightning rods to protect the
Inquisitor from the psychic powers of his enemies. Penitents are first level Adepts or higher,
built on 0 ability points, with the Ward power. More senior penitents may have Severance.
• Sages are savants or academics, generally with implants allowing them to store and process
vast quantities of information swiftly. In the field, they serve the Inquisitor as translators and
calculators. Sages are Ordinaries or first level Experts, built on 0 ability points, with a wide
range of Knowledge skills and possibly Eidetic Memory, Skill Focus or Talented.
• Warriors are the Inquisitor's bodyguard, either personal armsmen, Imperial Guard veterans,
or servitors. Use the Guardsmen statistics (first level warriors) for NPC armsmen or
veterans, and the Servitor statistics in the Equipment section for Servitors.

Stormtrooper / Adeptus Arbites

Inquisition Storm Troopers are used to garrison the Inquisition's numerous overt and hidden bases,
as well as acting as security troops on the Black Ships. Squads are led by veteran Sergeants who
have distinguished themselves in battle; these are 2nd level warriors with the Cleave feat in addition
to those listed for the basic trooper. Storm Troopers are built on 0 ability points and have no
Conviction.
Members of the Adeptus Arbites have the same statistics as a Storm Trooper, but carry a shotgun
rather than a hellgun and targeter.

61
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, -1 in armour), Drive 4 (+4), Jump 4 (+4, -1 in armour), Swim 4 (+4, -6
in armour), Intimidate 4 (+4). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Attack Focus (Hellgun or
Shotgun), Firearms Training, Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +1/+2 (+1 Base, +0 Dex, +1
Attack Focus), Damage +0 (unarmed) +6 (Hellgun) or +5/+6 (shotgun), Defence +1 (+1 Base, +0
Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con,
+6 carapace armour), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0
Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Hellgun with targeter (damage +6/20, +3)
or shotgun (damage +5/+6/19-20, +3). Armour: Carapace armour (+6 toughness, -5 armour check
penalty). Wealth: 5.

Sister of Battle
NPC Sisters of Battle are built on 3 ability points, and always have Conviction (to represent their
Acts of Faith).
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +2,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, -3 in armour), Drive 4 (+5), Jump 4 (+4, -3 in armour), Intimidate 4
(+4). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy, Powered), Attack Focus (Boltgun), Firearms Training,
Greater Attack Focus (Boltgun), Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +2/+4 (+1 Base, +1 Dex, +2
Attack Focus), Damage +0 (unarmed) +6 (boltgun), Defence +2 (+1 Base, +1 Dex), Parry +1 (+1
Base, +0 Str), Initiative +1 (+1 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +8 (+0 Con, +8 powered armour),
Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +1 (+0 Base, +1 Dex), Will +2 (+0 Base, +2 Wis).
Reputation: +0. Conviction: 3. Weapons: Boltgun (damage +6/20, +3). Armour: Powered armour
(+8 toughness, -7 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Imperial Guard

Junior Officer
The junior officer is more experienced, and probably richer, than the Guardsmen he leads, but like
them is built on 0 ability points. This Junior Officer is a minor aristocrat, while his Guardsmen
(below) are commoners from a Hive world. Consequently, they have different skills and feats.
Role: Warrior 3rd. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Diplomacy 6 (+6), Drive 6 (+6), Knowledge (Tactics) 6 (+6), Notice 6 (+6), Pilot 6
(+6). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Attack Focus (Laspistol and Sword), Connected,
Firearms Training, Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +3/+4 (+3 Base, +0 Dex, +1 Attack Focus),
Damage +0 (unarmed) +4 (laspistol) +3 (sword), Defence +3 (+3 Base, +0 Dex), Parry +3 (+3
Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +2 Tough, +4 flak
jacket), Fortitude +3 (+3 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Will +1 (+1 Base, +0 Wis).
Reputation: +1. Conviction: 4. Weapons: Laspistol (damage +5/20, +3), sword (damage +3/20, +3).
Armour: Flak jacket (+4 toughness, -3 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Guardsman
The ordinary bloke with a gun, and the benchmark against which all other characters are measured.
The Guardsman is built on 0 ability points. He is probably an underhive ganger from a Hive world,
or possibly a feral warrior from a low-tech planet.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Drive 4 (+4), Jump 4 (+4, +1 in armour), Swim 4 (+4,
-2 in armour), Intimidate 4 (+4). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Endurance, Firearms
Training, Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed) +5
(lasgun) +1 (knife), Defence +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0

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Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +4 flak jacket), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con),
Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons:
Lasgun (damage +5/20, +3), knife (damage +1/19-20, +3). Armour: Flak jacket (+4 toughness, -3
armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Space Marines

Veteran Sergeant
Veteran Sergeants have proven themselves superior combatants, and as a result are entitled to carry
wargear from the Chapter's armoury. They are built on 6 ability points, and have Conviction.
Role: Warrior 3rd (level lag = 1). Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int
+0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Climb 6 (+9, +2 in armour), Drive 6 (+9), Jump 6 (+9, +2 in armour),
Intimidate 6 (+6). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy, Powered), Attack Focus (Boltgun),
Cleave, Diehard, Firearms Training, Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Powers
(Wisdom-based, +0 bonus, Save Difficulty 10) Body Control. Combat: Attack +6/+7 (+3 Base, +3
Dex, +1 Attack Focus), Damage +3 (unarmed) +6 (boltgun), Defence +6 (+3 Base, +3 Dex), Parry
+6 (+3 Base, +3 Str), Initiative +3 (+3 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +11 (+3 Con, +8 powered
armour), Fortitude +6 (+3 Base, +3 Con), Reflex +4 (+1 Base, +3 Dex), Will +1 (+1 Base, +0 Wis).
Reputation: +1. Conviction: 4. Weapons: Boltgun (damage +6/20, +3). Armour: Powered armour
(+8 toughness, -7 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Space Marine
NPC Space Marines are built on 6 ability points, and have Conviction, just like PCs.
Role: Warrior 2nd (level lag = 1). Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int
+0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Climb 5 (+8, +1 in armour), Drive 5 (+8), Jump 5 (+8, +1 in armour),
Intimidate 5 (+5). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy, Powered), Attack Focus (Boltgun),
Diehard, Firearms Training, Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Powers (Wisdom-
based, +0 bonus, Save Difficulty 10) Body Control. Combat: Attack +5/+6 (+2 Base, +3 Dex, +1
Attack Focus), Damage +3 (unarmed) +6 (boltgun), Defence +5 (+2 Base, +3 Dex), Parry +5 (+2
Base, +3 Str), Initiative +3 (+3 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +11 (+3 Con, +8 powered
armour), Fortitude +6 (+3 Base, +3 Con), Reflex +3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis).
Reputation: +0. Conviction: 3. Weapons: Boltgun (damage +6/20, +3). Armour: Powered armour
(+8 toughness, -7 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Space Marine Scout

Scouts are generally Space Marine acolytes, proving their worth and gaining combat experience
before receiving the Black Carapace implant to interface them with their powered armour. Scouts
are built on 6 ability points, and have Conviction like PCs.
Role: Warrior 1st (level lag = 1). Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int
+0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+7, +2 in armour), Drive 4 (+7), Jump 4 (+7, +2 in armour),
Intimidate 4 (+4). Feats: Armour Training (Light, Heavy), Attack Focus (Boltgun), Diehard,
Firearms Training, Talented (Notice and Search), Weapon Training. Powers (Wisdom-based, +0
bonus, Save Difficulty 10) Body Control. Combat: Attack +4/+5 (+1 Base, +3 Dex, +1 Attack
Focus), Damage +3 (unarmed) +6 (boltgun), Defence +4 (+1 Base, +3 Dex), Parry +4 (+1 Base, +3
Str), Initiative +3 (+3 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +9 (+3 Con, +6 carapace armour), Fortitude
+5 (+2 Base, +3 Con), Reflex +3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0.
Conviction: 3. Weapons: Boltgun (damage +6/20, +3). Armour: Carapace armour (+6 toughness, -5
armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

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Necrons

Necron Warrior
The Necron warrior is the most frequently encountered form of Necron, the mainstay of their stasis
tomb garrisons and raiding parties.
Role: Construct 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4). Feats: Firearms Training, Weapon Training. Traits: Construct traits,
regeneration. Combat: Attack +3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Damage +3 (unarmed) +6 (Gauss flayer),
Defence +3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Parry +3 (+0 Base, +3 Str), Initiative +3 (+3 Dex). Saving Throws:
Toughness +10 (+3 Con, +7 natural armour, +1 construct), Fortitude +3 (+0 Base, +3 Con), Reflex
+3 (+0 Base, +3 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: None. Weapons:
Gauss flayer (damage +6/20, +3 ranged; +6/20, +4 melee). Armour: None. Wealth: None.
Necron regeneration applies to all damage types; there is nothing that acts as lethal damage on
them, except for a coup de grace as per rulebook p. 130. However, once 75% of a Necron group has
been reduced to Unconscious, the entire group will “phase out” and disappear without a trace.

Orks

Ork Nob
Ork Nobz command the Orkish equivalent of squads or platoons by virtue of being bigger and
meaner than their subordinates. They are built on 3 ability points, and have conviction, but are
otherwise similar to their underlings.
Role: Warrior 2nd. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +4, Dex -1, Con +3, Int -1, Wis -1,
Cha -1. Skills: Climb 5 (+9, +8 in armour), Drive 5 (+4), Jump 5 (+9, +8 in armour), Intimidate 5
(+4). Feats: Armour Training (Light), Cleave, Firearms Training, Great Cleave, Weapon Training.
Combat: Attack +1 (+2 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +4 (unarmed) +6 (shoota or slugga) +7 (choppa),
Defence +1 (+2 Base, -1 Dex), Parry +6 (+2 Base, +4 Str), Initiative -1 (-1 Dex). Saving Throws:
Toughness +5 (+3 Con, +2 armour), Fortitude +5 (+2 Base, +3 Con), Reflex -1 (+0 Base, -1 Dex),
Will -1 (+0 Base, -1 Wis). Reputation: +1. Conviction: 3. Weapons: Shoota (damage +6/20, +3), or
Slugga (damage +6/20, +3) and Choppa (damage +7/20, +3). Armour: Ork armour (+2 toughness,
-1 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Ork Boyz
The rank-and-file of Ork warbands, found in disorganised mobs of various sizes. Ork Boyz are
armed with either a shoota, or a slugga and a choppa. They are built on 0 ability points and have no
Conviction. The conversion guidelines in the Appendices suggest -3 Dexterity, but this is too much
of a handicap in True20, so has been reduced to -1.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +1, Dex -1, Con +3, Int -1, Wis -1, Cha
-1. Skills: Climb 4 (+5, +4 in armour), Drive 4 (+3), Jump 4 (+5, +4 in armour), Intimidate 4 (+3).
Feats: Armour Training (Light), Cleave, Firearms Training, Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +0
(+1 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +1 (unarmed) +6 (shoota or slugga) +4 (choppa), Defence +0 (+1 Base,
-1 Dex), Parry +2 (+1 Base, +1 Str), Initiative -1 (-1 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+3 Con,
+2 armour), Fortitude +5 (+2 Base, +3 Con), Reflex -1 (+0 Base, -1 Dex), Will -1 (+0 Base, -1
Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Shoota (damage +6/20, +3), or Slugga (damage
+6/20, +3) and Choppa (damage +4/20, +3). Armour: Ork armour (+2 toughness, -1 armour check
penalty). Wealth: 5.

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Tau

Ethereal
The Ethereal caste act as priest-kings for the Tau, and command instant, unquestioning obedience
from Tau of other castes. However, if an Ethereal is rendered Unconscious, Dying or Disabled, all
other Tau in the area must make a DC15 Will save or flee. Ethereals are built on 6 ability points,
and have Conviction. Higher-level Ethereals will usually have the Inspire feat, with either Courage
or Competence as the effect, and the Language skill, to communicate with other races.
Role: Expert 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex -1, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha
+4. Skills: Concentration 4 (+7), Diplomacy 4 (+8), Knowledge (Civics) 4 (+4), Knowledge
(Current Events) 4 (+4), Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 4 (+4), Notice 4 (+7), Perform
(Oratory) 4 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+7). Feats: Benefit (Ethereal), Connected, Dedicated (Greater
Good), Weapon Training. Combat: Attack -1 (+0 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed) +2 (wand of
office) +3 (honour blade), Defence -1 (+0 Base, -1 Dex), Parry +0 (+0 Base, +0 Str), Initiative -1
(-1 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (+0 Con), Fortitude +0 (+0 Base, +0 Con), Reflex -1 (+0
Base, -1 Dex), Will +5 (+2 Base, +3 Wis). Reputation: +1. Conviction: 3. Weapons: Two wands of
office (count as clubs, damage +2/20, +3) or one honour blade (ceremonial spear, damage +3/20,
+3). Armour: None. Wealth: 5.

Shas'la and Shas'ui

The basic Tau grunts, encountered anywhere within the Tau Empire or along its borders. This
statblock is for the lowest-ranking Fire Warriors or Shas'la; a squad leader (Shas'ui) would be 2nd
level, with a +2 combat bonus, rank 5 in all the skills, and Cleave (representing the extra close
combat attack on his statline). Basic warriors such as these are built on 0 ability points. While the
Tau Fire Warrior statline suggests Initiative (and therefore Dexterity) of -3, this is too much of a
disadvantage in True20 combat, so the penalty is limited to -1.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex -1, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +1,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4, -1 in armour), Jump 4 (+4, -1 in armour), Pilot 4 (+3), Swim 4 (+4, -6
in armour). Feats: Armour Training (Light and Heavy), Connected, Dedicated, Firearms Training,
Weapon Training. Combat: Attack +0 (+1 Base, -1 Dex), Damage +0 (unarmed) +7 (pulse rifle),
Defence +0 (+1 Base, -1 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative -1 (-1 Dex). Saving Throws:
Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +6 armour), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex -1 (+0 Base, -1 Dex),
Will +1 (+0 Base, +1 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Pulse rifle (damage +7/20,
+3). Armour: Fire Warrior (+6 toughness, -5 armour check penalty). Wealth: 5.

Gun Drone
The commonest type of drone, equipped with twin pulse carbines for ranged combat. They will
typically be encountered as guards in facilities behind the front lines, or as Familiars acting as
bodyguards to senior Tau of all castes.
Type: 1st level construct. Size: Medium. Speed: Fly 60 ft (Poor). Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con -,
Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0. Skills: Notice 4 (+4), Pilot 4 (+4). Feats: Firearms Training, Improved
Initiative, Night Vision. Traits: Construct traits, Flight 60 feet (Poor). Combat: Attack +0 (+0 base,
+0 Dex), Damage +0 unarmed or +7 (energy, autofire) pulse carbine, Defence +0 (+0 Dex),
Initiative +4 (+0 Dex, Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+0 Con, +5 natural
armour, +1 construct), Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Wis).

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Kroot Carnivore Squad Member
While the Kroot statline suggests a Strength of +3 under the conversion guidelines, remember that
Rage gives the Kroot +2 Strength when activated – as it would be on charging into close combat.
Role: Warrior 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +1, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha -1. Skills: Climb 4 (+5), Jump 4 (+5), Stealth 4 (+4), Swim 4 (+5). Feats: Armour Training
(Light), Cleave, Exotic Weapon Training (Kroot Rifle), Firearms Training, Rage, Weapon Training.
Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +1 (unarmed) +6/+4 (kroot rifle), Defence +1 (+1
Base, +0 Dex), Parry +1 (+1 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +0 (+0 Dex). Saving Throws: Toughness +0
(+0 Con), Fortitude +2 (+2 Base, +0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +0 (+0 Base, +0
Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0. Weapons: Kroot rifle (damage +6/20, +3 ranged or +3/20, +4
melee). Armour: None. Wealth: 5.

Human Auxiliary
Use the statblocks for the Imperial Guard, above.

Tyranids
Like the forces of Chaos, the Tyranids are capable of fielding a much wider range of troops than
those listed in their Codex. Tyranids are generally seen as bug-like or lizard-like, so any giant
insectoid is fair game. In the basic rulebook, this would include Giant Cockroaches or Mosquitoes;
users of the True20 Bestiary could deploy various Aberrations or Animals against their players,
including Ankhegs; Giant Ants, Ant Lions, Bees, Beetles, Dragonflies or Praying Mantis;
Dinosaurs of every stripe; Ettercaps; some, but not all, Fiends (standing in for the larger creatures
such as Carnifexes – a Vrock would fit well, but it’s harder to imagine a Tyranid Succubus); Purple
Worms; Remorhaz; and the larger Centipedes, Scorpions and Spiders. These work better if the
Narrator adjusts the descriptions, names, and possibly features somewhat, to conceal the fact that
they are stock monsters.
All Tyranids are effectively in constant Mental Contact with each other. The larger and more
intelligent Tyranids (e.g. Hive Tyrants) are Synapse Creatures, allowing them to Dominate their
lesser brethren at will. In the absence of a Synapse Creature, Tyranid behaviour reverts to animal
instincts.

Genestealer
Originally thought to be native to Ymgarl, Genestealers are now known to be vanguards of the Hive
Fleets, used to infiltrate potential prey worlds and prepare them for invasion; thus they are likely
opponents for Inquisitorial PC groups. They are encountered singly, or in groups of 6-12, and are
renowned for their lightning reflexes, vicious claws, and ferocity in close combat.
This statblock is for a basic Genestealer. Variants can have improved natural armour, acid saliva,
poison fangs and claws, or other upgrades. The Armour Training feats normally granted to an
Aberration have been replaced by Greater Attack Focus, as better suiting the creature concept.
The Dominate power is used to represent the Genestealer’s well-known ability to hypnotise humans
and other sophonts so that it can breed with them, creating Genestealer hybrids to infiltrate the
target society.
Role: Aberration 5th. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +3, Dex +2, Con +3, Int +0, Wis
+0, Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+7), Jump 4 (+7), Notice 4 (+4), Stealth 4 (+6). Feats: Attack Focus
(Claws), Cleave, Greater Attack Focus (Claws), Improved Initiative. Powers: Dominate (Wisdom
based, Rank 8, save DC 13). Traits: Darkvision 60 ft. Combat: Attack +7 (+3 Base, +2 Dex, Greater
Attack Focus), Damage +3 (claws), Defence +5 (+3 Base, +2 Dex), Parry +6 (+3 Base, +3 Str),

66
Initiative +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +4 natural),
Fortitude +4 (+1 Base, +3 Con), Reflex +3 (+1 Base, +2 Dex), Will +4 (+4 Base, +0 Wis).
Reputation: +2. Conviction: 0. Weapons: None. Armour: None. Wealth: N/A.

Genestealer Broodlord
This is a larger, more powerful Genestealer, often found in command of Genestealer broods. Note
that unlike normal Genestealers, it has Conviction.
This statblock is for a basic Broodlord; more powerful ones exist, with weapons symbiotes or other
upgrades.
Role: Aberration 6th. Size: Medium. Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str +4, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +0, Wis
+0, Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+8), Jump 4 (+8), Notice 5 (+5), Stealth 5 (+8). Feats: Attack Focus
(Claws), Cleave, Great Cleave, Greater Attack Focus (Claws), Improved Initiative. Powers:
Dominate (Wisdom based, Rank 9, save DC 13). Traits: Darkvision 60 ft. Combat: Attack +9 (+4
Base, +3 Dex, Greater Attack Focus), Damage +4 (claws), Defence +7 (+4 Base, +3 Dex), Parry +8
(+4 Base, +4 Str), Initiative +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +10
(+4 Con, +6 natural), Fortitude +6 (+2 Base, +4 Con), Reflex +5 (+2 Base, +3 Dex), Will +5 (+5
Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +2. Conviction: 5. Weapons: None. Armour: None. Wealth: N/A.

Termagaunt
The basic warrior form of the Tyranid Hive Fleets, armed with a fleshborer weapon symbiote,
which fires heat-seeking, flesh-boring beetles. They are often deployed in wave attacks to exhaust
the defender’s resources before more valuable units assault the enemy positions. Termagaunts are
fast, agile, cunning, and deadly, though smaller than most Tyranid combat lifeforms. The Armour
Training feats granted to a normal Aberration have been swapped for two levels of Improved Speed,
which better fit the creature concept as a being with only its carapace for armour, high Initiative,
and Fleet of Claw.
Broods of Termagaunts encountered as garrison units by Kill Teams may be led by a mutant gaunt
weapon beast; this is similar to a basic Termagaunt, but with a higher level (with levels above first
usually taken in the Warrior role) and genetic upgrades such as Improved Strike, Talented (Notice
and Stealth) or Toughness.
Role: Aberration 1st. Size: Medium. Speed: 50 ft. Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0,
Cha +0. Skills: Climb 4 (+4), Jump 4 (+4). Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Speed x 2, Weapon
Training. Traits: Darkvision 60 ft. Combat: Attack +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Damage +0 (claws) +6
(fleshborer), Defence +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Parry +0 (+0 Base, +0 Str), Initiative +4 (+0 Dex, +4
Improved Initiative). Saving Throws: Toughness +2 (+0 Con, +2 natural), Fortitude +0 (+0 Base,
+0 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 Base, +0 Dex), Will +2 (+2 Base, +0 Wis). Reputation: +0. Conviction: 0.
Weapons: Fleshborer (damage +6/20, +3), claws (damage +0/20, +3). Armour: None. Wealth: N/A.

CAMPAIGNS AND ADVENTURES

For the Greater Good
This was the original concept for the campaign; a mixed crew of humans, Tau, and Kroot spying
and trading for the Greater Good along the eastern fringe of the Imperium. Ksi'm'yen would make a
good base planet for the party; relatively newly-settled by a variety of Septs, with human colonists
(thus presumably Gueve'sa as well), and on the border of Imperial space.

Adventures
• Certain Eldar factions see the Tau Empire as their protege, destined to replace the Eldar as

67
 the rulers of the Galaxy. The characters must convey a Water Caste envoy to the nearest
Eldar craftworld to negotiate for valuable information; but not all the Eldar think it a good
idea to pass their technology on to a potential rival.
• Imperial planets on the eastern frontier trade with the Tau for improved agricultural and
construction machinery. The characters are negotiating just such a deal when the Imperial
authorities arrive, to kill them, confiscate their goods, and remove their trading partners to a
penal colony. Will they try to escape, and if so, can they rescue any of the planetary
population? Can they beat off the Imperial assault? Can they alert the Tau fleet in time to
bring this planet of Gue'la into the Empire?
• Ork raiders have struck a nearby Kroot enclave. As the crew of the nearest Tau-owned
vessel, the characters are honour-bound to render such aid as they can.
• The Spyre Hunter gangs of the Necromunda hive complexes are bored aristocrats who fight
in the underhive gang wars as a diversion and a means of honing their combat skills. To give
themselves an edge, they wear hunting rigs – armoured battlesuits provided by the Tau, self-
sustaining, self-repairing, and (unknown to their wearers) able to record the user's every
action. The characters are on a covert mission to sell and upgrade hunting rigs – and recover
the recording modules. Unknown to them, the Inquisition is also en route to confiscate the
rigs. However, some of the best prices, and most valuable footage, are to be found in the
dangerous underhive itself. This will pit the characters against criminal gangs, embattled
police squads, the Adeptus Arbites and the Inquisition as they search for their clients – who
may well betray them.
• While en route to their next trading deal, the characters are surprised by a space hulk
emerging from the Warp. Does it contain a treasure trove of riches, Tyranid genestealers in
stasis, a marooned Ork boarding party, cannibal descendants of the original crew, or all of
the above?
• Gathering intelligence for the coming war with the Imperium is of vital importance. The Tau
rely heavily on surveillance for this, with recording devices hidden in technology which has
already spread into the Imperial Segmentum Solar, and perhaps even to Earth itself. The PCs
must travel covertly into the heart of the Imperium, recovering surveillance data, suborning
cultists, and otherwise making a nuisance of themselves.
• The Tau have come into possession of a Spirit Stone, and the Ethereals select the party to
return it to the nearest Craftworld. A radical Inquisitor wishes to capture the Stone for
investigation; and though it may take the party a while to work out, the disturbing dreams
they have during the mission are caused by the Stone itself trying to communicate a warning
– but of what?

Kill Team
This campaign is focussed more on military skirmishes. Storylines can be taken directly from those
in the Kill Team section of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. Other possible adventures include:
• To buy time to evacuate a nearby world threatened by Tyranids, the Team must first capture
a live Tyranid (one of the bigger and nastier varieties, naturally, and heavily guarded by
lesser beasts), then protect a scientist while he analyses the prisoner and prepares a
biological weapon tailored to this Hive Fleet, and finally deliver the resulting toxin to a
massively-defended site deep inside the target Fleet.
• Inquisitor Kryptman’s plan of luring the Tyranids away from the Imperium into Ork
territory may bear terrible fruit. Orks and Tyranids both become larger and more terrifying
when exposed to continuous combat, and now that they are fighting each other, who knows
what disgusting hybrid the Tyranids will produce, or just how big and vicious the Orks will

68
 get? Inquiring minds want to know, and your Kill-Team is ordered to infiltrate a suitable
planet and find out. Getting your data out for analysis is top priority, and if you survive for
debriefing, that would be a bonus.

A Plague On Both Your Houses

The most powerful figures in the Great Families of the Navis Nobilite are the Heirs Apparent, those
who aspire one day to the role of Paternova – the ruler of all the Navis Nobilite. The Paternova may
potentially come from any House and from any station within that House, but tends to be one of the
oldest Navigators in his family.
When the existing Paternova dies, several things happen. First, all Navigators suffer a reduction in
their powers until a new Paternova appears. Second, the Heirs Apparent begin to grow and change;
for example, they begin to develop armoured skin and gill structures allowing them to survive
underwater indefinitely, or in hard vacuum for extended periods. Finally, the Heirs Apparent begin
to fight each other. As each is killed, the others change more radically, until finally only one is left
alive. The survivor becomes the new Paternova, appointing his chief servant as one of the High
Lords of Terra and restoring full powers to other Navigators, although preferentially; members of
their own House find their powers enhanced, those of the old Paternova's House find theirs
permanently impaired.
Naturally, the power and influence accruing to the Paternova's role make it highly desirable, and
lead to a certain amount of rivalry between Houses. While the Imperium discourages outright war
between the Great Families, vendettas and minor skirmishes are tolerated. This leads to a constant
low-level “cold war” between some of the Houses. The PCs are retainers of one such House,
charged with advancing the cause of their Heir Apparent by any means necessary – so long as this
does not invoke Imperial retribution. Eliminating potential rivals before the existing Paternova dies
minimises the risk to their patron.
For inspiration, read Frank Herbert's Dune and its sequels.

No-One Expects The Imperial Inquisition!

Imperial Inquisitors are figures of great power (they can order the destruction of entire planets if
they deem it necessary). However, they are riven by internal factional strife. The primary difference
of opinion is along the Puritan-Radical axis; Puritans believe that any use of Chaos, psychic powers
or alien beings makes the user as evil as the Chaos Daemons themselves; Radicals believe that the
end justifies the means, and that fire should be fought with fire. There are many intermediate
factions between these two extremes.
Further, the Inquisition is divided into the Ordo Xenos, who fight alien subversion; the Ordo
Malleus, who combat Chaos daemons, act as watchdogs on Inquisition itself, and dispose of Chaos-
tainted Inquisitors; and the Ordo Hereticus, who hunt rogue psykers and rebel cultists. Since Chaos
does not recognise such neat divisions, jurisdictional debates are common. The Inquisition has its
own Space Marines Chapter, the Grey Knights.
Then there are the various other organisations of the Imperium, who range from fanatical support of
the Inquisition to equally fanatical opposition.
The PCs are retainers of a single Inquisitor; one of them may be the Inquisitor. This is a high-
powered “espionage” campaign, where the group works to defend the Imperium against aliens,
mutants, heretics, and the daemons of Chaos, as well as those well-intentioned but misguided souls
who oppose their approach to doing that.
For inspiration, read Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn novels, or Games Workshop's Inquisitor.

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Adventures
• Seek out covens of Chaos cultists, who have sold their souls to the Gods of Chaos in
exchange for worldly power. Opponents include fanatical cultists, cynical cult bosses,
powerful psykers, and daemons they have summoned to serve them – or so they think.
• Hunt down Tyrannid genestealers who are using their hypnotic powers to impregnate
Imperial citizens, creating foul hybrids who can pass for human and infiltrate society to pave
the way for Tyrannid invasion.
• Heretics led by a charismatic (and possible psychic) leader are bent on seizing an Imperial
facility to further their nefarious plans. The Inquisition must first find out about this, and
then stop it.
• A holy icon or important person has been seized by rogue psykers/aliens/traitorous Imperial
forces. Recover the relic or VIP, and ensure the perpetrators of this outrage are in no
condition to repeat their offence.
• A Cardinal of the Imperial Creed is preaching sermons that border on heresy. Determine
whether he has strayed too far to be saved, and either save him, or make an example of him.
(If in doubt, make an example; there are plenty more Cardinals where he came from.)
• The mutant underclass is rioting. Infiltrate their ranks to determine if this is a mere labour
dispute or something more serious, then put them firmly in their place. Mutie scum; who do
they think they are?
• An Imperial Guard regiment is behaving oddly. Is this combat fatigue, an unusual custom of
their homeworld, alien influence or corruption by the forces of Chaos? Find out, and deal
with it appropriately.
• A newly arisen charismatic leader claims to be a reincarnated saint. Find out if this is true,
and if not, eliminate him.
• A certain Space Marine chapter's gene-seed is suspected to have grown debased and corrupt.
Obtain a sample for analysis. You may expect strong resistance, and possibly violence, from
the Marines.
• A Space Marine chapter's Librarians are now able to summon powers they could not
previously use. Find out how they came by this learning, and whether Chaos is involved.
• A Radical Inquisitor is bent on capturing an Eldar Farseer so that he may learn how to see
into the future, thus better serving the Emperor. Support him, or eliminate him, depending
on how Radical your faction is.
• The Inquisition would dearly love to know how the Tau Ethereals exercise such absolute
control over so many willing subjects. The group must capture one and return him for
interrogation and vivisection. The Tau are unlikely to co-operate.
• An operative of the Officio Assassinorum Callidus Temple has gone rogue, and must be
eliminated before she succeeds in her mission – and secretly, to avoid embarrassing the
Officio. Favours are called in, and the Inquisition finds itself tracking her down.
Unfortunately, she has extensive supplies of polymorphine, and could be disguised as
absolutely anyone.
• Recover a C'tan phase sword from a Necron stasis tomb and deliver it to the Officio
Assassinorum. Opposition is likely to include deranged cultists worshipping the C'tan,
Necron warriors, and heretic Tech-Priests who see the Necrons as embodiments of the
Machine God.
• Investigate rumours of Ork sightings in a Hive World undercity. If there is any truth to

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 them, eliminate the Orks, taking special care to exterminate spores. Opposition may include
gangers, creatures of the undercity, any Orks present, and corrupt governors who want to
keep the situation quiet.

Truth, Justice and the Imperial Way!

Just as the Gods of Chaos have their Champions, so too does the Emperor. A Champion of the
Emperor is called a Sensei, and is part of his bloodline; all Sensei are descendants of the Emperor,
although the converse is not true. Sensei are immune to the taint of Chaos, and largely invisible to
its creatures; they are immortal, and have amazing powers of healing as well as strong psychic
abilities.
The typical Sensei wanders the Imperium with a small band of devoted followers, fighting
repression and injustice in all its guises. Unfortunately these guises are often the Imperium itself, so
the Sensei is seen as a heretical nihilist, threatening the fabric of the state. This draws the attention
of the Inquisition and other ruthless Imperial servants.
This campaign suits players who want adventure in the style of Star Wars or Robin Hood. The
Sensei may be a PC, as initially he is likely to be ignorant of the true extent of his powers.

Adventures
• Protect innocent citizens against rapacious tax collectors.
• Rescue those wrongfully arrested by the local police, the Adeptus Arbites, or the Inquisition,
depending on how hard you think you are.
• Raid an Imperial Guard base for weapons, armour and supplies.
• Try to establish a link with a friendly faction of the Inquisition, if one exists, and if they are
not simply agents provocateur.

DARK SECRETS
There are some secrets too dark for even the Inquisition; terrible knowledge that only the being
known as the Narrator can look upon without losing his sanity...

The Emperor's Soul

Unknown to anyone save a shadowy secret society called the Illuminati, the Emperor's soul is
currently adrift in warpspace, awaiting rebirth. The Emperor did not wholly die in the fight with
Warmaster Horus, but neither is he entirely alive; his soul is still tethered to the broken husk of his
body, allowing it to operate the Astrononican and condemning him to an eternal life-in-death. The
Illuminati work to prepare the Imperium for the Emperor's return, but are considered heretics by the
Inquisition, so theirs is a dangerous path. Assorted factions within the Inquisition act to speed up or
prevent the rebirth, according to their views of what is right.

The Black Library of Chaos

This is said to be located aboard a dark Craftworld far from Imperial space, enclosed in an
impenetrable psychic barrier and protected by Guardian-Scribes. It contains all the knowledge the
Eldar have preserved from their Fall, including many secrets of the dark Powers of Chaos. Only
those who have faced and mastered the Chaos within them may enter; the Library has a mind of its
own, and refuses all other supplicants. Eldar Harlequin Solitaires and human Illuminati are the only
ones who can come and go at will.
One of the secrets in the Library is the origin and history of the Necrons and the C'tan, bequeathed

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to the original Eldar by the Old Ones. The Eldar, being among the first and most favoured of the
Old Ones' warrior races, are the next best thing for Necrons to Old Ones as a target.

The Legacy of the Old Ones

Unknown to almost everyone, there are a few isolated and decaying outposts of the Old Ones left in
the Galaxy. Some versions of the Warhammer 40,000 background include the idea that the
Warhammer World, wherein Warhammer fantasy battles and roleplaying take place, is one such
settlement, with the few surviving Old Ones ruling the Lizardmen in Lustria. As a generic system,
True20 is good for such a crossover game; the Necrons relish hunting down and destroying any
remnant of the Old Ones, for whom they bear a special hatred, and could find and attack the
Warhammer World. Their preparations could arouse interest from the Eldar, the Inquisition, and
many other factions.

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APPENDIX A: RESOURCES
Official Materials
• Games Workshop's site http://uk.games-workshop.com/warhammer40000/

Fan Materials
• The Warhammer 40,000 Fluff Bible and the Alternity W40K Campaign Book. Free to
download at http://www.electric-rain.net/w40kRPG/Alternity-index.html
• The Wiki at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000
• A very nice online map at http://enroth.org/wh40k/map.html
• Sebastian Stewart's Eastern Empire, home of the Shea'shi: http://www.eastern-empire.com/

Recommended Reading and Viewing

Reading: The setting is much like an amalgamation of Frank Herbert's Dune novels, Nemesis the
Warlock from the comic book 2000AD, H P Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos, and Mervyn Peake's
Gormenghast trilogy. There are any number of W40K novels out there, and the range is growing all
the time.
Viewing: Aliens, The Chronicles of Riddick.

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APPENDIX B: CONVERSION GUIDELINES
These guidelines assume that an Imperial Guardsman, built on 0 ability points and armed with a
lasgun, is the default human first level warrior, and aim to give him the same chances of doing
things that such a model would have. Conversion is not an exact science, as the game systems differ
greatly in purpose, rules and level of detail, so feel free to adapt or ignore these to suit your view of
the W40K setting.

Statlines
W40K Statistic True20 Statistic Conversion Guidelines
WS, BS Attack bonus See Weapon and Ballistic Skill table below. Often
WS and BS will give a character different levels; in
this case, use the one which gives the correct BS.
S Strength Strength = 3 x (S-3)
T Constitution plus Toughness Con + Tough = 3 x (T-3)
W Conviction W of 1 means no Conviction; W of 2+ means
character has Conviction according to his level.
I Initiative Bonus Initiative Bonus = 3 x (Initiative – 3). This means
most characters with Initiative 4+ have the
Improved Initiative feat.
A Cleave, Great Cleave A1 means no such feats; A2 means Cleave; A3+
means Cleave plus Great Cleave.
Ld No equivalent Not applicable.
Sv Armour Toughness Bonus See Armour Save table below.

Weapon and Ballistic Skill

True20 level and combat feats are derived from Warhammer 40,000 WS. The table below assumes
the model is a Warrior with Dexterity +0, and has a high enough level and appropriate Feats to give
it a Combat bonus which gives it the same chance of hitting an Imperial Guardsman. Where WS
and BS give different levels, take the higher of the two.
Weapon Skill determines the character's attack bonus with his primary melee weapon; Ballistic
Skill determines his attack bonus with his primary ranged weapon.
WS BS Level Feats (Cumulative) Dexterity Total Hit Bonus
- 1 - None (Ordinary character) +0 -4
1 2 N/A None. -4 to hit. +0 -3
2-3 3 1 Firearms or Weapons Training +0 +1
4-5 4 3 Attack Focus +0 +4
6-7 5 5 Greater Attack Focus +0 +7
8-9 6 7 No new feats +1 +10

74
Armour Save
True20 Toughness bonus (and thus armour) are derived from the Warhammer 40,000 Armour Save,
and are calculated assuming that the model has +0 Constitution.
Armour Save Armour Toughness Bonus Example
None +0 No armour
6+ +2 Kroot armour
5+ +4 Imperial Guard flak jacket
4+ +6 Fire Warrior armour
3+ +8 Space Marine powered armour
2+ +10 Broadside Battlesuit

Weapons
Converting weapons is not an exact science, and where these guidelines conflicting with an
obviously identical weapon already existing in True20, use the True20 statistics instead. This may
lead to weapons that look underpowered compared to other W40K wargear; in this case, use the
guidelines below to beef them up. Since W40K uses d6, and True20 uses d20, a +1 bonus in the
former (covering a 17% range of probabilities) can be justified as a -1, +0, +1 or +2 bonus or
penalty in the latter.
True20 Statistic Warhammer 40,000 Notes
Damage Str + 2
Critical AP AP 5, 6 or -: Critical is 20, +3 except for bladed
weapons which are as for the closest True20
equivalent. Critical threat range increases by one per
point of AP below 5, e.g. AP2 gives critical range of
17-20. Note that flamers do not critical in True20.
Damage Descriptor Not Applicable
Range Increment Range x 2 Round up to the nearest 10 ft.
Size Not Applicable
Cost Points cost (as an
upgrade) + 15
Not Applicable Type Rapid Fire means the weapon can use autofire
combat options. Template weapons have area effects,
either flame or Explosive. Heavy or Melta weapons
do +4 damage if they critical.

Wargear
Generally, wargear gives the wielder a suitable Feat. True20 Wealth cost = Warhammer 40,000
points cost (as an upgrade) + 15.

Feats and Skills

Feats:
• Models with the Night Vision/Acute Senses special rule have the Night Vision feat.

75
 • Models with Fearless or Stubborn special rules have the Iron Will feat.
• Models with the Preferred Enemy or Tank Hunters special rules have the Favoured Enemy
feat for the appropriate enemy race, or for tanks.
Skills (models always take skills at the maximum rank possible for their level):
• Models with the Infiltrate universal special rule have the Stealth skill.

Vehicles
In True20 Adventure Roleplaying, since a vehicle's statistics are essentially defined by its size, and
the size chart gives examples including tanks, trucks and motorcycles, no detailed rules are
necessary. If (for example) the difference between side and front armour becomes important, or
there are more than one or two vehicles in play, use the Warhammer 40,000 rules.
If you have the True20 Companion, you can also use the vehicle creation rules in section 3. Most
vehicles are Huge. The main guideline you need is for armour; assign a Toughness bonus equal to
the side armour value minus 6 – for example, a Rhino has side armour 11, so a +5 Toughness
bonus; as a Huge vehicle it has a base Toughness of 9, giving it a final Toughness save of +14.

APPENDIX C: VERSION HISTORY

Version Date Comments
1 January 2007 Initial version; includes topics from the Space Marines, Tau and
Imperial Guard codices.
2 March 2007 Includes Eldar, Targets, Redshirts, and feedback from the True20 forum.
Thanks guys!
3 May 2007 Includes much more background information, a change of title, more
feedback, first draft of psychic powers and vehicles, and reworking of
backgrounds and equipment in line with the True20 Companion.
However, the range of weapons listed is reduced, as they were taking
over the book!
4 May 2007 More feedback from the True20 forum, most significantly reducing the
number of ability points used to build stock characters. More vehicles
(including Tau battlesuits, redesigned as vehicles rather than powered
armour). Added the Inquisition from the Daemonhunters and
Witchhunters codices, and the Inquisitor narrative wargame.
5 June 2007 Added Dark Eldar, Necrons, Orks, Shea'shi, Tau Ethereal.
6 December Added Chaos Space Marines and Tyranids. Removed Shea'shi to save
2007 space.

APPENDIX D: LEGAL DISCLAIMERS

True20 Adventure Roleplaying is © 2005, 2006 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
This document is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited. 40k, Adeptus Astartes,
Blood Angels, Bloodquest, Cadian, Catachan, Chaos, the Chaos device, the Chaos logo, Citadel, Citadel Device,
Cityfight, Codex, Daemonhunters, Dark Angels, Dark Eldar, Dawn of War, 'Eavy Metal, Eldar, Eldar symbol devices,
Eye of Terror, Fire Warrior, the Fire Warrior logo, Forge World, Games Workshop, Games Workshop logo,
Genestealer, Golden Demon, Gorkamorka, Great Unclean One, GW, GWI, the GWI logo, Inquisitor, the Inquisitor
logo, the Inquisitor device, Inquisitor:Conspiracies, Keeper of Secrets, Khorne, the Khorne logo, Kroot, Lord of
Change, Necron, Nurgle, the Nurgle logo, Ork, Ork skull devices, Sisters of Battle, Slaanesh, the Slaanesh logo, Space

76
Hulk, Space Marine, Space Marine chapters, Space Marine chapter logos, Tau, the Tau caste designations, Tyranid,
Tyrannid, Tzeentch, the Tzeentch logo, Ultramarines, Warhammer, Warhammer 40k Device, White Dwarf, the White
Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations, units, illustrations and
images from the Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, TM and/or © Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2005,
variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. Used without permission. No challenge to their
status intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

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