Warhammer 40k Spearhead

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W elcome to Spearhead – an exclusive new Expansion for Warhammer 40,000. Spearhead allows you to fight huge tank battles of the 41st Millennium, bringing the devastation wrought when two armoured companies clash to your tabletop. Spearhead has it all, from daring flank attacks to brave armoured assaults into the heart of the enemy battleline. Armoured Onslaught When opposing armoured columns clash, the battles are devastating and bloody. Such encounters are marked by squadrons of tanks, thunderous artillery support and sleek schools of skimmers. Elite tank formations are deployed to spearhead the attack. Waves of armoured vehicles unleash hell upon one another. In the midst of this mechanised madness, troops dash for cover, although it offers scant protection against such an array of prodigious firepower. To an infantryman this is not a battlefield; it is a slaughtering ground, little more than a killing field. They soon learn to fear the grinding clank of metal tracks, the deep thrumming of massed grav-tanks, or the high-pitched whine of straining jetbike engines. Spearhead Formations In a Spearhead battle both players are allowed to include special spearhead formations in their army. These represent additional assets that are made available to lead the attack. Sometimes they will be specially trained units drawn from the armoury, or the most elite units handpicked to form a formidable new regiment. On occasion, even a battle-dominating super-heavy tank is released from reserve to front the offensive. These spearheads must lead your army’s armoured assault through the seething cauldron of blazing wrecks. Prepare yourself, for no other style of warfare in the 41st Millennium can compare to the brutal devastation of a full- scale armoured assault. Jervis Johnson presents a new Expansion for Warhammer 40,000. EXPANSION TM OFFICIAL SPEARHEAD

Transcript of Warhammer 40k Spearhead

Page 1: Warhammer 40k Spearhead

W elcome to Spearhead – an exclusive newExpansion for Warhammer 40,000. Spearheadallows you to fight huge tank battles of the 41st

Millennium, bringing the devastation wrought when twoarmoured companies clash to your tabletop. Spearhead hasit all, from daring flank attacks to brave armoured assaultsinto the heart of the enemy battleline.

Armoured OnslaughtWhen opposing armoured columns clash, the battles aredevastating and bloody. Such encounters are marked bysquadrons of tanks, thunderous artillery support and sleekschools of skimmers. Elite tank formations are deployed tospearhead the attack. Waves of armoured vehicles unleashhell upon one another. In the midst of this mechanisedmadness, troops dash for cover, although it offers scantprotection against such an array of prodigious firepower.

To an infantryman this is not a battlefield; it is aslaughtering ground, little more than a killing field. Theysoon learn to fear the grinding clank of metal tracks, thedeep thrumming of massed grav-tanks, or the high-pitchedwhine of straining jetbike engines.

Spearhead FormationsIn a Spearhead battle both players are allowed to includespecial spearhead formations in their army. These representadditional assets that are made available to lead the attack.Sometimes they will be specially trained units drawn fromthe armoury, or the most elite units handpicked to form aformidable new regiment.

On occasion, even a battle-dominating super-heavytank is released from reserve to front the offensive. Thesespearheads must lead your army’s armoured assaultthrough the seething cauldron of blazing wrecks.

Prepare yourself, for no other style of warfare in the 41stMillennium can compare to the brutal devastation of a full-scale armoured assault. Jervis Johnson presents a newExpansion for Warhammer 40,000.

E X PA N S I O N

TM

OFFICIAL

SPEARHEAD

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Tank Hunter Spearheads are made upof tanks crewed by proven veteranswho know how to destroy thearmoured fighting vehicles of theirenemy. They can be relied upon tocarry out their mission with coldefficiency and deadly skill. Before thebattle begins the tank crews willmemorise the details of every terrainfeature and ambush site on thebattlefield, as well as the weak pointson the enemy vehicles they are likelyto meet. Honed to perfection, readyto meet any threat and ideally suitedto the task in hand, Tank HunterSpearheads often display theirprowess through kill-rings, enemy-slain tallies, or even the crude displaysof past victims.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank or Walker units.

SPECIAL RULESTank Hunter Crews: The tank crews that make upthis spearhead are hardened veterans. Each vehiclecounts as having the following universal special rule: Tank Hunters.

TANK HUNTER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

There are a wide range of spearheads to choose fromand every army can take advantage of such formations in adifferent way. An altered Force Organisation Chart allowsplayers to concentrate on units that suit their objectives –tank armies, wedges of monstrous creatures or a force builtaround a Baneblade or Stompa. There are endlesscombinations that you can include.

New Battles to FightSpearhead also uses a new set of missions. What will strikemost players straight off is that Spearhead battles are foughtdown the length of the table, with opposing sides startingsome distance apart. This is very different to thepurposefully claustrophobic standard missions in theWarhammer 40,000 rulebook, where the two sides startfairly close together. The set-up used in Spearhead ensuresa different confrontation, one that favours long-rangedfirepower and heavily armoured troops and vehicles.

How this Expansion WorksSpearhead is a completely new Expansion for Warhammer40,000. You’ll find all the rules and scenarios forSpearhead on the following pages, along with thespearhead formations. You can also find a Spearhead battlereport in the White Dwarf archive elsewhere on thiswebsite to show you what a Spearhead battle looks like onthe tabletop. All of the other material that you will need toplay is included in this PDF.

You can fight a Spearhead battle using your existingWarhammer 40,000 army, although spearhead formationsprovide a great excuse to add new units and vehicles to

your army. All you need to do to get started is study therules, read the battle report and you’re ready to play. Sofire up your engines, unleash your armoured spearheads,and prepare yourself for the sheer carnage and ruin thatyou will see unfold!

SpearheadsSpearhead battles can include all manner of additionalspearhead formations; from veteran tank crews who havehoned their skills hunting enemy armour in countlessbattles to daring pilots using dangerously experimentalweaponry to devastating effect.

When you fight a Spearhead battle, each player isallowed to include one spearhead of each type in his army.There are at least 18 different spearhead types, althougheach of these can be composed in many different ways,leaving countless tactical possibilities. Picking the rightspearhead formations to use, and deciding which modelsto build them with, is important and worth careful thought.If you favour aggressive units, then you may want toconsider formations like an Armoured Spearhead or aSuper-heavy Spearhead. If, on the other hand, you prefer toout-manoeuvre an enemy, then the Mechanised AssaultSpearhead may be more your cup of tea. No matter yourtactical preferences, there will be a spearhead to suit.

The Spearhead Formation rules describe how to pickand use the units in a spearhead, as well as rules (asexplained later) for using them in the game, but anexample spearhead is shown below to give you a taste ofwhat to expect. You’ll find all 18 Spearhead Formations inthe latter half of this document.

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0-2 HQ0-3 Elite 0-6 Troops

0-3 Fast Attack0-3 Heavy SupportAny number of spearheads

Up to onespearheadformation ofeach type.HQ ELITES

TROOPSTROOPS FAST ATTACK HEAVY SUPPORT

This means that your army could include:• Your usual Warhammer 40,000 army.

• Your usual Warhammer 40,000 army, plus one or more spearheads!

• Nothing but spearheads!

SPEARHEAD FORCE ORGANISATION CHART

ORGANISING A BATTLEThe following rules will take you through the steps youneed to follow in order to set up a Spearhead game. Inaddition it describes the special rules that apply inSpearhead battles, and notes on how to set up the terrainand scenery for the game.

1. Agree Points Limit and Choose ForcesIn a Spearhead battle you agree points limits and chooseforces in a slightly different way than you would whenfighting one of the missions described in the Warhammer40,000 rulebook. We recommend that you set the pointsvalue for your games rather higher than normal, at least500-1000 points more, simply because all those extravehicles can soak up a lot of points very quickly.

The Force Organisation Chart used for Spearhead isslightly different to a standard mission from theWarhammer 40,000 rulebook. As you’ll see in the chartbelow, there are no minimum requirements, and you areallowed to include a spearhead formation of each type inyour army. This opens up many new possibilities to createformidable combinations.

SpearheadsAny number of spearhead formations may be included ineach player’s army. A spearhead can be a single unit, orseveral units grouped together to form a devastating attackgroup. A spearhead represents powerful, specially trained,or veteran units that have been made available for thebattle. How these units are selected is explained in more

detail in the Spearhead Formation rules that can bedownloaded from the website.

Each spearhead provides the extra rules, backgroundand additional points value for the formation. Spearheadscan be used by any army, but not every force will be ableto field every type of spearhead. Most units in a spearheadare chosen from a Codex, but sometimes they are super-heavy units, and in such cases the information needed tofield the super-heavy unit can be found in Apocalypse.Suffice it to say that the addition of a spearhead unit or twoallows you to create an army that you couldn’t field in astandard game or a normal tournament battle, and theextra rules of these formations will add to your enjoymentof the challenging new scenarios.

“To feel the thunder of munitions like thefury of the gods as the ground tears apartaround you, that is to know true glory.Mark it well.”

– Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf

SPEARHEAD SET-UP1. Agree points limit & choose forces2. Prepare the battlefield3. Select a mission4. Deploy forces5. Fight the battle!

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INFANTRY? IN A TANK BATTLE?Astute army builders will notice two things about theSpearhead Force Organisation Chart. First off, somewill have recognised you can use your standard armyif you wish. This means it is possible to fight Spearheadbattles straight away with your standard Warhammer40,000 army. Secondly, players will notice thatinfantry are still allowed in games of Spearhead. Tanks,armoured vehicles, and mechanised infantry are at anadvantage, however you can take as much infantry asyou like. You may well find that some units of infantryare helpful in supporting an armoured column,countercharging enemy units or bringing their ownanti-tank weapons to bear. Effective support units canmean the difference between victory and defeat.

THE BATTLEFIELD

Long table edge

Long table edge

2. Prepare the BattlefieldOnce your armies have been selected, the battlefieldshould be set up using the guidelines found in the‘Organising a Battle’ section of the Warhammer 40,000rulebook. The rules that follow assume that the battle willbe fought on a 6' by 4' gaming table, although larger orsmaller surfaces can be used too if very large or very smallarmies are being used. The only thing to watch out for isthat the gaming area is at least 5' long, as otherwise theremay not be enough room to deploy the two armies.

Also, note that the table is divided in half along itswidth, rather than its length, and that therefore the player’stable edges – that is the edge that new units enter from andunits retreat towards – are the narrow table edges in aSpearhead battle. Outflanking units will arrive on the longtable edges rather than the narrow ones.

How much Terrain?Some of the most famous tank battles of the 41stMillennium have been fought across barren deathzoneswhere there is little natural cover. Conversely, manyarmoured assaults have been tasked with battling throughruined cities, heavily cratered no-man’s-land, and everytype of terrain known. Armour battles can occur anywhereand there are no additional rules about how much terrainyou should use.

This said, we've found that Spearhead battles benefitfrom using slightly less terrain than usual. After all, youwant to leave enough room for your tanks to manoeuvrethrough! Try ‘grouping’ or clustering terrain so there is agap of at least 12" and up to 24" between terrain features,as this allows both cover and killing zones for gamesfeaturing large numbers of vehicles. As the gameprogresses, the chassis of wrecked tanks will provideadditional cover. After you’ve fought a few battles, try arelatively barren battlefield or a very densely packed onefor a new challenge.

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A Blood Angels armouredassault encounters heavyresistance from the Tyranids.

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3. Select a MissionWhen you are fighting a Spearhead battle you use thefollowing missions rather than those found in theWarhammer 40,000 rulebook. There are three Spearheadmissions, and you and your opponent can either agree onthe mission you will play, or roll a D6 and consult thechart below.

Ending the GameA Spearhead battle lasts a random number of turns, usingthe same method as for a standard mission. At the end ofgame turn five, one of the players rolls a dice. On a 1-2 thegame ends immediately, but on a roll of 3 or more anotherturn is played. If the game carries on, roll the dice again atthe end of game turn six. This time the game will continueon a roll of 4 or more, and will end on a roll of 1-3. Thegame ends automatically at the end of game turn seven.

As normal, as soon as the game ends and beforeworking out victory conditions, all units that are fallingback are removed and count as destroyed.

Scoring UnitsUnlike a standard Warhammer 40,000 mission, where onlyTroops count as scoring units, in a Spearhead battle thefollowing units are scoring units:

• Any units from an army’s Troops allowance. A unit ofTroops embarked in a transport can control objectives(measure the distance to their vehicle’s hull).

• Any Tank or Walker units, no matter which section theywere selected from. Even damaged or immobilisedTanks or Walkers count as scoring units (althoughobviously destroyed ones do not!).

• All spearhead units.

There are a few exceptions, where units that wouldotherwise qualify do not count as scoring units:

• If they have the Swarm special rule.

• If they have a special rule specifying that they nevercount as scoring units.

Wipeout!Regardless of the victory conditions, if you destroy everysingle unit in the enemy army before the end of the game,then you win the game!

D6 Roll Mission:1-2 Breakthrough3-4 Lightning War5-6 Vital Ground

The full armoured mightof the Tau Empire isunleashed upon the foe.

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BREAKTHROUGHAfter months of bloody fighting, the build up of reservesis finally in place. Tanks and support vehicles havebeen rushed to the front; commanders and officers havemade their plans and delivered stirring speeches to theirtroops. The time has finally come to smash the enemyaside and drive into the open ground beyond! You mustcreate a hole through the enemy’s lines to open acorridor that the rest of the army will pour through. Butbeware, for the enemy is not ignorant of your gatheringforces and stands ready to repulse you.

Victory ConditionsAt the end of the game, each player scores 1 victorypoint for each scoring unit that is at least partiallywithin the enemy’s half of the table.

The player that has the highest total of victorypoints at the end of the game wins. If the players havethe same total, the game is a tactical draw.

VITAL GROUNDControlling the battlefield is important, but aparticularly vital area, such as a supply dump or a fueldepot, is the primary objective. Whoever gains controlof this vital target will almost certainly win the battle.You must claim the vital objective and deny the enemyall other tactical points on the battlefield to securevictory. Only once the area is fully in your control canthe next stage of the campaign begin.

Victory ConditionsBefore setting up their forces, the players must set upthe objectives. These are split into two types: a singlevital objective and 3 minor objectives. The winner of aroll-off picks the vital objective, choosing a position inone half of the table, marking it with a counter,nominating a terrain feature detail, or any other methodthat is equally clear. The other player then picks 3minor objectives in the other half of the table. Allobjectives must be at ground level and none of theobjectives may be in impassable terrain, within 12" ofanother objective, or within 6" of any table edge. Afterpositioning the objectives, deployment of the forcesbegins, as described next.

Your super-heavy vehicles that are wrecked duringthe game become an objective for your opponent.

At the end of the game you control an objective ifthere is at least one of your scoring units, and noenemy unit (of any type, scoring or not), within 3" of it.As objectives may vary in size and shape it is importantto agree at the beginning of the battle exactly wherethis distance will be measured from. A vital objective isworth 3 points, and the minor objectives and wreckedsuper-heavy vehicles 1 point each. The playercontrolling the most points’ worth of objectives wins. Ifthe players have the same total, then game is a tacticaldraw – with no force gaining the upper hand.

LIGHTNING WARNothing short of an all-out attack will break theenemy’s lines! Now is the time to strike hard and strikefast. Whoever makes the opening move and executesthis action with a decisive and paralysing blow willgain the advantage. To enact this you must contain thefoe’s forces, while your own troops surge forwards andoverrun the enemy positions. Steal a march on theenemy for victory!

Victory ConditionsBefore setting up their forces, the players must set upthree objectives. The winner of a roll-off places the firstobjective, marking it with a counter, nominating aterrain feature detail, or any other method that isequally clear. Players take it in turn placing the nexttwo objectives. Objectives must be placed at groundlevel and not in impassable terrain, or within 24" ofanother objective. In addition, one objective must beplaced within 18" of each table edge, and one objectivemust be placed within 18" of the table’s centre. Afterplacing the objectives, deployment of the forces begins,as described in the next section.

Your super-heavy vehicles that are wrecked duringthe game become an objective for your opponent.

At the end of the game you control an objective ifthere is at least one of your scoring units, and noenemy unit (of any type, scoring or not), within 3" of it.As objectives may vary in size and shape it is importantto agree at the beginning of the battle exactly wherethis distance will be measured from.

The player controlling the most objectives at theend of the game wins. If the players control the samenumber of objectives, the game is a tactical draw.

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4. Deploy ForcesWith your armies selected, terrain set-up and the missiondecided, it is time to deploy the armies taking part in thebattle. Spearhead battles are always fought down thelength of the table, although exactly how you deploy willdepend on the type of battle being fought. You can eitheragree with your opponent what type of deployment to use,or roll a D6 and consult the following chart.

Infiltrators and ScoutsIn all three types of deployment, the sequence is the same.First the players deploy their forces, apart from units left inreserve or that choose to use their Infiltrate special rule.Then they deploy their infiltrators, as described in theWarhammer 40,000 special rules. Finally they move unitswith the ‘Scouts’ special rule. Units that enter play byoutflank do so by one of the long table edges.

Multiple Unit ChoicesNote that occasionally a Codex will allow a player toinclude several units in his army at the cost of a singleforce organisation slot (such as dedicated transports). Apartfrom counting as a single choice when selected, these unitsoperate and count as separate units in all other respects.

Seize the Initiative!The defender (i.e. the player moving second) may try toseize the initiative in a Spearhead battle in the samemanner as in a standard mission. In order to do so, justbefore the attacker (i.e. the player moving first) begins hisfirst turn, the defender may roll a dice. On a roll of a 6, thedefender will go first instead, immediately beginning hisfirst turn (and no, the attacker cannot then try to seize theinitiative back again!).

In this case the enemy has obviously stolen a march onthe attacker; after all, vehicles in the 41st Millennium canbe unreliable and cantankerous if you don’t apply thecorrect rites of ignition!

A Note on SecrecyTo keep things fair you should always make clear to youropponent which squads are embarked in which transportvehicle. In addition, before starting to deploy their armies,it is a good idea for the players to agree whether or notthey can read each other’s force rosters before or duringthe game, or only after the battle is finished. Some playersprefer full disclosure (which is the norm in tournaments, forexample), as they want to concentrate on outplaying theiropponent rather than winning by springing a secret trumpcard on them. Others prefer to keep things secret, asbluffing can add an enjoyable element to the game. Justmake sure you agree before the game.

COUNTER-ATTACK One army has committed its forces to an all-out attack.As they advance, they are spotted by the enemy, whoimmediately launches a counter-attack.

The table is divided into two halves, by drawing animaginary line through the middle of the long tableedges. The players roll-off to decide who will be theattacker and who will be the defender.

Both players may choose to place units that can DeepStrike and any units transported in them in reserve. Upto half of any remaining units (rounding up) may also beplaced in reserve if desired. All other units must bedeployed on the battlefield.

The attacker then chooses one of the short table edgesto be his own table edge. He deploys his army in awedge-shaped area, as shown on the map to the right –the tip of the wedge should be 9" away from the centrepoint of the table (this is his deployment zone). Thedefender then deploys in the opposite half of the table,as shown.

If players have the Infiltrate or Scout special rule, theymay deploy and/or move after other units havedeployed. Once deployment is finished, the attackerstarts game turn 1 with his first player turn.

9"

9"

Defender's deployment zone

Attacker's deployment zone

D6 Roll Deplyment type1-2 Counter-attack3-4 Cauldron5-6 Escalation

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CAULDRON Both sides have committed their forces to battle at thesame time. The two armies crash into each other,turning the battlefield into a swirling and extremelydeadly cauldron of destruction.

The table is divided into two halves, by drawing animaginary line through the middle of the long tableedges. For example, a 6' by 4' table would have two 4'by 3' halves.

Both players may choose to place units that can DeepStrike and any units transported in them in reserve. Upto half of any remaining units (rounding up) may beplaced in reserve if desired. All other units must bedeployed on the battlefield.

The players roll-off to decide who will be the attackerand who will be the defender. The attacker thenchooses one of the short table edges to be his own tableedge. He deploys his army in his half of the table, morethan 18" away from the table’s middle line (this is hisdeployment zone). The defender then deploys in theopposite half of the table.

If players have the Infiltrate or Scout special rule, theymay deploy and/or move after other units havedeployed. Once deployment is finished, the attackerstarts game turn 1 with his first player turn.

ESCALATIONWhat starts out as a small local fight between frontlinetroops quickly escalates into a full-scale onslaught asboth sides feed more and more reserves into the battle.

The table is divided into two halves, by drawing a linethrough the middle of the long table edges.

The players roll-off to decide who will be the attackerand who will be the defender. The attacker thenchooses one of the short table edges to be his own tableedge. He deploys his army in his half of the table, morethan 9" away from the table’s middle line (this is hisdeployment zone). The defender then deploys in theopposite half of the table in a similar manner.

Both players must deploy either one spearhead or threenon-spearhead units on the battlefield. All remainingunits must be placed in reserve. If for any reason aplayer does not have enough units, then he must deployas many units as he has available. Units that caninfiltrate, can do so, as long as at the end of deploymentthe player still has a maximum of one spearhead orthree non-spearhead units.

Once deployment is finished, the attacker starts gameturn 1 with his first player turn. Defender's deployment zone

Attacker's deployment zone

9"

9"

Defender's deployment zone

Attacker's deployment zone

18"

18"

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SELECTING A SPEARHEADWhen you fight a Spearhead battle, each player isallowed to include one spearhead of each type in hisarmy. Simply look through the spearheads on thefollowing pages and pick which ones you will use.

There are 18 different spearhead types, although eachof these can be composed in many different waysleaving countless tactical possibilities. Picking the rightspearheads to use, and deciding which models to buildthem with is important and worth careful thought. Ifyou are an aggressive player, then you may want toconsider formations like a Super-heavy Spearhead. If,on the other hand, you prefer to out-manoeuvre anenemy, then the Mechanised Assault Spearhead may bemore your cup of tea, and so on.

CHOOSING UNITSOnce you’ve selected the spearheads you will use, youcan then pick the specific units that make them up.Each spearhead lists what type of units you can pick –in general you will select the units from a Codex, butsome will allow you to pick from other sources.

Unless stated otherwise, all of the units in a spearheadmust be chosen from the same entry in the army list,though they may take different options and upgrades.Remember that even though normally an entry allowsyou to buy a single vehicle, in some army lists an entrywill allow you to buy an entire squadron of vehicles!

When selected as part of a spearhead, dedicatedtransports count as Heavy Support units instead, andtherefore are selected without a transported unit.

The units in a spearhead do not come for free – youmust still pay the points for the units in the spearheadfrom the point’s allocation you have agreed with youopponent. So, if you were playing a 2000-pointSpearhead battle, then the points for the spearheadunits you use in your army would count towards thetotal points value of your army.

In addition, most spearhead formations have anadditional cost, that covers the special rules associatedwith the spearhead.

Note that you don’t have to take any spearhead unitsat all if you don’t want to. However, as spearhead unitscan eat up your points allocation quite quickly, if youare going to take any, it is a good idea to select theseimportant formations first.

We have found playing our regular sized armies and‘topping them up’ with a spearhead or two is a goodway to get started. We usually allow an extra 500 to a1000 points for spearhead units, and use these to topup a standard army to a total of 2000 points or so.However, it is also great fun to play a larger game withseveral spearheads on both sides.

SPECIAL RULESEach spearhead includes one or more special rules thatare listed on the spearhead datasheets. In addition, thefollowing special rules also apply. Unless notedotherwise, these rules apply only to the units that makeup the spearhead.

THE SPEARHEAD RULESpearheads are either specially trained units or eliteveterans that know how to act in unison and provideeach other with covering fire. To represent this, units ina spearhead benefit from the following special'Spearhead rule' when they are within 4" of anotherunit from the same spearhead at the start of theShooting phase:

• Vehicles other than Walkers, that are moving at up tocruising speed, can fire one more weapon than wouldnormally be permitted. In addition, this weapon can befired at a different target unit to any other weapons,subject to the normal rules for Shooting. Note thatvehicles which are moving flat out may not takeadvantage of this rule.

• Walkers and Monstrous Creatures may fire oneweapon after they run. Note that they may not shootand then run, they must always run first.

DEPLOYING SPEARHEADSEach spearhead counts as a single unit for the purposesof deployment and arriving from reserve, unless notedotherwise in its entry. This means that all units in thespearhead must either be deployed on the battlefield,or held in reserve, and that when rolling for the arrivalof reserves a single dice roll is made for the wholespearhead. In effect, all of the models in the spearhead(apart from casualties) must either be on the table oroff it.

SPEARHEAD FORMATIONS

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Description: An explanation of what is in thespearhead and how it is used.

Picture: A illustration of what a spearheadof this type might look like in battle.

Points Cost: In addition to the points cost of themodels in the spearhead, there is often an extracost you must pay to use the formation.

Special Rules: There may be special rules thatapply to all of the units in the spearhead. These arein addition to the ‘usual’ special rules that mayapply to any of its units.

Spearhead Units: This states the number and typeof units that make up the spearhead, and wherethey are chosen from. All units must be chosenfrom the same Codex as the rest of the army,unless stated specifically otherwise. Any optionsnormally allowed may be chosen at the usualpoints cost.

“Fire at the lead tank of an enemycolumn if you want to blockade theirmovement. Fire at the rearmost vehicles todeny the enemy cover from the wreckageof the vehicles you destroy.”

– Tactica Imperium

An Armoured Spearhead is made up ofarmoured vehicles that have been fittedwith extra protection. These metalbehemoths are almost invulnerable tosmall arms fire, and even heavy weaponscan have a difficult time affecting them.Armoured Spearheads are trained towork as a team, mutually supportingeach other in case any member is hit. Asthey lumber towards the enemy theirpowerful weapons will lay down awithering hail of fire on any enemytroops that they see. ArmouredSpearheads are often used to lead theattack, soaking up firepower so the restof the assaulting force can advancebehind their defensive shield.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank units.

SPECIAL RULESArmoured Behemoths: The armoured vehicles used tospearhead an assault will be fitted with extra protection andreinforced internal armour. This provides all of the vehicles in theArmoured Spearhead with a 5+ invulnerable save.

ARMOURED SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

Type: Remember, you can only haveone spearhead per type in your army.

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An Armoured Spearhead is made up ofarmoured vehicles that have beenfitted with extra protection. Thesemetal behemoths are almostinvulnerable to small-arms fire, andeven heavy weapons can have adifficult time damaging them.Armoured Spearheads are trained towork as a team, mutually supportingeach other in case any member is hit.As they lumber towards the enemytheir powerful weapons will lay down awithering hail of fire on any enemytroops that they see. ArmouredSpearheads are often used to lead theattack, soaking up firepower so the restof the assaulting force can advancebehind their defensive shield.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank units.

SPECIAL RULESArmoured Behemoths: The armoured vehicles used tospearhead an assault will be fitted with extra protection andreinforced internal armour. This provides all of the vehicles in theArmoured Spearhead with a 5+ invulnerable save.

ARMOURED SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

An Ambush Spearhead is set up in ahidden position where it cannot be seenby the enemy. The vehicles that make upthe spearhead will be moved intoposition under cover of night, or whilethe enemy is occupied by a raid orspoiling attack designed to distract theirattention. Once in position the vehiclesand their crews will remain hidden, notmaking a sound or doing anything thatwill attract the enemy's attention. Then,when the appropriate time finallyarrives, the hidden units will revealthemselves, pouring devastating volleysof fire into the unsuspecting foe.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank or Walker units. Units with atransport capacity may not be selected.

SPECIAL RULESAmbush: The vehicles that make up this spearhead have beendeployed in carefully hidden positions and expertly camouflaged.Each vehicle has the Stealth* and Infiltrate universal special rules,but may not be placed in reserve.

* The vehicles are not actually stealthy, of course. Rather this rulerepresents their ability to make the maximum use of cover.

AMBUSH SPEARHEAD POINTS: 75 + UNITS

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A Mechanised Assault Spearhead ismade up of lightly equipped, fast-moving troops. They will makemaximum use of their speed to closequickly with the enemy, trusting to thesuddenness of their attack and theirmanoeuvrability to avoid damage. Onceamongst the foe they will cause as muchdamage and confusion as possible, tyingup the enemy with hit and run attacks,and buying the rest of the assaultingforce valuable time. As the enemystruggles to deal with their elusiveassailants, they will suddenly findthemselves beset by the rest of theattacking army.

SPEARHEADUp to three vehicle units with a transport capacity.For each vehicle taken, you must take one unit ofany type, from one or more entries in the armylist, that can transported in the vehicle.

SPECIAL RULESFlank Attack: All of the units in the Mechanised AssaultSpearhead must be mounted in their transports and placed inreserve. However, they will always arrive in their side’s first turn (noroll is necessary), in the same manner as an outflanking unit. Rollonly once to see which table edge the spearhead arrives on; allunits in the spearhead will arrive on this edge.

MECHANISED ASSAULT SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

Tank Hunter Spearheads are made up oftanks crewed by proven veterans whoknow how to destroy the armouredfighting vehicles of their enemy. Theycan be relied upon to carry out theirmission with cold efficiency and deadlyskill. Before the battle begins the tankcrews will memorise the details of everyterrain feature and ambush site on thebattlefield, as well as every weakpointon the enemy vehicles they are likely tomeet. Honed to perfection, ready tomeet any threat, and ideally suited tothe task in hand, Tank HunterSpearheads often display their prowessthrough kill-rings, enemy-slain tallies, oreven the crude displays of past victims.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank or Walker units.

SPECIAL RULESTank-Hunter Crews: The tank crews that make up this spearheadare hardened veterans. Each vehicle counts as having the followinguniversal special rules: Tank Hunters.

TANK HUNTER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

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The troops gathered together for anassault will sometimes include new orextremely rare types of armouredvehicles. These vehicles will have beenfitted with ancient technology fromforbidden worlds, and will carryimproved guns or perhaps stores of rarebut powerful ammunition. Vehiclesassociated with the Chaos powers mightnot have technical upgrades, but insteadsorcerous ones. Regardless of the sourceof this extra firepower, the ArcheotechSpearhead can lay down hellish swathesof lethal gunfire.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank or Walker units.

SPECIAL RULESExperimental Upgrades: All the weapons fitted to the vehiclesin the spearhead receive a +1 Strength modifier (up to amaximum of 10). A single D6 must be rolled after the vehicle firesits weapons in the Shooting phase. On a roll of 1 the vehiclesuffers a penetrating hit, on a 2 the vehicle suffers a glancing hit,and on a 3-6 nothing happens. Do not make this roll if the vehicledoes not shoot.

ARCHEOTECH SPEARHEAD POINTS: 30 + UNITS

An Outrider Spearhead is formed whenthe survival of a tank necessitates thatescort vehicles guard its flanks. These‘outriders’ are usually less heavilyarmoured but more manoeuvrable thantheir Spearhead Leader. Outriders aretasked with the protection of theircharge no matter the cost, and thereinevitably comes a time when there isn’ttime for escort vehicles to bring theirfirepower to bear. In these occasions theonly course left to the outriders is tointerpose themselves between anenemy’s guns and their target, trustingthat their sacrifice is not in vain.

SPEARHEADTwo or three Tank, Skimmer or Walker units. Oneunit (the Spearhead Leader) must be chosen from adifferent army list entry to the others.

SPECIAL RULESProtection Duty: Each time the Spearhead Leader suffers apenetrating or glancing hit caused by an enemy shooting attack,and after any cover saves have been taken, you can choose tointercept the attack with any of the spearhead’s other vehicles thatare within 4". If you choose to do so, the damage is resolvedagainst the nominated vehicle instead of the original targetregardless of any different armour values, facings, cover etc.

OUTRIDER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

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True master pilots of skimmer craft knowhow to push, twist, and get maximumthrust and lift out of their anti-graviticengines. Through expert timing and deftmanoeuvre, such a pilot can ‘bounce’ hiscraft high in the air on a powerfulairburst – often straight into cloud cover,allowing him to then come screamingdownwards and arrive at his objectivestraight from the heavens! When such adevastating force lands unexpectedamidst the foe’s positions, it candevastate vulnerable side or rear armour,disrupt enemy battle plans, drop offclose-ranged assault troops andgenerally wreak havoc.

SPEARHEADUp to three Skimmer units. SPECIAL RULES

Rapid Descent: All units in a Skyfall Spearhead must be held inreserve. All gain Deep Strike if they do not already have it. On theturn they arrive only roll for scatter for the first vehicle to bedeployed; any other vehicles in the spearhead are placed within4" of a vehicle that has already been deployed and will notscatter. In addition, shooting attacks made by the vehicles on theturn they Deep Strike have the pinning characteristic and arealways resolved against a vehicle’s side armour.

SKYFALL SPEARHEAD POINTS: 45 + UNITS

Some armies include terrifying monstersthat are twice or more the height of anormal warrior, and which can cleavethrough the armour of the most heavilyprotected tank with ease. They areusually only encountered in smallnumbers, but when an army makes anall-out assault these monstrous creaturescan gather in great swarms. Surgingahead, they will lead the lesser creaturesin the army towards the enemy,shrugging off damage that woulddestroy a battle tank, slaughtering orsmashing aside anyone or anything thatgets in their way.

SPEARHEADUp to six units with the monstrous creature unittype. HQ units may not be selected.

SPECIAL RULESOn the Rampage: The monstrous creatures that make up thespearhead have the following universal special rules (assuming theydon’t have them already, of course): Counter-attack, Fleet (cannotbe combined with flying creatures), Furious Charge, Rage.

MONSTROUS SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

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Some armies have little choice but to pita horde of lightly armed troops againstthe armoured onslaught of their foes.Although there is little chance forsurvival in such a contest, if gathered inenough numbers they can get closeenough to overwhelm the enemy. Whenthe time for the assault arrives, themassed formations rise up and advance.Enemy fire will tear them apart, leavinggaping holes. They may falter, but theenemy will have to kill every last one ofthem before they give up. If the infantryfinally get to charge they will releasetheir pent-up fury at the foe!

SPEARHEADUp to six non-vehicle units chosen from the Troopssection of the army list.

SPECIAL RULESThermite Bombs: All of the models in the units that make up thespearhead are armed with special assault weapons for use againstvehicles. These counts as krak grenades with a Strength of 7. Inaddition the units have the ‘Preferred Enemy: Monstrous Creatures’special rule.

The Final Push: Hate-filled propoganda, stimulants, alien fervour,or sheer hatred means that all units in the spearhead can test toregroup regardless of any normal restrictions.

MASS ATTACK SPEARHEAD POINTS: 90 + UNITS

The vehicles that make up a CrusherSpearhead are heavily modified so thatthey can literally crush the enemy.Strong internal supports are added tothe vehicle in order to make it morerobust, and additional armour platingand crash bars are added to the front toabsorb the impact as it smashes intoenemy vehicles and troops. Finally theengine is upgraded and fuel injectionsystems added so the much heaviervehicle can be driven pell-mell towardsthe foe. At the start of the battle thevehicles in the Crusher Spearhead starttheir engines and surge towards theenemy lines with only one aim in mind:to smash the foe to pieces and grindthem to dust under their tracks.

SPEARHEADUp to three Tank units. Skimmers may not beselected.

SPECIAL RULESRamming Speed!: The Tanks that make up this spearhead countas having a frontal armour value of 15 when they ram anothervehicle. Enemy units that are tank shocked by vehicles from thisspearhead suffer a -1 Leadership modifier.

CRUSHER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 15 + UNITS

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Sometimes it is reasoned that if you canstrike hard and fast enough and land asingle determined blow, the enemy, nomatter how powerful, will be sentreeling into defeat. That is the battletheory exploited at rapid breakneckspeed by the Seek & Destroy Spearhead.Such spearheads are made up of veryfast-moving vehicles such as skimmers,bikes or jetbikes. Enemy commanderswill struggle to maintain theircomposure as waves of fast movingattackers rocket across the battlefield,all the while laying down a witheringhail of fire.

SPEARHEADUp to three units of Fast Skimmers, Jetbikes or Bikes.

SPECIAL RULESLightning Strike: Once per game, all models in the Seek & DestroySpearhead can move flat out or use Turbo-boosters and can shootas if they had moved at combat speed or not Turbo-boosted.

SEEK & DESTROY SPEARHEAD POINTS: 50 + UNITS

A Linebreaker Spearhead specializes indestroying enemy fortifications,especially in built up areas. It is capableof smashing through defence lines,blasting apart bastions, levelling cityblocks, and reducing defenders toliquefied remains with casual ease. Therole of a Linebreaker Spearhead is toengage the enemy where it is strongest,clearing paths for other formations topenetrate the enemy lines. All of thevehicles concentrate their fire on asingle point, destroying it utterly.

SPEARHEADThree Tank units chosen from any section of thearmy list. All of the vehicles must either have anordnance weapon, or a weapon with Blast and aStrength of 7+

SPECIAL RULESCombined Fire: As long as there are three vehicles remaining in thespearhead, they may combine their fire. Resolve the shots as asingle strength 10, AP2, Ordnance shot, using the 10" ApocalypticBlast marker, if the hole in the centre of the blast marker lands overa terrain feature it is destroyed on a roll of 4+ (replace it withsuitable debris). Models in the destroyed feature suffer 1 wound ona roll of 4+ (saving throws allowed) and each unit must take apinning test. Vehicles suffer a glancing hit.

LINEBREAKER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 50 + UNITS

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A Rapid Assault Spearhead is made upentirely of fast-moving infantry. Theyrely on a swift approach to surprise theenemy, moving quickly and quietly intotheir attack positions before surgingforward to assault the foe. More oftenthan not the first thing their victims willknow of the attack will be when theRapid Assault Spearhead unleashes itsprimary volley of shots. The spearheadwill then fall upon the enemy, andsupporting formations will advance fromhidden reserve positions to complete the rout.

SPEARHEADUp to six non-vehicle units chosen from the Troopssection of the army list. All models must have theFleet special rule.

SPECIAL RULESRapid Assault: The player that takes this spearhead must deploy allof the units from the spearhead on the table. All other units mustbe placed in reserve, even if this means that more than half of theunits in the army are in reserve for certain missions.

Surprise Attack: Enemy units must first pass a Leadership test inorder to move, go to ground, shoot or assault in the first turn. Testbefore carrying out each action. If the test is failed the action maynot be carried out.

RAPID ASSAULT SPEARHEAD POINTS: 25 + UNITS

Sometimes the best form of attack is asolid defence. A Strongpoint Spearheadconsists of a series of bastions anddefence lines that have either been builtspecifically for the purpose, or capturedfrom the enemy. These will be used asan impregnable bulwark against whichattacking enemy formations can bebroken and scattered. Once the enemyhas wasted their strength in futileattacks, fresh formations will be fed intothe battle, first stopping the enemy intheir tracks and then turning theirattack into a headlong retreat.

SPEARHEADOne Strongpoint.

Note that you need the Planetstrike Expansion touse this Spearhead.

SPECIAL RULESStrongpoint: The Strongpoint consists of two bastions, defencelines, and five interceptor guns. See the rules for bastions, defencelines and interceptor guns in the Planetstrike Expansion. The playerthat took this spearhead must set up the Strongpoint terrain pieceswherever he likes on the table, before either army deploys. TheStrongpoint does not count as the single spearhead you may deployin the Escalation scenario (i.e. you can still deploy it along with oneother Spearhead).

STRONGPOINT SPEARHEAD POINTS: 100

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Skimmer transport vehicles can usetheir flight capabilities to launch alightning fast assault. Before thebattle begins they will fly highabove the combat zone. Once theenemy are engaged they swoopdown from the skies, tradingaltitude to build up speed until theyare hurtling along in a screamingdive. Their velocity hurls themswiftly across the battlefield anddeep into the enemy lines, fromwhere the troops carried in theskimmers can swiftly disembark andlaunch a murderous close-rangeassault upon the foe.

SPEARHEADUp to three skimmer units with a transport capacity.For each vehicle taken, you must also take one unitof any type, that is from the same army list and canbe transported in the vehicle.

SPECIAL RULESSkystorm Assault: All of the units in the Skystorm Spearheadmust be mounted in their transports and placed in reserve. Onthe turn they enter play they must make a special Skystorm moveinstead of moving normally. A Skystorm move can be up to 36"and the transports may fire one weapon in the Shooting phase.At the end of the move any transported units must disembark,and can launch an assault in the turn they do so.

SKYSTORM SPEARHEAD POINTS: 45 + UNITS

A Destroyer Spearhead is used tocrush the enemy through sheerweight of fire. It will be made up ofthe units in the army that have themost devastating weaponry. As therest of the assault force advances toengage the foe, these units will coverthe attack by laying down a storm ofheavy weapons fire. Enemy units thatare not destroyed outright will beforced to take cover or fall back inthe face of this onslaught. Once anyobjectives have been captured, theunits in the Destroyer Spearhead willmove forward to help protect themfrom counter-attack.

SPEARHEADUp to three units (of any type) chosen from the Heavy Support section of the army list.

SPECIAL RULESPreparatory Barrage: The units in a Destroyer Spearhead areallowed to fire all of their weapons before the battle starts. Thistakes place after both sides have completely deployed and madeany pre-battle moves (for Scouts or Infiltrators, etc). If both sideshave Destroyer Spearheads, then the player moving first, goesfirst. The shooting attacks are carried out in exactly the samemanner as a shooting attack in the Shooting phase.

DESTROYER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 75 + UNITS

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20 WHITE DWARF BATTLE REPORT

Super-heavy vehicles such as the ImperialBaneblade or Ork Stompa are amongstthe most deadly combatants on thebattlefields of the 41st Millennium. Justone of them can dominate a battlefield.Although incredibly rare, their presencecan single-handedly spell the differencebetween victory or defeat. Because oftheir might and nigh-on invulnerability,super-heavies are often used tospearhead an assault. Protected byincredibly thick armour, they shrug offeven heavy weaponry, and they arearmed with batteries of guns that canlevel a city block and destroy entireswathes of enemy troops.

SPEARHEADOne super-heavy vehicle chosen from anyApocalypse datasheet aligned with your race.

Note that you need the Apocalypse Expansion inorder to use this spearhead.

SPECIAL RULESSuper-Heavy Vehicle: See the rules for super-heavy vehicles in theApocalypse Expansion.

Large Target: Unless the super-heavy vehicle is placed in reserve, itwill suffer one penetrating hit before the battle starts. Thisrepresents enemy weapon strikes on the vehicle before the mainbattle begins. The damage is resolved at the start of the first game turn.

SUPER-HEAVY SPEARHEAD POINTS: COST OF UNIT

Some armies are accompanied intobattle by gargantuan living creatures,every bit as huge as the super-heavyvehicles used by other armies. Thesecreatures are so large that they can levelentire buildings, crush armoured vehiclesunderfoot, smash skimmers out of theair, and annihilate entire companies ofsmaller creatures. Although usually heldback so they are available for extremelylarge battles, when in dire need acommander can call on one of thesebehemoths to spearhead a vital attack.

SPEARHEADUp to one Gargantuan Creature chosen from anyApocalypse datasheet.

Note that you need the Apocalypse Expansion touse this Spearhead.

SPECIAL RULESGargantuan Creature: See the rules for Gargantuan Creatures inthe Apocalypse Expansion.

Large Target: Unless the Gargantuan Creature is placed in reserveit will suffer D3 wounds before the battle starts, with no saves ofany kind allowed. This represents enemy weapon strikes on thecreature before the battle starts. The damage is applied at the startof the first game turn.

GARGANTUAN SPEARHEAD POINTS: COST OF UNIT