Imperium
Deathwatch
Seek And Destroy/Security
Deathwatch kill teams combat the xenos foes of the Imperium with adaptive expertise and specialist weaponry.
Faction Rules
Special Issue Ammunition
Once per turning point, when a friendly DEATHWATCH operative is performing the Shoot action, in the Select Weapon step, you can use this rule. If you do, select one of the following weapon rules for that operative’s ranged weapons to have until the end of the action.
This rule cannot be used with explosive grenades (see universal equipment) or melta bombs.
- Blast 1" (you cannot select this if the weapon profile being used has the Torrent weapon rule)
- Devastating 1
- Lethal 5+
- Piercing Crits 1
- Saturate
- Severe
Veteran Astartes
During each friendly DEATHWATCH operative’s activation, it can perform either two Shoot actions or two Fight actions.
If it’s two Shoot actions and an auxiliary grenade launcher, frag cannon, heavy plasma incinerator, infernus heavy bolter, plasma pistol or stalker bolt rifle is selected for both, or if a melta bomb is selected for either, 1 additional AP must be spent for the second action.
Each friendly DEATHWATCH operative can counteract regardless of its order. Whenever it does, it can perform an additional 1AP action for free during that counteraction, but both actions must be different and you cannot perform a Fight and Shoot action during the same counteraction.
Operatives
Strategic Ploys
Select Conceal or Engage. Whenever a friendly DEATHWATCH operative is shooting against or fighting against an enemy operative that has that order, that friendly operative’s weapons have the Balanced weapon rule.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly DEATHWATCH operative that’s wholly within your territory, you can re-roll one of your defence dice.
Whenever a friendly DEATHWATCH operative is wholly within your opponent’s territory, Normal Dmg of 4 or more inflicts 1 less damage on it.
You can ignore any changes to the stats of friendly DEATHWATCH operatives from being injured (including their weapons’ stats).
Firefight Ploys
Use this firefight ploy after rolling your attack dice for a friendly DEATHWATCH operative, if it’s shooting against or fighting against an operative that doesn’t have the CHAOS or IMPERIUM keyword. You can re-roll any of your attack dice.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly DEATHWATCH operative is counteracting, before it performs any actions. You can change its order.
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly DEATHWATCH operative performs the Shoot action. Until the end of the activation/counteraction, its ranged weapons have the Saturate weapon rule and enemy operatives cannot be obscured.
Use this firefight ploy when an operative is shooting a friendly DEATHWATCH operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step. You can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Equipment
Digital Weapons
Once per turning point, when a friendly DEATHWATCH operative performs the Fight action, at the start of the Roll Attack Dice step, you can use this rule. If you do, inflict 1 damage on the enemy operative in that sequence.
Scrutavore Servo-Thrall
Once per turning point, during a friendly DEATHWATCH operative’s activation, you can use this rule. If you do, during that activation, that operative can perform a mission action for 1 less AP.
Having an enemy operative within its control range doesn’t prevent that friendly operative from performing that mission action.
However, in such an instance, after it does so, you and your opponent roll-off. If your opponent wins, you cannot use this equipment for the rest of the battle.
Sanctus-V Bioscryer Cuffs
Once during each friendly DEATHWATCH operative’s activation, before or after it performs an action, if it’s not within control range of enemy operatives, you can use this rule. If you do, select one of the following:
- That friendly operative regains up to D3 lost wounds.
- Remove any changes to that friendly operative’s APL stat.
- Remove one of the following tokens that friendly operative has (before that token’s activation effects are resolved, if relevant): Neutron Fragment, Poison, Terrorchem.
Ammunition Reserve
Once per battle, you can use the Special Issue Ammunition faction rule for up to two Shoot actions during one turning point, but you must select different weapon rules for both uses. This takes precedence over the normal Special Issue Ammunition rules.
Ammo Cache (x1)
Before the battle, you can set up one of your Ammo Cache markers wholly within your territory. Friendly operatives can perform the following mission action during the battle:
One of your Ammo Cache markers the active operative controls is used during this turning point.
Until the start of the next turning point, whenever this operative is shooting with a weapon from its datacard, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, if that marker is not yours, or if that marker has been used this turning point.
Razor Wire (x1)
Razor wire is Exposed and Obstructing terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.
Obstructing: Whenever an operative would cross over this terrain feature within 1" of it, treat the distance as an additional 1".
Comms Device (x1)
Before the battle, you can set up one of your Comms Device markers wholly within your territory.
While a friendly operative controls this marker, add 3" to the distance requirements of its SUPPORT rules that refer to friendly operatives
(e.g. ‘select one friendly operative within 6"’ would be 9" instead).
Note that you cannot benefit from your opponent's Comms Device markers.
Mines (x1)
Before the battle, you can set up one of your Mines markers wholly within your territory and more than 2" from other markers, access points, and Accessible terrain.
The first time that marker is within an operative's control range, remove that marker and inflict D3+3 damage on that operative.
Light Barricades (x2)
Light barricades are Light terrain, except the feet, which are Insignificant and Exposed. Before the battle, you can set up any of them wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.
Heavy Barricade (x1)
A heavy barricade is Heavy terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within 4" of your drop zone, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.
Ladders (x2)
Ladders are Insignificant and Exposed terrain. Before the battle, you can set up any of them as follows:
- Wholly within your territory.
- Upright against terrain that’s at least 2" tall.
- More than 2" from other equipment terrain features.
- More than 1" from doors and access points.
Once per action, whenever an operative is climbing the terrain feature a ladder is placed against, treat the vertical distance as 1" if the ladder is within that operative’s control range during that entire climb.
Portable Barricade (x1)
A portable barricade is Light, Protective and Portable terrain, except the feet which are Insignificant and Exposed.
Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.
Protective: While an operative is in cover from this terrain feature, improve its Save stat by 1 (to a maximum of 2+).
Portable: This terrain feature only provides cover while an operative is connected to it and if the shield is intervening (ignore its feet).
Operatives connected to the inside of it can perform the following unique action during the battle:
The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move no more than its Move stat minus 2" and cannot climb, drop, jump, or use any killteam's rules that remove it and set it back up again (e.gh. HEARTHKYN SALVAGER Fly, MANDRAKE Shadow Passage).
Before this operative moves, remove the portable barricade it is connected to. After it moves, set up the portable barricade so it is connected again, but the portable barricade cannot be set up within 2" of
other equipment terrain features, access points or Accessible terrain. If this is not possible, the portable barricade is not set up again.
This action is treated as a Reposition action. An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or in the same activation in which it performed the Fall Back or Charge action.
Utility Grenade - Smoke (x1/2)
When you select this equipment, select two utility grenades (2 smoke, 2 stun, or 1 smoke and 1 stun).
Each selection is a unique action your operatives can perform, but your kill team can only perform that action a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.
Place one of your Smoke Grenade markers within 6" of this operative. It must be visible to this operative,
or on Vantage terrain of a terrain feature that is visible to this operative. The marker creates an area of smoke 1" horizontally and unlimited height vertically from (but not below) it.
While an operative is wholly within an area of smoke, it is obscured to operatives more than 2" from it, and vice versa.
In addition, whenever an operative is shooting an enemy operative wholly within an area of smoke, weapons with the Piercing 2 or Piercing Crits 2 weapon rule have the Piercing 1 or Piercing Crits 1 weapon rule (respectively) instead, unless they’re within 2" of each other.
In the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, roll one D3. Remove that Smoke Grenade marker after a number of activations equal to that D3 have been completed
or at the end of the turning point (whichever comes first).
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or if you have reached the total number of times your kill team can perform it.
Utility Grenade - Stun (x1/2)
When you select this equipment, select two utility grenades (2 smoke, 2 stun, or 1 smoke and 1 stun).
Each selection is a unique action your operatives can perform, but your kill team can only perform that action a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.
Select one enemy operative visible to and within 6" of this operative. That operative and each other operative within 1" of it takes a stun test. For an operative to take a stun test, roll one D6: on a 3+, subtract 1 from its APL stat until the end of its next activation.
An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or if you have reached the total number of times your kill team can perform it.
Explosive Grenade - Frag (x1/2)
When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).
| Weapon | ATK | HIT | DMG | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frag Grenade | 4 | 4+ | 2/4 | Rng 6", Blast 2", Saturate |
Explosive Grenade - Krak (x1/2)
When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).
| Weapon | ATK | HIT | DMG | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krak Grenade | 4 | 4+ | 4/5 | Rng 6", Piercing 1, Saturate |
Breaching Charge
Once per battle, when a friendly operative performs the Breach action, you can use this rule. If you do, that operative can perform that action for 1 less AP (to a minimum of 1AP) as though it had the word "breach marker" on its datacard.
Building Your Roster
A DEATHWATCH Killteam is composed of 5 DEATHWATCH operatives selected from the following list: - WATCH SERGEANT - AEGIS - BLADEMASTER - BOMBARD - BREACHER - DEMOLISHER - DISRUPTOR - GUNNER - HEADTAKER - HORDE-SLAYER - MARKSMAN Your kill team can only include each operative on this list once, and can only include up to one GRAVIS operative.