Imperium
Strike Force Variel
Seek And Destroy/Infiltration
Stoic Sternguard Sergeant Ramus is joined by Infernus Marine Haroth, Assault Intercessor Maphael, Infiltrator Belath, Intercessor Zeradim and Reiver Nahrden. This elite team is led by a mysterious lieutenant of the Chapter.
Operatives
Strategic Ploys
Select one COMBAT DOCTRINE from those presented below. Whenever a friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operative is `x`, its weapons have the Balanced weapon rule. `x` is the COMBAT DOCTRINE you selected.
Devastator Doctrine: Shooting an operative more than 6" from it
Tactical Doctrine: Shooting an operative within 6" of it
Assault Doctring: Fighting or retaliating
You can ignore any changes to the stats of friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operatives from being injured (including their weapons' stats).
Whenever determining control of a marker, treat the total APL stat of friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operatives that contest it as 1 higher if friendly operatives controlled that marker at the start of the Firefight phase. Note this isn't a change to the APL stat, so any changes are cumulative with this.
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operative, if you roll two or more fails, you can discard one of them to retain another as a normal success instead.
Firefight Ploys
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operative is performing the Fight action during an activation in which it performed the Charge action, at the start of the Resolve Attack Dice step. Until the end of that action:
Its melee weapon has the Shock weapon rule
The first time your strike during that sequence, inflict 1 additional damage
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operative is counteracting. It can perform an additional 1 AP action for free during that counteraction, but both actions must be different.
Use this firefight ploy when an operative is shooting a friendly STRIKE FORCE VARIEL operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step. You can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Equipment
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 STRIKE FORCE VARIEL killteam is composed of 6 different operatives.