Talons of the Emperor
Composition
A TALONS OF THE EMPEROR kill team consists of 10 operatives selected from the following list:
-
CUSTODIAN GUARD LEADER (counts as two selections) operative equipped with one of the following options:
-
Guardian spear
-
Sentinel blade; storm shield- CUSTODIAN GUARD WARRIOR (counts as two selections) operatives each separately equipped with one of the following options:
-
Guardian spear
-
Sentinel blade; storm shield
-
SISTER OF SILENCE SUPERIOR operative equipped with one of the following options:
-
Boltgun; gun butt
-
Flamer; gun butt
-
Executioner greatblade - SISTER OF SILENCE PROSECUTOR
-
SISTER OF SILENCE WITCHSEEKER
-
SISTER OF SILENCE VIGILATOR
Your kill team can only include up to one CUSTODIAN GUARD LEADER and up to one SISTER OF SILENCE SUPERIOR.
Common Abilities and Options
*Storm Shield:
If this operative is equipped with a Storm Shield, it ignores the Piercing weapon rule. Each time it fights in combat, in the Resolve Successful Hits step of that combat, each time it parries, two of your opponent's successful hits are discarded (instead of one).
Martial Ka’Tah:
As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in each turning point, choose a Martial Ka’Tah from those presented below. All friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operatives gain the selected benefit.
- Dacatarai Stance: After fighting or retaliating, if a friendly operative is no longer within control range of an enemy operative they can perform a free charge up to 3".
- Kaptaris Stance: Whenever an attack dice inflicts damage of 3 or more on this operative, roll one D6: on a 5+, subtract 1 from that inflicted damage.
- Rendax Stance: Until the end of the turning point all melee weapons gain the Severe special Rule.
The Emperor's Chosen:
During each friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative's activation, it can perform either two Shoot actions or two Fight actions.
Each friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative can counteract regardless of its order.
Psychic Abomination:
Psychic Abomination: While an operative is within 6" of an ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, it cannot perform psychic actions. SISTER OF SILENCE operatives cannot be targeted or affected by psychic actions.
Custodian Guard Leader
A 3
M 6"
S 2+
W 16
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian Spear (PrcCrit1) | 4 | 2+ | 3/5 |
| Sentinel Blade (Rng 6", PrcCrit1) | 4 | 2+ | 3/4 |
| Sentinel Blade (Lethal 5+) | 5 | 2+ | 4/6 |
| Guardian Spear (Lethal 5+) | 5 | 2+ | 5/7 |
| Storm Shield (*Storm Shield) | - | - | - |
Abilities
*Storm ShieldMartial Ka’TahShield of HonorThe Emperor's ChosenSister Of Silence Prosecutor
A 2
M 6"
S 3+
W 8
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boltgun | 4 | 3+ | 3/4 |
| Gun Butt | 4 | 3+ | 2/3 |
Abilities
Martial Ka’TahPsychic AbominationSister Of Silence Superior
A 3
M 6"
S 3+
W 9
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boltgun | 4 | 2+ | 3/4 |
| Flamer (Rng 6", Tor 2") | 5 | 2+ | 2/2 |
| Gun Butt | 4 | 2+ | 2/3 |
| Executioner Greatblade (Lethal 5+) | 4 | 2+ | 4/6 |
Abilities
1AP: Adaptive TrainingMartial Ka’TahPsychic AbominationSister Of Silence Vigilator
A 2
M 6"
S 3+
W 8
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executioner Greatblade (Lethal 5+) | 4 | 3+ | 4/6 |
Abilities
Martial Ka’TahPsychic AbominationCustodian Guard Warrior
A 3
M 6"
S 2+
W 15
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentinel Blade (Rng 6", PrcCrit1) | 4 | 2+ | 3/4 |
| Guardian Spear (PrcCrit1) | 4 | 2+ | 3/5 |
| Sentinel Blade (Lethal 5+) | 5 | 2+ | 4/6 |
| Guardian Spear (Lethal 5+) | 5 | 2+ | 5/7 |
| Storm Shield (*Storm Shield) | - | - | - |
Abilities
*Storm ShieldMartial Ka’TahThe Emperor's ChosenSister Of Silence Witchseeker
A 2
M 6"
S 3+
W 8
Weapons | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flamer (Rng 6", Tor 2", Sat) | 5 | 2+ | 2/2 |
| Gun Butt | 4 | 3+ | 2/3 |
Abilities
Martial Ka’TahPsychic AbominationTanglefoot Grenades
Twice per battle in the firefight phase, an TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative can perform the following action: Tanglefoot Grenade (1 AP): Select one enemy operative Visible to this operative. Subtract 2" from its Movement characteristic until the end of the turning point. This operative can can not perform this action while within Engagement Range of enemy operatives.
Vratine Faceplates
Once per turning point, when an operative is shooting a friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, in the roll defence dice step, you can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Misericordias
Each time after a friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative fights in combat, you can use this ability. If you do so, roll one D6: on a 3+, the enemy operative that fought it in that combat suffers 2 mortal wounds.
Oath Parchments
Once per turning point, when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is shooting, fighting or retaliating, if you roll two or more fails, you can discard one of them to retain another as a normal success instead.
Universal Equipment
Ammo Cache (x1)
(Universal)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: AMMO RESUPPLY (0 AP): 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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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)
(Universal)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:
Move With Barricade (1 AP): 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)
(Universal)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.
SMOKE GRENADE (1 AP):
- 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)
(Universal)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.
STUN GRENADE (1 AP):
- 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)
(Universal)When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).
| Name | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frag Grenade | 4 | 4+ | 2/4 |
| Weapon Rules | |||
| Rng 6", Blast 2", Saturate |
Explosive Grenade - Krak (x1/2)
(Universal)When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).
| Name | ATK | HIT | DMG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krak Grenade | 4 | 4+ | 4/5 |
| Weapon Rules | |||
| Rng 6", Piercing 1, Saturate |
Breaching Charge
(Universal)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.
Strategy Ploys
Strategy: Aegis Of The Emperor
Until the end of the Turning Point, each time Critical Damage would be inflicted upon a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative from an attack die, you can choose for that attack die to inflict Normal Damage instead.
Strategy: Unwavering Sentinels
You can ignore any changes to the stats of friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operatives from being injured (including their weapons' stats).
Strategy: Creeping Dread
Until the end of the Turning Point, while an enemy operative is within 3" of a friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, worsen the Ballistic Skill and Weapon Skill characteristics of ranged and melee weapons respectively that enemy operative is equipped with as if it were injured.
Strategy: Vigilance Eternal
Until the end of the Turning Point, whenever determining control of a marker, treat ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative’s APL stat as 1 higher.
Firefight Ploys
Firefight: Arcane Genetic Alchemy
Use this firefight ploy when an operative is shooting a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step. You can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Firefight: Avenge the Fallen
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is incapacitated by an enemy operative. Until the end of the battle, whenever another friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is shooting against, fighting against or retaliating against that enemy operative, that other friendly operative’s weapons have the Balanced weapon rule. You cannot use this ploy again during the battle until that enemy operative is incapacitated.
Firefight: Brotherhood Of Demigods
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is counteracting. It can perform an additional 1AP action for free during that counteraction, but both actions must be different.
Firefight: Talons Interlocked
Use this Firefight Ploy when a ready friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is activated:
If that operative is an ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, select one ready friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative Visible to and within 3" of it.
If that operative is an ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative, select one ready friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative Visible to and within 3" of it
Both operatives are activated at the same time and you can perform their actions in any order.
Seek And Destroy: Sweep & Clear
Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, or the first time a friendly operative performs the Clear action (whichever comes first).
Additional Rules:
When an enemy operative that contests an objective marker is incapacitated, that objective marker gains one of your Swept tokens (if it doesn't already have one) until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase.
Mission Action: Clear (1 AP)
- An objective marker the active operative controls is cleared for the turning point.
- An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, or while within control range of an enemy operative.
Victory Points:
- At the end of each turning point after the first, if friendly operatives control any objective markers that have one of your Swept tokens, you score 1VP.
- If this is true and any of those objective markers are also cleared, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Seek And Destroy: Dominate
Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated by a friendly operative.
Additional Rules:
Each time a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, that friendly operative gains one of your Dominate tokens.
Victory Points:
At the end of the third and fourth turning point, you can remove Dominate tokens from friendly operatives that aren't incapacitated. For each you remove, you score 1VP.
You cannot score more than 3VP from this op per turning point.
Seek And Destroy: Rout
Reveal: The first time you score VP from this op.
Victory Points:
Whenever a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, if that friendly operative is within 6" of your opponent's drop zone, you score 1VP; if this is true and that enemy operative had a Wounds stat of 12 or more, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Security: Plant Banner
Reveal: When you perform the Plant Banner action.
Mission Action: Plant Banner (1 AP)
- Place your Banner mission marker within the active operative's control range, wholly within your opponent's territory and more than 5" from a neutral killzone edge. Operatives can perform the Pick Up Marker action on your Banner mission marker.
- An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, while within control range of an enemy operative, or if a friendly operative has already performed this action during the battle.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if your Banner mission marker is wholly within your opponent's territory and friendly operatives control it, you score 1VP; if that's true and no enemy operatives contest it, you score 2VP instead. Note your Banner mission marker must be in the killzone (not being carried) to score.
Security: Martyrs
Reveal: The first time a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker.
Additional Rules:
Whenever a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, that marker gains one of your Martyr tokens.
Note that this is only the first time each operative is incapacitated, so if an operative is incapacitated, set back up (e.g. HIEROTEK CIRCLE Reanimation Protocols) and then subsequently incapacitated again, a second Martyr token cannot be gained as a result.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if friendly operatives contest an objective marker that has one or more of your Martyr tokens, you can remove any of those tokens. For each token you remove, you score 1VP; if friendly operatives also control that marker, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Security: Envoy
Reveal: The first time you select an envoy.
Additional Rules:
As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in each turning point after the first, select one friendly operative to be your envoy until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase. You cannot select an operative you selected during a previous turning point or an operative that's ignored for the kill op.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if your envoy is wholly within enemy territory and not within control range of enemy operatives, you score 1VP; if this is true and your envoy has not lost any wounds during that turning point, you score 2VP instead.
Equipment
Tanglefoot Grenades:
Twice per battle in the firefight phase, an TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative can perform the following action:
Tanglefoot Grenade (1 AP): Select one enemy operative Visible to this operative. Subtract 2" from its Movement characteristic until the end of the turning point. This operative can can not perform this action while within Engagement Range of enemy operatives.
Vratine Faceplates:
Once per turning point, when an operative is shooting a friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, in the roll defence dice step, you can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Misericordias:
Each time after a friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative fights in combat, you can use this ability. If you do so, roll one D6: on a 3+, the enemy operative that fought it in that combat suffers 2 mortal wounds.
Oath Parchments:
Once per turning point, when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is shooting, fighting or retaliating, if you roll two or more fails, you can discard one of them to retain another as a normal success instead.
Ploys
Strategic - Aegis Of The Emperor:
Until the end of the Turning Point, each time Critical Damage would be inflicted upon a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative from an attack die, you can choose for that attack die to inflict Normal Damage instead.
Strategic - Unwavering Sentinels:
You can ignore any changes to the stats of friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operatives from being injured (including their weapons' stats).
Strategic - Creeping Dread:
Until the end of the Turning Point, while an enemy operative is within 3" of a friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, worsen the Ballistic Skill and Weapon Skill characteristics of ranged and melee weapons respectively that enemy operative is equipped with as if it were injured.
Strategic - Vigilance Eternal:
Until the end of the Turning Point, whenever determining control of a marker, treat ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative’s APL stat as 1 higher.
Firefight - Arcane Genetic Alchemy:
Use this firefight ploy when an operative is shooting a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step. You can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.
Firefight - Avenge the Fallen:
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is incapacitated by an enemy operative. Until the end of the battle, whenever another friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is shooting against, fighting against or retaliating against that enemy operative, that other friendly operative’s weapons have the Balanced weapon rule. You cannot use this ploy again during the battle until that enemy operative is incapacitated.
Firefight - Brotherhood Of Demigods:
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is counteracting. It can perform an additional 1AP action for free during that counteraction, but both actions must be different.
Firefight - Talons Interlocked:
Use this Firefight Ploy when a ready friendly TALONS OF THE EMPEROR operative is activated:
If that operative is an ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative, select one ready friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative Visible to and within 3" of it.
If that operative is an ADEPTUS CUSTODES operative, select one ready friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA operative Visible to and within 3" of it
Both operatives are activated at the same time and you can perform their actions in any order.
TacOps
Seek And Destroy: Sweep & Clear
Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, or the first time a friendly operative performs the Clear action (whichever comes first).
Additional Rules:
When an enemy operative that contests an objective marker is incapacitated, that objective marker gains one of your Swept tokens (if it doesn't already have one) until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase.
Mission Action: Clear (1 AP)
- An objective marker the active operative controls is cleared for the turning point.
- An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, or while within control range of an enemy operative.
Victory Points:
- At the end of each turning point after the first, if friendly operatives control any objective markers that have one of your Swept tokens, you score 1VP.
- If this is true and any of those objective markers are also cleared, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Seek And Destroy: Dominate
Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated by a friendly operative.
Additional Rules:
Each time a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, that friendly operative gains one of your Dominate tokens.
Victory Points:
At the end of the third and fourth turning point, you can remove Dominate tokens from friendly operatives that aren't incapacitated. For each you remove, you score 1VP.
You cannot score more than 3VP from this op per turning point.
Seek And Destroy: Rout
Reveal: The first time you score VP from this op.
Victory Points:
Whenever a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, if that friendly operative is within 6" of your opponent's drop zone, you score 1VP; if this is true and that enemy operative had a Wounds stat of 12 or more, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Security: Plant Banner
Reveal: When you perform the Plant Banner action.
Mission Action: Plant Banner (1 AP)
- Place your Banner mission marker within the active operative's control range, wholly within your opponent's territory and more than 5" from a neutral killzone edge. Operatives can perform the Pick Up Marker action on your Banner mission marker.
- An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, while within control range of an enemy operative, or if a friendly operative has already performed this action during the battle.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if your Banner mission marker is wholly within your opponent's territory and friendly operatives control it, you score 1VP; if that's true and no enemy operatives contest it, you score 2VP instead. Note your Banner mission marker must be in the killzone (not being carried) to score.
Security: Martyrs
Reveal: The first time a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker.
Additional Rules:
Whenever a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, that marker gains one of your Martyr tokens.
Note that this is only the first time each operative is incapacitated, so if an operative is incapacitated, set back up (e.g. HIEROTEK CIRCLE Reanimation Protocols) and then subsequently incapacitated again, a second Martyr token cannot be gained as a result.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if friendly operatives contest an objective marker that has one or more of your Martyr tokens, you can remove any of those tokens. For each token you remove, you score 1VP; if friendly operatives also control that marker, you score 2VP instead.
You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.
Security: Envoy
Reveal: The first time you select an envoy.
Additional Rules:
As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in each turning point after the first, select one friendly operative to be your envoy until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase. You cannot select an operative you selected during a previous turning point or an operative that's ignored for the kill op.
Victory Points:
At the end of each turning point after the first, if your envoy is wholly within enemy territory and not within control range of enemy operatives, you score 1VP; if this is true and your envoy has not lost any wounds during that turning point, you score 2VP instead.