Imperial Guard Armoured Battlegroup Army List

An alternate Imperial Guard army list built around massed armour: the ten or so tanks of a Tank Company, Armoured Fist squads in support, attached siege tanks or artillery, and off-table regimental artillery or Imperial Navy air support. This list includes all the models Forge World produced for the Imperial Guard at the time, and it provides enough information to field Armoured Battlegroups in official scenarios, in scenarios of your own devising, or as part of a campaign. If you only want to field one or two Imperial Armour models, use them via the standard Codex: Imperial Guard army list instead — the rules for each vehicle note what Force Organisation choice it counts as there.

Using Force Organisation Charts

The army list is used in conjunction with the Force Organisation chart from a scenario. Each chart is split into five categories that correspond to the sections in the army list, and each category has one or more boxes. Each light tone box indicates that you may make one choice from that section of the army list, while a dark tone box means you must make a choice from that section.

Note that unless a model or vehicle forms part of a squad or squadron it counts as a single choice from those available to the army.

Standard Mission: Compulsory — 1 HQ, 2 Troops. Optional — 4 more Troops, 3 Elites, 3 Fast Attack, 3 Heavy Support.

Using the Army Lists

To make a choice, look at the relevant section of the army list and decide which units you want to have in your army and which upgrades you want to give it (if any). Remember that you cannot field models equipped with weapons and wargear not shown on the model. This includes vehicle upgrades. Once this is done, subtract the points value of the unit from your total points and then go back and make another choice. Continue doing this until you have spent all your points.

Note that in this list some choices are dependent on other choices. You must take an Elites choice squadron command tank to be allowed to take up to two tanks from the Troops choices. These restrictions have been included in the list to keep it playable and hopefully to encourage players to use more balanced forces.

Army List Entries

• Unit Name: The type of unit, which may also show a limitation on the maximum number of choices you can make for that unit (0-1, for example).
• Profile: These are the characteristics of the unit type, including its points cost.
• Type: The vehicle type, such as tank, skimmer, which often has other rules relating to it. For details of these rules see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.
• Crew: Who crews the vehicle. This is usually reflected in the vehicle's BS, but may also affect such things as crew escape mechanisms.
• Weapons: The unit's standard weapons.
• Options: This lists different weapons and equipment options for the unit and the additional points cost that must be paid to take them. Details of upgrades can be found in the Armoury and Wargear sections below.
• Special Rules: Any special rules that apply to the unit.

Armoured Battle Group Special Rules

Ace Crew Skills

Any vehicle can be upgraded to an Ace Crew. Veterans of many campaigns, these are the best crews, well disciplined, experienced and well led. Any vehicle in an Armoured Battle Group can take a single Ace Crew skill. No vehicle may take more than one Ace Crew skill.

Each upgrade may only be used once per battle. Once it is used it cannot be used again, so once a skilled driver has re-rolled a Difficult Terrain test he cannot re-roll another. A skilled gunner may add +1 to a Penetration roll once, but not for every shot.

These skills can only be taken by standard vehicles. They cannot be taken by Weapons Platforms, Cyclops, Super-heavy vehicles or any Imperial Navy aircraft.

Using Armoured Battle Groups in Scenarios

Imperial Guard Armoured units are only deployed in certain roles, and many scenarios are not appropriate for an Armoured Battlegroup. For example, attacking in a Sabotage scenario, where they have to sneak up — they might be the target of a sabotage attack though. Listed below are the restrictions on whether an Armoured Battle Group can be the attacker or defender. Players may feel they want to experiment and ignore these restrictions, this is fine, but may result in a rather strange game!

This cannot be a definitive list. There have been many different scenarios published and we cannot list them all. So players will have to use common sense when it comes to special scenarios and their own scenarios. As a guideline Armoured Battlegroups will not be the attackers when stealth is required (say if the defender is using Sentries), and they will generally not be defenders in scenarios where the defenders are static and using Obstacles, Fortifications or Hidden set-up.

Armoured Battle Group Armoury

A character may carry up to two weapons but only one of these may be a two-handed weapon. Within these limits, a character may add to or replace any weapons he already has with weapons from the Armoury. Each model may take up to 50 points worth of wargear but no item more than once. Wargear and weapons must be represented on the model.

Single-Handed Weapons

Two-Handed Weapons

Wargear

*Officers & Commissars only.

Aircraft Upgrades

Imperial Navy aircraft may be fitted with the following equipment (see the entry for the aircraft for details). No duplicates may be chosen for the same aircraft.

Vehicle Upgrades

Some Imperial Guard vehicles may be fitted with the following equipment (see the entry for the vehicle in the army list for details). No duplicates may be chosen for the same vehicle.

*These upgrades cannot be used by Sentinels.

Quick-Reference Vehicle Table

* Where vehicles have multiple weapons options, only the cheapest is included here. For full details see the individual vehicle options.

Quick-Reference Weapon Table

* Special rules apply to these weapons.

Imperial Guard Wargear

This section describes how the specialised Imperial Guard equipment works. These rules supersede those in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. Items not listed here function as described in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. All wargear chosen must be represented on the model/vehicle.

Bionics: Bionics allow an Imperial Guard character that has suffered a crippling injury to return to service but they do not improve his abilities in any way.

However, there is a chance that an attack will cause damage to a bionic part rather than doing any real harm. To represent this, if a model with bionics is killed, instead of removing it place it on its side. Roll a D6 at the start of the next turn: on a roll of 6 the model is stood back up with 1 wound but on any other roll it is removed as a casualty.

Carapace Armour: This is made up of large rigid plates of armaplas or ceramite moulded to fit parts of the body. This provides better protection than the flak armour which is normally worn by the Imperial Guard. A model that has carapace armour receives a 4+ armour saving throw.

Vox-Caster: Communications between Imperial Guard units on the battlefield are dealt with by troopers trained to use special vox-caster or comm-link. The size and appearance of a comm-link depends on its place of origin but in game terms they all have the same effects.

If a Command HQ or Command Section has a vox-caster, then one squad per turn that also has a vox-caster may use the Leadership value of the Officer, no matter where they are located on the battlefield (ie, they don't have to be within 12" of the Officer as would normally be the case). You may choose to use the vox-caster at any time (eg, when an eligible squad is about to take a Leadership test or if the command unit is in reserve).

Hellguns & Hellpistols: Hellguns use a very advanced form of lasgun that utilises a high energy laser beam. In game terms, they are treated as a las weapon of the same type, except that their AP value is 5 rather than "—".

Holy Relic: A model bearing a holy relic may reveal it once per battle. This may be done at any time, as long as the model with the relic does not move on the turn it is shown.

On the turn the relic is revealed, all Imperial Guardsmen that are within 2D6" get a +1 attack bonus for the rest of that turn. The relic may be revealed in an opposing player's turn if you wish.

Macharian Cross: The Cross is awarded only to Imperial Guard Officers in recognition of innovative and successful tactical thinking. The bearer can be expected to use initiative in battle. After deployment is complete (including deploying infiltrators and moving scouts) but before determining who has the first turn any single vehicle within 6" of the officer may redeploy up to 12", but must abide by all the mission's deployment zones and rules. They may not be moved into base-to-base contact with the enemy.

Master-Crafted Weapons: A master-crafted weapon follows the normal rules for the weapon with the following modification: converted weapon except that it allows one failed to hit roll once per battle. Such a modified weapon is taken as an upgrade for a weapon already carried by a model and must be represented by a suitably ornate weapon on the model itself. A grenade cannot be master-crafted.

The upgrade cost of 15 points is added to the normal cost of the weapon but only the upgrade cost is taken against the 50 points limit on wargear taken by a model (so a master-crafted power weapon costs 25 points but counts as only 15 points against a character's 50 points Wargear limit).

Medallion Crimson: This Medallion Crimson is awarded to men who have suffered horrific wounds and have not lost their faith in the Emperor or their will to fight on. It takes a lot to stop a man who has earned this decoration. The first time the bearer is wounded by an attack that causes instant death, he just takes a single wound instead.

Power Weapons: These weapons generate a crackling energy field that can cut through an enemy's armour like a hot knife through butter. The type of power weapon most commonly used by the Imperial Guard is the power sword. A model armed with a power weapon ignores armour saves.

Refractor Field: This piece of equipment produces an energy field that gives the model a 5+ invulnerable save. This may be used instead of the model's normal armour save.

Surveyor: A surveyor (also known as an auspex or surveyor) is used to detect enemy troops. If enemy infiltrators set up within 4D6" of a model with a scanner then the model is allowed to take an immediate shot at them (so sound the alarm in a loud scenario). If the model is part of a unit, the whole unit may shoot. These shots are taken before the battle begins and may cause the infiltrators to fall back.

Trademark Item: This is something the character carries into battle to show his disregard for the enemy. It could be a swagger stick or a monocle on a strewn gat, or something more grandiose like a billowing scarlet cape or a chestful of shiny medals.

A unit led by a character who carries a trademark item will be reassured by his presence and may re-roll failed Morale or Pinning tests that affect the unit. However, if the character is slain the unit must pass a Morale test to avoid falling back.

Armoured Battlegroup Vehicle Upgrades

Armoured Crew Compartment: These may only be added to open-topped vehicles. The vehicle no longer counts as being open-topped.

Vehicles often carry rolls of camouflage netting that can be strapped to help hide the vehicle. In scenarios using the hidden set-up rules (see page 134 of the Warhammer 40,000 rules) armoured crew netting can be set up hidden anywhere in their deployment zone, not just in or behind appropriate terrain features.

Extra Armour: Vehicle crews sometimes add extra armour plating to their vehicle to provide a little extra protection. Vehicles equipped with this count 'Crew Stunned' results on the Damage tables as 'Crew Shaken' instead.

Hunter-Killer Missile: These missiles are treated as krak missiles with an unlimited range but may be used only once per battle. Roll to hit and perform to penetrate armour as normal.

Improved Comms: These upgrades take the form of long 'whip' aerials or other large communications aerials. A vehicle with improved comms can communicate with other Imperial Guard formations. The improved comms allow the Imperial Guard player to re-roll one dice to see if reserves are present; an Imperial Guard player can only use one re-roll per turn.

Mine Sweeper: The vehicle is fitted with a heavy dozer blade or some other device designed to clear minefields (see page 134 of the Warhammer 40,000 rules). It can enter a minefield without being attacked. Any minefield that the vehicle moves across is cleared and removed from play.

Pintle-Mounted Heavy Stubber: Pintle mounted heavy stubbers fulfil exactly the same role as pintle mounted storm bolters. Mounted outside the vehicle to be fired by a crewman from an open hatch or by remote control from inside. They may be fired in addition to other weapons the vehicle can fire. If the vehicle cannot fire any weapons, then it cannot fire either.

Pintle-Mounted Storm Bolter: Pintle-mounted storm bolters are located on the outside of a vehicle and can be used by a crewman from an open hatch or by remote control from inside. They are treated as an extra storm bolter and may be used in addition to other weapons the vehicle can fire, so a moving vehicle can fire one weapon and the pintle-mounted storm bolter.

Rough Terrain Modification: This is a catch-all category for the many upgrades that help vehicles move through difficult terrain, such as dozer blades. They allow a vehicle moving no further than 6" that may turn to re-roll a failed Difficult Terrain test.

Searchlight: Searchlights can be used in missions where the rules for night fighting are used (see page 134 of the Warhammer 40,000 rules). They allow one enemy unit spotted by the vehicle to be fired at by any other Imperial Guard within range that have a line of fire. However, a vehicle that uses a searchlight can be fired at by any enemy units in their next turn, as they can see the searchlight shining in the dark.

Smoke Launchers: These carry charges that can be fired to hide the vehicle behind a cloud of smoke. Once per game, after completing movement (no matter how far), a vehicle with smoke launchers can trigger them. Place cotton wool around the vehicle to show it is concealed by smoke. The vehicle may not fire and use its smoke launchers in the same turn. Any penetrating hits scored by the enemy in their next Shooting phase count as glancing hits. After the enemy's turn, the smoke disperses with no further effect.

Track Guards: Track guards protect the vulnerable track mechanism of an armoured vehicle. The vehicle treats Immobilised results as Crew Stunned instead on a D6 roll of 4+.

Imperial Navy Aircraft Upgrades

Ejector Seats: Should the aircraft be hit, the ejector seat fires the pilot (and crew if present), out of the aircraft and grav-chutes them safely to ground. If the aircraft is destroyed then roll a D6 for each crewman on the aircraft. On a 1-3 the crewman is killed. On a 4-6 the crewman manages to successfully eject. Roll a Scatter dice and 4D6 in the direction and distance away from the aircraft the crewman lands. Roll separately for each crewman. An aircraft that has Ejector Seats counts as a single Imperial Guardsman with a laspistol. They are considered to be below half strength for the purposes of morale checks, claiming table quarters, etc. They are worth no Victory points on their own but if any crew survive the aircraft only counts as damaged for the purposes of the Victory Points total.

Flare or Chaff Launcher: Flares and chaff are launched to fool enemy fire aimed at the aircraft. If it takes a Vehicle Immobilised damage result on the damage tables then re-roll the result. The second result must stand even if it is another Immobilised result. The flare or chaff launcher only works once. Once it has been used it cannot be used again.

Armoured Cockpit: Reinforced armour around the cockpit helps to keep the pilot and crew safe from incoming fire. If the aircraft takes a Crew Shaken or Pilot Shaken result on the Damage table, then on a dice roll of 4+ the effect is ignored.

Infrared Targeting: The aircraft has been modified to fight at night. When used in a Night Fighting mission, the aircraft can re-roll the dice for the distance it can engage enemies at. You must abide by the second result even if it is worse than the first.

Illum Flare: The aircraft carries a bright flare, which is dropped to illuminate the battlefield at night. The Illum flare can be used in missions where the rules for night fighting are used. They allow one enemy unit spotted by the aircraft to be fired at in the next turn by any other ground forces that are in range and have a line of sight.

Distinctive Paint Scheme or Decals: The crew have painted the aircraft in such a way as to make it stand out. Commonly, the nose of the plane is painted as the face of a monster, or the wings are given bright lightning flashes or similar decoration. This allows troops on the ground to recognise it, giving them the morale boost of knowing the Imperial Navy is at hand.

In the player's own turn, after the aircraft has attacked in the opponent's turn, the first unit to fail a Morale test may re-roll the test. The unit must abide by the second result. To take a distinctive paint scheme upgrade it must be shown on the model.

• 0-1 Company Command Tank
• 0-1 Armoured Fist Company HQ
• 0-1 Artillery Company Forward Observer
• 0-1 Atlas Recovery Tank
• Squadron Command Tank
• Armoured Fist Platoon Command Section
• 0-1 Commissar Tank
• Armoured Fist Squad
• Tank
• Sentinel Reconnaissance Squadron
• Salamander Reconnaissance Squadron
• Storm Troopers Squad
• Cyclops
• Destroyer Tank Hunter
• Siege Tank
• Armoured Fist Heavy Weapons Squad
• Hydra Flak Tank
• Close Support Artillery
• Weapons Platform
• 0-1 Artillery Strike
• Imperial Navy Air Support
• 0-1 Sentry Gun Battery
• Selecting an Armoured Battlegroup: A Worked Example