Dark Millennium v3.2 – Introduction

The following rules are intended as an introduction to the mechanics and concepts that govern the Dark Millennium game. In order to use these rules players will need some dice (six sided dice are recommended), a ruler, a board at least 4'x4', and some models. Games Workshop supplies nice models.

Copyright and Trademarks

The following rules are intended to be for fair use by the public. It is recommended that they be used with Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40k line of products, especially their fine miniatures. No challenge is made to GW’s ownership of that intellectual property or any of their registered trademarks.

The Hand of Fate

When the interpretation of a rule, distance, or what-have-you is in dispute, the players should roll 1d6 each. The opinion of the player with the highest result stands as the rule. However, it is up to the players to avoid this “win-at-all-costs” attitude, and to avoid scraping for advantages over other players.

 

The Turn

Dark Millennium is divided into turns, where one side may makes action while the other side makes reactions until a turnover. Reactions are resolved simultaneously with actions, but movement is sorted out before attacks are. Attacks affect moving units when they cross the line of sight of the attacking unit, with survivors finishing their move.

First Turn

Take the highest Psychic score in the army. This is the number of dice that the player rolls, choosing the best and adding +1 to the result for each additional natural 6. No model with a psychic score means the army rolls 2d6 and chooses the lowest. The player with the highest result highest gets the first turn – and is “player one” for the turn sequence.

+1 for every "Scout" unit that is deployed

+1 for every unit your army is outnumbered by.

+1 for being the attacker in a scenario

+1 for every unit held in reserve

Turn Sequence

1.        Player one picks a unit and declares an action

2.        Player two picks a unit and declares a reaction

3.        Both units gain a point of combat fatigue, and then their action and reaction are resolved simultaneously.

4.        If player one's unit is suppressed, then a turn-over occurs and player two starts at step 1. If all models in the unit are disabled, then it counts as suppressed and a turn-over occurs.

5.        If player one's unit is not suppressed, then s/he returns to step 1.

 

Suppression
Units are suppressed when they have more combat fatigue points than the highest morale score in the unit, or when they have models out of unit coherency. Suppressed units may only make Rally actions or Retreat reactions.

 

Example 1. Player A has three squads of Imperial Guardsmen (Morale: 3) and Player B has two units of Imperial Guardsmen (Morale: 4, lead by veterans). Player A wins the first turn and picks his Squad Alpha to make an “Advance” action. Player B picks his Squad Upsilon to react with a “Return Fire” reaction. Both players add a point of combat fatigue to each unit’s total combat fatigue pool, represented here by a green 1d6 beside each unit. Player A moves Squad Alpha up until it has a line-of-sight to Squad Upsilon. Both players resolve their attacks, remove casualties, and adjust combat fatigue. The attack caused one point of combat fatigue to both Upsilon and Alpha squads. Because there has been no turnover, Player A decides to continue the firefight between Alpha and Upsilon squads…

 

Example 2. Player A declares a “Fire” action with squad Alpha against squad Upsilon. Player B springs his trap and reacts not with squad Upsilon but squad Omega, a team of heavy weapons specialists who are cheerfully holed up in some ruins to the left of squad Upsilon. The resulting triangle of fire suppresses squad Alpha, adding three points of combat fatigue to the two it already has (5 CF > 3 Morale, suppressed). Because squad Alpha is suppressed, there is a turnover. Player B wonders how to exploit this turn of events as he plots his next course of action (which will likely involved advancing squad Upsilon and advancing on the suppressed squad Alpha for payback!     

Action List

Advance - The models in the unit may move as far as those models’ speed scores. Once all models have reached their final position, the unit may attack a hostile unit in ranged combat. Attacking models may only use weaponry that may be fired on the move.

Fire - The unit may attack another unit in ranged combat. That unit must have models within range and line of sight of at least one model in the attacking unit. In particular the unit may use weapons that require the model carrying the weapon to remain stationary in order to use it.

Assaults – The player moves all models in the unit into base-to-base contact with a hostile model within a distance defined by their Speed score. All other models must move as close as possible to a model in the target unit. Once the models are all moved, the unit resolves attacks the target unit in assault combat. Models may only use weaponry that may be used on the move.

Rally - If the unit has models out of unit coherency or all models are within their speed score of nearby cover, then the models are moved into unit coherency and/or into the nearby cover. Once all regrouping is done, the unit loses 1d6 combat fatigue points. It loses extra points if it regrouped into cover or is in cover at 1 for concealment, 2 for soft cover, 3 for hard cover.

March - The unit may move, doubling its speed score for the duration of the action.

Psychic Powers - A model in a unit uses a psychic power. When a model is making a psychic power action, a psychic test must be passed before the effect of the specific power being used is resolved. A unit may only make use one psychic power per action.

Mount/Dismount - A squad may mount a vehicle if that vehicle is within the speed score of all the models in the unit. Likewise a squad of infantry mounted in a vehicle may dismount, moving up to their speed score away from the vehicle. When mounting or dismounting, two models in the unit may make ranged attacks - before they move when mounting up and after they move when dismounting.

Use Scanner - the unit stops and pauses while a specialist consults his/her/its version of a scanner (auspex, enhanced senses, etc). During an immediately subsequent "Advance" or "Fire" action, the unit may ignore cover bonuses to the defense thresholds of models in the target unit(s).

Reaction List

Retreat - The models in a suppressed unit may move directly away from the acting unit. The distance is limited by the model's speed score and any terrain that needs crossing.

Return Fire - The unit may attack an acting unit in ranged combat. If the unit moved last turn, then it may only use weaponry that can only be fired on the move. This may not be used against units making assault actions.

Fight Back - The unit may fight in assault combat with any unit making an assault action that ends its movement in base to base contact with the reacting unit. If the reacting unit moved last turn, then it may not use weaponry that can only be fired on the move.

 

Nullification - The reacting player attempts to interfere with the casting roll of the acting player. The reacting player chooses a model from the reacting unit that has a psychic power score of 1+ and use its psychic score as a positive modifier for the casting threshold of the power. So say a power has a casting threshold of 5+, a model with a psychic score of 2 trying to nullify an attempt to cast that power would raise the threshold to 7+.

 

Statistics and Terms

Units
Models are grouped into units such as squads, squadrons, mobs, broods, and so forth. In these rules all groups of models are referred to as units. Where the rules refer to units, they mean the groups of models that must retain a unit coherency, and the act and react together. Each individual vehicle or monstrous creature model forms a unit.  

 

Unit Coherency

Infantry models include jump-pack troops, mounted troops, and just about anything that is not a vehicle. For the purpose of these rules bike-mounted models are not vehicles. Infantry models must remain within 2" of each other; this is called "unit coherency". If units lose coherency for whatever reason, they are suppressed.

Model Statistics:

Type (Infantry or Vehicle/Monstrous Creature)

Speed (used for measuring distances in movement)

Agility (used to negotiate difficult terrain)

Ballistic Skill (used for determining success in ranged combat)

Assault Skill (used for determining success in assault combat)

Defense Threshold (used to determine success of attacks against the model)

Armour (used to determine the model’s resistance to attacks)

Morale (used to determine whether the unit a model leads is suppressed)

 

Weapon Statistics

-          Range (If not "PB" then the score is the short range of the weapon, while medium range is twice this score, and long range is twice medium range. PB is "point-blank and is base to base or melee range).

-          Power (multiplied by the success of an attack to determine the kind of damage an attack inflicts)

-          Rate of Fire (defines the number of attacks that a weapon can make starting with 1d6 at RoF0)

-          Accuracy (affects the success of attacks made with that weapon depending on the type of combat)

-          Special (includes terms like heavy weaponry, grenades, area effect weapons, etc).

 

Weapon Terms:

-One-handed/Two-handed – An infantry model may carry two one-handed weapons or one one-handed weapon and a two-handed weapon. Only one weapon may be used in each action.

-Grenade - May be carried in addition to one-handded and two-handed weapons.

-Blast - May not use RoF points to bolster attaack roll, affects models closest to a target model chosen by the attacker. These models need not be part of the target model’s unit and can even be friendly.

-Gets Hot - Attacks rolling a "1" attack the wielding model with MoS derived from modified attack score.

-AT – adds +x to the MoS when figuring out the damage score of the attack against vehicles.

-Heavy – May only be used during “Fire” and “Return Fire” actions/reactions. Infantry may carry no other weapons.

-Barrage – These weapons cause an additional point of combat fatigue when used.

-Psychic Shock – Always causes overkill damage to infantry and monstrous creatures, but not vehicles.

-Ordnance – Weapon may only be mounted on vehicles and fortifications. May only be used during “Fire” action. These weapons cause an additional point of combat fatigue when used.

 

Weaponry in Assaults

During an assault a model may only use one type of weapon, unless it has additional weapons with the same Power, RoF, Accuracy, and Special. An example is a model armed with a bolt pistol (Power: 3, Accuracy: 0, Special: None) and a chainsword (Power: 3, Accuracy: 0, Special: None). Only weapons with a range of “PB” may use Accuracy modifiers in assault combat.

Movement
Open Ground

Models cross open ground simply by being moved a distance in inches according to their action. All distances are described in inches using the edge of a model’s base as a reference point for measuring. Some models, such as large vehicles, have no base and player’s discretion is required to determine from which point on the model movement and other distances are measured.

Crossing Difficult Terrain

Terrain such as dense brush, deep mud, minefields, and such are difficult to cross. The clumsier a unit, the slower they move through it. Also, difficult terrain reduces model's overall movement, even if the difficult terrain was only a small part of a model's movement. When crossing difficult terrain the player must roll 1d6 and add it to the agility score of every model in the unit. If the resulting number equals or beats the difficulty threshold of the terrain being moved through, then the model may more through normally. If the resulting number is less than the difficult threshold then the difference reduces the model's total movement distance in that action. A result of one on a roll means that the models cannot enter the difficult terrain at all.

 
Example 1. A unit containing three models with agility scores of 2, 4, 5 have to cross some difficult terrain. A "3" is rolled on 1d6. The first model (AG2) gets its move reduced by 2". The other two models move normally.

 

Example 2. A squad of Imperial Guardsmen (all AG3) have to cross some difficult terrain. A “2” is rolled and so the entire squad has its speed reduced by 2” for that action. 

 
Terrain Difficulty Thresholds

1.Open ground (Difficulty 0)

2. Difficult ground (Difficulty 7+)

3. Very Difficult ground (Difficulty: 9+)

4. Impassible terrain (Impassible)

 

Combat
Ranged Combat

1.        Declare target unit. Check range and LOS for eligible attacking and defending models.

2.        Resolve casualties (see Resolving Casualties)

3.        Record combat fatigue and check for suppression.

Assault Combat

1.        Move as many acting models as possible into base-to-base contact with models of the target unit(s), with the maximum distance moveable being the model’s speed score.

2.        Resolve casualties (see Resolving Casualties)

3.        Record combat fatigue and check for suppression.

4.        Suppressed units move away from enemy units, as far as their speed score will take them

 

Resolving Casualties

1.        Arrange fire/combat teams – establish attack dice.

2.        Calculate bonuses to the attack die of each fire team

3.        Calculate bonuses to defense thresholds of model in the target unit.

4.        Team by team roll the attack dice, establish MoS against closest target models

5.        Determine damage and remove casualties

6.        Calculate combat fatigue depending on worst damage suffered

 

Details on Resolving Casualties for Ranged and Assault Combat:

1.Divide the attacking unit into teams by the different types of weapons being used in the attack. Teams are composed of all models in the unit armed with the same type of weapon and able to see a model in the target unit. For each team establish its total RoF. The total RoF for the team is the weapon's RoF + RoF bonus for additional weapons. For every point of RoF, the team may roll one extra die or add a +1 modifier to the dice that it rolls.

 

Example 1. A team of Imperial Guardsmen has “x” number of lasguns available.

If the team has 1 Lasgun, and thus RoF0, it rolls 1d6

If the team has 2 Lasguns, and thus RoF1, it rolls 1d6+1 or 2d6

If the team has 3 Lasguns, and thus RoF1, it rolls 1d6+1 or 2d6

If the team has 4 Lasguns, and thus RoF2, it rolls 1d6+2 or 2d6+1 or 3d6

If the team has 5 Lasguns, and thus RoF2, it rolls 1d6+2 or 2d6+1 or 3d6

If the team has 6 Lasguns, and thus RoF2, it rolls 1d6+2 or 2d6+1 or 3d6

If the team has 7 Lasguns, and thus RoF2, it rolls 1d6+2 or 2d6+1 or 3d6

If the team has 8 Lasguns, and thus RoF3, it rolls 1d6+3 or 2d6+2 or 3d6+1 or 4d6

Etc

 

2. Determine the modifiers that will added to or subtracted from the dice rolled by the fire team. These modifiers include the skills of the attackers, the range to the target, accuracy of the weapon, and RoF points not used to roll more attack dice.

 

Example 1. A squad of Imperial Guardsmen is attacking another. It has three fire teams, one of eight lasguns, one plasmagun, and one lascannon. The lasguns are firing 3d6+1 for RoF point not used for an attack die +0 for the Guardsmen’s BS0, +0 for the lasguns accuracy of 0, and +1 again because the closest models in the team and the target are in the lasgun’s close range. In total the player rolls 3d6 and adds +2 to each die result for the modified attack score of the attacks made by the lasgun team.

 

3. Determine the modified defense score of models in the target unit(s) who are within range and Los to the closest model in the team. The modified defense score is the model's basic defense score plus modifiers for cover, movement, psychic powers, special rules, etc.

 

Example 1. A squad of Imperial Guardsmen is being attacked. An Imperial Guardsman has a basic Defense Threshold of 3+. Six of them are out in the open and four are sheltered in light cover (+2 to defense), in this case a wooden building. The six in the open have modified defense thresholds of 3+ while the ones in the building have modified thresholds of 5+.

   

4. Team by team, roll the attack dice and allocate them to the closest target models. Compared the modified result of each die to the modified defense result of its assigned model. If the modified attack score is equal or greater than the modified defense threshold, then damage is resolved at an MoS equal to the difference between the attack and defense scores.

 

Example 1. The player has a squad of Imperial Guardsmen, 1 team armed with lasguns, another team armed with a plasmagun, and a third toting a lascannon. The lasgun dice are rolled first, and have a modified attack score of 4, 4, and 6. The closest three models in the target unit have modified defense thresholds of 4+, meaning two attacks are resolved at MoS0 and the third is at MoS2.

 

Example 2. The same squad rolls 1d6 for its plasmagun. The modified defense score of the nearest model in the target unit is 5+. The modified attack score of the plasmagun team is 6. The damage for the attack is resolved at MoS1.

 

Example 3. The same squad rolls 1d6 for its lascannon. The modified defense score of the nearest model in the target unit is 5+. The modified attack score of the lascannon is 4. The attack does no damage. 

 

5. The damage suffered by models affected by attacks is determined by the MoS of the attack. The MoS of an attack is multiplied by the Power of the weapon making the attack. The product is the "damage score" of the attack.

a.        If damage score > target model’s armour score, the model sustains light damage.

b.       If damage score > 2x the target model’s armour score, the model sustains heavy damage.

c.        If damage score > 3x the target model’s armour score, the model sustains overkill damage.

 

Example 1. An Imperial Guardsman with Armour 3 is hit by an attack with MoS2 and Power2. Since MoS2 multiplied by Power2 is 4, and greater than the Guardsman’s Armour 3, the Guardsman receives light damage. This is probably a disabling attack to the leg or gut-shot.

 

Example 2. An Imperial Guardsman with Armour 3 is hit by an attack with MoS4 and Power2. Since MoS4 multiplied by Power2 is 8, and greater than twice the Guardsman’s Armour 3, the Guardsman receives heavy damage. The Imperial Guardsmen is probably dismembered.

 

Example 3. An Imperial Guardsman with Armour 3 is hit by an attack with MoS2 and Power6. Since MoS2 multiplied by Power6 is 12, and more than three times greater than the Guardsman’s Armour 3, the Guardsman receives overkill damage. The poor Guardsman is explosively discorporated, instantly vapourized, or swallowed whole.     

 

6. A unit suffers combat fatigue from the most serious damage it sustained during the attack.

-No damage = 1 point of combat fatigue

-Light damage = 2 points of combat fatigue

-Heavy damage = 3 points of combat fatigue

-Overkill = 4 points of combat fatigue

 

Example 1. A unit that took light damage to three models and heavy damage to one model would gain three points of combat fatigue to its total because it took heavy damage.

 

Attacking Multiple Units in One Action:

Units may split the attacks from their fire or combat teams amongst units that have models within 2" of each other and resemble one large unit. Attacks still affect the closest models. All squads that were attacked receive combat fatigue equal to the worst damage result caused by the attack.

 

Example 1. There are two squads of Imperial Guardsmen with models within 2” of another. One squad has three models and the other has ten. Both are in line of sight to an attacker. The all three models in the small squad of three are closer to the attack, so attacks are resolved against it first. However, the attacking squad has four attack dice to distribute. Because the two squads are so close together, the fourth die is allocated to the closest model in the second squad of ten rather than being wasted.

 

Combat Bonuses

RoF Bonus for extra weapons in fire teams:

# of Troopers with weapon...RoF bonus

1...+0
2...+1
4...+2
8...+3
16...+4
32...+5

Modifiers to Attack Dice

- Highest Ballistic Skill or Assault skill in the team

- Accuracy of the weapon used by the team

- RoF points not used for attack dice

- Flank and Rear attacks against vehicles and monstrous creatures

- Unit is making an “Advance” action for –1

- Range from the closest in the fire team to closest target model

 

Range..................Modifier

Point Blank........... 0

Short Range........ +1

Medium Range........0

Long Range..........-1

 

Modifiers to Defense Threshold

- Movement Bonuses to the Defense Threshold

Model moving 12”+ this turn, +1

Model moving up to 24”+ this turn, +2

- Cover Bonuses to the Defense Threshold

Concealment......+1
Soft Cover.......+2

Hard Cover.......+3

 

Damage
There are four levels of damage. There is “no damage” which means a model has been attacked but for various reasons is able to soldier on. It could be completely unharmed or it could merely be scratched. The second level of damage is “light damage”. Models with one armour score are disabled by light damage. Models with two or three armour scores roll on the light damage table to see how they are affected. Light damage represents effects that are just enough to incapacitate a delicate target such as a human body. The third level of damage is “heavy damage”. Models with one or two armour scores are disabled. Models with three armour scores roll on the heavy damage table to see how they are affected. This level of damage represents serious injury, including decapitation, and the recipient of such damage is not merely unwilling to continue but physically unable due to missing or destroyed parts. Finally there is “overkill damage” which disables anything that it happens to. Various forms of overkill damage include vapourization and large devastating explosions that leave small pieces of scrap raining from the sky. When models are disabled by damage, they are considered destroyed. Infantry models should be removed from the table and vehicle or monstrous creature models can be left as difficult terrain, unless overkilled. All overkilled models are removed from the board.

 

Note on armour scores:

1.        “Armour x” means a model can be disabled by light damage

2.        “Armour x/2x” means a model can be disabled by heavy damage and rolls for light damage effects

3.        “Armour x/2x/3x” means a model is only disabled by overkill and rolls for other damage effects.

Light Damage Chart

1.        Unit sustains an extra point of combat fatigue

2.        Speed and Agility reduced by 1 point

3.        Ballistic skill reduced by 1 point

4.        Assault and Defense reduced by 1 point

5.        Weapon disabled, attacker's choice

6.        Model takes heavy damage

 

Heavy Damage Chart

1.        Unit sustains an extra point of combat fatigue

2.        Speed and Agility reduced to 0

3.        Ballistic Skill reduced to 0.

4.        Assault and Defense reduced to 0.

5.        Model is disabled.

6.        Model is overkilled.

Vehicles and Monsters

Vehicles and monstrous creatures with multiple weapons, unlike infantry models, are able to use multiple weapons in a single action. Certain models may transport infantry models, with the number and type listed in its entry. In order to mount a transport, the infantry must move into the space occupied by the transport's model. Attacks against these kinds of models receive a +1 bonus for being clearly from the flank and +2 bonus for being clearly from the rear.

Ramming
Instead of attacking with a weapon, a vehicle or monstrous creature may ram. The model moves and attacks as normal. The model itself behaves as a weapon. Its speed score defines the Power of the attack. The number of models in the defending unit(s) defines the attack’s RoF. However, for every model that the vehicle/monstrous creature successfully attacks (MoS0 or above) but does not even lightly damage, the attack is resolved against the vehicle/monstrous creature itself!

Model's Speed Score...Power Score

1"....1
2"....2
4"....3
8"....4
16"....5
32"....6

RoF Defined by number of targets in unit

Models…RoF

1…0

2…1

4…2

8…3

16…4

32…5

 

Example 1. A Rhino APC is making an assault action and the player declares it will make a ramming attack against a suppressed Imperial Guard squad in front of it. The Rhino has a speed score of 12”, giving the attack Power4. The enemy squad is just 5 models, so the attack is at RoF2 (so much easier to plow into a crowd!). The player decides to roll 3d6 for the attack. The results are two attacks at MoS1 and one attack at MoS3. Two Guardsmen are lightly damaged and one is overkilled (squished flat under the Rhino’s tracks).

 

Example 2. The same Rhino makes an assault action again, declaring a ramming attack, against a squad of Space Marines (Armour 5). There are three marines, so the RoF of the attack is 2, and again at Power4. To ensure the success the Rhino rolls 1d6. Disaster! A “1” is rolled, and the modified attack score isn’t high enough to affect the marine, who dodges out of the way.

 

Example 3. A Rhino (Armour 7) makes an assault action, declaring a ram attack, against a lone Terminator (Armour 9). Sure enough the Rhino hits the Terminator with an attack at MoS2. However, this is not enough to damage the Terminator (Damage score 8 < 9) and so the attack is compared to the Rhino (Damage score 8 > 7), resulting in light damage!     

Skimmers
These vehicles may ignore difficult terrain while moving. However if a skimmer ends its move in difficult terrain it must make a difficult terrain test. If the test is failed then the model suffers light damage.

Skimmers can make pop-up attacks during an action that permits a ranged attack and movement (such as an advance action). During this the skimmer may rise up to its speed distance vertically, at the apex of which the attack is made. Immediately after the action though the skimmer is moved back to its original position, presumably hugging the ground right behind some cover! At the apex of its movement, when it can draw line-of-sight to a unit, a reacting unit may attack it.

 

Example 1. A Falcon Grav-tank is hiding behind a hill. The player declares an advance action and the Falcon rises up to draw a line of sight to an Imperial Guard Squad. The other player declares the IG squad is going to react by returning fire. The units exchange attacks, add the combat fatigue for the attacks and the actions, and then the Falcon sinks back behind the hill to its starting position.

 

Miscellaneous Special Rules

Indirect Fire Weapons

These weapons may be used to attack targets within range but not line of sight of the attacking models. In addition, when an indirect fire weapon is being used to fire indirectly, when a line of sight cannot be drawn from the attacker to the defender, the attacker has a -1 attack modifier. An action or reaction that involves using an indirect fire weapon earns the unit two points of combat fatigue instead of one.

 

Ignore Cover

Any weapon with this note does not allow its targets to gain defense score bonuses from cover that they are occupying. 

 

Very Long Range

Models may make attacks at Very Long Range, which is twice that of Long Range, with attacks at a –3 modifier.

Jump Packs

These devices allow equipped models to replace their natural speed score with a jump speed score (depending on the jump pack available to the army). A model using jumping movement do not make difficult terrain tests for terrain they can jump over, the height being defined by the jump speed score of their pack. However, if a model lands in difficult terrain it must make a difficult terrain test. If the test is failed then model suffers light damage.

Snipers
Models designated as such may choose to attack specific models, rather than units, subject to normal considerations of range and line of sight. Only other units with sniper models may react to "Fire" actions made by units where only the sniper model is attacking.

Daemons
As Daemons are just about the most un-natural things going, they do not incur damage. However, as the stuff of nightmares and dreams, they are incredibly vulnerable to psychic attack. When a unit of Daemons is suppressed, it is sent back to the Warp and removed from the board.

Psychic Powers

In order to use a psychic power the player nominates a casting model. This model must have the declared psychic power. The model must also have a psychic score of 1+. In addition to the casting model, the player may have other models with a psychic score of 1+ assist it. Every model assisting the casting model adds 1d6 to the roll. The casting model itself contributes dice equal to its psychic score. All the dice are rolled, and the player chooses the highest adding +1 for every additional "6" rolled after the first. This roll is negatively modified by the current combat fatigue of the unit. If this equals or exceeds the casting threshold of the power that the model is trying to use, than that power is successful cast and its effect is resolved. So a model in a unit with a current combat fatigue of 2, and a psychic score of 3 will roll 3d6, subtracting 2 from the highest dice and add +1 for additional 6s rolled.

Catastrophic Failure to Cast Psychic Power

For every "1" rolled on the dice rolled to cast a psychic power, the unit of the casting model gains a point of combat fatigue [F]. The energies of the warp have proved too much and attack the wielder. This does not interfere with the success of the psychic power roll.

Psychic Power: Summoning - Threshold: Special

In order to summon a Daemon or group of Daemons, massive amounts of energy from the warp must be gathered, for that power is necessary for the existence of Daemons and without it they fade and are drawn howling back to the Warp. Any model with a psychic score of 1+ can attempt to summon Daemons. Instead of a threshold, the success of the psychic test used in the summoning is used to represent Summoning Points. These points may then be invested in Daemon models, each of which has a specific number of summoning points before they will appear. Once a test has been made, is not nullified, and Daemons have been selected, then the models are placed on the board within 6" of models from the summoning unit.

Any excess summoning points are not discarded however, until the unit makes another action or reaction that is not a Psychic Power action. These summoning points may be used the next turn and contribute to any subsequent summonings made by the unit. A unit may only summon daemons of the same alignment as the mark or icon they bear, or of any alignment if they have the Mark of Chaos. Summoning Daemons is a psychic power as outlined in the action: Psychic Power. Units without psychic models may summon daemons using the action: Psychic Power if they have an Icon.

Icons
Each Icon has a psychic score just like a model. When a unit using an Icon makes a Psychic Power: Summoning action, the Icon may be used to resolve the casting of that power.

Hero Points

When designing a scenario and forces, the players may also distribute "hero points". These points may be used during the game to make dice roll natural sixes. Hero points must be allocated prior to rolling the dice and may be used to gain additional "6" bonuses to a roll. The number of hero points is limited by the number of dice, so a Guardsman rolling 1d6 for an attack roll may only have one hero point allocated to make it an automatic six instead of rolling.

Or a player may use hero points to save models from the effects of damage. A model that takes light damage requires one hero point to save. A model that takes heavy damage requires two hero points to save it from damage. A model that takes overkill damage requires four hero points to save (you have to be very heroic!). Of course, a model that can take light damage effects rather than being disabled may have a hero point spent to downgrade an attack that inflicts heavy damage to one that merely inflicts light damage.