Arbites
Provided below are the house rules we use for Arbites squads.
The Adeptus Arbites are the police force of the Adeptus Terra, devoted to enforcing Imperial
law throughout the entire Imperium. Utterly dedicated and without mercy, the Arbites are
feared throughout the galaxy, for they are the agents of a harsh law, where failure and
incompetence are crimes, and the only punishment is death.
Arbites are empowered to act as
judge, jury and executioner. Citizens have no rights, and only members of the Priesthood of
Terra or the Inquisition could claim anything so elaborate as a trial.
The Adeptus Arbites maintains a presence on almost every Imperial world, headquartered in
fortified Precinct-Fortresses, also known as Courthouses. The courthouses are equipped to be
self-sufficient and highly defensible. They consist of armouries, dungeons, barracks,
firing ranges, scriptories, archives, warehouses, kitchens, gymnasia and garages.
Courthouses are sometimes a world's only connection with the rest of the Imperium.
The Adeptus Arbites enforce the Lex Imperialis, embodied within the great Book of Judgement.
Their organisation represents the soldiers and police of the Adeptus Terra.
However each of the Imperium's worlds have their own government, laws, and law enforcement.
The Arbites concern themselves only with the enforcement of the broader laws to which the entire Imperium is subject.
But if local law enforcement is lax in their duties and allow lawlessness to fester the
Arbites will brutally intervene to restore order as they deem necessary.
Well armored and provisioned with powerful combat shotguns and bolters, Arbitrator patrols
are a force to be reckoned with in the dirty sprawl of the underhive.
Gang Composition
An Arbites squad must follow these rules when it is founded, and when new fighters are added to the gang.
Fighters
A starting Arbites squad is made up of the following fighters.
Primary: Combat, Leadership, Shooting
Starting: Judges start with 1 skill chosen from their Primary skill sets
Armored: 4+ save (included in profile)
Aegis of Authority: While this fighter is on the battlefield and not Seriously Injured, if their gang would have to take a Bottle test
the gang's controlling player may choose to automatically pass it.
Primary: Combat, Shooting
Secondary: Ferocity, Leadership
Starting: Marshalls start with 1 skill chosen from their Primary skill sets
Armored: 4+ save (included in profile)
Unadvanceable: This fighter cannot gain XP and cannot gain Advancements.
Animal: Cannot use gear, open doors, operate devices, or use ladders. Cannot climb, unless the fighter also has the Clamber skill. Can step up, leap, and go over obstacles. Uses Cool instead of Leadership when taking the Detect (Basic) action.
No Permanent Injury: If this fighter is put Out of Action, roll a D6 on the following Injury chart:
Armored: 4+ save (included in profile)
Choose 1: A single skill may be selected from the list below when a Cybermastiff is added to a roster, and cannot be changed thereafter.
Primary: Combat, Shooting
Armored: 4+ save (included in profile)
Arbites Skills
When a Arbite would pick a Primary Skill, they may instead choose one of the following
Arbites Skills.
Ballistics Expert: This fighter may Check the Range before they decide to take a Shoot action.
Additionally, when this fighter takes an Aim action they gain an additional +1 modifier to their hit roll.
Captivater: When this fighter takes an enemy fighter Out of Action in close combat or from no further than 6'' away and
this fighter is not Engaged with any other enemy fighters, this ability may be used.
Instead of making a Lasting Injury roll for the enemy fighter being put Out of Action, the controlling player of this fighter may
put both this fighter and the enemy fighter Out of Action, removing both from the battlefield.
If this option is chosen this fighter gains the normal XP for taking the enemy fighter Out of Action plus 1 additional XP,
and the enemy fighter is Captured by the controlling player's gang.
Grenadier: When this fighter throws a Grenade or shoots a Grenade Launcher, their Long range is increased by 4''.
Additionally, when one of this fighter's Grenades scatters, their controlling player may choose to increase or decrease the scatter distance by up to 1''.
Motivated: When activated this fighter may attempt a Willpower check. If this check is successful the fighter gains one additional action
that they may use during this activation, but if the check is failed the fighter has one less action available to them during this
activation.
Munitioneer: When an Ammo check is failed for this fighter or a friendly fighter within 6'', it can be re-rolled.
Overwatch: If this fighter is Active and Readied, they can interrupt a
visible enemy fighters action as soon as it is declared but
before it is carried out. This fighter loses their Ready
marker, then immediately makes a Shoot action, targeting
the enemy fighter whose action has been declared. If the
enemy fighter is Pinned or Seriously Injured by this attack, their action is not made and their turn ends
immediately.
Equipment List
When creating a new gang or buying Common equipment during a Post Battle Sequence,
Arbites may select from the following House Equipment list.
Weapons (CCWs)
Weapons (Pistols)
Weapons (Basic)
Weapons (Specials)
Grenades
Ammunition
Attachments
Bionics
Wargear
Tactics Cards
An Arbites squad may only use the following Tactics Cards:
Adrenaline Surge
You may play this card when activating a fighter.
The currently activating fighter can make one additional action this turn.
Ammo Boxes
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
You may set up D3+1 ammo caches anywhere on the battlefield.
Auto-Healer
You may play this card at the start of any End phase.
Choose one of your gang's Seriously Injured fighters. That fighter becomes Pinned.
Blackout
You may play this card at the start of any round.
For the duration of this round ranged attacks have an additional -1 modifier if made at short range, or a -2 modifier if made at long range.
Attackers using a bionic eye, infra-scope, photo-goggles or similar item, or if targeting a fighter with a Blaze marker, ignore these modifiers.
Blazing Fury
You may play this card when activating a fighter.
For the duration of this fighter's activation they treat the Shoot action as Simple rather than Basic.
Comm Burst
You may play this at the start of any round.
For the duration of this round, Group Activation and Leading by Example have unlimited range for your gang's fighters, and any
of your gang's Broken fighters attempting to Rally add 1 for each Active fighter from your gang remaining on the battlefield instead of the usual 3'' distance.
Crossfire
You may play this card when a fighter makes a ranged attack against a target who has already been shot at by a friendly fighter, instead of rolling to hit.
Do not roll to hit for this fighter's ranged attack, but do roll Firepower dice as normal. The ranged attack automatically hits.
Emergency Seal ( Ω )
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
Ductways cannot be used for the duration of this round; they are treated as not being on the battlefield at all.
Fearsome Reputation
You may play this card when activating a fighter. Tuck this card under that fighter's card.
This fighter gains the benefits of the Fearsome skill for the remainder of this battle.
Fire Discipline
You may play this card at the start of the battle after setting up your gang.
For the duration of the battle ranged attacks made by your fighters only trigger an Ammo check if the Firepower dice rolls an Ammo symbol and the hit roll is a success.
Healthy Paranoia
You may play this card on a fighter when they are set up on the battlefield. Tuck this card under that fighter's card.
For the remainder of the battle if a Hidden enemy fighter moves within 12'' and line of sight of this fighter that enemy fighter's action ends immediately, this fighter stops being a Sentry (if relevant), gets a Ready marker if they do not already have one, and this fighter may activate immediately.
Lead by Example
You may play this card when the Leader of your gang takes an enemy fighter Out of Action.
Any of your gang's fighters who are Pinned may stand up for free. Any of your gang's fighters who are Seriously Injured may recover, taking a Flesh Wound and becoming Pinned. Any of your gang's fighters who are Broken immediately Rally.
Master Switch ( Ω )
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
Choose A or B:
A) open every unlocked closed door on the battlefield.
B) close every open door on the battlefield.
Point-Blank Shot
You may play this card during the Pick Weapons step of the close combat sequence when one of your gang's fighters is making a close combat attack.
This fighter may pick one of their ranged weapons to use in this close combat sequence as if that weapon had the Pistol trait. Weapon profiles that have the Blast trait or the Template trait cannot be selected, however.
Proper Preparation
You may play this card when you set up one of your gang's fighters onto the battlefield. Tuck this card under that fighter's card.
For the duration of this battle, all of this fighter's ranged weapon profiles lose the Scarce trait if they have it and gain the Plentiful trait if they do not have it.
Snap Fire
You may play this card to interrupt an enemy fighter's action when they move into the vision arc of one of your gang's Active fighters.
Your fighter may make a ranged attack targeting the interrupted enemy fighter, with a -1 modifier. Weapons with the Blast or Template traits cannot be used to make this attack. If the enemy fighter is still Active after this attack,
their action resumes.
Sterner Stuff
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
Each of your gang's fighters who is Broken may make a Rally check immediately with a +2 bonus.
Suppressing Fire
You may play this card when activating an Active fighter with a Rapid Fire ranged weapon.
Select one of the fighter's ranged weapons with the Rapid Fire trait that is not Out of Ammo and roll the weapon's Firepower dice to determine a number of hits; ignore the Ammo symbol if it is rolled. You may then target up to that many Active enemy fighters within line of sight and in range of the weapon. Each of the targeted enemy fighters becomes Pinned, and this fighter's activation ends.
Tech Override
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters must make an Intelligence check to interact with a device, terminal, loot box, or similar.
The Intelligence check is passed automatically. If there is more than one possible outcome when interacting with the object, you may select the outcome you prefer.
They're Everywhere!
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
Select up to D3+1 fighters on the battlefield (belonging to any gang). For each selected fighter, you may change that fighter's facing to any direction you prefer.
Campaign
If using the Bounty system defined in our house rules,
Arbites cannot take out Bounties on other gangs, and for obvious reasons the Guilders
are not foolish enough to cross the Adeptus Arbites which prevents other gangs from posting
Bounties on members of an Arbites squad.
The following changes to the standard Gang War rules are in effect when using Arbites
in campaign mode. Sections not mentioned follow the standard rules.
Turf Size and Special Territories
Arbites have a Turf Size of 0 and never gain or lose Turf.
Arbites start with the Precinct-Fortress Special Territory (described below), never gain
any other Special Territory, and the Precint-Fortress cannot be taken from them.
Precinct-Fortress Special Territory
During the Post-Battle Sequence, when the gang would draw income, you may instead
choose to roll 2D6 and subtract the total number of fighters currently on the Arbite gang's
roster, then consult the following table for the outcome.
Pre-battle Sequence
The controlling player of a Arbites squad follows the standard Pre-Battle Sequence step by step in the normal fashion,
but with the following alterations applied where noted.
1) Buy Advancements and Recruit Hired Guns
Arbites cannot hire Hired Guns, but can apply Advancements.
2) Determine Scenario
If the Looter Scenario is chosen, Arbites are always the defender.
If the Sabotage Scenario is chosen, Arbites are always the attacker.
3) Set-up Battlefield
There are no changes to this step.
4) Choose Crews
There are no changes to this step.
5) Draw Tactics Cards
There are no changes to this step.
6) Deploy
There are no changes to this step.
7) Begin the battle
There are no changes to this step.
Post-battle Sequence
The controlling player of a Arbites squad follows the standard Post-Battle Sequence step by step in the normal fashion,
but with the following alterations applied where noted.
1) Wrap Up
There are no changes to this step for a Arbites squad.
2) Collect Income
Arbites draw an income of 50 credits from higher HQ.
2) Receive Rewards
Gaining, Losing and Stealing Turf
Arbites never gain or lose Turf. If a reward lets a Arbite gang steal Turf
from another gang, the latter gang's Turf Size is decreased as described
previously, but the Arbite's Turf Size remains 0.
Roll a D6 and subtract the amount by which the
other gang’s Turf Size decreased. On a result of 0 or less,
they lose one of their Special Territories chosen
randomly as normal, but the Arbites do not gain this Special Territory.
3) Post-Battle Actions
Work the Gang’s Turf
This action is not available to Arbites.
Trade
This action is not available to Arbites.
Sell to the Guilders
This action is not available to Arbites.
Medical Escort
Arbites use the following rules for this action instead of
the standard Medical Escort rules.
The fighter escorts a critically injured fighter to the Doc.
Pick another fighter in the gang who
suffered a Critical Injury during the battle, and
roll a D6 on the table below:
Dispense Justice
The fighter can execute or remand to custody
any number of captive fighters even if their gang
has not had a chance to rescue them (see page 101).
The captive’s controlling player should be informed
as soon as possible, and must delete the captive
from their roster.
The Arbites gain 1 Reputation for every captive
fighter dispensed with in this way. Additionally,
roll a D6 once on the table below, adding the number
of captive fighters dispensed with in this way to your roll:
After Action Citation
Only the Leader may take this action. Pick another fighter in the gang who participated in the battle
and earned at least 2 XP to submit to higher HQ for recognition. That
fighter gains D3+1 additional XP.
Patrol The Beat
To use this action, no other Post-Battle Actions may be taken in this Post-Battle Sequence.
All available Arbites squad members go out on patrol, bringing law and justice and the occasional summary execution
to the streets, tunnels, and domes of the underhive. The Arbites squad gains 1 Reputation. Randomly select D3 of the
gang members participating in this action; those fighters deal with an altercation while on patrol
and gain 1 additional XP each (if able).
4) Use Special Territories
An Arbites squad uses the Precinct-Fortress Special Territory at this step.
5) Update Roster
The substeps of this step resolve as normal, except where noted below.
6) Report Results
There are no changes to this step.