Chaos Cultists
Provided below are the house rules we use for Chaos Cultists squads.
A Chaos Cult is a group of people worshiping the Ruinous Powers, either selectively or as a unified power.
Cults are often comprised of a large mess of people who for some reason or other have forsaken their duty,
and a demagogue, who is the spiritual and sometime martial leader of the Cult.
The goal of each Cult varies wildly, from overthrowing governments, to providing aid to other heretical organizations,
to sowing chaos and destruction, to undermining the hegemony of the Imperium, to just simple nihilistic urges to see a world burn.
Mere survival is also an important secondary motivation on many Imperial worlds, where Chaos worship is the greatest of heresies
and Inquisitors are always vigilant and ready to wipe out any taint of Chaos. On planets of that sort Cults are generally clandestine in nature, as discovery could bring with it attention from local Arbites all the way
up to the Inquisition, cults tend to be adept at hiding. Some do so behind the front of some form of legitimate
organization in their attempt to accumulate local or planetary power, such as trade unions,
charitable organizations, accepted religious groups and even local variants of the Imperial Cult.
Other Cults take up residence at the fringes of society, anywhere the authorities don't normally go serving as an ideal breeding ground for their subversive heresy to take root.
At first glance some Chaos Cultists are indistinguishable from normal men, but under the clothes of most of them
the flesh is tattooed or branded with sigils that reveal their true allegience. Others in areas where Imperial oversight is weaker
can be wildly distinctive in appearance, sporting bizarre clothing, hairstyle, or outright daemonic mutations announcing
their true nature for all to see.
Gang Composition
A Chaos Cultists squad must follow these rules when it is founded, and when new fighters are added to the gang.
Chaos Mark
When making a Chaos Cultists gang, a player must pick one (and only one) of the following Chaos Marks,
representing which Chaos God the gang is devoted to. The selected Chaos Mark cannot be changed after the gang's creation.
In addition to providing guidance for the modeling and flavor of a gang, each Chaos Mark unlocks access to special Hangers-ons, and offers a powerful discretionary ability usable each round of a battle.
Fighters
A starting Chaos Cultists squad is made up of the following fighters.
Primary: Cunning, Ferocity, Leadership
Secondary: Combat, Savant
Starting: Demagogues start with 1 skill chosen from their Primary skill sets
Access: A Demagogue can be equipped with Basic Weapons, Close Combat Weapons, Special Weapons, Grenades, Pistols, Wargear, and up to one Mutation.
Cult Leader: While this fighter is standing, all other fighters in their gang within 12'' may use this fighter's Cool and Willpower characteristics instead of their own when making any checks.
Access: A Spawn may be equipped with any number of Chaos Mutations. They may not carry or use any other equipment.
Unadvanceable: This fighter cannot gain XP and cannot gain Advancements.
Superhumanly Tough: This fighter cannot be Pinned or Seriously Injured and is immune to Flesh Wounds.
Insane: This fighter automatically passes any Cool, Willpower, or Nerve test they are required to make. This fighter automatically fails any Leadership or Intelligence check they are required to make.
Warp Instability: If this fighter is put Out of Action roll a D6; on the roll of a 6 they are sucked into the warp and are removed from the gangs roster as if they were dead, otherwise they are removed from play and take no further part in the battle. If they are sucked into the warp, and were put Out of Action by an attack, the attacker gains 3 XP immediately.
Daemonsouled: 5+ unmodified save (included in profile)
Primary: Cunning, Ferocity
Secondary: Combat, Leadership, Savant
Starting: Disciples start with 1 skill chosen from their Primary skill sets
Access: A Disciple can be equipped with Basic Weapons, Close Combat Weapons, Special Weapons, Heavy Weapons, Grenades, Pistols, Wargear, and up to one Mutation.
Primary: Cunning, Ferocity
Secondary: Combat, Savant
Starting: A Witch starts with one Witch Power (from their Witch Powers ability).
Access: A Witch can be equipped with Close Combat Weapons, Grenades, Pistols, Wargear, and up to one Mutation.
Witch Powers: This fighter may select a Witch Power when they gain this skill and may select another Witch Power whenever
they could select a Primary Skill. Additionally, if this fighter is Active, Engaged, or Pinned
they may take the following action:
Use Witch Power (Basic): This fighter may make a Willpower check. If the Willpower check is a double 6, the Witch is taken Out of Action; even if the fighter's Willpower check would automatically pass they must still roll to see if they get double 6's. If the Willpower check is passed and the fighter is not taken Out of Action, select one of the fighter's Witch powers. That power is now active until the Witch suffers a Wound or activates a different Witch Power.
Primary: Cunning, Ferocity
Secondary: Combat, Savant
Access: A Helot can be equipped with Basic Weapons, Close Combat Weapons, Grenades, Pistols, Wargear, and up to one Mutation.
Chaos Cultists Hangers-on
A Chaos Cultists gang may only hire Hangers-ons from the below list.
An Undivided Chaos Cult may hire one of the below Hangers-ons
for every full 10 Reputation the gang has, but no more than one of each type (only 1 Khornate Berserker, and / or 1 Nurgling Lardass for instance).
Chaos Cults dedicated to a specific Chaos God can hire one of the Hangers-on of their chosen Chaos God when the gang is at 0 or more Reputation
(including at gang creation), and one more per 10 full Reputation the gang has up to four total Hangers-ons, and they may not hire Hangers-on
associated with any of the other Chaos Gods.
For instance, a Chaos Cult dedicated to Khorne can hire a Khornate Berserker at 0 Reputation,
and may hire another Khornate Berserker at 10 Reputation and another at 20 Reputation, and one more at 30 Reputation, but cannot hire a Slaaneshi Poisoner,
or a Tzeetchian Sorcerer, or a Nurgling Lardass.
150 credits
If a gang has a Khornate Berserker who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player
gains a Thundering Charge Tactics Card to use in the battle in addition to any other Tactics Cards available to them.
If the Khornate Berserker takes part in the battle, this Tactics Card can and must be played on the Khornate Berserker.
150 credits
If a gang has a Nurgling Lardass who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player
gains a Perseverance Tactics Card to use in the battle in addition to any other Tactics Cards available to them.
If the Nurgling Lardass takes part in the battle, this Tactics Card can and must be played on the Nurgling Lardass.
150 credits
If a gang has a Slaaneshi Poisoner who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player
gains a Battle Madness Tactics Card to use in the battle in addition to any other Tactics Cards available to them.
250 credits
If a gang has a Tzeentchian Sorcerer who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player
gains a Seize the Initiative Tactics Card to use in the battle in addition to any other Tactics Cards available to them.
Chaos Cultists Skills
When a Chaos Cultist would pick a Primary Skill, they may instead choose one of the following
Chaos Cultists Skills.
Bull Charge: When this fighter makes close combat attacks as part of a
Charge action, any Melee attacks they use gain the
Knockback trait and are resolved at +1 Strength.
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.
Insane: This fighter automatically passes any Cool, Willpower, or Nerve test they are required to make. This fighter automatically fails any Leadership or Intelligence check they are required to make.
Mutant: This fighter may have up to an additional three Chaos Mutations.
Resilient: When a Lasting Injury roll is made for this fighter, a Grievous Injury result is treated as an Out Cold result, and a Permanent Injury result is treated as a Greivous Injury result.
Witch Powers: This fighter may select a Witch Power when they gain this skill and may select another Witch Power whenever
they could select a Primary Skill. Additionally, if this fighter is Active, Engaged, or Pinned
they may take the following action:
Use Witch Power (Basic): This fighter may make a Willpower check. If the Willpower check is a double 6, the Witch is taken Out of Action; even if the fighter's Willpower check would automatically pass they must still roll to see if they get double 6's. If the Willpower check is passed and the fighter is not taken Out of Action, select one of the fighter's Witch powers. That power is now active until the Witch suffers a Wound or activates a different Witch Power.
Witch Powers
Witch Powers are psychic abilities, channeling power from the Warp for various effects.
Warp Fire: When this fighter makes a Shoot action, they may use the following profile instead of an equipped weapon profile:
Scour
T
5
-1
1
-
Blaze, Template
Warp Fortune: If this fighter is Active, Engaged, or Pinned, they can make the following action:
Invoke Fortune of the Warp (Basic): Choose one: a) until this fighter's next activation this fighter gains +2 to all checks that they make or b) friendly fighters within 6'' and line of sight to this fighter gain +1 to all checks that they make.
Warp Levitation: If this fighter is Active, they can make the following action:
Levitate (Simple): This fighter can move up to 6'' horizontally in any direction.
This move can take the fighter to a different level up or down, as long as they do not move through any terrain.
If the fighter lands within 1'' of one or more enemy fighters they must move into base contact and become Engaged with at least
one of them. If they do this and are Engaged at the end of the action, they can immediately make a free Fight (Basic) action and
count as having charged their opponent.
Warp Shield: If this fighter is Active, Engaged, or Pinned, they can make the following action:
Invoke Warp Shield (Basic): Choose one: a) until this fighter's next activation this fighter gains a 2+ unmodified save or b) this fighter and friendly fighters within 6'' of this fighter gain a 5+ unmodified save.
Warp Strike: When this fighter makes a Fight action, they may use the following profile instead of an equipped weapon profile:
Clobber
E
+2
S+2
-2
2
-
Melee, Knockback, Power
Warp Visions: If this fighter is Active, they can make the following action:
Maddening Visions (Simple): Select a visible enemy fighter within this fighter's vision arc and line of sight. The enemy fighter must make a Nerve test immediately; if they fail they become Broken.
Equipment List
When creating a new gang or buying Common equipment during a Post Battle Sequence,
Chaos Cultists may select from the following House Equipment list.
Mutations
Mutations are purchased for fighters who are allowed to have one or more in a similar way to equipment,
but are permanent additions to a fighter and cannot be removed by any means.
Armor
Weapons (CCWs)
Weapons (Pistols)
Weapons (Basic)
Weapons (Specials)
Weapons (Heavies)
Grenades
Ammunition
Attachments
Wargear
Mutations
Campaign
Turf Size and Special Territories
A Chaos Cultists gang does not have Turf and cannot have Special Territories.
A Chaos Cultists gang always has a Turf size of 0.
Injury
The Injury rules are slightly modified for a Chaos Cultists gang.
Pre-battle Sequence
The controlling player of a Chaos Cultists gang 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
A Chaos Cultists gang cannot hire Bounty Hunters or Mercs. A Chaos Cultists gang can hire Hive Scum and apply Advancements at this step.
2) Determine Scenario
A Chaos Cultists gang never has Home Turf Advantage; otherwise there are no changes to this step.
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
A Chaos Cultists gang may not use any Tactics Cards except for those gained from Hangers-ons or from special scenario instructions.
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 Chaos Cultists gang 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 Chaos Cultists gang.
2) Receive Rewards
Turf
A Chaos Cultists gang does not hold Turf. If a scenario indicates that a Chaos Cultists gang would gain Turf, for
each Turf they would gain roll once on the Pillage table below instead.
Pillage
1
The gang finds nothing of value. The player may choose to raze the area in retaliation, and if they do the gang gains 1 Reputation.
2-4
The gang gains D3+1 x 10 credits.
5
The gang finds D3 minor items; the player may choose item(s) from the Trading Post that are of common rarity with a combined value of 45 credits or less. The item(s) are added to the gang's Stash immediately.
6
The gang finds a hidden rare item; the player may choose an item from the Trading Post of any rarity that is worth 2D6 x 10 credits or less. The item is added to the gang's Stash immediately.
Stealing Turf
A Chaos Cultists gang has no Turf to steal, thus if a scenario directs an enemy gang to steal Turf from
A Chaos Cultists gang, the enemy gang does not gain any Turf and the Chaos Cultists gang does not lose any Turf.
3) Post-Battle Actions
Work the Turf
This action is not available to Chaos Cultists.
Trade
If a Chaos Cultists gang wants to buy equipment from the Trading Post later in the Post-Battle Actions sequence,
the Leader or a Disciple must take this action to attempt to find someone willing to
sell to heretics.
Sell to the Guilders
This action is not available to Chaos Cultists.
Post Bounty
This action is not available to Chaos Cultists.
Remove Bounty
This action is not available to Chaos Cultists.
Medical Escort
This action is not available to Chaos Cultists.
Find A Buyer
If a Chaos Cultists gang wants to sell unwanted equipment later in the Post-Battle Actions sequence,
the Leader or a Disciple must take this action to attempt to find someone willing to
buy from heretics.
Ritual of Sacrifice
To use this action, no other Post-Battle Actions may be taken in this Post-Battle Sequence.
The gang honors the Chaos Gods, however at the culmination of the ritual a captive or one of the
gang's fighters must be sacrificed. The selected fighter is dead and removed from their gang's
roster; any equipment they carry (except Mutations) is added to the gang's Stash immediately. All surviving fighters
in the gang gain D3 XP.
Insidiously Fiendish Plot
To use this action, the Leader must be available and no other Post-Battle Actions may be taken in this Post-Battle Sequence.
The gang turns their efforts towards bringing an insidious plot to further the cause of the Ruinous Powers to completion.
Plot Resolution
1-2
Backlash! The plot fails and the Cult suffers repercussions. The gang loses D3 Reputation or 2D6 x 5 credits, your choice.
3-4
Didn't Work. The plot fails, but without backlash. Nothing happens.
5
Success. The plot works. The gang gains D3 Reputation or 3D6 x 10 credits, your choice.
6
Outstanding Success. The plot works out even better than expected. The gang gains D3 Reputation and 3D6 x 10 credits, and the gang's Leader gains D3 XP.
Forage
To use this action, no other Post-Battle Actions may be taken in this Post-Battle Sequence.
All available gang members comb the wastes looking for food, supplies, or whatever can be found, stolen, or taken.
Roll on the following Foraging table to determine the outcome.
Foraging
1
The gang finds enough to survive off of, but nothing else.
2
The gang finds enough to survive off of, and gains D3+1 x 10 credits.
3-4
The gang finds sufficient resources to subsist on, and gains 2D3+1 x 10 credits.
5-6
The gang finds enough to thrive on, and gains 1D6+1 x 15 credits.
4) Use Special Territories
A Chaos Cultists gang skips this step.
5) Update Roster
The substeps of this step resolve as normal, except where noted below.
A. Manage Fighters: Buy and Hire
A Chaos Cultists gang may hire fighters from the Chaos Cultists gang list as normal.
Additionally, if the Chaos Cultists gang gained at least 3 Reputation during this
Post-Battle Sequence, the gang may add a Helot (armed with a Fighting Knife or Axe, a Stub
Pistol or Autopistol, and a Fighting Harness or Flak Armor) to the gang's roster for free.
C. Visit the Trading Post: Sell Unwanted Equipment
If a fighter took the Find A Buyer action after the battle, roll a D6. On a 2+
the gang may sell unwanted equipment at this time using the standard rules. On a 1
no buyer was found.
C. Visit the Trading Post: Purchase Equipment
A Chaos Cultists gang can purchase any equipment from the Chaos Cultists
Equipment list at the price shown, adding it to their Stash.
A Chaos Cultists gang cannot purchase Common equipment from the Trading Post during this step.
C. Visit the Trading Post: Seek Rare Equipment
If one or more fighters took the Trade action after the battle, then for each fighter who did so
you may make a Rare Item roll as normal. Note that a Chaos Cultists gang treats Common items in
the Trading Post as if they were Rare (6).
6) Report Results
There are no changes to this step.