We are one breath away from the new release of Astra Militarum, aka Imperial Guard. Along with a new name they will also be getting a bunch of new stuff. But this isn’t the subject at hand. This post is about the Codex/Supplement Militarum Tempestus of the Astra Militarum. The Supplement will give us a glimpse of the new Codex.
The biggest weapon of the Imperium doesn’t lie in its big guns, but in their Commanders and the power of their Commands. The Supplement provides a new set of orders to give to the Imperial units. The orders’ rules haven’t changed very much as I explain below.
Voice Of Command: Orders are issued by officers. The rules state that there are units that can issue more than one order, but none of the models in the supplement is capable of doing so. I suspect that the same rules for issuing orders will be passed to the Astra Militarum Codex. Your officer can issue orders only if his unit isn’t embarked on a vehicle or Building, in C&C, Falling Back or Gone to Ground and within 12” of an issued unit that isn’t a Vehicle. Also the issued unit mustn’t be embarked, in C&C, Falling Back, Gone to Ground or already been issued a command. Furthermore, the Officers’ squads and the issued squad can act normally, except if the order states otherwise.
The ordered unit must then pass an LD test for the order to pass and to gain its bonus. If the roll is a double 6 then the order isn’t in effect and no further orders can be issued until the end of the turn. If the roll is a double 1 the order has passed and all subsequent orders can be issued without the need of an LD test.
The Militarum Tempestus Orders are:
Militarum Tempestus Orders |
The ordered unit must shoot. The unit gains the Twin-linked SR. |
The ordered unit must shoot. The unit gains Preferred Enemy SR. |
The ordered unit gains Crusader SR until the end of the turn. |
The ordered unit gains Fleet SR until the end of the turn. |
The ordered unit must shoot a Vehicle or Monstrous Creature. The shooting attacks from the unit gain the Rending SR. |
The ordered unit must shoot. Hot-shot weapons can fire a single shot, but gain the Sniper and Pinning SR. The unit cannot charge. |
As in every Codex and Supplement, the Codex: Militarum Tempestus provides its own Warlord table
D6 | Warlord traits |
1 | The Warlord has the Fearless SR. |
2 | When throwing grenades the Warlord has Twin-linked. When using Krak or Melta bombs in C&C the Warlord has the Tank Hunter SR. |
3 | The Warlord and all friendly units from Militarum Tempestus within 12” gain the Stubborn SR. |
4 | All Units from the Codex re-roll failed reserve rolls if arrived via Deep Strike. Furthermore, all unit in the same Platoon as the Warlord, only scatter D6” |
5 | All models from the Codex, within 12” of the Warlord, gain an additional 6” to their Hot-shot weapons if they didn’t move in the Movement phase. |
6 | The Warlord has +1 LD (to a max of 10). |
The Supplement offers two HQs, one Troop, one Dedicated Transport and one Fast Attack choices.
HQchoices:
- Commissar (25P): You can upgrade him for 40p to Lord Commissar. The Commissar has the Aura of Discipline that has remained unchanged and the Summary Execution. Summary Execution states that, when the Commissar units loses an LD test, you don’t execute the highest LD in the unit, but you roll a D6: on a 1 or 2 your opponent chooses which one is execute, on a 3+ you choose the one that will be executed.
- Militarum Tempestus Command Squad (85P): The unit is composed of four Tempestus Scions and one Tempestor Prime. The Prime is the only model in the Supplement that can issue an order. They have Clarion Vox-net (All units from the Codex within 18” of the Prime use his LD), Deep Strike and Move through Cover SR. The wargear of the unit is Hot-shot Lasgun for the Scions and CCW with Hot-shot Pistol for the Prime. The Scion can also take a Vox-caster (5P), a Medi-pack (15P), and a Platoon Standard (10P) (gives +1 to C&C results). Any Scion that hasn’t taken any Special Gear, can take one Special Weapon. The Primer can take a Power Weapon or Fist, and a Bolt Pistol or Plasma Pistol. Also the unit can take a Taurox Prime as a dedicated transport.
Troopchoices:
- Militarum Tempestus Scions (70P): Are composed of four Tempestus Scions and one Tempestor (sergeant). You can take up to five more Scions for 12 P/mdl. The unit has Deep Strike and Move through Cover SR. The wargear of the unit is Hot-shot Lasgun for the Scions and CCW with Hot-shot Pistol for the Tempestor. The Tempestor can take a Power Weapon or Fist, and a Bolt Pistol or a Plasma Pistol. The scions can take a Vox-caster (5P) and up to two can exchange their Hot-shot Lasguns with a Special Weapon. Also the unit can take a Taurox Prime as a Dedicated Transport.
Dedicated Transport choice:
- Taurox Prime: The only ground vehicle of the Supplement. The Taurox is the new Vehicle in the Garage of the Astra Militarum. It has the All-terrain APC (re-roll failed Dangerous terrain tests) SR. It has a capacity of 10 models, access points on the sides and rear, and two fire points on each side. It starts with Taurox Battle Cannon and a Twin-linked Hot-shot Volley Gun. You can exchange the Battle Cannon for a Taurox Gatling Cannon (10P) or a Taurox Missile Launcher (20P) and the Volley Gun for a Twin-linked Autocannon (free).
Taurox Prime | BS | F | S | R | HP | Unit Type |
4 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 3 | Vehicle (Fast, Transport) |
Taurox | Range | S | AP | Type |
Battle Cannon | 48” | 7 | 4 | Heavy 1, Blast |
Gatling Cannon | 28” | 4 | - | Heavy 10 |
Frag | 48” | 4 | 6 | Heavy 2, Blast |
Krak | 8 | 3 | Heavy 2 | |
Hot-shot Volley | 24” | 4 | 3 | Salvo 2/4, Gets Hot |
Fast Attack choice:
- Valkyrie Squadron (125P): The Valkyrie is mostly unchanged. Its point cost got up from 100 to 125. And though it starts with the same equipment, the two multiple rocket pods got down to 10P. It has the same SR as before.
Up until this point the Supplement isn’t that good, although it has a good core, [it has] nothing so far to take the game to the next level. But now I will review its Formations that I believe are the best part of it.
Formations:
- Airborne Assault Formation: Composed of one Commissar, one Tempestus Command Squad, three Tempestus Scions Squads and four Valkyries. The Formation’s restriction is that the Commissar has to start joined with a unit of the Formation. The Formation has three SRs:
1. Air Cavalry: All the units have to start embarked in the Valkyries and must therefore start at reserve. Furthermore, if a unit disembarks using the Grav-chute Insertion it can re-roll the scatter.
2. Secure the Area: When the unit disembarks form the Valkyrie, the unit’s shooting attacks gain the Split Fire and Twin-linked SR.
3. Strategic Intervention: When rolling for reserves, roll a single die for all the Formation, which you can choose to re-roll.
- Ground Assault Formation: Composed of one Commissar, one Tempestus Command Squad, tree Tempestus Scions Squads and four Taurox Prime. The Formation’s restriction is that the Commissar has to start joined with a unit of the Formation. The Formation has three SRs:
1. Calculated Strike: All units of the Formation must begin in the table or in reserve, they can’t be separated. Furthermore, when rolling for reserves, roll a single die for all the Formation, which you can choose to re-roll.
2. Mounted Battle Group: All the units have to start embarked in the Taurox Prime Transports.
3. Surgical Deployment: When the unit disembarks form the Taurox Prime, the units shooting attacks gain the Pinning and Twin-linked SR.
The Supplement has great formations. I would use one to take out targets that are near and the other one to take out enemies from afar. I would like to see my wolves fighting the enemy and suddenly 4 Valkyries crossing the battlefield (36”) and dropping Scions/ Commandos on the enemy’s tanks and blowing them up with Split fire and Twin-linked.I see the Airborne being more melta oriented and anti- vehicle. On the other hand the Ground Assault Formation has two patterns: The anti-horde one with four Taurox Gatling Cannon, with 40 shots just from the Transports, and the long range one with the Missile Launchers. The minimum points for the Airborne are 820 and for the Ground are 640. For that many points surely it can’t be just a support unit, but one that will be the spearhead of your army.
Once again, a nice addition to the game and any army that can take them. I surely think on adding them in my collection and trying them out of course.
[Wolf Tip: Don’t be afraid to try new things and remember that some combos may look good on paper, but in the table it is a whole different story.]
Do you ever go into a fight thinking there's no point in giving my best, I'll get another chance later? We only ever get one shot, Marlin. Life is one shot. Making it count is all that matters.
+++ Skold Greypelt of the Space Wolves on Shadrac
to Sergeant Marlin of the Xth Slavok Regiment +++
+++ Skold Greypelt of the Space Wolves on Shadrac
to Sergeant Marlin of the Xth Slavok Regiment +++
Of course I would like to hear your opinion on this and all my previous posts, as well as suggestions for what you would like me to write about.
I hope to get the Codex: Astra Militarum early enough to be able to review it for next week.
Until next time remember Prospero and…
VLKA FENRIKA