极限战士

死亡守望·初次建军·极限战士

“行动出于荣耀的战士不会失败。他的职责就是荣耀本身。即使他的死亡——如果是光荣的——也是一种奖赏，而非失败，因为它是通过职责而来的。因此，当你行动时寻求荣耀，你将不会知道什么是恐惧。”

——罗伯特·基里曼

极限战士是人类帝国漫长而血腥历史中最知名和最受赞誉的阿斯塔特修士战团。他们的基因原体和最伟大的英雄的雕像高耸在无数的广场和城市门口，他们无数次胜利的画面在最宏伟的国教大教堂的彩色玻璃窗上闪耀。极限战士军团是那些为了进行大远征而组建的军团中规模最大的一个，因此在荷鲁斯大叛乱结束后的第二次建军时，他们提供了最多的战团。此外，该战团的基因种子通常被认为是所有阿斯塔特修士中最纯净的，它如此稳定，以至于即使在成立10个千年后，突变仍然在可接受的范围内。因此，大多数现存于41千年的星际战士战团被认为与极限战士有关，无论他们是否意识到这一点，都是那个军团伟大的继承者。极限战士战团既是所有星际战士所向往的典范，也是他们行动、战斗和崇拜的模板。每个战团都有自己的传统、历史和战斗荣耀，但极限战士是许多其他战团的模范，特别是那些与他们有基因关系的战团，无论他们是否承认，都以此为标准来评判自己和同伴。

通过阿斯塔特圣典的规定，极限战士10个千年的智慧和专业知识被奉为神圣。这个庞大的知识库是由极限战士的基因原体，罗伯特·基里曼自己起始的，他在荷鲁斯叛乱的灾难性战争结束后，为人类帝国的重建奠定了基础。基里曼是一个聪明绝顶的领导者，不仅在军事领域，当人类帝国被银河内战压得喘不过气来时，他把自己的心思转向了统一和规范人类帝国政府的最高层，对被大叛乱的混乱分裂的机构施加秩序。只有一个基因原体，一个帝皇的基因之子，才能构想出这样的伟业，因为那些在大叛乱中幸存下来的世界匍匐着，被瘟疫和饥荒侵蚀，面临着叛乱或入侵的危险。这个任务是如此繁重，没有一个凡人能面对它而保持理智。基里曼提供了领导和希望，他成为了重生人类帝国的象征。亿万人民知道他的名字，虽然他永远不能取代他们的帝皇，但基里曼在最危难之时是一个坚定的支持者，人类帝国得以持续。

在把他的智慧写入阿斯塔特圣典的第一卷时，基里曼一定知道他不会看到他最珍视的抱负得以实现。毕竟，没有人曾经想象过一个基因原体可能会迎来死亡，但大叛乱已经看到了几个被杀或失踪，而在接下来的几年里，更多的亦会遭受类似的命运。当基里曼长眠，他留下了无数的智慧和洞察力的作品，其中最伟大的就是阿斯塔特圣典。

尽管人类帝国会再次崛起，达到与大远征相媲美的高度，但也会陷入与荷鲁斯大叛乱一样黑暗的绝望，然而罗伯特·基里曼的智慧将会战胜一切。极限战士是其智慧的守护者，也是他们的基因原体所体现的一切的典范。阿斯塔特圣典已经成为了一部神圣的文本，描述了大多数战团如何组织自己、战斗、招募、训练和运作的理想蓝图。

奥特拉玛的冠军

极限战士统治着一个名为奥特拉玛的星域，这是一个高度自治的星域，不欠人类帝国任何贡献，不过也需要保卫自己。奥特拉玛的各个世界的人民把极限战士看作是仁慈的统治者和遥远的传奇人物。虽然绝大多数的人类永远都不会见到星际战士，更不用说和他们说话了，但奥特拉玛的人民对这些强大的战士更为熟悉。有些人甚至有幸与其中的一个有远亲关系，也许有一个远古的祖先曾被接纳进战团。

极限战士认为公正地统治、并保护他们作为招募和资源来源的疆域是他们的神圣职责。在这一点上，极限战士正在延绵他们的基因原体的遗产，他的教诲是每个战士在他的服役过程中学习和记忆的。阿斯塔特圣典是如此庞大的智慧之集合，即使是星际战士惊人的心智能力也在吸收它的过程中受到了压力。然而，极限战士认为这是他们的职责，他们选择避开粗暴的心理调节工具，而选择通过冷漠的学习来研习每一段文本。每个战士都会吸收和分析整个圣典的章节，以至于在几个世纪的服役后，他既是他所选择的专业领域的大师，也是学者。对于一个连队，特别是一个由许多长期服役的老兵组成的编号偏小的连队，很可能整个阿斯塔特圣典都会被战士们所熟悉，这使得连长可以借鉴大量的智慧和经验。因此，一个经验丰富的极限战士战士是一个深度学习的个体，他在战争的艺术和他的基因原体的智慧的每一个细微之处都受过教育。罗伯特·基里曼的智慧将会战胜一切。极限战士是其智慧的守护者，也是他们的基因原体所体现的一切的典范。阿斯塔特圣典已经成为了一部神圣的文本，描述了大多数战团如何组织自己、战斗、招募、训练和运作的理想蓝图。

耶利哥边区的极限战士

在817.M41，极限战士正在经历另一个重建的时期，因为马库拉格之战在他们的记忆中犹新，而且在击败贝西摩斯虫巢舰队的过程中，战团遭受了重大损失。极限战士在保卫他们的家园的极地防御堡垒时失去了他们的第一连队的全部成员，其他连队也遭受了许多伤亡。自这样的损失中恢复需要时间，特别是在一连精锐全部损失的情况下。极限战士本可以急于重建他们的数量，比如接受那些可能会失败的新兵，并加快通常需要多年才能完成的植入过程。但是，极限战士把自己的标准设定得非常高，他们并没有急于这个过程，而是更愿意坚持他们的基因原体在10个千年前设定的传统。现在，战团再次接近全盛，第十连生产出了大量的新兵，而熔炉也以更新的活力生产出了钢铁装甲的毁灭机器。耶利哥边区在战团的视线之内，而达贡虫巢舰队的先锋触须已经开始被研究。很可能，警戒厅和极限战士的战团指挥组正在进行交流，而且当它达到全面的战斗效能时，已经有一支相当大的部队被指定派往边区。极限战士有许多战士要为之复仇，达贡虫巢的泰伦虫族将见证其怒火。

死亡守望的极限战士

尽管极限战士还没有以常规的力量部署到耶利哥边区，但在死亡守望的队伍中该战团仍然得到了很好的代表。极限战士从耶利哥边区的警戒的最早的日子开始就一直在进行长期守望，并且在几个档案中都声称，第一个在奥菲特四号宣读守秘誓言的战士就是该战团的成员。考虑到他们的观点和他们对战术和每一个操作艺术的微妙之处的了解，也许并不奇怪，死亡守望在耶利哥边区的领导者中有很大一部分是从极限战士中借调的。战团的每一个战士都深深地浸润在阿斯塔特圣典的教诲中，对每一种战争艺术都有深入的了解。但是，使极限战士成为如此值得领导的不仅仅是知识，还有罗伯特·基里曼自己的遗产。正如基因原体统一了人类帝国和阿斯塔特修士，将银河系有史以来最大的星际帝国的军事力量焊接成一个单一的，强大的战争机器，所以在死亡守望服役的极限战士也统一了在他们下面服役的许多不同的战士。这样的官员必须确保沉默寡言的黑暗天使和脾气暴躁的太空野狼一起工作，确保高尚的圣血天使和忧郁的暗鸦守卫并肩站立。他必须解决每个人的合理担忧，并确保团队作为一个无缝的整体共同工作。他必须知道战士们能力的每一个细微之处，以及他们的弱点，这样任何阿斯塔特修士都有，并把他们当作他们被创造出来的活武器来使用。只有通过阿斯塔特圣典的智慧和其作者的榜样，这样的壮举才有可能实现。

泰伦战争老兵

在马库拉格之战后，极限战士面临着重建他们最有经验的老兵团体——一连的艰巨任务。这项任务的责任落在了牧师卡修斯身上，他对泰伦虫族和他们所做的一切的仇恨无法估量。在卡修斯的领导下，那些与袭击马库拉格的虫族进行了最激烈战斗的战斗兄弟被擢升，并被赋予额外的职责，直到每个人最终被认为有资格加入慢慢重建的一连行列。这些所谓的“泰伦战争老兵”在战团的每一个部分都有服务，通常作为小队士官，他们可以把他们的知识传授给他们的战斗兄弟。在他们的指挥下，他们在马库拉格之战中付出如此代价获得的专业知识已经传播并在队伍中传播开来。毁灭者被教导如何瞄准他们的武器来击倒泰伦虫族的强大武士虫，或者如何最好地使用快速射击的重型武器来抵挡看似无尽的虫群。战术战士被教导火力和机动性的最佳组合，以及攻击哪些生物来破坏整个虫群。突击战士被教导如何在致命的近战风暴中与这个最可怕的近战敌人交战，反击敌人试图发动的每一次攻击，并反过来给它致命的一击。

虽然泰伦战争老兵在教导其他人他们的知识，他们也寻求了解更多关于泰伦虫族的知识。阿斯塔特圣典提供了灵感，因为罗伯特·基里曼没有把他自己的智慧和经验写入它的页面，让其他人可以从他的例子中学习吗？他没有把他的惊人的智力用来掌握一千多种战争的风格吗？

因此，第一位泰伦战争老兵在耶利哥边区的守望堡垒现身，并参加了守秘誓言。他的职责是传播他对泰伦虫族及其方法的了解，教导其他人，甚至是死亡守望的精英，如何最好地对抗虫巢舰队的进攻。通过加入死亡守望，泰伦战争老兵增加了在战场上遇到泰伦虫族的机会，从而更多地了解他们敌人的方式。最后，他在执行他的守望任务时学到的关于泰伦虫族的知识，可以带回其战团，并进一步传播他辛苦获得的知识。然后，他的任务完成，他可以在一连中找到他的位置，并和他的兄弟们一起战斗。

目前有几位泰伦战争老兵正在耶利哥边区的死亡守望的队伍中服役。其中一位，斯凯勒斯兄弟，他被认为有可能被授予守望队长的军衔，但鉴于他需要回到自己的战团并传授自己的知识，他是否会接受这一荣誉还有待观察。正是兄弟斯凯勒斯掌握了使用一簇同步熔合的穿甲来杀死泰伦虫族最大怪兽的技术，他已经把这个独特的战术传授给了几位他一起服役的战斗兄弟。其他的泰伦战争老兵也已经掌握了使用各种异形靶向毒药的技术，用致命的毒液涂抹他们的战斗刀，或者通过特殊的弹药来投送。所有的泰伦战争老兵都是对抗泰伦虫族的大师，和这样的战士在同一个杀戮小队中服役，就是和一个值得信赖的战斗兄弟和一个卓越的导师一起战斗。

游玩一个泰伦战争老兵

要求：仅限极限战士，RANK1

花费：1000XP

泰伦战争老兵装备

泰伦战争老兵获得一个弹夹的地狱火弹药作为标准作战装备（见死亡守望核心规则书P28）。同时，一个拥有此进阶的药剂师或者战术战士会获得一把阿斯塔特链锯剑，一个突击战士则会获得一把带有分弹器的阿斯塔特爆弹枪。

泰伦战争老兵独特能力：经验之殇

自从第一次泰伦战争以来的几十年里，那些幸存下来的人把他们学到的严酷的教训传授给那些还没有面对过大吞噬者的人。自从他们临时兄弟会最早的日子以来，泰伦战争老兵就有一个传统，那就是教导和战斗一样重要，把辛苦赢得的洞察力传播给每一个阿斯塔特战团的人，而发誓遵守守秘誓言是传递这种知识的另一种途径。一个泰伦战争老兵在小队模式下可能会试图把他的知识和洞察力传授给他的小队，他的话语指导他们的行动。战斗兄弟可能会试图传授任何来自下面的泰伦战争老兵进阶列表中的天赋，这些天赋是用斜体列出的，并且战斗兄弟已经购买了。这需要一个全回合的行动，并花费一个凝聚力点，此时所有在战斗兄弟的支援范围内的人都被认为拥有这个天赋，直到战斗结束。

此外，当战斗兄弟进入这个独特能力时，他会免费获得仇恨（泰伦虫族）的天赋，并因为对第一次泰伦战争的近期记忆而获得1d10的声望。

新天赋：泰伦战争战略

天赋组：堡垒，净化之焰，掷弹兵，毒液大师，集群屠夫，撤退

这位战斗兄弟对泰伦虫族的艰苦经验使他掌握了，或者在某些情况下甚至设计了，一系列旨在对抗大吞噬者独特威胁的不寻常策略。这位战斗兄弟在所有特别针对对抗泰伦虫族的战术测试中获得了+10的奖励，并获得了下面描述的一个策略。这个才能可以多次购买，每次需要选择一个不同的策略。无论购买多少次，战术测试的奖励都保持在+10。

堡垒：这位战斗兄弟在面对无尽的泰伦虫族群时坚守阵地，一片真正由利爪、尖牙和甲壳组成的海洋冲向他。当与集群敌人战斗时，战斗兄弟可以试图招架近战攻击，但由于攻击的生物数量众多，他在测试中会受到等于集群大小的一半（向上取整）的惩罚。

净化之焰：许多泰伦虫族的敏捷性令人震惊，使他们能够避开由火焰武器产生的燃烧的喷射，但战斗兄弟对他们的诡计了如指掌。任何试图通过敏捷测试来避免被火焰武器击中的生物必须重新进行成功的测试。对抗泰伦虫族的集群时，火焰武器造成的随机大小伤害可以掷两次，选择最高的结果。

掷弹兵：在泰伦战争老兵设计的策略中，最知名的是使用穿甲手雷在近战中杀死巨大的敌人，这是一种风险较大但有回报的策略。战斗兄弟可以在任何冲锋攻击、标准攻击或全力攻击行动中，使用穿甲手雷作为他选择的武器，由于攻击的难度，他在命中时会受到-20的惩罚。然而，如果攻击掷骰成功，战斗兄弟会造成阿斯塔特穿甲手雷的正常伤害（附带其穿透值），并在攻击掷骰的每一个成功程度上增加+1的穿透（代表手雷被推入生物甲壳的脆弱点）。

毒液大师：通常，任何用于对抗泰伦虫族的毒药在下一代生物面前都会无效，使常用的毒素在对抗泰伦虫族时基本上无关紧要。战斗兄弟可以在任务的准备阶段制造一种新的毒素，这种毒素会在一段时间内对泰伦虫族有效。在任务的持续期间，一个非动力武器（即，不是链锯剑、动力剑、灵能武器等）可以被赋予毒性特性，他可以以每弹夹5个征用点的价格请求特殊的毒素爆弹枪弹药，这些弹药造成-2的伤害但获得毒性特性。战斗兄弟手持的所有具有毒性特性的武器都可以影响泰伦虫族，尽管他们通常对毒药免疫。

集群屠夫：即使使用大量的火力，处理沸腾的、无尽的小型泰伦虫族也是一场挣扎，但战斗兄弟已经学会了如何放置他的火力以达到最大的效果。当计算对集群造成的命中数时，战斗兄弟会得到一些额外的命中（在所有其他修正之后），等于他的INT智力加值或他的PER感知加值（取较高者）。

撤退：像基因窃取者这样的快速生物的恐怖攻击对阿斯塔特修士来说是致命的，许多战士已经倒在了这些生物的锋利爪子下。那些在这样的攻击中幸存下来的人学会了无论如何都要避开某些攻击，将自己抛出那些致命的爪子的攻击范围。如果战斗兄弟在近战中，他可以试图在躲避时从战斗中脱身，但在躲避测试中会受到-20的惩罚。如果测试成功，战斗兄弟会移动他的AG敏捷加值的米数，并且处于倒地状态，但不再处于近战中。

极限战士荣耀卫队

许多战团都保持着一支由最有声望和经验丰富的战士组成的核心，并在战斗中作为荣耀卫队出战。大多数战团只能聚集一小部分这样的战斗兄弟，但阿斯塔特修士中最伟大的，特别是极限战士，可以集结多达两打。每个荣耀卫队都是历经无数战役的老兵，对他们来说，银河系中没有敌人会让他们有丝毫的疑虑。这位战士被选中，并且同意，根据他辉煌的服役生涯成为战团的冠军。在战斗中，荣耀卫队形成了一个随从团，陪伴着战团长，为他提供了其他力量无法比拟的保护。每个荣耀卫队都携带着战团最珍贵的遗物武器之一，他的盔甲是战团最早的历史里最精良的工匠锻造的战甲。虽然他们的武艺无人能敌，但这并不是荣耀卫队上场的唯一原因。每个荣耀卫队都有丰富的经验，他们的一句忠告便可以扭转战局，甚至战团长也知道要听从他们的话。也许，荣耀卫队的职责中最神圣的一项是携带和保护战团的旗帜，高高举起它，让所有人都从它的颜色中振奋起来。

尽管无数的极限战士战团的战斗兄弟在死亡守望的队伍中服役，但相对较少的人在担任荣耀卫队的职务时这样做。当极限战士的荣耀卫队中的某些个体接受守秘誓言时，这是具有重大意义的，因为这表明荣耀卫队作为他整个战团的冠军和代表出现。他所做的誓言不仅仅是基于他自己的荣耀，而且是基于每一个极限战士战斗兄弟的荣耀。如果他在履行誓言的过程中失败了，他不仅辜负了自己，而且辜负了罗伯特·基里曼的每一个子嗣。

什么情况可能会导致极限战士的荣耀卫队离开他的战团并加入死亡守望呢？首先，严重的荣誉和责任的纽带连接着这两个战团，自从奥菲特四号的秘密会议的最早的日子以来就是这样。这两个组织在无数的战斗中并肩作战，从而铸造了牢不可破的纽带。在其他时候，死亡守望发现自己面对的敌人是极限战士特别仇恨的一个敌人，因此认为自己有荣誉的责任去通知战团。在发现战团的一些古老的敌人在外时，极限战士可能会派出一个突击部队与死亡守望一起战斗，但如果没有这样的部队，就会派出一个荣耀卫队加入死亡守望，并在即将到来的战斗中代表他的整个战团。他有责任和荣耀去进行最后的对抗，并打出最后的致命一击，为极限战士和他们所有的兄弟的荣耀而战。

大多数极限战士的荣耀卫队加入死亡守望的情况都是相对短暂的，并限制在特定的战斗中。然而，也有少数其他的长期服役。比如很可能，两个组织的智库都预见到了荣耀卫队将在某即将到来的战斗中发挥关键作用，或者战团长们已经决定在给定的时间内必须将某个特定的敌人绳之以法。这样的情况使得荣耀卫队有必要与死亡守望的其他成员一起长期守望，无论需要多长时间，无论是几个月，几年，甚至几十年。

游玩一个荣耀卫队

要求：仅限极限战士，RANK6+，声望80+,WS50+，必须拥有至死方休和荣耀模范天赋，不可以是智库，药剂师或者技术军士。

花费：5000XP

荣耀卫队装备

荣耀卫队获得了精工动力甲作为标准的战备装备（参见死亡守望核心规则书的P28）。此外，当他们获得这个高级进阶时，他们可以用同样武器的精工版本替换他们现有的任何一种武器（无论是标准版还是通过个人军备天赋获得的）。

荣耀卫队独特能力：典范阿斯塔特

荣耀卫队代表了战团中最优秀和最聪明的战士，他们是现存的极限战士中最有技巧和经验的战士，他们体现了罗伯特·基里曼在圣典中所主张的美德。很少有人会怀疑他们应该被列入战团最伟大的英雄之列。即使对于其他战团的阿斯塔特修士来说，这样的阿斯塔特理想的典范的存在也是鼓舞人心的，他们的技能和经验使他们成为任何杀戮小队的宝贵成员。荣耀卫队的长期服役和丰富的经验对任何团队领导都是一种宝贵资源，这意味着他完全有能力自己领导。一个包含荣耀卫队的杀戮小队可以增加+2的凝聚力。

荣耀的少数人

极限战士并不是唯一拥有荣耀卫队的战团——事实上，有很多战团都有这样的精英战士在他们的队伍中，通常作为他们的战团长的亲卫和最高顾问，有时作为他们自己的部队（比如圣血天使的圣血卫队）或者有时作为战团的老兵连的最强者。 在GM的判断下，荣耀卫队的高级进阶也可以提供给除了极限战士以外的其他战团的阿斯塔特。在这种情况下，GM应该根据战团的特定主题和倾向来调整先决条件，装备和一些可用的进阶。

新天赋：荣耀或死亡

这位战斗兄弟是极限战士和所有阿斯塔特修士的冠军，他对抗最强大的敌人。在战斗中面对敌人的冠军，并经常对这些生物进行致命一击，这便是他的职责和荣誉。每次战斗中，当在近战中攻击ELITE或MASTER级的敌人时，战斗兄弟可以选择获得以下的一种好处：他的武器获得了Proven (3)的特性，他的武器获得了克敌 (1)的特性，他的武器获得了锋利的特性，或者如果他单手杀死了生物，他会获得额外的+1声望（如果是elite）或+1d5声望（如果是master）。

可选规则

极限战士的历史悠久而辉煌，可以追溯到大远征和帝国的最早时期。极限战士总是骄傲地站在前线，他们的战略和武器技巧足以在任何战场上战胜任何敌人。许多战团都把极限战士作为榜样，他们的战略和战术智慧是传奇的，正如他们被广大的圣典所指导的那样。下面将介绍一些额外的规则，以帮助展现一些丰富的战斗传说和军事洞察能力。

极限战士单人模式能力；圣典生徒

这是极限战士战团的战斗兄弟们可以使用的新的单人模式能力。关于如何使用单人模式能力的详细信息，，请参见死亡守望核心规则书的第215页。

类型：被动

需求等级：3

效果：战斗兄弟精通基里曼和几代队长及战团大师的著作，他们多年来一直在深入研究这些著作，并知道如何最好地应用其中教授的课程。战斗兄弟将所有战术技能视为基础技能。此外，在任何战斗开始时，当掷骰子决定先攻顺序时，战斗兄弟可以尝试进行一次战术测试（无论哪种最适合正在进行的战斗；GM对此的决定是最终的），如果他通过了，他在战斗中可以使用的重掷次数等于1+他得分的成功程度。

升级：在等级5及以上，重骰次数增加到他的智力加值加上获得的成功度的次数。在等级7及以上，战斗兄弟可以使用三次重骰机会以在战斗中自动通过一次技能测试，通过的成功程度等于他的智力加值。

极限战士小队模式能力

以下小队模式能力是极限战士战团中人物所独有的。死亡守望核心规则书第219页描述了小队模式能力的使用。

极限战士攻击模式：协同打击

动作：自由动作

消耗：2

持续：否

效果：所有战士都可以单独战斗，但在阿斯塔特修士——尤其是极限战士中，一个小队大于组成它的战士之和是一种独特的骄傲。他们的纪律和协调使他们能够以无情的效率杀死敌人，每个战斗兄弟都能击倒他的兄弟所伤的敌人，或者无私地伤害敌人以便他的兄弟击杀。战斗兄弟可以发起协同打击，这个打击持续到他下一轮的开始。在此期间，战斗兄弟和所有在支援范围内的人在攻击已经被杀戮小队的成员在协同打击期间击中的敌人时，都可以获得+2的伤害掷骰加成。

升级：如果战斗兄弟的等级是4或以上，伤害掷骰的加成增加到+5。

极限战士攻击模式：同步突击

动作：自由动作

消耗：3

持续：否

效果：极限战士珍视流动的战术和适应性，理解战斗的流向可能在一瞬间改变。在投掷先攻时，战斗兄弟可以发起同步突击。在那场战斗的持续时间内，战斗兄弟和那些在支援范围内的人可以在第一轮开始前自由交换先攻掷骰结果，由他们自己选择希望的行动顺序。

升级：如果战斗兄弟的等级是4或以上，他们可以在每轮开始时自由交换先攻掷骰，而不仅仅是在战斗开始时。

极限战士防御姿态：战术撤退

动作：反应

消耗：3

持续：否

效果：有些战团不能忍受在敌人面前撤退的想法，但极限战士更明白，在战斗的激情中后退一步往往能决定成败。从敌人那里暂时撤退可以为盟友开辟机会，使胜利比原本更快、更果断地实现。在被近战攻击后，战斗兄弟可以发起战术撤退。战斗兄弟和那些在支援范围内的人可以立即向离敌人直线距离的他们的敏捷加值（以米为单位）移动，就像他们执行了一个脱离行动。

升级：如果战斗兄弟的等级是5或以上，移动的距离增加到他们的敏捷加值的两倍（以米为单位）。

极限战士防御姿态：深思熟虑的防御

动作：全动作

消耗：3

持续：是

效果：极限战士不倾向于固执、代价高昂的防御，而更喜欢根据手头的情况调整他们的姿态，依赖圣典的教导来判断战斗的流向变化并根据需要进行调整。当这个能力保持有效时，战斗兄弟和那些在支援范围内的人可以获得以下好处中的一种，这个好处可以在这个能力被激活时选择：从掩体获得+4的AP，作为自由行动移动敏捷加值的距离（以米为单位），或者一个额外的反应。好处的选择可以作为半动作改变。

升级：如果战斗兄弟的等级是3或以上，好处的选择可以以自由动作改变。

新誓言：责任誓言

这个誓言可以被一个作为他们杀戮小队领导者的极限战士战团战斗兄弟选择。誓言的宣誓在死亡守望核心规则书的第228页上有描述。

责任誓言取自圣典的一卷，是对自己责任的承诺，让所有人都可以听到，并且是在一本神圣的书上承诺它将被履行。极限战士坚持认为，对神圣事物宣誓的誓言是不可破的，因为破坏这样的誓言不仅是可耻的，而且是亵渎的，很少有人可以反驳这样的推理。

先决条件：任何极限战士战团的战斗兄弟

效果：那些宣誓责任誓言的人会对手头的任务进行冥想，完全专注于他们即时任务的完成，不考虑任何与他们的任务无关的事情。这样的专注赋予了杀戮小队的成员自由地接近任务的目标，不受任何其他考虑的束缚。这个誓言不赋予任何特殊能力，而是赋予了四个小队模式能力而不是三个。

小队模式能力：火焰之力, 小队推进, 重新部署，战术空间

“有些人错误地认为，星际战士的日常生活就是杀戮和等待杀戮。讽刺的是，很少有这样的傻瓜能活着重复他们的错误……”

–审判官 威尔斯·安达莱恩

The Ultramarines

“The warrior who acts out of honour cannot fail. His duty is honour itself. Even his death—if it is honourable—is a reward and can be no failure, for it has come through duty. Seek honour as you act, therefore, and you will know no fear.”

-Roboute Guilliman

The Ultramarines are by far the best known and most celebrated Adeptus Astartes Chapter in the long and bloody history of the Imperium of Man. Statues of their Primarch and their greatest heroes rear high above countless plazas and city gates, and images of their myriad victories glow from stained glass windows in the mightiest basilica imperialis.The Ultramarines Legion was the largest of those bodies raised to prosecute the Great Crusade so long ago, and as a result it provided the largest number of Chapters when the Second Founding occurred in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy.In addition, the Chapter’s gene-seed is generally held to be the purest of all the Adeptus Astartes, and it is so stable that even 10,000 years after its inception, mutation is well within tolerable limits. For this reason, a majority of Space Marines Chapters extant in the 41st Millennium are thought to be related to the Ultramarines, whether either is aware of it or not, and as such, inheritors of all that made that Legion so great.The Ultramarines Chapter is at once the exemplar of everything a Space Marine aspires to, and the template by which he acts, fights and worships. Every Chapter has its own traditions, histories and battle-honours, but the Ultramarines are the standard by which many others, especially those of their genetic lineage, judge themselves and their peers, whether they acknowledge it or not.

It is through the dictates of the Codex Astartes that the 10,000 years of wisdom and expertise gleaned by the Ultramarines are enshrined. This vast reserve of lore was started by the Ultramarines Primarch, Roboute Guiliman himself, wherein he laid the foundations of the Imperium’s rebuilding in the aftermath of the calamitous wars of the Horus Heresy.Guiliman was a leader of prodigious intellect, and not just in the military fields. With the Imperium brought to its knees by galactic civil war, he turned his mind to uniting and codifying the highest echelons of the Imperium’s government, imposing order on institutions that had been split asunder by the anarchy of the Heresy.Only a Primarch, a gene-son of the Emperor himself could have conceived such an undertaking, for the scattered worlds that had survived the Heresy were on their knees, riven with plague and famine and rife for rebellion or invasion. The task was gargantuan, and no mere mortal man could have faced it without going mad.Guiliman offered leadership and hope, and he became a figurehead for the reborn Imperium. Countless billions came to know his name, and while he could never replace their beloved Emperor, Guiliman was a firm hand when it was needed most, and the Imperium endured.

In committing his wisdom to the first volumes of the Codex Astartes, Guiliman must have known that he would not see his most cherished ambitions fulfilled. After all, none had ever imagined that a Primarch might know death, but the Heresy had seen several slain or otherwise lost, and in the years that followed more would suffer similar fates.When Guiliman was lost to the Imperium, he left behind him countless works of wisdom and insight, and the greatest of these was the Codex Astartes.

Though the Imperium would again rise to heights rivalling those of the Great Crusade, and descend to depths of despair as dark as the Horus Heresy, Roboute Guilliman’s wisdom would prevail. The Ultramarines were and are the guardians of that wisdom, and the exemplars of all their Primarch embodied.The Codex Astartes has become a holy text, a blueprint describing the ideals by which the majority of Chapters organise themselves, fight, recruit, train, and operate.

ChampioNs of ultramar

The Ultramarines rule over a region of space called Ultramar, an autonomous realm that owes no tithes to the Imperium and looks entirely to its own defence. The peoples of the various worlds of Ultramar look to the Ultramarines as both beneficent rulers and as distant figures of legend.While the vast majority of Humanity will never even see a Space Marine, let alone speak to one, the people of Ultramar are more familiar with these mighty warriors. Some even have the honour of being distantly related to one, perhaps some distant ancestor having been accepted into the Chapter.

The Ultramarines regard it as their sacred duty to rule their domains justly, and to protect them as the source of their recruiting and resources. In this the Ultramarines are continuing the legacy of their Primarch, whose teachings each warrior studies and memorises over the course of his service.The Codex Astartes is such a vast body of wisdom that even the prodigious mental capacity of a Space Marine is taxed with absorbing it all. Yet, the Ultramarines regard it as their duty to do so, and choose to eschew the blunt tool of psycho-conditioning in favour of learning every passage by remorseless study.Each Battle-Brother absorbs and analyses entire chapters of the codex, so that after several centuries of service he is at once a master and a scholar of his chosen area of expertise. With a company, especially a low-numbered one consisting of numerous long-service veterans, it is likely that the entire Codex Astartes will be known by the Battle-Brothers, allowing the Captain to draw upon an enormous pool of wisdom as well as experience.A veteran Ultramarines Battle-Brother is therefore a deeply learned individual, schooled in every nuance of the arts of war and the wisdom of his Primarch.

ultramariNes iN the JeriCho reaCh

In the year 817.M41, the Ultramarines are engaged in another period of rebuilding, for the Battle of Macragge is fresh in their memory and the Chapter sustained grievous losses in defeating Hive Fleet Behemoth. The Ultramarines lost the entirety of their 1st Company in the defence of their home world’s polar defence fortresses, and other companies suffered many casualties too. Replacing such losses takes time, especially in the case of the elite 1st Company. The Ultramarines could have resorted to haste in rebuilding their numbers, perhaps accepting neophytes who might otherwise have failed the initiation rites and expediting implantation processes that normally take many years to complete. But the Ultramarines hold themselves to the very highest standards, and they did not hurry the process, preferring to maintain the traditions set down by their Primarch 10,000 years ago. Now, the Chapter approaches full strength once more, the 10th Company producing fully-fledged initiates and the Forge producing steel clad machineries of destruction with renewed vigour. The Jericho Reach is well within the Chapter’s gaze, and the vanguard tendrils of Hive Fleet Dagon already being studied. It is likely that the Chamber of Vigilance and the Chapter officers of the Ultramarines are in communication with one another, and that a sizable force has been earmarked for dispatch to the Reach when it attains full combat effectiveness. The Ultramarines have many Battle-Brothers to avenge, and the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Dagon must soon know their wrath.

ultramariNes iN the deathwatCh

Though the Ultramarines have yet to deploy to the Jericho Reach in conventional strengths, the Chapter is well represented in the ranks of the Deathwatch. Ultramarines have been undertaking the Long Watch since the very earliest days of the Vigil in the Jericho Reach, and it is claimed in several archives that the very first Battle-Brother to take the Apocryphon Oath at Orphite IV was of the Chapter. Given their outlook and their knowledge of tactics and every nuance of the operational art, it is perhaps unsurprising that a large proportion of the Deathwatch’s leaders in the Jericho Reach are seconded from the Ultramarines. Every single BattleBrother of the Chapter is steeped in the dictates of the Codex Astartes, well read of every method of warfare ever conceived. But it is not just knowledge that makes Ultramarines such worthy leaders, but the inheritance of Roboute Guiliman himself. Just as the Primarch united the Imperium and the Adeptus Astartes, welding the military might of the greatest stellar empire the galaxy has ever seen into a single, mighty war machine, so the Ultramarines serving in the Deathwatch unite the many and varied warriors serving beneath them. Such officers must ensure that taciturn Dark Angels work alongside hot-headed Space Wolves, that noble Blood Angels stand side by side with morbid Raven Guard. He must address the legitimate concerns of each and ensure the team works together as a seamless whole. He must know every nuance of his warriors’ abilities, and their weaknesses too, such that any Adeptus Astartes have, and utilise them as the living weapons they were created to be. It is only by the wisdom of the Codex Astartes and the example of its author that such a feat is possible.

tyraNNiC war veteraN

In the aftermath of the Battle of Macragge, the Ultramarines were faced with the Herculean task of rebuilding their most experienced body of veteran warriors—the 1st Company. Responsibility for this undertaking fell to Chaplain Cassius, whose hatred for the Tyranids and all they had done truly knew no bounds. Under Cassius’ leadership, those Battle-Brothers who had fought the hardest against the swarms that assaulted Macragge were elevated and afforded additional duties, until each was eventually judged worthy of joining the ranks of the slowly reconstituted 1st Company. These so-called “Tyrannic War Veterans” serve in every part of the Chapter, often as squad leaders where they can pass on their knowledge to their BattleBrothers. Under their command, the expertise they gained at such cost during the Battle for Macragge has been passed on and disseminated throughout the ranks. Devastators are taught where to aim their weapons to bring down the mighty warrior beasts of the Tyranids, or how best to use rapid firing heavy weaponry to hold a seemingly endless swarm at bay. Tactical Marines are taught the optimum combination of firepower and manoeuvrability, and which creatures to attack to the disrupt the whole. Assault Marines are taught how to engage this most fearsome of close quarters enemies in the deadly storm of close combat, countering every attack the enemy tries to make and in turn dealing it the killing blow.

While the Tyrannic War Veterans tutor others in their knowledge, they seek also to learn more of the Tyranids. It was the Codex Astartes that provided the inspiration, for had not Roboute Guiliman committed his own wisdom and experience to its pages so that others might learn from his example? Had not he brought to bear the fearsome weight of his intellect to master a thousand and more styles of warfare?

Thus it was that the first of the Tyrannic Wa r Veterans presented himself at Watch Station Erioch and partook of the Apocryphon Oath. His duty is to disseminate what he knows of the Tyranids and their methods, tutoring others, even the elite of the Deathwatch, in how best to counter the hive fleets’ advance. By joining the Deathwatch, the Tyrannic War Veterans increase their chances of encountering the Tyranids on the field of battle, and in so doing learn more of their enemy’s ways. Finally, what he learns of the Tyranids whilst undertaking his Vigil, a Tyrannic War Veteran can take back with him to his Chapter, and disseminate his hard won knowledge still further. And then, his mission complete, he may take up his place in the 1st Company, and fight alongside his brothers.

Several Tyrannic War Veterans are currently serving the Long Watch in the ranks of the Deathwatch of the Jericho Reach. One, Brother Scelus, is considered likely to be granted the rank of Watch Captain, though whether or not he will accept this honour given his need to return to his Chapter and pass on his knowledge remains to be seen. It was Brother Scelus who mastered the technique of using a cluster of sync-fused krak grenades to slay the very largest of Tyranid monstrosities, and he has passed this unique tactic on to several Battle-Brothers he has served alongside. Other Tyrannic War Veterans have mastered the use of various xenos-keyed poisons, coating their combat blades with deadly venom or delivering them by way of special ammunition. All of the Tyrannic War Veterans are masters of fighting the Tyranids, and to serve in the same Kill-team as such a warrior is to fight alongside both a trusted Battle-Brother and a masterful tutor.

plAyIng A tyrAnnIc WAr veterAn

Requirements: Ultramarines only, Rank 1 only

Cost: 1,000xp

Tyrannic War Veterans gain a clip of Hellfire Rounds as standard issue wargear (see page 28 of the Deathwatchrulebook). In addition, an Apothecary or Tactical Marine with this Advanced Speciality gains an Astartes Chainsword, while an Assault Marine gains an Astartes Bolter with shot selector.

tyrannic war veteran special ability: the scars of experience

In the decades since the First Tyrannic War, those who survived have passed on the grim lessons they have learnt to those who have not faced the Great Devourer. It has, since the earliest days of their impromptu brotherhood, been a tradition of the Tyrannic War Veterans to teach as much as to fight, spreading hard-won insight amongst Astartes of every Chapter, and to swear the Apocryphon Oath is one more route for this knowledge to be passed on. A Tyrannic War Veteran in Squad Mode may attempt to impart his knowledge and insight to his squad, his words guiding their deeds. The Battle-Brother may attempt to impart any Talent from the Tyrannic War Veteran Advances list, below, which is listed in italics and which the Battle-Brother has purchased. This requires a Full-Round Action and costs a single point of Cohesion, at which point all those in Support Range of the Battle-Brother count as possessing the Talent until the end of the combat.

In addition, the Battle-Brother gains the Hatred (Tyranids) Talent for free upon entering this Advanced Speciality, and gains 1d10 Renown due to the recent memory of the First Tyrannic War.

New talent: tyrannic war stratagem

Talent Groups: Bulwark, Cleansing Flame, Grenadier, Master of Venoms, Slaughter the Swarm, Withdraw

The Battle-Brother’s hard-won experience against the Tyranids has resulted in him mastering, or in some cases even devising, a variety of unusual strategies intended to combat the unique menace of the Great Devourer. The Battle-Brother gains a +10 bonus on all Tactics Tests that relate specifically to combating the Tyranids, and gains a single one of the Stratagems described below. This Talent may be purchased multiple times, each time requiring that a different Stratagem be selected. The bonus to Tactics Tests remains at +10 no matter how many times the Talent is purchased.

Bulwark: The Battle-Brother has stood his ground in the face of endless swarms of Tyranids, a veritable sea of claws, teeth and chitin crashing against him. When fighting against a Horde, the Battle-Brother may attempt to Parry melee attacks, but suffers a penalty equal to half the Horde’s Magnitude (rounding up) on the Test, due to the sheer number of creatures attacking.

Cleansing Flame: The agility of many Tyranids is startling, permitting them to evade even the burning jets of promethium produced by Flamer weaponry, but the Battle-Brother is wise to their trickery. Any creature attempting an Agility Test to avoid being hit by a Flame weapon must re-roll successful Tests. Against Hordes of Tyranids, the amount of random Magnitude damage dealt by a Flame weapon may be rolled twice, selecting the highest result.

Grenadier: Amongst the best-known of the stratagems

devised by the Tyrannic War Veterans, the use of Krak Grenades to slay monstrous foes in melee is a risky but rewarding tactic. The Battle-Brother may use a Krak Grenade as his chosen weapon for any Charge Attack, Standard Attack or All-Out Attack action, suffering a –20 penalty to hit due to the difficulty of the attack. However, if the attack roll succeeds, the Battle-Brother deals the normal damage of an Astartes Krak Grenade (with its associated Pen value), adding +1 to the Pen for every Degree of Success on the attack roll (to represent the grenade being thrust into vulnerable points in the creature’s carapace).

Master of Venoms: Typically, any poison employed against Tyranids will be useless against the following generation of creatures, rendering commonly-used toxins largely irrelevant against the Tyranids. The Battle-Brother may concoct a new toxin during the preparation phase of a mission, which will be effective against the Tyranids for a time. For the duration of the mission, a single non-powered weapon (i.e., not a chainsword, power sword, force weapon, etc) may be given the Toxic quality, and he may requisition special poisondelivery bolter shells for 5 requisition per clip, which deal –2 damage but gain the Toxic quality. All weapons the BattleBrother wields with the Toxic quality may affect Tyranids in spite of their normal immunity to poisons.

Slaughter the Swarm: The seething, endless tides of lesser Tyranids are a struggle to deal with even using massive firepower, but the Battle-Brother has learned to place his shots for maximum effect. When calculating the number of hits inflicted against a Horde, the Battle-Brother scores a number of bonus hits (after all other modifiers) equal to either his Intelligence Bonus or his Perception Bonus (whichever is higher).

Withdraw: The terrifying onslaught of swift creatures such as Genestealers is deadly even to the Astartes, and many warriors have fallen to the razor-sharp talons of these creatures. Those who survive such attacks learn the value of evasion at all costs, hurling themselves beyond the reach of those deadly claws. The Battle-Brother, if engaged in melee, may attempt to disengage from combat when Dodging by taking a –20 penalty on the Dodge Test. If the Test is successful, the Battle-Brother moves his Agility Bonus in metres and is prone, but no longer in melee.

ultramariNes hoNour guard

Many Chapters maintain a core of the most celebrated and experienced warriors, and field them in battle as an Honour Guard. Most Chapters can only amass a handful of such Battle-Brothers, but the greatest of the Adeptus Astartes, in particular the Ultramarines, can muster as many as two dozen. Each Honour Guard is a veteran of countless campaigns, for whom no enemy in the galaxy presents but the slightest degree of doubt. The warrior has been selected, and has agreed, to become a champion of the Chapter based on his glorious career. In battle, the Honour Guards form a retinue that accompanies the Chapter Master, providing him with a degree of protection that no other force could match. Each Honour Guard bears weapons that are in themselves amongst the most precious relics of the Chapter, and his armour is the finest artificer-wrought war plate dating from the Chapter’s earliest days. Though their martial skills are without equal, this is not the only reason the Honour Guards take to the field. So experienced is each Honour Guard that a single word of counsel can turn the tide of battle, and even the Chapter Master knows to heed their words. Perhaps the most sacred of an Honour Guard’s duties is to carry and protect the Chapter banner, bearing it aloft so that all may take heart from its colours.

Though countless Battle-Brothers of the Ultramarines Chapter have served in the ranks of the Deathwatch, comparatively few have done so whilst holding the rank of Honour Guard. When individual Ultramarines Honour Guards take the Apocryphon Oath, it is momentous, for it signifies that the Honour Guard is present as a champion and representative of his entire Chapter. The Oath he takes rests not simply on his own honour, but on that of every Ultramarines Battle-Brother. Should he fail in its fulfilment, he has failed not only himself, but every son of Roboute Guiliman ever to have lived.

What situation might cause an Ultramarines Honour Guard to take his leave of his Chapter and join the Deathwatch? Firstly, grave bonds of honour and duty link the two Chapters, and have done so since the earliest days of the Conclave of Orphite IV. The two have fought alongside one another in numerous battles, and in so doing forged unbreakable bonds of kinship. At other times, the Deathwatch has found itself facing a foe which its leaders know to be a figure of special hatred for the Ultramarines, and considered itself honour bound to inform the Chapter. On discovering that some ancient enemy of the Chapter is abroad, the Ultramarines might despatch a strike force to fight alongside the Deathwatch, but if no such force is available, a single Honour Guard is despatched to join the Deathwatch and represent his entire Chapter in the battle ahead. His is the duty and the honour of fighting the final confrontation and striking the last, killing blow, for the glory of the Ultramarines and all their kin。

Most instances of an Ultramarines Honour Guard joining the Deathwatch are relatively short-lived and confined to a particular battle. However, there are a rare handful of other secondments for a longer term. It is likely that the Librarians of both Chapters have foreseen some coming battle in which the Honour Guard will play a pivotal role, or that the masters have decreed that some particular enemy must be brought to justice within a given timeframe. Such instances make it necessary for the Honour Guard to stand the Long Watch alongside other members of the Deathwatch for as long as is needed, whether it be months, years or even decades.

Playing a ultramarine honour guard

Requirements: Ultramarines only, Rank 6+, Renown 80+, WS 50+, must have the Duty Unto Death and Exemplar of Honour Talents, may not be a Librarian, Apothecary or Techmarine.

Cost: 5,000xp

honour guard wargear

Honour Guard gain Artificer Armour as standard issue wargear (see page 28 of the Deathwatch rulebook). In addition, upon taking this Advanced Speciality they may replace any one of their existing weapons (either standard issue or gained through a Signature Wargear Talent) with a Master-Crafted version of the same weapon.

honour guard special ability: astartes paragon

The Honour Guard represent the best and brightest of the Chapter, warriors who are amongst the most skilled and experienced of any Ultramarine alive, and who exemplify the virtues espoused by Roboute Guilliman within the Codex Astartes. Few would doubt that they should be counted alongside the Chapter’s greatest heroes. Even for Adeptus Astartes of other Chapters, the presence of such paragons of the Adeptus Astartes ideal is inspiring, and their skill and experience makes them a valuable member of any Kill-Team.An Honour Guard’s long service and considerable experience is an asset to any team leader, and means that he is more than capable of leading in his own right. A Kill-Team containing an Honour Guard adds +2 to its Cohesion.

New talent: honour or death

The Battle-Brother is a champion of the Ultramarines and of the Adeptus Astartes as a whole, and stands defiant against the mightiest of foes. It is his duty and his honour to face enemy champions in battle, and often to deal the killing blow against such creatures. Once per combat, when attacking an enemy Elite- or Master-level creature in melee, the BattleBrother may choose to gain one of the following benefits: his weapon gains the Proven (3) quality, his weapon gains the Felling (1) quality, his weapon gains the Razor-Sharp quality, or he receives an additional +1 Renown (if Elite) or +1d5 Renown (if a Master) if he slays the creature single-handed.

additioNal rules

The history of the Ultramarines is a long and glorious one, dating back to the Great Crusade and the earliest days of the Imperium. Always have the Ultramarines stood proudly at the front lines, their strategy and skill-at-arms proving sufficient to overcome any foe upon any battlefield. Many Chapters hold the Ultramarines as an example, and their strategic and tactical acumen is legendary, guided as it is by the vast Codex Astartes. A few additional rules are presented below, to help represent some of that wealth of combat lore and military insight.

UltrAmArInes solo mode ABIlIty:

stUdent oF tHe codex

This is a new Solo Mode Ability available to Battle-Brothers of the Ultramarines Chapter. See page 215 of the Deathwatchrulebook for details of using Solo Mode Abilities.

Type: Passive

Required Rank: 3

Effects: The Battle-Brother is well-versed in the writings of Guilliman and generations of Captains and Chapter Masters, having studied them at length over many years, and knows how best to apply the lessons taught within. The BattleBrother treats all Tactics Skills as Basic Skills. In addition, at the start of any combat, when rolling for initiative, the Battle-Brother may attempt a Tactics Test (whichever is most appropriate to the combat being fought; the GM’s decision is final on this), gaining a number of re-rolls that can be used on Tests during the combat equal to 1+ the number of Degrees of Success he scores if he passes.

Improvements: At Rank 5 and above, the number of rerolls increases to his Intelligence Bonus plus the number of Degrees of Success scored. At Rank 7 and above, the BattleBrother may exchange three of those re-rolls to automatically pass a Skill Test during the combat, passing by a number of Degrees of Success equal to his Intelligence Bonus.

UltrAmArInes sqUAd modeABIlItIes

The following Squad Mode abilities are unique to characters drawn from the Ultramarines Chapter. The use of Squad Mode Abilities is described on page 219 of the Deathwatch Rulebook.

ultramarines attack pattern: Coordinated strike

Action: Free Action

Cost: 2

Sustained: No

Effects: All warriors can fight alone, but it is a point of particular pride amongst the Adeptus Astartes—and the Ultramarines in particular—that a squad is greater than the sum of the warriors who make it up. Their discipline and coordination allow them to slay their enemies with ruthless efficiency, each Battle-Brother cutting down the foes his brothers wound, or selflessly maiming foes for his brothers to slay. The Battle-Brother may call for a Coordinated Strike,which lasts until the beginning of his following turn. During this time, the Battle-Brother and all those within Support Range gain a +2 bonus to all damage rolls when attacking an enemy who has already been hit by a member of the Killteam during the Coordinated Strike.

Improvements: If the Battle-Brother is Rank 4 or above, the bonus to damage rolls increases to +5.

ultramarines attack pattern: synchronised assault

Action: Free Action

Cost: 3

Sustained: No

Effects: The Ultramarines prize fluid tactics and adaptability, understanding that the tides of battle can change at a moment’s notice. When rolling for initiative, the Battle-Brother may call for a Synchronised Assault. For the duration of that combat, the Battle-Brother and those in Support Range may exchange initiative rolls freely before the first round begins, choosing amongst themselves the sequence in which they wish to act.

Improvements: If the Battle-Brother is Rank 4 or above, they may exchange initiative rolls freely at the start of each round instead of only at the start of the combat。

ultramarines defensive stance: tactical withdrawal

Action: Reaction

Cost: 3

Sustained: No

Effects: Where some Chapters cannot abide the idea of retreating in the face of the enemy, the Ultramarines know better, understanding that taking a step back in the fury of battle can frequently prove the difference between victory and defeat. A momentary withdrawal from the enemy can open up opportunities for allies to exploit, bringing victory more swiftly and decisively than might otherwise have been the case. After being attacked in melee combat, the BattleBrother may call for a Tactical Withdrawal. The BattleBrother and those in Support Range may immediately move up to their Agility Bonus in metres directly away from their enemy as if they had performed a Disengage Action.

Improvements: If the Battle-Brother is Rank 5 or above, the distance moved is increased to twice their Agility Bonus in metres.

ultramarines defensive stance: Considered defence

Action: Full Action

Cost: 3

Sustained: Yes

Effects: The Ultramarines are disinclined to stubborn, costly defence, preferring instead to adapt their stance to the situation at hand, relying on the teachings of the Codex Astartes to judge the shifting tides of battle and adjusting as required. While this ability remains in effect, the BattleBrother and those in Support Range may gain one of the following benefits, which may be chosen when this ability is activated: +4 Armour Points from Cover, move Agility Bonus metres as a Free Action, or an additional Reaction. The choice of benefit may be changed as a Half Action.

Improvements: If the Battle-Brother is Rank 3 or above, the choice of benefit may be changed as a Free Action.

neW oAtH: oAtH oF dUty

This Oath may be selected by a Kill-Team which has selected a Battle-Brother of the Ultramarines Chapter to be their leader. Oath-taking is described on page 228 of the Deathwatch Rulebook.

Taken upon a volume of the Codex Astartes, the Oath of Duty is an avowal of one’s duty, stated for all to hear and its fulfilment is promised upon a sacred tome. The Ultramarines hold that an oath sworn upon something sacred is unbreakable, for to break such a vow would not only be disgraceful, but blasphemous, and few can refute such reasoning.

Prerequisite: Any Battle-Brother of the Ultramarines Chapter

Effect: Those that take the Oath of Duty meditate upon the task at hand, focussing utterly on the completion of their immediate task, with no consideration of anything irrelevant to their mission. Such focus grants the members of the KillTeam the freedom to approach the mission’s objectives in any way they choose, unfettered by any other considerations. This Oath grants no special ability, but rather grants access to four Squad Mode abilities instead of three。

Squad Mode Abilities: Fire for Effect, Squad Advance, Regroup, Tactical Spacing

“There are those who have made the mistake of assuming that a Space Marine’s daily routine consists of killing and waiting around to kill some more. Ironically, few of these fools have lived to repeat their mistake…”

–Inquisitor Vils Andarion