GREY KNIGHT FORCES

SPACE MARINES

The Grey Knights are probably the strangest and most mysterious of all the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes or Space Marines. The Chapter does not involve itself with the ordinary concerns of space marines, such as fighting aliens and combating rebellion, but remains on standby ready to fight on the behalf of the Ordo Malleus. Although the orders existence is well known its activities are cloaked in secrecy.

The Chapter was the sole creation of the mysterious Second Founding of the 31^st Millennium. It was designed to fulfill a specific function, to fight daemonic forces in close combat either in space or on the ground. Its original Space Marine brothers were genetically engineered and surgically adapted along the same lines as the original founding, but also received additional bioengineering in keeping with their special role. As a result they are mentally tougher than most space marines.

Legend has it that the Knights were created on the direct order from the Emperor to form a special Chapter of Space Marines dedicated solely to rooting out daemons and destroying them in face to face combat. The Grey Knights are part of the Inquisitorial forces and their Chapters Grand Master is traditionally a member of the Inner Conclave of the Inquisition.

Bioengineering and psychosurgery were lavished on the Grey Knights at their inception to make them the hardiest and most loyal space marines ever created. In addition to the considerable stoicism they share with their brother Space Marines the Grey Knights are heavily psycho-conditioned against the horrors of daemonic incursions and the whispered seductions of Chaos

All standard Break Test and rapid-fire rules apply

Immune to psychology: due to the heavy psycho surgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology because the fear recesses in their brains have been bypassed through surgical means.

Techmarines

Every Chapter sends a proportion of its young warriors to Mars where they are trained by the Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus. If they prove able studious they are inducted into the rites of the Machine Mysteries, the secret and mystical union of man and machine, the details of which remain the most sacred mystery of the Tech-Priests.

Once he has undergone his initiation the Space Marine is no longer wholly a Space Marine, he has become a Tech-Priest and a devotee of the Cult of the Machine God. This strange duality of loyalties means Techmarines always stand apart from other Space Marines. They are priests of the Machine God, skilled in the arcane sciences, and pertinent to the dark secrets of technology.

When a Techmarine returns to his Chapter he joins hiss fellow Techmarines, the Chapters corps of technicians and builders, mechanics and inventors. To their fellow Space Marines they are mysterious figures possessing disturbing skills and obscure knowledge. To undertake the manual labor of maintenance and construction, Techmarines create cyborg Servitors; weird machine men with limbs of metal and hands of formed into heavy tools.

Special rules:

Grey Knight: due to psychosurgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology. Fear, terror or any other psychological rule cannot affect them

A Techmarine may attempt to repair a single damaged hit location on a vehicle, a dreadnought or a destroyed support weapon, if he can get to it during his next turn. He can do nothing else during that turn- he cannot shoot or fight in hand to hand combat while he is attempting a repair. At the end of that turn roll a D6.

Servitors

Servitors are created by the Techmarines as assistants and servants. They are weird combinations of men and machines, bio-engineered by the Techmarine to perform specific tasks. Their bodies are grown from human gene cells in vats of artificial nutrient, and although physically strong and robust their minds are blank and incapable of development or of feeling much pain. Techmarines insert bio-programs into their Servitors brains, and replace much of their body with mechanical contrivances such as huge metal claws, infrared sensors for eyes, or whatever other specialized tools are required. Servitors operate many of the war engines and other machines of war that the Techmarines make.

Special Rules:

Immune to psychology. A Servitors mind is essentially blank and only the most rudimentary instincts remain. Servitors cannot be affected by fear, terror and are immune to all psychological effects.

Crew. On the battlefield Servitors act as weapon crews. In this capacity they will operate their equipment and fight to defend it if necessary. If their weapon is destroyed they will automatically move towards another thus forming a reserve crew around surviving machines. Servitors can also act as a Techmarines bodyguard, forming a unit of troops led by the Techmarine. Crew servitors whose weapon has been destroyed may join the Techmarines bodyguard instead of forming a reserve crew around other machines.

Save. A Servitors mechanized body is partially armored giving him a saving throw of 5+ on one D6.

Grey Knight Librarians

The Grey Knights, like all other Space Marine Chapters, have librarians, although they are significantly more powerful. All Grey Knights with psychic powers, as extemely few as there are in comparison with other Chapters are inducted into the Gestalts. These squads are mostly spread out across the galaxy. However, when the opportunity to advance in rank comes, there are two ways the Marine can go. First, he may become inducted into the Terminator squads and become on of the elite. However, if the Marine wishes to pursue his psychic mastery he is inducted into the order of Librarians. Among these are the strongest psychers in the race. Because of their sudden separation from the constant presence of their battle brothers in their squad, they are not allowed to return to the field of battle until they have completed their training and are at the very pinnacle of their power.

There are very few Librarians in the Grey Knights, as all that wish to become one are subjected to tests that even their initiations pale in comparison to. There is an average of 20 Marines a year who wish to join the Librarian Brotherhood, out of which maybe three will make it. All others are mind-wiped and sent back through training again, beginning from scratch, never remembering they had ever even been a Grey Knight.

Grey Knight Librarians also take care of the chapters spiritual needs, much in the same way as other Chapters Chaplains. They perform the rites of their Chapter, performing the ancient ceremonies of Initiation and Vindication, as well as leading their Brethren through prayers of faith and sacred psalms of the Emperor.

Special rules:

Leadership: Librarians are inspirational individuals and great spiritual leaders just like Chaplains. If any space marine unite within 8" of the Librarian fails any leadership based test then it may retake the test immediately.

Extremely few in number: Librarians are so rare among the Chapter that they are seldom seen in battle except in the most dire of circumstances. To represent this, only one Librarian may be placed in your army .

Daemonic attack: because of the exceptional resiliency to daemons of all Grey Knight psykers, Daemonic Attack will only affect them on a D6 roll of 6.

Immune to psychology: due to heavy psychosurgery all Grey Knights are immune to psychology because the fear sensors in their brain have been bypassed.

Apothecaries

The future of every Space Marine Chapter is wholly dependent upon the organic implants, which turn a young initiate into a Space Marine warrior. Without these implants and the Bioengineering skills which are needed to use them the Chapter would soon die. Every Chapter has its own bio-researchers called medics or Apothecaries. The lore of bioengineering is passed down from generation to generation, and the memory banks of the Apothacarion contain records of the Chapters genetic history. Every trace of mutant gene seed must be expunged, every weakened removed, and only the healthy gene seed is used to propagate new Space Marines.

The source of the Chapters gene seed is in its Space Marine brothers as well. Every Space Marine carries a replicating organ buried deep inside his chest and another at the base of his throat. These progenoid genes absorb free DNA strands from the Space Marines other implants and form them into germ cells. If a Space Marine dies these replicating organs can be removed with the germ cells they contain used to grow fresh implants. If a Space Marine dies in battle he can be replaced if either or both of his progenoid organs can be recovered (given a few years) but if he dies and his body is destroyed or lost then his gene seed is lost also.

Space Marines rarely go to battle without an Apothecary. The Apothecary is a warrior of supreme might and bravery, whose role is to save what he can of his Chapters gene seed. If a brother warrior falls, the Apothecary can administer to him by tending his wounds and applying battle dressings to staunch the flow of blood. Many Space Marines that would otherwise be unable to fight have lived to fight again thanks to the attentions of the Apothecary.

Not all the wounded can be saved: some are so badly hurt that death can only be a matter of time; others are killed instantly. The Apothecary can only calm the spirits of the dying and prepare them for death, helping them on their way with the heavy pistol carried to end the suffering of the dying. Once dead a Space Marine may live on only as a gene seed, and the Apothecary ensures that he returns to the Chapter by removing the progenoid organs from his body.

Special rules:

Immune to psychology: as a result of the heavy psychosurgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology, because the fear recesses in their brains have been bye passed.

Ordo Malleus Daemon Hunters

Daemon Hunters are the Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus. It is their duty to root out daemonic activity and combat daemonic forces in whatever form they take. Only the most mentally stalwart and physically strong of all Inquisitors are fit for this arduous job. To fight hand to hand or to combat them in the realm of mental energy requires special powers and abilities. Most Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus are psychers and those who are not have tremendous mental resolve.

It is of coarse imperative that the identities of Ordo Malleus Inquisitors are kept secret, but this is not always easy to do when daemons have to be fought. When members of the Order are obligated to appear during the course of their investigations, they may adopt a uniform, which hide their features. In this way their true identities remain unknown.

Special Rules:

Psychology: Daemon Hunters are immune to all psychological effects as described in the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook. Fear, terror, or any other psychology rule cannot affect them.

Break: Daemon Hunters never break and automatically pass any leadership-based test they are required to take, they cannot be broken under any circumstances.

Grey Knight Terminator Squads

The Grey Knights are screened to exclude all but the strongest and most resilient psychers. The strongest and purest of them are rigorously trained to combine their abilities together into a gestalt power far greater than any of them could muster individually. Once they have distinguished themselves in battle these Grey Knights may become part of the elite First Company.

Although Grey Knights do have Librarians like other Space Marine Chapters (although considerably more powerful) they are unusual because all the terminators of their First Company posses a varying degree of psychic ability. Because of this all Grey Knight Terminator squads are able to use psychic powers in a similar fashion to units of daemons.

Unlike daemons the mastery level of a Grey Knight Terminator Squad is variable but the size of the squad is not. The mastery level of a Grey Knights Terminator Squad is decided when it is chosen as part of your force between a minimum of mastery level 1 and a maximum mastery level of 4. Psychic power cards are drawn for the squad (not each model) at the start of the game along with other psychers. The squads mastery level also determines the Strength bonus they receive with their Nemesis Force Weapons. As usual with force weapons, the Grey Knights receive a +1 Strength bonus in hand-to-hand combat per mastery level of the squad.

As Grey Knights suffer casualties and the size of the squad is reduced its mastery level will also drop. The mastery level of the squad can never exceed the number of Grey Knights left in it. For example, a squad with a mastery level of 4 suffering 2 casualties (leaving 3 models in the squad alive) would be reduced to mastery level 3. A squad with a mastery level of 2 would be unaffected till until there was only one Knight left, who would have a mastery level of 1. If it becomes necessary to discard some of the squads psychic powers, draw them randomly from the squads hand.

When a squad of Grey Knights uses a power its worth nothing that it doesnt work on the whole squad unless it normally would do so. When the squad uses a psychic power, nominate one model in the squad of Grey Knights who is using the power and if it remains in play leave the power card next to that model as a reminder the he is the one affected.

The following powers are exceptions to this rule and will affect the whole squad if they are used successfully.

Inquisition powers: aura of fire

Librarian powers: teleportation, psychic shield

In addition, because of the Grey Knights resiliency to daemons, the daemonic attack card will only affect them on a D6 roll of 6.

Immune to psychology: because of heavy psychosurgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology because all of the fear sensors in their brains have been bypassed. Fear, terror or any other psychology rule cannot affect them.

Gestalt Grey Knight Psychic Squads

Gestalts are those few Grey Knights that are psychic. These squads are formed in order for those aspiring Grey Knights that have a small bit of psychic ability to combine their talents into one great force that none of them could ever achieve alone in order to prove themselves in battle. These marines will one day, if they survive, become either part of the Chapters elite 1^st company or a librarian. In the case that they would choose the path of becoming a brother Librarian, they will not see battle again after they have proven themselves until after many years where they will arise at the peak of their power, and as the most powerful psykers of their race.

As the squad grows together, and fights together they will become more and more powerful. At this time thy will be usually inducted into the Grey Knights elite 1^st company as terminators, spread across the Imperium awaiting and daemonic incursions.

Grey Knight Gestalt squads use psychic powers in the same way as Grey Knight Terminator squads, except that they are not as well trained to use their powers, and are weaker than their counter parts. The squad may have a maximum Mastery Level of 4 and a minimum of 1.

As the size of the squad decreases so does the Mastery level, and the strength of the squad. To represent this, for every 3 models killed, remove 1 psychic power from your hand if the squad is a 4^th level psyker. If the squad is a 3^rd level psyker, then this counts for every 4^th psyker, and if the squad is a level 2 psyker, one is only removed if they lose = their number. A level one squad, of coarse would never lose their power until the entire squad is whipped out.

The psychic level of the squad also determines the strength bonus they receive from their Force Knives. A Force Knife is a miniature force weapon that conducts the psychic flow of the wielder into a very potent close combat weapon. However, unlike most force weapons, the force knife is not able to actually store any warp energy. The weapon merely channels the energy into a form that can be used in close combat. Therefor, the Force Knife cannot store any force cards, but does increase the strength of the user +1 for mastery level 1-2, and +2 for mastery level 3-4. The weapon also wounds daemons automatically with no saving throw from their daemonic aura whatsoever.

The squad has the same rules for psychic powers as the Grey Knights terminator squads.

Because the Grey Knights are heavily trained to guard themselves against the daemons of the warp, the daemonic attack card can only affect them on a D6 roll of 6. In addition, they cannot be possessed by daemons when teleporting.

Daemon Stalkers

Daemon Stalkers are the elite of the non-psychic Daemon hunters in the Grey Knights. Unsurpassed in hand to hand combat, these dreaded troops move across the battle field hunting down daemons and slaying them in hand to hand, presenting their heads to their Captain for approval and cutting down all that would be in their way. They are very rarely seen when daemons are not present, although it is not unheard of, and all enemies of the Imperium have learned to fear the wrath of the Daemon Stalker.

Their black helmet and red visors most commonly characterize the Daemon Stalker, as well as the strange saber that hangs from their belts. This rune encrusted sword is black in color with a silver razor sharp edge, and crackles with surging psychic energy that pierce the hearts of daemons, dispatching them for the Emperor.

Fear: because of their fearsome look and reputation, Daemon Stalkers Cause fear as described in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.

Immune to psychology: due to heavy psychosurgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology because the fear recesses in their brains have been bypassed.

Psyblade: this weapon was designed primarily for the Daemon Stalkers as a weapon with stores warp energy without the user being a psyker. The blade is charged with warp energy, enabling it to wound daemons automatically on a D6 roll of 2+ and negates daemons daemonic aura. When used on normal troops, the weapon has the same statistics as a power sword.

Inquisitorial Cells

Most Inquisitors work on their own, traveling the Imperium incognito, watching and waiting for telltale signs of peril. A few work with other Inquisitors in teams known as Cells. Cells usually contain one or more members who work overtly as investigators, while remaining members proceed covertly by infiltration. Inquisitorial Cells are purely voluntary associations whose members may have temporary or long term commitments depending on circumstances. Inquisitors prefer to form partnerships of this nature only with close friends and colleagues. They are naturally suspicious of strangers even amongst their own kind.

Immune to psychology: Inquisitors are immune to all psychological effects as described in the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook. Fear, terror or any other psychology rule cannot affect them.

Break: Inquisitors never break and automatically pass any leadership-based test they may be required to take. They cannot be broken under any circumstances.

Destructor Squads

The Grey Knights Chapter of Space Marines do not have scouts as other Chapters do. Grey Knights are trained exceptionally more than other Chapters before the are allowed onto the field. The few Psychic Space Marines that are in the Chapter become Gestalts, a psychic squad who train and prove themselves in battle before moving on. All others, which there are an exceptional amount of in comparison, are placed in Destructor Squads for their first few missions until they become skilled enough to join the Shock Troops, Tactical squads or the ever dreaded Daemon Stalkers.

Special:

Infiltration: the squad may infiltrate onto the field as described in the Warhammer 40k rulebook

Dispersed formation: the squad may set up 4 inches apart instead of the normal 2

Immune to psychology: because of psychosurgery, all Grey Knights are immune to psychology.