AGE OF DARKNESS RULEBOOK (ENGLISH)

The Empire stretches across countless worlds, and the newborn Empire stands on the brink of ultimate victory. However, at the height of the golden age of conquest, the galaxy was plunged into the Age of Darkness. Horus Lupercal, commander of the Imperator's armies, has turned against his father - and the eighteen legions of the Space Marine, once united in the Great Crusade to unite all mankind under the Imperator's banner, are being torn apart by treachery. Behold the Heresy of Horus - the bloodiest conflict humanity has ever known, a civil war on a galactic scale in which superhuman soldiers clad in advanced armour hurl devastating weapons at those they called brothers. Where does your loyalty lie?

Warhammer: Heresy of Horus is a figurative wargame where powerful armies face off against each other in apocalyptic tabletop battles. Choose your favourite faction of Loyalists or Traitors, from the chivalrous Dark Angels to the hypocritical Alpha Legion, build your own army from a variety of spectacular Citadel and Forge World figures and face off against other players in games of stunning tactical depth.

Book

This 336-page hardcover book is a treasure trove of knowledge, illustrations and information about the distant future of Warhammer: Heresy of Horus, along with comprehensive guides to help you build and paint your model collection. It also includes basic rules so you can recreate the cruel conflicts of the Age of Darkness with your own armies, as well as explanations of the various game modes that will appeal to any hobbyist.

AGE OF DARKNESS

The book opens with a full exploration of the galaxy in which the Horus Heresy wars are fought - from its dark past to its luminous peak - and the technologies, factions, armies and ideals that dominate it.

- The Age of the Emperor: An overview of the fall of humanity and the rise of the Empire. You'll learn about the Age of Struggle from which the Emperor emerged, the Great Crusade he launched to unite the galaxy under his banner, and some of the most important groups he founded or allied with to support this epic endeavour.

- The Empire of Humanity: A closer look at the structure of the Empire at the advent of the Horus heresy. You will learn about some of the key events, people and groups that dominated the destiny of humanity. This section also explains the importance of the Warp, the psykers and Imperial Truth - the strict, rationalist philosophy that the Emperor imposed on his conquests.

- Legiones Astartes: The Space Marines are much more than a simple army. They are genetically modified, equipped with the finest weaponry and subjected to psychoindoctrination in a rigorous and brutal process that creates the perfect weapon of war. This comprehensive, in-depth section explains what goes into creating a Space Marine, illustrates the different weapons and armour used by the Legions, and includes a detailed discussion of each of the 18 Space Marine Legions, including information on their distinctive history, tactics, organisation and the powerful Primarchs who command them - as well as a visual guide to their heraldry and colour schemes.

- Additional factions: Although this is primarily a war between the Legiones Astartes, there are many other armies involved in the Heresy of Horus, including the Emperor's Talons, Solar Auxilia and Mechanicum. This section explains the role these groups played in the Empire - and its fall - including their history, favoured tactics and military structures.

- The Age of Darkness: At the dawn of the 31st millennium, the Emperor's favourite son plunged the galaxy into darkness. This section delves into the initial acts of the Horus heresy, setting the stage for the most devastating war in human history. It includes a synopsis of the brutal events of the massacre at the Isstvan drop site, the progress of the Traitors' war machine, and the emergence of the cosmic Storm of Ruins from which the daemonic entities spill over into reality.

- Key events of the Horus heresy: A detailed timeline of the major conflicts and clashes within the Heresy of Horus itself, leading up to the final siege of Terra. This section offers important insights into where the Legions are, who they are fighting and the terrible traumas that arise at various stages of the war.

PLAYING THE GAME

Next, you'll learn how to play Warhammer: Heresy of Horus on the tabletop, with all the ground rules you'll need to get the most out of the supplements.

- Basic Rules: You'll learn the general rules of the game, its turns and phases, how to command units, measure distance, shoot enemies and charge in melee combat. You'll also learn about Reactions, which allow each player to react to events even if it's not their turn.

- Unit types: Age of Darkness is dominated by powerful heroes and fearsome war machines. This section explains how to use the different unit types, such as Characters, Vehicles and Automata, as well as the unnatural Psychic Powers that can be wielded in battle.

- Terrain: The Galaxy is full of exotic and dangerous battlefields. This section contains rules for using the different types of terrain on your table, including Barricades, Jungles and Ruins, as well as rules on how to capture Fortifications and use various Buildings.

- Special Rules: Battles in Heresy of Horus covers a huge variety of soldiers and equipment, each with their own unique characteristics. This section offers a central index of all the universal special rules that govern the various units and weapons, from the cunning Scouts to the explosive Explosive Weapon.

GAMEPLAY IN THE DARK AGE

This final section provides an overview of the gaming hobby of Warhammer: Heresy of Horus, whether creating games or building your own army.

- Business Card: the book contains a photographic presentation of seven great Legiones Astartes armies from various hobbyists, along with commentary on how they chose to collect, build and paint each faction. There are also four demonstration battlefields, demonstrating the cinematic ways in which the Age of Darkness setting can be recreated.

- Game modes: Different hobbyists like different types of gameplay. This section describes different ways to play the game, including the broad categories of narrative, matched and open-ended play, as well as campaigns and even cooperative play.

- Preparing for Battle: This section explains how to start (and finish) a game, includes force organisation charts to help you complete your army list, a guide to table setting and army deployment, various victory conditions, as well as six missions and six deployment maps that can be combined into standard games.

- References and index: the book closes with a reference section, containing quick and simple summaries of the rules to help your game run smoothly, and a comprehensive index to help you find specific rules.