Wrath & Glory - Bloody Gates [PDF]

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CREDITS Cover Art: Bartek Fedyczak Art: Bartłomiej Fedyczak, Frost Llamzon, Sam Manley, Jamie Noble Fryer Writer: Martin Lloyd Graphic Design & Layout: Rory McCormack Editor: Christopher Walz Developer: Zak Dale-Clutterbuck, Cat Evans Proofreader: Tim Cox Mechanical Feedback: Jacob AJT Smith Cubicle 7 Business Support: Anthony Burke, Elaine Connolly, Donna King, Eileen Murphy, and Kieran Murphy Cubicle 7 Creative Team: Dave Allen, Emmet Byrne, Dave Chapman, Walt Ciechanowski, Zak Dale-Clutterbuck, Cat Evans, Runesael Flynn, Dániel Kovács, Elaine Lithgow, TS Luikart, Rachael Macken, Rory McCormack, Dominic McDowall, Sam Manley, Pádraig Murphy, Ceíre O’Donoghue, JG O’Donoghue, Síne Quinn, and Christopher Walz Publisher: Dominic McDowall Special thanks to the Games Workshop team. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory © Copyright Games Workshop Limited 2021. Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay, the Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay logo, Wrath & Glory, the Wrath & Glory logo, GW, Games Workshop, Space Marine, 40k, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, the ‘Aquila’ Double-headed Eagle logo, and all associated logos, illustrations, images, names, creatures, races, vehicles, locations, weapons, characters, and the distinctive likeness thereof, are either ® or ™, and/or © Games Workshop Limited, variably registered around the world, and used under licence. Cubicle 7 Entertainment and the Cubicle 7 Entertainment logo are trademarks of Cubicle 7 Entertainment Limited. All rights reserved.

Wrath & Glory originally designed by Ulisses North America

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Last Edited: June 2021

THE BLOODY GATES The Bloody Gates follows the fate of Fireteam 123-B of the Gilead Gravediggers Auxiliary Penal Brigade during an assault on a rebellious hive city, Tora Armis,

RUNNING THIS ADVENTURE

on the Hive World of Gilead Primus. The Agents will face fierce fighting, and must keep their wits about

The Bloody Gates is a roleplaying scenario set in a

them if they are to make it through the battle.

battle. There’s plenty of combat, but there should be plenty of social interaction as well. Keep the tempo

This adventure is suitable for Human Tier 1 characters

high and impress the confusion and madness of the

with the IMPERIUM Keyword. The adventure takes

situation on the players. Be sure to read the whole

place entirely on a battlefield, making it most suitable

adventure before playing the first session.

for characters with a military calling. The Agents will be organised into a battlefield squad. While it would

Throughout the adventure the player’s characters,

make sense for all the Agents to have the Imperial

referred to from here on as the Fireteam, are just a

Guardsman Archetype, a personnel shortage has

handful of individuals on a battlefield. Everywhere

forced the Astra Militarum to sweep up all kinds of

they look there will be other things happening, other

individuals and send them into battle as part of the

Imperial soldiers fighting other foes and pursuing their

Gilead Gravediggers’ Penal Brigade.

own objectives. The rules in The Deadly Battlefield (see page 25) simulate this through the use of Glory

After the adventure the Agents could continue to

and Ruin, but you should include descriptions of the

further adventures, or as a group you might want to

unfolding battle in your general narration.

play one of the other mini-campaigns in this series, and join the fight for Tora Armis from the perspective of characters at Tier 2, 3, or 4.

3

The Fireteam is given orders at the start of each section

Each of the four parts has the following structure:

and then largely left to their own devices. If your players like the idea you could appoint one of them as

u Orders: The Fireteam are given their mission.

Fireteam leader, with the right to issue orders to the others and take decisions for the group. It’s up to your

u Equipment: If the Fireteam is issued with any special

group to decide if this will add to the military feel, or

equipment, it is detailed here. Any special support

just create unnecessary tension around the table.

they can call in by spending Glory is also listed here. Use your discretion on whether the Fireteam are allowed to keep this equipment after a specific mission ends — the Departmento Munitorum might not track a single smoke grenade, but a missing

Sensitivity Warning The

adventure

features

the

horrors

stack of 50 sandbags would be noticeable and impractical baggage for the Fireteam. of

warfare in the 41st Millennium: combat

u The Mission: This details the fixed moments in the

deaths, summary executions, mutation, and

mission that the Fireteam have to deal with. Any

ethical dilemmas. This is all normal fare

battlefield effects the GM can trigger by spending

for Warhammer 40,000, but some of this

Ruin are listed here.

content might make members of your group uncomfortable. After you’ve read through,

u Map: A map of the battlefield, if required

check in with each of your players about what they’re comfortable with, and change the adventure to suit their tastes if necessary.

ADVENTURE SUMMARY Part One: Blood and Acid

u Stats: Page references for any stat blocks required.

THE TORA ARMIS INSURRECTION Tora Armis is a minor hive spire on the Hive World of Gilead Primus, located on the edge of a vast chemical runoff basin that was one of the planet’s seas millenia ago. Three months ago the ruling van Staten

The Fireteam are ordered to scale the dam that

family reported food riots then fell silent. It is now

surrounds Tora Armis and destroy a gun emplacement.

87 days since any communication with Tora Armis,

They find evidence of heresy among the defenders.

but reconnaissance by a squad of Absolvers Scouts

Part Two: 1000 Metres

revealed that the hive spires’ defences have been reinforced. Tora Armis is an important centre for the

Between the Fireteam and the hive spire are 1000

manufacture of ball bearings, without its output parts

metres of ground. They need to clear a path through

of the Gilead System will literally grind to a halt.

the minefields so their supporting armour can advance.

Part Three: Forlorn Hope The gates of the hive spire are blown open; now the

Taskforce Endless Struggle

Lord-Militant Fylamon has dispatched a taskforce

breach has to be taken. In the fighting for the breach,

under the command of General Hacker of the Astra

the depth of corruption within the city becomes clear.

Militarum to bring the rebellious spire back under

Part Four: Checkpoint

control.

It

comprises

mechanised

and

artillery

regiments of the Gravediggers, with support from the

From within the hive desperate refugees swarm toward

Order of the Sanctified Shield, an airborne company

the imperial lines seeking aid, but the traitors launch

of Tempestus Scions and a secondment of Tech-Priests

a counter-attack.

of Avachrus. General Hacker also has contact with the Absolvers battle cruiser Fury’s Blade, aboard which 15

4

battle-brothers are available for rapid deployment.

TIER 1 ARCHETYPES Tier 1

Framework

Typical characters

Penal Brigade You have all been sentenced to service in a Penal Brigade of the Gilead Gravediggers. After the Great Rift occurred the number of crimes which could lead to penal service was dramatically increased.

Any Human character with the IMPERIAL Keyword.

At the GM’s discretion any member of the party may receive a bonus dice when attempting an act of extreme bravery — provided an officer is present to witness them.

Typical enemies

BLOOD & ACID Enemies your commanders believe can be overwhelmed with quantity, not quality.

The Penal Brigade Framework

Senior officers in the Gravediggers view the Penal

The Gravediggers’ Penal Brigade presently holds over

Brigade as cannon fodder for the most dangerous

80,000 Imperial citizens who have been sentenced to

battlefield tasks or clandestine, deniable operations.

military service for a term ranging from five years to

In return legionnaires are promised freedom (which

life. It is possible to earn freedom through acts of valour,

never materialises) but usually paid in death.

1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

although it is more common for penal legionnaires to have their sentences commuted to regular service — being transferred to the Gilead Gravediggers’ regiment where they receive pay but remain within the Astra Militarum.

Early Interactions To introduce this adventure with some

Tier 1 Archetype Though the Imperial Guardsman Archetype

social interactions before the horrors of war commence, , you can use Fireteam 123-F, encountered in Part Two: 1000 Metres, as The Fallen.

is most suitable for this Framework and the adventure Bloody Gates, the players are free

As the Penal Legion travel to the battlefield

to choose any Tier 1 Archetype when creating

aboard an Imperial Cruiser on a tedious and

characters. If you are creating characters for

lengthy voyage, O’Garan attempts to gruffly

this session, your group should keep in mind

ingratiate herself with the Fireteam, asking

the potential crimes they may have committed

them why they ‘signed up’.

to land them in the Penal Legion. These ‘crimes’ could range from breaking any of the

u She’s on Fireteam 123-F, and believes they

numberless strictures of the Pax Imperialis,

will be on the same mission as the Agents

to simply being in the wrong place at the

will be assigned to Fireteam 123-B.

wrong time. The ‘crime’ itself is an excellent

u Her Fireteam all know each other. They

opportunity to build character backstories, and

were caught distributing rations to the

even bring your group together to establish

needy whilst holding an unsanctioned

the start of their shared story.

choir group in Hive Gulgatha on Gilead Primus, and immediately recruited to the

Archetypes like the Ministorum Priest or the Sister Hospitaller may have been seconded

Penal Brigade. u She has heard rumors that they will be

to the penal legion without committing a

battling

crime, employed to support the noble cause of

suspects it will be over quickly, as other

taskforce Endless Struggle. The Inquisitorial

hivers don’t know how to fight as well as

Acolyte may even be swept up in a recruitment drive whilst undercover — the possibilities for your party are almost limitless.

against

an

insurrection,

and

Gulgathan gangs. u She doesn’t think the Agents will last more than five minutes out in the battlefield.

5

PART 1: BLOOD AND ACID

Grapnel Launcher Value: 4

Rarity: 1

Keywords:

IMPERIUM,

ASTRA

MILITARUM

PRIMARIS Effect: The Grapnel Launcher has a medium range

Cross an acid lake, scale the dam, and knock out

of 30 metres, and can be fired as a Combat Action

the guns. Simple.

like a normal Ranged Weapon into any surface with a default DN of 3. If successfully fired into a surface, the grapnel latches on, and can be retracted to pull

EQUIPMENT

you up to that surface as a Free Action.

Members of the Fireteam were issued with flak

A simple tool utilised by many strike teams, a

armour, grey combat fatigues, a helmet, an explosive

Grapnel Launcher can quietly pull the full weight

collar (see page 311 of the Wrath & Glory rulebook

of a Primaris Astartes to an advantageous vertical

— Company Commander Captain Remfew controls the

position in seconds.

detonators), boots, a lasgun with two power-packs, and a combat knife/bayonet. Each fireteam has a set

Demo Charge

of wire-cutters, suitable for razor wire and trip-wires.

Little more than a bag filled with Krak and Frag grenades linked by a single trigger, Krak Satchels

The Fireteam will be delivered to the walls by a

are thrown together by desperate Astra Militarum

Chimera fighting vehicle. They are issued with a rocket

operatives faced with something simple explosives

propelled magnetic grapple line to scale the walls and

can’t destroy.

two demo charges to destroy the gun emplacements. During this mission the Fireteam can spend Glory to use Calling for Support (see page 25) to call for a Battlefield Medic, Covering Fire, Artillery Support, or a Special Weapons Team.

//++111101001001000 10100011011101001011++// ORDERS FILTHY REBELS HOLD THE TORA ARMIS SPIRE. THEY ARE DUG IN AND WELL ARMED. THE 3RD COMPANY OF THE 43RD MECHANISED DIVISION IS TO ADVANCE UNDER THE COVER OF ARTILLERY FIRE, AND DEPLOY THE PENAL BRIGADE TO CAPTURE OR DESTROY THE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ON THE DAM, USING GRAPPLING LINES AND SATCHEL CHARGES.

The Chimera Fighting Vehicle

FIRETEAM 123B ARE TO ASSAULT THE WALLS AT SIGMA 7, DESTROY THE GUN EMPLACEMENT AT DELTA 5, AND AWAIT REINFORCEMENTS.

The Chimera fighting vehicle is the standard troop transport of the Astra Militarum. It is

HOLOMAP TRANSMISSION FOLLOWS. VOX COMMUNICATION WITH COMPANY COMMAND IS ON CHANNEL 18.

amphibious, impervious to small arms fire, and armed with a turret-mounted multi-laser, hull-mounted heavy bolter, and six lasguns. It can carry 12 guardsmen who enter and exit via hatches at the rear or on top.

DEMO CHARGE Name

6

Krak Satchel

Damage

ED

AP

Range

Traits

17

6

-2

(S)

Blast

metres

(12)

Value

Rarity

5

3

Keywords EXPLOSIVE, IMPERIUM

THE MISSION

they will have to either throw the weapon back down,

After giving the players their orders, read or paraphrase

DN 3 Athletics (S) Test. Climbing the dam without

the following. Ask the players how they react after

a rope or grapnel launcher requires successful DN 7

each paragraph.

Athletics (S) Test. If any Agent rolls a Complication

risking breaking it, or climb up one at a time using a

BLOOD & ACID

on a failure whilst trying to climb the dam, they fall You load into the Chimera on the lakeshore. Tora

into the chemical lake below, taking falling damage

Armis is a grey spike on the horizon, 20 kilometres

(Wrath & Glory, page 201) and gaining the Poisoned

away. Shells fired by batteries three kilometres behind

Condition until they take a Regroup, a Respite, or

you scream overhead. The purple lake water smells of

someone succeeds on a DN 5 Medicae (Int) Test to

sulphur. The driver gives you a gap-toothed grin, ‘I’m

heal them.

1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT

Mira, and this’, she pats the engine block, ‘is Rosalee. We’ll get you to the walls.’ She points to the overhead

The six traitor militia on the dam fire on anyone

hatch, ‘That’s your exit. Open the rear door when

attempting to climb it, and if the Fireteam did not spot

we’re floating and we could swamp. So don’t.’

them previously they are ambushed. The traitor militia

THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

gain the advantage of full cover (+2 Defence) whilst The other Fireteam boarding Rosalee is led by Corporal Colm. His men are agitated and fervent, fingering rosaries and scrolls, muttering prayers. ‘I am the flame of the Emperor,’ Colm leads them in prayer, ‘I am the flame that purifies.’

holding the high ground atop the dam.

The White Flag

Imperial artillery has turned the top of the dam into a mass of twisted wreckage and concrete craters, but as the crackle of small arms fire makes clear, the

The incoming fire starts three kilometres out. There’s

enemy remains.

a pitter patter of fragmentation shells on Rosalee’s armoured hull. You hear the krump of heavier shells.

The Fireteam’s target, the Delta 5 gun emplacement, is

Through a viewslit you can see the advancing line of

located 100m away through a mass of wreckage. Have

the 3rd company Chimeras. One shudders as a shell

each member of the Fireteam make a DN 3 Survival

strikes it. The tank ploughs forward, but it’s been hit

(Wil) Test to navigate the detritus. You gain +1 Ruin

below the water line, and starts to sink. The crew and

for every failure as the group slows down, giving their

passengers scramble on top, but the end is inevitable.

enemies more time to prepare.

Scaling the Wall

Between the Fireteam and the gun emplacement is a

Rosalee’s engine changes pitch as Mira swings her

well-prepared line of three foxholes. There are two

alongside the walls. ‘Welcome to Tora Armis,’ she yells

rebels in each foxhole, five traitor militia armed with

over the sound of gun fire. ‘Now up that wall!’

autoguns, and Sergeant Kransch, who uses the Scum profile (Wrath & Glory, page 334)

Mira withdraws quickly to provide support to other

and wields an

Industrial Bludgeon as well as an autopistol.

teams. If the Fireteam find themselves in a dire situation, the Chimera will return to give them covering fire. Worship spires divide the dam into distinct sections, each of which has been targeted by a single Fireteam. Six traitor militia (regular citizens who have been

Foxholes & Razor Wire Anyone in a foxhole gains the benefit of full

drafted to support the cultists and traitor guard) have

cover (+2 Defence). Foxholes are surrounded

taken up defensive positions in each section, and

by razor wire, which requires a DN 3 Athletics

spotting them requires a successful DN 4 Awareness

(S) or Survival (Wil) Test to cross safely.

(Int) Test.

Agents that fail suffer 1 Mortal Wound. Cutting

The dam wall is 30 metres high. A successful grapple

Action, and some weapons (notably meltas)

requires a DN 3 Ballistic Skill (A) Test. As there is

can be used to create a path through the wire.

the wire with bolt cutters taks a single Combat

only a single Grapnel Launcher between the Fireteam,

7

As the Fireteam approaches, a dirty white flag on a

Inside the Bunker

stick emerges from the central foxhole and waves at

Inside the bunker are piles of ammunition and the

them to indicate surrender. If the Fireteam accept the

three large, fixed autocannons. A small shrine has

surrender, there is a pause and two ragged unarmed

been constructed in a corner which functions as a

traitor militia members reluctantly climb out with

Cursed Icon (page 26). The shrine consists of a

hands raised. One has a horribly mutated leg, swollen

statue of the Emperor which has been laid down on

and amphibian in nature. If the Fireteam shoot the

its face. The phrases ‘He has fallen’ and ‘We will rise’

mutant, the four remaining rebels decide to fight it out.

have been repeatedly gouged into the statue’s back.

If the first prisoners are treated well, the remainder join the surrender.

The bunker also holds bottled water and food rations: a mix of familiar protein snacks and unfamiliar but

If any Agent makes a DN 2 Leadership (Wil) Test

tasty mushroom bread. Pinned to the wall are the

they will find some nearby troops willing to guard the

orders for the day:

prisoners. Otherwise the Fireteam will have to escort them to the wall before they can continue.

Destroying the Guns

As you approach the bunker there comes a deafening rattle and the guns inside hurl a volley of shells out over the lake. Glancing down you see a second wave of Chimeras approaching through the rebel fire. The Fireteam’s target is Delta 5, a battery of three autocannons dug into a permanent emplacement. Firing slits in the bunker give the defenders excellent fields of fire, although no more than six defenders can fire at a time. There are twelve traitor militia in the bunker, organised into three mobs of four, all led by a

//++001101001001000 10100011011101011111++// REBELS’ORDERS THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL BE FIRST TO FACE THE FOE. I SALUTE YOU. THE ENEMY APPROACHES OUR GATES, JUST AS THE EMPEROR APPROACHES THE GATES BETWEEN DEATH AND LIFE. BUT WHILE THE FALLEN EMPEROR SHALL FIND THE GATES OF DEATH OPENED TO HIM, AND PASS THROUGH THEM, AND BE REBORN, OUR FOES SHALL FIND OUR GATES CLOSED TO THEM FOREVER.

rebels inside +2 Defence, and the Cursed Icon inside

PUT ALL THOUGHTS OF RETREAT FROM YOUR MIND. TAKE NOT ONE STEP BACK. POUR FIRE UPON THE ADVANCING APOSTATES, AND KNOW THAT YOUR SACRIFICE HERALDS THE COMING OF A NEW IMPERIUM.

the bunker confers them +1 Resilience.

HE HAS FALLEN. WE WILL RISE.

Assaulting the Emplacement

COMMANDER CRAVAX, DEFENDER OF THE LOWER LEVELS.

rebel guardsman armed with a laspistol. The bunker offers full cover, much like the foxholes, giving the

The rebels have created a rudimentary minefield surrounding the emplacement using razor wire (see Foxholes & Razor Wire, page 7) and Frag Bombs. Any members of the Fireteam attempting to storm the emplacement must make a successful DN 3 Athletics (S) or Survival (Wil) Test. If they fail, they take 1 Mortal

GM Note: If the Fireteam uses a satchel charge on

Wound from the razor wire. If they roll a Complication

the bunker without entering, they have no chance to

(or you want to spend Ruin to add drama to the scene)

examine the materials inside. A single satchel charge

use the Mine! Battlefield Ruin effect (page 26).

will destroy all three autocannons, achieving their objective. Alternative forms of sabotage require a DN

Assaulting the emplacement isn’t easy, so feel free

3 Tech (Int) Test. Reward the Fireteam with 1 Glory

to remind the Fireteam about using Glory to Call for

once the autocannons are destroyed.

Support (page 25). If the Fireteam have no Glory they

8

can attempt to rally nearby Imperial troops to support

Beyond the bunker the surface of the dam slopes

their assault on the bunker with a DN 3 Leadership

down until it reaches a 2 metre–high power conduit

(Wil) Test. If they are successful, they receive the

that makes a circuit of the entire hive spire. The team

benefits of Covering Fire and Special Weapons Team

may regroup in the safety of the shelter, which is an

(page 26).

excellent piece of cover (Wrath & Glory, page 196).

PART TWO: 1000 METRES

THE MISSION The ground beyond the conduit is littered with two centuries’ detritus, discarded by the residents of Tora Armis in piles metres deep. But among the broken

That minefield isn’t going to clear itself.

BLOOD & ACID

chairs, ruined ventilator units, and rusting panels are rebel fighters, mines, and concealed barricades.

After the Agents have spent four hours crouched in

Behind you barges are unloading Leman Russ main

the shadow of the conduit, Commissar Shrake delivers

battle tanks onto a recently captured ramp. Your job is

new orders down the line.

to clear a path for these leviathans.

1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT

EQUIPMENT To help them deal with the minefield, the Fireteam are issued with red triangular flags attached to metre long poles. Magnets on the base allow them to be fixed upright. The Fireteam needs to place them to indicate mines they cannot defuse. During this mission the Fireteam can spend Glory to use Calling for Support (see page 26) for a Battlefield Medic or Covering Fire. During The Advance they can also call for Tank Support.

//++111101001001000 10100011010001011111++//

THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

ORDERS LISTEN UP! FROM HERE TO THE SPIRE PROPER IS JUST 1000 METRES. OUR ARMOUR WILL MAKE QUICK WORK OF THE DEFENCES, BUT THE REBEL FILTH HAVE LITTERED THE GROUND WITH ANTI-TANK MINES. YOUR TARGET IS THIS LOCATION, DELTA 9. GET OUT THERE, LOCATE THE MINES, DISARM THEM IF YOU CAN, AND MARK THEM IF YOU CAN’T. THEN GET BACK HERE AND LEAD THE TANKS TO THEIR POSITIONS. AND IF ONE OF THOSE TANKS GETS SO MUCH AS SCRATCHED THERE’LL BE ANOTHER FIVE YEARS IN THE BRIGADE FOR YOU! – COMMISSAR SHRAKE.

9

Bombs and Bullets

Rogue Preacher

contend with opposition from a Mob of six Scum

from a pipe he’s hiding in. Judging by his stained robes

(Wrath & Glory, page 334): members of a gang called

he is a priest of the Imperial Cult.

As the Fireteam make their way forward they must

A man with wild hair and staring eyes beckons to you

the Doomed Youth, who wear funeral shrouds over their ragged clothes. They sneak amongst the detritus,

The Priest beckons the Fireteam over. His name is

seeking to ambush the Agents. Make a single Stealth

Father Durdin. He is a Ministorum Priest whose heart

(A) Test for the entire Mob, and keep that Stealth score

has been corrupted, and now follows the twisted

for this encounter.

heresies that have taken over Tora Armis. In between begging for rations, he explains that he left the

As the Fireteam moves through the rubble, have every

hive spire to spread the truth of the Emperor to the

Agent make an Awareness (Int) Test with a DN equal

misguided fools outside. He explains his beliefs to the

to the Doomed Youth’s Stealth score. If they fail, they

Fireteam if they will listen:

see an anti-tank mine and its associated triggers, but when they move to disarm it the Doomed Youth ambush them. If they succeed, they notice both the

u The hive spire is sealed because it is in mourning for the dead Emperor.

anti-tank mine and the ambush u The Emperor’s return will be heralded by the Marking the mine with a flag doesn’t require a test.

resurrection of the hive spire’s dead.

Disabling it requires a DN 3 Tech (Int) Test. If the Test is failed, the Fireteam cannot disable the mine. If there

u Those among the besieging forces who accept

is a complication and a failure, the Mine explodes as a

neither the Emperor’s death nor His impending

Krak Grenade.

return are heretics who will be cleansed in his return.

For each subsequent section in this mission (Rogue Preacher, The Broken, and The Advance) make a

u Father Durdin will be happy to bless the Fireteam

DN 3 Awareness (Int) Test to locate a mine. Keep

in the name of the fallen Emperor and add their

a record of how many mines the Fireteam finds and

names to the list of the hive spire’s defenders.

marks or diffuses for use in The Advance. If questioned, Father Durdin has a little military information to share: u The former gladiator Cravax ‘The Claw’ commands the lower levels of the hive spire, and has pledged to personally crush the skulls of any besieging troops who dare set foot inside Tora Armis. Needless to say, most of what the father speaks is foul heresy. Anyone who listens seriously must make a DN 1 Corruption Test. If the Fireteam detains or kills the priest, award them 1 Glory. If they permit him to live, he vanishes into the piles of scrap and you gain 2 Ruin.

10

The Broken

The other troopers stand in stunned silence. If the

You round a pile of scrap and see six of your fellow

Fireteam supports Shrake, they can retry their DN 3

soldiers hunkered down in the rubble. Their pale faces

Leadership or Intimidation Tests. If they fail, the

and trembling hands make it clear they’ve given up.

troopers remain silent, and Shrake moves to execute Hansan to make an example of them. Shrake is about

These troops, the remaining members of Fireteam

to pull the trigger when Trooper O’Garan raises her

123-F, have lost the will to fight and aren’t prepared

lasgun and fires on him. All hell breaks loose as the

to go any further. Trooper O’Garan is their de facto

Mob of six troopers start fighting the Commissar and

leader, backed up by Trooper Hansan. O’Garan tries

his two guards.

to persuade the Fireteam to join their band, and let someone else risk their necks clearing the mines. In the distance the Fireteam can see Commissar Shrake,

u If the Fireteam convince the troops to go forward, award them 2 points of Glory

accompanied by two guards, apparently inspecting the lines and working his way towards the group.

u If the Fireteam help Shrake convince the troops to

BLOOD & ACID 1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

go forward without any executions, award them 1 Convincing the group to take some positive action will

point of Glory

require good roleplaying, a DN 3 Leadership (Wil) Test, and a willingness to actually lead the way. If the

u If the Fireteam hide the troops from Shrake,

Fireteam opt to try Intimidation (Wil) instead the DN

perhaps by leading him astray, you gain 1 Ruin

remains 3, but the group will lose their courage as soon as the Fireteam is out of sight. If the group do move forward they immediately encounter a Mob of 12 Doomed Youth. You can treat the broken soldiers as a Mob of 6 Astra Militarum Troopers (Wrath & Glory, page 328), and give control of the Mob to the players if they are comfortable running the NPC group in combat.

u If Shrake is killed you gain Ruin equal to the number of players

The Advance

You scramble forward and find yourselves 100m from the huge metal gates of Tora Armis. Centuries of exposure to the harsh atmosphere have rusted

If the Fireteam hasn’t resolved the issue before

the plasteel gates a bloody red. Two huge statues

Commissar Shrake arrives, things go bad quickly.

of Imperial saints flank them, but both have been

Shrake demands to know the problem, and Hansan

beheaded. At their feet the shattered faces of Saint

meekly states the following:

Bora the Industrious and Saint Tamara the Vigilant gaze up at the chemical streaked sky.

‘Sir, with all due respect to yourself and reverence to Him on Terra, half our squad’s already gone to the

The Fireteam have reached the assigned location for

Emperor’s rest after stepping on one of those mines.

their tank. Now they must make their way back and

We’d be better off redeployed to—’

lead the tank forward. As they make their way back, make a final check to spot mines.

Hansan’s words are cut off by the loud clack of Shrake’s Bolt pistol being cocked, the barrel of which is now

The Fireteam will have found a maximum of four

aimed squarely at her sweating and extremely worried

mines, which they will have either flagged or disabled.

face. Shrake speaks clearly over the din of battle:

Leading the tank forward requires a DN 8 Awareness (Int) Test. Reduce the DN by 1 for each mine flagged,

‘I am sure what I just heard was not insubordination,

and 2 for each mine defused. Allow the entire Fireteam

but a brave soldier detailing their preparations for

to make the Test and use the roll with the highest

charging boldly into battle in the Emperor’s name!

Icons to determine the result. On a success the Tank

This would, of course, improve the chances of any

successfully reaches its position. If the Test is failed,

soldier being released from this grand Penal Legion,

consult the table on page 12.

and severely reduce the chances of me exercising my Emperor-given right to execute any craven fool that would dare defy their orders. Isn’t that right, soldiers?’

11

TANK ADVANCE EVENTS Failure Margin 1–2

Result Tread Thrown — An explosion from an unmarked mine dislodges the treads from one of the Leman Russ’s wheels. The tank crew shout for the Agents to repair the treads, which requires a DN 3 Tech (Int) Test. Treat this as a combat encounter, allowing one Agent (or two using the Help rule on page 169 of Wrath & Glory) to take a Turn to attempt to fix the treads per Round. While the Agents attempt their repairs, five members of the Doomed Youth attempt to move in on the disabled tank.

3–4

Ambush! — As the tank manoeuvres around a mine, cultists attack. One inadvertently detonates a mine nearby, pushing the tank onto its side. Two Mobs of five cultists carrying explosive charges attempt to rush the tank. It is up to the Fireteam to stop the cultists reaching the tank and right the vehicle. The Fireteam can right the Tank with two successful DN 5 Athletics (S) Tests. The cultists start this encounter at least 30 metres away from the tank, and need a full Round to successfully plant and detonate their charges. If they succeed, see Boom! below.

5+

Boom! — The tank hits a mine, and then catches fire. A Round later it explodes using the same profile as a Frag Missile (Wrath & Glory, page 220) but with Blast (20). You gain 4 Ruin.

The crew of the Leman Russ have been ordered to

Example: The Fireteam has defused one mine,

reserve their battle cannon ammo to ensure they can

reducing the DN by –2 and marked one mine, reducing

destroy their target, but will happily fire their Heavy

the DN by –1. They make their Awareness (Int) Test

Bolter in support of the Fireteam. At the end of any

at DN 5. All the Agents make the Test, and the highest

Round that the Agents are in combat, you may make

result is 3 Icons. They fail the Test by 2, so the result

an attack using the tank crew’s Ballistic Skill (A) dice

is Tread Thrown.

pool of 4.

Arrival

The Leman Russ is almost impervious to light arms

As the tank settles into position and commences a

fire, and is only under threat of being destroyed

bombardment of the Hive spire’s gates, the Fireteam are

by the Boom! event on the Tank Advance Events

ordered to shelter behind it and get some rest. ‘Don’t

table. If the tank is destroyed in the course of the

worry, soldier’, says one of the tank crew. ‘Emperor

adventure, the Fireteam will be forced to retreat

willing, we’ll have that gate open for you in no time.’

under heavy fire and report back to a superior officer,

12

who will send them back out into the minefield to

At the end of this mission the Fireteam may take a

find a safer route.

Respite, as detailed on page 196 of Wrath & Glory.

PART THREE: THE BLOODY GATES

//++000001001001000 10100011010001011110++// ORDERS THROUGH THE COURAGE OF OUR TROOPERS, AND WITH THE BLESSING OF THE EMPEROR, WE HAVE REACHED THE WALLS OF TORA ARMIS. ALL UNITS ARE TO MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR AN ASSAULT ON THE SPIRE, TO BE LAUNCHED AS SOON AS THE TANKS HAVE OPENED A BREACH. THERE CAN BE NO STEPS BACK. WE WILL CARRY THE GATES AT THE POINT OF OUR BAYONETS AND RESTORE THE LIGHT OF THE EMPEROR TO THOSE WITHIN. — COMPANY COMMANDER CAPTAIN. CAIUS REMFREW.

The tanks have opened a breach. For the glory of the Emperor, take it.

EQUIPMENT The Fireteam are issued with the following equipment at the start of this part of the adventure:

BLOOD & ACID 1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

Smoke Grenades The Fireteam is issued 2 Smoke Grenades. A Smoke Grenade fills a Blast (9) area with thick white smoke until the end of the fourth Round after it is

THE MISSION

detonated, dramatically reducing visibility in the area and

Once the tanks reach their positions, they spend a day

imposing a +3 DN penalty to Ballistic Skill and Awareness

blazing away at the gates. The noise would make sleep

Tests, and a +2 DN penalty to melee attack Tests.

close to impossible, if you weren’t utterly exhausted from the trials of war. As the sun sets, its orange glare mingles

Breaching Ladder Value: 1 Keywords:

with the faintly menacing purplish haze of the Great Rift

Rarity: 2

above, and the sulphurous emanating from the runoff

IMPERIUM

These simple, handmade steel ladders are three metres long and designed to help Astra Militarum soldiers scale wreckage or barricades to advance on their target. You can use a Breaching Ladder to walk over a gap of three metres or less, or aid in climbing as described on page 180 of Wrath & Glory.

lakes far below. Even through this fog you can see the colossal silhouette of the floating continent Brassyl on the horizon. You are ordered to scour the battlefield for casualties and provide what aid you can to the wounded.

Triage

While they wait for the assault to begin, the Fireteam are given stretchers and ordered to search the

During this mission the Fireteam can spend Glory to

battlefield near the breach for survivors and bring any

use Calling for Support (see page 26) for a Battlefield

they find to a medical aid post that has been set up in

Medic, Covering Fire, Artillery Support, or a Special

the shadow of the hive spire.

Weapons Team.

SMOKE GRENADES Name Smoke Grenades

Damage

Range

Traits

Value

Rarity

—

(S) x4m

Blast (9)

2

1

Keywords EXPLOSIVE, IMPERIUM

or as Launcher

13

They find the remains of Corporal Colm’s Fireteam

u Troopers Dormer and Steed are both unconscious,

(see Part 1) a few hundred meters from the spire. One

but can be saved if moved.

trooper is clearly dead, with half of his head blown off. Dormer and Steed are unconscious, Bellock is barely

It takes two members of the Fireteam to move one

conscious, and Colm is fully conscious, but his left leg

casualty. Those they move first will receive medical

is twisted at a horrible angle. Communicate the bloody

attention and be saved, if possible. Any casualties left

carnage of the scene and obvious desperation in the

for a second trip, other than Colm, will expire of their

soldiers’ eyes — swift action must be taken to prevent

wounds. If the Fireteam save two or more casualties,

further loss of life.

award them one Glory. If they kill Colm, or save no one, the GM gains one Ruin.

Approaching them isn’t straightforward. Colm has fought off two rebel scavengers with his lasgun since

For Colm’s profile use an Astra Militarum Trooper

his team was caught in an explosion. After losing a

(Wrath & Glory, page 328), with one wound.

trooper and in immense pain, he will initially assume the Fireteam are rebels. It takes good roleplaying and

As the Fireteam is finishing up this section of the

a DN 3 Leadership (Wil) or Persuasion (Fel) Test to

mission, a ragged cheer goes up from the Imperial

change his mind.

lines. High above them a flight of Valkyries has launched an airborne assault on the top of the spire,

The Fireteam must decide which casualties to move,

flying from the distant floating continent of Brassyl.

and in what order. Diagnosing Colm is a DN 2 Medicae

Tempestus Scions can be seen rappelling down onto

(Int) Test. Diagnosing the others is a DN 3 Medicae

the landing platforms, and the air trembles with the

(Int)Test.

sound of Hellstrike missiles.

u Corporal Colm is in a lot of pain and believes he is

Note: What the Fireteam is witnessing is the opening

dying, but he isn’t — as long as he’s carried safely away from the battlefield soon. He repeatedly laments the death of Vartdzelt, and alternates between ordering the Agents to help his squad first and crying out in pain.

of the Tier 2 adventure On the Wings of Valkyries.

Forlorn Hope

Just before noon, the thunderous barrage from the tanks ceases. The gates of Tora Armis have been obliterated. In their place is a 10-metre-high pile of

u Trooper Bellock is barely conscious and cannot be

red-stained rubble, and beyond it the darkness of

saved if moved, but a successful DN 6 Medicae

the hive spire’s interior. A banner bearing a proudly

(Int) Test will stabilise him long enough to get him

morbid rendering of the Aquila thrashes in the wind,

further care.

hoisted by a Ministorum Priest standing in front of the rubble.

DANGER D6

14

Danger

1

Shrapnel Shards of metal burst around the Fireteam. Each member of the Fireteam must make a DN 3 Willpower Test or suffer 1 Shock damage.

2

Small Arms Fire Traitormilitia fire autoguns on the Fireteam from long range using Ballistic Skill (A) dice pool of 4.

3

Small Arms Fire Traitor militia fire autoguns on the Fireteam from medium range using Ballistic Skill (A) dice pool of 4.

4

Razor Wire Your advance is blocked by razor wire. The Fireteam can take an extra Round to go around it, or make a DN 3 Athletics (S) Test to push through it. Any Agents that fail the Test suffer 1 Mortal Wound.

5

Landmines Have each member of the Fireteam make a DN 4 Awareness (Int) Test. On a failure they detonate a Frag bomb trap (see page 24).

6

Heavy Weapons Fire Traitor militia open up with a heavy stubber from within the breach using Ballistic Skill (A) dice pool of 4.

‘Servants of the Emperor!’ she cries as she brandishes

of a twisted metal claw, before seizing the Imperial

her chainsword. ‘He calls you to service. To Fight.

Flag and casting it down. ‘He has fallen!’ screams the

To Triumph. To Victory!’ All around you troopers

figure. ‘We will rise!’ reply a guttural chorus of unseen

scream prayers and ready their weapons as the

followers. Around you the assault loses impetus, as the

charge commences.

Penal Brigade’s morale begins to fail.

BLOOD & ACID

With a roar, troopers surge forward toward the breach.

Until the assault is rallied (see below) the Fireteam can

1000 METRES

In response you see the flicker of automatic weapons

only use the Artillery Support option when Calling

fire from among the rubble.

for Support.

It will take three Rounds for the Fireteam to cover the

Rallying the Assault

distance to the breach if they use half cover, and two

In the face of Cravax’s brutality the assault on the

Rounds if they ignore cover. Roll on the Danger table

breach is faltering. All around them the Fireteam can

each Round to determine what happens to the Fireteam.

see soldiers falling back and taking cover. Ask the

THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

players what their characters do, and remind them that When the Fireteam reach the base of the walls, they

the Emperor is watching.

still face a challenging climb through tangled metal which counts as Difficult Terrain, halving their Speed.

Inspiring the troops to press forward requires suitable

Defending the base of the breach immediately before

roleplaying and a DN 4 Leadership (Wil) Test.

them is a mob of five cultists brandishing knives

Reduce the DN to 3 if the character exposes themselves

and pistols.

to danger in order to make the attempt. All members

The Claw Strikes

of the Fireteam earn 1 Wrath if the assault is rallied.

You have established a foothold on the wall. Ahead

If the Fireteam can’t rally the assault in this way, they

of you the forward party bearing the Penal Brigade’s

do so automatically by retaking the banner.

banner reach the summit, but moments later a giant, heavily muscled man springs up and cuts the priest’s

Taking the Summit

head from her shoulders with a servo arm in the shape

Cravax and a band of four Cultists (Wrath & Glory, page 337) stand on a pile of rubble at the apex of the breach, cutting down the terrified remainder of the forward squad. A horde of other cultists descend to meet the rest of the Penal Brigade in melee while Cravax

Cravax the Claw

holds the chokepoint with his zealous bodyguards. The Chaos God Khorne, ever thirsty for bloodshed, has

Cravax the Claw stands on top of the walls. He

spared a fraction of his infinite attention to observe

is nominally responsible for commanding the

this battle, and has channelled a measure of his power

defence of these levels. He understands that

into protecting the savage warriors that worship him.

there is no holding back the Imperial attack

Khorne’s desire to extend the melee carnage wrought

other than through the intervention of the

by Cravax and his bodyguards makes it harder to

ruinous powers themselves. His decision to

target them with ranged attacks. Any ranged attack

hold the breach in person is the act of a fanatic

targeting Cravax or the four Cultists that guard him

seeking to draw the attention of his dark gods

suffers a +2 DN penalty.

rather than a rational man. Cravax and the four Cultists also benefit from holding Cravax was born and raised in Tora Armis. It

the high ground, which the Fireteam will have to take

was here that he lost his arm in an industrial

to ensure the attack proceeds. Using the Breaching

accident, here that he fought as a Chrono

Ladder may help, but you might require the Agents to

Gladiator, and here that he turned to the worship

make Athletics (S) Tests to ascend as per the climbing

of Khorne, the blood god. His chest is covered in

rules on page 180 of Wrath & Glory, especially if the

a massive tattoo of the symbol of the Blood God.

Cultists start attacking them during their climb.

15

When the Fireteam reach the plateau of detritus

Beyond the breach is an open plaza, surrounded by

where Cravax is making his stand and commanding

hab blocks and Administratum buildings. Within

this division of the resistance, he is in the process of

its shell the spire is a multi-layered, densely packed

desecrating the banner of the Penal Brigade. He will

city. The normally bright lights have been reduced

drop the banner to fight the Fireteam, and the battle

to emergency power, casting a vomitous orange light

will not be easily won. Cravax will attempt to use his

across everything.

Ruin ability Malcontent Barrage at the start of each Round, but if the Fireteam succeeded in Rallying the

Everywhere the Fireteam looks they can see that the

Assault (above), Cravax’s support will be pinned

normal signs of the Imperium have been inverted.

down by the rest of the Penal Brigade — make it clear

Aquilas are hung upside down. Statues of saints and

to the players that their characters’ actions affected the

heroes have been beheaded, or had their heads covered

combat in this way.

in sacks. Banners and graffiti reading ‘He has fallen’ and ‘We will rise’ cover the walls.

The breach is taken when the Fireteam either kills Cravax, removing the greatest obstacle for the assault,

Two civilians and a servitor emerge from a shattered

or reclaims the banner, inspiring the Penal Brigade

building and dash toward the Imperial lines. Rebel

enough to bury the heretics under the weight of

sniper fire cuts down one of the civilians; the other

numbers. Either way, the Fireteam earns 1 point of

ducks behind the plinth of a statue central in the open

Glory.

plaza. Las-beams kick up puffs of dust centimetres

The Bells

From the top of the breach you see the rebels abandoning their positions and fleeing into the depths of the hive. To your left and right Imperial troops pour round after round of las-fire into their fleeing foes. Within the spire, bells start to toll. They sound like the bells of Imperial shrines, calling the faithful to prayer.

16

away from him. He waves frantically toward Imperial lines for help while ushering the servitor into cover.

If the Fireteam makes no effort to rescue the citizen,

A Soul Saved

you gain Ruin equal to the number of players. There

The civilian is a loyal subject of the Emperor named

are many ways in which the Fireteam might save the

Brom. Once safe he explains that the servitor,

citizen — you should encourage creative solutions to

designated 9F8F8, has a collection of maps of the hive

the problem using the following information:

spire. Brom and his friend, Mads, were determined to

The Statue The statue the citizen is using as cover is central in a plaza surrounded by hab blocks. The sniper is unable

get them to Imperial lines. Brom can explain:

1000 METRES u Three months ago an order came to seal the spire and go into mourning for the Emperor.

to get a shot at the citizen (or anyone else) hiding in the cover of the statue. The plaza itself is almost perfectly

u Those who publicly refused to go along with

square and is 40 metres to a side, meaning the statue

the heresy were executed. The Ecclesiarchy and

is about 20 metres away. The sniper will take a shot

Enforcers of Tora Armis all supported the lockdown.

at anyone who sets foot in the plaza — treat this as a combat encounter to track where the Agents are and how often the sniper takes a shot.

The Sniper

BLOOD & ACID

THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

u Most of the nobility were executed. Different parts of the spire are run by gang leaders now. A witch called Raurok runs the top levels. The lower levels were run by Cravax.

The sniper uses the statistics of a member of the Hive Militia armed with a Long Las. The sniper

u Most of the population have been confined to

is approximately 100m away from the fireteam,

their quarters outside of working hours. Regular

leaning out of the dark window of the upper level

Imperial worship has been replaced with mourning

of an abandoned hab. Spotting the sniper requires a

for the dead Emperor and preparations for

successful DN 4 Awareness (Int) Test.

his resurrection.

Smoke Grenades If the Fireteam still has at least one smoke grenade,

u The bells are calling everyone to prayer. Food is distributed only at Imperial shrines during worship.

they can create enough cover to prevent the sniper from getting a shot, and rescue the citizen easily.

Convincing the Citizen The citizen has already experienced the mortal horror

u Many people are thinking of trying to leave the hive spire now that the Imperial forces are here, but there are also many who are convinced by the talk that the Emperor will return.

of being under fire, and has just watched their close friend die. Convincing them to run the remainder of

u He hasn’t figured out how to get all of the

the plaza to their position isn’t easy. Any attempt to

information out of the Servitor yet, but knows that

use Deception (Fel), Intimidation (Wil), Leadership

‘Vindictus’ is one of its codewords.

(Wil), or Persuasion (Fel) should be made at minimum of DN 6. If the Test succeeds, the citizen has Speed 6 and will sprint towards them.

Human Shields If the Fireteam rushes out to the citizen’s covered position, the sniper will take a shot at one of the Agents out in the open. The Agents can guard the citizen with their own bodies to block the sniper’s shots, but will be unable to Sprint if they do so, leaving them more vulnerable to sniper fire on their return journey.

17

PART FOUR: CHECKPOINT There are refugees here. Can you trust them?

During this mission the Fireteam can spend Glory to use Calling for Support (see page 26) for a Battlefield Medic or a Special Weapons Team.

THE MISSION The Penal Brigade is spread out in a loose perimeter 20m into the plaza. A round of sniper fire from the

//++000001001001000 10100010000001011110++// ORDERS REINFORCE AND HOLD THE PERIMETER LINE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

hab blocks can be heard intermittently ricocheting off the walls. The Guard respond instantly with volleys of las-fire, but the sniping is becoming less frequent. Armoured columns have rumbled through your line into the depths of the hive, and the sounds of fighting echo around the hive spire. Outside, rain and high winds have reduced visibility, the temperature has dropped, and the air crackles with an impending storm. Within the hive spire, the bells are continuing to toll, reverberating loudly.

Digging in

Sergeant Doughty calls out to you, ‘Get over to that trailer, take your issued supplies, and establish a position covering the ground from there,’ he points, ‘to there. I want you dug in and secure in no more than an hour.

EQUIPMENT Sandbags

This isn’t done yet.’ He moves on to the next fireteam. With a rattle and a roar, a convoy of Chimera appears bringing razor-wire, mines, and trailers loaded with sandbags. The Fireteam is assigned a section of the

Sandbags can be moved into a tactically advantageous

line and ordered to dig in. Let the players sketch a

position to create cover. An Agent can use a Combat

defensive position onto a battlemap. They can place

Action to stack enough sandbags for two metres of

mines, lay out razor wire, and position sandbags.

half cover. Any half cover created by a Combat Action

All around them other Fireteams are doing the same.

can be reinforced to full cover using a Combat Action.

An air of relief pervades the Penal Brigade. Once the

The Fireteam has access to 40 metres of sandbags.

players are happy with their position, move on.

Razor Wire

Refugees

The Fireteam is given 20 metres of razor wire, which

Refugees start to approach the Imperial lines. Initially

can be set up or moved with a Full-Round Action.

they come in small groups, then larger groups. As it

Anyone attempting to cross through the razor wire

becomes clear that there is no longer any sniper fire

must make a DN 3 Athletics (S) Test or suffer 1

hundreds, perhaps thousands, of starving figures emerge

Mortal Wound. Cutting the wire with bolt cutters taks

from the darkness and approach the Imperial lines.

a single Combat Action, and some weapons (notably meltas) can be used to create a path through the wire.

Remote Mine

The refugees are scared and desperate — they just want to get to the other side of the lines and away from

The Fireteam is given two remote mines and a

the traitors who have made their lives a misery for the

detonator. The mines must both be set up within 20

last three months.

metres of the detonator in order to be triggered. The

18

It is up to the players how they deal with this situation.

detonator can be triggered as a Simple Action, and both mines explode using the profile of a Frag Grenade.

This is unfolding all along the line, and the handful

Outside, the storm is worsening. Thunder can be heard

of officers present available are unable to offer clear

and flashes of lightning can be seen. Word is passed

guidance. Some fireteams wave them through, others

along that reinforcements can no longer cross the lake.

demand they stay where they are. A few threaten to

A sense of foreboding settles over the lines. The only

open fire.

good news is that the bells stop ringing.

BLOOD & ACID

Roleplay how this unfolds. The players can make DN

Poxwalkers

1000 METRES

get the refugees to follow their instructions. If they let

nervously, and cautiously. But now that seems to be

them into their position, they’ll quickly find a steady

changing. They start to move faster, looking over

THE BLOODY GATES

stream of refugees working through, obscuring firing

their shoulders and breaking into a half run. ‘Let us

lines and generally getting in the way.

through, let us through! Emperor’s teeth, have mercy!’

2 Intimidation (Wil) or Leadership (Wil) Tests to

The refugees have been approaching the Imperial lines

they yell at you — but no one at the front knows what If anyone asks the refugees what’s happening deeper

the source of the panic is. The sense of panic moves

inside the hive, they can reveal the following:

through the line like a rapid wave.

u The citizens have been confined to the lowest three

Then the lights go out.

CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

levels for the last week after they refused to take part in worship of the fallen Emperor.

GM Note: From this point on keep track of the number of Rounds that pass using dice or notes. Keep the tempo

u An hour ago the doors keeping them in were opened. The only explanation they have guessed

of this section high. The Fireteam is under pressure, in the dark, and does not have time for elaborate plans.

at is that the rebels are retreating. Elsewhere in the hive spire, a massive ritual has The Fireteam may think to establish a checkpoint

culminated in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of

ahead of their position to stop people, search them and

imperial citizens, who have now risen as Poxwalkers.

funnel them through the lines in an organised manner.

They are now making their way down though the

This works, provided they can make the necessary

levels of the hive, driving the panicking refugees

Leadership (Wil) or Intimidation (Wil) Tests to keep

before them. In a few moments they will reach the

the crowd in order.

Imperial line. The rest of this encounter is played out in combat time using Rounds and Turns, and is in total

If the Fireteam fire on the refugees, they panic and flee away from the Fireteam’s section of the lines. You immediately gain 2 Ruin.

darkness unless otherwise stated.

Rounds 1 & 2 — Panic When the lights go down, the voices of the crowd rise in a panicked scream. The fearful citizens immediately rush any Imperial barricades, praying for the Emperor’s

Effects of Darkness

protection as they do so. Some of the Penal Brigade

None of the Penal Brigade have been issued

A number of citizens push through the Imperial lines

with lights. If any of the Agents have a light

with the crowd of Poxwalkers on their heels.

soldiers open fire into the darkness. The situation descends into utter confusion in a matter of moments.

from a character creation or a past adventure, it will be very useful in this section, and you

Every member of the Fireteam must make a DN 5

may want to adjust the difficulty accordingly.

Awareness (Int) Test. Any Agents that fail are lost in the dark, unsure of their exact position or facing and

In total darkness the DN of Awareness (Int)

are Hindered until they take a Combat Action to make

and Ballistic Skill (A) Tests reliant on sight

a successful DN 4 Awareness (Int) Test.

have a penalty of +4 DN. The DN of melee attack Tests is increased by +3

19

Rounds 3 & 4 — Pile Up

Round 8 — Chimera in Peril

The first Poxwalkers reach the edge of the Fireteam’s

Rosalee the Chimera pushes forward close behind the

position. With only the occasional flicker of las-fire to

Fireteam. As it does so, its headlights illuminate a

provide illumination, it takes a DN 5 Awareness (Int)

Poxwalker carrying a huge handmade rucksack bulging

Test to establish that the shapes lurching through the

with explosives with an antenna sticking out of the

darkness are not simply more civilians.

top. The Fireteam has a single Round to eliminate or move the Poxwalker before it dives onto the Chimera basic

and explodes, destroying it and Mira. Otherwise, the

fortifications, but after 2 Rounds so many of them

Chimera reverses and swings away from the Fireteam,

will become entangled in razor wire and lumped atop

as Mira yells out the window, ‘Thanks for the save!

sandbags that the remainder can simply crawl over

We’re even now!’

The

Poxwalkers

struggle

to

cross

even

the bodies to the other side. If the Fireteam comes up with an inventive solution, such as using Salvo on

Round 9 — Pushed Back

automatic weapons or throwing grenades, they can

Voices call for retreat all around the Fireteam,

delay the advance by 1 or 2 Rounds.

intermingled

Rounds 5 & 6 — Nauseating Brawl A Mob of Poxwalkers equal to the number of players break through the barricades every Round from Round

with

the

clear,

ringing

voices

of

Commissars demanding troops regroup at the gates.

Lights Up

The Imperial forces have been pushed back to the

5 onwards, attempting to engage the Fireteam in melee.

gates, which they are holding against an amassed

In the distance, behind the Fireteam, they can hear the

wave of Poxwalkers and impatient citizens pushing and

clamouring of troopers and the revving of engines.

becoming more agitated. Depending on how things have

Round 7 — Illumination

developed, the Fireteam might be with them, or they might be trapped somewhere in a sea of pox-walkers.

Various Imperial vehicles arrive behind the Imperial line and activate their headlights and spotlights.

A Chimera crashes through the Poxwalkers near the

Reduce any darkness related penalties to the following:

Fireteam and screeches to a halt. If Mira and Rosalee survived the last encounter, it is them. Otherwise, it is

u Awareness (Int) and Ballistic Skill (A) Tests reliant on sight have a penalty of +2 DN.

a Commissar accompanied by a driver. Whoever the Fireteam encounters, they open the window and yell, ‘Get in and man those guns, maggots!’

u The DN of melee attack Tests is increased by +1 Inside the Chimera, the Fireteam will find that the The Fireteam may now use the Spotlit and Tank

only other passenger is Servitor 9F8F8. Their driver

Support options when Calling for Support.

yells,‘That stinking servitor has the co-ords of the lumen switch, and I need a squad to pull the lever. Get that thing to tell you where it is, point me in the right direction, and I’ll get you there! Are you ready to win glory for the Emperor?’

20

BATTLING THE HORDE Name

Damage

ED

AP

Multi-laser

12

+4

Lasgun Array

7

+2

Range

Salv

Traits

Value Rarity Keywords

S

M

L

—

18

36

72

4

Heavy (6) Rapid Fire (2)

6

2

LAS, IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM

—

12

24

48

3

Heavy (6), Rapid Fire (3), Reliable

6

2

LAS, IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM

BLOOD & ACID 1000 METRES THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

While the driver manoeuvres through and around the

star of Chaos and the triple-buboed symbol of Nurgle.

hordes of Poxwalkers, they need the Fireteam to extract

The players see only the smallest section of this

the information from the servitor and kill as many

massive structure, and the only apparent occupants

Poxwalkers as possible. Even with some solid driving

are servitors.

and Agents on the mounted guns, they only have 5 Rounds before they are completely overwhelmed.

Interfacing with 9F8F8

The inside of the building is a winding maze of corridors and simple switchboard workstations. It has been taken by six traitor guardsmen and four cultists,

Servitor 9F8F8 is slow witted, even for their kind.

who will do their best to avoid the frontage of the

They carry a myriad of dataslates and scrolls, and

building and stay clear of the Chimera’s weaponry.

requisitioning the correct one will require an Agent to carefully choose their words and speak in a clear,

Within the building is a power coupling which controls

understandable, and commanding way.

the lighting for this section of the hive spire. Servitor 9F8 can reactivate it. If Servitor 9F8 isn’t present,

The default Test to acquire the coordinates of the

restoring the lights is a DN 3 Tech (Int) Test. As soon

Lumen Sanctum is a DN 4 Tech (Int) Test. If the

as the lights come up, the tide turns at the battle of the

Fireteam rescued Brom in Part 3 and remember

breach. Illuminated, the pox walkers are no match for

9F8F8’s codeword Vindictus, reduce the difficulty

the las-fire of the Imperial Guard. Over the Chimera’s

of the Test to DN 3. Once the coordinates have been

Vox connection, the Fireteam can hear the celebrations

acquired, the Fireteam will have to get there. It takes 3

of the Imperial forces.

Rounds to drive to the Lumen Sanctum.

Battling the Horde Any Agents that aren’t interfacing with 9F8F8 can battle back the horde of Poxwalkers using the Chimera’s weapons or leaning out of any of the hatches on the Chimera. The Chimera has two Lasgun Arrays and one Multi-laser. If the Agents manage to kill a number of Poxwalkers equal to the number of players +1 in a

Your Report, Soldiers! If you’re planning on running any of the other

Round, they gain an additional Round before they are

adventures in the Tora Armis series (or you

completely overwhelmed.

just want to end the adventure with even more

The Lumen Sanctum

senior members of Taskforce Endless Struggle

Slightly deeper into the hive, flanked by myriad

military roleplaying), you can have one of the ask the heroic Fireteam 123-B for their report,

habs, cathedrals and manufactorums, is the Lumen

to be delivered orally or in writing. You can

Sanctum. The dull plasteel building has recently been

use this as a resource for the follow-up

defaced with ragged banners bearing the eight-pointed

adventures.

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RESOLUTION

Forlorn Hope u 1 XP for every life saved during Triage.

With the breach held, the Penal Brigade is finally permitted some rest, while regular forces carry the

u 1 XP for Rallying the Assault.

fighting into the depths of the hive. Resistance lasts for days, but with its defences breached, Tora Armis

u 2 XP for defeating Carvax the Claw in combat.

is quickly restored to Imperial control. The ranks of the Penal Brigade are swelled with those rebels who

u 2 XP for saving Brom in The Bells.

have been judged ‘redeemable’ by the Ecclesiarchy. Thousands more are executed.

Checkpoint u 1 XP for saving the Chimera during Poxwalkers.

The supply of ball bearings is restored.

Freedom and Glory

u 2 XP for taking the Lumen Sanctum.

If the Fireteam has remaining Glory equal to the number of players, Commissar Shrake (or his replacement)

COMMISSAR SHRAKE

will release them from penal service. If you wish to continue playing these characters, he will recommend them to whoever you decide their future patron should be. This is an incredibly exceptional circumstance that would likely come at the request of a higher power — perhaps the new patron the Agents must now swear

KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, OFFICIO PREFECTUS S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

3

3

2

3

5

2

4

Resilience

fealty to.

Awarding XP

For each mission, award 3 XP for roleplaying

7 (Flak Coat: AR 3) Defence

Wounds

Shock

2

9

7

and having fun. In addition the following awards are available:

SKILLS: Default 5, Athletics 6, Awareness 6 (Passive 3), Insight 7, Intimidation 10, Leadership 10,

Blood and Acid

Persuasion 7

u 1 XP for dealing with the surrendering rebels.

BONUSES

u 2 XP for destroying the gun emplacements.

Champion: This Threat may use Ruin Actions and has 1 personal Ruin. .

1000 Metres

Fearsome Respect: Any of this Threat’s allies within 15m gain +2 bonus dice to Resolve Tests.

u 1 XP for getting information from Father Durdin.

ABILITIES

u 2 XP for rallying Fireteam 123-F

ACTION: Intimidating Presence: This Threat makes an Intimidation (Wil) Interaction Attack and then a standard attack with one of its weapons.

u 1 XP for preventing any deaths during The Broken.

Bolt Pistol: 10 +1 ED / Range 6-12-18 / Salvo 1 / Brutal, Pistol

u 1 XP for killing or detaining Father Durdin.

Power Sword: 8 +4 ED / AP -3 / Range 1 / Parry

u 2 XP for ensuring the Leman Russ gets to the gates.

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DETERMINATION: Tenacious: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 3d6. This Threat recovers 1 Shock for every Exalted Icon it rolls when it rolls Determination. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

5

4

6

Avg

PENAL BRIGADE TROOPER

DOOMED YOUTH

KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, GILEAD GRAVEDIGGERS

KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, SCUM, CHAOS, HERETIC

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

2

2

2

2

2

1

2

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

2

2

3

4

1

1

2

Resilience

3 (Ragged Clothes: AR 0)

3 (Partial Flak Armour: AR 2) Defence

Wounds

1

BLOOD & ACID

Resilience

Shock

4

3

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 3 (Passive 2) ABILITIES ACTION: Lasgun: 7 +1 ED / Range 12-24-36 / Salvo 2 / Rapid Fire (1), Reliable Knife: 4 +2 ED / Range 1 DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 2d6. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

2

1

6

Avg

1000 METRES

Defence

Wounds

Shock

3

4

2

THE BLOODY GATES

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 3 (Passive 2), Ballistic Skill 4, Cunning 4, Deception 4, Stealth 5, Weapon Skill 6

CHECKPOINT

ABILITIES

THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

BATTLECRY: Without Honour Doomed Youth cheat in any fight. On the first Round of combat, this Threat may use their Stealth dice pool to make Ballistic Skill (A) Tests. ACTION: Autopistol: 7 +1 ED / Range 6-12-18 / Salvo 2 / Pistol Industrial Bludgeon: 8 +2 ED / Range 1 / Brutal, Unwieldy DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 2d6. ANNIHILATION: Doomed When this Threat would die, roll 1d6. If you roll a Complication or an Exalted Icon, this Threat makes a melee attack if able, and then dies immediately after the attack is resolved

TRAITOR MILITIA KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, CHAOS, HERETIC S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

3

3

3

3

1

1

2

Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

1

1

6

Avg

Resilience 3 (Partial Flak Armour: AR 2) Defence

Wounds

Shock

2

5

2

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 3 (Passive 2), Ballistic Skill 4, Weapon Skill 4

Traitor Militia Sniper Some

ABILITIES ACTION: Lasgun: 7 +1 ED / Range 12-24-36 / Salvo 2 / Rapid Fire (1), Reliable Knife or Bayonet: 5 +2 ED / Range 1

Traitor

Militia

members

have

acquired Long Las rifles and have set up in advantageous positions that afford them Half Cover (+2 Defence). Long Las: 10 +1 ED / 18-36-54 / Salvo 0 /

DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 3d6.

Sniper (1), Reliable3

Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

1

1

6

Avg

23

TRAITOR GUARDSMAN

CRAVAX THE CLAW

KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, ASTRA MILITARUM, GILEAD GRAVEDIGGERS, CHAOS, HERETIC

KEYWORDS: IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS MECHANICUS, CHAOS, HERETIC, SCUM, KHORNE

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

3

3

3

3

2

1

2

4

4

2

4

3

2

1

Resilience

Resilience

7 (Flak Armour: AR 3)

6 (Grafted Flak Plates: 1 AR)

Defence

Wounds

Shock

Defence

Wounds

Shock

2

5

3

3

6

4

SKILLS: Default 4, Awareness 5 (Passive 3), Ballistic Skill 5

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 4 (Passive 2), Weapon Skill 8

BONUSES

BONUSES

Gilead Gravediggers Regiment Bonus: This Threat gains an additional +1 Defence whenever in cover.

Champion: This Threat can take Ruin actions and has 1 personal Ruin

ABILITIES

ABILITIES

ACTION: Lasgun: 7 +1 ED / Range 12-24-36 / Salvo 2 / Rapid Fire (1), Reliable

ACTION: Servo Arm: 9 +2 ED / AP -3 / Range 1 / Brutal, Unwieldy (2)

Laspistol: 7 +1 ED / Range 6-12-18 / Salvo 2 / Pistol

WRATH: Borrowed Time: Make an attack as a Free Action against any target in range.

Chainsword: 8 +2 ED / Range 1 / Brutal, Unwieldy DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 3d6. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

2

1

6

Avg

RUIN: Malcontent Barrage: Activate the Barrage option from Battlefield Ruin. REACTION: Combat Stimms Once per Round, this Threat can suffer 1 Shock to immediately take a Combat Action. Roll an Opposed Initiative Test if this interrupts an Agent’s Turn. DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 4d6. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

3

2

6

Avg

New weapons NEW WEAPONS Name Frag Bomb

24

Damage

ED

AP

Range

Salv

Traits

6

3

—

(S) x4m or as Launcher

—

Blast (4)

Value Rarity 1

1

Keywords EXPLOSIVE, IMPERIUM

CULTIST

POXWALKER

KEYWORDS: CHAOS, HERETIC, SCUM

KEYWORDS: CHAOS, NURGLE

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

S

T

A

I

Wil

Int

Fel

2

3

2

3

3

2

3

4

3

2

2

1

1

1

Resilience

Resilience

4 (Ragged Clothes: 0 AR)

4

1000 METRES

Defence

Wounds

Shock

Defence

Wounds

Shock

2

5

4

1

5

2

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 4 (Passive 2), Cunning 5, Deception 5, Stealth 5, Weapon Skill 5

SKILLS: Default 3, Awareness 3 (Passive 2), Weapon Skill 5

BONUSES

BONUSES

Devotion: If this Threat is slain by a Critical Hit the GM gains 1 Ruin.

Mindless: This Threat automatically passes Resolve Tests.

ABILITIES

ABILITIES

ACTION: Shoot and Stab This Threat may attack with both its Autopistol and Knife without taking a Multi-Attack penalty.

ACTION: Infectious Fists and Teeth: 6 +1 ED / Range 1 / Inflicts (Poison 3)

Autopistol: 7 +1 ED / Range 6-12-18 / Salvo 2 / Pistol Knife: 4 +2 ED / Range 1 DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to Roll 3d6. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

3

2

6

Avg

THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

BLOOD & ACID

THE BLOODY GATES CHECKPOINT THE DEADLY BATTLEFIELD

DETERMINATION: Spend 1 Ruin to roll 3d6. Conviction

Resolve

Speed

Size

2

1

4

Avg

CALLING FOR SUPPORT During the battle the Fireteam can spend Glory to call for support from friendly forces on the battlefield. The

The Bloody Gates introduces two new rules for games

support available varies per mission, and is listed in

of Wrath & Glory. During the battle players can

the Equipment section for the mission.

spend Glory to call for support from nearby Imperial forces. This might take the form of a battlefield

Calling for support is a Full Round Action. Once called

medic, a barrage of artillery fire, or covering fire from

support may take some time to arrive. Players should

nearby allies.

be the ones to roll the dice for support actions, but these rolls do not generate Wrath, Glory or Ruin. Use

In a similar way the Gamemaster can spend Ruin to

the Astra Militarum Trooper statistics from page 328 of

trigger effects on the battlefield as the players attempt

Wrath & Glory for any supporting troops who arrive.

to complete their mission. Perhaps a far-off sniper or artillery observer takes an interest in their position. Maybe the terrain in front of them is mined or a patrol of enemy soldiers is about to stumble across them.

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BATTLEFIELD RUIN During the battle the GM can spend Ruin to trigger different effects on the battlefield. The options available vary per mission, and are listed in the mission descriptions. The GM can trigger effects in narrative time or combat time. If triggered in combat time, the Battlefield Ruin effect takes a Turn, as if there was an additional NPC involved in the combat.

CALLING FOR SUPPORT Glory Cost

2

Support Artillery Support ‘Coordinates zero, two two three. Confirmed. Bringing the rain.’ The Fireteam choose any point they can see. The area is hit by the following profile: Damage 10

ED 4

AP —1

Traits (8)

2

Battlefield Medic — ‘Trooper down! Medic!’ Company medic Brisham and his two orderlies are supporting the assault. If the wounded can reach a safe space they provide first aid, restoring up to six wounds, which may be divided between the Fireteam as desired.

1

Covering Fire — ‘Keep your heads down, we’re going in!’ Nearby squads lay down a hail of covering las-fire. All enemies are Pinned for three Rounds.

1

Resupply —‘Ammo, I need more ammo!’ Imperial forces are establishing supply points around the battlefield. Take either 4 power packs, 2 frag grenades, or 1 krak grenade.

3

Special Weapons Team — ‘Get that meltagun up here. I’ve got a hard target!’ Two Astra Militarum Troopers arrive. One carries either a Flamer, Meltagun, or Grenade Launcher and attacks using a Ballistic Skill (A) dice pool of 3, or any Agent can temporarily borrow the weapon. They will support the Fireteam in combat against a single target before being called elsewhere.

1

Spotlit — ‘I can’t see them, get a light over here!’ supporting vehicles illuminate your target. For one round you may ignore any darkness-related penalties attacking targets within 10m of a nominated point.

BATTLEFIELD RUIN Ruin Cost

26

Effect

1

Barrage — ‘Incoming!’ makeshift explosive fire rains down in the area of the Fireteam. Treat this as a member of the traitor militia throwing a pipe bomb, and allow the Fireteam to make Agility Tests to dodge the explosion.

3

Mine! —‘Whatever you do Jenkins, don’t move your foot.’ One of the Fireteam has trodden on a mine, but it hasn’t exploded. Disarming it is a DN 3 Tech (Int) Test. On a failure it explodes as a pipe bomb.

2

Sniper —‘Where’s that coming from? Get down!’ A distant sniper team takes an interest in the Fireteam. The sniper has a Ballistic Skill (A) of 7, and is firing a Long Las from long range. After 1D6 shots the snipers lose interest in the Fireteam. Spotting the sniper requires a DN 6 Awareness (Int) Test, and the sniper has a Defence of 2. If the sniper is hit by a shot, they die.

2

Equipment Failure —‘By all the saints. It’s a dud!’ A random piece of the Fireteam’s Wargear breaks. It can be fixed with a DN 3 Tech (Int) Test as a Combat Action.

3

Enemy Patrol —‘Contact! They’re in the rubble.’ A patrol comprising a mob of six traitor militia led by a cultist appears and attacks the Fireteam. The GM and Agents both have the option to Seize the Initiative by spending Ruin or Glory, respectively.

2

Cursed Icon —‘Bring a flamer.’ The rebellious defenders of the hive reveal a cursed Icon used in the worship of the Ruinous Powers. In the presence of an Icon the hive’s defenders fight with additional fury. Increase their Resilience by +1. Any Agents that come within 10m of the Cursed Icon must make a DN 2 Corruption Test at the end of the scene.

EXPLORE A SYSTEM FORSAKEN BY THE GREAT RIFT

The Forsaken System Player’s Guide contains a wealth of information for running and playing Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory. Find out more at www.cubicle7games.com Pre-order now and receive the PDF straight away. Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd.© Games Workshop 2021

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