ISSUE 66
2 May 2015

Editor: Jes Bickham
jes@whitedwarf.co.uk

Publisher: Paul Lyons
paul@whitedwarf.co.uk

Last year the universe of Warhammer 40,000 changed forever with the release of the Imperial Knight, a towering masterpiece of modelling. This week the Knights Paladin and Errant are joined by three new distinct classes of Imperial Knight – the Knights Warden, Gallant and Crusader – with the release of a brilliant new kit. Battlefields everywhere will soon be echoing to the thunderous advance of these mighty war machines, which are also accompanied by a brand-new Codex stuffed to bursting with new background, stories and rules. This issue of White Dwarf is devoted to celebrating the Imperial Knights, with a guide to the heraldry of the knightly houses, a knightly Parade Ground, a painting guide for the Adeptus Mechanicus-aligned Knights of House Raven, and rules for the new Knight Warden. Enjoy the issue – and crushing yur enemies beneath mighty iron-shod feet!

Imperial Knights are amongst Mankind’s greatest heroes, noble warriors who march to war in colossal armoured suits. Equipped with an arsenal of devastating weapons, their presence on the battlefield can be enough to end a war before it’s begun.

Imperial Knights have walked the galaxy for thousands of years, bringing death and destruction to the enemies of Mankind since before the birth of the Imperium. Towering over infantrymen and tanks alike, they are gods of war, laying waste to all before them, crushing underfoot those that survive their phenomenal firepower. Each suit is piloted by a Noble of an ancient knightly house, many of which can trace their lineage back to Humanity’s first colonists. Instilled with an unshakeable sense of honour and courage, they fight to defend Mankind in all its guises, their knightly households bound by oaths of fealty to the Golden Throne of Terra, or the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars.

Imperial Knights Warden are masters of close-range firefights and battles in cramped city confines. Undaunted in the face of enemy fire, they often mastermind attacks on enemy barricades and bunkers. On one arm they carry an avenger gatling cannon; on the other a reaper chainsword or thunderstrike gauntlet, both more than capable of ripping a tank, monstrous alien creature or armoured fortification to pieces. The Knight Warden can be further equipped with a shoulder-mounted meltagun and a carapace-mounted support weapon. Should the Warden expect to encounter enemy tanks, the stormspear rocket pod (shown here) is the ideal solution, while the Icarus autocannons are perfect for dealing with aircraft.

But wait, there’s more! This impressive plastic kit makes not one but five different classes of Imperial Knight: the Crusader, Gallant, Paladin, Errant and, of course, Warden. Turn the page to see what else you can build with this great new kit.

Above: The Knight Warden kit includes all three sprues from the Imperial Knight kit (which will remain on sale) plus a new sprue containing a host of new options. Foremost among them is the avenger gatling cannon. This six-barrelled blaster can shred infantry with horrendous ease and can even punch through the armour of a tank with sustained fire. As you’d expect, this requires a vast amount of ammunition, which is why the avenger gatling cannon has four ammunition magazines, two on each side of the gun’s casing. Look carefully and you’ll also notice a heavy flamer nestled beneath the gatling cannons’s barrels, just in case the enemy gets too close.

Left: Apart from the Knight Crusader, any Imperial Knight can take a thunderstrike gauntlet. The fingers and thumb are separate pieces, so you can position them to suit the Knight’s pose.

Right: Ever wondered what that hole was for in the top of the Imperial Knight’s carapace? Well now you know. This missile pod can be built in two different ways: here you can see the stormspear rocket pod, which fires a cavalcade of krak missiles, while the ironstorm missile pod can be seen over the page.

Left: There are three face plates in this kit: the snouted, hound-like helm shown here on the Knight Warden, the Adeptus Mechanicus half-skull worn by the Knight Crusader over the page and a sallet-style helm. They can be used on any of the Knight variants.

Right: The new sprue in the kit includes a meltagun, which can replace the shoulder-mounted heavy stubber on any Knight. It also includes a new tilting plate for the other shoulder mount.

The Nobles that pilot Knights Gallant are aggressive and short-tempered, their minds constantly occupied with proving themselves in glorious combat. Armed with a thunderstrike gauntlet and reaper chainsword, they eschew the use of long-ranged cannons in favour of wargear that can pummel, shred and tear their foes apart in combat. Difficult to restrain with tactics and logic, they will often spearhead an assault in search of renown.

This kit includes all the parts you need to make an Imperial Knight Gallant, including the signature thunderstrike gauntlet. Because of the way the kit goes together, you get a huge range of motion from the torso, arms and head, enabling you to pose the Knight Gallant so it’s parrying an enemy attack, mid-way through hacking something apart or striding into combat, its gauntlet outstretched, chainsword ready to deliver the killing blow.

Above: This Knight Gallant from House Raven has been upgraded with a stormspear rocket pod, enabling him to engage the enemy at range as he charges in. Note how the reaper chainsword is fitted to the Knight’s right arm instead of the left (as on the Knights Paladin and Errant) to make way for the deadly thunderstrike gauntlet.

In stark contrast to the bellicose pilots of the Knights Gallant, those Nobles given the honour of commanding a Knight Crusader are thoughtful, tactically-aware warriors. Armed with enough guns to quell a rebellion, they stride at the rear of a Knight lance, laying down a hail of bullets and battle cannon shells in support of the advance. Continued fire from a Crusader can reduce entire formations to steaming gore and ruined metal in minutes.

In total, the Imperial Knight Crusader carries four ranged weapons: the thermal cannon, the avenger gatling cannon, a heavy stubber and a heavy flamer. Alternatively, why not go out all guns blazing and build it with six, as shown below. Here, the thermal cannon has been exchanged for a rapid-fire battle cannon and heavy stubber and a pair of Icarus autocannons have been mounted on the carapace to deal with enemy flyers.

Above: This Knight Crusader from House Taranis has been detailed with heraldry and battle honours taken from the transfer sheet included in the box. This new sheet is different to the one found in the other Imperial Knight box, including new honour markings and symbols, plus heraldry for five of the most renowned knightly houses.

Because the Knight Warden box contains the same three sprues as the Imperial Knight, you can choose to build this kit as a Knight Paladin or Knight Errant, complete with battle cannon or thermal cannon respectively. Of course, you can make use of the new sprue in the kit, too, and equip them with some of the more esoteric wargear – the thunderstrike gauntlet, perhaps, or the shoulder-mounted meltagun. Maybe you could build a Knight Paladin or Errant with one of the new face plates, the tilting shield or even the new carapace iconography.

It’s worth noting the Imperial Knight kit is still available. Parts from the two kits are interchangeable so, if you already own an Imperial Knight, or want to add another one to your collection, you can also add a missile pod or Icarus autocannon array – whichever you have spare after building your Knight Warden, Gallant or Crusader. It’s as simple as painting it to match and slotting it into the carapace socket.

Above: Patriach Tybalt of House Terryn leads his Exalted Court into battle. Note the new design of aquila icon on the carapace, found only in the Knight Warden kit.

Left: Any Knight can be armed with anti-air twin Icarus autocannons. The gun carriage echoes the style of the Imperial Knight, including the stylised fleur-de-lys on the shield and the industrial-sized lifting lugs to help the Sacristans assemble the Knight suit ready for war.

Right: The ironstorm missile pod is the high-explosive alternative to the stormspear rocket pod. Ideal for blasting light infantry apart from a distance, the ironstorm missile pod can be taken by any Imperial Knight. Note the handrail and access hatches that allow the Knight’s retainers to reload and repair the pod (perhaps even during battle).

The Imperial Knights are behemoths of the battlefield, giant walkers with the firepower and weaponry to sunder whole armies. Each is piloted by a bold hero, sworn by oaths of fealty to the Imperium of Man and driven by honour to fight for the salvation of Mankind.

Long before the Emperor led the Imperium of Man to conquer the stars, the ancestors of the Imperial Knights took to the stars intent on settling new worlds. Thousands of years later, when the Great Crusade rediscovered these lost colonies, they found them well guarded and willing to swear allegiance to the Imperium, and even fight beside its armies. Today the Imperial Knights still serve alongside the Imperium, driven by a heroic compulsion to fight fearlessly to protect the weak and defend those they see as allies.

Codex: Imperial Knights is the guide to collecting these towering heroes and unleashing them in games of Warhammer 40,000. Within the book you’ll find the history of the knightly houses, from their origins as settlers to the present day, where they fight Mankind’s foes as champions upon the field of battle. The structures and organisations of the knightly houses are also explained, alongside details of their complex iconography, heraldry and ranks – from the High Kings and Baronial Courts of Imperial-aligned houses, including Heralds and Masters of Judgement, to the Princeps of their Mechanicus-aligned brethren. The book also contains rules for using the Imperial Knights, either as allies to fight alongside the armies of the Imperium, or alone as a Household Detachment. There are also five new Formations and rules for Heirlooms, Warlord Traits and Tactical Objectives to add to your games. All this combines to make a dazzlingly comprehensive Codex, 120 pages bursting with detail.

Above: The Codex cover, depicting a Knight Warden from Imperial-aligned House Cadmus.

Above: Within Codex: Imperial Knights the histories and heritage of the houses, and the Knights within them, are introduced. This riveting background is steeped in the heroic deeds of the Imperial Knights, describing how they fight and the many glorious battles they have taken part in.

Above: The Codex also includes an impressive gallery of gorgeous Imperial Knight models painted by the Studio painters and the ’Eavy Metal team.

Codex: Imperial Knights is also available as a digital edition for iPad and eBook readers.

Also unleashed this month is a new range of Citadel brushes, designed to help you achieve your best ever results when painting your Citadel miniatures. These are the only brushes exclusively designed for painting Citadel miniatures with the Citadel Paint System.

For years the Citadel brush range has been beloved by painters around the world. This week it takes a huge leap forwards with an all-new range of brushes designed to make painting your Citadel miniatures as achievable and enjoyable as possible. Built around the Citadel Paint System, the 15 brushes in the new range are each designed for use with a particular part of the Citadel paint range: Base, Shade, Layer and Dry paints. There’s also a pair of Scenery brushes and a special Texture Spreader tool.

The brilliance of the new brush range is in how each brush is suited to its task. The Base brushes, for instance, are designed for getting basecoats onto models, and as such they must be hard-wearing and also retain plenty of paint. A glance at them reveals a new shape for the Citadel brush range, which enables you to paint large flat areas with ease, or to simply turn the brush for detail work – painting the edges of armour plates, such as on an Imperial Knight, with these is a cinch.

The Shade brushes are made to hold ample quantities of Citadel Shade while retaining control – the large brush makes short work of bigger models, while the medium one is perfect for more precise washes on smaller areas.

The Dry brushes are an ox hair and synthetic blend that can withstand plenty of hard use, but still distribute Dry compounds onto your models effectively. The Layer brushes are your reliable right hand, with sable bristles that keep an excellent point and hold plenty of paint – perfect for layers and highlights. The Artificer brush is perhaps the star of the show. With finest quality sable bristles, it’s the tool you need for an ’Eavy Metal finish to your miniatures. It’s so special, it even comes in its own plastic tube.

The Glaze brush is intended for detailed glazing work, with a fine point for careful application – just what you need when you are adding that final glaze to complete your latest painting project.

Last up are the Scenery brushes, the giants of the range with natural hog hair for maximum paint retention. These are designed for the biggest painting projects you’ll encounter, such as when you are painting a Sector Imperialis.

left: The four Citadel Base brushes. Notice how the larger two have angled brush heads enabling both area painting and detail work.

Centre: The Shade brushes are designed to hold plenty of Citadel Shade in their bristles, giving a consistent flow of Shade onto your models.

Right: The Glaze brush, perfect for accurate application of Citadel Glazes.

Left: Hard-wearing Drybrushes use ox hair to trap paint in the bristles. Pick the size that suits each task.

Centre: The Artificer Brush has finest quality sable bristles. Use it for those finishing touches.

Right: Two Layer brushes can handle most layering and highlighting tasks.

Left: Scenery brushes, for the biggest painting projects.

Right: The two-ended nylon Texture Spreader, with a scoop and a spreader for basing your miniatures.

6 Heirlooms cards & 36 Tactical Objectives

Wage war in the proud tradition of the Imperial Knights, with these new Datacards.

The Imperial Knights have proud traditions of war, earned through millennia of unceasing battle against the many enemies of Mankind.

Datacards: Imperial Knights puts you in the place of these gallant heroes, with a full set of 36 Tactical Objective cards for Maelstrom of War Missions. These are objectives specific to the Imperial Knights – such as Duel of Honour, in which you must hunt down and best enemy champions, or A Grudge to Settle, where your opponent challenges you to slay one of his units – that breathe excitement into every battle. The set also includes six heirloom cards, upgrades for your Knights such as the Paragon Gauntlet or Mark of the Omnissiah.

This week Blades of the Traitor, an anthology of short stories for the Horus Heresy, is also available to order. Look out for the opening story, ‘Daemonology’, which shows how the witch-hating Mortarion comes to terms with his new-found allies, and ‘Wolf Mother’, which sees Severian, the Wolf, form a new and uneasy alliance amid horrific circumstances.

www.blacklibrary.com

Warhammer 40,000 Dataslate
Available for iPad

Access the lore of the Imperial Knights wherever you go with the digital editions of the new Codex.

In addition to the thumping new hardback book, Codex: Imperial Knights is also available to download for iOS devices, and as an ePub compatible with most electronic platforms. These contain all the same content, that you’ll find in the book, including stories, art and photography, with the handy addition that you can cart them around wherever your phone or tablet goes.

The iPad edition also includes enhanced functionality, with a glossary of rules that can be summoned at a single touch, 360º galleries of many models and high resolution images throughout. It also has a Force Requisition feature to help you organise your own Imperial Knight Household and get it ready for battle.

These and other Games Workshop Digital Editions are available from:

www.blacklibrary.com/games-workshop-digital-editions

Every Imperial Knight stands resplendent upon the field of battle, heraldry and livery displaying the Noble pilot’s rank and station and the history of his endeavours. Here we look at how to portray this information on your own Imperial Knight models.

The Imperial Knight houses are scattered across the galaxy, divided by vast distances and the isolation of millennia. Despite this, they retain a formal structure and organisation that is almost identical from one house to another. Some say this uniformity stems from the influence the Throne Mechanicum exerts on the Noble pilot within each Knight suit, while others cite the mutual, ancient heritage of the houses. Regardless, the structure of the houses remains the same: each is ruled by a High King, who commands the house and all within it. Beneath him serve the Barons, including the four members of the King’s Exalted Court. Beneath each Baron is a Baron’s fiefdom, which includes the Nobles under his direct command. When the High King sounds the call to war, the Barons and their Knights will answer.

Over the next few pages we take a look at the organisation of House Terryn, and how its Knights wear their proud heraldry. If you’re painting your own Imperial Knights, you’ll find the guide very helpful for recreating your own heraldry. Bear in mind the principles you see here apply to any Imperial-aligned house, so you can always adjust them to fit your own force.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Every Imperial Knight can be known by two titles: that of the Noble pilot who commands it in battle, and that of the ancient Knight suit in which he marches to war.

For instance, Lord Grevan of House Raven rides to war in the mighty Knight Warden Ferrous Maximus. Those who observe him might cheer “For Lord Grevan!”, “For Ferrous Maximus!” or, indeed, both.

Here you can see the structure of House Terryn, one of the greatest Imperial-aligned houses. The household is ruled by High King Tybalt, who is surrounded by a court of many Barons, such as Baron Yorac. As is customary, four of the King’s Barons form his inner circle, known as the Exalted Court, each of whom bear a special duty within the house. Beneath the Barons serve the vassal Knights, who form the house’s fighting strength.

TYBALT, FURY OF VOLTORIS
HIGH KING OF HOUSE TERRYN

YORAC, SPEAR OF THE RIGHTEOUS
BARON

ARTEMIDORUS, UNBOWED
BARON, HERALD

TAURUS, HONOUR INTRACTABLE
BARON, GATEKEEPER

DARIUS, INTOLERANT
BARON, MASTER OF JUDGEMENT

BALTHAZAR, EVER-STALWART
BARON, KINGSWARD

MONTERYN, VOLTORIS UNDAUNTED
VASSAL KNIGHT

Depending on the house in question, and size of the Baron’s fiefdom, there might be a few such vassals beneath each Baron, or indeed dozens.

1 - A central stripe on the carapace of an Imperial-aligned Knight signifies the pilot is master of his Household. In House Terryn, he is known as the High King.

2 - The Imperial aquila occupies these rear-facing plates.

3 - The front left plate (pilot’s right) shows his personal heraldry. This will change over time, influenced by the heroic endeavours of the Imperial Knight.

4 - The house emblem, a simplified house symbol used as a clear heraldic identifier – House Terryn wear the white horse.

5 - The full house crest sits just beneath the window in the cockpit hatch.

6 - An Imperial Knight’s allegiance badge sits above the Knight’s head, a sculptural detail that signifies his oath to the Imperium or the Adeptus Mechanicus. Lord Tybalt, the High King of Terryn, is sworn to serve the Imperium of Man.

7 - Each Knight bears a tilting plate upon which is displayed his full house crest. In the case of a High King this is seldom further embellished.

8 - The right knee belongs to the Noble to display his personal heraldry. This will mirror the design upon the front left shoulder plate.

9 - Below the knee the inner plate shows the halved Imperial Eagle, while the outer plate shows the simplified house livery.

10 - Each Imperial Knight wears a tabard, which will show his full house crest. Lord Tybalt’s bears a number of his proudest achievements, such as siege honours and a Legio kill marker.

1 - Balthazar is a Baron of House Terryn, selected personally by High King Tybalt. His rank is denoted by the twin stripes along the centre of the carapace of his Knight suit.

2 - Upon Ever-Stalwart’s shield is the quartered design that shows Balthazar is King Tybalt’s Kingsward. A baronial rank, the Kingsward protects his liege on the field, and at court.

Monteryn is one of Lord Tybalt’s most trusted Nobles and joined Tybalt on Agrellan where he distinguished himself in battle, never leaving the King’s side. As with every Noble in Imperial-aligned houses, Monteryn’s heraldry is unique. Should he fall in battle, this personal livery will be removed from Voltoris Undaunted, ready for the next Noble to take up the suit.

Paint Splatter provides handy tips and stage-by-stage painting guides for the week’s key releases. Here we look at a Princeps from House Raven.

Painting an Imperial Knight model is a process that involves two main stages – the exoskeleton and the armour plates. Our advice is to paint these separately, by keeping all of your armour plates off of the model until everything is painted. Since the exoskeleton is painted with Shades and Dry compounds, it has a different look and feel to the more meticulous layering and edge highlighting used on the armour plates, and this contrasts really nicely on the finished model.

As you paint your model, consider what the parts you are painting actually do. We made sure the pistons on our Imperial Knight looked smeared with grease.

The Imperial Knights bear markings on their carapace armour depending on their rank (see page 14 for more on this). The model shown here is a Princeps from House Raven, an Adeptus Mechanicus-aligned house – his rank signified by the single stripe that runs through the centre of the Knight suit’s carapace. The chevrons worn by the Knights of House Raven are used to mark out the age and battle experience of its Nobles, and these are actually quite simple to do. Use a ruler and a soft pencil to mark out the lines before you paint the chevrons on.

Next week: march of the machines.

In Theatre of War we present missions, mini-games and scenarios designed to get you having fun on the gaming table with your Citadel miniatures. This week we present Gods of War, a mission that pits your Imperial Knights against each other in an honour duel.

There’s nothing quite like unleashing the biggest, most dangerous models in your collection on the battlefield, and with the new Imperial Knight Warden kit released this week, massive clashes between super-heavy war machines have definitely been on our mind.

Gods of War is a new Altar of War mission for Warhammer 40,000 that more than scratches our proverbial itch to see the mightiest behemoths of the 41st Millennium battling for survival in a duel to the death; it’s all about mighty engines of destruction fighting each other.

To play Gods of War all you need is an opponent and two forces of massive war machines (or monsters) of roughly even size. Don’t worry if the two forces at your disposal aren’t the same in terms of points values – that really doesn’t matter. As long as you have an even number of models on each side you’ll have a cracking game.

One of the great things about Gods of War is that it’s quick to play; households of Imperial Knights are horrifically brutal when they fight each other, and our experience is that it’s quick to reset your battlefield and have a rematch.

Theatre of War is a regular feature all about giving you more things to do with your Citadel miniatures. Within it you’ll find ideas to try in your own games.

If you play Gods of War, why not tell us how you got on?
team@whitedwarf.co.uk

With a history dating back more than fifteen millennia, there have been many occasions where the knightly houses have engaged in open war against others of their kind. The reasons for these conflicts range from duels of honour that escalate into outright violence to vengeful purges of rival houses that sided with or against the Warmaster Horus during his terrible war of rebellion. Regardless of the cause, each time that the Imperial Knights stride forth to do battle against one another, the ground shakes beneath their mighty tread and the fate of worlds hangs in the balance.

THE ARMIES
Choose armies as described in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules.

Designer’s Note: This mission is designed to be fought between two opposing armies comprising an even number Imperial Knights; the total points values of each side are less important than having an even number of Imperial Knights (of any type) on each side. However, this mission can easily be played using Super-heavy vehicles, Gargantuan Creatures, even Walkers or Monstrous Creatures.

THE BATTLEFIELD
Set up terrain as described in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules. Use the deployment map included with this mission or, if both players agree, use Random Deployment Zones (see Warhammer 40,000: The Rules) to determine which Deployment Map will be used for this mission. Each player rolls a D6, re-rolling ties. Whoever scores higher can decide which half of the table they wish to deploy in. The opposing player will deploy in the opposite half.

DEPLOYMENT
Players must deploy using the Standard Deployment Method (see Warhammer 40,000: The Rules).

FIRST TURN
The player that set up first can choose to take the first or second turn. If they decide to take the first turn, their opponent can attempt to Seize the Initiative (see Warhammer 40,000: The Rules).

GAME LENGTH
The mission uses Variable Game Length (see Warhammer 40,000: The Rules).

VICTORY CONDITIONS
At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most Victory Points wins the game. If players have the same number of Victory Points, the game is a draw.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
At the end of the game, the players earn D3 Victory Points for each Super-heavy or Gargantuan Creature unit in the enemy army that has been completely destroyed, or 1 Victory Point for each Super-heavy or Gargantuan Creature unit in the enemy army that has been reduced to half (or less) of its starting number of Hull Points or Wounds. Units that are not on the board at the end of the game count as destroyed for the purposes of this mission.

Designer’s Note: If you are playing with alternative armies then, at the end of the game, the players earn 1 Victory Point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed, but earn D3 Victory Points instead for each enemy Super-heavy vehicle or Gargantuan Creature that has been completely destroyed.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE
First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord.

MISSION SPECIAL RULES
Night Fighting, Reserves.

Battle Honours: Each time one of your Super-heavy or Gargantuan Creature units destroys an enemy Super-heavy vehicle or Gargantuan Creature, you can pick an upgrade from the list below to apply to that model. You can choose each upgrade any number of times; if a characteristic upgrade is chosen more than once for the same unit, the effects are cumulative.

Legacy of Mars: Add 1 to the unit’s Weapon Skill characteristic for the duration of the battle.

Augmented Targeting Optics: Add 1 to the unit’s Ballistic Skill characteristic for the duration of the battle.

Neuro-link Hyper-calibration: Add 1 to the unit’s Initiative characteristic for the duration of the battle.

Auto-strike Protocols: Add 1 to the unit’s Attacks characteristic for the duration of the battle.

Enhanced Targeting Data: The unit gains the Tank Hunters and Monster Hunters special rule for the duration of the battle.

Divine Restoration: The unit immediately repairs D3 Hull Points or Wounds lost earlier in the battle.

With the release of the new Imperial Knight Warden, our Sacristans set to work on building a few to add to their collections. Here you can see them in all their glory, along with a little of their fabled history.

Although it’s certain that he’s seen more winters than he has ahead of him, Sir Erasmus Krag of House Terryn has never lost the battlefield impetuousness that is often the hallmark of younger, greener Nobles. Some believe that it is this occasional rashness that has prevented the otherwise revered Baron from entry into High King Tybalt’s Exalted Court – a veneration surely due him, given his age, experience and battlefield honours. Few can boast of slaying a Hierophant bio-titan, however – and Krag has a near-legendary seven such kills to his name.

None, then, can gainsay the prowess Sir Erasmus displays on the field of battle, and if any would dare to denigrate the butcher’s bill Krag delivers on the field, then their whispers are too quiet to be heard in the labyrinthine halls of Furion Peak. In the unimaginable event that such a voice would raise itself to be audible, Krag’s oaths-men – who number far beyond those a Noble would normally be expected to retain, a sure sign of the esteem in which he’s held – can be counted on to silence the dissent with startling swiftness.

Baron Rhodoks is the Kingsward to High King Bryce, the ruler of House Griffith. It is his duty to protect his liege lord at all times, whether armoured for war or at court. Not once during Rhodoks’s many years of service has Bryce ever been harmed, a clear sign of both his ward’s skill at arms and his dedication.

Like many Nobles of House Griffith, Rhodoks believes that war should be conducted up close and personal and that long-ranged firefights are not only dishonourable, but intensely dull. As such, he marches to battle in a Knight Gallant, a suit equipped almost exclusively for close-quarter engagements with a thunderstrike gauntlet on one arm and a reaper chainsword on the other. Rhodoks’s only concession is the rocket pod mounted atop his carapace, which he finds useful for ‘clearing away the chaff’.

Once a knightly vassal to another baronial lord, Rhodoks earned his own title for his heroism and bold assaults. On Calagin III he single-handedly brought a traitor Warhound to its knees following a daring charge across open ground, while on the scrapworld of Lorix he claimed three Gorkanaut kills in a single battle. To his fellow Knights, Rhodoks is seen as a paragon of war. To the Departmento Munitorum he’s a reckless, unpredictable logistical nightmare. They have to concede, though, he gets the job done.

Left: House Griffith’s emblem, the dragon rampant.

Centre: Baron Rhodoks’s personal heraldry is azure, featuring a bend argent. A pair of crossed swords signify his rank of Kingsward.

Right: Unending Glory was constructed in M.36 by household Sacristans on Dragon’s End, the volcanic homeworld of House Griffiths.

Sir Mattius is a Crusader Knight of House Hawkshroud, a vassal of Sir Kenrick and one of his chosen lance-brothers.

Sir Mattius marches to war in the Knight suit known as Pyrrhus Angel, a relic from the Age of Technology. Over the millennia it has been refitted several times and now bears the armament of a Knight Crusader: the rapid-fire battle cannon, ironstorm missile pod and avenger gatling cannon.

While Sir Mattius is a shining exemplar of honour and valour, his Knight suit earned its name for a less than honourable action. It’s said the ancient war machine was once the instrument of hundreds of civilian deaths, a necessary precaution to prevent them being used as sacrifices for a daemonic incursion. Some believe their lives could have been saved, others not. Regardless, Pyrrhus Angel’s machine spirit will never forget the high cost of victory. When a Noble inherits Pyrrhus Angel, the Knight suit will imbue them with a great sense of morality and compassion during the Ritual of Becoming in the hope such atrocities will never occur again.

As the latest pilot of Pyrrhus Angel, Sir Mattius excels at long-ranged devastation. Every target is carefully picked out and every firing solution meticulously calculated before he brings his firepower to bear. Death will come to those who deserve it, never to those who don’t.

Pyrrhus Angel has been at the forefront of countless battles, its armour plates chipped and scuffed from constant incoming fire. If Pyrrhus Angel isn’t in battle, it’s almost certainly being repainted and repaired by an army of Sacristans.

Sir Dennis Gladiomanus was once a Knight of House Curtana, the Swords of Justice. A tactful orator, Sir Dennis was selected to meet with an Adeptus Mechanicus delegation in the hope of securing better materials and technology for their Sacristans. Though an agreement could not be reached, Sir Dennis chose to leave his homeworld of Karastus with the Adeptus Mechanicus in the hope that spending time with them would help him understand them better and, perhaps, come to a more fruitful trade agreement.

It has been over 500 years since Sir Dennis left his homeworld, yet his Knight Warden Fortitude has appeared on countless military rosters during that time, fighting alongside the Skitarii of Mars against Orks, Eldar, Tyranids and even the Dark Mechanicus. House Curtana have enquired about this on several occasions, appealing to the Adeptus Mechanicus to return the surely long-dead Noble’s suit to them, but have been assured that Sir Dennis is alive and well and still very much in command of his Knight suit. Some whisper that he’s been rewarded with life-extending augmetics, others claim he’s been completely replaced by a fleshless cybernetic pilot. What’s for sure is that the Knight Warden continues in his duty to this day, fighting with distinction alongside the Skitarii and maintaining excellent trade relations between the Adeptus Mechanicus and House Curtana.

Sir Dennis’s heraldry features a crenellated battlement in gold on a black background. It represents his stalwart defence of Karastus during the Ork Waaagh! of Grimgutz da ’Orrible.

The crest of House Curtana – a cog struck through with a sword – represents the Sword of Justice allied to the cog of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

With the Imperial Knights spearheading the charge this week, we’re pleased to present the rules for one of the brand new additions to the Codex, the Knight Warden. Armed with an avenger gatling cannon, you can expect high-volume firepower from this titanic saviour.

Armed with the formidable avenger gatling cannon, the Knight Warden is an unholy terror, capable of scything down squads of infantry and pummelling vehicles into submission. The avenger spews high-calibre shells at such a ferocious rate that entire squads are chewed to mush, and a Space Marine is no more likely to survive a direct hit than a Grot. The gun’s dazzling rate of fire also means the avenger tears through even the sturdiest armour: it has the power to rend through Ork Battlewagons or Chaos Space Marine Land Raiders with ease! With such a weapon on call, feel free to attack with unbridled aggression, singling out a new target for annihilation each turn.

To supplement the Knight Warden’s anti-infantry prowess, we recommend upgrading it with a carapace-mounted stormspear rocket pod (for a little anti-armour clout) or an ironstorm missile pod (for butchering infantry).

A REAL HANDFUL

The new Imperial Knight kit includes the thunderstrike gauntlet. Not only does it look great, but it’s brilliant fun to use too. If your Imperial Knight kills an enemy tank or monster, it can hurl them into the enemy – the bigger the kill, the more deadly the result as it smashes through its friends.

RANGED WEAPONS

Avenger gatling cannon
Range - 36”
S - 6
AP - 3
Type - Heavy 12, Rending

Ironstorm missile pod
Range - 72”
S - 5
AP - 4
Type - Heavy 1, Large Blast, Barrage

Stormspear rocket pod
Range - 48”
S - 8
AP - 3
Type - Heavy 3

Twin icarus autocannon
Range - 48”
S - 7
AP - 4
Type - Heavy 2, Interceptor, Skyfire, Twin-linked

MELEE WEAPONS

Reaper chainsword
Range -
S - D
AP - 2
Type - Melee

Thunderstrike gauntlet
Range -
S - D
AP - 2
Type - Melee, Colossal, Hurl

Colossal: A model fighting with this weapon Piles In and fights at Initiative step 1.

Hurl: If an Imperial Knight fighting with a thunderstrike gauntlet destroys an enemy Monstrous Creature or vehicle in the Fight sub-phase, it can choose to hurl it (Gargantuan Creatures, Super-heavy vehicles and buildings cannot be hurled). If a vehicle was destroyed as a result of suffering an Explodes! result on the Vehicle Damage table, resolve any damage before hurling it. Any passengers must make an emergency disembarkation (see Warhammer 40,000: The Rules) before their transport vehicle is hurled. To hurl an enemy model, immediately resolve a shooting attack against an enemy unit within 12” that is not locked in combat using the profile below. A hurled model is removed from the battlefield after the attack has been resolved.

Range - 12”
S - *
AP -
Type - Heavy 1, Large Blast, The Bigger They Are…

The Bigger They Are…: The Strength of this attack is always equal to the Toughness value of the Monstrous Creature, or half the front Armour Value of the vehicle, being hurled (rounding fractions up).

SPECIAL ISSUE WARGEAR

Ion Shield
When an Imperial Knight is deployed, and subsequently at the start of each of the opposing side’s Shooting phases before any attacks are carried out, the controlling player must declare which facing each Imperial Knight’s ion shield is covering. The choices are: front, left side, right side or rear. The Knight has a 4+ invulnerable save against all hits on that facing until the start of your opponent’s next Shooting phase. Ion shields are repositioned before any attacks are carried out in the Shooting phase. Ion shields cannot be used to make saving throws against close combat attacks.

The Knight Warden excels at storming strongholds and battles in claustrophobic confines. With its ion shield to the fore, a Knight Warden can close upon a foe quickly, its immense stride simply bypassing tank barricades and easily manoeuvring through narrow hive city streets or amidst the twisted boughs of alien forests. The avenger gatling cannon hisses as it whirs, spitting out a wall of shots – a high volume of large calibre shells that can tear apart armour and mow down squads of infantry. A heavy stubber adds to the firepower while a heavy flamer built into the main gun’s shield ensures that even foes in cover cannot escape the Knight’s wrath. When it reaches its destination, the mighty close combat weapon in its other arm can rip apart or crush any enemy foolish enough to have stood before its oncoming doom.

Double tap image for a full screen preview.

WARGEAR:
Avenger gatling cannon
Heavy flamer
Heavy stubber
Reaper chainsword
Ion shield

OPTIONS:
May replace reaper chainsword with a thunderstrike gauntlet - 10 pts
May replace heavy stubber with a meltagun - 5 pts

May take one of the following carapace weapons:
- Ironstorm missile pod - 30 pts
- Twin Icarus autocannon - 35 pts
- Stormspear rocket pod - 40 pts

Join us for a round-up of the week as we share comment, opinion and trivia on all the latest releases, plus other fun tidbits that have cropped up in the White Dwarf bunker. This week we look at Imperial Knights, Citadel paint brushes and a squig with a big mouth.

ADEPTUS MECHANICUS-ALIGNED HOUSE RAVEN

Just as the Imperial-aligned houses have a firm organisational structure, so too do those sworn to the Adeptus Mechanicus. The master of an Adeptus Mechanicus-aligned house is typically known as a Princeps, a lauded rank within the Machine Cult given only to the mightiest military officers. Beneath him are the Barons and the Knights, in much the same way as the Imperial-aligned houses.

Like a King, a Princeps will have a core of four Barons in his Exalted Court who hold special ranks. Known collectively as the Barons Prime, these are the Master of Vox, Master of Lore, Master Tactician and Forge Master. Their status will be clearly marked by the pattern shown on their tilting plate.

Below you can see a triumvirate of Imperial Knights from House Raven, with Lord Grevan, piloting Ferrous Maximus, in the foreground (denoted by the white stripe running the length of his carapace). To the left is Baron Randul (who is not a Baron Prime, as shown by the plain field upon his tilting plate), while to the right is Sir Havlorn, a vassal Knight.

GARGOYLES

SIGNS OF ALIGNMENT
Within the new Imperial Knight Warden kit, you’ll find two sets of gargoyles – Imperial eagle heads and the machine cog symbol of the Adeptus Mechanicus – to decorate the chassis of your Knight suit, great for showing your allegiance. Although it doesn’t technically matter which you use (there’s nothing wrong with an Imperial-aligned Knight wearing the symbol of the Priesthood of Mars, or vice-versa), you can give your Knight a really characterful look by choosing the symbol most appropriate for your house. Even better, whichever you choose leaves you with loads of spares, which you can trade with friends or use for conversions.

The overwhelming majority of Imperial Knights live and fight within the many knightly households scattered across the Imperium. There are some, however, who have abandoned the structure of the houses and set off as a Freeblade. Whether they have left to avenge some terrible wrong done against them, out of shame for a transgression, to escape the stultifying dullness of court life or other myriad reasons, these Imperial Knights are no less loyal to the Imperium than their former peers. When the Emperor’s foes rear their heads, they will still fight side by side with humanity’s forces.

Many examples of these lone heroes exist, but perhaps the greatest is Gerantius, the Forgotten Knight, defender of Alaric Prime. He lives alone on Sacred Mountain, striding forth only in times of direst need.

Here in the White Dwarf bunker we’ve been getting to grips with all the new Citadel brushes, and our favourites so far are the new Base brushes with the chisel-shaped heads (Large and Extra Large). These give you amazing control for basecoating larger surface areas such as tank hulls, armour plates on vehicles and do admirably on smaller models too.

The wide, flat bristles are perfect for streak-free basecoats on large areas, while the narrow end keeps an excellent point for getting into recesses and detail painting. Our experience so far is that, because of the new brush shape, you can use a larger brush than you would first expect, speeding things up nicely.

Regular White Dwarf contributor John Margiotta is back this week with another gorgeous Reader’s Model: Gutrot Spume.

Well, we say gorgeous, but this model, and John’s paint-job, are hideous. And rightly so, for Grandfather Nurgle would accept nothing less. John’s careful blending on Spume’s rancid skin gives him a slimy, oily appearance, while his numerous tentacles act as a great spot colour. John’s final touch on the model was adding the upper torso of a man, from the Giant kit, to the base. He then covered it in layers of Nurgle’s Rot (the paint, not the disease. Then again…)

If you’ve painted a miniature that you think is worthy of a place in White Dwarf then why not send a picture to:

team@whitedwarf.co.uk

If it’s something we can use, we’ll be sure to get in touch.

Notes from the worlds of Warhammer. This week: Noble houses.

HAWKSHROUD
House Hawkshroud are unequalled in their loyalty to the Imperium, selflessly answering the call to arms whenever it is made. This steadfast fraternity has earned the Knights of Hawkshroud an enviable reputation, beloved by those they fight alongside as gallant, heroic saviours. Their readiness to honour their oaths of fealty has led the Imperial Knights of Hawkshroud to the far corners of the galaxy, where they fight in task forces and crusades far from their home. Though Krastellan might be a distant memory, their honour is etched upon their hearts.

VULKER
House Vulker are reckoned among the greatest of the Adeptus Mechanicus-aligned houses, hailing from the mineral rich planet of Aurous IV. They place great value in the primacy of firepower and the way it enables a force to gain a methodical and complete victory. It is said that Vulker were the first Knightly House to utilise the Tripartite Lance, a formation that harnesses the combined skills of the Knight Warden, Knight Crusader and the Knight Gallant, and magnifies their presence and power upon the battlefield.

KRAST
The sigil of House Krast is a mailed fist clutching a writhing serpent, a reminder of the treachery of the Warmaster Horus, whose forces laid waste to their home of Chrysis. Only the assistance of the Adeptus Mechanicus enabled Krast to survive the horrendous losses and they have remained loyal

The White Dwarf is a font of hobby knowledge, a metaphorical repository of useful facts. If you have a question about Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer, need a bit of painting advice or you’re after a few tactical tips, drop us a line:

team@whitedwarf.co.uk

A LONELY LIFE

Oi, beardy! When an Imperial Knight becomes a Freeblade, does he go alone or does he take his mates with him? You know, Sacristans, artisans and suchlike?

- Jimmy ‘Hard Man’ Daniels

GROMBRINDAL SAYS

I’m not sure I like your tone of voice, beard-whelp. I’m oathed to answer your question, but it doesn’t mean I like you.

Imperial Knights come from feudal societies, so when they go to war, their retainers, Sacristans and men-at-arms follow them. If a Knight becomes a Freeblade, it’s likely his vassals will join him, for he is their lord and they must continue to serve him, even in exile, repairing and maintaining his suit, looking after his personal well-being and so on. There is one Freeblade who definitely has no servants, though – Gerantius, the Forgotten Knight. Quite who maintains his armoured Knight suit is a question probably best left unasked.

- Grombrindal

The XV104 Riptide comes with a choice of three heads to put on your model – the remainder make great alternative heads for your other battlesuits. Not only do they provide a slightly different look, but they fit on Crisis Suits and Broadsides perfectly.

A photograph of a Harlequin Solitaire and an Eversor Assassin leaping into battle caused the entire White Dwarf team to grind to a halt this week as we debated who would win in a fight between the most enigmatic of the Eldar Players and the berserk killer of the Officio Assassinorum. The discussion only ended when we fetched models and tried it out.

To test their mettle we set up a small gaming area and let them duel to the death amid the tumbling ruins of an Imperial city. In our first match-up, the Eversor took the first turn and wasted no time at all sprinting towards the Solitaire, executioner pistol blazing. The deadly needler rounds took their toll even before he leapt in, neuro-gauntlet ready. Thanks to the Eversor’s toughened constitution he easily weathered the Solitaire’s attacks, his body soaking up the injuries, before killing him with a chop of his clawed hand.

The second round saw the Solitaire unleash his fearsome blitz, moving faster than most eyes could follow. But, the Eversor’s frenzon-fuelled reflexes still let him pepper the Harlequin with Overwatch fire. Although the Solitaire rained blows on the Assassin, the result was the same. A gory victory for the Officio Assassinorum.

While it might seem like a bit of a stretch to call Gobbla a weapon (he’s a living, breathing Cave Squig after all), there’s no denying that’s just how Skarsnik uses his trusty mouth-on-legs. Like all Cave Squigs, Gobbla can bite off limbs with a single, wet chomp, but his greatest asset is his cavernous maw, which enables him to gulp down his prey in a few crunching, snorting moments. Nothing fills men with dread like their Captain getting swallowed whole.

The Crimson Reaper is a Freeblade Knight, first sighted during the Rithguard Crusade, who has participated in battles on scores of worlds alongside the armies of the Imperium. In battle he is a tower of strength, using reaper chainsword and thermal cannon to obliterate the foe, but still those who have fought at his side struggle to admire him – he cares not at all for the lives of his ‘allies’, readily trampling them to death in his eagerness to fight.

The Crimson Reaper’s sigil is a pair of white crossed scythes with a single blood drop falling between them. His armour is painted dark red and black, the morbid colours of death.

Copyright © Games Workshop Limited 2015 excepting all materials pertaining to the New Line theatrical productions: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES which are © 2015 New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. (s15)

All quotations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary trilogy The Lord of the Rings (including any of the volumes thereof) © The Tolkien Estate 1954-55, 1966.

Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, ’Eavy Metal, Citadel and the Citadel device are either ®, TM and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2015, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. All Rights Reserved.

Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, GW, Citadel, the Citadel device, Citadel Finecast, Warhammer, Warhammer logo, Warhammer Armies, The Game of Fantasy Battles, the twin-tailed comet device, Warhammer 40,000, the Warhammer 40,000 logo, 40K, 40,000, the double-headed eagle/Aquila design, White Dwarf and all associated marks, logos, names, places, characters, creatures, races and race insignia, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world and Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, ™ and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2015 variably registered around the world. All Rights Reserved.

Please be aware that Games Workshop products are usually sold unpainted and unassembled and the contents of any products may vary from those shown herein (for example, any banners shown may not necessarily be included). Pictures are used for illustrative purposes only. In accordance with national laws, Games Workshop is prohibited from selling spray paints and bladed equipment to certain age groups. Further, certain Citadel products may be dangerous if used incorrectly and Games Workshop does not recommend them for use by children under the age of 16 without adult supervision. Whatever your age, be careful when using glues, bladed equipment and sprays and make sure that you read and follow the instructions on the packaging. Prices correct at time of going to press. Customers are advised to contact Games Workshop for current availability and current Games Workshop prices. Prices quoted are for products sold by Games Workshop through its own stores, catalogue or website. Independent retailers are responsible for determining their own prices.

Editor: Jes Bickham. Publisher: Paul Lyons

Produced by the White Dwarf Team

Email: team@whitedwarf.co.uk

Games Workshop Limited
Willow Road, Lenton, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG7 2WS

Registered in England and Wales
– Company No. 01467092.

ISSN 2055-2653

Product code: 60659999066