Abomination's Wake

In 936.M41, the Rogue Trader Tyrel Cathek detected a long-forgotten, drifting Imperial cruiser, seemingly abandoned near Pyrek, in the Armageddon sub-sector of the Segmentum Solar. His first four boarding parties failed to return, swallowed up by the vastness of the hulk; before the fifth died, it sent one frantic transmission back to the Mothership, consisting of a single word: Xenos. Thus alerted, the Rogue Trader requested the assistance of the Adeptus Astartes, the legendary Space Marines devoted to the protection of the Imperium from such menaces. The Ultra-Marines and the Imperial Fists responded to the call, each dispatching a small force under the command of the Imperial Fist Captain D'Arquebus, a seasoned combat veteran. Early investigations confirmed the presence of an infestation of Xenos, thought only to represent a small Ork warband. This assessment quickly proved to be incorrect. Leading the first wave, Captain D'Arquebus commanding an Imperial Fist Assault Squad and an Ultra-Marine Devestator Squad learned that the forces of Chaos had infested the hulk, and that the Orks were under the control of a Chaos Marine Commander. This discovery came at a terrible cost; of the twenty-two Marines that formed the first wave of the assault, only one an Ultramarine named Kanner, managed to make it back to the landing pods alive.

Veteran Sergeant Kanner Sergeant Kanner commands the feared 'Stalkers', a squad that honed its abilities in the 'Abomination' and 'Terimus' missions. Assembled from the most experienced Scouts available by Kanner after his first return from the Hulm, they led the way on no less than fifteen infiltrations of the Space Hulk 'Abomination', as well as forming the strike force against the Genestealer Cult on Gorinum Base. Acknowledged as one of the finest squads in the Ultra-Marines, they have been awarded the signal honour of exclusively wearing ten of the prized MkVI suits of Power Armour, carefully maintained by the Tech-Priests on the Sword of Marabar to operational readiness. Their readiness for close-quarters combat is evinced by the unusual design of their Bolters; all of them are equipped with the now little-used bayonet attachment. The 'Stalkers' consist of 1 Space Marine Sergeant and 9 Veterans. Sergeant Kanner is equipped with a Chainsword and Bolt Pistol, one Veteran carries a Flamer and another wields a Missile Launcher. All have access to Special Issue Ammunition. Optionally, the squad may ride in one of the battleforce's two Rhino APC, with a mounted Storm Bolter. Cost: 260 points (295 / 305 if mounted in Rhino APC.)

Following the loss of the bulk of the strike force, command devolved to the only remaining officer, the hitherto untested Lieutenant-Primus Andron. His was a baptism of fire, as he assembled the remnants of his strike force into a pair of new squads, hurriedly bringing the reconnaissance Scouts loaned him by the 10 th Company into the line of battle under the promoted Sergeant Kanner, and launched a series of strike raids into the Hulk, first clearing a beachhead and then expanding it with attacks on critical areas of the ship. After three months of constant hit-and-run operations led by himself, Sergeant Kanner, and the surviving Imperial Fist Sergeant Huron, the bulk of the 'Abomination' was brought under the control of the Space Marines. With victory in sight, Andron was promoted to Lieutenant-Senioris and instructed to prepare for assignment to the command of a Company.

Lieutenant-Senioris Telak Andron Lieutenant Andron is the commander of a battleforce of Ultra-Marines on nearpermanent independent duty; it has been many years since he or his comrades have returned to the Ultra-Marine homeworld of Macragge. Indeed, many members of his battleforce have never had the privilege of visiting their Chapter House, being recruited from hulks or hive worlds along their travels. The Lieutenant is a seasoned, experienced combat officer with vast experience of close-quarters combat in the confined, artificial conditions of a Hulk; however, his time on Armageddon has also given him ample practice of more conventional battlefields, where he generally employs a 'stand-off' tactic reliant on the legendary fire support capabilities of the Astartes. Andron is generally equipped with his signature Power Sword, Plasma Pistol, and specially-crafted Artificer Armour discovered during the fighting on Terifus Station. Cost: 145 points

The taste of victory was all too brief, however, as raiding parties moving deep into the hulk discovered the true value of the vessel to the Chaos Marine Warband; its cargo bays contained the equipment required to inter a Marine into a Dreadnought, a powerful war machine bristling with guns and close-combat weaponry. It had been a Dreadnought that wiped out Sergeant Kanner's old squad; he requested the honour of destroying the facility. Once informed, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus protested. Such technology was extremely rare, and the opportunity to study it was too tempting to ignore. Over the protests of Lieutenant Andron, a Tech-Priest was assigned to his force, a PraefactAcquisitor by the name of Erasmus Darvin. Capturing the facility was obviously impossible; its destruction was an operational necessity. Studying it, however, was not out of the question, and Darvin joined the 'Stalker' force on its mission, demonstrating sufficient courage under fire to convince Andron to petition that he be brought into the Chapter, a request that would be granted in time for the Armageddon Campaign.

Following the destruction of the Dreadnought manufacturing facility, the Hulk 'Abomination' was finally destroyed, bombs planted near its ancient fusion reactor tearing its hull into pieces, wiping out the threats that still lay within forever. Andron led his surviving Marines in a ceremony to honour those that had fallen, and then began to make his way home, first to the Imperial Fist system of Inwit where Sergeant Huron's squad rejoined their chapter, and then curving back through Segmentum Solar towards Macragge.

Praefect-Acquisitor Erasmus Darvin The path of the Acquisitor is an honourable one in the Adeptus Mechanicus; it is their responsibility to salvage ancient or alien technology from abandoned ruins and battlefields, often under the guns of the enemy. A successful example of this breed is Erasmus Darvin, born on Ancient Luna, and as such destined for high office by right of birth. Displaying an interest in the dark arts of technology, he was assigned to the Tech-Priests of Mars at a young age, and began training as an Enginseer before finding a higher calling. His rapid reactions and mental acuity were noted by his superiors, who ordered him to undergo an experimental electro-graft that provided him with access to some of the vast knowledge of the arcane data-banks. This allows him to rapidly evaluate the technology he finds on the battlefield, determine what is of use and what is simply scrap metal. Through it all, he chafed somewhat under the tight restrictions of his Order, wanting to explore the stars for undiscovered archaeo-tech. His chance came with the discovery of the Dreadnought implantation facility on the Hulk 'Abomination', when he was assigned the critical, and dangerous, mission of evaluating the potential use of the technology. During this mission, he impressed the Marines he fought alongside to the point that they acclaimed him as a blood-brother, and Lieutenant Andron requested that he be permanently assigned to his command, and that he be named an honourary member of the Chapter. His mechanical implants allow him similar physical abilities to his fellow Marines, and he proudly wears the symbol of the Ultra-Marines on his shoulder, while still continuing to evaluate technology for the Adeptus Mechanius. His electro-graft is beginning to break down, however, rendering him increasingly unpredictable and irrational, though on a battlefield this tends to make him only more dangerous! Darvin wields a Power Axe, and is equipped with a Servo-Arm; he is always accompanied by a personal Servitor, though its identity tends to change from battle to battle. He wears customised Artificer Armour. Cost: 75 points

The onset of the Second War of Armageddon changed these plans. Andron's UltraMarines were close enough to take part in the battles for that world, and reinforcements were hurriedly dispatched to augment his battered fighting force, consisting of a recently formed Tactical Squad and a trio of tanks; a Rhino APC, Predator Assault Tank and a Whirlwind Artillery Tank. In the bitter fighting around the ruins of Hades Hive, Andron would put these forces to good use. The Ultra-Marine participation in the battle culminated in the Battle of the Skeletos Bridge, where Sergeant Typhon led his 'Scalpers' squad to victory against an Ork warband despite being heavily outnumbered, buying sufficient time for the Imperial Guard Armoured Divisions to launch their final assault on the enemy strongholds. With the Second War for Armageddon completed, and Lieutenant Andron now commanding a significant battleforce, further missions beckoned. In order that he would not be reliant on the vaguries of wandering ships, a Strike Cruiser was detached from the Ultra-Marine Home Fleet, the 'Sword of Marabar', and attached to Andron's command; on-board were facilities for the implantation of the Astartes gene-seed, and the Lieutenant took the opportunity to recruit a new unit of Scouts from the feral tribes occupying the ruined hives of Armageddon; during the battles in that area, the tribesman had impressed him with their ferocity and loyalty, and he believed that they would make excellent additions to the ranks of the UltraMarines. As an additional honour, the Dreadnought sarcophagus 'Fury' was made available for Brother Omos, a member of the 'Scalpers' who fell at Skeletos Bridge.

Sergeant Typhon Sergeant Typhon is as close as they come to a 'typical' Space Marine Sergeant. Recruited from the under-gangs of the hive-planet of Necromunda, where he was a member of the feared House Goliath, he was earmarked for partial cerebral reprogramming in order to better harness his destructive tendencies. His first campaign as a Sergeant, commanding a unit of Tactical Marines, was during the Second War of Armageddon, where he took part in some of the bloodier battles of the war, winning distinction and a healthy hatred of Orks during the campaigning. As part of the initial garrison following the war, he and his squad missed the raid on the Hive-Ship and the attack on the 'Demonicus' but rejoined Lieutenant Andron in time for the Beta Magellan Campaign, and have remained as a critical part of his battleforce ever since. The 'Scalpers' consist of one Sergeant and nine Marines. Sergeant Typhon is equipped with a Chainsword, and Bolt Pistol; one Marine has a Flamer and another wields a Missile Launcher. Optionally, the squad may ride in one of the battleforce's two Rhino APC. Cost: 170 points (205 / 215 if mounted on Rhino APC) The new Scouts would see action almost immediately, as the Sword of Marabar was sent to intercept a Tyranid Hive-Ship heading for the heart of Imperial Space; the ship was part of the fleet that had wiped out three Space Marine Chapters, and had to be stopped no matter what the cost; Lieutenant Andron elected to introduce his new recruits into battle against this, their most hated enemy. Four units of Scouts, sixteen of the newly-indoctrinated Ultra-Marines led by four of the most experienced veterans of the Abomination Campaign went into the bio-ship, supported by the 'Stalkers'. The units ranged through the ship, fighting remorseless Tyranids, expending Hellfire ammunition at a rate far faster than their ship's machine shops, even under Darvin's direction, could make up. The turning point came with the discovery of a long-missing Space Marine, Sergeant Urlok of the Scythes of the Emperor, a Chapter that had thought to have been wiped out to a man by Hive Fleet Kraken. This in fact was so; Oriel turned out to be the sole survivor of his Chapter. His knowledge of the insides of the Bio-Ship proved critical to the destruction of the Tyranids, and he led the remaining Scouts on a mission into the core of the Bio-Ship, tearing apart its vital organs using a series of carefully emplaced Melta Bombs, rendering it dead in space. Prior to his return to his home Chapter, he completed the training of the Scouts, aiding them in their transition to full-blown Marines, and selecting one of their number, according to Scythe custom, as their Sergeant.

Vehicles of the Battleforce Currently, the Battleforce has five vehicles available for battlefield deployment, mostly assigned during the Armageddon Campaign. As is the custom, each has a long history of its own, and has served the Ultra-Marines in numerous battles across the four corners of the galaxy. Two Rhino APC have been assigned as transports for two of the three full Marine squads in the Battleforce. Both of them have a standard twin-Bolter armament, smoke launchers for emergency cover and a searchlight; one, however, has received some experimental modifications by Tech-Marine Darvin, equipping it with the special-issue ammunition used by the 'Stalkers'; this has had the effect of doubling the power of the vehicle-mounted weapons. Cost: 35 points (45 points with special-issue ammunition) A single Predator Assault Tank has been assigned to Lieutenant Andron's command; this vehicle is one of the oldest currently in Ultra-Marine service and requires nearconstant maintenance to keep it in full battle condition, but has proven a key asset in many battles. It is armed with a single turret-mounted Autocannon, with each side sponson holding a Lascannon. Also mounted on the turret is a bolter, which has also been modified for special-issue ammunition. Cost: 130 points Providing heavy fire support is a Whirlwind Artillery Tank; this is a very recent introduction to the Ultra-Marine arsenal and has thus far seen only a single decade of service, mostly under Lieutenant Andron's command. This vehicle is equipped with a standard Whirlwind Missile Launcher; following an incident involving jumppack-equipped Chaos Marines, it was also provided with a swivel-mounted Storm Bolter. Cost: 95 points During the final battles on Armageddon, Brother Omos of the 'Scalpers' squad fell valiantly by engaging in sole combat with a squad of twenty Orks, buying critical time to allow reinforcements to reach Skeletos Bridge; this conduct was deemed sufficient to allot him one of the precious Dreadnought sarcophagi, 'Fury', and the rite of installation took place shortly after the conclusion of that campaign. 'Fury' is equipped with an Plasma Cannon, Storm Bolter and a Close Combat Weapon, as well as smoke launchers to provide cover. Cost: 115 points

Sergeant Oriel Sergeant Oriel was almost literally born for war. His parents were expelled from Hades Hive on Armageddon after making enemies in their bureaucracy; upon their death he was raised by the feral tribes living in the jungle, taught to hunt and to kill intruders. Initially, these came in the form of Planetary Defence Troopers; soon, however, they came in the form of Ork Warbands, swarming into the jungles during the Second War for Armageddon. His tribe was one of those that assisted the Ultra-Marine forces in their attacks on Orks during the war, and he impressed Sergeant Typhon with his ferocity and skill with the blade; he likewise was awe-struck by the Astartes. When the time came to select new Scouts, he was a natural choice, and the first selected for training. Implantation was difficult for him, but he survived the introduction of the gene-seed and demonstrated rapidly that he was a natural leader of men, marked as an elite member even of the Space Marines. During the raid on the Bio-Ship, Sergeant Urlok saw his potential and began to mentor him; in the victory celebrations following the conclusion of those battles, he was told that not only was he to become a full-fledged marine, but that he would lead them into battle once Urlok returned to his Chapter. He leads his 'Flayers' with pride, but still feels that he has something to prove. The 'Flayers' consist of one Sergeant and nine Marines. Preferring close-quarters combat, Sergeant Oriel is equipped with a Chainsword, Melta Bombs and Plasma Pistol, one Marine is equipped with a Melta-gun and another with a Multi-Melta. They may ride one of the force's two Rhinos. Cost: 195 points (230 / 240 if mounted on Rhino APC)

There would be no rest for the Ultra-Marines, however; their expertise in boarding actions was beginning to come to the attention of the High Lords of Terra, it appeared, as their next assignment was also to a Space Hulk, code named 'Demonicus', which was drifting close to Imperial Space. Unusual interest was paid to this mission by the Adeptus Mechanicum, though even Darvin was not provided with significant details only that the opportunity for great technological discovery awaited.

When the Marines arrived at the Hulk, they found that the Eldar had beaten them to the punch; a force of Dire Avengers were being led by an Exarch on a series of boarding actions in search of an extremely rare artefact; a warp-tunnel navigational computer which could prove of great importance to travel across the stars. The greatest surprise was that the Eldar were being assisted by a Space Marine the presumed-lost former Chief Librarian of the Ultra-Marines, Illiyan Nastase. Facing opposition from Chaos forces on board the hulk, the Eldar and the UltraMarines joined forces, with Nastase acting as a bridge between the two races. A combined operation was launched into the hulk, with the Stalkers working with the Dire Avengers in a bid to extract the computer. Left unstated was the thought that both sides would likely fight for control of the computer once it had been recovered. In the event, this proved unnecessary; despite the protests of Acquisitor Darvin, it proved impossible to recover the computer, and the best that could be managed was to destroy it in order to keep it out of the hands of the Forces of Chaos. The Eldar departed on relatively good terms, with an agreement that if necessary, one day they might fight alongside each other again. For reasons of his own, Nastase opted to remain under the command of Lieutenant Andron, at least until his forces were recalled to Macragge.

Chief Librarian Illiyan Nastase Nastase was born to a human mother on Badab; his father was an Eldar mercenary, making him one of the few examples of a viable offspring of the two races. This extraordinary fact was discovered during gene-testing; a Tiger Claws Apothecary saved him from the Inquisition after noting that he had psionic potential. He was raised in the local Imperial Mission, before being dispatched to Earth in 824 whether further tests led him to undergo the soul-binding ritual. Despite his unusual background, his mental ability qualified him as an Astropath, and for reasons unknown, the Inquisition sanctioned this training; further, it then permitted him to join the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes, one of the very few Astropaths with the ability to do so. He was assigned to the Ultra-Marines, still depleted after the Battle of Macragge, and began his training as a Librarian, eventually rising to become Chief Librarian of the Chapter. In 902, an unexpected ghost from his past reappeared when the Tiger Claws, and three other Chapters, rebelled from the Imperium during the Badab War. His birthplace led to renewed questions about his loyalty to the Emperor and the Astartes, and rather than risk putting the reputation of the Chapter at risk, he opted to leave recently-appointed Chapter Master Marneus Calgar reluctantly placing him on long-term detached duty, and replacing him as Chief Librarian of the Chapter. He ventured into unknown space carrying only a minimum of equipment, and was not seen for almost fifty years. His actions during those years are the subject of much rumour and speculation, but few actual facts. It is thought that he spent some time among his father's people, the Eldar; he was finally found working with an Eldar strike force. Some say that he ventured into the Eye of Chaos, others that he sought lost wisdom in the Halo Stars, or that he assisted the Mantis Warriors in attempting to hunt down the remnants of the Tiger Claws, the Red Corsairs. There were numerous 'sightings' during this period, usually during moments of high tension, but by the 930s he was generally thought to have died. He returned in 949, joining the forces of Lieutenant Andron for the attack on the Hulk 'Demonicus', and opted to remain with those forces once the battle was completed, taking a role as senior advisor to the Lieutenant, occasionally assuming command of the force where appropriate. Nastase is an Epistolary, wielding an ancient Force Sword and wearing a lightly modified suit of Power Armour. He is skilled in both the Biomancy and Telepathy schools of psionics, and takes one power from each list. Cost: 150 points

Following their successful attack on the Bio-Ship, Andron's Battleforce would be dispatched on its longest mission yet. They were dispatched to Necromunda to take into custody a rogue tech-priest, Hermiatus, who had been illegally experimenting with Genestealer genetic materials in a bid to find a cure. Instead of finding a cure, he had accidentally infected himself with the germ plasm, and had hidden in the Underhive. The Scalpers, lead by Sergeant Typhon, were returned to the Lieutenant's control for this mission, and they hastened to the hive world. They were too late. Hermiatus had fled the planet, taking ship to the Beta Magellan Sector, a lawless, pirate-infested region often cut off by warp storms. A perfect place to hide. The Sword of Marabar hastened to the chase, following his ship in a bid to track him down. Initially, the trail was a cold one; the force investigated dozens of minor outposts and rogue colonies, fighting a series of minor skirmishes against the pirates infesting the sector, before finally a raid on Terifus Station provided the first real lead the Tech-Priest had been seen in a distant asteroid belt, operating out of an abandoned Imperial Fleet facility known as Gorinum Base. After almost two years of looking, the hunt was on again. More than that; despite the prolonged exposure to the germ-plasm, he had yet to transform into a Genestealer Hybrid; it was possible that despite everything, he had managed to find the cure he sought, making it more critical than ever that he be tracked down.

Sergeant Ward Sergeant Ward was one of the original members of the Stalkers, and one of the toughest and most dedicated marines in the Battleforce he also had the deserved reputation of being the best shot in the Ultra-Marines. When Lieutenant Andron decided to set up a new Scout force during the Beta Magellan campaign, one that would train with sniper rifles in long-range warfare as a prelude to the creation of a Devastator Squad, Ward was the only logical choice to command them. He personally selected the new recruits from those offered by the Pirate Clans of the Sector, selecting those he believed had the keenest eye and steeliest nerve, and rapidly turned his 'Hunters' into a force to be reckoned with; they have stood their ground during rushes by Genestealer hordes and Ork warbands alike. While still at an early stage of their training, they have already become a critical element of the Lieutenant's striking power. The 'Hunters' consist of one Sergeant and four Scouts armed with Sniper Rifles and Bolt Pistols; one of the Scouts carries a Missile Launcher. Cost: 85 points

The final assault on Gorinum Base was a multi-stage assignment. Tech-Marine Darvin led the 'Flayers' on a covert mission to capture a pirate transport vessel that had been providing Hermiatus with supplies for the past two years as part of a regular run, seizing the command section of the ship. This accomplished, Lieutenant Andron took two squads the 'Flayers' and the 'Stalkers' on the final mission. It proved to be far more dangerous than had been feared; when they arrived at the base to take him into custody, it became apparent that despite everything, Hermiatus had finally begun his transformation into a Genestealer Hybrid, and had started to infect his assistants, forming the beginnings of a Genestealer Cult. It had to be wiped out before it could spread across the sector. Two teams went into the base; Tech-Marine Darvin took the 'Flayers' in a bid to find any surviving details of the germ-plasm research, while Lieutenant Andron led the 'Stalkers' to hunt down all the hybrids on the station. The battle raged back and forth for weeks; though the research was obtained, the hybrids had numbers on their side, as well as total familiarity with the tunnels and caverns of their base. Finally, in desperate one-on-one combat, Lieutenant Andron slew Hermiatus. Killing the leader paralyzed the remaining cultists, who were thenceforth wiped out to a man. Triumphantly returning to Imperial Space, the Battleforce currently awaits its next assignment, confident that their abilities and skills will once again permit them to bring honour to both the Emperor, and the Ultra-Marines.

Special Characters Lieutenant Andron Epistolary Nastase Tech-Marine Darvin Regular Units Space Marine Sergeant Scout Marine Sergeant Veteran Space Marine Space Marine Space Marine Scout Servitor Vehicles Dreadnought Predator Assault Tank Rhino APC Whirlwind Artillery Tank Weapons Autocannon Bolter (Dragonfire) Bolter (Hellfire) Bolter (Kraken) Bolter (Standard) Bolter (Vengeance) Bolt Pistol Flamer Force Sword Lascannon Missile Launcher (Frag) Missile Launcher (Krak) Multi-Melta Plasma Cannon Plasma Pistol Power Fist Power Sword Sniper Rifle Storm Bolter Whirlwind (Incendiary) Whirlwind (Vengeance)

WS 6 5 4 WS 4 4 4 4 3 3 WS 4 ------Rge. 48 24 24 30 24 18 12 Tpl. -----48 48 48 24 36 12 --------36 24 48 48

BS 5 4 4 BS 4 4 4 4 3 3 BS 4 4 4 4

S 4 4 4 S 4 4 4 4 4 3 S 6 -------

T 4 4 4 T 4 4 4 4 4 3 F 12 13 11 11

W 3 2 1 W 1 1 1 1 1 1 S 12 11 11 11

I 5 4 4 I 4 4 4 4 4 3 R 10 10 10 10

A 3 2 1 A 2 2 2 1 1 1 I 4 -------

Ld. 10 10 8 Ld. 9 9 9 8 8 8 A 2 -------

Sv. 2+ 3+ 2+ Sv. 3+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 4+ 4+ HP 3 3 3 3

S AP 7 4 4 5 1 5 4 4 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 5 Str. 3 9 2 4 6 8 3 8 1 7 2 7 2 Str. x2 2 Str. 3 X 6 4 5 4 5 5 4

Type Heavy 2 Rapid Fire, Ignores Cover Rapid Fire, Poisoned (2+) Rapid Fire Rapid Fire Rapid Fire, Gets Hot Pistol Assault 1 Melee, Force Heavy 1 Heavy 1, Blast Heavy 1 Heavy 1, Melta Heavy 1, Blast, Gets Hot Pistol, Gets Hot Melee, Specialist Weapon, Unwieldy Melee Heavy 1, Sniper Assault 2
Ordinance 1, Barrage, Large Blast, Ignores Cover

Ordinance 1, Barrage, Large Blast

Points Cost Lieutenant Andron Epistolary Nastase Tech-Marine Darvin Veteran Squad 'Stalkers' Tactical Squad 'Scalpers' Tactical Squad 'Flayers' Scout Squad 'Hunters' Predator Whirlwind Dreadnought 'Fury' Standard Battleforce: 1,000 points HQ Lieutenant Andron HQ Epistolary Nastase TP TP EL EL EL Tactical Squad 'Scalpers' Scout Squad 'Hunters' Veteran Squad 'Stalkers' Dreadnought 'Fury' Tech-Marine Darvin

145 points 150 points 75 points 260 / 295 / 305 points 170 / 205 / 215 points 195 / 230 / 240 points 85 points 130 points 95 points 115 points Standard Battleforce: 1,500 points HQ Lieutenant Andron HQ Epistolary Nastase TP TP TP EL EL EL HS HS Tactical Squad 'Scalpers' Tactical Squad 'Flayers' (Rhino) Scout Squad 'Hunters' Veteran Squad 'Stalkers' (Rhino) Dreadnought 'Fury' Tech-Marine Darvin Predator Assault Tank Whirlwind Artillery Tank

Designer's Notes The core concept for the Battleforce was based around the old 'Space Crusade' game a force of Space Marines tasked with the capture of a Space Hulk, and everything rather grew from there; I worked into the background the missions from Space Crusade itself, as well as its expansions and some additional scenarios published in White Dwarf. When I wanted to add elements...I added games! The Scouts came from Advanced Space Crusade, and I obviously wanted vehicles that would not be used in the close-quarters fighting of a Hulk...so I threw in the 2 nd Edition 'Battle for Armageddon' scenarios as well. Other elements came from the original Ultra-Marine write-up back in White Dwarf 97, or from the original 'Book of the Astronomicon'. The goal was to provide every part of my army with an interesting, connected back-story. Whether or not it will help my game-play remains to be seen!