LOYAL TRAITORS A Soul Drinkers Army List By Dan Duran Richard Eckert Thanks to: C-Swizzy, D-Skizzy, J-Nizzy, Sidetrack Nick, Beeny13, Dezzo and a whole host of other people who game invaluable insight and advice on this project. Thanks also to Ron Saikowski of www.fromthewarp.blogspot.com for the wonderful image of his Sarpedon model and Ed aka Thanatos for the image of his spot-on Tellos model. Final thanks to Morgan from the Astro Mag who graciously donated additional art from his massive stock pile. Special thanks go to Ben Counter for writing the Soul Drinker novels and to Black Library for publishing them. Without your passion for writing we would not have had the inspiration to have all this fun. The Soul Drinkers Novels are: Soul Drinkers (2002) The Bleeding Chalice (2003) Crimson Tears (2005) Chapter War (2007) Hellforged (2009) A Dice Like Thunder Production, 2010 This document is intended for use with Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition. You can learn more about Warhammer 40,000 at www.games-workshop.com. Fluid 40K can be found at www.dicelikethunder.com
Introduction FORCE ORGANIZATION Welcome to Loyal Traitors, A Soul Drinkers Army List. This home brew codex has been designed to allow you to play a Warhammer 40,000 game or campaign as the Soul Drinkers. While it is not necessary to read the Black Library novels written by Ben Counter to play the Soul Drinkers, we heartily recommend it. We assume you are familiar with a large majority, if not all, of the rules in Warhammer 40K 5th Edition rule book and Codex: Space Marines and Codex: Chaos Space Marines. It also is assumed, unless written otherwise, that all rules pertaining to game mechanics, game length and force organization are used. The inherent limitation for writing this home brew codex is the Movie Marine principle. Most everything written in a novel is designed to be cinematically entertaining and we all know that not every game is so played. Great care has been taken to pull the essence of the Soul Drinkers from the Black Library novels and translate that into table top play. Undoubtedly, you will have questions on how certain codex mechanics work especially when drawing your force from three sources. We have attempted to iron out these difficulties for you. Should you have any questions, feel free to email us (Richard@ dicelikethunder.com). We are also open to suggestions or changes for better play. We hope you have as much fun playing the Soul Drinkers as we did writing and play testing them. What you need to play: -Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition rule book -Codex: Space Marines -Codex: Chaos Space Marines -Loyal Traitors: A Soul Drinkers Army List The Soul Drinkers have the following army list options. All dedicated transports must be taken from the codex the unit it is purchased for comes from. Units marked with an asterisk (*) are chosen as per their normal codex rules but have an additional special upgrade character found in this army list. No Soul Drinker unit may ever take a Mark of Nurgle upgrade or any other Nurgle ability (such as an Icon or banner). 1-2 Headquarters 0-1 Sarpedon See page 5 of this Document 0-1 Chaplain Iktinos See page 6 of this Document 0-1 Captain Karraidin See page 6 of this Document 0-1 Captain Pg. 132, Codex: Space Marines 0-2 Librarian Pg. 133, Codex: Space Marines 0-1 Master of the Forge Pg. 133, Codex: Space Marines 0-3 Elites 0-2 Sternguard Veteran Pg. 125, Codex: Space Marines 0-2 Chosen Chaos Space Marines Pg. 94, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 0-1 Possessed Chaos Space Marines Pg. 95, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 2-6 Troops 2-4 Tactical Squad * Pg. 134, Codex: Space Marines 0-2 Chaos Space Marines* Pg. 96, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 0-1 Scout Squad Pg. 134, Codex: Space Marines 0-3 Fast Attack 0-1 Chaos Space Marine Bike Squad Pg. 99, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 0-2 Assault Squad Pg. 139, Codex: Space Marines 0-1 Chaos Raptors * Pg. 99, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 0-3 Heavy Support 0-2 Chaos Havocs Pg. 100, Codex: Chaos Space Marines 0-1 Vindicator Pg. 143, Codex: Space Marines 0-1 Whirlwind Pg. 143, Codex: Space Marines
SPECIAL RULES Soul drinkers have access to the following special rules under certain conditions. Loyal Unto Death If an army has two Soul Drinkers independent characters (those found in this army list and not take from Codex: Chaos Space Marines or Codex: Space Marines) then every unit that is not already fearless gains the Stubborn Universal Special Rule. Cold & Fast, Soul Drinkers! Units that may take a dedicated transport may select a Drop Pod from Codex: Space Marines. This includes units taken from other Codex s, such as Codex: Chaos Marines. And They Shall Know No Fear as described in Codex: Space Marines and applicable to all units in your force. Combat Tactics as described in Codex: Space Marines and applicable to all units in your force. Excommunicate Traitoris the Soul Drinkers are branded Excommunicate Traitoris by the Imperium. They may not take any Imperial allies but will fight in separate actions that benefit Imperial citizens that require aid.
Sarpedon, Librarian Chapter Master 180 pts 5 4 5 5 3 5 2 10 3+ Special Rules: 1 (Unique), Infantry Power Armor, Bolt Pistol, Frag/Krak grenades, Force Staff, Psychic Hood Independent Character, Psyker, Orbital Bombardment, Mutant Mutant As Sarpedon has been mutated by the warp to be half Space Marine and half giant arachnid with further bionic upgrades, he has a 4+ Invulnerable save. In addition, Sarpedon may use two psychic powers per turn. Powers: Machine Curse (Codex: Space Marines), Warptime (Codex: Chaos Space Marines), The Hell The Hell The Hell is a special psychic power that visits horrifying visions of doom and destruction upon all who see it. While fellow Soul Drinkers have seen this power in action many times, they are not immune to it. This power is used only by Sarpedon during his movement phase. The Hell is a psychic shooting attack that effects d6 enemy units within 18 of Sarpedon, starting with the closest unit. Each unit effected by this power must pass a Leadership test or be Pinned. Units in close combat are not immune and, should they fail their Leadership test, will have it s Initiative reduced by 1 instead of being pinned. Should Sarpedon fail his psychic test, all friendly units in range must test to see if they succumb to The Hell. Should Sarpedon roll double 1s for his psychic test he suffers from Perils of the Warp and d6 enemy units within range are automatically Pinned or have their Initiative reduced by 1 regardless of special rules like Fearless or Mob Rule. Conversion: The Sarpedon model with tested with was graciously donated to us by Chaos Dave. According to Dave, he took a pewter spider model and then green stuffed the upper torso of a 3rd edition metal Librarian onto it. He then added bionic looking stuff to a leg. To complete it, he used a home made Dreadnought sized base with sand flocking. We re not sure what else we can use this for, but the thing looks awesome! The Sarpedon model show here was build and the image donated by Ron Saikowski from fromthewarp.blogspot.com
Chaplain Iktinos, Master of Sanctity 160 pts 5 5 4 5 3 5 3 10 3+ Captain Karraidin, Master of Initiates 180 Pts 6 4 4 5 3 5 3 10 2+ 1 (Unique), Infantry 1 (Unique), Infantry Power Armor, Crozius Arcanum, Rosarius, Frag/Krak grenades, Harbinger Terminator Armor, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer, Storm Bolter Harbinger A modified, heavy caliber bolt pistol with the following stat line. Range: 12 Str: 4 AP: 4 Assault 3, Pistol Special Rules: Independent Character, Liturgies of Battle, Honor of the Chapter Retinue: Chaplain Iktinos is a shepherd for Soul Drinkers who no longer has a squad to return to. Though he has secret ambitions for the path of the chapter, he and his flock are seen as an unmovable rock on the battlefield. As such, a Tactical Squad or Chaos Marine Squad may be taken as his body guard with both Iktinos and the attached squad gaining the Counter Attack special rule. If the retinue squad does not select a heavy weapon it may instead take a second assault weapon of equal or lesser point cost to one already selected at no additional cost. Master of Initiates: As the senior captain of the Soul Drinkers, Karraidin has taken it upon himself to train the chapter s initiates and all initiates gain from his leadership in battle. When a Scout Squad is taken in the same force as Karraidin, they gain +1 BS and the Stealth special rule. Captain Karraidin may not take a Command Squad. Conversion: This model fills the role of three different codex entries for us. Originally a Terminator from the Assault on Black Reach set, we assured him that he would never wield a Power Fist or Power Sword again. Instead we gave him a Storm Shield and Thunder Hammer. With some attention to the details on his shield, Captain Karraidin can now double for Captain Darnath Lysander (or Anus McFearsome for Richard) or just a regular Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield wielding Terminator. Conversion: Our Chaplain Iktinos is a mongrel of two model kits. We took a metal Grey Knight model and removed the arm holding the Nemesis Force Weapon. We then added an arm stub with a miniature neodyne magnet tip. For play with the Soul Drinkers, a hand holding a Crozius Arcanum is magnetized into place. When Chaplain Iktinos is not going to battle as himself, he removes his Crozius Arcanum and instead magnetizes in place a Power Fist so he can double as Chapter Master Pedro Kantor for other games.
Veteran Sergeant LukO 50 Pts 5 4 4 4 1 5 2 10 3+ Assault Sergeant TELLOS 65 pts 6-5 4 2 4 2+D3 9 3+ One Tactical Squad may upgrade it s Sergeant to Veteran Sergeant Luko at a cost of 50pts. One Chaos Raptor Squad may upgrade one Raptor to Assault Sergeant Tellos instead of selecting an Aspiring Champion. Power Armor, Frag and krak grenades, Dual Lightning Claws with built in Storm Bolter Special Rules: Tactical Formation, Chalice Standard, Fall In! Tactical Formation A squad with Veteran Sergeant Luko may purchase an additional 15 Tactical Marines rather than the normal 5. A Squad with 20 models may purchase an additional Heavy and Special weapon at the normal cost. A Tactical Squad with 20 models may still make use of it s Combat Tactics special rule, splitting into 2 squads of 10 models instead of 5. Chalice Standard Any Soul Drinker unit with a model within 6 of Veteran Sergeant Luko may reroll failed Morale and Pinning tests. Fall In! Should the Soul Drinkers ever find themselves without leadership on the battlefield, Veteran Sergeant Luko is reluctantly ready to guide his battle brothers. If all Headquarters choices in your force should be permanently removed from the table, Luko gains one extra wound and attack to his stat line. In addition, the Chalice Standard s range extends to 12. Conversion: Veteran Sergeant Luko is a simple conversion. We took a Black Templar pewter model with twin lightning claws and a cape then added a banner pole to his back pack. Power Armor, Chain Sword, Chain Blade of Blood, Jump Pack Chain Blade of Blood Tellos suffered serious wounds during an engagement with a Techpriest leaving him without hands. He could not accept that he would never see battle again and as Tellos sank into depression he was subverted to Khorne. He took to roaming the battle barge in secret. He was eventually found with a chain swords jammed into the stump of his wrists. The Chain Blade of Blood is a close combat weapon that grants an additional d3 attacks and the Rending special rule. Any to hit rolls of 1 instead strike his allies in close combat and are resolved against them as normal, counting towards enemy combat resolution. Special Rules: Feel No Pain, Fearless, Devoted of Khorne, Blood Frenzy Devoted of Khorne Tellos has a Mark of Khorne that is already accounted for in his profile. In addition, the Chaos Raptor Squad with Tellos counts as being equipped with an Icon of Khorne. Blood Frenzy Tellos and his squad are so blood crazed they will do anything to get closer to the nearest enemy. At the end of any shooting phase if the unit suffered a wound the squad must move d6 towards the nearest enemy unit. Conversion: In the various Soul Drinkers novels by Ben Counter, he is described as having translucent skin with bulging muscles everywhere. We settled on a Possessed Chaos Space Marine model that showed the most mutation then removed his hands and green stuffed in chain swords. The model shown here was converted and painted by Ed aka Thanatos.