each other.

Cousin fighting alongside cousin, brother

CATACHAN alongside brother and quite often serve under an uncle or, in
rare circum-stances, a grandfather. These close-knit
structures have resulted in levels of trust and teamwork that

JUNGLE FIGHTERS are virtually unparalleled within the Imperial Guard.

“We’ve run into scorpions the size of battle tanks, three men
died from eyerot last week, I’ve sweat enough to fill a lake,
my boots got sucked into a sink-swamp, and the trees are so
thick that in places, you can’t squeeze between them.
Emperor help me, I love this place! It’s just like home!”
–Captain Rock of the Catachan III “Green Devils”,
Commenting on Varestus Prime
On Catachan, every day is a battle for survival, requiring skill and
courage only dreamed of on other worlds. Every animal species
on the planet is carnivorous, and
poisonous, even the slightest
fatal as necrotic bacteria swarm
percent of the planet’s human
does not survive infancy,
percent of the
remainder does not live
past the age of ten. To
survive, children often learn
to shoot before they can
walk, and must be deadly
fighters in their own right
by the time most humans
have learnt to spell.
Those Catachans who
reach adulthood are
natural survivors,
invariably some of
the hardiest and
deadliest souls in the
Imperium.
Back on
their home world,
Catachans maintain
strong tribal traditions
and structures, and this carries
over to regiments drawn from the
death world. Whereas the tribe
would elect a headman, the
regiment would elect its own
captains, sergeants and
other ranking officers, and
entire regiments could be
drawn from small
geographical areas. It is
not uncommon for
many squads to be
made up of
men
related to
Catachan regiments generally lack Commissars.
Even these tough and uncompromising officers are unable
to assert their authority over the Catachan soldiers; in fact,
they are resented by troops, and it is not uncommon for
Commissars assigned to Catachan regiments to be fragged
by their own troops, or for them to simply go missing. The
hardy Ogryns – who may well have evolved on Catachan
themselves – commonly fight in Catachan regiments. Indeed,
due to their heavily developed physiques, Catachans are
sometimes referred to as “Baby Ogryns” by other
Guardsmen, although never to their faces, as it often results
in serious injury.
Catachans are some of the deadliest warriors in the
every plant species is
Imperium. Even a standard Catachan Guardsman is considered
scratch can prove
to be a veteran in their own right, capable of withstanding
to putrefy it. Fifty
wounds that would incapacitate any normal guardsmen,
population
despite wearing little to no armour. Close combat is a
and fifty
particular speciality for Catachans, as there are a great many
individuals who, by dint of their great physical size,
fear-some nature and lethal close combat skills, can deal
terrible damage to opponents in melee. For this purpose
Catachans often use shotguns, poisoned blades and even
their bare hands to kill enemies. The Jungle Fighters
make extensive use of traps, mines, demolition
charges and other unpleasant surprises.
Catachans are known to wear red
bandanas that symbolise a blood oath
they take when joining a regiment,
marking them out as having the skill
and toughness to survive one of
the worst death worlds in the
Imperium. Disdainful of the
acquisition of medals earned
by other regiments, they
instead use tattoos as a
way of marking battle
honours, and commonly
dull their regimental
badges with soot and soil
so as not to give away their
concealed positions on the
battlefield.
Few bleed more than
the Catachans do for the
Imperium. Their gung-ho
enthusiasm is often mistaken for
bravado by the Guardsmen of
other regiments. The fact
remains, however, that Catachan
Jungle Fighters are the most
uncomplaining, determined
and valorous soldiers of
the Imperial Guard,
whether assigned to drudgerous garrison duties or a
hopeless assault on an impregnable fortress.
 REGIMENTAL RULES
Characters belonging to the Catachan CIX Jungle Fighters gain the following advantages:
Characteristics Modifiers: -3 Fellowship, +3 Perception, +6 Strength, +3 Toughness, +2 Weapon Skill.
Starting Aptitudes: Agility.
Starting Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Survival.
Starting Talents: Ambush, Light Sleeper or Lightning Reflexes or Resistance (Poisons), Resistance (Fear), Street Fighting.
Demolitions Doctrine: Catachans gain a +10 bonus on all Logistics Tests made to obtain grenades, missiles, explosives and
special tank ammunition.
Fluency: While Catachans have learned to speak Low Gothic, they do not have time in their violent lives to learn how to read
or write the universal language of the Imperium. Because of this, Catachans do not start with the Linguistics (Low Gothic) Skill
at creation, although they are still capable of engaging in any verbal communication in Low Gothic that does not require a Skill
Test.
Pride Over Life: Members of this regiment must pass a Difficult (-10) Willpower Test to refuse any formal challenge or ignore
any other major slight to their honour. If a character from this regiment succeeds on the Test, he sees the bigger picture and
ignores the challenge or attempt to goad him into action. If he fails on the Test, however, he must engage the individual in
question (either in a duel to settle matters in a formal and stylised fashion or simply in a brawl to express himself with his fists)
or suffer a -10 to Willpower Tests for the remainder of the session. This penalty is cumulative should he refuse multiple
challenges to his dignity over the course of a single session. The Games Master can modify the difficulty of the Test – and the
scale of the effects of failing it – as he deems appropriate to the situation.
Survivalists (Jungle): Catachans have grown up fighting in the lethal jungle of their home world, and feel at home on any
planet with a similar environment. When operating in jungle terrain, they can re-roll failed Survival and Navigate (Surface) Skill
Tests.
The Few: When a Squad from this regiment requests reinforcements (to replace fallen Comrades), it must make a Hard (-20)
Logistics Test if the most of the regiment is actively deployed or an Ordinary (+10) Logistics Test if a significant portion of the
regiment is not currently in the field (these Tests already include situational modifiers except those added at the GM’s
discretion). If it fails, the regiment simply has no reinforcements it can spare for the Squad.
Wary of Outsiders: Catachans tend to be slow to put their faith in anyone other than themselves and their comrades, and
they chafe at the expectations and strictures of more civilised society. They suffer a -10 penalty on all Interaction Skill Tests
made on them by any non-Catachans. These penalties can be waived at the GM’s discretion, if the death worlders are dealing
with those who have earned their trust.
Wounds: Characters from this regiment begin play with +2 starting Wounds.
Standard Regimental Kit: 1 Lascarbine and 4 charge packs, 1 Catachan fang with 1 weapon customisation, flak greaves, 3 frag
grenades, 2 blind grenades, 2 stun grenades, uniform, poor weather gear, rucksack, basic toolkit, mess kit and water canteen,
blanket and sleep bag, rechargeable lamp-pack, dog tags, Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer, 4 weeks’ rations, stummer,
grapnel.
Favoured Weapons: Flamer, Heavy Bolter.

THE CATACHAN CIX
Small in number, the Catachan Jungle Fighters of the CIX
regiment have been bogged down in various engagements
across the Jugral Depths for the past three years, deployed
at company-strength in several different locations through-
out the warzone, battling Renegades, Charrukans, and Eldar.
The CIX are fewer in number than other regiments, with
each company numbering at little over one hundred and
twenty soldiers. Their deployment in the Jugral Depths has
been akin to that of Special Forces, and it has not been
uncommon for them to act in concert with forces of the
Militarum Tempestus. Their wargear, likewise, has been
improved with the addition of more specialised grenades, to
reflect the increased expectations on their shoulders. The
commander of the CIX is Colonel ‘Striker’ Lee – a quiet and
imposing man, known for his signature lightning-quick
ambushes, and for having sunglasses that he is rumoured,
somewhat surreptitiously, to never take off.
CREATING THE CATACHAN CIX JUNGLE
FIGHTERS REGIMENT
The rules for the Catachan CIX Jungle Fighters
Regiment were created using the Regiment Creation
Rules in the ONLY WAR Core Rulebook and Hammer of
the Emperor volumes. The following options were
selected:
Home World: Death World.
Commanding Officer: Maverick.
Regiment Type: Guerrilla Regiment.
Doctrines: Demolitions, Hardened Fighters, Survivalists
(Jungle), and the unique Heavily-Developed Physique
Doctrine, which grants +3 Strength and Athletics as a
starting Skill.
Drawbacks: Honour Bound, The Few.
Points: 12 points.
 CATACHAN FANG

CATACHAN Measuring up to twenty inches of gleaming steel, the

Catachan Fang is the most common type of knife used by
the Catachan regiments. It is renowned as a symbol of the

MELEE WEAPONS
Catachan Jungle Fighters across a thousand systems and is
equally useful for cutting your way through jungle or
enemies of humanity. This knife is also used for settling
disputes between Catachans: one knife is placed in the
“Don’t matter how big, or crazed, or unnatural your enemy
centre of a fighting pit and the combatants must each strive
is, he can’t kill you if you saw his damn head off with your
to get hold of it. The duel ends when one fighter draws
Catachan fang.”
blood, but some duels still end with death.
–Corporal ‘Razorback’ Mahoney, Catachan XLI

Amongst the many weapons of the Catachan Jungle Fighters,

their Catachan Knives are one of the most valued. The steel
alloy used for these knives is only found on Catachan. A
well-honed Catachan blade will not rust and its edge will
remain keen even after continuous use. Catachan knives are
highly valued and sought after throughout the Imperium.
Many counterfeit copies are sold by roaming traders, but
the only way to get an authentic Catachan knife is to take it
from a Catachan.
This is not an easy task, however, as the Catachans
place tremendous value on their knives. It is said that a
Catachan will rather give up his right arm than his knife. That
is because for a Catachan Jungle Fighter, his knife is not
simply a tool or a weapon but also a mark of his status. Each
Catachan learns the craft of making knives from his parents
and making your own knife is considered one of the tests of
adulthood. While the basic design of the knives remains the
same, there are subtle variations between family groups and
individuals, depending on the height and preferences of the
user.
LOW-TECH WEAPONS
Technology is little-understood within the Imperium, for the
techno-mystics of the Adeptus Mechanicus jealously guard
its secrets. Though many strange and powerful melee
weapons are utilised by the servants of the Imperium, the
troopers of the Imperial Guard must rely on their trusty
combat knife, and even officers sometimes go their entire
careers without wielding any weapon more advanced than a
finely crafted sword. To use the various low-tech weapons
listed here, a character must have the Weapon Training
(Low-Tech) Talent.
NIGHT REAPER
Smaller than other typical designs, the blackened blade of
the Night Reaper is especially suitable for infiltration and
night missions, when light reflecting from a blade can mean
the difference between life and death. The blade itself is
triangular in shape, so any wound caused by it is unlikely to
knot or heal. Catachans are also known to poison these
knives using one of the many venoms native to their
nightmarish world, making them even more deadly.
A character suffers no penalties to Stealth Tests
due to having a Night Reaper drawn or on display.
DEVIL’S CLAW
Named after the Catachan Devil – the fearsome predator of
the Catachan jungles – this is the largest type of the
traditional knives of Catachan. Anywhere between three and
four feet long, the Devil’s Claw is closer to a sword than a
knife. The blade is hollowed and half-filled with mercury to
give it greater swinging power. It is mainly used on the
battlefield in close quarters and it has even achieved a
fearsome reputation amongst Orks, who call it “Da Cutta”.
The elite Catachan Devil Squads are also partly named after
these knives, which they wield in battle.

Table 1-1: Catachan Melee Weapons

Power Weapons
Name Class Range Dam Pen Special Wt. Availability
Catachan Power Melee – 1d10+6 E 4 Power Field, Balanced, 3 kg Very Rare†
Sword Razor Sharp
Low-Tech Weapons
Name Class Range Dam Pen Special Wt. Availability
Catachan Fang Melee – 1d5+3 R 0 – 2 kg Common†
Night Reaper Melee/Thrown 5m 1d5 R 0 Tearing 1 kg Average†
Devil’s Claw Melee – 1d10+1 R 0 Balanced 3 kg Average†
† Non-Catachans suffer a -30 penalty on all Logistics Tests made to obtain Catachan Melee Weapons. These penalties can be
 waived at the GM’s discretion, such as when trying to obtain one from a Catachan who has come to trust the character, or when
trying to steal one directly.

POWER WEAPONS
Sheathed in crackling power fields, power weapons combine Table 1-2: Unusual Ammunition
the characteristics of Mankind’s most revered and ancient Name Availability
Toxic Rounds Extremely Rare
weapons with a destructive capacity matched only by the
most powerful of ranged weapons. The product of rare

ARMOUR
technologies, many power weapons are ancient relics, and
to wield one is a sure sign of status and influence amongst
the Imperial Guard. To use the power weapon listed here, a
character must have the Weapon Training (Power) Talent.
“Even a heretic-ant you can see, squash him quick. The
diseases, that’s another matter. There’s all kinds of poxes
CATACHAN POWER SWORD and fevers can kill a man in a few hours. There’s some
Close if not identical in design to the Devil’s Claw, Catachan
swamps where one breath of the fog will burn your lungs,
power swords offer all of the benefits of power falchions
five hours later your throat’s all swollen up, you can’t
while avoiding the same top-heavy design. Crafted by some
breathe and you choke to death. Foot rot will get you after a
of the finest weaponsmiths on Catachan, the cutting edge of
few weeks in the bush, your feet dropping off your legs, the
these swords is so fine that it can slice cleanly through even
stink making you wanna heave. Gotta look after your feet in
the heaviest of armours with the blade’s full momentum
the jungle, boys.”
behind it. Catachan power swords fetch a small fortune and
are highly sought after by those who can afford them. –Captain Stone, Fourth Company, Catachan XXIII

UNUSUAL AMMUNITION Amongst the death world veterans of Catachan, armour

Las weaponry is the Departmento Munitorum standard in
many places, thanks to its dependability and ease of
maintenance. Though las weapon power cells can claim a
much higher shot capacity, las weaponry sacrifices some of
the ammunition variety available to solid projectile
weapons. Consequently, veteran Guardsmen often equip
themselves with a shotgun or auto-weapon as a primary
weapon or sidearm, in order to utilise different ammunition
types depending on the situation. Though shotguns are
sometimes issued to infantry squads assigned certain
battlefield roles, more often than not, veterans equip
themselves as they see fit, disregarding the prohibitions of
the Departmento Munitorum. So long as these troops
continue to get results, such minor infractions are usually
overlooked.
TOXIC ROUNDS
Impregnated with deadly toxins, these rounds are favoured
by the marksmen of many death worlds, but perhaps most
notably the elite Catachan snipers. The most skilled of
survivalists, these snipers have to be patient, utterly self-
reliant, and pragmatic in their approach to assassination.
Having had their experience coloured by putting down the
monstrous predators of their home world, they have taken
to using this ammunition. After all, if the bullet does not
succeed in killing the enemy, the poison probably will.
Effect: The weapon gains the Toxic (2) Quality.
Used with: Sniper rifles.
holds little importance. Preferring speed, stealth and
unrestricted movement, the Jungle Fighters instead rely less
on the protection of flak armour, donning only a pair of flak
greaves. Sometimes ranking officers of the Catachan Jungle
Fighters will don a flak vest or cuirass of carapace, but
beyond this body armour is rarely used. For Catachans, the
difference between life and death rests in going undetected.
Being able to flank the opponent from unexpected quarters,
lay traps without interruption, and remaining unseen while
attacking, all hold precedence over simple bodily protection.
After all, if the enemy is dead before he can open fire on
you, then the battle is already won. Besides, most dangers in
the jungle for Catachans are the ones lurking in the under-
brush, ready to strike without warning.
FLAK ARMOUR
The most common type of armour in the galaxy is Flak
Armour, as it is standard issue to the countless millions of
Imperial Guardsmen. Many layers of ablative and impact
absorbent material go into making each suit, enough to
deflect or negate most low-level attacks such as small arms,
shrapnel, and proximity blasts. Solid hits from high impact
weapons can generally negate it, but given that it is
relatively lightweight, cheap to produce, and dependable in
most combat situations, many veterans keep using it even
when offered better. As long as the wearer is not on the
target spot of the blast, Flak Armour counts as 1 AP higher
against Damage from weapons with the Blast Quality.

Table 1-3: Armour

Flak Armour
Name Locations Covered AP Weight Availability
Flak Greaves Legs 2 2 Average

WARGEAR AND
EQUIPMENT
“Back home, I once fancied me a pair of Catachan Devil
boots. Killed me half a dozen of the great ugly critters but
never found a single one that wore any!”
–Gunnery Sergeant “Stonetooth” Harker,
to a doubtful Munitorum staffer
While a Guardsman can nearly always rely on his standard
kit, many missions require more specialised gear. To be
entrusted with additional wargear by the Departmento
Munitorum is a sacred honour, and any Guardsman who
misuses his gear is guilty of disrespecting the Emperor’s
property.
TOOLS
In the jungle, even the slightest scratch can prove to be fatal
as necrotic bacteria swarm to putrefy it. Death World
Veterans take advantage of these harsh conditions by
rigging traps from natural materials on the battlefield such
as vines and tree branches. They also use a variety of
specially built devices to create ‘Devil’s Gardens’ – areas
where the most innocuous looking mound of leaves or tree
root can conceal a shredder mine or plasma charge.
Table 1-4: Tools
Name Weight Availability
Plasma Charge 0.5 kg Rare
Shredder Mine 1 kg Scarce
Spring Mine 4 kg Scarce
PLASMA CHARGE
Most anti-personnel mines employ blast waves and shrapnel
to injure or kill their victims, but this renders them relatively
ineffective against enemies wearing thick personal armour
such as power armour. Larger Tyranid creatures and armoured
walkers are also likely to survive even a close proximity
detonation from a spring or shredder mine. Where such
opponents are expected, plasma charges are most useful.
This ‘fires’ a blast of super-heated plasma at whatever
triggers it, inflicting hideous and invariably fatal injuries. The
greatest drawback to plasma charges though is their small
detonation pattern compared to more conventional
munitions. Common types of plasma charge include all types
of plasma weapon photonic-hydrogen fuel flasks,
Necromundan “Cyclops” anti-armour blast spheres, and
Golgotha pattern 90KW energy mines.
Placing a plasma charge requires a Routine (+20)
Tech-Use Test. When a creature of Size (3) or larger steps
directly on top of the plasma charge, it detonates with the
following profile: (2d10+10 E; Pen 8; Blast [1]).
Detecting a planted plasma charge (before triggering
it) requires a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10
penalty for every Degree of Success the user scored on his
Tech-Use Test to plant it.
SHREDDER MINE
Explosive frag charges mounted on an
upright plate hurls the blast in a specific
direction, creating an expanding cone of
destruction filled with white-hot fragments
of metal. Ideal for covering trails, streams
and paths. Common mines of the ‘shredder’ type include
Triplex Phall type XII “Repudiator” auto-mines, Armageddon
“Hammerhead” area denial weapons, and Necromunda
pattern “Widowmaker” anti-personnel savagers.
Placing a shredder mine requires a Routine (+20)
Tech-Use Test and requires a vertical surface to plant the
shredder mine on. It also requires that the user choose
which direction it is facing. When a creature of Size (3) or
larger approaches within 10-metres of the shredder mine’s
front arc (a 30-degree cone), it detonates with the following
profile (2d10 X; Pen 3; Spray, Tearing). The proximity detonator
can be set with a delay of 0 to 5 Rounds.
Detecting a planted shredder mine (before triggering
it) requires a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10
penalty for every Degree of Success the user scored on his
Tech-Use Test to plant it.
SPRING MINE
So-called because these devices spring into
the air before detonating. Spring mines are
particularly effective against dispersed
targets. However a wary squad leader
will advance with a warrior moving
ahead on ‘point’ to try to reduce the
effectiveness of spring mines. Common mines
of the ‘spring’ type include Necromunda pattern “Jumping-
snap” anti-personnel leapers, Gearian type XIV vertical blast
devices, and Martian type CXI fragmentation mines.
Placing a spring mine requires a Routine (+20)
Tech-Use Test. When a creature of Size (3) or larger passes
over the spring mine, it jumps 1 metre into the air and
detonates with the following profile: (2d10+2 X; Pen 2; Blast
[5]).
Detecting a planted spring mine (before triggering
it) requires a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10
penalty for every Degree of Success the user scored on his
Tech-Use Test to plant it. A creature that triggers a planted
spring mine can freeze on the spot by making a successful
Challenging (+0) Agility Test and, provided they are sentient
of the kind of danger they are in, can keep the spring mine
from detonating by keeping constant pressure on the trigger
mechanism until either alone or with the aid of another they
can find some way to safely escape it (by deftly replacing the
source of pressure), disabling it, risking attempting to dodge
the blast after the Surprise Round has worn off, or collapsing
from exhaustion (at which point, the mine detonates).
construction impossible. The rules blow cover what types of
traps can be improvised, what Skills are required to create
them, the components needed for the trap, how difficult
crafting one is and how long crafting a trap takes.
THE CRAFTING TEST
To assemble any of the different types of improvised traps
the players must make a Crafting Skill Test (as detailed on
page 115 of the ONLY WAR C ORE RULEBOOK ). A Crafting Skill

IMPROVISED
Test is a Skill Test that falls under the Crafting Descriptor.
There are two types of Crafting Skills that apply to the
creation of Improvised Traps: Security and Survival. Although
Security is not usually a Crafting Skill, in the construction of

TRAPS traps is treated as an exception. Each Improvised Trap will

detail which Skills are required to craft it in their Skill
Requirements.
“A Catachan’s favourite weapon is the jungle.”

–Native proverb
Circumstances may sometimes preclude the employment of
purpose-built munitions for booby traps. To this end the
Catachan Jungle Fighters improvise a variety of basic traps
from natural materials and commonly available ammunition.
Many new recruits into the Imperial Guard mistakenly
believe that the objective of these traps is to kill or maim the
enemy. This, of course, is only their secondary function;
their primary value is in disrupting and slowing an enemy’s
advance in certain areas. After several encounters with
booby traps most enemies are liable to become demoralised,
overly cautious and spread out, leaving them vulnerable to a
well-placed ambush.
IMPROVISING TRAPS
Unlike mines improvised traps do not come assembled and
must be constructed by the players manually. Some traps
are easier to craft than others, some traps take longer to
make, and sometimes battlefield conditions might make
TRAP COMPONENTS
All improvised traps require parts to make them work. These
are referred to as Essential Materials. Without one of these
tools a trap is incomplete, or little more than extras, unused
and unpurposed, and cannot be made. As long as a
character meets the Skill Requirements and has all of the
Essential Materials, he may attempt to make a trap, though
whether or not a player is in a position to make an
improvised trap or if setting a trap is even possible is always
left up to the GM.
CRAFTING DIFFICULTY
The Difficulty of a Crafting Skill Test depends on the complexity
of the trap and what the local terrain is like, such as whether
there is any wood or bamboo to fashion spikes out of,
environmental conditions like monsoons or blizzards, and so
on. Each Improvised Trap has its own associated base
Difficulty Rating, but in addition to this Table 1-5: Trap
Location & Conditions contains a set of general modifiers
that can both help and hinder Crafting Tests.

Table 1-5: Trap Location & Conditions

Crafting Difficulty Example
Heavy jungle or woodland.
Routine (+20) Perfect terrain for trapping.
Best quality tools.
Well behind the front lines and free from artillery/air strike concerns.
Ordinary (+10) Jungle or woodland.
Abundance of supplies or good quality tools.
Required (but not excessive) tools and supplies.
Challenging (+0) Light jungle or woodland.
Calm conditions away from the enemy or adverse weather.
Primitive construction tools.
Close to the front lines/constant danger of incoming enemy fire.
Difficult (-10)
Sparse jungle or woodland.
Disruptive inclement weather.
Monsoonal storms, blizzards, or sandstorms.
The region contains only occasional trees or foliage.
Hazardous jungle or woodland.
Hard (-20)
Swamp or wetlands.
Pervasive and endless insect swarms.
Under artillery or air bombardment.
 A featureless sun-scorched desert/endless ice sheet.
Substituting construction tools with bare hands.
Very Hard (-30) In the thick of an ongoing battle.
Under orbital bombardment.
Behind enemy lines/near territorial animals.
CRAFTING TIME
Another important element to a Crafting Skill Test is how
long it takes for the players to assemble an improvised trap.
Rigging a few buried bullets will take significantly less time
than digging a devil’s maw, filling it with spikes, and covering
the top. Each Improvised Trap has an associated Crafting
Time in Rounds, minutes, or hours, and players will need to
determine if they have enough time to construct traps
before making the Crafting Skill Test.
In the case of traps that require an Extended Test,
the Crafting Time represents how long it takes to make each
individual Test that makes up the Extended Test, rather than
the total amount of time it takes to make an Extended Test.
Rush Jobs
A player or players can elect to speed up their Crafting Time
by declaring that their trap assembly will be a Rush Job. A
Rush Job halves the time required to assemble the trap (e.g.
a trap that would normally take 2 hours will take 1 hour),
but the Crafting Skill Test suffers a -30 penalty.
Careful Improvisations
A player or players can elect to spend more time constructing
their traps than is normally required by declaring that they
are making Careful Improvisations. Careful Improvisations
increase the required Crafting Time by 50% (e.g. a repair
that would normally take 2 hours will take 3 hours), but the
Crafting Skill Test gains a +30 bonus.
EXTENDED TESTS
Some traps take more than planting and hiding, and require
longer periods of time to assemble. Complex things, these
traps require ingenuity and persistence beyond that of their
more technologically advanced ilk. Planting such a trap
requires an Extended Test (see page 31 of the ONLY W AR
CORE RULEBOOK ). Traps that require an Extended Test will be
indicated in by a number of successes they have to score in
the Successes Required section of their profile.
To successfully make an Extended Test when
assembling an Improvised Trap, a player must succeed on a
number individual Skill Test equal to the Successes Required
in the trap’s profile. Each individual Skill Test is selected
from the trap’s Skill Requirements and takes an amount of
time equal to the trap’s Crafting Time. Every time the player
succeeds on one of these Skill Tests, it goes towards the
number of Successes Required. Failure on one of these Skill
Tests means that it must be taken again adding yet more
time to the construction of the trap.
BURIED BULLETS
Skill Requirements: Security.
Essential Materials: One cartridge or bolt shell, and a striker
(a small, sharp object to trigger the cartridge or bolt shell
with such as a nail, sharp rock, or spike), and a tool with
which to dig a small hole with.
Crafting Difficulty: Routine (+20).
Crafting Time: 2 Rounds.
Successes Required: N/A.
Also known as “toe-poppers”, these
consist of a basic bolt round or
shotgun shell buried so that its base is
resting on a nail, rock or sharpened spike
and the tip of the shell is just below the surface of soft
ground. When an enemy steps on top of the round their
weight pushes it back onto the striker, triggering the round
directly under their foot.
When a creature of Size (3) or larger steps directly
on top of a buried bullet, randomly determine which leg has
triggered the bullet (unless it was triggered by another
location). That location is hit once with the following profile
if a bolt shell was triggered; (1d10+5 X; Pen 4; Tearing,
Crippling [3]) or twice with the following profile if a cartridge
was triggered: (1d10+4 R; Pen 0; Crippling [3]). Unusual
Ammunition for boltguns and shotguns can be used as
buried bullets, and modify the profiles for buried bolt shells
and cartridges respectively, when used.
Detecting a buried bullet (before triggering it)
requires a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10
penalty for every Degree of Success the user scored on his
Security Test to assemble it.
LASHING BRANCH
Skill Requirements: Security or Survival.
Essential Materials: A bendy branch, tripwire, and a
sharpening tool, spikes, or knives.
Crafting Difficulty: Challenging (+0).
Crafting Time: 3 minutes.
Successes Required: 4 successes.
A springy branch bent back to strike at head-, waist- or
knee-height, with sharpened twigs, spikes, or combat knives
fastened along one side, tied off with a tripwire and slip-
knot to keep it under tension. When an enemy trips the line Detecting a spike pit (before triggering it) requires
the branch lashes forward to impale its hapless victim. a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10 penalty for
When assembling a lashing branch trap, choose every Degree of Success the user scored on his Security or
whether it is set to head-, body-, or leg-height. When a Survival Test to assemble it.
creature of Size (3) or larger walks into the tripwire, it
triggers, causing the branch to whip out at the chosen
location. The creature that triggered the lashing branch
must succeed on a Challenging (+0) Agility Test or be hit in
the predetermined location (randomise which leg is hit, if
set to leg-height) with the following profile: (2d10 R; Pen 2;
Primitive [7]). If the trap was constructed using knives, remove
the Primitive Quality. The GM may alter which location is hit
or whether the creature is hit at all, when the location hit
would not make sense (i.e. a lashing branch set to body-
height triggers against someone who is crouching or a
lashing branch set to head-height triggers against a Massive
creature).
Detecting a lashing branch (before triggering it)
requires a Challenging (+0) Awareness Test with a -10 DESIGNER’S NOTE: EXTENDED TESTS
penalty for every Degree of Success the user scored on his
Security or Survival Test to assemble it. This supplement aims to expand the rules for Extended
Tests found in the ONLY WAR CORE RULEBOOK . Primarily,
SPIKE PIT Extended Tests should be treated as a narrative device
by the GM to signify the individual parts that go into
Skill Requirements: Security or Survival.
the completion of a longer Test. In the case of Crafting,
Essential Materials: A shovel, camo netting and covering, and
it applies to whatever device the players are
spikes.
attempting to make (traps, in the case of this
Crafting Difficulty: Challenging (+0).
supplement). To this end, the rules given for the
Crafting Time: 1 hour per square metre.
crafting of each trap act as a guideline for the GM, with
Successes Required: 5 successes.
the GM acting as the ultimate arbitrator of how long
Referred to by Catachans as the
each individual Test takes, how difficult Tests should
“Devil’s Maw”, spiked pits
be, what materials can be used to craft a trap – and he
are usually dug at knee-
may change any of them. It is also up to the GM to
depth, and lined at the base
decide if any Test carries an element of danger to the
with sharpened spikes, and
player, whether that would be fumbling a key element
at the edges with extra down-
of the trap design (i.e. snagging a tripwire or slipping
ward pointing spikes. The pit is
into a spiked pit) or catching dangerous lifeforms.
camouflaged with leaves, grass or whatever else is available.
When an enemy steps on into the pit their foot is impaled by
FUMBLING TRAP CONSTRUCTION
the spikes at the bottom. As they attempt to pull their foot
free the downwards pointing spikes inflict further injury. A Traps are highly dangerous, and improvising one can
common variant of this is to place dangerous local lifeforms carry as much risk to the person assembling one as the
into the bottom of the pit, this encourages an even faster quarry they are hoping to harm. The GM may choose
extraction of the limb and increased chance of injury (aside that failing certain Skill Tests as part of an Extended
from whatever bites, stings etc. the lifeforms can inflict). Test by three or more degrees means that they have
When a creature of Size (3) or larger steps on the Fumbled Trap Construction. The player must make a
covering, the creature falls through revealing the trap, taking Challenging (+0) Agility Test. Failing the Test means
1d5-1 (to a minimum of 1) hits to randomised locations with that the player has triggered the trap and suffers
the following profile (1d10+4 R; Pen 2; Primitive [8], Felling Damage as described in the trap’s profile. Succeeding
[2], Crippling [5]). A spike pit can be filled with dangerous on the Test means that the trap is set back as some key
lifeforms that attack the creature that triggered the trap. component is knocked out of place or dislodged –
Creatures of Size (3) or larger attempting to fight in a spike reduce the total amount of successes scored on the
pit count as fighting in Difficult Terrain and suffer a -30 Extended Test by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
penalty to Weapon Skill and Evasion Tests in addition to
other penalties they may suffer (ie. being prone, caught
unaware, etc).

BAT
TLE HONOURS
“As swift as a lash mamba, as sharp as a spineleaf, as
stubborn as a wild grox.”
–Colonel Pannent in praise of the Catachan Warrior
Outside the pomp and ceremony of Astra Militarum medal
giving there exist many battle honours not regulated by
Imperial high command. The Catachans are a fine example
of this, preferring tattoos or sobriquets symbolising their
personal achievements as part of a close-knit brotherhood,
and are disdainful of the acquisition of medals by other
regiments, seeing them as little more than ostentatious or
displays of vainglory.
CATACHANS AND MEDALS
Medals are looked down on by the Catachan Jungle Fighters.
These Death World Veterans may still acquire medals, but
are unlikely to wear them (or, at the very least, dull them
with soot and dirt if they do, much to the dismay of officers
from more materialistic regiments). Catachan Jungle
Fighters do not gain the Squad Bonus for any Imperial
Honours or Campaign Honours they may pick up.
CATACHAN HONOURS
Catachan Honours are battle honours that are established
within Catachan Jungle Fighter regiments. While Catachan
Honours are awarded to individual Squad-members, their
mechanical benefits affect the Squad as a whole. Catachan
Honours are presented in the following format:
Description: A description of the battle honour.
Awarded for: An explanation of the feat that a given Player
Character or Squad must achieve to qualify for the battle
honour. The battle honour prerequisites are guidelines, and
whether or not they have been fulfilled is always subject to
GM approval.
Squad Bonus: The mechanical bonus a Squad receives for
having (or having had) the honoured member within its
ranks.
CATACHAN NAME
A sobriquet that acknowledges the battle experiences or some
notable quality, earning a “Catachan Name” is a common rite of
passage for junior soldiers.
Description: A nickname that is used, sometimes inter-
changeably, with the soldier’s first name.
Awarded for: A PC proving to his Squad-mates or superiors
that he is no longer a raw recruit on the battlefield. In game,
this is left to the GM and Players to decide, but it should be
indicated by a notable increase in both skill and experience.
Squad Bonus: +10 to Interaction Tests with other Catachans.
CATACHAN BLADE TATTOO
The Catachan Blade Tattoo is awarded to
Catachans who have performed a particularly
heroic melee kill.
Description: A tattoo of a Catachan knife,
usually a Devil’s Claw.
Awarded for: Killing an enemy in melee that
was incredibly tough or formidable. As a guide-
line this should be awarded for slaying an
Elite or Master in combat, but it is ultimately
left down to the GM’s discretion.
Squad Bonus: Melee weapons count as having
the Felling (2) Quality. If they have the Felling Quality already,
increase it by 2.
SKULL TATTOO
Catachan Jungle Fighters who have been in the service of
the Imperial Guard for five years are awarded with skull
tattoos.
Description: A tattoo of a skull.
Awarded for: Five years service in the Imperial Guard.
Squad Bonus: Comrades count as being within Cohesion so
long as they are within 15 metres of their Player Character.
SKULL AND CROSSHAIRS TATTOO
The Catachan Jungle Fighters are renowned for having some
of the best snipers of any Imperial Guard regiment. The skull
and crosshairs tattoo is awarded to Catachans who have
displayed outstanding feats of marksmanship.
Description: A tattoo of a skull haloed by crosshairs.
Awarded for: Landing several hard shots on enemies during
combat without missing, or missing only a couple of shots.
Squad Bonus: Add an additional +5 to Ballistic Skill Tests
when aiming.
SKULL AND DAGGER TATTOO
Ten years service in the Imperial Guard awards Catachans
the upgrade of a skull and dagger tattoo.
Description: A skull tattoo with the addition of a dagger
behind it.
Awarded for: Ten years service in the Imperial Guard.
Squad Bonus: +10 on any Tests Player Characters are called
upon to take as part of issuing Orders.
TRIPLE CHEVRON TATTOO
Catachan officers are elected by their
men, and so have the trust of most,
if not all of their troops. The triple
chevron tattoo is awarded upon
a Jungle Fighter’s promotion to
Sergeant.
Description: A tattoo of three
chevrons, or some variant design
(i.e. a band with the chevrons
un-shaded).
Awarded for: Having taken the Sergeant Guardsman Speciality
(this includes starting as a Sergeant).
Squad Bonus: +5 to Willpower Tests made to resist Fear and
Pinning.

WINGED SKULL TATTOO

A Catachan variant of the Winged Skull commendation,
awarded to officers who show extraordinary and inspirational
leadership.
Description: A tattoo of a skull flanked by wings.
Awarded for: Inspirational leadership leading to righteous
victory. In game terms, this honour is awarded to any
CREATING REGIMENTAL HONOURS
character whose leadership single-handedly brought his
troops to victory. There are hundreds of regimental honours tattooed on
Squad Bonus: +10 to all Command Tests. the flesh of Catachan Jungle Fighters across the galaxy,
and the examples here do not begin to scratch the
surface. Some honours are created for specific
Crusades and engagements, and GMs are encouraged
to create unique honours based on the engagements in
which the players have fought. Below is an example of
an honour created for a specific engagement:

CAERN’S WORLD TATTOO

Caern’s World Tattoos are regimental honours that

were awarded to members of the Catachan XCII Jungle
Fighters that triumphantly defended the besieged
Fortress World for eight years.
Description: An Imperial Bunker with the planet’s
name written underneath on a scroll.
Awarded for: Victory in a major engagement on the
planet Caern’s World.
Squad Bonus: Immune to Pinning from Pistols and
Basic Weapons and +1 AP from cover when fighting in
urban environments or fortifications.