ay Vales ee AY Nee i ¥ aw) £ ARCA GUE aie aWELCOME T0 BATTLE HONOURS Battle Honours is designed to help newcomers, to the Warhammer hobby get started in the best possible place - a Warhammer store. Using this booklet to track your goals and progress, and with your Warhammer store's staff as guides, you'll set hobby goalls to increase your knowledge and skills. As you advance through this booklet, you'll see sections relating to the five keys to the Warhammer hobby: Each set of activities will teach you more about the worlds of Warhammer, hone your skills, and get your miniatures ready. They're also all great fun! Your helpful store staff will be there if youneed any support. You can also get more help and advice at: BATTLEHONOURS.WARHAMMER.COM © Copyright Games Workshop Limited 2021. citadel, Games ‘Workshop, GW and Warhammer 40,000 are @ and all associated logos, names, races, vehicles, weapons and characters are ether @ or TM and/or © Games Workshop Limited. Al ights Reserved, 24 32 33 HOW TO USE THIS BODKLET Find out how the activities work, take your first step, and get your first stamp! REWARDS Knowledge isn't the only reward! Earn exclusive rewards by completing the activities in this booklet. WARHAMMER 40,000 Discover a galaxy at war, and those who are fighting to save - or destroy -it in the darkness of the 41st Millennium. WARHAMMER AGE OF SIGMAR Learn about the Grand Alliances that fight for the Mortal Realms in the Age of Sigmar. COLLECT ACTIVITIES Every collection is unique - find out how to start yours! Choose your favourite faction and your first miniatures. BUILD ACTIVITIES Learn how to easily build your miniatures so they're ready to paint or play games with. PAINT ACTIVITIES Add character and colour to your miniatures and make your Warhammer collection personal to you. PLAY ACTIVITIES Discover the three ways to play Warhammer games, and fight your first battles. READ ACTIVITIES The worlds of Warhammer are filled with tales of heroic individuals - find out more about them here. SHORT STORY EXCERPTS kick-start your reading activities with two excerpts from Warhammer stories! WHAT’S GOING ON IN-STORE Warhammer stores are unique, and always worth visiting - find out what's going on in them! DISCOVER MORE There are plenty of other ways to learn more and enjoy Warhammer - here are a few suggestions for you.MER a ae aa Ng MY WARHAMMER STORE: HOW TO USE THIS BOOKLET The booklet you're holding right now is your guide to getting started in the Warhammer hobby! Using this booklet, alongside help and advice from the staff in your Warhammer store, you'll learn about Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar, setting goals and completing acti help you develop new skills and progress along the path to becoming a Warhammer expert. 30 STEPS TO GLORY Battle Honours is designed to give you a well-rounded experience of the Warhammer hobby. See reek Ree Ree ee ecko ca Ta Poe ee Us neue cee ee Sa em a Se ee ae ecu Se Sk Res cease ac POINTLESS he CPU Ro eee You can keep doing activities and collecting stamps after completing 30 if you want to earn more eee CVT Each section in this booklet has ten activities - eight from us that will help you to develop core Pee UR ao eS east a Toe Each activity consists of a challenge and a question to complete. There is an area to write in an answer if Nee SIC EE eee ec Ree ie Rs Tens cs aa aS OSE Why did you decide to get into Warhammer? Poems et acu! CRC Re Nang Passat Pte eee SECU ag pee uscd*E] REWARDS Every achievement should be celebrated, whether it’s learning new knowledge, developing a new skill, or playing an exciting game with friends. ‘Show your accomplishments off with these rewards! See ae ae ages ee Every Warhammer collection is unique to the individual, Re ken eas acc ead Lee Re REC gc aed Complete the ten Collect activities to receive a game card cars TUE ae ne Ree Re) Pa eS eect ol See nna ce ee Td Ce ec ea Peep ea Cues store your spare parts for later use. For many Warhammer fans, painting is one of their Se RRC Au ree eee es ecu Re CCUM sete a a eed ‘even Warhammer painting events to enter, where you can display your own work and be inspired by what others cee ae CTO cue eed to help keep your brushes in pristine condition.eu teed Warhammer games. Whether you're enjoying a small battle at home with friends or playing games against people from Pee eee COLLIE Complete the ten Play activiti PS ee te Every miniature and every battle has a story behind it! PCa es re cose CeCe re Cot ote mee aca Cee eA ee cece Re sca Ce Ce eas) Petco enue Pata) rel BATTLE HONGURS ‘Once you've done 30 of the activi Co you have completed the first step in your journey. You eee te ee ee Scag Pecan aid You can keep doing activities and collecting stamps to earn the rest of the rewards. Your Warhammer journey will never Cee acu eee ae) paint, stories to read, games to play, and friends to make!ye dala halal: 40,000 Prepare to plunge headlong into the grim darkness ofthe far future! This booklet isa gateway toa vast and apocalyptic galaxy {in which Mankind battles for ite very survival against myriad foes. Tace command ofthe warting armies and lead them to lorious victory or crushing defeat over spectacular tabletop battlefields. Inthe dying years ofthe 4let Millennium, Humanity faces a coniiet unlike any other. Across the vast and fragmented Imperium of Mankind, in every star sytem, and on every front thefts of war burn, Heretical war leaders call spon the burgeoning power ofthe Dark Gods of Chaos, rising at ev champions to rove world in tikes of blood and fire. Rapacious alien tyrant lead rampaging hordes of bestia raiders to tear down, ‘he bastions of Humanity: The galaxy shudders in the grip of reality-sundering sorms that theeaten to tea space itself scunder, and with every day that passes the darkness between the stars growe wider and deeper, ‘Against these horrors stand the armies ofthe Imperium ~ elite Space Marines, fanatical Bate Sisters and countless otherhorte of mighty warriors. They wil ive thei ves forthe alimghty God-Emperor who sits upon the Golden “the “This the setting of Warhammer 40,000. Far from just the carmage unfold, you gt to choose your faction and take them into battle ‘yourself Will you fight forthe ancient and ruthless Imperium of Man, the maniacal dtemon-worshippers of Chaos, ‘or perhaps one ofthe many deadly ing back and watehing sxenos races who seck to build empires of ‘their own amidst the stars? Whichever you choose, the rich background and ible range of highly detailed Citadel es serve as an endless source of inspiration for your collecting, building. painting, and gaming “The Warhammer 40,000 hobby comprsse a variety of exciting elements, and there {sno right or wrang way to engage ath it, You an dive into whichever ‘pars interest you and combine them into your own completely personal hobby experience Peshaps for you the appeal isin amassing a powerfal tabletop gaming army and playing war ‘games agaist your friends, at home, sta gaming dub, or even in thiling competitive tournaments, Then agin, amaybe the des of painting a collection of Citadel miniatures tothe highest possible standard is what relly res your imagination. Or perhaps for you Warhammer 40,000 willbe a storytelling Journey in which you come up with the narrative, background, and names of your tabletop warriors, and watch your (Crusade army grow and change week by week ae you fight out story-deiven campaigns with your gaming group, ‘Your Warhammer 40,000 experience may be all ofthese things, or it may be something entirely of your own favention, Whichever way you choote to ge involved, you wil find that this ie hobby fled with fun, excitement the satisfaction of creating collection that you can be proud of for years tocIN THE GRIM DARKNESS OF THE FAR FUTURE alii ed eau SPACE MARINES iat, FIND OUT Volta ee ee a cn a ‘of Warhammer 4,000, vsitthe website: i WARHAMMER40000.COMLVR PANALE AGE or SIGMAR Welcome to the Age of Sigmar, an epic setting in which heroes, gods, and monsters clash upon the fantastical battlefields ofthe Mortal Realms. tis a gateway to a world of thrilling adventure and deadly peril, where the mighty ‘champions of the God-King Sigmar fight to defend mortalkind against soul-hungering daemons, undead horrors, and hordes of war-erazed brutes. Warhammer Age of Sigmar tells the their souls and bodies bolstered by The Age of Sigmar is anera of tale ofthe death-or glory struggle for celestial lightning. tis well that ‘unending war. Though the God King's control over the Mortal Realms eight each oftheir numberisa masterful _ armies have, through blood and toil, clemental worlds, each with their own warrior outfitted with storm-forged _established many strongholds of lethal hazards, monsters, and long- weapons and armour, for arrayed civilisation, the vast majority ofthe buried secrete. For centuries, these against them isa fearsome assemblage Mortal Realms remains inthe clutches Jands languished under the dominion of heathens, tyrants, and monsters. of Chaos. To stray beyond the safety of Chaos Gods, primordial enemies First and foremost amongst the cof high walls into the magic-ravaged of mortalkind. Their dominion ‘Stormeast Eternals’ enemies are the wilds beyond i to risk corruption, Jasted until Sigmar, the God-King _twisted armies of Chaos - savage mutation, and an agonising death, Yet ofhumanity, ent forth his heavenly mortal warriors and daemons given __thisi exactly what the champions of. hosts to conguer vast regions of ‘unnatural gifts by the Dark Gods Order must do, ifthey are to spread the realms in a series of lightning Yet there are other great powers that the light of civilisation across a crusades, Where Sigmat’s armies ‘would see Sigmar's nascent empire __benighted realmscape, triumphed, great cities were raised and _ brought low, the roots of civilisation laid down, But This isthe setting of Warhammer the enemies of Order are legion, and ‘The undead hosts of the Great ‘Age of Sigmar ~a rich and ever they would see the flame of progress Necromancer area constant menace to expanding raga tha calls out for you snutfed out forever ‘theliving, and all the while the forces to take up the warlord’s mantle and ‘of Destruction rampage across the _ decide the fate ofthe Mortal Realms, “The Stormeast Eternals are the lands, smashing everything in their Will you choose tobe the saviour of, God-King’s greatest champions, path to rubble. mortalkind, or its destroyer? heroes transformed into immortals,FIND OUT MORE. nd real AGEOFSIGMAR.COM‘AWarhammer collection is unique to each person. How you choose to form your collection is completely up to you - whether it's recreating an epic story, because the miniatures look amazing, or something else! In this section you'll find activities designed to get your collection started. x “ What are your favourite things about the settings so far? ence ee es eee bottom of this page, or eugene Sere ene ser) een Na Ta ice Which faction do you prefer and why? or in book FIND OUT MORE CO Eau UC Me eae websites which explore the various games based in the settings, the factions that Peron cae baea attic ela [iT RL) Psa ee Pafae] aa e are ers Oa See Cag Reeds eked Dee nec Serene Every collection needs Pleat et eee aed en Te Ca SOUS ase eo) gt a Casa What do you like best about your chosen character can't conquer AIM Ree ence eat ieee eas ae Eg oles EE aby eee eee Aare There are diferent sizes of sets to suit what you want. All of them are excellent ways to to start a collection and play a game - rules, dice, two sets of miniatures, ererans You can use the miniatures as the core of your collection or to expand on what Sr ea ee eae eG reecepas a Cea COE EE eG ae Poles ama ee Sree. ts What piece of scenery or terrain did you ec choose and why? Netty Pee cc) Cee ence] Cea Repay ocr NTSIT’S YOUR HOBBY 1 Every collection is unique, and so is your Warhammer journey. Use the space below to create your own activity. For example, you could make a wish list 73 of what you want to add to your collection, register an account at mywarhammer.com, or PAu choose some cool accessories such as dice or game cards that match your faction. . 22) Ask your store staff for advice! 9 A EL EE OTST SO TNE SS EITa UTR katate ro See rc :p making their army bigger, while others just individual miniatu Cena Setari) Nearly all Warhammer miniatures require building, and turning the pile of parts into a completed miniature is a hobby in itself! In this section you'll find acti help you learn the skills to build even the largest of miniatures. THE GREAT ARCHITECT Naa What miniature did you build first? How did it go? See CO reac Pet esac Your miniature may also ee eee ey Neves e e ener Es LOU RS a SRE REC UTES What do you like about building miniatures? Ree ee Pe a Try using a mouldline acre) Sad pO Ta a To remove miniatures from thelr sprues, you will need a set of flat-edged Ce eee eee cee When using clippers, glue, or any other modelling tool, always take your time. Pena ae eee ELC Neeser ea) Cee Oe eee cetCG Dar miniatures have alternative Coed Co ee Cees een aes TRUSTED RETINUE - Cee a a een Ltr tg miniatures, DE You can find instruct Se ae! What miniature did you choose? Why did you build it this way? What did you enjoy about assembling your leader? What techniques did you use for building groups of miniatures? fou need (plus a f en SCY VAT Ta aM) Ice mae eee something is difficult, ask your store staff for advice.aed Tere CTs \ techniques have got easier for you eure nd ce you started? pres a Cae Gaia Rae eia cs aE aes CaM EEEE What do you like most about building larger the one you've chosen for JAIMIIgS your collection, often have Ge ee Reus alittle longer to build, but en eae finished. ered if they have any tips on Cease am ae) SUM How did building scenery / terrain compare to DSR building other miniate See ea ea CU eee Re tT Pena Metimeelateg? EN aes Peeea aR eee oe ee ea cents Sree eee Sees Seen Ceo ee eee cee une eIT’S YOUR HOBBY TT ahaa. You get to choose how you build your miniatures, and you get to choose your activities too! Use the space below to create your own activity. For example, you could learn to use ‘a new tool, decorate a base with some ruins or plants, or swap parts between kits to make something completely new. ‘Ask your store staff for advice! Em EH eae Cue ea SC nt ee Pen od Renn sat start adding to Pee aes Once you've completed all ten activities, don't forget to ask tee Ce aPainting miniatures is one of the most satisfying parts of the Warhammer hobby. You'll find your skills start to grow with practice, and soon you'll know plenty of painting techniques to bring your miniatures to life. wae “a tt aE ee ca Peart Pons aT POSER ESM What types of paints did you use? Pe ae errs Cee) Pee Cee Peer esate Bec cu STEP BY STEP Pee ee toe Start with the undercoat, paint the largest areas fi don't worry about mistakes - you can clean them up at the end. Get detailed, easy, step by step painting advice from Neer ae Cre RUE ee PUM ee RoETAT ay Which technical paint did you use, and why? adding some textured eee mmuc sad pear Try using a technical paint CO eee Ra ate a eects) Rey rnc Cee ee ace Seen Coe acc aera Pee recog eee) aa a ay SEMAN How did this help to speed up your painting? Oa eae cag Sod Oe ee eat on batch painting and then Pea your collection,aT eae) ORC What have you painted for your collection so far? See eed with some painted reinforcements! Pee Geena nats eal THE rae E] Pee What did you try and what did you learn? painting something a little era Oe cas Pee ne aad Cee Rone some of their tips on your nace am a CRE CUCUEIEEEE What did you do, and what did you enjoy about it? Mer oan Ces ore mn Cena Re act See an Neen See aid ae eeces ta Ro A Mee cr a oo eee UCC ks app and website have all the information. There's everything you need - advice on colours, guides to painting miniatures, tips on special effects, and more, CV) R | A coke ed eeIT’S YOUR HOBBY — Sree eS We OE } There is no right or wrong way to paint your miniatures. Use the space below to create your own activity. For example, you could paint a model to a higher ‘Parade Ready’ standard, try out another technical paint, or learn a new technique. ‘Ask your store staff for advice! = Lie Em EH eae With so many differ res available, th Pearman ag:) PLAY Many people love to play games against friends, family, and members of the Warhammer community. The activities in this section will get you rolling dice and having fun in no time! ata ag Pen Which type of play appeals to you most and why? Warhammer Age of Sigmar on Pee net differences between open, Dee esc re aS PEER What did you enjc RS e aes A ecu This can be with a friend or Ca ae Pee EW ss) PCa ee ee CO ey See eee aa nee ec ec) ees ee Mare emcee Eee eae eee eae a ae Warcry. These skirmish games can use the same miniatures that you already Te oes rake an ecCe Ste What do you plan to add to your army in the future? Ct ee Pe cs ‘Ask your store to help you Cees og Le RCE CC@e What heroic things did your character do in their fi Po eae ee ey battle? a Play a game using your ec ga a SCE CCS Ta What part of the game was your favourite and why? Cee UE Og occ CEE stg SCE Seen) your collection, EI EATERS Start Collecting and Combat Patrol sets are the perfect way to start a collection Cem a ecty See ere ne ees Ree uae eee ae ee ea ae Peace Me Sr) COs eee ealREINFORCEMENTS - 4 Tee cco) Who did you play, and what was the best ee ete eS part of the game? Ras ee CEE ua ceca Cee Es oer Caan cca Meme ae? eons What impact did your vehicle or monster have on the Dae ce game? could really change the cer CEC Pena g rec their Trusted Retinue and Reinforcements, and either a monster or a vehicle. MT a ea Ren pg How did the scenery help you or your opponent? Geeta tcl) CO eae Gece Eten eves ces) WARHAMMER ifyou want a more competitive experience, then Warhammer Underworlds is the game for you. lite warbands fight for survival and glory in a combined ddeckbuilding and miniatures game. The Warhammer Underworlds core set contains everything you need to start PO eee eee eas ‘expand your collection and perfect your tactics. PP eee oeIT’S YOUR HOBBY How you play your games of Warhammer is up to you. Use the space below to create your own activity. For example, you could bring a friend who is new to Warhammer to the store and help them learn to play, try out a way of playing you haven't done before, or borrow someone else's army to see if you can defeat your own. Ask your store staff for advice! Ee WE Se Em EH eae Eee eta Ce th the different ways to play games using y you'll always have an opportunity to pick up your miniatures trWarhammer is filled with fantastic stories of action, heroism, cunning, and bravery! In this section you'll find activities designed to introduce you to the backgrounds and stories of the Age of Sigmar and the Dark Millennium. ea PoC ae Which excerpt did you enjoy reading the most and adventure with some short [RMD Sete Coe nete o pages 28 and 30, Pen la Cee REE What was your favourite part of the background? Sac ad See eras which includes many pages Cee rr eae) Cee rear) Sere ears ST aa) There's a huge choice of Warhammer fiction, and sometimes it can be difficult to choose where to start! Don't worry, though, you can get suggestions for new Pot eae cae eae eect Pe a eee ORO URL ag Warhammer Age of Sigmar - there are excerpts from these books on pages 28 to 31 caRa lg Cac) Battletome or Codex, and each is full of exciting Ree sacs et eR enc erences Ce eee ieee cies ae cee Coleg Crecente novels, short stories, SNe oer Cee tues Paar Pg eu Saad Creates a CeIn eee one stories, articles, and more Se a urea a Pina Battletome did you read, and what /ourite part? ‘ory did you choose, and who was favourite characte What article did you enjoy reading the most and why? FOR YOUNGER READERS a DC Le Re ce eee OPS rate ae aoa ee cea ead Peeters SUS Sa LFCOMMUNITY TIME CCM What articles did you enjoy reading? Peete Sen es eae interviews. Peery Pees website: Cee THE LEGEND Sy POCO Which series did you choose and why? Peace a sagas, Pea can nng more stories from a series. PR a ROME What character did y se to read about DOES) and why? cue eae nes oe Coa CCE Ey Pree gue cy ee FIND OUT MORE iP You can get Warhammer fiction as ebooks, audiobooks, and audio dramas, as eee ere ae eer ns See Ce cae ee Ree aac about great heroes (and more than a few villains) nn Check out the full range at EM eT A xIT’S YOUR HOBBY ‘The reading activities here are just the opening chapter for your Warhammer journey. Use the space below to create your own activity. For example, you could read a Warhammer Horror or Crime story, read a story about a character in your own collection, or listen to an audio drama. ‘Ask your store staff for advice! EITM EH katate eae nee Many collections can be themed around a series of boc Perma nue De ete a eee eryF a peers VV Woe we wiwiy oy adalat bala’ 40,000 NEXUS + OTHER STORIES An Excerpt from ‘Nexus’ THE EMPEROR'S FINEST, THE ADEPTUS ASTARTES, THE ANGELS OF DEATH. yughout the glany, these genetically engineered super soldiers are known by ‘many names, but all spell annihilation or the enemies of mankind. Of ll the Space ‘Maine Chapters, the Ultramarines are the exemplar ~ noble, honourable and utterly devoted tothe purge ofthe alien, the with andthe heretic In Nexus, Brother Sergeant Allectius fights a brutal war ofatrtion against seemingly endless xenos foe. But when ‘ myteriou pall ills over him and the people he protects, Allectius must take his fight beyond the walls... for more ‘than just victory, now mere survivals stake Sooo ree, Sergeant lectins sprinted through the trees toward the sound: of battle, “Trunks blurred around him a he wove gst the foliage with superhuman, precision. A Space Marine standing by was terrifying sight unto himself It was secing them move, however, that sos often sparked teanshuman dread fn moral. It seemed imposible or something of such size and power to move so swily. A pity then, thatthe foe they faced. seemed beyond fear he forest wa filled with cacophony. “The thunder ofolt weapons, the howl of chainswords and the odd sizaling ‘whine ofthe xenos weaponry, The latter sade hie teeth ache everytime he heard 4% seeming to vibrate up and down his bone on some odd continuum. The former, however, was a comfort: his sen were sill alive, sl ighting. For ow. Alletis saw the frst knot of bate ‘up shead. Two of his brothers were dueling ferely with axenos horror A skeletal toro surmounted a tripod of lege sl face leering ini fixed gin ‘Tae forearms had been replaced: it had sno more ze for hand Great blades ran down the sdes instead, cackling swith strange energie, Destoyers, they called them. Mindless abominations whose only srge was to dismember and deszoy. ven the necrone treated the like beasts, herding them int the foe, ‘The sun-dappled beauty oftheir natural surrounding: only made the stark horror stand ost more ‘he sergeant absorbed all of thisin a beat of his dual hearts and angled towards the creatures back. Thoughtless the create ‘might be, butit didnot diminish ts deadlines, ven a he approached, one of ts hyperphase swords slashed straight through the chainsword of the Astartes on ite left. The blade carved on and through his tors, spraying ‘ood across the greenery. His partner seized this opening and lunged forward, chainsword gouging a sparking hole in the monster side, ‘The moment the Space Marine withdrew his weapon and stepped back rom a counter swipe, the necrons wound ‘began to close, Metal flowed together ike ligui, sealing the opening as inner ‘workings grew back together, Allectius was there Te sensed bis charge athe lt second Too late. He aimed hie pla powered up to maximal mode, and fired, An ine of fary erupted from the sidearm. His war-plates systems reported a heat spike us fom holding the weapon. The cating blast etrck the necroa in the back and punched dean through {he other side of tin an eruption of Liguid metal and sialing fragments Teeontinued on, seything through several tees Defoe it had spent sts rening energy sts head leacent blue-white beara ‘With a dstored, machine like groan the xenoe collapsed. Before it truck the ground, twas already shimmering with virdian light. The sergeant lunged forward, the chainsword im his other hand raised high He brought it down wth ll ois might, Bat it passed through empty air with a whoosh and crunched into the ground, The severely damaged mechanoid had been teleported away That was the way with the necrons. Only the utterly anniilatedwere not spsted off, presumably to be repaired and fight again Allectise own men could not be saved «9 aay, He strode on to knee beside the fallen Space Marine. The other maa in-built amour biodiaghostcstor could ‘be accesed vin thee squad noosphere Brother Volusue was his name. The wound was serious, even fora Space Marine. A struck dead instantly. Only the synthetic ‘ells his genetically engineered Larramas organ produced were keeping bi ‘bleeding ou, clotting faster than natural platelets ever could tal man would have been fro “The sergeant activated the locator beacon ‘built into the wounded warriors pate, then stood. f the Apothecary reached him in time, he might be saved Ifhe did not, at least the fallen watror's gene-sed could bo salvaged. ‘With me, Numonis he sid ‘unul the end, brother-sergeant replied the other Assault Intercessor and feln on Iie flank. ‘They hastened onward. It was no far ‘before they erupted into a clearing that was the site of raging battle, Two mote ofthe Destroyers were locked in fous Dale with the other four members of Allectiu# squad. A third lumbered towards them, ite Blade-arms ostetretched ‘with mindless Ionging to end. An insect figure lurked inthe wood line ‘behind it Ithad a solid body mounted on long lege, a strange mechanical proboscis ‘waving in the air before i Join the others, will deal withthe plasmacyte barked Allectius ‘Numonis charged into the fay andthe sergeant put his brothers from his mind. All were watriots of the Chapter, the finest ‘mankind had to offer. He trusted the absolutely. For now he had to focus all of Jie attention on his foe. His plasma pistol Jhammed in his left hand a his chainword revved in the right Distance-devouring strides carried him towards where the xenos machine lusked 1 sitered back {no the shadows. Unlike thei mindlessly destructive charges, the plasmacytes were often evasive, Their stength layin the power they could infuse the Destroyers with, notin confrontation. lectin’ eyes narrowed, he had no intention of allowing sto escape so eaily He raised hie plasma Pistol and squeezed offa shot, counting fon the power ofthe blast to carve through any intervening cover, Instead, the weapon gave what could be described asa wheezing cough and powered down, Ihe hydrogen ack was spent, A growing problem asthe war for Cassothea dragged out Allectius holster che weapon and suppressed a growl of frustration, He would simply have to Aismantle~ His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden lunge of the canoptek ‘machine It mst have sensed weakness ed and activated new programming, There ‘was no time to ponder. Iwas fast now ng at hi with the proboscis, The bladed ip was db through the living smetal hide ofa necron, and was more than tha it was on the attack, a erigned tp capable of piercing his power armour iit connected righ. Metruckat face, aiming for his optic lenses He ducked ssde as fat athe could, Aiverting the strike to scrape a glancing bit along the side ofhis helmet i was no chance to try to seize that machine tend. twas striking now witht bladed legs: He caught the sweep of one onthe ‘edge of hie chaineword,whisling teeth ‘meeting the limb in a spray of sparks stead, There ‘That monomolecular tip was tabbing st his face once more, Allectius was ready for it ths time, With superhuman reflexes hishand flashed out and caught the proboscis, then with the othe, he brought chaineword around ins howling arc. It cleaved aay in alae of emerald fie. The machine staggered backwards, a strange mechanical warbling erupting fo LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE IN NEXUS + OTHER STORIES. BLACKLIBRARY.COM ‘The sergeant gave it no time to recover He pushed forward as it retreated, hacking atthe body now with the snarling blade Each blow tore new ents in its mechanical hide, exposing the arcane workings ofits innards, The Space Ma any ofthat bzarreness to ‘memory. He was no Techmarine, but even he understood that xenos machines were ine did his best nology. They were it only tobe destroyed. He hacked away one ofits legs and it toppled to the ground. he sergeant stomped on it with all his ight, staving itin with alas eruption of viridian sparks that sizzle and flared into the underbrush, With a final strangled blet it went stil, He turned and charged back out into the clearing to find the combat there had entered it final moments Two ofthe Destroyers were gone, vanished back to whatever foul tomb birthed them, Haloed with green energies they shimmered into tanslucence and then were gone, was not without cost: one of his brothers ay inthe gras, dead, his head and arm hacked from his body by necrom blade, The last ofthe twisted abominations found ite under the concentrated aevalt of ll the remaining Space Marines at once, They attacked in perfect concert, the product of years of elite training Individually, they might not have been 2 match forthe terrible mechanoid tren ofa Destroyer Yet their foe was a mindles butcher, while they were expert warriors. They carved it apart en masse. Then twas gone jut tthe others litle mote than a green shimmer fading into noting,"They made thei lat stand on a bank of rough ground, at dawn the next day. Black water lapped amongst the reeds ‘he bullrushes. The smoke from the relic censer had burned away, and in fits absence the mists resurged towards ‘them, like storm cloude rolling in acrose s biter ees Inte depths they could see the loping forms ofthe orruks, gathering ike flense-Ssh around a wounded prey here was comething exultant in their ‘whooping cries now thei cruel laughter the ratte oftheir painted shields. The moment was drawing near. The column, ‘no more than alfa day from the edge ofthe Mirkmer, could not goon. They had reached the end Actin, bleeding fom a dozen wounds, set the shields ofhis Vindictre ina rough semicircle. Helicon held back Jie Vanguishers Behind them, the Annihilators ready on the right flank for final, suicidal charge. The Freeguild ‘oops, no more than a dozen lef, were now resigned to death. They gripped ‘thei weapons in shaking hands, some ‘of them barely able to stand all of them willing to sel ther ives dearly. “You entered these swamps on a crusade for Sigmar! Actinvs cried out to them, standing by Pelion and his banner. You will eave them as martyr, a prayer on your lips and bymnsin your hears!” ‘Tae orvuks screamed ahead of them, matting inthe bowers, cil drizzle ‘began to fall. There was the sound of something huge and ungainly crashing ‘through the undergrowth deeper in, grunting, lowing like some maddened beast, Bolts flicked out ofthe shadows. Rod eye glared and danced. Yellow teeth inte in wide and mocking grins ‘Here they come! Holger shouted at ‘Actin sid, ‘By all the gods ofeach and ‘every realm: he mattered, cringing into ‘what pased fora fighting stance, Took fon me now and keep me safe, beg you! 7X REY AGE or SIGMAR ‘Sigmar doesnot promise you salty” Actinu bellowed. An szrow dashed fiom the fog and skimmed across his breastplate. ‘Sigmar does not promise you life! Sigmar promises ony justice, and the hand that wield i ‘Around him, mortal and Stormeast were screaming, hacking possessed by batle madness, He saw Holger sipping, falling on his back, sword extended, a hulking orruk howling asi fll down the Blade, He saw Sergeant Huber leaping onto the back of another orruk,teth clamped to ite neck, savaging off mouthful offesh He saw the Annihlstors thundering ike an avalan into the swamps on the eft, smashing apart a mob of orruke Iefore they could cross the glades and attack Helicon, singing a prayer, is blade broken and a mound of dead at Dis feet, ightning already Teaking from ‘hie wounds, Civilians screaming cutto pieces, the water around them red as butcher yard, Oke sinking through ‘the miss, arrows fying, a fume of blood, A bolt punched int his shoulder, piercing the plate. He dropped back, three orruks rounding on him, elds up, those grotesque glowing eyes flaring at hrs, He splintered the fst shield, reached in and threw it aside, sword up and phunging into the orrak throat ‘The second beat cutin wide, itz blade shattering on his armour, Actinus out with his ist an lid its c open, grappled with the third Its sword went into hi stomach, grinding on the plate He punched down, broke “Two more bore dovn on im, snickring His fingers were numb, his sword in the mud at hs fet, He felt his sol boiling in him “Taranis! he mumbled, voice weak. ‘Sigmar He dropped to his knees. The ortuks ‘ame on, swords raised laughing AUVs CV VINA Ee THUNDERSTRIKE & OTHER STORIES AN EXCERPT FROM ‘THUNDERSTRIKE’ ‘Orraks.." he sad. ‘Or are you? What sreyou” is sight was fringed with shadows “Hur hur! one of thera cached, Its mouth framed bratal speech, tongue licking thot yellow fangs. ‘We' Kroolboy, we i ithised ‘roatsnikka And you's ded, sormlord "Not Jord he sighed. He grappled with ‘hem, heaving himself to his feet. Tm. Tam a knight Jaws open wide raised the Blade, and there was nothing bu a ly cruelry in te dull ed eyes Blood sprayed into Actin face. He staggered backwards asthe ortuk went oven, splashing into the water, clutching Xs throat The other turned and swung,and as Actin fell to his knees he saw Holger Beck brandishing the relic blade, the sword smoking with gore. ‘Get back he screamed, hacking down, frenzied, latering the orruks shield from, it grip. The beast champed ite jaws and leapt backwards, but Holger lunged and speared it through the hear. Ae the orruk sid off the point ofbis sword, he rn to Actin sid, or Sigmar’ sake ~ for my sake ~ dont el he sid. Actinut managed a dry laugh, ‘im afraid 1 se, Capain Beck But help me tomy feet, and well se! ‘an make no p Holger pushed him u mortal weight to the Stormessts armoured ‘bulk He stooped to pick up the Knight Relictors sword. Actinus took it from him, feeling some strength low back inta his arm. His wounds ached, Bleeding freely Pellion was behind him. sword in one hhand, banner in the other, the cloth of {gold andthe blazing sigrarite sil shining ike the ight of heave. A fow scattered troops, fighting back toback, a throng of desperate settlers Inaddled in the dir, waiting forthe ends it would note long now: They had been lkred in, tempted by the mising setles, the vanished company of toops, Now the “mare was finally closing in on them. ‘My fiends! Acinus sad. The blade was ‘ik in his hand feom the blood that ran down his arm, the orruk bot throbbing in hie shoulder. Thave had the honour of fighting with you, Now, let ws share the hhonour of dying together, in righteous use! He turned to Pllion. “This, Knight ‘ello This ie the burden of greatness This is why we were chosen” “The ore prowled the margine ofthe lade, hissing i the mist Furth that same crashing thunder, the cracle of ‘broken vines and shatered tees, the ling of some monstrous beat. And then it appeared. “The mis pated before it as fringing fom ite touch. On either side, folded in tight tote body, were great lesthery wings ‘hat ripple and ewitched, tang throsgh dhe lth Is head was as big asa man, atthe end of long, sinuous neck that Whipped and curled around the margins ofthe glade, th low shun ja racked with dlavering teeth, yellow eyes peering {rough the murk in search of prey The mel that came off the creature was th stench of compse-pit, and when it opened sts mouth to shriek Actin staggered backwards. Sitting there atthe base of sts neck, saddled ten fect off the ground between the great beasts muscled shoul: ere, was an orruk warlord festooned: rinkets and fetishes, ts hody painted in swioing runes, “The warlord gave some harsh command {nits rating language, pointing with its spear atthe dauntless warriors before {It laughed, long and loud, crowing at ‘hem, leaning forward inthe saddle with ‘look ofideous amusement on its face “The carrion-beatshreked at them again, slithering forward Behind it, in a cautious advance, came the orruks ofthe Mitkmere ‘Swamps ~ the Thoatenikkay, the spite ofthe water, fey dwellers ofthe Blackgum snd the vine ‘Actin ried his sword “give you the honour of dying frst’ he called the warlord. "You and your pet “The orruk roared with laughter, but before ‘Actin could atack there came a hove fom behind him snd Holger sprinted across the hummock of wet ground, sword raised high. His face was flashed with madness, his teeth bared. He threw inself forward, facing upto the unt, fanged mav of the carrion beat, winging wildly with his blade until he had hacked bloody smear across its snout, The creature reared back, sereaming, eyes ike pools of dead wate, the warlord LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE IN THUNDERSTRIKE & OTHER STORIES BLACKLIBRARY.COM desperately gripping the hora ofits sade to sop himeelf from falling ‘ros Bulls" Captain Beck eied. Iron Bll, for Excel! He lunged in again, slashing at its chest, ssesing onthe stink ofits blood ~ and then Sergeant Huber was leading the last ofher troops forward to support him, tight knot of soldiers bearing swords and through the spear, splashing thelt ws potrd water, “To the captain she called, "To Captain Beck! The beast snapped down and grabbed Holger in its jaws, its savage teeth piercing his chest and shoulder. e screamed, and ‘Mood gushed from his mouth. With flick ofits head the creatre sent him fying through the ar, crashing into a spray of ferns, Huber roared, her voice racking, the Freeguild stabbing the beast ina dozen places even athe orruk watlord stretched to hack them down, ‘The orrul, initially stunned by Becks crazed assault, regained themselves and burst across the island of raised ground toward them. Actinus staggered forward sword up ls right arm was numb, Pelli war athie side, chest heaving, a vicious cut acros bis eye. A handful more, the last survives “They wil tour names to your banner! Actinus wheezed And even ifthe ‘banner i lost, one day t shal be found, I sweat, Our comrades will avenge ut, We will take our place in the rol ofthe rd dead!WHAT’S GOING ON ee Ta Rt a ea Sea Ae a Ue) ‘enjoyed with friends. 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