Space Marine Rulebook (1991) Chaos Lore

[MolotovKraken]

THE SPACE MARINE GAME


Space Marine is the game of epic battles in the far distant future, where mighty warriors clash in an apocalyptic conflict which will decide the fate of the galaxy. Space Marines, the armies of the Imperial Guard and the Titan Legions are the embattled defenders of the Imperium of Humanity. Against them are arranged the implacable enemies of mankind including the daemonic forces of Chaos and their barely sane and strangely mutated mortal followers. Throughout the galaxy hordes of barbaric Orks rampage and destroy, driven by their insatiable racial need to conquer and enslave. The warring forces are armed with gigantic war machines and countless weapons of worldshattering power. Amongst these machines of destruction are the Titans of the Titan Legions - bipedal warrior robots as tall as sky-scrapers and controlled by human crews. The Orks have equally large Gargants, crude mechanical representations of their Gods, belching flame and devastation. Other races also find themselves caught up in the battle for survival. The ancient and technically superior Eldar are bound in their age-long struggle against Chaos. The incredibly tough mutant Squats, descended from the human settlers of the galactic core, have become staunch allies of the Imperium, In the eastern fringe of the galaxy the human and Eldar settlers of the Knight Worlds fight among themselves for possession of dinosaur herds, sometimes uniting to resist invaders or to aid the Imperium.

Space Marine provides rules which allow you to represent all this on the tabletop - and much more besides! As well as the Space Marine rulebook, this box contains models representing three different forces: Space Marines, Eldar and Orks. The box also contains a Warlord Titan - the mightiest warrior machine of the Titan Legions. This book explains how to assemble your forces ready for battle, and provides the rules required to unleash mighty armies upon the tabletop. You can expand these forces by adding further plastic and metal models from Citadel Miniatures, or you can choose entirely new forces in the form of Imperial Guards, Squats, or Chaos.

As the commander of a mighty army, each player relies upon his tactical skill to outmanoeuvre and outfight his opponent. He must work out the best time to launch an attack, whether buildings, high ground or other features are worth capturing, and how terrain can be exploited to give troops cover. Needless to say it is vital to choose the right troops: infantry to support your advance and occupy buildings, battle tanks to provide fire power, fast troops to rush round the enemy’s flanks, and the near-unstoppable Titans to deliver the killing blow. Of course luck also plays a part, and the best generals will be prepared take advantage of good fortune just as they guard against set-backs by the clever positioning of reserves. Naturally you can’t become an expert overnight!

The forces in the Space Marine box provide you with a solid core of infantry and tanks. Soon you will want to explore the tactical power of new troops by adding reinforcements in the form of plastic or metal Citadel Miniatures. The Space Marine rulebook gives you extra rules for these additional troops, allowing you to expand your existing forces. In addition we are preparing a companion set called Space Marine Armies, which describes the Space Marine, Imperial Guard, Eldar, Titan Legion, Ork, Squat and Knight armies in complete detail, along with exhaustive rules for the many new formations and weapons described.

 

[MolotovKraken]

THE IMPERIUM

Forty thousand years in the future mankind has spread to the very edges of the known galaxy, colonising millions of habitable planets in the process. Yet despite all the scientific achievements and valiant efforts of millions of explorers and settlers the fate of the entire human race lies in the balance. From every direction human worlds are assailed by alien forces determined to destroy or enslave their inhabitants. Amongst these aliens are the fearsome, warlike Orks; the proud and ancient Eldar; the horrifying daemonic forces of Chaos, and many more besides, all fighting for their survival in a hostile and unforgiving universe. Human worlds are scattered over thousands of light years, divided by months or even years of warp space travel. Despite this they maintain a united front against their myriad enemies thanks to the all encompassing power of the Imperium. The Imperium is controlled by a very ancient organisation called the Adeptus Terra - the Priesthood of Earth. The Priesthood is so colossal that its millions of buildings, administrative offices, and departments cover virtually the entire surface of the planet Earth! The Adeptus Terra rules over the Imperium on behalf of the most powerful and extraordinary human of all time - the Emperor.

The Emperor possesses incredible psychic powers. His mind can reach right across the galaxy and guide spacecraft through the daemon-infested dimension of warp space. Although his mind is powerful beyond comprehension, the Emperor’s body is so old and battle-worn that it lies in a permanent stasis, frozen in time inside a life support machine. Although the Emperor shows no more signs of life than a statue or idol, he remains the singular object of devotion by his subjects who venerate him as if he were a god. Thanks to the Emperor the huge armies of the Imperial Guard are able to travel through warp space, guided by his psychic powers to the part of the Imperium threatened by enemies of humanity. Only the Emperor's powers and the careful vigilance of the Adeptus Terra keep humanity safe from the countess perils that threaten to overwhelm them.


SPACE MARINES

The Space Marines are the best of all the Emperor's troops and the ultimate human warriors. From an early age a Space Marine’s body chemistry is altered by means of genetically tailored drugs. Special biodevices are implanted into the Space Marine's body, gradually mutating him into a towering, superstrong hero, seven feet tall and with muscles like knotted iron. Space Marines have a boosted metabolism and vastly superior sight, hearing and other senses. It is hardly surprising that a Space Marine is capable of taking on and defeating many times his own number of ordinary humans. There are many different Chapters of Space Marines and each forms a completely independent fighting force. Each Chapter lives on its own world and rules over its inhabitants, often only recruiting its warriors from the people that live there. These worlds are scattered through the Imperium so that no matter where the enemies of mankind strike there is always a mobile force of Space Marines ready to intercept them.


THE SQUAT HOMEWORLDS

The worlds at the centre of the galactic core orbit gigantic orange stars which were formed when the galaxy was young. Now these stars emit only a feeble glow and the worlds they support are rocky, lifeless places with very high gravity fields. When mankind first reached these planets they found an abundant source of minerals. Mining colonies were founded and thousands of settlers were shipped in to man the machinery and explore the newly discovered systems. To protect themselves against the extreme variations in surface temperature the settlers dug underground cities alongside their mines. The extreme gravity and harsh conditions soon began to cause the settlers’ descendants to change physically. As new generations were born the people became shorter and stouter, stronger and more resilient, but slower and less agile than their ancestors. The resulting much changed humans are called Squats, and they have developed a distinctive civilisation quite unlike any other in the Imperium, Although they are staunch allies of the Imperium, it is not unknown for trading disputes to erupt into warfare between the Squats and the forces of the Emperor, but such arguments are soon forgotten in the face of common enemies such as Orks and Chaos.

The Squats are expert technicians, having had to develop a high level of technical sophistication just to survive on their bare worlds, They use their skills to build many fearsome engines of war. When the Squat Homeworlds were re-discovered by the Imperium following thousands of years of isolation, the two groups began to trade and eventually an alliance was formed. The Squats remain a valuable source of mineral wealth throughout human space, and their assistance to the Imperial forces is a vital factor in humanity’s war against its enemies.

 

[MolotovKraken]

THE ELDAR CRAFTWORLDS

Many thousands of years ago the Eldar dominated a large part of the galaxy and their teeming worlds were home to a highly developed civilisation. Then a great disaster overcame the race. Chaos Daemons from the warp overwhelmed the Eldar worlds and destroyed them overnight, sucking the souls from their inhabitants and bringing to an end untold years of cultural achievement. Fortunately a few Eldar realised the danger that threatened to destroy them, and evacuated their worlds before they were obliterated, Some fled to new unsettled worlds while others took to the depths of space aboard huge spacecraft - arks in space called Craftworlds. The Eldar have never recovered from the horrific destruction of their race, and their ancient culture has become increasingly hide-bound and inward looking. They shun other races and their refusal to treat with them often leads to conflict. Eldar will occasionally fight alongside humans against a common foe, such as Orks or Chaos, but such alliances are only temporary and never last for long.

All the Craftworlds are independent, although because they are all interconnnected by spatial warp-tunnels it is easy for troops from one world to help another when necessary. Since the destruction of their worlds the Eldar have set up new colonies, and the Craftworlds are often drawn into wars to protect them from marauding Orks or human settlers,

The Eldar Craftworlds are protected by Eldar Guardians. Every Eldar on the Craftworld fights as a Guardian if his home is in danger. Eldar troops can be male or female, so the whole population can be mobilised into one army. The fighting elite of the Eldar race are called Aspect Warriors. These are sects of warriors who have been trained at the Shrines of Kala-Mensha-Khaine, the Eldar God of Battle. There are several different types of shrine, each specialising in one aspect of warfare (hence the name Aspect Warriors). The Aspect Warriors are the most potent of all the Eldar fighters, wearing distinctive uniforms and carrying special ritual weaponry appropriate for their combat role. Aspect Warriors are led by even more powerful warriorsages called Exarchs who run the warrior shrines and teach their skills to the Aspect Warriors. The Craftworlds do not have large armies, but they have a selection of fast, highly mobile vehicles and support weapons such as the Tempest tank and Falcon attack vehicle. The Eldar are led into battle by their Seers and Warlocks, cunning psychics with uncanny powers of prediction which make them master tacticians. Because Eldar forces are so small they prefer to direct their attacks very carefully, launching well co-ordinated assaults against chosen targets rather than fighting across a broad front. On a one-to-one basis an Eldar is more than a match for most opponents.

CHAOS

When spaceships travel from one star system to another they use warp drives which take them into another dimension - which humans call the warp or warp space. However, warp space is not empty - it is a realm of psychic energy inhabited by incorporeal but very powerful creatures. The four most powerful of these creatures are the Chaos Gods Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch and Nurgle, but there are many more. Some are daemonic servants of these Great Powers, and others are lesser powers in their own right. The creatures of the warp are not content with their existence in the universe of Chaos, and they are always trying to find ways into the material universe. They can do this by finding gateways into real space - such as are created whenever a ship enters or leaves the warp. Gateways can also be created unconsciously by psychic humans and other living creatures - for every living creature has a tiny spark of ethereal existence in the warp which is called their astral body. This is why powerful human psychics and Eldar Seers are able to enter a trance and enter the warp with their minds - their astral bodies are travelling through the warp, amongst the creatures of Chaos. Needless to say this is very dangerous because a daemon can capture the astral body and destroy it or enslave it, so that the living person becomes a mindless tool of Chaos.

pledging to fight on behalf of their daemonic master in return for unearthly power. Such power is mighty indeed, for the Chaos Gods are able to use such a person as a channel for their immense energies. The individual becomes a Chaos Champion, and his body becomes twisted into an ever more horrific form. The Champion often gains incredible power for a period, but eventually he will be destroyed by the unnatural forces that course through his mortal body. On every human world there are secret worshippers of Chaos, gathering their strength, increasing in numbers and awaiting the day when they will rise up and overthrow the Imperium. However, the chief threat from Chaos comes from the Daemon Worlds and the Chaos Marines that live there. The Daemon Worlds are planets where Chaos has taken over, Warp space and normal space have become intermixed, breaking down the laws of physics that govern the material universe and introducing a new, insane, order where magic is real and all kinds of improbably mutated creatures exist alongside mortal beings.

The Daemon Worlds are hellish places: some of them are flat, others have skies that burn, while others are dreamlike and insubstantial. Daemons and other creatures from the warp can live on these worlds in physical form, although they cannot move beyond them, and living creatures too can survive here.

One of the most serious threats to the Imperium is the flood of mortal armies from the Daemon Worlds, which are commanded by Daemon Princes of Chaos and daemons of the Chaos Gods. Of these forces the most notorious are the Chaos Space Marines. Thousands of years ago, when the Emperor was still fully alive, some of his Space Marine Chapters were infiltrated by Chaos and rebelled against him, plunging the Imperium into a long and bitter war known as the Horus Heresy. Eventually the Chaos Space Marines were beaten and their Arch-Champion Warmaster Horus destroyed in hand-to-hand combat with the Emperor. The remnants of the defeated Chaos Space Marine Chapters fled to the Daemon Worlds. They and their descendants still live on there, nurtured by daemons and risen to the status of Champions of Chaos. ‘These Chaos Space Marines raid the Imperium, ravaging human space and despoiling unprotected planets. Fortunately for humanity Chaos is divided amongst itself, the four Great Powers and other lesser creatures war against each other constantly, striving for supremacy in the warp. This is just as well, because were the Great Powers to unite in one supreme effort there is little doubt that the material galaxy would be overwhelmed by Chaos and turned into a daemon realm.

 

[MolotovKraken]

HARLEQUINS

Amongst the strangest of all Eldar are the followers of the Great Harlequin: the last living god of the Eldar and eternal opponent of Chaos. The Harlequins have a particular hatred of the arch-power Slaanesh, Lord of Pleasure and Bane of the Eldar. The Harlequins roam from one Craftworld to another to perform the ancient dance portraying the great decimation of the Eldar race by Slaanesh, the fall of Khaine into the material universe, and the endless struggle of the Great Harlequin against Chaos. The Harlequins are warriors of considerable power and can be found in the armies of all Craftworlds, especially fighting their great foe the forces of Chaos. Harlequins fight in a single formation called a Harlequin Troupe, which consists of 4 Eldar troop stands. A special Harlequin model is included in the Eldar War Host miniature set, though you can also use other Eldar models to represent them if you wish. As the Harlequins wear all sorts of different clothes it is quite appropriate to mix a few Guardians or the odd spare Aspect Warrior onto the bases. Eldar Harlequins wear colourful patterned clothing and each one wears a slightly different costume. For example, some Harlequins wear quartered clothing with one arm and the opposite leg in one colour, such as blue, and the remaining arm and leg in a contrasting colour, such as red.

Harlequins check morale like normal troops, unless they are fighting a Chaos force, in which case they need never check morale. Harlequins are ferocious hand-to-hand fighters, the more so because the Great Harlequin watches over them and gives them extra power when they most need it. In close combat each Harlequin stand rolls 2D6 and adds its close assault factor of +6 just like other troops. However, if a Harlequin stand loses a combat the player may re-roll the 2D6 score. This represents the watchful spirit of the Great Harlequin directing extra power to his loyal followers.

THE TITANS

The Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus are protected by the mighty Titan Legions and their awesome fighting machines. A Titan Legion is an army in its own right, with its own types of Adeptus Mechanicus support troops and different kinds of Titan, We have only room to include a single Titan model in the Space Marine box — more Titans and different weapons are available separately. Titans can fight alongside any Imperial force, including Space Marines, and so the Titan model can be added to your Space Marine army if you wish. Because Titans are extremely powerful you'll need to find an opponent with a suitably large force to match it. You can fight a Space Marine or other Imperial force against Titans to represent one of the many rebellions against Imperial rule which have taken place throughout Imperial history. During the most dangerous rebellion of all, the Horus Heresy, some of the Titan Legions went over to Chaos and have fought against the Imperium ever since.

A Warlord Titan is represented by its own epic army card. Correctly speaking this is a company card which entitles you to include up to 5 Titan support cards and 1 Titan special card. These cards and details of troops will be covered in a future Space Marine supplement. This does not stop you using the Titan but it does mean you won't be able to include support or special cards for it.



The Ultramarines.
The basic uniforms and tactical doctrines of the Space Marine Chapters were laid down after the Horus Heresy in a book called the Codex Astartes. Although most Space Marine Chapters have changed considerably in the ensuing ten thousand years, the Ultramarines have religiously maintained the purity of these traditions. Their main uniform colour is blue and their badge is the ancient omega symbol.


The Blood Angels.
The Blood Angels are amongst the most highly honoured of all Space Marine Chapters. Ten thousand years ago, during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, the Blood Angels’ founder Primarch Sanguinius was slain while battling for the life of the Emperor. Ever since that time the Blood Angels have kept the memory of their revered Primarch alive by countless acts of heroism and self-sacrifice. The Blood Angels’ uniform colour is red and their badge is the winged blood drop.

The Dark Angels.
The Dark Angels are ageold rivals of the Space Wolves. When they fight together each Chapter will try to outdo the other, recalling the ancient rivalry between the two original founders of these Chapters: Leman Russ Primarch of the Space Wolves, and Lion El’jonson Primarch of the Dark Angels. On eleven occasions in their history the two Chapters have gone to war against each other, the most recent being the Magdelon War in which the Space Wolves finally ousted the Dark Angels from the second moon of Magdelon and its famed gem mines. The Dark Angels uniform is very dark green and their badge is the winged dagger.

The Space Wolves.
The Space Wolves live on a world called Fenris, a planet covered by great oceans studded with many tiny islands. The planet's inhabitants are fierce sea-borne raiders, much like the nordic warriors of ancient earth with their long dragon ships. It is from these proud warriors that the Space Wolves recruit their Space Marines. The Space Wolves’ uniform and main Chapter colour is a pale grey which echoes the colour of the great Dire Wolf whose head forms the Chapter’s emblem.

 

[MolotovKraken]