Squat Codex (5th Ed.)

Squats (5th ed.)

Contents Introduction........................................................................................................................................................…………pg 3 Why Collect a Squat Army?......................................................................................................................................pg 3 Interview With a Squat.............................................................................................................................................pg 4 A Note on Model Scarcity…......................................................................................................................................pg 5 Special Rules…..........................................................................................................................................................pg 5 Storyline….....................................................................................................................................................................pg 6 The Hour of Need………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 6 The Great Betrayal……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...pg 6 Genocide…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….pg 7 Salvation Undreamt…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………..pg 7 The New Homeworlds…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg 8 The Founding of the Compact / The Pledge………………………………………………………………………………………………………...pg 8 Squat Industry and Efficiency……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...pg 9 Encounter With a Technomancer………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 9 The Bulwark…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..pg 10 New Outlook and Culture……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..pg 10 Personal Property and Inheritance…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..pg 11 Freedom Awaits………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 11 Special Rules………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg 11 Squat Army List………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………pg 12 HQ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..pg 12 Elites…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………..pg 13 Troops…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..pg 15 Dedicated Transport………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………..pg 15 Fast Attack………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 16 Heavy Support…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 17 Unit Introductions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….…………pg 20 King/High King…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 20 Technomancers………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..pg 21 Council of the Ancients……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 22 Thunderers……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………..pg 23 Hooligans…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 24 Sappers……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 25 Raging Gladiator………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 26 Squat PDF…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..pg 27 Squat Miners…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….pg 28 Bulk Lifter……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..pg 29 Surveyors…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 29 Bikes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………..pg 30 Trikes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 30 Hearthguard………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….pg 31 Mole Tank…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….pg 32 Thudd Gun Artillery……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………....pg 33 Magma Tank……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 33 Special Characters………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………..………..pg 34 The White Squat………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg 34 Yurgret Onceminer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..pg 35 Weapon Overview Sheet…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..pg 36 Summary……………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………..pg 37

INTRODUCTION The Squats are a race of workers, warriors, peacekeepers. Betrayed time and again, threatened with extinction, and separated from their homeworlds, their very name has been systematically expunged to the point that few alive today have heard it, let alone known to associate it with many of the Imperium’s greatest achievements. Now this noble, industrious race has found new worlds, new benefactors, and a renewed purpose. Imperium of Man, beware – the Squats are back! The Warhammer 40,000 rulebook contains the rules you need to fight battles with your Citadel miniatures set in the warst torn universe of the 41 Millennium. Every army has its own Codex book that works alongside these rules, allowing you to turn your collection of miniatures into an organized force ready for your games of Warhammer 40,000. This Codex details everything you need to know about the Squats.

Why Collect a Squat Army? The Squats are the unsung heroes of the Imperium. Through their works, Humanity found the raw materials it needed to begin an age of conquest. Through their innovations, Humanity rediscovered part of the ingenuity and vigor that first led it to the stars. Betrayed, the Squats have served new masters, but soon comes the day when their debts will be repaid, and they will go about seeking payment from those who owe them so dearly. For generations now they have quietly expanded their reach. Guardians of the Compact, they have steadfastly harvested the raw resources of a thousand worlds, pouring everything into an impenetrable defense. Indeed, many of the units at the Squats’ disposal come directly from industry, from their Bulk Lifter transports used to ferry ore and raw materials in peace time, to their Miners, turned out from their daily grind to defend the honor all Squats hold in common, to their political body in the Council of the Ancients. Even the bars get involved as they turn out Hooligans, ready to do what rowdy, riled, bloodthirsty rebel-rousers do best! The Squats are an old army for experienced war gamers. What they lack in basic mobility, they make up for both by hampering the mobility of others, and with the potentially devastating ability to launch powerful units and squads directly into assault from Deep Strike. When foes engage the Squats, they discover that the fight they see is only half the battle as Squats turn the very ground they walk on against them! Squats benefit from many unique synergies, giving units interdependence not found in other armies, from Surveyors finding structural weaknesses for Trike heavy weapons to exploit, to devastating Mole Tank Grinding Drills running rampant over stationary enemy vehicles and fortifications, to High Kings leading units of everyday PDF to become valiant companies of heroes! The Squats have been out of action for a long time, with models out of print, scant love by way of official rules or rulings, and spurning from the very parents who gave them birth. Not every player has it in them to fight the odds and stick up for what they believe in even when everything goes against them. The Squats do, and if you do too, then maybe you’re the leader they’ve been looking for.

Interview with a Squat on Negadis Primus "Xenos? Nonsense. We're pure human stock, mostly, with some genetic drift over the millennia. Not surprised you've never heard of us, though." Severe drift. Dwarfism was an aberration, falling far short of the Emperor's ideal (though all fell short). Perhaps too far to salvage. Had they heard of the Imperium? "Inquisitorial Order, after all: #76904913-1R91, M41.043. They do love their orders. Inquisitor Terrannim." "You got involved with the Inquisition? Err, bad for business, I mean. I came to this world seeking trade partners, not fugitives." "Why would you think that? That we're fugitives, that is. You're right, though - condemned mutant hereticus. Been on the run for over 750 years now, if you can call it that. And don't pretend you came to this world by legitimate means! You snuck in the back door like a flesh-thief and the only trade you're interested in won't go on any records. Care for a drink? I know a place nearby." Head swimming. There wasn't even supposed to be intelligent life in the Negadis system, let alone an advanced population on this rock of a world, and an Inquisitorial Order almost a millennium old? Who by the Throne was Inquisitor Terranim? "Negadis? No, we don't call it that. 'Ktroae Ilnx.' That's this planet's name, designation, whatever you want to call it." That didn't sound like Low Gothic. "It isn't. Purebred xenos world, this. We're just guarding it. Part of the Compact. We have outposts on dozens of worlds like this, though as far as we can tell this isn't one of the important ones. Now how about that drink?" Wrong, wrong, wrong! Everything unexpected that could have happened had after landing on what should've been a wasteland. Life signs. Patrols. Meeting this strange female 'Squat' she called herself. Slang? A hasty cover story never meant to be tested like this. Some kind of tavern. They were everywhere! Drinking, singing, aping purebred humans in every way but all of the wrong dimensions. "What's the Compact? You sure don't know much about the area you're in, rogue trader. The Compact is order in this end of the Reach. The Compact is why we are, and why we will be for years to come, but I don't think you need to worry about that." The others had taken an interest. Slowly but surely they were closing in. Hard to breathe in this cramped space and they all kept moving closer! "I think you do need to answer a few questions for me, though, rogue trader. Tit for tat." Their eyes were wrong. What was in those drinks? "I think you need to tell me why. Why, rogue trader, is it that you've asked all sorts of questions about the size and disposition of this outpost, but nothing about our needs, wants, or capacity to pay? You clearly know nothing of our system of government, laws, basic physiology even. Most telling, I've spent the day talking your ear off and you've not once tried to sell me something, or talk me into trusting you with my time, fortune, body, or soul in some crack-brained flimflam investment or adventure!" Was it too late to run?

"It was too late the moment you entered our space, lad. Too late the moment we recognized your markings and orientation." What if.... -- Records deleted, Imperial Augmentor::Cranial Extraction -- Guild Technician 23T9R, Curator Fortis, Squat Potestas

A Note on Model Scarcity The Squats have been out of action for a long time: models are out of print, and the only “new” model in recent years is a White Squat that’s been so insulted as to be named a member of another race entirely! While official 40k tournaments foster a WYSIWYG philosophy, that rule is not only extremely difficult for Squat enthusiasts; Squats are banned from official 40k tournaments. (Even asking about them is a great way to get ejected yourself!) st

nd

This move is fairly insulting to 1 and 2 edition players who made an investment in a fairly extensive and nicely made Squat product line. More recently, there have been suggestions that existing Squat models could use Imperial Guard or Ork codices (a strange move, as the two lists use considerably different rule sets). Most recently, Squats are simply dead – don’t ask. Be happy you can get your Dumblefiggins or whatever they’re calling the new Space Dwarves now in the occasional offbeat side-story. Because of model scarcity, and because you won’t get to use your Squat armies in official tournaments anyway, you’re highly encouraged to substitute anything that seems appropriate to fill unit roles (I certainly have with unit pictures), provided you make it clear at the beginning of a match what is what and does what (presuming of course that your opponent agrees to play against your unofficial army list). To this end, there’s a fine array of Dwarf and even some older Chaos Dwarf fantasy models that serve quite well for many of the units described in this codex. For those with OOP Squat armies, efforts have been made to accommodate many of your existing models with new rules. For the remainder, follow the fine 40k tradition of scratch building whatever you need using whatever seems appropriate (to this end, use of existing 40k bits is encouraged wherever possible to contribute to a clean and more consistent aesthetic). Finally, for those concerned that the rules in this codex do deviate from existing OOP miniature sets, please be aware that use of this unofficial codex is entirely voluntary. This codex attempts to use existing models where possible, but restricting options to existing models inhibits the growth and flavor of the army. To retain or gain any interest at all, it’s necessary for Squats not only to survive, but to thrive in adverse conditions, a theme that couldn’t be better suited to the race’s unique plight, and hardy nature.

Squat Special Rules: Sturdy - All Squat Infantry have the Slow and Purposeful special rule. Teamwork - If a Squat Infantry choice with a variable squad size is maximum sized, it receives +1 to Leadership (to a maximum of 10). This bonus remains even if models are lost. Disagreeable - Squats have a natural tendency to be defiant, whether it's to overcome tremendous odds, tackle the hardest jobs, or reject non-Squat wishy-washy, time-wasting nonsense. While specific causes differ, natural predisposition grants many Squat units the Stubborn special rule (noted in unit profiles where applicable). Unstable Surface - All vehicles moving over 12” when fighting Squats (13” for Ork vehicles with Red Paint Jobs) must make a Dangerous Terrain Check. Note that this check is due to instability and flares coming in directly underneath a vehicle – as such, wargear that normally ignores or resists Difficult and Dangerous Terrain Tests does not apply.

The Hour of Need “How pithy are the ignorant concerning might deeds! Trust half of what you see and less of what you hear – history is a weapon, same as any other.” – Baldric the Elder, Grandmaster Archivist, Preserver of the Lost. st

At the beginning of the 41 millennium, disaster struck the Squat Homeworlds. Foreshadowed by a massive Zoat migration that rocked the outer colonies, a flood of species heretofore unknown pushed steadily into Squat space. Embattled worlds sent urgent requests for relief as a wide front opened up on the low end of the galactic plane, and the Squats mobilized their weapons of war. At first the Squats held their own, and even began to push back against a surging tide of increasingly esoteric life forms. Mighty Leviathan Command Vehicles organized Squat resistance as Land Trains and other engines pummeled the invaders with unrelenting fury. Squat worlds were mineral rich, often high gravity systems near the galactic core, and the many of their unwelcome guests were dragged down under their own weight which increased several times over in-atmosphere. Several factors worked against the Squats; aside from the sheer volume of life these strange visitors represented and attendant firepower, there was the utter surprise of their coming, for no one could predict or imagine such a strange destabilization of a largely peaceful area of space. In addition, a large section of Squat forces had been activated for mysterious purposes attendant to their commitment to the Imperial Guard. Still, the Squats held on tenaciously, and requests for aid were dispatched to the Imperium well in advance of what was to follow. What came next was hard to understand, as one world after another fell silent; a disruption in communications had arrived some months earlier covering an entire sector, and one by one worlds lost contact altogether. Scouts sent to report never returned, and Squat leaders began fortifying the Homeworlds in case the worst should come to pass. Still, no word was heard from the Imperium, and worlds that were still in contact were evacuated all along the front. Eventually, it became clear that what threatened the Squats was more than any mere shifting of territories, and Squat holdings increasingly fell under the Shadow that Consumes.

The Great Betrayal Eventually, the Imperium did respond. How could they not, when such staunch allies possessed of such vast wealth and otherwise forgotten technology were in true peril? The Squats had dutifully paid their tithes, offered their sons and daughters to serve in Imperial armies, and made the Imperium their sole trading partner for an age. How much would be lost if this noble race fell! A full Crusading fleet appeared, armed with the mightiest Titans at the Imperium’s disposal, vast regiments of the Imperial Guard, and no fewer than seven Chapters of Astartes! Immediately the Crusaders took positions in Squat core systems, prepared to reinforce already significant Squat fortifications and natural barriers. When the Homeworlds themselves fell under attack, the enemy would find more than they ever bargained for. The Tyranids would be annihilated. At great cost, the Squats would survive. When the attack did come, it was fiercer than anyone had predicated. With splinter fleets engaging outer defenses in several key systems, the main bulk of Hive Fleet Megalodon stormed into Excelsis Lucror, outermost of the Home systems. As the Shadow fell, the Lord of the Swarms itself attended the first world’s demise. As reports flowed in, it fast became apparent that even the mighty bulwarks that the Squats had raised would prove insufficient, and greater reinforcements would be required to prevent catastrophe. The Squat worlds would survive at a terrible cost, but one more surprise was in store. As the might of the Squat Homeworlds was thrown against the Tyranid Fleet, the Crusaders revealed themselves, and traitorously struck deep at the heart of their allies. They sacked Mundus Primoris, the First World of the first humans whose children would become the Squats.

Genocide “The skin they’ve shed, those bitter snakes, whose acts undraped the rot beneath, while resolute their constant kin, deceived by those they let within, endured the price though owed no sin, betrayal their bequeath.” – Ode to Backstabbers, Sane Ekric. For an Age the Imperium had benefitted from their alliance with the Squats. Mineral wealth flowed, trade flourished, armies swelled, and knowledge advanced in every field. The Squat worlds thrived, prosperous even as the rest of the galaxy descended deeper into an age of despair. In prosperity is iniquity born. Avaricious, the Administratum, to whom Squat liberty was anathema, and Squat wealth an inescapable temptation. Envious, the Mechanicum, who craved Squat STCs; whose skills could never measure up. Proud, the Inquisition, who would not tolerate success in an aberration of the human ideal. Discontent growing over centuries found its outlet in momentary weakness. Warmaster Johnson led the onslaught, guided by the hand of the Inquisition in the form of Inquisitor Terrannim, a shadowy figure of tremendous presence and horrible countenance. A sword of hope became a poison dagger as the crusading fleet bombarded the first Homeworld from orbit, knocking out defenses and paving the way for a massive Astartes drop assault. Reeling, lines disrupted, the majority of their engines already engaged against the Tyranids light-years away, the Squats nonetheless charged a mighty toll to the crusaders. Inner-system asteroid complexes sprang to life and engaged the crusading fleet as underground bases, untouched by the bombardment, set loose full regiments of Bikes, Trikes, and PDF. Most telling of all, several Land Trains undergoing refit were hastily dispatched in a desperate effort to fend off this unexpected and undeserved treachery. It couldn’t last. More and more Imperial forces joined the siege; the First World fell. With its loss, the beginning of the end came upon the Squats. Johnson and Terrannim began a systematic purge of the planet’s population, plundering its wealth and knowledge, and preparing their fleet to visit perfidy upon the next system in their path.

Salvation Undreamt Faced with onslaught on two fronts, the Squats could not hope to endure. Slowly they were losing their fight against the Hive Fleet, and the Crusaders had free reign in the lightly guarded Core worlds. Light-years distant, a young Squat tech adept on Mars chafed at an information blackout. Cloistered and overloaded with restrictions, Squats throughout the Imperium had been deceived. While the Imperium employed its armies to ravage Squat worlds, Squats continued to dutifully serve, performing honorably and without complaint, all the while left to wonder what trespass they could’ve committed to be secluded so. With Squat might and ingenuity, battles were fought, worlds saved, and tech adepts continued to stand head and shoulders above their taller counterparts in the Mechanicum. Not all Squats were unobtrusive. On Mars, a select band of the brightest, boldest students led by a luminary youth began an inquisition of their own. To the darkest depths they traveled, and there they discovered a terrible secret. What the young Squats witnessed and how they struck their bargain is unknown, but suddenly strange ships of unfamiliar configuration appeared in the skies of those Homeworlds not yet devastated by the twin threats of the ravenous Tyranids and the traitorous crusaders. Aboard each was a transcendent Squat, a being more machine than flesh with almost mystical powers. The Squat survivors, desperate in their plight, were offered a choice: to abandon their worlds and travel the galaxy; to be saved at death’s door, and in exchange to serve Benefactors of unknown origins for seven hundred and seventy-seven years. Squats were born making hard choices – many agreed, and a mass emigration began. The mysterious ships they boarded gave no view, and no explanation was offered, but in the blink of an eye hatches opened and Squats set foot on strange worlds with strange stars in the sky almost half a galaxy away. In the space of each day, the

ships of the Benefactors made trips as fast as they could be loaded and unloaded, and in this manner the greater part of the Squat population was salvaged from absolute destruction. With the Squats suddenly and inexplicably gone, the Hive Fleet faltered. Many of the Homeworlds were largely barren of surface life, and without Squat inhabitants to feast on, the drive of the Tyranids stalled. Crusaders as well were thunderstruck. Where could their intended victims have gone? Did the Squats have one last surprise in store, a final miracle of technology that staved off their fate? What had happened to the Squats! Greed recovered sooner than gluttony, and Imperial salvage teams deployed to abandoned worlds to root out whatever valuables were left. Mechanicum Adepts began a painstaking search for priceless STCs, desperate to find the means through which the Squats had escaped. The Astartes chapters seized the initiative and launched a preemptive assault against the Hive Fleet, suffering great losses, but eventually destroying the Tyranid command ship. The remainder of the Hive Fleet went inactive, and specimens were taken for study. Who these chapters were is lost in the mists of time, sealed to the Inquisition, but the Squats remember.

The New Homeworlds The new worlds the Squats found themselves on were mysterious in many respects, but the soil was good, crucial ores plentiful, and the gravity very much to Squat liking. Aeroponic technology bartered from the Eldar generations before ensured a steady food supply, and Squats found their new worlds hospitable to bioforms native to their original Homeworlds. In short order, heavy drilling equipment that had made the journey was deployed, and the Squats went about carving a new niche for themselves with an energy and vigor far more common in a new race than an old. In a sense, they’d been given a second chance at life. How fitting, as the Squats themselves were about to be reborn.

The Founding of the Compact / The Pledge Wasting no time, Squat Lords and elders approached their saviors. Questions suppressed for expediency in the face of imminent danger came to the surface, though in a typically roundabout Squat manner the first were on issues of mineral rights. These new worlds were vast, many times the size of Terra, and filled with untapped potential. With proper care, they could develop magnificently, and the Technomancers, as they named themselves, answered each question methodically and with clinical precision. These worlds were given to the Squats, with full rights and access; nothing withheld, twelve in all, each in its own system, and attending planets and planetary bodies. From this humble foundation would the Squats rebuild, and fulfill their commitment. After thorough explanation of the specifics, to include asteroids, comets, stars themselves and surrounding space lanes, the Squats finally asked about the services required of them, and for details of their enigmatic Benefactors. In their desperation, the Squats had offered everything, and now they were to learn how dear a price they were to pay. The Technomancers betrayed no emotion – no hint of relief, or humane compassion – but neither were they ruthless. The Benefactors were to remain anonymous; they had but simple requirements. Theirs were worlds untended, and in an increasingly violent Age, protectors were required. The period of service was brief to their minds – seven hundred and seventy-seven years; a millennium less three hundred and thirty-three. The protection provided was to be absolute. Not one system placed into Squat care was to be violated, should it cost the life of every man, woman and child to defend. To this end, the Squats had been provided all resources necessary to expand their reach, and the list of worlds to be protected would increase gradually over time, in keeping with growing capacity. At the end of this Compact, the Squats would be free to follow their own course, and to renegotiate their contract should they still desire and should need still exist. From an outsider’s perspective, the Benefactors’ trust seemed the height of naïveté. To the dedicated Squats, the Compact became sacrosanct, and as a race they constantly reexamined their means to best fulfill their commitment. It was obvious that the unknown Benefactors understood Squats well; better than the Imperium ever did. Many of the wise did wonder,

though, what need of the Squats when the Benefactors’ own technology was so marvelous, their own capabilities so seemingly limitless? On this, as with the Benefactors’ identities, the Technomancers remained silent.

Squat Industry and Efficiency Squats take to the earth like worms, born to live beneath the surface. Most of their cities are underground, and a fully developed Squat world can hold many times the population of even the largest hives. Tunneling and terraforming on a vast scale are second nature to Squats, and they frequently invent effective new methods for extracting necessary materials from even the most inhospitable environments. Within a generation, the new settlers were well underway in carving out their new planets to suit their liking, and in the present day twelve mighty Forge Worlds stand at the heart of the Squat Potestas, their new empire. Squats excel in every aspect of heavy industry, and they develop systems from within and without, making the most of planetary resources and system resources alike, dedicating the terrestrial to infrastructure and space-based asteroid, moon and low-grav planetary complexes to building an ever-expanding stellar fleet.

The passage was cold, dank; this close to the capitol, yet the atmosphere was as distant as the surface to the sky. Thorfin was a mechanic of simple means, but sufficient expertise to be called to attend some need of the Technomancers themselves. “You.” The Squat before him bore livery of cryptic design. “You are Thorfin twice-blind? Once a mechanic in the 79 station of the third quadrant of the lower mantle?”

th

Thorfin’s metallic eyes blinked, artificial lids discordant with a jagged scar stretching from scalp to temples. “I am Thofin, still a mechanic of Belwa… the third quadrant.” The attendant’s face pinched, a look of irritation fast giving way to resignation. To the side, a Technomancer walked with a massive orange primate, a vacant look on the beast’s face as its hands worked at some unseen puzzle, seemingly unaware that it was doing so. The attendant bowed deeply as the Technomancer passed, then paused and returned. The beast remained in a corner, an idiot smile stretching its lips as one crystal shard became many in ungainly fingers. “This is him?” The attendant responded in the affirmative, and the Technomancer turned to regard Thorfin, who sketched his best bow in mimicry of the attendant before. Had he done something to offend? “Be at ease. Your skill has come to the attention of my brethren. You have served well for thirty-two years. Quick thinking th prevented a meltdown at the 19 substation of your assigned post twelve years ago. Substituting a micro-processor of your own design increased station efficiency by 3%.” Thorfin was out of his depth. “I was told to visit this facility at ‘precisely thirty-seven minutes after the seventh hour.’ Here I am.” Scratching his beard, “What did you need with me, err, honored Technomancer?” The Technomancer’s face was impassive; cybernetic implants covering half of it showed as much warmth as the flesh beside them. “You have no family, in the traditional sense. Surviving relatives, but no mate; none you have sired. I see your past as clearly as a dataslate. You are to become a candidate. You are relocated to this facility, effective immediately. All personal assets are forfeit. You may bring along a single keepsake of reasonable size, but be forewarned that it will lose its value as your training progresses. We have a greater obligation.”

His world rocked. Fifty-two. No longer young, but hardly ancient by his race’s standards, Thorfin had been a mechanic for all of his adult life; fought in a minor engagement against Oathbreakers. Assignments changed, challenges came and went, but nothing had prepared him for any of this. “Be still. If found worthy, you will exchange your old name and designation for that of Technomancer. We are sufficiently rare that no more will be necessary, and transfer of information between ourselves is concise.” The Technomancer beckoned, and the orange ape approached. The crystal in its hand was perfectly reassembled; no seam was visible. “You will be sequestered with this creature until you have successfully assimilated every schematic in its repertoire, which is considerable. You will be tested, and must display each result with complete accuracy. You will be given implants to assist towards this end. Necessities will be provided to sustain the flesh, but sleep…” Horror crept up Thorfin’s spine as the awe-inspiring creature before him continued the deluge. Life… as one of them? Both of Thorfin’s eyes, three fingers and a leg had been replaced as accidents and unpredictable mishaps took their toll. Perhaps Thorfin had more than the usual share of misfortune, but he was compensated with self-satisfaction in a job well done. This, though…. Would he have to become as this creature before him? More machine than Squat? They fought in battles; led armies! He’d never heard of one dying, though. They weren’t all born in test tubes after all, and to select him! The beast behind the Technomancer caught Thorfin’s eye, and grinned its mindless grin. Life was about to change.

The Bulwark While once their protectorates were few, Squats are now in charge of caring for and safeguarding an entire region of galactic space. This area, known as the Reach, is fortified using the resources of hundreds of systems and the series of forts, refueling stations and interstellar outposts known as the Bulwark represents the collective efforts of generations of Squats acting with single-minded determination and unity. The Squats have established a significant interstellar fleet in a relatively short timeframe, and though their commitment to the Benefactors is coming to an end they’ve never been better prepared, nor their charges better protected. Even the most minor protectorates boast significant in-system defenses in the form of hollowed out asteroid stations and moon bases. Important worlds are protected by vast installations of incredible scale, capable of withstanding heavy bombardment and returning the same in kind.

New Outlook and Culture A few things one must be aware of to understand the Squats. Their innate capacity with technology once astounded the Adepts of the Mechanicum, as even Squat children could complete and disassemble complex instruments seemingly without introduction to their roles or inner workings. An Ork mekboy’s abilities are “in the blood,” but all Squats seem close kin to machines. Squat demeanors are dour, though their natures are warm once trust is gained. Though individual personalities differ, as a race they share a common outlook to a remarkable degree by other races’ standards. They are efficient and no-nonsense when it comes to getting work done, and if they become rowdy in off-hours and are a little too fond of drink, their tolerances for such are significant, and their other vices few. Increasingly over generations, emphasis has been placed on collective effort, with value placed on teams and communities greater than that on individuals. While Squats enjoy a (by their standards) comfortable lifestyle, personal sacrifice at need is expected for the sake of the whole. While deviations do occur and to some degree are tolerated, when push comes to shove individual priorities take a back seat, and the good of the whole will be considered foremost. Some Squats are less

comfortable with this notion than others, but these too have a place in society, often serving in a military capacity as Bikers, or in the case of excess Hooligans, where certain indiscretions can be overlooked, again for the good of the community. The Compact is a sacred calling – the least Squats can do to repay the Benefactors. This combined with a view of “home” as a fragile concept given recent racial experience to lead Squats away from excess and waste. Every resource is put to use, and every aspect of society finds its best fit to fulfill the Pledge.

Personal Property and Inheritance Though societal ethics favor the whole over the parts, economically speaking it’s every Squat for himself. Rewards should be in keeping with effort expended and benefit created, a time-honored practice that in a significant area values individual accomplishment. Mated Squats maintain independent assets, each contributing what they feel fitting to joint expenses, and communities work in concert to raise the young. Whether this system functions due to generosity born of free choice in giving, or the intrinsically strong culture of Squat family bonds, is a matter of debate, but efficacy remains clear. Matters of law still make it clear where social emphasis lies, however, reminding each Squat that every contribution is valuable and necessary; Squats have dispensed with their ancestor’s time-honored system of inheritance. When a Squat dies, his or her assets are divided evenly among the community; contributed toward the common good. While heirlooms do exist, they are artifacts purchased by successive generations as parents’ belongings are distributed individually or by lot. By this device, each Squat must grow strong independently, and trappings of success are in keeping with station achieved through one’s own efforts. Children not yet in their majorities are adopted by relatives, or raised in communal shelters paid for with common assets, but unlike many cultures, Squat orphans suffer no stigma, and while they have no physical reminders of their parents, they are accredited a degree of respect for the sacrifices their forbearers made.

Freedom Awaits In the present, Squat commitments are coming to an end. The Compact has been honored, and few years remain until renegotiation. While little doubt remains in most Squats that generous terms will be offered on their own part to the honored Benefactors, the coming freedom to make such an offer inspires eagerness and foreshadows trials. Over the past seven hundred years, the Squat race had pulled together as never before to pursue a common goal with every means at their disposal. When the Pledge has been fulfilled and the first Compact ends, will they remain united, or will creeping individualism overwhelm common commitment? If it does, could this be for the best? Doubts loom in the Squat race, so known for being resolute, as soon they will return to the galactic stage. Already factions cry for blood, that honor demands recompense for suffering at the hands of the Imperium, of the Eldar, of the mindless Swarm and crude Orks. Oathbreakers sworn to Chaos have been a minor but irksome problem all along, and what is to be done about the Hrud? Beyond any doubt is the Squat legacy: the string of outposts and heavy fortifications of the Bulwark such as the galaxy has seldom seen; the might of their Forge Worlds awe-inspiring, as are the wonders they will soon create; the vacant worlds of the Benefactors pristine in their preservation – untouched, undisturbed by any other than Squat hands, who knew to tread lightly, and to never dig too deep. Does prosperity come again to the Squats, or the return of despair? What will you choose?

Basic Squat Statline: WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

HQ King / High King ………………………………………….....75/105 points.

King High King

WS 5 5

BS 4 4

S 5 5

T 5 5

W 3 3

Unit Composition: 1 King / High King

I 4 4

A 4 4

Ldr 9 10

Sv 4+(I) 3+(I)

Wargear: Axe of Hammersong Neo-Plasma Pistol

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules: Independent Character Stubborn

Options: A King / High King along with any unit he is attached to may select a Mole Tank as a dedicated transport. A King / High King may be mounted on a bike for 30 points. If so, he may join Squat Bike squads.

Technomancer ..…………………………………………..........105 points.

Technomancer

WS 3

BS 4

S 4

T 4

W 2

Unit Composition: 1 Technomancer

I 3

A 2

Ldr 10

Sv 4+

Wargear: Staff Neo-Plasma Pistol

Unit Type: Infantry

Options: May purchase a Cyber Squat Bodyguard (detailed below).

Special Rules: Bodyguard Technician Without Peer Feel No Pain Beyond the Flesh

Bodyguard: A Technomancer may be accompanied by a Cyber Squat Bodyguard (detailed below). If so, the Technomancer and Bodyguard form a single unit. Technician Without Peer: At the beginning of your Shooting Phase, if the Technomancer is within 6" of a friendly vehicle that is immobilized, has a weapon destroyed, and/or has been destroyed on a 5 result, the Technomancer may attempt to repair the damaged vehicle instead of shooting. On a d6 roll of 4+, all damage is successfully repaired. On a 1-3, the damage remains and the Technomancer may attempt to repair again next Squat turn. Beyond the Flesh: Technomancers strike as Monstrous Creatures in hand-to-hand combat.

Cyber Squat Bodyguard ..……………………………………..45 points.

Cyber Squat

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Unit Composition: 3 Cyber Squats

Wargear: Power Fist

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules: Feel No Pain

Sv 4+ Options: May include up to two additional Cyber Squats..15 points per model. Up to two Cyber Squats may replace their Power Fists with Conversion Beamers……………..20 points each.

Council of the Ancients ..…………………………….…........200 points. Council Member

WS 4

BS 4

S 3

T 4

W 1

Unit Composition: 8 Council Members

I 3

A 2

Ldr 10

Sv 4+

Wargear: Power Axe Bolt Pistol

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules: Stubborn Undermine Collaborate Mole Mortar Barrage

Options: The entire Council may replace their normal armour with Squat Exo Armour for 80 points. If they do so, any Council Member may replace his Power Axe with Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield or a Chainfist for 10 points each.

Undermine: At the beginning of the game, after models are set up but before scout moves, all enemy vehicles that are not in Reserve must take a Dangerous Terrain Test (vehicle squadrons take one check per squadron). Note that these checks are due to undermining directly beneath enemy vehicles – as such, wargear that normally ignores or resists Difficult and Dangerous Terrain Tests does not apply. Fliers ignore this rule. Collaborate: At the beginning of each Squat turn, roll a D6. On a roll of 1, the Council has entered debate and can't be bothered until the issue is settled. The Council may not move, shoot, or assault this turn (though it may defend itself in hand-to-hand as normal). If only one Council Member is remaining, disregard this rule. Mole Mortar Barrage: When not in hand-to-hand, instead of moving and shooting, the Council may call in a Mole Mortar strike with the following profile: Range: 16" - Unlimited, Str 5, AP 4, Large Blast, D3 Barrage, Pinning. This is a shooting attack, and requires Line of Sight.

Elites Thunderer Squad ..………………………………………..........81 points. Thunderer

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Unit Composition: 3 Thunderers

Wargear: Neo-plasma Cannon

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules:

Options: May include up to two additional Thunderers...+27 points per model.

Hooligan Squad ..…………………………………….…..........120 points. Hooligan

WS 4

BS 3

S 4

T 4

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 5+

Unit Composition: 10 Hooligans

Wargear: Axes and Chainswords

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules: Feel No Pain Furious Charge Stubborn

Options: May include up to ten additional Hooligans…...+12 points per model.

-Pawns? So what if we're being used as pawns? In our society a pawn can become anything. Even king! Say, care for a drink? --

Sappers …………….…………………………………..….…..........70 points. Sapper

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Unit Composition: 7 Sappers

Wargear: Demo Pack

Options: May include up to three additional Sappers……...+10 points per model.

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules: Self Destruct Would We Miss Them?

Self Destruct: When in hand-to-hand against an enemy vehicle or unit with the Monstrous Creature special rule, declare the number of Sappers you wish to self-destruct. The number specified will strike as though using melta bombs against vehicles, or make a single Str 8, AP 1 attack against Monstrous Creatures. Remove each self-destructing model that hits as its charges detonate once planted (either killed in the explosion or planted charges and went to ground), but do not treat it as a casualty for the purposes of calculating which side won the combat. Each model that doesn't self-destruct or attempts but misses remains in the squad. Would We Miss Them?: Due to its nature, this unit’s destruction does not contribute Victory Points.

Raging Gladiator …………….……………………………….....110 points.

Raging Gladiator Unit Composition: 1 Raging Gladiator Unit Type: Infantry

WS 5

BS 3

S 5

T 5

W 3

I 4

A 4

Ldr 9

Sv 4+(I)

Wargear: Axes, Blades, Nets, Pikes, Daggers, Rocks, Explosives

Options:

Special Rules: Monstrous Creature Fearless Rage Furious Charge Termite Assault

Termite Assault: Gladiators arrive via subterranean Deep Strike, even in games in which Deep Strikes are not normally allowed. When Deep Striking, place a marker where you want the Termite to arrive and roll to scatter as normal, substituting a small blast marker for a large. Termites ignore Difficult Terrain. Buildings and enemy models under the blast marker take a Str 10, AP 1 melta hit from the Termite's boring melta and must move 1" away from the template. A Gladiator that exits the Termite within 1" of an enemy immediately enters hand-to-hand, not counting as assaulting. Gladiators may run or assault in the turn that they arrive.

Troops Squat PDF …………….………………….......………………….....70 points. PDF Trooper

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

Unit Composition: 10 PDF Troopers

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Wargear: Lasguns Defensive Grenades

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules:

Options: May include up to 10 additional Troopers.....… +7 points per model. Squat PDF squads numbering twelve models or less may buy a Bulk Lifter Dedicated Transport.

Squat Miners …………….………………….......………………..50 points. Miner

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

Unit Composition: 10 Miners

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Wargear: Picks (Two-handed CC Weapon)

Unit Type: Infantry

Special Rules:

Options: May include up to 10 additional Miners...……… +5 points per model. For every 10 Miners in the squad, one may exchange his pick for a Cutting Torch (two-handed Chainfist)…………….+15 points each. For every 10 Miners in the squad, one may exchange his pick for a Webber………………+15 points each. Squat Miner squads numbering twelve models or less may buy a Bulk Lifter Dedicated Transport.

Dedicated Transports Bulk Lifter …………….………………….......………………..55 points.

Bulk Lifter

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 12 11 10

Unit Composition: 1 Bulk Lifter

Wargear: Neo-plasma Cannon

Transport Capacity: Twelve Models

Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank, Skimmer, Open-topped)

Special Rules:

Options:

Fast Attack Surveyor Squad …………….………………….....…………75 points. Surveyor Platform

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 2

Unit Composition: 3 Surveyor Platforms

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Wargear: Self-defense Cannon 24” Str 5 AP 5 Assault 2

Unit Type: Mobile Platform (Jetbike)

Options: May include up to 2 additional Surveyors..….+25 points per model.

Special Rules: Survey

Survey: At the beginning of the shooting phase instead of shooting, Surveyor Squads may select an enemy vehicle or building in Line of Sight within 16" to scan. Roll a D6 for each Surveyor in the squad. On a roll of 5+, the enemy vehicle's armour values are reduced by 1 for the remainder of the Squat turn. These effects are cumulative.

Bike Squad …………….………………….....………………..60 points. Bike

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 1

Unit Composition: 4 Bikes

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Wargear: 2 Chainswords Mounted Storm Bolter

Unit Type: Bike

Options: May include up to 8 additional Bikes..…………+15 points per model.

Special Rules: Fearless Hit and Run

Trike Squad …………….……..………….....………………..81 points. Trike Unit Composition: 3 Trikes Unit Type: Bike

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 2

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Wargear: Power Axe Heavy Bolter Special Rules:

Sv 4+ Options: May include up to 2 additional Trikes..……….+27 points per model. Trikes may replace their Heavy Bolters with a Lascannons for.. +15 points each.

Heavy Support Hearthguard …………….………………….....……….……..102 points. Hearthguard

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

Unit Composition: 3 Hearthguard

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 9

Sv 2+

Wargear: Chainfist Hand Cannon 24” Str 6 AP 3 Blast

Unit Type: Infantry

Options: May include up to 4 additional Hearthguard.+34 points per model.

Special Rules: Stubborn

Mole Tank …………….………………….......………………..165 points.

Mole Tank

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 13 13 13

Unit Composition: 1 Mole Tank

Wargear: 2 Twin-linked Autocannons Grinding Drill

Transport Capacity: Sixteen Models

Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank)

Special Rules: Assault Ramps Deep Strike Subterranean Assault Grinding Doom Tremors

Options:

Assault Ramps: Models disembarking from a Mole Tank may assault on the turn they do so. Subterranean Assault: When Deep Striking, Mole Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain, and enemy models within 1" must move themselves to be at least 1" away. If a Mole Tank scatters into Dangerous or Impassible Terrain, then reduce the scatter distance by the minimum amount necessary to keep the Mole Tank 1” outside of the terrain. Squats may assault from a Mole Tank on the turn it Deep Strikes following normal rules for disembarking and assault. Grinding Doom: When ramming enemy vehicles (or buildings!) that are immobile, and/or didn't move last turn, a Mole Tank drill causes 3 Str 10 hits before regular ramming is resolved. These hits also take place against any model attempting to Death or Glory before the model may make its attack (if the model is killed, then no attack occurs). In addition, a Mole Tank has no minimum distance to move for a ramming attack to take place (though it must always attempt to move the maximum, and all other rules for ramming are in effect). Mole Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain, and a Mole Tank's drill cannot be destroyed with a Weapon Destroyed result. Tremors: When Deep Striking, on every Squat turn before it arrives, a Mole Tank causes a Str 4, AP -, Large Blast Pinning attack as the ground rumbles underneath. Against vehicles, this attack strikes rear armour and forces an immediate Dangerous Terrain check if the center hole is completely over the vehicle. This attack is resolved in the shooting phase. Skimmers and Fliers ignore this rule. Wargear to prevent or avoid Difficult and Dangerous Terrain checks applies.

Thudd Gun Artillery…………….……………..…….….....…..90 points.

Thud Gun

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 10 10 10

Unit Composition: Vehicle Squadron of 1-3 Thudd Guns

Wargear: Thudd Gun

Unit Type: Vehicle (Immobile)

Special Rules: Immobile Shock and Awe

Options:

Shock and Awe: Thudd Gun Artillery squadrons always count as firing indirectly.

Magma Tank …………….……………….......……..………..155 points.

Magma Tank

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 13 12 11

Unit Composition: 1 Magma Tank

Wargear: Magma Cannon 24” Str 8 AP 1 Ordinance, Large Blast, Melta

Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank)

Special Rules: Hulk Ceramic Armour

Options:

Hulk: A Magma Tank must always roll 2D6 in order to move. The sum is the tank’s maximum movement range for that turn. This does not affect speed ranges for moving and firing (the movement limit for moving and firing remains 6” regardless of maximum range). Magma Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain. Ceramic Armour: Magma Tanks are designed to withstand extreme heat and pressure. Melta weapons do not gain an extra d6 when rolling to penetrate Magma Tank armour at half range.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"In warfare, there are three elements that matter. Pride, Firepower, and Speed. An army with two will beat an army with one. An army with all three is unbeatable. Pride is the source of morale, and comes from confidence in yourself and those around you. Squats build pride individually in our craft, in our unique contribution to the Great Work. We build confidence in our peers by overcoming every obstacle, for nothing can defeat us when we act as one. Firepower is a relative value based on the amount of force we can generate versus the amount of force we can endure. In ages past, Squats built infrastructure. We guided weapons of destruction. We moved worlds for the Imperium! Now we contribute everything to the Bulwark. Few can withstand us and none can overcome us! Speed? Speed.... This is where Squats truly excel, for speed too is relative. Millennia of adaptation have prepared us for high gravity systems that would break the backs of our foes, and if their legs are a little longer, then we'll bring them down to size! Speed is not a matter of how fast we move, but how effectively we slow our enemies, and effective we are indeed! For near four hundred years we have held our pledge, and we will hold it near four hundred more! Nothing shall stop us! Nothing shall overcome! Not a single system placed in our care will fall. Not one! This is our solemn vow: salvation at a price, and one well worth paying! And then we will be free again. Free, and woe to those who sought our destruction, for we will visit such wrath upon them as they haven’t known for ten thousand years. Beware, Imperium of Man, for the Squats have survived, thrived, where you could not, and one day we will break your backs!" -- Excerpt from Reaffirmation, Xerator System, Squat Potestas -- High King Theric Madfist oncemason, Guardian of the Pledge, YoC 389

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Orks? Yes, we hate Orks. Back-stabbing, murderous, destructive without cause. Traitorous. When we come across an Ork world, we level it, not that those beasts haven’t usually done a good enough job themselves, but we tear down the forests, drain the oceans, fill in the swamps and turn the mountains to slag. Then it’s usually safe enough to build. We didn’t think that way once. Once, we would’ve blown the atmosphere and called the job done, nevermind that those things take eons to regenerate. Once, we were happy enough sticking to our own worlds, and look what that got us! Murdered under cover of the shadow that consumes. Betrayed, again! In our hour of need, the one entity we thought we could trust, that would help us, turned on us and took what would’ve been a disaster and made it genocide. Once, we would’ve died to the last to see that wrong avenged. Now we see things a little different. Now, we expect betrayal. Betrayal from the Orks, betrayal from the Eldar, betrayal from the Imperium and any other empire that can put two ships together. Chaos is fairly well made of the stuff, and even our new benefactors, those who we’ve faithfully served for generations… even they’ll one day turn on us. As soon as we’re no longer needed. As soon as we’re weak. Another race might break trust. Any other race would! But we’re Squats! We’re steadfast! Where any other, every other, race would cut all ties to save itself, we’ll hold to our word, even to our deaths. But I was speaking of hate. Yes, we hated once. We lashed out. We destroyed anything that wasn’t our selves to save ourselves, and almost died out as a result. The Pledge has given us a higher calling, and a new way of life. Now we conserve. Gone are the days when we’d sacrifice a world, any world, to stop a threat. That is the way of murderers! That is the way of the Imperium. To those who meted out injustice, we will mete out justice. Those who seek to conquer, we will conquer, and we’ll take their worlds for our own, develop them, use them the way they were meant to be used, and with each world we gain we’ll be stronger than we were before. Once we hated blindly. Now, we hate with purpose! Now, no sacrifice will go wasted." - - firmus, fortis, stabilis - - custos (custodis), susceptor, curator

King/High King “Our ancestors once pondered what would make for a good leader. Sit down and be quiet, boy! I’m teaching you something important. So they decided that Squats deserved a strong leader, who could fight from the front, and command the armies in the field. They thought he should be wise. They thought he should be just and fair. Most of all, they thought he should have the approval of his elders and ancestors; something you are currently lacking. So were the Squat Lords born, and they served well enough for a time, each holding tight to a fastness. Each not looking for trouble unless trouble came looking for him. They served well for a time, but not well enough. Now our ambitions are grander. Now we’ll have leaders fit to unite us all. Now they’ll be fit for conquest, and the galaxy will feel the wrath of the Squats! The same wrath I’m going to deliver to your backside in ten seconds. Remember the fury well.” -- Squat parent to his child on the advent of Kings.

Squat Lords are not gone, but their importance has diminished since the founding of the Compact, when it was determined that stronger, fiercer leaders were needed to fulfill Squat obligations to the Benefactors. All of the greatest Squat Elders surviving gathered in conference, and one among them stated something profound; that the power of the Ancestors could be harnessed and made manifest in the body of one found worthy. How this knowledge was obtained is lost in history, though there are suspicions….

ritual, but with a new confidence, brilliance, and physical capacity that overwhelms the old personality. Immediately after a new King emerges, he or she takes the Pledge – a solemn vow to serve until 777 years has passed, protecting the worlds given to their care, allowing no stranger to trespass, and no foe to seize. Nominally, each King rules a continent; each High King a planet or system. In practice, however, the Councils enforce laws, and the Technomancers direct troop disposition throughout the Reach. The duties of a King are therefore finite: to be a charismatic figure that inspires the populace; to raise militias as necessary to slaughter Oathbreakers; to lead the armies in war. All three are duties at which Kings natively excel, as though they were created for those very purposes.

Regardless, the end result was the first Squat King, a being of mighty stature whose power and prowess far exceeded that of normal Squats in every dimension. Who might receive this power seems a matter of chance. When an old King dies, new Squats from every walk of life feel a calling; male or female, young or old, bright or dim, respected or disregarded; with no discernable pattern or tie, the selected make themselves known, and gather together for a sacred ritual attended by the Ancients and shunned by the Technomancers.

Every Squat has a role to fulfill in upholding the Pledge, none grander than another. Kings know this, as they once filled roles other cultures would consider menial. There’s pride in doing your work and doing it well. Kings understand, and it’s this understanding that inspires, a trait far more potent in advancing the Squat cause than any mere force of arms. Any Squat could become a King, and so any Squat can follow.

The specifics of the ritual remain unknown, but eventually one of the select emerges as a new creature. In aspect, the new King is still the Squat that entered the

King High King

WS 5 5

BS 4 4

S 5 5

T 5 5

W 3 3

I 4 4

A 4 4

Ldr 9 10

Sv 4+(I) 3+(I)

Special Rules

Wargear

Independent Character, Stubborn

Axe of Hammersong

Axe of Hammersong: This weapon is the pinnacle of traditional weaponcraft, hailing back to the days of forgotten runecraft. An Axe of Hammersong causes the wielder to strike as a Monstrous Creature in hand-to-hand combat. (Ignores armour saves, causes 2D6+Str armour penetration, strikes at a model’s regular Initiative). Additionally, models receive +1 Attack if wielding another close combat weapon or pistol.

Technomancers “They were our saviors, but we don’t know them. They give us guidance and direction from a power we’ve never met. They are the foremost in their field, technicians without peer, given to powers so extraordinary and strange as to seem supernatural. So they are respected. So they are feared, for who could trust a power so foreign that its every action is a mystery; a group so given over to the ways of the Imperium, that value function over flesh, and technique over craft? Truly, they are strangers among us, guardians who will never have the love of the people they champion. Do they even remember such a strange thing as love? Do they still know how?”

Near the summit of Squat society, the Technomancers have a place apart. Advanced in learning, they have a sort of knowledge that goes beyond wisdom, which they see as hypocritical. What substitute are words for experience, and what value in taking advice that those who offer it didn’t? Stoic in the extreme, many consider them dispassionate; so they are, for only two things drive a Technomancer’s soul: reason and commitment.

especially in the field of biological augmentation. For good reason, supporters would say, as the bodies of the Technomancers themselves serve as proof of the benefits, and their abilities with machinery are wondrous to the point of inspiring awe in a race so enamored of industry and mechanics. Using their skill, they can bring the near-dead back to life, and do no less with machines, from an assembly line drill press to an engine of war. For many Squats, there’s little difference between the two.

Through abstract enlightenment may the limitations of the flesh be shed, for is it not emotion that leads to atrocity? Through pure, passionless commitment was the Squat race saved by a small group that would sacrifice everything to prevent extinction. The Technomancers have adopted these tenets as a way of life, embodying a strange altruism based upon a horrific understanding of the nature of the universe.

Though all Squats feel indebted to them, there are those with concerns about the nature of the unknown Benefactors, and the power that the Technomancers, their sole emissaries, wield through the Compact – essentially, freedom to distribute Squat populations however they see fit. Of even greater concern is the fundamental change the Technomancers represent; their continual urging to embrace cybernetic enhancement and abandon old, inefficient ways, to include worship of the ancestors themselves!

Technomancers as a whole are staunch advocates of increasing technological integration in Squat society,

Technomancer

WS 3

BS 4

S 4

T 4

W 2

I 3

A 2

Ldr 10

Sv 4+

Special Rules Technician Without Peer, Beyond the Flesh

Technician Without Peer: At the beginning of your Shooting Phase, if the Technomancer is within 6" of a friendly vehicle that is immobilized, has a weapon destroyed, and/or has been destroyed on a 5 result, the Technomancer may attempt to repair the damaged vehicle instead of shooting. On a d6 roll of 4+, all damage is successfully repaired. On a 1-3, the damage remains and the Technomancer may attempt to repair again next Squat turn. Beyond the Flesh: Technomancers strike as Monstrous Creatures in hand-to-hand combat.

Council of the Ancients A Council of the Ancients is a subdivision of the legislative branch of Squat government. A Council is composed of many members and consists of the most respected and aged members of society. Each Council is responsible for a principality. A Greater Council, composed of leading members from each local Council, governs a continent, and a Supreme Council, composed of leading members from each Greater, governs a world. In times of war, select members of a Council take to the field to organize Squat forces and lend an appropriate air of dignity to a military engagement.

most Squats still venerate their elders, seeing them as closest among the living to the ancestors they still revere. Exhibiting a peculiarity of Squat physiology, the Ancients become hardier with age. Each is a master of his craft; each a representative of a different field of Squat industry. This combination of varied talents and perspectives allows for broad and diverse strategies, although occasional disagreements (certainly not squabbles!) are known to take place. Of the many lessons learned in life, foremost is that leadership and experience are best put into effect not by entering a fray bodily, but by directing and coordinating the efforts of others (who are slightly more expendable) from a more secure position overlooking the battle. This strategic outlook gives the Council access to powerful command abilities, from calling in mole mortar subterranean artillery strikes from miles away, to undermining enemy positions with collapsible shafts and flares before they even arrive!

In stark contrast to the Technomancers, a Council of the Ancients represents everything time-honored and noble of the Squat race. They are historians and wise council with the self-appointed role of upholding tradition and preserving what they believe to be almost as important as life itself: the history and culture of their people. Despite the passionless urging of the Technomancers,

Council Member

WS 4

BS 4

S 3

T 4

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 10

Sv 4+

Special Rules Stubborn, Undermine, Collaborate, Mole Mortar Barrage

Undermine: At the beginning of the game, after models are set up but before scout moves, all enemy vehicles that are not in Reserve must take a Dangerous Terrain Test (vehicle squadrons take one check per squadron). Note that these checks are due to undermining directly beneath enemy vehicles – as such, wargear that normally ignores or resists Difficult and Dangerous Terrain Tests does not apply. Fliers ignore this rule. Collaborate: At the beginning of each Squat turn, roll a D6. On a roll of 1, the Council has entered debate and can't be bothered until the issue is settled. The Council may not move, shoot, or assault this turn (though it may defend itself in hand-to-hand as normal). If only one Council Member is remaining, disregard this rule. Mole Mortar Barrage: When not in hand-to-hand, instead of moving and shooting, the Council may call in a Mole Mortar strike with the following profile: Range: 16" - Unlimited, Str 5, AP 4, Large Blast, D3 Barrage, Pinning. This is a shooting attack, and requires Line of Sight.

Thunderers Thunderer

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Wargear Neo-plasma Cannon

Neo-plasma Cannon: Even before evacuating, Squat technology was significantly ahead of the Imperium’s in many areas, especially those of industry, mining, anti-grav and plasma. Neo-plasma Cannons do not get hot. Thunderers are a unit composed of specialists in the field of heavy equipment. Largely made up of volunteers who undergo elite training, the primary requirements to join are a strong back, and steady nerves under pressure. While many specialists throughout the galaxy value focus on aiming their weapons, Squats realize that the primary element of accuracy when it counts is calm in the face of imminent danger. Thunderers learn to function in smaller cells than most Squat units, and as such gain Teamwork bonuses more easily. Also of great importance to the Squat tactical mindset is the ability for rapid deployment on the scene; sensible in an army that generally takes time to get where it’s going! There is a certain honor in making a greater commitment to upholding the Squat mission, and in keeping there are greater demands. In addition to the time sacrificed to training, Thunderers can expect frequent deployment, often serving full-time alongside the more traditional Squat military professionals in the PDF. Field conditions can be harsh, even given an enhanced and efficient logistics support system. Marches can be grueling. In addition to standard gear to include armour, helmet, mess kit, water, first aid supplies and sleeping packs, each Thunderer can expect to carry a 22.7 kilogram weapon at all times, with total loads for long missions in excess of 90 kilos, a feat all but impossible for more fragile races. As is often the case with communities that face many exterior threats, Squats have formed tight-knit bonds, and Thunderers are no exception. While merry-making

doesn’t rival the excess of the Hooligans, Thunderers are known to make full use of privileges, to include taking long leaves at every opportunity, carousing, drinking, sight-seeing, sleeping, drinking, and getting chased out of town as a group, frequently while drunk. What differs is that due to their rank and elite status, they tend to get away with it, often receiving mild reprimand where others would spend their hangover mornings digging trenches and filling them back in on a planet’s surface while a star’s spectral minions spat in their eyeballs. Whether working hard or playing hard, Thunderers give everything they’ve got, commonly putting enemy heavy weapons teams to shame, showing that they’re a match and more for any mortal equivalent. With a net firepower equivalent to that of a tank, Thunderers are the bane of heavy infantry and light vehicles alike, reducing foes to slag as efficiently as blacksmiths temper steel.

“Support platform? Whyever would I need something like that? I’ve a strong back, good teeth, and a hardy band of lugheads to kick my arse when it’s slow to get moving! I’ve seen the way those skinny bastards fight, taking their sweet time to set up and relying on their tech to do all of the heavy lifting for them. What’s the point of being able to move so fast when you only get to use it when running away? Hrmph, Eldar! Think they’ve got it so tough. Think they’re the only ones who get persecuted. Well what happened to them they did to themselves, and good riddance! The problem with being ready to sacrifice any number of innocent lives to save a few of your own is that sooner or later folks are going to catch wise and return the favor, not that we should talk, I suppose. Still, it takes one cold, calculating wretch to look you in the eye and say, “Your life is worth less than mine. Die so that I may live.” Won’t catch any Squat thinking that way, even if we do hate their empires. All life has value, even those sodded Orks. Value as fertilizer. Hrmph. Well maybe we’re not so different. I still hate those coneheads. And they’re still too slow!” – Ramblings of a Squat (part-time) philosopher.

Hooligans “We went in with the best intentions. There was a minor dispute with some fish people – Tou or Taw or somesuch – with these fancy flying suits. Didn’t look like much, but their tech was good. Anyway, one of the Ancients went out to meet their leader, and everything was going well until the celebration after an agreement was reached. No one knows who called the first name, threw the first platter, but as soon as the meat hit the floor, so did those Kroot, scrounging for who knows what, and then somebody said something bad about a system of government. Whole thing spiraled out of control at that point into the worst food fight I’ve ever seen. In the end, everyone was too sore to point fingers. But the Hooligans were all grins.”

Hooligan

WS 4

BS 3

S 4

T 4

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 5+

Every Squat acknowledges a higher purpose in life: in art, in craft, in upholding their part in the Pledge. In the case of Hooligans, that higher purpose involves imbibing every tub of rotgut they can before a fight breaks out, usually over whose head they’re standing on during the process. Everyone contributes, and no one goes wasted - not criminals, not mechanics, not even politicians. Certainly the town drunks don’t. Well, they do go while wasted. You know what I mean. Hooligans enjoy the dubious honor of being used as shock troops, wearing lighter armour to more freely unleash their battle fury… presuming they ever leash it to begin with. For some, life is a commitment. For some, life is a series of flashing blurs between stumbling into a recruiter’s office and being dumped out onto a battlefield, axe and chainsword in hand; Hooligans fall into the latter category. Alcoholism is a deadly disease, even for a race of robust constitution; all the more so when contained within the drinks are powerful narcotics. Add a few steroids into the mix, and Hooligans become wired bundles of berserker fury, making up in ferocity what they lack in finesse, and covering for lighter armour with the expedient of ignoring most wounds. Truly, little is to be feared so much as a drunk on a mission, and Hooligans require careful handling off the field to keep their wits sharp – enough – and their stupor contained until called for to limit collateral damage. Hooligans enjoy a unique recruiting process among the

Special Rules: Feel No Pain, Furious Charge, Stubborn

Squats, involving both civilians and military personnel in a joint effort to keep society at large safe. When a Squat falls too far into the cup, friends and family respond with efficient – and usually effective – shock therapy in an effort to recover him or her to a healthy state of occasional binge drinking. When this fails to prove effective, more drastic steps are taken by the community. It is a matter of Squat law than any Squat of sound mind and body may act as temporary legal guardian for another possessed of a blood alcohol content of more than 2%, with limited access to said dependent’s assets sufficient to cover tabs and occasional violence-related expenses. When BAC surpasses 2.7%, a temporary legal guardian may sign a dependent’s forms for military enlistment. What happens next is relegated to the realm of flights of fancy, as few Hooligans tell reliable details of what occurs beyond recruitment – while most have simply forgotten, those with tales to tell are often dismissed as creative storytellers; a charge that’s certainly true in most cases. What is known is that trained Hooligans are segregated from the rest of society, spending inactive days in specialized pubs that serve an esoteric brew. While Hooligans have the option to leave service after their tours are completed, many stay on, finding joy in their new circumstance, and mischievous comrades aplenty that won’t judge for, and will participate in, misdeeds.

Sappers “How many made it back this time?” – Sapper’s life story.

Sapper

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Special Rules

Wargear

Self Destruct, Would We Miss Them?

Demo Pack

Sv 4+

Self Destruct: When in hand-to-hand against an enemy vehicle or unit with the Monstrous Creature special rule, declare the number of Sappers you wish to self-destruct. The number specified will strike as though using melta bombs against vehicles, or make a single Str 8, AP 1 attack against Monstrous Creatures. Remove each self-destructing model that hits as its charges detonate once planted (either killed in the explosion or planted charges and went to ground), but do not treat it as a casualty for the purposes of calculating which side won the combat. Each model that doesn't self-destruct or attempts but misses remains in the squad. Would We Miss Them?: Due to its nature, this unit’s destruction does not contribute Victory Points. Even in a forthright society there’s crime. Someone thinks that they have a right to something that isn’t theirs, and lies and cheats and steals to get it. Sometimes, someone’s hurt in the process. Squats have a solemn duty to defend and protect, and to meet that obligation every Squat from every walk of life contributes… whether they want to or not. The Squat system of justice is swift, and crimes break down into three categories: minor crimes that result in fines and community service; major crimes too severe for fines, but not severe enough to warrant certain death; severe crimes that warrant death or worse, and worse they receive. The very worst offenders who perform the most heinous crimes are given over to the Technomancers, their fates unknown. Those who commit only serious crimes go to the Sappers. The Squats are generally a law-abiding society. Drunks occasionally get out of hand, but Squat law offers ample provisions for that sort of rowdiness. Is the Squat crime rate so low because of some intrinsic integrity, or because punishment is swift and severe? Most would argue both, but the question seldom occurs in the Squat mindset – sometimes crimes happen, and they’re dealt with immediately as they crop up, same as a plague, same as a cave-in. There is no deeper pondering of motivation behind criminal acts, as motivations are considered self-evident based upon the act. Everyone

has dark urges sometimes; punishment is reserved for those who give in to them – simple as that. Once inducted, Sappers are given few options. Guarded at all times and given little liberty, Sappers are immediately transported to the front lines wherever conflicts occur, their only weapon an explosive charge. By the time they encounter an enemy force, Surveyors and Saboteurs have already reconnoitered and returned with a list of suitable objectives consisting of hard targets unique to the enemy force at hand. Sophisticated recognition scanners attached to demo packs are updated with current approved targets and the Sappers are sent forth with but one mission – deliver their charge directly to their target and return, if they can. Not every Squat has it in them to perform such a feat, and often Sappers will break before all charges have been deployed. Such is the nature of the beast that they’ll be picked up and returned to the field at the next opportunity as many times as it takes to successfully serve their sentence by planting and detonating a single charge. Sometimes, Sappers try to abandon what is very often a suicide mission, believing even life in exile to be better than no life at all. When this occurs, they discover that another, smaller bomb and scanner set has been embedded into their skulls during transport hibernation, and so they die as they lived – without honor, without redemption, and without mercy.

Raging Gladiator The Squat who would be King. Raging Gladiator

Special Rules

WS 5

BS 3

S 5

T 5

W 3

I 4

A 4

Ldr 9

Sv 4+(I)

Wargear

Monstrous Creature, Fearless, Rage Furious Charge, Termite Assault

Axes, Blades, Nets, Pikes, Daggers, Rocks, Explosives

Termite Assault: Gladiators arrive via subterranean Deep Strike, even in games in which Deep Strikes are not normally allowed. When Deep Striking, place a marker where you want the Termite to arrive and roll to scatter as normal, substituting a small blast marker for a large. Termites ignore Difficult Terrain. Buildings and enemy models under the blast marker take a Str 10, AP 1 melta hit from the Termite's boring melta and must move 1" away from the template. A Gladiator that exits the Termite within 1" of an enemy immediately enters hand-to-hand, not counting as assaulting. Gladiators may run or assault in the turn that they arrive. Axes, Blades, Nets, Pikes, Daggers, Rocks, Explosives: Raging Gladiators come equipped with a variety of weapons and use whatever’s at hand; weapons modeled on have no practical effect; they are purely aesthetic. When a new Squat King is selected, only one of many chosen succeeds in grasping the power of the ancestors and taking the throne. To the victor goes success, spoils, and continued rationality. What happens to those unfortunates who fail is a question most Squats never dwell on. Still, someone’s got to clean up the mess! Entering the sacred chamber on the eve of a new King’s rise, one visits a ghastly sight. Bodies swollen, deformed; overwhelmed by the surging power of the ancients. Where once Squats of everyday stature stood are hulking masses of furious energy. Exhausted by their transformation, those who would be King are quickly herded into stasis pods and sealed away from curious eyes. From there, they journey to the fiercest battles, and are unleashed as one-shot weapons from specially constructed Termite Grinding Transports. Most die shortly after battle, their newfound power spent as forces rage out of control. What happens to the few survivors remains unknown. When deployed, Gladiators travel in the same stasis containers they’d been originally stored in, which are loaded into Termites and launched underground for rapid surprise attacks, usually at an enemy’s flanks or unprotected rear. Few are the foes prepared to face such might striking their weakest point, but initially many initially disregard the threat that Gladiators pose. After all, even a body swelled to extreme dimensions by Squat standards remains little larger than an Ogryn in physical appearance, and many bolder rear-line units foolishly presume themselves capable of handling the threat on the rare occasions they’re given time to consider. In most cases, Gladiators burst on the scene and are in an enemy’s midst before they have a chance to react, and from there they reap a terrible harvest from the unprepared. A special note on Termite Grinding Transports (TGTs): these units deploy both advanced sensors and melta technology in order to arrive at terrestrial targets at mind-numbing speeds accurately over large distances. TGT boring meltas cut through bedrock and armour alike with ease, allowing for rapid deployment, and mechanical triggers automatically release stasis seals on arrival at their destination, allowing a previously tranquil Gladiator to burst forth with repressed rage built up internally between the time it entered stasis and the time of its release. How this build up of strength is possible even within a stasis field remains unknown, but the results are undeniable. In recent years, an advanced form of the TGT has entered use in Squat space fleets, where ship-based torpedoes are fired across the void at enemy vessels for boarding actions. While the damage potential of even a Gladiator is limited against such vast targets, TGTs pass through bulkheads and decks as easily as they traverse solid ground, making for very nasty surprises for enemy bridge or engineering crews who thought themselves safely isolated from direct attack.

Squat PDF “Listen up! We’ve got Eldar pirates incoming in 5. They’ve caught wind of a shipment of Palladium and decided they’d try to stick their boney fingers in our ore pie. They’ll probably try for some slaves while they’re at it; Ancestors help them, those civilians are better armed than we are. We’ve got Thunderer support, and Moles carrying reinforcements are already through the Upper Mantle. Orders are to hold out until they arrive. Between you, me and the floor, though, with the flare mines in place those skinnies will wreck half of their skimmers on the way over, and it probably won’t hurt to give them a nd little nudge to get the route started. Move out!” - Squadmaster Rumble, 12.372 Regiment, Arien System.

PDF Trooper

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

Throughout the Reach, Squats pour everything into honoring the Compact - lives and livelihoods. At need every Squat will fight: men and women, young and old, with only the youngest toddlers exempt. At some point in life, all Squats offer a tour of military service, and all receive training in some form of combat. Commitment is everything, and Squats will go to the greatest lengths to fulfill their Pledge. Notwithstanding, there is still a need for battle-hardened, full-time professionals. These are the Squats who have taken commitment to the next level, and made service in war itself their trade. While not as fierce individually as some specialists, they are formidable in their numbers, for Squat philosophy values teamwork and unity, and it is through working together that the sum of the whole is greater than its parts. PDF troopers are the first line of defense, provide a strong core for a force to build around, and form the bulk of the forces sent to military outposts to guard remote systems. They drill constantly and specialize in defensive tactics, given a role of holding positions until help can arrive. In tradition, Squat PDF units strongly resemble Imperial PDF equivalents in which they found their origins. At one time, Squats contributed Imperial Guard regiments in greater than usual quantities as independent treaty subjects to the Imperium. In many respects little has changed, with lasguns still filling the role of dominant armament, though Squat weapons in general are considerably more reliable in the field due to superior standards and crafting. Squat PDF have heavier armour than their forbearers in the Imperial Guard once wore, reflecting superior Squat industrial capacities and a higher premium on life. Squat PDF troopers are also issued defensive grenades in keeping with their role as a first line of resistance. As with all Squat units, PDF make the most of their ability to fire as though stationary while moving, an ability largely repressed when they served in the Imperial Guard by the Imperium’s misunderstanding of collective effort; the best collaboration is born of making the most of each individual’s strengths rather than bringing everyone down to the lowest common denominator. It’s a lesson that the Squats have learned well, and applied to every facet of daily living. Let foes come in their billions; the Squats will be ready. And when battle’s done and dust has settled, the PDF will still be there, lines intact.

Squat Miners “Yo ho, yo ho, it’s off to work we go~” “Damnit, Milo’s drunk again.”

Every Squat has a role to fill, the sum of his or her abilities and characteristics determining what unique contribution can best support and sustain the efforts of the whole. In the case of miners, that unique contribution is the same as everyone else’s. Miner’s form the backbone of Squat society. Long, thankless hours in cramped, dirty confines with the smell of their companions’ sweat to keep them company are a Miner’s lot in life. To most Squats, it seems like paradise.

Miner

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

One should not assume that a Miner’s outlook is grim – it is, but they like it that way – or their prospects bleak. Aside from the unlikely opportunity every Squat has to become King, Squat mining careers are complex, with much room for advancement as life experiences and skills progress.

Squat infrastructure is largely subterranean, as are the majority of their settlements. After all, using only the surface of a planet would be like only eating the skin of an apple – the best part is underneath! When compared to other races throughout the galaxy, Squats show a supreme mastery of a planet’s inner workings from basic geology to tectonic shift to Core mechanics. To the Squat mind, a planet’s secret world is ripe for the taking, and it’s all in need of constant repair. Mine shafts collapse, deep bores need re-drilling to keep Core contact for expansive geothermal energy, and enormous, sprawling cave complexes need to be altered and rebuilt in keeping with a planet’s fluid motion, with different rules to apply to each component layer. To a Squat, a planet underneath the surface is a steadier, more reliable ocean, and quakes and constant realignment resulting from pressure as predictable as a tide. Within this miraculous world, Miners go about their daily toil, appreciating without commenting on, for wonders speak for themselves. At even the most basic level of technical proficiency, a Miner can put another race’s tech adepts to shame. Squats have an inborn understanding of technology of mysterious origins; a trait to be expected in Orks, but in a race born of humanity’s genetic heritage? Whatever the source, dour, businesslike Miners make full use of their knowledge in civilian and military endeavors alike. Frequently, civilians will pour to the surface of an embattled world to engage foes who dare to set foot on a Squat protectorate forming units named for this most prevalent profession, but a Miner’s true contribution isn’t seen so much as felt as mine shafts and underground tunnels collapse, swamping enemy vehicles in a joint effort with unseen Saboteurs to turn the very surface of a battlefield against the Squats’ foes. When they do take to the field, Miners come armed with the tools of their trade – adamantine tipped picks, and often heavier equipment used to build the infrastructure of their world below: devastating cutting torches than can melt the thickest armour and tear through enemy vehicles and Webbers: ancient weapons lost to the Imperium that Squats use to reinforce failing tunnels that can hold down enemy units as easily as they hold up ceilings. For the Tyranids, every bioform is a weapon. So too for the Squats – every hand lifts a weapon, and not a speck of life goes wasted.

Bulk Lifter “No child ever says, ‘I want to pilot a Bulk Lifter when I grow up.’ Guess they don’t want to jinx it.”

BS 3

Bulk Lifter

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 12 11 10

Wargear

Transport

Neo-plasma Cannon

12 models (models in Exo Armour count as two).

Special Rules Open-topped

Neo-plasma Cannon: Even before evacuating, Squat technology was significantly ahead of the Imperium’s in many areas, especially those of industry, mining, anti-grav and plasma. Neo-plasma Cannons do not get hot. A Bulk Lifter is a standard Squat anti-grav platform that applies advanced skimmer technology to convey extraordinary weight in conventional settings. In war, a Bulk Lifter’s primary limitation is physical space; it’s designed to carry concentrated weight in the form of metals, rock, and other heavy materials. Its primary advantage is being commonplace.

Surveyors Surveyor Platform

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 2

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Special Rules

Wargear

Survey

Self-defense Cannon

Sv 4+

Survey: At the beginning of the shooting phase instead of shooting, Surveyor Squads may select an enemy vehicle or building in Line of Sight within 16" to scan. Roll a D6 for each Surveyor in the squad. On a roll of 5+, the enemy vehicle's armour values are reduced by 1 for the remainder of the Squat turn. These effects are cumulative. Self-defense Cannon: Range: 24”, Str 5, AP 5, Assault 2 “In order to extract ore, first you must find ore.” This simple manifesto belies the wide variety of tasks and duties assigned to Squat Surveyors. In the slow-paced world of tectonic shift, staying alive means staying ahead of the game, and sometimes rapid response is required. Whenever a noteworthy geological event occurs, Surveyors are dispatched. Brash pilots with more gumption than sense dash madly through tunnels, open caverns, and across the surface to find and analyze signals of a potential event. Every moment more to plan and act means lives saved, infrastructure maintained, and cities preserved. Applying a specialized array of sensors, Surveyors can scan rock walls and enemy armour alike, finding any weakness to shore up or exploit. In tongue-in-cheek Surveyor fashion, this has led to the motto: “We’re the first to find fault.”

Bikes Bike

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 1

I 3

A 1

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

“What are you doing? You’re not actually going into a chemical field?” Oh yes they are. In every strict social order, individualism will find an outlet. In some, it’s a hobby. In some, it’s substance abuse. In Bikers, it’s by going against nature itself – Squats moving fast. Even in a steadfast, sturdy, dependable, unhurried race, there are those who yearn for an exhilaration that only rapid relative motion can offer. Whoever said, “Slow but steady wins the race” never met a Squat on a bike, and volunteers who share this ideology are selected when terms for service come due to form these specialized units. This preoccupation with excitement often leads to other forms of adrenaline seeking behavior. While somewhat extreme in other cultures, this notion is downright radical to Squats, and Bikers are often segregated from more traditional servicemen in an attempt to maintain overall order (and prevent whatever strange malady they’ve got from catching!). In the field, Bike squads are given over to a daredevil mentality to the point that many don’t fear death itself.

Trikes Trike

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 4

W 2

I 3

A 2

Ldr 8

Sv 4+

“About as subtle as a school of piranha. No proper respect for the solemnity of a situation. Why do we bother to have tanks at all when any hobbyist with room for a mount can field all of the firepower we need? It’s a sad day for formality….” While Trikes integrate into the military hierarchy, they are indeed largely composed of hobbyists. Squats with resources and interest build and maintain their own machines: mounting weapons, drilling, and running mock exercises in their spare time. Forming their units based on the role and structure of traditional Trikes of the past, but with varied tastes in style, form, and performance, Trike enthusiasts draw incredulous stares wherever they go, and are viewed as oddities by an uncomprehending populace. There is an argument to be made that greater efficacy comes through passion than obligation, but the Trikers don’t care; they’re just out to have the time of their lives! Finding acceptance in each other even as society as a whole rejects them, Trikers are free to pursue their obsessions with childlike glee, producing ever more “authentic” and effective rides. As an added benefit, the end result of their fixation is a potent combination of speed and force, allowing them to live out their dreams as they flesh out Squat mobility.

Hearthguard Hearthguard

Special Rules Stubborn

WS 3

BS 3

S 3

T 3

W 1

I 3

A 2

Ldr 9

Sv 2+

“Always, we have lived as honor demands. Now honor demands that we adapt.”

Squat salvation and reinvigoration has not been without cost; more for some than others. While the ancient ways struggle to survive in this new paradigm, some have been forced to change, and others abandoned outright. Gone are the days of Brotherhood warriors, who fought with heroic fury for the glory of their individual clans. All clans are as one now, united in purpose as never before, and success relies on team efforts – no longer do any Squats fight alone. So too has change come to the military society’s elite. The Hearthguard once served as the pinnacle of a traditional soldier’s career – guards of honor for Clan Lords; elite fighters who bore the brunt of enemy assaults and pushed back whatever the weight! Now, a hero is a more mundane sort – one who personally sacrifices to see the success of his sisters, of her brothers. On the whole, the Hearthguard have accepted their changed role gracefully (if one overlooks a coup attempt and several minor rebellions). Now, their ranks are open to more common Squats in greater numbers. So too has changed the role they serve on the field. Donning mighty Exo Armour, the Hearthguard of today fulfill a mixed role. Exchanging lighter weapons systems of old for mighty Hand Cannons, Hearthguard provide anti-infantry support at medium ranges. Up close, chainfists make light work of enemy vehicles, tough Exo Armour absorbing fire that would overwhelm Sappers. In the latter role, Hearthguard have adopted a “take things as they come” philosophy, as many enemy craft can drive, skim, or fly circles around the slowmoving Squats. Opportunities will arise, and in the meantime there are plenty of foot soldiers to be taken off at the knees! Owing to the complexities of operating Exo Armour while retaining mobility, extensive training is required, and Hearthguard members must dedicate themselves to full military commitment. Because transporting the irregular and monstrously heavy Exo Armour presents challenges of logistics, however, Hearthguard do not share the PDF’s role of initial responders, often arriving via Mole Tank after battle’s been joined. Until such times, Hearthguard are reserved to defend fortified outposts; a role in which they excel. In this respect, they mirror their namesakes of old. So too do they honor the trust their people have placed in them with such powerful equipment, and it is rare for a unit of Hearthguard to break under pressure and flee the field. “So welcome to an introduction for the S-530c Glorified Hand Cannon. Today we’ll be going over the weapon’s purpose, a brief history of development, field care and cleaning, munitions specifications, and how to scuttle key components to prevent capture and use by the enemy. “The S-530 series is a standalone, one-size-fits-all solution to modern tactical needs. The galaxy’s rife with intelligent life, most of it inimical to the species Dwarfus Wannastayaliveus. The 530 series has proven to be a powerful deterrent via subcutaneous evacuation. The weapon’s aim, in a nutshell, is to kill things dead. “While lacking the penetrating capacity of some upper-spectrum particle weapons, the 530c’s fragmenting shells can still rip through power armour, and reliance on good old-fashioned kinetics makes it much harder for adaptive races like certain cannibalistic roaches to overcome with a limited genetic range. They try harder shells? We still blast through. The 530’s….”

Mole Tank Mole Tank

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 13 13 13

Special Rules Assault Ramps, Deep Strike, Subterranean Assault, Grinding Doom, Tremors

Transport 16 models (models in Exo Armour count as two). Assault Ramps: Models disembarking from a Mole Tank may assault on the turn they do so. Subterranean Assault: When Deep Striking, Mole Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain, and enemy models within 1" must move themselves to be at least 1" away. If a Mole Tank scatters into Dangerous or Impassible Terrain, then reduce the scatter distance by the minimum amount necessary to keep the Mole Tank 1” outside of the terrain. Squats may assault from a Mole Tank on the turn it Deep Strikes following normal rules for disembarking and assault. Grinding Doom: When ramming enemy vehicles (or buildings!) that are immobile, and/or didn't move last turn, a Mole Tank drill causes 3 Str 10 hits before regular ramming is resolved. These hits also take place against any model attempting to Death or Glory before the model may make its attack (if the model is killed, then no attack occurs). In addition, a Mole Tank has no minimum distance to move for a ramming attack to take place (though it must always attempt to move the maximum, and all other rules for ramming are in effect). Mole Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain, and a Mole Tank's drill cannot be destroyed with a Weapon Destroyed result. Tremors: When Deep Striking, on every Squat turn before it arrives, a Mole Tank causes a Str 4, AP -, Large Blast Pinning attack as the ground rumbles underneath. Against vehicles, this attack strikes rear armour and forces an immediate Dangerous Terrain check if the center hole is completely over the vehicle. This attack is resolved in the shooting phase. Skimmers and Fliers ignore this rule. Wargear to prevent or avoid Difficult and Dangerous Terrain checks applies. “Betty! Those damned Orks scratched Betty! Ramming speeeed!” When Squats go to war, they ride in style. A Mole Tank is a subterranean, high capacity transport designed to ferry Squats from underground complexes to battlefronts by travelling directly through planetary layers. In lower layers, Mole Tanks stick to vast highway systems hewn from solid rock. In the crust, advanced guidance systems take over and direct the tanks through the labyrinthine solid structure as Grinding Drills take over, breaking apart and moving stone and dirt alike on contact to allow travel at speed. To races unaccustomed to the inner workings of a planetary surface, a Mole Tank’s arrival can be shocking, the herald of its coming shifts in the ground beneath as tunnels collapse and dirt and rocks shift from the upward pressure created by the tank’s momentum. When a Mole Tank does break the surface, it literally breaks the surface, forcing enemies above to get out of the way or be turned into so much rubble. Assault ramps blast open, and sturdy Squats rush forth fresh and raring to go!

Thudd Gun Artillery Thudd Gun

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 10 10 10

Special Rules Immobile, Shock and Awe Shock and Awe: Thudd Gun Artillery squadrons always count as firing indirectly. *Note: Two Squats serve as weapon’s crew for each Thudd gun, but are purely cosmetic for game purposes. “Firing for effect” is a term not heard when it comes to Squat artillery. “Firing for righteous slaughter” works. Able to issue an incredible volume of firepower rapidly, Thudd guns are dangerous to light vehicles, and utterly devastating to enemy infantry as shell after shell pounds their positions in an endless torrent of destruction.

Magma Tank Magma Tank

BS 3

┌ Armour ┌ F S R 13 12 11

Special Rules Hulk, Ceramic Armour Hulk: A Magma Tank must always roll 2D6 in order to move. The sum is the tank’s maximum movement range for that turn. This does not affect speed ranges for moving and firing (the movement limit for moving and firing remains 6” regardless of maximum range). Magma Tanks ignore Difficult Terrain. Ceramic Armour: Magma Tanks are designed to withstand extreme heat and pressure. Melta weapons do not gain an extra d6 when rolling to penetrate Magma Tank armour at half range. If Bikers and Trikers have a screw loose, then Magma Tankers are batshit insane. It takes a special kind of personality to not just tolerate the extreme heat that penetrates even a Magma Tank’s ceramic armour, but enjoy a close, personal relationship in cramped cave corridors with a melta projectile as hot as a star’s corona.

The White Squat 315 points – Infantry – Special Character – HQ The White Squat

WS 7

BS 5

S 5

T 5

W 5

I 6

A 5

Ldr 10

Sv 3+(5+I)

Special Rules Independent Character, In The Hour of Greatest Need, Stubborn, Eternal Warrior, Blessing of The Ancients

Wargear Serendipity, Servo-Arm, Graviton Gun, Flachette Grenades, Gravity Torpedoes In The Hour of Greatest Need: The White Squat always begins the game in reserve. On the turn that he enters, he replaces any single Squat model on the field of the Squat player’s choice. If he replaces a model in a squad he becomes a part of that squad using normal Independent Character rules. Blessing of The Ancients: The White Squat nullifies any psychic powers used within 12”, or that directly affect him or the squad he’s in, on a d6 roll of 4+. Serendipity: Serendipity is a master-crafted Thunder Hammer that strikes in Initiative order. Servo-Arm: The White Squat’s Servo-Arm adds 1 to his Attacks (included in profile). Graviton Gun: The Graviton Gun is a potent, ancient weapon with a 12” range that has different effects at different ranges. At more than 6”, or at any range against Monstrous Creatures and vehicles, the gun fires at Str 7, AP 2, Assault 1. A failed save results in 2 wounds. At less than 6”, the gun freezes enemies to the spot, rendering them unable to move, shoot, use special rules, or fight in assault, effectively removing a single target model from play. Note that this attack affects enemies with the Eternal Warrior special rule. (You’re not killing them; just inconveniencing them… a lot). Invulnerable saves may be taken as normal. Exception: Enemy psykers may still use psychic powers if applicable, to include psychic shooting attacks and psychic assault abilities that don’t rely on physical attacks (e.g. Wind of Change, yes; Sword of Sanguinis, no). Flachette Grenades: Count as Offensive and Defensive grenades. Gravity Torpedoes: Instead of shooting, The White Squat may fire off three torpedoes with a 36" range. These torpedoes may be fired at up to three different targets. If hit, enemy non-vehicles move at half speed during the movement phase and if running for their next turn. Enemy vehicles take a Dangerous Terrain test for each successful hit. “Gather, sons and daughters, and I’ll tell you the story of an ancient beyond ancients, a living ancestor, who’s been with the Squats for as long as we’ve been a race, and will probably outlive all of us and many generations to come. Grombrindal is his name, and he is mightier in truth than fiction. In our hour of greatest need he appears, larger than legend. Looming over the field of battle he smites our foes… and then he’s gone, the corpses and wrecks he leaves evidence of his passing; victory his legacy. Fight on, my children! If ever you should feel the battle’s lost, that hope is lost, fight on! Grombrindal is watching us. Do not disappoint him, and you shall never know despair.” The White Squat is a figure of mystery, so widely known, but thoroughly misunderstood, as to be named a member of a different race entirely! This suits Grombrindal well, creating a sensational impact wherever he travels and leaving his true motives unexamined. What is known is that wherever and whenever the Squats have greatest need of him, he appears; a stranger, one of many in a nameless mob, suddenly throws back his hood, and there he is! Grombrindal lays waste to his enemies, battling with such fervor and disappearing so abruptly as to leave his newfound companions thunderstruck, feeling as though they’d just lived a dream. The White Squat is a symbol to his people, spreading hope, joy, and expectation wherever he goes; embodying the greatest characteristics of his race: hard work, integrity, and commitment to a just cause. The White Squat lives on.

Yurgret Onceminer 174 points – Infantry – Special Character – Elite Yurgret Onceminer

WS 5

BS 4

S 4

T 4

W 4

I 5

A 5

Ldr 10

Sv 3+

Special Rules Loner, Stealth, Infiltrator, Saboteur, Hates Tyranids, Gravity Bombs, Hard Target

Wargear Twin Drills, Heavy Webber, Defensive Grenades Loner: Yurgret is solitary in her grief, and focused on revenge to the exclusion of all else. She may never join a squad, or ride in a vehicle. Saboteur: Known for planning ahead, Yurgret scouts out potential battlefields and plants small, remotely detonated explosives in key areas where enemies might seek cover. As long as Yurgret is on the board, the entire Squat army counts as being armed with Frag Grenades. Hates Tyranids: Most Squats have gotten over their instinctive hatred of Tyranids for the loss of the original Squat Homeworlds; anger largely transferred to the Imperium instead! Not so with Yurgret, who has more recent, personal experience with the beasts. Yurgret always strikes first, and rerolls to wound, against Tyranids. Gravity Bombs: After armies are set up, but before the game begins, place four markers on the board at least 12" outside of the enemy deployment zone. Enemy units with a model that comes within 3" (large blast template) of a gravity bomb move at half speed when both moving and running that round. Enemies can maneuver around these markers, but must factor such movement into their overall distance travelled - this effect can serve much the same purpose in restricting mobility, and can also be used to funnel unsuspecting enemies into narrow approaches! Should an enemy unit have already travelled more than half of their movement distance when making contact with the bomb field, then they stop at the edge of the field. Bomb fields may overlap. Hard Target: Units wishing to fire at Yurgret do so using Night Fighting rules. Twin Drills: Yurgret’s beloved, hand-crafted tools for specialty prospecting. The Twin Drills are a pair of one-handed, master-crafted power weapons. For generations after the evacuation, Squats associated two emotions with the ravenous bio-forms of the Tyranids: fear and rage. Gradually, as centuries passed, and the tragedy grew dim in the minds of descendants, a more pragmatic view of events grew prevalent. Now, many generations later, Squats as a whole regard the possibility of a new Hive Fleet as one more danger among many. Whoever the foe, the Bulwark would hold; the Hive Fleet of old would be no match. Yurgret’s family was a little different, and her father in particular drilled one lesson home: two races were responsible for the loss of the first Squat worlds, and nearly the death of the race, and the one that started it all was the bugs. Many years later Yurgret would find herself on a fringe world, far outside of traditional Squat space – part of a research team studying for signs of Hrud infestation. Warnings largely forgotten, she went about her work with cheerful vigor, a low ranking Miner assigned to assist with excavation, but bursting with promise and latent potential. A small indigenous population had been contacted for permissions, and then summarily ignored. As the Squats dug into their work, a Genestealer Cult that had steadily grown for a decade revealed themselves, killed or converted the locals and set on the Squats like starving hounds. Underground when the attack began, Yurgret became trapped in a warren of caverns and interconnecting tunnels; the entrance collapsed in an explosion she hadn’t seen. Irony, or the work of her Ancestors? Trapped with her were ten Genestealers. Over the next month, Yurgret was driven to the edge of death; always running, starved out of her mind, laying traps where she could, only for those damned bugs to find them every time and escape unharmed! When rescue finally arrived, it was too late… for the bugs. A crazed Yurgret had killed and eaten every last one.

Weapon Overview Sheet Melee Weapons:

Shooting Weapons

Axes, Blades, Nets, Pikes, Daggers, Rocks, Explosives – Purely for decoration.

Hand Cannon – Range: 24", Str 6, AP 3, Heavy 1, Blast.

Axes and Chainswords – Count as 2 CC weapons. Axe of Hammersong – Special Weapon. See King / High King entry.

Heavy Webbers – As regular Webbers, but with a 48” range and a -2 penalty for pinning tests. Neo-plasma Cannon – Does not get hot. Neo-plasma Pistol – Does not get hot.

Cutting Torch – Counts as a two-handed Chainfist.

Grinding Drill – Attached to vehicles with the Grinding Doom Special Rule. Cannot be destroyed with a Weapon Destroyed result.

Magma Cannon – Ordinance melta weapon that follows melta rules for armor penetration at half range and under (Str + 2d6), and normal Ordinance rules for armor penetration at over half range (Str + roll 2d6, pick the highest). Either way gets +1 to vehicle Damage Results for being AP 1. Range: 24", Str 8, AP 1, Large Blast, Ordinance, Melta.

Pick – Counts as a two-handed CC weapon.

Self-Defense Cannon - Range: 24", Str 5, AP 5, Assault 2.

Staff – Purely for decoration.

Thudd Gun – Always counts as firing indirectly. Range: 12”-60”, Str 6, AP 4, Blast 4, Barrage.

Demo Pack – Attached to units with the Self Destruct Special Rule. Purely for decoration.

Webbers – Weapons are aimed and fired as normal. If a hit is scored, they cause no wounds, but provoke an immediate Pinning test for each successful Webber hit. Range: 36", Str X, Heavy 1, Pinning.

Summary Weapon Types

Troop Types Troop Bike Council Member Cyber Squat Hearthguard High King Hooligan King Miner PDF Trooper Raging Gladiator Sapper Surveyor Technomancer Thunderer Trike

WS 3 4 3 3 5 4 5 3 3 5 3 3 3 3 3

BS 3 4 3 3 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3

S 3 3 3 3 5 4 5 3 3 5 3 3 4 3 3

T 4 4 3 3 5 4 5 3 3 5 3 4 4 3 4

W 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 2 1 2

I 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3

A 1 2 1 2 4 2 4 2 1 4 1 2 2 1 2

Ldr 8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 8 9 8 8 10 8 8

Sv 4+ 4+ 4+ 2+ 3+(I) 5+ 4+(I) 4+ 4+ 4+(I) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+

Vehicles Vehicle Bulk Lifter Magma Tank Mole Tank Thudd Gun Artillery

BS 3 3 3 3

┌ Armour F S 12 11 13 12 13 13 10 10

┌ R 10 11 13 10

Weapon Autocannon Bolt Pistol Conversion Beamer

Range 48" 12" 18" 42" 72" 12" 24" 36" 48" 48" 24" 12" 36" 24" 24"

Str 7 4 6 8 10 7 6 5 X 9 3 7 7 5 4

AP 4 5 4 1 2 3 4 2 2 2 5 5

Webber

36"

X

-

Magma Cannon

24"

8

1

12”-60”

6

4

Graviton Gun Hand Cannon Heavy Bolter Heavy Webber Lascannon Lasgun Neo-plasma Pistol Neo-plasma Cannon Self-defense Cannon Storm Bolter

Thudd Gun

Type Heavy 2 Pistol Heavy 1, Blast Heavy 1, Blast Heavy 1, Blast Assault 1* Heavy 1, Blast Heavy 3 Heavy 1, Pinning* Heavy 1 Rapid Fire Pistol* Heavy 1, Blast* Assault 2 Assault 2 Assault 1, Pinning* Ordinance 1, Large Blast, Melta Heavy 4, Blast, Barrage*

*These weapons have additional rules as detailed in the Weapon Overview Sheet.

Other Resources: Unofficial Model Line

http://wk.frothersunite.com/sc/spacedwarf/spacedwarf.htm th

Alternative Squat Codex (modified from a 4 edition codex, both also unofficial).

http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=136698.0