TEXT: ®
  ®
  VOIDSHIPS AND WARFARE 
  IN THE KORONUS EXPANSE
  
  ROLEPLAYING IN THE GRIM 
  DARKNESS OF THE 41ST MILLENNIUM
  
  2
  Credits
  Credits
  Credits
  Lead Developer
  Sam Stewart
  Written and Developed By
  Andy Chambers, Robert Dempsey, Nathan Dowdell, John 
  Dunn, Tim Hukelbery, Jason Marker, Mike Surbrook,  
  and Ross Watson
  Editing
  Alex Davy
  Proofreading
  Mark Pollard
  Graphic Design
  Dallas Mehlhoff
  Cover Art
  Matt Bradbury
  Interior Art
  A.L. Ashbaugh, Alex Boyd, Matt Bradbury, Martin Buck, 
  Mauro dal Bo, Ioan Dumi, Wayne England, Zachary 
  Graves, David Griffith, Ralph Horsely, Nuala Kennedy, 
  Anton Kokarev, Marc Lee, David Nash, David Sondered, 
  Fredrik Dahl Tyskerud, and Ben Zweifel
  Art Direction
  Zoë Robinson
  Art Administration
  Kyle Hough
  Production Manager
  Eric Knight
  FFG Lead Game Designer
  Corey Konieczka
  FFG Lead Game Producer
  Michael Hurley
  Publisher
  Christian T. Petersen
  Games Workshop
  Licensing Manager
  Owen Rees
  Head of Licensing
  Paul Lyons
  Head of Intellectual Property
  Alan Merrett
  Special Thanks
   “You Bid Babies?!” Jordan “Milly” Millward with Keri Harthoorn, 
  Kyle Harthoorn-Burton, Kieren Smith, and Julia Smith. “Furies 
  for everyone!” David R. Schumpert III esq. with Pierre Wagenseil. 
  ”Unrepentant,” Lachlan “Raith” Conley with Jordan Dixon, Mark 
  McLaughlin, and Brad Twaddell. “Dispensing Orbital Justice,” Jordan 
  Goldfarb, Robin Dreher, Thomas Vorhies and Daniel Caroll. Roy 
  ‘Horizon’ Amkreutz, James Hata, Mack Martin, and Thaadd Powell.
  FANTASY
  FLIGHT
  GAMES
  Fantasy Flight Games
  1975 West County Road B2
  Roseville, MN 55113
  USA
  Copyright © Game Workshop Limited 2011. Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer 40,000 Role Play, Rogue Trader, 
  Battlefleet Koronus, the foregoing marks’ respective logos, Rogue Trader, and all associated marks, logos, places, names, creatures, races and 
  race insignia/devices/logos/symbols, vehicles, locations, weapons, units and unit insignia, characters, products and illustrations from the 
  Warhammer 40,000 universe and the Rogue Trader game setting are either ®, ™, and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2011, variably 
  registered in the UK and other countries around the world. This edition published under license to Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc. All 
  rights reserved to their respective owners. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any 
  form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
  ISBN: 978-1-61661-071-5    Product Code: RT09     Print ID: 935DEC10
  Printed in China
  For more information about the Rogue Trader line, free downloads, answers 
  to rule queries, or just to pass on greetings, visit us online at
  www.FantasyFlightGames.com
  Credits
  TM
  
  3
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents
  Introduction
  What’s in this book? ...............................................................4
  Chapter I: The Weapons of War
  Torpedoes .................................................................................6
  Attack Craft .......................................................................... 10
  Nova Cannons ...................................................................... 15
  Component Craftsmanship and Facilities  ........................ 17
  Installing Components ........................................................ 17
  New Starship Hulls .............................................................. 20
  Additional Components ...................................................... 31
  Chapter II: The Imperium’s Shield
  Interplanetary Flight ............................................................ 44
  Interstellar flight ................................................................... 45
  Duty of the Imperial Navy .................................................. 46
  The Birth of a Warship ....................................................... 46
  Life of a Warship .................................................................. 51
  Death of a Warship .............................................................. 53
  Battlefleet Calixis ................................................................. 54
  Famed ships of Battlefleet Calixis ...................................... 57
  Battlefleet Koronus ............................................................... 58
  A History of Passage Watch 27 Est ................................... 58
  Zone 15 ................................................................................. 61
  Notable Starships of Battlefleet Koronus .......................... 63
  Ranks In The Battlefleet  .................................................... 66
  Chapter III: Enemies of Humanity
  The Orks ............................................................................... 73
  The Eldar .............................................................................. 84
  The Stryxis ............................................................................ 95
  Rak’Gol ................................................................................. 97
  The Kroot ............................................................................101
  Chaos Reavers ....................................................................102
  Chapter IV: Rules of War
  Squadrons ............................................................................112
  NPC Starships ....................................................................114
  Actions and Orders ............................................................114
  Damage to NPC Ships ......................................................114
  Mustering the Fleet ............................................................115
  Celestial Phenomena .........................................................117
  Waging War ........................................................................118
  Ground Wars .......................................................................121
  Mustering Troops ...............................................................121
  Outfitting Forces ................................................................126
  Transporting and Deploying Forces ................................127
  Dogs of War .......................................................................128
  Large-Scale Warfare ...........................................................130
  Orders ..................................................................................131
  Attacking Units ..................................................................134
  Unit Attrition and Cohesion .............................................134
  Warfare Endeavours ...........................................................137
  Appendix of Vehicles .........................................................137
  
  4
  Introduction
  Introduction
  Introduction
  Introduction
  “To push back the night. To rule the stars themselves.”
  – Unofficial fleet motto, Battlefleet Koronus
  I
  n the great darkness beyond the Emperor’s light the enemies 
  of humanity swarm and multiply like vermin. Pirates, 
  renegades and aliens raid from wilderness space and think 
  themselves safe from retribution. They are wrong. The fiery 
  sword of Imperial wrath can descend upon them at any time 
  in the shape of the Imperial Navy, a monumental organisation 
  with the power to shatter star systems and destroy entire 
  civilisations. The innumerable ships and crews of the Imperial 
  Navy, from lumbering battleships to nimble destroyers, are the 
  Imperium’s sword and shield in the war between the stars. Now, 
  that sword and shield turns to face the Koronus Expanse.
  For Rogue Traders, the Imperial Navy promises both 
  opportunity and danger. Those who would exploit the Imperium 
  or who seek the lawless frontier for its distance from Imperial 
  eyes see the Navy as a threat. However, for all its titanic power 
  the demands on the fleet are equally vast. Often it falls to just 
  a handful of brave captains on the Imperium frontier’s to play a 
  key role in the unending battle for the fate of mankind. For those 
  Rogue Traders willing to ally themselves with the Imperial Navy, 
  vast opportunities for warfare and profit await.
  WHAT’S IN THIS bOOK?
  Battlefleet Koronus is a sourcebook for both GMs and players 
  about starships  and waging war as a profit-making endeavour in 
  the Rogue TRadeR roleplaying game. The book contains new 
  Components, weapons, the ships of enemies and adversaries, 
  and rules for NPC starships and waging large-scale war. All 
  of this is presented through the eyes of Commander Victoria 
  Horne, captain of the Imperial light cruiser Hawk. The Navy 
  tasks Horne with patrolling the Expanse, and her familiarity 
  with that region of space is nigh unmatched. 
  Chapter 1: the Weapons of War
  Weapons of War provides information about heavy ordnance 
  of the kind to be found only on true warships; fighter and 
  bomber squadrons, torpedoes and nova cannon. A Rogue 
  Trader seeking a powerful ship needs these military-grade 
  weapons if they want to pursue war for profit. This chapter 
  also includes new hulls and Components for battlecruiser and 
  grand cruiser-class vessels, launch bays, torpedo tubes, nova 
  cannon, and a comprehensive list of additional Components.
  Chapter 2: the ImperIum’s shIeld
  The Imperial Navy is an ancient and incredibly powerful 
  institution. Taken as a whole, it is the mightiest star fleet in 
  the galaxy, but it is stretched very thin across the vastness of 
  the Imperium. This Chapter looks at how the Imperial Navy 
  functions, its founding and unshakeable traditions, labyrinthine 
  rank structure, its many duties, and its tried-and-trusted methods. 
  Famed ships and noteworthy individuals of Battlefleet Calixis 
  are detailed, along with those of Passage Watch 27 EST—
  known to its members as Battlefleet Koronus. It also examines 
  the interaction between the Imperial Navy and Rogue Traders, 
  who are sometimes only grudgingly tolerated (or even hunted), 
  but often supported as valuable privateers and auxiliaries.
  Chapter 3: enemIes of humanIty
  The space-borne foes of the Imperial Navy are detailed in this 
  section in many of their disgusting forms. GMs can find everything 
  from the dangerous contraptions of Ork freebooterz to the sleek 
  death bringers of the Eldar. Alongside them are the blasphemous 
  vessels of the renegade followers of the Ruinous Powers and void-
  going abominations built by lesser xenos like the vagrant Stryxis, 
  the brutal Rak’Gol, and the ever-adaptable Kroot.
  Chapter 4: the rules of War
  This final section of the book is for both GMs and players 
  and provides rules and guidelines for two core areas of Rogue 
  TRadeR. The first is the important business of profiteering 
  through war. Here you can find ideas on how to turn a Rogue 
  Trader’s vast resources towards waging a full-fledged war either 
  in space or on the ground, different ways in which war can be 
  profitable, and reasons why players may want to embark on war. 
  The second is how a GM can match a fleet of multiple ships in 
  combat against the players with new rules for Extended Actions, 
  Squadrons and tracking Crew Population and Morale efficiently.
  4
  Fleet Communique 
  Sent: Secondary Astropathic Duct-201.814.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne—Metis Fleet Base
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, resupplying and rearming at Copernicus Depot—Tygress II
  As I write this the landers are returning to pick up their final loads of press-ganged crew. 
  With the refits at the Lathes and now new bodies for the lowdecks, the Hawk is as fit for 
  duty as can be made. Should all go well, I shall meet you soon at Metis. I look forward to 
  seeing you again, brother—and as for yourself, I don’t know how you’ve managed to keep the 
  Expanse under control in my absence! Surely it involved a Herculean effort on your part. 
  I must admit, I am eager to leave Tygress II. I’ve grown to abhor setting foot on an 
  Imperial world, and count the hours till I’m at void again. It’s not the worlds themselves, 
  but I’d prefer to ride between the stars than see what you protect. The sight of those 
  teeming multitudes pressed together beneath a hostile sky, where a minute of battery fire 
  from my ship’s guns could kill millions makes my heart quiver. If only they knew what peril 
  they live in beneath those smiling, deceptive skies… skies that might open one day to rain 
  death with tongues of atomic fire. The responsibility of it all almost unnerves me. 
  No, I shall be glad when I’ve finished formalities and turned the Hawk towards the Koronus 
  Passage. I’ll see you ere too long, Nathaniel. 
  Communique Ends
  
  5
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Torpedoes
  •
  ATTAck crAfT
  •
  NovA cANNoNs
  •
  compoNeNT 
  crAfTsmANship
  •
  New sTArship 
  hulls
  •
  AddiTioNAl 
  compoNeNTs
  
  6
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Chapter I: 
  The Weapons 
  of War
  “Enemy torpedoes inbound! All interceptors: scramble, scramble!”
  – Lieutenant Anshal Garott, Master of Ordnance aboard the 
  Dictator-class cruiser Shadow of Wrath
  T
  he Imperium of Man has waged war amongst the 
  stars for over a hundred centuries against countless 
  and diverse foes. Across those millennia of warfare, 
  uncountable masses of munitions have been expended in the 
  pursuit of total human dominance of the galaxy. In victory 
  and in defeat, this age of war has left its mark upon ancient 
  ships, leaving scars upon the proud vessels of the Imperial 
  Navy and wracking their machine spirits with bitter dreams.
  Thus, each vessel within the Imperial Navy is unique, 
  distinguished not only by the vagaries of class and construction 
  and the individual Components that fill their hulls and give 
  them function, but by the damage they have endured and had 
  repaired, and by the experiences they have faced under the 
  command of countless generations of crew.
  This chapter provides the means to make such unique vessels, 
  starting with new rules for weapon systems not included in the 
  Rogue TRadeR core rulebook—such as torpedoes, launch bays 
  and the deadly Nova cannon— followed by an array of new 
  hulls, new Components both essential and supplemental, and 
  additional rules detailing the installation and craftsmanship of 
  starship Components of all kinds.
  Torpedoes
  “...the torpedo salvo plunged towards the Bale Childer, and in a 
  moment what had been a tight formation of warships dissolved into a 
  panicked mass, each ship evading as best it could.”  
  —Excerpt from “Treatise on Naval Tactics against the Hated 
  Yu’vath During the Angevin Crusade” 
  T
  he Imperial Navy makes extensive use of massive self-
  propelled ship-to-ship missiles known collectively as 
  torpedoes, as do many of its enemies. While expensive 
  to maintain, these weapons possess considerable destructive 
  potential, and many captains use an enemy’s tendency to 
  avoid torpedoes to dominate a battle, forcing enemies to 
  move in particular directions.
  The most common form of torpedo is over 
  60 metres long and contains both a powerful 
  warhead and a short-lived plasma reactor 
  similar to, but less stable than, those used 
  in starships and Titans. Each torpedo is built to accelerate 
  quickly from its launching tube into the void, hurtling in a 
  straight line towards the enemy. While many torpedoes are 
  fired to deter enemy movement and thus may never strike, 
  each individual weapon can do significant damage to a 
  voidship, and thus are feared by many captains.
  Guided by a crude and murderous machine spirit and the 
  calculations of a ship’s Master of Ordnance, a torpedo uses basic 
  augury techniques scanning for the heat from plasma drives, target 
  silhouette, electronic output, and even an enemy ship’s mass to 
  locate enemy vessels. Once the machine spirit acquires its target, 
  powerful manoeuvring thrusters to adjust course to intercept. 
  Upon impact, the forward momentum drives the torpedo’s body 
  deep into the vessel’s structure before the warhead and plasma 
  reactor both detonate, inflicting damage far greater than that of 
  a single lance strike or macrocannon shell.
  Launching Torpedoes
  Torpedoes differ from macrobatteries and lances in a number 
  of ways, particularly in the manner they are fired. For the sake 
  of clarity, the entire process of launching and attacking with 
  torpedoes is described here and does not refer to the rules for 
  shooting on pages 219-221 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook.
  In all cases, torpedo tubes, torpedo launchers and other 
  equivalent Components must always be mounted in either 
  a Prow or Keel weapon location. The forces exerted upon 
  a vessel when firing a salvo of torpedoes are such that only 
  certain mounts can properly contain them. For this reason, on 
  any vessel of Grand Cruiser size and smaller, torpedoes may 
  only fire into the Fore arc, regardless of where the weapon 
  Component is located.
  Fleet Communiqué 
  Sent: Astropath Ternicus-335.814.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of 
  the Gryphon and Officer Commanding of 
  Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain 
  of the Hawk, on extended operations, the 
  Koronus Expanse 
  I regret to report my patrol has 
  suffered a setback. Recent pirate 
  activity along the Foundling Traverse 
  has intensified in recent weeks, and our 
  investigation put us against a greater 
  concentration of enemy forces than was 
  expected. Based upon our archivists’ 
  analysis, it is likely these are pirate 
  raiders operating out of Iniquity. 
  Though the pirates were driven off, we 
  took several torpedo hits, and lost our 
  port launch bay to an enemy bombing run. 
  I’ve lost good men to these reavers, and 
  will require reinforcement and repair 
  before I resume my patrol. I’ve set course 
  for Damaris, where facilities should exist 
  to effect repairs. I am particularly 
  concerned by the reavers’ use of Fleet-
  quality munitions such as torpedoes, 
  suggesting that Iniquity’s infrastructure 
  is more developed than previously 
  anticipated.
  Communiqué Ends
  
  77
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Before the weapons can be fired, the launchers must be 
  loaded. Normally, it takes a full Strategic Turn in combat 
  to reload any empty tubes on a vessel, at which point the 
  torpedoes may be fired in subsequent turns. However, to 
  reload faster, an Explorer may perform an Extended Action 
  in which the Explorer makes an Difficult (–10) Command 
  or Tech Use Test. If passed, all empty launch tubes on the 
  vehicle are loaded successfully, and may be fired during the 
  same Strategic Turn, rather than a subsequent turn. 
   As with macrobatteries and lances, a single torpedo launcher 
  weapon Component actually comprises several launch tubes. 
  This is, as with other weapon Components, denoted as the 
  Component’s Strength. All the other properties of an attack 
  using torpedoes are determined by the torpedoes themselves, 
  which have a number of characteristics that define them:
  • Speed: The distance in VUs the torpedoes can travel in a 
  single Strategic Turn.
  • Damage: The damage each Torpedo causes on a hit.
  • Critical Hit: The value needed on the damage dice in 
  order to score a critical hit on the target.
  • Range: The number of VUs the torpedoes may travel 
  in total, before the reactor becomes dormant and the 
  Torpedo ineffectual.
  When firing torpedoes, the launcher’s entire Strength value 
  of torpedoes is launched as a single group, referred to as a 
  Salvo. No attack roll is needed at the time of firing, but a single 
  Explorer or NPC must be assigned to launch the Torpedoes, 
  as his skill at readying them for launch will determine their 
  success when they reach their target. This character may still 
  fire other weapons during that Shooting Action as normal—
  the only difference is that “firing” the torpedoes does not 
  require a test until the torpedoes reach their target.
  Torpedoes are different than macrobatteries, lances, and 
  Nova Cannons, because the weapons are largely self-contained. 
  Due to this, Explorers cannot perform extended actions 
  to boost the accuracy of torpedoes. No matter how quickly 
  or competently the crew loads a torpedo, it does not affect the 
  weapon’s machine spirit’s ability to hit a target. In the same 
  way, bonuses from shipboard Components does not 
  boost the Ballistic Skill Test to hit with torpedoes (see 
  following page). 
  Upon firing and at the start of each of the parent ship’s 
  subsequent Strategic Turns before any other actions are 
  performed, a Salvo travels directly forward a number of VUs 
  equal to its Speed. The torpedoes continue to travel in this 
  manner until they have travelled a total number of VUs equal 
  to their Range, at which point their reactors’ limited fuel is 
  depleted and the torpedoes shut down, cold and inactive.
  If, at any point during movement, a Salvo passes within 1 
  VU of another vessel (friend or foe; a torpedo’s machine spirit 
  is unable and unwilling to make such a distinction), then the 
  character who launched the Torpedoes makes a Challenging 
  (+0) Ballistic Skill+Torpedo Rating Test (for Torpedo 
  Rating, see page 9). On a successful test, one torpedo strikes 
  the target ship, plus an additional torpedo for every Degree of 
  Success. No more torpedoes may hit than the number present in 
  the salvo. Torpedoes are not stopped or hindered by void shields.
  Note, if using a grid map, torpedoes hit any target in the 
  same grid square as they are travelling, or the grid squares on 
  either side (effectively giving them a 3 VU coverage).
  Once the total number of torpedo hits has been determined, 
  roll the torpedoes’ listed damage value once for each torpedo 
  that hit, comparing each damage result to the target’s armour. 
  For every point that exceeds the target’s armour, deal one 
  point of damage to the target’s hull integrity. 
  All torpedoes also have a unique rule: Terminal Penetration 
  (X). When a torpedo rolls damage, re-roll any dice results equal 
  to or lower than the value given in parentheses. The results of 
  the re-roll stand, they are not re-rolled again. 
  Unlike macrobatteries, the damage from multiple torpedoes 
  in a salvo is not combined then compared to starship armour. 
  shorT ANd wide sAlvos
  It is possible to launch torpedoes in smaller salvos than 
  the number of available tubes—whether because the 
  ship does not have enough torpedoes to load all its 
  tubes, or because a canny captain wants to hold some 
  in reserve, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. 
  Launching a “short salvo” does not require any test; 
  the Explorer directing the launch simply announces 
  how many he is launching. However, if in subsequent 
  turns the Explorer wishes to launch more torpedoes 
  than remain in the tubes, he will need to reload first.
  Likewise, some canny Explorers may want to launch 
  a wider “spread” of torpedoes, saturating a wider area to 
  make the salvo harder to evade. This decreases the chances 
  of multiple strikes, but likewise decreases the chances of 
  enemy ships getting out of the way. If an Explorer wants 
  to fire a “wide salvo,” he announces it on firing. These 
  behave in the same way as normal salvos, except that the 
  torpedoes attack any targets passing within two VUs, 
  instead of one. However, the Ballistic Skill Test to hit 
  becomes Hard (–20) instead of Challenging (+0), and 
  the maximum number of hits the torpedoes can score is 
  equal to half the salvo’s current size. A ship must be able 
  to launch at least two torpedoes to fire a wide salvo.
  Torpedoes ANd criTicAl hiTs
  Torpedoes resolve Critical Hits differently than almost 
  every other attack available to a vessel in Rogue Trader. 
  This is for one very obvious reason—accuracy. While 
  macrobatteries, lances and attack craft can all guide 
  their attacks to various degrees, the final approach of 
  a torpedo is largely automated and fairly clumsy by 
  comparison. Consequently, the chance of a torpedo 
  scoring a Critical Hit is determined by damage and 
  random chance rather than operator skill.
  When a torpedo rolls damage, if at least one of the dice 
  values equals or exceeds the value listed in the Crit Rating 
  of the torpedo’s profile, the torpedo causes a Critical Hit. 
  If the torpedo has not done damage to Hull Integrity, it 
  does 1 point of damage. Then roll 1d5 on Table 8-12: 
  Critical Hits in the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook on 
  page 222 to generate the Critical Hit result. 
  
  8
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Any torpedoes which are not shot down by turret fire and 
  which do not hit the target vessel continue moving as normal 
  until they either strike a vessel or reach their maximum range.
  Torpedo Types
  Torpedo tubes may have a number of stored torpedoes no 
  greater than the capacity listed in their Component entry (see 
  page 37). The standard propulsion package of torpedoes are 
  usually indistinguishable from one another, so torpedoes are 
  differentiated by their payload. Most Imperial torpedoes have 
  only a basic guidance system, but an advanced version may be 
  chosen for a torpedo equipped with nearly any type of warhead. 
  Table 1–1: Torpedoes denotes the relevant information 
  for the various types of torpedoes. Table 1–2: Torpedo 
  Availability has the Availability Ratings for torpedoes and 
  guidance systems. If a character wishes to Acquire a torpedo 
  with a guidance system, follow the Combining Acquisitions 
  rules on page 271 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook.
  wArheAds
  Although variant warheads are not common, different types of 
  torpedoes can fulfil very different tactical roles. Even when different 
  options are available, a ship’s master must carefully choose those 
  armaments that are most consistent with the ship’s fighting style.
  plasma warheads
  These explosives are the standard armament for Imperial torpedoes. 
  These systems are designed to blast through a spaceship’s armoured 
  hull, using their high speed to punch deep into the target vessel. 
  The plasma reactor that powers a torpedo’s drive forces it deep 
  into the bowels of the ship and then overloads, contributing to the 
  fury of the warhead’s detonation. This reduces complexity, making 
  their manufacture comparatively simple. Thus, these torpedoes are 
  the staple of Imperial Navy warships. 
  Terminal Penetration (3): When rolling damage for this 
  weapon, re-roll any dice results of 3 or lower. The results of 
  the second roll stand.
  Boarding torpedoes 
  More manned spacecraft than torpedo, these fulfil a comparable 
  role to assault boats. However, boarding torpedoes are less 
  manoeuvrable and less armoured than assault boats. To offset 
  these flaws, they are also much smaller targets. The crews of a 
  boarding torpedo are able to make minor adjustments to the 
  torpedo’s flight path. Consequently, these are always considered 
  Guided torpedoes, though no additional Acquisition cost is 
  required for this feature. Note that boarding torpedoes do not 
  have a Detection rating. No additional guidance systems may 
  be added to boarding torpedoes.
  When a boarding torpedo successfully hits a target craft, roll 
  the weapon’s damage as normal. If the damage exceeds the target’s 
  armour, the torpedo does not inflict damage to Hull Integrity. 
  Instead, it immediately inflicts a Hit-and-Run attack. 
  Terminal Penetration (2): When rolling damage 
  for this weapon, re-roll any dice results of 2 or 
  lower. The results of the second roll stand.
  Melta warheads 
  These weapons are even more feared by starship captains than 
  standard torpedoes. Mercifully rare and extremely brutal, 
  melta warheads detonate a precisely-organised series of melta 
  charges upon impact with a target, burning through hull 
  plating and consuming sections of the vessel’s interior in a 
  roiling conflagration. 
  A hit from a Melta Torpedo that deals damage automatically 
  causes a Fire! Critical Result, in addition to any other Crits 
  is may cause. Carrying these extremely volatile weapons 
  is nearly as dangerous for a vessel as it is for its targets. If 
  Torpedo Tubes armed with these warheads are destroyed, one 
  additional Components of the GM’s choice is set on fire.
  Terminal Penetration (4): When rolling damage for this 
  weapon, re-roll any dice results of 4 or lower. The results of 
  the second roll stand.
  Virus warheads 
  In cases when a vessel must be captured intact, but the 
  target’s crew are considered expendable, virus warheads are 
  considered an ideal solution. Pirates more interested in inert 
  cargo, salvage, and the possibility of expanding their fleet lust 
  after these rare and unstable armaments. 
  When a torpedo armed with a Virus Warhead successfully 
  hits a target vessel, roll damage. Provided the result exceeds 
  the target’s Armour, the vessel immediately suffers 3d10 
  damage to Crew Population and 2d10 damage to Morale. 
  The ship does not, however, suffer damage to Hull Integrity. 
  A character must immediately make a Difficult (–10) 
  Command Test to isolate survivors from the infected crew. If 
  this test succeeds, the spread of the virus is halted. However, 
  if the test is failed, the vessel will suffer the same damage 
  again each strategic turn until the test is passed. Note that 
  this test must be taken for each successful warhead strike in 
  a salvo.
  The danger imposed by Virus Warheads is not entirely one-
  sided. If a Torpedo Tube armed with these weapons is Damaged, 
  the vessel counts as being affected by a virus warhead. 
  Terminal Penetration (1): When rolling damage for this 
  weapon, re-roll any dice results of 1. The results of the second 
  roll stand.
  Vortex warheads
  Only a few remaining Forge worlds still maintain the 
  technological craftsmanship to manufacture these rare weapons. 
  The Vortex Warhead is not a crude explosive charge, but an 
  arcane device that tears open a rent in the very fabric of reality, 
  consigning vast chunks of its target into the warp. The swirling 
  energy within this tear in the fabric of reality immediately 
  Table 1–1: Torpedoes
  Torpedoes Speed
  Damage
  Crit Rating Range
  Plasma
  10
  2d10+14
  10
  60
  Boarding
  10
  2d10+11
  –
  60
  Melta
  10
  2d10+15
  9+
  60
  Virus
  10
  2d10+10
  –
  60
  Vortex
  10
  2d10+5
  6+
  60
  
  9
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  draws all matter in its blast radius through it, leaving gaping 
  wounds in the target vessel. 
  When attacked by these torpedoes, word of these horrifying 
  weapons spreads like wildfire through the target crew. In 
  addition to the Hull Integrity damage and the Critical Hit 
  from each Vortex warhead, each successful vortex warhead 
  strike also causes 1d5 damage to Morale. Vortex warheads 
  ignore Armour when calculating damage.
  Maintaining and safeguarding these weapons requires 
  rituals that have been lost to most enginseers. If torpedo tubes 
  armed with these warheads are Damaged, the torpedo tubes 
  are immediately destroyed. Further, the vessel is immediately 
  subjected to three additional Critical Hits at locations of the 
  GM’s choice. In addition, when an upkeep test to resupply 
  Vortex torpedoes is failed by two or more degrees of failure, 
  the new Vortex torpedoes are defective. These torpedoes will 
  detonate damaging (but not destroying) the torpedo tubes at 
  a time of the GM’s choice.
  Terminal Penetration (5): When rolling damage for this 
  weapon, re-roll any dice results of 5 or lower. The results of 
  the second roll stand.
  GuidANce sysTems ANd modificATioNs
  All torpedoes are equipped with a guidance system, a machine 
  spirit that detects targets and steers them into a terminal embrace. 
  Most torpedoes use similar guidance systems, but some rare 
  weapons possess advance systems. These specialised systems 
  often enable a torpedo to cleanly avoid the lion’s share of a target 
  vessel’s defences, making every torpedo a much more effective 
  weapon. In addition, some torpedoes might have guidance 
  systems designed specifically to work at higher speeds due to 
  boosted engines. Guidance systems are purchased for torpedoes. 
  They may be purchased separately at their Availability, or 
  purchased with a torpedo using combined Acquisition rules. 
  standard guidance systems
  Most torpedoes possess these machine spirits, which use 
  augury systems to scan their flight path for ship sized mass 
  readings, radiation output, heat, and other identifiers. All 
  torpedoes come with a standard guidance system normally, 
  this does not modify their Availability. Standard Guidance 
  Systems grant the torpedo a Torpedo Rating of +20. 
  Guided Torpedoes 
  Tight beam communications from the vessels that launched 
  them continuously control the flight paths of guided torpedoes. 
  This enables a talented pilot to redirect these weapons up 
  until the very last moment before impact. The additional 
  navigational thrusters and communications equipment are rare, 
  but the patterns are still in production at a number of Forge 
  worlds. 
  At the beginning of the torpedo’s movement, one Explorer 
  or NPC on the launching ship may make a Challenging 
  (+0) Tech Use+Detection Test. Success means he may 
  change the direction the torpedoes are moving by up to 
  45 degrees. For every degree of success, he may slow the 
  torpedoes movement speed that Round by 1 VU. 
  If an enemy vessel has previously used a Focused Augury 
  Test to identify the torpedo tubes on the launching vessel, 
  they will have identified the hallmarks of the guided torpedo 
  system. In this case, a character on the target vessel may make a 
  Arduous (–40) Tech Use Test. If this test succeeds, the target 
  vessel seizes control of the guided torpedoes and may redirect 
  them towards any target within their remaining flight range.
  Guided Torpedoes grant the torpedo a Torpedo Rating 
  of +20.
  Seeking Torpedoes
  Only a very few of the major Forge worlds maintain the capacity 
  to manufacture seeking guidance systems. Torpedoes equipped 
  with these systems employ adaptive cogitators and logic engines 
  that continuously analyse their target’s defensive actions. The 
  combination of their rarity and combat effectiveness has granted 
  these torpedoes a near-legendary status. Seeking Torpedoes 
  grant the torpedo a Torpedo Rating of +30.
  Short-Burn Torpedoes
  These torpedoes are equipped with an engine that burns 
  much hotter, but for a significantly shorter length of time. 
  This change in the engine dynamics leads to an increased 
  acceleration that grants these torpedoes a higher velocity, 
  at the expense of a shorter flight time. This, however, has 
  a tendency to overload the augurs of a standard guidance 
  system’s machine spirit, meaning a quicker and more 
  aggressive machine spirit must be used instead. 
  These torpedoes move at a speed of 15 VU per turn, rather 
  than the 10 VU of all other types. However, their massive 
  fuel consumption reduces their maximum range to 30 VU. 
  In addition, Short Burn Torpedoes grant the torpedo a 
  Torpedo Rating of +15.
  Table 1–2: Torpedo Availability
  Table 1–2: Torpedo Availability
  Torpedoes
  Availability
  Plasma
  Rare
  Boarding
  Very Rare
  Melta
  Extremely Rare
  Extremely Rare
  Virus
  Near Unique
  Vortex
  Unique
  Guidance Systems
  Guided
  Rare
  Seeking
  Extremely Rare
  Extremely Rare
  Short Burn
  Rare
  Standard Guidance System
  –
  
  10
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Attack Craft
  “Gryphon, this is Meteor wing. Attack runs complete, target well struck.”
  —Squadron Leader Sinclaire, defence of Port Wander 
  against WAAAGH! Gulgrog
  O
  ften ill-favoured by the command staff of Battlefleet 
  Calixis due to a preference for “true” warships, carrier 
  vessels like the Dictator-class cruiser are nonetheless a 
  valuable strategic asset for the Imperial Navy, simply due to their 
  versatility. The average launch bay on a cruiser—few smaller 
  vessels can spare the internal volume needed to support attack craft 
  operations—carries an assortment of craft, from an abundance of 
  cargo lighters and personnel shuttles, to larger troop dropships, 
  atmospheric craft (sometimes in storage containers, sometimes 
  with limited void-capability for orbital deployment) to anti-ship 
  heavy bombers, assault boats and fighters. This sheer abundance 
  of different craft allows carriers to undertake a wide variety of 
  missions either directly or in support of other vessels.
  While they are only grudgingly tolerated by many Imperial 
  Navy Battlefleets, numerous Rogue Traders find carriers to be 
  ideal for their purposes, able to as easily serve mercantile interests 
  as military ones. The only factor limiting their spread amongst 
  such eclectic individuals is cost; maintaining dozens of light craft 
  and the skilled crew needed to maintain and operate them is 
  beyond the resources of all but the wealthiest individuals.
  Launch Bay  
  preparaTion
  Operating a carrier is a complex matter, and many vessels 
  employ a dedicated crew to oversee the minutia of these 
  operations. No launch bay remains at a constant level of 
  complete readiness. Craft are ritually placed into hangar-
  vaults, their machine spirits slumbering until they are called 
  upon once more, while the deck crews work to ensure that the 
  launch mechanisms and fuel systems function properly, check 
  the ammunition stores, and perform a thousand other minor 
  tasks needed to ensure that the launch bay works smoothly. 
  Preparing a launch bay for operations is a complex process 
  requiring many men to unload and awaken the craft needed, 
  and to ensure that they are fuelled and armed as required.
  Outside of battle, this can be done slowly and carefully, 
  taking the time necessary to ensure that no mistakes are made. 
  This is fortunate, as many shuttles and lighters are stubborn and 
  recalcitrant in spirit compared to the fierce and eager spirits of 
  attack craft, and thus take some time to coerce into service. A 
  starship may have one squadron per point of Launch Bay 
  Strength prepared and ready for launch at any one time. 
  In the midst of battle, things are a little more hectic, and 
  preflight preparations are afforded much less time. In combat, 
  this takes an Extended Action in which the character performing 
  the Extended Action makes an Ordinary (+10) Command 
  Test in order to make new squadron ready for operations. 
  The maximum number of squadrons that may be made ready 
  
  11
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  simultaneously is equal to the Strength value of the Launch 
  Bay Component being used. Multiple Launch Bay Components 
  may be made ready with a single Extended Action. For more 
  information on what squadrons a launch bay may hold, see the 
  “Room in Launch Bays” sidebar above.
  Most attack craft operations (see page 12) begin the 
  operation by launching attack craft squadrons currently ready 
  in the launch bays. Once a bay has launched squadrons, 
  additional squadrons can be readied for operations—so long 
  as the number of squadrons readied does not exceed the 
  Strength of the Launch Bay. These squadrons can even be 
  launched on subsequent turns. Needless to say, a ship cannot 
  launch more squadrons than it possesses. 
  exAmple
  The Solemn Judgement, a Mars-class Battlecruiser, has two Strength 
  2 launch bays. In the midst of battle, it prepares to launch bombers to 
  attack a nearby Ork Kroozer. The vessel’s Master of Ordnance makes an 
  Ordinary (+10) Command Test and passes. Four squadrons of 
  bombers are prepared for launch. The Master of Ordnance may instead 
  have chosen to prepare three squadrons of bombers and a squadron of 
  fighters to escort them, or some other combination of craft so long as no 
  more than four squadrons are prepared. Once those squadrons launch, 
  the Master of Ordnance can spend his next Extended Action preparing 
  another four squadrons, which can then launch on a subsequent turn. 
  The craft contained within a launch bay can be grouped 
  into five categories for this purpose:
  • Support Craft (small craft designed to support diplomatic 
  and mercantile operations).
  • Aeronautica (small craft designed to support planetary 
  military operations, including atmospheric fighters, 
  bombers, and troop transports).
  • Fighters (void-capable craft designed to combat enemy 
  attack craft and ordnance).
  • Bombers (large void-capable craft designed to attack 
  enemy starships).
  • Assault Boats (void-capable armoured shuttles designed 
  to deliver boarding parties onto enemy vessels).
  The specifics of using Support Craft and Aeronautica are not 
  given here, but during any endeavour in which such craft are 
  useful, the players earn an additional +25 Achievement Points 
  towards a Military or Trade objective for every point of launch bay 
  Strength their ship possesses. See page 121 for more information 
  as to how Aeronautica can be used in a military endeavour. 
  squAdroNs below full sTreNGTh
  Depending on the fortunes of war, ships may lose attack 
  craft, and be forced to fight with squadrons that are at less 
  than full strength. Determining how many craft a squadron is 
  missing depends on how losses to attack craft squadrons are 
  being tracked (see page 16). In any case, squadrons that are 
  half strength or lower only provide the +5 bonus (whether 
  attacking with fighters, bombers, or assault craft) for every 
  two additional squadrons, rather than every one. 
  elimiNATed squAdroNs
  Throughout these rules, there is a possibility a squadron may 
  be “eliminated.” This means the squadron has lost some of its 
  room iN lAuNch bAys
  It is entirely possible that a Rogue Trader won’t have a myriad types of small craft available in his launch bay. Such 
  vehicles are extremely expensive, and a Rogue Trader may not see the value in maintaining squadrons of assault boats 
  when all he wants are starfighter interceptors to protect his vessel. 
  Each point of Strength in a launch bay equates to enough room for one squadron of starfighters, one squadron of 
  bombers, and one squadron of assault boats, support craft, or Aeronautica. These berths can be refurbished to handle 
  different types of small craft, so a launch bay with one point of Strength could be modified to hold two squadrons 
  of fighters and one squadron of support craft, or any number of other combinations. However, for every point of 
  Strength in a launch bay, the bay can hold three squadrons total. 
  The sizes of squadrons listed on Table 1-3 give an idea of how many fighters, bombers, and assault boats may be 
  stored within a launch bay. For support craft and Aeronautica, use the following guidelines:
  • In general, Aeronautica can be grouped by type in the same way spaceborn attack craft are—fighters, bombers, and 
  transports. However, Aeronautica are generally smaller than their spaceborn cousins. A squadron of Aeronautica can 
  be up to twice the size of a corresponding spaceborn attack craft—so a wing of 40 Thunderbolt fighters would take 
  up the same space as a squadron of 20 Fury Interceptors. 
  • In general, support craft take up the same space as assault boats.  
  ships wiThouT lAuNch bAys
  Not every starship has dedicated launch bays to host whole squadrons of attack craft and shuttles. However, most 
  starships have some sort of landing bay with room for shuttles and small craft. Generally, Imperial ships are too large 
  to easily land on a planet’s surface, and small craft become vital for loading crew and cargo, and resupplying the vessel. 
  The size of these small bays can vary wildly based on a ship’s size and class. However, if GMs or players wish to determine 
  how many shuttles a ship may have room for, a useful guideline is that a ship has room for one lighter, shuttle, or heavy lifter 
  for every 5 points of Space its hull has. In general, these vehicles shouldn’t be larger than 50 metres. However, if a ship has 
  a cargo hold component (such as the Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay), they should be able to hold an additional four vehicles. 
  
  12
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  craft, and others may have been damaged. For game purposes, 
  an “eliminated” squadron cannot operate in the remainder 
  of the Space Combat they were involved in. (At the GM’s 
  discretion and in cases of particularly long combat, this can 
  be changed to a period of two hours, while repairs are made 
  and new craft are activated). 
  Once the combat is over, eliminated squadrons can be 
  restored to active duty (see page 16). 
  FighTer operaTions
  Often seen as glory-obsessed and reckless, fighter pilots are 
  nonetheless skilled at their profession, putting their relatively 
  light craft into the maelstrom of combat to take down 
  massively destructive torpedoes and lumbering bombers 
  capable of damaging immense starships.
  In the broadest of terms, fighters are used in three roles 
  during space combat. These are described below:
  Interception: As an Extended Action, any number of fighter 
  squadrons currently ready within a ship’s launch bays may launch 
  and commence an intercept operation. The fighter squadrons 
  may be grouped up into one or more wings consisting of two 
  or more squadrons, or may operate as independent squadrons, 
  in any combination, as desired. Upon launch and again at the 
  beginning of their parent vessel’s subsequent Strategic Turns, the 
  fighter wings may move freely a number of VUs up to the speed 
  of the slowest squadron in the unit. They may continue to remain 
  away from their carrier in this manner for no more than four 
  Strategic Turns, as fuel and life support supplies begin to run low 
  and the fighters are forced to return to their carrier. Squadrons on 
  intercept operations may attack any enemy torpedoes or attack 
  craft within 1VU of their position (whether they enter this range 
  during their movement or enemies enter range during their own 
  turns). Fighter attacks are described later in this section.  
  Combat Void Patrol: Commonly referred to as CVP, squadrons 
  of fighters patrol the space around a vessel to protect it from enemy 
  attack. As an Extended Action, any number of fighter squadrons 
  currently ready within a ship’s launch bays may commence a CVP 
  operation. A CVP operation may be assigned to the fighters’ own 
  carrier or any friendly vessel within a distance equal to the speed 
  of the slowest squadron in the patrol of the carrier, which must 
  remain within that distance while the patrol continues. A patrol 
  can remain in effect indefinitely, as squadrons return to their carrier 
  to resupply periodically as a normal part of the operation. While 
  the CVP remains in effect, any enemy attack craft or torpedoes 
  that move within 5VUs of the patrolled ship are immediately 
  attacked by half of the squadrons performing the patrol (rounding 
  up). The remaining squadrons are either rearming at the time, or 
  are elsewhere on the patrol route. Unlike intercept operations, 
  attacking does not force squadrons to return to their carrier to 
  rearm; such activities are a normal part of CVP operations, and 
  thus the patrol continues even after it has attempted to repel an 
  attack. Spent fighters return to the carrier, rearm, and re-launch on 
  a continuous basis. 
  Escort: Instead of operating alone, fighters can be 
  assigned to support bombers or assault boats, 
  protecting them from enemy fighters and 
  harassing defensive turrets to allow their 
  larger brethren to deliver their payloads. 
  Fighter escorts are launched as part of normal bombing or 
  assault boat operations, and move at the same speed as the 
  attack craft they escort. Should the bombers/assault boats be 
  attacked by enemy fighters, then the escorting fighters may 
  attack the enemy fighters. The enemy fighters must engage 
  the escort fighters (see “Attacking with Fighters” below). 
  Against defensive turrets, each squadron of escorting fighters 
  impose a –10 penalty on the turrets’ Ballistic Skill Test, and will 
  be shot down before any of the escorted bombers/assault boats.
  ATTAckiNG wiTh fiGhTers
   In all cases, where fighters are required to attack enemy small 
  craft, both sides make a Challenging (+0) Command+Craft 
  Rating Test (this will either be from a character aboard the 
  carrier, or from a character leading the fighters personally), 
  with the enemy small craft. Both sides gain a +5 bonus for 
  every squadron of friendly fighters after the first. Both sides 
  also gain a +5 bonus for an additional squadron of bombers 
  or assault craft after the first, plus an additional +5 for each 
  additional two squadrons of bombers or assault craft (as neither 
  bombers nor assault craft are as good at dogfighting as fighters, 
  but are armed and dangerous in numbers). This counts as an 
  Opposed Skill Test, but is not resolved in the same way. 
  For every degree of success scored on the Test, one opposing 
  squadron or torpedo is “eliminated;” destroyed, damaged or 
  forced to expend their remaining fuel and ammo reserves, and 
  must return to the carrier for rearming and refuelling by the most 
  reasonable direct route. Any remaining squadrons remain in play 
  and can act in later turns, either breaking off and heading for 
  their original target, or staying and engaging. However, if one 
  side scores at least four degrees of success more than their 
  defeNsive TurreTs
  While Void Shields are a more than adequate defence 
  against macrocannon shells and lance beams, they are 
  useless against slower-moving attacks such as torpedo 
  salvoes and bombers. Consequently, most vessels 
  possess a number of small, lightweight defensive 
  weapons, collectively known as turrets, incapable of 
  harming a full starship but more than able to destroy 
  enemy torpedoes and attack craft.
  A ship’s turrets work identically whether defending 
  against torpedoes or attack craft.  Before the attacker rolls 
  to score hits the defending vessel may attempt a Ballistic 
  Skill Test using the crew’s Skill Rating, with a +5 bonus 
  for every point of Turret Rating the vessel has (the ship 
  must have a Turret rating of at least 1 to attempt this). If 
  successful, then the turrets hit once, plus one additional hit 
  for every two degrees of success, with each hit shooting 
  down a single torpedo or attack craft squadron, reducing 
  the number of torpedoes in the salvo or attack craft 
  squadron in the wave before the attack roll is made.
  Torpedoes shot down are destroyed harmlessly. Attack 
  craft shot down may have merely been disabled or driven 
  off instead of destroyed—see page 16—but, one way or 
  another, can no longer attack.
  
  13
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  opponent did, none of that side’s squadrons are eliminated 
  no matter what their opponent rolled. The tactical acumen 
  and impressive piloting skills of the squadron leader’s pilots means 
  they scythed through their opposition effortlessly. 
  Craft Rating is covered on page 15, but is essentially an 
  abstract representation of the combat effectiveness of a fighter 
  craft, in terms of weapons, armour, manoeuvrability, and speed. 
  BoMBer operaTions
  Massive and lumbering compared to other attack craft, bombers 
  carry vast arrays of energy weapons, missiles and bombs designed 
  to damage the thick armoured hulls of starships. With a skilled 
  crew, a bomber can be devastating, using deft manoeuvring to 
  deliver their payload to the weakest parts of a vessel with a degree 
  of precision that cannot be matched by longer-ranged weaponry.
  As an Extended Action, all bomber squadrons currently ready 
  within a ship’s launch bays may begin a bombing operation. 
  The bomber squadrons may be grouped up into one or more 
  wings consisting of two or more squadrons, or may operate as 
  independent squadrons, in any combination, as desired. Upon 
  launch and again at the beginning of their parent vessel’s 
  subsequent Strategic Turns, the bomber wings may move freely 
  a number of VUs up to the speed of the slowest squadron in the 
  unit.  They may continue to operate away from their carrier for no 
  more than six Strategic Turns (four if the wings include fighters), 
  as fuel and life support supplies begin to run low and the bombers 
  are forced to return to their carrier. Upon moving within 1VU 
  of an enemy vessel, the bombers may commence an attack run, 
  closing quickly upon their target to deliver their payload before 
  retreating back to the carrier.
  Make a Challenging (+0) Command+Craft Rating 
  Test (this will either be from a character aboard the carrier, 
  or from a character leading the bombers personally), gaining 
  a +5 bonus for every squadron of friendly bombers after the 
  first. A successful test causes a single hit upon the enemy vessel, 
  with an additional hit for every degree of success. This is up 
  to a maximum of three hits, plus one additional maximum hit 
  for every additional bomber squadron after the first. If the 
  bombing run scores at least four degrees of success, the target 
  also suffers a Critical Hit. Roll 1d5 on the Critical Hit chart on 
  page 222 of Rogue TRadeR and apply the result.
  Each hit deals 1d10+4 damage. Add together the damage 
  rolled from each hit, and then subtract from that the armour 
  value of the target ship. Bomber attacks ignore void shields. 
  If, for any reason, the target ship has multiple armour values 
  (such as from the Armoured Prow Component), then the 
  lowest armour value is always used. The final total is the 
  number of points of Hull Integrity the target ship loses.
  After delivering their payload, the bombers withdraw to 
  their carrier to refuel and rearm.
  Torpedo bombers
  Certain rare vessels have been known to carry a variant of 
  normal bombers known collectively as torpedo bombers. Each 
  torpedo bomber forgoes its normal payload in favour of a single 
  comparatively small torpedo, which it can launch at any point. 
  While seldom as destructive as a true bombing run, the technique 
  can allow for torpedo attacks to come from an unexpected angle.
  Instead of performing bombing runs, Torpedo Bombers 
  may, at the start of any turn instead of their normal movement, 
  launch their torpedoes. The torpedoes immediately move 
  directly forwards in whatever direction the bombers were 
  facing, following all the normal rules for torpedoes. 
  Each torpedo bomber can launch one torpedo. A 
  squadron of torpedo bombers is comprised of 
  three torpedo bombers.
  follow my leAd!
  In some instances, Explorers, particularly Void-Masters, will want to lead attack craft operations themselves. This adds a 
  little additional complication to the process, but also allows these operations to be significantly more successful.
  These rules are intended to be a slightly more abstract option than the vehicle rules found in InTo The SToRm, 
  allowing dogfights and piloting to take place in the large context of starship combat.
  Through a mixture of personal skill, outrageous daring and sheer luck, the Explorer leads his subordinates against the 
  enemy, providing a powerful example for them to follow. While piloting a fighter, bomber or assault boat (as appropriate 
  for the squadrons he is leading), the Explorer makes an Opposed Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft)+Craft 
  Rating Test before the Command Test for the squadrons’ attack (using the Pilot (Space Craft) Skill of the opposing 
  squadrons, which for NPCs is usually their ship’s Crew Rating). If this is successful, then he grants a +5 bonus, plus 
  an additional +5 for every two degrees of success he wins by, to the subsequent Command Test. Additionally, each 
  two degrees of success indicates that the Explorer has shot down one enemy craft, turret, or torpedo personally in the 
  ensuing combat. This has no specific additional effects, but gives the pilot something to brag about.
  However, if he loses by four or more degrees, then a costly mistake disables his vessel and leaves him stranded in the void. 
  The character suffers 2d10+5 damage, reduced by Toughness Bonus and Armour as normal, from the damage to his craft and 
  cannot participate in any further actions until he has been rescued and brought back to the ship. If using the vehicle rules from 
  InTo The SToRm, then the vehicle takes 4d10+25 damage, reduced by armour as normal, and with a normal chance of critical 
  hits, instead of the Explorer taking damage (damage may result if the vehicle is damaged or destroyed). 
  Alternatively, if the enemy flight is led by a particularly skilful or notorious pilot, the Explorer can elect to duel with him in 
  the void. This is an Opposed Pilot (Space Craft)+Craft Rating Test. The winner gains a +5 bonus, plus an additional +5 
  for every two degrees of success, to the subsequent Command Test. In addition, if the Explorer wins by three or more degrees, 
  he shoots down the opposing pilot. If he loses by three or more degrees, he suffers the penalty for failing as listed above. 
  
  14
  14
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Torpedo bombers can launch any type of torpedo, however 
  any torpedo launched from a torpedo bomber has its range halved, 
  as the bombers cannot haul torpedoes with a full load of fuel. In 
  addition, due to their rarity, Acquisition Tests to acquire bombers 
  with torpedo fittings suffer a –5 penalty in addition to any other 
  modifiers. There is also the matter of storing the torpedoes if the 
  starship does not have the stowage that comes with a Torpedo 
  Tube Component. A typical Munitorium can store nine torpedoes 
  on a ship of light cruiser size or larger, or six on a smaller vessel. 
  One could also store a comparable number in a cargo hold, but 
  the lack of safe storage means the torpedoes have a 25% chance of 
  detonating should that Component become damaged or destroyed 
  (see page 37 for rules on what this might do to a vessel). 
  assauLT BoaT operaTions
  Blunt and unsubtle-looking craft, assault boats are a form of 
  heavily-armoured shuttle designed to carry large boarding 
  parties onto enemy ships. Assault boat prows are typically fitted 
  with an array of high-energy cutting devices, explosive charges, 
  mechanical drills, claws and other tools for breaching the hull 
  of an enemy vessel, behind which are bulky blast doors leading 
  into a transport compartment filled with eager armsmen.
  As an Extended Action, any number of assault boat squadrons 
  currently ready within a ship’s launch bays may begin an assault 
  operation. The assault boat squadrons may be grouped up into 
  one or more wings consisting of two or more squadrons, or may 
  operate as independent squadrons, in any combination, as desired. 
  Upon launch and again at the beginning of their parent vessel’s 
  subsequent Strategic Turns, the assault boat wings may move freely 
  a number of VUs up to the speed of the slowest squadron in the 
  unit.  They may continue to remain away from their carrier in this 
  manner for no more than four turns, as fuel and life support supplies 
  begin to run low and the assault boats are forced to return to their 
  carrier. Upon moving within 1VU of an enemy vessel, the assault 
  boats may commence an attack run, closing quickly upon their 
  target to deliver their payload before retreating back to the carrier.
  Make a Challenging (+0) Command+Craft Rating 
  Test (this will either be from a character aboard the carrier, 
  or from a character leading the assault boats personally), 
  gaining a +5 bonus for every squadron of friendly bombers 
  after the first. A successful test means that a single assault boat 
  squadron has reached the ship and breached the hull, with an 
  additional assault boat landing for every degree of success, up 
  to a maximum equal to the number of assault boat squadrons 
  attacking that survived any defensive fire. The character leading 
  Table 1–3: Common Attack Craft Ratings
  Type
  Craft Rating Speed (VUs) Squadron Size Special Rules
  Imperial Craft
  Fury 
  Interceptor
  +10
  10
  20
  Durable: When checking for Squadron losses, a Fury 
  squadron reduces its losses by one to a minimum of zero or 
  gains a +5 bonus on the Upkeep Test.
  Starhawk 
  Bomber
  +0
  6
  10
  Durable: When checking for Squadron losses, a Starhawk 
  squadron reduces its losses by one to a minimum of zero or 
  gains a +5 bonus on the Upkeep Test.
  Shark Assault 
  Boat
  +5
  10
  8
  Chaos Craft
  Swiftdeath 
  Fighter
  +10
  11
  30
  Fragile: When checking for Squadron losses, a Swiftdeath 
  squadron increases its losses by one to the squadron 
  maximum or suffers –5 penalty on the Upkeep Test.  
  Doomfire 
  Bomber
  +0
  7
  15
  Fragile: When checking for Squadron losses, a Doomfire 
  squadron increases its losses by one to the squadron 
  maximum or suffers –5 penalty on the Upkeep Test.
  Dreadclaw 
  Assault Boat
  +5
  11
  15
  Eldar Craft
  Darkstar 
  Fighter
  +15
  12
  12
  Master Pilots: Eldar Darkstar squadrons do not suffer a 
  penalty if their squadron is below half-strength. 
  Eagle Bomber
  +6
  9
  6
  Master Pilots: Eldar Eagle squadrons do not suffer a 
  penalty if their squadron is below half-strength. 
  Rak’Gol Craft
  Bloodflayer 
  +8 (+4)
  9
  15
  Multi-purpose craft: The Bloodflayer is designed as both an 
  interceptor and an assault craft, but is far better as an assault 
  craft. The Bloodflayer can be launched as a fighter or assault 
  craft, but when used as a fighter, its Rating drops to +4. 
  Ork Craft
  Fighta-
  bommerz 
  +8 (+5)
  8
  25
  Multi-purpose craft: The Fighta-bomma is “designed” as 
  both an interceptor and bomber. When used as a bomber, its 
  Rating drops to +5. 
  Assault Boats
  +8
  10
  15
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
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  the boarding parties (if an Explorer is piloting an assault boat, 
  he may not also lead the boarding parties) then begins a Hit 
  and Run Action (Rogue TRadeR, page 218) against the target, 
  ignoring the Pilot (Space Craft) Test and gaining a +10 for 
  every assault boat squadron that successfully landed.
  After delivering their payload, the assault boats withdraw to 
  their carrier with any survivors by the shortest expedient route. 
  crAfT rATiNGs
  The types of fighter craft are many and varied. Each 
  spacefaring race approaches fighter craft design differently, and 
  often a single race has several different types of attack craft 
  for different duties. The Imperium, for example, uses the Fury 
  for space superiority, the Starhawk for anti-ship attacks, and 
  the Shark for hit and run raids. All of these small craft have 
  different capabilities, performance tolerance, and effectiveness. 
  In space combat, this is represented by Craft Rating. 
  Craft Rating is a way to represent the performance of a 
  type of attack craft. It is an abstract value representing an 
  attack craft’s manoeuvrability, firepower, and durability. This 
  value is represented by a bonus added to certain Tests made 
  when fighters, bombers, and assault boats make attacks.
  Table 1–3: Common Attack Craft Ratings covers 
  some of the most common attack craft and their ratings. This 
  table also includes general squadron sizes—how many attack 
  craft are in a squadron. These numbers should be treated as 
  guidelines, to be modified if the GM feels it necessary. 
  If the GM wants to use an attack craft that does not have a 
  Craft Rating, he can use its Manoeuvrability instead. 
  Nova Cannons
  “If one weapon could be said to exemplify the righteous fury of the 
  God-Emperor’s wrath, it would be the Nova cannon.” 
  –Captain Laurent Strophes 
  N
  ova Cannons are a classification of exceptionally 
  powerful weaponry that can only be mounted upon 
  capital ships. Mounted below the heavily armoured 
  prows of Imperial Navy cruisers and battleships, Nova Cannons 
  have few equals in terms of their range or destructive power. 
  While variation exists, a typical Nova Cannon consists of an 
  array of potent gravimetric impellers designed to accelerate a 
  projectile to a fraction of the speed of light. These projectiles 
  vary more than the nature of the cannons themselves, ranging 
  from sophisticated plasma warheads which burn with the 
  ferocity of a small star for a fraction of a second, to implosive 
  devices which exert destructive gravitational forces upon 
  all those caught within several thousand kilometres of the 
  detonation. In any case, a well-used Nova Cannon is a terrifying 
  thing to face, as much a psychological tool as a weapon.
  The weapons however are often ill-favoured by the Imperial 
  Navy, with most captains preferring to utilise the more traditional 
  torpedoes. Those few who favour the weapon understand that it 
  is difficult to use and often rendered useless at close ranges.
  Firing The noVa cannon
  Nova Cannons are extremely powerful weapons, easily able to 
  wreak vast destruction upon enemy vessels at great range, but 
  are inaccurate and require a stable vessel to fire effectively. Due 
  to the lethal nature of their warheads, nova cannon shells are 
  not armed for a fraction of a second after firing, allowing them 
  to travel many tens of thousands of kilometres through the 
  void before they become truly deadly. For these reasons and 
  several others, nova cannons follow a number of specific rules 
  when firing which do not apply to other weapons.
  If a ship performs a Manoeuvre Action with a total modifier 
  of greater than Challenging, it may not fire its Nova Cannon in 
  the same turn. Similarly, a Crippled ship may not fire its nova 
  cannon. Once a Nova Cannon has fired, its crew must spend 
  the subsequent turn reloading and preparing the weapon for a 
  second firing. This means a Nova Cannon may only fire once 
  every other turn. 
  When firing a Nova Cannon, nominate a single point 
  anywhere within the weapon’s maximum range that is more 
  than 6 Void Units from the ship and in the vessel’s Fore firing 
  arc. That is the target point. The difficulty of targeting with a 
  nova cannon is such that all attack rolls with the weapon suffer 
  an additional –20 penalty. Otherwise, the attack roll is resolved 
  normally using a character’s Ballistic Skill during a Shooting 
  Action, including the normal modifiers for range.
  A successful attack roll means that the shot was on 
  target and detonates at the desired point. A failed attack 
  roll means that the shot was not on target and has 
  instead detonated too soon or too late. However, 
  such is the power of these weapons that even 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
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  an inaccurate shot may still damage the enemy. For every degree 
  by which the attack roll failed, the target point moves 1VU away 
  from the firing ship if the attack roll was an even number (i.e. 
  a number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), or 1VU towards the firing 
  ship if the attack roll was an odd number (i.e. a number ending 
  in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9).
  In either case, any vessel within 1 VU of the target point 
  will be hit by the shell’s detonation, causing 1d5 hits (which 
  can be negated by void shields as normal) dealing the weapon’s 
  normal damage. Damage from a Nova Cannon shell ignores 
  armour. Any damage dice that roll a 10 cause one Critical 
  Hit. If a Critical Hit is scored, then roll 1d5 on the Critical 
  Hit chart and apply the results as normal. Such is the 
  power of the Nova Cannon that it may cause 
  multiple Critical Hits in this way, rather than 
  a maximum of one as is the case for most 
  weapons.
  An accurate Nova Cannon shell can potentially deal far more 
  damage. If the attack roll succeeds by two or more degrees, then 
  a single vessel within 1 VU of the target point (chosen by the 
  firer) suffers 1d5+2 hits instead of 1d5. As noted above, damage 
  dice rolling natural 10s cause Critical Hits. 
  Torpedoes, NovA cANNoNs, ANd lAuNch bAys: repleNishmeNT
  BaTTlefleeT KoRonuS presents new types of weaponry, from devastating salvos of torpedoes to swarms of small craft. 
  However, these powerful options come with a disadvantage—they rely on finite resources. 
  Torpedoes
  Unlike ammunition for personal firearms, every ship has a finite supply of torpedoes. Each Torpedo Tube Component 
  lists how many torpedoes it is able to hold. Once that number of torpedoes has been fired, the ship may not fire more 
  torpedoes until more have been procured. Procuring additional torpedoes requires an Acquisition Test, with all pertinent 
  modifiers applying. Each type of torpedo has a Availability rating, and in addition, if one wishes to purchase multiple 
  torpedoes, scale ratings apply as well. The one exception to this is Craftsmanship. Torpedoes do not have different 
  craftsmanship. However, due to their rarity and the difficulty in producing them outside of a Forge world, all Acquisition 
  Tests to procure torpedoes not made on a Forge world suffer a –10 modifier in addition to any other modifiers. 
  NovA cANNoNs
  Like torpedoes, nova cannon shells are difficult to manufacture, and unless one is serving in the Imperial Navy, even 
  more difficult to procure. A Nova Cannon Component comes with a finite supply of warheads (default storage of 20, 
  although different Components may store different amounts). Once those warheads are exhausted, procuring more 
  requires an Acquisition Test, with all pertinent modifiers applying. Nova cannon shells have an availability of Extremely 
  Rare. However, due to their rarity and the difficulty in producing them outside of a Forge world, all Acquisition Tests 
  to procure Nova Cannon shells not made on a Forge world suffer a –10 modifier in addition to any other modifiers.
  smAll crAfT
  As with torpedoes, starships carry a finite supply of small craft, although they often are equipped with large stocks of 
  spare parts, and may even scavenge damaged and derelict interceptors and bombers after battles to refit and reuse them. 
  However, being an attack craft pilot is an extraordinarily dangerous job. The number of possible ways a pilot may meet 
  his end is considerable, and it is no surprise that the Navy’s pilots are a superstitious lot, adorning their craft in lucky 
  trinkets, holy relics and non-regulation paint-jobs all intended to bring fortune and longevity to their pilots. There are 
  two ways to track the losses in starship squadrons—the Abstract Method and the Detailed Method.  
  Abstract Method: If the GM and players don’t want to track numbers and losses, they can simply elect to make an Upkeep Test 
  for each eliminated attack craft squadron at the end of the battle, using normal Acquisition Test rules. If they fail the Upkeep 
  Test, the squadron counts as half strength. If they fail the Upkeep Test for a half strength squadron, it has been destroyed—the 
  one or two remaining attack craft and their pilots distributed amongst other squadrons to bolster their numbers. 
  Detailed Method: If the GM and players prefer to keep detailed track of their starships, they can use the following method. 
  For every attack craft squadron eliminated, by whatever means, roll 1d10, then subtract the first digit of the squadron’s carrier’s 
  Crew Rating. The result is how many attack craft were destroyed, up to the maximum number in the squadron. The remainder 
  are simply damaged or out of ammunition. For example, if a carrier with a Crew Rating of 30 had one of its squadrons 
  eliminated, the Explorer commanding the wave rolls 1d10. He gets a “5,” then subtracts “3” (the first digit in the carrier’s Crew 
  Rating).  The result, “2,” is how many fighters were actually destroyed. The remainder made it back to base safely.
  Once a squadron has lost half its ships, it counts as half strength. Once all ships are lost, it is destroyed. Losses can 
  be replaced using Acquisition Tests. 
  normal damage. Damage from a Nova Cannon shell ignores 
  armour. Any damage dice that roll a 10 cause one Critical 
  Hit. If a Critical Hit is scored, then roll 1d5 on the Critical 
  Hit chart and apply the results as normal. Such is the 
  power of the Nova Cannon that it may cause 
  
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  Component 
  Craftsmanship 
  and Facilities 
  +++… but we did manage to locate an auspex reflector to replace 
  the one torn away in that fight. It’s not in very good shape, but it is 
  cheap and available. Unless you object, we’ll make a bid on it.+++
  –Transmission to Glorious Perdition, at voidstation Winter-19. 
  E
  ven in the lawless depths of the Expanse, there 
  are fairly well known expectations when making 
  purchases for a vessel. Every Trader worth their 
  warrant knows how much deck space a standard Mark VI 
  Mars-pattern macrocannon emplacement needs, or how much 
  power Stygies pattern torpedo tubes draw in combat. The 
  more skilful Traders know that there are shades of quality to 
  their acquisitions, and depending on the circumstances those 
  acquisitions may differ from that standard. 
  The most common difference is simply due to lack of 
  availability or funds. Not all worlds have the required goods at 
  the quality desired—and of course, if the gelt is running low, then 
  one must make due with what’s affordable. This holds true when 
  buying a lasgun charge pack or a Titanforge Lance. Alternatively, 
  should Explorers find themselves with a surplus of wealth, they 
  may look to improve the quality of their shipboard Components. 
  Replacing an ordinary Jovian Plasma Drive with one finely-
  tuned and personally blessed by a visiting Tech-Priest Magos is 
  oftentimes worth the investment for a variety of reasons. Usually 
  products of better craftsmanship take up less space or power, due 
  to the more-efficient workings of their ancient designs. 
  The quality of the item also ties into its installation. This is 
  almost as important as the actual Component itself, for what does 
  it profit an Explorer if their hard-won plasma drive is installed 
  by poorly-programmed servitors or their new Lux Net ripped 
  apart by a clumsy Ogryn? For the most part it is assumed that 
  Components are acquired along with the same level of workers 
  to install them, with Poor Craftsmanship of a Component also 
  leading to Poor installation crews and inspectors and so on.  
  All of these factors must come into play when the crew plan 
  their acquisitions, perhaps even more so when times are good than 
  when times are lean. Just as only a thin hull stands between air 
  and the void, so does the prepared mind stand between disastrous 
  poverty and long-term wealth. Table 1–4: Component 
  Craftsmanship Modifiers, represents how the level of quality 
  and craftsmanship for a Component affects its Acquisition and 
  Installation, while Table 1–5: Lance and Macrobattery 
  Craftsmanship Modifiers shows the performance effects on 
  Lance and Macrobattery weapons (this table should be used 
  instead of Table 1-4). Other weapons should use Table 1-4. 
  Note that a modifier cannot take any original value to zero; 
  should this occur the modified value becomes 1. Even the most 
  well crafted Components need power to function and space to 
  occupy. However, if the original Space or Power requirements 
  were zero, Craftsmanship does not increase these requirements 
  (even in the case of Poor Craftsmanship). No matter how shoddy 
  the armour plating on a warship, for example, they still do not 
  require Power to operate. 
  In addition, although Poor Craftsmanship Components 
  reduce Ship Point costs by 1, this can only be reduced to a 
  minimum of 1. 
  insTaLLing coMponenTs
  Spacecraft are amongst the most complex machines ever 
  devised by humanity. Encompassing tens of thousands of 
  separate systems, they are regarded by their crews as possessing 
  not only personalities and quirks, but souls. Whether the ship 
  is an aggressive, questing ship of the line or a timid, plodding 
  ore-barge, its masters will ever tinker and polish with its rig 
  in order to obtain prime results. 
  Key to this process is the installation of ship Components. 
  While there are certain Components that are essential to the 
  running of any ship (void fields, plasma drives, warp engines 
  and the like), there are tens of thousands of other systems 
  which can be incorporated into a ship, each of which has an 
  effect on its use and efficacy. The fitting of such Components 
  can depend upon the whims of its master, designer or upon 
  other factors such as the cost and availability of parts in a given 
  locale. Many Rogue Traders have inherited a ship loaded with 
  the peculiar affectations of an eccentric previous owner. 
  In light of this, there are hundreds of shipyards devoted to 
  the removal, repair, overhaul, and fitting of such Components. 
  Within the bounds of the Imperium, these fall into two broad 
  classes: Adeptus Mechanicus facilities, and installations run 
  by other Imperial bodies that utilise indentured tech-priests 
  under the terms of ancient charters. The former are rare, but 
  produce ships and devices of superlative quality. There are only 
  a handful of these within a year’s travel from the boundaries 
  of the Koronus Expanse, the most famous being the latticed 
  dockyards in orbit around the Lathe Forge worlds in the Calixis 
  Sector. There are also countless examples of the latter class of 
  crAfTsmANship ANd morAle
  A ship runs on more than just plasma and adamantium. 
  It also runs on the crew’s morale, their faith in their 
  ship and those who command her. Much of the morale 
  level at any given time is determined by what the crew 
  see around them—the ship itself. When they see their 
  masters improving the ship with better Components, 
  they feel more confident in their lot. 
  An ancient cogitator, musty with old smells and 
  covered with seals of numistic purity, lifts the spirits of 
  the most downtrodden ratings. Alternatively, a rusting life 
  sustainer dripping vitae-unguents lowers expectations of 
  survival. To represent this, after a Component is installed 
  the ship’s Morale is immediately modified based on the 
  Craftsmanship Level as per Table 1–4. The modifier 
  cannot reduce Morale to below half or take it to above 
  the ship’s maximum level. This is not a permanent loss, 
  and may be regained to the ship’s maximum. 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
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  shipyard, docks operated by Imperial institutions, planetary 
  governors or even private concerns. The most notable local 
  examples of this type include Port Gavinus (a commercial 
  shipping hub) the Drystan Construction Yards (operated by the 
  Imperial Navy) and the privately run Kormisoshi Dockyards. 
  Outside the Imperium, there are, naturally, fewer docks 
  capable of installing and repairing the vast starships produced 
  by humanity. Those deep space docks that do exist tend to be 
  of questionable quality and dubious legality. There are a number 
  of small docks nestling amid the floating agglomeration of 
  Footfall, including the Bein-Dharri yards, the Kemovar drydock 
  and the workshops of the infamous Tech-Heretic Shamed 
  Smythe. Without exception these places are staffed by rogues, 
  mad scientists and discredited former techpriests. There are also 
  other yards in the Expanse, such as the drydocks in orbit around 
  Damaris, and the infamous Breaking Yards at SR-561.
  When installing new Components, the GM can choose to 
  use the guidelines found on page 208 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  core rulebook. These guidelines are intended to be more 
  narrative in nature. However, if a GM wants to be more exact, 
  he can use the following guidelines instead.
  All Essential Components take two weeks to install on a starship. 
  This is increased by one additional week for every additional Ship 
  Point the Component costs, so an Essential Component that costs 
  +1 Ship Point ends up taking three weeks to install. 
  Supplemental Components take a number of weeks to install 
  based on their Ship Point cost. The number of Ship Points 
  equals the number of weeks, so a Supplemental Component 
  that costs one Ship Point takes one week to install. 
  When calculating the Component Costs and Availability, 
  always use the modified Ship Point costs (taking Component 
  Craftsmanship Modifiers into account). This may increase 
  Component Costs beyond what is accounted for in the core 
  rulebook, so Table 1-6: Expanded Component Costs 
  takes this into account. Note, that Archeotech and Xenostech 
  Components are always Extremely Rare and Near Unique, 
  respectively, unless their Ship Point cost would make 
  them rarer, in which case they use the rarer of the two 
  Availability ratings. 
  fAciliTies of The expANse
  Despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that the Expanse is 
  not officially part of the Imperium, there are many locations 
  throughout the area where a Rogue Trader and his crew may 
  dock to conduct needed repairs, purchase new equipment for 
  both the ship and crew, resupply for the next voyage, and have 
  no questions asked. The very nature of the area ensures a wide 
  variety of systems, each with possible benefits to be found. 
  Should the Explorers have the means and time for additional 
  travelling, they may be able to strike better deals, find superior 
  repair facilities, or even locate items thought impossible to find. 
  The following represents a selection of the common system 
  facilities in the Expanses, but should in no way be thought of as 
  a complete list. GMs are encouraged to create others to populate 
  the many unknown and forgotten systems to be found, perhaps 
  making some of them into common (but not necessarily safe) 
  ports of call for the Explorers when they and their ship are 
  in need of respite.  Table 1-7: Common Facility Types & 
  Modifiers includes the specific modifiers each facility type gives 
  to Acquisition, Component, Installation, and other values where 
  needed. Note that a modifier cannot take any original value to 
  zero; should this occur the modified value becomes a 1.
  Backwater system
  The fringes of the Expanse host planets long-forgotten by the 
  rest of the galaxy, the former homes of long-dead races, or simply 
  failed Imperial settlements. While the populations are scarce, the 
  facilities still maintain some technology and Explorers may make 
  spectacular deals with the xenos traders who frequent them. 
  civilised system
  These represent the majority of systems Explorers will use 
  when seeking repairs or new Components—though these are 
  hard to find within the Koronus Expanse. Habitable planets 
  host a network of orbital docks ready to service any size of 
  ship, and suppliers are ready to sell or barter for whatever 
  equipment they require. The facilities host few surprises, an 
  anathema to the adventurous Explorer.
  Table 1–4: Component Craftsmanship Modifiers
  Craftsmanship Level
  Power Modifier
  Space Modifier
  SP Modifier
  Morale Modifier
  Poor 
  -2 to Generated Power or +1 to 
  Power Consumed
  +1
  -1
  -1d5
  Common
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Good (choose either Power or 
  Space Modifier but not both)
  +1 to Generated Power or -1 to 
  Power Consumed
  -1
  +1
  +1
  Best 
  +1 to Generated Power or -1 to 
  Power Consumed
  Power Consumed
  -1
  +2
  +1d5
  Table 1–5: Lance and Macrobattery Craftsmanship Modifiers
  Craftsmanship 
  Level
  Strength 
  Modifier
  Damage 
  Modifier
  Crit Rating 
  Modifier
  Range 
  Modifier
  Space 
  Modifier
  SP 
  Modifier
  Morale 
  Modifier
  Poor (chose any 2)
  -1
  -1
  +1
  -1
  +1
  -1
  -1d5
  Common
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Good (choose any 1)
  0
  +1
  0
  +1
  -1
  +1
  +1
  Best (chose any 2)
  +1
  +1
  -1
  +1
  -1
  +2
  +1d5
  
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  colonial system
  Struggling settlements on newly colonized worlds, colonial 
  systems still have semi-civilized populations with access to 
  technology. It is rare they can spare vital equipment, but if the 
  Explorers are willing to pay a little more, the colonists may 
  find a way to get along without it.  
  deep Void station
  These stations operate far into the depths of space. Appearing on 
  few warp charts, they conduct mysterious business affairs, possibly 
  heretical, probably criminal, often xenos-related. Some are 
  ancient surveillance posts from centuries gone by, others are the 
  archipelago-fusion of several space hulks and crippled ships, but 
  all have found a role in servicing voidfarers who, for a variety of 
  reasons, wish to keep their transactions unnoticed. Here Explorers 
  can find almost anything they may need, but they will be matching 
  wits with the shrewdest dealers on this side of the Maw. 
  Feral/Feudal systems 
  While there is virtually no chance of finding needed 
  Components on these worlds (except perhaps from the odd 
  ancient crashed space hulk), they are commonly crawling 
  with another valuable resource—people. Often the promise 
  of an exciting life in the stars is enough to lure them in by the 
  hundreds, and if not the press gangs can get to work. 
  Liege system
  Here all power is consolidated under one planetary ruler 
  or religious leader, who oversees the system as their own 
  personal fiefdom. These facilities are usually advanced with a 
  splendid array of pleasure domes, gladiatorial pits, and other 
  treats to amuse their ruler who still wields power outside the 
  area. Their connections can generally supply the Explorers 
  with what they need, but will require additional payments to 
  make up for their effort and time.
  Mining systems 
  Where there are mines there is generally enough technological 
  support to aid any Explorers looking for replacement items 
  or ship repair, along with workers skilled enough in basic 
  shipwork. Metal is usually plentiful and hull repairs can be 
  done much more easily than normal. 
  naval installation
  There are almost no Imperial Navy installations within the 
  Expanse, but there are some within short distance of the 
  Expanse, Port Wander being the most well known example. 
  Supplies are readily available but the Navy refuses to sell ship 
  Components to “civilians” unless those individuals have a 
  prior relationship with the Imperial Navy. 
  Note: Port Wander is a somewhat unique case, as it is both 
  a Naval Installation and a Civilized System. The gigantic void 
  station is large enough to maintain both types of facilities. 
  Table 1-6: Expanded Component Costs
  Components
  Availability
  Supplemental Components costing 1 SP, 
  Essential Components
  Scarce
  Supplemental Components costing 2 SP, 
  Essential Components costing +1 SP
  Rare
  Supplemental Components costing 3 SP, 
  Essential Components costing +2 SP
  Very Rare
  Supplemental Components costing 4 SP, 
  Supplemental Components costing 4 SP, 
  Essential Components costing +3 SP
  Extremely Rare
  Supplemental Components costing 5 SP, 
  Essential Components costing +4 SP
  Near Unique
  Supplemental Components costing 6 SP, 
  Essential Components costing +5 SP
  Unique
  Archeotech Components
  Extremely Rare
  Xenotech Components
  Near Unique
  Table 1-7: Common Facility Types & Modifiers
  Facility
  Acquisition and Component Modifiers
  Installation Modifier
  Backwater System
  Starship Components are rare and expensive in backwater systems. All Component 
  Availabilities count as one step rarer (Rare becomes Very Rare, for example). 
  +1d10 days
  Civilised System
  The standard dockyards for most Explorers. No modifiers. 
  None
  Colonial System
  While most Components can be found, there are few Essential ones the colony 
  can spare. All Essential Component Availabilities count as one step rarer (Rare 
  becomes Very Rare, for example). 
  +1d5 days
  Deep Void Station
  A wide variety of all Component types can be found here, but the dealmaking is 
  tough. Decrease the Availability level of any Component by one, only to find if 
  only to find if 
  only
  a Component is available. However, the actual Acquisition Test suffers a –5 penalty.  
  -1 day 
  Feral/Feudal System No Components available, but plenty of manpower to be had. Crew may be 
  replenished as Abundant (+50). 
  N/A
  Liege System
  The ruler can get whatever is needed, but for a price. All Component 
  Availabilities count as one step rarer (Rare becomes Very Rare, for example).
  +1 day
  Mining System
  Hull repairs are usually easy to come by, and Explorers only have to make an 
  Acquisition Test for every full ten points of Hull Integrity restored.
  +1 day
  Naval Installation
  All Components except Xenostech can be found, but only Rogue Traders with 
  Peer or Good Reputation (Imperial Navy) may purchase Components at a 
  Naval Installation. All Component Availabilities count as one step more common 
  (Rare becomes Scarce, for example). Efficient workmen mean repairs only 
  need 1 day for each 2 points of Hull Integrity restored. 
  -1 day
  
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  New Starship 
  Hulls
  “By the God-Emperor, she’s a beaut, isn’t she? Five kilometres long if 
  a metre, clad in adamantium 10 metres thick, and a statue of Celestine 
  herself on the prow. She’ll cut a swath through the Expanse, she will.” 
  –Yard-master Hale, launching the first Ambition cruiser
  T
  his section provides options for a number of new hulls 
  used when building the Explorers’ ships. This includes 
  two new hull types, the grand cruiser and battlecruiser. 
  grand cruiser huLLs
  Grand cruisers are vastly powerful and archaic warships, 
  remnants of a more technologically advanced era of Imperial 
  history. Only battleships carry heavier armour or wield more 
  firepower. These vessels were once the core of battlefleet 
  squadrons, tough warships designed for concerted broadside 
  actions and punishing void-duels.     
  Now few in number, they are in many ways relics of a 
  bygone age. Very few grand cruisers have been constructed 
  in recent millennia, the entire concept having fallen out of 
  favour in many battlefleets. Their revolutionary and highly 
  sophisticated warp and realspace engine designs are now 
  poorly understood, leading to many well publicised disasters 
  and warp calamities. Indeed, the fleets of the archenemy 
  contain the reinvigorated hulks of many formerly proud 
  Imperial grand cruisers lost in the warp due to the gradual 
  dilution of the sacred knowledge needed to render these 
  imposing ships safe. 
  Regarded by many suspicious senior staff officers in the 
  Imperial Navy as dangerous, temperamental, and constructed 
  using dubious and possibly heretical technologies, the surviving 
  grand cruisers of the 41st millennium are largely relegated to 
  the reserve fleets. These are motley collections of outdated and 
  mothballed antique warships, held cold and silent in orbit around 
  munitorium depot worlds, ready for one last call to arms.
  Although incredibly costly, complex, unpredictable and 
  massively demanding in terms of maintenance and manpower, 
  grand cruisers have much to offer Rogue Traders. They are vastly 
  powerful ships, with continent-shattering firepower and ironclad 
  armour that enables them to sweep aside entire squadrons of lesser 
  vessels. As such, these vast craft are surprisingly common among 
  the wealthier rogue trader fleets, especially given the willingness 
  of cunning battlefleet lord admirals to divest themselves of what 
  they regard as expensive and hazardous anachronisms.
  AveNGer-clAss GrANd cruiser
  Dimensions: 7.5 km long, 1.8 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 40 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 141,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.2 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  In many ways the archetypal grand cruiser, 
  the Avenger class is a massively potent 
  and brutally simple ship that mounts colossal close-ranged 
  macrobatteries in broadsides that run for kilometres along its 
  flanks. While regarded as unusually reliable and faithful for 
  grand cruisers, the Avengers are now amongst the rarest of 
  their class. 
  The Avenger dates from an earlier period of fleet tactics, when, 
  squadrons of grand cruisers were employed as “line-breakers.” 
  Traditionally, they were thrown into the midst of massive fleet 
  engagements, soaking up enemy fire while racing into the 
  middle of enemy formations, then crushing their opponents 
  at short range with tetrajoules of energy from their oversized 
  broadsides. These unforgiving tactics have taken their toll upon 
  the few surviving Avengers, and they all bear the scars of grim, 
  forgotten battles fought when the Imperium was young. 
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 90
  Armour: 21 
   
  Turret Rating: 3 
  Space: 90 
   
  SP: 70
  Weapon Capacity: Port 3, Starboard 3
  Grand Cruiser: This ship can use “cruiser only” Components 
  repulsive-clAss GrANd cruiser
  Dimensions: 7.4km long, 1.5km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 39 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 134,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.4 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  In the superstitious and hidebound realm of Imperial starship 
  construction, entire classes of vessel can come to be regarded 
  as cursed since the design stage. Spacefarers mutter that these 
  ships are star-crossed, prone to dragging entire crews with 
  them into the warp at a moment’s notice, there to leave them 
  starving or bedevilled, until the ship re-emerges in the eye of 
  terror, ready to serve the twisted lords of Chaos. 
  This dark reputation has followed the grand cruisers of the 
  Repulsive-class since their inception in the Imperium’s early 
  days. A disturbingly large number of the Repulsives (their 
  original names long-lost to antiquity) have turned traitor or 
  been captured into the arch-enemy’s service since the class 
  became operational—so many that some have forgotten the 
  ships were originally constructed in the Emperor’s service. 
  This is a tragedy indeed for the Imperium, for these are 
  graceful and powerful spacecraft, with a radically different 
  weapons fit from all other grand cruisers, fully realising 
  the ancient doctrine of a fast and manoeuvrable heavy 
  warship. Their design cannot be duplicated, as the secrets of 
  constructing powerful enough plasma drives has since been 
  lost. Only a handful of these ship hulls remain uncorrupted, 
  and these are either mothballed, sealed, and guarded in the 
  Reserve Fleets of the various Segmentum Fortresses, or under 
  the command of certain Rogue Traders.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +8
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 85
  Armour: 19 
   
  Turret Rating: 3
  Space: 90 
   
  SP: 69
  Weapon Capacity: Port 2, Starboard 2, Prow 1, Dorsal 1
  Grand Cruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Cursed: The advanced experimental warp drive of the class 
  creates unusual harmonics which can cause the Gellar field to 
  flicker momentarily during warp transit, escalating navigational 
  
  21
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  difficulties. All navigation tests carried out by the ship’s Navigator 
  during warp travel take a –10 penalty.
  Ancient Grand Cruiser: The older types of Grand Cruiser 
  were finely balanced. As such, this vessel may not gain any 
  Components that increase the ship’s armour.  
  exorcisT-clAss GrANd cruiser
  Dimensions: 7.3 km long, 1.1 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 37 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 112,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 1.99 gravities max sustainable acceleration.
  The Exorcist was originally developed for long range patrols, 
  capable of extended self sufficiency. Operating with a handful 
  of escorts, Exorcists brought the flag to far-flung corners of 
  the galaxy. However, over the millennia the Exorcist has been 
  replaced by ships such as the Mars battlecruiser, though some 
  were kept on in reserve fleets or requisitioned for long patrols. 
  This falling out of favour has meant that many Exorcists 
  have ended up in the hands of Rogue Traders, who find their 
  self sufficiency and large hanger bays quite useful for their 
  needs. Beyond the light of the Imperium, a vessel capable of 
  long cruises and able to defend itself is quite useful, and the 
  rugged Exorcist fits the bill well. 
  Speed: 4  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +4
  Detection: +9 
   
  Hull Integrity: 85
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 3
  Space: 80 
   
  SP: 71
  Weapon Capacity: Port 3, Starboard 3 (of these slots, 1 port 
  and 1 starboard slot pre-equipped with Components)
  Grand Cruiser: This ship can use “cruiser only” Components 
  Carrier: The Exorcist comes pre-equipped with two Jovian-
  class Launch Bay Components, which occupy a port and 
  starboard weapon capacity slot. These Components may not be 
  removed. The hull’s space has already been reduced to account 
  for this; however, when the ship is constructed it must be able 
  to provide one Power to each launch bay Component. 
  BaTTLecruiser huLLs
  The battlecruiser concept arose as a result of the perceived 
  failures of the older grand cruiser designs. These had been built 
  around advanced experimental drive systems, which ultimately 
  proved to be unacceptably prone to catastrophic malfunction 
  during warp transit. As a result of these issues, grand cruisers 
  came to be regarded by many as cursed ships. Furthermore, 
  during the internecine conflict of the Age of Apostasy, several 
  of the skills required to safely maintain the arcane technologies 
  of the grand cruisers were lost, rendering them hazardous. 
  Yet there was still a gap in the Imperial armoury for a 
  heavy cruiser, a vessel which straddled the gap between a 
  “classic” cruiser like the Lunar class and a full battleship. 
  Numerous small task forces required a powerful flagship, yet 
  the potent and precious battleships could not be spared for 
  every such engagement. 
  Using the simpler technologies of the latter Imperial cruisers, 
  and the power systems of battleships, the master tech-masons 
  of the Adeptus Mechanicus produced an elegant hybrid, the 
  battlecruiser, during the latter 36th Millennium. Designed to 
  provide the fleet with the long range punch of battleship weaponry 
  in a cruiser-sized hull, battlecruisers are forged purely for heavy 
  engagements between vast capital vessels, and excel in this narrow 
  speciality. They overpower cruisers by virtue of their overcharged 
  weaponry; very few ships can out-shoot a battlecruiser. 
  Typically somewhat smaller and more lightly armoured 
  than their predecessors, the grand cruisers, battlecruisers are 
  nevertheless more economical, safer and more reliable. What 
  they lack in heavy armour and exotic drive systems is more 
  than made up for in raw firepower. Jealously guarded by 
  battlefleet admirals, it is rare for these powerful ships 
  to end up in the ragtag Rogue Trader fleets, but 
  on occasion a particularly influential or devious 
  individual will intrigue his way into the 
  command of a battlecruiser.   
  for this; however, when the ship is constructed it must be able 
  to provide one Power to each launch bay Component. 
  BaT
  BaT
  Ba TLecruiser 
  Avenger-class Grand Cruiser
  Exorcist-class Grand Cruiser
  Repulsive-class Grand Cruiser
  
  22
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  overlord-clAss bATTlecruiser
  Dimensions: 5.3km long,0.85 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 31 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 100,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.4 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  A successful early illustration of how workable the battlecruiser 
  concept can be, the Overlord is as fine an example of a pure 
  warship as can be found. Most Rogue Traders find the ship is 
  poorly suited to anything other than combat, as its enormous 
  weapons systems place a colossal strain upon the plasma drive. 
  Some Rogue Traders strip out the extensive macrobatteries, 
  freeing up space for other Components, but others regard this 
  as a foolish and blinkered waste of some of the most elegantly 
  designed and lethally effective weapons systems in the galaxy. 
  Manufactured in the vast orbital shipyards of Cypra Mundi 
  (as well as at other shipyards in lesser numbers), the Overlord 
  is a difficult vessel to construct, but faithful and fierce in its 
  service to mankind. It does not waste space on massive attack 
  craft hangers or the temperamental nova cannon. Instead, 
  most designs use powerful long-range macrobatteries and 
  lance turrets, backed by prow torpedo tubes. This simple, 
  proven, and effective weaponry plays to the strengths of 
  Imperial Navy tactics and Imperial technology. The design is 
  an ancient but successful one, and new examples of the class 
  are still commissioned every decade or so.   
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 78 
   
  SP: 64
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  Battlecruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  mArs-clAss bATTlecruiser 
  Dimensions: 5.4km long,0.85 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 33 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 107,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.3 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Mars class was originally envisioned as an “all rounder” 
  battlecruiser, capable of dealing with virtually any combat 
  scenario. Equipped with powerful weapons batteries, launch bays, 
  dorsal lances, and a Nova Cannon, the Mars had a diverse weapon 
  load. However, it fell foul of changing military philosophies 
  within the Imperial Navy. The Martian shipyards discontinued 
  production of the warships more than two millennia ago, and 
  since then few shipyards continue to build this battlecruiser in 
  limited numbers. 
  However, the Mars remains popular amongst many in the 
  Imperium, particularly in the Calixis Sector. The warship is an 
  extremely versatile combatant, able to handle a wide variety of 
  combat situations. In addition, many captains appreciate the 
  combination of Nova Cannon and attack craft squadrons, as 
  it allows them to pound their foes at range without closing 
  within an opponent’s guns. Several frontier battlefleets make 
  extensive use of the Mars as a squadron command vessel. 
  Despite their scarcity, these ships are in many ways 
  the perfect Rogue Trader vessel, offering withering 
  firepower and extensive launch bays for any 
  operation. Their only drawback is that the 
  design of the Mars precludes many refits—the hanger bays and 
  Nova Cannon mounts are almost impossible to remove without 
  scrapping the entire vessel. 
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Armour: 20 (24 prow) 
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 54 
   
  SP: 71
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1 (of 
  these slots, 1 port, 1 starboard, and 1 prow slot pre-equipped 
  with components)
  Battlecruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Carrier: The Mars-class battlecruiser comes pre-equipped with 
  two Jovian-class Launch Bay Components, which occupy a port 
  and starboard weapon capacity slot. These Components may 
  not be removed. The hull’s space has already been reduced to 
  account for this; however, when the ship is constructed it must 
  be able to provide one Power to each launch bay Component.   
  Inherent warship: The Mars-class battlecruiser comes pre-
  equipped with one Mars-pattern Nova Cannon Component 
  occupying its prow weapon capacity slot, and one Armoured 
  Prow Component. These Components may not be removed. 
  The hull’s space has already been reduced to account for 
  this; however, when the ship is constructed it must be able to 
  provide three Power to the Nova Cannon.
  chAlice-clAss bATTlecruiser
  Dimensions: 5.1 km long,0.8 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 29 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 98,200 crew, approx.
  Accel: 3.4 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Chalice class was a bold but not entirely successful attempt 
  to further develop the concept of the battlecruiser. It is unique 
  to Battlefleet Calixis, as it was designed within the Sector. 
  The theory seemed sound: a fast heavy cruiser, with 
  light armour and powerful weapons that could outrun and 
  outmanoeuvre anything it could not immediately destroy. 
  During the bleak middle years of the Angevin Crusade, 
  much was made by Imperial propagandists of the new, locally 
  manufactured “super-cruisers” planned to roll up the numerous 
  xenos and heretic empires arrayed against the Emperor’s forces. 
  Even though they only came into service as the crusade ended, 
  hopes for these vessels were immense. Early Chalice-class 
  captains were lauded as glamorous, swashbuckling adventurers 
  in endless vox reels and data plays. 
  Sadly, the vessels failed to live up to expectations. Two 
  of the original Chalice class battlecruisers were destroyed 
  during an engagement with unknown xenos forces in the 
  Hazeroth Abyss in 123.M40, and others lost to accident or 
  fleet engagements over the next millennia. Due to an active 
  Inquisitorial campaign to conceal these military setbacks, these 
  ships remain admired amongst the ignorant general Imperial 
  public, who believe these ships are the iron core of Battlefleet 
  Calixis. However, these sleek and beautiful warships, while fast 
  and well armed, have a glass jaw, and a disconcerting tendency 
  to rupture plasma conduits under sustained assault.  
  Speed: 6  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Armour: 19 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 75 
   
  SP: 63
  
  23
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  Battlecruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Additional 
  Plasma 
  Conduits: 
  All 
  Chalice-class 
  battlecruisers have many heavy plasma conduits, a risky 
  trade-off for increased power. Any plasma drive installed on 
  a Chalice increases power generated by 4. However, every 
  time a Chalice takes a Critical Hit, there is a 25% chance it 
  suffers an additional Fire! Critical Hit as well.  
  ArmAGeddoN-clAss bATTlecruiser
  Dimensions: 5 km long, 0.8 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 30 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 98,500 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Armageddon class is a relatively recent innovation within 
  the Imperial Navy. They are constructed from the hulks of 
  ruined Lunar-class cruisers, upgunned, upgraded and re-
  commissioned into battle anew. The Lunar class is ubiquitous 
  amongst all Segmentum fleets, and frequently involved in 
  shattering conflicts, so the opportunity to construct these 
  battlecruisers arises often. Given their extensively redesigned 
  power relays and enhanced weapon systems, they are more 
  demanding in terms of manpower and resources than the 
  Lunar class, and so are rarely constructed from scratch, but 
  hard-pressed battlefleets are quick to utilise them where 
  they are available. Given their large crews and the fact that 
  Lunar-class hulls were never really designed to carry such 
  heavy weaponry, Armageddons are surprisingly cramped and 
  uncomfortable vessels for their size, making them poorly 
  suited for long-term exploration—but few Rogue Traders can 
  argue with the raw firepower they bring to bear. 
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 73 
   
  SP: 63
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  Battlecruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Cramped: The corridors of Armageddon-class battlecruisers are 
  lined with power relays for the massive weapons systems which 
  must be replaced often. These cabling systems clog the ship’s 
  passageways like arterial plaque, consuming space that would 
  otherwise be used for vital supplies. Even extensive redesigns 
  cannot resolve these issues. The ship can only stock three month’s 
  worth of food and supplies rather than the normal six. 
  cruiser huLLs
  These vast ships of the line form the iron backbone of the 
  Imperial battlefleets. Principal combat vessels designed to 
  pound the enemy into flaming ruin, they are monolithic and 
  awesome vessels only rarely found in the hands of the most 
  wealthy and ambitious Rogue Traders.
  coNquesT-clAss sTAr GAlleoN
  Dimensions: 5.1 km long, 0.7 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 30 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 65,000 crew, approx
  Accel: 2.1 gravities max sustainable acceleration. 
  Star galleons are thought to be treasure ships from the very 
  dawn of the Imperium, commissioned for the very first Rogue 
  Traders on the orders of the Emperor himself. Whether this is 
  true is completely unprovable, but those Star Galleons found 
  in the Koronus Expanse are usually ancient vessels bearing 
  design elements lost to modern shipwrights. Specialist long-
  range exploration vessels, capable of voyaging for years at 
  a time, they were conceived as heavily armed hybrids 
  of cruiser and transport, with enough firepower 
  to defend themselves and carve apart renegade 
  empires, yet also capable of safely transporting 
  back the spoils of war by the megatonnne. 
  Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Additional 
  Plasma 
  Conduits: 
  All 
  Chalice-class 
   
  All 
  Chalice-class 
  Battlecruiser: This ship can use “cruisers only” Components
  Overlord-class Battlecruiser
  Chalice-class Battlecruiser
  Armageddon-class Battlecruiser
  Mars-class Battlecruiser
  
  24
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Few of these ships exist in the Koronus Expanse in the 41st 
  Millennium. They are precious relics, priceless treasures from 
  the legendary founding time of the Imperium. Only the most 
  ancient and powerful dynasties retain such heirlooms, and 
  they guard them jealously. Generally regarded as fragile and 
  undergunned for their size by modern naval officers, such an 
  appraisal misses the obvious fact that these are not warships; 
  rather, they are tremendously powerful armed freighters. 
  The Conquest class is the archetypal star galleon, though 
  ten thousand years of variation amongst the limited number of 
  ships still active renders the concepts of a “class” somewhat moot. 
  Every Conquest is a uniquely glamorous and beautiful vessel, a 
  glittering city in the stars, laden with treasures from forbidden 
  realms and lost empires. Physically as large as most cruisers, 
  though not as well armed or armoured, they are nevertheless a 
  match for most threats that can be found in the Koronus Expanse. 
  Speed: 4  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 65
  Armour: 16 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 56 
   
  SP: 52
  Weapon Capacity: Port 2, Starboard 2
  Galleon: The Star Galleon comes pre-equipped with two Main 
  Cargo Hold Components (see page 203 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  core rulebook.) The hull’s space has already been reduced to 
  account for this; however, when the ship is constructed it must 
  be able to provide four Power to these Components.   
  Hybrid Vessel: The Star Galleon may be equipped 
  with Transport or Cruiser Components. However, if the 
  Component has both a Transport and a Cruiser variant, it 
  must take the Cruiser variant. 
  AmbiTioN clAss cruiser
  Dimensions: 4.9 km long, 2 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 25 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 89,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 3 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Imperial Navy is by far the most important purchaser 
  of warships in the Imperium. The economies of entire sub 
  sectors are devoted to supporting the manufacture and 
  supply of these mighty craft, principally in regions 
  which serve the greater Forge worlds such as Mars 
  or Cypra Mundi. It is extremely rare for private 
  customers to have the resources to purchase 
  a whole new cruiser outright.
  Rare…but not unknown. The Imperium, despite its 
  complex feudal hierarchy, does occasionally produce the 
  extremely wealthy individual, or dynasties with the financial 
  wherewithal to commission the manufacture of a bespoke 
  cruiser. These are not rusty and echoing mothballed, second 
  hand cruisers from the wrecking yards or reserve fleets, but 
  shining new vessels built to the quixotic specifications of 
  eccentric and boundlessly conniving individuals. 
  The Ambition is representative of such a type of ship. A 
  handful of ships of this rare class have emerged intermittently 
  from the orbital Kormisoshi Dockyards of the Calixis 
  Sector over the past thousand years, each a phenomenally 
  expensive purchase. They are true cruisers, with the ability 
  to pack as much firepower as a Lunar or Tyrant class ship 
  of the Imperial Navy, though they have never been tested in 
  combat against them—to anyone’s knowledge. Invariably 
  incorporating the most luxurious and opulent quarters, the 
  Ambition class is a briskly efficient craft that lacks some 
  of the ultra-conservative redundancies built into true naval 
  vessels. Some commentators have observed that as such 
  these ships are likely to be somewhat more brittle than 
  many “true” cruisers, but most Rogue Traders are prepared 
  to sacrifice this for the prestige of owning such a noble and 
  exclusive craft.   
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +12
  Detection: +15  
  Hull Integrity: 66
  Armour: 17 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 75 
   
  SP: 57
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  dicTATor-clAss cruiser
  Dimensions: 5.1 km long, 0.8km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 29 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 85,000 crew, 15,000 pilots and support personnel, approx.
  Accel: 2.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.
  The first Dictator-class cruisers were retrofitted from 
  heavily damaged Lunars, with the aft lance decks replaced 
  entirely by heavy launch bays for large squadrons of 
  Fury-class starfighters and Starhawk bombers. Originally 
  designed for launching Thunderbolts and Marauders 
  against planetside targets, successive upgrades to the 
  Few of these ships exist in the Koronus Expanse in the 41st 
  Millennium. They are precious relics, priceless treasures from 
  the legendary founding time of the Imperium. Only the most 
  ancient and powerful dynasties retain such heirlooms, and 
  Rare…but not unknown. The Imperium, despite its 
  Rare…but not unknown. The Imperium, despite its 
  Conquest-class Star Galleon
  Ambition-class Cruiser
  Dictator-class Cruiser
  
  25
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Dictator’s communications and detection systems expanded 
  its capabilities for launching long-range strikes against 
  ships in deep space. Increasingly, they were equipped with 
  Furies and Starhawks, until this became their standard. In 
  the Calixis Sector, several Dictators have been constructed 
  as new vessels, using this design. 
  The Dictator is a popular naval choice as a flagship for 
  long range anti-piracy patrols, as its launch bays give it a 
  significant degree of strategic flexibility. Pirates often lair 
  in asteroid fields or within the atmospheres of obscure 
  planetoids. The ability of attack craft to flush these parasites 
  out and into the range of the ship’s powerful macrobatteries 
  is extremely useful, and attack craft also extend the Dictator’s 
  reach far beyond the range of its guns. 
  Rogue Traders value Dictators for these reasons, and they 
  are much-coveted vessels amongst this diverse community. 
  Depending upon the inclinations of the individual Rogue 
  Trader, the void-capable (and expensive) Furies and 
  Starhawks are often replaced with more economic Marauders 
  and Thunderbolts, the better to intimidate defiant planetary 
  populations into submission.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +8
  Detection: +18  
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 3
  Space: 65 
   
  SP: 63
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2 (of these slots, 
  1 port and 1 starboard slot pre-equipped with Components)
  Carrier Vessel: The Dictator comes pre-equipped with two 
  Jovian Pattern Launch Bays that take up a Port and Starboard 
  weapon capacity slot. These are built into the design, and nearly 
  impossible to remove. The hull’s space has already been reduced 
  to account for this, however when the ship is constructed it must 
  be able to provide one Power to each 
  Component. 
  luNAr vAriANTs
  Many Imperial cruisers share certain similarities in design, and this is particularly true of the Lunar-class cruiser. In fact, 
  some other classes of cruiser (the Dictator being a prominent example) are built by retrofitting damaged Lunars. 
  In the Calixis Sector, two particular classes of cruiser—the Dominator and the Gothic, share a great deal in common 
  with the Lunar. Their primary differences lie not in their base Characteristics, but the weapons and other Components 
  that they mount. While they do not actually use the same hulls, they are very similar. Therefore, instead of providing 
  three very similar hull profiles, groups who wish these types of ships should modify the Lunar class hull found on page 
  196 of Rogue TRadeR core rulebook in the following manner.
  domiNATor-clAss cruiser
  The Dominator class was originally conceived as a planetary assault and fleet-support vessel, built around the colossal energies 
  of the graviometrically-driven Nova Cannon. The ship was designed to remain behind the main fleet line, using the Nova 
  Cannon to bombard the enemy at extreme range. The majority of Dominators are constructed in the Ultima Segmentum at 
  Kar Duniash, and are relatively rare in the Segmentum Obscurus. However, after the impressive performance of the Dominator 
  Hammer of Justice during the Gothic War, the Segmentum Battlefleets show a renewed interest in the Dominator. 
  The Dominator is relatively rare in battlefleet Calixis, with only one example, the Astrum Astae, remaining in service. In part, 
  this is due to the relatively peaceful nature of the Calixis Sector; while at a planetary level it may seethe with cult activity and 
  apostasy, there have been relatively few fleet-level actions for some three centuries. The prized Nova Cannons are therefore 
  relegated to more turbulent sectors, or to one of the massive crusades grinding down heretical forces across the galaxy.
  To construct a Dominator, start with the Lunar-class hull, and equip it with an Armoured Prow Component and a 
  Stygies-pattern Nova Cannon. Dominators typically mount macrobattery broadsides instead of lances, as the additional 
  power is needed for the Nova Cannon. 
  GoThic-clAss cruiser
  The powerful Gothic class Cruiser is a familiar sight throughout the Imperium and has a presence in each Segmentum 
  battlefleet. The class carries one of the heaviest lance broadsides in the Imperial Navy, making it a threat to vessels of 
  equal or larger size. However, without the saturating fire of macrobatteries, lances are often unable to bring down targets 
  fast enough, meaning the Imperial Navy often pairs Gothics with other cruisers or escort squadrons. These ships bring 
  down an opponent’s defences, allowing the Gothic to finish them off. There are several Gothics in the Calixis Sector, 
  including the Gethsemane of Battlefleet Koronus (page 64). 
  A Gothic differs from a Lunar chiefly in terms of power output. To construct a Gothic, start with the Lunar class hull 
  and equip it with a Jovian-pattern “Warcruiser” Drive and possibly Auxiliary Plasma Banks from the InTo The SToRm 
  supplement, Titanforge Lance Batteries in all Port and Starboard weapon capacity slots, torpedo tubes, and an Armoured 
  Prow Component.  Note, the fearsome lance arrays of a Gothic are hard to construct, meaning a great deal of effort is 
  put into building the ship. When constructing a Gothic, it will likely need several Good Craftsmanship Components.
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  be able to provide one Power to each 
  Component. 
  Most days, I would not trade a light cruiser for any other 
  command. However, when I am eventually promoted to captain 
  and forced to give up my explorations and “long patrols,” I hope 
  I’ll be able to take command of a Dictator. I have been aboard 
  the Warspite when we both docked at Metis Base, and I was truly 
  impressed. The power in her macrobatteries, the massive torpedo 
  tubes, and the legions of attack craft waiting in their bays, I can 
  only imagine command of her is the closest thing to commanding 
  a fleet, all bound up in a single vessel. 
  
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  LighT cruiser huLLs
  Light cruisers are often characterised as scout vessels, but 
  some Forge worlds produce true “pocket cruisers,” slower, up-
  armoured and well-armed light cruisers that offer a cheaper 
  alternative to full cruisers. They are often easy to maintain 
  and less demanding in manpower, and many Rogue Traders 
  find these flexible ships extremely attractive.
  eNdeAvour-clAss liGhT cruiser
  Dimensions:3.8 km long,0.5 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 22 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 67,500 crew, approx.
  Accel: 3.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  A design from the famous Voss Forge world, the Endeavour-
  class light cruiser has a markedly different mission profile 
  to the Dauntless. Given its relatively slow speed and heavier 
  armour, the Endeavour is typically used as a stopgap ship of the 
  line, convoy flagship or battleship escort in gigantic set-piece 
  naval battles. Endeavour captains must be careful not to bite 
  off more than they can chew, for the ship lacks the firepower 
  of a true cruiser, yet often finds itself in confrontations better 
  suited to vessels of that type. Several Endeavours serve in 
  Battlefleet Calixis, as there is proportionately less need for 
  true ships of the line; many routine patrols in the Sector 
  consist of an Endeavour accompanied by a pair of frigates.
  Speed: 6  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +12
  Detection: +15  
  Hull Integrity: 60
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 58 
   
  SP: 57
  Weapon Capacity: 1 Port, 1 Starboard, 2 Prow (of these 
  slots, 1 prow slot pre-equipped with components)
  Torpedo Specialist: One of the Endeavor’s Prow weapon 
  slots is occupied by a Voss-pattern Torpedo Tube Component. 
  This Component may not be removed. The space required is 
  already taken into account, but when this ship is constructed, 
  it must provide one power to this Component.
  defiANT-clAss liGhT cruiser
  Dimensions: 3.8 km long, 0.5 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 22 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 61,500 crew, approx, 6,100 pilots and support staff, approx.
  Accel: 3.8 Gravities max sustainable acceleration  
  A rarer carrier variant of the Endeavour, the Defiant is rarely 
  utilised on its own in the Imperial Navy, as its typical weapons 
  fit leaves it vulnerable to direct attack and totally reliant upon 
  its relatively small number of Furies and Starhawks to 
  defend it. In centuries past, these ships occasionally 
  formed the flagships of long range light recon 
  patrols into the Koronus Expanse, prior to the 
  establishment of the more permanent Passage 
  Watch 27 Est. Even then, some Defiants 
  still remain in service with “Battlefleet Koronus.”
  A few of these craft have made it into the hands of some 
  richer Rogue Trader dynasties, where they are often utilised as 
  a versatile “second ship,” a supplementary support vessel used 
  to fill gaps in the capabilities of the Trader’s primary flagship.  
  Speed: 6  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +12
  Detection: +15  
  Hull Integrity: 60
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 55 
   
  SP: 58
  Weapon Capacity:  1 Port, 1 Starboard, 1 Prow (of these slots, 
  1 port and 1 starboard slot pre-equipped with components)
  Carrier: The Defiant-class light cruiser comes pre-equipped with 
  two Jovian-class Launch Bay Components, which may not be 
  removed. The hull’s space has already been reduced to account 
  for this; however, when the ship is constructed it must be able to 
  provide one Power to each launch bay Component (two in total).   
  FrigaTe huLLs
  Often overlooked as insignificant by technocratic senior 
  officers obsessed with the raw firepower of true battleships 
  or ships of the line, frigates offer so much more than pure 
  scouting and escort vessels. These elegant and fast craft travel 
  further, explore more widely and routinely see more combat 
  than the larger battlefleet vessels simply by virtue of the vast 
  number of tasks they are capable of performing. 
  fAlchioN-clAss friGATe
  Dimensions: 2.2 km long, 0.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 6.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 27,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 4.6 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Falchion is considered a new class, having only been 
  laid down in 261.M41. Given the Imperial Navy’s deference 
  towards the truly ancient ships in its arsenal, the class (given 
  its mere 550 years of service) is regarded as an untried and 
  untested pretender to the throne of more established ships 
  like the venerable Sword. As such, it has engendered some 
  undisguised and unfair hostility from the more hidebound 
  and traditional sections of the Battlefleet Calixis officer class.
  This is a pity, for the Falchion, like all Voss Forge world ships, 
  is a thoroughly well-constructed and innovative design. It is more 
  flexible than many frigates, having, unusually, the capacity to 
  carry torpedoes. This has led to the class being used in a more 
  aggressive capacity than perhaps suits it, more reactionary officers 
  tending to treat it as an upgunned heavy destroyer. This ignores 
  its abilities as an escort vessel for larger craft, its original purpose. 
  Battlefleet Calixis currently has only one squadron of these 
  ships, the three-vessel Broadsword Squadron patrolling a long 
  loop around the Scintilla/Iocanthus/Sepheris Secundus triangular 
  Endeavour-class Light Cruiser
  Defiant-class Light Cruiser
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  trade route. There is, however, talk of diverting the squadron to 
  conduct long-range scouting patrols into the Halo Stars. 
  Rogue Traders, being freethinking innovators, are less 
  likely to adopt the Navy’s unsympathetic approach to the 
  new class, and it is not surprising that some Falchions have 
  already been sighted within the Koronus Expanse.
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +17
  Detection: +14  
  Hull Integrity: 36
  Armour: 18 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 34 
   
  SP: 42
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Dorsal 2 (of these slots, 1 prow 
  slot pre-equipped with Components)
  Torpedo Specialist: The Falchion has been designed 
  as a torpedo gunship. The Falchion’s Prow weapon slot is 
  occupied by a Voss-pattern Torpedo Tube Component. This 
  Component may not be removed, and has half the usual 
  ammunition capacity. The space required is already taken into 
  account, but when this ship is constructed, it must provide 
  one power to this Component. 
  clAymore-clAss corveTTe
  Dimensions: 1.4 km long, 0.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 5.9 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 21,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 4.6 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  Corvettes are specialist escort craft, usually slightly smaller and 
  less powerful than true frigates, but slower and more heavily 
  armoured than raiders. Typically constructed rapidly in times of 
  war, Corvettes utilise simple components and rugged designs. 
  Their normal mission profile is to escort vulnerable transports, 
  protecting them against light raiders, thus freeing more valuable 
  true frigates to accompany battleships and cruisers.
  Corvettes are unpopular with Imperial Navy officers. 
  Most Battlefleets tend to have many parochial and 
  conservative tendencies, and receiving orders to nursemaid 
  civilian vessels in a newly-constructed and untested ship is 
  seen as demeaning, or even as a calculated insult. Despite 
  this, the corvettes have upheld the traditions of the Navy for 
  thousands of years, hurling themselves in the path of more 
  powerful and dangerous vessels, their actions often saving 
  millions of lives.
  The Claymore is a typical corvette. Rugged, easily-repaired 
  and utilitarian, more than fifty of these stopgap vessels were 
  constructed during the Angevin Crusade to cover losses in 
  the Sword-class frigate squadrons, churned out by Adeptus 
  Mechanicus mobile shipyards and small civilian concerns 
  orbiting stronghold worlds like Sinophia. 
  Few of these ships currently serve in Battlefleet Calixis; they 
  were rewarded for their bravery by almost immediately being 
  relegated to reserve fleets or sold to opportunistic Rogue Traders. 
  The latter appreciate them for what they are; cheap compared to 
  most warships, easily maintained and relatively common. 
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +18
  Detection: +12  
  Hull Integrity: 30
  Armour: 17 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 38 
   
  SP: 38
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 2
  TurbuleNT-clAss heAvy friGATe
  Dimensions: 1.95km long, 0.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 7.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 25,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 4.3 gravities max sustainable acceleration.
  Imported from the Scarus Sector for use as heavy naval escorts 
  during the early days of the Angevin Crusade, the handful of 
  Turbulent-class heavy frigates surviving in the Calixis Sector 
  never returned, some say because they found the tumultuous 
  Calixian region  more to their tastes. Intended to drive ahead of 
  the main fleet and engage rival scouting units when encountered, 
  the history of the Turbulent class has been characterised by 
  aggressive and piratical actions against the Emperor’s foes. 
  Although rare, the Turbulent has gained a reputation as a “lucky” 
  class. Turbulents have participated in many of the most glorious 
  naval actions of the sector, whilst coincidentally either surviving 
  or not being involved at all in the most disastrous. 
  Some armchair admirals dismiss the Turbulent, citing its 
  comparatively inefficient energy weapon transfer systems and 
  deriding its antiquated internal communication network of 
  brass vacuum pipes and electric lights. However such mockery 
  is best done behind closed doors, as several of the senior 
  admirals in Battlefleet Calixis served aboard these feisty ships.
  Speed: 7  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +18
  Detection: +15  
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Armour: 20 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 42 
   
  SP: 42
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 2
  Fiery Temperament: For some reason, the plasma drives on 
  a Turbulent tend to burn hotter than on comparable vessels. 
  Though this isn’t enough to compensate for the added mass, 
  it does give more power. Any plasma drive installed on a 
  Turbulent has its Power Generated increased by +2.
  Antiquated Communications: All Command Tests on a 
  Turbulent suffer a –5 penalty. 
  trade route. There is, however, talk of diverting the squadron to 
  conduct long-range scouting patrols into the Halo Stars. 
  conduct long-range scouting patrols into the Halo Stars. 
  Falchion-class Frigate
  Claymore-class Corvette
  Turbulent-class Heavy Frigate
  
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  raider huLLs
  These fast and deadly vessels are common amongst pirates, 
  renegades and other reprobates. 
  meriTech shrike-clAss rAider
  Dimensions: 2 km long, 0.25km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 4.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 15000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 5.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Meritech clans were an infamous rabble of voidborn star-
  gypsies, wanderers and scavengers, who came to reside in the 
  border zone worlds of the Merates cluster during the final years 
  of the 40th millennia. Initially content to forage for parts for 
  their ramshackle fleets from ruined space hulks drifting into their 
  territory, within a century they had embarked upon a lifestyle of 
  piracy, and routinely attacked vessels passing between the Calixis 
  and Ixaniad sectors. In 211.M41 mere banditry gave way to all-
  out war when Meritech raiders ambushed a trio of Battlefleet 
  Calixis Sword-class frigates. Only one Sword escaped.
  This plunged the entire region into a fifteen-year war which 
  only concluded when Battlefleet Calixis crushed the Meritech 
  Clan strongholds. Subsequent Inquisitorial investigations 
  established, it is said, sinister tech-heretics behind the events.  
  Many of the deadly raider vessels utilised by the clanfleet 
  survived, sold to pirates and other rogues to ensure safe 
  passage for the upper echelons of the renegade clanlords. 
  The vessel designated a Shrike class is typical of the Meritech 
  ships of the period, and indeed formed the main strength 
  of its bandit squadrons. A lithe, incredibly advanced vessel 
  that utilised heretical technologies unknown to the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus, few Rogue Traders are able to maintain these 
  ships at their original performance levels, given their bizarrely 
  innovative heretech, but they remain dangerous fast raiders.  
  Speed: 10 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +25
  Detection: +20  
  Hull Integrity: 30
  Armour: 16 
   
  Turret Rating: 2
  Space: 35 
   
  SP: 34
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1
  Advanced Cogitator Linkage: Shrikes include kilometres 
  of sophisticated linkage cabling, which at one time allowed 
  a highly advanced core cogitator to exercise extreme control 
  over the systems. Although the heretical cogitator is long 
  removed, the linkage remains. This vessels gains a +5 bonus 
  to all Ballistic Skill Tests to fire the ship’s weaponry. 
  icoNoclAsT-clAss desTroyer
  Dimensions: 1.3 km long, 0.4km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 6.1 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 16,500 crew, approx.
  Accel: 7.2 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Iconoclast is a small combat vessel that is widespread 
  across the fringes of the Imperium. Although indelibly 
  associated with the vast Chaos fleets which sporadically 
  sweep from the Eye of Terror, the majority of Iconoclasts are 
  in fact more often used by opportunistic pirates who may 
  have no connection to the Ruinous Powers. The ship’s design 
  is similar to any number of small escort ships turned out by 
  every shipyard. In the wild regions of space near the Calixis 
  Sector, many Iconoclasts are  produced in shadow ports and 
  shipyards that lurk beyond the bounds of the Imperium, 
  assembled by tech-heretics and shipwright clans who owe no 
  fealty to Holy Terra.
  Many Inquisitors in the Calixis Sector have devoted their 
  lives to ascertaining the class’ origins. A handful of investigators 
  have formed paranoid conspiracy theories, Inquisitor Kalladran 
  of the Tricorn on Scintilla famously denouncing the Iconoclast 
  as “an ancient terror-meme, a thought virus spread from heretic 
  to heretic in the form of blueprints stained with the blood of 
  billions.” Others note that Iconoclasts tend to have any number 
  of design variations, and is far more likely an easily duplicated 
  design.
  Such histrionics aside, the Iconoclast is a simple, compact 
  and easily constructed vessel which can be assembled in 
  even the most primitive shipyard, given time. Well armed 
  for its size, many pirate fleets consist entirely of swarms 
  of Iconoclasts, which in sufficient numbers are capable of 
  bringing down even the mightiest battleship. Rogue Traders 
  with piratical inclinations often possess such vessels, whether 
  through successful boarding actions or outright purchase. 
  Speed: 10 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +25
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 28
  Armour: 14 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 32 
   
  SP: 29
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 2
  Easy to Repair: When effecting long term repairs, this ship 
  may repair an additional +2 Hull Integrity if the repairs succeed. 
  viper-clAss scouT sloop
  Dimensions: 0.95 km long,0.25 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 4.9 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 7,500  crew, approx.
  Accel: 6 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Viper is the smallest warp-capable vessel used in 
  Battlefleet Calixis. The Viper is a fast scout ship, with 
  immensely powerful realspace engines. It is used for short-
  term spy missions aimed at specific hostile regions: unlike, 
  for example, a Dauntless light cruiser, which will conduct 
  broad patrols over a wide area, the Viper charges into hostile 
  territory at high speed. There it uses powerful auspex and 
  augur scanners to collate as much information as possible, 
  before retreating to a safe warp jump point while usually 
  pursued by enemy ships.
  Given its specialist role, the Viper is unsurprisingly limited 
  in many ways. It is a tiny ship, with very restricted space for 
  additional Components. Furthermore, it is not heavily armed, 
  as extensive weapon batteries would draw vital power from the 
  sensor arrays and engines. They are rare vessels in the sector 
  and are not ideal vessels for Rogue Traders, given their highly 
  specialised nature. However, more enterprising and wealthy 
  dynasties will often employ a Viper as part of a larger fleet, 
  leapfrogging ahead of the main force to rapidly establish the 
  nature of each planetary system encountered.   
  Speed: 11 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +30
  Detection: +25  
  Hull Integrity: 25
  Armour: 14 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 29 
   
  SP: 27
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
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  TransporT huLLs
  The Imperium swarms with transport vessels. Millions of these 
  civilian craft plough the space lanes, ferrying pilgrims, ore, 
  foodstuffs and luxuries to untold billions of eager consumers 
  across the galaxy. There are countless classes of transport vessel, 
  and even the mightiest Rogue Trader dynasty, replete with 
  fleets of ancient warships, requires humble transport craft to 
  carry the spoils of their conquests back to the Imperium again. 
  cArrAck-clAss TrANsporT
  Dimensions: 2.1 km long, 0.4 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 8.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 19,500 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.3 gravities max sustainable acceleration.
  The Carrack class is a recent attempt to recreate the ancient 
  star galleon concept. The increasing impression amongst 
  commercial shipbuilders—in common with many citizens 
  of the Imperium—is that the galaxy is becoming a more 
  dangerous place, and that the end times are fast approaching. 
  Certain Chartist captains place their faith in solidly built, well 
  armed freighters, designed from the ground up to be capable 
  of carrying heavy loads while also tackling light raiders or 
  other miscreants. 
  The Carrack class is a product of the shipyards that sit 
  on the adjoining edges of the Calixis and Ixianid Sectors, 
  where travellers must often stand alone against the foulest of 
  terrors that boil up from the depths of intergalactic space. 
  Robust and vigourous, these stout craft give the lie to the trite 
  accusation that Imperial shipbuilding is a dying art. Though 
  the design is less than 1,000 years old, these ships are as bold 
  and strong as any transport of their size in the history of the 
  Imperium, and have driven off many ill-advised pirate raids. 
  Speed: 4  
   
  Manoeuvrability: –5
  Detection: +10  
  Hull Integrity: 45
  Armour: 15 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 38 
   
  SP: 25
  Weapon Capacity: 2 Dorsal
  Cargo Hauler: This vessel was designed for transporting 
  goods, and no amount of retrofitting can fully change this. 
  This Hull comes pre-equipped with one Main Cargo Hold 
  Component (See page 203 of the Rogue TRadeR core 
  rulebook). The hull’s Space has already been reduced to 
  account for this, however when the ship is constructed it must 
  be able to provide a total of 2 Power to this Component. 
  GoliATh-clAss fAcTory ship
  Dimensions: 4.9 km long, 0.9 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 16 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 41,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 1.5 Gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Goliath-class factory ships are Mechanicus vessels, 
  gigantic energy-processing vessels that harvest the very essence 
  of stars. They devour solar plasma to power their own arcane 
  fuel production techniques, in order to sate the endless hunger 
  of the Imperium’s Hive worlds. Even larger than the Jericho 
  class, they are fragile and potentially explosive craft treated 
  with much respectful caution by other spacefarers, given their 
  propensity to detonate in catastrophic explosions that are 
  capable of scouring the atmosphere from entire worlds.
  The Goliaths plod slowly through certain traditional trade 
  routes, the principle Calixian route consisting of Sepheris 
  Secundus, Scintilla, and an obscure blue star known only as Delta 
  7815. The full round trip—which can take up to two years—
  begins at Sepheris Secundus, where the Goliaths take aboard 
  millions of tons of unrefined ore, hacked from the frozen surface 
  of the ice world by billions of serfs. The ship refines this ore to 
  extract the priceless rare elements contained within, converting 
  them in primal furnaces to their base molecules—suspended in 
  a plasma state and stored within fragile spinning containment 
  fields. These plasmas are highly desired to fuel the most powerful 
  reactors. This hugely demanding process drains the ship’s own 
  enormous power plants, so it plunges from the warp to scoop 
  the plasma of the brilliant blue-giant star Delta 7815, restoring 
  its own power reserves, before slowly propelling itself back to 
  Scintilla to off-load its precious cargo of energy-rich plasma fuel. 
  The Goliaths of the Calixis Sector are an ancient and inelegant 
  class; bulbous and totally utilitarian, they are of interest to Rogue 
  Traders because of their potentially infinite range (subject to 
  finding stars of the correct type to recharge their plasma engines) 
  and their not inconsiderable transport capability. 
  Speed: 3  
   
  Manoeuvrability: -10
  Detection: +4 
   
  Hull Integrity: 50
  Armour: 14 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 40 
   
  SP: 25
  Weapon Capacity: 1 Dorsal, 1 Port, 1 Starboard
  Cargo Hauler: This vessel was designed for transporting 
  goods and fuel, and no amount of retrofitting can fully change 
  this. This Hull comes pre-equipped with two Main Cargo 
  Hold Components (See page 203 of the Rogue TRadeR core 
  rulebook). The hull’s Space has already been reduced to account 
  for these, however when the ship is constructed it must be able 
  to provide a total of 4 Power to these Components. 
  Viper-class Scout Sloop
  Iconoclast-class Destroyer
  Meritech Shrike-class Raider
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
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  Plasma Refinery: This vessel comes pre-equipped with a unique 
  Component, a Plasma Refinery, used to create high-grade fuel for 
  plasma engines. This is a huge facility mounted amidships. This 
  grants the ship the ability to scoop plasma from the stars, refine 
  it, and sell it on. The profits gained by this enterprise are closely 
  matched to the costs of running the vessel, however the Explorers 
  can use it to augment their own endeavours. The refining process 
  simply requires a large supply of low-grade ore, however the 
  plasma harvesting process is more involved. The ship must enter 
  a retrograde orbit around a blue-giant star, a manoeuvre that takes 
  three days and requires two Ordinary (+10) Pilot (Space Craft) 
  + Manoeuvrability Tests. Failure of either of these Tests by five 
  degrees or more results in the ship’s destruction. Success means 
  the ship gains enough additional plasma to convert one full load 
  of ore, granting the Explorers +100 Achievement Points to an 
  ongoing Endeavour (the refined plasma can either be used in the 
  Endeavour, or sold to generate funds). 
  Powered by Stars: Provided the Goliath harvests plasma 
  roughly once a year, its Plasma Drive generates +10 power. 
  uNiverse-clAss mAss coNveyor
  Dimensions: 12 km long, 1.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 60 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 60,000 crew, 200,000–500,000 potential passenger capacity. 
  Accel: .5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  Amongst the myriad starships that serve the trade lanes in 
  and around the Calixis Sector, some of the largest are the 
  mass conveyors. Stretching some twelve kilometres from 
  stem to stern, a mass conveyor appears at a distance to be a 
  slim, elegant craft. However, as one slowly approaches it, this 
  misleading impression is replaced with a horrified awe, as what 
  appear to be radio masts resolve into gigantic towers the size of 
  hive stacks. The ship’s true scale manifests itself as an observer 
  realises that entire cities twinkle and shimmer along its flanks.
  To construct a Universe class mass conveyor is a massive 
  undertaking. To build one requires such an immense outlay of 
  resources that they can only be constructed above the richest 
  Imperial worlds and voidstations. They are pure cargo haulers, 
  relatively simple in design, but conceived on a truly epic scale. 
  They are almost self-contained worlds, where entire voidborn 
  communities live out their lives, uncaring as to the vessel’s 
  current owners’ motives or identities. Simply unloading the 
  vessel is a mighty undertaking, requiring months at a time. 
  There are larger ships (the Bountiful Beast of the Calixis Sector 
  is 16 km long, for example, and the Misericord approaches 
  that length while being substantially more massive) but the 
  Universe class still dwarfs most Imperial ships it comes across.
  It is rare for Rogue Traders to take one of these ships into 
  the Koronus Expanse, as they are slow and inflexible craft. 
  However, everything counts in large amounts.    
  Speed: 2  
   
  Manoeuvrability: -20
  Detection: +5 
   
  Hull Integrity: 65
  Armour: 12 
   
  Turret Rating: 1
  Space: 94 
   
  SP: 45
  Weapon Capacity: 1 Dorsal, 1 Port, 1 Starboard
  Oversized Monstrosity: This vessel’s Speed cannot be 
  increased by Components—if a Component would increase 
  its Speed, it has no effect instead.
  Secondary Power Genetorium: The Universe class is so large 
  it comes pre-equipped with a unique Component, a  Secondary 
  Power Genetorium. The hull’s Space has already been reduced to 
  account for this Component, which provides +10 power to the 
  vessel in addition to that provided by the ship’s Plasma Drive. 
  Cargo Hauler: This vessel was designed for transporting 
  goods on a massive scale, and no amount of retrofitting can 
  fully change this. This Hull comes pre-equipped with four Main 
  Cargo Hold Components (See page 203 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  core rulebook). The hull’s Space has already been reduced to 
  account for these, however when the ship is constructed it must 
  be able to provide a total of 8 Power to these Components.
  Plasma Refinery: This vessel comes pre-equipped with a unique 
  undertaking. To build one requires such an immense outlay of 
  Carrack-class Transport
  Goliath-class Factory Ship
  Universe-class Mass Conveyor
  
  31
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   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Additional 
  Components
  “Look at her, son. Isn’t she a beauty? Over two hundred Vulcan 
  mega-bolter defence turrets, fifteen tetrajoule Sunsear las-broadsides, 
  prow plating ten metres thick, the finest auspex masts in the 
  battlefleet… And the lines on her! Fluted prow, elegant statuary…
  those xenos scum won’t know what hit them!”
  – Bosun Phineas Jhule tempts fate at the embarkation of the 
  Fire of Heaven
  T
  he following is a list of starship Components designed 
  to supplement the Component lists found on pages 
  199-208 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook (as well 
  as those found in other Rogue TRadeR supplements). The 
  following Components may be used to construct a starship as 
  normal, following all of the restrictions found in the core rules. 
  essenTiaL coMponenTs
  Essential Components are required for a functioning starship. 
  Unless specifically noted otherwise, each ship must have one 
  of each of the following types of Components. 
  plAsmA drives
  Plasma drives are a starship’s power and propulsion source.
  Jovian-pattern class 8.1 drive
  The “Class 8” drives produced by the Jovian shipyards are a 
  constructed from an incomplete STC discovered less than a 
  millennia ago. Although they burn cooler than other Jovian 
  drives, they are far more robust, able to absorb crippling damage 
  without performance loss. These engines are typically reserved 
  for military vessels, and the 8.1 is designed for frigates.
  Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, 
  depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result 
  on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
  Jovian-pattern class 8.2 drive
  Second in the “Class 8” series of drives produced by the 
  Jovian shipyards the 8.2 is designed for light cruisers.
  Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, 
  depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result 
  on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
  Jovian-pattern class 8.3 drive
  Third in the “Class 8” series of drives produced by the Jovian 
  shipyards the 8.3 is designed for cruisers.
  Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, 
  depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result 
  on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
  Jovian-pattern class 8.4 drive
  Fourth in the “Class 8” series of drives produced by the Jovian 
  shipyards the 8.4 is designed for grand cruisers. It is rarely 
  produced due to the lack of new grand cruisers in the Imperium.
  Reliable Construction: If this Component becomes damaged, 
  depressurized, or suffers a Critical Hit (including a 4 or 6 result 
  on the chart), roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the effect is ignored.
  Mezoa-pattern Theta-7 drive
  A logical progression of the trend towards ultra-fast clipper style 
  engines, the Theta-7 is a massively powerful and hugely space-
  intensive civilian plasma drive designed purely for speed. The 
  Theta-7 is constructed using potentially unsafe techniques that 
  involve shoehorning deliberately semi-unstable plasma chambers 
  into the cramped confines of existing transport vessels. 
  Oversized Engines: Increase the Ship’s speed by +2 and 
  Manoeuvrability by +5
  Fragile Engines: Any hits to the finely-balanced plasma drives 
  are likely to incapacitate the entire ship. If the ship suffers a 
  “Thrusters Damaged” or “Engines Crippled” Critical Hit, the 
  subsequent dice roll to determine severity is always a 10. 
  saturnine-pattern class 4a “ultra” drive
  The popularity of the battlecruiser concept led to a general 
  acceptance that it was theoretically possible to overload the 
  hulls of existing cruisers with weaponry capable of challenging 
  the grand cruisers of previous millennia. The existing power-
  generating systems of most cruisers were simply not capable of 
  supporting the immense demands of such upgraded systems, so 
  cunningly redesigned plasma drives capable of being mounted 
  within the confines of existing cruiser hulls were created by the 
  adepts of Mars. These engines are now revered by many magi 
  as the pinnacle of human technological achievement.   
  saturnine-pattern class 5 drives
  For over 10,000 years, the grand cruisers of the Imperial 
  Navy have traversed the stars in stately majesty, huge and 
  powerful vessels lined with banks of heavy weapons capable 
  of destroying small moons. The power demands of these 
  regal craft are immense, necessitating gigantic engine rooms 
  larger than whole transport ships. These drives are not space-
  efficient, but generate more pure power than anything save 
  the engines of the mighty battleships.
  wArp drive
  Warp Drives propel starships through the Immaterium. 
  Miloslav h-616.b Warp engine
  Many ancient vessels, particularly cruisers, heavy cruisers and 
  grand cruisers of the early Imperium utilised a variety of highly 
  advanced experimental technologies. Many of these technological 
  advances have since been discredited in the eyes of the adepts 
  of Mars, and are now regarded as unreliable and prone to 
  catastrophic malfunction. The H-616.b warp engine sits on 
  the border of such suspect designs, not quite heretical, 
  but somehow tainted with the scent of the profane. 
  Capable of great speed during warp transits, the 
  engine is notably less secure than later designs, 
  
  32
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  more prone to attract hostile warp entities and generate dissonant 
  warp currents capable of swamping the entire ship. 
  Haste of the Damned: Reduce the duration of all warp 
  passages by half. However, roll on the Warp Travel Encounters 
  table (page 186 of Rogue TRadeR) every three days rather 
  than every five days.   
  GellAr fields
  Gellar Fields protect starships from the predations of the warp. 
  Belecane-pattern 90.r gellar Field
  The Forge world Belecane in the Calixis Sector has long been 
  associated with the construction of protective barriers, void shields, 
  stasis fields, and Gellar fields. The 90.r was an experimental type 
  of warp field which offered enhanced warp-handling capabilities, 
  allowing the ship to slip through the warp like a predatory 
  razorfish. Unfortunately it was prone to an inexplicable “flicker” 
  during prolonged use which would allow daemonic entities 
  ingress to the vessel during warp transit, meaning it is rarely used.
  Tainted Field: Any Navigation Tests to pilot the ship through 
  the warp gain a +10 bonus. However, subtract -20 from the 
  result of any rolls made on the Warp Travel Encounters table 
  on page 186 of Rogue TRadeR to reflect the increased risk of 
  warp incident using this type of Gellar field.
  void shields
  As Gellar Fields protect ships from the warp, void shields 
  defend against more mundane (though no less deadly) threats. 
  Triple Void shield array
  The ancient grand cruisers occasionally still operated by the 
  Imperial Navy and certain fabulously wealthy Rogue Trader 
  Dynasties possess titanic layered banks of antique void shields 
  that fill cavernous field decks the size of small towns. These are 
  hellish compartments, rank with the stench of ozone and prone 
  to unpredictably deadly arcs of lightening from copper discharge 
  points as the onion-layered void shields are pounded by enemy 
  ordnance. Grand cruisers are capable of mounting triple layers of 
  void shields, making them more durable than all but battleships. 
  Triple Void Shield Array: This Component counts as a 
  ship’s Void Shield, giving the ship three void shields.   
  Voss “glimmer”-pattern Void shield array
  Void shields are an ancient standby of human defensive 
  technology, an almost un-improvable design. Their only real 
  flaw is the great power drain produced. Voss Forge world 
  attempted, more than six millennia ago, to reduce power 
  demand by reducing the phased shield pattern output. While 
  more energy-efficient, this reduced the protective value of 
  the shields. No longer manufactured by Voss, some of these 
  designs are still in use in relatively safe regions where little 
  opposition is expected. 
  Void Shield: This Component counts as a ship’s Void Shield, 
  giving the ship one void shield.   
  Flickering Void Shield: When this Void Shield cancels a hit 
  from any source, roll 1d10. On a 3 or lower the Void Shield 
  suffers a localized overload and does not cancel the hit.      
  Voss “glimmer”-pattern Void shield array
  This array can be fitted to Cruisers.
  Void Shield: This Component counts as a ship’s Void Shield, 
  giving the ship two void shields.   
  Flickering Void Shield: When these Void Shields cancel a hit 
  from any source, roll 1d10. On a 3 or lower the Void Shield 
  suffers a localized overload and does not cancel the hit.    
  ship’s bridGe
  The bridge directs and controls the actions of the starship. 
  Fleet Flag Bridge
  This bridge is designed to command not just a single vessel, 
  but to oversee the glory of a fleet of vessels. Enhanced vox 
  systems, autocogitating holopict projectors, and trophies of 
  past victories consume the space available.
  Fleet Command: As long as the bridge remained undamaged, 
  all Command Tests made by the ship’s commanding officers 
  (any officer on the bridge) gain +10. In addition, any Piloting 
  and Navigation Tests made by this vessel or an allied vessel 
  within 30 VUs gain +5. 
  Flight command Bridge
  Coordinating multiple wings of attack craft requires constant 
  updates and extensive tactical resources. This bridge adds 
  constantly updated read outs, plotting systems, and vox networks 
  so that multiple attack wings may be directed at once.
  Flight Command: As long as the bridge remains undamaged, 
  all Command Tests dealing with attack craft gain +5, and 
  tests to ready new squadrons are automatically passed.
  Flight Control: All Trade objectives involving ground to 
  orbit or small craft operations gain +25 Achievement Points.
  invasion Bridge
  Adapted from designs used by the Imperial planet-razer 
  squadrons, this bridge is built to support planetary invasions 
  by delivering pinpoint bombardments to ground-based targets. 
  Improved bombardment directions: All Ballistic Skills Tests 
  against planetary based targets gain a +10 bonus. Additionally, 
  ground-based forces in vox communication with a ship equipped 
  with an Invasion Bridge count as being equipped with a 
  Multicompass (Page 146, Rogue TRadeR core rulebook).
  life susTAiNers
  Life sustainers purify air and recycle water on a starship. 
  clemency-pattern Life sustainer
  This sustainer augments the traditional water filters and air 
  purifiers with thousands of individual emergency-oxygen 
  tanks and void suits stored in pressure-sensitive lockers 
  at regular intervals throughout the ship. Such extensive 
  redundancies as well as multiple pressure bulkheads reduce 
  the impact of hull breaches upon a ship, allowing the crew 
  to rush to patch them before too many are lost to the void.
  Lifeline: Increase Morale permanently by +1. This 
  starship reduces Crew Population and Morale losses due to 
  Depressurization by 4, to a minimum of 0. 
  
  33
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
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  crew quArTers
  Space for a ship’s crew to live, eat, and rest between shifts.
  Bilge-rat Quarters
  Most ratings bunk near their posts. However, some captains 
  insist upon their crew using hammocks and camp beds to sleep 
  near the core of the vessel, where they are more protected from 
  the vulnerable decks abutting the cold void. This somewhat 
  reduces crew casualties in the event of hull breaches, but the 
  squalid, rat-infested conditions are unpopular with the crew.
  Living in Squalor: Reduce Morale permanently by 
  3. However, reduce all Crew Population losses due to 
  depressurisation by 2, to a minimum of 0.  
  AuGer ArrAys
  Augur arrays allow the ship to probe the far depths of space 
  beyond the range of human sight. 
  Bg-15 assault scanners
  Optimised for the support of planetary invasions, these 
  scanners are designed to pinpoint the power sources of 
  both planetary and orbital installations, the better to rain 
  fire upon them. 
  External: This Component does not require hull space. 
  Although it is external, it can only be destroyed or Damaged 
  by a Critical hit.
  Incoming!: All Ballistic Skills Tests against planetary based 
  targets gain a +5 bonus.
  Mark your targets: When working towards a Military 
  objective, the players earn an additional 50 Achievement 
  Points towards completing that objective.
  X-470 ultimo array
  This system of sensors provides the vessel with a broad 
  spectrum of constant data of all events in the void beyond 
  its hull. This is accomplished through a series of high-
  powered emitters sending out a huge array of electromagnetic 
  wavelengths and subatomic particles. 
  External: This Component does not require hull space. 
  Although it is external, it can only be destroyed or damaged 
  by a Critical Hit.
  Active Scanning: The broad array of systems grants +10 
  to the ship’s Detection, and a +15 to detect vessels on 
  Silent Running when using Active Augury. 
  Signal Beacon: Due to the intense energy signature of the 
  array, vessels targeting a ship equipped with this component 
  gain +5 to all Ballistic Skill Tests to fire their weapons.
  Table 1–8: Essential Components
  Essential Components
  Appropriate Hull types
  Power
  Space
  SP
  Plasma Drives
  Jovian-pattern Class 8.1 Drive
  Frigates
  44 Generated
  11
  +1
  Jovian-pattern Class 8.2 Drive
  Light Cruisers
  59 Generated
  13
  +1
  Jovian-pattern Class 8.3 Drive
  Cruisers
  74 Generated
  15
  +1
  Jovian-pattern Class 8.4 Drive
  Grand Cruisers
  93 Generated
  20
  +1
  Saturine-pattern Class 4A “Ultra” Drive
  Battlecruisers 
  90 Generated
  14
  -
  Saturine-pattern Class 5 Drive
  Grand Cruisers
  95 Generated
  18
  -
  Warp Engines
  Miloslav H-616.b Warp Engine
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  10
  12
  -
  Miloslav G-616.b Warp Engine 
  Transports, Raiders, Frigates 
  8
  10
  -
  Gellar Field
  Belecane-pattern 90.r Gellar Field
  All Ships
  1
  0
  -
  Void Shields
  Triple Void Shield Array
  Grand Cruisers
  9
  3
  -
  Voss “Glimmer”-pattern Void Shield Array
  All Ships
  3
  1
  -
  Voss “Glimmer”-pattern Multiple Void Shield Array Cruisers
  5
  1
  -
  Ship’s Bridge
  Fleet Flag Bridge
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers
  4
  4
  +1
  Flight Command Bridge
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  2
  -
  Invasion Bridge
  Cruisers
  4
  3
  -
  Life Sustainers
  Clemency-pattern Life sustainer
  Transports, Raiders, Frigates
  4
  4
  -
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  5
  5
  -
  Crew Quarters 
  Bilge-Rat Quarters
  Transports, Raiders, Frigates
  1
  2
  -
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  3
  -
  Auger Arrays
  BG-15 Assault Scanners
  All Ships
  5
  0
  -
  X-470 Ultimo Array
  All Ships
  6
  0
  -
  
  34
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  suppLeMenTaL 
  coMponenTs
  Supplemental Components are not required for a starship to 
  function, but are very useful to have around. Unless noted otherwise, 
  ships may have multiples of the same type of Supplemental 
  Component—or even duplicates. For more information on 
  Supplemental Components, installation, and potential restrictions, 
  see page 202 of Rogue TRadeR core rulebook. 
  mAcrobATTeries
  The baseline starship weapons, macrobatteries are ranks of 
  large cannons or other weapons, destroying their targets 
  through volume of fire. 
  disruption Macrocannons
  This macrocannon variant fires a “shell” of highly charged, 
  ionized deuterium atoms. These particles cause minimal 
  physical damage to their targets. Instead, they are intended to 
  overload and shut down power transfer systems throughout 
  the target vessels. These weapons are particularly useful for 
  vessels that need to capture their prey intact.
  Short the Flow: Disruption weapons compromise the 
  circuitry and wiring required to transfer power from the 
  ship’s engine to her other components. For every five damage 
  that exceeds the target’s Void Shields, one randomly selected 
  Component on the target ship becomes Unpowered. This 
  weapon’s damage is not affected by Armour.
  Ionic Blast: These weapons never cause critical hits, nor 
  do they deal damage to Hull Integrity. These weapons 
  may only be combined into a salvo with other Disruption 
  Macrocannon weapons. 
  disruption Macrocannon Broadside
  These larger variants of the Disruption Macrocannon must be 
  mounted on a warship’s extended broadside.
  Short the Flow: Disruption weapons compromise the 
  circuitry and wiring required to transfer power from the 
  ship’s engine to her other components. For every five damage 
  that exceeds the target’s Void Shields, one randomly selected 
  Component on the target ship becomes Unpowered. This 
  weapon’s damage is not affected by Armour.
  Ionic Blast: These weapons never cause critical hits, nor 
  do they deal damage to Hull Integrity. These weapons 
  may only be combined into a salvo with other Disruption 
  Macrocannon weapons.
  Broadside: These weapons must occupy a Port or Starboard 
  Weapon Capacity slot.
  hecutor-pattern plasma Battery
  The Hecutor Pattern plasma battery is an ancient variant of 
  plasma macroweaponry that refocuses the power of the 
  plasma “blast,” concentrating it into a compressed photonic 
  packet that can be fired over extremely long distances. 
  It is rare to see these on any but the oldest vessels, 
  meaning many are found on heretic vessels lost 
  to the forces of Chaos millennia ago.
  Vapourisation: When this Weapon Component rolls a 1 or 2 on 
  the Critical Hit Chart, it effects two Components instead of one. 
  hecutor-pattern plasma Broadside
  Few ships can match the power requirements necessary to 
  equip a full broadside of these weapons, so these weapons are 
  almost exclusively the providence of battlecruisers and larger 
  warships.
  Vapourisation: When this Weapon Component rolls a 1 or 2 on 
  the Critical Hit Chart, it effects two Components instead of one.
  stygies-pattern Bombardment cannons
  As the name suggests, these devastating weapons are designed 
  to reduce planetary defences to rubble and support military 
  landings. Most often they use linear accelerators to launch 
  massed salvoes of heavy magma bomb warheads, and though 
  relatively short ranged can also be used in naval combat. 
  Often the rumour that orbiting vessels carry them is enough 
  to force a quick surrender.
  Destructive: If this weapon generates a crit, add 1 to the 
  result rolled.
  Death from Above: Bombardment Cannons act as 
  macrobatteries and can only be mounted in a Prow, Dorsal, 
  or Keel weapons slot. When in orbit, the players gain +20 
  towards any Intimidate tests against planetary based characters. 
  When working toward a Military Objective against a planet, 
  the players earn an additional 50 Achievement Points. When 
  used as part of a planetary bombardment, bombardment 
  cannons double the affected area, do an additional 20 damage 
  to large units, and deal an additional10 damage to individuals 
  and vehicles. 
  stygies-pattern Macrocannon Battery
  This variant of the macrocannon is designed to fire heavier 
  ordnance than the Mars Pattern. These alternative shells contain 
  an adamantium core that cuts through the heaviest armour.
  Penetrator Rounds: When calculating damage dealt by a 
  salvo that includes shots from a Stygies pattern Macrocannon 
  that were not absorbed by Void Shields, reduce the vessel’s 
  armour by 3. This reduction is not permanent, and only takes 
  place while calculating that particular salvo’s damage. 
  lANces
  Using focused beams of energy, lances burn through any hull 
  armour to wreak havoc within a vessel. 
  godsbane Lance
  The Godsbane lance is a near archeotech relic-weapon. The 
  lengthened focus apertures and quad lense-arrays give the 
  weapon extreme range, to the point that beam dispersion 
  becomes a problem. The technological demands of these 
  weapons is intense, and only the older grand cruisers or the most 
  powerful warships possess the structural requirements to mount 
  them. In fact, similar weapons are more often found amongst the 
  forces of the Archenemy, as they tend to possess older vessels.
  Beam Dispersion Effect: When firing at targets over 20 
  VUs away, the damage of this weapon decreases to 1d10.  
  
  35
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  godsbane Lance Battery
  Battlecruisers and grand cruisers tend to mount their 
  lances in paired turrets for increased firepower. This is 
  especially true for the Godsbane, as a single hit tends to 
  do insufficient damage. 
  Beam Dispersion Effect: When firing at targets over 20 
  VUs away, the damage of this weapon decreases to 1d10.  
  Las-burners
  Las-burners are a scaled down version of true lances, 
  utilising focused, high power las beams to cut through a 
  ship’s armoured plating. Though these weapons do far less 
  damage, the turrets are smaller as well, allowing smaller 
  ships to carry them. However, their relatively small size also 
  allows them to be used in boarding actions, cutting open 
  the outer adamantium hull to allow armsmen access to an 
  opponent’s vitals. 
  Small Weapon: Las-burners may be installed in Dorsal 
  or Keel weapon capacity slots in ships of frigate size or 
  smaller. 
  Versatile: A ship with Las-burners gains +5 to the opposed 
  Command Test made to resolve boarding actions.  
  Mezoa pattern hybrid Lance Weapon
  This recent development from Mezoa remains highly 
  controversial. It substantially sacrifices range, but increases 
  damage potential by integrating an emitter into the lance 
  design. Some ship’s captains have complained that the 
  reduced range requires a change to ship’s tactics. 
  Mezoa pattern hybrid Lance Battery
  The hybrid lances can also be installed in batteries.
  Voidsunder Lance Battery
  Commonly mounted on the Dauntless-class light cruisers 
  constructed in the Calixis and neighbouring sectors, the Voidsunder 
  Lance Battery sacrifices flexibility for raw power. Mounted in 
  massive housings hanging off a ship’s prow and rear fins, these 
  weapons provide a light cruiser with a ship-breaking punch. 
  However, only grand cruisers are large enough to potentially mount 
  these weapons on dorsal turrets instead, limiting their usefulness. 
  Heavy Weapon: This Component may only be mounted in a 
  Prow Weapon Capacity Slot unless the ship is a grand cruiser 
  or larger, in which case it may be mounted in a Dorsal slot as 
  well. In Prow slots, the weapon may only fire forward.  
  Table 1–9: Starship Weapons
  Table 1–9: Starship Weapons
  Supplemental Components
  Appropriate Hull Types
  Power Space
  SP
  Strength Damage
  Crit Rating
  Range
  Macrobatteries
  Bombardment Cannons
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  5
  5
  3
  3
  1d10+6
  2
  4
  Disruption Macrocannons
  All Ships
  4
  2
  2
  3
  1d10+1
  –
  5
  Disruption Macrocannon 
  Broadside
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  6
  5
  2
  6
  1d10+1
  –
  5
  Hecutor-pattern Plasma Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  8
  3
  2
  3
  1d10+2
  4
  11
  Hecutor-pattern Plasma Broadside
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers 12
  5
  2
  5
  1d10+2
  4
  11
  Stygies-pattern Macrocannons 
  All Ships
  4
  3
  1
  3
  1d10+2
  5
  5
  Lances
  Godsbane Lance
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers 9
  4
  3
  1
  1d10+2
  3
  12
  Godsbane Lance Battery
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers 13
  6
  3
  2
  1d10+2
  3
  12
  Las-burner
  All Ships
  7
  3
  2
  2
  1d5+1
  3
  3
  Mezoa Lance Weapon
  All Ships
  9
  4
  3
  1
  1d10+5
  4
  4
  Mezoa Lance Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  13
  6
  3
  2
  1d10+5
  4
  4
  Voidsunder Lance Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  15
  8
  3
  1
  1d10+4
  3
  6
  Nova Cannons
  Mars-pattern Nova Cannon
  Cruisers
  3
  7
  3
  †
  2d5+4
  †
  6–40
  Ryza-pattern Nova Cannon
  Cruisers
  4
  7
  4
  †
  2d5+5
  †
  6–36
  Torpedo Tubes
  Fortis-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  8
  3
  6
  –
  –
  –
  Gryphonne-pattern Torpedo Tubes Raiders, Frigates, Light 
  Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  6
  1
  4
  –
  –
  –
  Mars-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  8
  2
  6
  –
  –
  –
  Voss-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  All Ships
  1
  5
  1
  2
  –
  –
  –
  Landing Bays
  Hold Landing Bay††
  Transports
  1
  –
  2
  2
  –
  –
  –
  Jovian-pattern Escort Bay
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  1
  4
  1
  1
  Jovian-pattern Landing Bay
  Cruisers
  1
  6
  2
  2
  –
  –
  –
  Lathe-pattern Landing Bay
  Cruisers
  1
  5
  2
  2
  –
  –
  –
  † See page 16 for special rules on Nova Cannon Strength and Critical Hits.
  †† See page 36 for special rules on the installation of the Hold Landing Bay
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  lANdiNG bAys 
  Huge warp-capable vessels are the focal point of nearly every 
  space battle. However, smaller craft can often provide the assets 
  to completely turn the face of an engagement. In order for a 
  vessel to carry a wing of attack craft and launch them quickly 
  enough to affect a combat, the vessel must be equipped with 
  a landing bay. In addition to housing, launching, and landing 
  those craft, a Landing Bay will also carry spare craft, parts, 
  and equipment necessary for routine maintenance. 
  When acquired, a Landing Bay comes equipped with one 
  squadron per point of strength (these may be fighters, bombers, 
  assault boats, Aeronautica, or shuttle craft). However, the GM 
  may decide that the players have to Acquire the small craft 
  separately, or, if he prefers to offer his group more versatility, 
  he can have the landing bays come with two squadrons per 
  point of Strength. The types of craft in these squadrons must 
  be designated when the bay is acquired. Any replacement or 
  additional small craft must be Acquired separately.  
  Generally, Imperial landing bays’ structural designs require 
  them to be included along the port or starboard flanks of a ship. 
  Certain patterns may allow otherwise, but unless specified in 
  the entry, a Landing Bay must be installed on a Port or 
  Starboard Weapon Capacity Slot. 
  Lathe-pattern Landing Bay
  Lathe-pattern Landing Bays are characterised by 
  the huge opening that offers an unobstructed 
  view of the void. Only the occasional crackle of an energy field 
  disrupts the view of the yawning black. Prior to entering the warp, 
  a vessel equipped with this Component must engage the huge 
  security hatches to seal off this opening from any view of the warp. 
  Energy Field: The security hatches on this bay must be 
  open during the Strategic Turn when small craft are landing 
  or taking off. If this Component ever loses power when the 
  hatches are open, this Component becomes Depressurised. 
  Hold Landing Bay
  When a transport hull is repurposed for exploration or 
  needs additional security, its captain may take the extreme 
  measure of adapting the Main Cargo Hold to carry attack 
  craft. Though the massive carrying capacity of a transport is 
  not entirely eliminated, it is substantially reduced. 
  Jury-Rigged: These adaptations are less than ideal for the craft 
  launched and landed in the makeshift bays. Attack craft launched 
  from a Hold Landing Bay reduce their movement on the turn 
  launched by –2 VU. Craft attempting to land in a Hold Landing 
  Bay must pass an Ordinary (+10) Piloting+Manoeuvrability 
  Test to land safely (squadrons should make one test per squadron). 
  Success means they land safely. Three degrees of failure or less 
  means they veered off to make another attempt. Failure by four 
  or more degrees indicates that the craft has crashed into the bay 
  (or one craft for every degree of failure, in the case of squadrons). 
  The Component is immediately considered Damaged. Outside 
  of combat, craft can spend more time landing. In this case, there 
  is no a Test, but it takes a half hour for each squadron to land. 
  Retrofit: This Component may only be installed to replace an 
  integral Main Cargo Hold on a transport (which is why it does not 
  have a Space requirement, it takes up the space normally reserved 
  for the Main Cargo Hold). Only one Hold Landing Bay may be 
  equipped on a starship. It does not take up a Weapon Capacity Slot.
  Structural Impact: The Hold Landing Bay installation 
  requires cutting massive holes in the exterior of the transport’s 
  hull. The vessel’s Hull Integrity is permanently reduced by 5 
  when this Component is added. In addition, the ship suffers a 
  –5 penalty to its Manoeuvrability. 
  Jovian Pattern Landing Bay
  Jovian-pattern Landing Bays are equipped with dedicated launch 
  ports for launching attack craft and magnetic guidance coils for 
  steering them safely back on board after a mission. The absence 
  of an outer exposed landing bay is believed to make the Jovian 
  pattern less prone to damage or catastrophic depressurization 
  than other patterns such as those preferred by the Lathe worlds. 
  Jovian Pattern Escort Bay
  Jovian-pattern Escort Bays are designed specifically for light 
  cruisers. Their smaller capacity keeps them from supporting 
  as many fighters and bombers, but also allows them to be 
  fitted onto a smaller warship’s frame. 
  NovA cANNoNs
  Very few weapons are capable of creating a blast effect that can 
  encompass multiple warp-capable starships. These rare and massive 
  bore weapons are distinguished by that capacity. Nova Cannons 
  must be installed in a Prow Weapon Capacity Slot.
  
  37
  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Mars-pattern nova cannon
  Though Nova Cannons are quite rare, even by standards of 
  starship construction, the Mars pattern is the most common 
  construction template. These massive cannons—hundreds of 
  meters in length—fire an enormous shell that echoes a traditional 
  explosive shell, though on a much larger scale. These shells are 
  accelerated to near relativistic velocities, causing an explosion 
  that detonates with more force than dozens of plasma warheads.
  Core Architecture: This weapon Component is always revealed 
  by successful Active Augury—it is too large to be concealed.
  ryza-pattern nova cannon
  This variant replaces the massive explosive shells with a highly 
  unstable plasma-based macro-bomb. These weapons are even 
  more power-hungry than a Stygies pattern, but are believed 
  to be slightly more effective as well. With this additional 
  power does come some additional questions of stability, as 
  weaponising such a huge quantity of plasma carries its own 
  danger.
  Core Architecture: This weapon Component is always revealed 
  by successful Active Augury—it is too large to be concealed.
  Overheating Systems: For every five degrees of failure on 
  a test to fire a Ryza-pattern Nova Cannon, the firing vessel 
  suffers one Critical Hit. If a Component is affected by the 
  critical hit, it is always the Nova Cannon. 
  Torpedo Tubes
  Torpedoes offer a vessel the opportunity to inflict tremendous 
  damage at extreme range. They are particularly effective in 
  enabling a squadron of smaller ships to overcome much larger 
  warp-capable vessels. Torpedo Tubes are required to store 
  and launch torpedoes. Vessels armed with these are capable 
  of firing torpedoes (see page 6). Unless specified in the 
  entry, a Torpedo Tube must be installed in a Prow or 
  Keel Weapon Capacity Slot. Different types of torpedoes 
  are detailed beginning on page 8. 
  gryphonne-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  The most common template used for destroyers, raiders, and 
  other smaller missile boats is the Gryphonne pattern. They 
  are almost always mounted as a primary prow weapon. This 
  Component is capable of firing four torpedoes in each salvo. 
  It can store 24 torpedoes, plus an additional four if the ship’s 
  captain does not mind keeping four “in the tubes.” 
  Volatile: If this Component is Damaged or Destroyed (but 
  not Unpowered or Depressurised) while torpedoes are loaded 
  in its tubes, it has a 10 percent chance of exploding. In this 
  event, the Component is destroyed and the ship takes 2d5 
  Hull Integrity damage.
  Voss-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  The Voss Forge world is known for the “Voss Triumvirate”—
  three different designs of light cruisers designed as heavy 
  escorts for ships of the line and large convoys, as well as the 
  smaller Falchion-class escort. Most Voss-pattern ships are 
  armed with a pair of Torpedo Tubes to complement their other 
  weaponry. These tubes are capable of firing two torpedoes in 
  each salvo. It can store 12 torpedoes, plus an additional two if 
  the ship’s captain does not mind keeping two “in the tubes.”
  Volatile: If this Component is Damaged or Destroyed (but not 
  Unpowered or Depressurised) while torpedoes are loaded, it has 
  a 10 percent chance of exploding. In this event, the Component 
  is destroyed and the ship takes 2d5 Hull Integrity damage.
  Mars-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Larger vessels are capable of supporting far more massive 
  installations of torpedo tubes. In addition to a larger ammunition 
  capacity, these Components are also capable of firing six torpedoes 
  in each salvo. It can store 42 torpedoes, plus an additional six if 
  the ship’s captain does not mind keeping six “in the tubes.” 
  Volatile: If this Component is Damaged or Destroyed (but not 
  Unpowered or Depressurised) while torpedoes are loaded, it has 
  a 10 percent chance of exploding. In this event, the Component 
  is destroyed and the ship takes 2d5 Hull Integrity damage.
  Fortis-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  A modified variant of the Mars pattern, the Fortis pattern has 
  comparable ammunition storage and rate of fire. Vessels with 
  this Component are designed to fire their torpedoes towards 
  targets at an accelerated rate. This pattern has been copied 
  and is now used on refits at the Mars and Jovian shipyards. 
  This Component is capable of firing six torpedoes in each 
  salvo. It can store 42 torpedoes, plus an additional six if the 
  ship’s captain does not mind keeping six “in the tubes.”
  Enhanced Magnetic Coils: These torpedo tubes grant an 
  additional +2VU speed to the torpedoes during the turn they 
  are launched. Next turn, they return to their normal speed.
  Volatile: If this Component is Damaged or Destroyed (but not 
  Unpowered or Depressurised) while torpedoes are loaded, it has 
  a 10 percent chance of exploding. In this event, the Component 
  is destroyed and the ship takes 2d5 Hull Integrity damage.
  cArGo ANd pAsseNGer compArTmeNTs
  These are areas devoted to cargo, passengers, or simple stowage. 
  Brig
  Though almost any ship has a brig, some vessels have more 
  elaborate facilities. Some brigs are filthy, open chambers 
  where prisoners sit enchained in squalor, their jailers only 
  visiting every few days to hose down the gutters and release 
  the dead bodies into the void. Others are spotlessly efficient 
  walled off oubliettes where the occupants live in maddening 
  solitary confinement for years at a time.
  Stern Discipline: Increase Morale permanently by 1. In 
  addition, any Intimidate Tests made during Extended Actions 
  gain a +5 bonus. 
  Prison Space: When working towards any objective in which 
  the capture, storage, or transport of prisoners could be useful 
  (such as the creation of a penal colony or holding prisoners of 
  war during a military campaign) the Explorers earn an additional 
  25 Achievement Points towards completing that objective. 
  ship’s stores
  When Rogue Traders venture into areas beyond 
  even the forsaken Expanse, especially on long-
  duration exploration voyages, the lack of 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  proper repair facilities can become a serious issue. As shipboard 
  systems become damaged beyond repair or outright destroyed, 
  only spare parts can help. If the ship has sufficient storage, a wise 
  crew can stow backup Components for just such emergencies
  Spare Parts: A Ship’s Stores Component may hold additional 
  Components (acquired separately) up to their combined 
  Space value, allowing the crew to use them as replacements 
  if the Component is Destroyed. Replacing a Component is 
  accomplished in the same manner as making Extended Repairs, 
  except that success also replace any desired Components. In 
  addition, when making Extended Repairs, repair two additional 
  Hull Integrity. 
  AuGmeNTs & eNhANcemeNTs
  Augments and Enhancements are the category of Components 
  that boost a starship’s performance in and out of combat.
  defensive countermeasures 
  The vessel is equipped with a package of false auspex 
  reflectors, thermal buoys, vox screamers, and other devices 
  designed to keep an enemy vessel from accurately firing on it. 
  Single Use: When deployed, the countermeasures apply a 
  –20 penalty to all Ballistic Skill Tests made to attack the ship 
  for the next 1d5+1 Strategic Turns. Torpedoes suffer a –30 
  penalty instead. Once used, the countermeasures must be 
  refilled and refurbished with a successful Upkeep Test outside 
  of combat (and at a technological system with void yards) 
  before it can be used again.  
  Flak Turrets
  Designed to dump as much ammunition into the space 
  surrounding a vessel as possible, Flak Turrets dump a 
  steady barrage of explosive shells that strike incoming craft 
  by chance more than by design. Because of the massive 
  ammunition expenditure and the flak-wall’s interference with 
  ship sensors, these batteries are not always used. The ship’s 
  commander must decide at the start of each strategic turn (as a 
  Free Action) if the Flak Turrets are in use or inactive that turn.
  Scattershot: When in use, Flak Turrets increase the ship’s 
  Turret Rating by +1.
  Wall of Fire and Steel: When the ship’s flak turrets are in 
  use, it suffers a –10 penalty to Detection.
  Field Bracing
  The ship’s hull and structural supports are ribbed with power-
  field generators, which can greatly reinforce the vessel’s 
  structural integrity as long as they are powered. 
  Hull Support: As long as Power is supplied to his 
  Component, the ship’s Hull Integrity is increased by twice 
  the Power supplied, up to +6. Should this Component be 
  Damaged or supplied with less Power, the hull loses this 
  bonus value proportionally. This cannot bring the ship’s Hull 
  Integrity below 0. The amount of power supplied to this 
  Component may be increased with a Challenging 
  (+0) Tech Use Test (this counts as a Free Action 
  in starship combat) and may Unpower other 
  Components at the GM’s discretion. 
  Fire suppression systems
  The vessel is equipped with additional systems such as 
  specialised extinguisher gases all designed to combat flames 
  and keep them from spreading. 
  Flame Extinguisher: If the Bridge is powered and 
  undamaged, a character may activate this system to 
  extinguish one Component on fire by making a Difficult 
  (–10) Tech-Use Test (this counts as an Extended Action in 
  starship combat). If successful the fire is extinguished. This 
  Component may be used once per Strategic Turn.  
  Lux net
  Not all Rogue Traders are able to make their way back to proper 
  port facilities to repair damages from combat, and often they 
  must make do in safe asteroid fields or backwater systems—
  quiet areas to afford them uninterrupted time to complete 
  essential refurbishment. In order to hasten their repairs, they 
  call on auxiliary power sources such as Lux Nets. These huge 
  solar energy collectors use micro-thin sheets spread across 
  hundreds of square kilometres to generate additional power. 
  They are especially useful when the main drives are damaged, 
  but can draw unwanted attention to a crippled vessel. 
  Power Source: Lux Nets are only functional (as in, they only 
  generate Power) on stationary vessels inside a solar system, taking 
  2 hours to deploy and 10 to retract. If the ship has to move for 
  any reason during its operation, the Lux Net is Destroyed as the 
  fragile material rips apart. The net also counts as exposed when 
  deployed (see Rogue TRadeR page 191). When conducting 
  extended repairs, a deployed net adds +1 to the number of 
  degrees of success on each week’s Tech Use Test. 
  Minelayer Bay 
  An often-used tactic among pirate fleets is to strew a heavily-
  trafficked shipping lane with mines, and then pounce on 
  any unfortunate ship crippled by their massive explosions. 
  Starship mines are huge and can explode with catastrophic 
  effect. Most are automatically triggered via an on-board 
  passive auspex to home in on nearby vessels, but some can 
  be remotely operated to achieve greater effectiveness. For 
  starships plying common transit lanes through a system, they 
  are a frequent worry that requires constant vigilance.  
  Minefield Ahead!: When acquired, the Minelayer Bay 
  Component contains enough mines for 3 deployments, with 
  an Upkeep Test at a suitable port required to re-equip with a 
  new complement of mines. A successful Routine (+20) Tech-
  Use Test can deploy mines in a spread covering an area 4 VUs 
  wide, deep, and high behind the ship; this can also be done 
  as an Extended Action while in combat (such as in a Stern 
  Chase!). To prevent mines from accidentally setting each other 
  off, the fields cannot be set to overlap. For more information on 
  how minefields work, see the Minefield sidebar. 
  power ram
  Whereas some traders desire the obvious intimidation of a 
  huge armoured prow, others prefer a more subtle approach 
  and sheath an otherwise unremarkable ram beneath their 
  ship’s prow with power-field generators. When activated, the 
  ship’s ram glows with hazy light and is often the last thing an 
  enemy captain will see before impact. 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
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   The Weapons of War
  External: This Component does not require hull space. Although 
  it is external, it can only be destroyed or damaged by a Critical Hit.
  Power Field: This Component allows a starship to do an 
  additional 1d10 damage when ramming.  
  AddiTioNAl fAciliTies
  A wide variety of Components that serve many different purposes. 
  Each of the following Components can be added to a starship once.
  cloudmining Facility
  The ship is equipped with specialised tethering grapples 
  and distillation holds, so that it can process valuable comets 
  discovered in their lonely orbits surrounding a star. The resulting 
  waters and minerals can be used to replenish the crew and ship, 
  or more profitably left as frozen chunks and sold to connoisseurs 
  who value the luxury of pure cloud ice. 
  Gelt in the Clouds: This Component allows the ship to 
  conduct ice mining in a suitable comet field far outside a solar 
  system. Comets must be first located with a Challenging (+0) 
  Scrutiny + Detection Test via the ship’s augur arrays. Mining 
  then takes 1d10+5 days and once complete the additional fresh 
  water and air restore 1d5 Morale as well as extending deep void 
  operations one additional month. Alternatively, this can grant the 
  Explorers +50 Achievement Points to an ongoing Endeavour 
  (the refined plasma can either be used in the Endeavour, or sold 
  to generate funds), or can be used in the construction of a full 
  Endeavour to mine comets at the GM’s discretion. 
  hydraphurian KL-247 Jamming system
  This device creates a violent and constantly shifting energy 
  field that interferes with the scanners of nearby ships. 
  External: This Component does not require hull space. 
  Although it is external, it can only be destroyed or damaged 
  by a Critical Hit.
  White noise: While this Component is active, this ship may 
  not perform Silent Running, but any Focussed Augury Tests 
  made to scan it suffer a –20 penalty. 
  Manufactorum
  These small construction facilities are capable of synthesising 
  additional parts required to perform Extended Repairs for 
  a damaged starship. These parts are synthesised from raw 
  materials—generally obtained by mining a nearby asteroid. 
  Manufacturing: If attempting extended repairs, each 
  Manufactorum adds a +10 bonus to the weekly Tech-Use Test. 
  If paying for repairs, each Manufactorum adds a +10 bonus to 
  the Acquisition Test to restore Hull Integrity.
  Additional Templates: Manufactorums are equipped with a 
  variety of templates for construction, so each Manufactorum 
  adds an additional 10 Achievement Points for any Trade 
  objectives. In addition, the Manufactorums may be able to 
  manufacture small numbers of personal items. The GM is final 
  arbiter of what can and cannot be manufactured, but generally 
  it should not be more than a few dozen of a Common item.  
  Medicae deck
  A life of exploration invariably leads to encounters with 
  unexpected life. This unexpected life can lead to unexpected 
  injuries as well as novel diseases. Every living quarters includes 
  a basic infirmary, but those are not equipped for every variety 
  of injury or disease. Similarly, an infirmary is not equipped 
  to treat the number of badly injured survivors from a badly 
  damaged ship or planet-wide epidemic. A Medicae Deck offers 
  the facilities and staff to address both of these possibilities.
  Diagnostics and Treatment: The Medicae Deck adds a +20 
  bonus to all Medicae Skill Tests performed within this Component. 
  The number of patients that may be treated without penalty is 
  increased to three times the character’s Intelligence Bonus.
  Melodium
  For the Rogue Trader who desires only the finest in shipboard 
  accoutrements, a Melodium is ideal. Most are fashioned as 
  grandiose chambers covered with all manner of gilded pipes, 
  horns, and other instruments which can produce an endless 
  variety of musical tunes. The room itself alters shape via clever 
  brass sidings and panels as it plays, the better to accompany 
  the melodies and vox-repeaters throughout the ship carry 
  selected tunes into its farthest depths.  
  A Melodium provides uplifting tones designed to instil 
  feelings of duty and loyalty throughout the vessel, from the lowly 
  ratings and voidmen to the officers. That sometimes this is due to 
  subliminal infra-harmonics lacing the melodies is kept a guarded 
  secret. The hall itself can be configured in a variety of ways 
  to produce the desired internal music and background 
  effects, greatly aiding in many a difficult negotiation. 
  Songs in the Void: Increase Morale permanently 
  by +1 and gain +10 to all social Skill Tests. 
  miNefields
  A minefield reacts to a vessel inside its boundaries by 
  making a Scrutiny Test with a Skill of 40 with +10 
  modifier for every full 20 Space the vessel has (the larger 
  the ship, the more mines it activates). The mines suffer a 
  –40 to the Test if the vessel is on Silent Running. If the 
  mines detect a vessel, they strike it with 1d5+2 explosive 
  hits, with this test being done each round the vessel is in 
  the field. Each hit deals 1d10+2 damage, and the hits are 
  combined as though from a macrobattery salvo. Armour 
  and void shields protects against mines as normal.
  Mines are too small to be located via normal 
  Detection; an Active Augury Extended Action reveals 
  any minefields in within 10 VUs but immediately causes 
  1d5 detonations if the vessel is already within a field.
  Ships can attempt to navigate a minefield in the same 
  manner as for an asteroid field, with a Hard (–10) Pilot 
  (Space Craft)+Manoeuvrability Test instead of a 
  Routine Test and each impact dealing 1d10+2 damage. 
  Mines can also be detonated remotely with a 
  Challenging (+0) Tech-Use Test if the activating ship 
  is no more than 10 VUs distant. This instantly causes 
  all mines to explode, causing 1d10 hits to any vessel 
  within 1 VU of the minefield and emptying the field, but 
  revealing the activating vessel even if the test fails. If the 
  Minelayer Bay contains unused mines and is Damaged, 
  there is a 50% chance the bay is Destroyed. The vessel 
  takes one Critical Hit; roll 1d10 to determine the result. 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  plasma scoop
  These devices are usually only found on the specialised 
  mining vessels designed purely for entering the atmospheres 
  of gas giants to collect fuel for plasma drives. They can be 
  fitted on other craft with suitable hull bracing to withstand 
  the additional strain they place on atmospheric entry. 
  Fuel Gathering: A ship equipped with a Plasma Scoop 
  may conduct attempt mining operations on gas giant 
  planets. This requires a Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space 
  Craft)+Manoeuvrability Test; failure means the ship takes 
  1d5 hull integrity damage for every degree of failure, ignoring 
  Void Shields (the deadly embrace of gravity does not care about 
  shield barriers!). Success grants the ship a month’s operations 
  without needing to refuel, and +5 Achievement Points on any 
  Endeavour Objective that requires the ship to move or transport 
  something (Trade Endeavours or Exploration Endeavours are 
  obvious examples), as the ship saves Thrones on refuelling.  
  Foolhardy Manoeuvre: This Component may not be 
  equipped on ships of Grand Cruiser size or larger. 
  pilot chambers
  There is a special kind of esprit de corps for those that fly 
  the myriad attack craft on a starship. From hotshot Fury 
  interceptors to steadfast Starhawk bomber crews to Shark 
  attack boat daredevils, their skills and readiness can mean life 
  or death for the entire ship. Launch bays equipped with ready 
  rooms allow them to maintain constant readiness for the next 
  mission. Training sensoria systems allow them to constantly 
  hone their skills and Ministorum chapels allow them to ready 
  their souls, all making them into relentless and deadly weapons. 
  Combat Ready: Pilot Chambers grant a +2 bonus to the 
  Attack Craft Rating of all squadrons aboard a starship.   
  salvage systems
  Many Rogue Traders encounter the crippled remnants of starships 
  as they travel through uncharted systems, mighty vessels that once 
  strode across the void but are now only ruined shells of their former 
  glory (and oftentimes, of course, the trader’s vessel itself is the cause 
  of the devastation). Ships fitted with massive Salvage Clamps can 
  anchor to the wreckage and strip away useful hull sections or other 
  Components using colossal mechanical arms, mega melta-beams, 
  and other devices. Those salvaged Components can then be sold 
  for profit or even added to the ship, where they can better enhance 
  to the fame of trader and crew. 
  Salvage Operations: This Component allows a ship to attach 
  itself to vessel which has been reduced to space hulk status. The 
  clamps can strip apart the wreck; for every week spent in salvage 
  the crew may make a Difficult (-10) Tech-Use Test to attempt 
  to safely remove a named Component from the hulk (a Focused 
  Augury Extended Action to scan the wreck is needed to determine 
  Components). If successful, a single working Component can be 
  removed and stored on the host vessel if there is Space for it 
  (or externally secured to hull for towing); if it fails then that 
  Component is lost. Successfully salvaged Components can be 
  sold as part of a constructed Trade Endeavour or even refitted to 
  the ship at a stardock as if it had been acquired normally. Salvage 
  Clamps are gigantic and unwieldy affairs, however, and a vessel 
  equipped with them suffers –5 Manoeuvrability.  
  small craft repair deck
  Every launch bay has the capability to perform routine maintenance 
  and basic repairs upon the vessels for which it is used. However, 
  combat vessels are regularly subjected to damage that far exceeds 
  the scope of basic repairs and routine maintenance. 
  Spare Parts: After any starship combat in which fighters, 
  assault boats, or bombers are lost, a character may immediately 
  make a Difficult (–10) Tech Use Test. For every degree of 
  success on the test, two of these craft are recovered. 
  spacedock piers
  Larger vessels are often expected to act as mobile fleet headquarters 
  as a Rogue Trader’s squadrons move into regions unknown. 
  Specialised fittings and gigantic deployable piers are even added to 
  some, allowing it to act much like a regular space station and allow 
  smaller vessels to dock. These support vessels can refurbish and 
  resupply the other vessels in the fleet, allowing them to venture 
  further and longer in pursuit of profit. Each also acts as a visible 
  symbol of the Rogue Trader’s power and control over a sector. 
  Mobile Spaceport: When not moving, the huge attachments 
  covering the ship allow up to four smaller vessels to dock. 
  The stationary ship acts as a space station for purposes of 
  making full repairs or replenishing Morale, and grants a +10 
  to the Acquisition Test when making full repairs. Due to their 
  size, station fittings prevent any weapons with the Broadside 
  rule from being installed (although smaller weapons may still 
  be installed in Port and Starboard weapon capacity slots). 
  When working towards a Trade objective, the Explorers earn 
  an additional +100 Achievement Points towards completing 
  that objective. 
  ArcheoTech compoNeNTs
  Archeotech is technology from the Imperium’s distant past. 
  Each piece of archeotech is rare and extremely valuable, and 
  can only be installed in a starship if the Explorers gain access 
  to archeotech through the Reliquary of Mars Complication, 
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  Fleet Communiqué 
  Sent: Astropath Kevil Stasys-358.814.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of 
  the Gryphon and Officer Commanding of 
  Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain 
  of the Hawk, on extended operations, the 
  Koronus Expanse 
  Damaris has proven most amenable to 
  my needs, with their shipyards at the 
  planet’s main orbital facilities well on 
  their way to repairing our launch bays.
  I have also had several productive 
  meetings with the heads of local 
  governance on the world, including a 
  Governor Kapak and the commander of 
  their armed forces, a General Dante. The 
  planet seems a loyal Imperial colony, 
  though Dante seems more loyal to his 
  world than Pax Imperialis. 
  Brother, I do not wish to exceed my rank  
  in offering advice, but Damaris seems 
  ideal considering your attitudes towards 
  the Expanse. Is there any way you could 
  convince your superiors at Port Wrath to 
  detail support for this world?
  Communiqué Ends
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  Table 1–10: Supplemental Components
  Supplemental Components
  Appropriate Hull Types
  Power
  Space
  SP
  Macrobatteries
  Macrobatteries
  Bombardment Cannon
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  5
  5
  2
  Disruption Macrocannons
  All Ships
  4
  2
  2
  Disruption Macrocannon Broadside
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  6
  5
  2
  Hecutor-pattern Plasma Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  8
  3
  2
  Hecutor-pattern Plasma Broadside
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers
  12
  5
  2
  Stygies-pattern Macrocannons 
  All Ships
  4
  3
  1
  Lances
  Godsbane Lance
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers
  9
  4
  3
  Godsbane Lance Battery
  Battlecruisers, Grand Cruisers
  13
  6
  3
  Las-burner
  All Ships
  7
  3
  2
  Mezoa Lance Weapon
  All Ships
  9
  4
  3
  Mezoa Lance Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  13
  6
  3
  Voidsunder Lance Battery
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  15
  8
  3
  Nova Cannons
  Mars-pattern Nova Cannon
  Cruisers
  3
  7
  3
  Ryza-pattern Nova Cannon
  Cruisers
  4
  7
  4
  Torpedo Tubes
  Fortis-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  8
  3
  Gryphonne-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Raiders, Frigates, Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  6
  1
  Mars-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  8
  2
  Voss-pattern Torpedo Tubes
  All Ships
  1
  5
  1
  Landing Bays
  Hold Landing Bay
  Transports
  1
  –
  2
  Jovian-pattern Escort Bay
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  1
  4
  1
  Jovian-pattern Landing Bay
  Cruisers
  1
  6
  2
  Lathe-pattern Landing Bay
  Cruisers
  1
  5
  2
  Cargo and Passenger Compartments
  Brig
  All Ships
  1
  1
  1
  Ship’s Stores
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  1
  5
  2
  Transports, Grand Cruisers
  1
  10
  2
  Augments and Enhancements
  Defensive Countermeasures†
  All Ships
  1
  1
  2
  Flak Turrets†
  All Ships
  1
  1
  1
  Field Bracing
  All Ships
  1-3
  1
  2
  Fire Suppression System†
  Transports, Raiders, Frigates
  1
  1
  2
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  2
  2
  Grand Cruisers
  3
  3
  2
  Lux Net
  All Ships
  10 generated
  2
  2
  Minelayer Bay
  Transports, Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  1
  4
  1
  Power Ram†
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  0
  2
  Additional Facilities
  Cloudmining Facility†
  Transports
  3
  4
  1
  Hydraphuran Jamming System†
  All Ships
  4
  0
  1
  Manufactorum†
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  1
  2
  Medicae Deck†
  All Ships
  2
  1
  1
  Melodium†
  All Ships
  1
  1
  1
  Plasma Scoop†
  Raiders, Frigates
  2
  3
  3
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  3
  4
  3
  Pilot’s Chamber
  Pilot’s Chamber†
  All Ships
  All Ships
  1
  1
  1
  Salvage Systems†
  Transport, Light Cruiser, Cruiser
  5
  3
  3
  Small Craft Repair Deck†
  Light Cruisers, Cruisers
  2
  2
  1
  Spacedock Piers†
  Transports with 50+ Space, Grand Cruisers
  7
  14
  4
  † This Component may not be added to a vessel more than once. 
  
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  I: The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
   The Weapons of War
  their Warrant of Trade, their ship’s background package, or if 
  the GM makes them available during the course of the game. 
  cypra-pattern drives
  Whether it’s a matter of scouting out enemy vessels or quietly 
  determining the best goods to bring to market, hiding from 
  a competitor offers a crucial advantage. Cypra-pattern Drives 
  use a series of additional baffles, magnetic fields, and hyper-
  efficient coolants to reduce their energy signature. 
  Dampened Drives: This Component grants a +15 bonus 
  to the Silent Running Manoeuvre. Any attempts to detect the 
  vessel (any actions that use a ship’s Detection, such as the 
  Active Augury Extended Action) suffer a –15 penalty.
  Jovian-pattern nova cannon
  One of the rarest of all Nova Cannons, the Jovian pattern replaces 
  the explosive shells with vortex warheads. The resultant rifts 
  into the warp have been known to rend target vessels cleanly in 
  half. This follows all the rules for Nova Cannons.
  Vortex Warhead: The terrifying nature of vortex weaponry 
  means a ship hit by a shot from this weapon (even if it does 
  not do damage) immediately loses 1d5 Morale. 
  Core Architecture: This weapon Component is always revealed 
  by successful Active Augury—it is too large to be concealed.
  Unstable Ammunition: If a Jovian-pattern Nova Cannon 
  is ever damaged, it is destroyed instead. In addition, as the 
  ammunition explodes, the vessel is suffers 1d10 Hull Integrity 
  Damage, ignoring armour or void shields. 
  plasma accelerated Torpedo Tubes
  In the early days of the Imperium, certain Forge worlds 
  produced weapons and starship components of a quality now 
  lost to mankind, and torpedoes were no exception. “Plasma 
  accelerated” torpedo tubes refer to a type of torpedo launch 
  system, rather than a specific pattern. These weapon systems 
  utilize plasma from the ship’s drives to “hot launch” the 
  torpedoes, while integral guidance systems constantly update 
  target profiles to the torpedoes’ machine spirits. They are 
  even safer than their counterparts, with multiple reinforced 
  adamantium-alloy blast hatches. This component can store 
  sixteen torpedoes, plus an additional four if the ship’s captain 
  does not mind keeping four “in the tubes.”  This follows all 
  the rules for torpedo tubes.
  Hot Launch: Torpedoes launched from this Component gain 
  an additional +4 VU speed on the turn they are launched, 
  after which they revert to normal. 
  Augur Accuracy: Torpedoes launched from this Component 
  gain a +10 bonus to hit. 
  Volatile: If this Component is Damaged or Destroyed (but not 
  Unpowered or Depressurised) while torpedoes are loaded, it 
  has a 5% chance of exploding. In this event, the Component 
  is destroyed and the ship takes 2d5 Hull Integrity damage.
  Warp antenna
  As the Imperium first began to expand away from the glowing 
  light of the Astronomican, many navigators were much less 
  adept at finding their way through the warp. To assist in this 
  technique, massive force staves were added to the exterior 
  of some vessels. These functioned as antennae, allowing a 
  navigator to more easily hone in on the Astronomican’s signal.
  His Holy Light: The Navigator receives a +20 bonus to all 
  tests to Locate the Astronomican.
  Beacon: In addition to increasing the navigator’s sensitivity, 
  this Component also makes the vessel much more noticeable 
  to others in the warp. Vessels equipped with a Warp Antenna 
  suffer a –10 modifier on Warp Travel Encounter Tests.
  External: This Component does not require hull space. 
  Although it is external, it can only be destroyed or Damaged 
  with a Critical Hit. 
  Warp sextant
  This massive submersion tank enhances a Navigator’s ability 
  to safely sense the ebb and flow of the warp outside of the 
  vessel. A broad spectrum of sensors measures the intensities 
  and currents in the warp outside of the starship. This 
  information is then relayed safely to the Navigator so that 
  it can be more easily analysed and addressed. The Sextant’s 
  array of cogitators further aids the Navigator in identifying 
  known routes and calculating their current stability.
  The True Path: When using a Warp Sextant, the Navigator 
  receives a +20 bonus on any Perception Tests or Navigation 
  (Warp) Tests made to steer the vessel through the warp.
  Table 1–11: Archeotech Components
  Archeotech Components
  Appropriate Hull Types
  Power
  Space
  SP
  Cypra-pattern Class 1 Drive
  Transports
  30 Generated
  10
  2
  Cypra-pattern Class 2 Drive
  Raiders, Frigates
  40 Generated
  12
  2
  Jovian-pattern Nova Cannon
  Cruisers
  6
  7
  5
  Plasma Accelerated Torpedo Tubes
  All Ships
  2
  6
  2
  Warp Antenna
  All Ships
  1
  1
  2
  Warp Sextant
  All Ships
  4
  1
  2
  Table 1–12: Archeotech Weapons
  Supplemental Components
  Appropriate Hull Types
  Power
  Space
  SP
  Strength
  Damage
  Crit Rating
  Range
  Jovian-pattern Nova Cannon†
  Cruisers
  5
  7
  5
  †
  2d5+7
  †
  6–35
  Plasma Accelerated Torpedo Tubes
  All Ships
  1
  4
  4
  4
  –
  –
  –
  † See page 16 for special rules on Nova Cannon Strength and Critical Hits.
  
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  duTy of The 
  imperiAl NAvy
  •
  bATTlefleeT 
  cAlixis
  •
  bATTlefleeT 
  koroNus
  •
  NoTAble 
  sTArships
  •
  rANks iN The 
  bATTlefleeT
  
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  Chapter II: 
  The Imperium’s 
  Shield
  “If the Adeptus Astartes are the Emperor’s wrath, and the Imperial 
  Guard His hammer, then His Holy Navy is His mighty shield.” 
  – Cardinal Kregory Hestor
  M
  ankind’s mastery of space in the 41st millennium is 
  what sets it above all the other races in the galaxy. 
  Few can cross the stars as readily as humanity, with 
  its millions of ships scattered across the Imperium. The projected 
  power of the Imperial Navy alone is sufficient to keep threats at bay 
  light years away from the industrious citizenry. When the actual 
  big guns are required, the Imperial Navy can pull together whole 
  armadas of city-sized warships to pound the enemy into oblivion. 
  Building and maintaining such an array of vessels is arduous, 
  particularly with the Imperium’s falling technology levels, but it 
  is seen as a necessity.  Control over travel and commerce between 
  worlds is crucial to the continued functioning of the Imperium. 
  Without a Navy the Imperium would soon cease to exist.
  Despite the vast numbers of ships in the Imperium, space 
  travel remains extremely hazardous.  Any number of troubles 
  can befall the would-be traveller, as journeying between stars 
  is an uncertain, dangerous process. Entering the warp is a 
  particularly arcane process and many of the technologies used 
  aboard ships are poorly understood.  It is said that when one 
  travels interstellar distances, his chances of returning home 
  again are small—whether he finds himself stranded on a 
  distant world, serving aboard a ship for the remainder of his 
  days, or lost to the uncountable perils of space travel. 
  However, not all the same dangers apply to travel within 
  one’s own star system. A fundamental difference exists between 
  interplanetary and interstellar flight. All ships fly through space 
  but moving from one planet to another  is child’s play compared 
  with the great journey necessary to travel between stars. To better 
  understand the vital function of the Imperial Navy it is crucial to 
  first apprehend where these differences lie.
  inTerpLaneTary FLighT
  Interplanetary craft are ones that can move between planets 
  inside a star system, travelling from Terra to Mars for 
  example, or boosting materials into orbit and landing them. 
  Interplanetary craft make up the bulk of space-borne traffic 
  around Imperial worlds. A reasonably advanced star system 
  will have surprisingly large numbers of craft in attendance—
  everything from one-man couriers and haulers, cargo luggers 
  and asteroid miners to passenger liners and pleasure craft. 
  Interplanetary craft can’t leave a star system under their own 
  power because they cannot enter the warp, and interplanetary 
  warships are commonly referred to as system ships.
  Some star systems feature highly specialised vessels to farm, 
  mine or otherwise exploit whatever resources are available 
  such as giant lenses, comet hooks or plasma scoops for 
  example. Interplanetary smuggling and piracy can also become 
  prevalent where trade becomes particularly valuable, often from 
  previously honest merchantmen succumbing to temptation to 
  make faster profits. This is particularly 
  commoN iNTerplANeTAry crAfT 
  The following are some common names given by 
  voidfarers for different types of interplanetary craft. 
  Asteroid miners: These range from single-pilot craft 
  right up to semi-mobile gigacomplexes.
  Booster: A powerful engine with wings for pushing 
  cargo up into orbit, often servitor-controlled.
  Brig: A small ship for carrying personnel or prisoners.
  Courier: A fast ship for small, important cargoes.
  Cutter: A fast interplanetary vessel, often armed.
  Hauler: Mid-size interplanetary cargo vessel.
  Lander: Winged craft suitable for flying in atmosphere.
  Lighter: A light cargo mover, slow and boxy, with little 
  thought given to any details save cargo moving.
  Lugger: A heavy cargo mover with powerful thrust-
  engines, suitable for High-G environments.
  Monitor: A slow but  heavily-armed system defence ship 
  Passenger liner: A large vessel purpose-built for 
  carrying people. Rare in all but the most populous 
  systems, as few can afford the luxury of space travel.
  Pinnace: A small ship capable of orbital and 
  interplanetary travel.
  Pleasure craft: Yachts and other playthings for the elite.
  44
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  Fleet Communiqué
  Sent: Astropath Ternicus-409.814.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of the Gryphon, Officer Commanding Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain of the Hawk, extended operations, the Koronus Expanse 
  As of  2 bells in the Forenoon watch the Hawk has reached the furthest limit of its 
  cruising ground and now sits beneath the ruddy glow of the God-Emperor’s Scourge.  The 
  crew consider the sight to be a good omen, a sign of His Wrath Made Manifest in this 
  blighted Expanse.  The Hawk will begin the next leg of our patrol after my crew has had 
  some time to recuperate from the stress of repeated warp travel.  I am utilising the 
  isolation provided by our remote position to give them this time with little risk of an 
  enemy attack before we return to the Immaterium for another few weeks.
  Fleet Communiqué Ends
  Postscript: How I chafe at this waiting, Nathan. I know the crew needs to rest but I am 
  eager to continue onwards through my patrol.  I hope all is well with you and your command.
  
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  the case in systems where humanity has spread out to occupy 
  various asteroids and moons, giving pirates lots of places to 
  hide and smugglers plentiful venues for their wares. 
  Most systems with interplanetary vessels feature orbital stations 
  of some kind too. At a frontier world these could be limited to 
  a few dour administration and hanger facilities. More populous 
  worlds could boast zero-G factoria, docks and ship yards, 
  planetary defence satellites, and even cathedrals and hab blocks. 
  The oldest of Mankind’s worlds like Mars and Holy Terra have 
  forged entire orbital rings about themselves over the millennia.
  inTersTeLLar FLighT
  In contrast with interplanetary vessels, interstellar ships are a 
  rare sight in most star systems. Making the crossing between 
  suns means travelling through warp space with all the perils 
  that entails. A jump of more than a few light years is extremely 
  risky without a Navigator to guide the ship, and any ship 
  with a Navigator is effectively controlled by the Imperium. 
  Trade charters between stars are strictly regulated, jealously 
  guarded and often hereditary. Most Chartist Captains spend 
  their entire career piloting a single, well-established route 
  between two stars. Rogue Traders are those exceptional few 
  granted an open Warrant to move beyond the Imperium and 
  establish new routes. 
  The events of the Age of Apostasy and the Horus Heresy 
  led to rigourous decrees forbidding planetary governors 
  control over interstellar ships. Civil war, epidemics and 
  corruption can be strictly contained by controlling access to 
  interstellar space flight and so this rests firmly, if distantly, in 
  the hands of the High Lords of Terra. 
  In an organisation as monolithic as the Imperium, plenty 
  of things still fall through the cracks and greedy traders are 
  notorious for transporting goods and people that they shouldn’t. 
  Of course, this is exactly the kind of behaviour that tends to draw 
  the attention of the Inquisition or the Adeptus Arbites.
  The difference between interplanetary and interstellar ships is 
  that interstellar ships are fitted with a warp drive. This is what 
  allows them to push through the thin membrane between the 
  material universe and the warp. While in the warp the Gellar 
  field forms a teardrop of reality around the ship to propel it 
  and prevents the surging energies within the warp from utterly 
  destroying it. 
  Warp drives are large, and proportionate to the vessel they 
  propel, so they are large on a trader or escort, and immense 
  on an Imperial warship. The smallest warp-capable ships 
  tend be at least the size of the largest interplanetary vessels, 
  and are usually much larger. As such, it’s extremely rare to 
  see a warp-capable ship smaller than a raider or good-sized 
  interplanetary merchant hauler, though the Inquisition and 
  Officio Assassinorum are whispered have access to smaller, 
  specialised vessels more suited to their needs.
  Regardless of its size, the warp drive is always buried in the 
  safest possible location deep in the heart of the ship. The function 
  and operation of warp drives are a closely-guarded secrets of the 
  Adeptus Mechanicus and the Navis Nobilite. A warp drive failure 
  typically signals the doom of the ship, either in quite spectacular 
  fashion or in the form of a long, lingering death adrift in the warp.
  
  46
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  Duty of the 
  Imperial Navy
  “Trust the Navy? I only trust those meddlesome fools to take an 
  unwanted interest in a man’s honest work.” 
  –Rogue Trader and Slaver Krakin Feckward
  T
  he ships of the Imperial Navy turn the theoretical control 
  of the High lords over interstellar flight into an armoured 
  and weaponised reality. Navy ships not only protect 
  the Imperium from the depredations of renegades and xenos, 
  but also enforce the iron rule of Imperial law. Even the most 
  ambitious planetary governor knows he is effectively isolated 
  within his own star system without the assistance of the Imperial 
  Navy. Traitorous activities on a sufficient scale inevitably bring 
  him into conflict with the inexhaustible resources the Navy can 
  bring to bear. The vast numbers of Navy warships come from a 
  variety of sources, each with its own unique history and traits.
  The BirTh oF a Warship
  A starship mostly likely comes from one of four origins: planetary 
  shipyards, Navy docks, a Mechanicus Forge world, or salvage.
  plANeTAry shipyArds
  Most void-going vessels are built at “local” shipyards  by a 
  planetary authority or commercial concern, perhaps as part of 
  a tithe to the Imperium. The Imperium normally only tithes 
  interstellar ships from major systems capable of building 
  them, but interplanetary types may be called for where system 
  defences need to be bolstered. 
  Building a void-ship from scratch is a massive undertaking; 
  it can take years to complete an escort-class vessel and 
  centuries to build a capital ship. Such a vast effort requires 
  countless numbers of workers and huge amounts of refined 
  materials. A great work like this might not be completed for 
  generations. The eventual departure of its ever-present star 
  from a world’s night sky might be a time of celebration or 
  mourning depending on the demeanour of the people.
  From the Imperial Commander’s point of view, such effort 
  is well rewarded. A single capital ship or several squadrons of 
  escort ships can satisfy a huge part of a developed world’s tithe 
  burden to Imperial authority. Tithing ships finds particular 
  favour with the Adeptus Terra as it leaves the Administratum 
  only the minimal burden of supplying Navy crews to man 
  the ships and take them anywhere they are needed. By 
  comparison, tithes of manufactured goods, Imperial Guard 
  regiments or, worse still, raw materials only add to the 
  logistical burdens of the Imperium and can sometimes 
  find short shrift with Sector-prefects. In contrast, the 
  construction of commercial void-ships is heavily 
  regulated by Imperial authority and can only 
  proceed with the appropriate charters already 
  in place. A ship is rarely built to be sold 
  outright; the investment it represents is one that can only be 
  recouped by long service trading between the stars. 
  NAvy docks
  The Imperial Navy builds most of its fighting ships at major 
  fleet bases and Segmentum fortresses. The giant dockyards in 
  these places work night and day to fill the hungry void with a 
  continual stream of replacements for ships lost in the warp or 
  destroyed in combat. Whole armies of men and women spend 
  their entire lives working to keep the Imperial fleet alive through 
  their toil, and a shipwright’s proudest boast is to have been 
  present for the laying of a keel or the launching of a ship. 
  Warship design has changed very little over the millennia 
  and Navy ships are solidly built to a high standard using only 
  the most tried and trusted technological templates. Some 
  find Navy-built ships to be austere in comparison with more 
  fanciful vessels created in planetary shipyards. Wiser captains 
  know that there is no ship more dependable than one from a 
  Navy dockyard, where every rivet has been thrice blessed and 
  every weld triple checked.
  Imperial Navy warships are most easily identified by their 
  armoured prows. It’s a feature often copied on ships from 
  planetary shipyards and Forge worlds but seldom with the 
  gusto seen on Navy-built ships. Thirty meters or more of solid 
  adamantium surmounted by a reinforced ram in the form of a 
  proud aquila is the norm, and the last sight of many a xenos 
  or heretic ship that made the terminal error of confronting 
  the Imperial Navy.
  
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  forGe worlds
  The great Forge worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus work tirelessly, 
  constructing ships and ordnance in their orbital halos. The vast 
  majority of these vessels go to the Mechanicus’ own Explorator 
  fleets to fuel their unceasing quest for knowledge. Others go to 
  the Navy, particularly escort vessels in large numbers. Some few 
  find their way into the hands of Rogue Traders in exchange for 
  their help in uncovering new data, as such individuals are ever at 
  the forefront of Imperial exploration.
  Forge world ships are a marvel of engineering, equipped with 
  many systems that are barely understood in the current era. They 
  are particularly renowned for having the thickest possible armour 
  thanks to the great adamantium smelters and casting courts that 
  are found only on Forge worlds. Even as the huge cast plates 
  begin to cool, ranks of servitors and menials swarm over them to 
  begin riveting them into place over the ship’s skeleton. 
  Only once the outer plating is complete do the Engineers 
  and Magos come aboard the empty hull to begin the arcane 
  rituals of “fitting.” This lengthy process is marked by endless 
  ceremony, supplications to individual machine spirits and 
  prayers to the Omnissiah as each of the thousands of internal 
  systems is installed. Materials shortages and other unforeseen 
  events can leave dozens of half-finished ships hanging in orbit 
  over a Forge world awaiting completion for decades at a time.
  sAlvAGe
  Wrecked ships are salvaged and refitted when possible. 
  The time and resources required to build a new ship are so 
  tremendous that refitting even a badly wrecked hull is always 
  preferable to building one from the keel up. 
  Aside from purely economic considerations, older salvaged 
  hulks are greatly valued for their often-superior construction. 
  So much knowledge has been lost since the Dark Age of 
  Technology that ships built in more recent eras are often 
  weaker, slower and less well-armed than their predecessors. 
  The shifting nature of the warp means hulks can sometimes 
  emerge thousands of years out of their time, carrying a 
  treasure trove of lost technologies from a bygone era.
  Capturing a hulk is great prize for any captain, but it is fraught 
  with dangers. A ship fallen in battle may explode outright by a 
  catastrophic plasma drive overload or warp drive implosion. One 
  that is holed and drifting could explode at any moment, and 
  parts of its crew might be still trapped in sealed compartments 
  ready to fight like cornered rats against boarding attempts. 
  Even if a hulk can be subdued, its fires extinguished and 
  drives stabilised, it must still be towed back to port. Often 
  it has to be abandoned in the hope of returning later with 
  specialised salvage vessels. Hulks discovered in open space may 
  have drifted out of a battle zone, or fallen prey to infestation, 
  disease or starvation. The latter may be completely intact, but 
  hold terrible dangers for the would-be salvager. 
  spAce hulks
  Lurid tales abound of xenos, cannibals and warp entities found 
  on board drifting hulks by greedy captains. Worse still, a vessel 
  that has been adrift on the tides of the Empyrean for long ages 
  becomes dimensionally unstable. A few days, weeks or hours 
  after emerging into real space it can slip back into the warp 
  again—carrying any unfortunate fools on board with it. 
  Over uncounted millennia, unstable hulks trapped in the 
  currents and riptides of the Immaterium are cast together 
  with other flotsam, slowly aggregating into what is known 
  as a space hulk. A space hulk can comprise dozens or even 
  hundreds of wrecked ships crushed together in the timeless 
  depths of the Sea of Souls. Space hulks are vomited back out 
  of the nightmare realm to real space seemingly at random, 
  reappearing at the fringes of distant star systems before 
  vanishing into the warp again just as mysteriously. 
  Despite Imperial Navy injunctions against approaching 
  space hulks, every ship in the system makes a beeline for one 
  when it appears. Riches beyond the dreams of avarice await a 
  crew that can board a space hulk and salvage its archeotech 
  before the Navy or the Adeptus Mechanicus arrives on the 
  scene. The Navy’s caution is well founded, as space hulks are 
  often used by xenos—Orks in particular—to “hitch a ride” 
  between the stars, and can contain plagues unknown to Man. 
  The arrival of a space hulk can unleash horrors capable of 
  wiping out whole star systems, and common folk take the 
  appearance of one nearby as a dire portent.
  Despite the risks, the Imperial Navy is loath to destroy a 
  space hulk outright unless it poses an immediate threat. A 
  number of the Navy’s most illustrious warships have been 
  recovered from space hulks. The Emperor class Battleship 
  Divine Right, famed flagship of Battlefleet Gothic’s Admiral 
  Ravensburg, was one such vessel. To the Adeptus Mechanicus, 
  a space hulk is a treasure house of lost technology and 
  forgotten lore to be captured at any cost. 
  A space hulk does not give up its secrets easily. Its interior 
  is likely to be a maze of twisted corridors and half-crushed 
  chambers that are almost impossible to navigate. Time is always 
  a factor because the space hulk inevitably slips back in to the 
  warp at some point. It’s not unknown for the Adeptus Astartes 
  to be called upon to secure a dangerous space hulk against the 
  clock. There is no finer force in the Imperium for such a task.
  anaToMy oF a ship
  Battlefleet Calixis possesses ships accumulated from the fleets 
  of the Angevin Crusade, Segmentum fleet reserves, and vessels 
  tithed since the sector was established. At one time it had been 
  over a hundred years since a ship was assigned to the sector from 
  the Segmentum reserve due to its relatively “quiet” status from a 
  Navy perspective. However, with the increasing exploitation of 
  the Koronus Expanse the fleet has been steadily built up over 
  recent decades. Some grand old ships have been reunited for the 
  first time since the Age of Saint Drusus, while other unknowns 
  have arrived from the more populous sectors coreward. 
  Every ship in the battlefleet is unique in many ways, the 
  product of long labour by artisans and craftsmen under the 
  watchful eye of the Mechanicus. Often vessels of the same class 
  or type have individual flourishes in their construction that 
  set them apart from their sister ships. Even so, Imperial 
  ship design has been handed down by tradition 
  for thousands of years so they can all be said to 
  follow some fundamental strictures.
  
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  The first Component of a ship to be built is its spine or 
  keel. It’s a massive spar of adamantium that the majority of 
  the ships decks are constructed on top of (in the case of a 
  keel) or suspended from (in the case of a spine). Keel-built 
  ships tend to have a flatter aspect to their design with fewer, 
  wider decks while spine-built ships tend to carry more narrow 
  decks stacked vertically and look high-sided.  
  Out of necessity the rearmost part of the ship is given over to its 
  thruster arrays. Engine rooms come next, although some warship 
  designs bury them deeper under armour amidships and route 
  power outward from there. Traditionally the command decks are 
  placed above all others and towards the stern of the vessel and 
  surmounted by the navigation spires. On a warship the majority 
  of the remaining decks are given over to weapon batteries, attack 
  craft launch bays, torpedo tubes, and thick armour plates.
  Imperial warship designs have favoured an extremely 
  heavily armoured prow since the 37th millennium, but there 
  are plentiful exceptions still to be found, most notably Jovian 
  vessels and ones predating M36. Debate still rages between 
  fleet theoreticians about the merits of prow armour and 
  weaponry, but it has been noted that having thicker prow 
  armour tends to make Imperial captains point their ships at 
  the enemy. That, according to many Lord High Admirals, is 
  precisely what they are supposed to do.
  Ships ply the void for millennia and they may be refitted 
  many times over their long lives. A void ship’s cavernous 
  decks might carry ranks of glittering macro weaponry for 
  ten generations and then be converted to host pious pilgrims 
  for a dozen more. Each alteration and embellishment builds 
  the character of the ship, forever adding to the mystique 
  that makes it so loved and feared by its teeming occupants. 
  Different deck configurations can be described in some detail, 
  however, as they are slaves to the functions performed there.
  GuN decks
  Engines and reactors of a warship occupy a third of its 
  mass; gun decks usually constitute three quarters of what 
  remains. Even individual macroweapons are giant, house-
  sized affairs covered with gantries, cranes, power lines and 
  pipes with a crew hundreds strong. Lance turrets are even 
  bigger—the size of a city block with a crew numbering 
  in the thousands. Macroweapons of all kinds are hugely 
  labour-intensive to run as few automated systems can be 
  relied upon in battle.
  Laser, melta and plasma weapons are typically fed from 
  generator stacks inside the gunrooms and multi-tonne reaction 
  cells hoisted up from a magazine below. The random power 
  surges on these decks mean crewmembers often must wear 
  protective suits to avoid getting burned. Much of the crews’ time 
  is occupied reconnecting or replacing components or wrestling 
  sparking power lines back into place with insulated gaff-hooks. 
  Projectile-firing macrocannons require much larger crews 
  to handle and load their enormous shells into the waiting 
  breaches. Macrocannon crews also have to contend 
  with sitting on top of a magazine full of enough 
  munitions to level a city. Many captains still 
  prefer the reliability of macrocannons despite 
  the medieval toil they inflict on the crew. 
  Even after suffering punishing damage, macrocannons can 
  still load and fire long after energy weapons fall silent.
  Macrocannons tend to be mounted in individual gunrooms 
  to contain the damage if their magazine explodes. Energy 
  weapons are normally mounted in multiples on gun decks for 
  greater accessibility. Either environment is a hot, sweaty and 
  dangerous one for the crew. Crew quarters are usually sparse 
  cells built into the walls or floor of the gun deck and access 
  to other areas of the ship is strictly limited. Press-ganged 
  shipmen are most likely to be put to work on a gun battery 
  at first. Simple hard labour and little required experience are 
  needed to haul and push multi-tonne ammunition into place.
  Each gun is run by a gun captain and each gun deck by 
  at least one petty officer. An ensign or lieutenant has nominal 
  charge of the gun deck but are seldom be seen off the command 
  decks and heard only as a disembodied voice over the vox 
  casters. The character of the crew and the deck depends on their 
  gun-captain and petty officer. These can be well-respected crew 
  mates that have worked their way up and know how to strike a 
  balance between keeping officers and men happy, or they can 
  be terrifying despots determined to keep discipline at all costs. 
  Torpedo decks
  Many Imperial warships mount torpedo decks beneath 
  their prow armour to give them a forward armament with 
  an extremely long range. The torpedo decks are wide and 
  tall although their heavily-buttressed ceilings often make 
  them feel oppressive and cavern-like. Impressively thick rails 
  follow overhead gantries from great slots in the deck to the 
  individual tube entrances sealed by their towering pressure 
  doors. 
  Torpedo handling is even more labour-intensive than 
  operating the ship’s guns, and crews can number in the 
  thousands. Each torpedo is an enormous device up to sixty 
  meters long and packed with volatile sub-munitions and 
  plasma warheads. Torpedo crews are made up of more 
  experienced ratings than the ones to be found in the gun 
  crews for just this reason. An accident on the gun decks 
  might cause casualties among the crew, but an accident when 
  handling the torpedoes can imperil the whole ship. 
  The torpedo loading process is a notoriously dangerous 
  and arduous one. It begins with ritual checks of the pressure 
  in the torpedo tubes before their inner doors are painstakingly 
  cranked open. The torpedo is then hoisted up through the slots 
  in the deck from the heavily-armoured torpedo store several 
  decks below with the appropriate catechisms of welcome and 
  purpose. Massed work gangs thousands strong then drag the 
  huge missiles along the rails into the open tubes. 
  The torpedo shackles are then removed and finally the tube 
  inner doors hauled shut, the outer doors unsealed, and the crews 
  inner doors hauled shut, the outer doors unsealed, and the crews 
  
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  hurry to ceramite bunkers to await the command to launch. Even 
  with the thick inner doors locked in place the awesome energies 
  unleashed by the torpedoes firing up their plasma drives creates a 
  backwash of heat and radiation that kills anyone exposed. 
  When the torpedoes hurl themselves forth, the ship 
  shudders palpably. Anyone with warship experience can tell a 
  launch has just occurred by the redistribution of mass alone. 
  As the torpedoes blaze off into the void in pursuit of their 
  distant targets, the torpedo crew emerge from their bunkers to 
  make necessary repairs and begin the process all over again.
  Even when not in battle the torpedoes must be periodically 
  lifted from the store to be anointed and examined for failures 
  by the tech-priests. It’s said that torpedo-men can become quite 
  enamoured of their charges over the long cycles of maintenance 
  between battles. They view the eventual departure of a favourite 
  with a curious mixture of pride and loss.
  lAuNch bAys
  Attack craft launch bays are bustling places, usually 
  comprised of an open central hangar area surrounded by tiers 
  of machine shops, weapons stores and maintenance areas. A 
  capital ship may have whole squadrons of interceptors and 
  bombers lined up on cradles ready for launch while a smaller 
  vessel might have only a handful of dedicated attack craft 
  sharing the bay with pinnaces, cutters, and other assorted 
  interplanetary craft.
  Most launch bays are built to open directly into space with 
  a power field over the entrance to keep atmosphere within the 
  hull, although ships with launch bays are notoriously “leaky” 
  in this regard. Armoured shutters are used to seal the bay 
  fully between launches and retrievals during a battle and for 
  transitions through the warp. Heavy bulkheads seal off launch 
  bays from the rest of the ship in case a stray shot enters the 
  bay and triggers the munitions waiting to be loaded.
  In truth, some feel that the Imperial Navy would like to 
  discard the use of attack craft altogether simply because of the 
  disastrous hubris of a cadre of young officers five millennia past 
  during the infamous “Gareox Prerogative” of the Segmentum 
  Tempestus. Ultimately the supreme flexibility of attack craft has 
  ensured their continued deployment aboard The Imperial Fleet 
  despite the long-standing disapproval of some of the Lord High 
  Admirals. Carrier ships often feel like a breed apart from the rest 
  of the Navy with unorthodox crews willing to try anything to 
  prove themselves to the traditional ‘big gun’ advocates.
  eNGiNe decks
  The engine decks are the pulsing heart of a ship. They are vast, 
  cathedral-like spaces dominated by thundering plasma reactors 
  and armoured conduits coursing countless gigawatts of power 
  out to the ship. A capital ship might have as many as a dozen 
  reactor chambers linked together to supply its titanic power 
  requirements. A smaller vessel likely has just one squeezed into 
  an armoured transept. The engine decks are always a hive of 
  activity with enginseers and tech-savants of all kinds swinging 
  censers, intoning rites and triple checking each other while 
  innumerable Servitors tend the reactors night and day under 
  the watchful gaze of the Red Priests of Mars. 
  Although technically part of the engine rooms and 
  commonly positioned close to them, the shield generatoria 
  deserve special mention. These thick-ribbed chambers house 
  endless ranks of thrumming generators that project the major 
  void shields and the masses of minor shielding needed to 
  enable hull integrity. Re-routing power through the generatoria 
  in battle is a vital function of damage control parties. 
  Diving headlong into a coruscating inferno of unleashed 
  energies to shut down an overloaded generator is a job 
  for brave men and few make it back alive. Volunteers are 
  plentiful, however, because without them the ship suffers far 
  more hull breaches and air losses. Air loss condemns crews to 
  a slow, poisonous death until such time as the inevitable laws 
  of supply and demand are equalised by enough fatalities. 
  The appointed Tech-Priest Majoris (also known as Enginseer 
  Prime) on the ship is extremely loath to let anyone not fully 
  inducted into the Cult Mechanicus onto the engine decks under 
  any circumstances. Even a fellow tech-priest of high standing 
  may be politely but firmly denied entry  on occasion. 
  On the other hand, particularly recalcitrant shipmen, 
  mutineers and stowaways may be sent to the Mechanicus, often 
  never to be seen again. The tech-priests work constantly to 
  maintain the number of servitors in the engine decks despite 
  attrition from accidents, so “converts” are always welcome. 
  The engines of a ship, especially a very old one, can become a 
  shrine to the Adeptus Mechanicus devotees that tend them. Such 
  cloistered communities can grow insular over the centuries and 
  are often given to numerous proscriptions peculiar to their ship. In 
  truth, seeing a previously unknown core configuration or ignition 
  system in action for the first time can be a profound and even 
  revelatory experience for a tech-priest or wandering mech-wright. 
  NAviGATioN spires
  The Navigation spires protrude up as the highest points on 
  the ship. On a capital ship they are fanciful towers of armaplas 
  and steelglass that house the principal Navigator and his kin 
  in opulent finery that would shame a planetary governor. 
  Even on humbler vessels the Navigator’s quarters are the finest 
  available, including at the very least an exceptionally baroque 
  couch in the observation blister. The view from the spires is 
  often breathtaking. Only here is it possible to appreciate the 
  majestic sweep of the ship with its myriad lights glowing 
  brightly against starry fastness beyond. 
  Some Navigators choose to seclude themselves in their spires 
  for the duration of every voyage, even when the ship is not in 
  the warp. This is a policy that finds approval with Navy officers 
  worried about their precious resource getting into trouble. 
  Other Navigators take a perverse pleasure in wandering around 
  the ship whenever they can. They have “adventures,” invite 
  random dinner guests to the Navigation spire, and generally 
  delight in inflicting acute apoplexy on their bodyguards. 
  Regardless of their demeanour, Navigators are treated with 
  almost suffocating levels of deference onboard Navy ships 
  and are subject to censure only by the master of the 
  ship in person. As each cares for the ship in their 
  own way, the captain and the Navigator often 
  forge a strong enough bond that individual 
  idiosyncrasies are apt to be viewed with 
  
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  indulgence. The rest of the crew tend to look up to Navigators 
  with superstitious awe and do virtually anything to avoid 
  approaching the haunted spires at the top of their world. 
  commANd decks 
  If the engines are the beating heart of a ship, the command decks 
  are its brain. Several of the command decks are given over to 
  officer’s quarters ranging from small cabins for Ensigns to whole 
  suites of rooms for Captains and Admirals. Command decks are 
  built to a grand scale with long corridors, majestic stairways and 
  colonnaded halls cunningly wrought to overawe the viewer. In 
  places, tall windows and great observation blisters guarded by 
  armoured shutters give views across the hull of the ship and into 
  the void beyond. It’s common for stone and even wood to be used 
  extensively throughout the command decks to give the place a 
  sense of permanence and timeless strength. Indeed when walking 
  across the worn marble slabs of some great basilica it can be hard 
  to believe the structure is not resting squarely on terra firma.
  The command decks often include the ship’s archive—a 
  densely-packed librarium filled with log entries, communications, 
  requisitions, warrants, commissions and a thousand other pieces 
  of trivia. The chart rooms are found at the base of the navigation 
  spires, centuries of accumulated ciphers and ancient charts 
  jealously guarded by silent seneschals. Many ships have entire 
  trophy halls resplendent with images of famous actions the ship 
  has participated in, portraits of previous captains, mementos 
  from defeated enemies, and graven battle honours lining walls. 
  All Navy ships have a Ministorum chapel aboard, whether a tiny 
  room with a shrine or a vaulted hall big enough to hold the 
  entire crew. In either case voxcasters and pict-players are on hand 
  to relay sermons to every corner of the ship when the crew give 
  due praise to the God-Emperor for their continuing survival.
  Surmounting everything else is the ship’s bridge and the 
  captain’s cupola. The bridge is dominated by ranks of muttering 
  servitors and ticking cogitators monitoring the myriad functions 
  of the ship. Rows of niches rise on every side filled with arcane 
  machinery and its attendant votaries. Uniformed officers stride 
  among the lobotomised slave-servitors and tech-priests issuing 
  the hundreds of individual orders necessary to keep everything 
  functioning optimally. High above in the captain’s cupola the 
  senior officers and the Captain himself reside. From here they 
  observe the progress of the ship in a vast holo-tank, assess 
  augur sightings, monitor readiness levels and plot the vessel’s 
  course through the void.
  commuNicATioNs ArrAy
  The communications array adjoins the command decks, most 
  commonly via a gallery attached to the bridge proper. Here the 
  scions of the Adeptus Astra Telelpathica eat, work and sleep with 
  virtually no contact with the rest of the ship. They gather in 
  stepped praesidiums to listen for the distant astral songs of their 
  brethren. On occasion they come together to form astropathic 
  choirs to relay such messages as are sent to them by the 
  master of the ship. 
  Servo skulls drift everywhere through the 
  communications array committing every spoken 
  word to trailing vellum scrolls. These are cross-
  referenced and catalogued lest a single whispered syllable be lost. 
  The high arched cloisters and narrow cells of the array are a calm, 
  sterile and eerily-silent place in comparison to the rest of the ship. 
  lower decks 
  The “lower decks” or “below decks” (often  shortened to simply 
  “low decks”) is a euphemism for all the decks given over to 
  the organic functioning of the ship. Bilges, sumps, cisterns, 
  holding tanks, reclamation plants, laundries, hydroponics, 
  battery farms, slaughterhouses, cold storage, kitchens and much 
  of the accommodations are on the lower decks. Most areas are 
  tight pipe-lined corridors and crawl spaces full of vapours 
  and extremely pungent smells broken by the occasional wide, 
  low-ceiling chamber. These are given over to specific tasks like 
  corralling a herd of Grox, for example, or holding bubbling 
  tanks of excrement beneath inexplicably rickety walkways.
  Skulduddery and sharp practices are commonplace on the 
  lower decks. This is the part of the ship that truly belongs to 
  the common shipman and if there’s a card game, rat race, or 
  maw-fluke fight going on it’ll be somewhere on the lower 
  decks. How much leeway the captain permits his crew on the 
  lower decks is a finely-judged matter. A happy crew performs 
  its duties well, but lack of discipline and disrespect can quickly 
  breed mutiny.  Most captains play an elaborate balancing 
  game between turning a blind eye to minor transgressions 
  while brutally enforcing ship law on egregious offenders.
  …and aLL The spaces in 
  BeTWeen
  All vessels have access tubes and crawlways to reach out-of-
  the-way corners of the ship. An incredible amount of pipes 
  and wires also snake their way between decks carrying power, 
  air and water with all the attendant valves, governors and 
  junction boxes that go with them that must be maintained. 
  Access is also required to every part of the vast engines and all 
  their intricate machinery by the Adeptus Mechanicus, so that 
  they can anoint them and ease their spirits as needed. 
  On smaller vessels these spaces are claustrophobic for 
  even one man, and certainly a nasty place to find anything 
  hostile. On capital ships the spaces between decks can be a 
  dusty labyrinth extending for miles. The might include whole 
  sections of the ship that have been sealed off due to damage or 
  for more sinister reasons such as plague, infestation or mutiny. 
  The fury of the weapons used in ship-to-ship engagements 
  can gouge huge craters even in the meters-thick armour vessels 
  carry for protection. The resultant repairs can leave a chaotic 
  forest of spars and bracing, a hidden warren inside the ship. Areas 
  might even be closed off because the ship has been reconfigured 
  in some fashion centuries in the past such that passages or rooms 
  have become redundant and fallen into disuse.
  These hidden spaces can become repositories for 
  everything from secret societies to Chaos shrines or lost hauls 
  of archeotech, all concealed from the ever-watchful captain 
  and most of the crew. Equally, players might find it useful 
  to explore for a hidden route between areas of the ship for 
  spying or other nefarious activities. 
  
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  Any time the GM needs to place something off the beaten 
  track in a shipboard adventure, or give the Explorers access to 
  places they couldn’t normally go—remember there’s plenty 
  of undiscovered territory lying just beyond the deck plates.
  rATs iN The wAlls
  Inevitably some of those on the lower decks that succumb to warp 
  madness escape into the maze of ducting and bracing between the 
  habitable spaces in the ship. Some failed mutineers are desperate 
  enough to flee to these lightless spaces to escape righteous 
  retribution. Here they live like vermin, rats in the walls that can 
  even start to breed if the crew is one of mixed sex. Heightened 
  exposure to the warp and radiation from the engines leads to 
  rapid mutations. Many shipmen call these unfortunates hullghasts. 
  There are a number of unpleasant creatures that somehow 
  manage to thrive and multiply between decks. Only species 
  of a particularly tenacious bent can survive in such harsh 
  conditions with little food, light, water or air to live on. 
  Unfortunately hive cities and Death worlds breed plenty 
  of contenders. In the Calixis sector Gloomhaunts, Maw-
  flukes, Sinophian Boreworms and Xothic Blood Locusts are 
  appended to the long list of Vermin Horribillis kept by Navy 
  annalists, a list said to begin with the humble Terran rat. 
  Any infestation can become a serious problem over the 
  many generations a ship is in service plying the void. Food 
  stocks get spoiled and disease can run rampant. Some ships 
  may even be taken into dock to have their innards flushed 
  with poison if the problem is proving impossible to eradicate. 
  Undoubtedly some vessels eventually fall prey to such 
  parasites, particularly when they are already in distress due to 
  damage or becoming lost in the warp.
  LiFe oF a Warship
  A warship performs many duties in its lifetime, from mundane 
  patrolling to participating in deadly fleet actions. It sees a 
  succession of officers and crew over the generations but the 
  stories it gathers belong to the ship. Every foe slain, every 
  world burned, is recorded in the annals of the ship so that 
  those who come after know the mark it left upon the stars. 
  Battle honours and awards are worn upon the ships armour in 
  scrolls and statuary for all to see. Encounters with the enemy 
  can be rare, but each one is remembered in vivid detail.
  pATrols
  Much of a warship’s life is spent on patrol. Every sub-sector 
  has scores of systems in “wilderness space” without an Imperial 
  presence of any sort. In theory, the Imperial Navy has a duty 
  to patrol all of these to guard against the encroachments of 
  xenos, pirates and smugglers. 
  In practice, a ship could spend thousands of years on patrols 
  and not cover even a small portion of a sub-sector. Only the 
  most commonly used trade routes and a few likely locations 
  for perfidy near inhabited worlds are patrolled regularly and 
  the rest only intermittently. Forbidden worlds are seldom 
  statically covered by Navy ships unless under direct orders of 
  interdiction. Instead, automated markers are placed to alert 
  nearby patrols to the presence and identity of any transgressors.
  Long-range auspex stations and sentinel satellites make 
  up for some of the shortfall. However, patrol commanders 
  are always looking for information that could lead them to 
  action. In the Koronus Expanse, Rogue Traders are seen as an 
  invaluable resource for just such useful tidbits. 
  Patrols around inhabited worlds and trade routes are usually 
  allocated destroyers and attack craft carrying ships for anti-
  pirate operations. Larger vessels put in for stores and crew but 
  seldom linger long enough to undertake the tedious searching 
  of every asteroid field and gas cloud necessary to winkle out 
  pirates. Sweeps through frontier worlds and wilderness space 
  are more the province of capital ships, especially “fighting 
  patrols” into areas of known xenos infestation. 
  Over the years certain patrols like the Tanstar Eighty-eights 
  or the Fenksworld Flotilla become well established and named 
  by their bases. However, most patrols are only temporary 
  squadrons with a numeric designation. Temporary squadrons 
  can still achieve a High Gothic honorific for a noted action, for 
  example the 47th Incendius squadron was so named for setting 
  a heretic man-o-war ablaze in the Josian Reach in 638.M41.
  coNvoy duTy
  Most Navy captains detest convoy duties. Wallowing along, 
  nurse-maiding a clutch of Chartist vessels does not fit with 
  the glorious traditions of the fleet. Fortunately some gifted 
  
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  officers in Battlefleet Calixis see the true value of protecting 
  the lifeblood of the Imperium. Commodore Wake, for 
  example, runs convoys through the Golgenna Reach with the 
  regularity of magrail timetables and only a foolhardy raider 
  gets in his way. Thanks to Commodore Wake’s virtually 
  single-handed efforts, the rich trade triangle between Sepheris 
  Secundus, Iocanthos and Scintilla is the safest in the sector. 
  A typical convoy might comprise as few as a half-dozen 
  merchant ships to twenty or more commanded by an elected 
  senior Chartist-captain. The number of Navy ships allocated 
  to protect them depends on the cargo and the circumstances. 
  If no major enemy warships are known to be prowling the 
  area there may be a single destroyer or frigate for five or six 
  merchantmen—still enough to give many pirates pause. 
  In times of war, escorts need to be stepped up but shortages 
  often lead to larger convoys with the same proportion of 
  escorts instead. Capital ships are spared for convoy duty 
  only for the most vital cargos or breaking through blockades 
  to beleaguered worlds. Capital ships are more commonly 
  deployed to patrol areas where they can reach several convoys 
  quickly if help is needed. 
  rAids 
  When patrolling or intelligence shows a growing threat, Fleet 
  Doctrine is to aggressively attack it with whatever ships are 
  available. However, bringing an enemy to battle may not be 
  viable until more powerful forces gather.  In that case, a series 
  of raids are undertaken to keep the enemy off balance until the 
  big guns arrive. In the Calixis Sector, raids are most likely to 
  be undertaken at the request of the Holy Ordos. This might be 
  to counter an identified xenos or heretic threat or to cover the 
  insertion and retrieval of Throne Agents into a hostile system.
  Fast ships with good crews are needed for raiding. 
  Each raid is different, a combination of speed, surprise and 
  daring intended to catch the enemy off-guard and seize the 
  initiative. Often raids target an enemy installation or patrol to 
  provoke a reaction and set upon any relieving force as well. 
  If outnumbered, the raiders use their superior speed to flee 
  the area and draw headstrong pursuers into a waiting trap. 
  Endless raid variants are planned and practised by aspiring 
  commanders keen to show off their skills to their superiors.
  fleeT AcTioNs
  A fleet action is a major clash generally accepted as needing to 
  be between capital warships to be worthy of the name. Weeks 
  can be spent in the slow, deadly dance of two fleets closing in on 
  each other. The nature of starships means that combat can always 
  be declined, so the enemy must be artfully pinned in place to a 
  world they cannot leave undefended or persuaded to engage by 
  a feigned flaw or weakness before a fleet action can commence. 
  Such skill is the rightful province of the admirals of the 
  fleet and few others would wish to shoulder the burden of 
  commanding so many ships. It is said that only a Lord 
  Admiral can lose an entire sector in an afternoon. 
  Just one mistake can condemn irreplaceable ships 
  and men to fiery carnage and leave untold 
  billions open to merciless attack.
  In truth, few opponents can muster forces strong enough 
  to challenge the Imperial Navy in a fleet action. Battlefleet 
  Calixis has fought only a handful of fleet actions in the sector 
  over the centuries since the Angevin Crusade. The Koronus 
  Expanse holds the promise of glory for many captains, on the 
  other hand, with rumours of great xenos fleets there to be 
  hunted down and eradicated.
  plANeTAry iNvAsioNs
  In the Calixis Sector, major fleets are more likely to be gathered 
  for planetary invasions than fleet actions. These are typically 
  grim affairs for warships due to the ever-present threat of 
  being holed by a mine or defence laser. Sitting in positions 
  for orbital bombardment leaves ships even more vulnerable 
  to attack. Navy Doctrine compensates for these problems 
  with blunt application of numbers to swamp defences and 
  ensure total superiority, however temporary. Once a landing 
  has been achieved, elements of the fleet start moving into 
  high orbit and beyond to give more distant coverage. Some 
  Navy officers even advocate taking transports straight in 
  beside the warships instead waiting for the defences to be 
  suppressed first, happy to trade the loss of a few regiments 
  against crippling damage to their warships. 
  Fearful rebel worlds are unfortunately much given to 
  improving their planetary defences in anticipation of a visit 
  from the Navy. Such heavily-fortified worlds have to be 
  reduced by bombardment before they can be approached. 
  Sustained assaults from Nova Cannons, torpedoes and attack 
  craft are used to knock out defence platforms and monitors 
  from a safe distance. The ensuing battles between swarms of 
  opposing attack craft are often as spectacular as they are deadly.
  A planetary invasion is likely to be a lengthy engagement 
  for a warship one way or another, with weeks quickly 
  dragging out into months and years of stubborn ground 
  fighting. Maintaining morale among the crew can become 
  difficult as they find no respite or opportunities for leave on 
  the war-torn planet so close below. Instead they must sit in 
  orbit and mercilessly unleash their thunder on cities and hives 
  day after day, each salvo corroding their souls a little more.
  crusAdes
  The call to crusade can carry a ship far outside its home 
  sector. A crusade is a righteous event wherein by declaration 
  of the Ministorum and authority of the Administratum a 
  fleet is gathered to conquer or eradicate a succession of 
  worlds. Only volunteer crews are sent on crusades, but since 
  the captain decides if the crew volunteers, all Navy vessels 
  volunteer by default. 
  The Lord Admiral is left with the difficult task of deciding 
  who should go and who should remain. Adjacent sector fleets 
  contribute ships to the crusade if they can, but balancing 
  the demands of the Administratum and the needs of the 
  battlefleet is a ticklish business. In the end a compromise 
  is reached wherein no one is happy; the crusade fleet isn’t 
  big enough to fulfil the fantasies of the Ministorum and the 
  Lord Admiral is left with a sector fleet only a shadow of its 
  former self.
  
  53
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  pAx imperiAlis
  The Imperial fleet presents the aquila banner above a million 
  worlds, reminding them constantly of their duty to the 
  Golden Throne. Most interstellar warships are always on 
  the move from star to star, lingering only long enough to 
  reprovision themselves before heading out again. Key worlds 
  often have a few warships on semi-permanent station as a 
  fleet in being, but static defence is more properly the province 
  of interplanetary vessels. Imperial warships ply the void, keep 
  the peace and bring terror to the enemies of the Emperor. 
  When the Imperium first arrives on a planet, much of its 
  activity revolves around putting in place institutions that keep 
  the new acquisition on the straight and narrow in the long 
  term: Adeptus Arbites adjudicators, Ministorum functionaries, 
  Adeptus Mechanicus logisticians and more. This is because the 
  Administratum knows that even the most important worlds can 
  become isolated by warp storms for centuries at a time, and 
  distant wars can draw away the Navy for protracted periods. 
  It can be decades between visits from interstellar ships, so the 
  institutions put in place bolster order on a local level and remind 
  any potential secessionists that the Imperium is here to stay. 
  One of the most important duties of the Navy is to answer 
  the call if Imperial authorities on a planet feel that a reminder 
  of their omnipotence is necessary. This might involve 
  breaching the last remnants of a dying warp storm to reach 
  an isolated world or staging an intervention with woefully 
  little firepower and a great deal of bluff on a world teetering 
  at the edge of rebellion. Inducing fear of the God-Emperor 
  is a vital role of the fleet, and many a planet-wide revolt has 
  been quelled by Imperial Navy ships without firing a shot.
  deaTh oF a Warship
  The end of warship can come in many ways. It can come 
  quickly; a lucky weapon strike in the midst of roiling combat 
  can turn the product of centuries of industry into an expanding 
  ball of plasma in the blink of an eye. Many ships end this way 
  as the furious energies they contain consume them in a brief 
  orgy of destruction. Worse still is the thankfully-rare warp 
  drive implosion that drags the shattered vessel and screaming 
  crew into the warp, never to be seen again. 
  Fire can also bring a quick death. Within the tight confines 
  of a ship, a blaze in a single compartment can soon spread 
  to become a roaring conflagration. The high temperatures 
  reached can make metal run like wax and render ordinary 
  fire-fighting techniques worthless. In these circumstances, 
  usually the only option is to find a way to cut the oxygen 
  supplies to the fire, something that damage to the ship often 
  renders impossible. If this can’t be done it is often only a 
  matter of time before a spreading fire triggers a magazine or 
  reaches the engines. Once that occurs the ship’s fate is sealed.
  Capture by boarding has a particular horror for most 
  captains, and in truth humans are often out matched one-on-
  one by xenos and servants of the Ruinous Powers. It’s not 
  unknown for captains to order the destruction of their own 
  ship to avoid it falling into enemy hands. However, Imperial 
  Navy ships carry very large crew compliments in comparison 
  to most of their adversaries, and arm most to fight off 
  boarding attempts. On occasion, the crews of boarded ships 
  have swarmed across and taken the vessel of their attacker. 
  Such desperate courage is usually fuelled by a need to escape 
  their own dying craft before it expires completely.
  For most ships, their death is a lingering affair spent adrift with 
  holed compartments slowly leaking air into the void. Sometimes 
  a truly heroic crew can bring a ship back from the brink before 
  hard vacuum takes their lives by jury-rigging repairs or signalling 
  for help.  Distress calls can be a two-edged sword, however; there 
  are plenty of scavengers lurking in the depths that happily take 
  over a wreck and enslave or murder any crew they find.
  These deaths are ones to be found in combat, more or 
  less honourable for a warship for all their violence. However, 
  relatively few ships meet their end in combat. More common by 
  far are losses due to accidents, starvation and disease. These last 
  two fates, in particular, are ancient spectres that await any vessel 
  that becomes trapped for too long by the tides of the warp. 
  Disease can be a terrible peril for a ship weeks or months 
  away from civilisation. Backwater worlds can carry diseases or 
  viruses a ship’s crew has no immunity to. If the ship’s chirurgeon 
  cannot halt the spread of an epidemic the crew wastes away 
  until not enough are left to keep the vessel functioning. Even if 
  a friendly port can be reached in time it may try to turn away 
  plague-ridden ships for fear of contamination. 
  Starvation is a terror that can turn men into red-
  fanged beasts all too quickly. Nightmarish tales 
  of cannibalism and horror awaiting would-
  be rescuers aboard drifting hulks are 
  uncomfortably common in shipman’s 
  
  54
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  taverns. Ration shortages test the discipline of a crew like 
  nothing else, and it takes a powerful and charismatic captain 
  indeed to prevent a breakdown into complete anarchy.
  On vessels with such a vast array of interlinked systems, 
  the failure of any one of which can imperil the crew, accidents 
  can easily have fatal consequences. An overlooked coupling, 
  a botched maintenance rite, unseen wear or corrosion—these 
  are simple mistakes that can trigger a cascade of events that 
  doom the ship. Ironically, however, ships are frequently at 
  more risk from accidents when in port than out in the void. 
  Dangerous tasks like loading magazines and torpedo stores 
  or substantial maintenance to plasma drives, are exacting 
  processes at the best of times and a hurried or slipshod crew 
  can kill the ship with the very weapons meant to defend it. 
  Other “accidents” may be outright sabotage. The enemies 
  of Mankind go to great lengths to cripple or destroy Imperial 
  ships when they are at their most vulnerable. The collateral 
  damage to port facilities and other ships from a plasma 
  overload or magazine explosion can also be devastating. 
  Because of this most captains prefer to keep their ship’s time 
  in port short and well guarded.
  For every ship whose doom is known a dozen more can 
  only be listed as “lost.” Uncounted ships set out on journeys 
  and simply never arrive because they are swept to oblivion by 
  the tides of the Empyrean. 
  escApe
  Avoiding death when the ship goes down is as much a 
  matter of luck as anything else. Imperial Navy ships are 
  universally equipped with saviour pods and aether rafts, and 
  every crew member has at least a basic void-suit on hand. 
  All such precautions can serve only to shift imminent death 
  from being a certainty to a distinct possibility for the crew. 
  Whatever violence has been done to the ship also shatters 
  pods, smashes rafts and rends suits with equal abandon. Even 
  getting to them may be impossible with the ways blocked by 
  fire or tonnes of twisted metal. 
  Those lucky few that can desperately scramble to an intact 
  method of escape can only pray the ship doesn’t explode 
  before they get clear. For the truly desperate, a teleportarium 
  may offer a quick route out, but the risks of using such a 
  device with the power failing and systems shorting out on a 
  dying vessel would be phenomenal (only the kind of thing 
  that Explorers burning Fate points could pull off ). 
  Once away from the dying ship, hiding among the debris 
  of battle is comparatively easy if that is what’s desired. Only 
  a well-executed search will have a chance of finding all the 
  survivors of a ship in the aftermath of a battle even if they 
  want to be found. The search can become easier over time as 
  the debris disperses and background radiation drops, but the 
  search volume also expands immeasurably. 
  Most emergency craft have basic facilities for piloting 
  to a nearby planet or moon to await rescue. The odds of 
  anywhere habitable being in range will depend on the 
  system, but castaways have been found that travelled 
  for months in their tiny craft and then spent years 
  at their destination before being discovered.
  Battlefleet 
  Calixis
  “...and in the last years of Angevin’s Crusade, the most holy Saint 
  Drusus did come to the far edges of Imperial space. There, he found 
  his way blocked by vast and terrible storms that raged throughout the 
  Immaterium, and he could go no further.
  Then Drusus, unwilling to leave what lay beyond in the darkness of 
  heathen unbelief, did order a Watch be set upon the worlds along the 
  Rim. There, his servants would defend the Emperor’s worlds from the 
  predications of the dread Halo Stars.”
  – Excerpt from A History of the Calixis Sector
  B
  attlefleet Calixis officially came into being in 384.
  M39 when General Drusus declared the Calyx 
  Expanse conquered and the Angevin Crusade at an 
  end. The newly formed Calixis Sector was established with 
  Scintilla as its capital and Port Wrath selected to act as sector 
  naval headquarters. A substantial portion of the Crusade 
  fleet dispersed to the coreward sectors, some returning to 
  berths that they had left some sixty years before while others 
  journeyed to join crusades further along the rim. Aided by 
  several escort squadrons, the remaining half-dozen ships of 
  the line formed the nucleus of the new Battlefleet Calixis.
  384.M39 The Founding 
  FaThers
  All six vessels were veterans of the crusade, their war-
  weary crews the survivors of the bloody death throes of the 
  unspeakably vile alien race known as the Yu’vath. Most held the 
  Yu’vath to be the most powerful and dangerous of all the foes 
  the Crusade fleet had faced in conquering the Calyx Expanse. 
  Of the six, the grand cruisers Loci Veritas Lux and Loci Veritas 
  Lumen were called late to the conflict, but they too bore the scars 
  from Bale Childer Dagger-ships in their final, desperate battles 
  over the Yu’vath’s inner fortresses. The battleship Fist of Adamant 
  and the grand cruiser Fire of Heaven unleashed the rain of fusion 
  fire that finally wrought the end of those corrupt xenos and 
  their traitor allies. The battlecruiser Chariot of Wrath lost thirty 
  percent of its compartments to ravening Childer boarding 
  parties at one point over the Hell Worlds of the Adrantis Nebula. 
  Only the intercession of Iron Hands Space Marine boarding 
  parties turned the tide and recaptured the ship. The battlecruiser 
  Bellicose was a survivor of the Fenksworld Calamity in 359 when 
  High Admiral Vaakkon inexplicably ploughed the Apolcalypse-
  class battleship Tempest’s Child into the Fenksworld orbital docks, 
  immolating himself and a dozen other warships. 
  In the first few centuries of its existence, Battlefleet Calixis 
  was fully occupied turning the fledgling sector from marks on 
  a star chart into a reality. There were innumerable convoys of 
  pilgrims, colonists and adepts to escort, secessionist regimes 
  to overawe and countless pirates to hunt. It is said that Lord-
  
  55
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  Admiral Retman Hayes, the third to hold that rank in as many 
  decades, died of apoplexy while berating a group of Chartist 
  Captains who dared to demand better protection for their 
  goods. Over time the sector stabilised and vessels constructed 
  at worlds under Imperial tithe began to expand the fleet. Even 
  so, when the battlefleet faced its first true test in 467.M39 it 
  was barely equal to the task.
  467.M39 The purgaTion 
  oF VaLon urr
  The moderately advanced and highly civilised world of Valon 
  Urr indirectly fell victim to the War of Hubris, a covert trade 
  war instigated by the nearby independent world of Sinophia. 
  The Sinophians feared the increasing industrial might of the 
  Imperials and undertook a campaign to use every means at 
  their disposal barring outright war to maintain their position. A 
  favourite Sinophian gambit was to use their agents to discover 
  course logs and manifests for ships carrying Imperial cargo and 
  then pass the information on to xenos and pirates. Countless 
  merchantmen were attacked, stripped, and destroyed.
  The situation became so desperate that four capital ships 
  had to be assigned to the protection of convoys entering 
  the Golgenna Reach. Fortunately these were well placed 
  to respond when an Astropathic distress call was received 
  from the besieged world of Valon Urr. The rich pickings of 
  the pirates had attracted a larger predator in the form of a 
  coalition of Ork Freebooter vessels under Warlord Brazzer 
  Magtoof. The four capital vessels formed a temporary 
  squadron led by the Fire of Heaven under Admiral Lightman-
  Kapes and engaged the Orks over Valon Urr.
  Lightman-Kapes defeated the Orks, but tragically the 
  planet was heavily damaged by debris from the ensuing 
  orbital battle and Ork infestations. In 601.M39 Valon Urr 
  was declared a Shrine World in memory of the sacrifice of the 
  millions of citizens that died that day.
  123.M40 The ThreeFoLd 
  curse
  In the aftermath of Valon Urr, Battlefleet Calixis adopted 
  a policy of more aggressive patrolling and reduced convoy 
  protection in hopes that major engagements could be pursued 
  in enemy territory in the future. This policy was completely 
  rescinded in 123.M40 after the loss of a capital ship task force 
  led by the Fire of Heaven and two Chalice-class Battlecruisers 
  against unknown assailants in the Hazeroth Abyss. 
  Two heavily protected watch installations were lost within 
  a year in the same region, forcing a withdrawal of the sector 
  boundary and ending further military expansion into the 
  abyss. This woeful incident became known as “The Threefold 
  Curse.” Despite increased vigilance, no trace was ever found 
  of the attackers from the Hazeroth Abyss. The Hazeroth sub-
  sector has been kept heavily reinforced ever since in case 
  whatever horror is lurking in the abyss should rise again.
  556-570.M40 The WhiTe 
  sorroWs
  Beginning in 556.M40, xenos corsairs plagued the Periphery 
  sub-sector with a series of devastating raids. Imperial 
  lexographers knew them only as the Cabal of the White 
  Sorrow, a piratical alliance of Eldar renegades led by a shadowy 
  figure known only as the Butcher Archon. The White Sorrow 
  struck seemingly at will and over nearly two decades they 
  enslaved an estimated two million colonists from the struggling 
  frontier worlds of the Periphery. Despite strenuous efforts, the 
  capital ships of Battlefleet Calixis were unable to bring the 
  Eldar corsairs to battle and suffered a string of stinging defeats 
  in escort clashes in the Sleef, Ganf Magna and Kulth systems.
  In 570.M40 a cruiser squadron formed near Sinophia for 
  a special mission. It consisted of the light cruisers Intemperate 
  and Intractable along with the Chalice-class battlecruiser 
  Triumph of Saint Drusus. The squadron joined a small fleet 
  of Explorator vessels and Rogue Trader forces under the 
  overall command of Rogue Trader and Imperial agent Kobras 
  Aquairre. Through some unspecified means (many suspected 
  xenos involvement) Aquairre was able to lead his task force 
  into a direct confrontation with the White Sorrow’s fleet at an 
  unnamed star deep in wilderness space. 
  Here beneath the blood-red light of a dying star the old bones 
  of planets formed grinding shoals of rocky debris throughout 
  the system. Jewel-like in the chaos hung a gleaming web-way 
  portal surrounded by sleek Eldar vessels. For once, the xenos 
  corsairs were caught flat-footed and Aquairre’s flagship, the Son 
  of Seth, struck the portal at extreme range with an unknown 
  type of lance weapon. The resulting distortion effect barred 
  the portal temporarily; xenos vessels trying to flee through the 
  portal were seen being hurled back with great force.
  The White Sorrows suffered a crushing defeat at the hands 
  of Aquairre’s composite Imperial force. Trapped against the 
  rocky shoals and with an unstable warp distortion in their 
  midst, there was little they could do but die to the superior 
  firepower of the capital ships surrounding them. A score 
  of raider-sized vessels attempted escape through the dense 
  asteroid fields, but of these only a handful survived. Aquairre 
  rammed the corsair’s flagship, Altar of Torment, with his own 
  vessel, slaying the Butcher Archon personally in hand to 
  hand combat. The strength of the White Sorrows was utterly 
  broken in the battle and it was subsequently marked as a 
  Victorix Magna in the honours of the ships involved.
  In the aftermath of the fall of the White Sorrows, 
  Battlefleet Calixis was not to see another major 
  capital ship engagement for almost two 
  hundred years. Pirate and xenos ships fled 
  
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  II: The Imperium’s Sheild
  at even the rumour of Navy vessels approaching the area. 
  Several capital ships were withdrawn to reserve status as 
  unsuitable for the patrolling and escort duties that became the 
  norm. However, this outwardly mundane and sensible action 
  laid the seeds of a great conflagration.
  738.M40 The War oF Brass
  Sedition among the Hive worlds of the Gelmiro Cluster erupted 
  into full-blown rebellion under the charismatic “Emperor of Brass” 
  in 738.M40. Already heavily militarised, the Gelmiro cluster soon 
  became a storehouse and armoury for rebel groups on a dozen 
  nearby worlds. Renegade ships flocked to the region, including 
  the mutinous crews of two of the battlefleet’s newest capital ships, 
  the Chalice-class battlecruisers Hosiana’s Hand and Hel’s Promise. 
  Battlefleet Calixis found itself caught short-handed by the 
  turn of events, and fleet personnel made heroic efforts to get 
  reserve capital ships ready for action. Even so, weeks later 
  when the battleship Fist of Adamant under Vice-Admiral Dayes 
  led the first punitive expedition to the rebel worlds, it left 
  Port Wrath with thousands of dock workers still aboard. 
  The Gelmiro Cluster had been heavily fortified, but Vice-
  Admiral Dayes set about methodically picking apart the 
  defences. The renegade battlecruisers posed the greatest threat 
  to Dayes’ forces but both fell victim to their own hubris in 
  separate incidents. The lone wolf tactics they used against 
  Dayes’ deceptively plodding advance brought them up against 
  superior forces at every turn. Hel’s Promise fell to the guns of 
  the Chariot of Wrath while Hosiana’s Hand barely escaped from 
  the Fist of Adamant with crippling damage and fled the system.
  The War of Brass was short-lived but extremely bloody. 
  Within three years, Imperial Navy ships hung over decimated 
  war-worlds in the Gelmiro cluster, supporting Titans 
  and Space Marines as they crushed remaining pockets of 
  resistance. However, as the Emperor of Brass went onto the 
  defensive he used his debased worship of the Ruinous Powers 
  to unleash ever greater horrors upon the once-prosperous 
  Gelmiro cluster. Even today, his lost domain remains a 
  shunned place of blasted war-worlds.
  211-226.M41 The 
  MeriTech Wars
  The so-called Meritech Clans, a coalition of 
  voider families driven out of the neighbouring 
  Ixaniad 
  sector 
  some 
  three 
  millennia 
  previously, seceded from Imperial rule in 211.
  M41. The Merates Cluster had long been a 
  home to renegades and outlaws but the anarchy 
  unleashed by the clans’ extensive raids surprised 
  and then terrified Sector Administratum 
  officials. At their height, Meratech clan raids 
  severely threatened sector stability and came 
  close to provoking internecine warfare 
  with Ixaniad Sector.
  By good fortune, the rise in power of 
  Sector Governor Myram Harvala spelled the 
  doom of the Meratech clans. Harvala 
  recognized all too well the threat to his new domain and was 
  quick to encourage a vigourous response from the Imperial 
  Navy. Battlefleet Calixis enjoyed a brief but rapid expansion 
  under the governor’s patronage, particularly among its escort 
  squadrons which added scores of vessels to their number. 
  Over the next decade and a half, Battlefleet Calixis 
  methodically hunted down and crushed the Meratech clans in 
  space before pounding their worlds into lifeless rubble. Observers 
  note the escort squadrons of Battlefleet Calixis gained a great deal 
  of confidence and expertise in the Meratech Wars, giving them a 
  fighting reputation that carries through to the current day.
  410-412.M41 The FirsT 
  siege oF VaXanide
  In 410.M41, an Astropathic distress call from the Vaxanide 
  system alerted the fleet to a confederation of Ork raiders 
  besieging the system. An estimated eighty-plus Ork raiders 
  made up their “fleet” and they held Vaxanide virtually 
  prisoner. No ships could safely approach and crudely-
  armoured landing craft were descending to assail the hive 
  cities. The initial Ork assaults were swiftly repulsed but a 
  grave long-term threat was posed to Vaxanide and the whole 
  Malfian sub-sector if its vital trade routes were strangled. 
  Heavy warp storms scattered and delayed the Navy’s 
  response. The grand cruiser Chariot of Wrath  under Commodore 
  Brokk and a newly commissioned Lunar-class cruiser Pride of 
  Scintilla arrived first almost a year later and—deciding not to 
  wait for reinforcements—entered the system alone. 
  The unexpected arrival of the Imperial ships enabled them 
  to surprise a dozen Ork raiders reloading at an asteroid base 
  in the outer system. Fully half of the ramshackle alien ships 
  were pounded into scrap by battery fire and torpedoes before 
  they could respond. Unfortunately, swarms of fighta-bommaz 
  managed to launch and damage the Pride. 
  A subsequent counter-attack by the Orks was driven off 
  with heavy losses but attack craft continued 
  to plague the two ships incessantly—in 
  particular the Pride, with its inexperienced 
  gunners and rapidly-accumulating damage. 
  Despite the odds, Brokk pushed deeper 
  into the system to confront the main 
  Ork force over Vaxanide.
  A fierce battle developed as the Orks, 
  encumbered by holds full of plunder, 
  struggled to engage the Imperial 
  ships in the face of withering fire. 
  Nonetheless, 
  numbers 
  eventually 
  took their toll and the Pride fell to the 
  surface of Vaxanide in a blazing death 
  grip with the Terror-ship Slicer. The 
  Chariot of Wrath fought on alone until the 
  timely arrival of the Veritas Loci Lux and six 
  additional vessels. The resurgent Imperial 
  forces crushed the Freebooter ships, 
  although it was later discovered that a 
  sizeable remnant escaped to plague the 
  frontier world of Ganf Magna.
  defensive he used his debased worship of the Ruinous Powers 
  to unleash ever greater horrors upon the once-prosperous 
  Gelmiro cluster. Even today, his lost domain remains a 
  shunned place of blasted war-worlds.
  211-226.M41 The 
  ars
  The so-called Meritech Clans, a coalition of 
  voider families driven out of the neighbouring 
  voider families driven out of the neighbouring 
  Ixaniad 
  sector 
  some 
  three 
  millennia 
  previously, seceded from Imperial rule in 211.
  M41. The Merates Cluster had long been a 
  home to renegades and outlaws but the anarchy 
  unleashed by the clans’ extensive raids surprised 
  and then terrified Sector Administratum 
  officials. At their height, Meratech clan raids 
  severely threatened sector stability and came 
  close to provoking internecine warfare 
  By good fortune, the rise in power of 
  Sector Governor Myram Harvala spelled the 
  doom of the Meratech clans. Harvala 
  managed to launch and damage the 
  A subsequent counter-attack by the Orks was driven off 
  with heavy losses but attack craft continued 
  to plague the two ships incessantly—in 
  particular the 
  gunners and rapidly-accumulating damage. 
  Despite the odds, Brokk pushed deeper 
  into the system to confront the main 
  Ork force over Vaxanide.
  A fierce battle developed as the Orks, 
  encumbered by holds full of plunder, 
  encumbered by holds full of plunder, 
  struggled to engage the Imperial 
  ships in the face of withering fire. 
  Nonetheless, 
  numbers 
  eventually 
  took their toll and the 
  surface of Vaxanide in a blazing death 
  grip with the Terror-ship 
  Chariot of Wrath
  timely arrival of the 
  additional vessels. The resurgent Imperial 
  forces crushed the Freebooter ships, 
  although it was later discovered that a 
  sizeable remnant escaped to plague the 
  frontier world of Ganf Magna.
  
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  507.M41 The second 
  siege oF VaXanide
  Battlefleet Calixis planners were left wary of Vaxanides’ 
  vulnerability after the first Ork attack and bolstered its defences 
  with long range augury stations in the system’s outer reaches. 
  Their foresight was rewarded in 507.M41 when the space hulk 
  Pinnacle of Savagery was detected approaching Vaxanide with 
  an accompanying fleet of Ork ships. A task force was quickly 
  assembled from Imperial Navy, Explorator and Rogue Trader 
  vessels under overall command of Lord-Admiral Vargaz. 
  The combined fleet arrived in time to engage the Orks 
  while they were still in the outer reaches, scattering their ships 
  and shattering the Pinnacle of Savagery with massed weapon 
  battery fire during its approach. Some Orks broke through the 
  Imperial gun line despite the odds and considerable fighting 
  had to be done to clear them from Vaxanide itself. However, 
  only a tiny fraction of the horde survived the thunderous net of 
  death they encountered to make planetfall. Even the notoriously 
  taciturn Lord-Admiral Vargaz is said to have commented that 
  the second siege was “a most satisfactory affair.”
  784.M41 The Margin 
  crusade
  The Margin Crusade declared in 784.M41 by the Synod 
  Obscurus did much to strip away the strength painstakingly 
  built up by Battlefleet Calixis in previous centuries. Several 
  capital ships (including the Chariot of Wrath) and a great number 
  of escorts were called away to fight beyond the light of the 
  Astronomicon to the galactic north. To date, none of these ships 
  has returned to the Calixis Sector and news about the crusade’s 
  progress remains sparse to nonexistent.
  Despite the ongoing drain of ships to the Margin Crusade, 
  Battlefleet Calixis has quietly expanded again and again over 
  the last few decades. Even the dullest naval officers realise that 
  expansion and exploration is occurring beyond the Maw, and 
  eventually the Navy may play a part in the Koronus Expanse. As 
  preparations proceed for more wide scale operations, it remains 
  to be seen just how well-equipped the Imperial Navy can really 
  be for subduing the terrors to be found in the Koronus Expanse.
  FaMed ships oF 
  BaTTLeFLeeT caLiXis
  The following are some of the famed vessels in Battlefleet 
  Calixis. Some have served in the Battlefleet since the founding 
  of the Sector, while others are more recent additions. 
  fisT of AdAmANT
  Flagship of the current Lord-Admiral of the Calixis Sector. The 
  Fist of Adamant is an ancient and potent Retribution class battleship 
  with systems dating back as far as the 32nd millennium. The 
  Fist is believed to have been salvaged from a space hulk and 
  rebuilt somewhere in the Scarus Sector in the 37th millennium. 
  In the midst of a long and illustrious career, the Fist of Adamant 
  won great renown with Battlefleet Calixis as the saviour of 
  Port Wander. Under the command of the then Lord-Admiral 
  Androvast Strophes, the Fist led the charge that finally broke the 
  Ork blockade around the station. She was heavily damaged in 
  an epic duel with the Ork flagship Da Wurldbreaka during the 
  encounter and afterwards had to limp back to Port Wrath for 
  extensive repairs. It was over a century and a half before the Fist 
  of Adamant was again able to return to full active service.
  loci veriTAs lux ANd lumeN
  This ageing pair of Exorcist-class grand cruisers are variants of 
  the old Vengeance class—handsome keel-built ships designed 
  at a time when broadside firepower dominated tacticians’ 
  thinking above all else. While the Vengeance sacrificed prow 
  armour and weaponry for improved broadsides and turrets—the 
  Exorcist class fitted launch bays in place of the broadside lances 
  and increased stores so the ships could operate self-sufficiently 
  for long periods. This created a more versatile vessel, but 
  Exorcists remain a rare sight except along the Rim—although 
  that versatility makes them popular with Rogue Traders. 
  Loci Veritas Lux and Loci Veritas Lumen have been successfully 
  employed for several centuries in the Calixis sector leading 
  patrols and supporting convoys. The attack craft squadrons 
  make the Exorcists a terror to pirates and raiders, while their 
  increased endurance allows them to stay on patrol long after 
  smaller craft have to turn for home. Commodore Wake used 
  the Loci Veritas Lux as his flagship in the Golgenna reaches for 
  three decades, transferring his flag to the newly arrived Mars-
  class battlecruiser Promethean Thunder only recently.  
  It is rumoured that both Exorcists have been ordered 
  join Navy forces in the Koronus Expanse where their great 
  endurance can be put to good use. How well these old 
  warhorses will stand up to the trip through the Maw is a 
  matter of sharp concern for Rear–Admiral Skalingden.
  Triumph of sAiNT drusus
  The Chalice-class battlecruiser is a design thought unique to 
  the Calixis sector, along with all other vessels produced in the 
  Lathes Forge worlds. Famed ship-wright Hosiana Joz is said 
  to have been gifted a vision of the Chalice class sent by the 
  Omnissiah. He was inspired to set about crafting a warship 
  that could survive the turbulent tides in the Immaterium so 
  often found close to the rim. Some whisper that the resultant 
  ships possess some of the interior structures and conduit 
  relays of an old Hades-class heavy cruiser. 
  Despite such mutterings the handful of Chalice-class built 
  are acknowledged as fine ships, even if it’s said they possess a 
  bit of a glass jaw. The Triumph of Saint Drusus won fame routing 
  the Emperor’s foes in many engagements, often operating 
  independently to take full advantage of its superior grace and 
  speed. However, an ill star does seem to hang over the history 
  of the class. A disproportionate number have been lost over the 
  centuries in enemy action (or unknown circumstances), while 
  others have fallen and gone over to the Ruinous Powers. 
  Currently, Lord-Captain Laomyr and the Triumph are on 
  detached duty, investigating “disturbances at Sheol VII.”
  
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  Battlefleet 
  Koronus
  “You’ve made quite a few mistakes in this engagement, Captain. 
  However, your first was assuming that the Emperor’s wrath would be 
  stayed by a mere boundary.” 
  –Admiral Nathaniel Horne, during the pursuit and 
  subsequent capture of the raider Vicious
  A
  t the docks of Port Wander, through the Koronus 
  Passage, and into the Expanse beyond, the grey-
  hulled and crimson-prowed ships of Battlefleet 
  Koronus defend Imperial interests and provide a bulwark for 
  the Calixis Sector against the horrors that lurk in the depths 
  of the Halo Stars. Officially known as Passage Watch 27 Est, 
  this fleet detachment is nominally under Sector Command, 
  but given a great deal of leeway in pursuing its directives—
  defend Port Wander and other Imperial outposts and void 
  stations along the Halo Margins, patrol the Koronus Passage, 
  and launch expeditions into the Expanse to eliminate 
  potential threats to the Calixis Sector. These actions 
  gave rise to the detachment’s unofficial name 
  amongst Navy personnel and civilians alike—
  Battlefleet Koronus. 
  a hisTory oF passage 
  WaTch 27 esT
  From the first discovery of the Koronus Fragments amongst 
  Segmentum Obscuras naval records in 101.M38, the Imperium 
  knew there might be unknown threats beyond the raging warp 
  storms at the edge of the Calyx Expanse.  These purported 
  records of an unknown Explorator fleet told of mineral-
  rich worlds, habitable biospheres, and alien empires in the 
  Halo Stars rimward of the Calyx Expanse. As the Angevin 
  Crusade forged those lawless regions into the Calixis Sector, 
  the Imperial Navy probed the edges of the Drusus Marches, 
  searching for passages through the vast storms. None could 
  be found, and the Navy ceased searching in the years after the 
  Crusade, as ships returned to their former battlefleets and the 
  sadly depleted remnants formed the nucleus of the nascent 
  Battlefleet Calixis. 
  The Rogue Traders of the Calixis Sector were not so easily 
  dissuaded. As opportunities for wealth and plunder dwindled in 
  the now “civilised” sector, they set to find a route into what would 
  eventually become the Koronus Expanse.  For almost two hundred 
  years, the Navy was content to leave them to it, and stayed clear 
  of what had been named “The Great Warp Storms of the Halo 
  Margins.” This benign neglect continued until 589.M39. 
  That year, a space hulk dubbed the Cauldron of Savagery 
  exited the Great Warp Storms unscathed, terrorising the 
  undefended border systems of the Drusus Marches and razing 
  several Imperial colonies. The Navy was caught woefully 
  
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  unprepared, and only a few small scouting vessels reached 
  the Cauldron of Savagery before the space hulk drifted back 
  through the storms. Those ships assigned to follow the space 
  hulk vanished with all hands, lost in the warp storms. 
  Though the Cauldron of Savagery caused great destruction and 
  loss of life, both Rogue Traders and the Imperial Navy gained 
  valuable information. The Rogue Traders learned that there was 
  some way through the Great Warp Storms, even if they did not 
  know where it was. The Navy, on the other hand, learned that 
  threats lurked on the far side of the storms, ready to sweep across 
  the Sector. In response, Battlefleet Command began staging deep 
  void patrols out of Port Wrath to watch the Halo Margins.
  Though the patrols proved valuable against pirate 
  wolfpacks and the occasional reaver warship, their diligence 
  would not be truly rewarded for almost a millennium. In 673.
  M40, the Cauldron of Savagery returned to the Drusus Marches, 
  breaking free of the Great Warp Storms and wrecking havoc 
  in the border systems once again. 
  As the Cauldron drew near the Pellucidan system, the Rogue 
  Trader and privateer Esme Chorda met with Vice-Admiral Soarn 
  Voyle, commander of Void Patrol Septimus Est, in orbit over 
  Pellucida’s primary habitable world. The two, normally enemies, 
  came to mutual accord, their respective forces united against the 
  dread wanderer. As the Cauldron came around the primary star, 
  the ships of Septimus Est brought it under long-range fire with 
  torpedoes and Nova Cannon. Unable to launch its small craft so 
  close to the star’s corona, the space hulk closed to savage the Navy 
  warships in turn. Though his ships burned under its guns, Voyle 
  held course until the Cauldron of Savagery committed to battle.
  Then, Chorda and Voyle sprung their trap. Shielded by the 
  sun’s hellish glare, Chorda’s ships closed from behind. Their short-
  ranged fire crippled the Cauldron’s engines, and as it floundered, 
  the punishing fire from the combined flotilla began to take its toll. 
  Slowly but inexorably, the space hulk fell into the star.
  Both Voyle and Chorda’s forces took terrible losses—a 
  mere handful of capital ships, including Voyle’s flagship, 
  the Mars-class battlecruiser Gryphon, survived. Those losses, 
  however, paled in comparison to the damage the Cauldron 
  could have caused, and all involved were hailed as heroes. 
  Several centuries later, Sector Command founded Port 
  Wander, a heavily-armed station to serve as a staging ground 
  for Navy operations along the Halo Margins. Navy presence 
  soon dwindled as unrest drew the Fleet’s attentions elsewhere, 
  and the station came under the control of miscreants and Rogue 
  Traders. Even so, when the Rogue Trader Purity Lathimon 
  finally discovered the nigh-mythical Koronus Passage, Battlefleet 
  Calixis set a watch on this gateway to the Halo Stars. The first 
  Passage Watch Est was led by Terrich Voyle, who commanded 
  the force from the Gryphon, his grandfather’s old flagship. 
  Affairs continued in this matter until Waaagh! Gulgrog 
  smashed through the Maw and laid siege to Port Wander. Though 
  the story of Port Wander’s siege is best told elsewhere, suffice 
  it to say that most Rogue Traders fled or avoided the conflict. 
  The siege broke two years later, when Passage Watch 27-Est 
  rendezvoused with reinforcements from Port Wrath and a fleet 
  sent by the Adeptus Mechanicus from the Lathes. The combined 
  forces defeated the Orks, liberating the imperilled station. 
  Waaagh! Gulgrog had two lasting effects on Imperial policy. 
  The first was to lend ammunition to arguments that Port Wander 
  should be returned to Navy control. For decades prior to the Ork 
  attack, prominent individuals in the Imperial Adeptus and Sector 
  nobility had been petitioning the Lucid Palace on Scintilla to end 
  the so-called “rule” of Rogue Traders and merchant guilds on this 
  important way point to the newly discovered Koronus Expanse. 
  Port Wander’s near demise (and the haste with which many of its 
  most powerful residents abandoned it in its time of need) was the 
  tipping point in these debates. Within several decades, the station 
  was returned to Navy command. 
  The second effect was less-noted but would prove equally 
  important. Acting on its own recognizance, Battlefleet Calixis’s 
  upper echelons decided an intermittent patrol was insufficient 
  to defend against incursion through the Koronus Passage. In 
  recognition for its heroism during Waaagh! Gulgrog, Passage 
  Watch 27-Est was re-tasked as a permanent detachment, 
  operating semi-independently from Battlefleet Calixis. 
  For more than 350 years, Passage Watch 27-Est kept this vigil.
  BaTTLeFLeeT Koronus
  Today, Battlefleet Koronus operates largely independently of 
  the sector’s overview. It is one of the few fleet detachments not 
  to lose forces to the ongoing demands of the “Margin Crusade,” 
  and has even seen a slight growth in strength as exploration and 
  interest in the Koronus Expanse grows. Defending the sector 
  against the predications of the Expanse is one duty that cannot 
  be allowed to lapse, and since one of Battlefleet Koronus’s tasks 
  is to protect Zone 15 (and the warp gate to the Jericho Reach), 
  its ships are so far immune to requisition. 
  Battlefleet Koronus stages from several locations, including 
  Port Wander in the Rubycon II system (more information on 
  Port Wander can be found in InTo The SToRm and the Rogue 
  TRadeR core rulebook), Copernicus Depot at the edge of the 
  Drusus Marches, and Fleet Base Metis in Zone 15. However, with 
  the exception of Fleet Base Metis, few warships may be found 
  at these locations at any one time. The majority of Battlefleet 
  Koronus is on constant patrol, the better to project its power.
  Battlefleet Koronus consists of a dozen cruisers and several 
  battlecruisers, supported by a number of light cruisers and 
  several squadrons of frigates and destroyers. Due to the 
  nature of its duties and the vast area the detachment must 
  cover, Battlefleet Koronus includes several carrier vessels, and 
  serving aboard these garners a great deal of prestige amongst 
  the detachment. Some of the notable ships are listed below.
  Gryphon: This venerable Mars-class battlecruiser has served with 
  Battlefleet Koronus since its inception, often as the detachment’s 
  flagship. Many foes have fallen to its powerful and fearsomely 
  accurate Nova Cannon, until the ship is known—and feared by 
  the Imperium’s enemies—throughout the regions of the Expanse 
  near the Maw. Almost as renowned are the Gryphon’s attack craft 
  squadrons, especially the Fury interceptors of Tempest wing 
  and the Starhawk bombers of Absolution wing. Currently, the 
  Gryphon is under the personal command of Admiral Horne, and 
  consequently patrols between the detachment’s staging points.
  Stormwind: This powerful Overlord class battlecruiser is better 
  suited for full warfare than long-range patrols, and some wonder 
  how it ended up assigned to the Passage Watch at all. In truth, 
  Battlefleet Calixis was loath to lose this vessel to the demands 
  of the “Margin Crusade” and the ongoing war in the Jericho 
  
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  Reach, and transferred it to the Passage Watch instead. The 
  Crusade’s masters could hardly protest without raising unwanted 
  attention amongst those who do not know the true nature of the 
  Margin Crusade. Now, the Stormwind spends much of its time 
  commanding the blockade forces around Zone 15, but provides 
  a powerful reserve should the Passage Watch or Battlefleet 
  Calixis find itself in a full-blown war. 
  Sirius: A stalwart Lunar class cruiser with an impressive record 
  of service, the Sirius fought with distinction in the Battle of 
  Gethsemane during the Gothic War of 143-151.M41, helping 
  to throw back Abaddon’s attempted conquest of the Gothic 
  Sector. It was subsequently transferred to Battlefleet Calixis, 
  then to Passage Watch 27 Est. The Sirius’s veterans constantly 
  train new recruits, so that the ship’s crew has earned a reputation 
  as being particularly competent. The Sirius often patrols the 
  Maw entrance in the company of the Gethsemane. 
  Gethsemane: Something of a rarity in a Battlefleet, this Gothic 
  class cruiser is newly constructed, built within the last century 
  at the Drystan Construction Yards. It’s crew is still considered 
  “green,” hence its pairing with the veteran Sirius. It’s rumoured 
  that Fleet Command finds it amusing to partner the ship with 
  a vessel that fought in the battle the Gethsemane is named for.
  Hand of Redemption: Under the command of Captain Keel, 
  this Lunar class cruiser spent several years on “extended patrol” 
  in Winterscale’s Realm. Upon his return, his familiarity with 
  the Koronus Expanse meant Battlefleet Command felt it was 
  worth transferring him to the Passage Watch. 
  Drake: A Tyrant class cruiser, the Drake recently returned to service 
  after being trapped in the immaterium for five years by the violent 
  warp storms bordering the Maw. That the ship survived either 
  makes it lucky or suspect, depending on whom one asks. 
  Warspite: Like most Dictator class cruisers, the Warspite began 
  life as a Lunar, and was converted into a carrier vessel to better 
  serve the needs of Battlefleet Koronus. Its duties alternate 
  between convey patrols around Port Wander, and showing 
  the flag at outposts beyond the Maw.
  Swiftsure: Battlefleet Koronus finds light cruisers exceedingly 
  useful in anti-piracy patrols, and the Swiftsure is one of 
  several Dauntless class vessels in the Passage Watch’s 
  ranks. Under a succession of aggressive (and slightly 
  brutal) captains, it has become the bane of Cold Trade 
  smugglers who run the Maw. 
  Hawk: Voss pattern vessels are rare this far from the world 
  of Armageddon, and this Defiance class light cruiser/
  carrier is the only one of its kind in Battlefleet Calixis. 
  Light cruisers outfitted as carrier vessels are thought of 
  as an unworkable hybrid vessel by many Navy officers, and 
  Hawk was transferred to the Passage Watch mostly because 
  Sector Command was unsure what to do with her. Under the 
  command of Commander Victoria Horne, however, Hawk 
  consistently patrols deep into the Expanse, and has proven 
  a valuable source of intelligence to the Battlefleet. 
  Triumph and Wrath of Saint Drusus Squadrons: 
  Squadrons of Sword class frigates and Cobra class 
  destroyers, respectively, both are cornerstones of 
  Battlefleet Koronus’s attempts to interdict smuggling 
  and piracy. The destroyers in Wrath of Saint Drusus 
  are noted for destroying the wolfpack reaver warship 
  Blooded Skull in a three day running battle. 
  AdmirAl NAThANiel horNe
  The commanding officer of Battlefleet Koronus, Horne is one 
  of the latest generation of a proud line of Battlefleet Calixis 
  officers. The Hornes, a family that has long ensconced itself in 
  the massive orbitals over Scintilla, claim their ancestors served 
  with the Crusade Fleet conquering the Calixis Sector—as the 
  captain and senior officers aboard a battlecruiser. However, 
  surviving records from the Crusade indicate that the only 
  Hornes in a “command” capacity were a pair of cousins who 
  served as Bosun’s Mates aboard the Sword frigate Imperialis 
  Triumphant. Needless to say, the Horne family does not 
  take such “cruel and baseless insinuations” lightly, and their 
  resultant penchant for honour duels is a bit of a byword 
  amongst the Scintillan nobility.
  Whatever their origin, however, the Hornes have risen 
  to prominence in the intervening millennia—serving at all 
  levels of the Battlefleet officer corps save the Lord-Admiral 
  of Battlefleet Calixis. Currently, two Hornes serve as senior 
  officers with the fleet. One, Commander Victoria Horne, 
  commands the Defiance-class light cruiser Hawk. Her brother, 
  Admiral Nathaniel Horne, took command of Passage Watch 
  27 Est fifty years ago. 
  Horne is an older man well into his second century (all save 
  the first score years spent in service with the Battlefleet). He 
  is fond of playing the hidebound and utterly unimaginative 
  Navy automaton when dealing with “civilians” (whom he 
  defines as anyone not serving in the Imperial Navy or Imperial 
  Guard, whom he has a grudging respect for). In truth, Horne 
  is a cunning and imaginative commander, with a tactical flare 
  and aggressive streak he shares with his younger sister. 
  The Admiral has not journeyed into the Calixis Sector 
  further than Port Wander in several decades—he spends 
  his time at Fleet Base Metis and his attention turns 
  towards the distant stars of the Koronus Expanse. 
  The curiosity of the unknown Nathaniel shares with 
  his sister Victoria is tempered by a healthy dose of 
  caution. Horne sees the Expanse as a fascinating 
  yet deadly threat to the Imperium he has sworn 
  to defend. At the same time, he believes firmly 
  that a day is coming soon when the Calixis 
  Sector and wider Segmentum must 
  launch a new crusade and turn 
  the Koronus Expanse into the 
  Koronus Sector, eliminating 
  the 
  threats 
  within 
  and 
  bringing invaluable resources 
  under Imperial control.
  However, the ongoing drain of 
  resources through Zone 15 and into 
  the Jericho Reach has left Horne fearing 
  this crusade may never come to pass. In 
  response, Horne has undertaken a two-
  fold task. He aggressively increased the 
  frequency and reach of his ships’ patrols 
  and forays into the Koronus Expanse, 
  attempting to eliminate nascent threats 
  before they become unmanageable. In 
  addition, he also has begun developing 
  life as a Lunar, and was converted into a carrier vessel to better 
  serve the needs of Battlefleet Koronus. Its duties alternate 
  between convey patrols around Port Wander, and showing 
  the flag at outposts beyond the Maw.
  Battlefleet Koronus finds light cruisers exceedingly 
  useful in anti-piracy patrols, and the Swiftsure is one of 
  Swiftsure is one of 
  Swiftsure
  several Dauntless class vessels in the Passage Watch’s 
  ranks. Under a succession of aggressive (and slightly 
  brutal) captains, it has become the bane of Cold Trade 
  Voss pattern vessels are rare this far from the world 
  of Armageddon, and this Defiance class light cruiser/
  carrier is the only one of its kind in Battlefleet Calixis. 
  Light cruisers outfitted as carrier vessels are thought of 
  as an unworkable hybrid vessel by many Navy officers, and 
   was transferred to the Passage Watch mostly because 
  Sector Command was unsure what to do with her. Under the 
  command of Commander Victoria Horne, however, Hawk
  consistently patrols deep into the Expanse, and has proven 
  a valuable source of intelligence to the Battlefleet. 
   Wrath of Saint Drusus Squadrons: 
  Squadrons of Sword class frigates and Cobra class 
  destroyers, respectively, both are cornerstones of 
  Battlefleet Koronus’s attempts to interdict smuggling 
  Wrath of Saint Drusus
  are noted for destroying the wolfpack reaver warship 
   in a three day running battle. 
  further than Port Wander in several decades—he spends 
  his time at Fleet Base Metis and his attention turns 
  towards the distant stars of the Koronus Expanse. 
  The curiosity of the unknown Nathaniel shares with 
  his sister Victoria is tempered by a healthy dose of 
  caution. Horne sees the Expanse as a fascinating 
  yet deadly threat to the Imperium he has sworn 
  to defend. At the same time, he believes firmly 
  that a day is coming soon when the Calixis 
  Sector and wider Segmentum must 
  launch a new crusade and turn 
  the Koronus Expanse into the 
  Koronus Sector, eliminating 
  the 
  threats 
  within 
  and 
  bringing invaluable resources 
  under Imperial control.
  However, the ongoing drain of 
  resources through Zone 15 and into 
  the Jericho Reach has left Horne fearing 
  this crusade may never come to pass. In 
  response, Horne has undertaken a two-
  fold task. He aggressively increased the 
  frequency and reach of his ships’ patrols 
  and forays into the Koronus Expanse, 
  attempting to eliminate nascent threats 
  before they become unmanageable. In 
  addition, he also has begun developing 
  
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  ties with certain Rogue Traders. He has little respect for them, 
  regarding even the most militant as dilettantes in matters of 
  warfare. However, their forces can travel where his cannot, and 
  their activities provide a buttress for his own.
  The loNG pATrols
  Battlefleet Koronus’s most powerful vessels rarely range 
  beyond the Maw, leaving patrol work to the frigates of 
  Triumph squadron and light cruisers such as Aegis, Hawk, and 
  Swiftsure. These vessels travel deep into the Expanse, often 
  remaining on patrol for years, even decades, at a time. 
  These “Long Patrols” avoid conflict if possible, and do 
  not actively hunt down pirates, xenos, or other malcontents. 
  Rather they scout the reaches of the Expanse, investigating 
  uncharted worlds, keeping an eye on the activities of Rogue 
  Traders, and monitoring the status of known threats and 
  xenos empires. These patrols require a ship and crew that are 
  self reliant and versatile, and a captain both quick witted and 
  able to operate independently from the chain of command 
  without becoming either ineffectual or a renegade. In fact, 
  those captains who have proven particularly adept at the Long 
  Patrol tend to seem more Rogue Trader than Navy officer. 
  Most Rogue Traders avoid direct conflict with Navy vessels 
  in the Expanse. However, once beyond the Maw or Metis 
  Base, the laws of the Imperium mean nothing, and the only 
  authority a Navy vessel has is that which is wrought by cold 
  steel and macrobatteries. Some Rogue Traders do not take 
  kindly on what they see as the prying eyes of the Imperium 
  investigating their business, and may show their displeasure 
  with action. However, a Navy ship has far worse threats to 
  contend with in the form of Chaos Reavers, pirate wolfpacks, 
  Ork Freebooters, Eldar Corsairs, and the dreaded Rak’Gol, not 
  to mention the dangers of warp storms, grav-tides, supernovas, 
  or a host of other “natural” threats. The Long Patrol is a coveted 
  responsibility for the chance to win glory and honour, but it is 
  a highly dangerous task just the same. 
  patrols of note
  Battlefleet Koronus regards certain Long Patrols as particularly 
  important, assigning them trusted captains and reliable vessels. 
  The Vigil of Undred-Undred Teef: The Ork worlds of 
  Undred-Undred Teef are an obvious source of danger for 
  the Imperial interests in the Koronus Expanse, as well as the 
  entire Calixis Sector. However, ever since the loss of the light 
  cruiser Rhadamanthine during a reconnaissance of the region, 
  the Navy has chosen discretion for their patrols. Currently, 
  the Sword class frigate Lord Marius Hax lurks in the outer 
  Oort Cloud of the Stompgit system, hidden amongst a 
  clutch of rocks and ice. Retrofitted for an extremely extended 
  deployment, the frigate may remain there for several decades, 
  though Commander Larren Volos occasionally patrols nearby 
  star systems to see how far the Ork infestation spreads. 
  Investigating the Alenic Depths: As the Rak’Gol threat 
  grows, Battlefleet Koronus has dispatched the Falchion 
  class frigate Swift Judgement to the edges of the Alenic 
  Depths in hopes to gather more information about these 
  mysterious xenos. Commander Halik Kail is under orders 
  to exercise extreme caution, but the vast distance and stellar 
  disturbances means communications with the ship have 
  been sporadic at best.
  Piracy in Winterscale’s Realm: One of the few “explored” 
  regions of the Expanse, the worlds in Winterscale’s Realm are 
  mostly likely to have regular contact and trade with the Imperium. 
  As the value of this trade grows, Horne dispatched Captain 
  Sasha Rivers and the Dauntless class light cruiser Swiftsure to 
  protect Imperial interests in the region. Thus far, the captain has 
  destroyed three pirate vessels and taken two additional raiders 
  as prizes—success enough that the scattered pirate clans of the 
  region are banding together in an attempt to destroy her. 
  Struggles in the Foundling Worlds: Endeavours in the 
  Foundling Worlds have suffered of late, from plagues, warp 
  storms, and raids by pirates and xenos. The Sword class frigate 
  Scintilla Majoris, Commander Helgrom McKrale commanding, 
  has been patrolling the Foundling Worlds for the past five 
  years, and has found itself caught in the midst of conflict. 
  Of particular threat are the Chaos Reavers of Iniquity, and 
  the Scintilla Majoris engaged them in several desperate battles 
  within the last few years. Now, running low on supplies and 
  ammunition, McKrale searches for a safe port where he can 
  repair, re-provision, and reinforce his depleted crew. 
  Zone 15
  Originally the Fifth Station of Passage through the 
  Maw, within the last century Passage Watch 27 Est has 
  blockaded this small, barren star system (itself outside the 
  more explored portions of the Koronus Passage) and a vast 
  portion of surrounding space and declared it off-limits to any 
  unauthorised vessels. Few Rogue Traders (or any non-Navy 
  personnel, really) know what secrets lie within its borders.
  In truth, Zone 15 was established on discovery of a 
  marvellous relic, an ancient warp gate that allows ships to travel 
  across the galaxy to the far-flung Jericho Reach. Originally, 
  Passage Watch 27 Est merely watched over the gate as Adeptus 
  from the Mechanicus investigated its mechanism and—more 
  importantly—where it lead. Later, as the powers of the Adeptus 
  Terra decided to launch a crusade through the gate to reclaim 
  the Reach, Battlefleet Koronus’s switched to that of guardians. 
  Not only did they guard this vital supply line for the Crusade, 
  they also protected the secret of the warp gate’s existence. 
  In hindsight, it was inevitable that Battlefleet Koronus 
  would establish a permanent base in the region. Though the 
  gate is actually located in the black depths of space, the Navy 
  established their base in a nearby star system: System Designate 
  028-3B8-4D. This served their purposes two-fold—not only 
  did the system provide many of the necessary resources to 
  establish an installation, but it also added another layer of 
  misdirection. Anyone looking for a warp gate would focus their 
  attentions on a known Navy fortress, and not think to explore 
  the void a several thousand astronomical units distant. 
  fleeT bAse meTis
  System Designate 028-3B8-4D is a barren 
  collection of rocks orbiting a guttering red 
  dwarf. Besides several rings of asteroids 
  
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  (the innermost being semi-molten), the only worlds in the 
  system are several marginal telluric rocks with thin, dusty 
  atmospheres of inert gas. In fact, its only appealing feature 
  besides the warp gate is it’s near the centre of a 
  relatively large region of space where warp storms 
  do not intrude. 
  Fleet Base Metis does not orbit any of these worlds, 
  instead following an orbit amongst the outmost asteroid 
  ring. Imperial strategists cunningly calculated the 
  placement of the station so the approaches are limited by the 
  surrounding field, and several seemingly accessible approaches 
  are covered by minefields and macrobattery emplacements 
  built into the larger rocks. The shifting orbital paths of the 
  asteroids, coupled with the formidable perimeter defences 
  and Battlefleet warships on station, make simply approaching 
  the Fleet Base an onerous task. 
  Even if a foe could reach Metis, they may well find themselves 
  outclassed by the firepower the station can bring to bear. The 
  base itself is an extremely powerful bastion—a Ramilies-class 
  star fort. Originally designed by Artisan Magos Lian Ramilies 
  from STC components, the Ramilies is as heavily armed as a 
  squadron of warships and can remain self-sufficient for decades 
  if not indefinitely More importantly, a Ramilies can erect a warp-
  bubble over the entire structure, enabling it to enter the warp and 
  be towed by fleets of tugs to different star systems. 
  Originally commissioned for the Crusade into the Jericho 
  Reach, Fleet Base Metis was towed to System 028-3B8-4D in 
  preparation for transport through the warp gate. However, last-
  minute studies of the gate and its properties by the senior magos 
  of the Adeptus Mechanicus determined it would not survive 
  the journey.  Transit through the gate is extremely turbulent, 
  too much so for an unwieldy convoy of tugs and supply ships 
  towing an unwieldy star fort. Unfortunately, just passing through 
  the Maw had proven extremely dangerous for the procession, and 
  the risk of taking Metis back into the Calixis Sector was deemed 
  too great. After the strategists who suggested using Metis in the 
  Crusade had been punished for incompetence, the massive star 
  fort was left in System Designate 028-3B8-4D, where it was 
  reassigned to Passage Watch 27 Est almost by default.
  Since its accidental arrival, Metis has proved incredibly useful 
  to the Crusade and Battlefleet Koronus. Not only is it a vital 
  resupply and staging point for Horne’s fleet, it also serves as 
  a transit point for a large portion of the supplies still flowing 
  through the warp gate to the Jericho Reach.  Although some 
  ships travel directly to the gate, many others off-load their cargos 
  at Metis and depart, never knowing the ultimate destination of 
  their supplies. In turn, other ships make a continuous run through 
  the warp gate to the fortress worlds on the far side.
  persons of note
  Metis and its surrounding installations have a large crew of nearly 
  half a million individuals, the vast majority Navy crewmen. 
  Captain Jaghatai Haxtis: The perpetually  overworked 
  commander of Metis (and in fact, the individual responsible 
  for all of Zone 15) Haxtis nonetheless regards it as no less 
  than his sacred duty to keep the ships of the Battlefleet armed 
  and supplied. If a Rogue Trader operates by commission 
  from the Navy, he extends this viewpoint to their vessels as 
  well. Haxtis is an elderly career Navy man, no longer mobile 
  without a complete bionic bracing frame. However, his mind 
  is still sharp, and he’s a rare Navy officer who would rather 
  run a station than command a warship.
  Commander Atraxia Clarion: Haxtis’ second-in-command, 
  Clarion handles the day-to-day station operations and keeps 
  a weather eye on the station’s personnel as well as those 
  from other ships. She’s canny enough to know when to turn 
  a blind eye to technically illicit but harmless activities, but 
  comes down brutally hard on anything that may endanger 
  the station. While slight in stature, few make the mistake of 
  underestimating this woman twice. Clarion rose from the 
  rank of Petty Officer to her current position–no mean feat–
  and is as tough as any dock labourer. 
  Lieutenant-Commander Fellig Von Prim: A taciturn 
  and withdrawn man, Von Prim only comes alive in the 
  cockpit of a Fury. The Lieutenant-Commander commands 
  Metis’s extensive fighter and bomber squadrons. As a leader 
  he is unimpressive, doing his duty with little eagerness and 
  less empathy for those under his command. However, his 
  impressive kill-tally of over 100 enemy attack craft ensures 
  that at least for now he retains his position. 
  sTATioN defeNces ANd iNsTAllATioNs
  Fleet Base Metis, like all Ramilies-class Star Forts, is an 
  extremely powerful adversary. The station is divided into 
  four “quadrants,” each able to be sealed from the others 
  and capable of fighting as near independent entities. Each 
  quadrant is heavily armed with multiple long-range lance 
  turrets and macrocannon broadsides rivalling the strength of 
  a Navy cruiser, as well as multiple launch bays for attack craft.
  The four quadrants surround a central bastion, itself heavily 
  armed with additional weapon batteries and torpedo silos. 
  Though the most prominent portion of Fleet Base Metis is 
  the Ramilies at its heart, in the decades since its arrival a number 
  of smaller installations have grown up around it. These include 
  several space docks, over a score of orbital supply depots, several 
  hab-installations dedicated to food production, and a number of 
  auxiliary weapon platforms for defence. Each share a close orbit 
  with the Star Fort, as to never be outside the protective reach 
  of its guns. Though it does not have facilities to construct new 
  ships, Metis can repair any warship in Battlefleet Koronus. 
  The Navy is extremely cautious as to who may travel to 
  Fleet Base Metis. However, several trusted Rogue Traders have 
  been allowed to journey there, and even repair their ships and 
  resupply. Almost always, these are ships operating with the 
  authority of Admiral Horne or his immediate subordinates, or 
  equally powerful institutions such as the Inquisition. 
  
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  noTaBLe sTarships oF BaTTLeFLeeT Koronus
  The following are some example starships from Battlefleet Koronus. These are intended to be representative of ships of their 
  class found in the Calixis Sector and Koronus Expanse, so a GM who needs an Imperial Lunar class cruiser, for example, could 
  use the Sirius’s profile to represent an entirely different Lunar cruiser.
  The gryphon
  Hull: Battlecruiser
  Class: Mars-class Battlecruiser.
  Dimensions: 5.4km long,0.85 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 29 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 107,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.3 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Gryphon is ancient and redoubtable ship, said to be constructed in the Jovian shipyards more than five millennia ago. Like most 
  Mars-class battlecruisers, she’s equipped as a fleet flagship and carrier vessel, preferring to remain out of range of her opponents so she 
  can pummel them with Nova Cannon and long-range lance fire, then smother them with waves of attack craft.
  Speed: 5 
   
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
  Detection: +10  
   
  Void Shields: 2  
   
   
  Armour: 20 (24 Prow) 
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2, Dorsal 1
  essential components
  Saturine-pattern Class 4A “Ultra” Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, Fleet Flag Bridge, 
  Vitae pattern life sustainer, pressed-crew Quarters, M-201.b Augur Array
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Jovian-pattern Landing Bays:  (Landing Bay, Strength 2) Each bay has two squadrons of Fury 
  Interceptors and 2 Squadrons Starhawk Bombers, for four Fury and four Starhawk squadrons total. 
  Port and Starboard Hecutor-pattern Plasma Broadside: (Macrobattery, Strength 5, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 4, Range 9)
  Prow Mars Pattern Nova Cannon: (Nova Cannon, Strength –, Damage 2d5+4, Crit –, Range 6-40)
  Dorsal Godsbane Lance Battery: (Lance, Strength 2, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 3, Range 12)
  Targeting Matrix: An extensive cogitator relic that greatly improves the ship’s accuracy (see “Using the Gryphon” below).
  Augmented Retrothrusters: These enlarged thrusters grant +5 manoeuvrability, already included in the ship’s profile.
  Armoured Prow: Like most Imperial Navy warships, the Gryphon has a thick ferro-adamantium prow. 
  Admiral’s Strategium: Admiral Horne can direct the operations of an entire fleet from these chambers. 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Command Vessel: The Gryphon is designed as a fleet flagship, and as long as it is serving as the flagship, all Piloting and 
  Navigation Tests made by allied vessels within 10 VUs gain a +5 bonus. In addition, so long as Admiral Horne is aboard, allied 
  vessels within 10 VUs count their Crew Rating as one level higher than it is normally.
  The following modifiers apply to the Gryphon, taking Components into account:
  • All Command Tests made aboard ships gain a +10 bonus.
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests made by this vessel gain a +5 bonus.
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire the ship’s weaponry gain a +5 bonus. 
  usiNG The GryphoN
  The Gryphon is a fleet flagship, and should be used as such. Although a powerful combatant in its own right, it 
  becomes a truly dangerous foe when accompanied by other ships. The bonuses from Command Vessel mean it 
  can turn a flotilla of individual vessels into a dangerous cohesive whole. As such, it should seldom be encountered alone, and 
  should usually have an escort of at least two frigates in tow, and potentially be in command of a flotilla of several cruisers. 
  GMs should be cautious about putting their Explorers up against the Gryphon. It is one of the most dangerous 
  Imperial Navy warship in the Koronus Expanse, and should either be used as a challenge for high-level Explorers with 
  an equivalent ship of their own, or as a foil Explorers must overcome using unorthodox and creative methods.
  In combat, the Gryphon attempts to remain at long range from its opponents, keeping its allied ships between itself 
  and its targets. From that position, it batters its targets with long range Nova Cannon and lance fire, then finishes them 
  with bomber attacks. Depending on the situation, it attempts to disengage if reduced to 10 Hull Integrity or less.
  The following are some example starships from Battlefleet Koronus. These are intended to be representative of ships of their 
  class found in the Calixis Sector and Koronus Expanse, so a GM who needs an Imperial Lunar class cruiser, for example, could 
  ’s profile to represent an entirely different Lunar cruiser.
  Dimensions: 5.4km long,0.85 km abeam at fins approx.
   is ancient and redoubtable ship, said to be constructed in the Jovian shipyards more than five millennia ago. Like most 
  
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  The sirius
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Lunar-class Cruiser
  Dimensions: 5km long,0.8 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 28 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 90,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Sirius is a stalwart Lunar-class cruiser, and is armed with a diverse and threatening array of weaponry. An “all-rounder,” the 
  Lunar is equipped to handle almost any adversary—a trait that makes it the backbone of many Battlefleets.
  Speed: 5 
   
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10 
   
   
  Detection: +10  
   
  Void Shields: 2  
   
   
  Armour: 20 (24 Prow)  
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Elite (60)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components
  Jovian Pattern Class 4 Drive, Stelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae 
  Pattern Life Sustainer, Voidsmen Quarters, M-100 Augur Array
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Mars Pattern Macrocannon Broadsides:  (Macrobattery, Strength 6, Damage 1d10+3, Crit 5, Range 6)
  Port and Starboard Titanforge Lance Battery: (Lance, Strength 2, Damage 1d10+4, Crit 3, Range 6)
  Prow Mars Pattern Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo, Strength 6, Damage 
  2d10+14, Crit 10, Range 60). The damage given here is for torpedoes 
  with plasma warheads. The Sirius is equipped with 24 torpedoes. 
  Armoured Prow: Like most Imperial Navy warships, the Sirius has 
  a thick ferro-adamantium prow. 
  Munitorium: The bonuses for this have already been included in 
  the Sirius’s weapon profiles.
  Trophy Room: A hall filled with honours and trophies relating to the 
  ship’s long service record. Special Rules and Complications
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Fearless Crew: The Sirius’ has one of the most competent and 
  highly trained crews in Battlefleet Koronus, and would be slain to 
  a man before they would break. The Sirius reduces all sources of 
  Morale loss by 4, to a minimum of 1. 
  These modifiers apply to the Sirius, taking Components into account:
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests made gain a +5 bonus.
  • Ballistic Skill Tests to fire the ship’s weaponry gain a +10 bonus.
  The geThseMane
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Gothic-class Cruiser
  Dimensions: 5km long,0.8 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 28 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 98,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 2.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Gethsemane is a Gothic-class cruiser. Its broadside of lance 
  weaponry designates it as a ship-killer, intended to take down opposing capital ships.
  Speed: 5 
   
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +10 
   
   
  Detection: +10  
   
  Void Shields: 2  
   
   
  Armour: 20 (24 Prow) 
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components
  Jovian Pattern “Warcruiser” Drive, Good Craftsmanship Stelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Good Craftsmanship Multiple Void 
  Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, M-1.r Life Sustainer, Pressed-Crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array
  usiNG The sirius
  The Sirius is a dangerous and powerful 
  opponent that can operate alone or as 
  part of a larger task force. Although it has fearsome 
  firepower, the truly dangerous part about the ship 
  is its extremely well-trained crew, making it even 
  more formidable than it first appears.
  If a GM likes, he can use this profile to represent a 
  different Lunar-class cruiser—though if he does so, he 
  should remove the Fearless Crew Rule and decrease 
  the Crew Rating to Crack (40). The Sirius’s tactics are 
  straightforward—it closes with torpedoes, striking the 
  target with a salvo or forcing it to break to one side or 
  another, where the ship can target it with a broadside. 
  Macrobatteries bring down the shields, and lances 
  finish the job. Depending on the situation, it attempts 
  to disengage if reduced to 10 Hull Integrity or less.
   is a Gothic-class cruiser. Its broadside of lance 
  weaponry designates it as a ship-killer, intended to take down opposing capital ships.
  
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  supplemental components
  2 Port and 2 Starboard Titanforge Lance Batteries: (Lance, 
  Strength 2, Damage 1d10+4, Crit 3, Range 6)
  Prow Mars Pattern Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo, Strength 6, Damage 
  2d10+11, Crit 10, Range 60) The damage given here is for torpedoes 
  with plasma warheads. The Gethsemane is equipped with 24 torpedoes. 
  Armoured Prow: Like most Imperial Navy warships, the Gethsemane 
  has a thick ferro-adamantium prow. 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Green Crew: The Gethsemane is relatively new to service, and its 
  crew is equally “green.” Combined with its M-1.r Life Sustainer, the 
  Gethsemane increases all sources of Morale loss by 3. 
  These modifiers apply to the Gethsemane, taking Components into 
  account:
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests made gain a +5 bonus.
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire ship’s weaponry gain a +10 bonus.
   
  coBras oF WraTh oF sainT drusus sQuadron
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Cobra-class Destroyer
  Dimensions: 1.5km long,0.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 5.7 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 15,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 7.6 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  The Cobra-class destroyers of the Wrath of Saint Drusus Squadron are quintessential examples of their design. The vast majority 
  of their interior space is taken up with torpedo tubes and stowage space, with only a few macrocannons for defence. 
  Speed: 10 
   
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +35 
   
   
  Detection: +20  
   
  Void Shields: 1  
   
   
  Armour: 15  
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 30
  Morale: 99 
   
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40) 
  Turret Rating: 1  
   
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Dorsal 1
  essential components
  Jovian Pattern Class 2 Drive, Stelov 1 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Single Void Shield Array, Combat Bridge, Vitae Pattern Life 
  Sustainer, Pressed-Crew Quarters, Deep Void Augur Array
  supplemental components
  Dorsal Mars Pattern Macrocannons:  (Macrobattery, Strength 
  3, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 5, Range 6)
  Prow Gryphonne Pattern Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo, 
  Strength 4, Damage 2d10+11, Crit 10, Range 60)
  Augmented Retro-thrusters: Cobras in the Calixis Sector 
  are typically equipped with additional thrusters for even better 
  manoeuvrability. This bonus is included in the profile.
  Observation Dome: A simple luxury for a space-starved ship, 
  the dome is covered with a thick sheet of ceramite blast-armour 
  when in battle.
  special rules and Modifier summary
  These modifiers apply to the Cobra Destroyers, taking 
  Components into account:
  • Tech-Use Tests made to repair the ship gain a +10 bonus.
  usiNG The GeThsemANe
  The Gethsemane in many ways is a polar 
  opposite of the Sirius. While it’s still 
  a dangerous opponent, the GM should keep in 
  mind that its relatively green crew gives it a few 
  weaknesses that clever Explorers can exploit, such 
  as targeting its Morale or staying out of its reach. 
  If a GM likes, he can use this profile to represent 
  a different Gothic-class cruiser—in this case remove 
  the Green Crew rule and increase the Crew Rating to 
  Crack (40). The Gethsemane’s tactics are similar to the 
  Sirius—close with torpedoes, striking the target with a 
  salvo or forcing it to break to one side or another, where 
  the ship can target it with a broadside of lances. If 
  squadroned with a second ship, it waits until the shields 
  are down, then pours lances into the undefended vessel. 
  Depending on the situation, it attempts to disengage if 
  reduced to 20 Hull Integrity or less.
  usiNG The cobrA
  The above profile can represent any Cobra-
  class destroyer found serving the Imperial 
  Navy in the Calixis Sector or Koronus Expanse. The 
  Cobra exemplifies the raider traits of hitting hard but 
  being unable to take damage in return. The four torpedo 
  tubes in its prow are its true offensive power—the 
  macrocannons do very little on their own. 
  Cobras from Battlefleet Koronus rarely operate alone, 
  instead either escorting larger ships or operating in 
  squadrons of other Cobras. They unleash massed salvoes 
  of torpedoes, then dart away to reload their tubes before 
  heading in again. If a Cobra runs out of torpedoes, it 
  retires behind the main battle line, or disengages. 
  
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  sWord FrigaTes oF TriuMph sQuadron
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Sword-class Frigate
  Dimensions: 1.6km long,0.3 km abeam at fins approx.
  Mass: 6 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 26,000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 4.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration.  
  Sword-class frigates are similar to Lunar-class cruisers, in that both are the workhorses of countless battlefleets. While the Lunars 
  bulk out the Battlefleet’s ships of the line, the Swords undertake countless patrol and interdiction duties—hunting pirates, 
  enforcing blockades, and protecting convoys. There are a dozen Swords in Triumph Squadron, and they are often spread across 
  Battlefleet Koronus’s areas of operations. 
  Speed: 8  
   
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +20 
   
   
  Detection: +15  
   
  Void Shields: 1  
   
   
  Armour: 18 (20 prow) 
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 35
  Morale: 99 
   
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40) 
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
   
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 2
  essential components
  Jovian Pattern Class 2 Drive, Stelov 1 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Single Void Shield Array, Command Bridge, Vitae Pattern Life 
  Sustainer, Pressed-Crew Quarters, M-100 Auger Array
  supplemental components
  2 Dorsal Sunsear Mark 2 Laser Batteries: (Macrobattery, Strength 
  4, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 4, Range 6). The Sword is renowned for 
  the reliability of its laser batteries, and the Navy does not let civilians 
  gain access to them. When these Components become damaged or 
  unpowered, roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the Component is unharmed. 
  Extended Supply Vaults: Additional supplies allow Swords to 
  undertake extended patrols. 
  Reinforced Prow: Although not a true “armoured prow,” the 
  Sword still possessed a reinforced adamantium beak. 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  These modifiers apply to the Swords, taking Components into account:
  • Ship may remain at void up to a year without suffering Crew 
  Population or Morale loss. 
  • When performing extended repairs, repair 1 additional Hull Integrity.
  • All Command Tests and Ballistic Skill Tests made to fire the 
  ship’s weapons gain a +5 bonus.
  usiNG The sword 
  Rogue Traders are likely to run into 
  Swords often, as they handle many 
  “mundane” duties such as convoy escort, pirate 
  hunting, and void patrols. 
  Swords are versatile ships, and their tactics 
  should be equally versatile. Those in Battlefleet 
  Koronus usually operate in pairs, with one taking 
  point and the other covering the first’s stern. In 
  fleet engagements, Swords and cruisers operate in 
  a similar fashion, with the smaller frigate sheltering 
  behind the powerful cruiser while protecting its 
  vulnerable stern. A Sword or two can be a GM’s “go 
  to” ship when he wants to introduce a vessel from 
  the Navy—they can handle almost any tactics and 
  are sent on almost any assignment. 
  Ranks In The 
  Battlefleet 
  “Take the black and don’t come back!”
  – Malfi noble children’s taunt
  T
  he Imperial Navy is an institution with millennia of dusty 
  tradition behind it and regulations so lengthy that they fill 
  moon-sized scriptoria and data-vaults to bursting. Attempts 
  to modernise the fleet and update its protocols have always been 
  doomed by the sheer size and inertia of an organisation spread 
  across 100,000 light years of space and potentially centuries of 
  time. On top of this, each Segmentae Majoris Battlefleet is so 
  riven with its own traditions and precedents that it is hard to be 
  definitive about even something so fundamental as rank below 
  the very highest echelons. 
  In all cases, the constant risks attendant to fighting ships 
  mean that the Navy chain of command has to be robust 
  enough to survive shocking casualties in battle and still keep 
  functioning. A great deal of ink has been spilled codifying 
  responsibilities and duties such that each will know their 
  place, although in practice these become guidelines at best, 
  useless bureaucratic nonsense at worst. Incessant training still 
  drums the same message into every shipman’s head–keep 
  doing your duty even when the world turns to flame and 
  death and the frozen void yawns just inches away.
  What follows is a breakdown of commonly held ranks and 
  responsibilities within Battlefleet Calixis. Even within this 
  sQ
  
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  broad structure many variations occur at the sector level that are 
  unique to the needs and necessities of that locale; commodores 
  may command fleets, admirals may command squadrons and 
  warrant officers may command ships according to necessity.
  coMMissioned oFFicers
  Commissioned officers are the highest ranks of Navy 
  officers and usually can only be created by the Battlefleet 
  administratum. In the Calixis Sector, a certain number of 
  officers are generated by the “commissions” issued to planetary 
  governors and Schola Progenium worlds each year to fulfil. 
  Each commission is for a single child of ‘good character’ to 
  attend Port Wrath, there to become a midshipman in the Holy 
  Imperial Navy. Once they arrive, they may serve aboard Port 
  Wrath for years waiting for a ship, or leave mere days after 
  they set foot on the station.
  Commissions issued to planetary governors are commonly 
  sold to noble families or bestowed in a politically expedient 
  fashion to reward a trusted noble or remove a troublesome 
  sibling. A career in the Imperial Navy is viewed as a glorious, 
  honourable and very probably fatal enterprise by noble houses, 
  a sacrifice that enhances the family’s prestige immeasurably. 
  The Schola Progenium, on the other hand, sends their best 
  charges to serve, especially those with naval heritage. The 
  rivalry between the arrogant offspring of nobility and the 
  earnest young orphans of the Scholas is legendary.
  A good portion of midshipman join the Imperial Navy 
  through a more informal system of patronage. It is not 
  uncommon for a Naval captain to take on a noble’s son or 
  daughter as a midshipman at their family’s request. This may 
  be a favour to an old friend, or a means to repay an ancestral 
  debt. However, even in this case, most noble children find the 
  Navy a harsh and uncompromising environment, where most 
  must excel on their merits, or likely perish.
  lord hiGh-AdmirAl
  Also called the Battlefleet Commander, lord high-admiral is the 
  highest rank of the Imperial Navy. Only five of these august 
  individuals exist, one for each of the Segmentae Majoris. Each 
  is responsible for the Imperial Navy’s fighting forces across the 
  thousands of sectors in their allotted quadrant of the galaxy, or in 
  the case of the Lord High-Admiral Solar, the substantial volumes 
  around Holy Terra itself. The attention demanded by the 
  dizzying array of plans, schedules and staffs under the auspices 
  of a lord high-admiral mean they are seldom seen outside their 
  towering fleet headquarters at the Segmentum fortress.
  lord-AdmirAl
  A lord-admiral, or sector commander, is responsible for all 
  naval operations in a given sector and has direct command 
  of units of the Segmentum warfleet allocated to that sector. 
  Nominally a lord-admiral is based at the Segmentum Fortress 
  with other sector-level administratum officials, but most 
  choose to base themselves at the foremost naval facility of the 
  sector under their charge. A lord-admiral answers not only 
  to his superiors in the fleet but to the Adeptus Terra as well. 
  Deploying ships and men to patrols, permanent stations and 
  reserve fleets in a way that satisfies both military and civilian 
  needs is a headache most naval officers dread.
  solAr AdmirAl
  In the regions of space in and around the Calixis Sector, an Admiral 
  with an illustrious career and a spotless record may eventually be 
  sent to present themselves before the Battlefleet commander at 
  the Segmentum fortress at Cypra Mundi—a journey that may 
  take years. Should the lord high-admiral approve of the individual 
  when he finally gets around to seeing them (often after several 
  more years) he may send them on to Holy Terra for consideration 
  to become a solar admiral, a process that can take the rest of 
  their life. Solar admirals are often prospective sector commanders 
  waiting for assignment to a sector. As such opportunities are rare 
  The fooTfAll AffAir
  As Battlefleet Koronus’s operations in the Expanse grow, its warships come into increasing conflict with those already 
  there. Though these certainly include the Expanse’s native inhabitants, there are those nominally affiliated with the 
  Imperium—such as more than a few Rogue Traders—who find the Navy’s presence disruptive to their plans.
  Amongst these individuals, one incident stands out as particularly infamous. A half-century ago, a pirate wolfpack began 
  operating through the Maw. The pirates raided around Port Wander, then would flee with their loot through the Passage to 
  Footfall, where they claimed two of the outer hab asteroids as their base. One of these marauders was actually a Rogue Trader 
  who turned to piracy to supplement his meagre fortunes, and the powers of Footfall showed little interest in dislodging him.
  As the situation persisted, a coalition of brokerage houses and mercantile interests led by House Krin petitioned the Navy to 
  take action and protect their interests. The newly promoted Admiral Horne agreed to aid them. However, instead of reinforcing 
  the patrols around Port Wander, Horne took direct action. A task force consisting of the cruisers Gryphon, Sirius, and Gethsemane, 
  escorted by a reinforced squadron of frigates and destroyers, travelled to Furibundus and attacked the pirates directly.
  The resulting battle quickly devolved a confused melee, with Battlefleet warships dodging amongst the asteroids of 
  Footfall while exchanging point-blank broadsides with pirates. Besides the pirate Rogue Trader, several other Rogue 
  Traders and free captains found themselves drawn into the battle, often unsure just whose side they were on.
  Though the Gethsemane and frigate Pride of Vaxenhide took heavy damage and Cobras X-11 and X-24 were lost, the Navy 
  destroyed a dozen pirate vessels, shattered their hab asteroids, and sent the scattered remnants fleeing deep into the Expanse. 
  Other Rogue Traders including Aspyce Chorda and Elizabeth Orleans raised a flurry of protests against the Navy’s “heavy-
  handed and barbaric actions,” which the Imperial Adeptus ignored, tacitly approving Horne’s actions and giving him free reign 
  for operations deeper into the Expanse. In the following years, many have speculated that this was the Admiral’s goal all along. 
  
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  it’s far more common for solar admirals to be dispatched to war 
  zones in command of a reinforcing fleet or kept busy on “special 
  duties” with their own independent flotilla.  
  AdmirAl
  An admiral is allocated command of a portion of a sector’s fleet 
  and responsibility for the security of a handful of star systems 
  and the vast tracts of wilderness space that lie in between. It’s 
  rare for an admiral to amass his ships in one place as they are 
  generally busy patrolling Imperium worlds and trade routes light 
  years apart. Perhaps twice a century the fleet might be mustered 
  for a punitive strike or to defend against a sector-wide incursion. 
  vice-AdmirAl
  By long tradition a vice-admiral commands the leading 
  division of the fleet, the part that would equate to the 
  vanguard of a terrestrial force. In later times this has come 
  to mean commanding a force of light cruisers and destroyers 
  charged with scouting for the enemy, charting navigational 
  hazards and long-range patrolling. It’s common for a vice-
  admiral to choose a light cruiser as his flagship to better keep 
  pace with his far-flung squadrons.
  reAr-AdmirAl
  In ancient times when an entire Battlefleet might be massed 
  together, the thousands of ships present would be divided in 
  to three commands, each under their own admiral. The rear-
  admiral was the youngest and least experienced and so would 
  be given charge of the rearmost division as the one least likely 
  to see combat. Over time this rank has evolved into a largely 
  administrative post charged with co-ordinating repair facilities, 
  refuelling ships, forming convoys and other rear echelon 
  activities. Some time spent as a rear-admiral is seen as 
  essential for an officer that aspires to the higher ranks 
  so they can demonstrate a facility with logistics and 
  high-level planning.
  commodore
  Also sometimes called a group commander, the rank of 
  commodore was originally only a temporary one given to 
  a senior captain placed in charge of a squadron of ships. 
  Over time the rank of commodore has found its way into 
  permanent usage as what were once temporary squadrons 
  stabilised into regular patrol routes and areas of responsibility. 
  On the rare and terrible occasions when capital ships join 
  together in squadrons the senior captain is still promoted to 
  commodore for the duration of the engagement.
  lord-cApTAiN
  Sometimes also referred to as a flag-captain, lord-captain is an 
  honourific rank normally applied to captains in command of 
  vessels on detached duty. A lord-captain speaks backed by the 
  full authority of the Battlefleet. This is an important distinction 
  when dealing with arrogant planetary governors or petty 
  administratum officials that might be inclined to dismiss the 
  words of a “mere” Navy captain.  For this very reason, many 
  Rogue Traders have adopted the title of lord-captain.
  cApTAiN
  To be captain is to become lord and master of all one surveys. 
  The Emperor is the Master of Mankind, but aboard a ship the 
  Captain’s very word is His law. Imperial Navy captains are aloof, 
  uncompromising figures unbowed by the awesome responsibility 
  entrusted to them. They may be a tyrant, martinet, swashbuckler, 
  strategist or saint but a captain will always be an exceptional 
  individual to hold full command of an Imperial Navy warship. 
  commANder
  Individual escort-class vessels normally come under the charge 
  of a commander, with a captain or commodore holding overall 
  command of an escort squadron. However, a commander might 
  also be found as the leader for a squadron of system vessels, 
  wing commander of the attack craft onboard a carrier ship, 
  or placed in charge of an orbital station. Many Navy officers 
  
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  aspire to nothing more than becoming the commander of a 
  frigate with its frequent opportunities for action and glory.
  lieuTeNANT
  Many officers in the Navy rise no higher than Lieutenant. 
  System-defence ships and monitors occasionally fall under the 
  direct command of a lieutenant. It is more common for them 
  to be found acting as second-in-command aboard escort-class 
  ships, as part of the vast bridge crew found on a capital vessel, or 
  in an attack craft squadron acting as flight leader. A lieutenant 
  is regarded as having true potential and the opportunity for 
  greatness. Some of the most renowned lord-captains first began 
  to forge their reputation by taking over the helm of the ship 
  when their commander was killed or injured.
  There are actually several different ranks of lieutenants, 
  ranging from lowly sub-lieutenants or ensigns just promoted 
  from midshipman to the flag-lieutenant (or lord-lieutenant) 
  who serves as the executive officer aboard a ship of the line. 
  In Battlefleet Calixis, the lowest ranking lieutenants are often 
  referred to as ensigns, and given minor responsibilities such 
  as commanding small craft, boarding parties, or press gangs. 
  They are often paired with a senior warrant officer to provide 
  valuable guidance, and in the eyes of their superiors and the 
  crew they’re treated with respect for their rank, and caution 
  due to their lack of skill and experience. 
  If they succeed, a lieutenant can expect to advance through 
  the ranks as a third, second, and finally first lieutenant, steadily 
  gaining more responsibilities as he does so. Eventually, he 
  may rise to the rank of flag or lord lieutenant, the second 
  in command aboard a capital ship. If he can prove himself 
  to be a resourceful and competent officer, he may eventually 
  be promoted to commander, and given the chance to take 
  command of his own vessel. However, many lieutenants never 
  make that leap, and spend their days serving as valued junior 
  officers on a voidship’s bridge. 
  midshipmAN 
  Midshipman are the lowest ranking “officers” in the Navy, and 
  are actually better described as students with an officer’s rank. 
  Technically afforded an officer’s respect, they are nevertheless in 
  demanding training to become true officers, and many of their 
  duties are “hands on” opportunities to learn. Midshipmen are 
  so called because they traditionally have quarters somewhere in 
  the ship’s midsection, far from the command bridge. 
  Not quite trusted with true responsibility, they remain 
  under constant scrutiny as they complete their training. Should 
  they prove successful, the Calixian Battlefleet adheres to the 
  tradition of requiring them to pass difficult examinations to 
  become lieutenants, though some have been known to receive 
  “void promotions” for particularly impressive actions. 
  WarranT oFFicers
  Warrant officers (also known in some quarters as “petty officers”) 
  act as the equivalent of sergeants and corporals in a planet-bound 
  army—they disseminate orders from higher authority, ensure 
  that those orders are carried out and maintain discipline with 
  regular floggings. They are called warrant officers because they 
  are created through the issue of a written warrant from either 
  fleet administration or the captain of the ship. Warrant officers 
  occupy positions of trust on the ship and a captain with even the 
  most mutinous of crews can keep the ship running as long as he 
  can rely on his warrant officers. It’s common practice to promote 
  warrant officers from among the ratings already on board a ship, 
  but large numbers of warrants are also issued to civilised worlds as 
  part of their Imperial tithe of experienced personnel, often with a 
  promise of reward to entice skilled individuals.
  There are two broad types of warrant officers. The chief petty 
  officers are the ship’s most senior warrant officers, often given 
  positions of authority and trusted with tasks vital to keep the 
  ship running. Sometimes they’ve served on a ship longer than 
  the captain or any of the commissioned officers. A wise captain 
  pays careful heed to his chief petty officers. Below the chiefs are 
  the regular petty officers, who are responsible for day to day 
  ship operations and directly leading the masses of ratings and 
  indentured workers that make up the majority of the ship’s crew. 
  An example of a chief petty officer would be a Master 
  Gunner (page 71), while an example petty officer would be a 
  Gun Captain (see below). 
  ship’s mAsTer
  The ship’s master is generally the ship’s most senior warrant 
  officer and most experienced voidsman. Often the master is 
  tasked with critical responsibilities, such as stellar navigation 
  and the keeping of the ship’s log. In addition, he might 
  oversee the keeping of the ship’s attitude jets, hanger decks, 
  and stores and supplies. 
  GuN cApTAiN
  A gun captain has command of a single gun crew on a warship. 
  This is a great responsibility as ship-borne macroweapons are 
  huge and have crews in the hundreds, and lance turrets can be 
  much larger. The gun captain must know how to do the jobs of 
  all the men under his or her command and often achieves the post 
  only after decades of working his way up through all the different 
  ratings. Gun captains are highly respected individuals and there’s 
  often a great deal of rivalry between them over who’s crew is the 
  fastest and most accurate on the ship. On attack craft carrying 
  ships, “squadron leader” is often employed as an equivalent rank.
  serGeANT-AT-Arms
  A sergeant-at-arms has charge of a squad of armsmen anywhere 
  between six and twenty strong with responsibility for close 
  action in naval combat (such as hit and run attacks and boarding 
  actions). A sergeant-at-arms’ greatest responsibility is the keys 
  entrusted to them for the weapons lockers found on every 
  deck of a warship. When battle commences the master of arms 
  signals the sergeants to clear the decks and prepare for action, 
  indicating at that time whether to arm the crew. Naturally, the 
  sergeant-at-arms is an early target during mutinies. Sergeants-
  at-arms are often recruited via warrant at planets from among 
  former Imperial guardsmen to ensure they don’t have prior 
  associations with the current crew.
  bosuN (boATswAiN)
  The ships Bosuns are disciplinarians and 
  taskmasters in a crew, assigned to oversee the 
  common ratings and indentured workers, 
  
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  determine their duties, and ensure they’re carried out. This often 
  means they’re responsible for enforcing discipline on recalcitrant 
  crewmembers, and are likely to handle that task personally. 
  This makes them unpopular figures in the Navy hierarchy, and 
  aboard many warships they find themselves naturally allied with 
  a ship’s sergeants at arms, as their duties are similar. 
  raTings
  Ratings take care of the functions that need muscle instead of 
  training—hauling shells and missiles, re-routing cables, clearing 
  debris and conducting basic maintenance (i.e., scrubbing the 
  decks). They are the basic voidsmen aboard a ship. Men in this 
  class typically have a myriad of sub-classifications (ratings) that 
  specify their role further, e.g. gun-layer third class, fuse-changer 
  second class and so on. Ratings make up the bulk of the crew and 
  will be the ones doing most of the fighting in boarding actions. 
  Contrary to popular belief, many Navy ratings are 
  volunteers—the pay is good and the conditions are better 
  than those on many Imperial worlds. The Navy can make 
  generous promises when it knows barely half the ratings will 
  survive a cruise and collect their gelt at the end. 
  If there aren’t enough volunteers to fulfil a captain’s 
  requirements he always has the right to send press gangs to 
  tithe more crew directly from any planet along his way. This 
  can mean anything from emptying penal colonies to press-
  ganging collections of citizens out of hab-blocks. In practice this 
  is often achieved with the collusion of the planetary governor, 
  but an Imperial Navy captain does not need permission to take 
  crew from any world. The necessary practice of press-ganging 
  remains a potential flashpoint for rebellion on many worlds and 
  Navy ratings have an unsavoury reputation as little more than 
  convicts because of it. 
  As stated previously, there are multitudes of 
  different types of ratings, but they can often 
  be divided into two broad classifications, 
  armsmen and voidsmen. 
  ArmsmAN
  Armsmen are crewmembers trusted to carry weapons at all 
  times onboard the ship and maintain the contents of the 
  weapons lockers. They keep discipline among the lower ranks 
  and protect the crew as needed—usually by wading in with 
  truncheons or shooting first and asking questions later. Unlike 
  most ratings, armsmen get to move around different decks 
  of the ship in the course of their duties and their loyalties 
  are carefully scrutinised. Many ratings spurn the chance 
  to become an armsman simply because they don’t want to 
  become part of the systematic brutality of ship discipline.
  voidsmeN
  Voidsmen (also referred to by the more archaic “shipmen” on 
  some Imperial Navy vessels) are those ship’s crew with some 
  training and skill, the ratings most likely to be entrusted with tasks 
  such as conduit-maintenance, bulwark repairs, cog polishing, or 
  other jobs that might require some skill and autonomy. Hive-
  worlders are favoured as voidsmen due to their familiarity with 
  technology and the fact that they are inured to the worst of the 
  noise and claustrophobic conditions found on ships. However, 
  a captain sometimes has to take what he can get so a crew can 
  become an eclectic mix of feral barbarians, agri-world farmers 
  and cynical hive-worlders by the end of a long cruise. 
  The lowest ranking voidsmen are given the most mundane 
  drudgery. However, those who are smart, lucky, and dutiful may 
  advance in rank after many years of service. On many ships, 
  these individuals are called able voidsmen, the title officially 
  acknowledging their skill and experience. Some captains require 
  examinations be passed to achieve able voidman rating while 
  others simply bestow it as a marker for time served onboard.
  Occasionally, a voidsman with both brains and ambition 
  may become a leading voidsman. Officially, leading voidsmen 
  are simply those placed in charge of work gangs but 
  unofficially many officers use it as a proving ground for those 
  under consideration to be warrant officers. Needless to say, 
  only a very rare few reach this point. 
  
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  indenTured WorKers
  Almost every warship has a voracious appetite for unskilled hard 
  labour, and this appetite is fed by a steady diet of indentured 
  workers. Often these are unfortunates who are press-ganged 
  from a worlds slums or taken en masse from penal colonies—
  some of the Imperium’s teeming hordes of humanity, only valued 
  for their ability to work. The Navy sees these unfortunates as 
  much a resource as fuel for the drives and food for the crew, 
  and they are given duties such as hauling guns into position, 
  turning flywheels, and carrying supplies, heavy equipment, and 
  macrocannon shells. Most ships must replenish their crews of 
  indentured workers every so often, as a steady stream die to 
  malnutrition, accidents, and disciplinary actions. 
  Many indentured workers may be “upgraded” with crude 
  augmentics and even mental inhibitors to make them more 
  compliant to orders (and likely ensuring they’ll serve as 
  indentured workers for the remainder of their lives). For those 
  who avoid that fate, their best hope is to become a rating, 
  learning some task that makes them valued in the ship hierarchy. 
  honouriFics and 
  speciaL ranKs
  The following titles and positions are acknowledged in Navy 
  regulations aboard ships. Many of these political niceties 
  exist as necessities to slot the diverse specialists necessary to 
  a ship’s functioning into the framework of Navy command.
  Tech-priesT mAjoris (eNGiNseer 
  prime)
  The Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Mechanicus are closely 
  intertwined, but in shipboard life they often lead entirely separate 
  lives. The tech-priest majoris is the mechanicus representative on 
  the bridge crew and communicates the needs of the adeptus to 
  the captain and his officers. The tech-priest majoris may not be 
  of especially high rank in the Cult Mechanicus. A common Navy 
  belief is that the most senior Mechanicus adepts on a ship seldom 
  leave the engine rooms, unable to tear themselves away from the 
  throbbing heart of the ship itself.
  priNciple NAviGATor (wArp Guide)
  The most senior Navigator has the terrible responsibility of 
  charting a passage through the warp and bringing the ship 
  through unharmed. Naval officers view Navigators as little 
  more than well-heeled civilians but they are accorded a level 
  of respect and even deference aboard ship that can astound a 
  planet-dweller.
  chief AsTropATh 
  Smaller void ships only carry a handful of astropaths but 
  capital ships commonly boast an entire choir for long-range 
  communication. Regardless of size one of the astropaths on the 
  ship is always designated as the chief astropath and has direct 
  dealings with the captain. Much of what passes between them 
  is by necessity kept secret from the rest of the ship so the chief 
  astropath often becomes the captain’s closest confidant.
  mAsTer GuNNer
  The Master Gunner is a high-ranking warrant officer given 
  responsibility for the maintenance and performance of the 
  ship’s macrobatteries and lances. On small ships the Master 
  Gunner may inspect each weapon personally, while on larger 
  vessels he is likely to delegate this to several aides. He also is 
  responsible for ammunition storage and power linkages.
  mAsTer of ordNANce
  Unlike many Rogue Trader vessels, many Navy vessels only 
  have such an individual to manage torpedoes and attack 
  craft—huge starbombers, lumbering assault boats and agile 
  fighters—carried aboard the ship in vast launch bays. The 
  master of ordnance co-ordinates the efforts of the deck crews 
  to ensure everything is fuelled, armed and ready to launch 
  at a moment’s notice. The master of ordnance has a vastly 
  more complex task on ships carrying attack craft rather than 
  just torpedoes. Maintaining discipline and training standards 
  among the kind of hotshot pilots attracted to attack craft 
  service is said to be an art form in itself.
  mAsTer of Arms 
  The master of arms is charged with ensuring that all weaponry 
  onboard is serviceable and ready for action, from the greatest 
  macrocannon to the meanest stub pistol. The sergeants-at-arms 
  report directly to him, and by extension all armsmen are under 
  his control, and so he also performs a role akin to chief of police 
  aboard ship. The master of arms is normally appointed from 
  among the commissioned officers on a ship but more rarely a 
  senior warrant officer may hold this position. Experience with 
  the Imperial Guard or Adeptus Arbites is thought to be a great 
  benefit for officers performing this role, and a master of arms 
  will often seize any opportunities they can to participate in 
  landing parties and other joint operations. 
  ship’s surGeoN
  Sometimes also called the chief chirurgeon or else, 
  unofficially, “sawbones,” the ship’s surgeon has charge of the 
  medicae facilities aboard the vessel. Their duties include the 
  combat of disease and malnutrition among the crew as well 
  as suturing flesh and setting bones. The title is allotted to 
  the most qualified individual onboard whether it be a magos 
  biologis extremis on a capital ship, a medicae servitor on a 
  destroyer or someone with first aid training on a gun-cutter.
  officer of The wATch
  The officer of the watch draws up duty rosters, assigns 
  watches and attends the ship’s chronometers. On most ships 
  the title of officer of the watch is rotated through the ranking 
  commissioned officers. On older vessels it tends to become a 
  permanent position assigned to the officer that has served the 
  longest time aboard the ship.
  fleeT commissAr
  Just as the regiments of the Imperial Guard have 
  commissars appointed to them to ensure their 
  unwavering loyalty to the Emperor, the ships of 
  the Imperial Navy are host to fleet commissars. 
  A fleet commissar works closely with the 
  
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  master of arms to ensure a ship is kept battle-ready at all 
  times and that the crew remains focused on their duty to 
  the Emperor. A fleet commissar has the authority to declare 
  a captain or even an entire crew unfit for service if he’s 
  sufficiently concerned about their actions or the state of their 
  ship. At least one fleet commissar will normally be aboard any 
  capital ship. In the case of escort squadrons a fleet commissar 
  will divide his time between the different vessels in the 
  squadron in a series of snap inspections and drills.
  ship’s coNfessor
  Imperial Warships are armoured by their faith as much as their 
  adamantium hulls. The confessor works tirelessly to promote the 
  Imperial Creed among the crew and weed out heretics. In these 
  duties the confessor is usually assisted by lay-preachers chosen 
  from the most faithful on the lower decks. This is particularly 
  essential on large warships as it allows the confessor to 
  concentrate their efforts on the officers, shriving and chastising 
  them as required. Imperial Navy officers wield unthinkable 
  power in the Emperor’s name and confessors believe they must 
  be reminded of their duties to the Saviour of Mankind loudly 
  and often.
  ship’s WaTches
  Timekeeping is taken extremely seriously aboard Navy 
  ships, as chronographica dementi is held to be an early sign 
  of warp influence. The regulation naval watches adhered 
  to in Battlefleet Calixis are based on the following 
  Terran time periods.
  • 
  00:00 to 04:00: Middle Watch
  • 04:00 to 08:00: Morning Watch
  • 
  08:00 to 12:00: Forenoon Watch
  • 12:00 to 16:00: Afternoon Watch
  • 16:00 to 18:00: First Dog Watch
  • 18:00 to 20:00: Last Dog Watch
  • 20:00 to 00:00: First Watch
  During the four-hour watches the time is signalled every half 
  hour. Ships might use gongs, horns, sirens or angelic choirs to 
  mark these events but many use the traditional sonorous bells. 
  In the case of bells the times during the watch are signalled 
  in the following order:
  • First half-hour: 1 bell
  • First hour: 2 bells
  • Third half-hour: 3 bells
  • Second hour: 4 bells
  • Fifth half-hour: 5 bells
  • Third hour: 6 bells
  • Seventh half-hour: 7 bells
  • Fourth hour: 8 bells
  To avoid confusion, bells are normally rung off in pairs with 
  any single bell coming last. So the fifth half-hour would be 
  rung bell-bell, bell-bell, bell. 
  At the end of the First Dog Watch (18:00) four bells are 
  struck rather than the usual eight that would signify a change in 
  watch. For the Last Dog Watch the following schedule is used.
  • 18:30 1 bell
  • 19:00 2 bells
  • 19:30 3 bells
  • 20:00 8 bells
  By tradition, sixteen bells are rung to mark midnight on the 
  Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension.
  NAvAl discipliNe
  Naval discipline is brutal. The regulations cover a dizzying 
  variety of infractions, and for most of them the punishment 
  is death. Infractions vary from fleet to fleet, even from 
  ship to ship. According to Battlefleet Calixis regulations, 
  for example, crewmembers caught sleeping during their 
  watch are to be beaten to death by their comrades, those 
  that neglect maintenance are to be electrocuted, black 
  marketeers are strangled, and hoarders are starved. Even 
  minor failings such as an unkempt appearance or speaking 
  after curfew might earn a flogging. 
  Page after page, chapter after chapter of the 
  regulations codify punishments in exhaustive detail. 
  In every case the attitude is taken that branding an 
  indelible message on the rest of the crew is more 
  important than the lives of any wrongdoers. Crew 
  have no rights of appeal nor indeed trial beyond what 
  the captain grants them, and his word is law.
  This being said, few captains are ferocious enough 
  to execute their crew as often or as viscerally as the 
  regulations demand. The best command through respect 
  as much as discipline, and for most the threat is enough 
  to wield absolute authority. However, the Navy wants 
  captains that are feared and respected, not loved. Where 
  the captain fails in his duty, the fleet commissar stands 
  ready to ensure discipline is properly maintained.
  Those who serve
  The ratios of officers to men on a starship can vary 
  greatly from ship to ship. Navy vessel or Chartist ship, 
  veteran cruiser or newly built mass conveyor, all have 
  an impact of the quality and composition of a crew. 
  However, this section provides some rough guidelines 
  for GMs and players who want to determine the 
  makeup of their Explorers’ crew. Remember, however, 
  this does not hold true for all vessels, and the the GM 
  should adjust the numbers as he sees fit.
  For every 100 crewmembers, there will be:
  • 80 or more shipmen or voidsmen of various types. 
  Generally, warships have higher numbers of basic 
  shipmen, as they often suffer high turnover rates.
  • 5-10 armsmen. Warships usually have a higher ratio 
  of armsmen than Chartist ships and merchantmen. 
  • 5-9 warrant officers of various types. Generally, 
  Chartist ships and merchantmen have fewer 
  warrant officers, making up the difference with 
  Able Voidsmen. 
  • 0-1 officers of various types. Generally, there is one 
  officer for every several hundred crew, with the 
  ratio being slightly higher aboard warships.
  
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  The orks
  •
  The eldAr
  •
  The sTryxis
  •
  The rAk’Gol
  •
  The krooT
  •
  chAos reAvers
  
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  Chapter III: 
  Enemies of 
  Humanity
  “It is my belief that the enemies of humanity exist for one purpose 
  and one purpose alone: to test the resolve and the power of mankind. 
  We are stronger for the need to obliterate those that assail us.”
  – Solar Admiral Tobias Verne during the Angevin Crusade
  T
  he enemies of man are many, and they are everywhere. 
  From every front, the Imperium is assailed by heretics, 
  traitors, mutants, aliens, and the ever-present threat of 
  Chaos, and on every front, there are men and women fighting 
  and dying to protect the Imperium from these threats.
  The Expanse is rife with enemies seeking to lay waste to the 
  Imperium. The Orks muster their strength from their stronghold 
  of “Undred-Undred Teef,” while the servants of the Ruinous 
  Powers raid new-found colonies and transports for slaves and 
  sacrifices. The inscrutable Eldar pursue their own agendas and 
  their own targets, while the mysterious Stryxis trade with all 
  who cross their caravans and the fearsome Rak’Gol slaughter 
  everything in their path. Beyond even these threats are perils 
  that lurk in the darkness between the stars, dangers about which 
  mankind has no knowledge. Against these threats, known and 
  unknown, the forces of the Imperium stand vigilant.
  This chapter examines the enemies of mankind. Each 
  section contains special rules, lists of faction-specific 
  Components, and a selection of starships, both generic and 
  unique, which a group of Explorers may encounter during 
  their travels and endeavours.
  Be wary—the enemies within this chapter are deadly and not 
  to be underestimated. Many ships have died under their guns, or 
  had their crews slaughtered by a xenos boarding party.
  The Orks
  “I’z da skurge ov da ‘spanse, da terror ov da kosmos. I’z da ‘ardest 
  kaptin ov Undred-Undred Teef, and nuffin iz gonna stop me!”
  – Grubskraga “Da Unstoppabul,” Ork Warlord
  T
  he greenskin menace has plagued mankind for 
  uncounted millennia, waging war across the stars 
  in seemingly every corner of the galaxy. Wherever 
  mankind ventures, the Orks are either already there or 
  soon follow, seeking violence and plunder. Orks are savage 
  creatures, regarded by many as little more than mindless 
  beasts incapable of anything but destruction.
  Alas, Orks are far more than animals. Their technology 
  is surprisingly sophisticated, capable of feats that should be 
  impossible for contraptions of scrap metal and scavenged 
  machinery. From poorly-crafted firearms that should jam at the 
  first shot to clanking behemoths that rival the greatest of Imperial 
  Titans in stature and power, Ork weapons are as dangerous as 
  they are ramshackle. For every resource the Imperium can bring 
  to bear, the Orks can muster something to match it, and are 
  eternally eager to test their might against humanity.
  roKs and scrap-FLeeTs
  While not graceful or particularly skilled starfarers, the low 
  cunning and reckless enthusiasm of the Orks combined with 
  their prodigious endurance and unrelenting persistence makes 
  them as deadly in the cold and silent void as they are on the 
  ground. Ork ships are extremely durable, able to withstand 
  greater punishment than an Imperial vessel of similar mass, and 
  often clad in thick armour that turns aside all but the most 
  concerted assaults. Their tactics are simplistic but brutally 
  efficient, flying towards their foes as swiftly as possible, firing 
  all the while. As they close, the holds and caverns of an Ork 
  ship echo with bellowed war cries from the teeming masses 
  xeNos sTArship compoNeNTs
  Many NPC starships have a great deal of strange and 
  exotic-sounding Components, often without an in-depth 
  description as to what they do. For the most part, this should 
  not matter for the Explorers—most of these Components 
  cannot be salvaged or retrofitted and placed on their own 
  starship. In addition, each Essential Component still falls 
  into one of the categories listed on page 192 of the Rogue 
  TRadeR core rulebook—except in some cases where a 
  particular xenos race may not have need for a particular 
  class of Component (the Eldar are a good example; their 
  ships travel through the Webway and thus have no need of 
  Warp Drives or a Gellar Field equivalent). 
  In addition, many xenos Components do not have 
  listed Space or Power requirements, as GMs are not 
  required to construct these ships, and most xenos 
  Components are unsalvageable or unusable (due to 
  their alien nature) by Explorers.  
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  ...I have no fear of the xenos, 
  Nathaniel. Their ships and their 
  tactics can be overcome by the correct 
  application of force in the right place 
  and at the proper time. It is merely 
  a matter of learning the weaknesses 
  of a given foe. I care not for the 
  conventional wisdom that claims that 
  the xenos are unknowable and beyond 
  human comprehension—any enemy can be 
  studied in order to uncover its flaws and 
  vulnerabilities.
  On my own initiative, I’ve taken on 
  archivists and analysts from the 
  Divisio Tactica to accompany my patrol. 
  Hopefully any scrapes we get into in 
  the Expanse will yield some valuable 
  information for your quill-pushers on 
  Metis. 
  ++Excerpt from a communiqué between 
  Commander Victoria Horne and Admiral 
  Nathaniel Horne++
  
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  of Orks within, eagerly awaiting the moment when they can 
  board an enemy vessel and sate their lust for battle.
  The heavy armour and massive superstructures of Ork 
  vessels afford them considerable resilience, a trait bolstered 
  further by the innate durability of Ork technology, which 
  remains functional almost in spite of damage. For additional 
  defence, crackling force fields wreathe Ork vessels, whether 
  projected from salvaged void shield generators or bizarre 
  mek-built “kustom” force field projectors. 
  It is in the realm of weaponry that the Orks truly excel. 
  Their starships are more heavily armed than Imperial vessels 
  of comparable size. Massive batteries of macrocannons dot 
  the hulls of every Ork ship, turrets and barrels protruding 
  from every gap in the ship’s hull, capable of battering through 
  a ship’s void shields and ripping chunks out of their hull. 
  In a matter of minutes, an Ork vessel can unleash thousands 
  of shells at a target, filling the void around an enemy with 
  debris, shrapnel and unexploded shells. Powerful, unstable 
  explosive warheads are loaded onto Ork fighta-bommaz and 
  into torpedoes, to be hurled at the enemy with great abandon.
  orK coMponenTs
  Ork vessels vary immensely in the Components they are 
  constructed from, being more the result of individual 
  experimentation and patchworks of salvaged parts than of 
  planned starship manufacture. 
  drives
  Ork ships use ramshackle drives that likely shouldn’t run at 
  all, and are prone to leaks, flares, and catastrophic “accidents.” 
  Often, great trails of superheated gas pour from the aft of Ork 
  ships, not entirely dissimilar to the greasy black exhaust fumes 
  of their ground vehicles. These reactors are randomly linked 
  to all manner of conduits and cables that feed into systems all 
  over the ship, trailing along floors and dangling from ceilings. 
  It is a rare day that the reactor does not have additional lengths 
  of cabling added to supply some mekboy’s new experiment.
  wArp eNGiNes
  Ork warp travel is an uncertain and erratic process, and the 
  warp drives that allow it are similarly unstable. Some are rebuilt 
  from the ruins of salvaged warp drives, while others are bizarre 
  contraptions built around the disembodied brains of the Ork 
  psykers known as Weirdboyz. Whatever the manner of their 
  construction, Warp Engines all have the same purpose—to 
  carry a ship into, through, and out of the warp.
  GellAr fields
  In place of the flickering Geller fields of Imperial starships, 
  Orks use a variety of adornments, totems, huge hull-plate 
  “teef,” and glyphs to ward off the malign influence of 
  the warp. Whether these actually scare off warp 
  creatures (as Freebooterz have been known to 
  
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  claim) or simply inspire such confidence in their crews that the 
  ships are wreathed in a crackling shield of WAAAGH! energy 
  while in the warp, is unknown. However, they seem to work.
  power shields
  Orks seem to have possessed power field technology as long 
  as the Imperium has. Their ships sport protective energy 
  barriers comparable to void shields, though an Ork generator 
  is more likely to be covered in crackling electricity, spew 
  clouds of noxious smoke, or randomly vaporize any Orks 
  that stand too close.
  ship’s bridGe
  The bridges of Ork vessels are dark, dank cavernous chambers, 
  bedecked with trophies and piles of loot and stacked high 
  with machinery of indeterminate purpose.
  life susTAiNers
  The exact nature of Ork life sustainers is unknown. Boarding 
  parties and Mechanicus salvage teams have observed 
  everything from clanking pneumatic air pumps to giant 
  squigs of unknown breeds used as bellows. The only thing 
  these devices have in common is none of them should work.
  crew quArTers
  Ork vessels teem with greenskins of all kinds, serving as 
  much as transport craft as warships. Many of the smaller craft 
  are capable of planetary landing, unleashing a green tide 
  of roaring, belligerent warriors, while even the bulkiest of 
  cruisers regularly attempt to board enemy vessels.
  AuGur ArrAys
  While it would be impossible for the Orks to voyage amongst 
  the stars without some form of long-range detection, the 
  nature of the technologies employed are unknown. As with 
  much of Ork technology, a crude and simplistic appearance 
  belies impossible sophistication. Orks simply refer to their 
  myriad scanners as “searchy grubbinz” no matter whether 
  they’re powerful aetheric scanners or gigantic telescopes.
  orK Weapons
  Above all other weapons, Orks favour massive shell-hurling 
  macrocannons, referred to collectively as “Gunz.” Grouped 
  together into batteries, these weapons fire volley after volley of 
  solid shot and explosive shells, overwhelming any enemy in a 
  torrent of destruction. However, these guns don’t always work 
  as desired, sometimes misfiring or jamming. They may also be 
  deactivated for repairs or “improvements” by a bored mekboy.
  GuNz
  The most common Ork macrobatteries are referred to as Gunz. 
  Though this encompasses any number of different types of 
  weapons, most fire projectiles of some sort or another. It’s fairly 
  common for Orks to loot weapons from defeated vessels, so 
  many guns are “improved” versions of Imperial macroweapons. 
  The Ork inclination towards firepower is such that any gap in 
  the haphazard armour plating is soon filled with a gun.
  ‘eAvy GuNz
  Alongside more conventional macrocannons, the Orks 
  commonly employ short-ranged but extremely powerful 
  guns. Firing dense slugs of scrap metal massing thousands 
  of tonnes, as well as a jury-rigged plasma bombs, these shells 
  quickly become inaccurate over long range. Nevertheless, 
  they cause terrifying damage at close range.
  kANNoNz
  Often rebuilt from the largest broadsides of Imperial 
  Cruisers, these guns protrude menacingly from the scowling 
  armoured prows of kroozers, ready to unleash salvoes of 
  heavy explosive shells. Kannonz often have extra-long 
  barrels, so the shells fire further.
  zzAp kANNoNs
  Orks rarely employ lance weapons, lacking the technology 
  to produce them consistently or reliably. Instead, the lances 
  
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  occasionally found on Ork ships are rebuilt from Imperial 
  lance weapons, often ending up far larger than the weapons 
  they are based on, for negligible gain in effectiveness. These 
  heavily-customised weapons unleash a coruscating green bolt 
  of energy that blasts holes in enemy armour, and are only 
  rarely found in Ork fleets. Inevitably, if they are to be found, 
  they will be installed on the largest Ork ships.
  lAuNch bAys
  As with other species’ fleets, only larger vessels normally have 
  the space and resources necessary to support attack craft. Carved 
  from the flanks of a kroozer, launch tubes and landing decks 
  sit open to the void but for the crackling force fields that hold 
  the ship’s atmosphere in. They are almost always crammed full 
  of Fighta-bommas and Assault Boats. The remaining nooks are 
  claimed by the swaggering and insane Speed Freaks who pilot 
  the attack craft, their hordes of Grots, and Meks constantly 
  building, rebuilding, and “improving” the fighters.
  Torpedoes
  As with much of Ork technology, Ork Torpedoes are far from 
  reliable, with some failing to ignite at launch, shooting off 
  randomly as guidance systems fail, detonating prematurely, or 
  not detonating at all. The Orks make up for this as only Orks 
  can—by firing more torpedoes. Between salvoes, Gretchin 
  slaves descend into the launch tubes to hit faulty parts with 
  hammers and wrenches in the hope of getting them working, 
  with varying amounts of success.
  upgrades
  No two Ork ships are alike, even ones built by the same Meks. 
  To represent some of the insane upgrades and “Orky Tech” 
  that goes into making any Ork ship, each ship has a number 
  of randomly generated upgrades. Table 3–1: Ork Ship 
  Upgrades contains upgrades that might be found in every Ork 
  ship, while Table 3–2: Ork Capital Ship Upgrades contains 
  upgrades specific to Ork capital ships. 
  Each Ork vessel entry states how many times a GM should 
  roll on certain tables when using an Ork NPC vessel. Of course, 
  these requirements are not absolute. If a GM prefers he may 
  choose the upgrades instead of rolling randomly (although 
  this is a particularly low and “un-Orky” way of doing 
  things). In addition, however, if the GM needs to 
  create a unique Ork vessel, possibly one that will 
  be a recurring nemesis for the players, he can 
  Table 3–1: Ork Ship Upgrades
  Roll Result Upgrade
  1
  Kustom Enjinz: Created from scratch by insane Mekboyz, Kustom Enjinz operate through impossible methods to 
  produce incredible amounts of power. The power they produce is unstable and difficult to contain, but makes for swift 
  vessels. A ship with Kustom Enjinz gains +1 Speed. If the ship’s plasma drives are Disabled or Damaged, the ship 
  vessels. A ship with Kustom Enjinz gains +1 Speed. If the ship’s plasma drives are Disabled or Damaged, the ship 
  loses 1d10 Hull Integrity and one Component of the GM’s choice is set on fire.
  2
  Kustom Force Field: This field crackles with extra power, sometimes flaring to life to block powerful hits, but 
  sometimes catastrophically failing. When the Void Shield is brought down by enemy fire, roll 1d10. On an 8 or 
  higher, the shield is not brought down and can cancel an additional hit (this can happen multiple times). On a 2-7 it 
  behaves as normal, and on a 1, the Void Shield Component counts as Damaged and must be repaired.
  3
  Grot Holes: Alongside the teeming hordes of Orks, this vessel’s superstructure is filled with holes, nooks and crannies 
  containing squabbling mobs of Gretchin slaves, who are kicked and bullied into performing the many and varied tasks 
  essential to the running of a starship. Any damage to Crew Population is halved, due to the sheer number of additional Grots. 
  However, whenever the ship takes Morale damage, it takes an additional 2 points due to the Grots being easily panicked.
  4
  Lookout Towerz: Scattered across the hull, tall towers mounting guns and scanning devices watch the void for enemies and 
  unleash trails of gleaming tracers into the darkness of space at anything that strays too close. The ship gains +1 Turret Rating 
  from the hordes of small caliber weapons, but reduces all armour values by 1 for all the holes cut in the hull to hold them.
  5
  Kustom Skanna: Crackling with greenish-tinged electric bolts, this “skanna” dominates the dorsal ridge on the Ork 
  vessel, giving the ship +10 Detection.  
  6
  Dakka Kontrol: Demonstrating planning quite unusual for Orks, targeting systems from all the ship’s guns have 
  been wired into a single control centre, making them more effective. The ship’s targeting systems show Gretchin in 
  place of enemy ships; having practiced since a young age how to hit Grots, the Orks hit more reliably. This grants a 
  +5 bonus to all Ballistic Skill Tests made to fire the ship’s weapons.
  7
  Mek’s Workshop: The ship has a greater-than-normal compliment of Mekboyz on board, who continually tinker 
  with every machine within reach. The Meks may, as an Extended Action once per turn, improve a single weapon 
  Component providing one of the following benefits: +2 Range, Re-roll the weapon’s random Strength, +1 damage, 
  +1 bonus degree of success on attack rolls. After firing with this benefit, the improved gun immediately becomes 
  Unpowered for one turn as the improvements over-work the weapon.
  8
  Extra Smashy Ramming Spike: A two-hundred-metre-long spike of solid adamantium, this addition to the vessel’s 
  prow makes it deadlier when ramming. The ship causes an additional +1d5 damage when ramming.
  9
  Squig Pens: Cages full of attack Squigs are scattered throughout the ship, ready to be unleashed during boarding 
  actions. During any successful Boarding Action, the ship causes an additional +1d5 damage to Crew Population and 
  Morale as the angry balls of teeth hunt down and eat enemy crewmen.
  10
  Red Paint Job: “Red wunz go fasta” is a common Ork belief, and one that oddly seems to be borne out in practice. 
  Ork vehicles painted red do travel faster than those not. The ship gains +1 Speed.
  
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  roll randomly, then select some additional upgrades. For instance, 
  what personal vessel of a dreaded Freebooter Kaptin wouldn’t 
  have a Throne Room, complete with mega-armoured Nobs? 
  In all cases, the Ork ship upgrades are not Components. 
  They cannot be disabled or destroyed by Critical Hits. 
  orK speciaL ruLes
  All Ork ships are subject to the following rules.
  Loadz uv Boyz: An Ork ship’s compliment of crew and 
  warriors are all eager and deadly combatants, granting a +10 
  bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding actions and 
  Hit and Run attacks. Additionally, any Ork vessel reduces 
  Crew Population loses by 1 to a minimum of 1.
  Da Big Red Button: The only common feature to the bridges 
  of Ork vessels is a giant red button, linked directly to the main 
  drives of the ship. Orks gain a +10 bonus on all Pilot tests made 
  to increase speed. Additionally, Ork ships move an additional 
  +1d5 VU during any manoeuvre action during which the ship 
  does not turn. These benefits do not apply to Roks, which lack 
  the powerful engines of other Ork ships.
  Not Proppa: Orks are not inclined to subtlety. Orks suffer an 
  additional –10 penalty on all tests made while on silent running.
  Unreliable Gunz: Some Ork Macrobatteries have a random 
  Strength value, representing the uncertainty of any given 
  gun firing. This should be rolled each time the Weapon 
  Component fires, before rolling to hit.
  Torpedo Ammunition: Ork ships never run out of torpedoes, 
  as Orks can build new ones out of “unnecessary” components. 
  Orky Tek: Ork technology seldom functions correctly in the 
  hands of non-Orks, tending to fail or fall apart rather than work. 
  Ork ships may not be operated by a non-Ork crew. Components 
  from this vessel will not function if used in non-Ork ships.
  Da Klanz: All Orks belong to one of the great klans that 
  define Ork “kultur,” a social group that influences the way the 
  Ork acts and thinks. In some cases, a ship’s crew may consist 
  entirely of Orks from a single Klan. When using Ork ships, 
  GMs may choose to give it one of the following Klan bonuses:
  • Goffs: These Orks are the largest and strongest of the 
  klans, and are notoriously disdainful of anything they 
  consider to be un-Orky. Goff starship crews prefer 
  ramming and boarding tactics, and gain a +10 bonus 
  on all Pilot Tests to Ram and all Command Tests made 
  in Boarding Actions, in addition to any other bonuses.
  • Evil Sunz: Obsessed with speed, the Evil Sunz operate 
  faster ships than other Orks. Evil Sunz ships gain +1 Speed.
  • Bad Moons: Wealthy and ostentatious, Bad Moons 
  show off their flash “dakka” with every opportunity. 
  Due to the quality of their guns, Bad Moons starships 
  roll twice and select the highest die when rolling to 
  determine the Strength of their macrobatteries.
  • Deathskulls: Notorious for their avarice and larcenous 
  inclinations, the Deathskulls steal everything not nailed 
  down, and are known for using technology looted 
  from other species. One weapon Component aboard a 
  Deathskulls ship may be Imperial in origin, selected from 
  those normally available to an Explorer’s vessel.
  • Blood Axes: Distrusted by other Orks for their un-Orky 
  behaviour, Blood Axes are known for their inclinations 
  towards sneaky tactics. Blood Axe starships ignore the 
  normal penalty when testing for Silent Running.
  • Snakebites: Hidebound and traditionalist, Snakebites 
  distrust technology and prefer to travel the stars clinging 
  aboard Roks. Snakebite “crews” are often accompanied 
  by great herds of squigs which they unleash during 
  boarding actions, causing an additional 1d5 damage to 
  Crew Population and Morale. Only a Rok can have a 
  Snakebite crew.
  Table 3–2: Ork Capital Ship Upgrades
  Roll Result Upgrade
  1
  Trakta Field: This field projects gravitational forces that draw enemy vessels closer, making it easier to board or ram 
  them. However, the field also attracts enemy ordnance, making it an easier target for torpedoes. The vessel gains a +20 
  bonus on all Pilot Tests to ram or initiate a boarding action. However, torpedoes gain a +20 bonus to hit the ship.
  2
  Throne Room: More akin to audience chambers or trophy rooms than command bridges, Throne Rooms are an 
  expression of a kaptain’s power, and Kaptins powerful enough to rule from a Throne Room are often surrounded by a 
  retinue of nobs armed with the finest wargear he leads into combat. When used to conduct a Boarding Action, the Mega-
  Armoured Boarding Teams deal twice the normal damage to Crew Population, Morale and Hull Damage as appropriate.
  3-4
  ‘Uge Armour Plates: Extra plates of thick metal cover the ship’s hull, providing further protection but making it even 
  more unwieldy. The ship’s Manoeuvrability is reduced by –5. The ship’s armour on all locations is increased by 2.
  5-6
  Bigger Red Button: Extra switches and levels surround the big red button, connecting to extra fuel tanks and 
  power couplings. When activated, these flood the engines with additional fuel, boosting the ship’s speed further. 
  Once per combat, when performing an Flank Speed Action or All Ahead Full Order, the ship automatically moves the 
  maximum possible distance, as if the GM rolled the absolute best result.
  7
  Weirdboyz’ Tower: Protruding from the top of the ship is a twisted brass tower, crackling with green lightning. 
  Within the tower are groups of weirdboyz, their brains surging with the combined psychic noise of the thousands of 
  Orks in the ship below. Every so often, a great arc of green energy shoots out from the tower. Occasionally, it hits an 
  enemy. The ship counts as having an additional, dorsal mounted lance (regardless of weapon capacity slots) with a 
  Range of 3, a Strength of 1, a Crit Rating of 3 and a Damage Value of 2d5+1.
  8
  Extra Shield Generator: The ship’s generators have been boosted and reinforced. The ship gains 1 additional Void Shield.
  9-10
  Armoured Kaptain’s Bridge: The bridge is clad in massive sheets of heavy armour plating, protecting the kaptin 
  from the ravages of battle. If this Component takes a Critical Hit, becomes Damaged, Disabled or loses Power, roll 
  1d10. On a 4 or more, the Component is unharmed.
  
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  KrooZer
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Ork “kroozer” designation – typically either Kill Kroozer or Terror Ship
  Dimensions: Varies; 4.5 km long approx, 1.1 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 30 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: hordes of Grotz and Boyz
  Accel: 2.7 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Amongst the largest of the most commonly encountered Ork vessels, a “kroozer” is broadly analogous to the cruisers of the Imperial 
  Navy in mass and armament. Kroozers are heavily armed, mounting eclectic clusters and batteries of heavy macrocannons. Thick prows 
  protect these lumbering craft from enemy fire as they rush headlong towards their victims. Two distinct designs of kroozer have been 
  regularly identified over the centuries. The Kill Kroozer mounts gun batteries of various sizes, and is a common sight in Freebooter fleets. 
  Terror Ships replace some guns with great holes in the flanks of the ship containing launch bays for squadrons of fighta-bommas. Other 
  kroozers may conform to one of these configurations, or mount other weapons such as torpedo tubes or crackling energy weapons. 
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +0 
   
   
   
  Detection: +10  
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 23 prow, 19 port and starboard, 16 stern 
  Hull Integrity: 90
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engine, Single Void Shield Array, Air Pumps, ‘Uge Teef, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  supplemental components
  Choose two prow weapons from the following.: A ship may have one Zzap Kannon or Torpedo Launcha.
  Prow Kannonz (Macrobattery; Strength 1d5+2; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 9)
  Prow ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 6; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3)
  Zzap Kannonz (Lance; Strength 2; Damage 1d10+4; Crit Rating 3; Range 6)
  Torpedo Launcha (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 1d5+2; Damage 2d10+14, Terminal 
  Penetration [3]; Range 35) These torpedo tubes are loaded with Looted Torpedoes, and may 
  be loaded with different torpedoes (such as boarding torpedoes) at the GM’s discretion. 
  Choose two port and two starboard weapons from the following list. Launch bays may only be selected once per side:
  Gunz Battery (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5+1; Damage 1d10+4; 
  Crit Rating 6; Range 5)
  ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 
  4; Range 3)
  Launch Bayz (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds 2 squadrons 
  of Fighta-bommas and 2 squadrons of Assault Boats.
  Kustom Kannonz (Macrobattery; Strength 1d5; Damage 1d10+2; Crit 
  Rating 5; Range 6) These “flash gunz” are slightly more reliable than 
  regular gunz, and may re-roll their Strength result before firing each turn.
  Da Hold: Typically laden with all manner of scrap, junk and detritus, 
  the hold of an Ork kroozer is nonetheless likely to contain at least some 
  items of worth. If the ship is captured with this Component intact, the 
  captors gain 100 Achievement Points.
  Armoured Prow: The bonuses for this gigantic snarling Ork visage 
  are already included in the ship’s statistics.
  In addition, roll once on Table 3–1, and once on Table 3–2 to generate two 
  Ork upgrades. 
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers may be further altered by specific upgrades.
  • +10 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding actions and 
  Hit and Run attacks.
  • When losing Crew Population, lose one less than normal.
  • +10 bonus on all Pilot tests to increase Speed
  • +1d5 Seed during any manoeuvre action when the ship does 
  not turn
  • –10 penalty on all tests made while on silent running
  usiNG ork kroozers
  Ork Kroozers are large, unsubtle, and 
  exceptionally dangerous, as they have 
  loads of Hull Integrity, tough armour, and bristle 
  with multiple macrobatteries. If an average Rogue 
  Trader ship goes toe to toe with an Ork vessel, it will 
  likely come off poorly. However, a Rogue Trader 
  can exploit a Kroozer’s weaknesses. Specifically, 
  weak rear armour, a single void shield, and low 
  manoeuvrability mean the ship is vulnerable to 
  lances and attacks from the rear. However, GMs 
  should keep in mind that the more Ork ships there 
  are, the less these weaknesses come into play, as 
  multiple Ork ships can cover each other’s blind spots. 
  Terror Ships also break this rule because they have 
  fighta-bommerz that can strike at any ship in range.
  Generally, Ork ships drive straight at an enemy, 
  attempting to close and pound it with their big 
  guns—or preferably, ram and board. 
  The following are two common Ork “designs” 
  for the Kill Kroozer and Terror Ship:
  Kill Kroozer: Prow Kannonz and ‘Eavy Gunz. 
  Gunz Battery and ‘Eavy Gunz port and starboard. 
  Terror Ship: Prow Kannonz and ‘Eavy Gunz. 
  Gunz Battery and Launch Bays port and starboard.
  
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  aTTacK ship
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Ork “Attack Ship” designation – no specific class known
  Dimensions: approx 1.5 km long, 0.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 9.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: unknown
  Accel: 2-4 gravities acceleration
  Ork escort craft resemble those of the Imperium in size more than anything else, generally lacking the speed and manoeuvrability 
  that characterise most frigates and raiders. Typically lacking in armour along their flanks and rear, and difficult to quickly 
  manoeuvre, Ork attack ships are useful only for the head-on attacks typical of Ork tactics. A number of different configurations 
  have been observed over the years, including the Onslaught class, which mounts an array of macrocannon batteries, the Savage-
  class, which mounts similar, but shorter-ranged and higher-powered guns, and the Ravager class, which mounts unreliable but 
  potent torpedoes. Lance-armed escorts are very rare, normally mounting weapons salvaged from wrecked Imperial vessels.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 22 prow, 16 port/starboard/stern 
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 2
  essential components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engine, Big Teef, Single Void Shield Array, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s 
  Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  supplemental components
  Dorsal Looted Macrocannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+1; Crit Rating 5; Range 5)
  Choose two prow weapons from the following.: A ship may have one Torpedo Launcha:
  Torpedo Launcha (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 1d5; Damage 2d10+14, Terminal Penetration [3]; Range 35) These torpedo tubes 
  are loaded with Looted Torpedoes, and may be loaded with different torpedoes (such as boarding torpedoes) at the GM’s discretion. 
  ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3). The massive size of this weapon component 
  means it fills both Prow weapon capacity slots.
  Gunz (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 6; Range 5)
  Stowage Bays: Typically laden with all manner of scrap, junk and detritus, this hold may contain something worthwhile. If the ship 
  is captured with this Component intact, the captors gain 10 Achievement Points towards an Objective they are working towards.
  Armoured Prow: The bonuses for this gigantic snarling Ork visage are already included in the ship’s statistics.
  In addition, roll once on Table 3–1 to generate one Ork upgrade. 
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to Ork Attack Ships. These 
  may be further altered by the specific Components.
  • +10 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding 
  actions and Hit and Run attacks.
  • When losing Crew Population, lose one less than normal.
  • +10 bonus on all Pilot tests to increase speed
  • +1d5 speed during any manoeuvre action when the ship 
  does not turn
  • –10 penalty on all tests made while on Silent Running
  usiNG ork ATTAck ships
  Ork escorts have similar strengths and weaknesses 
  to Ork capital ships–lots of firepower and high Hull 
  Integrity, but weak rear armour and low manoeuvrability. In 
  addition, “Attack ships” cannot turn as well as other escorts 
  and their weapons are focused towards the prow, meaning 
  an opponent is best served getting behind or alongside one 
  of these ships. As with Ork Kroozers, Ork escorts become 
  exponentially more dangerous the more there are, as they 
  can cover blind spots and combine fire to make up for a bad 
  roll on the Gunz or Torpedo Strength.
  All Ork Attack Ships have the following rule:
  Slow to turn: An Ork Attack Ship may only turn 45 
  degrees, rather than 90.
  The following are two common Ork “designs” for the 
  Kill Kroozer and Terror Ship:
  Savage Gunship: Prow ‘Eavy Gunz. 
  Ravager Attack Ship: Prow Gunz and Torpedo Launcha. 
  aTTa
  aTTa
  aTT cK ship
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Ork “Attack Ship” designation – no specific class known
  Dimensions: approx 1.5 km long, 0.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 9.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: unknown
  Accel: 2-4 gravities acceleration
  Ork escort craft resemble those of the Imperium in size more than anything else, generally lacking the speed and manoeuvrability 
  that characterise most frigates and raiders. Typically lacking in armour along their flanks and rear, and difficult to quickly 
  manoeuvre, Ork attack ships are useful only for the head-on attacks typical of Ork tactics. A number of different configurations 
  have been observed over the years, including the Onslaught class, which mounts an array of macrocannon batteries, the Savage-
  class, which mounts similar, but shorter-ranged and higher-powered guns, and the Ravager class, which mounts unreliable but 
  potent torpedoes. Lance-armed escorts are very rare, normally mounting weapons salvaged from wrecked Imperial vessels.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
  Detection: +10
  oid Shields: 1  
  Armour: 22 prow, 16 port/starboard/stern
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity:
  Weapon Capacity:
  W
   Dorsal 1, Prow 2
  essential components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engine, Big Teef, Single Void Shield Array, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s 
  Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  upplemental components
  Dorsal Looted Macrocannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+1; Crit Rating 5; Range 5)
  Choose two prow weapons from the following.: A ship may have one Torpedo Launcha:
  Torpedo Launcha (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 1d5; Damage 2d10+14, Terminal Penetration [3]; Range 35) These torpedo tubes 
  are loaded with Looted Torpedoes, and may be loaded with different torpedoes (such as boarding torpedoes) at the GM’s discretion. 
  ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3). The massive size of this weapon component 
  means it fills both Prow weapon capacity slots.
  Gunz (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 6; Range 5)
  Stowage Bays: Typically laden with all manner of scrap, junk and detritus, this hold may contain something worthwhile. If the ship 
  is captured with this Component intact, the captors gain 10 Achievement Points towards an Objective they are working towards.
  Armoured Prow: The bonuses for this gigantic snarling Ork visage are already included in the ship’s statistics.
  In addition, roll once on Table 3–1 to generate one Ork upgrade. 
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to Ork Attack Ships. These 
  may be further altered by the specific Components.
  • +10 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding 
  actions and Hit and Run attacks.
  usiNG ork A
  rk A
  rk
  TTA
   ATTA
   A
  ck ships
  Ork escorts have similar strengths and weaknesses 
  to Ork capital ships–lots of firepower and high Hull 
  Integrity, but weak rear armour and low manoeuvrability. In 
  
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  BruTe raM ship
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Ork “Ram Ship’”
  Dimensions: approx 1.1 km long, 0.5 
  km abeam approx.
  Mass: 6.5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: unknown
  Accel: 3-5 gravities acceleration
  The first encounters between Imperial Navy forces and Ork ram 
  ships were uncertain affairs, with the small, nimble Ork craft 
  initially believed to be a more conventional form of escort vessel. 
  However, the brutish tactics of the Orks soon showed through, 
  with the ram ships using their mobility to close with enemy vessels 
  swiftly and collide with them at full speed. Their heavy armoured 
  prows, comprising two-thirds of the vessel’s mass and fitted with 
  drills and spikes, allow them to cause significant harm to even 
  capital ships.
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +20 
   
   
  Detection: +10  
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 23 prow, 15 port/starboard/stern 
  Hull Integrity: 30
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1 
  essential components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engine, Big Teef, Single Void Shield Array, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  supplemental components
  Dorsal Looted Gunz: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 
  1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 5)
  Armoured Ramming Beak: While most Ork vessels have 
  heavily-armoured prows, few take it to the extreme demonstrated 
  by the Ram Ship. Half of the vessel’s volume is taken up by a dense 
  metal ramming beak, tipped with sharp protrusions designed to 
  tear at the hulls of the ships it collides with. This ship gains +8 
  armour in its fore arc only, and does 3d10+23 total damage when 
  ramming, instead of the 1d5+23 a raider would normally do.
  Stowage Bays: These loot-filled compartments are scattered across 
  the ship, more because there was space to put something than 
  because they were designed to store anything. If the ship is captured 
  with this Component intact, the captors gain 10 Achievement Points 
  towards an Objective they are working towards.
  complications and special rules
  WAAAGH! Ram Ship crew are not only eager to ram their vessels 
  into enemy ships, but they’re quite skilled at it as well. A Ram Ship 
  gains a +20 bonus on all tests made to ram an enemy ship.
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to Ork ram ships. These may be 
  further altered by the specific Components.
  • +10 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding 
  actions and Hit and Run attacks.
  • When losing Crew Population, lose one less than normal.
  • +10 bonus on all Pilot tests to increase speed
  • +1d5 Speed during any Manoeuvre action when the ship 
  does not turn
  • –10 penalty on all tests made while on silent running
  • +20 bonus on all pilot tests to ram an enemy ship
  usiNG bruTe rAm ships
  Brute Ram Ships are a completely different 
  ship than the rest of the Freebooter armada. 
  Unlike most other Ork ships, they can turn 90 degrees, 
  rather than 45, and have a greater Manoeuvrability. 
  However, their weaponry is fairly weak. This makes 
  them almost the antithesis of other Ork vessels. 
  GMs can use Brutes in two ways. The first is to 
  challenge players with fast, light ships. In this case the 
  GM should use a squadron of several Brutes combining 
  their fire as per page 113. The second use, of course, is 
  to plow straight at an enemy vessel and attempt to tear 
  through them at maximum speed. This makes the Brute 
  a surprisingly dangerous threat to large, slow vessels, and 
  can prove a nasty surprise for overconfident Explorers.
  spAce hulks
  Amongst the methods Orks use to travel around 
  the galaxy few are as feared and treated with nigh-
  mythical status as the space hulk. Each comprised of 
  potentially dozens of derelict starship hulls, solid rock 
  and random debris, twisted together by the unnatural 
  forces of the Immaterium, space hulks occasionally 
  emerge from the warp near star systems.
  Genestealers, Orks or other creatures often board 
  space hulks as a means of migrating between star systems, 
  leaving the space hulk whenever it emerges from the warp 
  at the other end of its random voyage. Orks in particular 
  make considerable use of space hulks, and sometimes 
  gain control over their movements, with massive space 
  hulks forming the core of Ork invasion fleets.
  Within the Koronus Expanse, there are a few famous 
  space hulks. The Fist of Gork, which brought Morgaash 
  Kulgraz to the Expanse, is perhaps the best known space 
  hulk in Imperial memory. However, given the unusual 
  preponderance of Ork Freebooters within the Expanse, 
  and the vast number of Ork-constructed starships, the 
  need for space hulks is considerably lower.
  In game terms, a space hulk would be a massive 
  craft, with hundreds, even thousands of points of Hull 
  Integrity, dozens of weapon Components and a virtual 
  immunity to critical hits due to not being a true starship. 
  Further, many space hulks contain ancient technology, 
  relics of a former age, or other secrets of great value. 
  
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  roK
  Hull: Repurposed Asteroid 
   
  Class: Ork “Rok” 
   
   
  Dimensions: varied; up to 4 km in diameter
  Mass: varied 
   
   
  Crew: unknown 
   
   
  Accel: 1-2 gravities acceleration
  Roks are little more than large asteroids hollowed out and fitted with drives, guns and crew quarters. Typically incapable of 
  warp travel, the number of asteroids in most star systems is such that mekboyz can construct Roks upon arrival in a system. 
  Any system inhabited by Orks for any length of time will be home to an increasing number of Roks for this reason. Within 
  the Koronus Expanse, however, some enterprising meks have experimented with adding warp drives to Roks, allowing them to 
  accompany Ork fleets in raids across the region.
  Roks are tough, as only a repurposed asteroid can be, but almost completely lacking in manoeuvrability and incredibly slow. 
  However, they are extremely heavily armed, as befits an Ork spacecraft, and the speed with which they can be manufactured 
  makes them a particularly serious threat to Imperial shipping.
  Speed: 3  
   
  Manoeuvrability: –20 
   
   
  Detection: +0 
   
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 20  
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 90
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Keel 3
  essential components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engine, Big Teef, Single Void Shield Array, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  supplemental components
  2x Keel Loads o’ Gunz: (Macrobattery; Strength 1d5+3; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 6; Range 6)
  One of the following Weapon Components: 
  Torpedo Launcha (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 1d5; Damage 2d10+14, Terminal Penetration [3]; Range 35) These torpedo tubes 
  are loaded with Looted Torpedoes, and may be loaded with different torpedoes (such as boarding torpedoes) at the GM’s discretion. 
  ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3). 
  Stowage Bays: These loot-filled compartments are scattered across the ship, more because there was space to put something 
  than because they were designed to store anything. If the ship is captured with this Component intact, the captors gain 10 
  Achievement Points towards an Objective they are working towards.
  complications and special rules
  Repurposed Asteroid: Roks are not ships, but rather floating lumps of rock filled with Orks and laden with guns and engines. 
  Consequently, whenever a Component would be Damaged by a critical hit, roll a d10: on a 6+, the attack has struck nothing 
  but rock, and reduces the Rok’s Hull Integrity by 1d5 instead. A Rok deals 1d10 damage when it rams, as its ponderous speed 
  does not allow it to ram with particularly great force.
  Unwieldy Movement: Roks have only one possible Manoeuvre action. As a Manoeuvre Action, the Rok may move its Speed 
  straight forward. It may only increase or decrease its speed using the Flank Speed Extended Action or All Ahead Full order. At 
  the end of its movement, it can make a Challenging (+0) Pilot (Spacecraft) + Manoeuvrability Test. If successful, the Rok 
  to turn up to 90 degrees at the end of its normal movement. 
  In addition, roll once on Table 3–1 to generate one Ork upgrade. 
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to Ork Roks. These may be 
  further altered by the specific Components.
  • +10 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding 
  actions and Hit and Run attacks.
  • When losing Crew Population, lose one less than normal.
  • –10 penalty on all tests made while on silent running
  • Cannot increase or decrease its speed
  • Deals 1d10 damage when ramming
  • Critical Hits become 1d5 Hull Integrity Damage on a 
  1d10 roll of 6+
  usiNG roks
  Like Ork capital ships and attack ships, Roks 
  are tough and well armed, at the expense 
  of Manoeuvrability and void shields. Keel weapons 
  means a Rok can fire in all directions, essential due to 
  its extremely awkward turning.
  Roks are less likely to be found amongst Freebooter 
  fleets, but are common in Ork infested systems, where 
  they serve as fortresses, space installations, and crude 
  transports all in one. GMs can use them as obstacles to 
  be avoided or dealt with if the Explorers are delving 
  into an Ork system, defences around an Ork planet, or 
  even an ambush in an uncharted asteroid field. 
  
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  haMMer BaTTLeKrooZer
  Hull: Battlecruiser
  Class: Ork Battlekroozer
  Dimensions: 4.8 km long, 1.2 km abeam
  Mass: 30 megatonnes approx
  Crew: unknown
  Accel: 2.7 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  The Hammer-class “battlekroozer” has a myriad of myths 
  surrounding its origins. Some claim they were first built in the 
  empire of the Great Despot of Dregruk, others claim they are 
  scavenged Imperial cruisers formerly armed with Nova cannons, 
  while a few credit the Mekaniak Garzog under the infamous Tyrant Uzog Armripper. Certainly, the unique weapon system on the 
  Hammer’s prow was invented by Garzog, due to Uzog’s insane desire to have both torpedoes and big guns on his vessel. Garzog is 
  said to have rigged the Nova Cannon’s conduits to massive cylindrical launchas that could fire torpedoes or bombardment cannon 
  shells, but not both at once. Since he got the design half right, Uzog is said to have only ripped one of his arms off.
  Whatever its origins, the Hammer is a feared and hated vessel in the Expanse. There is only one known Hammer, the 
  Dethburna, and the Navy is known to rate only Da Wurldbreaka itself as more dangerous.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +2 
   
   
  Detection: +10  
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 24 prow, 20 port/starboard/stern 
  Hull Integrity: 95
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Dorsal 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components
  Supa Drive, Warp Engine, Big Teef, Mega Void Shield Projecta, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Kaptin’s Bridge, Searchy Gubbinz
  supplemental components
  Prow Kannonz Battery (Macrobattery; Strength 1d5+4; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 9)
  Garzog’s Dead Kunnin Device: This crazed invention can fire as either a torpedo launcha or a bombardment cannon, though not both 
  in the same turn. The following profiles are used depending on which weapon is chosen. (Macrobattery; Strength 5; Damage 1d10+6; 
  Crit Rating 2; Range 4) or (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 1d5+2; Damage 2d10+14, Terminal Penetration [3]; Range 35). The torpedo tubes 
  are loaded with Looted Torpedoes, and may be loaded with different torpedoes (such as boarding torpedoes) at the GM’s discretion.
  Dorsal Launch Bayz (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds 2 squadrons of Fighta-bommerz and 2 squadrons of Assault Boats.
  Port and Starboard Gunz Battery (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5+1; Damage 1d10+4; Crit Rating 6; Range 5)
  Port and Starboard ‘Eavy Gunz (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3)
  Da Hold: Typically laden with all manner of scrap, junk and detritus, the hold of an Ork kroozer is nonetheless likely to contain 
  at least some items of worth. If the ship is captured with this Component intact, the captors gain 100 Achievement Points.
  Armoured Prow: The bonuses for this gigantic snarling Ork visage are already included in the ship’s statistics.
  In addition, roll once on Table 3–1, and once on Table 3–2 to generate two Ork upgrades. 
  Modifier summary
  All modifiers that apply to Ork Kroozers apply to the Hammer class Battlekroozer. 
  deThburNA
  An Ork kroozer known to have plagued shipping across Winterscale’s Realm for a little over a decade, the ship identified as Dethburna 
  has resulted in the destruction of dozens of human and Eldar vessels. The vessel is now apparently embroiled in an escalating conflict 
  with the Rak’gol as their invasion routes cross into territory that Dethburna’s unknown kaptin seems to have claimed as his own.
  The identity of the Dethburna’s kaptin is a persistent mystery to the Imperial Navy and the Inquisition. The Ork has, against 
  the normal Ork inclination towards egotism and self-aggrandisement, refrained from announcing himself over vox channels or 
  otherwise revealing any sign of his specific nature.
  Dethburna is seldom encountered without an escort of attack ships, normally five or six of them. Against the majority of 
  transports and patrols, a half-dozen Ork raiders is a deadly threat. It takes a concerted effort to shift Dethburna and its “minions” 
  after it has found a new hunting ground, normally involving the Imperial Navy either despatching a task force or hiring a Rogue 
  Trader to drive away the Orks.
  Deathburna is a Hammer-class battlekroozer. To use the Deathburna use the above profile, but instead of rolling for Ork 
  Upgrades, give it the Kustom Enjinz, Dakka Control, and Traktor Field upgrades.  The Deathburna is run by the Blood 
  Axe Klan and has a Blood Axe crew. In addition, the ship is usually accompanied by two Savage gunships for close 
  support, and three to four Ravagers. A favoured tactic of Deathburna’s Kaptin is to have the Ravagers wildly shoot 
  their torpedoes at a foe from the side, hopefully forcing them to turn towards the Deathburna. 
  usiNG The hAmmer
  All the guidelines that apply to using Kill 
  Kroozers apply to the Hammer as well, with 
  the cautionary note that it is in every way a superior 
  vessel. The bombardment cannons make the ship 
  especially potent, and it can carry enough fighta-
  bommerz to protect itself against attack craft. This 
  ship should be reserved as a nemesis for a group of 
  Explorers, and is a challenging foe to defeat.
  
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  The Eldar
  “If we do not destroy one of your ships now and then, you will forget 
  who and what we are.”
  – Corsair Captain Shibán Nyssyn to a foe.
  P
  ossibly the oldest space-faring race in the galaxy, the Eldar 
  were travelling among the stars while mankind was still 
  learning to walk upright. Close to human in appearance, 
  Eldar tend to be taller and slimmer than the average Imperial 
  citizen, with sharply-angled features and distinctive pointed ears. 
  They are best known for the sublime grace of their movements as 
  well as possessing blindingly fast reflexes. A tremendously long-
  lived people, with life-spans measured in centuries, the Eldar are 
  also a slowly dwindling race. Their homeworld was lost long 
  ago during the catastrophic collapse of the Eldar civilisation, and 
  they are now scattered across the galaxy, mostly dwelling on 
  planet-sized spaceships known as Craftworlds.
  wrAiThboNe wArships
  Eldar starships, when compared to the massive cruisers of the 
  Imperium, seem almost fragile. Their ships lack the thick plating, 
  heavy prows, and bristling towers of Imperial Navy vessels, 
  instead sporting long masts which support the vessel’s sail-like 
  solar collectors. Their ships also have a sleeker shape, generally 
  possessing rounded, almost oval hulls, and an “organic” look 
  (although nowhere near the quasi-insectoid appearance of Tyranid 
  vessels). Naval officers sighting Eldar voidships for the first time 
  often dismiss them as easy prey for Imperial macrobatteries and 
  lances. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.
  The Eldar are perhaps the most accomplished starfarers in 
  the galaxy. Their ships are significantly more advanced than 
  those of the Imperium, and are equipped with technologies far 
  beyond the abilities of the Adeptus Mechanicus to understand, 
  much less duplicate. The hull of an Eldar ship is made not from 
  adamantium plating, but from a material called “wraithbone.” 
  Molded by Eldar craftsmen known as Bonesingers, wraithbone 
  is literally grown into what ever shape is needed, be it armour, 
  weapons, buildings, or kilometres-long voidships. Durable, 
  difficult to damage, and even capable to a certain degree of 
  self-repair, wraithbone is psychically active and on Eldar 
  ships replaces the vox units and cogitators found on Imperial 
  vessels. Wraithbone also manifests innate psychic shielding, 
  partially protecting the vessel (and its crew) against certain 
  manifestations from the void.
  Instead of crude plasma drives, the Eldar use vast solar sails 
  to collect the light of the stars. These sails allow Eldar ships to 
  move swiftly and securely, and are one of the reasons behind 
  their impressive and unparalleled manoeuvrability. Small 
  craft may only have a single solar sail, while larger craft may 
  have two or three, giving the ships the appearance of winged 
  creatures.
  Defensively, Eldar forego the use of void shields and instead 
  rely on their holofields for protection. A holofield confuses 
  a ship’s targeting sensors by creating multiple “ghost ships” 
  
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  randomly across an area of space. These ghosts mask the actual 
  location of the Elder ship. While this means an Eldar ship can 
  be nigh-impossible to hit, their lack of void shields renders 
  them vulnerable to those shots that do find their target. While 
  immensely sophisticated, even Eldar construction is not as 
  durable as multi-metre thick adamantium armour layers and 
  thousands of redundant components and replacement crew.
  The webwAy
  Possibly the greatest accomplishment of the Eldar is their ability 
  to travel the galaxy without entering the warp. Instead, they 
  utilise the “webway,” a network of warp tunnels dating back to 
  when the Eldar were the sole rulers of the galaxy. Capable of 
  transporting anything from a single Eldar on foot to an entire 
  space-borne battle fleet, the webway allows the Eldar to slip in 
  and out of Imperium space almost undetected. In addition, many 
  webway tunnels have planet-side terminus points, allowing the 
  Eldar to land almost anywhere they choose both quickly and 
  safely. This also means Eldar do not need to rely on the dubious 
  mechanisms of a warp drive or Gellar Field. 
  For those worlds without webway access, the Eldar utilise 
  the nearest webway egress to come as close as possible, then 
  move in at top speed. It is this same network that allows Eldar 
  Corsairs to strike without warning and then slip away almost 
  quickly as they came. Worse yet, the largest Eldar ships contain 
  internal webway points (known as “wraithgates”), which are 
  used to open warp portals to planetary surfaces so the Eldar can 
  swiftly deploy ground forces while simultaneously providing 
  covering fire from orbit.
  hiT ANd ruN
  Although possessing vastly superior technology to most other 
  races, this is often not enough to make up for the Eldar’s lack 
  of numbers. The Eldar are acutely aware of this and prefer 
  rapid strikes and lightning-quick raids to prolonged ship-to-
  ship conflicts. The use of wraithgates and the webway allows 
  the Eldar access to almost anywhere they choose, and is one 
  of the major reasons the Eldar are able to make the most of 
  their small numbers. By using a wraithgate in an otherwise 
  empty section of space, the Eldar can often assemble a fleet of 
  strike craft undetected, and either flank or bypass an enemy’s 
  defences. Once their raid is over, they can retreat the way they 
  came, vanishing silently into the void.
  eLdar Weaponry
  Offensively, the Eldar utilise advanced laser and plasma 
  weaponry backed by highly sophisticated torpedoes. A common 
  macrobattery weapon is the “starcannon,” consisting of clustered 
  plasma generators mounted in turrets. These starcannon are far 
  more powerful than the crew-served weapons of the same name 
  used by Eldar infantry and light vehicles. As accurate as they 
  are deadly, starcannon can wreck horrific damage on enemy 
  vessels with the preciseness of their fire. Once their starcannons 
  have battered down an enemy’s void shields, the Eldar turn to 
  their pulsar lances, which fire volleys of intense laser bolts, each 
  capable of ripping through a target starship. 
  phantom and pulsar Lances
  Similar in design to human lances, the Phantom Lance is used 
  on smaller vessels as it requires less energy to power.
  In contrast, the Pulsar Lance fires a burst of high-intensity laser 
  bolts. The energy requirements for this weapon are tremendous, 
  but a single Pulsar Lance can strike multiple devastating blows.
  Macroweaponry
  The Eldar disdain using shells and crude warheads on their 
  starships, preferring elegant and deadly laser and plasma-based 
  macrocannons. These potent weapons are devastatingly accurate. 
  Torpedoes
  Eldar torpedoes are equipped with holofields of their own, 
  to ensure they go undetected. In addition, they contain 
  highly sophisticated tracking and targeting systems and are 
  frighteningly effective at finding and hitting their targets.
  attack craft
  To complement their offensive weaponry, many Eldar vessels 
  also carry various forms of attack craft. These include Darkstar 
  fighters, which often serve as escorts for Eagle bombers. 
  For atmospheric operations, the Eldar utilise Nightwing 
  fighters and Phoenix ground-attack craft. When the time 
  comes to transport troops, the Vampire raider is brought into 
  play, along with the heavily-armed Vampire Hunter. Eldar 
  starfighters are among the most advanced in the galaxy; the 
  Darkstar is easily able to outrun and outmanoeuvre anything 
  fielded by the Imperial Navy. In addition, Eldar attack craft 
  possess holofields, making them nearly impossible to hit 
  when they make their attack runs. When coupled with their 
  armour-cracking sonic charges, this makes the Eagle one of 
  the most feared bombers in space.
  eldAr speciAl rules
  All Eldar ships are subject to the following special rules:
  Master Starfarers: The Eldar are some of the most skilled 
  voidfarers in existence and their ships are designed to make 
  the most of their talents. Any Eldar aboard an Eldar vessel 
  may re-roll any Piloting Tests for Manoeuvre Actions.
  Path of the Warrior: When a Craftworld Eldar vessel 
  engages in a boarding action, it doesn’t send mere ratings into 
  the fray. Instead, well trained and well armed Eldar Aspect 
  Warriors will lead the attack (or defence). Thus, Craftworld 
  Eldar receive +10 on any Command Tests made as part of 
  a Boarding Action and inflict 1d5+2 Crew Population and 
  1d5+2 Morale Damage to enemy ships (representing the ease 
  with which Aspect Warriors slaughter their foes).
  Limited Crew: The Eldar are not a numerous people and the size 
  of their ship’s crews reflect this. In addition, many Eldar vessels 
  are controlled in part (or whole) by an Infinity Circuit containing 
  the souls of dead Eldar, further reducing crew requirements. All 
  Eldar Crew Population losses are increased by one.
  Dedicated Crew: Any given Eldar has seen centuries 
  or even millennia pass by. Thus, they are highly 
  proficient in their duties and difficult to rattle. Any 
  time an Eldar ships loses Crew Morale, it loses 
  1 less point of Morale (to a minimum of 1).
  
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  Sailing On The Solar Winds: Ships equipped with Solar 
  Sails subtract one from their Speed value if they begin a 
  Strategic Turn moving towards the nearest sun, use listed 
  speeds while flying away, and add one to their Speed value 
  when moving at a (roughly) right angle to it. However, these 
  modifications only apply within a solar system and can be 
  ignored if the vessel is in deep space.
  Supreme Manoeuvrability: A ship with Solar Sails may 
  interrupt its Manoeuvre Action at any point to perform a 
  Shooting Action. Once the Shooting Action is resolved, it must 
  complete the remainder of its Manoeuvre Action. The limit of 
  one Shooting Action per turn still applies. In addition, all Eldar 
  vessels can make turns of 90 degrees, regardless of hull size.
  Holographic Cloaking: All attacks made against a ship 
  with a functioning Holofield suffer –40 to any Test to hit 
  in addition to any other penalties (for example, this would 
  include both a Ballistic Skill Test to hit the ship with lances, 
  and a Pilot (Space Craft) + Manoeuvrability Test to ram 
  the Holofield equipped ship). Macrobatteries, due to their 
  massive broadsides capable of filling a large area of space 
  with ordinance, only suffer a –20 to hit. Ships also suffer a 
  –30 to any attempts to use any Extended Actions against the 
  a holofielded ship that involve Detection (such as Lock on 
  Target and Focused Augury).
  Eldar Defensive Doctrine: Eldar ships have no Void Shields, 
  and always have their Holofield active unless it is destroyed.
  eldAr weApoN speciAl rules
  The following rules apply to certain Eldar weapons, reflecting 
  their radical and alien nature: 
  Superior Accuracy (Any Eldar Macrobattery): Eldar gain a 
  +10 to Ballistic Skill Tests made to fire any Eldar macrobattery.
  Pulsed Fire (Pulsar Lance Only): The Eldar long ago 
  mastered the technology of laser weapons, and their lances 
  are far superior to the crude lances used by other races. When 
  an Eldar pulsar lance scores a hit, roll to hit again, applying 
  the same bonuses and penalties. A pulsar lance can score up 
  three total hits when fired.
  Self-Guided Targeting (Eldar Torpedoes): All Eldar 
  Torpedoes use the rules for Seeking Torpedoes (see page 9). 
  Defensive Holofield (Eldar Torpedoes and Bombers): 
  Both Eldar torpedoes and anti-ship bombers have a powerful 
  holofield. The holofield negates any Turret Rating bonuses 
  the target ship would normally get when attempting to shoot 
  down in an incoming salvo or attack craft wave.
  corsair ships
  The typical Eldar Corsair vessel is the size of an Imperial light 
  cruiser and as well armed. Equipped with Pulsar Lances and 
  holofield-protected torpedoes, one such ship can easily shred 
  the average transport—not to mention giving a good account 
  of itself when facing raiders and frigates. Of course, most 
  Corsairs never hunt alone, and tend to travel in small 
  groups in order to combine their strengths to make 
  for an even greater whole.
  Due to their use of the webway, Eldar 
  Corsairs are often able to get extremely 
  close to a desired target before starting their attack. Once 
  they arrive, their holofields render them nearly invisible to 
  augurs of all kinds, while their ship’s solar sails enable them 
  to approach an unsuspecting victim without the glare of a 
  plasma drive to give them away.
  Once they begin their attack, Corsairs is relentless. They 
  strike swiftly and accurately, seeking to disable their targets, 
  usually by targeting the engines. To make matters worse, 
  attacking Eldar often divide into two (or more) wings, 
  enabling them to strike from several directions at once.
  Only after rendering their quarry adrift in space will the 
  Eldar board, at which point almost all hope is lost for the 
  remaining crew. In some ways, the Eldar known as the Crow 
  Spirits are the best of the lot, as they simply destroy ships 
  outright, as opposed to looting them and slaying the crew.
  holofields, Torpedoes, ATTAck 
  crAfT, ANd NovA cANNoNs
  The –40 penalty imposed on Tests to hit Holofield 
  equipped ships also affects the targeting of Nova 
  Cannons, torpedoes, and attack craft. However, the 
  ship does not have any protection against a Nova 
  Cannon exploding within 1 VU of the vessel—a 
  massive plasma explosion does not care if a holofield 
  equipped ship is actually a few hundred kilometres 
  away from where it appears to be. 
  
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  heLLeBore
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Hellebore-class frigate
  Dimensions: 1.8 km long approx, 0.3 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 5 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 9.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Gaining infamy as “the most heavily armed frigate in the Gothic Sector” during the devastating Gothic War, Hellebores are 
  designed to sow confusion among a target fleet through a swift dispersal of torpedoes. It then follows up with a barrage of 
  battery and pulsar fire.
  Speed: 14 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +42 
   
   
  Detection: +25  
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 14 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 25
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Keel 1
  essential components
  Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  Prow Pulsar Lance: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 2; Damage 2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration [3]) 
  These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes such as vortex 
  torpedoes at the GM’s discretion. This component has 12 torpedoes.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Hellebore.
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • May re-roll Pilot Tests for Manoeuvre Actions
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the Eldar ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 to any opponent’s Extended Actions that involve detecting 
  the Eldar ship. 
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon Cluster Battery.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use Seeking Rules.
  heMLocK
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Hemlock-class destroyer
  Dimensions: 1.4 km long approx, 0.2 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 4 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 9.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  This tiny vessel is built around the Pulsar Lance that runs the length of its spine. Little more than a flying gun, the Hemlock 
  uses its great speed to get as close as possible to its target before unleashing a ripping hail of lance fire.
  Speed: 15 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +40 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 12 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 18
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 0  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1
  essential components
  Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  usiNG The hellebore
  The Hellebore is a heavily armed and 
  dangerous frigate, able to deal with many 
  different threats with its wide range of weapons. 
  It is a perfect lone corsair ship for the Explorers 
  to encounter. However, GMs should note that the 
  Hellebore is a very dangerous ship, likely a match 
  for almost any frigate or smaller vessel. 
  The Hellebore uses its superior manoeuvrability 
  to  orient itself towards where its opponent’s 
  armour is weakest and launch torpedoes, then 
  close to destroy them with pulsar lances. Since the 
  Eldar are exceptionally cautious combatants, this 
  ship is very likely to flee if it becomes crippled. 
  Gaining infamy as “the most heavily armed frigate in the Gothic Sector” during the devastating Gothic War, Hellebores are 
  orpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use Seeking Rules.
  ship is very likely to flee if it becomes crippled. 
  
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  supplemental components
  Prow Pulsar Lance: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit 
  Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  complications and special rules
  Skeleton Crew: The Hemlock’s crew is tiny, even for an Eldar ship. 
  While it’s sufficient to operate the ship in combat, that’s about it. 
  Thus, the Hemlock automatically fails opposed Tests in boarding 
  actions with 1d5+1 degrees of failure.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Hemlock:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the Eldar ship with lances, torpedoes, attack craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 to any opponent’s Extended Actions that involve detecting the Eldar ship. 
  nighTshade
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Nightshade-class destroyer
  Dimensions: 1.3 km long approx, 0.3 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 4 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 9.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Larger than the Hemlock, the Nightshade-class destroyer is designed to close, deploy torpedoes, 
  and flee, much like its Imperial counterpart, the Cobra destroyer. Usually deployed in squadrons 
  of three or four, Nightshade-class vessels make rapid attack runs on their target, firing torpedoes 
  as they close and then covering their retreat with a barrage from their macroweapons.
  Speed: 14 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +45 
   
   
  Detection: +24 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 14 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 20
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Keel 1
  essential components
  Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration 
  [3]) These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes 
  such as vortex torpedoes at the GM’s discretion. This Component has 24 torpedoes.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Nightshade:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon Cluster Battery.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use Seeking Rules.
  usiNG The hemlock
  The Hemlock is basically a flying 
  weapon. With weak armour and low 
  Hull Integrity, a Hemlock cannot survive more 
  than one or two hits. However, its pulsar lance is 
  incredibly dangerous—if it can hit more than once. 
  For this reason, the GM should field Hemlocks in 
  squadrons of two or three for a real challenge. 
  Hemlocks dart in, showering their opponents 
  in lance fire, and then break away, trying to 
  manoeuvre to make it very difficult to be caught 
  in return fire. Since the Eldar are exceptionally 
  cautious combatants, this ship is very likely to flee 
  if it becomes crippled. 
  usiNG The NiGhTshAde
  Nightshades are slightly more survivable 
  than the Hemlock, and benefit from a 
  slightly more rounded weapon loadout as well. As 
  their primary weapons are their torpedoes, their 
  tactics revolve around manoeuvring to weak points in 
  a target’s hull, launching a close salvo, then breaking 
  off to rearm. Typically, these ships operate in groups 
  of two to three. Like most Eldar ships, Nightshades 
  typically flee when crippled, to avoid destruction.
  y opponent’s Extended Actions that involve detecting the Eldar ship. 
  Larger than the Hemlock, the Nightshade-class destroyer is designed to close, deploy torpedoes, 
  and flee, much like its Imperial counterpart, the Cobra destroyer. Usually deployed in squadrons 
  of three or four, Nightshade-class vessels make rapid attack runs on their target, firing torpedoes 
  as they close and then covering their retreat with a barrage from their macroweapons.
  Detection: +24
  Hull Integrity:
  
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  aurora
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Aurora-class light cruiser
  Dimensions: 3.4 km long, 0.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 12 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 9 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  The Aurora-class Light Cruiser is fairly typical of Eldar Corsair ship design. It is fast, 
  very manoeuvrable, and possesses a significant level of firepower. Curiously, its solar sails 
  are mounted not only dorsally but to port and starboard as well, mimicking the configuration 
  of the larger Eldar cruisers and battlecruisers. These ships seem to be popular amongst Corsair fleets in the Koronus Expanse, 
  along with the extremely similar Solaris-class light cruiser. For more information on the Solaris-class light cruiser, see edge of 
  The aBySS.
  Speed: 14 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +43 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 48
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Keel 1
  essential components
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  2 Prow Pulsar Lances: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration [3]) 
  These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes such as vortex 
  torpedoes at the GM’s discretion. This Component has 24 torpedoes. 
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Stowage Bays: Corsair vessels aren’t interested in trade, and store 
  whatever cargo they acquire from a captured vessel in these smaller 
  bays. However, if this ship is captured with this Component intact, 
  the captors gain 25 Achievement Points.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Nightshade:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use Seeking Rules.
  ecLipse cruiser
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Eclipse-class cruiser
  Dimensions: 4.7 km long approx, 1.4 km abeam at wings.
  Mass: 18 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 8 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  The Eclipse class is one of the most feared Corsair voidships as it combines heavy firepower (courtesy of 
  the paired Pulsar Lances in the prow) with multiple squadrons of attack craft (usually evenly split between 
  Darkstar fighters and Eagle bombers). This allows a single Eclipse carrier to eviscerate a convoy of civilian and 
  military vessels.
  Speed: 9  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +22 
   
   
  Detection: +25 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 60
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Keel 2
  usiNG The AurorA
  Auroras are light cruisers, and extremely 
  dangerous opponents. Their armament 
  of dual Pulsar Lances allows them to fire up to six 
  times in a single turn. Even without macrobatteries to 
  absorb shields, the pulsar lances can devastate a capital 
  ship. In addition, the Aurora is manoeuvrable enough 
  to outrun most raiders and frigates. GMs should not 
  put their group against an Aurora unless they have a 
  very powerful ship or need a taxing challenge.
  In combat, Auroras launch volleys of torpedoes 
  to pick off smaller ships, then close with the 
  larger targets, destroying them with brutal pulsar 
  lance fire. They will generally retreat if reduced to 
  5 Hull Integrity or less.
  The Eclipse class is one of the most feared Corsair voidships as it combines heavy firepower (courtesy of 
  the paired Pulsar Lances in the prow) with multiple squadrons of attack craft (usually evenly split between 
  Darkstar fighters and Eagle bombers). This allows a single Eclipse carrier to eviscerate a convoy of civilian and 
  
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  essential components
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  2 Prow Pulsar Lances: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit 
  Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  2 Keel Landing Bays: (Launch Bay; Strength 2) Each bay holds two 
  squadrons of Darkstar fighters and two squadrons of Eagle bombers, 
  for four squadrons of each total. 
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Stowage Bays: Corsair vessels aren’t interested in trade, and store 
  whatever cargo they acquire from a captured vessel in these smaller 
  bays. However, if this ship is captured with this Component intact, 
  the captors gain 50 Achievement Points.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Eclipse:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • If it loses Crew Population, it loses 1 additional Crew.
  • If it loses Crew Morale, it loses 1 less Morale (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • If this ship is captured with the Stowage Bays Component intact, 
  the captors gain 50 Achievement Points.
  shadoW cruiser
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Shadow-class cruiser
  Dimensions: 4.7 km long approx, 1.4 km abeam at wings.
  Mass: 16 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 8 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  The Shadow class combines tremendous speed, manoeuvrability, and offensive firepower into a single, highly-effective package. 
  The bane of Imperial shipping in the Koronus Sector, Shadow-class cruisers normally form the centre of a Corsair strike fleet.
  Speed: 9  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +26 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 60
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 3, Keel 1
  usiNG eldAr cruisers
  Eldar escorts are a significant but 
  not 
  insurmountable 
  challenge—
  their powerful weaponry and ability to avoid 
  hits balanced by their lack of Armour and Hull 
  Integrity. If one can land a hit, it is likely to 
  do serious damage. Eldar cruisers are another 
  matter. Their additional Hull Integrity gives 
  them durability and while their manoeuvrability 
  and speed are lower, they still rival the best 
  Imperial escorts. Both cruisers are some of the 
  most dangerous  Eldar ships, a difficult match for 
  anything less than a full cruiser one on one.
  Eclipses dance around the edges of a conflict, 
  barraging their opposition with fighters and bombers. 
  If a damaged target presents itself, they dart in and 
  destroy it with Pulsar Lance fire before falling back. 
  Shadows can be slightly more aggressive, shaking 
  targets with torpedoes before closing to deliver 
  punishing volleys of starcannon fire. Both generally 
  retreat if reduced to 5 Hull Integrity or less.
  essential components
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life 
  Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  3 Prow Starcannon Cluster Batteries: (Macrobattery; Strength 
  4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 
  2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration 
  [3]) These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, 
  though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes at the 
  GM’s discretion. This Component has 32 torpedoes. 
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Stowage Bays: Corsair vessels aren’t interested in trade, and 
  store whatever cargo they acquire from a captured vessel in 
  these smaller bays. However, if this ship is captured with this 
  Component intact, the captors gain 50 Achievement Points.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Shadow:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 
  Movement if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered. (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, 
  attack craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with 
  macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon 
  Cluster Battery.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use 
  Seeking Rules.
  The Shadow class combines tremendous speed, manoeuvrability, and offensive firepower into a single, highly-effective package. 
  retreat if reduced to 5 Hull Integrity or less.
  
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  craFTWorLd ships
  An Eldar Craftworld is a sight never to be forgotten. The size 
  of a small planet (or even larger), they drift serenely through 
  deep space, travelling paths known only to the Eldar Farseers. 
  Made from wraithbone, the same material used to create Eldar 
  armour, vehicles, and starships, Craftworlds are all the Eldar 
  have left to remind them of their past glories.
  Craftworlds are usually well guarded by large battlefleets. 
  Normally, these fleets remain close to their respective worlds, 
  as there are space-borne threats enough to worry about. But, 
  there come times when the Eldar fleets will amass in force 
  and venture forth to do battle. Normally, such campaigns are 
  made in defence of a Maiden World—planets transformed 
  by the Eldar into lush paradises. More than once the Eldar 
  ruthlessly exterminated the unwanted inhabitants from one of 
  their Maiden Worlds, as they see any non-Eldar settlers to be 
  invaders, regardless of how long the colonists have dwelled 
  there or how long it’s been since the Eldar last visited.
  Craftworld ships range in size from small raiders (used for 
  close-in defence of the Craftworld itself ) to immense battleships 
  equal in size and power to the greatest of Imperial Navy vessels. 
  Their ships tend to be slower than those of the Corsairs, but 
  also sturdier and capable of enduring more punishment in a 
  traditional ship-to-ship engagement. It is almost unheard of for 
  Eldar corsairs to use craftworld ships, and vise versa. 
  The following is a sampling of Eldar Craftworld vessels. 
  Any such ships encountered in the Koronus Expanse are almost 
  certain to call Craftworld Kaelor home. This craftworld drifts 
  through the edges of the galaxy, its current course bringing it 
  close to the Calixis Sector and Koronus Expanse. 
  shadoWhunTer
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Shadowhunter-class escort
  Dimensions: .8 km long approx, 0.15 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 3 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 10 gravities max sustainable acceleration (minimum)
  These tiny vessels are among the smallest encountered in Eldar fleets. Almost always found in small packs, they’re primarily 
  used for close defence of Craftworlds and rarely (if ever) venture far out into deep space. Incredibly agile, even for an Eldar ship, 
  Shadowhunters are capable of engaging enemy fighter craft directly (usually with their starcannons) and often engage in rapid 
  strafing actions against larger capital ships. When defending their Craftworld, the Shadowhunters act as the last line of defence, 
  swarming over anything that manages to get past the other, larger, Eldar ships and pursuing their quarry down almost to the 
  surface of the Craftworld itself.
  Speed: 15 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +50 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 14 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 15
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 0  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1
  essential components
  Small Solar Sails, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  Choose one of the following weapon Components:
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Batteries: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Prow Phantom Lance: (Lance; Strength 1; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 6)
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  
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  complications and special rules
  Limited Resources: Shadowhunters are designed to operate in close proximity to their Craftworld with limited crews and normally 
  only stock about a month’s worth of supplies. In addition, Shadowhunters may not initiate boarding actions or Hit and Run Attacks. 
  Small and Agile: Due to their small size and phenomenal manoeuvrability, Shadowhunters are capable of attacking and 
  destroying torpedoes and attack craft. A Shadowhunter ignores penalties for firing on such targets.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Shadowhunter:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 Movement 
  if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • +10 to any Command Tests that are part of a Boarding Action.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered. (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon Cluster Battery.
  WraiThship
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Wraithsip-class light cruiser
  Dimensions: 3 km long approx, 0.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 12 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 8.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Wraithships are almost the prototypical Craftworld Eldar vessel. Formed, like all other Eldar ships, from wraithbone, Wraithships 
  are noted for their clean, elegant lines and almost unnatural agility for a craft nearly three kilometres in length. A mainstay 
  of craftworld fleets, it’s said Wraithships don’t so much as dive to the attack as they swoop like a bird of prey.
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +24 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 18 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 55
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Keel 1
  essential components
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, 
  Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  Choose two prow weapons from the following list:
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 
  4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Prow Pulsar Lance: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  Choose one keel weapon from the following list: 
  Keel Landing Bay: (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds two squadrons of Darkstar fighters and two squadrons 
  of Eagle bombers (or their craftworld equivalents, the Nightwing fighter and the Phoenix bomber)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration [3]) 
  These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes at the GM’s 
  discretion. This Component has 32 torpedoes. 
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  usiNG shAdowhuNTers
  Shadowhunters are intended to operate 
  in squadrons, typically at least one lance-
  armed ship and two or more starcannon armed 
  vessels. Their weapons are too weak to prove a 
  threat to anything but vessels of comparable size 
  otherwise.  Due to their limited resources, they 
  do not range far from their craftworld unless 
  accompanying a major Eldar fleet. 
  In fleet actions, Shadowhunters pick off other 
  escorts and defend larger Eldar warships against 
  ordinance attacks, intercepting attack craft and 
  torpedoes before they can hit the cruisers. However, 
  Shadowhunter captains are well aware of their fragile 
  vessels, and are willing to break off engagements 
  rather than destroy themselves needlessly. 
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Wraithship:
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 
  Movement if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Inflict 1d5+2 Crew Population and Morale Damage 
  when part of a Boarding Action.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered. (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, 
  attack craft or by ramming. –20 to hit the ship with 
  macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon 
  Cluster Battery.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use 
  Seeking Rules.
  are noted for their clean, elegant lines and almost unnatural agility for a craft nearly three kilometres in length. A mainstay 
  of craftworld fleets, it’s said Wraithships don’t so much as dive to the attack as they swoop like a bird of prey.
   
   
   
  Detection: +20
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 55
   
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
   Prow 2, Keel 1
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, 
   (Macrobattery; Strength 
  4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
   (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 3; Pulsed Fire)
  (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds two squadrons of Darkstar fighters and two squadrons 
  of Eagle bombers (or their craftworld equivalents, the Nightwing fighter and the Phoenix bomber)
  
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  dragonship
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Dragon-class cruiser
  Dimensions: 4.5-5.5 km long approx, 0.4-0.6 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 16-20 megatonnes, approx.
  Crew: Unknown
  Accel: 7-8 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  The name “dragonship” doesn’t refer to a 
  specific Eldar vessel per se, but instead to a 
  wide variety of similar ships designed along t h e 
  same basic layout. These ships are usually identifiable by their size—they’re among the largest in the Eldar fleet, and by the 
  use of the name “dragon” as part of the ship’s class. In fact, the Eldar often give them unique names based on their weapon 
  configurations and roles in battle. 
  For example, the Ghost Dragon is so named because they have virtually no crew and are instead piloted solely by the ship’s 
  Infinity Circuit, where void Dragons are equipped for extended operations away from the craftworld. Craftworld Kaelor utilises 
  the Night Dragons—designed to be hard to detect and possess highly-advanced auger arrays, Nova Dragons—armed almost 
  exclusively with starcannon cluster batteries to serve as close-in support during fleet actions, and Star Dragons—which use 
  massed pulsar lances to engage enemy vessels. There may be other Dragons as well, with different weaponry and uses.
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +20 
   
   
  Detection: +18 
  Void Shields: —  
  Armour: 18 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 60
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 3, Keel 2
  essential components
  Large Solar Sails, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Eldar Life Sustainer, Eldar Crew Quarters, Sensor Array
  supplemental components
  The following represents the a configuration for each sub-class. Each sub-class has a combination of the following weapons:
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 4; Superior Accuracy)
  Prow Pulsar Lance: (Lance; Strength 1, Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 6; Pulsed Fire)
  Keel Landing Bay: (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds two squadrons of Darkstar fighters and two squadrons of Eagle 
  bombers (or their craftworld equivalents, the Nightwing fighter and the Phoenix bomber)
  Keel Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 6; Damage 2d10+14; Range 40; Defensive Holofield, Terminal Penetration [3]) 
  These torpedo tubes are loaded with Eldar plasma torpedoes, though they could also be loaded with different torpedoes at the GM’s 
  discretion. This Component has 32 torpedoes. 
  usiNG wrAiThships ANd drAGoNships
  Craftworld Eldar capital ships are a rare and highly dangerous sight in the Koronus Expanse, and Explorers should 
  seldom encounter one randomly. Unlike Eldar Corsairs, the ships of a Craftworld are akin to an Eldar navy, and thus 
  are only deployed in specific actions. Should one or more Craftworld Eldar vessels appear, it should be for a reason. 
  Aside from Void Dragons, these vessels are seldom encountered on their own. They are more likely to operate as part of a 
  squadron, or at the least with a squadron of Shadowhunter escorts. Their tactics vary depending on their weapon loadout—carrier 
  vessels are likely to remain on the edges of a combat launching attack craft, while those with more Pulsar Lances and macroweapons 
  are likely to close to do more damage. Craftworld Eldar capital ships generally retreat if reduced to five or less Hull Integrity. 
  GhosTships
  As the Eldar decline, and their numbers dwindle, some ships become near-abandoned. Certain craftworlds, notably 
  Iyanden, place additional spirit stones on these ships, so that they may be piloted by the spirits of the Eldars’ dead 
  ancestors. These spirits may augment the operations of the remaining crew, or the ship may be crewed entirely by 
  the dead through the ship’s Infinity Circuit. However, in all cases, such vessels must be commanded by a Spiritseer, a 
  powerful Eldar psyker who has dedicated his powers to communing with the souls of the departed. 
  Any Wraithship or Dragonship may become a Ghostship by applying the following rules:
  No Crew: A Ghost Dragon cannot lose Crew Population or Morale, as there is no crew to lose. Due to the lack of crew, 
  the Ghost Dragon automatically fails Tests for Hit and Run Attacks and Boarding Actions by 1d5+1 degrees of failure, 
  and cannot engage in such Extended Actions or orders that would directly affect a crew. 
  Wraithsight: The Ghost Dragon suffers a –5 penalty to any Detection Tests due to the imprecise way souls embedded 
  the Infinity Circuit perceive the outside universe.
  Dimensions: 4.5-5.5 km long approx, 0.4-0.6 km abeam approx.
  The name “dragonship” doesn’t refer to a 
  specific Eldar vessel per se, but instead to a 
  wide variety of similar ships designed along t h e 
  same basic layout. These ships are usually identifiable by their size—they’re among the largest in the Eldar fleet, and by the 
  same basic layout. These ships are usually identifiable by their size—they’re among the largest in the Eldar fleet, and by the 
  
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  Void dragon
  Void Dragons are outfitted for extended void operations, with 
  additional supplies and resources. 
  Weapons: Two Prow Pulsar Lances, one Prow Starcannon 
  Cluster Battery, two Keel Landing Bays.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Extended Supply Vaults: A Void Dragon may remain at void 
  for up to two years before suffering from Crew Population 
  and Morale loss. In addition, any successful Extended Repairs 
  repair an additional 5 points of Hull Integrity. 
  night dragon
  Night Dragons are possibly unique to Craftworld Kaelor, 
  with boosted sensory abilities. 
  Weapons: One Prow Pulsar Lance, Two Prow Starcannon 
  Cluster Batteries, two Keel Landing Bays.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Psychic Augurs: The Night Dragon gains +10 Detection, 
  and may re-roll any failed Detection-related Test.
  nova dragon
  Nova Dragons have one purpose, the destruction of their 
  enemies. Their starcannons allow them to vaporize enemy 
  ships, and their keel bays are filled with torpedoes.
  Weapons: Three Prow Starcannon Cluster Batteries, one 
  Keel Torpedo Tubes.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  star dragon
  Star Dragons are a threat to large vessels, able to ignore the 
  thickest armour with their multiple Pulsar Lance batteries.
  Weapons: Three Prow Pulsar Lances, one Keel Torpedo Tubes.
  Holofield: See page 86 for full rules.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Dragonship (this may 
  change depending on what weapons they are armed with):
  • –1 Movement if heading towards the nearest sun, +1 
  Movement if at right angle, no effect if moving away.
  • Inflict 1d5+2 Crew Population and Morale Damage 
  when part of a Boarding Action.
  • Add 1 to Crew Population loss suffered.
  • Subtract 1 from Morale loss suffered. (to a minimum of 1).
  • –40 on any Test to hit the ship with lances, torpedoes, attack 
  craft or ramming. –20 to hit the ship with macrobatteries.
  • –30 on any Extended Action involving Detection.
  • +10 to all Ballistics Tests involving the Starcannon 
  Cluster Battery.
  • Torpedoes negate Turret Rating bonuses and use 
  Seeking Rules.
  The sWord oF eLissar
  Due to its archaic design, the Sword of Elissar is one of the 
  few readily-identifiable Eldar ships found in the Koronus 
  Expanse. Apparently a singular vessel, the ship is rumoured 
  to be many millennia old, with stories of its predations on 
  human settlements and convoys going back as far as anyone 
  can remember. The flagship of the Crow Spirits’ fleet, the 
  Sword has been seen more and more often recently, as the 
  Crow Spirits have stepped up their attacks on both the human 
  inhabitants of the Expanse as well as their fellow Eldar.
  What seems strange to those few Rogue Traders who 
  have seen the Sword and survived, is that the ship follows the 
  design of Craftworld vessels, rather than Corsair vessels. This 
  reinforces other observations about the Crow Spirits, in that 
  they seem more like Craftworld Eldar than Eldar Corsairs.
  The Sword of Elissar is a Void Dragon, with several 
  modifications. Use the following rules, plus the Void Dragon 
  weapon configuration and rules (except when noted below) 
  when using the Sword. 
  Extra-Large Solar Sails: The Sword of Elissar possesses a 
  unique solar sail configuration among Eldar voidships. It has 
  four; one mounted to a tall dorsal mast, one to an equally 
  long ventral mast, and two attached to the port and starboard 
  outriggers. These sails grant the ship +5 Manoeuvrability and 
  provide enough power for its additional systems.
  Keel Suncannon Battery: Unlike most Void Dragons, 
  the Sword has one less Keel Launch Bay, but instead, is 
  armed with an additional, long-range laser battery with the 
  following stats: (Macrobattery: Strength 4; Damage 1d10+3; 
  Crit Rating 4; Range 9; Superior Weapon Accuracy). 
  Veteran of a Thousand Stellar Wars: The Sword is old 
  even by Eldar standards. Its voyages have taken it across the 
  sector and beyond, and there’s little the ship and its crews 
  haven’t experienced. While its great age has taken its toll, 
  the Sword still sails. The ship gains a +10 bonus to all Repair 
  Tests, and a +5 to all Ballistic Tests to fire its weapons.
  Modifier summery 
  The Sword benefits from all applicable modifiers from the list 
  of Dragonship modifiers.
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  Fleet Communiqué 
  Sent: Astropath Ternicus-136.815.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of 
  the Gryphon and Officer Commanding of 
  Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain 
  of the Hawk, on extended operations, the 
  Koronus Expanse 
  I have to admit, when I first saw an 
  Eldar voidship, I wondered what there 
  was to fear. Their ships seemed to be 
  so fragile, mere shells that could 
  never stand up to the might of our 
  macrobatteries and lances. This was 
  before I had seen them in battle.
  How, Nathan, can a ship move like that? 
  They have a grace and elegance unlike 
  any I’ve seen and make our frigates and 
  cruisers look ponderous by comparison. 
  To make matters worse, their holofields 
  confuse our auger arrays and cogitators, 
  rending them nearly impossible to target 
  and destroy. I’d almost prefer fighting 
  an Ork fleet than to firing broadsides 
  into the void in the vain hope of 
  landing a lucky hit.
  Then again, there’s nothing more 
  satisfying then when a shot lands. While 
  it might be nigh-impossible to hit an 
  Eldar ship, a few solid strikes leaves 
  them crippled in the void.
  Communiqué Ends
  
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  The Stryxis
  “Depart in 60 seconds or you fire upon us, honoured biped? Hmmm…
  what if we leave in 180 seconds and we exchange five of our crew for 
  one of your fine, proud, biped ships? No? Ten of our crew?”
  – Unidentified Stryxian vessel, making a counteroffer
  T
  he Stryxis are a mysterious race, whose sole motivation 
  seems at first glance to be an almost obsessive 
  addiction to haggling. While other species’ interstellar 
  communications consist of territorial warnings, boasts and 
  threats, the Stryxis broadcast cautious, wheedling entreaties 
  to all within vox range to engage in mutually-beneficial trade. 
  The Stryxis encountered by humanity within the 
  Koronus Expanse seem to be an entirely spaceborne species; 
  no homeworld for the race has yet been identified. While 
  uncommon, they seem to regard the region as within their 
  sphere of influence, and seem to be very well informed 
  regarding major developments from the Stations of Passage 
  to the edges of the Rifts of Hecaton.
  Stryxis vessels tend to travel in small convoys of three to 
  five craft. They typically shy away from conflict, though the 
  Rogue Trader Jabez Caul—who has had many dealings with 
  these unpredictable aliens—has reported witnessing them, on 
  occasion, engaging in frighteningly intense battles with other 
  Stryxian convoys. The motive for this internecine conflict 
  remains unknown, though it is rumoured Stryxis caravans 
  engage in opportunistic piracy when faced with a notably 
  weaker or outnumbered opponent. 
  sTryXis VesseLs
  Imperial Navy intelligence tentatively classes the larger 
  Stryxian vessels as “Xebecs,” with the smaller vessels referred 
  to as “caravan vessels.” It is unusual to place an entire xenos 
  race’s ships into two classes, but Stryxian vessels defy 
  established classification. 
  In appearance, Stryxis Xebecs vary tremendously. They are 
  caravan vessels in the most literal sense of the word. Each Xebec 
  consists of a vessel (usually a bulk transport, although raiders, 
  frigates, and even light cruisers have been used) retrofitted with 
  massive plasma drives. Stretching behind it on hundreds of 
  huge chains are the stripped hulls of additional vessels, as many 
  as four or five to a Xebec. These vessels are almost always of 
  human or another alien manufacture. The Stryxis seem to live 
  in the stripped hulls as well as the lead vessel, though they’ve 
  also been known to sell a hull to an interested party. 
  The Navy is particularly perplexed by the baffling inconsistencies 
  in Stryxian technology; while some Xebecs bear the latest Imperial 
  technologies, others rely on truly primitive spacefaring techniques, 
  such as the use of centrifugal force to create artificial gravity. There 
  seems to be no logic to Stryxian shipbuilding (such as it is) and 
  it helps cement their reputation as rag-merchants and scavengers. 
  Although Stryxian Xebecs appear to use plasma drives, 
  Explorators who have had the opportunity to observe Stryxis 
  ships are convinced they actually utilise a more potent power 
  source, hidden somewhere in their ship. Many observers have 
  also speculated regarding the nature of Stryxian warp travel. 
  They certainly appear to travel through the warp, though no 
  one is sure how they navigate within it. Some have suggested 
  that they are making short, unguided hops, in the manner of the 
  Chartist Captains, but others point to instances of previously 
  identified Xebec caravans appearing at different ends of the 
  Expanse within only a few months, something humanity 
  can only achieve using the Astronomicon and Navigators. 
  Any attempts to ascertain the truth behind this are met with 
  long and conflicting stories from the Stryxis, each and every 
  one undoubtedly a lie. If there is one constant for the Stryxis 
  besides their willingness to trade and hatred of the Eldar, it is a 
  universal refusal to reveal secrets about themselves.     
  sTryxis compoNeNTs
  Although most Stryxis ships make do with devices and 
  Components scavenged from other races, they do show some 
  glimpses of their own strange technology.  
   
  Xenos Warp engine
  The Stryxis seem to use a type of warp drive similar to 
  humans, though the exact workings are unknown. When 
  asked, Stryxis often mention “warp currents unseen by two 
  eyes,” but give no further details. 
  phase-reality Field
  These seem to protect against warp incursion by keeping a 
  vessel slightly out of phase with its surroundings during transit. 
  ghost-field array
  Certain Mechanicus agents would dearly love to obtain 
  a sample of this technology, as it provides more robust 
  protection than that found on Imperial vessels for what seems 
  to be the same power draw. 
  stryxis environmental architect
  The Stryxis are oxygen-breathers like humanity, but prefer 
  damp, humid, and cool surroundings. They tend to use their 
  own sustainer systems for this reason.
  ghost-eye deep Void scanner
  The scanning devices the Stryxis use are extremely potent. 
  However, even when they actively scan an opponent, they are 
  all but undetectable. 
  sTryxis weApoNry
  Strangely, weapons are one area where the Stryxis show 
  absolutely no interest in using salvage from other races. 
  They almost exclusively use their own inscrutable 
  technology instead.
  The Stryxis do not utilise lance weapons, 
  tending to prefer exotic energy weapons that 
  
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  sTryXis XeBec
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Xenos merchant trader
  Dimensions: varies wildly.
  Mass: varies wildly.
  Crew: 10,000-30,000 crew approx (most will be non-Stryxis).
  Accel: varies wildly.
  The Stryxis Xebec is one of the largest caravans The Stryxis “vessel” often consists of several scavenged ship hulls from any 
  number of races, towed in a line by a vessel augmented with additional engines. Sometimes the Stryxis will even sell individual 
  hulls off their “caravan.” 
  Speed: 3  
   
  Manoeuvrability: –10 
   
   
  Detection: +50 
  Void Shields: 3  
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 55
  Morale: 95 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Keel 1, Port 1, Starboard 1
  essential components
  Xenos warp engine, Phase-reality field, Scavenged Lathe-pattern Class 1 Drive, Ghost-field Array, Scavenged Commerce Bridge, 
  Stryxis environmental architect, Pressed-crew quarters, Ghost-eye scanner
  supplemental components
  Multiple Cargo Holds: The Stryxis make use of the holds on all 
  their scavenged hulls. Although unlikely, should this ship be involved 
  in working towards a Trade objective, it earns an additional 100 
  Achievement Points towards completing that objective. If this ship is 
  attacked and looted while this Component is undamaged, it grants 
  an additional 1d10x10 Achievement Points towards any one of the 
  Explorers’ current Objectives. 
  Dorsal and Keel Ghost-light Macroweapon: (Macrobattery: Strength 
  4, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 6, Range 5)
  Port and Starboard Ghost-light Macroweapon Batteries: 
  (Macrobattery: Strength 6, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 6, Range 5)
  Augmented Retro-thrusters: The bonuses for this Component have 
  already been factored into this ship’s profile. 
  Slave and Brute Barracks: Although unlikely, should this ship be 
  involved in working towards a Military or Trade objective, it earns an 
  additional 50 Achievement Points towards completing that objective.
  Stowage Bays: Stryxis ships often have massive holds, though 
  the chances they are full of junk is quite likely. If this ship 
  is captured with this Component intact, the captors gain 
  1d100 Achievement Points towards any Objective they 
  may be working on.
  have an utterly lethal effect on the crews inside starships. These 
  are referred to as “Ghost-light” macroweapons by those who have 
  encountered them, and are utterly reviled by most voidsmen. 
  Stories abound of corridors filling with a pale gray light—like 
  fog before dawn—and crewmen keeling over dead without a 
  mark on their bodies. 
  sTryxis speciAl rules
  The following rules apply to all Stryxis ships that contain 
  these Components (other xenos components can be assumed 
  to behave mechanically to their Imperial counterparts)
  Forth Eye Currents (Xenos Warp Engine): This 
  Component works in the same way as a Warp Drive, but 
  when used has a 40 percent chance of decreasing a voyage 
  time by 1d10 months, to a minimum of one day. 
  Sights Unseen (Ghost-eye Deep Void Scanner): Stryxis 
  ships may use any actions involving active scanning while on 
  Silent Running and remain undetected (or may use such actions 
  at other times, such as alongside a trading partner, without 
  other parties being able to detect any emissions or activity). 
  Ghost-light (Ghost-light Macroweapons): Whenever a 
  hit from a Ghost-light Macroweapon strikes a ship and is 
  not absorbed by void shields—even if it does not do damage 
  to Hull Integrity—it does 1 damage to Crew Population. 
  In salvos, each individual hit still does 1 damage to Crew 
  Population. This damage is in addition to all normal effects 
  from macrobatteries.
  usiNG xebecs ANd 
  sTryxis ships
  The Stryxis are an interesting foe for 
  Explorers, and are a change of pace from the 
  powerful and dangerous Ork and Eldar ships. 
  Their powerful void shields make them a relatively 
  durable, though their low Manoeuvrability 
  and armour means that they can’t stand up to 
  sustained fire. However, any interactions with the 
  Stryxis should be based in interaction, bluffing, 
  and deceit as much—or more than—in combat.
  As a rule, Stryxis ships only attack starships that 
  appear weaker than them. If they are confronted 
  with a ship of equal or greater strength, they will 
  either deal, or flee. Also, if they are in danger of 
  being destroyed (10 Hull Integrity or less) they 
  will flee. 
  is XeBec
  Class: Xenos merchant trader
  Crew: 10,000-30,000 crew approx (most will be non-Stryxis).
  The Stryxis Xebec is one of the largest caravans The Stryxis “vessel” often consists of several scavenged ship hulls from any 
  Component works in the same way as a Warp Drive, but 
  from macrobatteries.
  
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  Humanity
  The Rak’Gol
  “It is fortunate that the Rak’Gol remain isolated. They are xenos 
  who worship dark gods and slay servants of the Imperium. 
  Inquisitors might come to blows over who could destroy them.”
  – Inquisitor Marr
  I
  t’s unclear if the Rak’Gol have recently discovered warp 
  travel by scavenging ships from other races or if they might 
  be the survivors of a dying race. As their vessels are best 
  characterised by haphazard repairs and an uneven appearance, 
  both opinions seem justified. In either case, their vessels share 
  common core architecture. The cylindrical core, balanced upon 
  a crude fission-powered drive, extends the length of the ship. 
  Asymmetric extensions run fore and aft of the core, in line with 
  it. Short fins extend irregularly from the hull. These vessels 
  are extensively decorated with crude symbols, randomly placed 
  armour plates, and a broad range of defensive turrets. 
  Fortunately for their potential victims, the fission-drives 
  that they use are unshielded. This likely subjects the crews to 
  unimaginable levels of radiation but offers a tremendous benefit 
  for targeted ships. These engines glow brightly on any auspex. 
  Word has spread that the best defence against a Rak’Gol attack 
  may be to flee at the first sign of an engine signature.
  Analyses of ships that have fallen prey to the Rak’Gol are 
  remarkably consistent. The remains of these ships are seldom more 
  than scavenged hulks. Any salvageable equipment is missing, and 
  the bodies of the crew are either completely missing or so badly 
  damaged as to be unidentifiable. Radiation scars mar the ship’s hull 
  and damaged Components that may take centuries to fade.
  Recent reports indicate that some Rak’Gol boarders take 
  prisoners. The reasons for this remain unclear, as does the 
  survivability of those prisoners under the harsh radiation 
  from the fission engines. Until one of these craft is closely 
  examined, it’s unlikely that any conclusions can be drawn.
  Anecdotal reports identify larger Rak’Gol vessels, 
  equipped with large atomic beam weapons. A few of these 
  reports suggest that these vessels may be accompanied by 
  squadrons of smaller vessels. Woe to the lone Imperial craft 
  that encounters such a squadron. 
  raK’goL coMponenTs
  The Components that go into Rak’Gol vessels tend to be of 
  inferior to human vessels, but nonetheless effective.
  drives
  Instead of the plasma drives of humanity, the Rak’Gol rely 
  on something referred to as a “fission-pulse” drive. These 
  drives are far inferior to the plasma drives of Imperial vessels, 
  based around an atomic reactor core and relying on explosive 
  “pulsed” fission reactions to move their ships through space. 
  In general they can accelerate to a decent speed, but fall far 
  short on manoeuvrability. 
  There are two broad classes of drives used by the Rak’Gol, 
  categorised by xenostechnologists as the “Stutter” class and 
  the “Burst” class, with the latter being the larger of the two. 
  Like the smaller “Stutter” class drives, the “Burst” drives of 
  the Rak’Gol are capable of accelerating to high velocities, 
  but are incapable of nimble manoeuvring. However, Imperial 
  captains tend to underestimate the brutal force behind them, 
  sometimes to their peril.
  wArp drive ANd proTecTive devices
  The Rak’Gol’s warp drives are far more advanced than the 
  xenos races’ other technology. Inspections of several hulked 
  Rak’Gol vessels revealed the warp drives seemed to have been 
  added to the Rak’Gol ships independently of the starship’s 
  construction. This was further borne out by strange crystalline 
  devices that make up part of the warp drives. 
  To protect against the predications of the warp, the 
  Rak’Gol seem to rely exclusively on a series of talismans, 
  charms, and symbols built into the hulls of their vessels. 
  life susTAiNer ANd crew quArTers
  Although the Rak’Gol seem able to breath oxygen, the 
  atmospheres aboard their ships are thick and choked with 
  noxious chemicals, as well as radiation from their unshielded 
  fission piles. This has lead xenostechnologists to derisively 
  dub their sustainer systems “fume sustainers.” Likewise, their 
  living quarters are hot, dry, and awash in radiation. 
  rAk’Gol weApoNs
  Rak’Gol tend towards macrobatteries firing swarms of 
  warheads, or unwieldy lance weapons. 
  howler cannons
  These weapons were nicknamed by the survivors of Rak’Gol 
  attacks, who described the sound of their shells impacting a 
  ship’s hull as an “unrelenting howl.” Howler Cannon batteries 
  fire massive and brutal barrages of ordinance to overwhelm 
  their targets with shear volume of fire.
  roarer Beam
  “The foulest bellow of the vile xenos,” these gigantic beam 
  weapon clusters seem to run the entire length of the largest 
  Rak’Gol ships. They fire rad-beams that voraciously eat 
  through the toughest armour.
  clanger Torpedo Tubes
  These tubes are capable of firing two torpedoes in each salvo. 
  They are always loaded with Boarding Torpedoes, which are 
  functionally identical to those used by Imperial vessels. 
  raider Landing Bay
  During combat, these bays are completely open to the void. 
  Docked assault craft are each attached to an airlock which 
  is used to load the vessels. In non-combat situations, 
  massive doors are closed to seal off the Component so 
  that the area may be used to conduct repairs and 
  maintenance—inasmuch as the Rak’Gol engage 
  in these activities.
  
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  rAk’Gol speciAl rules
  All Rak’Gol ships are subject to the following special rules:
  Unwieldy (Stutter and Burst drives): A ship using this drive suffers a 
  –10 to their manoeuvrability (included in the ship’s profile)
  Unshielded (Stutter and Burst drives): Ships equipped with 
  this drive suffer a –10 to any Silent Running attempts. When any 
  attempts are made to detect the vessel (any actions that use a ship’s 
  Detection, such as the Active Augury Extended Action), treat the 
  equipped starship as if it were 5 VU closer to the scanning vessel.
  Rad fumes: Any unprotected non-Rak’Gol character within a 
  Rak’Gol vessel must take a Toughness Test every hour. Failure deals 
  an immediate 1d10 points of Energy Damage with no reduction 
  from Armour (unless specifically designed to resist radiation).
  rAk’Gol weApoNry speciAl rules
  Warhead Swarm (Howler Cannon): When firing a Howler Cannon, 
  each additional degree of success on the Ballistic Skill Test results in two 
  additional hits instead of one, to a maximum of the weapon’s Strength. 
  Beam Cluster (Roarer Beam): When firing a Roarer Beam, every three 
  additional degrees of success on the Ballistic Skill Test results in two 
  additional hits instead of one, to a maximum of the weapon’s Strength. 
  Spinal Weapon (Roarer Beam): A Roarer Beam may only be 
  installed in a Prow Weapon Capacity Slot, and may only fire in the 
  ship’s forward arc.
  raK’goL BuTcher
  Hull: Transport
  Class: Xenos vessel
  Dimensions: 2 km long, 0.6 km abeam at widest point, approx.
  Mass: 9.4 megatons approx.
  Crew: Unknown number of xenoforms
  Accel: 1.8 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Very rarely found alone, the “Butcher” is used on the rare 
  occasions when the Rak’Gol attack planetary targets. While 
  capable of assisting in combat, these starships are relatively poorly armed and lightly 
  armoured. Their slow speed and lack of manoeuvrability exacerbates the issue. In combat, they prefer to stand off from the main 
  fight and inundate their opposition with swarms of small craft and boarding torpedoes. Once opposition is eliminated, they enter 
  low orbit over a target world and mercilessly pound targets with warhead swarms while launching waves of assault craft.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: –5 
   
   
  Detection: +8 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 16 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 35
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 4  
  Weapon Capacity: 2 Prow, 2 Keel
  essential components
  “Stutter” Class Fission-pulse Drive, Xenos Warp Drive, Warp Charms, Single Void Shield Array, Clutchmaster’s Bridge, Rad 
  Fume Sustainer, Brood-warren, Void-watcher
  supplemental components
  Prow Howler Cannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 7; Damage 1d5+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 4)
  Prow Clanger Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 2; Damage 2d10+10; Range 40; Terminal Penetration [2]) These torpedo 
  tubes are loaded with boarding torpedoes and follow all the rules for boarding torpedoes (page 8). This ship carries 20 torpedoes. 
  2 Keel Landing Bays (Launch Bay; Strength 2) Each bay holds three Squadrons of Bloodflayers for six total.
  Warrior Brood-warrens: This ship gains a +10 on any Command Tests made as part of a Boarding Action.
  Modifier summery 
  The following modifiers apply to the Invader: –10 on all Silent Running Tests.
  Fleet Communiqué 
  Sent: Astropath Ternicus-312.815.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of 
  the Gryphon and Officer Commanding of 
  Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain 
  of the Hawk, on extended operations, the 
  Koronus Expanse 
  During the course of our reconnaissance, 
  we travelled to the Burnscour system. 
  Upon arriving, we immediately detected a 
  Havoc-class vessel. Our scans showed that 
  its engines were cold, and it failed to 
  respond to hails. We identified it as the 
  Aurum Emptor, a vessel affiliated with 
  House Feckward. What our boarding parties 
  discovered was quite horrifying, as I 
  discovered for myself when I went across. 
  The ship couldn’t have been dead for 
  long—all systems were shut down, but the 
  stale air remained breathable and the 
  temperature tolerable. Every corridor of 
  the vessel was a slaughterhouse. The air 
  bore the stench of blood and excrement. 
  The butchered remains of crew were 
  everywhere, though there were far fewer 
  than we expected to find. Ships logs, 
  high radiation levels, and a partial 
  xenos corpse indicate that the Rak’Gol 
  were responsible for the destruction. 
  Though we believe the Rak’Gol vessel has 
  left the region, I continue to seek it. 
  The abominations behind this wholesale 
  brutality must be eliminated.
  Communiqué Ends
  Very rarely found alone, the “Butcher” is used on the rare 
  occasions when the Rak’Gol attack planetary targets. While 
  capable of assisting in combat, these starships are relatively poorly armed and lightly 
  armoured. Their slow speed and lack of manoeuvrability exacerbates the issue. In combat, they prefer to stand off from the main 
  
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  raK’goL MauLer
  Hull: Frigate
  Class: Xenos heavy missile boat
  Dimensions: aprox 1.3 km long, 1.0 km abeam 
  at widest point, approx.
  Mass: 8.4 megatons approx.
  Crew: Unknown number of xenoforms.
  Accel: 6 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Less common than other Rak’Gol escort craft, the “Mauler”-class frigates are still far more commonly seen than any lone 
  explorer or trader would like. These vessels vary—often dramatically—in their precise secondary armaments, defences, and 
  appearance. They are, however, distinguished by their primary weapon, clusters of torpedo tubes. These tubes are almost always 
  loaded with boarding torpedoes, offering another method for the vicious Rak’Gol to enter into direct melee with their prey.
  Like other smaller Rak’Gol warships (see edge of The aBySS), Maulers generally travel without the support of other vessels. 
  In these cases, the vessels begin firing salvo after salvo of torpedoes towards their victims the instant that they enter range. 
  Maulers then continue to close to bring their howler cannons into play. In the rarer cases where a Reaver is part of a mixed 
  squadron, they generally hang back, firing continuous salvoes of torpedoes, while vessels with shorter ranged weapons close.
  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +2 
   
   
  Detection: +14 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 17 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 45
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 3  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Dorsal 1
  essential components
  “Stutter” Class Fission-pulse Drive, Xenos Warp Drive, Warp 
  Charms, Single Void Shield Array, Clutchmaster’s Bridge, Rad 
  Fume Sustainer, Brood-warren, Void-watcher
  supplemental components
  Prow Howler Cannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 5; Damage 
  1d5+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 4)
  Dorsal Howler Cannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 7; Damage 
  1d5+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 4)
  Prow Clanger Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 5; 
  Damage 2d10+10; Range 40; Terminal Penetration [2]) These 
  torpedo tubes are loaded with boarding torpedoes and follow 
  all the rules for boarding torpedoes (page 8). This ship carries 
  30 torpedoes.
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to the Reaver: –10 on all Silent 
  Running Tests.
  cArmiNe clAw
  Numerous Imperial vessels have recorded conflicts with this 
  Rak’Gol Mauler The Carmine Claw is best known for a series of raids that it carried out near Naduesh in 739.M41. Exhibiting an 
  unexpected level of cunning, the xenos craft would lay in wait for incoming merchant vessels, attacking only after determining 
  that the prey was isolated. In spite of their distinctive engine flare, the Carmine Claw repeatedly hid behind moons, asteroids, 
  and other small bodies.
  The series of attacks ended after the craft finally attempted an assault against an orbiting merchant space station. The station was 
  badly damaged, but not destroyed. It remains unclear both why the Carmine Claw ceased its attack and why it withdrew from the 
  Naduesh system. Uncharacteristically, the invaders took a number of Imperial starship repair parts with them when they withdrew.
  Since that time, the xenos vessel has always been encountered alone. While it has continued to use a technique of laying in 
  wait for prey, it has also made a few bold assaults on orbital stations. There have been very mixed reports suggesting that 
  the vessel may either be much more, or much less, durable than is characteristic of Rak’Gol starships. The following rules 
  apply only to the Carmine Claw, not other Maulers:
  Jury-rigged: When this vessel suffers a critical hit, the attacker may roll twice on the chart choose which result to apply.
  Looted Warheads: This ship adds +1 to the damage profile of all macrobatteries aboard. In addition, the Carmine 
  Claw has two loads of looted Imperial plasma torpedoes it may use instead of boarding torpedoes (10 total). 
  usiNG rAk’Gol ships
  When using Rak’Gol forces, a GM’s tactics 
  should be extremely blunt. A lone Rak’Gol 
  starship always closes to short range to employ rapid-
  fire weapons. As it closes, it launches attack craft and 
  boarding torpedoes. These are soon supported by 
  an endless series of brutal boarding attempts. These 
  xenos use anything capable of void travel to maximise 
  the number of boarders. Even as boarders or raiders 
  engage their targets, other Rak’Gol vessels continue 
  to hammer away at their targets with short-range 
  macroweapons. These tactics are employed no matter 
  the ship type. 
  GMs should consider a Rak’Gol ship a fair challenge 
  for a comparable vessel. The only exception is the 
  Butcher, which is as dangerous as a frigate or light 
  cruiser, not a transport. 
  Rak’Gol vessels almost never flee. Instead, they 
  continue to send boarders until the prey is overcome 
  or their starship is emptied. 
  Dimensions: aprox 1.3 km long, 1.0 km abeam 
  
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  raK’goL MangLer
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Xenos light cruiser
  Dimensions: aprox 3.1 km long, 1.2 km abeam 
  at widest point, approx.
  Mass: 18 megatons approx.
  Crew: Unknown number of xenoforms
  Accel: 5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
   “Manglers” vessels are full sized warships.  These (mercifully rare) ships are generally found accompanied by at least one to three 
  Butchers or Maulers. In a few rare instances, Manglers have led larger squadrons. The examples that have been identified share a 
  common core design and armament, but vary significantly in their architecture. This may be due to extensive repairs or may indicate 
  that they were designed by different artisans. Thus far, only Manglers are large enough to mount Rak’Gol lance weapons.
  These warships, especially when accompanied by a support squadron, are fully capable of launching a planetary assault 
  against smaller colonies. In addition, the wings of assault craft in concert with their beam weapons can be an absolutely 
  devastating combination against any but the largest of vessels. 
  Speed: 7  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +1 
   
   
  Detection: +12 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 17 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 55
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 5  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 2, Keel 1, Prow 1
  essential components
  “Stutter” Class Fission-pulse Drive, Xenos Warp Drive, Warp Charms, Single Void Shield Array, Clutchmaster’s Bridge, Rad 
  Fume Sustainer, Brood-warren, Void-watcher
  supplemental components
  2 Prow Howler Cannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 7; Damage 1d5+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 4)
  Prow Roarer Beam: (Lance; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+1; Crit Rating 3; Range 5)
  Keel Landing Bay: (Launch Bay; Strength 2) This bay holds three Squadrons of Bloodflayers.
  Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to the Reaver: –10 on all Silent Running Tests.
  rAziNG TAloN
  In 801.M41, a series of colonies in the Founding Worlds were raided by a squadron of twelve Rak’Gol vessels. The vessel 
  designated Razing Talon is believed to have been the flagship of this attack, a Mangler that sacrifices its spinal beam weapon 
  for additional launch bays and macroweapons. The squadron consisted of four Mauler-class missile frigates and six Butchers. At 
  least three Butchers and a Mauler were destroyed before the attackers withdrew. Later studies of the attack, particularly in light 
  of typical Rak’Gol tactics, have left analysts puzzled by the withdrawal.
  There have been a number of confirmed sightings of this vessel since that time. In all instances, the cruiser was accompanied 
  by at least three Butchers. Most reports have also included two or more additional warships, though the classification of these 
  vessels has remained inconsistent. The commander of the Talon seems tactically adept at exploiting the ship’s added attack craft. 
  The Talon is believed to have been involved in raids upon planetary settlements, using its assault boats to send thousands of 
  bloodthirsty Rak’Gol to the surface. In two recorded cases, attack craft were apparently set up to ambush vessels travelling alone, 
  while the carrier’s weapons were used to drive its prey towards the waiting craft.
  The following rules apply only to the Razing Talon, not other Manglers:
  Unique Weapon Loadout: The Talon trades its Roarer Beam for one additional Prow Howler Cannon and one additional 
  Keel Landing Bay. 
  100
  100
  100
  100
  100
  by at least three Butchers. Most reports have also included two or more additional warships, though the classification of these 
  vessels has remained inconsistent. The commander of the Talon seems tactically adept at exploiting the ship’s added attack craft. 
   seems tactically adept at exploiting the ship’s added attack craft. 
  Talon seems tactically adept at exploiting the ship’s added attack craft. 
  Talon
  The Talon is believed to have been involved in raids upon planetary settlements, using its assault boats to send thousands of 
   is believed to have been involved in raids upon planetary settlements, using its assault boats to send thousands of 
  Talon is believed to have been involved in raids upon planetary settlements, using its assault boats to send thousands of 
  Talon
  bloodthirsty Rak’Gol to the surface. In two recorded cases, attack craft were apparently set up to ambush vessels travelling alone, 
  bloodthirsty Rak’Gol to the surface. In two recorded cases, attack craft were apparently set up to ambush vessels travelling alone, 
  while the carrier’s weapons were used to drive its prey towards the waiting craft.
  while the carrier’s weapons were used to drive its prey towards the waiting craft.
  The following rules apply only to the Razing Talon, not other Manglers:
  , not other Manglers:
  Unique Weapon Loadout: The Talon trades its Roarer Beam for one additional Prow Howler Cannon and one additional 
   trades its Roarer Beam for one additional Prow Howler Cannon and one additional 
  Talon trades its Roarer Beam for one additional Prow Howler Cannon and one additional 
  Talon
  Keel Landing Bay. 
  Nathan,
  We are travelling with the Kroot. Something I never thought I’d say, brother, but then again I never envisioned looking out Hawk’s bridge and 
  seeing one of their ships just off port. Quite simply adjectives aren’t enough—it is frightening how large it is. We met last fortnight with a rather 
  odious Rogue Trader and his fleet, which included one of the so-called Warspheres (and I cannot imagine more than one gathered at a time—it 
  would be like a planetary system collapsing together). We’ve been tasked with short-term escort duty as they travel through the area, and it has 
  been an experience indeed. I had been hoping to encounter one on my ventures, and here it came to me instead. 
  They stayed mostly to their ship aside for a brief visit. I rather got the impression they were examining us as much as we were them, and that 
  they aren’t quite as simple as their appearance would lead one to believe. They may indeed be bloodthirsty monsters on the battlefield, but I think 
  they possess a cunning and intelligence they strive to keep hidden, especially from those who would hire them.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Your sister, 
  Victoria
  er
   “Manglers” vessels are full sized warships.  These (mercifully rare) ships are generally found accompanied by at least one to three 
  
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  KrooT Warsphere 
  Hull: Battleship
  Class: Unique, xenos voidcraft
  Dimensions: 9 km in diameter approx.
  Mass: 47 megatons approx.
  Crew: 300,000+ Kroot, approx. 
  The Warsphere is a gigantic structure—
  easily the length of a battleship: each 
  encompasses a volume greater than many space 
  stations. Their axial plasma drive alone is larger 
  than many warships, blazing with the might 
  of several suns to move the massive bulk through 
  space. While slow and ponderous, extensive and 
  powerful manoeuvring thrusters allow them to 
  change facing more easily than most voidships. 
  Despite the name, Warspheres are more than warships. 
  Each is the home for many Kindred families, each long separated from 
  their distant home system and not wishing to see their new one destroyed. When they do need to fight though, they 
  are dangerous opponents. Each ship is covered with macrobatteries and can launch numerous assault ships loaded with fierce 
  Carnivore squads. Boarding or ramming a Warsphere is unadvisable due to the sheer numbers of the furious defenders as well. 
  Larger ones often carry many valuables though and are sometimes the target of massed pirate fleets. 
  Unlike many voidships of comparable size, Warspheres are capable of planetary landing, an especially useful ability to aid in repairs 
  or escape an enemy. This is truly a fearsome sight as the enormous mass slowly eclipses the local sun as it rides the great fusion flames to 
  the ground. The powerful drive engines tear apart mountains of earth as it settles, with the numerous thrusters blasting the terrain as to 
  cocoon the vessel. Once dirtside, the ship acts as a local base of operations and often helps establish a new Kroot colony. When ready, 
  they lift off back into the void, literally an earth-shaking event that those left behind will speak of for generations to come. 
  Speed: 2  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +20 
   
   
  Detection: +35 
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 140
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 3  
  Weapon Capacity: Keel 8, Prow 2, Aft 2
  The Kroot
  “Filthy, disgusting savages they are, atavistic killers the lot of them. 
  Their only saving grace is when you buy them, they stay bought. 
  Thank the Emperor I bought them first.”
  – Seneschal Kepler Xoi in private vox to His Lordship Jaan 
  Olivour
  T
  he presence of Kroot mercenaries in the Expanse is 
  something of a mystery. Imperial xenosbiologists 
  and members of the Ordo Xenos believe the race 
  originated on the other side of the galaxy. Encounters with 
  Kroot are much more frequent in the Expanse than in Calixis, 
  but this does little to clarify the mystery. 
  Most Kroot warbands bands travel with their employers 
  (usually in isolated compartments given their eating habits), 
  but they do have a unique spaceship of their own. Its shape and 
  nature gave it the obvious name - Warsphere. These massive 
  ships, housing entire Kroot civilisations, travel between stars 
  using secretive warp travel methods. They migrate across 
  the Expanses mostly avoiding other races, supporting their 
  mercenary operations as well as their growing network of 
  colonies, and carrying the choicest rewards of mercenary 
  service. When needed they go to war with them as well. 
  There are plenty of questions about how the Kroot gained 
  access to technology allowing them to construct interstellar 
  ships. Legends amongst Koronus void travellers tell that long 
  ago an alien—possibly Ork—voidship crashed on a Kroot 
  planet, and the natives created their own ship from the remains. 
  Not knowing what shape to make it, and favouring natural 
  designs above the ramshackle metal contortions they found, 
  they chose the most sturdy and safe enclosure they knew—
  an egg. Other more practical traders believe the Kroot simply 
  bought the technology from parties unknown, and perhaps 
  are still paying for it given their highly mercenary ways. Their 
  services are not cheap, but they are loyal and are excellent 
  fighters. Hiring a Warsphere is hugely expensive, but having 
  such a huge ship in a fleet is a sure way to intimidate any enemy. 
  Warspheres are exceptionally tough and able to withstand 
  enormous punishment in battle. Their hulls are formed of 
  huge cylindrical interlocking plates, which seem able to be 
  positioned in different configurations depending on factors 
  such as threat status or desired velocity, often opened to reveal 
  interior constructions of unknown purpose. Traders have 
  reported different sizes (though all quite large). Indeed, as some 
  Warspheres seem to have grown in size over the decades many 
  believe that all start as smaller and grow in size as their Kindred 
  crew grow in wealth and power, adding additional structures and 
  armaments as they enlarge. Tales even speak of sizes approaching 
  that of small moons, but surely those must be apocryphal.
  Despite the name, Warspheres are more than warships. 
  Each is the home for many Kindred families, each long separated from 
  their distant home system and not wishing to see their new one destroyed. When they do need to fight though, they 
  are dangerous opponents. Each ship is covered with macrobatteries and can launch numerous assault ships loaded with fierce 
  Carnivore squads. Boarding or ramming a Warsphere is unadvisable due to the sheer numbers of the furious defenders as well. 
  Larger ones often carry many valuables though and are sometimes the target of massed pirate fleets. 
  Unlike many voidships of comparable size, Warspheres are capable of planetary landing, an especially useful ability to aid in repairs 
  or escape an enemy. This is truly a fearsome sight as the enormous mass slowly eclipses the local sun as it rides the great fusion flames to 
  the ground. The powerful drive engines tear apart mountains of earth as it settles, with the numerous thrusters blasting the terrain as to 
  cocoon the vessel. Once dirtside, the ship acts as a local base of operations and often helps establish a new Kroot colony. When ready, 
  they lift off back into the void, literally an earth-shaking event that those left behind will speak of for generations to come. 
  Speed: 2  
   
  Void Shields:
  Void Shields:
  V
  Morale: 100
  Turret Rating:
  easily the length of a battleship: each 
  encompasses a volume greater than many space 
  of several suns to move the massive bulk through 
  space. While slow and ponderous, extensive and 
  powerful manoeuvring thrusters allow them to 
  Despite the name, Warspheres are more than warships. 
  Each is the home for many Kindred families, each long separated from 
  
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  Chaos Reavers
  “The Faceless Lord hunts the Expanse for blood and fire.” 
  —Astropath Tenicus during an auto-seance 
  W
  ithin the Koronus Expanse, vast marauders lurk 
  amongst the stars, their jagged prows ever hunting 
  for prey and pillage. These corrupted starships are 
  sworn to the Ruinous Powers. They are vessels of Chaos, 
  crewed by madmen, mutants, and the damned.
  Many of such vessels were once part of the Imperial fleet, 
  dating back to before the Horus Heresy. Vast numbers of ships 
  turned traitor during that black event, swayed to the side of the 
  renegade Warmaster Horus in his bid to slay the Emperor and 
  conquer Terra. Over the millennia since, other vessels have fallen 
  to their ranks, lured to the darkness by seduction or treachery.
  Amongst these traitor vessels exist substantial numbers of 
  particular ship classes, all of the same design. It is believed 
  by many that these designs are cursed, possessing some 
  fundamental flaw make the ship and its crew vulnerable to the 
  dark energies of Chaos. The cause of such flaws has been the 
  subject of much debate—some theories claim that corrupted 
  Magi of the Mechanicus intentionally introduced a lack of 
  sufficient protection from the Warp, whilst others say that 
  the ship’s architecture involves certain sinister geometries, 
  proportions, or combinations of occult material which act as 
  conduits for warp-taint. If true, these ships were destined to 
  fall to Chaos, despite the individual honour and courage of 
  their original crews.
  Traitor vessels are most often encountered as individual 
  reavers or in small, independent raiding bands. Chaos-aligned 
  ships only form into true fleets under the power of an extremely 
  influential warlord, and such leaders are thankfully quite rare. 
  However, when traitor ships are formed into such armadas, they 
  become a monumental threat that can devastate entire sectors.
  reaVers in The eXpanse
  The servants of the Dark Gods take many forms within the 
  Expanse, but amongst the most dangerous are the piratical 
  essential components
  Multiple equatorial fusion drives, Warpslip Drive with self-contained Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, six Shaper Bridge 
  Nodes, Algaerium Forest-Aeria Sustainers, Thousands of Kindred Arbour-Hab Blocks, Omni-Directional Astra-Sensoria Nodes.
  supplemental components
  8 Keel Xenos Macrocannons: (Strength 3, Damage 1d10+2, Crit Rating 6, Range 6)
  2 Prow Xenos Macrocannons: (Strength 4, Damage 1d10+3, Crit Rating 5, Range 4)
  2 Aft Xenos Macrocannon: (Strength 4, Damage 1d10+3, Crit Rating 5, Range 4)
  Boat Bays: The multiple launch bays of a Warsphere also contain numerous assault craft. This Component counts as (Launch 
  Bay; Strength 4), with eight squadrons of assault boats (use the Imperial 
  Shark profile). 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Sheer Momentum: Warspheres cannot make any special Manoeuvres. 
  Instead each turn they move 2 VU in their current direction. They then 
  may make a Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft)+Manoeuvrability Test. 
  On a success, and for every degree of success, it may move an additional 
  1 VU in any direction, to a maximum of 3 VUs. If it moves at least 2 VUs, 
  it may change its direction and facing to the direction it is now moving, 
  otherwise it continues moving in the previous direction. 
  Massively Redundant: All Components are stubbornly tough and 
  seem to perform at least four other functions, all networked together in a 
  bewildering system. When a warsphere suffers a Crit, it takes five additional 
  damage instead. When destroyed, it fragments into a huge cluster of debris. 
  Large Crew: All Crew Pop losses are reduced by 5, to a minimum of 1. 
  Split Firepower: As the keel weapons are mounted all over the spherical 
  hull, only half of them at most can be targeted at any one enemy vessel. 
  Planetary Landings: Warspheres may safely land on a planet as long 
  as they have half their Hull Integrity, and can take off as long they have 
  75 percent. Having a Warsphere as part of a Military Endeavour against 
  a planetary target also adds 200 Achievement Points towards completing 
  any invasion-related objectives.
  Kindred: Each Warsphere grants +30 to all Command Tests involving Boarding Actions and Hit and Run Attacks.
  usiNG wArspheres
  Kroot Warspheres are an uncommon 
  sight in the Expanse, but there are 
  several that travel through the space lanes. 
  Warspheres are dangerous opponents, simply 
  because they are incredibly tough and have 
  a large number of guns. However, due to 
  the Kroot’s mercenary nature, dealing with 
  one may be easier (and more profitable) than 
  fighting it. Likewise, the Kroot do not often 
  hire themselves to take on space born foes, 
  prefering planetary invasions or boarding 
  actions where their talents are not wasted.
  In combat, Warspheres are somewhat 
  unconcerned with manoeuvring, expecting that 
  most ships can outrun them. Warspheres primarily 
  fight defensively unless trying to break through a 
  blockade to invade a planet, and usually flee if in 
  any serious danger of being overwhelmed. 
  
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  reavers who prowl the warp routes. Savage and often insane, 
  these ships are crewed by men who have forsaken the light 
  of the Emperor. 
  kArrAd vAll
  A name infamous throughout the Expanse, Karrad Vall is the 
  scheming, cruel commander of a rapacious pirate fleet. This fleet 
  is known as “Vall’s Wolfpack,” its ships crewed by renegades, 
  madmen, and mutants. Vall forged his wolfpack by conquering 
  other pirate bands operating independently within the Expanse, 
  crushing or enslaving their leaders one by one. There are many 
  tales and legends of Karrad Vall amongst void-farers in the 
  Expanse. Some of these dark whispers say that Vall is assisted 
  by a cabal of ancient and powerful warriors filled with hate for 
  the Imperium, renegades and traitors of the vilest sort. 
  Vall, sometimes called “the Faceless Lord,” has built his 
  Wolfpack into a serious threat for any spaceships travelling 
  near the Cineris Malificum. More and more pirates and 
  renegades flock to his bloodstained banner, and his Wolfpack 
  contains greater numbers of such ships than have been seen 
  in centuries. These events have grown to be of great concern 
  to some Battlefleet Koronus officers. Vall is known to be a 
  skilled commander in space engagements, having blasted his 
  way past Footfall over two decades past. Even the renowned 
  forces of Rogue Trader Calligos Winterscale have not fared 
  well in battle against the Wolfpack’s combined might.
  The sAyNAy clAN
  Once, the noble family of Lothar Saynay ruled extensive 
  holdings in the darkest fens of the planet Dusk. This 
  loathsome clan had interbred with mutants, witches, and 
  worse, and they performed many unspeakable acts upon their 
  vile estates in their worship of the deamon Mord’dagan, the 
  Eater of the Dead. Eventually, an Inquisitional purge was 
  ordered upon the head of the Saynay clan and his depraved 
  family, an act that exposed many cults and much darker 
  patterns across the Calixis Sector in which the Saynay 
  dynasty had been involved. 
  The patriarch of the Saynay Clan was slain by the Inquisition, 
  but much of his family escaped, passing beyond the Maw into 
  the Koronus Expanse in an array of converted pleasure yachts, 
  battered armed merchant ships, and a handful of pirate frigates. 
  Others stowed away aboard pilgrim ships and bulk freighters, 
  and there are many whispers that the Saynay clan purchased 
  a safe passage through the warp with the bloody sacrifice of 
  their fellow travellers. Ever since, they have lingered within the 
  Expanse like a disease, preying upon any outlying colonies and 
  isolated Rogue Trader ships they can find.
  Dark stories of the Saynay Clan circulate constantly among 
  the lower decks of Port Wander and in the halls of Footfall; it 
  is said that the Clan extensively practices cannibalism and has 
  suffered many mutations amongst their ranks. Sorcery is also 
  commonly associated with the Saynay Clan, and many Rogue 
  Traders have reported encountering Saynay ships guided by 
  warp-craft or ramshackle pirate vessels teeming with witches 
  and daemons. Some have even claimed that entire ships have 
  been possessed by warp entities summoned into the material 
  world and bound into the hull by a sorcerer’s will. However, 
  sorcerers are kept on a short leash within the clan; they are 
  only allowed to advise, never to lead.
  It is fortunate for the denizens of the Expanse that the 
  Saynay Clan’s resources are limited; most of their ships are 
  escorts and frigates, many of them in poor repair and few 
  with any form of advanced weaponry. Often, the Saynay clan 
  will attack from surprise, attempting to board and overwhelm 
  an enemy vessel in a tide of bloodthirsty mutants, rogue 
  psykers, and madmen. The clan seeks wealth and additional 
  ships for their fleet, but they are also intent on expanding 
  their depraved family by acquiring captives and slaves. For 
  this reason, many of their raids are often confused with those 
  perpetrated by Eldar pirates on the fringe of the Expanse.
  Undoubtedly, however, the greatest threat of the Saynay Clan 
  is their allegiance with the renegade Navigator, Ember Nostromo. 
  In her warship, the Monarch of Whispers the Saynay have access to 
  something they lacked previously—a true warship.
  chAos compoNeNTs ANd weApoNry
  Unlike the earlier entries in this chapter, the forces of 
  Chaos are—nominally at least—human, and their ships 
  are constructed in the same manner as Imperial vessels. 
  Though some of their weapons and Components may 
  be ancient, even archeotech, they are not so different 
  from their Imperial counterparts. Likewise, there 
  are no overarching special rules that pertain to 
  the entire Chaos fleet. 
  
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  souLcage sLaVeship
  Hull: Transport
  Class: Soulcage-class Chaos transport 
  Dimensions: 2 km long approx, .5km abeam approx.
  Mass: 10 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 30,000 crew plus hundreds of thousands of slaves, approx.
  Acceleration: 3 gravities max sustainable acceleration 
  Unlike many Chaos vessels, the transports found in the Expanse classified as Soulcages rarely see combat. Instead they roam the Expanse, 
  following in the wake of wolfpacks and pirates to purchase, barter, or swindle for those unfortunate enough to be taken alive. Most 
  are an essential part of a Warlord’s fleet, though some operate independently, risking possible attack for the heavier profits to be made. 
  Almost all Soulcages are converted from captured Imperial transports. After profaning any Imperial icons and  sanctifying 
  the ship with the sigils and icons of their new masters, the interior cargo bays replaced by deck after deck of slave pens. By 
  the hundreds of thousands, flesh and spirits are broken to create new servants of Chaos. Unable to escape the corruption 
  surrounding them as the tainted air, constant blasphemous chanting, and senseless tortures all work to destroy their souls. Forced 
  to worship at profane shrines and branded with despoiling icons, they are perverted into mindless thralls, ready to fight or die as 
  their master’s desire. Properly prepared, they fetch fine profits at Chaos or even xenos controlled worlds. However, some remain 
  untainted, kept in stasis pods to preserve their purity for ritual sacrifices, meals, or other gruesome fates. 
  Speed: 3  
   
  Manoeuvrability: –10 
   
   
  Detection: +5 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 35
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Incompetent (20)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: 1 dorsal, 1 prow
  essential components
  Freighter Plasma Drive, Warp Drive, Iota Level 
  Warpbane Field, Void Shield Array, Slavedriver Bridge, 
  Exhalation Sustainers, Crew Quarters, Augur Arrays 
  supplemental components
  Prow Hellus Macrocannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 
  4; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 4; Range 6)
  Dorsal Secondary Macrocannons: (Macrobattery; 
  Strength 2; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 4)
  Slave holds: Filled with 1d10+5 thousand slaves
  Soulwail: The perpetual profane chants and the constant 
  cries of tortured souls creates an unclean psychic cacophony. 
  Psykers within 1 VU of an uncrippled Soulcage suffers –10 
  to any test involving use of their psychic abilities.  
  heLLBringer pLaneTary assauLT ship
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Hellbringer-class Chaos planetary assault ship 
  Dimensions: 4 km long, .5km abbeam approx.
  Mass: 22 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 40,000 crew plus 100,000 raiders, approx.
  Acceleration: 5 gravities max sustainable acceleration 
  Battlefleet Koronus experts are unsure whether the Hellbringer is a local adaptation  of 
  an existing warship, or a new design constructed in the Expanse and based on other infamous designs 
  used by Chaos reavers. Whatever the case, the crews of Hellbringers live for one purpose—pillaging 
  planetary civilizations, be they the lackey worshipers of the False Emperor, xenos aliens of unknown origin, or even 
  other followers of the True Gods. Arriving at unsuspecting systems, these vessels can launch overwhelming attacks from both 
  their shipboard weaponry as well as via multitude of assault craft. Once the surface is bombarded into near submission, 
  the skies are filled with landing boats, quickly overwhelming any opposition as they round up captives for the slave 
  market, looting any valuables for later trade, and then departing before help can arrive. It is rarer but not unheard 
  for them to attack void installations they find undefended, bringing such destruction that the gutted stations are 
  generally left as hulks. No matter the target, the arrival of a Hellbringer can only spell doom. 
  usiNG soulcAGes
  The Soulcage is a fairly easy ship to destroy, though it 
  can make a good opponent for an Explorers’ freighter. 
  However, the real trick shouldn’t be destroying the Soulcage, but 
  capturing it intact to free the slaves within.
  Rescue HazaRds and RewaRds
  Attempting rescue operations against a Soulcage is risky on several 
  levels but also offers huge rewards. Boarding such a vessel reduces 
  Morale of the boarding ship by –1 no matter the outcome, due to 
  the corrupting nature of the vessel and the tales later told of the 
  horrors encountered. However, successful attacks and boarding 
  actions can trigger slave revolts (treat this as an additional Degree 
  of Success on successful Command Tests for Hit and Run and 
  Boarding Actions), and may allow the Explorers to replenish some 
  crew population if successful (at the GM’s discretion). 
  ary 
  ary 
  ar assauLT ship
  Battlefleet Koronus experts are unsure whether the Hellbringer is a local adaptation  of 
  an existing warship, or a new design constructed in the Expanse and based on other infamous designs 
  used by Chaos reavers. Whatever the case, the crews of Hellbringers live for one purpose—pillaging 
  planetary civilizations, be they the lackey worshipers of the False Emperor, xenos aliens of unknown origin, or even 
  
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  Speed: 8  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 18 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 56
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: 1 Dorsal, 1 Prow, 1 Port, 1 Starboard
  essential components
  Light Cruiser Plasma Drive, Warp Drive, Gamma Level Warpbane Field, Void Shield Array, Invasion Bridge, Exhalation Sustainer, 
  Crew Quarters, Augur Array
  supplemental components
  Dorsal Hellus Macrocannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; 
  Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 4; Range 6)
  Prow Skullhammer Bombardment Cannon: (Macrobattery; 
  Strength 3; Damage 1d10+6; Crit Rating 2; Range 3)
  Port and Starboard Launch Bay: (Launch Bay: Strength 1) Each 
  Launch Bay has one squadron of Swiftdeath Fighters and Doomfire 
  Bombers, for two squadrons of each total.
  Dreadclaw Drop Pod Bays: Able to hold 30 Dreadclaws and 
  launch 10 at a time, this Component only allows them to fire at a 
  planetary surface and cannot be used in space combat, but can be 
  put to use invading planets (see page 118). 
  Plunder Holds: Hellbringers contain vast cargo bays designed 
  to hold the looted remains of conquered planets. If this ship is 
  captured with this Component intact, it awards 50 Achievement 
  Points to the completion of a current Objective. 
  Modifier summary
  These modifiers apply to the Hellbringer due to its Components:
  • Powerful Bombardment: All Ballistic Skill Tests against 
  planetary based targets gain a +10 bonus, and any units in vox 
  communication with the Hellbringer count as being equipped 
  with a multicompass. In addition, the Hellbringer gains +20 to 
  Intimidate Tests against planetary based characters, and when bombarding with its bombardment cannon, doubles the effected 
  area, does 20 additional damage to large units, and 10 additional damage to individuals and vehicles (see page 133).
  subjuGATor lux
  To date seventeen known human populations have been gutted and left as cratered ruins from the overwhelming firepower of 
  this ship. Its unknown captain is renowned for cunning, often first assaulting outpost vessels to gain proper vox call signs and 
  frequencies to use along with onboard auspex scramblers in obtaining a cleared passage directly to its unsuspecting prey.
  deVasTaTion cLass cruiser
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Devastation Class
  Dimensions: 5 km long, .8 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 28.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 80,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 2.4 Gravities max acceleration.
  Tough and reliable carriers, the Devastation-class Cruiser is a ship highly valued by pirate bands and renegade warlords. It 
  possesses powerful long-ranged lance emplacements on either broadside, racks of turbo-laser destructor batteries on its prow, 
  and can launch a considerable array of attack craft from its flight decks. Devastations carry robust repair and re-armament 
  facilities for its bombers and fighters, and below decks, entire cargo holds are given over to crude quarters teeming with hordes 
  of mutants, cultists, and madmen who fill the ship’s complement of Dreadclaw assault craft. Within the Koronus Expanse, the 
  crews of the Swiftdeath fighters and Doomfire bombers exist as tightly knit clans, with sets of pilots and crews competing 
  against each other in savage duels for supremacy. 
  Speed: 7  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 98 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  usiNG chAos wArships
  The forces of Chaos are the archetypal 
  opponents of the forces of the Imperium, 
  and this is apparent in their opposing warships.
  Chaos warships are generally faster than their 
  Imperial counterparts and armed with longer-
  range lances and macrobatteries. However they lack 
  armoured prows and many torpedoes, relying on 
  attack craft instead. In combat, Chaos ships try and 
  stand clear of the gun range of their opposition, trying 
  to pound them as long as possible with their longer 
  reach and attack craft before closing. In some cases 
  (the Idolator and Slaughter being two examples) this 
  isn’t possible, in which case the ships use their superior 
  speed to close fast before the enemy is aware of them. 
  One thing to keep in mind when using these 
  ships is what their motivation is. Chaos ships might 
  be opportunistic pirates, or they might be part of an 
  organized force. Their motivations determine what level 
  of opposition they will take on, and how much damage 
  they take before they attempt to flee (if they flee at all).
  frequencies to use along with onboard auspex scramblers in obtaining a cleared passage directly to its unsuspecting prey.
  ruiser
  Tough and reliable carriers, the Devastation-class Cruiser is a ship highly valued by pirate bands and renegade warlords. It 
  possesses powerful long-ranged lance emplacements on either broadside, racks of turbo-laser destructor batteries on its prow, 
  
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  essential components 
  Jovian Pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae 
  Pattern Life Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Banefire Lance broadsides: (Lance, Strength 2; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 3; Range 12) 
  Prow Turbo-laser Destructor Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 6)
  Port and Starboard Devastation Launch Bays: (Launch Bay; Strength 2) Each launch bay has two squadrons of Swiftdeath 
  fighters, two squadrons of Doomfire bombers, and two 
  Squadrons of Dreadclaw Assault Craft, for a total of four 
  of each type.
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Teeming Hordes: Devastation Class Cruisers carry shoals 
  of the fearsome Dreadclaw assault craft. All Command Tests 
  for Hit and Run or Boarding Actions from a Devastation 
  using its Dreadclaws gains a +5 bonus. 
  The following modifiers apply to the Devastation, taking 
  Components into account:
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests gain +5. 
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire ship’s weapons gain +10.  
  • All Piloting Tests involved with Attack Craft gain +10.
  • All Command Tests for Hit and Run or other Attack 
  Craft missions gain +10.
  reTaLiaTor cLass grand cruiser
  Hull: Grand Cruiser
  Class: Retaliator Grand Cruiser
  Dimensions: 6.2 km long, 1.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 38 megatonnes approx
  Crew: 140,000 approx
  Acceleration: 2.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration 
  The Retaliator, like many Chaos vessels, was originally 
  an Imperial ship, delegated to reserve and garrison fleets as newer designs took the 
  fore. However, the Treachery of Galan in M35 saw the Retaliators in the Galan V garrison fleet mutiny 
  in mass. After a two day pitched battle around Galan V’s moons, the remnants of the Retaliator squadron 
  disengaged outsystem. In the millennia since, they have plagued Segmentums Obscuras, Solar, and Ultima, and served in the 
  fleets of prominent renegade Warmasters and Traitor Legions. In response, the Navy has discontinued the use of most remaining 
  Retaliators.
  The Retaliator is a dangerous ship, similar in purpose to the Imperial Exorcist. It combines lances, launch bays, and 
  macrobatteries for an ‘all comers’ warship. Only one Retaliator is known to be operating in the Koronus Expanse, the infamous 
  Monarch of Whispers. However, it is certainly possible other Retaliators operate amongst the distant stars. 
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +5 
  Void Shields: 3  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 90
  Morale: 98 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 3  
  Weapon Capacity: Port 3, Starboard 3
  essential components
  Ancient Saturine-pattern drive, Warp Drive, Gellar Field, Triple Void Shield Bank, Flight Command Bridge, Pirate Quarters, 
  Life Sustainers, Tight-beam Augur Arrays
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Retaliation Landing Bays: (Landing Bay; Str 2) 2 squadrons of Swiftdeath Fighters and 2 squadrons 
  of Dreadclaw Assault Pods in each, for four of each total. 
  Port and Starboard Macrocannon broadsides: (Macrobattery, Strength 5; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 5) 
  Port and Starboard Lance Battery: Str 2; (Lance, Strength 2; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 8.)
  Barracks: This ship has a significant contingent of pirate scum and murderous mutants aboard (bonus included in Modifiers).
  Corrupted Shrine: Fanatical worship of the Ruinous Powers grants the crew loyalty (bonus included in Modifiers). 
  excruciAN
  The fleet of pirate warlord Karrad Vall includes many ships, 
  but few as infamous as the Excrucian. This Devastation class 
  cruiser is normally part of Vall’s honour guard, providing 
  both offense and defense with its shoals of attack craft. The 
  Excrucian’s crew are exceptionally well-trained, and the ship 
  has survived over a dozen savage battles intact over the last 
  forty years. There are whispers on Footfall that the competition 
  for pilots on the Excrucian is ruthlessly brutal, and the best 
  amongst them are kept in stasis chambers in between missions 
  to preserve their murderous spirit. 
  
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  special rules and Modifier 
  summary
  The following modifiers apply to 
  the Retaliator, taking Components 
  into account:
  • All Command Tests involving 
  boarding actions and Hit and 
  Run attacks gain +20. 
  • All Command Tests to command 
  attack craft squadrons gain a +5. 
  • Reduce all Morale loss by 1 to a 
  minimum of 1.
  pesTiLaan LighT cruiser 
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Chaos Pestilaan-class light cruiser
  Dimensions: 5 km long, .9 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 39 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 50,000 crew approx., plus countless lesser daemons
  Acceleration: 2 gravities max sustainable acceleration 
  A disturbing predator in the Expanse, Pestilaan-class ships appear bloated and sluggish with 
  tarnished, rusted metal, open sores scattered across the hull and odd organic protrusions. Such appearances 
  belie the power of such a vessel, as its very diseased nature drives the energies that sustain both it and its crew. It is thought that the 
  Pestilaan class is a long forgotten ancient light cruiser, upgunned and armoured at the price of speed. Most of the Pestilaans are thought 
  to be these once-proud vessels, now debased into unclean servitude after mutiny or capture by the Archenemy.
  Speed: 5  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 22 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 65
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: 1 Dorsal, 1 Prow, 1 Port, 1 Starboard
  essential components
  Retrofitted Saturine-pattern drive, Warp Drive, Malfunctioning Gellar Field, Void Shield Array, Shrine Bridge, Rotting Crew 
  Quarters, Fungal Respirators
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Hellus Macrocannon Broadsides: (Macrobattery; Strength 5; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 4; Range 6) 
  Dorsal Melta-cannons:  (Macrobattery; Strength 3; Damage 1d10+4; Crit Rating 3; Range 3)
  Prow Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 2d10+10; Range 40; Terminal Penetration [1]) These torpedo tubes are 
  loaded with virus torpedoes (see page 8) but can be loaded with boarding torpedoes. This Component has 32 torpedoes. 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Plagueship: These vessels are resplendent with the very finest of sicknesses and diseases, to the point where any attempt to enter 
  it is unthinkable. Attempts to board or conduct Hit and Run attacks on this vessel automatically fail by 1d5+3 Degrees of Failure. 
  Nurgle’s Rot: The crew of this ship are all infected with horrific diseases. Whenever this vessel conducts or is the target of a Hit and Run 
  attack or Boarding Action, the opponent automatically loses an additional 1d5 Crew Population and Morale. There is also a 50% change 
  that some disease will catch, and the ship will suffer a long-term ship sickness (Rogue TRadeR core rulebook page 227). In this case, 
  the Medicae Test is Very Hard (–30), and the sickness does its damage once a week until contained. 
  sLaughTer cLass cruiser
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Slaughter Class
  Dimensions: 5 km long, .8 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 28.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 80,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 2.4 Gravities max acceleration.
  Amongst one of the fastest Imperial capital ships ever built, the Slaughter class cruiser utilises a special plasma drive design—the 
  Scartix engine coil. This advanced pattern provides considerably more thrust than any other comparably-sized drive. Scartix coils 
  moNArch of whispers
  Originally, the Monarch of Whispers was a pre-Angevin Crusade relic captained by 
  the Rogue Trader Buros Han. However, Buros’s luck ran out in 717.M41, when his 
  navigator, Ember Nostromo, wrested command of the vessel and expelled him from 
  an airlock. The renegade Navigator turned pirate, gathering under her sway a coterie 
  of warp-witches and murderers from the Saynay Clan. Over the last ten decades, 
  the Monarch of Whispers has become one of the most hunted ships in the Expanse, 
  with an enormous bounty offered by the Navis Nobilite. Amongst her crimes is the 
  destruction of a Missionaria Galaxia outpost in the Heathen Stars—it is said that 
  Nostomo laughed as her ship’s lances ignited an entire continent from orbit.
  ruiser 
  A disturbing predator in the Expanse, Pestilaan-class ships appear bloated and sluggish with 
  tarnished, rusted metal, open sores scattered across the hull and odd organic protrusions. Such appearances 
  belie the power of such a vessel, as its very diseased nature drives the energies that sustain both it and its crew. It is thought that the 
  belie the power of such a vessel, as its very diseased nature drives the energies that sustain both it and its crew. It is thought that the 
  that some disease will catch, and the ship will suffer a long-term ship sickness (Rogue
  Rogue
  R
   T
  ogue T
  ogue
  R
   TR
   T ade
  Rade
  R
  R core rulebook page 227). In this case, 
  R core rulebook page 227). In this case, 
  R
  , and the sickness does its damage once a week until contained. 
  ruiser
  Amongst one of the fastest Imperial capital ships ever built, the Slaughter class cruiser utilises a special plasma drive design—the 
  
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  are rugged and reliable, although complex and time-consuming to repair. The design for the Scartix coil resided in the data-vaults 
  of the Sethelan Forge World until 126.M34, when it was destroyed by a surprise attack from the Slaughter class cruiser Dutiful 
  (later renamed Soulless). The Slaughter’s speed is not its only advantage; these vessels are also armed with considerable short-ranged 
  firepower, including high-yield lance turrets and turbo-linked destructor-cannon batteries on both broadsides. A Slaughter class 
  cruiser can wreak considerable havoc amongst an Imperial line formation if it is able to move into range and then dart away.
  Speed: 9  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +5 
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 68
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components 
  Scartix Engine Coil Drive (grants the Scartix Coil bonus, see below), Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield 
  Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Destructor-cannon Broadsides: (Macrobattery; Strength 6; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 5) 
  Prow Destuctor-cannon Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 5; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 5) 
  Port and Starboard Lance Broadsides: (Lance, Strength 2; Damage 1d10+4; Crit Rating 3; Range 6) 
  Barracks: The bonuses for carrying a ship full of crazed killers are included in the modifiers below.
  Teleportarium: The bonuses for this Component are included 
  in the modifiers below.
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Scartix Coil: This powerful plasma drive technology means that 
  Slaughter-class Cruisers are capable of startling bursts of speed. 
  When performing the Adjust Speed or Adjust Speed and Bearing 
  Manoeuvre, the Slaughter Class gains one additional Degree of 
  Success (or gains 1 additional VU with the All Ahead Full Order).
  The following modifiers apply to the Slaughter, taking 
  Components into account:
  • All Command Tests made to defend against boarding 
  and hit-and-run actions gain +5. All hit-and-run attacks 
  against opponents gain +20. 
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests gain +5. 
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire shipboard weapons gain +10.  
  carnage cLass cruiser
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Carnage Class
  Dimensions: 5 km long, .8 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 28.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 80,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 2.4 Gravities max acceleration.
  Designed as a fleet support vessel, the Carnage class was meant to provide supporting fire from long range 
  for other ships. Unfortunately, the Carnage suffered from numerous problems during its construction, including many technical 
  difficulties with the power systems for its long-ranged phased plasma batteries. These issues with the Carnage class caused raging 
  debate amongst Battlefleet Obscura, dividing scores of influential captains into opposing camps. Although these challenges were 
  eventually overcome, numerous Carnage-class cruisers have turned traitor, beginning with the very first vessel of its kind. It is 
  rumoured that there is some bizarre, maddening twist in the ship’s design that leads its crews inevitably towards discord and mutiny. 
  Carnage cruisers are feared opponents, able to cripple enemy ships with punishing salvos of long-range battery fire.
  Speed: 7  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 73
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components 
  Jovian Pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae 
  Pattern Life Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  eTerNAl lAmeNT
  Unlike other pirate capital ships, the Eternal Lament prefers 
  to hunt alone. This Slaughter-class Cruiser has used its 
  deceptive speed and heavy, short-ranged armaments in 
  a series of ambushes near Orn. High-density asteroids in 
  the region give the Eternal Lament a prime hunting ground 
  to prey upon shipping vessels and a handful of Explorator 
  ships. Reports from the few survivors of these ambushes 
  indicate that the captain of the Lament, whoever that may be, 
  fights his ship in an extremely reckless and daring fashion. 
  The risks of operating a capital ship such as a cruiser within 
  an asteroid field are certainly daunting, but the Lament seems 
  to have a particular gift for navigating such hazards.
    
  Designed as a fleet support vessel, the Carnage class was meant to provide supporting fire from long range 
  for other ships. Unfortunately, the Carnage suffered from numerous problems during its construction, including many technical 
  
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  supplemental components
  Port and Starboard Phased Plasma broadsides: (Macrobattery; Strength 6; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 12) 
  Port and Starboard Macrocannon broadside: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 6; Range 9) 
  Prow Phased Plasma Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 12)  
  Reinforced Interior Bulkheads: This bonus has already been included in the above profile.
  Compartmentalized Cargo Hold: If this ship is captured while this Component is undamaged, it grants an additional 75 
  Achievement Points towards any one of the Explorers’ current Objectives. 
  special rules and Modifier summary
  Combined Fire: The long-range batteries of the Carnage-
  class Cruiser are particularly dangerous when focused on a 
  single foe. The Carnage-class Cruiser gains a +5 bonus to all 
  Ballistic Skill Tests to fire shipboard weapons if it is firing on 
  one target (and one target only) during that Strategic Turn. 
  The following modifiers apply to the Carnage, taking 
  Components into account:
  • All Command Tests made to defend against boarding 
  and hit-and-run actions gain +5. All hit-and-run attacks 
  against opponents gain +20. 
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests gain +5. 
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire shipboard weapons gain +10.  
  hades cLass heaVy cruiser
  Hull: Heavy Cruiser
  Class: Hades Class
  Dimensions: 5.2 km long, .8 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 33.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 130,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 2.4 Gravities max acceleration.
  Once a design considered for the backbone of a battle fleet, the Hades-class Heavy Cruiser is an exceptionally 
  dangerous and well-armed vessel, a dire threat to any ship of the line. Hades Heavy Cruisers can put out a 
  devastating amount of firepower at long range, including dual banks of lances and heavy clustered weapons batteries on each 
  broadside. It is suspected that the Hades Class contains certain non-euclidian quirks of architecture, perhaps placed deliberately by 
  its planners, that inexorably lead towards madness and worshipping beings of the warp. Whatever the truth, it is well-known that 
  this heavy cruiser is often found serving at the forefront of traitor battle formations.
  Speed: 7  
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 2  
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 75
  Morale: 100 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 2  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  essential components 
  Jovian Pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, 
  Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae Pattern 
  Life Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  supplemental components
  Prow and Dorsal Banefire Lance Battery: (Lance; Strength 
  2; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 3; Range 12) 
  Deathstrike Missile Broadside: (Macrobattery; Strength 6; 
  Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 5; Range 9)
  Pirate Holds: If this ship is captured while this Component 
  is undamaged, it grants an additional 100 Achievement Points 
  towards any one of the Explorers’ current Objectives. 
  Secondary Command Bridge: The bonuses for this 
  commander’s sanctum are included in Modifiers.
  morTis ex AsTrA
  Often sighted with Karrad Vall’s command group in the 
  Cineris Maleficum, the Mortis Ex Astra is a Carnage Class 
  Cruiser with more than seven confirmed capital ship kills 
  to its name, including the Sentinel, a Tyrant Class Cruiser. 
  Calligos Winterscale’s flagship battled the Mortis Ex Astra 
  to a standstill in orbit over the planet of Hemelshot, but 
  the Chaos vessel’s uncanny accuracy eventually forced the 
  Rogue Trader to withdraw. There is a substantial standing 
  bounty posted for the destruction of the Mortis Ex Astra 
  posted upon Footfall and Port Wander.
  opTimus Nemesis
  The vile pirate warlord Karrad Vall uses a Hades-class 
  heavy cruiser, the Optimus Nemesis, as the flagship of 
  his reaver fleet. Its name spoken in fear by Rogue 
  Traders and Navy officers alike, the Optimus Nemesis has 
  engaged dozens of ships from Battlefleet Calixis and 
  several Rogue Traders.  Although it has been brought 
  to battle many times, the Optimus Nemesis has never 
  been destroyed, it’s deeply-scarred hull a testament 
  to the ship’s unholy resilience. Some whisper that the 
  ship is often commanded by a Chaos Space Marine, 
  thus explaining its exemplary battle record. Despite 
  this, however, there are reports that Karrad Vall is 
  currently constructing a much larger class of ship in 
  orbit over the planet Iniquity. It is likely he intends to 
  shift his flag to this new vessel, whatever it may be.
  ll Ballistic Skill Tests to fire shipboard weapons gain +10.  
  ruiser
  Once a design considered for the backbone of a battle fleet, the Hades-class Heavy Cruiser is an exceptionally 
  dangerous and well-armed vessel, a dire threat to any ship of the line. Hades Heavy Cruisers can put out a 
  
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  Bizarre Geometries: The construction of the Hades Class Heavy Cruiser includes mind-twisting patterns that render much of 
  its crew irrevocably tied to the Ruinous Powers. This has a side effect of reducing the impact of battle-damage upon the crew’s 
  Morale; the Hades Class Heavy Cruiser subtracts 1 from all Morale Damage (to a minimum of 1). 
  Command Vessel: The Hades is often used as a fleet flagship, and as long as it is serving as the flagship, all Piloting and 
  Navigation Tests made by allied vessels within 10 VUs gain a +5 bonus.
  The following modifiers apply to the Hades, taking Components into account:
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests gain +5. 
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to fire shipboard weapons gain +10. 
  inFideL cLass raider
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Infidel Raider
  Dimensions: 1.5 km long, 0.25 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 6 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 24000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  It is widely believed that the Infidel-class Raider was developed from stolen plans for a larger Imperial escort ship destined to 
  replace the aging Cobra-class Destroyer. The Infidel is a relatively new design, combining a battery of punishing macrocannons 
  with a sizeable array of torpedo tubes in the prow. Fast, tough, and incredibly dangerous when formed into squadrons, Infidels 
  quickly gained a dire reputation amongst their Imperial Navy opponents. Infidels are often used by their vile captains to 
  perpetrate surprise assaults, leading the way with a wave of boarding torpedoes with the ships following close behind ready to 
  devastate any survivors with their broadsides.
  Speed: 10 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +25 
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 1  
  Armour: 17 
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 33
  Morale: 98 
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
  Crew Rating: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1
  essential components 
  Jovian Pattern Class 2 Drive, Strelov 1 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Single Void Shield Array, Combat Bridge, L-12.b Life 
  Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  supplemental components
  Dorsal Macrocannon Battery: (Macrobattery, Strength 4; Damage 
  1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 5) 
  Prow Raider Torpedo Tubes: (Torpedo Tubes; Strength 4; Damage 
  2d10+14; Range 40; Terminal Penetration [3]) These torpedo tubes are 
  loaded with plasma torpedoes. This Component has 30 torpedoes.
  Reinforced Interior Bulkheads: The bonuses for this Component 
  have already been included in the ship profile.
  special rules and Modifier summary
  The following modifiers apply to the Hades, taking Components into 
  account: +10 to all Repair Tests. 
  iconocLasT cLass desTroyer
  Iconoclasts are a favoured vessel for many pirates due to its firepower and rugged and common design. Iconoclasts are also easy 
  to modify to look like a wide variety of other ships, meaning that they excel at ambushes and striking from surprise. Relatively 
  cheap to acquire or repair, Iconoclasts are a common sight in many raiding bands of Chaos reavers. 
  To include Chaos Iconoclasts, use the hull found on page 28, and include the following Essential and Supplemental Components. 
  The Essential Components will not change its profile, but will give the all the Essential Components it requires to operate, 1 Void 
  Shield, and 100 Crew Population and 100 Morale. This version of the Iconoclast has no special rules.
  Essential Components: Jovian Pattern Class 2 Drive, Strelov 1 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Single Void Shield Array, 
  Pirate Bridge, L-12.b Life Sustainer, Pirate Quarters, M-100 Augur Array.
  Supplemental Components: 2 Dorsal Macrocannon Batteries: (Macrobattery, Strength 3; Damage 1d10+2; Crit 
  Rating 6; Range 6), Reaver Hold (if this ship is captured with this Component intact, the Explorers gain 20 
  Achievement Points towards their current Objective. 
  TAloN squAdroN
  A small band of Infidels working together 
  in the Unbeholden Reaches, Talon Squadron 
  have raided settlements and ships in this 
  region for the last five decades. Most recently, 
  Talon Squadron inflicted severe damage to the 
  ship of Rogue Trader Jeremiah Blitz, and 
  the impetuous young gambler has sworn his 
  intention to turn every last Infidel he meets 
  henceforth into scrap.
  
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  SquadronS
  •
  nPC StarShiPS
  •
  MuStering the 
  Fleet
  •
  Waging War
  •
  ground WarS
  •
  large-SCale 
  WarFare
  •
  WarFare 
  endeavourS
  •
  aPPendix oF 
  vehiCleS
  
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  Chapter IV: 
  Rules of War
  “Those who command starships number amongst these few, and 
  within their hands ride the fates of thousands. But remember always 
  that only one being in the whole galaxy carries the fate of all 
  mankind in His hands. He is the Emperor, lord of all humanity, and 
  to Him must you look when it comes time to command.”
  – Rear-Admiral Zoila Kusch, addressing the Midshipmen of 
  812.M41
  S
  tarship combat is often a complex affair, involving 
  several vessels. While the players may have little trouble 
  commanding their starship, they have only one vessel 
  to command between them. This is not true for the GM, who 
  may have squadrons of frigates and raiders to contend with.
  This is true for any combat—the more numerous the NPCs, 
  the less attention the GM can devote to each NPC and the less 
  attention the GM can devote to the players. Within this 
  section there are a number of optional rules, along with 
  some advice, which GMs can use in order to speed up 
  running starship combats, by simplifying how NPC 
  vessels work compared to the necessarily more 
  complex vessels controlled by the players.
  As already mentioned, the rules in this section are entirely 
  optional; using them is entirely a matter of a GMs individual 
  discretion. In some cases, where there are only a small number 
  of NPC vessels, or where the additional detail is desirable, it 
  may be preferable to use the normal rules from the rulebook.
  Squadrons
  “Sabre squadron, this is Sabre actual; all ahead full.”
  – Commander Macht, commanding officer of the Argent 
  Sabre, squadron leader for Sabre squadron.
  S
  tarships of all species and factions operate in close 
  formation for mutual benefit. Particularly in the case of 
  raiders and frigates, squadrons of lightly-armed craft 
  can often overwhelm larger, more powerful vessels together 
  when they may not be able to do so alone. In larger battles, 
  even cruisers will form into line squadrons, combining their 
  considerable firepower into a single, devastating force. 
  A group of two or more vessels may be formed into a 
  squadron, at which point they will fight as a single entity. 
  This requires a number of changes to the way the vessels act. 
  Below are a series of rules and guidelines for grouping vessels 
  into squadrons.
  
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  Squadron CompoSition
  Squadrons are composed of two or more vessels of similar 
  size. Under normal circumstances, only vessels of the same 
  hull type can be grouped into a squadron. In some cases, 
  however, it may be desirable to group frigates and raiders into 
  the same squadron, or to group cruisers and battlecruisers 
  or grand cruisers. In broad terms, the different tendencies 
  towards speed, structure and armament of a given hull type 
  may make combining different hull types difficult in practice, 
  particularly when the hulls are very different.
  Beyond that, the way that squadrons carry out actions means 
  that wildly different armament can cause problems as well—a 
  squadron with only one torpedo-armed vessel will not fully 
  benefit from spending actions to reload those torpedoes, as the 
  action is wasted for every vessel but the torpedo-armed one.
  Typically, squadrons may be compiled of transports, 
  raiders and frigates, light cruisers, cruisers, and battlecruisers, 
  or grand cruisers. However, at the GM’s discretion, different 
  hull types can be mixed in squadrons. 
  Squadron ForMation
  Regular communication is required between vessels in a 
  squadron, using vox and astrotelepathy to ensure that every 
  vessel knows what it’s meant to be doing at any given 
  moment. The squadron’s commander must give orders to 
  every vessel under his command, and long distances hinder 
  the necessary swiftness of communication.
  Every vessel in the squadron must remain within 3VU of 
  at least one other vessel in the squadron. The entire squadron 
  must form a single unbroken “chain,” with no gap between 
  vessels of greater than 3 VU. If, for any reason, the squadron 
  formation is broken, the squadron’s next Manoeuvre Action 
  must involve bringing the squadron back into formation—if it 
  wants to remain operational as a squadron. Squadrons cannot 
  operate without a continuous, short line of communication, 
  and are under standing orders to attempt to regroup when 
  those lines are broken.
  Squadron CreW and orderS
  Squadrons move and fight as a single entity, moving in 
  formation and firing at the same targets.
  A squadron has a single Crew Rating, which applies 
  to every ship within the squadron. If multiple ships have 
  different Crew Ratings, use the Crew Rating of the lowest 
  ship in the squadron. 
  At the start of the combat, roll 1d10 and add the highest 
  Detection Bonus (the tens digit of the Detection characteristic) 
  of the ships in the squadron. This is the squadron’s Initiative.
  During each Strategic Round, each squadron must perform 
  one Manoeuvre Action, and may perform one Shooting 
  Action, and it may perform a number of Extended Actions as 
  deemed appropriate by the GM.
  The Manoeuvre performed by the squadron must be the 
  same for every ship—they must all move the same distance 
  and turn in the same direction. Should, at any point, a test be 
  called for to successfully perform a Manoeuvre Action, then 
  a single test is made, based on the squadron’s Crew Rating, 
  and the lowest Manoeuvrability of the ships in the squadron.
  Resolving a squadron’s Shooting Action is dealt with 
  separately below.
  Extended Actions are likewise performed by the squadron 
  as a whole, using a single test to resolve the success or failure 
  of the action.
  Shooting at SquadronS
  Shooting at squadrons must be resolved in a slightly different 
  way than firing at individual vessels. When firing at a 
  squadron, the primary target will always be the vessel in the 
  squadron that is closest to the firing ship.
  When firing a weapon, the first hit scored must be against 
  the primary target. Any additional hits scored may be allocated 
  against any other vessel in the squadron, so long as at least 
  half of the total hits scored by that Weapon Component are 
  allocated to the primary target.
  With hits scored from macrobatteries, the damage rolls are 
  added together as usual after being allocated to a target vessel, 
  with all the hits allocated to a single vessel being totalled. 
  With hits scored from lances, the damage rolls are resolved 
  individually as normal.
  Due to the way torpedoes, attack craft, and nova cannons 
  attack—relying on actual physical location—all torpedoes, 
  attack craft and nova cannons will attack whichever vessel 
  they pass within range of, regardless of whether or not they 
  are part of a squadron.
  Ships suffer damage and critical hits individually, but 
  damage to Crew Population and Morale are resolved 
  collectively for the entire squadron.
  Squadron Shooting: MaSSed Fire
  Squadrons fire in a different manner than lone ships, 
  representing their ability to fill space with shots. This ability 
  is called Massed Fire. When a squadron performs Massed Fire, 
  select any number of either macrobatteries or lances; the two 
  may not be combined for this purpose. Then select a single 
  one of those Components.
  Roll to hit with that Component as normal. Every 
  additional Component after the first grants an additional +10 
  to hit and +1 to the Strength of the Component for that shot 
  only (effectively increasing the number of maximum shots by 
  one). The damage, range and Crit Rating are all determined 
  by the Component for which the attack roll is being made—
  however, all Weapon Components being used must be in 
  range of the target. In addition, as only a single attack roll is 
  being made only one Critical Hit can be scored.
  Squadrons can combine macrobatteries or lances into 
  multiple groups for purposes of Massed Fire–for example, 
  a squadron with eight macrobatteries could fire make one 
  Massed Fire with all eight weapons, two with four each, or 
  any other combination.
  This is intended to speed up combat involving squadrons 
  of NPC starships, as well as give smaller ships an ability to 
  work together to take out larger vessels. 
  
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  NPC Starships
  “Target sighted at seventy-thousand kilometres and closing; plotting 
  firing solution...”
  – Master of Gunnery Augustin Maechenko, Damnation’s Bane
  T
  he following section is designed to facilitate the quick 
  and simple use of NPC starships. Often, the group as 
  a whole manages a single starship, while the GM has 
  to manage several on his own. These rules are intended to 
  simplify the GM’s job.
  aCtionS and orderS
  Normal rules for Extended Actions are designed primarily 
  with the Explorers in mind. The Extended Action rules 
  assume that one of the Explorers will be performing the 
  action as an alternative to piloting the ship or firing the guns. 
  The number of Extended Actions that the vessel can perform 
  is inherently limited by the number of available Explorers.
  This is not the case with NPC vessels. NPC vessels have a single 
  generic crew, rather than an assortment of Explorers to command 
  the action. While it is possible to create an NPC command crew 
  for each ship to perform these roles, the added complication can 
  slow gameplay and requires increased preparation.
  To aid in faster, streamlined gameplay, GMs can choose 
  to adopt the Order system for their NPC starships. Instead 
  of performing a number of Extended Actions alongside 
  their Shooting Action and Manoeuvre Action, NPC vessels 
  may perform a single Order. Orders require no test, and 
  are somewhat broader in scope than Extended Actions. 
  Orders vary in effect based on the Crew Rating of the vessel 
  performing the Order.
  The available Orders are as follows:
  all ahead Full
  The ship’s enginseers prepare the vessel to surge forwards, 
  diverting power to the engines.
  Effect: The ship’s speed this Strategic Turn is increased by a 
  distance determined by the ship’s Crew Rating, so long as it 
  only moved in a straight line.
  Incompetent (20): +1 VU 
  Competent (30): +1d5 VU
  Crack (40): +1d5+1 VU 
  Veteran (50): +1d5+2 VU
  Elite (60): +2d5 VU
  damage Control
  The ship’s repair crews set about trying to get Damaged 
  Components functioning again.
  Effect: A number of Damaged, Disabled, Depressurised 
  or Unpowered Components equal to the ship’s Crew 
  Rating Bonus are returned to full function or a 
  number of fires equal to the Ship’s Crew Rating 
  are immediately extinguished. The number 
  of Strategic Turns required before the 
  Component is repaired is determined by the ship’s Crew 
  Rating. However, once this Order has been performed, a new 
  Order may be performed during subsequent turns.
  Incompetent (20): 4 Turns 
  Competent (30): 4 Turns
  Crack (40): 3 Turns
  Veteran (50): 2 Turns
  Elite (60): 1 Turn
  Launch attack Craft
  At the orders of the ship’s master of ordnance, fighters, 
  bombers and assault boats scramble.
  Effect: The ship’s launch bays unleash the active attack craft. 
  This can be used to start multiple attack craft operations, as 
  determined by the ship’s Crew Rating;
  Incompetent (20): 1 operation
  Competent (30): 1 operation
  Crack (40): 2 operations
  Veteran (50): 3 operations
  Elite (60): 4 operations
  prepare to manoeuvre
  The enginseers divert power to the manoeuvring thrusters, 
  preparing for a sharp turn or sudden change in speed.
  Effect: The ship gains a bonus to its Manoeuvrability 
  characteristic as determined by the ship’s Crew Rating;
  Incompetent (20): +5 Manoeuvrability
  Competent (30): +5 Manoeuvrability
  Crack (40): +10 Manoeuvrability
  Veteran (50): +10 Manoeuvrability
  Elite (60): +15 Manoeuvrability
  reload ordnance
  Torpedoes are loaded into their tubes and attack craft are 
  armed and fuelled for an operation.
  Effect: The ship’s torpedo tubes are loaded, and a number of 
  attack craft squadrons equal to the total Strength rating of the 
  ship’s launch bays are made active.
  target Lock
  Augurs and targeting systems are calibrated and anointed to 
  better detect and assail the enemy.
  Effect: The ship gains a bonus to its Detection characteristic 
  and to all attack rolls as determined by the ship’s Crew Rating;
  Incompetent (20): +5 Detection and +5 to Hit
  Competent (30): +5 Detection and +10 to Hit
  Crack (40): +10 Detection and +15 to Hit
  Veteran (50): +10 Detection and +20 to Hit
  Elite (60): +15 Detection and +20 to Hit
  damage to npC ShipS
  As with several other rules pertaining to starships, the rules for 
  Critical Hits, Crew Population and Morale presented in the 
  Rogue TRadeR core rulebook are primarily designed for the 
  use of player characters. As such, they tend to include details 
  which are largely unnecessary to running NPC starships.
  Simplified methods for resolving Critical Hits and damage 
  to Crew Population and Morale are presented here.
  
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  CritiCal hitS
  The majority of Critical Hits scored only use the first five 
  results on the table. Many of those that remain result in long-
  term effects that are less relevant to NPC vessels, which may 
  only appear once. With that in mind, a shorter, NPC-specific 
  Critical Hit table is presented here. This table can to be rolled 
  on in place of the normal Critical Hit table, but should only 
  be used when generating weapon crits, not when the starship 
  is reduced to zero Hull Integrity.
  GMs should note that this table is presented to drastically 
  simplify Critical Hits, and thus is focused only on effects that 
  matter in starship combat. Therefore, it works best when used 
  with unimportant enemy starships. In an epic duel between 
  the Explorers and a nemesis, the regular Critical Hit chart on 
  page 222 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook is likely to be 
  more exciting and interesting.
  Disabled: This new result appears multiple times on the NPC 
  Critical Hit table, and is a simple way of noting that a Component 
  has stopped working for some reason, and must be repaired. 
  CreW PoPulation and Morale
  The matter of tracking Crew Population and Morale adds a layer 
  of bookkeeping to starship combat that may prove to be a needless 
  complication for a GM, particularly as many of the effects of a 
  starship losing crew or morale are long-term issues unlikely to be a 
  worthwhile consideration with regards to an NPC vessel.
  However, the matter is not so inconsequential that it can 
  be completely ignored. The hindrance of depleted crew and 
  failing morale are still significant factors in space combat. 
  Consequently, a faster method of resolving damage to crew 
  and morale is presented here.
  NPC starships are able to sustain an amount of Crew 
  Population or Morale damage equal to their ship’s Hull 
  Integrity plus Crew Rating. Therefore, a ship with a 
  Competent (30) Crew and 40 Hull Integrity could sustain 
  a Crew Population loss of 43. This value cannot exceed the 
  ship’s maximum Crew Population or Morale value.
  NPC starships do not suffer the regular effects for Crew 
  Population or Morale loss as indicated on page 224 of the 
  Rogue TRadeR core rulebook. Instead, when they exceed 
  the described threshold, they have either lost enough men 
  or morale that they no longer have the resources or stomach 
  to fight, and attempt to disengage from combat during each 
  subsequent turn. If they are brought to 0 Crew Population or 
  Morale, the ship becomes a empty, inoperative tomb with no 
  crew, or the crew rises up in rebellion, killing all the senior 
  staff. With the latter result, they may still attempt to flee, 
  fight, or negotiate with their enemies at the GM’s discretion.
  This method is an extremely simplified means of tracking 
  Crew Population and Morale loss, and allows Explorers a 
  means to drive off enemy ships without destroying them. 
  Again, this should only be used with enemy starships that 
  are minor and unimportant to the plot, not major adversaries.
  Mustering the 
  Fleet
  “The void is a cruel and deadly mistress, and one whom your species 
  has not learned to tame.”
  – Anastraelin Bleakshard, Craftmaster of the Architect of Pain
  S
  etting up space combats requires a careful hand. The 
  potential variables are many and varied, and a few 
  good or bad rolls or a poorly chosen adversary can 
  turn what should have been a desperate stand-off into an 
  overwhelming victory, or vise versa. Within this section are 
  a number of hints and guidelines to setting up a challenging 
  space combat encounter.
  oFFenCe and deFenCe
  One important consideration the GM should make is that the 
  number of starships is seldom the most accurate measure of how 
  deadly a force is. Instead, the amount of firepower a vessel can 
  bring to bear on one target, and the number of targets the vessel 
  can effectively attack are better considerations of its offensive 
  power, and the number of shields they possess is a very important 
  consideration when determining a vessel’s defensive capabilities.
  A vessel that has only a single, slow-firing weapon, against 
  one with two void shields, is unlikely to be able to harm its 
  target reliably, as it cannot reasonably expect to overcome its 
  target’s shields, let alone deal significant Hull or Critical damage. 
  Meanwhile, a vessel with a combination of macrobatteries 
  and lances against a poorly-shielded target is likely to cause 
  considerable harm every turn, able to overwhelm shields and 
  Table 4–1: NPC Ship Critical Hits
  Roll
  Result
  1
  Bulkheads rupture or the hull implodes, dealing 
  an additional +2 Hull Integrity damage to the 
  vessel. If damaged by a weapon that affects 
  multiple Components, it deals +4 Hull Integrity 
  damage instead.
  2
  A lucky strike Disables one Weapon 
  Component of the attacker’s choice.
  3
  The ship’s sensor systems are damaged by 
  enemy fire. The ship suffers a –10 penalty to 
  Ballistic Skill Tests until the damage is repaired.
  4
  Thruster assemblies are torn away or rendered 
  inoperable. The ship suffers a –20 penalty to 
  Manoeuvrability until the damage is repaired. 
  5
  Fire!: Alarms scream through the ship as 
  an inferno rages through passageways and 
  compartments, and must be contained and 
  extinguished as soon as possible before it will 
  destroy the ship. Each turn, the ship suffers 
  1d10 damage to both Crew Population and 
  Morale, and one Component of the GM’s 
  choice is Disabled.
  6+
  An extremely powerful blow strips away the 
  target’s Void Shields. The Void Shields are 
  inoperative until the damage is repaired.
  
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  rip away chunks of hull, and even reliably cause Critical Hits, 
  disabling Components and hindering a target’s ability to fight 
  back. Broadly speaking, it is most effective to commit at least two 
  weapon systems to attacking a target, in order to ensure that the 
  enemy’s shields are stripped away and at least t some damage can 
  be inflicted.
  Another consideration, although one related to this 
  first point, is hull type and appropriate tactics.  Different 
  hull types have different weapon configurations, different 
  tendencies towards speed and armour, and different degrees of 
  manoeuvrability.
  tranSPortS
  These vessels are rarely configured for combat. Typically slow, 
  unwieldy, and poorly armed, transports are not dangerous foes. It 
  is a rare transport that carries enough firepower to significantly 
  hinder an enemy vessel, and a rarer one still that can be anything 
  but outmanoeuvred and outrun by true warships.
  raiderS
  Agile but poorly armoured, raiders are configured to carry 
  potent firepower, but cannot stand up to a great deal of return 
  fire, forcing them to attempt to outmanoeuvre or outrun their 
  enemies. The majority of a raider’s firepower is forward-facing, 
  meaning that in order to attack successfully, they must close with 
  their targets head-on before breaking off to limit retaliatory fire; 
  essentially, raiders perform long attack runs against their targets.
  FrigateS
  In many ways the counterpoint to raiders, frigates are less 
  agile but have better armour and greater versatility in their 
  firepower. Typically armed with dorsal weaponry, a frigate 
  can throw fire in almost any direction, and combined with 
  their still-considerable speed and agility, makes them excellent 
  escorts for heavier, slower, or more vulnerable vessels.
  light CruiSerS
  There are, broadly speaking, two varieties of light cruiser. 
  The first variety is swift and manoeuvrable, able to attack 
  flanks. The second is heavier and slower, serving more as 
  a cheap alternative to a true cruiser. Either have a range of 
  weapon systems sufficient to direct effective firepower against 
  an enemy in either flank. Their greater size allows them to 
  carry heavier, more powerful weapons such as broadside 
  macrocannons, lance batteries and large torpedo salvoes.
  CruiSerS
  At this point, the ability to unleash a true broadside volley 
  becomes apparent, at least with Imperial-style ships. In all cases, 
  the number, power and versatility of a cruiser’s weapons are 
  such that they can easily engage multiple targets, or lay down 
  withering fire against a single adversary. This does depend on 
  how the weapons are configured and the specific nature of the 
  cruiser involved (for example, Eldar and Ork cruisers typically 
  mount most or all of their firepower in the prow, while Imperial 
  ones are more likely to rely on heavy broadsides, which splits 
  their fire to port and starboard). Cruisers are typically very slow 
  and cumbersome vessels, but heavily armoured and resilient, 
  often carrying multiple void shields to further resist enemy fire.
  BattleCruiSerS
  Similar to cruisers in most ways, battlecruisers are typically 
  more heavily armed, mounting additional weaponry. All the 
  advice regarding cruisers applies here, though their heavier 
  weapons load-out makes them a match for more powerful 
  enemies.
  grand CruiSerS
  Relatively rare and extremely powerful, grand cruisers as 
  the Imperium employs them tend to be capable of far more 
  potent broadsides at the cost of a relative lack of versatility, 
  lacking any weaponry capable of firing in more than one arc, 
  and lacking any prow armament.
  BattleShiPS
  Terrifyingly potent vessels, battleships normally mount the 
  equivalent armament of two cruisers or a small squadron of 
  frigates or raiders. The average battleship is slow and lacking in 
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  Fleet Communiqué 
  Sent: Astropath Ternicus-750.815.M41
  To: Admiral Nathaniel Horne, Captain of the Gryphon and Officer Commanding Passage Watch 27 Est.
  From: Commander Victoria Horne, Captain of the Hawk, extended operations, the Koronus Expanse 
  As of 8 bells this day, my vessel completed an impromptu rendezvous and joint patrol with 
  the Swiftsure, operating in Winterscale’s Realm.
  We came across our sister ship escorting two Chartist vessels loaded with nephium from 
  Lucin’s Breath, and offered escort. Our mutual escort continued for two weeks. At 743.815, 
  we were ambushed during a real space translation off the Trailing Shoals, however the 
  vessels proved no match for two Imperial warships. With one destroyed, the others fled to 
  the warp. I have included what information I possess about the vessels.
  Communiqué Ends
  Postscript: Sailing alongside Commander Rivers was a pleasure, Nathaniel, as it always is. 
  Our vessels complement each other well, with her firepower augmented by my lances, and my 
  attack craft able to intercept any smaller vessels. 
  I’m more concerned about the attack. Though we saw it off handily, the Swiftsure may have 
  had problems alone. It appears pirate activity is increasing in Winterscale’s Realm, but 
  what if they were targeting our vessels directly?
  
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  manoeuvrability, but extremely resilient in terms of armour, hull 
  integrity and layers of void shielding. Depending on armament 
  and configuration, a battleship may be able to direct four or five 
  weapon Components at a single target, a potentially crippling 
  amount of firepower for any smaller vessel.
  Weapon SyStemS
  Different weapons serve different purposes in battle, and 
  understanding their usage is important to setting up combats. 
  MaCroBatterieS
  Rapid-firing but imprecise, macrobatteries tend to be good at 
  overwhelming shields and, against unshielded and/or lightly-
  armoured targets, good at dealing conventional Hull Integrity 
  damage. However, against heavily-armoured targets or targets 
  with considerable shielding, it requires a lucky hit to deal 
  any damage beyond removing the shields. The majority of 
  vessels are likely to carry at least one macrobattery, if only for 
  preparing a target by removing void shields.
  lanCeS
  Compared to macrobatteries, lances are powerful and precise 
  but slow-firing. Effective against heavily-armoured targets and 
  more likely to deal crits, a lance is unfortunately somewhat 
  ineffective at overcoming shields, due to its low rate of fire.
  Lance-armed vessels are more effective when a target’s 
  shields have been overwhelmed by a macrobattery first; lance 
  shots are too useful and too rare a commodity to waste against 
  an enemy’s shields.
  torPedoeS
  Superficially similar to macrobatteries in some ways, torpedoes 
  deal considerable damage and completely ignore void shields. 
  However, the true value of torpedoes is in area denial. Due to 
  the indirect nature of a torpedo attack – where the weapons 
  travel across the “battlefield”—the threat of an attack is as 
  valuable as the actual damage, as it can deter an enemy from 
  moving in a particular direction.
  This technique of “torpedo herding,” of course, is reliant 
  either on players being appropriately considerate of risk, or 
  upon the GM roleplaying enemies appropriately—reckless 
  foes like Orks, for example, are unlikely to care about enemy 
  torpedoes quite as much as more cautious foes.
  launCh BayS and attaCk CraFt
  Carriers open up a whole variety of tactics to a vessel, but also 
  add a lot of complication. It takes extended actions and/or 
  Orders to use attack craft, drawing upon the limited resource 
  of character actions that may often be needed elsewhere. 
  However, the damage potential of assault boats and bombers, 
  and the defensive capabilities afforded by fighters, can make 
  this expenditure worthwhile.
  Attack Craft are versatile and potent assets. Bombers and 
  assault boats can deal considerable amounts of damage, including 
  multiple critical hits, while fighters can negate the effectiveness 
  of torpedoes and the otherwise-deadly attack craft.
  nova CannonS
  A Nova Cannon is a difficult weapon to use effectively. Their 
  relative inaccuracy is a severe drawback, but the damage they 
  can inflict, often to multiple targets, makes them a valuable 
  weapon to those willing to make the effort. Spending 
  actions to lock on and increase the chance to hit can be very 
  important with these weapons. A single well-placed hit from 
  a Nova Cannon can deal an unparalleled amount of damage, 
  including the potential for several critical hits.
  The area effect quality of Nova Cannons makes them 
  effective area-denial weapons. Even an inaccurate shot 
  can deal some damage to numerous enemies, discouraging 
  enemies from grouping together too closely. As with “torpedo 
  herding,” this is reliant either on the Explorers being cautious 
  of risk, or upon the GM roleplaying enemies appropriately.
  CeLeStiaL phenomena
  The void is not as empty is it might seem to some. Gas clouds, 
  asteroid fields, planets, the influence of gravity and stranger 
  things besides can influence starship combat in a variety of 
  ways, helping or hindering those who pass near such 
  phenomena. Battles often take place near celestial 
  phenomena simply because such regions tend to 
  exist near star systems, which tend to attract 
  their share of conflicts.
  
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  Consequently, it is never too much of a stretch to include 
  some manner of celestial phenomena as part of a given space 
  combat, in order to influence the chances of one side or another, 
  or even simply to make for a more interesting battle (pursuing 
  a fleeing enemy, or being pursued, through an asteroid field, or 
  hunting a foe within the shrouding mists of a nebula).
  Pirates and raiders often use such phenomena cunningly, 
  lurking within asteroid fields and nebulae or behind moons 
  to avoid the augury of their prey. Such tactics allow ambushes 
  where otherwise starships are easy to detect over vast distances.
  Ambush strategies like these can grant an advantage to 
  lightly-armoured fleets, particularly ones consisting of nimble 
  raiders, who can get close to their targets without risking 
  themselves before the attack. Similar tactics can be used by 
  vessels on silent running, though not quite as effectively 
  against a wary prospective victim.
  Details of a few different kinds of celestial phenomena 
  can be found on pages 226 and 227 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  CoRe Rulebook.
  other ConSiderationS
  Space combat contains factors beyond the hulls and 
  weapons of the combatants. Crew skill can often mean the 
  difference between victory and defeat, granting additional 
  reliable actions and greater chances of success. This is a valid 
  consideration for the players, as a skilled crew can supplement 
  the Explorers’ abilities and make them more effective in 
  general, but for NPC vessels, this is a crucial consideration, 
  as Crew Quality is the main factor that influences how 
  effectively a starship can be used. Skilled NPC crews gain 
  more from Extended Actions or Orders, hit more frequently, 
  board more effectively, and manoeuvre more deftly. A small 
  number of raiders with Veteran (50) Crews will be more 
  effective at attacking and eluding their enemies than a larger 
  number of raiders with Competent (30) Crew.
  Additional Components, such as the Munitorium or 
  Teleportarium either improve the effectiveness of standard 
  methods, or allow for new tactics, while unconventional 
  strategies such as boarding and ramming grant additional 
  methods of harming foes at extreme close range. Particularly in 
  the case of enemies like the Orks, boarding actions and ramming 
  are effective tactics which are difficult to defend against.
  Waging War
  “War is the natural state of man, for it is in battle that he has made his 
  greatest achievements. It is at the heart of every endeavour, and those 
  who claim otherwise are doomed to die on the same swords they decry.”
  – Attributed to St. Drusus
  T
  he ability to successfully wage war is crucial to the 
  survival of a Rogue Trader as surely as are his skills in 
  business, diplomacy, and voidfaring. It is the strong arm 
  and the implicit threat of violence that lend weight to a man’s 
  words in the Imperium. Indeed, in a place as lawless and God-
  Emperor forsaken as the Koronus Expanse, a Rogue Trader’s 
  martial prowess is often the only measure by which others 
  judge him. Knowing this, a wise Rogue Trader studies war 
  with the same fervour as he studies markets and currencies. He 
  knows the value of war to the nearest Throne, understanding 
  that the true cost of war is reflected in more than banking 
  ledgers and casualty lists. A Rogue Trader must be able to 
  weigh every factor in war, from costs and benefits to the social 
  and political ramifications. This is what sets a Rogue Trader 
  apart from a common Free Captain or business concern. He has 
  the ability to raise an army and a fleet of ships to carry it, and 
  the legal, moral, and ethical backing of the Administratum that 
  allows him to use them as he sees fit. This makes him unique 
  among his peers. Unique and dangerous, for the rights and 
  responsibilities granted in a Warrant of Trade, especially those 
  pertaining to waging war in the name of the God-Emperor, can 
  be so easily, and so tragically, misused. 
  Warfare is an intricate dance full of ever shifting alliances 
  and uncertain futures, and is not to be entered into lightly. 
  When committed, a Rogue Trader must pursue it with all of 
  the strength, courage, and violence that he can muster. Only 
  then will he see the fruits of his violent labours. Taking part in 
  a war, whether as a belligerent or simply an interested party, is 
  expensive, risky, deadly, and has brought ruin to more Rogue 
  Trader houses than can be counted. Why, then, do so many 
  pursue it? The answers to these questions are as varied, and 
  as telling, as the men and women who give them. There is 
  no constant, no prescribed list of conditions that can decide 
  when waging a war is prudent or not. 
  One thing is for certain, though. While the benefits of 
  waging war can be truly staggering, and may make a man a 
  king, the cost of failure is always death (whether true death 
  or the myriad of little deaths like humiliation, loss of power, 
  loss of wealth, or even enslavement). These are all important 
  issues to keep in mind when approaching war, though they 
  are by no means the only ones, and it is a fool who disregards 
  their importance.
  reaSonS For War
  Wars have been fought throughout the aeons for any number 
  of reasons, and in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium 
  this is especially true. Whether for conquest, faith, or simple 
  business, there are any number of reasons to pursue war. 
  
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  War oF ConqueSt
  Wars of conquest are military endeavours wherein the attacker 
  seeks to subjugate an enemy through sheer force of arms. They 
  are waged mainly to acquire some sort of prize, typically land and 
  natural resources, but often times also slaves, or some other form 
  of wealth held by the defenders. Since the goal is the occupation 
  of enemy lands, the subjugation of its people, and the exploitation 
  of their resources, wars of conquest are infinitely complex. They 
  require better planning, larger and longer-term commitments, and 
  perhaps more finesse than wholesale slaughter. They also have a 
  permanency about them, for once an invading force enters a land 
  for conquest, they are typically there to stay. 
  Rogue traders rarely take part in wars of conquest, at 
  least not as conqueror. Wars of this type tend to tie a man to 
  a single place and make him responsible for a whole lot of 
  sedentary, ground-based activities like reconstruction, defence, 
  and subjugation. As this is anathema to many free-wheeling 
  Rogue Traders, who typically prefer the bridge of a void ship 
  to the halls of government, they tend to take ancillary roles in 
  wars of conquest. Supplying weapons and materiel, providing 
  monetary or temporary military backing in the form of ships 
  and house troops, establishing logistics chains, and smuggling 
  have made many a fortune during a larger conflict. 
  War oF Faith
  By far the single most common reason to wage war 
  throughout the Imperium of Man, the religious war is 
  perhaps also the easiest to justify. The opening salvo of many 
  a bloody campaign has come on the tail of the phrase, “the 
  God-Emperor wills it.” Indeed, it could be said that the 
  justification for all wars the Imperium embarks on are, at 
  their heart, fuelled by zealous piety—or at least draped in its 
  trappings. These are “just wars,” wars based on Ecclesiarchical 
  doctrine whose atrocities and crimes are justified, even called 
  for, by the God-Emperor himself. The reasons behind them 
  rarely matter, even to the generals and admirals commanding 
  the vast Imperial military forces. For them it is enough that 
  the God-Emperor wills it, and so it shall be done. 
  Due to the nature of the Imperial Creed, wars of faith may 
  be waged against any who oppose the rightful rule of the 
  Imperium of Man, be they alien, heretic, or rebel. However, 
  the Imperium reserves a special hatred for one foe—the forces 
  of the Ruinous Powers. 
  These wars can be faster and more intense than other 
  wars (although this is by no means a guarantee), since their 
  goal destruction more than conquest. They usually end when 
  the aggressor has either wiped out the heathens and heretics, 
  converted them, or taught them a sufficiently hard lesson. 
  Afterwards, the aggressor will leave behind some religious 
  officials and missionaries to see that their work stuck and that 
  their new converts remain on the narrow path. Garrisons of 
  troops may be left behind as well to keep peace and enforce 
  new doctrines, but the majority of the invading forces will be 
  withdrawn to their bases, leaving the rest of the work to the 
  priests and adepts.
  Due to their relative quickness, high potential for gain, 
  and the ease with which a person can get an enemy labelled 
  a heretic in the Imperium, religious wars are quite popular 
  among Rogue Traders. Whether based on true religious 
  fervour or simply used as a convenient excuse, many a Rogue 
  Trader has waged war with conspicuous displays of prayer 
  and breast-beating. Unlike wars of conquest, in which they 
  tend to take secondary roles, Rogue Traders often take a very 
  active and enthusiastic role in religious wars. What better way 
  is there to prove your piety than by killing the enemies of the 
  God-Emperor? Indeed, many Warrants of Trade specifically 
  call for wielder to make war amongst the heretic and bring 
  His holy light to the godless heathens at the furthest reaches 
  of space.
  xenoCide
  Xenocide, similar in theory to its cousin genocide, is the act 
  of waging war for the sole purpose of completely eradicating 
  an alien species. To the Imperium, xenocide is accepted and 
  even advocated as a religious imperative of humanity, and is 
  yet another common mandate dictated to Rogue Traders by 
  their Warrants of Trade.  
  the trader Militant
  The Warrant of Trade is a potent document, not only allowing Rogue Traders to trade beyond the bounds of the Imperium 
  and operate beyond Imperial oversight, but also make war in the Emperor’s name. While many Rogue Traders make use of 
  a minor war or conflict at some point in their careers, some favour war over all other endeavours. These bloodthirsty Rogue 
  Traders are commonly known by the general populace of the Imperium as Traders Militant, and their Warrant is often 
  referred to by their fellows as a “Warlord Warrant.” These Traders Militant behave in a similar fashion as a senior military 
  commander. Their Warrant sanctions them to conscript and equip great numbers of men, to maintain these men under arms 
  in addition to their house troops, to contract with mercenary corps, and even enlist the aid of Imperial Guard, Imperial 
  Navy or Adeptus Astartes units, and the average Trader Militant makes good use of these abilities. 
  A true Trader Militant is a rare breed, however. Though their Warrants may technically allow them the right to requisition 
  troops, the reality is many Imperial Governors and senior members of the Imperial Adeptus have the political and military 
  power to resist these requests. Therefore, Traders Militant tend to be either Rogue Traders who already possess great 
  wealth and political power, or proven and reliable former servants of the Imperium such as high-ranking Imperial Guard 
  and Imperial Navy officers granted a Warrant of Trade for their deeds. It is up to the GM and a character’s history as to 
  whether they have the martial background to qualify as a Trader Militant, but if they do the GM can allow them  a +10 to 
  all Acquisition and Interaction Tests related to negotiating contracts, planning battles or leading men into combat.
  
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  While not all Rogue Traders are compelled to pursue 
  campaigns of xenocide in their Warrants, nearly all are 
  expected to assist Imperial forces in campaigns against xenos. 
  While all Rogue Traders tacitly agree to this upon receipt of 
  their warrants, in practice it is a different matter altogether. 
  Away from the watchful eyes of the Imperium, many a 
  pragmatic Rogue Trader has turned his back on human 
  settlements besieged by xenos when the cost of assisting 
  outweighed the benefits of leaving their fellow humans to 
  their fates. 
  deFenSive War
  A true defensive war is waged in answer to an aggressor’s attack. 
  Of course, many warmongers would have it believed that their 
  wars are defensive wars. They justify their aggression by real 
  or imagined threats, but their wars are predicated on a desire 
  for wealth, land, and power. A true defensive war is fought to 
  deny the enemy territory, or resources, and often there is little 
  reward save the preservation of what one already possesses. The 
  ongoing defence of the Cadian Gate in the Gothic Sector against 
  the Black Crusades of Chaos is one example of a defensive war, 
  as is the recent war fought on Damaris against the Ork invaders. 
  While those fighting a defensive war are typically caught 
  flat-footed in the early stages of the conflict, they will have 
  certain advantages over their attackers due to fighting on familiar 
  ground, being closer to supply lines, and even the knowledge 
  that they must win or perish. Due to the smaller potential profits 
  of a defensive war, it is not something Rogue Traders get involved 
  with often. However, the potential rewards (in both finances and 
  reputation) for coming to the aid of an embattled people should 
  never be overlooked. The reputation of Esme Chorda changed 
  from pirate and blackguard to hero of the Imperium almost 
  overnight after the Rogue Trader participated in the destruction 
  of the space hulk Cauldron of Savagery in 673.M40.
  War aS diStraCtion
  What better way to cover illicit activities and shady dealings 
  than with a bloody armed conflict? As heinous as it may 
  sound to some, inciting war for purposes of misdirection and 
  obfuscation can be a perfectly legitimate, if perhaps slightly 
  underhanded, business practice. A war pursued by way of 
  distraction is often fought by proxies. Thanks to their usual 
  business dealings, Rogue Traders often have a ready supply 
  of mercenaries and hired thugs that they can call upon for 
  just such an occasion. While the hirelings sow discord and 
  fomenting armed conflict, the Rogue Trader can go about 
  their business.
  War by proxy
  Sometimes, a Rogue Trader must wage a war, but cannot be 
  seen to have done so. When a Rogue Trader needs some 
  dirty work done and it’s either inconvenient or impolitic 
  to get dirt on his own hands, there are plenty of 
  private military organisations more than willing to 
  do it for him—including other Rogue Traders. 
  War by proxy is a war fought on behalf of 
  one party, typically unknown to the actual combatants and 
  hired through numerous cutouts and front organisations, by 
  professional mercenaries or other agents. While it can be a 
  clean and expedient way to wage war, the risks of doing so 
  should not be underestimated. Without direct control of events, 
  such wars have a way of spiralling out of control, possibly 
  hampering the very goals they were supposed to obtain. 
  War ProFiteering
  Sometimes it is more profitable to supply a war than it is to 
  fight it. War profiteering is as old as the act of war itself, and, 
  much like war, is both lauded and detested. War profiteers 
  are individuals or groups who make their profits by selling 
  important materiel to belligerents in an armed conflict, and 
  can range from a Guardsman selling the lasgun of a dead 
  comrade to the manufactorums of the Calixis Sector such as the 
  Merovech Combine, Loi Metalworks, and Lindwyrm Armoury. 
  Although war profiteering is typically thought of as 
  the selling of weapons, fighting vehicles and other wartime 
  impedimenta, the need for any valuable commodity can be 
  exploited for profit in times of war. Medical supplies, foodstuffs, 
  and raw materials all tend to be in high demand in a warzone. 
  It’s not unheard of for a canny war profiteer to sell his 
  wares to both sides of a conflict. There have even been cases 
  of war profiteers instigating armed conflicts for the sole 
  purpose of supplying arms and resources to  the belligerents 
  involved—at wartime prices, of course.
  
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  Rogue Traders are adept at war profiteering. They are well 
  placed to buy commodities low, ship them to willing war zones, 
  and sell them for a tidy profit to all comers. In fact, the business 
  of making war a business is many a dynasties’ core dealings. 
  Ground Wars
  “We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible 
  for the ungrateful. We have done so much for so long with so little, 
  that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”
  – Ancient Guardsman’s saying
  W
  arfare in Rogue Trader can be broadly divided 
  into two types of conflict—those that occur on a 
  planet’s surface, and those that occur in the void 
  overhead. baTTlefleeT koRonus and the Rogue TRadeR core 
  rulebook provide ample information for running wars in space. 
  However, in many cases, there comes a time when a Rogue 
  Trader must land men and machines and take the fight to the 
  surface of a planet. The following section covers rules for this 
  situation. 
  This section begins with rules and information covering 
  various troop types and how to muster and enlist them. 
  Following are rules for outfitting and equipping large 
  numbers of troops. Next are rules for fighting large wars with 
  units of hundreds or thousands of men. Finally are rules and 
  guidelines for constructing warfare endeavours. 
  With these rules, a Rogue Trader and his crew can 
  precipitate almost any war for profit, from a minor skirmish 
  on a frontier world to a massed crusade. 
  muStering troopS
  Almost anything can be bought for the right amount of 
  Thrones, including everything a military-minded entrepreneur 
  needs to wage war. When a Rogue Trader goes about the 
  business of raising troops for war he has three options: raise 
  the troops and form units himself, hire established mercenary 
  groups, or acquiring forces of the Imperium’s military through 
  his Warrant. Each has costs and benefits which must be carefully 
  weighed before a Rogue Trader can gather men to his flag. 
  Forming units from the ground up gives a Rogue Trader 
  complete control over the composition of his forces, but is costly 
  and time consuming. The Rogue Trader must enlist or draft the 
  troops, then procure their weapons, armour, vehicles, equipment, 
  food, uniforms, and shelter. This process can take months or even 
  years, and thus is usually undertaken only by the wealthy.
  Hiring mercenaries is simpler, especially in the Koronus 
  Expanse where plenty of individual warriors or mercenary 
  bands can be bought. Money spent on mercenaries is 
  money spent on a known quantity. Mercenary companies 
  get work by reputation and word of mouth, so a prospective 
  employer typically knows what he’s getting for his Thrones. 
  Unfortunately, reliable mercenaries are seldom cheap. 
  Finally, some Rogue Trader Warrants allow the bearer to 
  requisition units of the Imperial Guard. Though this may seem 
  appealing, such concepts often work better in theory than in 
  practice. Units are often unavailable for one reason or another, 
  and a local Imperial Governor may find it convenient to ignore 
  a Rogue Trader’s request rather than give up well trained and 
  well equipped soldiers. As Imperial Governors are as powerful as 
  many Rogue Traders, this obstacle can prove insurmountable, no 
  matter what their Warrant says.
  unit typeS
  Modern warfare, as it is thought of in the Imperium of Man, 
  is carried out by a multitude of units with varying degrees of 
  speciality. From the lowly foot soldiers of the Penal Legions 
  to the elite Battle Brothers of the Deathwatch, men and 
  women all across the galaxy fly fighter craft, drive tanks, 
  charge fortifications, man artillery, and destroy infrastructure. 
  Each unit has four primary statistics, Power, Unit Strength, 
  Morale, and Movement:
  • Power: This is an abstract representation of a unit’s 
  offensive and defensive capabilities. 
  • Unit Strength: This is an abstract representation of a 
  unit’s size. Typically a unit’s Unit Strength is 10 percent 
  of the number of soldiers in the unit, though this may 
  vary based on other factors.
  • Morale: This is an abstract representation of a unit’s 
  fighting spirit and willingness to stick around when 
  combat begins.
  • Movement: This is a rough value of how far a unit can 
  move in a set period of time.
  While the diversity of military units throughout the galaxy is 
  truly staggering, the following are a few basic types of unit 
  found in most armies in the Imperium.
  inFantry—PoWer level 4
  Infantry is the backbone of any armed force. Tasked with 
  taking the fight directly to the enemy, infantrymen fight largely 
  on foot, with small arms and crew served weapons. Infantry 
  are the most common type of military unit. They are armed 
  and armoured as is common on their homeworld (an Imperial 
  Guardsman will likely be armed with a lasgun and flak armour, 
  while a feudal warrior may have a sword and plate mail). While 
  the infantry is looked down upon by almost everyone else, well 
  trained and well equipped infantry companies tend to have 
  an esprit de corps that is hard to crush. Infantry units can be 
  light, medium, or heavy depending on their composition and 
  equipment, and can come from worlds of any tech level. 
  Light Infantry: Light infantry are highly mobile units whose 
  basic mission is to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of 
  medium and heavy infantry to delay an enemy advance. Fast 
  and lightly armed, they also operate in numerous speciality 
  roles where the use of medium and heavy infantry is uncalled 
  for. Light infantry units can include mountain troops, jungle 
  fighters, skirmishers, raiders, scouts, guerilla fighters, 
  special operations units, and drop troops.
  Medium Infantry: Medium infantry are the average, 
  workaday infantry units that make up the bulk 
  of the Imperial Guard. They are the tip of 
  the Imperium’s spear, and despite their 
  
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  reputations as conscripts and dull cretins, the Imperium would 
  quickly fall apart without their strong backs and sharp eyes. 
  Perhaps the most infamous medium infantry units are the penal 
  legions, divisions of condemned convicts from a thousand 
  penal worlds. Despite the fact that they typically operate in 
  platoon size or smaller units, engineers and sappers are also 
  considered medium infantry thanks to their heavier equipment 
  load-outs and tendency to carry kilos of explosives everywhere.
  Heavy Infantry: Heavy infantry units are the most heavily 
  armed and armoured units in the infantry. They field heavy 
  weapons, can deal and take massive amounts of punishment, 
  and are typically used to break massive formations and take 
  and hold particularly hard targets. Grenadiers, heavily armed 
  veteran infantry wearing carapace armour and bearing a 
  plethora of grenade launchers, plasma guns, meltaguns, and 
  flamers, are one type. Dedicated anti-armour troops with 
  missile launchers and lascannons are another.
  Cavalry—PoWer level 4
  Cavalry units are fielded by feral, feudal, and some industrial level 
  societies. They are composed of individual soldiers mounted on 
  beasts or horses. Cavalry units are fast and manoeuvrable and are 
  skilled at lightning strikes, raiding and harrying enemy forces, 
  and causing mayhem on the battlefield.
  Light Cavalry: Much like their light infantry cousins, light 
  cavalry units tend to be raiders, skirmishers, and scouts. They stay 
  out of the centre of a battle, harrying flanks with las-carbines and 
  sabres, and reporting information to their superiors.
  Medium Cavalry: More heavily armed and armoured than their 
  lighter cousins, medium cavalry are the main line troops of any 
  cav squadron. These troops make up the bulk of cavalry, and 
  tasked with the workaday combat missions undertaken by any 
  unit. Medium cavalry units will be mounted on heavier beasts 
  or mounts where the beast itself is a weapon. Perhaps the most 
  famous medium cavalry units are the Death Riders of the war-
  torn world of Krieg and their vat-grown mounts.
  Heavy Cavalry: Truly a sight to behold, heavy cavalry are 
  the shock troops of a cavalry squadron. Heavy cavalry will be 
  mounted on heavily-armoured chargers or other beasts, and 
  carry powerful weaponry and armour. Heavy cavalry units even 
  employ giant beasts topped with fighting platforms that can 
  carry a dozen or more troops. The nigh-mythical Thunderwolf 
  Cavalry of the Space Wolves are one such example. 
  MeChaniSed inFantry—PoWer 
  level 5
  Mechanised infantry, fielded by late-industrial, technological, 
  and Imperial worlds, are well trained and well armed soldiers 
  that travel and fight from transports and armoured troop carriers. 
  They can move faster and the heavy support weapons and thick 
  armour mounted on their troop carriers allow them to hit 
  harder and survive longer. Mechanised Infantry units are 
  typically deployed in support of standard infantry 
  units and, aside from their vehicles, the two types 
  of unit are sometimes indistinguishable.
  Light Mechanised: Light mechanised 
  infantry are utilised as fast attack units and share many of the 
  screening and harrying duties as standard light infantry. They 
  are usually mounted on lightly armed and armoured troop 
  carriers or armed and armoured motorbikes and trikes, such 
  as the fast attack troops of some Adeptus Astartes Chapters.  
  Medium Mechanised: Medium mechanised infantry are 
  the mainstay of mechanised forces. The Imperial Guard’s 
  mechanized forces are often mounted in the Chimera, an 
  armoured light tank bristling with heavy weapons. 
  Heavy Mechanised:  Heavy mechanised infantry are 
  heavily armed and armoured shock troops usually tasked 
  with destroying enemy infantry, cavalry, and artillery units. 
  These units are also commonly used to support armoured 
  and artillery units. They utilise the very heaviest armoured 
  vehicles available, such as the Space Marine Land Raider.
  arMour—PoWer level 7
  Light, medium, and heavy armoured units pilot the numerous 
  heavy armoured troop transports and main battle tanks in 
  use throughout the Imperium. Like cavalry units, armour is 
  used to conduct fast, heavy strikes against enemy positions, 
  counter enemy armour, and to generally spread great amounts 
  of sorrow among the enemy. Armoured units tend to be costly 
  to raise and maintain due to the specialised nature of tanks 
  and the high amount of labour and maintenance needed to 
  keep them running. Only worlds of Industrial and higher 
  tech levels can field armoured units.
  Light Armour: Light Armoured units consist of light tanks 
  and scout vehicles such as the Salamander and Sentinel Scout 
  Walker. Like light cavalry, they are used to scout and cause 
  havoc among the enemy’s lighter units and forward elements. 
  They are highly mobile, if slightly slower than their cavalry 
  cousins, and for light units tend to be hard to kill.
  Medium Armour: Medium Armour units are the main 
  armour units, and frighteningly powerful. They typically 
  consist of main battle tanks like the Leman Russ and its 
  variants, and are adept at smashing through enemy lines and 
  tearing apart light armoured and cavalry formations.
  Heavy Armour: Composed of heavy and super-heavy tanks 
  like the Stormblade and Macharius, heavy armour units are 
  some of the most feared and deadly units on the battlefield. 
  Slow and expensive but incredibly powerful, heavy armour 
  units are typically used in the same roles as medium armour. 
  Due to their massive weight and size, heavy armour units are 
  somewhat limited in where they can be deployed.
  a note on arMour
  When an armour unit digs in (see the Orders section 
  on page 132 for details on digging in) they are said to 
  be “hull down.” What this typically means is that the 
  vehicle is hidden somewhere where only the barrel of 
  its main cannon is exposed, and the majority of the hull 
  and turret are in cover. When an armoured unit goes 
  hull down, they gain an additional 1d10 points of cover.
  
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  artillery—PoWer level 6
  The hammer to the infantry’s anvil, the presence (or lack 
  thereof) of artillery units can make or break a battle. Used in 
  both offensive and defensive roles, artillery fights from over the 
  horizon providing fire support for other units and using indirect 
  fire to level buildings and fortifications. Like armour, only planets 
  of industrial tech levels and higher can field artillery.
  Light Artillery: Light artillery consists of a number of 
  heavy, man-portable weapons like light mortars and shoulder 
  fired rocket launchers. These units are fast, highly mobile 
  and typically embedded with or working in close support of 
  infantry units. Light artillery has a range of 5 kilometres.
  Medium Artillery: Medium artillery consists of light and 
  medium towed artillery pieces, siege tanks like the Medusa, 
  and medium self-propelled guns like the Basilisk. They 
  typically fight from over the horizon at their maximum range, 
  and need either powerful augur arrays or constant, real-time 
  information from forward observers to deliver their ordnance. 
  Medium artillery has a range of 20 kilometres.
  Heavy Artillery: Heavy artillery is composed of the slowest and 
  most powerful of the artillery units like the Manticore missile 
  batteries, Deathstrike missile launchers, and giant siege guns. Heavy 
  artillery has the longest reach of any current 
  battlefield weapon, and can engage units 
  up to a range of 40 kilometres. 
  air ForCeS—PoWer level 8
  Air forces are composed of numerous types of atmospheric 
  and trans-atmospheric fighter craft, bombers, and gunships. 
  These units perform missions as varied as ground attack, 
  reconnaissance, air superiority and bombing, and make up 
  a pivotal part of any serious army. Air forces tend to be 
  hideously expensive to field, require massive amounts of 
  support staff and facilities, and are peopled by highly-trained, 
  highly-specialised, arrogant niche officers who are good at 
  only one thing: flying. Only planets of technological and 
  modern tech levels can field air units.
  Light Air Forces: Light air units are composed of lightweight, 
  lightly armed, and very fast aircraft like interceptors, 
  reconnaissance aircraft, and fast, unarmed transports. The 
  Lightning of the Imperial Navy is a good example of a light 
  air forces unit. Light air units have a range of one kilometre 
  for guns and five kilometres for ordnance.
  Medium Air Forces: Medium air units are the workhorse 
  units in air circles. They are composed of attack craft like the 
  Lightning Strike, air superiority fighters like the Thunderbolt, 
  and heavily armed transports and gunships like the Vulture 
  and Valkyrie. These units typically take on ground support 
  and air superiority roles, and are essential parts of any fighting 
  force. Medium air units have a range of one kilometre for 
  guns and 10 kilometres for ordnance.
  Heavy Air Forces: Heavy air force units are used to deliver 
  thousands of tonnes of ordnance to targets from high altitudes. 
  These units are typically made up of bombers like the Marauder 
  or super-heavy fighters. Orbital or space-based fighters like the 
  Fury Interceptor and the Starhawk bomber also fall under the 
  auspices of heavy air forces. Heavy air units have a range of one 
  kilometre for guns and 20 kilometres for ordnance.
  unit CharaCteriStiCS
  Once the unit’s size, type, and tech level are decided, 
  the following rules are used to find its four 
  primary characteristics: Power, Unit Strength, 
  Morale, and Movement. Once the unit’s 
  characteristics are recorded, all it needs is 
  equipment and a name and it’s ready 
  anti-air ForCeS unitS
  While they are still considered artillery, anti-air forces units are equipped with different weapons and used in different 
  ways than their big-gun cousins in standard artillery units. AA units are typically either embedded with infantry, 
  armour, and cavalry units, or permanently installed in fixed positions. They share the same power level, ranges and ranks 
  as standard artillery, and provide extra protection to units and installations against airborne targets.
  Light AA: Light AA consists of heavy bolters, stubbers, autocannon emplacements, rocket launchers, and man-portable 
  missile launchers. Light AA has a range of 5 kilometres and provides 10 points of cover to all friendly units in range 
  against air attacks.
  Medium AA: Composed of medium vehicle and installation mounted twin-linked autocannon, rocket and missile 
  launchers, and anti-aircraft tanks like the Hydra, these units are a great compromise between the need for long range and 
  heavy damage and the ability to be quickly moved. Medium AA has a range of 10 kilometres and provides 20 points of 
  cover to all friendly units in range against air attacks.
  Heavy AA: These units tend to be placed in permanent or semi-permanent fixed positions and are made up of heavy and 
  super-heavy cannons, Manticore missile batteries, and the like. Heavy AA has a range of 30 kilometres and provides 30 
  points of cover to all friendly units in range against air attacks.
  batteries, Deathstrike missile launchers, and giant siege guns. Heavy 
  batteries, Deathstrike missile launchers, and giant siege guns. Heavy 
  artillery has the longest reach of any current 
  artillery has the longest reach of any current 
  battlefield weapon, and can engage units 
  battlefield weapon, and can engage units 
  up to a range of 40 kilometres. 
  up to a range of 40 kilometres. 
  and Valkyrie. These units typically take on ground support 
  and air superiority roles, and are essential parts of any fighting 
  force. Medium air units have a range of one kilometre for 
  guns and 10 kilometres for ordnance.
  Heavy Air Forces: Heavy air force units are used to deliver 
  thousands of tonnes of ordnance to targets from high altitudes. 
  These units are typically made up of bombers like the Marauder 
  or super-heavy fighters. Orbital or space-based fighters like the 
  Fury Interceptor and the Starhawk bomber also fall under the 
  auspices of heavy air forces. Heavy air units have a range of one 
  kilometre for guns and 20 kilometres for ordnance.
  unit Chara
  Once the unit’s size, type, and tech level are decided, 
  the following rules are used to find its four 
  primary characteristics: Power, Unit Strength, 
  Morale, and Movement. Once the unit’s 
  characteristics are recorded, all it needs is 
  equipment and a name and it’s ready 
  
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  for combat. These unit building rules allow the players 
  and the GM detailed control over the organisation and 
  composition of their forces. For the GM it allows for the 
  creation of detailed NPC enemies, Imperial Guard Units, 
  and mercenary companies. For the players it allows them 
  to determine the exact make-up of their house troops or 
  any special personal military forces they should desire.
  Power: A unit’s power characteristic is an abstraction of its 
  damage dealt and armour value. Each type of unit has a base 
  power characteristic and two sub-characteristics: Attack and 
  Armour. Power is modified by the unit’s designation (light, 
  medium, or heavy) and tech level as detailed in Table 4-2: 
  Unit Power Modifiers. A unit’s attack is 4d10 plus its Power 
  Characteristic. A unit’s armour is equal to its base Power x2, 
  and works like a character’s armour (see page 134). 
  Unit Strength: Unit Strength is a reflection of how much 
  damage a unit can take before attrition and a breakdown of 
  cohesion destroy it or cause it to desert. Whenever a unit 
  takes damage, it loses a number of points of Unit Strength 
  equal to the amount of net damage dealt. Each unit has a Unit 
  Strength equal to ten percent of the total number of men in 
  the unit. 
  Morale: A representation of fighting spirit and esprit de 
  corps, morale reflects a unit’s cohesion and it’s ability to move 
  and fight in an effective manner. Units that are well supplied, 
  well supported, and have clear objectives typically have high 
  morale. Each unit starts with a base morale dictated by its 
  troop quality as outlined in Table 4-5: NPC Troop Quality 
  (found in the sidebar “Men of Quality” on page 126). As a 
  unit takes casualties and loses unit strength it also loses 
  morale, and if a unit loses enough morale it breaks and flee 
  from battle.
  Movement: Each unit has a movement characteristic, a number 
  that represents how many kilometres a unit may move in a 
  Strategic Round. A unit’s movement represents the average 
  speed a typical unit moves. If he wishes, a Game Master may 
  adjust a unit’s speed up or down depending on a number 
  of considerations like unit composition, whether it’s a 
  light, medium, or heavy unit, or anything else he feels 
  appropriate. Movement rates for all units are  listed 
  in Table 4–3: Unit Movement. 
  unitS and FormationS
  Units and Formations are the basic building blocks of any 
  military organisation. Units are smaller, homogeneous military 
  organisations composed of troops of one type (infantry, 
  armour, etc.). Military groups from platoon to corps size are 
  considered units. Formations are composite organisations 
  composed of integrated smaller units of different types. 
  Brigades and divisions are considered formations.
  Despite the edicts and guidelines laid out in both the 
  Tactica Imperialis and the Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting 
  Primer, formations and formation sizes vary wildly throughout 
  the Imperium. What one world calls a company another may 
  call a battalion and vice versa. This can lead to organisational 
  and logistical nightmares when units from different worlds 
  work together for the first time. In an effort to standardise 
  on titanS
  The sacred God-Machines of the Adeptus Mechanicus are a rarity on the battlefields of the Imperium. Jealously guarded 
  by the Collegia Titanica, these walking avatars of the Omnissiah are only deployed in the most dire of circumstances, 
  or when the immense firepower of both the Navy and the Guard are not enough to secure victory. They are the ultimate 
  mobile war-vehicles, and due to their might, their value, and their scarcity are rarely seen on the battlefield. Titans, much 
  like Space Marine units, can never be acquired by a group of Explorers through Acquisition Tests alone. Acquiring the 
  service of even a single Titan, let alone a whole legion, should require months of good role-playing and (more than 
  likely) many side-quests as the Explorers prove their need, and their worth, to the Adeptus Mechanicus. If Titans are 
  acquired, each Titan is considered its own unit, with the following profile:
  Scout Titan (Warhound): Unit Strength 50, Power Level 25
  Medium Titan (Reaver): Unit Strength 75, Power Level 35
  Battle Titan (Warlord): Unit Strength 100, Power Level 45
  Titans do not have Morale, as the God-Machines of the Mechanicus are impossible to break or disrupt. Any Morale 
  Tests they are required to make automatically succeed. 
  the adePtuS aStarteS
  The battle-brothers of the Adeptus Astartes are arguably 
  the finest warriors in the galaxy. While ancient treaties 
  compel them to aid the Imperium in times of need, few 
  such treaties exist between the Adeptus Astartes and Rogue 
  Traders in the Koronus Expanse. That being said, it is not 
  unheard of for Space Marine chapters to assist Rogue 
  Traders in times of war, especially when the need is great 
  or their goals are aligned. Players should never be able to 
  acquire the services of Space Marines through acquisition 
  rolls alone. The power that Marines can bring to bear 
  can end many conflicts before the first shot is even fired, 
  and gaining their help should be the result of weeks or 
  even months of negotiations, deal making, and good role-
  playing. If Space Marines are acquired, they are considered 
  Elite Heavy Infantry with a total Power Level of 20 and 
  a Morale of 100. In addition, as each Space Marine is the 
  match for many regular soldiers, a Space Marine unit’s 
  Unit Strength is equal to five times the normal number of 
  Space Marines in the unit. More information on the Space 
  Marines and their chapters, weapons, gear, and tactics 
  can be found in the deaThwaTCh Warhammer 40,000 
  Roleplaying Game and its various supplements.
  
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  formation sizes in the Calixis Sector, to a lesser degree in the 
  Koronus Expanse, the Departmento Munitorium has issued 
  the following guidelines for formation organisation. Unit 
  and formation names in parentheses are those used by the air 
  forces of the Imperial Navy, as well as many military air force 
  units and some planetary air forces.
  Company (Flight): Companies are the smallest multi-
  element units fielded. They are composed of a number of 
  platoons and have generally have 50-100 men.
  Battalion (Squadron): Battalions are made up of a number 
  of companies of the same type (infantry, armour, cavalry). 
  They have generally have 100-500 men.
  Brigade (Wing): Brigades are formations composed of 
  several battalions of a different types (armour, artillery, 
  infantry, etc.) and have 2,000 to 20,000 men. 
  Division (Air Division): Divisions are massive formations 
  with enough soldiers to populate a small city, and are 
  collections of brigades of different types. Divisions can either 
  be assembled to have a balance of all types of units, or skew 
  heavily toward one or the other. Divisions are massive and 
  unwieldy things led by a senior officers with large command 
  elements. Divisions typically contain 40,000 to 100,000 men 
  under its various commands. 
  Army or Crusade: Typically the sole purview of the Imperium, 
  Chaos renegades, and massive xenos powers, armies or crusade 
  forces are led by a general, lord-general, lord-militant, or 
  even a warmaster depending on size, and contain millions of 
  men under arms. They often combine forces from disparate 
  organisations, such as the Imperial Guard, Imperial Navy, the 
  Titan Legions, and even the Space Marines. 
  It is important to mention that while these large units may 
  have tens or hundreds-of-thousands of men, not all of these 
  are combatants. Infantry units come close, as the majority 
  Table 4–2: Unit Power Modifiers
  Unit 
  Designation
  Power 
  Modifier
  Acquisition 
  Modifier
  Light
  -2
  0
  Medium
  0
  -10
  Heavy
  +2
  -20
  Tech Level
  Feral
  –1
  +30
  Feudal
  0
  +20
  Industrial
  +1
  +10
  Technological
  +2
  +0
  Modern
  +3
  –10
  Table 4–3: Unit Movement
  Unit Type
  Movement in Kilometres
  Infantry
  20
  Cavalry
  60
  Mechanised Infantry
  280
  Armour
  140
  Artillery
  100
  Air Units
  2400
  Table 4–4: Unit Availability by Type
  Unit Type
  Availability
  Modifier
  Infantry
  Scarce
  0
  Cavalry
  Very Rare
  –20
  Mechanised Infantry
  Rare
  –10
  Armour
  Rare
  –10
  Artillery
  Rare
  –10
  Air Units
  Extremely Rare
  –30
  teCh levelS
  The varying levels of technological advancement within the Imperium is incredible. One star system could be inhabited 
  by post-stone-age savages while the next system over is peopled with highly advanced Imperial citizens living in a 
  massive hive. To reflect this disparity, there are five general tech levels from which to choose units. Each tech level affects 
  a unit’s effectiveness on the field of battle.
  Feral: Units from feral worlds come in two varieties, early and late. Early feral worlders are typically neolithic savages 
  gathered up and pressed into service as cannon fodder. These people think of any Explorers they encounter as gods 
  or daemons, and they consider hides and spears to be state of the art. Late feral planets may have advanced primitive 
  cultures of roughly Bronze Age and later technology with metal tools, weapons, armour, and even cultures with complex 
  religious, social, and governmental bodies. Feral worlds can only field infantry units.
  Feudal: As described on page 308 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook, feudal worlds are peopled by debased humans 
  with technology of either just pre or just post black powder levels. These societies have complex religious, social, and 
  governmental bodies, and can field infantry, some artillery, and traditional cavalry units.
  Industrial: Like feral worlds, industrial worlds come in two varieties, early and late. Early industrial worlds have steam-
  age technology and complex societies, and late industrial societies have discovered the internal combustion engine 
  and have more advanced technologies than early industrial. Early industrial worlds can field infantry, artillery, and 
  traditional cavalry units, typically of very high quality. Late industrial worlds can field all of these with the addition of 
  mechanised cavalry and armour units, although these units may be of primitive or poor quality.
  Technological: These worlds have societies with technology levels that run the gamut from information age through 
  early space exploration to just a few centuries behind the Imperium. They can field any type of unit.
  Modern: Modern worlds have access to Imperial technology. They are typically members of the Imperium or close to being 
  admitted, and their societies are every bit as advanced as an average hive world. Modern worlds can field units of any type.
  
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  of their elements are combat oriented by nature. In armour, 
  air forces, artillery, and cavalry units, only a fraction of the 
  elements of a unit would be the actual tanks or mounts or 
  fighter craft. The rest of the unit will be composed of pilots 
  and vehicle crews, command and administration officers, 
  and the great support staffs needed to keep complex 
  machines of war running smoothly. However, since such 
  units’ military equipment is usually more robust than the 
  average infantryman, the sizes can be used to determine 
  Unit Strength. 
  outFitting ForCeS
  Now that the units are assembled, the second step of going 
  to war involves equipping them. While hired mercenaries 
  and Imperial Guard units blessedly come with their own 
  weapons, vehicles, and other materiel, when a Rogue 
  Trader raises a unit from scratch he will find himself 
  acting as both warlord and supply officer. Troops need 
  a dizzying array of supplies to operate effectively. Along 
  with weapons, vehicles and armour, units also need food, 
  medical supplies, tools, field equipment, uniforms, and all 
  manner of accoutrement to keep them in top shape. This 
  represents a massive outlay of Thrones, typically more 
  than was spent to hire the men. Rogue Traders 
  outfitting troops have two options available 
  to them to keep costs down: purchasing in 
  bulk or lowering quality. 
  Equipping an outfit or army can be made either a Logistical 
  Goal in a war endeavour or set-up as a background endeavour 
  by the players as they do something more important. If run 
  as a background endeavour, there is always the risk that 
  something goes awry as the job is entrusted to the players’ 
  hirelings. This allows the GM to create any appropriate 
  complications that he sees fit, which may pave the way for 
  other adventures or problems within the endeavour. For more 
  information about war and background endeavours, see the 
  Warfare Endeavour section on page 137.
  SaCriFiCing quality For CoSt
  A soldier is only as effective as the equipment he’s issued. 
  While some military scholars will argue otherwise, claiming 
  that superior training can overcome inferior equipment, 
  it doesn’t matter how good an infantryman’s training has 
  been if his lasgun won’t shoot and his armour is in tatters. 
  Unfortunately, sacrifices often need to be made when 
  outfitting large units, and soldiers usually have to make do 
  with what they’ve been given. Soldiers’ equipment comes 
  in three qualities: Poor, Common, and Good. These ratings 
  are identical to the Craftsmanship ratings in Table 9-35: 
  Acquisition Modifiers on page 272 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  core rulebook, and have the same Acquisition Modifiers. 
  It’s a delicate balance outfitting troops. Good quality gear is 
  expensive but keeps troops happy. Cheaper, shoddier, poor 
  quality gear stretches Thrones farther, but the buyer gets what 
  Men oF quality
  Like ship’s crews, soldiers come in a variety of qualities that determine both their modifier and the average level of their 
  skills and characteristics. This skill level and morale is indicated in Table 4–5: NPC Troop Quality. 
  Conscript: The lowest of the low, Conscripts are farmers, scum, criminals, madmen, and the poor and destitute of a 
  thousand worlds. Used commonly as cannon fodder for human wave-type attacks, they have the poorest Characteristics 
  and morale, and are given the meanest training, a lasgun, and sent into the jaws of death. Conscripts are found in every 
  army, such as the the penal legions of the Imperial Guard. 
  Tithed: A step up from Conscripts, tithed soldiers often make up the bulk of planetary defence forces, Imperial Guard, 
  and Rogue Trader House Troops throughout the Imperium. They can be volunteers or draftees, but are are generally 
  better trained and equipped, and are relatively capable combatants. Their morale is slightly better than Conscripts, but 
  not much and can be broken easily by the fear and confusion of heavy combat.
  Professional: Professionals are soldiers who have seen their share of combat and have made the waging of war their 
  chosen profession. Professionals compose the junior officers and more decorated and experienced units within the 
  Imperial Guard, as well as many mercenary companies. 
  Veteran: Veterans have fought countless battles, lost friends and brothers-in-arms, and have seen the best and worst 
  humanity has to offer, becoming some of the best warriors and soldiers on the field of battle. Company grade officers 
  and elite units within the Imperial Guard are often Veterans. Their morale is quite high and near unbreakable.
  Elite: The Adeptus Astartes, feared and highly respected Storm Trooper regiments, and the very finest mercenaries 
  are all examples of Elite forces. They are the most respected, best cared for, best equipped, hardest hitting, and most 
  expensive armed forces on a field of battle. They have the very highest morale and are nearly impossible to rattle.
  Table 4–5: NPC Troop Quality
  Troop Quality
  Acquisition Modifier
  Skills and Characteristics
  Base Morale
  Conscript
  +10
  20
  50
  Volunteer
  +0
  30
  60
  Professional
  -10
  40
  80
  Veteran
  -20
  50
  90
  Elite
  -30
  60
  100
  
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  he pays for and runs the risk of reducing troop morale by 
  being penny wise and Throne foolish. See Table 4-6: Gear 
  Quality Morale Modifiers for more details on the effects of 
  gear quality on morale.
  Standard issue gear
  For simplicity’s sake, when outfitting troops, assume that the 
  equipment purchased consists of a soldier’s complete kit: his 
  weapons, armour, vehicles, and all other necessary gear. When 
  a soldier has Good quality gear, everything from his helmet 
  to his boots, everything in his pockets, his weapon, and even 
  his vehicle is of the same quality.
  tranSporting and 
  depLoying ForCeS
  Once a force has been mustered and equipped, all that’s left is to 
  move it where it’s needed and deploy it to the battlefield. This 
  will involve specially configured voidships to transport all the 
  men and materiel, escorts to protect them, and shuttles, landing 
  craft or drop pods to ferry everything from orbit to the surface. 
  Once on the surface, units are assumed to have with them the 
  appropriate vehicles, such as tanks, fighter craft, or riding beasts, 
  as fits their unit as these were acquired during the outfitting stage.
  If the Explorers don’t have the necessary ships and aircraft 
  on hand, or can’t acquire them easily from their dynasty, they 
  will need to contract for passage. A Rogue Trader’s best choice 
  would be an ally or colleague Rogue Trader or Free Captain 
  who specialises in hauling troops. Their ships will already 
  be configured as troop carriers, they are trustworthy, and can 
  typically be had for the price of some favours. Failing that, 
  a Rogue Trader’s next best bet is a private military company 
  specialising in what is known in the business as “voidlift 
  work”, the profession of transporting men and materiel from 
  war zone to war zone. It is important to note that the Imperial 
  Navy may or may not be willing to aid in void transport. This 
  usually depends on a Rogue Trader’s Warrant and relations 
  with the Navy—as an Admiral is more likely to aid a respected 
  Rogue Trader than one who is practically a pirate. However, 
  Rogue Traders are peers of the Imperium, and their ability to 
  requisition aid includes the Imperial Navy. However, the Navy 
  is unlikely to transport non-Imperial forces.
  Transporting and deploying forces can be made either a 
  Logistical Goal in a war endeavour or set-up as a background 
  endeavour by the players as they do something more 
  important. If run as a background endeavour, there 
  is always the risk that something goes awry as 
  the job is entrusted to the players’ hirelings. 
  For more information on Background 
  the iMPerial regiMent
  Imperial Guard Regiments are special formations raised by 
  Imperial planets as part of their tithe to the Administratum. 
  Similar in organisation to Brigades and Divisions, these 
  large, multi-element formations are raised to supply the 
  Imperial Guard with fighting men and war materiel. 
  Depending on the type and population of the regiment’s 
  homeworld, a regiment can be anywhere from battalion 
  to division size. Designed to be self-contained and self-
  sufficient, Guard Regiments are composed of smaller 
  elements such as companies or battalions (although different 
  worlds may have different unit designations) and may have 
  a broad mix of different unit types (infantry, artillery, and 
  some logistics) to handle most tactical situations. However, 
  Regiments often have a certain focus, whether heavy 
  infantry, armour, or artillery, depending on the world they 
  were raised on. The Elysian Drop Troop Regiments, for 
  example, are completely air-mobile, while the Armageddon 
  Steel Legions are principally mechanised infantry, due to 
  the manufacturing facilities (and inhospitable climate) of 
  their home world. 
  If a group of Explorers can acquire an Imperial Guard 
  regiment, something that should take both successful 
  Acquisition Tests and good role-playing, they will have 
  a well rounded and adaptable fighting force.
  Table 
  4–6: 
  Gear 
  Quality 
  Morale 
  Modifiers
  Quality
  Morale Modifier
  Poor
  -1d10
  Common
  0
  Good
  ‘+1d10
  
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  Endeavours, see InTo The sToRm. This allows the GM to 
  create any appropriate complications that he sees fit, which 
  may pave the way for other adventures or problems within the 
  endeavour. For more information about war and background 
  endeavours, see the Warfare Endeavours section on page 137.
  Dogs of War
  “To war, to death, and to the God-Emperor!”
  – A traditional toast among mercenary forces
  O
  ver the long aeons of human existence, mercenaries 
  have been a fact of life on the fields of battle. 
  Perhaps the second-oldest profession, fighting for 
  coin—as opposed to at the behest of a leader or a god—has 
  been looked upon with greater or lesser amounts of favour 
  and scorn as long as man has been making war. Mercenaries 
  have served almost every war ever waged. Today there are 
  countless mercenary organisations operating in the galaxy, 
  ranging from small companies of militant individuals, to entire 
  planetary defence forces “sold” by an unscrupulous Imperial 
  governor to a neighbouring planet. Many mercenaries are not 
  even human—the savage Kroot and vile Loxatl are two well 
  known—and, in the case of the Loxatl, reviled—examples. 
  In general, the Imperium tolerates the existence of 
  mercenary companies so long as they do not interfere with 
  the Imperium’s greater interests. This is not generally a 
  problem, as most mercenary bands do not have their own 
  starships, and are limited in scope and operations to a 
  single star system or planet. Another limiting factor is that 
  in general, the Adeptus Terra of the Imperium find it more 
  expedient to induct mercenaries into the Imperial Guard 
  than “hire” them. However, Rogue Traders in the Koronus 
  Expanse are ready clients for mercenaries, and can transport 
  them to distant warzones. This means there are a great deal 
  of mercenary companies in the Expanse and nearby Calixis 
  Sector, leading to the most powerful mercenary groups to 
  compile a set of informal rules for their operation.
  Set down in a document nearly 3,000 pages long 
  during the heady years after the Sector’s founding, these 
  Militis Lex Legis laws seek to guide mercenary companies 
  operating in the Calixis Sector (and to a lesser extent, 
  in the Expanse). It exists so that mercenary companies 
  do not compete unduly, avoid expensive feuds, and most 
  importantly, do not incur the Imperium’s wrath and 
  tempt them to destroy many mercenary organizations 
  due to the actions of a few. They broadly outline the 
  rules of hiring or working as a mercenary and agree 
  to limit who can raise a private army by providing a 
  limited number of Pacto Militus documents. This Soldier’s 
  Agreement grants its holder the right to raise and train 
  professional soldiers for the strict purposes of waging 
  war for profit. The Militis Lex Legis is enforced by the 
  combined might of the mercenary company signatories, 
  who as part of the pact agree to forcefully prosecute any 
  who break it or operate outside of it. The mercenaries do 
  not maintain a standing organization, but agree to send 
  representatives to meetings that happen once every five 
  years on Gunmetal City on Scintilla.
  Without a doubt, however, the single most important 
  part of the pact is Provision X—which states that any 
  holder of a Pacto Militis agreement who raises military 
  forces in an attempt to interfere with or overthrow the 
  Imperium will be destroyed by his fellows, lest they bring 
  the Imperium’s wrath on them all.
  the MerCenary ContraCt
  Contracting with mercenaries for services rendered 
  involves delicate negotiations, dealing with strong, 
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  Dogs of War
  “To war, to death, and to the God-Emperor!”
  – A traditional toast among mercenary forces
  governor to a neighbouring planet. Many mercenaries are not 
  even human—the savage Kroot and vile Loxatl are two well 
  known—and, in the case of the Loxatl, reviled—examples. 
  In general, the Imperium tolerates the existence of 
  mercenary companies so long as they do not interfere with 
  the Imperium’s greater interests. This is not generally a 
  problem, as most mercenary bands do not have their own 
  starships, and are limited in scope and operations to a 
  single star system or planet. Another limiting factor is that 
  in general, the Adeptus Terra of the Imperium find it more 
  expedient to induct mercenaries into the Imperial Guard 
  than “hire” them. However, Rogue Traders in the Koronus 
  Expanse are ready clients for mercenaries, and can transport 
  them to distant warzones. This means there are a great deal 
  of mercenary companies in the Expanse and nearby Calixis 
  Sector, leading to the most powerful mercenary groups to 
  compile a set of informal rules for their operation.
  Set down in a document nearly 3,000 pages long 
  during the heady years after the Sector’s founding, these 
  Militis Lex Legis laws seek to guide mercenary companies 
  operating in the Calixis Sector (and to a lesser extent, 
  in the Expanse). It exists so that mercenary companies 
  do not compete unduly, avoid expensive feuds, and most 
  importantly, do not incur the Imperium’s wrath and 
  tempt them to destroy many mercenary organizations 
  due to the actions of a few. They broadly outline the 
  rules of hiring or working as a mercenary and agree 
  to limit who can raise a private army by providing a 
  limited number of 
  Agreement grants its holder the right to raise and train 
  professional soldiers for the strict purposes of waging 
  war for profit. The Militis Lex Legis is enforced by the 
  combined might of the mercenary company signatories, 
  who as part of the pact agree to forcefully prosecute any 
  who break it or operate outside of it. The mercenaries do 
  not maintain a standing organization, but agree to send 
  representatives to meetings that happen once every five 
  years on Gunmetal City on Scintilla.
  Without a doubt, however, the single most important 
  part of the pact is Provision X—which states that any 
  holder of a Pacto Militis agreement who raises military 
  forces in an attempt to interfere with or overthrow the 
  Imperium will be destroyed by his fellows, lest they bring 
  the Imperium’s wrath on them all.
  the Mer
  Contracting with mercenaries for services rendered 
  involves delicate negotiations, dealing with strong, 
  484th Equipment Regulations
  Let it be known that an Imperial infantryman must carry all 
  of these items on his person at all times. Although they are 
  in his possession, they remain the property of the most holy 
  God-Emperor. The soldier must protect his kit with his life. 
  Damage to or loss of any items, especially His Radiance's 
  holy weapons and armour, will result in strict disciplinary 
  actions up to and including execution.
  Departmento Munitorium Memorandum VMMMDCCCLXXXVIII 
  Armour and Uniform
  Regimental Combat Uniform
  4x Undershirts
  5x Pairs Socks
  5x Pairs Undergarments
  Greatcoat
  Inclement Weather Coveralls
  Combat Boots and Laces
  Blessed Flak Armour
  Load-Bearing Gear
  Leg Gaiters
  Internal Frame Rucksack
  Blessed Helmet with Micro-bead
  Arms, Ammunition, and Weapon Maintenance Items
  Blessed Standard Issue Lasgun
  4x Spare Clips
  Bayonet/Combat Knife with Sheath
  Auto-pistol or Las-Pistol (officers only) w/4x spare clips 
  and holster
  4x Frag Grenades
  Weapon Maintenance Kit
  Field Tools
  Entrenching Tool
  Hand axe
  Multi-purpose Tool Kit
  Standard Issue Lamp-pack
  Personal Effects
  4x Sandbags
  Mess Kit
  Medi-pack
  Canteen
  Canvas Sack
  Bed Roll
  Field Glasses
  Gas Mask
  Spare Boot Laces
  Rations
  Dog Tags
  Tent with all accessories (per two men)
  Whistle
  Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer
  Adhesive Tape
  Fire Starter
  Grooming Kit
  I found this when going through some 
  of the Hawk’s oldest data-vaults. Other records 
  included in the files indicated that at some 
  point in the ship’s distant past, it participated 
  in the transport and invasion of a world named 
  Daleth’s Rest. The Hawk’s launch bays were 
  entirely given over to assault landers and 
  Thunderbolt fighters, and her holds carried 
  an entire Regiment of the Imperial Guard, the 
  Cadian 484th. 
  No information indicates where this world was, 
  or exactly when this happened. Was it in the 
  Calixis Sector, during the Angevin Crusade? Or 
  perhaps it occurred half-way across the galaxy. 
  These forgotten records remind me just how 
  ancient my ship is, and hopefully how many 
  additional masters she’ll see once I’m long gone.
  – Horne 
  
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  sometimes violent, personalities, and, on occasion, skirting 
  the very edge of Imperial law. The most important part of 
  any negotiation for mercenary services is a contract broker. 
  Brokers are a cross between a litigant and a negotiator, 
  professional middlemen who make their livings assisting 
  Rogue Traders and mercenary companies coming to 
  contracted arrangements through the constant study of 
  Imperial laws and the Militis Lex Legis. Contracts drawn 
  up by brokers are often considered more valuable than any 
  other asset in a mercenary company’s possession throughout 
  the business, and many human mercenaries prefer to work 
  through them.
  Brokers attempt to remain visible and easily reachable, with 
  many found on Footfall, Port Wander, and the violent and volatile 
  Gunmetal City on Scintilla. They charge hefty commissions 
  for their services, levied against both the interested employers 
  and the mercenary companies they represent, and with their 
  broad network of contacts, allies, and supporters within Sector 
  governance, brokers have made themselves near indispensable 
  to the mercenary trade. Of course, interested employers can 
  attempt to cut-out the middleman and contact mercenary 
  companies directly, but a broker provides a guarantee to both 
  employer and mercenary that neither side will betray the other.
  Working aS a MerCenary
  It is not uncommon to find Rogue Trader mercenaries. The 
  mercenary life appeals to Rogue Traders for a number of 
  reasons. Perhaps their dynasty was in decline and they needed 
  the Thrones. Perhaps they love the thrill of battle. Perhaps 
  they fight for some other, unknown reason. In any case, 
  Rogue Traders tend to make excellent heads of mercenary 
  companies. They typically have the martial knowledge and 
  the leadership needed to command men, and the resources 
  to equip and support them. Any Rogue Trader wishing to 
  become a mercenary or start his own private military company 
  should first, unless he carries a Warlord Warrant, consider 
  acquiring a Pacto Militis document. If and when he achieves 
  this, which could be a whole set of adventures in and of itself, 
  he can decide whether he’d prefer to gain employment with 
  an existing organisation such as the Brotherhood, or enter 
  business for himself. 
  Either way, the Explorers may find the services of a contract 
  broker valuable. With their broker’s help, they should start laying 
  out their business plan, deciding whether to start an actual 
  company or act as a small unit for hire based from their ship. 
  They also will need to draw up a charter stating what kind of 
  work they’ll take, what, if any, restrictions they will place on 
  who they’ll work for, and the general information found in 
  the founding documents of any business endeavour. Once all 
  the necessary contracts have been signed and bribes paid, they 
  players are ready to set out on their new journey as mercenaries.
  Large-Scale 
  Warfare
  “Every strategy is a good one right up until the moment of first 
  contact with the enemy.”
  – Major Erskine Dolmet, 3rd Brontian Longknives
  N
  ow comes the final culmination of weeks or months 
  of planning and hard work, when the troops step off 
  the drop-ships and begin their assault on the enemy. 
  At this point the Explorers have spent long hours mustering 
  and supplying units, drawing up battle plans, and setting 
  the conditions of victory, and now comes the time to 
  commit. However, once combat begins and casualties 
  start to mount, battle lines shift and collapse, and 
  care and caution are lost in the fog of war. 
  the Brotherhood and the MilituS lex legiS
  The Brotherhood is an extremely loose-knit organisation of mercenary companies ranging from several individuals to units 
  several hundred strong (or even larger) operating within the Expanse.  The Brotherhood maintains several installations in 
  the Expanse, on Port Wander, Footfall, and small outposts on Naduesh and the landship Irrefutable on Zayth. 
  The Brotherhood has an interesting custom of requiring all those who would join its ranks to serve for a certain 
  period as a recruit before becoming a full member. Recruits must provide their own gear and arms, and in practice, 
  this means Brotherhood companies consist of several elite warriors accompanied by a number of ill-armed and largely 
  expendable recruits. The Brotherhood promises to pay a set ransom if a full member is captured, granting members 
  some insurance against the perils of their profession. In return, it expects those who operate under its auspices to follow 
  certain bylaws, many of which are taken from the Militis Lex Legis. The following are some of those bylaws. 
  • Allegiance: A professional will never knowingly renounce his allegiance to the Imperium of Man or the Brotherhood, 
  and all contracts reserve the right to withdraw from conflicts rather than raise arms against either.
  • Trust: A mercenary is never party to a “gentleman’s agreement” when taking work. Trust the Brotherhood and fellow 
  mercenaries, but never an employer. Any agreements entered into for services rendered are to be overseen by a duly 
  bonded contract broker. Contravention of the sacred contract or any of its provisions is cause for a mercenary or 
  mercenary company to immediately cease dealings with the employer, and the Brotherhood shall note the offence.
  • Professionalism: Once under contract, a mercenary or mercenary company’s first loyalty is to the employer. All provisions 
  of the sacred contract must be carried out in as quick and efficient a manner as possible. A mercenary will comport himself 
  in a manner of competent professionalism, lest he be removed from the Brotherhood and his life declared forfeit.
  
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  After spending so long planning their war, the players should 
  desire, and be encouraged to, take active roles in the combat 
  itself. The following are new rules allowing players and GMs as 
  much, or as little, detailed control over their war as they want.
  Joining the Fray
  Once the battle plans have been laid, the troops briefed, 
  and the armies deployed to their positions, it’s time to fight. 
  Large-scale warfare, with its huge armies and intricate battle 
  formations, is quite different from the fast and deadly close-
  range individual combat that players are used to. It can take 
  hours or days for an army or one of its elements to get into 
  attack position due to the ever shifting tactical environment of 
  the battlefield. Scouts are deployed, artillery bombardments 
  called in, camps are built and struck, and this all takes place 
  before the combatants even catch sight of one another. A battle 
  itself can take days or weeks as units dig in, environmental 
  conditions impede operations, and fresh reserves are brought 
  in to bolster the flagging belligerents on the battlefield. This 
  all makes for a long, deadly slog toward victory, and requires 
  special time-keeping rules to keep it straight.
  roundS, turnS, and tiMe on the 
  BattleField
  Like starship combat discussed on page 212 of the Rogue 
  TRadeR core rulebook, time is counted differently once the 
  initial charge has begun and war is joined in earnest. Initial 
  deployments, moving men and materiel from home bases or 
  orbiting ships to forward operating bases in theatre, take place 
  in narrative time. This reflects the calm before the storm, and 
  allows both the Explorers to perform any last minute tweaks 
  to their battle plans and equipment, and gives the GM the 
  opportunity to throw in last minute complications like botched 
  communications or confused orders. 
  Once battle is joined however, the game switches to 
  Structured Time. In ground combat, like space combat, 
  structured time is broken into Strategic Rounds and Strategic 
  Turns. A Strategic Round lasts roughly four hours, during 
  which each large unit involved in combat takes a Strategic 
  Turn. Strategic Turns overlap, with each unit moving, 
  attacking, and defending according to initiative order. 
  Strategic Rounds end once each unit involved has taken their 
  Strategic Turn. 
  large-SCale WarFare overvieW
  When a Strategic Round begins, the GM and players follow 
  steps similar to those taken in personal combat to determine 
  the course of events. While similar, there are some fundamental 
  differences in the steps taken during Strategic Rounds. These 
  differences are as follows.
  Surprise
  Due to a number of factors, it is quite 
  possible for one unit to surprise another in 
  Large-Scale Warfare. Before combat begins, the GM should 
  determine if any units are surprised.
  initiative
  At the beginning of a strategic round, each unit, or element if 
  using the more detailed element and composition rules,  rolls 
  1d10 and adds their Characteristic Bonus to determine its 
  initiative. Unit Characteristic bonuses are based on the unit’s 
  quality level as detailed in Table 4-5: NPC Troop Quality. 
  In the case of a unit with a PC embedded in a leadership 
  position, the character does not add any of his initiative 
  bonuses to that of the unit as a whole. See the sidebar on 
  more information regarding surprise in Large-Scale Warfare.
  taking turns
  Once the initiative order is determined and orders are given, 
  units take their Strategic Turns in descending order, starting 
  with the highest initiative. During a Strategic Turn, units may 
  execute one Order. Any players embedded with a unit may 
  also make extended actions to aid their unit.
  end of the Strategic round
  Once every unit has taken its Strategic Turn, the Strategic Round 
  ends. Combat will continue in this way until there is either a clear 
  victory or one side has achieved any Strategic Goals it had set. See 
  Warfare Endeavours on page 137 for details on Strategic Goals.  
  
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  orderS
  Orders are specific instructions given to a unit either remotely 
  or by an embedded Explorer. During a Strategic Turn, a unit 
  may execute one order such as Advance, Attack, or Dig-In. 
  Orders can either be issued remotely from the rear or directly 
  by an embedded Explorer. 
  Orders issued remotely are typically given by a far off 
  general, say a Rogue Trader aboard his orbiting flagship, and 
  their execution is left to a unit’s NPC commissioned and non-
  commissioned officers. This is similar to delegating actions to 
  NPC crew as detailed in the NPC Actions sidebar on page 
  214 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook. When making Skill 
  and Characteristic Tests for a unit receiving orders remotely, 
  the general in charge, again typically the Rogue Trader, uses 
  the unit’s Skill and Characteristic Rating as found in Table 
  4–5: NPC Troop Quality. While this allows the general to 
  delegate responsibility to subordinates, those NPC subordinates 
  are typically less skilled and have lower Characteristics than the 
  Explorers, and have a larger chance of failing.
  When Explorers are part of a unit, usually in some sort of 
  leadership position, they are considered Embedded with that 
  unit. Orders issued by an Embedded Explorer are made using 
  the Explorer’s Skill and Characteristic rating. This reflects the 
  effects of hands-on leadership and the ability to have eyes on 
  the troops at all times. 
  advance
  An advancing unit moves their full movement. This is one of 
  the simplest Orders, and is little more than moving a unit from 
  one point to another. A unit that is advancing has packed up to 
  move which reduces their combat effectiveness if they encounter 
  enemy resistance during their advance. See the “On the Advance” 
  sidebar for information regarding moving and fighting.
  attack
  The simplest and most common Order is attack. It consists of 
  little more than attacking an enemy’s position and attempting 
  to either destroy or drive them out. If two units are in contact 
  with each other, they attack each other. See page 134. 
  Cautious advance
  While speed is typically of the essence during combat, sometimes 
  discretion is the better part of valour and a more measured pace 
  is called for. A unit executing a Cautious Advance moves slowly 
  and carefully across the battlefield and stays constantly alert 
  for any threats. During a Cautious Advance, a unit moves half 
  its speed for the Strategic Round, and incurs no penalties if it 
  encounters enemy units. See the “On the Advance” sidebar for 
  information regarding moving and fighting.
  Charge
  Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of the enemy like a 
  good old-fashioned charge, whether a bayonet charge by 
  screaming infantrymen or a lightning strike by fast-moving 
  cavalry. With a successful Challenging (+0) Intimidate 
  Test, a charging unit can rattle an enemy unit so badly that 
  the enemy immediately loses 1d10 Morale and rolls 1d10 
  less damage against the charging unit for the rest of the 
  Strategic Round.
  Combat air patrol
  An air unit conducts Combat Air Patrol by loitering over a 
  battlefield ready to make attacks of opportunity against air 
  and ground-based units, and to provide air support for 
  friendly ground units. A loitering unit can cover an area 
  50 square kilometres wide, and will intercept any 
  enemy air units it encounters. 
  CatChing your eneMy With hiS BootS oFF
  Surprise affects the first Strategic Round in Large-Scale Warfare. As in personal combat, it is up to the GM to determine 
  which units are surprised based on the actions of the PCs and NPCs and the environment in which they are operating. 
  The following are some guidelines for the GM to use when determining surprise.
  • Intelligence: A unit commander with good intel on the whereabouts of his enemy always has the upper hand, and 
  can allow a unit to manoeuvre into striking position before the enemy is even aware of their presence.
  • Terrain: A canny unit commander can use terrain features to his advantage in attempting to surprise an enemy unit. Ridges, 
  craters, valleys, hills, forests, and mountain ranges can all be used to screen a unit’s movement from prying eyes. 
  • Weather and Light: Observing a unit’s movements at midday on clear, sunny day is much easier than observing 
  them under cover of fog or night. Like terrain, a smart unit commander will move his men with as much cover from 
  natural phenomena as can be found. While inclement weather and the dark of night certainly gives a unit adequate 
  cover to manoeuvre against an enemy, it also makes any actions taken, including movement, that much harder due to 
  limited sight distances and other obstacles. 
  • Infiltration and Treachery: Sometimes a units embeds individuals or groups into enemy units to sow confusion 
  and gather intelligence. An individual can pose as any member of an enemy unit and relay important information 
  back to his home unit to give them an edge in a coming combat. An enemy unit that has been infiltrated can make a 
  Scrutiny Test, modified as the GM sees fit, to attempt to find and eliminate the traitors in their midst.
  Units can make Awareness Tests using their Characteristics, gaining bonuses for appropriate equipment and suffering 
  penalties for terrain or natural phenomena, to detect approaching units. Using the guidelines laid out above, or any 
  other he sees fit to apply, the GM determines at the beginning of combat which, if any, units are surprised. Any attackers 
  initiating combat with a surprised unit deal +10 additional damage during the first Strategic Round of combat.
  
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  dig in
  A unit that is dug in has settled in for a long fight. They have 
  taken to heavy cover, built field fortifications (trenches, banks, 
  revetments, and the like), and have gone to ground. With a 
  successful Challenging (+0) Scholastic Lore: Tactica 
  Imperialis Test, the unit has successfully dug-in and are 
  considered to have 10 points of cover. If the unit fails their 
  Test, they still build their fortifications and dig their trenches, 
  but receive only 5 points of cover due to inadequate cover.  
  disengage
  A unit disengages an enemy unit when it needs to regroup 
  and catch its breath but isn’t fleeing combat. With a successful 
  Difficult (–10) Command Test, the unit breaks contact and 
  moves just out of range of the enemy’s guns to hunker down 
  and lick its wounds. Units that have successfully disengaged are 
  considered dug in at the beginning of their next Strategic Turn, 
  and gain all the benefits of that action. A failed roll means that 
  the unit was unable to extract itself from combat and is now 
  in a state of panic and confusion. Any combat tests made by 
  a unit that has failed a Disengage Test suffer a –10 penalty as 
  they try to regroup and round up stragglers and fleeing troops. 
  This Action can be reattempted after two Strategic Rounds and 
  a successful Hard (–20) Command Test.
  Feint
  The Feint is a time-honoured tradition wherein a unit makes a 
  false strike in one location to draw the attention of an enemy 
  unit away from the true target. With a successful Difficult 
  (–10) Deceive Test, the unit is able to completely fool the 
  enemy unit and draw them away from the real target. The 
  attacking unit deals +5 additional damage against the real 
  target for 1d5 Strategic Turns as the enemy finally comes to 
  their senses and scrambles to defend something they were 
  unprepared to defend.  If a Feint is unsuccessful, the enemy unit 
  sees through the attacking unit’s clever ruse and the attacking 
  unit is treated as Surprised for the remainder of the Strategic 
  Turn as they expected the enemy to be somewhere else entirely.
  Flank
  A Flanking Manoeuvre takes place when a unit attacks the 
  side of an enemy unit. With a successful Ordinary (+10) 
  Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis) Test, Challenging 
  (+0) Common Lore (War) Test, or Difficult (–10) Logic 
  Test, the flanking unit is able to get into position on one 
  side of their enemy, catching them off-guard and effectively 
  boxing the enemy in thus restricting their movement. A 
  unit that has successfully flanked another unit deals +10 
  additional damage for 1d5 Strategic Rounds as the enemy 
  unit attempts to reposition to meet the new threat. A failed 
  flanking manoeuvre simply means that the flanking unit was 
  unable to get into a suitable position and no bonuses are 
  gained. At the GM’s discretion however, failure may grant the 
  flanked unit a chance to counterattack (gain a bonus to their 
  attack) during the confusion.
  Forced march
  Sometimes, a unit’s best speed simply isn’t good enough. 
  If a unit needs to get somewhere in a hurry, they can push 
  terrain and Cover
  When units move through natural and man-made terrain they gain the benefits of natural cover provided by that 
  terrain. During combat, a unit has a base cover determined by the terrain it inhabits. This cover value is constant until 
  the unit moves to another position in different terrain. Cover points gained by other means such as Loitering air forces 
  or Digging-in are cumulative and stack with the base value given by the terrain. 
  Terrain also impedes a unit’s movement depending on how difficult it is to cross, giving the Explorers and GM one 
  more thing to consider when deploying forces. Sure, that heavy armoured unit could be deployed in heavy terrain. It 
  would have great cover up until the infantry anti-tank squads arrived and blasted the tanks to hell because they were 
  sitting ducks. The five basic terrain types are as follows:
  • Open Ground: Open ground can be large plains or gently rolling hills, without many trees, rocks, or other obstacles. 
  Open ground grants no cover and does not affect a unit’s movement.
  • Broken Terrain: Scrubland, ancient ruins, cities that have been pummelled to destruction, snow, shallow marshland, and 
  sand are all examples of broken terrain. Broken terrain offers two points of cover, and reduces a unit’s speed by 25%.
  • Light Urban: Light urban terrain could be anything from a sprawling feudal city, to an automated factory or small 
  habs. Light urban terrain offers one point of cover, and reduces a unit’s movement by 25%.
  • Heavy Terrain: Mountain ranges, thick forests, deep snow, and ragged ice fields are all examples of heavy terrain. 
  Heavy terrain offers three points of cover, and reduces a unit’s movement by 50%.
  • Heavy Urban: Heavy urban terrain is found in hives, aboard space stations, and deep in the bowels of forge worlds. 
  It is extremely dense with numerous hiding places. Heavy urban terrain offers five points of cover, and reduces a 
  unit’s movement by 75%.
  on the advanCe
  A unit that is moving from one place to another can find 
  their orderly advance interrupted by a surprise encounter 
  with an enemy unit. A unit under the Advance Order is 
  considered to be packed for moving and not operating 
  at full readiness. Any unit that encounters an enemy unit 
  during an Advance may break off their advance to fight, 
  but are caught off-guard, and roll 1 less damage dice 
  during the remainder of their Strategic Turn. 
  
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  themselves and their machines to the limit to increase their 
  movement. With a successful Challenging (+0) Toughness 
  Test, a unit can double the number of kilometres it can move 
  in one Strategic Turn. Once they get where they’re going 
  however, the unit is fatigued and suffers a –10 modifier to all 
  Tests and roll 3 less damage dice until they rest for at least 
  one Strategic Turn. 
  push through
  A unit can use brute force to Push Through an enemy unit 
  for the purposes of quickly moving to the opposite side of 
  the enemy, scattering them, or cutting the enemy unit off 
  from its support. To Push Through, the unit makes a Hard 
  (–20) Command or Intimidate Test to rally the troops in 
  what is usually a near suicidal manoeuvre. A successful roll 
  means the attacking unit has achieved its goal (scattering, 
  mowing down, cutting-off, or moving through the enemy), 
  but in the process of the push the defending unit deals 1d10 
  additional damage to the attackers. If the Test is failed, 
  the unit is pushed back and the defending unit deals an 
  additional 2d10 damage instead.
  Strategic Withdrawal
  Withdrawals are an uncomfortable fact of life in combat. 
  Whatever the case may be, the leaders of the unit decide that 
  discretion is the better part of valour and attempt to flee from 
  the battlefield. To attempt a strategic withdrawal, the unit 
  needs to make a Hard (–20) Command Test. If the Test is 
  successful, the withdrawing unit is able to leave the battlefield 
  at half its movement, effectively leaving the battlefield. When 
  a unit is in retreat, any units attacking it deal an additional +5 
  damage. A failed roll means that the unit was unable to extract 
  itself from combat and is now in a state of panic and confusion. 
  Any Tests made by a unit that has failed a Strategic Withdrawal 
  Test suffer a –10 penalty for the next two Strategic Rounds as 
  they try to regroup and round up stragglers and fleeing troops. 
  making ContaCt
  Once elements of one unit are within one kilometre of 
  elements of another, they are considered in contact and 
  combat may begin. This doesn’t mean that all combatants 
  are within a one kilometre area, or even that all troops are 
  engaged. It simply means that the units are close enough to 
  see one another and deal damage, and that combat may now 
  be joined in earnest. As stated earlier, when units meet there is 
  always the possibility of surprise if the GM sees fit. 
  While this holds true of “direct fire” units like armour and 
  infantry, artillery and air forces operate in a slightly different 
  manner. “Indirect fire” units, artillery and air forces, can attack from 
  over the horizon and have a range characteristic listed in their 
  description that reflects how far they can reach. For example, a 
  medium artillery unit has a range of 20 kilometres, meaning 
  that it is in contact with another unit when it is within 
  20 kilometres. These units can attack foes and not be 
  attacked in turn. 
  Planetary BoMBardMent
  Voidships in low orbit can prove to be an incredibly valuable asset to soldiers on the ground through punishing 
  planetary bombardments. The damage done and area affected by a Planetary Bombardment depends on the type of 
  weapon used. Each type of weapon, macrobatteries and lance weapons, deals two different amounts of damage, one to 
  large units and one to individuals and vehicles. 
  Large units caught up in a planetary bombardment lose large amounts of Unit Strength as dozens or hundreds of their 
  personnel are snuffed out in an instant. A unit that survives a Planetary Bombardment immediately breaks and flees the 
  battlefield unless there is an embedded Explorer who makes a successful Arduous (–40) Command Test to get the survivors 
  under control. Anyone caught in a Planetary Bombardment takes damage as normal and with the usual benefits of armour, 
  cover, and the individual’s Toughness Bonus. This damage cannot be dodged or parried. If they are not killed outright, they are 
  surely at death’s door and will need immediate medical attention if they are to survive. The GM should also feel free to apply 
  other conditions or effects, such as deafness, mental trauma, or permanent crippling, to the survivors as he sees fit.
  • Lance Weapons: When used in a planetary bombardment, the initial impact area of a lance weapon is relatively 
  small, typically no more than a few hundred metres. Anything directly hit by a lance is completely annihilated, 
  with no chance of survival. However, the ensuing blast wave affects an area of roughly one square kilometre, setting 
  buildings afire, boiling away bodies of water, and leaving little behind but ashes and molten stone. Damage: Large 
  units 75+5d10 Unit Strength. Individuals and vehicles 5d10+10 E; Pen 6 (unless the individual is within the initial 
  impact radius, at which point they die, and must spend a Fate Point).
  • Macrobatteries: Macrobatteries saturate their target with massive, hab-sized artillery shells, missiles, seething plasma 
  energy, or crackling las beams. Like a lance, each separate shell or energy blast affects a relatively small area of little 
  more than a few dozen metres across, and anything directly hit is completely destroyed. However, the sheer volume 
  of fire and the ensuing kiloton explosions, raging plasma fires, and hellish blast waves affects everything within ten 
  square kilometres. Damage: Large Units 40+5d10 Unit Strength. Individuals and Vehicles 4d10+5; Pen 4 (unless the 
  individual is within the initial impact radius, at which point they die, and must spend a Fate Point).
  Note: The canny player will notice that there is no information supplied regarding the use of virus bombs, cyclonic 
  torpedoes, and other Exterminatus weapons fielded by the Imperium. These types of weapon are outside the scope of 
  these rules, and typically beyond the grasp of even the wealthiest Rogue Trader dynasty.
  
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  attaCking unitS
  Upon making contact, when one unit is within range of another, 
  each unit will roll damage against the other (unless, such as the 
  case with artillery, one unit is in contact with a unit that cannot 
  return fire. In this case, the hit unit simply has to suffer). No Test 
  is required, units simply need to be within range of one another. 
  This represents the massive numbers of soldiers fighting, so 
  many that a single Test cannot encompass the combat.
  Each unit rolls damage, then the enemy unit subtracts their 
  armour and cover from any damage taken. The remaining 
  damage is applied to the unit’s Unit Strength. If the unit 
  is benefiting from cover, it adds the cover value to its 
  armour before reducing damage. 
  In general, a unit attacks and is attacked by all units 
  it is in contact with during a Strategic Round of ground 
  combat, although units may be directed not to attack by 
  their superior officers. 
  attaCking airCraFt
  Ground units not designated as dedicated anti-aircraft units 
  deal half damage when attacked by air units. This reflects 
  the fact that while not designed to take on fighter craft, the 
  ground unit can still somewhat defend itself.
  unit attrition and 
  CoheSion
  Once combat is joined and casualties begin to mount, a unit’s 
  effectiveness and cohesion begin to deteriorate. For every ten 
  points of Unit Strength lost in combat, a unit loses 1d10 morale. 
  For every twenty Morale lost the unit is –5 to all Characteristic 
  and Skill Tests, and any Explorer operating in a leadership 
  position is –5 to any Command or Fellowship Tests. When a unit 
  reaches half of its maximum morale, it must make a Morale Test 
  by rolling under its base morale to see if morale is broken. A 
  unit that succeeds on its Morale Test continues to fight, but must 
  make another Morale Test if it reaches 25%. If an Explorer with 
  the appropriate skills is embedded with the unit in a command 
  position, he can attempt a Challenging (+0) Command Test 
  to rally the troops and give the unit +10 to any Morale Tests. 
  A unit that fails a Morale Test, or in rare occasions runs out of 
  morale points and is still combat capable, breaks and the remains 
  of the unit flee the battlefield.
  A unit that sees its Unit Strength completely depleted is 
  considered broken and unusable until replenished, repaired, 
  and resupplied. This does not mean that all soldiers and 
  combat assets have been destroyed, it simply reflects a complete 
  loss of combat effectiveness due to massive casualties and loss 
  of vehicles, weapons, and support. This can be accomplished 
  using Upkeep Tests, but only if the Explorers have the proper 
  resources (such as more men or weapons) available.
  exaMPle
  The 3rd Grenadiers have been in combat with the vile Ork for hours 
  and have been taking casualties. The have lost a total of 40 points 
  of unit strength and 14 points of morale. They are battered, have 
  lost a few officers and NCOs, and are cut off from reinforcements 
  but they are still standing strong in the face of the green tide. If they 
  lose 6 more points of morale, either the player leading the combat or 
  any PC actually embedded with the 3rd grenadiers will need to make 
  a Morale Test, modified by any successful Command Tests, for the 
  unit to see that they hold the line. 
  FLaSh-pointS
  Flash-points are instances in large scale combat wherein the 
  Explorers get the chance to directly affect the outcome of a 
  battle. This may be an Explorer calling in an air strike at a crucial 
  moment, reconnoitring enemy positions, or fighting and slaying 
  an enemy commander during a pitched battle. Flash-points are 
  intended to be pivotal moments in a battle, or even a war, where 
  the fates of many rest on the decisive and skilled actions of a few. 
  It’s also a chance for the Explorers to directly participate in a 
  battle, rather than letting their minions have all the fun!
  The creation of a Flash-point should be a collaboration 
  between the players and the GM. Ideally, it occurs in the midst of 
  combat, in response to issues that arise on the battlefield. Either 
  the GM creates a situation that a Flash-point would fit into, or 
  the players suggest using a Flash-point to resolve a situation. 
  Flash-points can be simple, involving a single player and several 
  Skill Tests, or they can be complex, such as a full-blown combat 
  encounter with the entire party of Explorers. However, Flash-
  points can also be time consuming, and using too many can bog 
  down the narrative with repetitive encounters. When using Flash-
  points, GMs and players should utilise the following guidelines:
  • Each Explorer should generally participate in no more 
  than two Flash-points in a single day (game time). This 
  means the GM and party can have a large number of 
  simple Flash-points, or a couple complex ones involving 
  the entire party—or even some balance in between. This 
  also means everyone has a chance to participate. 
  • Flash-points should have objectives set by the GM 
  beforehand. For Simple and Medium Flash-points, this 
  should be a single objective that the Explorers must 
  complete to succeed. For Complex Flash-points, the 
  GM should invent three objectives, one primary and two 
  secondary. If the Explorers complete either the primary or 
  the two secondary objectives successfully, they succeed. 
  • Simple Flash-points should involve one or two Explorers 
  making only a few Skill Tests each.  
  • Medium Flash-points should involve two or three Explorers 
  making more Skill Tests, or even a Simple Exploration or 
  a note regarding air ForCeS
  While the above Orders are designed for ground forces, 
  many are for use by air forces as well. The Orders 
  available to air forces are as follows: Advance, Cautious 
  Advance, Disengage (although without the benefit of 
  digging-in modifiers), Flank, Forced March (Called 
  Full Throttle when attempted by air forces), Strategic 
  Withdrawal, Attack, Charge, Feint, and Push Through. 
  Certain Flash-points may involve Air Forces as well. 
  
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  Social Challenge. A Medium Flash-point may involve combat, 
  so long as it only lasts a few rounds against a few opponents. 
  • Complex Flash-points should involve the entire party 
  undertaking either a variety of Skill Tests requiring varied 
  abilities, an Involved Exploration or Social Challenge, or a 
  full combat encounter for the entire party. 
  • If the Explorers succeed on the Flash-point, they grant a 
  substantial bonus. Certain Flash-points may have unique 
  bonuses, but the default bonus is all units directly involved 
  in the combat gain +20 to all Tests and deal 1d10 
  additional damage for the following Strategic Round.
  The following are some example Flash-points that GMs and 
  players can use in their own ground campaigns. 
  air Strike (Simple or medium)
  The Explorer calls in a pinpoint air strike from friendly air 
  forces, taking out specific targets such as hardened bunkers, 
  counterattacking tanks, or enemy artillery. In the simple version 
  of this, a single Explorer on the ground must pass a Challenging 
  (+0) Navigation (Surface) Test to determine the coordinates 
  of the strike, then a Challenging (+0) Command Test to 
  direct the aircraft to the target. In the medium version, a second 
  Explorer is piloting the lead strike craft, and makes an attack run 
  on the target making a Challenging (+0) Pilot Test for the 
  attack run, then attacking and rolling damage with the weapons 
  his strike craft possesses against a suitable target (such as a vehicle 
  or emplacement). He gains a +5 bonus to the Pilot Test and 
  the attack rolls for every degree of success his partner on the 
  ground scored on his Navigation (Surface) Test. If the target is 
  eliminated, the enemy unit targeted by this Flash-point rolls 2 
  less damage dice during the current Strategic Round, and may 
  lose unit Strength at the GM’s discretion.  
  artillery Barrage (Simple)
  Similar to an Air Strike, an Artillery Barrage calls in fire support 
  from friendly artillery units. Artillery Barrages can be used 
  in advance of a charging unit to soften up enemy positions 
  or, like an Air Strike, hit enemies under fortifications or in 
  difficult terrain. At any point during the Strategic Round, one 
  Explorer makes a Challenging (+0) Navigation: Surface 
  Test or a Hard (-20) Intelligence Test to guide artillery in 
  a unit he is attached to, or another unit of artillery to their 
  targets with little to no deviation. This does not count as the 
  artillery’s Order in a round, as it is a relatively small volley. 
  The artillery makes an attack, rolling 3 less damage dice, but 
  also either destroying 1d10 points of cover or doing 3d10 
  damage to morale, depending on the fire mission (whether 
  to target fortifications or shell randomly to reduce morale). If 
  the Test fails, the GM should determine where the ordnance 
  is actually delivered with a roll on the Scatter Diagram on p. 
  248 of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook.
  electronic Warfare (Simple)
  Using the unit’s vox equipment, the Explorer is able to disrupt 
  the communications of the enemy unit. With a successful 
  Hard (-20) Tech-Use Test, the enemy’s communications 
  have been sufficiently disrupted. On the next Strategic 
  Round the disrupted unit is at –10 to Tests due to lack of 
  communications and combat effectiveness. Failure means 
  that the enemy comms were strong enough to resist the 
  Explorer’s jamming attempts, and the enemy unit suffers no 
  ill-effects. Of course, a canny vox operator on the other end 
  of a jamming attempt could tell that he’s being jammed and 
  trace the signal back to its source. The GM should feel free to 
  create a suitably difficult complication arising from a botched 
  jamming attempt if he should see fit. 
  planetary Bombardment (medium)
  By turning their massive lances and batteries of macrocannons on 
  a planet and unleashing a storm of deadly ordnance, a ship can 
  perform a Planetary Bombardment. Unspeakably devastating, 
  a planetary bombardment from a single ship can lay waste to 
  armies and cities, while a concentrated bombardment from a 
  battle group can turn an entire continent to ash. Thus, calling 
  in a planetary bombardment should be left up to the Explorers.
  Calling in a Planetary Bombardment requires an orbiting 
  voidship to enter a dangerously low orbit and hold steady over 
  its target. Once in position, the ship needs to make an Arduous 
  (–40) Pilot: Space Craft Test and an Arduous (-40) Ballistic 
  Skill Test for the bombardment to succeed. If both Tests are 
  successful, the bombardment hits its intended target. If one or 
  both Tests fail, tally up the total number of degrees of failure and 
  consult the scatter diagram on page 248 of the Rogue TRadeR 
  core rulebook. The attack will strike a target in the direction 
  indicated by the scatter diagram a number of kilometres equal 
  to the total number of degrees of failure plus 2d10 away 
  from the intended target.
  For 
  information, 
  see 
  the 
  Planetary 
  Bombardment sidebar.
  unit Strength and Morale
  Unit Strength is an abstract of the number of casualties 
  taken in combat and the unit’s general combat 
  effectiveness.  It differs from morale in that a unit can 
  have its Unit Strength depleted yet still have high 
  Morale, and vice-versa.
  Smaller units can be reduced to 0 Unit Strength in one 
  or two Strategic Turns and still have Morale remaining. 
  This represents that a small unit can be quickly destroyed 
  in combat but its survivors may have a strong esprit de 
  corps and loyalty to one another. This allows the unit to 
  be rebuilt again and again with fresh troops.
  Large units, such as divisions and armies, are made up 
  of numerous smaller units, can have tens of thousands of 
  combatants in them, and lose Morale more quickly than 
  Unit Strength. Large units are incredibly powerful, and 
  can absorb terrible casualties and keep fighting. However, 
  as command, support, and logistics elements are destroyed 
  a large unit quickly loses its Morale even though it still has 
  plenty of combat effectiveness remaining. A large unit that 
  has lost all of its Morale will dissolve into its component 
  units, who will, more often than not, flee the battlefield if 
  they cannot be brought quickly under control.
  
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  rally (Simple or medium)
  With some inspiring, or fear inducing, words, an Explorer can 
  drive his unit to surprising lengths. With either a successful 
  Difficult (-10) Blather, Command, Deceive, or Intimidate 
  Test, the Explorer has goaded his troops into action, restoring 
  2d10 Morale and granting them +5 to all combat Tests for 
  the current Strategic Round. Failure on this Test has the 
  opposite effect, and unintentionally reduces unit Morale by 
  1d10 and grants a –5 penalty to all combat Tests for the 
  current Strategic Round as the troops clearly see through their 
  leader. To make this a medium Flash-point, the GM can use 
  the rules from InTo The sToRm to create a Social Challenge, 
  exhorting the men through a variety of means. This boosts 
  the bonuses to 3d10 and +10, respectively.
  reconnoitre (medium)
  Reconnaissance teams are the eyes and ears of any unit. By 
  using specialised augur arrays and auspex systems, along with 
  physical observation, a recon team can study the movements 
  and composition of enemy units and report them back to their 
  command. A team of Explorers and Scouts must approach 
  the enemy positions, making at least one Challenging (+0) 
  Silent Move, Concealment, and Awareness Test to reach 
  the position undetected and gather information. Other skills 
  such as Tech-Use, Navigation, Security, and Search may also 
  be required at the GM’s behest. Success grants any friendly 
  units attacking the enemy +10 to Tests and +1d10 damage 
  during the current and following Strategic Round. Failing 
  either one scuttles the recon mission, and no information is 
  gleaned. Of course, failure could also result in the recon team 
  coming under attack.
  Sabotage (Complex)
  Sabotage is performed by sappers, guerrilla fighters, and 
  engineers and attack an enemy’s infrastructure. Destroying roads 
  and bridges, disrupting supply lines, disabling enemy vehicles, 
  and laying traps for enemy forces are all part of sabotage. This 
  Flash-point requires one or several identified targets, which 
  must likely be approached with several Challenging (+0) 
  Silent Move and Concealment Tests. A Challenging (+0) 
  Demolition Test will destroy the target, although the saboteurs 
  may need to eliminate guards, steal vehicles, accomplish other 
  tasks to be successful. As a complex Flash-point, this should 
  be run as an encounter. Successful sabotage means the targeted 
  unit deals 2 less damage in combat, suffers 2d10 damage to 
  Unit Strength ignoring armour, and loses 4d10 morale. 
  triage (Simple) 
  Triage reflects the efforts of the unit’s medics and chirugeons 
  to treat casualties throughout the combat as quickly as 
  possible. With a Hard (–20) Medicae Test, the Explorer 
  can reduce lost Unit Strength by half and lost morale 
  by one-quarter. This only applies to damage suffered 
  during the previous Strategic Turn.
  unsecured Supplies (Simple)
  An army marches on its stomach, and a well fed and well 
  supplied unit is a happy unit. Sadly, the reality of warfare is 
  one of constant privation and exhaustion, both of which take a 
  toll on unit cohesion and effectiveness. With either a successful 
  Difficult (–10) Sleight of Hand Test or a Hard (–20) 
  Deceive Test, the Explorer has secured extra supplies for his 
  unit such as rations, ammunition, med-kits, and lho sticks that 
  just happened to be “lying around” with no one using them. 
  This permanently improves unit Morale by 2d10.
  mopping up
  Wars rarely have a definitive end, but generally one side 
  will accomplish its goals or prevail over another and declare 
  victory. Once combat operations cease, all that’s left to do is 
  to deal with the aftermath. 
  If the point of the war was complete annihilation of 
  the enemy forces and their planet, there is little left but to 
  loot the bodies, plunder the cities, and leave. If this was a 
  war of Conquest, or a Religious War bent on conversion as 
  opposed to cleansing heretics however, the players could 
  face months or years of rebuilding infrastructure, installing 
  governments sympathetic to the Imperium, quelling riots, and 
  fighting insurgents. This may be covered as part of a Warfare 
  Endeavour in which the Explorers take an active part in the 
  rebuilding to ensure they receive their share of the post-
  war prosperity (contracts and trade routes). If the Explorers 
  have better things to do than bother with cleaning up their 
  
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  mess, they can pass the mopping-up responsibilities to their 
  hirelings, though this should result in less profit (or utilize the 
  Background Endeavour rules from InTo The sToRm). 
  Warfare 
  Endeavours
  “There is no peace amongst the stars.”
  – Ancient Proverb
  I
  n the 41st Millennium, the business of waging war is just 
  like that of any other endeavour, and Rogue Traders step 
  on to the field of battle just as easily as they step into a 
  governor’s palace or the grand staterooms of voidships. Warfare 
  endeavours are an expansion of the standard endeavour rules 
  as described in Rogue Trader. They are designed to grant 
  a Game Master and his players an immersive and detailed 
  playing experience. These endeavours encompass a player-run 
  armed conflict from the break-down of negotiations, through 
  planning, and all the way to the day when the players stand 
  among the smouldering ruins of their enemy’s capital. 
  Waging War
  While very similar to standard Endeavours, War Endeavours 
  have some distinct structural differences that set them apart. 
  Like standard endeavours, they come in three sizes and are 
  composed of numerous smaller objectives comprising both 
  combat and support activities. This mix of fighting, planning, 
  and deal making is a reflection of the complex nature of waging 
  war, especially from the point of view of its generals. Where War 
  Endeavours differ from standard Endeavours is in their structure, 
  and in the fact that they can be designed by GMs or players. 
  GMs can use War Endeavours to build story arcs for his 
  players to take part in. In this case, GMs are fully responsible 
  for their design of these Endeavours. The players have no part 
  in choosing the strategic goals or the victory conditions, and 
  very little control over the logistics and tactical goals except as 
  they pertain to the players’ stated roles.
  Players designing war campaigns do so under the guidance 
  of the GM, and are fully involved in every level of the 
  Endeavour’s design save for the construction and deployment 
  of NPCs and NPC units such as mercenary companies, enemy 
  belligerents, and forces of the Imperial Guard. GMs will also 
  be responsible for assigning each component objective a 
  Victory Point value, as well as assigning one to the Endeavour 
  at large. Players are responsible for stating the strategic goals 
  and victory conditions, as well as laying out the logistics and 
  tactical objectives. Also, depending on whether they are hiring 
  mercenaries, raising Imperial Guard units, or building an army 
  from scratch, they may also be responsible for designing their 
  own military forces using the rules earlier in this section.
   GMs and players should use the following checklist to 
  create a quick outline of their Warfare Endeavour. This will 
  allow them to ensure everything gets done and their war goes 
  off without a hitch.
  • Declare Strategic Goals: Here players state the 
  objective of their war and what they hope to gain 
  from pursuing it. The amount of ambition 
  exhibited in the strategic goal can suggest 
  the actual scope of the war. Deposing a 
  planetary governor is a much smaller 
  MaPS, MarkerS, and MiniatureS
  These large-scale warfare rules are designed to allow the GM to run large scale battles in a more abstract or narrative fashion 
  using little more than a piece of paper and a pencil. That being said, they also lend themselves well to the use of tactical maps 
  and miniatures. If the GM and players are so inclined, and want a little more detail in their game, they may utilise the guidelines 
  for map and marker use as laid out in the Representing Combat Concretely or Abstractly sidebar on page 213 of the Rogue 
  TRadeR core rulebook with a few adjustments. For large-scale ground warfare, each square on the tactical map, or each inch 
  measured with a tape measure, represents one kilometre. It is important to note that multiple units can inhabit the same square 
  on the tactical map. The GM should use common sense to determine just how many units can inhabit one square, and what, if 
  any, modifiers should be applied to the units therein based on crowded, close-combat conditions.
  large-SCale CoMBat SiMPliFied
  While the above large-scale combat rules are highly detailed and allow the players and GM an incredible level of control 
  over the outcome of their battle, they can be slightly time consuming. If the players and GM are unable or uninterested 
  in using the given rules for large-scale combat, they may use the simple method mass combat rules found on page 292 
  of the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook. This version encourages the GM to come up with a narrative for the combat, and 
  have him run it as a narrative, with the Explorers making crucial contributions and vital Skill Tests at critical moments. 
  own military forces using the rules earlier in this section.
   GMs and players should use the following checklist to 
  create a quick outline of their Warfare Endeavour. This will 
  allow them to ensure everything gets done and their war goes 
  off without a hitch.
  •
  
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  task than cleansing an entire system of xenos scum.
  • Determine the Scope of the War (Brushfire, 
  Campaign, Theatre): After declaring their strategic goals, 
  the GM or players now decide how large the scope of the 
  war will be. The scope of the war will determine the number 
  of logistics and tactical goals required, as well how much the 
  war will cost and how great the rewards will be for success. 
  • Declare Logistics Objectives, Tactical Objectives, and 
  Victory Conditions: Each size of Warfare Endeavour 
  requires a certain number of logistics goals, tactical goals, 
  and victory conditions to succeed. These objectives are 
  similar to objectives in standard Endeavours, and will 
  have varying degrees of difficulty and importance to the 
  Endeavour.
  • Tally up Achievement Points: Like in regular Endeavours, 
  Achievement Points are collected throughout the Endeavour 
  by completing logistics and tactical objectives and any 
  side adventures added to the Endeavour by the GM. Each 
  component objective provides a set number of Achievement 
  Points, dictated at random by the GM or by dividing the 
  total Achievement Point value of the Endeavour as outlined 
  in Table 4-7: War Endeavour Scale. 
  • Assign 
  Appropriate 
  Warfare 
  Themes 
  to 
  the 
  Component Objectives: Assigning themes to logistics and 
  tactical objectives can further clarify the kinds of resources 
  and skills needed to complete them. By referring to the 
  themes, players can decide what characters, equipment, and 
  resources would be best suited to specific objectives. This 
  increases the chances of success of the component objective, 
  as well as the Endeavour on the whole. 
  StrategiC goalS
  The first step in planning a war is setting strategic goals. 
  These goals are the player’s stated objectives and the desired 
  outcome of the conflict. Depending on its size, a Warfare 
  Endeavour can have 1—5 stated strategic goals.
  logiStiCS oBjeCtiveS
  Logistics objectives make up the bulk of any War Endeavour, 
  and include all non-combat activities undertaken in support 
  of combat operations during all stages of the Endeavour. 
  Equivalent to a standard Endeavour’s objectives, logistics 
  objectives can include mustering troops, acquiring war 
  materiel, establishing trade routes and logistics chains, 
  negotiating treaties, hiring mercenaries and the like.
  taCtiCal oBjeCtiveS
  Tactical objectives are the actual combat components of a War 
  Endeavour. They are belligerent actions taken by the players 
  directly, or by their proxies, in pursuit of their stated strategic goals. 
  Tactical objectives tend to be rather specific, and involve things 
  like gaining air superiority, disrupting enemy shipping and 
  logistics, sabotaging enemy infrastructure, and full-scale 
  combat.
  viCtory ConditionS
  Victory Conditions are similar to requirements in standard 
  Endeavours, as they are stated goals that absolutely need to be 
  accomplished for the Endeavour to be a success. 
  War endeavour SizeS
  Wars can be almost any size, but for ease of gaming, they 
  are grouped into three categories, the brushfire war, the 
  campaign, and the theatre. Each one lists a potential Profit 
  Factor cost that must be permanently spent to embark on 
  the war, a number of victory points that must be earned, and 
  a reasonable Profit Factor reward if the war is won.
  Brushfire War
  Roughly equivalent to a Lesser Endeavour, brushfire wars are 
  small, low-intensity conflicts revolving around the events on a 
  single planet, station, or city. Brushfires consist of one strategic 
  goal, a 3-5 tactical and logistics goals, and typically don’t involve 
  more than a few small, professional grade military units and 
  inter-system ships. The cost of mounting a brushfire war varies 
  depending on the amount of men and materiel dedicated to its 
  pursuit, typically 1-3 Profit Factor. Brushfire wars require 1,200 
  Achievement Points, and increase profit factor by 2-4 points.
  Campaign
  Campaigns are medium intensity conflicts that take place across 
  one or two star systems. Equivalent to Greater Endeavours, 
  campaigns require a significantly larger investment of time and 
  resources. Campaigns have 2-4 strategic goals and 6-9 tactical 
  and logistics objectives. They can take up to two or three years 
  to complete, and cost  2-5 Profit Factor. Campaigns require 
  1,800 Achievement Points, and increase Profit Factor by 3-6.
  War endeavourS and ProFit 
  FaCtor
  Players and GMs will notice right away that these new 
  War Endeavours actually cost Profit Factor. This is 
  because waging a war, no matter what the size, is always 
  hideously expensive and an outcome of victory is never 
  guaranteed. When players start a war they are wagering 
  not just their fortunes, but their reputations and lives 
  on the possibility of victory. If a Warfare Endeavour is 
  successful, the players get their Profit Factor investment 
  back along with any profit factor rewards received. If 
  the war fails however, not only are the Explorers out 
  their initial investment, they make no Profit Factor on 
  the endeavour. War is a high-stakes game. 
  The Profit Factor costs and benefits of Warfare 
  Endeavours vary widely because there are two potential 
  levels of involvement that payers can have invested in 
  them. Basically, fighting in someone else’s war is always 
  less costly than mounting your own, and thus fighting 
  for someone else has less risks—and smaller rewards.
  
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  theatre
  Theatres are massive military conflicts equivalent to Grand 
  Endeavours that are composed of numerous campaigns and 
  brushfire wars. They can take upwards of a decade, contain 3-5 
  strategic goals, and can engulf numerous star systems within a 
  given region of space. Extremely time and resource intensive, 
  theatres cost 3-7 Profit Factor and are a gamble for even the 
  wealthiest Rogue Traders. Theatres require 2,400 Achievement 
  Points to succeed, and can increase Profit Factor by up to 10.
  exaMPle
  Lidiah Yefremova, a Rogue Trader operating at large in the Koronus 
  Expanse and Calixis Sector, wants to start a brushfire war. Her strategic 
  goal is running out a rival Rogue Trader from a specific part of the 
  Drusus Marches so she can have a monopoly on the Grox trade. Her 
  logistical objectives include hiring mercenary warships for commerce 
  raiding, acquiring new gear for her house troops, and securing 
  conditional contracts with Agri-worlds in the region in the sad event 
  that something “unfortunate” should happen to her rival. Her tactical 
  objectives include scuttling the ship her rival is using as his flagship 
  destroying his cargo, and disrupting his trade routes so that he is unable 
  to live up to his contracts with the Agri-worlds. Her victory conditions 
  are scuttling her rival’s ship, disrupting his shipping, and taking his 
  contracts.
  WarFare endeavour theMeS
  As is the case with standard Endeavours, component objectives 
  within Warfare Endeavours can be given different themes to 
  give the players a better idea of what they’ll need to get the 
  job done. Themes can be found in the Endeavours Section of 
  the Rogue TRadeR core rulebook on page 278.
  deClaring viCtory
  There are few things sweeter than a hard won victory. Players 
  can declare themselves victorious in their Warfare Endeavour 
  when they have accumulated the required victory points and 
  met all stated victory conditions. While the players can afford 
  to fail at one or two of the Endeavour’s component objectives, 
  as the victory point deficit can be made up with side quests, 
  they absolutely have to meet their stated victory conditions or 
  the Endeavour will fail. 
  Aside from the loss of lives and money, losing a war 
  may have all sorts of associated deleterious effects on the 
  Rogue Trader, his associates, and possible even his dynasty. 
  His reputation among his colleagues and any investors may 
  be irreparably harmed, as no one likes a loser. He could be 
  pursued by forces that vanquished him, hounded across the 
  Expanse with demands for reparations or threats of revenge. 
  He could even in very rare cases when working for or closely 
  with Imperial forces, lose his Warrant of Trade altogether. He 
  could see it revoked by the Administratum for any number 
  of real or trumped-up grievances as the leadership of the 
  Imperium hates looking bad and having their resources and 
  good graces squandered by poor commanders. In the event 
  of a failed Warfare Endeavour, the GM should feel free to 
  impose any and all penalties on the players as he sees fit. After 
  all, no one can wage war and not suffer consequences.
  War targetS and StrategiC valueS
  In War Endeavours players should be awarded for seizing the initiative and creative thinking. To accomplish this, the GM can 
  reward small amounts of Achievement Points to players when they complete Endeavour related side quests. One such way to 
  dole out some extra Achievement Points to the players is by the use of war targets. War targets are objectives and missions 
  only tangentially related to the primary objectives of an Endeavour. They could include stealing supplies, destroying important 
  infrastructure, or unearthing new patterns of technology—events that could aid in  victory. War targets have a strategic rating 
  of 1-5, and successfully hitting a war target grants Achievement Points equal to the strategic value times 25. For example, 
  destroying various important planetary infrastructure sites during combat like power plants and water treatment systems can 
  seriously impede the ability of the defenders to defend their world. An important power plant could have a strategic value of 4, 
  and cutting off electricity to a capital city by destroying it could reward an extra 100 Achievement Points.
  Table 4-7: War Endeavour Scale
  Endeavour Size
  Victory Points Required
  Brushfire
  2000
  Campaign
  3000
  Theatre
  4500
  
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  Appendix of Vehicles
  T
  his appendix is intended to be used with the vehicle rules found in the supplement InTo The sToRm. It details some of 
  the void-capable fighters, bombers, and other small craft available to Explorers, as well as their foes. Even without InTo 
  The sToRm, this information can be useful both as background and statistics on the capabilities of individual vehicles. 
  All of these vessels are spacecraft, and several of them are bombers as well–craft intended to attack enemy capital ships. In the 
  interests of simplicity, both of these rules are printed once at the beginning of this appendix, rather than separately in each entry.
  Spacecraft: This vehicle may exit the atmosphere. While in the atmosphere it may operate as a skimmer or flyer at the pilot’s 
  choice. It gains all benefits and drawbacks of skimmers and flyers. If operating as a flyer, it must be moving at least half its 
  cruising speed at all times lest it begin a terminal dive to the earth below. In either case, if it becomes completely immobilised 
  due to damage, count the vehicle as destroyed instead as it crashes to the ground. 
  Bomber: This ship’s payload is a complement of anti-ship weapons. These weapons cannot be effectively aimed at “small” targets 
  such as other vehicles or individuals, though if one were to hit such a target, they would be immediately destroyed. These weapons 
  could be used in bombing runs against fixed emplacements or other large, immobile ground targets, in which case the areas of effect 
  would be scores of metres across, and the damage dealt on par with powerful anti-armour weapons such as lascannons. 
  lathe-Pattern Shark aSSault Boat
  Typically about fifty-five meters in length, these Shark-class assault boats are dedicated to delivering troops through a spaceship’s 
  defences directly into combat. Much like a torpedo, their cargo is their weapon. Consequently, virtually all patterns of the Shark 
  carry only defensive weapons, with every cubic meter of space dedicated to engines, armour, or troop-carrying. 
  Tactically, assault boats are often accompanied by fighters to aid these craft in overcoming a vessel’s defences. To better enable 
  this tactic, assault boats will usually have engines that are nearly capable of matching a starfighter’s acceleration. However, they 
  seldom handle as well. In the Calixis Sector they are typically organised into squadrons of eight craft.
  Type: Sapcecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 28m/18 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,400 kph/ 10 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space 
  Manoeuvrability: –10
  Structural Integrity: 50 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Massive
  Armour: Front 45, Side 45, Rear 30  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: 50 soldiers
  Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot, Gunner/Crew Chief, Tech-Priest Enginseer
  Weapons
  1 Co-pilot operated Twin-linked Las-breacher (Facing Front, Range 220m (2 AUs), S/–/–, 3d10+10 E, Pen 15, Clip 10, 
  Reload —, Inaccurate, Twin-linked)
  1 Gunner-operated AP Autocannon (Facing All, Range 300m (3 AUs), S/2/5, 4d10+5 I, Pen 8, Clip 200, Reload 2 Full)
  Special rules
  Spacecraft: See above. 
  Breaching Vehicle: The Shark is designed to forcibly board enemy starships, and has powerful boarding clamps and melta-
  charges near the vehicle’s prow. As a Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft) Test, the pilot can affix a Shark to the side of the 
  spacecraft. It takes 4 Full Rounds to burn through the hull using the las-breacher and melta-charges.
  Reinforced Hull: When a vehicle with a Reinforced Hull receives a Critical Hit, halve the result, rounding up. This quality 
  does not affect rolls on the Critical Hit chart generated by Righteous Fury.
  Availability: Very Rare
  CalixiS-Pattern StarhaWk BoMBer
  Slightly smaller than an assault boat, Starhawk-class bombers are slower and less armoured. Instead of troops, they carry a payload of 
  plasma bombs, armour-piercing missiles, and (in some cases) torpedoes. The Calixis-pattern has forward racks for up to 10 large anti-ship 
  missiles with powerful krak warheads, and mid-bays containing multiple bomb-firing cylinders. Starhawks launch volleys of missiles at 
  precise targets on an enemy ship, then close and make “bombing runs” on the hull, pumping out flurries of plasma warheads. 
  Crews of ten to fifteen man these weapons as well as less-potent armaments designed for defence against starfighters and 
  incoming missiles. Like the Fury interceptor that often accompanies it, the Starhawk has cramped living quarters that allow 
  these spacecraft to be used for extended assignments. Starhawk bombers are typically organised into squadrons of ten craft.
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 15m/10 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 1,800 kph/ 6 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space  
  Manoeuvrability: –10
  Structural Integrity: 45 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Massive
  Armour: Front 35, Side 35, Rear 30  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: Forward rack of 10 anti-
  Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot, 5 Gunners, Bombardier, Tech-Priest Enginseer     
  ship missiles, rear bays with 40 plasma bombs
  
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  Weapons
  1 Forward Gunner-operated-Twin-linked Lascannon (Facing Front, Range 600m (6 AUs), S/–/–, 5d10+10 E, Pen 10, 
  Clip 200, Reload —, Twin-linked)
  2 Gunner-operated Twin-linked Long-barrelled Multi-laser Turrets (Facing All, Range 500m (5 AUs), –/–/10, 3d10+3 E, 
  Pen 4, Clip Unlimited [powered from onboard reactor], Reload 2 Full, Twin-linked)
  2 Wing-mounted Remote Gunner-operated Twin-linked Heavy Bolter Turrets (Facing Front/Left/Rear or Front/
  Right/Rear, Range 120 m (2 AU), –/–/10, 2d10+2 X, Pen 5, Clip 1000, Reload —, Tearing, Twin-linked)
  Special rules
  Spacecraft: See page 137.
  Bomber: See page 137.
  Reinforced Hull: When a vehicle with a Reinforced Hull receives a Critical Hit, halve the result, rounding up. This quality 
  does not affect rolls on the Critical Hit chart generated by Righteous Fury.
  Availability: Extremely Rare
  iniquity-Pattern SWiFtdeath Fighter
  These voidcraft are of an ancient design, still favoured by the Dark Powers for their flexibility in combat. Fast, agile, and deadly, 
  Swiftdeaths are the eternal nemesis of the Imperial Fury interceptor. However, even as their manoeuvrability gives them an edge 
  against their foe, their comparatively fragile design and smaller armament just as often proves their downfall. 
  There are many variants of Swiftdeaths in the galaxy, but the one most commonly found in the Koronus Expanse is referred 
  to the “Iniquity-pattern”—although there is no evidence to suggest it originated on that cursed moon. These Swiftdeaths are 
  equipped to operate competently in atmospheres as well as space, though their performance still degrades. 
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 30m/25 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,750 kph/ 11 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space 
  Manoeuvrability: +15
  Structural Integrity: 30 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Enormous
  Armour: Front 34, Side 32, Rear 28  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: None
  Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot
  
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  Weapons
  3 Forward Pilot-operated Focused Plasma Cannons (Facing Front, Range 500m (5 AUs), Heavy, S/2/–, 3d10+15 E, Pen 
  15, Clip 50, Reload —, Unreliable)
  6 Co-pilot operated Hunter-Killer Missiles (Facing Front, Range 50km (50 AUs), Heavy, S/–/–, 4d10+10 X, Pen 8, Clip 
  1, Reload —, Accurate). The co-pilot may fire two of these missiles per turn, at two separate targets. 
  Special rules
  Pilot Operated Linked Weaponry: All weapons classified as “Pilot-operated” may all be fired by the pilot as one shooting 
  action, at targets no more than one AU apart. Roll for hits and damage separately. 
  Spacecraft: See page 137.
  Availability: Extremely Rare, if allied with Chaos Reavers.
  iniquity-Pattern dooMFire BoMBer
  The Doomfire is the code-name given to a multitude of similarly designed bombers. Those encountered in Koronus Expanse 
  tend to be faster than their Imperial foes, though they still pack a dangerous payload. The “Iniquity-pattern” seems to exclusively 
  use melta-missiles, rather than the Starhawk’s plasma bombs. This gives it greater targeting ability, but more Doomfires must 
  focus fire to match the sheer damage dealt by a Starhawk bombing run.  Some Rogue Traders have reported seeing a variant of 
  the Doomfire retrofitted for carrying troops and supplies for ground assaults, though this version is uncommon. In this role, the 
  Doomfire trades its melta-missiles for space for 25 troops or equivalent cargo.  
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 18m/12 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,200 kph/ 7 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space  
  Manoeuvrability: –5
  Structural Integrity: 40 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Massive
  Armour: Front 32, Side 32, Rear 30  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: 30 melta-missiles 
  Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot, 3 Gun-slaves, Heretek
  Weapons
  1 Forward Co-pilot operated Long-barrelled Lascannon (Facing Front, Range 900m (9 AUs), Heavy, S/–/–, 5d10+10 
  E, Pen 10, Clip 200, Reload —, Accurate)
  3 Gun-slave operated Heavy Autocannon Turrets (Facing Front/Left, Front/Right, or Rear, Range 450m (5 AUs), Heavy, 
  S/2/5, 4d10+11 I, Pen 4, Clip 200, Reload 2 Full)
  Special rules
  Spacecraft: See page 137. 
  Bomber: See page 137. 
  Availability: Extremely Rare if allied with Chaos Reavers.
  iniquity-Pattern dreadClaW droP Pod
  Dreadclaws can be used either as Boarding Torpedoes or Drop Pods for planetary assaults. They are can be launched from 
  launch bays or even fired like an unmanned torpedo, and use ancient phase-field technology to cut through the thickest hull in 
  minutes, deploying their raiding parties before any defence is mustered. Unlike Imperial drop pods, Dreadclaws have the ability 
  to move under their own power even after landing, although they are far slower than during the initial assault. 
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 15m/15 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,500 kph/ 11 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space 
  Manoeuvrability: –5
  Structural Integrity: 30 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Enormous
  Armour: All 30  
   
   
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: 10 individuals with power 
  Crew: Self-aware machine spirit  
   
   
   
   
  armour or 20 individuals without.  
  Weapons
  None
  Special rules
  Dreadclaw Assault: If used as a drop pod against a planetary surface, the Dreadclaw is launched and travels directly downward 
  towards the target planet (counting it’s tactical speed as 100 AUs) until it hits the ground. They cannot engage in manoeuvres, 
  although provided they are at least 500 km above the planet’s surface, their destination may be changed in-flight to any location 
  within 25 km of the original destination. All shooting at a drop pod suffers a –30 to hit while in flight. When landing, the drop 
  pod picks a set destination, then scatters 2d10 metres in a random direction. Once landed, the Dreadclaw may take off and operate 
  as a skimmer, even exiting the atmosphere to return to space. The Dreadclaw may also behave like an assault boat in the void.
  
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  Feral Machine Spirit: The Dreadclaw is a cunning foe to face. All shooting against it suffers an innate –10 penalty as long as 
  it is mobile. This does not stack with the penalty from Dreadclaw Assault. 
  Breaching Vehicle: The Deathclaw is designed to forcibly board enemy starships, and has powerful phase-disruption field to cut 
  through a hull. The Deathclaw may afix itself to a starship’s hull without testing, and takes 2 Full Rounds to burn through.
  Availability: Extremely Rare if allied with Chaos Reavers.
  rak’gol BloodFury aSSault CraFt
  When assaulting an enemy vessel, Rak’Gol may use anything capable of travelling through the void. This includes ships 
  scavenged from other races—provided the cockpits can somehow accommodate their larger physical frames. However, the ship 
  that is most consistently seen launched from Butcher carriers has been designated as the “Bloodfury.” 
  These assault craft often herald the arrival of a swarm of bloodthirsty, heavily-armed Rak’Gol. These craft are heavily 
  armoured and fast, but poor too manoeuvre and favour high-speed frontal shock-attacks. The Rak’Gol seem to use them as 
  fighters and assault craft interchangeably. Its radcannon can cut through a larger vessel’s hull in a few minutes, while wing-
  mounted flechette cannons serve admirably against starfighters. 
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 18 m / 18 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,200 kph/ 9 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space  
  Manoeuvrability: –5
  Structural Integrity: 40 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Massive
  Armour: Front 40, Side 30, Rear 25  
   
   
   
  Crew: Unknown number of xenos.
  Carrying Capacity: 20 heavily-armed xenos.
  Weapons
  1 Radcannon (Facing Front, Range 150m (2 AU), S/–/–, 3d10+10 E, Pen 10, Clip 100, Reload 2 Full, Unreliable).
  2 Flechette Cannons (Facing Front/Left/Rear or Front/Right/ Rear, Range 300m (3 AU), S/4/–, 3d10+10 R, Pen 3, Clip 
  500, Reload 2Full, Gains +10 bonus to hit against vehicles and deals 3d10+20 damage at short range instead of 3d10+10)
  Special rules
  Spacecraft: See page 137.
  Breaching Vehicle: The Raider is designed to forcibly board enemy starships. As a Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft) 
  Test, the pilot can affix a Raider to the side of the spacecraft. It takes 5 Full Rounds to cut through the hull.
  Reinforced Hull: When a vehicle with a Reinforced Hull receives a Critical Hit, halve the result, rounding up. This quality 
  does not affect rolls on the Critical Hit chart generated by Righteous Fury.
  darkStar Fighter (kaelor-origin)
  The Darkstar is a sleek vehicle with the distinctive blade-like wings and divided arrowhead-shaped nose common to Eldar 
  attack craft. An extremely fast fighter, it’s also extremely manoeuvrable. A sophisticated system of inertia dampeners allows turns 
  of nearly 180 degrees, as the crews of many an enemy attack craft have discovered moments before their destruction. They also 
  use a crystal-powered generator that allows for farther-ranging missions than the fighter craft used by the Imperium. Darkstar 
  fighters rely on a less powerful holofield to protect it against incoming fire, rather than thick armour. 
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 30 m / 24 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,750 kph/ 12 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space 
  Manoeuvrability: +15
  Structural Integrity: 25 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Enormous
  Armour: Front 34, Side 34, Rear 26  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: None
  Crew: Eldar pilot and systems operator.
  Weapons
  2 Pilot-operated Bright Lances (Facing Front, Range 600m (6 AU), S/–/–, 2d10+10 E, Pen 30, Clip —, Reload —, Accurate).
  2 Pilot-operated Star Cannons (Facing Front, Range 400m (4 AU), S/–/4, 3d10+10 E, Pen 10, Clip —, Reload —, Accurate).
  Special rules
  Pilot Operated Linked Weaponry: All weapons classified as “Pilot-operated” may all be fired by the pilot as one shooting 
  action, at targets no more than one AU apart. Roll for hits and damage separately.
  Spacecraft: See page 137.
  Supremely Manoeuvrable: When increasing the distance of a turn in space, the Piloting Test for a Darkstar is always 
  Challenging (+0), no matter how extreme the turn. In addition, a Darkstar may turn after moving 3 AUs, rather than 4. 
  Holofield: All shooting attacks against a moving Darkstar suffer a –20 penalty to hit. 
  Reinforced Hull: When a vehicle with a Reinforced Hull receives a Critical Hit, halve the result, rounding up. This quality 
  does not affect rolls on the Critical Hit chart generated by Righteous Fury.
  
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  eagle BoMBer (kaelor-origin)
  Slower then the Darkstar, Eagle bombers use a modified version of the same holofield generator carried by capital ships to 
  protect them from enemy sensor and targeting systems. Although armed with starcannons for protection against other attack 
  craft, their true weapons are the highly destructive sonic charges they carry. These charges are delivered with pinpoint accuracy 
  due to the Eldar’s highly sophisticated targeting systems. When they impact, they release a shattering seismic blast whose 
  shockwaves can rupture metres of armour. The Eagle is manoeuvrable enough that it can survive dogfights with enemy fighters. 
  Type: Spacecraft  
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 20 m / 19 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,000 kph/ 9 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space  
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Structural Integrity: 30 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Massive
  Armour: Front 36, Side 36, Rear 30  
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: 50 self-propelled sonic charges
  Crew: Eldar pilot, co-pilot/gunner, and bombardier.
  Weapons
  3 Co-pilot operated Star Cannon Clusters (Facing Front/Left, Front/Right or Rear, Range 400m (4 AU), S/–/6, 3d10+10 
  E, Pen 10, Clip Unlimited, Reload —, Accurate, Twin-Linked).
  Special rules
  Co-pilot Operated Linked Weaponry: All weapons classified as “Co-pilot operated” may all be fired by the co-pilot as one shooting 
  action, at any targets within their fire arcs (due to sophisticated psychic control systems). Roll for hits and damage separately.
  Spacecraft: See page 137.
  Bomber: See page 137.
  Holofield: All shooting attacks against a moving Eagle suffer a –20 penalty to hit. 
  Reinforced Hull: When a vehicle with a Reinforced Hull receives a Critical Hit, halve the result, rounding up. This quality 
  does not affect rolls on the Critical Hit chart generated by Righteous Fury.
  Fighta-BoMMa
  There is no such thing as a “standard” design for Ork attack craft, although those unfortunate enough to fight them note that they 
  tend to fall into broad patterns. The most common Ork attack craft found on Ork capital ships is referred to by greenskins as the 
  “fighta-bomma.” To the frustration of those in the Adeptus Mechanicus, fighta-bommas are also used as ground-support aircraft 
  planetside, and as far as anyone can tell, the only difference is space-born fighta-bommas may be slightly bigger. The learned magos 
  are at a loss to explain how something apparently designed for atmospheric operations also works in the void. Fighta-bommas 
  carry large payloads of heavy bombs for anti-ship work, though not as large as dedicated bombers such as the Starhawk.  
  Type: Spacecraft/Flyer 
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Speed: 20 AUs
  Cruising Speed: 2,200 kph/ 8 VUs per Strategic Turn in Space  
  Manoeuvrability: +5
  Structural Integrity: 25 
   
   
   
   
   
  Size: Enormous
  Armour: All 25  
   
   
   
   
   
  Carrying Capacity: Assorted bomms, rokkitts,  
  Crew: Ork Pilot, 2-4 Grot Riggers, 1-2 Grot Gunners  
   
  and Grot-guided ordinance 
  Weapons
  4 Forward Pilot operated Big Shootas (Facing Front, Range 400m (4 AUs), S/3/10, 1d10+6 I, Pen 4, Clip 1000, Reload 
  —, Inaccurate, Unreliable)
  1 Grot operated Bigga Big Shoota Turret (Facing Left/Right/Rear, Range 400m (4 AUs), S/3/10, 2d10+10 I, Pen 5, Clip 
  1000, Reload —, Inaccurate, Unreliable, Twin-Linked)
  Special rules
  Spacecraft: See page 137, with the modification that this vehicle can only operate as a flyer in atmosphere, not a skimmer. 
  More Dakka: Orks have a simple philosophy—if one shot doesn’t kill it, shoot it more. Instead of firing its weapons separately, the 
  pilot can combine fire, rolling once for all four Big Shootas. In this situation the shots deal 3d10+20 damage, with a Pen of 4. 
  Bomber: See page 137. 
  Availability: Extremely Rare if allied with Ork Freebooterz.
  ork aSSault CraFt
  Orks, more than any other race, are more than willing to use other races’ equipment—with suitable “improvements,” of course. 
  This is especially true with their assault boats, many of which are scavenged Imperial craft. To use an Ork Assault Craft, use 
  the Shark Assault Boat, but increase its front armour to 50, decrease its rear armour to 25, and replace its weapons with four 
  Grot-operated Bigga Big Shoota Turrets. 
  
  Beyond the gates of the Maw, savage 
  enemies raise arms against the 
  Imperium. Rogue Traders, backed by 
  the might of the Imperial Navy, must 
  arm their vessels to wrest fortunes 
  from their enemies in bloody warfare!
  New rules and components allow Explorers to man 
  some of the Expanse’s most powerful warships. 
  Take the helm of grand cruisers and battlecruisers 
  and decimate your foes with torpedo salvoes, attack 
  craft wings, and fearsome Nova Cannons.
  Learn of the Imperial Navy and its squadrons 
  in the Koronus Expanse, the famed Battleﬂ eet 
  Koronus. Their ships can prove useful allies, or 
  powerful enemies. Then study the dread warships 
  of vile xenos races and villainous Chaos reavers, 
  the better to know and destroy your foes!
  Rules for NPC starships and squadron operations 
  make space combat easier to run than ever before! 
  Plus, rules for waging ground wars allow you to 
  ﬁ ght entire campaigns to the ﬁ nal blows. 
  POWERFUL SHIPS DUEL IN THE DARKNESS OF SPACE!
  Wage war in the name of proﬁ t!
  Suitable for players of all levels.
  A copy of the ROGUE TRADER Core Rulebook
  is needed to use this supplement.
  WWW.FANTASYFLIGHTGAMES.COM
  TM
  Battlefleet Koronus                    RT09
  ISBN: 978-1-61661-071-5
  9 781616 610715
  53995
  935DEC10
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/40k/Game books/Rogue Trader/Rulebooks/Rogue Trader - Battlefleet Koronus.pdf