While Imperial forces led by Belisarius Cawl struggle against incursions from Necron dynasties and the malign influence of the Pariah Nexus, things are going from bad to worse in the Nachmund Gauntlet. This is the one safe route through the Great Rift, a crucial bridgehead in the ongoing struggle against the forces of Chaos.
The fragile reprieve granted by Marneus Calgar’s desperate victory on Vigilus is over, and a formidable armada now bears down on the barrier worlds of the Imperium Sanctus in Warhammer 40,000 Crusade: Nachmund Gauntlet, the next epic narrative expansion for Warhammer 40,000.
Haarken Worldclaimer has returned, and has pledged to drive his spear into the Imperium’s defences at the terminus of the Nachmund Gauntlet. The new book details his assault on the fortified planet of Sangua Terra. Before him stands the Sanctus Wall – a reinforced bastion of four entire systems poised to defend the pathway to Terra – and a united conglomeration of Imperial troops joined by Canoness Superior Junith Eruita and her War of Faith.
Worldclaimer’s invasion takes place over 40+ pages of background lore interspersed with tactical diagrams, beautiful artwork, and in-depth records of the forces deployed in the Sangua Terran War. The fall of this vital bastion would have grave implications for the Gauntlet, and its defence will call upon heroes as mighty as the Living Saint Celestine.
The new campaign rules divide players into three factions vying for control of critical sites across Sangua Terra, from the Praefectus Bastion to the Accrandor Spaceport. By fighting in these locations and earning Battle Points, each faction increases its control at the end of each campaign phase and — should it reign supreme — claims dominance over the region.
With so many notable heroes joining the fight, Epic Hero units are in abundance and new Mighty Champions abilities grant them even greater power. The Campaign Master simply assigns whichever one is most thematically appropriate for that character – Haarken Worldclaimer, for instance, is a sure fit for the Front-line Champion ability, while the Living Saint Celestine has Inspirational Champion written all over her.
MIGHTY CHAMPIONS
FRONT-LINE CHAMPIONS
These warriors are found where the fighting is thickest, using their hard-won experience to lead their troops to victory.
CRUSADE ABILITY
At the declare Battle-formations step, select one Battle Trait. Until the end of the battle, this EPIC HERO model, and any unit they join, are considered to have this Battle Trait.
INSPIRATIONAL CHAMPIONS
The mere presence of such iconic figures as these inspires incredible courage - or else terrified obedience - in their followers.
CRUSADE ABILITY
While an EPIC HERO model with this Crusade Ability is leading a unit, you can ignore any and/or all Battle Scars that Bodyguard unit has. In addition, if your Crusade army includes one or more EPIC HERO models with this Crusade Ability, at the end of the battle you can select one additional unit from your Crusade army to be Marked for Greatness.
Battles are fought using a new set of Tactical Reserves rules that change how you muster your army before battle. Rather than deploying everything in the usual manner, armies are split up into reinforcement waves that enter the field at different times, with only your Primary wave – encompassing roughly half your points total – taking the field at the start of the game.
Later, at the start of the second and third battle rounds, one reinforcement wave of your choice will join the fight, and you only need to decide which as they’re about to come in. You can choose up to three of these waves before the game begins, expanding your tactical options and letting you pick whichever two are best suited to the ongoing flow of the battle.
As an example, in a 2,000-point Strike Force game these reinforcement waves are up to 500 points, so you’ll still end up playing the same size game by the end. These Tactical Reserves rules expand the scope for strategy-minded players to adapt in the midst of battle, and add an interesting twist that rewards forethought and careful planning.
Keeping with the theme of dynamic reinforcements that swing the favour of battle with their arrival, rules for performing Surgical Deep Strikes are also included, giving your daring drop troops the chance to perform high-risk dives close to their chosen prey. They’ll have to be careful though, as the more enemies there are clustered around their drop zone, the more likely they are to suffer a deadly mishap – taking mortal wounds, Battle-shock tests, and even losing the ability to act that turn.
There’s still tons to see inside this expansive campaign supplement, from exciting new missions to thematic Battle Traits and Crusade Relics, and it’s too much to show everything here. Make sure to pick up Warhammer 40,000 Crusade: Nachmund Gauntlet when it goes up for pre-order this Saturday, and join the fight for the Sanctus Wall yourself!
