The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness — 3.0

The Horus Heresy is a tabletop wargame set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, specifically during the historical event known as the Horus Heresy. In this game, players command armies of Space Marines and other forces, battling for control of objectives and ultimately shaping the fate of the galaxy. The game focuses on recreating the epic conflict between the loyalist Imperium and the traitor forces led by Horus, the Emperor's favored son, as they clash in a galaxy-spanning civil war.

In the chaos and confusion of battle, troops can easily become demoralized, disoriented, or simply terrified by the violence unleashed against them.  To represent these effects various statuses can be imposed on the models that make up a unit, each representing a different brand of battlefield confusion.

A status is a rule that does not inflict wounds or hits upon a model or unit, and whose effects last until a check is passed to remove the status.  A status affects all models in a unit, and if one model in a unit gains a status so do all other models in the same unit.  A status will always be identified as a status by the rules that establish and describe it.  A rule that does not explicitly state it as a status is not a status.  A model may be affected by multiple statuses at the same time, except for the Routed Status.  If any models in a unit gain the Routed Status then all models in the unit immediately lose all other statuses and their effects end.

Each status has its own rules for how and when it can be inflicted upon models in a unit, but share a number of other common rules and effects.  All statuses remain in effect until the controlling player makes a successful check to remove the status.  In the Statuses sub-phase of the End phase, the active player may select each unit under their control that includes any models with one or more statuses, and then makes a check for each status that the unit is under the effect of.  This is a Cool Check for each status other than Routed, and a Leadership check for the Routed Status.  If that check is failed then the status being rolled for remains in play for another battle turn.  If the check is passed then the status being rolled for is removed from all models in the unit.

Models with the Vehicle Type that do not have a Cool or Leadership characteristic do not make a check to remove statuses, but instead make a Repair Test in the Statuses sub-phase.  One repair test can be made by the active player for each model with the vehicle type under their control that has one or more statuses.  A repair test is made with a single dice and a target number of 6, with each successful Repair Test allowing the controlling player to remove on status from the model for which the repair test was made.

The following effects are applied to all models that are affected by any Status, in addition to the specific effects of that status.

  • A unit that includes any models affected by any status that makes a Charge always counts that Charge as Disordered
  • A unit that includes any models with any status that is locked in combat makes attacks as normal, but all models in the unit must set their combat initiative to 1, regardless of the models' initiative characteristics, weapons, or any other modifiers.
  • A unit that includes any models affected by any status cannot hold, claim, or contest objectives.
  • A unit affected by any tactical status may never gain any benefit from being Stationary, even if the models in that unit do not or are unable to move.
  • Models with the Vehicle Type can be affected by all statuses except Routed.  As such models do not have a Cool Characteristic, they cannot fail a Cool Check and statuses can only be applied to them by specific rules or the result of a roll on the Vehicle Damage Table.  once a model with the vehicle type has gained a status, it can only be removed by a model with the Battlesmith(X) special rule or through Repair Tests.
  • A unit that includes any models with a given status that would gain the same status gain suffer no additional effect, the status remains and is neither enhanced nor removed from the models in that unit.
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The Pinned Status reflects a unit that has been forced to take cover in the face of overwhelming firepower or the sudden crack of a sniper's rifle.

The Pinned Status is primarily inflicted as part of the effects of the Pinning(X) special rule, but may also be applied by specific special rules. 

The following rules apply to any unit that includes one or models that have the Pinned Status:
  • The controlling player of a unit that includes any models that are Pinned many not choose to have that unit move, rush, or charge in any phase and any effect that would force them to move or charge has no effect.
  • A unit that includes any models with the Pinned status that is locked in combat makes any Pile-In moves as normal, but may not choose to pursue or disengage during the resolution sub-phase.
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The Routed status reflects a unit that has suffered such a catastrophic reversal that it must fall back from the front line in order to regroup and recover.

The Routed status can be inflicted by any of the following:
  • As par of the effects of the Panic(X) special rule
  • If a unit has had 25% or more of the models that were part of that unit at the start of a shooting attack removed as casualties due to that shooting attack, then the controlling player must pass a Leadership check for that unit or it gains the Routed status.
  • The controlling player of a unit that loses Combat must take a Leadership check for that unit in the resolution sub-phase and if the check is failed, then the unit gains the Routed status.
  • Other rules may also apply the Routed status, these rules will specify how and when this occurs.
The following rules apply to any unit that includes one or more models that have the Routed Status:
  • The controlling player of a unit that includes any models that are Routed must make all shooting attacks for that unit as Snap Shots.
  • The controlling player of a unit that includes any models that are Routed may not declare any Reactions for that unit.
  • A unit with the Routed status may not move in the move sub-phase of the movement phase.  Any effect that would force them to move or rush in the movement phase has no effect.
  • In the rout sub-phase of the movement phase, a unit that includes any models with the Routed status must fall back.
  • Any models that have the Routed status and move into contact with any point on the battlefield edge that is within the controlling player's deployment zone stop moving and any models that have the routed status and begin the rout sub-phase in contact with any point on the battlefield edge that is within the controlling player's deployment zone remain stationary.
  • If a unit that includes one or more models with the Routed status status enters contact with an edge of the battlefield within the controlling player's deployment zone as part of a fall back move, a leadership check must be made for that unit once all models in the unit have completed their moves.  If that leadership check is failed, then all models in that unit are immediately removed from play as casualties.  However, f that leadership check is passed then the unit remains in play and all models in the unit lose the Routed status, but gain the Suppressed status.
  • In the assault phase, charges may not be declared for a unit that includes any models with the Routed status and any rule or effect that would otherwise force such a unit to make a charge has no effect.
  • A unit that includes any models with the Routed status in the resolution sub-phase of the assault phase must always fall back at the end of that sub-phase.
Designer's Note
Astute readers will have noted that a unit under the Reactive Player's control that loses combat and gains the Routed status will be forced to fall back from that combat and will then have to fall back a second time in the controlling player's following movement phase.  This is entirely intentional, and is intended to avoid units 'ping-ponging' in and out of combat.  Players whose units have been routed will benefit from the fact that they must halt at the battlefield edge, stopping them from running to their doom, and the fact that being attached while Routed does not result in the immediate removal of the Routed unit, nor stop them from shooting.  Furthermore, the various Liber books will present additional options and Wargear that will allow players the opportunity to mitigate or remove statuses outside of the Statuses sub-phase.
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The Stunned status reflects a unit rendered insensible or stopped in its tracks by the sheer force of an impact, explosion, or other battlefield event.

The Stunned status is primarily inflicted as part of the effects of the Stun(X) special rule, but may also be applied by specific special rules.

The following rules apply to any unit that includes one or more models that have the Stunned status:
  • The controlling player of a unit that includes any models that are Stunned may not declare any reactions for that unit.
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The Suppressed status reflects a unit that is distracted and confused by heavy enemy fire, environmental effects, or psychological warfare.

The Suppressed status is primarily inflicted as part of the effects of the Suppressive(X) special rule, but may also be applied by specific special rules.

The following rules apply to any unit that includes one or more models that have the Suppressed status:
  • The controlling player of a unit that includes any models that are Suppressed must make all attacks in any shooting attacks declared for that unit as Snap Shots.
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