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Grenades

Grenades are small hand-held canisters packed with explosive charges and, sometimes, a more exotic payload, such as stumm gas. Grenades can be used to drive troops out of cover, set up smokescreens or even cripple tanks.

Some grenades can be used to make shooting attacks or attacks in the Fight sub-phase, albeit to different effect. Only one grenade (of any type) can be thrown by a unit per phase.

Vehicles, Gun Emplacements and Monstrous Creatures

Some grenades can be used against vehicles, gun emplacements and/or Monstrous Creatures (including Flying Monstrous Creatures in Gliding mode), but have to be clamped in place to maximise effect. All buildings are attacked in close combat as if they were vehicles and therefore any grenade that can be used to attack a vehicle in close combat can also be used against a building.

A model can use such a grenade as a Melee weapon, but can only ever make one attack, regardless of the number of Attacks on its profile or any bonuses. Different grenades have different profiles when used in this manner, as explained below.

Unusual Grenades

Some grenades do not have a profile. Any effects that they have will be covered in their special rules. Unless specifically stated otherwise, these grenades cannot be thrown or used as a Melee weapon.

Assault Grenades

Assault grenades, like the ubiquitous frag grenade, can be hurled at the enemy as your warriors charge into battle. The lethal storm of shrapnel from these grenades drives opponents further under cover for a few precious moments, allowing attackers more time to close in and, hopefully, get the first blow in against a disoriented foe.

Shooting
When a unit armed with assault grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Range S AP Type
Assault grenade 8" 3 - Assault 1, Blast

Assault
Models equipped with assault grenades don’t suffer the penalty to their Initiative for charging enemies through difficult terrain, but fight at their normal Initiative in the ensuing combat.

Plasma Grenades

Plasma grenades are a highly advanced type of assault grenade, commonly employed by the Eldar.

Shooting
When a unit armed with plasma grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Range S AP Type
Plasma grenade 8" 4 4 Assault 1, Blast

Assault
Models equipped with plasma grenades don't suffer the penalty to their Initiative for charging enemies through difficult terrain, but fight at their normal Initiative in the ensuing combat.

Vehicles and Monstrous Creatures
Unlike ordinary assault grenades, plasma grenades can be used against vehicles, gun emplacements and Monstrous Creatures in the Assault phase, using the following profile:

Range S AP Type
Plasma grenade - 4 4

Defensive Grenades

Defensive grenades, such as the photon grenades of the Tau, which emit multi-spectrum light and a sonic burst, have dual uses. When being charged, these are thrown to disorient the enemy attack; against shooting, they’re hurled to throw up clouds of concealing gas or smoke.

Shooting
When a unit armed with defensive grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Range S AP Type
Defensive grenade 8" 1 - Assault 1, Blast, Blind

Assault
Models charging a unit that includes any models equipped with defensive grenades do not gain bonus Attacks from charging. However, if the charged unit was already locked in combat from a previous turn, or has Gone to Ground, these grenades have no effect and the attackers gain bonus Attacks as normal.

Haywire Grenades

Haywire grenades release electromagnetic pulses that damage vehicles.

Shooting
When a unit armed with haywire grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Range S AP Type
Haywire grenade 8" 2 - Assault 1, Haywire

Assault
Unless used in assaults against vehicles, haywire grenades have no effect. When used in assault against vehicles, haywire grenades have the following profile:

Range S AP Type
Haywire grenade - 2 - Haywire

Krak Grenades

Krak grenades are implosive charges designed to crack vehicle armour.

Shooting
When a unit armed with krak grenades makes a shooting attack, one model can choose to throw a grenade, rather than using another shooting weapon.

Range S AP Type
Krak grenade 8" 6 4 Assault 1

Assault
Unless used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, krak grenades have no effect. When they are used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, krak grenades have the following profile:

Range S AP Type
Krak grenade - 6 4

Melta Bombs

Melta bombs are fusion charges designed to burn through an armoured hull in a matter of seconds.

Shooting
Melta bombs are cumbersome devices. Melta bombs cannot be used to make a shooting attack.

Assault
Unless used in assaults against vehicles, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, melta bombs have no effect. When used in assaults against vehicles, buildings, gun emplacements or Monstrous Creatures, melta bombs have the following profile:

Range S AP Type
Melta bomb - 8 1 Armourbane, Unwieldy

FAQ

Grenades

 Q: Do defensive grenades remove one additional attack or all additional bonuses given by a charge (e.g. for models with Hammer of Wrath or Furious Charge)?
 A
Additional bonuses are unaffected – the only penalty received by models charging a unit with any models equipped with defensive grenades is that they do not gain bonus Attacks from charging.
 Q: Using grenades in the Assault phase. Can every model replace their close combat attacks with a single grenade attack or just one model in the unit? Like in the Shooting phase e.g. a unit of 5 Tau Pathfinders charge a Knight. Do 5 Pathfinders make close combat haywire grenade attacks?
 A
Only one model from the unit can attack with a grenade in the Assault phase. Per Warhammer 40,000: The Rules, ‘Only one grenade (of any type) can be thrown by a unit per phase’.