How This Supplement Works

On this page you will find special rules unique to armies from the Word Bearers that reflect their tactics on the battlefield. You will also find Warlord Traits, Chaos Artefacts and Tactical Objectives that you can use when fielding your Word Bearers army in games of Warhammer 40,000, and an exclusive Detachment – the Grand Host.

• Word Bearers Special Rules
• Detachments
• Chaos Artefacts of the Word Bearers
• Tactical Objectives
• Warlord Traits

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Books

Book	Kind	Edition	Version	Last update
► Traitor Legions	Codex Supplement	7	1.0	January 2017

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FAQ

Traitor Legions

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Word Bearers Special Rules

Any Detachment with the Chaos Space Marines Faction can be from one of the nine Traitor Legions. A Word Bearers Detachment retains the Chaos Space Marines Faction and is treated in all ways as a Chaos Space Marines Detachment, with the following modifications:

• They cannot include any Unique units.
• Units that already have a Mark of Chaos (such as Plague Marines) cannot be taken, though units that have the option to take a Mark of Chaos as an upgrade can do so.
• All units that can do so must be upgraded to Veterans of the Long War, at no additional points cost.
• Psykers with the Mark of Tzeentch, Nurgle or Slaanesh can choose to generate all of their psychic powers from the Discipline of Tzeentch, Nurgle or Slaanesh respectively.
• Any Daemon of Tzeentch, Nurgle or Slaanesh that is a Psyker can choose to generate all of their psychic powers from the Discipline of Tzeentch, Nurgle or Slaanesh respectively.

All units in a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation gain the following special rules:

Blood Feud

All units with the Veterans of the Long War special rule re-roll failed To Hit rolls in every round of close combat when attacking Ultramarines units. However, all Ultramarines units have the Hatred (Word Bearers) rule.

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Profane Zeal

Friendly Word Bearers units within 6" of any Word Bearers Dark Apostles have the Zealot special rule.

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Unholy Pact

Units of Possessed are Troops choices instead of Elites choices. In addition, Psykers from a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation harness Warp Charge points on a 3+ when attempting to manifest conjuration psychic powers from the Daemonology (Malefic) discipline.

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Special Rules

Bane of Men

The bearer of the Cursed Crozius has the Preferred Enemy (Armies of the Imperium) special rule.

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Tactical Objectives

Presented below are six Tactical Objectives to use in your games of Warhammer 40,000, which are exclusive to Word Bearer players and reflect the ways in which they bring their unholy schemes into fruition.

If your Warlord is from a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation, you may replace the Capture & Control Tactical Objectives (numbers 11-16) described in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules with the Tactical Objectives on this page.

If a Warhammer 40,000 mission has the Tactical Objectives special rule, players use the normal rules for using Tactical Objectives with the following exception: when a Word Bearers player using these Tactical Objectives generates a Capture & Control objective (numbers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16), they instead generate the corresponding Word Bearers Tactical Objective, as shown in the table to the right. Other Tactical Objectives (numbers 21-66) are generated normally.

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Warlord Traits

When generating his Warlord Traits, a Warlord from a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation may choose to roll on the table below instead of those found in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules or Codex: Chaos Space Marines.

D6	Warlord Traits
1	Unholy Firebrand This Warlord learned the art of oratory at the feet of Erebus himself and can rouse his followers to terrible acts of barbarity. Your Warlord has the Zealot special rule. If your Warlord already has the Zealot special rule, then he and any models affected by his Zealot special rule can re-roll all failed To Hit rolls in every round of close combat, not just the first.
2	Latent Powers Just like Lorgar of old, this Warlord has begun to develop formidable psychic powers. Your Warlord has the Psyker (Mastery Level 1) special rule, and can generate his powers from the Daemonology (Malefic) discipline. If your Warlord is already a Psyker, add 1 to his Mastery Level instead.
3	The Voice of Lorgar This Warlord speaks with the authority of his Primarch; when he commands, others follow without question or hesitation. At the start of each of your turns, pick one of the following special rules to bestow upon a single unit from a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation that is within 12" of your Warlord: Counter-attack, Fearless, Furious Charge, Relentless. The unit you pick gains that special rule until the start of your next turn.
4	Unbreakable Devotion This Warlord’s dedication to the dark powers grants him indomitable resolve. Your Warlord has the Adamantium Will and Fearless special rules.
5	Nexus of the Gods The Dark Gods pour their favour through their chosen conduit, blessing those they deem worthy of such esteem. If your Warlord, or a friendly model within 12" of him, earns a roll on the Chaos Boon table, you can add one to or subtract one from the second dice of your D66 roll, to a maximum of 6 and a minimum of 1.
6	Unexpected Boon As he readies himself for battle, this Warlord’s prayers are abruptly answered as the Dark Gods work to aid him in the coming conflict. Your Warlord can immediately make a roll on the Chaos Boon table, re-rolling any results of 11-22.

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Detachments

Word Bearers Grand Host

The Grand Host allows you to represent the typical structure of a Word Bearers army on the battlefield. Whether you wish to bring death and destruction with the full might of a Chaos invasion force, or field an elite warband tasked with some dark purpose, the choices below offer a great way to pick your army.

A Grand Host is a special type of Detachment that can be included in any Battle-forged army. Unlike the Detachments shown in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules, it has a Force Organisation Chart whose slots are a combination of specific Formations and Army List Entries instead of Battlefield Roles. However, it still has compulsory and optional elements, as well as Restrictions and Command Benefits, just like any other Detachment.

Although units cannot normally belong to more than one Detachment, units from a Formation that is part of a Grand Host are an exception. They count as part of both their Formation and the Detachment, and have all associated Command Benefits and special rules. If your Warlord is part of a Formation or an Army List Entry that makes up part of a Grand Host, the entire Grand Host is your Primary Detachment.

Command
0-4

Core
1+

Auxiliary
1+

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LORD OF THE LEGION  • 1 of the following:   - Chaos Lord   - Sorcerer   - Dark Apostle   - Daemon Prince

CHAOS WARBAND  • 1 Chaos Lord  • 0-1 Sorcerer  • 1-3 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Chosen   - Chaos Terminators   - Possessed  • 2-6 units of Chaos Space Marines  • 1-3 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Raptors   - Warp Talons   - Chaos Bikers  • 1-3 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Havocs   - Helbrute

THE LOST AND THE DAMNED  • 1 Dark Apostle  • 4-9 units of Chaos Cultists

HELFORGED WARPACK  • 1 Warpsmith  • 3-5 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Helbrute   - Maulerfiend   - Forgefiend   - Defiler FIST OF THE GODS  • 1 Warpsmith  • 3-5 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Chaos Predators   - Chaos Vindicators   - Chaos Land Raider FAVOURED OF CHAOS  • 1 Daemon Prince  • 3-5 units of Possessed SPAWN  • 1-3 units of Chaos Spawn

HELDRAKE TERROR PACK  • 2-4 Heldrakes CULT OF DESTRUCTION  • 1-3 Warpsmiths  • 3-5 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Obliterators   - Mutilators RAPTOR TALON  • 1 Chaos Lord  • 3-5 units chosen in any combination from the following list:   - Raptors   - Warp Talons TERMINATOR ANNIHILATION FORCE  • 1 Chaos Lord or Sorcerer  • 3-5 units of Chaos Terminators

RESTRICTIONS
This Detachment must include at least one Core choice and one Auxiliary choice. It may include up to four Command choices and any number of additional Core or Auxiliary choices, in any combination. Only the datasheets listed here can be included in this Detachment and all units must have the Chaos Space Marines Faction.

COMMAND BENEFITS
Dark Crusaders: All non-vehicle units in this Detachment have the Crusader special rule.The Coryphaus: If this Detachment is your Primary Detachment, you can re-roll the result when rolling on the Word Bearers Warlord Traits table.The Eight-fold Path: At the start of each of your turns, pick one character from this Detachment and make a roll on the Chaos Boon table for them. Each character can only benefit from this rule once, though they may still earn further rolls on the Chaos Boon table as normal.

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During the Long War against the Imperium of the False Emperor, the Word Bearers have come to favour a number of artefacts that serve as symbols of blasphemous hate to their unholy cause. Only one of each of the following items may be chosen per army, and only one may be chosen per model.

Units in a Word Bearers Detachment or Formation that can normally take Chaos Artefacts in Codex: Chaos Space Marines can choose to take items from the Chaos Artefacts of the Word Bearers list below at the points cost shown instead.

The Malefic Tome

10 pts

Baleful Icon

15 pts

The Scripts of Erebus

15 pts

The Skull of Monarchia

15 pts

Crown of the Blasphemer

30 pts

The Cursed Crozius

35 pts

This icon bears an eight-pointed star so saturated in the blood of loyalists that it is forever stained with the taint of treachery. Those who wish the bearer harm find their certainty sapped away by the mere proximity of this blasphemous standard. The Word Bearers that carry it feel its toxic aura much as a sun worshipper feels the kiss of a summer day upon his skin. Those who do not worship the Dark Gods instead find their skin crawling and their muscles shuddering in revulsion. Even Adeptus Astartes are drained of their righteous anger in its presence.

Units attempting to charge the bearer of the Baleful Icon, or the unit he is with, must re-roll successful charge rolls, and if still successful, models in the charging unit do not gain any bonus Attacks from charging.

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Adorned with the finger bones of defiant men and anointed with the blood of unbelievers, the Crown of the Blasphemer attracts the attention of Warp entities to the wearer. Whether these daemonic creatures are keeping him alive for their own entertainment or because there is some purpose he has yet to fulfil on their behalf is immaterial, for upon the battlefield, the kingly figure beneath the crown is extremely difficult to harm. Powered blades are turned away at the last moment by invisible hands, thunderous volleys of bullets find themselves snatched into the aether at the last moment, and enemy warriors find their minds assailed with visions of a galaxy in flames.

The Crown of the Blasphemer confers a 4+ invulnerable save. In addition, the bearer has the Adamantium Will and Fear special rules.

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This was once the rod of office for a founding member of Lorgar’s Chaplains, one of the first of his kind to be sent into the Legiones Astartes in order to watch for signs of sedition. In truth, it has always been the weapon of an arch-traitor. First used in anger to bludgeon an ex-Librarian Praetor of the White Scars to death, it still bears the indelible stains of that first treacherous kill to this day. Those Chaos worshippers nearby are instilled with all the knowledge they need to slay the loyalist thralls of the Corpse God. Conversely, those who bear the mark of the Emperor find the crozius’ every swing unerringly seeking out the weak spots in their armour.

Range	S	AP	Type
-	+2	3	Melee, Bane of Men, Concussive

Bane of Men: The bearer of the Cursed Crozius has the Preferred Enemy (Armies of the Imperium) special rule.

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This blasphemous tome has been stitched together from the flayed skins of a dozen mortal psykers. These dabblers in the arcane signed their own death warrants, for though they took every precaution in their dealings with Daemons, they made their locations known to those Chaos worshippers who walk the material world at will. Each leathery page still bears the hairs and birthmarks of the book’s unwilling donors, their horror at the mistake they made still emanating from every inch of stolen skin. The book’s leaves are inscribed with true names, hexagrammatic diagrams and daemonic hierarchies that enable the bearer a measure of influence over his Warp-spawned allies.

Psykers only. The bearer knows one additional power from the Daemonology (Malefic) discipline.

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Copied with painstaking care by the first of the traitorous Dark Apostles from the runes upon his own flesh, the Scripts of Erebus were inscribed in blood bearing traces of Lorgar’s vitae. The rituals and imprecations of these long parchments are potent messages in the Dark Tongue. When read aloud, they can channel the energy of the Empyrean into realspace with a staggering degree of stability, allowing the bearer to unleash myriad unnatural deaths upon his enemies, or else banish the powers of their enemy’s worn Warp-craft. Though the scripts are rendered invisible by each reading, a journey into the Warp causes them to blossom into being once more, ready to unleash fresh carnage upon the worlds of men.

Once per game, at the start of either your or your opponent’s Psychic phase, the bearer can read from the Scripts of Erebus to immediately generate an additional D6 Warp Charge points. Add the appropriate number of dice to your Warp Charge pool.

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The destruction of Monarchia at the hands of the Ultramarines Legion was all but total. A few relics remain from that time, however. The artefact known as the Skull of Monarchia is foremost amongst them, the only intact cranium that remained after the utter destruction visited upon the Word Bearers’ perfect city. Chased with precious metals and protected with powerful force fields, it is a constant reminder of the destruction that turned the Word Bearers upon the path of rebellion and damnation. All those nearby find their hatred of the Imperium swelling to new heights.

The bearer and his unit can re-roll all failed To Hit rolls in close combat when attacking units that contain any models from the Armies of the Imperium. In addition, the bearer and his unit can re-roll all failed To Wound rolls in close combat when attacking units that contain any Ultramarines.

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