This section of Codex:
Imperial Knights lists wargear (including
Melee Weapons,
Ranged Weapons,
Special Issue Wargear and
Heirlooms of the Knightly Houses) used by Imperial Knights, along with the rules for using them in your games of Warhammer 40,000.
| Three times the height of a man, this adamantium-toothed chainsword is powered by mighty servo-motors and backed by the strong swing of an Imperial Knight. Many have fled from the sound of its rewing roar alone. Nothing can stop the grinding cut of its enormous blades — not armour or the thickest ferrocrete. |
| Range |
S |
AP |
Type |
| - |
D |
2 |
Melee |
| Crackling with a barely contained nimbus of energy, the thunderstrike gauntlet is a super-charged power weapon. Merely clenching the fist causes shockwaves to emanate outwards while sparks of incandescent fury fall in sizzling arcs. When the gauntlet smites a foe it releases a deafening thunderclap that crumples protective armour and pulverises its target. When an Imperial Knight swings its thunderstrike gauntlet against an enemy vehicle or towering monster, the sheer force delivered by its powerful blows can even lift and fling the crushed remnants of the Knight’s victim onto nearby infantry, their horrified screams drowned by the crash as their own armoured support obliterates them. |
Colossal:
A model fighting with this weapon Piles In and fights at
Initiative step 1.
Hurl:
If an Imperial Knight fighting with a
Thunderstrike Gauntlet or
Paragon Gauntlet destroys an enemy
Monstrous Creature or
vehicle in the
Fight sub-phase, it can choose to hurl it (
Gargantuan Creatures,
Super-heavy vehicles and
buildings cannot be hurled). If a vehicle was destroyed as a result of suffering an
Explodes! result on the
Vehicle Damage table, resolve any damage before hurling it. Any passengers must make an
emergency disembarkation before their
transport vehicle is hurled. To hurl an enemy model, immediately resolve a shooting attack against an enemy unit within 12" that is not
locked in combat using the profile below. A hurled model is removed from the battlefield after the attack has been resolved.
The Bigger They Are...:
The Strength of this attack is always equal to the Toughness value of the
Monstrous Creature, or half the front Armour Value of the
vehicle, being
hurled (rounding fractions up).
Wrecker:
Weapons and attacks with this special rule may re-roll failed
Armour Penetration rolls against fortifications and immobile structures (such as
bunkers and
barricades), and add +1 to any result rolled on the
Building Damage chart. If this attack damages a bulkhead or wall section of terrain and destroys it, remove that section of terrain from play if possible.
The shock lance mounted on the Cerastus is a magnetohydraulic power spear of prodigious size, whose disruption field may also be projected as a powerful electromagnetic plasma blast over short ranges. The weapon has two profiles, one of which is used in
close combat, the other can be used in the
Shooting phase:
Swift Strike:
The weapon gains a +1 bonus to Initiative on any turn it charges into
close combat.
Wrecker:
Weapons and attacks with this special rule may re-roll failed
Armour Penetration rolls against fortifications and immobile structures (such as
bunkers and
barricades), and add +1 to any result rolled on the
Building Damage chart. If this attack damages a bulkhead or wall section of terrain and destroys it, remove that section of terrain from play if possible.
Machine Destroyer:
When attacking any target with an Armour value, rolls of 1 on the
Destroyer Damage table may be re-rolled.
Deflagrate:
After normal attacks by this weapon have been resolved, count the number of unsaved wounds caused on the target unit. Immediately resolve a number of additional automatic hits on the same unit using the weapon’s profile equal to the number of unsaved wounds – these can then be saved normally. Models in the targeted unit must still be in range in order for these additional hits to take effect. These additional hits do not themselves inflict more hits!
Sunder:
Attacks with this special rule may re-roll failed
Armour Penetration rolls.
Tempest Attack:
Rather than attacking normally, the Knight may make a special attack at
Initiative Step 2. This automatically inflicts a single hit against each model in base contact with it using the weapon’s listed profile.
Profiles for the following ranged weapons can be found in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook:
| With six cyclic barrels, the avenger galling cannon can fire large calibre shells at a prodigious rate. These high velocity shots mow down enemy infantry or rip easily through light armour. Well-placed shots can tear through even thicker plating, blasting apart the heaviest armoured infantry or battle tanks. When firing at maximum rate, the avenger stitches deadly patterns of death across the enemy’s front lines while making a whirring hiss as the barrels spin faster than the eye can follow. |
| The ironstorm missile pod is a carapace mounted delivery system for explosive warheads. It can engage targets at long range and fires missiles that explode and saturate a sizable blast radius. The ironstorm missile pod is ideal for blowing bloody holes in massed infantry assaults and is most effective against light- to medium-armoured foes. |
| This long range cannon is the equivalent of a large calibre artillery piece affixed to the arm of an Imperial Knight. Its rapid self-loading allows for accurate fire to be poured out at a tremendous rate and the blast of its explosive shot can rack up horrific casualties. It is often employed against infantry hordes, medium tanks and squadrons of light vehicles. |
| The stormspear rocket pod is a carapace mounted weapon that fires self-propelled projectiles tipped with armour penetrating warheads. Only accurate to medium range, stormspear rockets streak out in a series of sharp flashes to destroy their target. They are best employed versus heavily armoured infantry or moderately armoured vehicles. The stormspear rocket pod can launch up to three of these rockets in rapid succession, emitting a high pitched whooshing shortly followed by the crack of explosions in the distance. |
| Even the mightiest foes must fear such as weapon as the thermal cannon, for it is an incredibly large and powerful melta device. Its hissing blast can immolate everything in a wide radius, melting through a fortress wall or turning a battle tank into nothing more than a pile of bubbling slag. There is no armour that offers any proof against its super-heated shot, and the thermal cannon only becomes even more effective at closer ranges. |
| The twin Icarus autocannon is a ballistic anti-aircraft array that can be mounted to the carapace of an Imperial Knight. It is linked to the Throne Mechanicum and aided by a servo-mind conclave. With the merest thought from the Knight’s pilot, the twin autocannons pivot, tracking incoming flyers impossibly fast and letting loose a stream of deadly fire. The steady chug-chugging of the guns can scythe off wings or rip enemy aircraft out of the skies, turning them into naught but hurtling fireballs. |
Acheron Pattern Flame Cannon
Castigator Pattern Bolt Cannon
|
Range |
S |
AP |
Type |
| Castigator pattern bolt cannon |
36" |
7 |
3 |
Heavy 8 |
Graviton Singularity Cannon
Collapsing Singularity:
Before firing the weapon, roll a D6. On a result of a 1, the firing
Knight-Atrapos suffers a single Hull Point of damage with no saves of any kind before the attack is carried out. On a result of a 6, the attack is carried out with the
Vortex special rule.
Rad-phage:
A model which loses one or more wounds to an attack with this special rule and survives has its Toughness value reduced by -1 for the rest of the battle.
| Knights carry potent field generators called ion shields. These devices use ancient technology to project an energy field across a narrow arc. By moving the position of the shield so that it intercepts enemy attacks, a Knight is able to survive even the heaviest fire, whilst still being able to fire its own weapons in return. The exact setting and positioning of the shield is essential, as the ion shield is only designed to deflect and slow shots, rather than absorb them in the manner of the void shields used on Imperial Titans. This means the effectiveness of the shield is dependent on the skill and experience of its operator. |
When an Imperial Knight is
deployed, and subsequently at the start of each of the opposing side’s
Shooting phases before any attacks are carried out, the
controlling player must declare which facing each Imperial Knight’s ion shield is covering. The choices are: front, left side, right side or rear. The Knight has a 4+
invulnerable save against all hits on that facing until the start of your opponent’s next Shooting phase. Ion shields are repositioned before any attacks are carried out in the Shooting phase. Ion shields cannot be used to make
saving throws against close combat attacks.
If a
vehicle has suffered Hull Point damage at the end of the controlling player’s turn, roll a D6. On a 6, one lost Hull Point is restored.
The ion gauntlet shield generator mounted in the Cerastus’ right gauntlet assembly is more concentrated than the directional ion shield mounted on the
Knight Paladin, but lacks its tactical flexibility. The ion gauntlet shield is used just as a standard
ion shield is, but may not offer protection to the Cerastus Knight-Lancer’s rear. However, the ion gauntlet shield also provides a 5+
invulnerable save against attacks in close combat and forces close combat attacks by other
Super-heavy Walkers and
Gargantuan Monstrous Creatures to suffer a -1 to hit.
When a Knight is
deployed, and subsequently at the start of each of the opposing side’s
Shooting phases, the Knight’s
controlling player must declare which facing each Knight’s ionic flare shield is covering. The choices are: front, left side, right side or rear.
The Knight has a 4+
invulnerable save against all hits on that facing until the start of the opposing side’s next Shooting phase, and the strength of any Shooting attack against it from that facing is reduced by -1, the effect increasing to -2 if the weapon has the
Blast or
Template rules (note, however, that this strength reduction has no effect on
Destroyer or
Haywire attacks). Ionic flare shields are repositioned before any attacks are carried out in the Shooting phase and may not be used to make
saving throws against close combat attacks.
The knight has the
Night Vision special rule and may re-roll results of 1 on the
vehicle damage table and
Destroyer Weapon Attack table which are inflicted by their shooting attacks at a range of 12" or less.
Heirlooms of the Knightly Houses
Heirlooms of the Knightly Houses are unique and incredibly powerful relics of the Imperial Knights, and many have served their greatest champions for over fifteen millennia. Only one of each of the following relics can be chosen per army - there is only one of each of these items in the entire galaxy!
A model may take one of the following:
1 May not be taken by a Knight Crusader. Replaces reaper chainsword. If taken by a Knight Gallant, replaces thunderstrike gauntlet.
2 May not be taken by a Knight Crusader. Replaces reaper chainsword.
Banner of Macharius Triumphant
| A gift from Lord Solar Macharius himself to honour the knightly houses that accompanied his crusade, this banner was borne to battle by a Knight Seneschal in every engagement in which the Knights fought alongside the Warmaster. Legend has it that the Banner of Macharius Triumphant has never seen defeat, for every time a Knight has carried it to war, a great victory has been won for the Imperium. To see its majestic form fluttering in the wind instils the Emperor’s warriors with great courage, for to fight in its shadow is to all but assure victory. |
All friendly units with the
Armies of the Imperium Faction within 12" of the bearer of this banner must re-roll failed
Morale and
Pinning checks and
Fear tests.
Helm of the Nameless Warrior
| Though many great heroes through the ages have mounted this fabled faceplate upon their Knight suits, the names of both the suit and the valiant pilot who first bore this helm have been lost to history. Regardless of its origins, the Helm of the Nameless Warrior has become synonymous with murderous ferocity in battle. Whether this reputation stems from some mysterious essence intrinsically bound within the helm, or because those who bore the helm were merely roused to terrible fury by the weight of bearing such an infamous relic remains unclear. |
A model wearing the Helm of the Nameless Warrior has the
Rampage special rule.
| An unassuming device that takes the shape of the Cog Mechanicum, the Mark of the Omnissiah is actually an incredibly potent self repair hub. If the Knight suit upon which it is affixed takes battle damage, reconstruction protocols automatically engage to heal rents and restore lost power. |
The bearer of the Mark of the Omnissiah has the
It Will Not Die special rule.
| This storied reaper chainblade has claimed millions of lives during its long service to the knightly houses. The chainblade’s razor-sharp teeth were harvested from the canines of a long-extinct species of bio-horror called Balethrox. What makes this fact so startling is that dozens of the fell creatures must have been hunted down and slain by brave Knights in order to secure enough fangs to line Ravager’s cutting blade. However, witnessing the murderous wrath of this chainblade’s touch in battle more than justifies the dedication of those long-dead Knights who fought to secure the rare components for its forging, and its bearer will fight all the harder to honour their sacrifice. |
Honour the Fallen:
The bearer of
Ravager re-rolls failed
To Hit rolls of a 1 in close combat.
| This potent ion shield was created by a Jokaero weaponsmith that accompanied his Inquisitor master on a routine inspection to the Knight World of Silverdawn. After tinkering with a burned out ion shield generator, the techno-savant was able to repair and upgrade the device so that it emitted a stronger and more stable power field that could shelter a Knight suit from every angle, though at slightly reduced effectiveness. |
Sanctuary counts as an
ion shield. In addition, a Knight equipped with Sanctuary has a 6+
invulnerable save against each facing that is not covered by its ion shield. Sanctuary cannot be used to make
saving throws against close combat attacks.
| It is believed that this masterwork weapon was the prototype for the thunderstrike gauntlet - the first, perfect copy fabricated, by a long-lost STC system that was developed on Mars during the Age of Technology. It was that same STC that was integral to the founding of the Knight worlds themselves, by equipping Mankind’s first exploration fleets with the knowledge to build the mighty armoured suits. If true, it would certainly explain the, incredible, level of artifice that went into the gauntlet’s creation. |
Colossal:
A model fighting with this weapon Piles In and fights at
Initiative step 1.
Hurl:
If an Imperial Knight fighting with a
Thunderstrike Gauntlet or
Paragon Gauntlet destroys an enemy
Monstrous Creature or
vehicle in the
Fight sub-phase, it can choose to hurl it (
Gargantuan Creatures,
Super-heavy vehicles and
buildings cannot be hurled). If a vehicle was destroyed as a result of suffering an
Explodes! result on the
Vehicle Damage table, resolve any damage before hurling it. Any passengers must make an
emergency disembarkation before their
transport vehicle is hurled. To hurl an enemy model, immediately resolve a shooting attack against an enemy unit within 12" that is not
locked in combat using the profile below. A hurled model is removed from the battlefield after the attack has been resolved.
The Bigger They Are...:
The Strength of this attack is always equal to the Toughness value of the
Monstrous Creature, or half the front Armour Value of the
vehicle, being
hurled (rounding fractions up).
