THE BOOK OF THE UNFORGIVEN

The Book of the Unforgiven uses a combination of standard official rules and unique rules developed by the Inner Circle. Where the standard rules are appropriate they have been included while new rules have been added or additions made to standard official rules to maintain the army's core rules in line with the spirit of its background. These rules are supplementary to those described in the Codex: Spacemarines V4.0 and Codex: Dark Angels (V2.0) and the DA FAQ V 4.1.

NEW SPECIAL RULES

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"Combat Squads & Overwatch" A completely new set of rules to allow the deployment of tactical squads as two combat squads. This allows a lot more flexibility while attempting to reproduce real life situations.

Spacemarine Tactical squads are the lynchpin of the Spacemarine Chapters. However, the basic tactical squad seems to be often overlooked in favour of many of the more flamboyant and more specialised units such as terminators and assault squads. This special rule is aimed at adding even more flexibility to the ubiquitous tactical squad while providing significant incentive to players towards fielding full strength tactical squads in their games. UNIT COMPOSITION Any full strength tactical (10 spacemarines) may deploy as two combat squads at the beginning of a game. The spacemarine player should indicate which of his squads will deploy in this fashion. Each combat squad is made up of five spacemarines. In a tactical squad, one combat squad may contain the heavy weapon trooper while the other may contain the special weapon trooper. Both cannot be in the same combat squad. Members of one combat squad may not swap places with members of the other combat squad once the game has begun. DEPLOYMENT & SQUAD COHERENCY The two combat squads must be deployed within atleast 6" of each other at all times. (Squad coherency) That is, there can never be more than 6" of separation between each combat squad. (ie at least one member of each squad should be within 6" of each other) If losses due to enemy fire results in the loss of such coherency, during their next movement turn, the two combat squads must move to establish the coherency. A combat squad can never voluntarily make a move (movement or assault) that would take it out of coherency with its other combat squad. If both combat squads are within 2" of each other they are considered to be one squad for the purposes of enemy targeting. Enemy units may not pass through between the two combat squads. If the separation was >2", both are considered to be independent units and the enemy may pass through them.

MOVEMENT PHASE Both combat squads are free to move independently of each other as described in the WH40K rule book, as long as they maintain Squad coherency as described above. Each squad is considered a separate unit for the purposes of defining the effect of movement on firing. So, one combat squad may move, while its partner squad may remain stationary and fire its heavy weapon in the shooting phase. Similarly one combat squad may stand still and rapid fire, while its partner combat squad may move and assault in the assault phase. SHOOTING PHASE Both combat squads must target the same enemy unit when firing. Each squad is considered a separate unit for the purposes of defining the effect of movement on firing. ASSAULT PHASE Both combat squads are free to assault independent of each other as described in the WH40K rule book, as long as they maintain Squad coherency as described above. OVERWATCH During the players movement phase, he may elect to place one combat squad on over-watch, while the other moves. The combat squad which goes on over-watch may not move during the movement phase, may not shoot during the shooting phase and may not assault in the assault phase. During the subsequent opposing players turn, if the an enemy unit targets either of the combat squads with ranged fire, then the over-watch squad may fire once at the enemy unit before the enemy unit opens fire (providing the over-watch squad has LOS to the enemy unit and is in range). The over-watch unit is considered to be stationary for the purpose of firing special or heavy weapons that turn, even if the other combat squad had moved. The over-watch unit may only fire at a single enemy unit each turn. Similarly, if during the subsequent opposing player turn, an enemy unit elects to charge either of the combat squads, the over-watch squad may fire at the enemy unit before the assault commences. The over-watch squad may only do this if it had not fired during the enemy's shooting phase.

TARGETING BY THE OPPONENT If both combat squads are within 2" of each other they are considered to be one target. If however, they are more than 2" away then they are considered two separate target and thus may not be targeted by the same enemy unit with ranged fire. Similarly if an enemy unit charges one combat squad and both combat squads are within 2" of each other they are considered one unit. If the separation is >2", then they are considered two separate units for all purposes of the assault. The second uninvolved unit is free to do as it wishes. CASUALTY REMOVAL Casualties are removed as normal depending on whether they are considered one or two targets as described above. MORALE CHECKS & LEADERSHIP EFFECTS For the purposes of morale and leadership checks, if the combat squads are within 2" of each other the total size of the squad is counted (they are considered as one squad), rather than individual combat squad strength. If the separation is greater than 2" then the combat squad undergoes the morale check by itself with no effect on the other combat squad. IND, Non-IND & SPECIAL CHARACTERS Similarly a character or independent character who imbues some special effects to the squads he is attached to, will do so to both combat squads f they are within 2" of each other. If not the effect will affect only the combat squad he is with.  For example a vet stubborn Dark Angel sergeant attached to one combat squad will make that combat squad stubborn. But if the partner combat squad comes within 2", then it too will become stubborn. FALL BACK If a combat unit fails a morale check and has to fall back, they will do so as described in the WH40K rulebook. If the two combat squads are within 2" of each other, then they both fall back together. If the combat squads are more than 2" apart, then the affected squad will fall back as described, even if it takes it out of squad coherency. However, during the next friendly movement phase, one or both squads must make up to their maximum movement allowance until both come in to coherency distance. TRANSPORTS Squads may take a rhino as a squad transport or be embarked in other vehicles such as Landraiders. One combat squad may disembark while the other remains within the transport as long as the squad coherency is maintained. Similarly, re-embarkation may be carried out in a staggered fashion provided squad coherency is maintained.