House Rules for Inquisitorial Warbands

In previous editions of 40K, there were rules for mixed units of Inquisitorial henchmen, designed to represent the ragtag band of heroes, anti-heroes, sidekicks and hangers-on that work with an Inquisitor (for example, Betancourt, Bequin and Amos et al working with Inquisitor Eisenhorn). Under the 8th edition rules, this is not possible - partially because of the new way characters (even previously "squad upgrade", non-independent characters) work in 40K (as individual units), but also because the rules just don't have that degree of granularity currently.

Hopefully, this will change with the Inquisition Codex release - but perhaps not, because 8th edition does seem to be simpler, quicker game and this kind of complexity does make the game more fiddly. These suggested house rules certainly do!

For that reason, these rules are (of course) only to be used in friendly games and with the permission of your opponent. They are intended to allow players to field a characterful and unique Inquisitorial warband, not to gain a massive gaming advantage or create a "death star" unit. Model selection should be made with a view to background and lore - ideally, each model in the warband should have a name and a (short) biography, a reason for why and how he serves the Inquisitor.

An "Inquisitorial Warband" is a new Detachment type, consisting of one compulsory HQ (which must have the INQUISITOR Keyword), one compulsory Elite (which must be a unit of Inquisitorial Acolytes), up to a single Dedicated Transport model with the IMPERIUM Faction Keyword, up to five models selected from Troops, and up to five models selected from Elites. Models selected from Troops and / or Elites must have the IMPERIUM Faction Keyword and the INFANTRY Keyword, and cannot have the FLY or JUMP PACK Keywords. Fulfilling the requirements for this Detachment grants zero Command Points.

The total number of models selected from Troops and / or Elites with the IMPERIUM Faction Keyword cannot exceed the number of models in the Inquisitorial Acolytes unit. The total number of models in the Detachment (including the Inquisitor, but excluding the dedicated transport) cannot exceed 11.

Models selected from Troops and / or Elites are selected as individual models, not as units. Ignore the usual unit composition rules and instead select (any) single model from the chosen unit. You may take any upgrades, weapon choices etc. allowed by the unit's datasheet. You may only choose a single model from any one datasheet. Pay the appropriate points cost as determined by the appendix for that Faction for each model. *

Each model so chosen functions as an individual unit. It retains all its existing rules, Abilities and Keywords, and gains the following Abilities;

Inquisitorial Henchman: All models from the same Detachment with this rule must remain within 2" of that Detachment's Acolyte unit. If the Acolyte unit is destroyed, all models with this Ability from the same Detachment must remain within 2" of another model from the same Detachment with this Ability. This restriction is removed when only a single model with this rule remains from the same Detachment.

"I'm With The Boss": When embarking or embarked on the same Transport as the model with the INQUISITOR Keyword from the same Detachment, the model gains the Ability Authority of the Inquisition.

"Sidekick, not Redshirt": If the model is within 2" of a model with the ACOLYTE Keyword from the same Detachment, it gains the effects of the CHARACTER Keyword in the shooting phase only (i.e. cannot be targeted in the shooting phase unless it is the closest model). It does not gain the CHARACTER Keyword (unless it already has it).

These additional Abilities are designed to both require and allow the models to remain with the Inquisitorial Acolytes unit, while giving them a degree of protection from shooting. Certain models will not be well-served by being included in an Inquisitorial Warband (assassins, for example) and others might not fit the lore very well (Space Marines in particular). The Warband rules are intended to allow the creation of a characterful selection of models, not an overly powerful unit; there are many ways these rules can be abused and players should be sensitive to this. An opponent can not only refuse to allow these rules to be used, but also refuse a particular expression of these rules. I created these rules as a bit of fun, and they should be used as such.

* Obviously, these rules do not work well when designing an army a Power Level. I suppose it would be possible to work out the PR for a single model, but that sort of granularity is better served by points. If you have to use these with Power Levels, it might work to figure the points and then divide them by 20 (which seems to be about the ratio) to get an idea of PR. But that certainly would be a fudge.

Let me know what you think!

=][= Danforth Laertes