#40kFriday

We are busy putting together all the exciting elements that make up the W&G Rulebook, from the range of archetypes to the extensive wargear. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for more details, the team is focused on finishing the PDF, and we will update you on its release date as soon as we can. Read on for this week’s art reveal for the Tactical Space Marine Archetype.

‘We are judgement. Death is absolution.’

—Chapter Master Tygranas Dalir



Enigmatic and dour, the Absolvers Chapter of the Astartes are based — and now trapped — in the Gilead System. Recruitment of Neophytes has skyrocketed since the appearance of the Great Rift to alleviate the burden of these stalwart warriors, oath-bound as they are to defend the Imperium’s citizens from the fell foes of the Emperor.

The citizens of the Heartworlds whisper of the righteous wrath of the Absolvers, relentless and draconian in their fight against heresy. Each noble Astartes knows they have no reinforcements; cut off from the vast war machine of the Imperium, and instructed to savour every bolt round. They have been informed that to save the many they may have to sacrifice the few.

Many Space Marines have been allowed to operate individually, lending their strength to covert operations. The Great Rift spews daemonic monstrosities into the Gilead System daily. Although Astartes-led warbands have proven more than capable of beating back daemonic incursions, there has been notable collateral damage.

Beset on all sides by warpborne evil, opportunistic xenos, wary allies, and rebellious citizens, the Absolvers rely on their faith to shield them more than ever before — after all, the Emperor protects.

Playing one of the Emperor’s Angels of Death is a unique roleplaying experience: you’re a giant, genetically enhanced trans-human with an agile mind and athletic body far superior to the ‘mortals’ you defend. You’re terrifying on the field of battle, with a brain faster than a boltgun on rapid fire. Known for your legendary ability to kill, you’re physically imposing towering over any unaugmented human.

In short, you’re as much a frightening force of nature as you are a hero in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. The Astartes’ fierce reputation will affect every situation you find yourself in; Imperial citizens will treat you with awe and fear, your trans-human nature unforgettable in conversation.

It’s always exciting when a player realises the awesome range of applications the Gene-seed organs have. During playtesting, we had a particularly inventive use of Omophega (The Remembrancer) to consume the flesh of a creature in an attempt to find their killer. I won’t say any more on that one.

Art by Max Fitzgerald.

Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd. © Games Workshop 2020