Snipers For 40K

This is a short article to add a much needed and mostly forgotten troop type to Warhammer 40k games.

All Snipers are recruited using points from the Characters section of the pertaining Codex.

There may be one Sniper purchased per Imperial Guard Squad. This excludes IG Heavy Weapons squads. The Sniper is NOT considered an additional unit and may be purchased as well as the additional squad allowed by the IG Squad.

Imperial Guard Snipers are extensively trained to work alone or in pairs to break the morale or strong points of enemy forces. They are instucted in patience and stealth to achieve their abjective rather than the hammer force assault that most Imperial Guardsmen are trained to use. Only the brightest and best of the millions of Guardsmen are chosen for sniper duty. The training school is on Gathalamor in Segmentum Solar. There the recruits are indoctrinated by conventional and psychic discipline to adhere to faith in the Emperor even when seperated from commanding officers.

WEAPONS: Lasgun and Frag Grenades

ARMOR: Flak (6+ save/5+ against blast)

WARGEAR: All snipers may be individually outfitted from the Snipers Wargear list and may choose from the Snipers Weapon list as well.

SPECIAL:

CHOOSING A TARGET: Snipers may ignore the choosing targets rule from Page 29 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook and may choose to shoot at ANY target within range.

INFILTRATION: Snipers may infiltrate as described on Page 11 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook. They may begin the game in hiding.

NOTE: Brood Brother Snipers use these same rules. One may be purchased per squad of Brood Brothers.

There may be one Space Marine Sniper purchased per Tactical or Assault Squad bought for the Army. Veteran level sqauads of these types apply as well.

Space Marine Snipers are generally Veteran scouts that have become accustomed to working ahead of the main army and are willing to undergo training to become the best forward observers in the Galaxy. Most Snipers take the extra time required to become snipers out of their own schedule, wanting only to best serve their Chapter and their Emperor. Other Chapters seek out the best marksmen in their ranks and send them to special schools to improve and retrain the Marine.

WEAPONS: Bolt Pistol and Frag Grenades

ARMOR: Scout Armor (4+ save)

WARGEAR: All snipers may be individually outfitted from the Snipers Wargear list and may choose from the Snipers Weapon list as well.

SPECIAL:

CHOOSING A TARGET: Snipers may ignore the choosing targets rule from Page 29 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook and may choose to shoot at ANY target within range.

INFILTRATION: Snipers may infiltrate as described on Page 11 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook. They may begin the game in hiding.

BREAK TEST AND RAPID FIRE: As snipers were never trained as fully fledged Marines the usual Space Marine Break Test and Rapid Fire Rules do NOT apply.

NOTE: Chaos Space Marines use these same stats and rules. No Sniper may be Marked.

One Eldar Sniper may be purchased for each unit of Guardians in the Army.

Eldar Snipers are generally outcasts that have fallen into the Path of the Scout for too long. They have become linked to the combat style preferred by scouts and cannot escape. Some few Snipers are Guardian types that have an uncanny knack with shooting and have been hand picked by the Seers to train as snipers for the safty of the Eldar race.

WEAPONS: None

ARMOR: Mesh (5+ save)

WARGEAR: All Eldar Snipers start with a Cameleoline Cloak.

All snipers may be further individually outfitted from the Snipers Wargear list and must choose from the Snipers Weapon list as well. In Addition Eldar Snipers may take Shuriken Catapults at a cost of +5 pts. per model.

SPECIAL:

CHOOSING A TARGET: Snipers may ignore the choosing targets rule from Page 29 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook and may choose to shoot at ANY target within range.

INFILTRATION: Snipers may infiltrate as described on Page 11 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook. They may begin the game in hiding.

One Clan Ork Snipah may be purchased per Boyz Mob of that Clan purchased. i.e. if there are 2 Goff Boyz Mobz bought then 2 Goff Snipahs may be bought. If one Mob of Blood Axes is bought and 2 Mobz of Death Skulls then you could buy 2 Death Skull Snipahs or one Death Skull Snipah and one Blood Axe Snipah. The only exception to this rule is that if a Blood Axe Kommando Mob was bought then you must have an additional Blood Axe Boyz Mob to buy a Blood Axe Snipah.

Blood Axe Snipahs………………………….30 pts. per model

Goff Snipahs………………………………...30 pts. per model

Death Skulls………………………………....20 pts. per model

Evil Suns, Bad Moons and Snake Bites….. ...25 pts. per model

Different Orky Clans have different views on the art of snipin’. Two Clans in particular are Pro- Snipah. They are the Imperial influenced Blood Axe Clan and the sneaky gits the Death Skulls who like to lurk about in the rear. The Goff Clan on the other hand is decidedly Anti-Snipah and any Goffs who show an affinity for the un-Orky, Pansy way are rather shunned by the Clan that prefers to get Stuck in like Proper Orkses. The Other three clans recognize the value of Snipahs and lean neither toward nor away from the idea. If any of their Clan wants to shoot at the enemy all by his lonesome then the clan leaders are willing to let them

WEAPONS: Bolt Pistol, Axe, and Frag Stikbombz

ARMOR: Flak (6+ save/5+ against blast)

WAARGH GEAR: All snipahs may be individually outfitted from the Snipers Wargear list and may choose from the Snipers Weapon list as well.

SPECIAL:

CHOOSING A TARGET: Snipahs may ignore the choosing targets rule from Page 29 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook and may choose to shoot at ANY target within range.

INFILTRATION: Snipahs may infiltrate as described on Page 11 of the Warhammer 40K Rulebook. They may begin the game in hiding.

Sniper Wargear List

Note that for Orks only the Death Skulls and the Blood Axes will EVER use a Silencer. The noise of shooting during battle is half the fun for the other Clans.

Sniper Weapons Table

Attached is a reprint of the rules for Sniper wargear

Telescopic sights are simple but effective optical aid to accuracy. The sights must be affixed to any pistol, basic, or special weapon to increase the shooters chance to hit at range. A telescopic sight requires concentration to use and is only a benefit to shooters who stop and aim carefully. Any model with this equipment must have Sights modelled onto the weapon it is attached to.

A scanner detects living matter and energy concentrations of any kind. It is a small device that can be worn on the carrier’s belt or around the neck. Readings will indicate concentrations of tissue and energy such as groups of creatures or vehicles. The scanner is capable of differentiating between animals and vegitation, and can read through rock up to 5 metres thick. Any model with this equipment must have a scanner modelled onto it.

This piece of war gear may be taken by as many models in a squad as the player wishes. The goggles or visor allows a model to see thermal images of enemy models who are hiding or in cover. Any models with this equipment must have goggles or a visor modelled onto them.

A photo visor is a special visor that enhances vision in poor light conditions. It also incorporates a photochromatic layer that protects the wearer against sudden bright flashes. Any model with this equipment must have a visor modelled onto them.

(Note: this gear is really only useable by Orks, Cultists, Ogryns, and Brood Brothers and maybe Beastmen)

All models in a squad must take Respirators. A respirator is a small sealed air unit which allows a possiblity for troops to avoid the effects of toxins and poisons that they would otherwise breathe. Any models with this equipment must be modelled to include a respirator of some sort.

The infra-red sight is similar to a telescopic sight in that it must be fitted to a specific weapon, be it a pistol, basic, or special weapon. The sight is calibrated to register infra-red light rather than visible light. The enhanced image which appears in the sight makes it very easy to pick out targets that are behind cover. A Infra-red sight requires concentration to use and is only a benefit to shooters who stop and aim carefully. Any model with this equipment must have the infrared sight modelled onto the weapon it is attached to.

Cameleoline is a rare artificial substance which can be woven into the structure of most fabrics. Morphic polymer chains in the material automatically take on the colors and textures of their surroundings. The result is that after a second or two motionless the wearer appears to fade into the background. Any model using this equipment must have a cloak modelled onto them in some manner.

A silencer is a barrel attachment that reduces the sound of a weapon firing. Most Silencers also contain a flash suppressor which hides any muzzle flash or discharge. This allows the shooter to remain undetected by enemy troops. Any model with this equipment must have a silencer attachment modelled onto the weapon it is intended for.

Rules: