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Buffing Astra Militarum
Buffing Astra Militarum
Buffing Astra Militarum
INFANTRY
I’ve just written the title of this article and now I’ve immediately regretted it. But it’s
there now so let’s stick with it. Onto Bu ng Astra Militarum Infantry.
If you have an addition or an idea please do let me know! Either in the comments, on
Firstly I’m fed up with losing my games. And losing badly. I believe this boils down to a
single issue with my gameplay style: lack of movement. Before a game everything is set
out in my mind and perfect. But as soon as the game starts I become scared of losing
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any unit. Infantry Squads stand still, tanks shoot from my back line and elite characters
I hope that including some other units in my lists and trying various bu s I will change
this play style and either make it safer to venture out from my castle and/or
enforce/encourage another style of play.
Secondly, the new Custodes Codex just appeared and there was a speci c addition to
their rules that made me think…
It was the new Custodes Standard that gives all Imperial Infantry wholly within 9″ a 5+
So often my Guardsmen die to massed AP-or AP -1 re even when I’m castled up and
I may as well take this Standard, wrap it with Guardsman, a Character or two and
march them all into the centre of the table. That sure would be a change in play style,
for me!
This is going to be a long article, covering a lot of models, rules, and extras such as
Heirlooms of Conquest, Doctrines, Stratagems and Warlord Traits. To help with this
endeavour I’ve created a digital aid. Its embedded into this page below. You can also
view it stand alone here (easier for mobile I expect) – Astra Militarum Infantry Helper.
It is a simple search/ lter form; select the bu type and/or Regiment and easily view
the models/rules that help with your selected bu type. Neat hey?
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If I had a penny for every left and right arrow key pressed in iBooks while writing this, I
Conscripts
Infantry Squads
Heavy Weapons Teams
Veterans
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say Imperial and Infantry of just Imperium. Because by default Astra Militarum units
are also Imperium units.
Infantry Squad
Your basic ten men Infantry Squad that can take a Heavy Weapon, a Special Weapon
and the Sergeant can take a few extra toys too. A Vox-caster is also available.
Conscripts
Taken in squads of between 20 and 30, Conscripts can be a fantastic melee unit and
speed bump unit. Morale is your enemy, however, especially after the change to the
Commissar in the FAQ.
Veterans
At BS 3+ these boys can shoot and shoot better than your other infantry. Load them up
with Plasma or Melta and start making their points back twice over.
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Orders
Orders go without saying really in this article. They are powerful and really boost your
Astra Militarum past being mere humans. Orders can’t be used on units like Bullgryns
and Ratlings though. Which is a shame, but makes perfect sense.
I won’t cover each order here speci cally but will reference them in the article and they
are also included in the Astra Militarum Infantry Helper.
Regimental Doctrines
Again these go without saying as all of them will a ect your infantry. Again I will
reference them speci cally in the article and they are included in the Astra Militarum
Infantry Helper.
Priests
War Hymns give you an extra Attack in the Fight Phase within 6″ of the Priest.
Astropath
Pick an enemy unit within 18″, the target gets no bonus to their saving throw from
cover when shot at by Astra Militarum units within 6″ of the Astropath. A little bit niche
but could be very handy for killing very well dug in troops that gain a 2+ bonus from
cover.
Used with Ratlings you can more easily strike at Characters in cover.
They got changed in the FAQ though. Now Summary Execution kills a model and gives a
Morale re-roll. Even if you were going to fail the re-roll anyway. No more morale
immune Conscripts.
Valhallan’s can get around this see the Company Commanders section below.
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While not a vast improvement in your infantry Yarrick has his uses. Units within 6″ can
Iron Will means he is hard to get rid of and two-thirds of the times he dies, he just
won’t die and will remain on one wound. If you’re not playing Cadians then the re-
rolling of ones for Astra Miltarum units within 6″ is a nice bu . Even if you’re playing
as Cadians then this allows you to move and re-roll ones. A nice bu to counter my
Don’t forget that Yarrick can ght too, he can be used as a threat to vehicles and
armoured infantry. His Power Klaw hits relatively hard on a 3+ (-1 to hit for this
Straken, Yarrick and an infantry squad of Catachans all re-rolling ones to hit in combat
and shooting, S4 and 2 attacks each! MathHammer says that’s 5 dead Space Marines in
the ght phase. Throw in a Priest? That goes up to 7 dead Space Marines. That is just
Fix Bayonets Order? OK, now it’s getting silly, with those extra attacks from the
infantry squad we now have 10 dead Space Marines. Its 280 points for those Astra
Militarum Infantry models to kill 130 points of Space Marines (assuming 13 points a
model) per turn. Or 9 wounds on a T7, 3+ save vehicle, that’s a severely crippled enemy
vehicle there.
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When we take into account shooting we can kill a further 3 Space Marines at 12″ range
using all the shooting from Straken, Yarrick, Priest and Infantry Squad. That is using
Company Commanders
These lads can dish out two orders a turn with a range of 6″. A little like Creed this can
be further boosted. The Master of Command Warlord Trait can get you up to three
orders. If you’re Cadian then Kell gives you another order, that is four! It can be boosted
to ve though using the Inspired Tactics Stratagem. This puts this guy on par with
Creed for orders! Although with a shorter range. Vox-casters can x that though.
The Laurels of Command Heirloom of Conquest can be given you an extra order on a 4+
for a unit that just received an order. Thus allowing you double up on Orders. Eg Take
Aim and First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire. More on this below.
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By using the Imperial Commander’s Armoury Stratagem you can get an extra one or
two more Heirlooms of Conquest. Why not take Kurov’s Aquila for some extra CP
during the game on a 5+ whenever your enemy uses a Stratagem.
Valhallan’s can get around the Morale rule change that Commissars got in the FAQ. By
using Pietrov’s MK45 (an Heirloom of Conquest) on Company Commanders, this gives
your Company Commander the old Commissar rule, kill one model and then auto pass
Morale. Thanks to Ian from my Facebook page for this idea!
Ogryn Bodyguard
A handy fella to keep around those expensive Characters, this guy can bu your
Thanks to Brian Hull in the comments for this tip, but you can take The Deathmask of
Ollanius on the Bodyguard Ogryn and a Slabshield. This gives him a 2+ Save and a 2+
Invulnerable Save. While those saves do not help with the Mortal Wounds he must
su er when defending friendly characters. It does mean he can heal D3 wounds once
per game using the Deathmask’s other ability.
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Now the Ogyn “Custodian” Bodyguard has a 2+ Save, 2+ Invulnerable Save, 6 wounds
and can heal D3 wounds once per game. Throw in a Command Squad with a Medi Pack
Note the 2+ Invulnerable Save is ne, the Deathmask gives a +2 to saves and an
Nork Dog
Much like the Ogryn Bodyguard but he takes a Mortal Wound on a 2+ and he can ght
Cadian Models
It can then be boosted to ve with Kell. It can be boosted again to six using the Inspired
Tactics Stratagem.
You cannot use The Laurels of Command Heirloom of Conquest though because Creed
is a named Character.
Creed also has an Order range of 12″. So 5 or 6 orders (depending on the 4+ roll) a turn
with a 12″ range. Creed is a smart guy! Plus he grants 2 extra Command Points – but
you have to weigh that against not being able to take Kurov’s Aquila or the Grand
Kell
Cadian units within 6″ can re-roll failed Morale tests. And he allows an extra order for
Cadian O cers.
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Catachan Models
Staken
Catachan units within 6″ gain an extra attack during the Fight phase. The forced
Warlord Trait for Catachan allows you to join in on ghts within 6″ with ease.
It’s bu s like this I especially like in Astra Militarum Forces because it’s not expected.
Catachan hit harder than normal in the Fight Phase. If your opponent forgets this then
they may end up losing units to urries of Catachan sts accompanied by Straken.
Sergeant Harker
Re-roll 1s within 6″ for Catachan units – in the Shooting Phase.
Other Models
Celestine
Astra Militarum Infantry within 6″ gain a 6+ Invulnerable Save.
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in the comments!)
Uriah Jacobus
Friendly Adeptus Ministorum and Astra Militarum units within 6″ add 1 to their
leadership characteristic (doesn’t stack with Greyfax or Coteaz leadership
characteristic but still useful). He also adds 1 to their attacks characteristic with the
same rule as a Priest. (Thanks, Cadian Steel for the reminder on this).
Roboute Guilliman
With the Master of Battle rules, he allows Imperium units within 12″ to re-roll ones to
hit (all phases), add 1 to advance and charge rolls, and re-roll failed morale
Pyskana Discipline
There are three powers that can bene t Astra Militarum Infantry. Unfortunately, none
are o ensive. Nightshroud and Psychic Barrier can be a good way of protecting an all-
important unit holding an object or saving Pask for that one last blast of his Punisher
Cannon.
Psychic Barrier
Adds 1 to the saving throws for the target unit.
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Nightshroud
Enemies targeting your Astra Militarum unit must take 1 away from their hit rolls.
Mental Fortitude
The target unit automatically passes Morale tests.
Warlord Traits
These Traits are good for your Company Commanders or Lord Commissars when
they’re your Warlord. Creed, Yarrick and other named characters must take their
Old Grudges
Select an enemy unit before the rst battle round. Astra Militarum units ring at that
unit can re-roll all failed Wound rolls while they are within 6″ of your Warlord.
If you link this up with re-rolling to wound (Take Aim Order plus being Cadian) then
you could have yourself a lovely little wounds festival.
Implacable Determination
When your Warlord and a single friendly unit within 3″ Advances, both move 6″ rather
than D6″.
Possibly something I should just force myself to take, to start me o moving a little
more!
Draconian Discipline
Re-roll all failed Morale Tests for Astra Militarum units within 6″ of your Warlord.
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Grand Strategist
Allows your Warlord to re-roll a single hit, wound or save per game. But more
importantly, you can refund your CPs on a 5+.
Stratagems
This area of the game is a big weakness for me at the moment, having only used the
Codex once. I keep forgetting the Stratagems and without them then I am probably
missing out of 50% of my force’s potential. There is a lot here that t nicely into
bu ng Astra Militarum Infantry.
Fire on my Position
Its costly at 3CP but this allows you to cause Mortal Wounds to nearby enemies when an
Consolidate Squads
Allows Infantry Squads to merge together that are within 2″ of each other.
Take Cover
Used in your opponents shooting phase, you can increase a unit’s saving throw by one.
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Grenadiers
Instead of Overwatching, a charged Astra Miilitarum Infantry unit can throw up to ten
grenades, not just one.
than a D6.
Ambush (Tallarn)
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Heirlooms of Conquest
There are a few gems in here that when used right and remembered could help you
swing the battle in your favour by getting in close quickly or taking a wound or two
extra from an enemy Character.
Take Aim and First Rank Fire Second Rank Fire are the rst two that immediately
spring to mind! If you’re Cadian that allows you to re 4 shots at 12″ and re-roll all
failed hits! We, therefore, have 36 shots, re-rolling all misses. That is 2.25 dead Space
Marines or 9 dead Guardsmen/Cultists.
Other nice combos could be First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire along with Forwards for
the Emperor, which allows you to shoot twice as many Rapid Fire shots from Lasguns
even if the unit Advanced in the previous Movement Phase.
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with a Plasma Pistol, Power Fist with 5 Bullgryns. Now that is not something you see
every day from the Astra Militarum.
D3 wounds, once.
Kurov’s Aquila
Allows you to gain a CP each time the enemy uses a Stratagem.
Pietrov’s MK45
A Valhallan Heirloom of Conquest which e ectively gives the old Commissar ability.
Kill one guy and pass Morale. It also doubles as a rather nice Bolt Pistol!
the closest and as long as they are more than 1″ away. It has 3 shots, S4, AP-2, and D2.
On a BS2+ Character, you could be shaving a couple of wounds from enemies who did
not expect a hail of high damage Bolter re from a Company Commander or Lord
Commissar.
Bonus – Transports
Transports add protection and movement to your Astra Militarum Infantry. I won’t go
into all the various types of transport available but there is a good selection of dedicated
transports like the Chimera and Taurox to the Super-Heavy tanks that can carry many
models. Don’t forget the Valkyrie for dropping in Plasma, Melta or Bullgryns to your
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Note, you can issue orders from a Chimera. The Mobile Command Vehicle Stratagem
for 1CP lets you do this for a turn. It’s measured from the vehicle and the o cer counts
as having a Vox-caster. Nice. Including the hull of the vehicle increases the range too.
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Conclusion
Some of the above abilities are meh, some are OK and some are great. Check out
the Astra Militarum Infantry Helper mini app too for some pointers for good combos.
I would love to hear from you if you have tried some major
Astra Militarum Infantry list and had great success or failure!
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