History

The Shadow Guard is a Space Marine chapter from the 26th founding. There has been speculation on the origin of their geneseed. Their focus of hit and run and infiltration tactics has many believing that they are from Raven Guard stock, while others point to their use of jump packs and assault marines as identifiers of Blood Angel seed that has been heavily rebuilt. A few radical voices point to a third option of Alpha Legion geneseed, leftover from the hersay and experimented with by order of the High Lords of Terra.
A fleet based chapter, their fortress monastery was constantly on the move between trouble spots in the Imperium, providing support in any way possible. They also boasted one of the largest space marine fleets of comparable chapters. This was due to deviations from the codex astartes in their chapter structure, with different companies and even squads within the companies, spread across the galaxy. They provide support to imperial commanders in the form of sabotage, infiltration, assassination and information gathering. As such, they did not often fight as an entire chapter. Instead their massive fleet was used to carry battle brothers to various warzones where requests of aid had been sent.
One of the newest chapters to date and currently unaware of their geneseed origin, the Shadow Guard had very little in the way of chapter relics. The few that they had included the weapons and armour of the first chapter master, a pair of dreadnought shells and an estimated hundred suits of terminator armour, though how old the suits are is unknown. Recently new relics have been given to the remains of the chapter for providing assistance to the Imperium and other marine chapter. The rest of the chapter, excluding veterans of the first company and some small units, are equipped with suits of Mark VIII Errant armour and jump packs. One of the few units without jump packs are some companies devastator squads, which instead use drop pods for easier access to high points of a battle field where they may rain down destruction on the enemy.

First Company
The First Company is another major codex astartes deviation of the Shadow Guard. Instead of honouring the chapter veterans with terminator armour, the terminator armour is instead spread out among the other companies. The first company benefits instead from unique armour crafted by the techmarines to the highest standard. Building from Mark VIII suits and jump packs, the veterans gain sturdier armour that is still light enough to be carried by an advanced jump pack, modified for longer distances. Their helmets analyze a much greater amount of data to provide better intel on the surrounding environment and they have their pick of weaponry, anything that can be provided by the chapter, standard or custom. Just like the rest of the companies, First is spread out to provide support to as much of the Imperium as possible, however they operate in much smaller cells. First Company does not have any squads, instead small groups of marines are put together to provide assistance and over time form bonds, creating permanent cells.

Fall of Sixth
One of the major events in the history of the Shadow Guard was the nearly complete destruction of Sixth Company. In response to the silencing of nearly a dozen Imperial outposts, Sixth Company gathered and set out with two battle barges and a full support fleet. Unfortunately they discovered what had been silencing the outposts, a formally splinter hive fleet had grown to the size of a full scale fleet. The fleet crashed against the biological monstrosities in the void but they were outnumbered. The support fleet was demolished in minutes but the battle barges fought on in a futile battle. Breaking free the ships attempted to escape into the warp but they were too badly damaged, instead crashing them down on a nearby planet. They sent out distress calls but they knew help could not arrive soon enough, for hours later spores began to rain down from the sky.
Rallying around the downed ships, the survivors made their stands. Bolters belched out explosive shots devastating gaunts and genestealers while devestator squads focused on large bioforms, bringing them crashing to the ground. Sergeants dueled with warriors while librarians clashed against zoanthropes in psychic combat. And for some time they held their own but all too soon they began to falter. A devestator sergeant who had been directing his squad with shots from a plasma cannon was taken out by an invisible lictor. An assault marine duel wielding chainswords went down in under a wave of hormoguant. The captain of Sixth, seeing how close the lines were to failing, ordered squads to scatter in the hopes that they could last long enough for help to arrive. A librarian gathered up a squad of assault terminators, disappearing in a dome of darkness. They reappeared in the center of the horde to wreck havoc before disappearing again. Nearly all the units had jump packs and began to make jumps away from the wrecks. The few units on foot or with damaged jump packs disappeared back into the maze of wreckage. But it was for naught. Gargoyles swarmed the escaping jump pack units and genestealers and lictors flooded the wreck in search of survivors. The warp jumping terminator unit reappeared without the librarian and took down scores of tyranid beasts before falling. An assault marine was seen with a chainsword in one hand and a tyranid leg in another.
Three days later help arrived, nearly the entirety of the Shadow Guard chapter as well as White Scar and Ultramarine units. The planet had been stripped bare and the only trace of Sixth were empty suits of armour. Landing in force the Shadow Guard began the process of gathering the empty suits to return to the fortress monestary. As they searched the battle barge, they found a survivor, folded into duct. His armour had been used to block the opening. Outside the missing librarian reappeared, ravaged by unknown forces in the darkness of the warp in addition to wounds from tyranids. After they finished collecting armour and searching the wreckage, they had found four survivors. Taking them back to the fortress monestary, they thanked the Ultramarines and Whit Scars for support and disappeared to deal with Sixth’s annihilation. The survivors were rehabilitated and given quite a bit of leeway for their actions. They were told they would be the leaders of the new Sixth Company as it was rebuilt but tragedy struck again before it could begin.

Rift
During their return with the survivors of Sixth, both the Third and Seventh company separated in response to Imperial distress calls. Others began preparations to assist the Imperium on their own. Unfortunately their fleet fell out of the warp unexpectedly and into a warp rift. A few of the support ships managed to escape but they could only watch in horror as the rift resealed itself. Calling back all Shadow Guard members to report the news, it was agreed that all marines needed to meet. It took nearly a month but the entire chapter was soon assembled. They agreed to carry on supporting the Imperium but that they would not rebuild the chapter until the fate of the lost Shadow Guard was discovered, only to take in recruits to replace losses. The returning Deathwatch captain was promoted to Chapter master and the chapter began to head towards Cadia and the Eye of Terror. The unanimous decision of the entire chapter was to enter in search of the Lost. They would continue to support the Imperium until they arrived but once they did, they would leave behind a single squad while the remaining members entered the Eye. It has taken years for their support has continually dragged them off course but they are close and soon they will gather their forces and enter in search of the truth.

Ellistrin Mallik started out as an Assault Marine for the Second Company of the Shadow Guard. Steadily rising through the ranks, he survived dozens of battles that left the rest of his squad devastated. Recognizing the skills of the now Sergeant as an independent operator, the Second Company captain requested that he be moved up to first company for better training then could be provided. The request was granted and Mallik spent years training to improve his skills. Eventually the second company captain was killed and Mallik returned to take his place. However he was only briefly in command before it was requested that he begin a stint in support of a deathwatch watch fortress. He agreed and spent many years there helping in the fighting against xenos. It wasn’t until news of the Chapter’s disappearance reached him that he made a request to the watch commander to return to provide support in any way possible. The commander agreed and also granted him with a gift for his time spent in assistance of deathwatch. Two custom made power falchions made of a grey-black steel. Mallik thanked him for the gift and returned.
When he made his way back to the surviving Chapter members, he found that the captains and veterans had unanimously elected him to the position of Chapter Master, until such time as the first chapter master returned or conclusive proof of his death was discovered. The few techmarines upgraded a suit of spec op armour for him to use and Mallik has used it well, fighting on the front lines with the surviving members in support of the Imperium and in search of their battle brothers. He has sworn an oath to track down what has happened to his battle brothers

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
6 5 4 4 4 6 4 10 2+

Special Rules:
Hidden Hand, And They Shall Know No Fear, Independent Character, Move through Cover
Shimmering Strike-Malliks power weapons weave a pattern of shadow, making it nearly impossible to land strikes or deflect blows
Any oppenent wishing to assault or land blows on Mallik must halve their weapon skill to do so, rounding down.

Wargear:
Power Falchions
Range Melee S+2 AP3 Type Specialist Weapon, Rending
Integrated Bolters-Intergrated into the arms of Malliks armour they are linked to his bionics, allowing him to fire while still fighting with melee weapons. They count as two bolters with special issue Ammunition and the following profile
Range 24” S- AP- Type Assualt 4
They may be fired at two different targets in the shooting phase
Advanced Spec Op Armour
Spec Op Jump Pack

Ravelus Segelan was once a proud Shadow Guard librarian. With his mind he could light up the enemy, hide his battle brothers and pull terminators through the warp, allowing them to appear unexpectedly to wreck havoc and destruction. Unfortunately it would not last.
Ravelus was part of a Third Company unit who answered a Blood Angels request for aid in countering Dark Eldar raiders. They had been striking in the dead of night at an imperial outpost before disappearing without a trace. It wasn’t long after they arrived then the Ravelus planned a trap. Reaching out into the warp, he shrouded not only his own battle brothers but also the Blood Angel unit and the Imperial outpost. However that wasn’t the most impressive bit. When the Dark Eldar raiders arrived in search of more sport and fresh victims he reversed the shrouding, wrapping the Dark Eldar in a black sphere of darkness. That was the signal. Everyone else opened fire, filling the dark globe with bolter and tank fire, watching as pieces of Dark Eldar and their vehicles fell to the ground. Ravelus collapsed to the ground exhausted from holding two different shroudings for so long but it didn’t matter. The raiders were dead and would not be returning. As the Blood Angels thanked the Shadow Guard for their assistance, Ravelus saw one of the wounded raiders rising from the wreckage. He aimed his sprinter rifle at the Blood Angels commander and prepared to kill the leader. He through himself forward, pushing aside the commander he threw a bolt of shadow at the raider just as he fired. The bolt sheared the raider in half but his rifle left Ravelus mortally wounded. He was too exhausted to destroy the fast acting poison rushing through his veins.
In honour of their support, for saving his life, and knowing they were searching for their battle brothers with a little over 250 members, the commander gifted the Shadow Guard with a great relic. A furioso dreadnought shell into which Ravelus was placed.
Still a member of Third Company Ravelus provides support with not only his still mighty psychic prowess but also the array of weaponry attached to his metal shell. Modified by Third’s techmarines with a greater array of weaponry, it allows the powerful warrior to crush his way through scores of enemies and support his battle brothers more then ever before.

WS BS S F S R HP I A
7 5 6 13 12 11 3 5 3

Special Rules
Psychic Bolster-Ravelus can focus his prestigious psychic might in preventing incoming enemy psychic powers
This may only be used if Ravelus has not expended any or all of his warp charges during the current game turn. For each warp charge Ravelus has remaining, he may choose to use it to improve his Deny the Witch roll. (i.e. use up one warp charge, Deny the witch on a 5+). If he does so having not used any psychic powers that current game turn, he has that many less warp charges remaining to use.

Psychic Powers
Level 3 Psyker-Ravelus may roll for two additional powers on the Shadow table
Void Jump-Ravelus rifts open a dark warp rift and enters, exiting anywhere on the battlefield from any shadow
This power may not be exchanged for any other psychic power. When used, Ravelus moves identically to jump pack infantry.

Wargear
Psychic Hood
Shade Force Sword-Crafted in a similar way to Mallik’s own power falchions, Ravelus’s force sword is infused by his own psychic might to tear through enemy flesh and armour alike
Range- S+1 AP3 Melee, Force, Rending
Shadow Talon with built in Heavy Flamer-Shadow Talons are identical to blood talons
Shoulder Mounted Shredder Cannon
Designed by Third’s Techmarines, the Shredder Cannon allows Ravelus not only to provid ranged support but also anti-air fire for his battle brothers
Range 36” S7 AP4 Heavy 3 Twin-linked

Not much is known about Nastraman Croteran as nearly all records vanished along with their fortress-monastery and fleet. Formally of Sixth Company, he was one of four marines to survive direct confrontation with what has come to be known as tyranid Hive Fleet Lazarus.
Originally part of a devastator squad, he supported them with a sniper rifle. As the heavy weapons drought fire down on the troops, he selected squad leaders to die. And as he fought against the tyranids, he selected synapse creatures to die, disrupting small portions of tyranids. He became so adept in the short time that he could see the natural rhythms of the tyranid, sending his shot at the perfect time to cause excessive damage. However all too soon they breached the lines and soon he was in hand to hand combat. Picking up a fallen power sword he hacks through the horde before it was wrenched from his grasp. He used his rifle as a club before it too shattered. Reaching down he snapped the bonesword from the arm of a warrior and fought on with using tyranid weapon against tyranid flesh. When the order to scatter was given, he retreated into the battle barge wreck, using a meltgun to seal himself inside a bulkhead.
Maybe the door was too thick. Maybe the tyranids sensed the bonesword and though he was friend. For whatever reason he survived. He was rescued and while his physical wounds healed, there were psychic scars that never would. He made a request to the chapters techmarines and with the chapter masters blessing they melded the tyranid bonesword onto a power source and hilt. However he took it upon himself to remake his sniper rifle.
Scavenging battlefields, he managed to get ahold of a Tau pathfinder rail rifle and a necron synaptic disintegrator. Together with using his bolter as a base he created Obliteration. Using the magnetic fields of the rail rifle it fires a solid bolt that releases a burst of leptonic energy, destroying a targets synaptic flesh with just a touch. The disintegrators power sourced is slaved into the rail rifle, slowing it to fire multiple shots on a single charge.
Armed and healed, Nastraman wanders the Imperium to supporting those under threat by tyranids. From a distance he watches and uses Obliteration to eliminate scores of synapse creatures, giving the defenders time to rally and fight against the threat.

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
4 7 4 4 3 5 2 9 3+


Special Rules
Second Rhythm-Nastraman can see the tyranid bioforms own biological rhythms, allowing him to time his shot for the greatest amount of damage.
Second Rhythm grants Nastraman the Preferred Enemy: Tyranids special rule
Hit and Run

Wargear
Obliteration- Obliteration is Nastraman’s personal sniper rifle, heavily modified using not only advanced tech of the Imperium but also xenos such as Tau and Necron. Forced together haphazardly, it functions as the ultimate killing tool, allowing him to decimate any target in range.
Range 120” S X AP3 Heavy 1, Sniper, precision shot (5+)
Blade Bone- A tyranid bonesword grafted onto a power swordhilt and power source.
No armour saves may be taken against wounds inflicted by Blade Bone. In addition if a model suffers one or more unsaved wounds in close combat, it must immedietly pass a leadership test or suffer instant death.
Stealth Armour-a more advanced form of normal marine armour, this design focuses on hiding the user rather than grater protection.
Grants a 3+ armour save Stealth, Shrouded, Nightvision special rules as well as immunity to the Blind special rule.
Spec Op Jump Pack

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
4 4 4 4 2 5 2 9 2+

Unit Composition-3 First Company Veterans

May add up to seven First Company Veterans for 25 pts per model

Unit Type-Jump Infantry

FOC restrictions-only one unit may be taken per primary detachment. However they do not occupy any slot in the FOC

Special Rules
Independent Operators-though they function as a single unit, they are perfectly capable of operating on their own.
First Company Veteran’s are not required to maintain unit coherency
and they do not need to take a leadership check for suffering unit casualties
ATSKNF
Hidden Hand
HALO drop
Move Through Cover

Wargear:
Frag and Krak Grenades
Spec Op Armour
Spec Op Jump Pack
Bolt Pistol
Close Combat Weapon
Special Issue Ammo(note: bolter, stormbolter and combi weapons all use special issue ammo as well as bolt pistols)
Any model may replace their bolt pistol and/or close combat weapon with:
Bolter free
Stormbolter +5 pts
Combi-melta, -flamer, -plasma +10 pts
Sniper rifle +10 pts
Flamer +10 pts
Plasma pistol +15 pts
Meltagun +15 pts
Power weapon +15 pts
Lightning claw +15 pts
Storm shield +15 pts
Plasma gun +15 pts
Power fist +25 pts
Chainfist +30 pts

Any First Company Veteran may replace their bolt pistol and close combat weapon with:
Heavy Bolter +5 pts
Multi-melta +15 pts
Heavy flamer +15 pts
Missile launcher +15 pts
Flakk +10 pts
Plasma cannon +20 pts
Lascannon +25 pts
Assault cannon +25 pts
Autocannon +30 pts

Any First Company Veteran may take the following:
Melta bombs +5 pts
Combat shield +10 pts

If the Shadow Guard supplement is used with Codex: Blood Angels replace the Red Thirst special rule with the Infiltrate special rule at the cost of +10 points per unit. If the Shadow Guard supplement is used with Codex: Space Wolves replace the Counter-attack special rule with the Infiltrate special rule at the cost of +10 points per unit.

Hidden Hand-the Shadow Guard are masters of infiltration, appearing out of nowhere to wreck havoc and devastation on the enemy.
any unit that contains one at least one member with this special rule may choose to outflank. However they do not use the table edges. Instead choose one piece of area terrain as one table edge and have your opponent choose another piece of area terrain as the other

HALO Drop-with advanced jump packs, Shadow Guard make low orbit high altitude drops with pinpoint accuracy
Any unit with the Spec Op Jump Pack may enter play via deep strike. However they only scatter D6” instead of the normal 2D6”

At the cost of +20 pts per model, the following Codex:Blood Angel and Codex: Space Wolves units may take astartes jump packs: Sterngaurd Veteran Squad, Tactical Squad, Scout Squad, Devastator Squad, Lone Wolf, Gray Hunters Pack, Blood Claws Pack, Long Fangs Pack
At the cost of +30 pts per model, Techmarines of Codex:Blood Angel and Iron Priests of Codex: Space Wolves may take Spec Op Jump Packs

Spec Op Armour-built for the veterans of the Shadow Guard, it not only provides increased protection, its smaller size allows the wearer to be carried by jump pack, unlike terminator armour
Provides the wearer with a 2+ armour save as well as Nightvision and Shrouded special rules

Advanced Spec Op Armour-worn by the current chapter master, this is a further advanced form of the armour worn by Shadow Guard veterans with shielding incorporated directly into the suit.
In addition to the benefits of normal Spec Op Armour, this advance version grants a 3+ invulnerable save

Spec Op Jump Pack-designed for First company Veterans and other elite members, the jump pack is designed for longer ranges with only a slight increase in size, weight and power usage.
Functions identically to an astartes jump pack except the user may move 16” instead of the normal 12” as well as grant the user the HALO drop special rule.

Primaris
Gloom Warp Charge 1
The Shadow Guard librarian reaches out to shroud his battle brothers from view, allowing them to slip through the enemies ranks and deal death and destruction
Gloom is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 18”. The unit gains Stealth, Shrouded and Move through Cover special rules

1) Flare Warp Charge 1
The Shadow Guard librarian reaches out and paints a hidden enemy unit, allowing battle brothers to target them with improved accuracy.
Flare is a malediction that targets a single enemy unit within 24”. While in effect, any friendly unit that fires on the enemy unit benefits from +1 BS.

2) Shades of the Dead Warp Charge 1
Shadows of the fallen are raised up by the Shadow Guard librarian to strike down their foes.
Shades of the Dead is a blessing that targets a single friendly unit within 12”. For every unsaved wound suffered, roll a D3. The enemy unit suffers that many automatic hits at S5 AP-

3) Cloak of Darkness Warp Charge 1
The Shadow Guard librarian wraps himself in darkness, confusing attacking enemies and casing their attacks to miss more often than not.
Cloak of Darkness is a blessing that targets the Shadow Guard librarian. Any enemy units in base contact with the psyker suffer from –D3 initiative.

4) Shadow Match Warp Charge 1
The Shadow Guard librarian reaches into the mind of the enemy and draws out their abilities, copying them onto a battle brother who is covered with hardened darkness to replicate the enemies armour and weaponry as well.
This is a blessing that targets a single friendly character within 24”. Choose a single enemy character on the board and replace the friendly characters stats and abilities with those of the enemy character. If the friendly character assaults any enemy character, he also replaces his own wargear and weapons with those of the enemy character. A Deny the Witch roll may be taken by the enemy character to prevent his abilities from being replicated.

5) Dark Deprivation Warp Charge 2
The Shadow Guard librarian releases a bubble of power the surrounds everyone in a sphere of darkness, eliminating the enemies ability to see while his battle brothers wreck havoc.
Dark Deprivation is a simultaneous blessing and malediction. The malediction is used first and targets all enemy units within 18”. Roll a D3 once. All enemy units suffer that point reduction to their weapon skill, ballistic skill and initiative to a minimum of 1. The blessing targets a single friendly unit within 18”. That unit gains the point increase of the D3 to their own weapon skill, ballistic skill and initiative. Also any friendly or enemy units wishing to fire or assault at any unit within Dark Deprivation suffer -2 to their own ballistic and weapon skill. Any psychic power attempting to target any unit within Dark Deprivation automatically fails. If the malediction fails due to any reason the power fails and the blessing is not conferred onto the friendly unit.

6) Mirror Warp Charge 2
The Shadow Guard librarian concentrates his power to simultaneously revel the enemies position while hiding his battle brothers from view.
Mirror is a simultaneous blessing and malediction. The malediction is used first and targets a single enemy unit within 12”. The enemy loses any cover saves granted to them due to terrain of any kind as well as loses any stealth and shrouded special rules. The benefits of the cover saves are then conferred to a single friendly unit within 12” who gain the benefit of any and all cover saves including modifiers. If the malediction fails due to any reason the power fails and the blessing is not conferred onto the friendly unit.