Kroot Codex
Kroot Codex
                                           INDEX
INDEX                                                                               2
INDEX XENOS 3
HEADQUARTERS 16
ELITES 22
TROOPS                                                                              25
Xenos - Biologis Report                                                             29
FAST ATTACK 30
HEAVY SUPPORT 33
SPECIAL CHARACTERS                                                                  45
Anghkor Prok, THE Great Uniter                                                      45
Khibala Yusra - First Born Twin of the Spear                                        46
KROOT IN SPACE 47
                                         The Kroot
A race of fierce warriors, some of the Kroot ply the stars selling their skill at arms to the highest
bidder, but most fight exclusively for the Tau Empire. Travelling in their barely warp-capable
warspheres, they can be found battling alongside many alien races throughout the galaxy. With their
propensity for eating the flesh of those they defeat, it is a brave foe who dares to stand against them.
Physical characteristics
Kroot are tall and their bodies have a wiriness to them that appears deceptively fragile. In actuality,
Kroot musculature is extremely powerful and composed of dense fibre spindles with a greater
power-to-mass ratio than is found in humans. Swift muscle contractions create a whiplash effect,
allowing the Kroot to deliver powerful blows with great rapidity. On the ground, the Kroot tend to move
with a bounding, hopping gait but, when in dense forests, they can spring from tree to tree at great
speed. The Kroot favour primitive garb: harnesses worked from the hides of animals and adorned
with bones, hand crafted amulets and circlets.
The limited specimens that have been made available for study are found to have brains composed of
a front and rear hemisphere. It appears that the larger, frontal hemisphere controls the functions of
logic, reasoning and memory while the rear, less developed hemisphere is more attuned to
imagination and creativity. If this is indeed the case, it would go some way to explaining the pragmatic
approach to life of the Kroot and their current technological stagnation. The Kroot head is crowned
with a great mass of tough, flexible quills that appear to be a part of the Kroot's sensory apparatus.
These quills contain what seem to be ganglia running from the frontal lobes of the alien's brain and, in
The Kroot generate little in the way of waste, excreting in the form of a pungent, oily sweat that has a
variety of properties, depending on what the Kroot has consumed. The most apparent benefits are
that this sweat appears to be heat retardant to a degree, has antibiotic properties and can cause a
poorly aimed blow to slide clear. It is suspected that the Kroot can alter the properties of this secretion
in order to leave pheromone trails, mark territories, leave warnings and even communicate with one
another. This may also be some form of control that extends to lower life forms such as birds and
animals, as there is evidence to suggest mat the Kroot employ empathic pheromones to prevent such
creatures from being startled by them and giving away their position in battle. Combined with this
method of communication, the Kroot can learn new languages at an astounding rate, matching
posture and tone to the sound of foreign words in order to discern their meaning. Their own verbal
communication is a mixture of clicks and whistles, possibly reinforced by these phenomena
exudations.
By far the most odious habit of the Kroot is their practice of eating the flesh of the dead. In battle, this
leads them to ritually devour the corpses of those they have killed, and almost nothing is beyond their
tastes. The Kroot digestive system is extremely efficient, capable of breaking down almost any
organic material into an energy form that can be stored in specialised organs scattered throughout
their bodies called nymunes. Should anything inorganic and indigestible be consumed, the Kroot
must regurgitate it, with considerable discomfort. However the strangest quirk of Kroot digestion is
their ability to extract potentially useful strands of their food's DNA. Adeptus Mechanicus Genetors
have long been aware that much of the double helix structure of DNA is in fact blank. Used to
separate those areas that do contain genetic information. The Kroot have somehow inherited the
ability to incorporate useful DNA codes into their own genetic make up. Larger Kroot, called Shapers,
who have an instinctive understanding of this process, can direct their kindred to consume certain
prey in order that in successive generations, they may take on elements of those genes.
The process is not an exact science and there are many examples where it has gone awry, leaving
some trapped in evolutionary cul-de-sacs, the Krootox and Kroot Hounds being the most visible
evidence of this. At some point in their evolutionary history, both sub-species of Kroot fed upon
creatures that were possessed of traits they wished to take on, but, in doing so, atrophied their
intelligence. Thee Krootox are now much larger and stronger, but became lumbering creatures, more
akin to forest dwelling herbivores than their smaller, more intelligent kin. The Kroot Hounds became
faster and leaner but, like the Krootox, their intelligence was reduced, becoming little more than
vicious predators. There are other variations, such as the smaller, flying Kroothawk and the
serpentine Krootworm, as well as other, more terrifying, creatures. Deep within the forests of Pech,
there exist beasts that were once Kroot, but have since descended hideous evolutionary paths to
become monsters that feed on their own kind. Such places have become cursed and only the bravest
or most foolhardy Kroot ever venture within their haunted depths.
Home World
Pech is located in the Ultima Segmentum, in the north west of the Tau Empire and some three
thousand light years north of Ultramar. It is a planet similar to Terra, with a comparable
oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere, but slightly lower gravity. There are three main continental masses: a
warm, temperate primary continent upon which life flourishes, a parched, desert continent which is
largely uninhabited and, finally, a cold, temperate landmass that is continually wrecked by violent rain
storms. Hardy evergreen forests of Jagga trees that sprawl from the northern and western highlands
to the Kamyon Mountains in the east cover the prime continent. Those few areas of land not forested
Thousands of years ago, when an Ork asteroid fortress, known as a Rok, crash landed on Pech, the
survivors found themselves in the unenviable position of being outnumbered by a warrior race with a
taste for flesh. The Orks were quickly destroyed and their bodies consumed by the Kroot. The Kroot
laired in the Rok and, several generations later, they manifested the ability to mimic certain aspects of
technology learned from the DNA of the dead Ork Meks. Around the remains of the shattered Ork
Rok, the first Kroot city began to take shape as the inherited knowledge of technology became more
commonplace.
Within the space of a few thousand years, Pech's prime continent was home to five Kroot hives, and
factory farming and mining were commonplace. This became known as the Kroot expansionist phase
and saw the Kroot construct warp-capable warspheres to take them to the stars.
Here, the Kroot met the Orks once more, but this lime the balance of power had changed. Untested
leaders and untried ways of war failed the Kroot in the face of Ork brutality and they were pushed
back on every front by the more aggressive Greenskins. However, each world the Orks took
remained a thorn in their side as Kroot guerrillas continued to fight the invaders. Eventually, the Kroot
were forced to take service as mercenaries with various alien races in order to survive. After twenty
years of war, the Kroot (with Tau assistance) were able to reclaim their worlds with minimal resistance
as the Orks had simply engaged in looting and destruction on a massive scale before moving on.
The Kroot now looked to rebuild their worlds as they had been before the Ork incursion, but those
Kroot who had remained behind to fight the Orks had other ideas. They were not about to rebuild a
society that had led them into war and then failed to defend them. Led by a visionary leader named
Anghkor Prok, they advocated a return to the old ways, to the time before the coming of the Ork Rok.
There would be no rebuilding and the Kroot would revert to the traditional ways that had served them
perfectly well for thousands of years. A compromise was reached where each kindred would spend
time as mercenaries and fight for other races, returning to their home world periodically to pass on
any useful genetic material they had acquired following their victories. A number of warspheres
remained on Pech to guard against further invasions and the mercenary Kroot departed to ply their
trade amongst the stars.
Today Pech is a wild and untamed world; the forests still cover most of the prime continent and the
hives that were once home to millions of Kroot are now overgrown and provide shelter to many Kroot
kindred. There are no cities on Pech, though there are places sacred to the Kroot, such as the
enormous carved Jagga tree on the slopes of Mount Kaikown that marks the final resting place of
Anghkor Prok, the Oathstone on the Plain of Bones, where he first swore loyalty to the Tau empire,
and the Grove of Ancestors in the Kamyon Mountains. There are also places that the Kroot avoid,
cursed and haunted regions like the Ygothlac Forest wherein dwell terrifying monsters evolved from
the Kroot genus thousands of years ago. Such places are shunned and are places of twisted, black
trees and polluted ground, as though the land itself understands that what lives within is evil and a
corruption against nature. Some kindreds use these dark woods as proving grounds for their warriors
to display their courage and manhood, but such practices are few and far between, as only a fraction
of those who venture within are ever heard from again.
First Contact
Imperial forces first encountered the Kroot during the Damocles Crusade on the world of Sy’l’kell
when troops from the 17th Brimlock Dragoons were ambushed en route to the front from their landing
zone. The Dragoons' forward scouts were killed by Kroot Carnivore squads without alerting the
following troops, and the remainder of the column was attacked as it advanced through a narrow,
Further, less violent contact has since made with the Kroot; indeed some mercenary kindreds have
been known to fight alongside Imperial forces in return for weapons and food. Kroot fight for the Tau,
but it is not unknown for mercenary forces to be seen fighting alongside Elder, human renegades, the
dread legions of Chaos and even Orks. The Kroot have no deeply held prejudices against alien races
and give little or no thought to who they fight, only that they are paid.
Combat Capabilities
Having found plentiful employment with the Tau and other alien races, the Kroot have had many
hundreds of years to hone their skills in battle. While they are adept at copying and employing the
weaponry they are given, the Kroot brain lacks the ability to innovate to any great degree, and thus
their method of war has remained unchanged for centuries, relying a great deal on their viciousness
in close combat. The Kroot are ably equipped to fight in combat, with powerful limbs and long rifles
fitted with lethally sharp combat blades. They are skilful warriors, stronger and more furious in an
assault than an Imperial Guardsman, perhaps even the equal of a member of the Adeptus Astartes,
though without the resilience, weapons,
armour and faith of a Marine.
Kroot weapons range from primitive black powder rifles to those that have been adapted by the Tau
to fire charged pulse rounds that increase their penetrative properties and the kinetic energy delivered
by a hit. Kroot guns are the known limit of Kroot battlefield weapon technology. While the Kroot have
relatively limited warp-capable ships, their understanding of their workings is an innate one, believed
to be gleaned from eating the flesh of Ork Meks rather than a learned one. Aside from weapons
The Kroot are a primitive race with a low threat index and there is no current Imperial campaign to
exterminate them. However, on several occasions the services of Kroot mercenaries have been
employed by frontier outposts and it should be remembered that such contact with aliens remains a
crime and punishable by death. The Kroot do not themselves have any xenocidal tendencies and do
not actively seek out other races to kill. Although their warriors are motivated by a strong sense of
honour, they are mercenaries at heart and fight for money or goods that they themselves cannot
produce.
Social Structure
The most important social group in Kroot society is the kindred, a family collective not unlike a tribe,
consisting of extended families and groupings created by mating. Seniority within a kindred is one of
instinctive recognition, with those Kroot able to direct the feeding of the group to better absorb useful
DNA, known as Shapers, rising to become the leaders of each kindred. Kroot reproduce by the male
placing his hands upon a female's back and secreting an oily sweat containing his genetic structure.
The DNA of the male is merged with that of the female and the resultant infants grow within one of the
female's nymune organs until they are ready to be born. In much the same way as indigestible food is
disposed of, the females regurgitate the Kroot infants. A Kroot female can give birth to seven or eight
infants each year, though only around a quarter of those will survive to adulthood. Once born, the
energy stored within the mother's nymunes serves to provide the stimulus required for the Kroot
young to begin their accelerated growth. The young Kroot mature at an astonishing rate, with most
new-borns able to take their place within the kindred before their tenth year. Kroot family groupings
care for, and protect, their young for several years, until they are strong enough to fend for
themselves and begin establishing their own family.
The Kroot place great respect on those that have gone before them, their genetic forefathers, and
ancestor worship is extremely common on the Kroot home worlds. Older Kroot are respected for their
accumulated wisdom and the genetic material they have gathered throughout their lives. When a
Kroot dies, his immediate family
consumes the body and thus
precious genetic material is
preserved within the kindred. Family
is important to the Kroot and they
will fight to protect their kindred,
although if family groups are forced
to rapidly displace due to war,
famine or other calamitous events,
the old and young are killed and
eaten by the kindred in order to
facilitate their speedy relocation.
While outsiders would no doubt
consider this practice barbaric, to
the pragmatic Kroot it is considered
a noble sacrifice that the young and
old allow their genetic material and
heritage to be saved in this way for
future generations.
                                             >>>Kroot are a species with great Variety<<<
                                                          (Photo by Mataba)
The Kroot Warrior’s pheromones flashed amusement again as he saw the hundreds of dead ‘stealers’
but hardly any dead Kroot Warriors. Against any other foe, the genestealer’s sacrifice would have
been worthwhile. Khi’haw’s company gathered and was silent as the Master Shaper whistled his
orders. Along the line the Kindred’s Shapers repeated the orders for their squads, though by now,
each Kroot knew exactly what to do.
Khi’haw followed the orders precisely, inwardly identifying the foreign meat of the Oviposter he had
swallowed; regurgitating it and the ‘egg’ it had laid. Then by reversing the technique used by shapers
to identify beneficial genetic traits he destroyed any Tyranid Genetic Taint within himself. For a
minute the entire Kroot force was silent, inwardly fighting the battle against the Tyranids.
Ahphut the Shaper, a veteran adept at detecting and destroying inward corruption, walked slowly
behind the Kindred. He savored and tested the smell of each warrior individually. With the constant
internal genetic identification and selection, the Company was sure to end up with a surfeit of well-
trained potential Shapers at the end of the campaign season. Ahphut took in the scent of the last of
his kindred. Nothing had caught in his senses. He had one or two potential Shapers in his Kindred,
but no Taint. With a trilling cry, Ahphut declared his squad was clean of Taint. The Shapers gathered
to the Master Shaper, who was tested by the Council of Shapers and in turn tested each of the higher
rank Kroot. All were declared clean.
Khi’haw exuded relief, as did many others in his Kindred. He had seen an entire Kindred culled, their
flesh declared anathema and burnt due to the Tyranid Genetic Taint. Thankfully today he would not
have to witness it again.
           >>>A Kindred’s Shaper is responsibly for the genetic future oftheir ZKindred<<<
                                        (Photo by Tracker)
Shapers and Master Shapers may have up to two single-handed weapons, or one single-handed
weapon and one two-handed weapon chosen from the list below. You may also pick up to 20 points
of extra wargear for a Shaper Adept, 40 points for each Shaper, and 100 points for the Master
Shaper. Items marked with an asterisk (*) may be taken only by a Master Shaper and Shaper Council
members.
Those weapons not described in this army list may be found in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.
                              “Well Commissar, what do you think? They put the fear of the Emperor
                              in me. I figured the enemy would feel the same way. Sorry I didn’t
                              include you in the decision, but we needed extra troops to shore up the
                              southern line.”
KROOT BOLT THROWER: The Kroot bolt                       EXTRA ARMOUR: The Kroot Shaper has
thrower is a primitive but effective weapon,             gathered extra armour to protect them on the
used by the Kroot since long before they                 battlefield. This armour could be a well-fitted
encountered the Tau Empire. Like Kroot rifles            suit or a collection of bits and pieces (such as
and guns the Tau have aided their auxiliaries            a Space Marine or Fire Warrior Shoulder Pad).
by using Tau technology to improve the                   It confers a 4+ save on the Shaper.
weaponry of the Kroot. Instead of the basic
sharpened bolts the Tau provide impact fused
explosive tips, making them far more
dangerous. These tips are a smaller version of
the warheads used in their own missile pods.
The bolt thrower is fired by an ingenious hand-
crank system which drops bolts from the
magazine into position and quickly re-draws
the bow string, allowing it to keep up a high
rate of fire for little effort on behalf of the crew.
“Our Farseers believe we have few other options… …and their fees are more than reasonable.”
The Master Shaper Council forbids consumption of certain Kroot and Tyranid forms. Those who
partake of forbidden flesh shall have their flesh forsaken and their gathered genetic traits shunned by
the Race.
Addendum I: As per our alliance with the Tau Confederacy: Tau is forbidden flesh. Those who
consume Tau flesh are to be declared exile from Pech.
Addendum II: Exiles may return to Pech after such time as they bear beneficial genetic traits to the
benefit of the entire Race. The Exile is to be reported to the Tau, have a Tau representative/witness
present at their execution and their name to be stricken from memory. The Exile’s remains shall be
consumed in silence by the race with no bard/song to celebrate any genetic benefit brought to the
Race by the Exile.
<<<Elected ‘Masked Law Speaker of the High Master Shaper Council’ at the Oathstone >>>
       >>>The Kroothawk Totem is the focus of every Kindred’s worship of their ancestors<<<
                                     (Photo by Uber Kroot)
Independent Character:
                   The Master Shaper is an
                   independent Character and follows
                   all of the independent character
                   special rules as given in the
                   Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.
Clan Leader:           The Master shaper is the leader of many kindreds and therefore commands the
                       respect and trust of all who fight under his direction. So great is his leadership
                       that any Kroot units within 12” may re-roll failed leadership rolls.
Evolutionary Adaptations:
Hyperactive nymune organ adaptation:
                    The nymune organ regulates the Kroot Metabolism, and the Shapers often
                    manipulate this in order to boost the energy levels of the warriors. The Master
                    Shaper may receive the hyperactive nymune organ adaptation at +5 points.
                    This allows him to use the Fleet of Foot rules.
Knarloc Mount:         If the Master Shaper has not taken the hyperactive nymune organ adaptation,
                       he may be given a Knarloc to ride at +20 points. This allows him to use the
                       ‘Native Cavalry’ Rules. Note that any accompanying Kroot Hounds will also be
                       counted as ‘Native Cavalry’ as they lollop alongside their masters, eager for the
                       hunt.
“At last, some useful mon-keigh! Expendable troops that can be paid & fed with enemy fallen. I
recommend this Craftworld immediately withdraw its levied Guardians from wasteful active service
and replace each individual with a Kroot Mercenary Company!”
Options:               Each member of the Shaper Council can be given any equipment allowed from
                       the Kroot Armoury. Two Kroot Hounds may be taken for each Shaper.
Evolutionary Adaptations:
Note:              All Council members must receive the same adaptations.
Knarloc Mounts:        If the Shaper Council has not taken the hyperactive nymune organ adaptation,
                       they may be given Knarlocs to ride at +15 points per Shaper Council member.
                       This allows them to use the ‘Native Cavalry’ Rules (see the Tracker Kindred
                       entry for details). Note that any accompanying Kroot Hounds will also be
                       counted as ‘Native Cavalry’ as they lollop alongside their masters, eager for the
                       hunt.
Independent Character:
                   The Kroot Shaman is an independent Character and follows all of the
                   independent character special rules as given in the Warhammer 40,000
                   rulebook.
Equipment:             The Kroot Shaman is equipped with a close combat weapon, and may NOT
                       purchase additional equipment from the special equipment list.
May not Infiltrate:    The Kroot Shaman is not as young as he used to be and may not infiltrate.
                       Additionally any Shapers accompanying him, or units he joins at the beginning
                       of the battle, may not infiltrate.
Shaman Adaptations:
                  The Kroot Shaman automatically receives the ‘Chronicler’ adaptation below
                  free. The Shaman may also purchase a second or third adaptation from the
                  list below.
           >>>A Kroot Shaman accompanies a Master Shaper and his Shaper Council<<<
                                   (Photo by Uber Kroot)
When a Kindred is threatened with destruction, the Shapers will go to great length to ensure that their
Kindred’s collective DNA is preserved by one individual. The chosen survivor is often an exceptional
individual, charged with the final task of brining his Kindred’s DNA back to the Race and ensure their
immortality. If the lone warrior cannot return to Pech, they will instead seek out the closest Kindred
and attach themselves to it. Known in bard/song as the ‘Big Game Hunter’, these survivors are
legendary figure amongst the Kroot. A battle pilgrim, their body is covered in sacred oaths written in
the dried blood of his kindred and is honoured by his adopted company who swear to consume him
upon his demise. Until their death, the Big Game Hunter will fight in bloody remembrance of his
Kindred, seeking only death and immortality.
                        WS     BS      S        T       W      I      A      LD      Save
Big Game Hunter         4      4       4        4       2      5      3      10      5+ Invulnerable
Note:           A Big Game Hunter may only be taken by a purely Kroot Mercenary Force.
Squad: The Big Game Hunter fights alone and will never join another unit.
Fearless:              The Big Game Hunter will never fall back and automatically pass any moral
                       tests (even against attacks which normally force their target to fall back without
                       any tests). The Big Game hunter cannot be Pinned.
Power Blade:           Equipped with the best of his dead kindred the Big Game hunter wields the
                       power blade attached to his Kroot Hunting Rifle with two hands – cutting
                       swathes through the enemy in wide swings. The Power Blades is a Power
                       Weapon that adds +2 to the Big Game hunter’s strength.
Evolutionary Adaptations:
Ambush:            The Big Game Hunter must set-up using the Lictor's Hidden Set-Up rules from
                   Codex: Tyranids.
Veteran:               The Big Game Hunter is adept in fighting in all environments and is subject to
                       the universal Stealth rule.
Enhanced Senses: The Big Game Hunter is considered to be equipped with an auspex.
Not of this Kindred:   The Big Game Hunter cannot take any evolutionary upgrades that would
                       normally be associated with a Kroot Army. However he is subject to the rules
                       for Infiltrate and Fieldcraft as per the rest of the Kroot army.
Shell after shell rained down upon ‘no mans land’ and the Kroot huddled against the walls of the
craters. Here and there warriors quietly joked about the difference between Ork shells and Imperial
shells. Silence fell abruptly as the artillery barrage ceased. Master Shaper Gihurrd shivered at the
silence, realising that it meant that either side would charge now. He bent down, scooped a handful
of swampy water into his beak and looked around at the survivors of his once proud company. He
had arrived on this swampy world with over two thousand warriors eager to fight with the Imperials
against their Ork foes. Master Shaper Gihurrd shook his head… should have joined the Orks. He
looked at the survivors of his company with pride, they were heavily muscled and green hued, but
their hunter’s instincts and reflexes had not been dulled by their massive consumption of Ork flesh.
This swampy world was home to many amphibians with fast reflexes and hunter’s instincts. All these
benefits to the Race lost. Unless…
Master Shaper Gihurrd smoothed the mud on his hands. He waved his most canny warrior Uyetque
over to him. He gave a shrill whistle and drew his blade. As one, the Kroot company followed his
actions alertly. Uyetque scuttled like a crab to avoid enemy fire, across several craters, before
opening his meat sack and dumping the remains of a lizard at the Master Shaper’s toe-claws. Master
Shaper Gihurrd quickly severed his second thumb and packed mud over the wound. His thumb
dropped into Uyetque’s meat sack. Uyetque nodded to his master shaper as he gathered up his meat
sack and began to creep from warrior to warrior. One by one, each warrior in the force sacrificed a
small piece of flesh to Uyetque’s meat-sack.
Master Shaper Gihurrd gripped his Kroot rifle uncomfortably, mud and blood making the stock
slippery. He took a moment to remember the names of his warriors around him as he prepared to
lead the final charge. He knew Uyetque would be doing the same, for he was responsible for the
kindred’s bard/song when he returned to Pech. There was no fear pheromone in the air. Each
warrior knew his duty. Uyetque carried their combined contribution to the Race and every second the
Kindred could give him meant a chance their DNA would return home.
           >>>A heavily converted model like this can make a perfect Big Game Hunter<<<
                                   (Photo by Legio Nocturnus)
Armour Options:        If the squad contains a Shaper or Shaper Adept its members may be upgraded
                       to have a 6+ armour save for +1 points per model.
Ambush:                The kindred has concentrated on hunting forest dwellers, and gained an
                       expertise in wooded environments far in excess of their already prodigious
                       fieldcraft. The squad can infiltrate as normal Kroot squads or alternatively may
                       Ambush – If ambushing the squad does not deploy with the rest of the army,
                       but instead deepstrikes into any piece of terrain on the battlefield. If the
                       deepstrike scatters outside of the terrain, the squad must be set up as close to
                       a terrain piece as possible. The squad is not destroyed if he lands in
                       impassable terrain, but rather sets up just outside the terrain.
Acid Venom:            Having fed upon the most poisonous of creatures, and coating their hand to
                       hand weapons with their spital, all hits in hand to hand combat will wound on a
                       4+ regardless of the targets toughness.
     >>>Made from Lizardman and Kroot Sprues, Stalkers add great variety to a Kroot force<<<
                                   (Photo by Uber Kroot)
              >>>A simple way to identify your Hunters is to convert them lying down<<<
                                        (Photo by Uber Kroot)
Animalistic Nature: The Feral Kroot Kindred is subject to the Animalistic Nature Rule.
   >>>The Mounted Rocket Kindred is a great conversion, they’re not complex and look great<<<
                                    (Photo by Uber Kroot)
Animals:               A Kroot Swarm is subject to the Animalistic Nature rules. Additionally the Kroot
                       Swarms will not assault vehicles, as they are too big and scary for the
                       panicking beasts. Any member of the Kroot Force may fire on enemy forces
                       engaged in hand to hand with creatures but suffer a –1 to hit due to the swirling
                       melee on combat. For each hit roll 1D6, on a roll or 1-3 the Kroot have hit one
                       of the swarms by mistake. On a roll of 4-6 the Kroot have hit the enemy.
Troop Support:         1-3 Baggage Knarlocs and Goads are a single Troop choice for a Kroot
                       Mercenary Army. A single Baggage Knarloc and 1-2 Kroot Goads are a Troop
                       choice for a Tau army or any other army allowed to use a Kroot Mercenary
                       force. The army may only include a Baggage Knarloc if it also includes at least
                       one Kroot Carnivore Squad.
Number/Squad:          A Kroot Baggage herd consists of 1-3 Baggage Great Knarlocs. Each Baggage
                       Great Knarloc must be accompanied by 1-2 Kroot Goads.
Equipment:             The Baggage Great Knarloc is armed with claws (its fearsome beak having
                       been muzzled). The Goads are armed with a Kroot Rifle and a Goad-stick
                       (used for prodding the Great Knarloc in the right direction).
May not Infiltrate: Due to their nature and size, Great Knarlocs may not infiltrate.
Hits on the Squad: The Great Knarloc is far larger than its goads and is more likely to be hit by
                   incoming fire. Randomise any hits on the squad by rolling a D6. 1-2 the shot
                   hits the Kroot Goads. 3-6 Hits the Great Knarloc. If all the Goads are killed
                   then the Great Knarloc is counted as being subject to the Animalistic Nature
                   rule.
Ambushed!:             If a Kroot Mercenary army is ambushed they may add one baggage herd (of 1-
                       3 baggage Knarlocs and accompanying goads) to their force for free.
Studies reveal the jungle world of Pech is home to many creatures related to the native Kroot. The
Great Knarloc seems to be, like the Krootox and Kroot Hound, an evolutionary dead end. It is an
evolutionary strain that developed into a large, solitary predator. Its effectiveness in this niche would
seem to be limited by many factors; by its small eyes, (needed to see prey), weak forearms (needed
for holding live prey), huge legs resulting in relatively slow running speed (needed for pursuit), body
size and light weight skeletal structure.
Given these drawbacks it seems the Great Knarloc is lucky to have survived at all, except that its
morphology has other advantages. Its muscular legs are built for travelling long distance and
sustaining a good constant speed, this is due to its well developed hinge-like ankles. The creature’s
lower leg and claw structure mean the creature is capable of brief burst of sudden speed, aided by its
well developed Nymune organ, a trait still retained by some of the great Knarloc’s smaller relatives. It
is capable of standing on its toes in the manner of many fast running creatures, helping it to spring
suddenly from hiding onto an unwary prey. It is not capable of maintaining a top speed over long
distances.
The creatures ‘hands’ are large, well developed and dexterous, making them useful for foraging,
picking fruit or digging, as well as gaining a good grip on captured prey, aided by long, thin, talon-like
claws.
Whilst lacking any olfactory lobes the beasts long tendrils, concentrated at the rear of the head but
also situated all over the body, provide superb sensory information to the creatures small brain. It may
have difficulty seeing a prey but a Great Knarloc can efficiently track by scent and sound over long
distances.
All these morphologically features point to a creature which is at home scavenging as well as hunting
by a variety of methods. Whilst all carnivores are happy to eat dead flesh, they prefer fresh meat. The
Great Knarloc seems to be the same, hunting on occasion, but at other times happy scavenging
carcasses. It is also adept at foraging amongst the jungle growth for fruit or using its long, dexterous
claws to seek out insects or even dig for grubs. Whilst the Great Knarloc is omnivorous it has evolved
to hunt by one of two means. Either lurking in dense undergrowth to suddenly ambush passing prey
or using its sensory organs to detect a prey at long distance. It can then utilise its stamina to
remorselessly pursue its victim until exhaustion.
Like the Krootox the Great Knarloc does not seem predisposed to violence unless hunting, threatened
or goaded. It may be that a Great Knarloc spends most of its time alone underneath the jungle
canopy, foraging for foodstuff and scavenging, suddenly exploding into extreme violence should a
suitable quarry be encountered. Being a solitary creature they have not benefited (in evolutionary
terms) from the presence of other creatures and have not developed a pack hunters cunning,
intelligence or sociability. They remain dull witted creatures and show none of the higher
psychological traits of a Kroot Hound or Krootox .
The Great Knarloc’s natural characteristics make it useful to the Kroot in several ways, most
commonly as a beast of burden. Large enough to carry heavy loads with great stamina over long
distances but lacking intelligence, they are easily led once domesticated. The only draw back is the
beast’s sudden bouts of extreme aggression, making them unpredictable. It is noted that Great
Knarlocs in domestic service are always kept muzzled and chained.
Animalistic Nature: The Kroot Hound Pack is subject to the Animalistic Nature Rule.
Beasts:                Kroot hounds are subject to the Beasts and Cavalry Rules. Additionally they
                       may also always move through woods and jungles without the need to test for
                       accidents due to moving through difficult terrain.
Equipment:             Each Kroot Tracker is armed with a Kroot Hunting Rifle. Alternatively all
                       models may exchange their Kroot Hunting Rifle for a regular Kroot Rifle. The
                       entire squad may also be equipped with Melta Bombs for +5 points per Kroot
                       Tracker.
Armour Options:        If the squad contains a Shaper or Shaper Adept its members may be upgraded
                       to have a 6+ armour save for +1 points per model.
Cavalry:               Trackers are subject to the Beasts and Cavalry Rules. Additionally they may
                       also always move through woods and jungles without the need to test for
                       accidents due to moving through difficult terrain.
Native Trackers:       The Trackers are expert at hunting their targets in the dense jungle
                       undergrowth. Each model counts as being equipped with an auspex.
Scouts: All Trackers in the army are subject to the Universal Scout rule.
Rules:                 After deployment, but before the first turn the Kroot player may nominate an
                       enemy unit for each ‘Gremlin’ choice they have bought. Roll 1D6 for the unit
                       affected by the ‘Gremlin’ attack. On a 1-3 the Kroot saboteur was discovered
                       before the battle and killed and the unit is unaffected. On a 4-6 the ‘Gremlin’ is
                       effective. If it is a vehicle it must roll on the glancing hits table. If it is an
                       infantry unit it starts the game pinned as they find their guns not working, their
                       position trapped or their backpacks filled with giant leeches!
Armour Options:        The squad may be upgraded to have a 6+ armour save for +1 points per
                       model.
May not Infiltrate: Due to their nature and size, Krootox may not infiltrate.
                  >>>A line of Krootox advancing will make most units think twice<<<
                                        (Photo by Uber Kroot)
Equipment:             The Kroot Abomination is equipped with Razor Sharp Claws and Beaks. The
                       Kroot Handlers are each armed with Kroot Rifles.
Animalistic Nature: The Kroot Abomination is subject to the Animalistic Nature Rule (even if all of
                    its handlers are alive!)
May not Infiltrate:    Due to its nature and size, the Kroot Abomination and its handlers may not
                       infiltrate.
Regenerate:            Many Abominations have displayed the disturbing ability to regenerate damage
                       inflicted against it during combat, though this ability is often unstable. It is
                       hypothesised that these recent Abominations have inherited this ability from
                       consumed Tyranid bio-forms (which is also a good way to get rid of the tainted
                       meat). To represent this regeneration ability the Abomination is subject to the
                       Feels No Pain universal rule.
Equipment:             The Great Knarloc is armed with a large, sharp beak and claws. The Goads
                       and Shaper are armed with a Kroot Rifle and a Goad-stick (used for prodding
                       the Great Knarloc in the right direction).
May not Infiltrate: Due to their nature and size, Great Knarlocs may not infiltrate.
Rending Beak:          The Great Knarloc has a powerful beak, capable of crushing through armour
                       and bone. All close combat attacks by Great Knarlocs count as Rending.
Hits on the Squad: The Great Knarloc is far larger than its goads and is more likely to be hit by
                   incoming fire. Randomise any hits on the squad by rolling a D6. 1-3 the shot
                   hits the Kroot goads. 4-6 Hits the Great Knarloc. If all the Goads are killed then
                   the Great Knarloc is counted as being subject to the Animalistic Nature rule.
The Kroot bolt thrower is a primitive but effective weapon, used by the Kroot since long before they
encountered the Tau Empire. Like Kroot rifles and guns the Tau have aided their auxiliaries by using
Tau technology to improve the weaponry of the Kroot. Instead of the basic sharpened bolts the Tau
provide impact fused explosive tips, making them far more dangerous. These tips are a smaller
version of the warheads used in their own missile pods. The bolt thrower is fired by an ingenious
hand-crank system which drops bolts from the magazine into position and quickly re-draws the bow
string, allowing it to keep up a high rate of fire for little effort on behalf of the crew.
       Upgrade:        One Great Knarloc Herd in the force may be upgraded as Weapon Mount
                       Knarlocs. All Great Knarlocs must be upgraded at +20 each. The Weapon
                       Mount Knarloc cannot take any goads as each Weapon Mount Knarloc has two
                       Kroot riders instead. These riders cannot be targeted separately and the herd
                       is no longer subject to the Hits on the Squad rule.
       Equipment:      A Kroot bolt thrower. The 2 riders are armed with Kroot rifles. The Weapon
                       Mount Great Knarloc is armed with a large, sharp beak and claws.
       Weapon Options:
                   The bolt thrower can be loaded with explosive bolts at +15 pts, or the bolt
                   thrower can be upgraded to a Kroot gun for + 15 pts (May be twin linked at +10
                   points).
          >>>A Great Knarloc with Bolt thrower is a powerful unit on the battlefield<<<
                                      (Photo by Mr Evil)
When converting Eviscerators for your Shapers use the large Ork Chainswords (Tell your Ork
opponent how they were taken from their Orks!). If you’re having trouble modelling your eviserators –
do what I did = Improvise! A Pit-Slaves Saw, a double headed power axe, a thunder hammer – all of
these were clearly not just power weapons and were easily identified by my opponents as eviserators.
Additionally if you are searching for a unique Master Shaper, try putting a Kroot Head on Gorthor the
Beastman Shaman’s body, add Kroot feet, a Kroot Rifle etc and you’ll have one mean looking Master
Shaper. My Master Shaper has a Deathwatch Marines Shoulder Pad (which I know infuriates Space
Marine players into making irrational mistakes!). Alternately use some Fire Warrior shoulder pads to
represent extra armour (tell your Tau opponent that you’d rather not discuss how they got them…
hehehe). I converted my Shaper Council, giving some of them an outcast look, as if they ate a Tau
and had to leave Pech in a hurry (mmm I wonder what Tau tastes like?). All my shapers also have a
mix of Tau, Imperial and Ork equipment, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t throw in some of the
more basic Eldar equipment as well (a Master Shaper with a string of Waystones around his neck
would be pretty infuriating!!). At least it gives the rest of your force the chance to move forward
unmolested into assault range!!
 >>>The Second Generation Abomination was a vast improvement – and much easier to make!<<<
                                  (Photo by Uber Kroot)
Now it is very easy to look at the 13th Company and think that the Kroot need what they have… But
then why have Kroot, why not just get a 13th Company Army? No, the 13th Company are about the
glory of the first charge, where the Kroot are more about the Hunt - or more importantly the Mont’ka (if
you’ll forgive my Tau turn of phrase) or Killing blow of the hunt. In this way the focus of the Kroot
should not be on the ability to infiltrate – rather the ability to turn every battle to their advantage or
ambush. The Kroot are a dynamic army that is both savage and canny – unlike any other force in the
40K universe. The focus should not be on the ability to infiltrate, but the planned hunt and executed
ambush.
If you look at the idea of the Mont’ka (Tau: the Killing blow) it is about putting your enemy into the
position where you can conduct the killing strike. This tactic works in much the same way as the
ambush of any Guerrilla force as well as the ‘bull horn’ tactics of the Zulu which draw the enemy in
and then the horns encircle the enemy. In a straight forward ‘charge’ scenario, very few Kroot battles
last beyond the 4th turn as the Kroot do not generally have the numbers by then to continue. It should
be more than the success of the first charge that can win or loose the battle and wins should not be
by definition pyrrhic. By creating an army that fights on all sides of the table rather than just focuses
on the charge is much more in keeping with the ideals of the Hunt.
So how does it work? A solid core of Troops with Heavy support acts as the head of the hunt.
Kroothounds or swarms are sent forward as bait or hunting packs to draw the enemy forward and
soak fire. Trackers lap around the flanks to set up fire corridors. Finally Stalkers and Ferals pop up
behind the enemy to either draw fire from the main hunt or push them forward. As a Kroot army you
should be everywhere at once!
The tactic:
   • Troops and Heavy Support form battle line (the head) or perhaps encircle the enemy in a ring
       of fire (the corral).
   • The effect of any ‘Gremlin’ sabotage attack annoys the enemy and perhaps makes their
       decision on which plan to use falter (the hunted).
   • Trackers take up flanking firing positions (the horns).
   • Kroot hounds, Abominations or swarms swoop forward the draw the enemy or soak fire (the
       bait).
   • Stalkers/Ferals pop up in ambush and either draw fire from the battlefront or push the enemy
       forward (the ambush).
   • The Headquarter Units - like any hunting leader - chooses where to fight & can be flexibly
       deployed (the killing blow).
This tactic takes away the focus on infiltrating forward, charging and praying to appropriate deity that
enough Kroot make it to the line to make a difference. The focus is on the army moving as a whole,
making a concerted coordinated attack based on the aspects of a hunt. Losses are then within
keeping for a normal army (if they hug cover like a sensible mercenary/Guerrilla force or Hunter
Group should) mainly loosing Kroot hounds and the like, which, let’s face it, a Hunter would accept
when bringing down the bear or boar! This would also allow the army to have multiple uses against
various armies – countering Assault armies with outflanking manoeuvres and shaking up defensive
armies – yet making these tactics a challenge and battles, on the whole, even.
In a way it could be said that this makes them much like beastmen in WHFB – but is that a bad thing?
They are certainly not a one tactic army. The Hunt is the battle, just as each battle is the killing
ground. Also Great Knarlocs on the field do not detract from this tactic or add anything to the Kroot
force to tip it over the edge. Great Knarlocs add extra flavour to the army which is entirely appropriate
for Forgeworld figures.
So impressed where the Fire Warriors by the Kroot bravery that they agreed to help liberate the
remainder of their enclaves from the Orks. For the next ten years, Tau forces fought to drive the Orks
from Kroot worlds, eventually coming to the Kroot home world at the behest of the greatest Kroot
leader, Anghkor Prok. At the sacred Oathstone Anghkor Prok swore allegiance to the Tau Empire and
pledged his warriors to the Greater Good, marking a period of cooperation between the races that has
lasted to the present day.
At the height of the first Tau expansionist phase, an expeditionary force set out from Dal'yth. This
force was led by the Water caste explorer Por'o Dal'yth Kiv'rai, famous for his discovery of two
artefact-worlds now under Ethereal caste interdiction. Air caste observers based on orbital stations
around Dal’yth had studied a cluster of worlds beyond the Perdus Rift, and after many years of careful
planning, the expedition was sent to explore, study and colonise these worlds.
The journey to the nearest system within the cluster proved uneventful, and O'kiv’rai decided that it
was safe to set his fleet on a course for the fifth world of the system.
The chosen planet was a blood red gas giant, the second moon of which was considered the most
likely to support life. Entering orbit, O'kiv’rai was surprised when initial scans detected a large amount
of debris scattered over a substantial area of the upper atmosphere. His Earth caste advisers
counselled caution, and samples of the debris were brought on board for analysis. It was determined
that the debris was the remains of a large spacecraft that had exploded very recently
Landing a Crisis battlesuit team, O'kiv’rai watched through an uplink as the moon's surface was
revealed. Under a crimson sky, the Shas'ui came upon a scene of destruction; a settlement reduced
to charred rubble. Sickened, O'kiv’rai directed the warriors to search the ruins, where they discovered
the mutilated remains of unknown alien bodies.
O'kiv’rai recalled his teams and ordered an extensive sensor survey of the surface. The readings
showed evidence of further destruction at numerous locations, and 0'kiv'rai concluded that the moon
was far from suitable for colonisation. The fleet moved on and soon found mounting evidence that a
violent invader had recently laid waste to this part of the cluster. O'kiv’rai began to suspect that the
region would prove too dangerous for settlement.
As the fleet neared the core systems of the cluster, alarms rang out and a group of ships were
detected heading in on an attack course. After years of exploring the frontiers of Tau space O'kiv’rai
recognised the crude constructions of the Ork race and knew how to deal with Ork pirates. His Air
caste interceptors made short work of the ramshackle flotilla. Knowing now who had caused the
devastation across the region, 0'kiv'rai seriously considered abandoning his mission altogether, yet a
part of him would not allow the fleet to leave without first discovering the identity of the Orks' victims.
Setting course for the next scheduled system, O'kiv’rai put his fleet on high alert. Soon they
encountered random groups of Ork fighters engaged in insane races with one another through the
After months of disappointment, the Earth caste colonists were keen to begin the process of claiming
these worlds, and several shuttles embarked in preparation for landing. What happened next would
be written in Tau history as one of the greatest tragedies of that era. O'kiv’rai's sensor operators
reported the approach of a huge, spherical alien spacecraft. Opening communication channels and
preparing to greet the ship on behalf of the Tau Empire, O'kiv’rai saw that it was pursued by a
substantial force of Ork warships. Cursing the warlike Greenskins, O'kiv’rai ordered the fleet to take
evasive action as the fleeing alien ship was heading on a course that would smash through his fleet.
The fleet scattered, all except the colony transport ship Sha'tiro Suli, which had almost completed the
disembarkation of her passengers. The sphere was heading directly for the transport and in an instant
O'kiv’rai was faced with a stark choice: destroy the alien vessel and save the lives of the skeleton
crew still to disembark the Tau ship, or attempt to save the lives of the far greater number of crew
aboard the alien ship by firing on the Sha'tiro Suli.
One of the Ork warships had set itself on a heading intended to ram both ships. O'kiv’rai's bridge crew
watched in horrified silence as the Ork ship smashed aside the Tau carrier, causing it to disintegrate
and spill it's passengers into the void. The Orks continued on their course, and the communication
channels came alive with the insane laughter of thousands of battle frenzied Boyz readying
themselves to board the sphere. The Ork ship seemed to impact on the hull of the sphere in slow
motion. The surface buckled and the Ork ship ground into the guts of ship until it was almost entirely
buried, only its rear quarter remaining visible. A series of explosions lit the grotesque scene from
within and the sphere burst a massive explosion that consumed both ships as one, scattering
superheated wreckage over remainder of the Tau fleet.
O'kiv’rai ordered a full sensor sweep of the area and reports flooded in of Ork frigates swarming after
another of the strange alien spheres.
The ships course would bring them into contact with his fleet once more, and 0'kiv'rai was not
prepared to witness the destruction of any more of his ships.
Bringing his fleet around, O'kiv’rai allowed the sphere to pass through his formation. As the Orks
came into range, they realised too late they were heading into the midst of a completely unexpected
foe. Travelling too fast to alter their course, the Orks rocketed straight through the Tau fleet. Timing
his command to the instant, 0'kiv'rai ordered the release of a massive missile salvo. Streaking from
the Tau battle lines, the hundreds-strong salvo unerringly altered trajectory to pursue their targets.
Ork Fighta-Bommerz tried desperately to intercept the missiles, but they were too slow, and too few.
Scant Ork ships escaped.
One kai'rotaa later, 0'kiv'rai, flanked by the fleet's finest Fire caste hunter cadre looked across a
windswept plain. In the distance he watched a party of tall, crested aliens making their way towards
him.
Communication between the two groups was at first difficult. However, O'kiv’rai was an experienced
diplomat and the aliens seemed to have an innate ability with language, learning quickly by mimicking
0'kiv'rai's words and body language. The two parties soon found common ground and the Tau were
The aliens were called Kroot, and the talks established that the world, which the Kroot referred to as
Krath, was part of a larger region occupied by them. 0'kiv'rai recognised that this race would make a
notable addition to the Tau empire, and prepared, with the permission of the Ethereal caste, to make
representations to the Kroot people.
Events, however, took a hand and the two peoples would be forced to wait some time before an
alliance proper could be negotiated.
0'kiv'rai's command ship signalled that an armada of Ork ships had appeared, and was speeding
towards Krath. Against such numbers the fleet had little chance and so O‘kiv’rai ordered those ships
that could to land immediately. Those too large to make planetfall he ordered scuttled. The finest Air
caste scout crew was assigned to run the blockade and bring help from the Tau Empire as soon as
possible.
For the next eighty kai'rotaas, Tau and Kroot forces fought together against the Ork hordes.
Casualties were high on all sides, but the Tau soon learned to appreciate the fighting abilities and
fieldcraft of their newfound allies.
As time passed and no aid from the Tau Empire was forthcoming, the Tau came to rely on the Kroot
in certain battlefield situations, and their tactics became increasingly integrated. In the wake of the
first combined victory, Tau Fire caste warriors witnessed the Kroot warriors' practice of eating the
bodies of the fallen. This caused some tension and the Fire caste commanders almost refused to fight
alongside the Kroot. O'kiv’rai was instrumental in arguing the case for continued cooperation, arguing
that contact with the honourable and civilised Fire caste would ultimately influence the less civilised
aliens.
By the eightieth kai'rotaa, the Orks had amassed a huge army with the intention of destroying once
and for all the troublesome allies. Eager to begin the looting of Krath, the Orks gathered and, as
darkness fell, began their assault on the combined lines.
The battle should have been a slaughter, as the allied army was far outnumbered by the Ork horde.
At the height of the fighting however, the night skies were lit by what witnesses took to be a
spectacular meteor storm. As the fire streaking the sky brightened, combatants on both sides realised
that the display was in fact a flight of Tau Barracuda superiority fighters. The Ork hordes were
decimated by the concentrated bombardment that followed. At the last moment, Crisis battlesuit
teams dropped from their Manta Missile Destroyers, encircling the Orks and cutting them down with
relentless precision.
Over the next twelve Tau'cyrs the Fire caste warriors of Sa'cea embarked upon their campaign to rid
the entire cluster of the Orks. The culmination of the campaign came when the Kroot war-leader
Anghkor Prok swore fealty to the Tau Empire at the Oathstone. O'kiv’rai bore witness to the spirit of
the Kroot people, and the two races stepped forward into a new period of peace and cooperation.
Special Character:     A Tau or Kroot Mercenary army may include Anghkor Prok as a special
                       character. He can only be used with the permission of your opponent. If you
                       decide to take him then he counts as one of the HQ choices for the army. If
                       used in a Tau force, the army must include at least one Kroot Carnivore Squad.
                       He must be used exactly as described below and may not be given extra
                       equipment from the Tau or Kroot Mercenary Armoury.
Equipment:             Anghkor Prok has a Kroot rifle.
SPECIAL RULES
Independent Character:
                     Anghkor Prok is an independent character and follows all the Independent
                     Character special rules as detailed in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.
Friend of the Tau: Anghkor Prok was instrumental in forging the agreement between the Tau and
                     the Kroot. Because of this, he is accorded great respect by the Tau. Anghkor
                     Prok may therefore join and lead Tau units - the only one of his kind to be
                     extended this honour.
Inspirational Presence:
                     Anghkor Prok has the ability to motivate his kindred like no other Shaper. Any
                     Kroot unit in close combat that has at least one model within 6" of Anghkor
                     Prok may re-roll failed to hit rolls in close combat once.
Elder of All Kindreds:
                     Angkor Prok cannot take any evolutionary upgrades that would normally be
                     associated with a Kroot Army. However he is subject to the rules or Infiltrate
                     and Fieldcraft as per the rest of the Kroot army.
His victories soon garnered him much respect from all kindreds on Pech and his periodic returns to
the homeworld became occasions of great celebration and feasting. On one such occasion, Khibala
Yusra and his warriors returned to find their Kindred's ancestral lands ravaged and extended families
slain. The other kindreds told of a hideous rain of fleshy spores that disgorged hundreds of monstrous
beasts, which landed amidst a time of great ill-omen. This tide of alien killers slew all before it,
devouring kindred after kindred before sweeping into the haunted depths of the Ygothlac forest. The
kindreds told of great sounds of battle and howls that rent the nights with their fury.
Days later, the shattered remnants of the alien invaders scuttled from the forest in disarray, where the
kindreds who had kept watch on the forest were able to slay them with ease. Most of the alien
corpses were destroyed but one was kept alive. He had encountered such creatures before as a
mercenary leader, and knew them as Tyranids. He ritually slew the alien beast and devoured its vile
flesh, that he might know his enemy and set out with his warriors to fight the murderers of his kindred.
Khibala Yusra's kindred travelled the galaxy, plying their trade as warriors for several years, fighting
against Tyranids, and numerous other alien foes. Khibala Yusra personally slew the leader of a
warband of Galthite Expansionists, taking this powerful weapon for himself. Without a Kindred back
on Pech to replenish their numbers, Khibala Yusra's warband grew smaller, with each fallen warrior
solemnly devoured by the Kindred to preserve his genetic material. As their numbers fell, they were
forced to abandon their warsphere and earned passage on the starships of their employers, and,
following the trail of Hive Fleet Kraken, Yusra led his Kindred towards the world of Ichar IV. Here,
Khibala Yusra led his warriors into battle as the forces of the human Emperor fought against the
Tyranids.
Khibala Yusra's warriors helped the defenders to ultimate victory. Soon the ferocity of the Kroot
warriors came to the attention of Inquisitor Agmar and, with the Ultramarines stretched to the limit in
cleansing the last pockets of resistance, the Inquisitor granted them Imperial Sanction and took Yusra
and his few remaining warriors into his retinue. Khibala Yusra and his Kroot remained in the service of
Inquisitor Agmar for another two years, though it was clear that Khibala Yusra had agendas
elsewhere. Eventually, his warriors were all dead and the once-proud mercenary chief was all that
remained of the Kindred, their genetic material contained within his body. Knowing something of Kroot
death-oaths, Inquisitor Agmar released Khibala Yusra from his service. Since then Yusra has
wandered through space, seeking to kill as many Tyranid organisms as possible before succumbing
to an honourable death.
                                                                   >>>Khibala Yusra<<<
                                                                    (Photo by Mr Evil)
Equipment:             Galthite Lacerator, K'Nib multi-launcher fitted with combat attachment (+1A,
                       included in the above statline), Fighting mask and Frag grenades.
K'Nib multi-launcher:
                     The K'nib weapon draws its power from the metabolism of the wielder and
                     when it fires it launches a hail of reactive bio-plasma using the profile below.
                     Also note that the K'nib Multi-Launcher counts as an additional close-combat
                     weapon.
Weapon               Range             Strength      AP              Type           Notes
K'Nib multi-launcher 12”               4             3               Assault (x)    CCW, (x) = Number
                                                                                    of wounds Khibala
                                                                                    has remaining.
Additional Notes:    Since the multi-launcher draws its power from the Khibala Yusra, its firing rate
is dependent on his Wounds. On a 'to hit' roll of one (1), the weapon is draining too much of Khibala's
energy. Khibala Yusra must roll 1D6 equal to or under his strength value, or suffer one wound.
SPECIAL RULES
Fearless:         Khibala Yusra will never fall back and automatically pass any moral tests (even
                  against attacks which normally force their target to fall back without any tests).
                  Khibala Yusra cannot be Pinned.
Hyperactive Nymune organ adaptation:
                  Khibala Yusra is able to manipulate his nymune organ in order to boost his
                  energy levels. This allows him to use the Fleet of Foot rules.
Ambush:                Khibala Yusra does not deploy with the rest of the army, but instead
                       deepstrikes into any piece of terrain on the battlefield. If the deepstrike scatters
                       outside of the terrain, he must be set up as close to a terrain piece as possible.
                       Khibala is not destroyed if he lands in impassable terrain, but rather sets up just
                       outside the terrain. Khibala may assault the turn he arrives.
Veteran:               The Big Game Hunter is adept in fighting in all environments and is subject to
                       the universal Stealth rule.
Tyranid Hunter:        Khibala Yusra counts Tyranids as Preferred Enemies and will always hit any
                       Tyranid model on a 3+ in close combat.
Conversion Corner:
Khibala Yusra is quite simple to make although requires some skill with green stuff.
Look at the model closely, you will need a kroot body and leg set, and some kroot arms and a head
(open mouthed). Remove the bottom jaw from the head and green stuff the mask on, then the visor,
the front vent bits are bits of plastic rod cut down to length.
The pouches come from sources like mordheim and space marines (have a good rummage through
bits box). The gun is an upside-down plasma pistol with green stuff for the upper section. The blade
can be either a kroot knife or a space marine knife.
The claw on the other hand was the hardest bit to do, I used a really old style plastic chaos space
marine power fist cut down, other alternatives could be normal space marine power fist cut down or
maybe even a flayed ones claw? This maybe the hardest bit to source but worth a good look around.
Painting wise you should keep his colours different to your normal Kroot army - to represent he’s not
of the same kindred.
“From interrogations of several specimens we have discovered that the ‘Big Game Hunter’ is a tragic
figure amongst the Kroot. Though ‘why’ can hardly be fathomed by any civilised creature.”
        Except from the Journal of Inquisitor Jose von Jarl, Ordo Xenos.
Unlike the Tau, the Kroot are capable of true warp travel but the exact method has been kept secret
from their employers. To the Kroot warp travel is almost migratory and they seem incapable of
navigating anywhere other than systems with habitable worlds. It would appear they are drawn to
functioning eco-systems.
The famous Kroot Warspheres are self-contained towns wherein is kept the retained knowledge of
Kroot technology and the choicest items they have received as payment for their services. As such
they do not risk them in battle willingly and try to avoid direct action against warships unless the need
is great or they are being exceptionally well rewarded.
Warspheres have a single drive running through their core from north to south pole and manoeuvring
thrusters along their equator. These engines are very basic, yet reliable, making Warspheres very
slow. They are powerful enough to allow the Warsphere to land and take-off from a planet although
the process is not elegant. When dirtside the manoeuvring thrusters are used to bury the Warsphere.
The Kroot also utilise a number of smaller ships, the ‘Tracker’ being the standard scout ship of the
Kroot and looks at first like a miniaturised Warsphere. First contact is usually made by shapers
commanding a ‘Tracker’. Once a deal is brokered then the Warsphere will be brought into the
system. Recently Imperium vessels have suffered unexpected raids, deployed by Knarloc boarding
craft which can only have been deployed from ‘Tracker’ Scoutship variants. These ships are not seen
amongst the Tau Fleets as they are considered too light and technically primitive to act as escorts.
Another smaller ship, the ‘Great Knarlock’ could be said at first glance to be a variation of the
‘Tracker’ Scoutship, however on closer inspection it is comparatively quite advanced. The ‘Great
Knarlock’ Troopship seems to be a recent innovation amongst Kroot Mercenary tactics leading many
to believe some greater technological force is behind their production and supply. The ‘Great
Knarlock’s primary use is to transfer mercenary troops to smaller theatres of operation.
Kroot will often take enemy ships captive and return them to Pech to be rendered down, sold to the
Tau or used in some other way to further the Kroot race. Prize ships are often simple merchant ships
without complex drive functions. Ships captured by the Kroot are equipped with only a skeleton crew.
Few Master Shapers would send these ships into battle unless surprised and/or desperate. No
matter the original statistics of the ship, Prizeships have a limited stat line which takes into account
skeleton crew, accumulated damage, lack of experience of the Kroot crew, etc.
Kroot Warspheres have had extensive experience inside Imperial Space and so have adapted the
custom of using fireships in fleet manoeuvres to protect themselves from escorts and ordinance. Not
all captured ships are returnable to Pech (due to lack of crew, damage, complexity, etc) and will often
be towed by Warspheres to be used as mobile storage space for spare parts or Fireships.
Kroot commanders are highly adept at setting ambushes. Often squadrons of fighters and launch
boats are sent out to lurk near planetary bodies, behind Ion storms or amidst asteroid fields until the
enemy is in range.