The document introduces "Horde Mode", a fan-made battle mission expansion for Warhammer 40,000 that simulates last stand battles. It provides rules for two opposing sides: a small "Band" facing insurmountable odds against a larger "Horde". The Band aims to damage the Horde or complete an objective, while the Horde seeks to overwhelm the Band. Rules cover army composition, special abilities, deployment, scoring, and using terrain to make dynamic games that can also craft narratives. The expansion is intended to convey desperate battles against overwhelming forces in the Warhammer 40k universe.

1. HORDE MODE!
A WARHAMMER 40k BATTLE MISSION
Written by Dakka User Dreamakuma
Hello, and welcome to Horde mode! A fan made battle mission and Ruleset expansion for Warhammer
40,000. You'll need a few things in order to play this game. These Include:
-The Warhammer 40,000 rule book
-Standard war gaming supplies(measure, dice, codex, army and objective markers)
-A table to play on and friends to play with
Horde Mode is a way to convey those last stand battles within history where a band of brothers face
insurmountable odds until either the small band repels the wave of enemies or is wiped out. Those
fierce fights that are often last stands to hold a point, save the last remnants of a hive city, or even
become the spear tip of a larger assault waiting for reinforcement. The insurmountable odds that are
stacked against them is often infinite. The best tactical advice one could give to these ill fated warriors
and soldiers; KILL AS MANY UNTIL YOU DIE!
The standard size and suggested size of a horde mode game is 501 points. Special Rules for the game
are as follows:
-Each Man Is His Own
All models move and shoot individually. Furthermore a single model or group of models can
embark or disembark in a vehicle even if they are from separate units as long as the number of
models does not exceed the transport capacity.
There are two sides to Horde Mode:
The band, The tightly knit group of a few individuals heaved with the task of damaging a seemingly
unstoppable force. A tactical squad with a captain needing to buy the company time to evacuate a
Chapter relic from a planet before the Tyranid race wipes everything from the planets surface. A
Imperial regiment being the last stand from the Ork menace reaching munitions to take a stronghold
and hive city. The band can be any race but it's struggles are all too familiar in the galaxy. The Band's
Force organization charts and special rules are as follows:
1 HQ
0-1 Elites
0-2 Troops
0-1 Fast attack

2. Special rules:
-Specialists in times of need
The HQ and one unit from the band gain one special rule from the Warhammer 40k rulebook
in addition to any rules the unit already has.
-Hardened through hell
All units in the band gain a 6+ Feel No Pain.
-Take the hold
All Non-Vehicle units are scoring unless otherwise noted in their codex entry.
A Band of deathwatch brothers
The Horde, an unstoppable stampede rallied or possibly even created for the purpose of destruction. A
swarm of Tyranids attaining biomass, the forces of Chaos rising through a hive city revealing traitors to
overthrow an imperial planet or even a waaagh storming the forefront. Most hordes are so large the
leaders that push them forward are rarely ever seen by the band. The Force organization and rules for
the horde are as follows.
0-1 Elites
1-3 Troops
0-2 Fast attack

3. Special Rules
-It Does Not End
any and all troops choices taken as causalities are placed in reserve to be redeployed the next
turn on the horde player's table edge. The causalities are still counted in victory points.
-The Mob Fears Nothing
All units in the horde are fearless.
Rules and Deployment
In horde mode you deploy on a 4x4 table. With the band at up to 9” from the center and the horde at
one table edge up to 6”.
There are no warlords in horde mode.
Victory points for the band are as follows:
2 points per elites
1 point per troops and fast attack
Victory Points for the horde are as follows
3 points for HQ
2 points per elite
1 point per troops and fast attack.
Objectives are worth 3 points
Games themselves are usually going to be under 5 turns.
In the case of a tie in points victory goes to the band player. The band was able to keep the horde at bay.

4. Terrain Tips
Without overcrowding the board cover would be good to have for both sides in this game. Use trees,
building wreckage, wrecked vehicles, and whatever you want to help the band or the horde gain cover
and break line of sight. Using terrain like this will make games far more dynamic than just a flat plain
with fatalities everywhere.
Forging A Narrative
Horde mode can be used as either a fun game type in the vein as Kill Team or as a way to further tell a
story of a great battle. You can use horde mode as a prequel to a larger game with an outcome on the
events and deployment. You can also use horde mode in campaigns to tell the story of the odds being
stacked against an elite few with stakes placed so high. Possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
It's a large Galaxy, with endless battles ,but no hope
This is a fan made expansion for Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 game, released freely and at no cost. This fan
made expansion is written by Dreamakuma. If you have any questions or comments feel free to find me on dakkadakka.