Hi All,
I am a big fan of the Crusade system but I am more than willing to admit there are a number of quite confusing aspects. One area I keep running into confusion is the role of relics in the crusade system. Can you stack faction relics? How do I add crusade relics? What about special-issue relics for space marines or eldar? Well Let’s take a look at each aspect and see if we can clear it up. As ever, I am willing to admit I might be wrong about something so let me know in the comments if I screw up.
How do I add Relics:
There are three ways to add a relic of any kind to your roster. The first is through the use of the Relic requisition. This costs 1 RP and allows you to give a relic to one CHARACTER model in your roster. It’s important to note that you cannot give this character a crusade relic, so it must come from your codex.
The second way to add a relic is through leveling up. Crusade relics are a selectible Battle Honor, and if selected this way, do not cost RP. However all crusade relics are character-only.
Mission Rewards are the third way to get a relic. The exact mechanics of whether you grant a unit a crusade relic or get to use the Relic Requisition for free (a number of army special rules can grant this as well) depend on the mission itself.
Can I stack Relics?
This is one of the more confusing parts of the rules, as one set of rules allows this to stack but the other doesn’t. Crusade relics stack both with other crusade relics and army-specific relics. However, if you read the text for the Relic requisition, you will see that in the text it stipulates that no model can have more than 1 relic of this kind. they also specify that you cannot select a relic to replace a weapon that has been enhanced so if you plan on getting a late-game crusade relic weapon make sure you don’t lock yourself out of it.
Odd scenarios:
Okay but what about the questions we asked earlier? For the space marine special-issue wargear these are locked to characters (though should be an option for Sgts. IMHO) and thus are selected by using the relic requisition. Be aware though, if you are a second-founding chapter and want to gain a relic from your first-founding chapter (via the stratagem) you add +2 to the unit’s crusade points total not +1. This only affects Space Marines FYI.
Aspect Shrine Relics operate in a bit of a grey zone. As Exarchs aren’t characters they cannot be given using the Relic requisition but neither are they crusade relics. RAW these relics aren’t available for crusades, but as a GM, I would allow players to take them using the Relic requisition (but check with your local GM first).
One last bit of advice, if you are creating your own missions remember that the limitation on faction relics is locked to the requisition. Thus, if you give a reward that says “A unit in the army may select a relic…etc.” this will technically allow a player to stack faction relics. Yes this is very dumb, and super-gamey and you can likely just threaten the player but it is a weird loophole that someone might try to use.
So those are my thoughts on the rules surrounding relics in the Crusade system. Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments.
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Crusade Relics are NOT Relics, they are a type of Battle Honour, just like Battle Traits and Weapon Enhancements. This means that you can have 6 Crudade Relics that you earn (via ranking up and mission rewards), plus a Codex Relic (which you can only apply through the Relic requisition).
Also, the only way to use the Sergeant-specific Relics/Warlord Trait stratagem are with the Specialist Reinforcements requisition; you specifically can NOT use the Relic or Warlord Trait requisitions on them, as they are not characters.