Imperial Knights are far more than towering war machines; they are living symbols of a bond between pilot and legacy.
Every pilot who sits in a Throne Mechanicum must be judged by the spirits of their predecessors, making each Knight as much about lineage as firepower. In the new Codex: Imperial Knights, the Crusade rules take this relationship even further, letting you track pilots, earn Chivalric points, and upgrade your Knight units in ways that feel personal and heroic. Whether it’s an Armiger pilot rising to the rank of Questoris or a veteran Noble forging a legend across the battlefield, these rules reward investment and storytelling as much as tactical prowess. The Codex turns every battle into a chance to grow your pilot into a peerless champion of the Imperium.
Tracking Pilots and Chivalric Quests
Every Knight in your Crusade roster now has a Pilot Crusade card. Here you record a name, an alignment, and track achievements, giving your pilot a real sense of identity. Growth comes from completing Chivalric Quests, which reward actions you are already doing on the battlefield, such as killing characters, taking objectives, or smashing enemy vehicles. Each quest runs across three battles, tallying points toward Chivalric progression. Fail to earn at least four points, however, and your pilot is Dishonoured, forcing you to recover your integrity before you can continue.
One of the standout quests, To Raise High the Pennants of Victory, rewards control of objectives. Tally marks are earned for each objective your Knight holds at the end of a battle, with bonus marks for objectives in enemy deployment zones. The system is intuitive and reinforces standard tactical behavior while adding the flavor of personal glory and prestige. Tally rewards scale nicely, so even incremental successes feel meaningful.
Masteries: Skills That Evolve
Chivalric points are spent to develop a pilot’s Mastery, granting unique abilities that improve as points accumulate. Eight Masteries are available, including Mastery of the Clarion and Mastery of Tuition. Clarion-based skills extend Bondsman abilities, letting Questoris Knights coordinate Armigers at increasing ranges, from 18 inches up to anywhere on the battlefield with line of sight. Tuition Mastery, on the other hand, emphasizes mentorship, letting experienced Knights grant XP to other Imperial Knights in your Crusade roster, building a network of power and influence.
For example, Truth’s Voice allows a TITANIC unit to support nearby Armigers, while Emissary of the Court makes them a battlefield-wide commander. Mastery of Tuition has escalating tiers—Wise Mentor, Martial Tutor, and Master-at-Arms—letting a single veteran Knight bolster up to three others per battle. This system encourages building coherent lances where veteran pilots nurture newcomers, reflecting the rich hierarchy and martial tradition of the Knight Houses.
Requisitions, Relics, and Knight Transfers
On top of all this, Crusade campaigns retain the usual Relics, Requisitions, and Crusade badges. The Hand of the Sacristan Requisition lets you transplant a pilot’s neural bond from one Knight to another, effectively upgrading your roster while preserving veteran experience. This requires certain Levels of Honour and ensures balance—Armigers transfer to Armigers, Questoris to Questoris, and so on—while granting XP and Blooded rank to the new model. It’s a clever way to refresh units without losing narrative continuity or hard-earned progress.
The combination of Chivalric Quests, Mastery progression, and unit transfers makes Imperial Knights feel alive in your campaign. Every action has a tangible impact on your pilots’ growth and on the battlefield, blending storytelling, tactical choice, and mechanical rewards in a way few systems manage. Whether you’re investing in a Freeblade’s rise or a Questoris pilot’s legendary deeds, the Crusade system rewards careful planning and bold plays alike.
Final Thoughts
The new Codex: Imperial Knights makes each battle feel like part of a larger story. Pilots gain personality, grow in power, and leave their mark across the Mortal Realms. From Chivalric Quests to Mastery progression and Requisitions like Hand of the Sacristan, every mechanic reinforces the sense of legacy and heroic scale. This is a must-have for any Knight player looking to make their Crusade campaign feel personal, cinematic, and deeply strategic. The Codex goes up for pre-order this weekend, and it promises to turn every battlefield into a stage for your legendary pilots.
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