Many troops in the Warhammer game have unique and unusual abilities and skills. These range from supernatural abilities, such as the regenerative powers of Trolls and the fiery breath of Dragons, to the natural protection gained by Lizardmen from their scaly hides.

In the game these abilities and special skills are represented by special rules. Any creature may have one or more special rules and, unless otherwise mentioned, the effects from special rules are cumulative.

The following list is by no means exhaustive, but it does detail the most common special rules and should serve as a good reference source.

These troops are skilled at sneaking forwards to scout out the enemy before the main force arrives. By making the best use of cover, advancing at night, or with other troops providing a diversion, they are able to deploy ahead of the rest of the army.

Scouts are set up after both armies have been deployed. They can be set up anywhere on the table, at least 10" away from the enemy and must be out of the sight of any enemy troops and in or behind interposing terrain (not out in the open!). If both armies contain troops with this ability, each player should roll a D6, with the player scoring the highest choosing whether he deploys before or after the enemy's Scouts. Two opposing groups of Scouts cannot be set up within 10" of each other.

Alternatively Scouts can be placed on the controlling player's deployment zone like any other troops, after deployment of both main armies is finished.

Some warriors and creatures in the Warhammer world are almost completely fearless, or such grizzled veterans that scenes which would make lesser troops panic have no effect on them.

Troops that are immune to psychology are never affected by fear, terror, frenzy or any other Psychology rules. Troops immune to Psychology may never flee as a charge reaction - they are far too proud and brave to do this! These troops still have to take Break tests as normal.

Some creatures are utterly fearless and will never give up a battle, no matter how hopeless the situation might be. This could be because of the troops' extreme bravery, or because the creatures fighting are not truly alive.

These troops never break in close combat, and they are also immune to panic, terror and fear or any other Psychology rules. If defeated in close combat (even by fear-causing creatures that outnumber them) unbreakable troops continue to fight on regardless of results. They may never, however, declare that they are fleeing as a charge reaction, as they will literally die fighting under any circumstances.

Some creatures, the reptilian Lizardmen in particular, have tough, scaly skin which acts exactly like armour. This save can be variable. Lizardmen Skinks, for example, have a scaly skin save of 6+, while mighty Dragons could have a save of 3+ or more! The effectiveness of the scaly skin can be combined with armour, so a model with a 5+ scaly skin save and a shield would have a 4+ save. Note that scaly skin is an armour save. for all intents and purposes, and may be modified by high Strength, etc.

Some warriors have honed the craft of killing into an art. Tales are told of the master swordsmen of the White Tower who can decapitate a man with one stroke of their blade - their victims barely registering the sword leaving its scabbard.

If a model with the Killing Blow special ability rolls a 6 when rolling to wound, he automatically slays his opponent without recourse to a saving throw, apart from Ward saves.

This attack is only effective against roughly man-sized opponents such as Men, Ores, Elves, Beastmen, etc.

It has no effect on big creatures such as Ogres or Dragons, or things like swarms which consist of several creatures. It can be used against models mounted on steeds or monsters as long as the riders themselves are roughly man-sized.

A creature with this ability may try to regenerate any wound on a D6 roll of 4+. Only one attempt may be made on each wound to regenerate it.

Troops that are able to can regenerate damage if not too badly hurt. Work this out as follows. When attacked in close combat, shot at, or the target of spells, calculate the number of wounds suffered as normal. Once all attacks for the phase have been made, the creature may try to regenerate. Roll a D6 for each wound suffered during that phase. If a 4 or more is rolled, that wound has regenerated. You may only try to regenerate any single wound once. Any regenerated wounds are reinstated, and models removed as casualties are replaced if enough wounds are regenerated.

The results of combat, panic, etc are worked out after creatures have regenerated (the number of wounds inflicted does not include any that are regenerated).

For example, three Tolls (which can regenerate) are fighting five Empire Knights. The Knights strike first and inflict 5 wounds, enough to hill one Troll and cause 2 further wounds. The remaining two Trolls inflict 3 wounds on the Knights. The Trolls now test to regenerate and successfully regenerate 3 wounds. The 3 wounds are reinstated, the 'killed' Troll is replaced, and the 2 wounds suffered are noted down. The Knights have scored only 2 wounds in the end while the Trolls have inflicted 3. Assuming no other combat bonuses apply, the Trolls have won.

The flesh of a regenerating creature cannot regenerate if it has been burnt. If a regenerating creature or unit sustains one or more wounds from a flame attack it cannot regenerate any wounds during the remainder of the battle, not even those inflicted by ordinary weapons.

Some supernatural creatures are resistant to magic, or are protected by divine mystic powers or mighty sorcerers.

A creature with magic resistance will be difficult to harm with magic. The number in the brackets indicates the maximum number of extra dice that may be rolled when trying to dispel each spell that affects the magically resistant creature. For details of dispelling see the Magic section.

Some warriors of the Warhammer world use lethal toxins to envenom their weaponry. The Dark Elf Adepts of Khaine and the Skinks of the steaming jungles of Lustria are the most noted exponents in the use of poisoned weapons.

A warrior with poisoned attacks will wound his target automatically if he scores a 6 when determining whether he hits his opponent in the Shooting or Close Combat phases. Armour saves are taken as normal. Unliving targets (such as war machines) are immune to poison as are some troop types. These are clearly defined in their description.

Fiery Dragons and the dreaded Hydras and Chimeras of the Chaos Wastes, as well as some even more bizarre creatures, have the ability to breathe fire, noxious gas, lightning or even stranger breath weapons.

A model with a breath weapon may use it in the Shooting phase. Use the Flame template, placing the broad end over your intended target as you wish and the narrow end next to the creature's head. Any model that lies completely under the template is hit automatically - models whose bases lie partially under the template are hit on a 4+. The strength and any special effects of the breath weapon will be detailed in the entry for each individual creature. Characters under the template are eligible for 'Look out, Sir!' rolls if they are in a unit.

Breath weapons may not be used as a stand & shoot charge reaction, and neither can they be used in close combat. A creature with a breath weapon needs time to belch forth its flames!

Some creatures, such as Undead Mummies and Treemen, burn easily. A flammable creature hit by a flaming weapon or fiery spell will take double wounds, so every wound suffered by a flammable creature will be doubled to 2 wounds. Take any saves before multiplying the wounds.