Warhammer 40k 9th edition Compilation

We’ve all built forts in our youth, though maybe not quite to the same degree as Rogal Dorn did at his dad’s place. If you’re a fan of supporting your glorious army with a similarly glorious line of buildings or defensive emplacements, then you’re going to love what we’ve got in store for you today. Let’s take a look.

Building Your Fortifications

First things first, just like everything else in a Battle-forged army, if you want to include some Fortifications, you’re going to need a Detachment. Thankfully, the aptly named Fortification Network is available to cover all your Fortification-based needs. What’s more, the cost of including the Detachment will even be refunded if the Fortifications you include match the Faction of your Warlord!

Of course, as terrain in their own right, many Fortifications also come with a selection of terrain traits (the specifics will be included in each Faction’s FAQs on launch day), so may offer additional protection and other benefits to those tasked with defending them – and they’ll start in your deployment zone too!

What’s the Big Deal with Fortifications?

You may be wondering what the purpose of including Fortifications in your army might be. Well, not only do they look cool and reinforce the aesthetic of your army, but they come with unique and powerful abilities that can offer game-changing effects when properly utilized. Take the Sacristan Forgeshrine, for example…

In addition to sharing a sympathetic design with the rest of the Sector Mechanicus terrain so that it fits seamlessly into the range, it can also be used to perform a number of rites upon nearby Imperial Knights. These effects allow them to repair, reload or refuel, with each option offering a super-useful bonus.

The Orks have access to a building that is similar in principle – if rather more ramshackle in appearance – the Mekboy Workshop.

Any Orky vehicles that swing by can be upgraded by with a kustom job with similar effects to the Sacristan Forgeshrine, but with the added chance that the innovative Mekboy in charge can conjure up something ‘extra speshul’…

If you serve the Dark Gods, the Noctilith Crown will be well-suited to your infernal purpose…

As well as its unholy energies confounding enemy psykers, making them suffer Perils of the Warp on any roll of a double when making a Psychic test, its Loathsome Aura will protect Chaos units of every description that are in its proximity. That’s handy (or even tentacle-y) for sheltering a firebase of ranged units.

The advanced technology of the T’au Empire has given them the means to take the notion of mobile defence to a whole new level – their Tidewall Shieldline, Droneport and Gunrig can actually move!

Just when it seems your opponent’s murderous horde of Tyranids is about to overrun your position, you can casually and gracefully reform your defensive line even as your Fire Warriors continue to gun them down in droves.

Planning Permission Authorised…

While we’re discussing Fortifications, we couldn’t resist showing you a few highlights from the datasheets of the upcoming units for the Space Marines and Necrons! First up the Hammerfall Bunker… 

We showed you the profiles for its suped-up (in fact, ‘superfrag’ or ‘superkrak’ no less) missile launcher already, but you’ll surely have noticed all the guns sprouting from it in every direction. These rapid-deployment bastions are the ultimate area-denial assets, as their automated guns blaze away at EVERY ENEMY UNIT WITHIN RANGE. Approach this murder-bunker of doom at your peril!

Next up is the imposing Convergence of Dominion…

The first thing to bear in mind with this ‘building’ is that it comprises three constituent Starsteles (part pylon, part waystone, all awesome), which can be set up to cover quite a large area of the battlefield.

If you’ve got a Convergence of Dominion nearby, your Necrons needn’t worry much about Combat Attrition, as they’ll be adding 2 to their Leadership characteristic within 6? of any Starsteles – that’s Ld 12 on average if you’re keeping count! – while your enemies will face the wrath of their transdimensional abductors.

What’s more, if you’re looking to expand the borders of your power base, you can even take a Starstele with you! Simply task a Cryptek with the job of moving one of the nodes and, through the mysteries of hypertechnology, you can move a Starstele right where you need it for maximum impact.

Well, today may mark the end of our Faction Focus series and Warhammer 40,000 Previews, but there’s definitely a silver lining…

There will be a two-week pre-order window and Indomitus and friends will hit shelves on July 25th.

That’s not long at all! Indomitus is the flagship of the new edition, and what an amazing way to celebrate. If you want a reminder of just how very full of Warhammer 40,000 goodness this box is, take a look back at our unboxing article. Copies are available while stocks last, so be sure to secure yours early – they won’t be around forever.

Wait… did we say ‘Indomitus and friends’ up there? That’s right! Indomitus isn’t launching the whole edition by itself, there’s plenty more to be excited about, whether you prefer open, narrative or matched play, so let’s take a look. 

First up, we have a new type of Chapter Approved. This revered tome is evolving into the essential yearly update for all competitive players, and it’s actually two books! 

The Grand Tournament 2020 Mission pack is … well, packed with new missions, alongside guidance for running and playing in tournaments, special Secondary Objectives, and loads more. It’s even got a special binding to make it extra friendly to the tabletop setting. The second book is the Munitorum Field Manual, which holds a full list of updated points for Warhammer 40,000 units. With their powers combined, the new Chapter Approved will have you on the cutting edge of Warhammer 40,000 competitive gaming.

But launch day isn’t just for matched play. Narrative players, we’d like to introduce you to the Crusade Journal.

This army and campaign tracker is a great way to celebrate the fantastic new Crusade system, and we could not be more excited to get started. This book is going to allow any budding warlord or conqueror to log all their glorious victories (and also the glorious non-victories) and let you easily follow the journey of your Crusade force as it grows from a simple patrol into a mighty war host conquering the galaxy. Get ready to write your war stories and be sure to order your Crusade Journal on Day 1 (which, in case you missed it earlier, is July 11th).

Fans of open play will have their own reason to celebrate with these new Open War cards. 

These allow you to quickly and easily generate a mission by randomly choosing a deployment, objective and twist for your battle. There are also ways of evening up games where there is a difference in Power Levels between players so they work great for spontaneous pickup games. With thousands of different combinations, these cards will keep you busy for a good long while without ever repeating a game (unless you want to).

Okay, so we’ve seen all of the awesome stuff that is going to be available at launch, and we know that there are completists out there who are eagerly anticipating everything! The good news is that you don’t have to wait long – Indomitus, Chapter Approved, the Crusade Journal and the Open War cards will all be available to pre-order from the 11th of July. Then, they will all be in-store from the 25th of July.

Justin: I was asked to help shed some light on how things will be changing for Thousand Sons in the new edition, so here are some highlights for my fellow Sorcerers to look forward to.

First off, they’ve designed a whole new secondary objective archetype just for us! Though the Aeldari, Tyranids and even certain Librarians may disagree with this statement, we’re definitely one of the best-positioned armies to make use of the new psychic actions mechanic. 

Traditionally, our models interact with the game almost entirely by shooting or punching (or Smiting) each other – the actions mechanic has been introduced to allow a more thematic means for armies to interact with each other or with the battlefield itself. 

In game terms, this is usually expressed as a secondary objective – an action that can be performed to achieve victory points. Psychic actions can only be performed by Psykers, and this means there’s a direct means for Thousand Sons players to influence the outcome of the game via their mastery of the Psychic phase.

Psychic Actions and Secondary Objectives

 While we’re here, now’s a great time to check in on psychic actions and how they interact with your battles. Justin was right to be very excited about these – Psyker-heavy armies have three rather excellent secondary objectives to choose from in their matched play battles, giving you plenty of ways to score some all-important victory points. Take Mental Interrogation – your front-line Psykers will be able to score you points, presumably representing knowledge torn from the minds of the unwilling! Even if it doesn’t secure you victory, it is a great excuse to do an extremely evil laugh. 

Cool, eh? Back to Justin for more tips…

 Justin: Here’s another big one! Have you ever watched our dear Primarch get blasted off the table before he even gets an opportunity to protect himself? Well, the return of the Strategic Reserves mechanic ensures that you can keep Magnus safe when necessary and be certain he’ll get a chance to act before anyone gets to point any heavy weaponry in his direction. While there is a price to be paid for making use of Strategic Reserves, I think we can agree that it’ll be well worth it in cases where it helps Magnus live.

Justin: This edition presents some new challenges and opportunities now that Psykers can no longer manifest powers after Falling Back. While not as concerning to us as it may be to some – after all, a Daemon Prince can handle itself in combat, and the Black Staff of Ahriman isn’t just for show – it’s important to know that you’ll need to properly protect your Characters when the need for their powers outweighs their ability to scrap. If you don’t think your Sorcerers are up for the fight, you’ll want them safely behind a line of devoted bodyguards to ensure your Psychic phase isn’t disrupted.

This, combined with the extra Command point per turn, means that over the standard* new edition game length of 5 battle rounds, you’ll have at least 17 in a game. Various unique Genestealer Cults abilities, such as the Nexos’ Strategic Coordinator rule, can also add Command points during play, so feel free to add a second Detachment. A pair of Patrol Detachments works really well, netting a starting total of 10 Command points, and allow you to add in some extra Cult Stratagems or benefits. Even better for Genestealer Cults is that, unlike the Strategic Reserves rules, their Cult Ambush ability doesn’t cost any Command points. Sneaky!

Genestealer Cults can make the game into a claustrophobic affair, with sneak attacks and ambushes a core part of their playstyle. They also have access to a large number of distinct units in any given army build. That makes them very capable when it comes to executing Shadow Operations, the new action-mechanic-based secondary mission criteria. Missions like Raise the Banners High cater expertly to the board control-centric, unit-heavy Genestealer Cults. It’s possible to pressure enemy units away from objectives AND dedicate small, expendable units to actions without wasting the turns of your heavier hitters on it. I’ve always imagined the Genestealer Cults had deeper and more sinister plans in mind than mere open combat. I love the idea of their real plan being sneaky actions, psychic rituals, or similar events happening out of sight while you’re struggling to kill their fanatical cultists!

Actions are a new type of ability in Warhammer 40,000 that represent something that your warriors must accomplish in order to achieve victory. They can vary from searching for missing archeotech or activating a series of power generators, to completing a blasphemous ritual to the Dark Gods.

Key Units

Let’s hand you back over to Mike to learn more about which units are going to be crucial to your uprisings in the new edition.

The Kellermorph

Mike: While many GSC units will still be exceptional in the new edition, I can’t wait to put more work into the Kelermorph. Already a strong unit, a critical new change to the game’s Coherency rules will make them amazing once again in combination with the Lying in Wait Stratagem.

No more will long convoluted chains of Imperial Guard squads or Gretchin mobs cover the entirety of a player’s backfield. These rules mean that squads operate more like coherent formations in the game. As a result, it’s a lot harder to perfectly screen out every last inch of your board from the 3” arrival zone enabled by Lying in Wait, and the Kelermorph can once again get super sneaky and hunt backfield units or Characters with prototypical impunity.

Goliath Truck

Mike: Genestealer Cults Transports, such as the Goliath Truck, are able to get up close, deal serious damage in melee, and shoot some solid weaponry into any enemy unit trying to tie them down. Currently, if an enemy is wrapping your vehicle, you lose your deadly combat unit when the vehicle is destroyed. However, with the new Emergency Disembarkation Core Stratagem, you can safely wait for just the right time to pile a load of Aberrants or other hard-hitters out of their Transport.***

These Gravis-armoured warriors are armed with melta rifles that give you the range of a multi-melta in an assault weapon – and with their Total Obliteration ability, your opponent’s vehicles and heavily armoured units will be trying to stay far, far away!

What about the Necrons? Let’s take a look at the very creepy and cool-looking Cryptothralls.

Bodyguards to Crypteks, such as the Plasmancer in Indomitus, Cryptothralls get a tasty boost to their characteristics while they’re close to their master – and they don’t even take up a Detachment slot in a Battle-forged army while you have a Cryptek.

What is Combat Patrol?

This is the new way to play small games of Warhammer 40,000. It’s for armies of a combined total Power Level of 50 (or around 25 power each)*. Each player will get 3CP each to start the game with and an additional 1CP each turn, and Combat Patrols are played on a battlefield of at least 44” x 30” – meaning that you can easily play Warhammer 40,000 on a dining table (or a school desk or almost anywhere)! If you’re a Kill Team fan, this board size is the same as two Kill Zones combined – very compact!

Why is Combat Patrol Awesome?

Games of Combat Patrol will only take around an hour to play, making them an amazing option if you don’t have the time for a larger game. It also means that you can get MORE games of Warhammer 40,000 into a single gaming session. You could hold your own league or ladder campaign in just one evening! Since you only need a small army, a Combat Patrol force is also a great milestone to aim for when beginning a new Faction.**

Accept Your Mission

There are also specific missions for Combat Patrol and they have goals that are more suitable for this size of wargaming.*** For example, let’s take a look at the Incisive Attack mission.

So, do you focus on grabbing your opponent’s objective marker or do you try to keep them off yours? That’s for you to decide!**** There are a host of new missions that can be played for Combat Patrol, each with their own objectives and special rules, meaning that even these smaller games will give your brain a tactical workout. The new Warhammer 40,000 features bespoke Combat Patrol missions both for matched play and for narrative Crusade games, and we can’t wait to try them all out.

Building Your Army

An army for Combat Patrol is based on a single Patrol Detachment,***** which gives you a nice amount of flexibility and choice for the size of battle.

Drukhari are set to be a really great Faction to play in the new edition of Warhammer 40,000. The most striking improvement is to the little utilised Raiding Force rule. As a reminder, it gives your army four extra Command points if you include at least three Patrol Detachments. Combined with having your Warlord in one of these Detachments, you get the flexibility of taking up to three Patrol Detachments while still getting the maximum number of Command points.

Vehicles are also going to be very powerful in the new edition. This is great for Drukhari, as most armies will already feature vehicles heavily. Aircraft will no longer run into issues with having their movements blocked off by ground units and will be able to move back onto the board if you do choose to have them leave. Another huge improvement is that many Drukhari weapons are around the 36-inch range band, and with a smaller board size you will have an easy time keeping your guns in range.

One of the most painful things that T’au face in the current edition are units that inflict multiple penalties to hit rolls, such as -2 or -3 to hit. Armies like Chaos and Aeldari have long been tough match-ups for the T’au when they utilised these tactics. In the new edition, there is a cap, so no units can suffer a modifier of more than -1 to hit, so you can still make your firepower count.

The largest challenge for the T’au Empire in the new edition is the change to the Fly keyword. It no longer offers units the ability to Fall Back and shoot, which means you need to put extra effort into screening enemy charges and preventing your critical shooting units from being engaged in combat. Thankfully, screening is about to become much more effective. You can also look at new kinds of screening units, like Kroot, since you can now escape even when you’re surrounded.

The other way to prevent units from charging you is with the threat of Overwatch. The T’au are still the undisputed masters here. Unlike other armies that need to use a Stratagem to Overwatch, the entire T’au army can do so for free, and they can use their updated For the Greater Good ability** to offer support fire just like they currently do! Enemies will still need to think twice about charging a T’au Empire gun line.

The Morale Phase

While we’re on the topic of Commissars, we thought we’d take a closer look at the new rules for the Morale phase before we go any further. Morale affects every warring faction, from the most stalwart Space Marine to the most cowardly grot. In the new edition, the Morale phase has undergone a subtle change with a big impact…

Combat Attrition

The process of a Morale test works the same way as before…

The difference is what happens when you fail your Morale test – you make a separate Combat Attrition roll for each model in the unit, meaning that any number of them (or if you’re lucky, none of them!), may also flee. What’s more, the morale of a heavily depleted squad will already be wavering due to the losses they’ve suffered, so units that are below half-strength suffer a penalty to their Combat Attrition rolls.

With this change to Morale tests, any abilities that help mitigate further losses from Combat Attrition can be incredibly valuable. For example, a Commissar’s Summary Execution rule means that a nearby Astra Militarum unit that fails a Morale test has a much better chance of avoiding this eventuality.

How Strategic Reserves Work

The ability to place units into Strategic Reserves costs Command points, depending on the combined Power Ratings of the units you wish to deploy in this manner. It’s worth pointing out at this stage that, if your units have abilities that enable them to set up somewhere other than the battlefield (such as a teleportarium chamber for the Teleport Strike ability of Terminators or when using the Cult Ambush ability of the Genestealer Cults), the Strategic Reserves rules don’t apply to them.

Though it may seem like using Strategic Reserves to shield some of your most valuable units from the guns of your enemies is a no-brainer, it comes at a cost beyond a few Command points. Strategic Reserves can’t arrive until the second battle round at the earliest, as they’re busy moving into position. As a result, if you hold more units back, the forces you do deploy on the battlefield may find themselves heavily outnumbered at the start of the battle.

However, bringing fresh forces onto the battlefield in the right place and at the right time can turn a battle’s outcome on its head. There’s more to it as well – the longer you hold your nerve and keep your Strategic Reserves off the battlefield, the further forward they can advance to outflank the enemy army and launch an attack, even directly into your opponent’s deployment zone itself!

This delayed reinforcements method is especially effective with melee-focused armies – especially if you’re able to support such an attack with abilities or Stratagems that offer bonuses or re-rolls to charge rolls, such as with Orks, Black Templars or Tyranids of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Being able to get the jump on your opponent in their own deployment zone can be devastating to their battle plans.

One of the great things about the Adeptus Mechanicus army is that, beyond Skitarii troops, I generally don’t feel like they have any “required” or “auto-include” units. Depending on the type of force I want to field, most of my units will serve their purpose, and I can easily swap between them.

Lastly, as a brief note on the Fight phase, I think there are two main ways the Adepta Sororitas are going to excel. Multi-charges are getting much riskier and harder to perform for most,* but with the help of their faith and a couple of trusty Miracle dice, the Sisters of Battle are really going to shine. Secondly, many Adepta Sororitas units are quite squishy – and the prevalence of Overwatch in the current edition really made certain unit types questionable to go charging into. In the new edition, that will become much less of a problem with the changes to how Overwatch works.

I think the largest challenge players will face in the new edition is the change to the Look Out, Sir rules, which requires more careful positioning of your Characters for them to benefit from the same level of protection. Adepta Sororitas armies tend to be somewhat dependent on key support Characters, so having them become more vulnerable will present a new challenge. I intend to overcome those by keeping a close eye on what I keep near them – there should be no shortage in my army of both Vehicles and decently sized Infantry units, and the two of those together should give me all the protection I need to keep my linchpins alive.

In the new edition, I’ll be approaching the Sisters of Battle with more use of multiple small units. The changes to both Blast weapons and morale favour armies that field medium-sized units. I previously used larger units, but now with the benefit of playing smaller, more sensibly sized squads, I’ll have some points left to take other units – more Dedicated Transports, maybe even the Mortifiers I always wanted but couldn’t quite fit in.

What is Overwatch?

Simply put, it’s the snap shots a unit takes when an enemy is running in their direction, blades in hand and warcries in their throats. 

Overwatch plays a crucial role in Warhammer 40,000 – it causes armies that prefer melee combat to exercise a bit of caution as they rush to get to grips with the enemy, and punishes them for charging into heavy firepower. While that’s still true in the new edition of the game, things will work a little differently in practice. 

What’s New?

The first and biggest change is that Overwatch has shifted from a standard reaction to a Core Stratagem, costing 1 Command point to perform. As Stratagems can only be used once per phase, you’ll have to think long and hard about your odds of success. For example, Aggressors armed with flamestorm gauntlets are sure to roast some of the attackers, whilst a half-strength Astra Militarum squad may struggle to cause enough damage to warrant the cost.  

Once you decide to fire Overwatch, it works pretty much as it has in the current edition, with shots hitting on unmodified rolls of six unless specified otherwise. 

Overall, this is a huge boost to massed assault armies, such as Orks or Tyranids, that excel at smashing dozens of units into the enemy line all at once. Where previously, each one of those units would face retaliatory fire, now, your opponent will only be able to target ONE of your changing units, so will have to choose very carefully indeed! Do you stop the rampaging Trygon from smashing a tank or that horde of 30 Hormagaunts from shredding an infantry platoon? No easy choice.

Terrain Benefits

When facing a big gunline unit that’s dug into some solid terrain, this crucial boost can make your opponent think twice, especially if it’s a long-range charge that may well end in failure. 

You may find that some units benefit from other special rules that modify Overwatch as well, such as the T’au Empire’s For the Greater Good special rule. One of our favourite new ones is a Battle Trait your units can receive as part of a Crusade force, permanently granting them FREE and improved Overwatch.

Your ice-cold veterans are having NONE of that enemy charge! Free Overwatch attacks like this are few and far between, but they’re worth seeking out because they don’t prevent you from using the Stratagem in the same phase.

Be careful, though – a savvy enemy might be able to catch you off-guard if you’re in their deployment zone. The Strategic Reserves rule allows a unit to deploy on their own table edge, even if it’s within Engagement Range (1”) of an enemy, and proceed to make attacks as though they charged! This is such a situational rarity that it probably won’t come up very often, but a stunt like that completely bypasses Overwatch to surprise unwary or careless opponents. 

Who Are They?

The Necrons are an ancient machine race whose alliance with the godlike C’tan and mastery of hyper-advanced technology saw their civilisation rule the stars. Yet after a bitter conflict with the Aeldari known as the War in Heaven, the Necron empire was finally humbled. Now, after millennia of slumber, the time has come for the Necrons to rise up once more and reclaim that which was once theirs – even if doing so means exterminating all sentient life in the galaxy!*

How They Play in the New Edition

Now, we’ll hand you over to Overlord Werner Born who helped put the deadly machine warriors through their paces during development. As a hardened veteran of the tournament scene with his Necron legion and Team USA coach for the ETC, it’s fair to say he knows his stuff! He’ll be giving us some insights as to how they’ll play in the new edition and which units will help you in your cause for galactic dominion.

Werner: Hi everyone! I’m Werner, from the Mournival playtesting group. While I’ve played a variety of armies over the years, Necrons have long been my favourite for matched play. With some heavy reinforcements around the corner for our beloved machine empire, there’s never been a better time to be a Necron player. Even before those reinforcements arrive though, there’s a lot to be excited about for Necrons going into the new edition, so it’s time to awaken those tombs!

One of the biggest improvements for the Necrons is they’ll no longer be hurting for Command points (CPs). Without allies or a cheap minimalist Battalion Detachment at their disposal, Necrons were traditionally one of the factions that had a tough time starting games with a lot of CPs. However, in the new edition, they’ll have more CPs to work with than ever – a significant boost that will put them on a level playing field to the other armies when it comes to the number of Stratagems they can employ.

Even beyond the changes to Battle-forged army structure, there are a number of other key changes in the new edition that will affect Necrons for the better. Vehicles are already a mainstay of many Necron armies, but they’re about to get even better! With all Vehicles able to move and fire Heavy weapons without penalty, you’ll be able to pull off some powerful combinations. For example, getting within range to make the most of the devastating firepower of the Mephrit Dynasty has never been easier…

With the updated rules for Aircraft in the new edition, Necron Flyers will no longer fear having their movement blocked by units on the ground, and they will also be able to move back onto the battlefield in a later turn should they leave combat airspace.

Personally, I like to play a reactive game, and Necrons are well equipped for that strategy through their combination of deceptive speed and a deep bag of tricks. They pack the firepower to take down any threat as needed, but because many of their units have a 24? range, you have to carefully consider target priority. Sometimes you need to settle for a secondary choice and let the biggest threat in your opponent’s army live for an extra turn so that you don’t overcommit early.

Key Units

The Necrons are already blessed with a number of devastatingly powerful units, and they’re set to receive some seriously brutal reinforcements in the near future, too! Here are some great units to look out for in the new edition.

C’tan Shard of the Deceiver

Werner: Always a popular inclusion on the tournament scene, the C’tan Shard of the Deceiver remains a great building block to include in your army due to its Grand Illusion ability. It’s complementary to loads of different unit choices available to the Necrons, and trust me when I tell you it’s even more valuable in the new missions!

Doom Scythe

Werner: In the absence of dedicated indirect fire units, the best way to (literally) get around line-of-sight-blocking terrain is by making use of the myriad movement abilities that Necrons have at their disposal. The Doom Scythe, in particular, can use its speed and freedom of movement to get eyes on a valuable target from across the table, then obliterate it with its death ray. What’s more, as a Blast weapon, the death ray will be effective against large enemy units as well as enemy vehicles – you’ll automatically get your maximum of three shots against units of six of more, which will be great for zapping Space Marines.

Necron Warriors

The mainstay of many Necron army lists are the humble Warriors. Like most units in the new edition, Necron Warriors will be increasing in points – more specifically, to 12 points per model – but they’ll still comfortably outnumber Space Marines on the battlefield. Not only that, but you’ll soon be able to equip your Necron Warriors with the gauss reaper, which trades range for increased hitting power. Combine this deadly new weapon option with the Mephrit Dynastic Code and you’ll be cutting your enemies down in droves with devastating point-blank fire.

Looks like the Crypteks have been working overtime! This past weekend was fortuitous for the dynastic Overlords of the Necrons, bringing them a host of newly revealed units that will be included the incredible Indomitus boxed set and beyond. 

As any fan of Necron lore can tell you (or anyone who’s played with or against them on the tabletop!) you can’t keep a good Necron down. Take out a Necron Warrior, and chances are he’ll be back on his mechanical feet in a week or so. However, sometimes an Overlord in a hurry needs to give his troops a hand up – which is where the Canoptek Reanimator comes in.

Like many Canoptek constructs, these repair units are created by the Crypteks to keep the tomb worlds and their armies in tip-top shape – whether they’re taking a well-deserved rest or scourging the universe of any upstart civilisations who’ve moved in over the millennia. On the battlefield, you’ll find your Canoptek Reanimators the perfect accompaniment to your valuable troops, helping you nail those all-important Reanimation Protocol rolls. Just imagine pairing some with a phalanx of Lychguard…

As you’d expect for something with claws that big, the Canoptek Reanimator is no slouch in combat. It’s capable of skewering any unfortunate Space Marines that mistake your support units for a vulnerable spot in your line. Ranged attacks also allow you to deanimate foes as quickly as you reanimate friends!

The Danger Zone

Your Flyers will soon be coming and going as they please – no more bugging out or flying off into the sunset! If it leaves the battlefield, a Flyer can just swoop around to return later in the battle and deliver a murderous strafing run. In the new edition, the danger zone is very much ON the battlefield, right where it belongs!

When a Flyer moves off the battlefield, it can enter Strategic Reserves,** meaning it’ll be available to return to the battle later in the game. What’s more, they can move onto the battlefield with far greater freedom than any other units arriving in this manner. In fact, your aircraft will be able to come and go as they please, provided that your opponent doesn’t spoil their fun by shooting them down…

Freedom of the Skies

Another key feature of the new rules for Flyers is how they interact with units on the ground. As aircraft are typically soaring overhead and not skimming along the ground, they don’t interfere with them or hinder their movement in any way. After all, a Flyer’s base is only there to help keep it aloft! Here are the highlights of how this works…

The bullet points above are actually a preview of how each rules topic is conveniently summarised at the end of each section for easy reference. If you need a reminder, check the bullet points, but if you seek further clarification, you just read the full description above them. If only all things in life were that simple!

You’ll also have noticed a new keyword being referenced in those rules – Aircraft. That’s because, where appropriate, many Flyers will now gain the Aircraft keyword to allow more specific rule interactions, such as those used with Infantry, Monsters, Vehicles and the like. In case there’s any doubt, at the back of the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book, you’ll find this handy list that officially clarifies which units gain the new Aircraft keyword.*** Chocks away!

So, now that you know how Flyers are (landing) gear-ing up for the new edition, how do you plan to use your Aircraft?

Terrain Categories

All terrain types now fit into one of four categories – Hill, Obstacles, Area Terrain and Buildings. How units interact with them depends not just on the nature of the terrain itself, but on the unit’s own size and what type of unit they are.

For example, Hills are essentially a part of the battlefield for all intents and purposes, so are treated as open ground and offer no form of protection. Obstacles, on the other hand, are a footslogger’s best friend, as they offer the benefit of cover (which, for the most part, means +1 to your saving throws against ranged weapons) to Infantry, Beast or Swarm units if the obstacle is in the way of the firing unit.

Terrain Traits

When setting up a battlefield, you and your opponent(s) decide which terrain traits will be applied to each piece of scenery. The traits are designed to be stackable, so a single terrain piece can actually be given as many different traits as you wish. For example, you may decide to count a bunker as both Light Cover AND Heavy Cover, offering the benefits of cover at every range.

You can pick traits that will have more specific effects on the game, clarifying details such as whether or not the terrain is Scalable, Breachable or even Unstable. One of the real game changers is the Obscuring trait – not only does it offer an area of the battlefield that blocks line of sight, but the largest models can still be targeted! After all, an Imperial Knight towers over all but the largest buildings, making its bulky carapace an easy target, yet it would be all but impossible for its guns to match the same firing angles in return.

Another important point to note is that, even though Obscuring terrain blocks line of sight from one side to the other, a unit that’s INSIDE the terrain can still be freely targeted (though they will receive the benefit of cover if the terrain also has the Light Cover trait) and can give fire in return. However, the days of drawing line of sight through a gap in the wall and three consecutive windows to a unit on the opposite side of a huge building are over!

To make life easy, the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book includes some handy guidelines for which terrain traits to apply to the most common pieces of terrain.

At the end of the terrain section, there are a number of example battlefields presented, each explaining the thought processes behind the terrain selection and their positioning. This is really useful advice, as getting the quantity and density of terrain right is a key factor in playing a balanced game of Warhammer 40,000 – after all, too little terrain and shooting armies will have a massive advantage, too much and melee armies will likely dominate.

A Word on Battlefield Sizes…

A number of you have been getting in touch regarding the minimum size battlefield measurements we introduced in last week’s article. We’re happy to confirm that, yes, you can still use your 6?x4? (or larger) gaming tables, be they gorgeously detailed Realm of Battle boards or lovingly created battlefields of your own design.

The minimum size battlefield guidelines for Combat Patrol, Incursion, Strike Force and Onslaught battles are just that – minimum sizes. They’ve been specifically designed to make the game more accessible and compact at smaller sizes (and fit on most dining room tables), but they can just as easily be played on larger battlefields as you see fit. The minimum sizes also ensure that armies in bigger games won’t be cramped on a battlefield that’s too small for them, so will still have plenty of room to manoeuvre.

We’ve all been there – a numberless horde of Tyranids is hurtling towards your army, but even as you line up your trusty ordnance weapon to blast a ruinous chunk from of their ranks, you roll a 1 for the number of shots it fires. Well, no more! The new rules for Blast weapons ensure you get the most bang for your buck when targeting larger concentrations of enemy troops…

That’s right – weapons designed to engage and destroy large groups of enemies will benefit from a more reliable number of attacks to ensure they make their presence felt. As you can see, it’s not all about heavy ordnance weaponry either, but grenades and a whole bunch of other, more esoteric, guns, warheads and munitions as well. All 174 Blast weapons and Relics listed in the back of the new Warhammer 40,000 Core Book gain this ability. Here’s a selection of five of them, and why we’re happy to see them included:

– Barbed Strangler (the Tyranids get to shoot up enemy hordes too!)
– Deathstrike missile (yes, your favourite ICBM is getting EVEN DEADLIER)
– D-cannon (yay – more warp displacement for everyone!)
– Squig launcha (nomnomnom)
– Phlegm bombardment (now extra icky)

Despite their cool new rules, Blast weapons don’t get it all their own way – there is one drawback that makes your choice of vehicle turrets, sponsons or monstrous munitions all the more important. As we mentioned in yesterday’s article, Vehicles and Monsters can shoot their weapons at enemy units within Engagement Range (1?) of them. However, they cannot do so with Blast weapons…

There are few more enjoyable experiences in games of Warhammer 40,000 than blowing your opponent’s forces to pieces with a devastating battle tank, gigantic walker or gribbly beast. Yet some wily enemies will insist upon ruining your fun by bogging your otherwise unstoppable pride and joy down in melee until it grinds to halt. No more!

That’s right – Vehicles and Monsters of every description are about to become a whole lot more menacing in the new edition, as they’ll be able to deal with the pesky attention of enemies within Engagement Range (that’s 1? to you and me) by shooting them to pieces point-blank!

As you can see, the Vehicles and Monsters won’t have it all their own way – they’ll suffer a small penalty to their hit rolls (mainly because their targets will be clambering all over them trying to find a weak spot). Still, if you want to make the most of this newfound freedom, now’s the time to outfit a shiny new vehicle with those heavy flamer sponsons* you’ve always wanted!

Of course, if you’re a Tyranid player, being able to shoot into combat with all your monsters is just the icing on the cake, as they’ll already be sweeping through the enemy ranks with each swing of their scything talons or enormous claws. ‘Nidzilla armies are coming back with a vengeance!

But there’s more! Check out the new rules for firing Heavy weapons on the move…

Notice the difference? Only Infantry models subtract 1 from their hit rolls when firing Heavy weapons after moving, meaning your Vehicles and Monsters will no longer be affected (nor will Bikes or any other form of non-Infantry units, for that matter). That means your biggest and best units will be free to take the fight to the foe with extreme prejudice!

Anyone who’s played a game of Warhammer 40,000 with a Battle-forged army will know how awesome it is to have loads of Command points to spend. In fact, for many players, much of their army-building process has been geared towards ensuring they would have as many at their disposal as possible* – and preferably a way to replenish Command points during the battle too. Well, the good news is that you’re about to get more Command points, so read on and find out all about it…

All is Fair in Love and Warhammer 40,000

You don’t just get more Command points in the new edition – both players will also receive the same amount according to the size of the game.** After all, the larger the army a Warlord leads, the more strategic assets will be at their disposal.

With both players having the same number of Command points, they will be on an even footing when it comes to the number of Stratagems they can employ. As the army’s commander, the onus is on YOU to see if you can use them to gain an advantage over your opponent in battle!

Mustering Your Army

So, if you don’t earn Command points by taking additional Detachments, do they still interact with each other in any way? The answer is yes, but how they do so has been turned on its head. Instead of earning you Command points, each Detachment you take will instead COST you Command points. However, it’s worth noting that the Command points spent on a ‘core’ Detachment (Patrol, Battalion or Brigade) are refunded if it also includes your Warlord, so your first Detachment is usually free. An army drawn exclusively from the same Faction and comprising a single Detachment is the most strategically flexible on account of their experience fighting alongside one another, and therefore offers the most Command points.

Let’s take a look at the workhorse of many Battle-forged armies as an example – the Battalion Detachment…

You’re the Boss!

This concept was heavily inspired by the narrative and enables you to manage your army selection in the manner of a real commander. You can either maximise your Command points with a single Detachment or choose to draw upon powerful assets and summon allies to your cause by using Command points to unlock additional Detachments.

But there’s more! Not only do you start the battle with more Command points, but in each of your Command phases – the new opening phase of your turn – you will receive one additional Command point.

Getting an additional Command point every turn ensures that even in the late game, you can still rely on having a number of crucial Stratagems at your disposal.

More Stratagems for Everyone!

With all these Command points flying around the place, you’re gonna want some awesome Stratagems to spend them on, right? Thankfully, the core Stratagems available to every army have been increased to seven. Have you managed to fight your way across the battlefield only for your enemies to flee like cowards before the fury of your chainblades? Cut them down as they withdraw with this handy, and aptly named, Stratagem!

That will certainly hurt if activated on a unit of 30 Ork Boyz! Join us again tomorrow, when we’ll be discussing the more structured game sizes that are being introduced in greater detail. Meanwhile, head over to the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page to let us know what you think of the new mechanics for generating Command points.

Matched Play Missions

A lot of work went into making the new missions the best ever. The Warhammer 40,000 rules team drew on all the feedback from the wider gaming community, playtesters and event organisers to ensure that each mission offers a fun, challenging experience with a fair chance of success for each player. There are two key elements I look for in a mission:

• Does it tell a cool story? After all, Warhammer 40,000 should be an immersive experience with gorgeous armies and scenic tables!
• Does it increase the odds of a close, fair, exciting game experience? The mission should not decide it for you – nor should a bad matchup guarantee a loss.

The new matched play missions exemplify these principles in abundance. What’s more, there are a LOT of missions! They all share certain common elements while presenting unique challenges – it’s hard to build ‘one list to win them all’. Each mission utilises bespoke deployment zones and primary objectives according to the number of points being used, creating a sensible story and intentional balance. For example, Incursion missions are used for games of 1000 points per side, while Strike Force missions cater for 2000-point battles. Yet even though the missions each share a primary objective, the secondary objectives are asymmetrical, and are actually chosen by the players themselves. The primary represents the shared story on the battlefield, while the secondaries represent your army’s theme and help balance tough matchups.

Are you running a sneaky Raven Guard army? Choose secondaries that score victory points for planting homing beacons or infiltrating the enemy’s deployment zones. World Eaters? Focus on secondaries that reward reaping skulls for Khorne, not standing on objectives! This enables an overall mission that makes sense for your army’s theme but also improves balance. Not equipped to kill those Paladins? Choose secondaries focused on manoeuvre. Are the Paladins yours, but frustratingly can’t be everywhere at once? Focus on destroying your opponent’s army or completing a psychic ritual.

There are a number of categories of secondary objectives you may choose from pre-game, but you can’t select more than one from any given category. Take a look at some examples from the standard categories available to all players (don’t worry, we’ll see faction-specific ones in the future).

The new edition also adds actions to Warhammer 40,000. Traditionally, your models could either stand near objectives or shoot/punch. No longer! Now you can perform rituals, plant homing beacons, raise banners on key objectives and more. This creates dynamic moments where you may need to decide between firing at the enemy or bravely accomplishing a mission.

Another new feature is a cap on victory points you can earn from each mission element. This makes for closer, more exciting games. In the past, a slower-starting army or one without a strong ‘alpha strike’ risked falling irrevocably behind their opponent. Every mission condition can only be scored a certain number of times, giving players the opportunity to catch up if their opponent runs out of gas after capping. This creates a wider variety of great stories, photo finishes, and viable armies. An example of one of the new Eternal War missions can be seen here, including several sneak peeks of these concepts in place…

The community may see familiar principles in these missions, but a host of refinements and new innovations herald an exciting future. We may also see broader adoption of a common set of exciting, balanced, narratively fulfilling missions at events around the world – something the community’s desired for years!

Points Values

Finally, as part of developing the new edition, points values were reviewed and have been adjusted UP across every faction. This may sound odd at first, but it yields several benefits. Firstly, games will play faster with, generally speaking, smaller armies on either side. This also makes starting a fresh army for the new edition a more accessible, quicker experience. It also means there’s room for more granularity when establishing how powerful one unit or ability is compared to another, and a global points reset ensures everyone starts in the same place on Day 1, with no established meta or ‘best army’. Here are a couple of examples so you can see what to expect.

Thanks, Mike, and welcome to the team! That’s a lot to look forward to for fans of matched play. But there’s more – we can also reveal a bit about the new app that we’ve been developing to help make your Warhammer 40,000 gaming experience more accessible than ever before!

New Edition, New App!

On the same day that the Warhammer 40,000 pre-orders go live, a new app will be launched alongside it, providing several cool features to help you, including a full matched play army builder. The new app will do a number of things to assist players with their games, but one of the most useful will be the ability to build army lists using the updated points values and Detachments. We’ll have more on the Warhammer 40,000 app soon, so watch this space!

In our first installment yesterday, we learned that one of the playtesters’ favourite additions to the new edition is the new Crusade system. Today, we’re revealing more about these innovative campaign rules, so prepare to join the crusade!

What is a Crusade Campaign?

If you like the idea of building an army up from scratch, then developing and adding to it over the course of multiple linked battles, you’re gonna love playing Crusade campaigns. From humble beginnings, your army will grow in size and strength as you spend resources you’ve earned on adding reinforcements while your units unlock new skills from their hard-won experience in battle.

Over the course of a campaign, your Crusade force will forge its own narrative, winning glory and earning enmities with each fresh victory and defeat. Heroes will rise from among your ranks, earning great renown or the honour of bearing mighty relics – maybe even ancient archeotech wargear – into battle…

Meanwhile, others may succumb to their grievous injuries, becoming pale shadows of their former selves as ill fate takes its toll on their war-ravaged bodies.

What’s more, you’re not even limited to your local gaming group – you can use your Crusade force in any games you choose to play, be they friendlies against your regular opponents or competitive matches against hardened tournament veterans. In essence, provided you’re using the Crusade rules and your opponent is happy to have a game, every battle counts!**

Getting Started

To take part in a Crusade campaign, you first need to create an Order of Battle – a list of units drawn from one of seven factions (Imperium, Chaos, Aeldari, Tyranids, Orks, Necrons, T’au Empire) with a maximum Power Rating of 50.* This is your Crusade force’s initial Supply Limit, from which you can choose an army list to field in each battle. Your Supply Limit can grow in size as you gain resources over the course of the campaign, enabling you to gradually recruit new units to strengthen the existing pool at your disposal.

Each unit has its own Crusade card to keep track of its progress, experience, upgrades and bonuses, as well as any Battle Scars they’ve picked up along the way. As the campaign continues, your Characters and units will become increasingly defined by the battles they’ve fought in and the narrative you’ve created for them, making it an entirely different gaming experience. As if that wasn’t already awesome enough, each new codex released in the future will include a wealth of additional, thematic options for that army specifically for Crusade campaigns for even more narrative-driven punch. We’re as excited as a Tech-Priest who’s just discovered a long-lost STC!

It’s official – the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 is on its way. What’s more, it offers our best, most immersive and enjoyable gaming experience to date. But what changes have been made from the current edition? Well, this series is going to cover exactly that, and in our first instalment, we’re taking a more general look at the changes made to the system as a whole, with a peek at a few pages from the new rulebook. 

First off, the playtesters present an overview of their experience working on the game’s new edition, putting the new rules through their paces and fine-tuning them to their ultimate form…