Click through to see official 9th ed 40k rules, and some awesome new models courtesy of the Warhammer-community site!
Want a crack at some open play games of the new edition and see some new models? Of course, you do! Read on…
Download the Core Rules right now!
These rules are the engine of the Warhammer 40,000 game used across matched, narrative and open play gaming. If you’ve been following our coverage of the new edition with our daily updates, this is your chance to see how they all fit together.
It’s available in a whole bunch of languages – so whether you’re seeking victory in English, German, Danish or more, there’s a suite of options. This is just the tip of the iceberg too – the full Core Book in the Indomitus boxed set and forthcoming Chapter Approved have even more content for matched and narrative play, and they’re just around the corner.
9th ed 40k Core Rules
New kits for Space Marines and Necrons? Say no more:
Hammerfall Bunker
This gorgeous chunk of weaponised death is a Hammerfall Bunker. There’s a strong clue in the name as to its purpose… yep, when the Adeptus Astartes need a fortified emplacement in a hurry, these are dropped in from orbit to provide a beachhead or secure a landing zone.
Not only does it look incredible, but it’s tougher than grox-hide boots and armed to the teeth. Those side guns can be either heavy bolters or heavy flamers and the main weapon is a Hammerfall missile launcher, and in a move that will delight old-school fans, it comes armed with superfrag and superkrak missiles. Check them out!
Of course, the Space Marines aren’t getting things all their own way – the Necrons have some Fortifications too, in the elaborately named Convergence of Dominion. If the Hammerfall Bunker is straightforward and brutal, the Convergence of Dominion is esoteric and deadly. Ancient guardian stones, these remnants from the Necrons’ ancient empire have begun to awaken, with deadly effect.
Convergence of Dominion
Each Convergence of Dominion consists of three Starstele (they’re the big obelisk-type things), which are seriously durable and armed with impressively deadly transdimensional abductors! Even better, they bolster units from your dynasty that are nearby and, with the help of a friendly Cryptek, can perform Translocation Protocols to redeploy across the battlefield. Yeah… these are great.
Wherever you are, hopefully, that’s done something to brighten your Thursday… and there’s still more to come this week, with our preview on Saturday. Join us live at 1:45 pm (BST) on Twitch, or right here from 2:00 pm onwards for loads of fun and even more reveals.
Finally, don’t forget that the Indomitus launch set goes on pre-order on the 11th of July. Put a note in your diary to order your copy of the best Warhammer 40,000 boxed set ever, you won’t want to miss out as it’s only available while stocks last.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
Nice to see the rules, but a shame that the leaks forced their hand.
All was pretty much as expected, based on the previews. One interesting thing I noticed is that chargers can now select characters that performed heroic interventions as targets of attacks. Characters are no longer immune to attacks from charging units if they heroically intervened. A nice change for me.
Will be interested to see the full terrain rules when they are released.
will be interesting for Heroic Interventions now. Because, unless I am reading it wrong, the charging unit would get to attack first. Thus, if a player heroically intervenes that character will have to survive combat with the attacking force before getting to attack.
Did you notice that a Heroic Intervention does not have to end with the model in engagement range? So you can do this just for extra movement. Also we have not seen all the rules for match play I would wager, as there are rules previewed that are not included in the core rules (like the 6+ model unit cohesion rule).
Edit, NM the rules for unit cohesion are not in the morale section my bad.
Am I correct in reading that units can no longer charge through walls unless they have fly?
I think there is a keyword on some terrain that allows infantry, swarms, and beasts(?) to go move through walls.
8ed had the same sort of blanket rule that was overriden by the rules for ruins. They have now made a keyword Breachable that will do the same, and rumor has it they extended it to Infantry, Beasts and Rippers (where in 8ed it was just infantry).
I really wonder whether the “2+ save combined with stormshield = 2++ that can’t be removed” will survive a day 1 FAQ or GW really wanted to lift Primaris characters, SM terminators, and Custodes that much?
They addressed the exact same issue with Orks in 8ed, presumably will do so here as well.
I was looking this up and I think they fixed this issue. Page 8 under Modifying Characteristics now only mentions Strength, Toughness, Attacks, and Leadership as stats that can’t be modified below 1. This should fix the “1+ save is a 2+ invul” problem because now AP can reduce a roll below 1.
Still broken, since what’s modified by AP is the roll, not the Save characteristic. SO if you have a 1+ save and get hit by an AP-2 attack and roll a 2 for your save roll, it gets modified to a 0, which gets modified to a 1, which passes — only unmodified 1s fail the roll.
the new engagement range seems big to me – models within 1″ can fight (which is the same) but models not within an inch have to be half an inch from a model within half an inch – not an inch
I just don’t understand the move from 1″ of 1″ to 1/2″ of 1/2″ for who can fight without being within 1″ themselves. Did anyone ever complain in 8th edition that too many models were eligible to fight? Did anyone really think what the game needed was smaller combats with less models involved?
It just seems like a bizarre change that doesn’t add anything to the game.
Yes they did complain as those models on the small base (just less than an 1″) allowed up to what 4 ranks to fight if done correctly in 8th.
Sure, it did. I’ve just never heard anyone complain that was unfair. The much more common complaint was “why do I have to do this to make my guys able to fight?”
If they had just wanted to eliminate the difference between 25mm and 32mm bases there would have been other ways to do that without also significantly nerfing the amount of models that can get into combat – whether 25mm or 32mm – at the same time.
Here are all the changes I could find in a quick read through. Please elt me know if anything is incorrect or you found a change I did not.
Fixed order to modifiers, division Mult., add., sub.
No rerolls on roll offs, not even command point
Unit cohesion rules: 1-5 same as 8th, 6+ with 2 models from unit. 2” horizontally or 5” vertically.
Half strength unit for morale no rule for rounding assume round up as everything else is.
Random characteristic are rolled for the unit for movement only, all others are per model.
Movement hase
Fall back can’t shoot or cast psychic power.
Reinforcement has own subphase now.
Ignore terrain of 1” or less in height for movement.
Transports disembark is wholly within 3” now. Embark is within not wholly within
Can’t charge or heroic intervene same turn transport destroyed.
When a model performs a Heroic Intervention, piles in or consolidates, ignore Aircraft (unless the model moving can Fly).
Psychic Phase
Each psyche has to cast all powers you want to cast before moving on to the next.
Can’t select a unit more than once during the phase.
Shooting phase
Select unit, choose all targets and weapons used for each target, chose target selected in previous step, resolve all weapons with similar profile for that target, then resolve other weapon profiles in same manner for that target. Then resolve other targets in similar manner. Then choose a new unit. Range and true LOS the same.
Monsters & vehicles can shoot in engagement range, can shoot unit engaged with can target other units but can’t resolve those attacks if a unit is within engagement range. -1 to hit with heavy weapons if engaged. Can’t shoot with blast weapons in engagement range.
Look out sir, monster vehicle or a unit with 3+ models with 3”.
-1 to hit with heavy for INFANTRY units only if they moved.
Blast weapons 0-5 models no effect, 6-10 models minimum 3 hits, 11+ models max hits.
No fast dice rules in the rule book.
Unmodified hit or wound roll of 6 succeeds and 1 fails.
Hit roll can only be modified +-1
Wound roll can only be modified +-1
Saving throw (unmodified) of 1 always fails.
Have to allocate next wound to a model that is injured or has already had a wound allocated to it this phase, can’t switch back and forth anymore (change is for when model is unwounded).
Charge Phase:
Have to make engagement range on all charge targets or charge fails.
Can’t make a charge move within engagement range of models that were not selected for a charge (can’t move within 1” of those unit not selected).
Engagement range is 1” horizontally or 5” vertically. So can’t move underneath a unit if 5” or closer vertically.
Ignore terrain of 1” or less when charging.
Overwatch is like 8th just not available to every unit like 8th have to have it by rule or use a strat.
Fight Phase
Start with non active player once done with charging units.
Can only fight with models within engagement range or that are within ½” of another model from their own unit that is itself within ½” of an enemy unit
Charging unit only attack targets of the charge or models that made Heroic intervention this turn.
Have to fight with the weapon listed on datasheet can’t opt to use “your hands” unless no weapon is listed on the datasheet (unless it cannot use those weapons for some reason).
Resolve all attacks with same weapon profile before move on to next weapon. No changing back and forth.
Note all declared attacks declared are resolved against targets unit even if no models within engagement range when it comes time to resolve attacks (like shooting).
Morale Phase
Player alternate taking morale starting with active player.
Take only 1 morale test a phase (this matters as unit cohesion checks come after morale checks).
D6+models destroyed, if greater than Ld. Destroy 1 model (owner choice) and then proceed to combat attrition test. Never triggers any rules that trigger when model or unit is destroyed.
Unmodified Roll of 1 always passes
Combat attrition test, roll D6 for all remaining models in unit, subtract 1 if unit half strength, for each 1 an additional model flees and is destroyed.
Unit cohesion check: Remove models 1 at a time until all remaining models are in unit cohesion (which can change if the unit drops to 5 models or less).
“No fast dice rules in the rule book.”
It’s in a sidebar
Also the 3 base stratagems all changed:
Morale once per game
Interrupt can be done after any opp. unit fights not just charging
Command Re-roll limited to miracle dice limits. So no re-rolling exploding vehicles, resurrecting characters, vect and so on. ALSO it now requires to re-roll the full dice roll, meaning for charges and psychic powers you re-roll both.
The biggest change in missions is:
You have to preset everything. No more relic of lost cadia when against chaos, no more “this thing destroys psyker heavy armies” against psykers, no more knight flexibility.
Positive:
faster
can’t counterpick your enemy
Negative:
less skillful
all the fringe traits/relics are donezo
Personally, I really like having to take everything ahead of time. It will really speed things up!