A game is played over several battle rounds (five, in a standard mission). In each round, both players take a full turn, one after the other, always resolved in this order:
Command
Gain Command Points and test whether any shaken units become Battle-shocked.
Movement
Move your units across the battlefield.
Shooting
Ranged units pick targets and resolve attacks.
Charge
Declare charges and move into melee range.
Fight
Units in combat resolve melee attacks in a set order.
Every attack in the game — shooting or melee — follows the same four-step sequence:
Hit Roll
Meet or beat the weapon's skill value to score a hit.
Wound Roll
Target number depends on Strength vs. Toughness.
Save Roll
The defender rolls to save, modified by Armour Penetration.
Damage
Failed saves remove wounds until the unit is destroyed.
Quick reference — Strength vs. Toughness:
| Weapon Strength vs. Target Toughness | Roll needed to wound |
|---|---|
| Double (or more) the target's Toughness | 2+ |
| Greater than the target's Toughness | 3+ |
| Equal to the target's Toughness | 4+ |
| Less than the target's Toughness | 5+ |
| Half (or less) of the target's Toughness | 6+ |
Objective Control
Add up the OC of your models near an objective — whoever has more controls it. Battle-shocked units lose their OC entirely.
Command Points & Stratagems
Both players bank CP each Command phase and spend them on one-off tactical effects.
Battle-shock
Heavy losses can trigger a failed Leadership test, leaving a unit unable to hold objectives or use Stratagems.
Terrain & Cover
Ruins, craters, and other terrain block line of sight and grant defensive bonuses.
Strategic Reserves & Deep Strike
Some units start off-battlefield and arrive later, sometimes dropping in close via Deep Strike.
Transports & Attached Units
Vehicles carry infantry into the fight; Characters can attach to a squad and fight as one unit.
Dice Notation
"2+" means roll 2 or higher. "2D6" means roll two dice and add them. "D3" means roll one die and halve it, rounding up.
Active vs. Opposing Player
Control briefly flips to whichever player is moving, shooting, or fighting with a given unit, even mid-opponent's-turn.
Measuring Distances
Everything's in inches, and you can measure at any time — no committing to a move blind.
Leadership Rolls
Roll 2D6 against a unit's Ld. Equal or higher succeeds — the same mechanic underlies Battle-shock tests.
Battle-shock
A failed Leadership roll strips a unit's Objective Control and blocks Stratagems/Actions until it recovers.
Every datasheet is built from four parts: Name, Profiles, Abilities, and Weapons.
Coherency
Multi-model units must stay together: within 2" of at least one squadmate, within 9" of every other model in the unit.
Engagement
The space within 2" of a model. Opposing models within each other's engagement range are "engaged," triggering melee.
Setting Up a Unit
Any placement must land in coherency, unengaged, and clear of other models/terrain — or the whole move fails.
Select Weapons
Choose which weapons each model attacks with.
Select Targets
Pick a target for each selected weapon.
Resolve Attacks
Gather dice and resolve hit/wound/save/damage for each target.
Identical Attacks
Matching weapons targeting the same unit get pooled into one combined roll.
Splitting Melee Attacks
A melee weapon can divide attacks across more than one engaged target.
Visibility
"Visible" means any part can be seen; "fully visible" means every part facing the observer can be seen.
Mortal Wounds
Skip the save roll, removing wounds one at a time — non-Character models get picked first.
Hazard Rolls
Roll a die: on a 1-2 the unit suffers a mortal wound (three, for an all Monster/Vehicle unit).
Every unit gets selected to move exactly once, even if that move is to hold position.
| Move Type | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Remain Stationary | — | No models move. Doesn't trigger "start/end of move" rules. |
| Normal Move | Up to M | Standard move. Must end unengaged. |
| Advance Move | M + D6 | Faster, but forfeits charging/Actions this turn. |
| Fall-back Move | Up to M | The only way an engaged unit disengages. "Desperate Escape" risks hazard rolls. |
Normal Shooting
Unengaged, and didn't Advance this turn.
Assault Shooting
Shoot after Advancing, but only with Assault weapons.
Close-Quarters Shooting
The only way an engaged unit can shoot — restricted weapons and targets.
Indirect Shooting
Targets non-visible units, at the cost of granting cover and reduced accuracy.
Declare Charge
Pick a unit within 12" of an enemy that hasn't Advanced/Fallen Back.
Charge Roll
Roll 2D6 — the maximum distance for the charge move.
Attempt Charge
If every model can end engaged, the move happens and the unit gains Fights First.
Pile In
Engaged units shuffle up to 3" closer to maximize engagement.
Fight
Fights First units all go before anyone else gets a turn.
Consolidate
Units that fought shuffle up to 3" toward enemies or a nearby objective.
Fights First Priority
Charging units resolve attacks before regular combats in the same phase.
Overrun Fights
A unit whose target was wiped out can still pile in toward a new enemy and fight.
| Category | Examples | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed | Craters, razorwire, debris | No real protection — moved through freely. |
| Light | Barricades, low walls, statues | Can grant cover but won't block much sight. |
| Dense | Buildings, ruins, woods | Blocks sight, restricts movement, can hide units entirely. |
Benefit of Cover
Sheltering or partly blocked units worsen the attacker's skill roll by 1.
Hidden
Infantry in dense terrain who haven't shot recently can vanish beyond 15".
Obscuring
Terrain areas can block sight between two units entirely.
Solid
Dense terrain blocks sight through small gaps near ground level.
At the end of every phase and turn, both players add up the Objective Control of every model within range. Higher total controls it; a tie means nobody does (unless secured).
Securing an Objective
Keeps control even after pulling units away, until the opponent's total actually overtakes theirs.
Battle-shock Impact
A shaken unit's OC drops to nothing — it contributes zero to the fight for control.
Every army has access to these twelve Core Stratagems, spent with Command Points:
Command Re-roll
Re-roll almost any single die.
Epic Challenge
Gives a Character's melee weapons Precision for the phase.
Insane Bravery
Auto-passes one Battle-shock test per battle.
Explosives
Grenades hurled at a nearby enemy for extra mortal wounds.
Crushing Impact
A Monster/Vehicle rams an engaged enemy for mortal wounds.
Rapid Ingress
Brings a reserve unit on early, at the end of the opponent's Movement phase.
Fire Overwatch
Snap-shoots at an enemy during their Movement phase.
Smokescreen
Grants the benefit of cover for the rest of the phase.
Heroic Intervention
A surprise charge at the end of the opponent's Charge phase.
Counteroffensive
Grants Fights First, jumping to the front of the fight queue.
Starting an Action
Can't start if Battle-shocked, no OC, engaged, or already moved/started one this turn. Costs the ability to shoot or charge.
Completing an Action
Any further move (besides pile-in/consolidation) cancels it. Stay put and the effect resolves.
Moving Through Models
Can pass through friendly and enemy models (not other Monsters/Vehicles) on a normal/advance move.
Frame Keyword
Baseless large models measure distances from the closest point of the model itself.
Shooting at Engaged Monsters/Vehicles
Can still be shot from outside combat, at a -1 hit roll penalty.
| Disembark Mode | When It Applies | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tactical Disembark | Transport stayed still or hasn't moved yet | Unit can still move normally after |
| Rapid Disembark | Transport already moved this phase | Unit can't charge this turn |
| Combat Disembark | Transport is engaged | Hazard rolls, unit becomes Battle-shocked |
If the Transport is destroyed, passengers make an Emergency Disembark — hazard rolls apply, and anyone who can't be placed is lost.
Leader & Support
A Character can join a compatible squad, merging into one combined unit.
Targeting an Attached Unit
Attacks use the bodyguard models' Toughness, not the attached Character's.
Shared Keywords
The whole unit gains every keyword any component model has.
Ability Duration
Each side's buffs last until that side's own models are wiped out.
Up to half your army's points can start held back, arriving via an Ingress move (usually from round two on) more than 8" from every enemy. Anything still not arrived by the end of round three is destroyed outright.
Taking to the Skies
A Fly unit loses 2" of movement but can pass through any model or terrain, ignoring vertical distance.
Surge Moves
A bonus move toward the nearest enemy, often triggered by taking casualties.
Aura Abilities
Buffs radiating from a model within a stated range, never stacking with a duplicate.
Faction Abilities
Army-wide rules that only apply if your declared faction matches the datasheet keyword.
Psychic Abilities
Can ignore modifiers to their own hit roll.
Wargear Abilities
Bonuses tied to equipment, lasting as long as the carrier survives.
Plunging Fire
Shooting from elevated terrain improves the hit roll by 1 against ground targets.
Deployment & Movement
Always start in reserves, only ever arrive via Ingress, and return to reserves every opponent's turn.
Charging & Fighting
Can't declare charges; can only fight other Flying units.
Anti-X
Automatically scores a critical wound against a named keyword on a set roll or higher.
Assault
Lets a unit shoot even after it Advanced this turn.
Blast
Gains bonus attack dice the bigger the target unit is.
Cleave
Gains bonus attack dice against a large single target.
Close-Quarters
The only weapon type usable while engaged in melee.
Devastating Wounds
A critical wound skips the save, dealing mortal wounds directly.
Hazardous
Powerful but risks a mortal wound to the wielder's own unit.
Heavy
+1 to hit if the shooting unit stayed still and moved 3" or less.
Ignores Cover
The target can never claim cover against this weapon.
Indirect Fire
Can target units that aren't even visible.
Lance
+1 to wound if the attacker charged this turn.
Lethal Hits
A critical hit can auto-wound, skipping the wound roll.
Melta
Extra Damage against targets within half range.
One Shot
Can only be fired once per battle.
Pistol
Functionally identical to Close-Quarters.
Precision
Lets attacks target a visible enemy Character inside a squad.
Psychic
Can ignore modifiers to its own hit roll.
Rapid Fire
Bonus attack dice against targets within half range.
Sustained Hits
A critical hit generates extra hits on top of the original.
Torrent
Automatically hits its target — no hit roll needed.
Twin-linked
Re-roll the wound roll for that attack.
Deadly Demise
On destruction, a chance to explode and inflict mortal wounds on everything nearby.
Deep Strike
Can arrive from reserves anywhere more than 8" from all enemies.
Extra Attacks
A bonus melee weapon's attacks are made in addition to the model's usual attacks.
Feel No Pain
A rolled chance to shrug off a wound instead of losing it.
Fights First
Resolves melee attacks before regular combats in the Fight phase.
Firing Deck
Lets Transport passengers shoot out without disembarking.
Hover
Some Vehicles fly without losing the usual 2" movement penalty.
Infiltrators
Deploy anywhere more than 8" from the enemy deployment zone and all enemy units.
Leader
Lets a Character join a compatible squad, forming an attached unit.
Lone Operative
Can't be seen by enemies beyond a set range unless attached to a squad.
Scouts
A small pre-battle repositioning move, staying clear of the enemy after.
Stealth
Every ranged attack treats this unit as having the benefit of cover.
Support
Like Leader, for specialist non-Leader Characters.
Super-Heavy Walker
Titanic war machines that barrel through models and terrain almost unimpeded.
