Starting a Game

A game lasts for five battle rounds. Each player takes one turn per battle
round.

After deciding on the mission rules, the players should select their army,
using the following rules:

 Players should agree on a points limit for the game, typically 1000 to
2000 points.
 Each player must select a Detachment for their army. (New players
may want to omit this step to keep things simple.)
 Each player must select a Warlord, which can be any character unit
from their army.
 An army may contain no more than six of a single unit with the
Battleline keyword.
 An army may contain no more than three of a single unit without the
Battleline keyword.
 An army may only include units from a single faction, unless they
choose to take an Allied Detachment. An Allied Detachment may
include one unit with a different faction keyword but the same
superfaction keyword for every 500 points in your army list. All units in
an Allied Detachment must have the same faction keyword. The player
should select detachment rules for the Allied Detachment, like they
would for their main detachment.

Once both players have selected their armies, they must set up their armies.
If the mission rules do not specify, the players can roll off to determine who
deploys first. Players alternate placing units on the board, one at a time.
Units must be placed within their owner’s deployment zone (as specified by
the mission rules). If a leader will deploy attached to a unit, the player must
set up both the leader and its bodyguard at the same time. If a unit will
deploy inside a transport, the player must declare this when setting up the
transport.

 Infiltrators: A unit with this keyword may be set up outside its owner’s
deployment zone, as long as it is at least 9” away from the opponent’s
deployment zone and any enemy units.

Players may keep up to 50% of their units in reserve (both by points and by
number of units – ignore attached leaders for the purpose of unit count, but
NOT when counting points). These units will arrive later, as described in the
Movement Phase rules.

Once all units are deployed or declared to be in reserve, players should

determine who goes first. If the mission rules do not specify, the players can
roll off to decide this.

 Scouts: After all units are deployed, but before determining who goes
first, units with this keyword may make a Scout Move, up to the
distance specified in the keyword (e.g. Scouts 6”). Units with Scouts
confer this keyword to transports they are deployed in, as long as there
are no models without Scouts in the transport (use the lower Scouts
movement allowance if the units have different values).

Turn Order
The first player who goes first completes each phase below before ending
their turn. Afterward, the second player does the same. Once both players
have taken their turn, the game progresses to the next battle round.

 Movement Phase
o Choose one for each of your units: Remain Stationary, Normal
Move, Advance Move, Charge Move, Fall Back, or Arrive from
Reserves
 Command Phase
o Use Command Abilities (Astra Militarum Orders, Psychic Abilities,
etc.)
 Shooting Phase
o Your units may fire any or all of their weapons at enemy units in
range
 Assault Phase
o Units in close combat must make melee attacks against each
other
 Morale Phase
o Your Battle-Shocked units test Leadership to recover
o Any units which took casualties this turn must test Leadership or
become Battle-Shocked. A unit which passed a test to recover
this turn is exempt.
 Scoring Phase
o Score VPs based on completed objectives.
Movement Phase
Remains Stationary: This unit doesn’t move or change its facing this turn.

Normal Move: This unit may move a number of inches up to its Movement.
Measure from front to front of the unit’s base (or the front of its hull if it
doesn’t have a base). Vehicles must pay an extra 2” of movement to change
their facing during a move (but they can change their facing as many times
as they want after doing so). This unit may fire normally, but Heavy weapons
do not receive the To Hit bonus for remaining stationary and weapons may
not be used for Indirect Fire. A Normal Move can never allow a unit to enter
or leave the engagement range of an enemy unit (1”).

Assault Move: This unit may move a number of inches up to its Movement,
plus 3”. This unit may only fire Assault weapons this turn, and it does so with
a -1 To Hit penalty. When making Assault Moves, units may end their
movement within engagement range of enemy models, but they cannot
leave or pass through engagement range of enemy models. Battle-Shocked
units cannot make Advance Moves.

 Furious Charge: A unit with this keyword may, after finishing an Assault
Move and while not engaged with any enemy units, roll a D6 and move
that many additional inches, if and only if that additional movement
would allow it to end its movement within engagement range of an
enemy unit.
 Overrun: A unit with this keyword may ignore Battle-Shocked enemy
units when making Assault Moves. This means they can move through
Battle-Shocked units to charge units behind them, even if they began
their movement engaged with those units.

Pile In: A unit already in combat may move a number of inches up to its
Movement, plus 3”, but any such movement must end within engagement
range of an enemy model if possible and can never allow a unit to leave
engagement range of an enemy model. This doesn’t count as an Assault
Move and doesn’t allow shooting.

Fall Back: Units may only Fall Back if they are locked in combat with an
enemy unit. The unit automatically becomes Battle-Shocked, then it may
move up to its Movement, as long as every model ends its movement
outside of engagement range of an enemy model. If the unit is already
Battle-Shocked, it suffers D3 mortal wounds when falling back. This unit may
only fire Assault weapons this turn, and it does so with a -1 To Hit penalty.
Arrive from Reserves: Units held in reserves may arrive on the battlefield
starting from the second turn. Such units are set up on the table within 6” of
a table edge (or as close to the table edge as possible if their base is larger
than 6”). Units may not be set up within 9” of an enemy unit. Units arriving
from reserves count as having made a Normal Move this turn.

 On the second turn, units arriving from reserves must be set up in your
deployment zone.
 From the third turn onward, units arriving from reserves may also be
set up in no man’s land.
 From the fourth turn onward, units arriving from reserves may also be
set up in your opponent’s deployment zone, but they must be within 6”
of either neutral table edge.
 Deep Strike: Units with this keyword may ignore the table edge
restriction when arriving from reserves.
 Precision Deep Strike: Units with this keyword may ignore the table
edge restriction when arriving from reserves, and additionally may be
set up at least 6” from enemy units instead of 9”.
 Interdictor: Enemy units may not be set up within 12” of a unit with
this keyword. This keyword takes precedence over Precision Deep
Strike.

Command Phase
Units with abilities that have the Command tag may use those abilities
during this phase.

Shooting Phase
Each unit may fire any or all of its weapons at enemy units in range. Units
may split fire between multiple enemy units if they wish. Units may not fire
at enemy units that are engaged unless they are engaged with that enemy
unit.

 Weapons with the Heavy tag receive +1 To Hit if their firer remained
stationary this turn. These weapons may NOT be fired if the firer is
engaged.
 Weapons without the Assault tag may only be fired if the firer remained
stationary or made a normal move this turn. If the firer is engaged,
such attacks are made with a -1 To Hit penalty.
o Monsters and Vehicle can target units normally while engaged.
All other unit types can only make ranged attacks against units
they are engaged with as long as they are engaged.
  Weapons with the Assault tag may be fired normally if the firer
remained stationary or made a normal move this turn (with a -1 To Hit
penalty if engaged as usual). If the user made an Assault Move, they
may still fire Assault weapons, but such attacks have a -1 To Hit
penalty. This penalty does NOT stack with the penalty for firing while
engaged.
 Blast weapons cannot be fired at engaged units even if the firer is
engaged with the target. Monsters and Vehicles can still fire such
weapons while engaged, so long as they target an unengaged unit.

Assault Phase
Each engaged unit must attack with a single melee weapon if possible. If a
unit is engaged with multiple enemy units, declare which units each attack is
being allocated against.

For a unit to count as engaged, at least one model must be within

engagement range (1”) of at least one enemy model. Note that the entire
unit counts as engaged (and therefore can make attacks) even if some
models in the unit are not within engagement range of an enemy model. The
difficulties of positioning fancy models and their bases on the table should
not be taken as an absolute representation of that unit’s ability to fight as a
cohesive unit.

The active player makes their attacks first. Afterward, any surviving enemy
units may hit back, using the same rules.

 Weapons with the Sidearm tag may be used to attack in melee in

addition to the selected primary weapon. (This includes ranged
weapons with the Sidearm tag, like Pistols – note that these use BS
instead of WS, which may be relevant for modifiers to those ability
scores).

Morale Phase
Each of your units which is currently Battle-Shocked tests Leadership to
recover. (Note that units only recover from Battle-Shock on their owner’s
turn, but they can suffer Battle-Shock on either player’s turn.)

Any units did not begin this phase Battle-Shocked and which took wounds
this turn must test Leadership, suffering Battle-Shock on a failure.

Both of the above tests count as Battle-Shock tests.

Battle-Shocked units suffer the following effects:

  Their OC becomes 0.
 That unit may not perform Actions.
 That unit cannot be targeted by Stratagems.
 That unit may not make Assault Moves.
 Enemy units with Overrun may ignore the unit when making Assault
Moves.

A unit that fails a Battle-Shock test while below Half-Strength becomes

Shattered if it does not have an attached Leader. It is immediately removed
from the table as a casualty as its surviving members flee for their lives,
dropping weapons and abandoning vehicles. Units with an attached Leader
never shatter.

Scoring Phase
Mission rules may specify that Victory Points (VPs) are scored during this
phase.

Resolving Attacks
Shooting and Line of Sight
With the exception of Indirect Fire weapons, units must have line of sight to
an enemy unit to shoot at it. Melee attacks do not require line of sight.

To determine if a model has line of sight to another model, trace a line from
the center of the model’s base to the center of the other model’s base. If this
line doesn’t pass through any models from other units or terrain with the
Obstructs LOS keyword (ignoring any models in the same unit as either
model), the two models have line of sight to one another. Line of sight is
always mutual – if a model can see an enemy, the enemy can see it.

 Units targeting Monsters and Vehicles ignore smaller units when

determining if they have line of sight.
 Units targeting Towering units ignore non-Towering units when
determining if they have line of sight.
 Towering units ignore non-Towering units when determining if they
have line of sight.

A unit has line of sight to another unit if any models in either unit have line of
sight to each other. If some models in the target unit are not visible to any
model in the firing unit, the entire target unit has Cover against the shooting
attack (it is assumed that the unit can duck in and out of the nearby cover).
If each model in the target unit is visible to at least one model in the firing
unit, then this Cover bonus doesn’t apply (though the unit may still receive
cover from another source).

Rolling Attacks
It is assumed that all attacks from a given unit in a given phase happen at
the same time. Players can roll all attacks at the same time (using different-
colored dice for attacks with different profiles), or roll some attacks
separately if that’s easier.

First, roll to determine if an attack hits (this is called a To Hit roll). This is a D6
roll using the weapon’s BS (for shooting) or WS (for melee attacks).

 An unmodified roll to hit of 6 is considered a Critical Hit, which may

interact with some special rules. Critical Hits are always successful hits.
 Torrent: A weapon with Torrent automatically hits and does not need to
roll.
 Stealth: Shooting attacks against a unit with Stealth have -1 to the To
Hit roll.
 Obscuring Terrain: Shooting attacks against a unit in terrain with the
Obscuring keyword, or that pass through terrain with that keyword,
have a -1 to the To Hit roll. This stacks with Stealth.

If an attack hits, roll to determine if an attack wounds (this is called a To

Wound roll). This is a D6 roll, with the target number depending on the
difference between the attack’s Strength and the target’s Toughness (use the
lowest Toughness in the unit if needed).

 S >= Tx2: 2+
 S>T: 3+
 S=T: 4+
 S<T: 5+
 Sx2<=T: 6+
 An unmodified roll to wound of 6 is considered a Critical Wound, which
may interact with some special rules. Critical Wounds are always
successful wounds.
 Feel No Pain: A unit with Feel No Pain forces the attacker to subtract 1
from any Wound rolls against them.

If an attack wounds, the defender may be entitled to a saving throw. By

default, a unit may make an armor save using the Sv characteristic on its
profile. The target number is increased by 1 for each point of AP the
attacking weapon has. If the target is increased to 7+ or worse, the defender
may not make an armor save at all.

 Invulnerable Save: A unit with an invulnerable save in their profile may

use this save in place of their armor save.
 Cover: A unit in cover improves their armor save by 1 against shooting
attacks. Cover never applies to melee attacks. Cover can never
improve an armor save to better than 3+, but units with a better armor
save can still benefit from cover if the attack’s AP would otherwise
worsen the save to 4+ or higher.
 Ignores Cover: Units attacked by a weapon with Ignores Cover do not
receive the bonus to their armor save for being in cover.
 Attached Leaders: These units may have different saves from the units
they are attached to. If this is the case, keep the dice rolled for the
saves face-up while resolving damage, discarding them high to low as
wounds are assigned. Once only the Leader remains, any wounds
which would have been successes with the Leader’s saves are
discarded.

Each unsaved attack inflicts wounds on the target equal to the attack’s
Damage characteristic. The defending player assigns these to models in the
unit, removing models when they run out of wounds. Models which have
already taken wounds must be assigned additional wounds first – spreading
out wounds across a unit is not allowed. Note that attacks which inflict more
wounds than a model has remaining do not spill over to other models. If a
given set of attacks includes different Damage values, the defender must
start by assigning the attacks with the lowest Damage values first.

 Precision: Attacks made with Precision weapons are allocated by the

attacker, not the defender. The attacker must declare the target before
the defender makes their saving throw.

Indirect Fire
Ranged weapons with the Indirect Fire keyword may attack units even
without line of sight, as long as certain conditions are met.

Indirect Fire weapons can ignore the rules below as long as they have line of
sight to their target.

A unit firing indirectly cannot split fire.

To fire indirectly, the unit must coordinate with a friendly unit that has the
Spotter keyword. A model acting as a Spotter cannot make ranged attacks of
its own this turn (though other models in its unit can). A model acting as a
Spotter can only spot a single enemy unit, and it can only enable indirect fire
for a single allied unit. The spotter must have line of sight to the target unit.

Once an enemy unit has been spotted, the indirect fire unit can attack it.
These attacks are made with a -1 To Hit penalty.

Terrain
Before starting the game, players should agree upon which of the keywords
below apply to each piece of terrain on the board.

 X (unit type): Indicates that a keyword only applies to certain types of

units. For example, Obstructs LOS (non-Towering) means that Towering
units can still see over a given piece of terrain.
 Obstructs LOS: Models cannot draw line of sight to models on the other
side of this terrain. (They can still draw LOS to models within this
terrain.)
 Obscuring: Models outside of this terrain that draw line of sight through
this terrain (including to models within this terrain) take a -1 To Hit
penalty to shooting attacks against the target, as described in the
Rolling Attacks section.
 Cover: Models within or adjacent to this terrain have cover against
shooting attacks that pass through the terrain.
 Impassable: Models cannot move through this terrain.
 Difficult: Models attempting to move through this terrain must make a
Terrain Check. Roll a D6 – this is the maximum distance the unit can
move through this terrain this turn. (e.g., if a unit with 8” of movement
rolls a 2, they can move a maximum of 2” while within the terrain; any
remaining movement is not lost and can be used outside the terrain).
 Dangerous: Models attempting to move through this terrain must make
a Terrain Check. Roll a D6 – on a 1 through 3, the unit suffers that
many mortal wounds. (If terrain is both Difficult and Dangerous, make
only one Terrain Check – the results apply to both effects.)