40k: 40 Things You Didn’t Know About 40k Rules
Mercer from www.imperiusdominatus.com here. There’s so many fine detailed rules in 40k. Many of them get missed. Here’s one or two, or maybe forty that you may not know.
1. Advanced rules always override any contradicting basic rules i.e Ripper Swarm is a troop choice, but unit type ‘swarms’ cannot hold objectives or deny them.
2. The word “turn” always means player turn, unless specified as game turn.
3. When moving models in a unit, any which you wish to remain stationary, must be declared before moving any models – i.e missile launcher model holds position while all other models move.
4. All models in the same unit fire at the same time; no firing meltagun and seeing what damage it does and then firing plasma gun after!
5. Any shooting attacks which do not use a ballistic skill cannot be fired as a snap shot.
6. Wounds cannot be allocated to a model if the firing unit cannot see it; if there are no visible models in the target, then all remaining wounds are lost and the shooting attack ends.
7. Fast dice; if there’s models with the same save at the front of the unit, then you can roll to save these all are once i.e 6 x Orks take 5 wounds, instead of allocating a wound per Ork, you can roll 5 saves.
8. Models which are pinned have gone to ground. Any model which has gone to ground cannot move, run or charge, but can fire snap fire shots.
9. If a pinned unit receives a charge from an enemy unit, then the enemy unit does not receive initiative penalty for assaulting through difficult terrain.
10. If a unit goes to ground from overwatch fire, then the charge automatically fails.
11. If you choose to focus fire, you must declare this before rolling to hit.
12. Units that are locked in close combat cannot overwatch.
13. When charging through terrain, units roll 3D6 and use the two lowest rolls.
14. Look out, sir, can be attempted with unsaved wounds also i.e Sgt takes a save and fails, attempt is made for look out, sir, and is passed, another model then has that unsaved wound allocated to it.
15. When regrouping, a unit with less than 25% models remaining can regroup on a double 1.
16. If a unit which is falling back is assaulted, if must take a normal leadership test, if this test is failed then the unit is removed as a casualty.
17. Units with the ‘And They Shall Know No Fear’ special rule may auto regroup.
18. Models with the ‘fleet’ rule may re-roll one or more dice when determing run moves and charge ranges.
19. Vehicles lose a hull point on a 1-3 if they roll a 1 when firing gets hot weaponry. Note this happens after re-rolls i.e twin-linked.
20. Any model firing a weapon which doesn’t roll to hit i.e plasma cannon, which has the gets hot rule, rolls a D6, on result of a 1 that model takes a wound and also cannot fire.
21. Models with the jink rule only gain a cover save if they move.
22. A unit which contains at least one model with the ‘move through cover’ special rule automatically pass terrain tests.
23. Poisoned weapons always wound on the number in brackets i.e (4+) unless require lower result e.g Plaguebearers normally wound on a 4+ thanks to poison weapon, but against Guardsmen they would wound on a 3+. Also, if the strength of the bearer is equal or higher than the enemy models toughness, then they can re-roll to wound.
24. A unit that contains at least one model with the ‘skilled rider’ special rule gains +1 to jink saves and also automatically passes terrain tests.
25. A model with the ‘skyfire’ special rule can fire at normal ballistic skill as flyers, flying monstrous creatures and skimmers. It can only fire snap shots against normal units, unless it has the interceptor rule.
26. A unit which contains at least one model with the ‘slow and purposeful’ special rule cannot run, turbo boost or move flat out.
27. A model that has the ‘smash’ rule counts it’s close combat attacks as AP2, unless the model has an AP1 weapon.
28. Bikes can move freely through terrain, but it is treated as dangerous terrain.
29. If a Bike or Jetbike charges an enemy model behind a barricade or aegis defence line, must take a dangerous terrain test.
30. When shooting at artillery, the toughness of any remaining guns are used and wounds are allocated on the closest model.
31. A jet pack unit can move 2D6″ in the assault phase, even if it has run and arrived via deep strike.
32. Beasts are not slowed by terrain, even when charging.
33. Cavalry treat all terrain as dangerous.
34. Models with two pistols can fire both in the shooting phase – gunslinger!
35. If a power weapon has it’s own set of rules, then it’s an unusual power weapon and is AP3.
36. A vehicle which shoots with an ordnance weapon can only snap fire with other weapons.
37. If an already immobilized vehicle suffers an immobilized result, then it loses a further hull point.
38. A unit cannot charge a vehicle if they cannot hurt; no more Termagant tarpits against Dreadnoughts!
39. Passengers can only fire snap shots, if embarked on a vehicle which suffers crew shaken.
40. A walker’s legs or any other limbs are classed as the hull – i.e Chaos Defiler.
41. Cover/jink saves can be taken against from glancing and penetrating hits caused by ramming.
Yes, I know, I’ve done 41. After all, it is the 41st millennium.
I’ve probably missed out some other fine details, though a few of these I learnt myself. Any of this new, or are you a master of 40k and know it all?
