How the 3 different Cover types work in Warhammer 40K 9th Edition

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

There are 3 different types of cover in this Warhammer 40K edition of the game. There is light cover, heavy cover and dense cover, and each one has a very different impact on the game.

Now let’s discuss heavy cover. It’s possible for a piece of terrain to be both light cover and heavy cover. In fact, it can be light cover, heavy cover, and dense cover. It can be all three.

At the start of the game, you’re going to agree on which piece of cover is which with your opponent. In doing so you’re both going to have a much better game.

For each type of cover, it’s important that every model be within that cover feature to get the benefit of it. If one of them isn’t in cover then the unit it’s in won’t get it either.

Light cover is the one that most people are going to be familiar with. Shooting at a model that’s getting the benefit of light cover means that model gets +1 to their saving throw against ranged attacks. Light cover does not benefit invulnerable saves.

Cover in Warhammer 40K
FAQed to be clear the charging model is too busy to get the cover bonus.

Heavy cover works in a very similar way to light cover but only against close combat attacks. It gives you +1 to your saving throw in close combat for the models that are within heavy cover.

Now, there is some confusion about a rule as it was printed. In the errata they specified only non-charging models get that benefit. So if your opponent charges your models in heavy cover, then you’re going to get +1 to your saving throw and your opponent will not because they charged. But in the turns after – we’re both going to get that benefit.

It’s important for people to understand that difference.

Dense Cover in Warhammer 40K

Dense cover includes forests and things where there’s a lot of overgrowth. If your opponent is targeting your unit that is completely within dense cover, then they’re going to get -1 to shoot. Unless they’re shooting from within three inches of the piece of cover.

So they don’t have to be in the cover. They can actually be up to three inches outside of it and they won’t get -1 to shoot you even if you’re inside.

The only thing that stops your opponent from getting that -1 to hit is if their model is completely visible by your model. If you can trace a line one millimeter thick from your opponent’s model to every part of yours, then their model does not get the benefit of cover.

That covers the 3 different kinds of cover in Warhammer 40k 9th Edition.

Do you have any questions or you want to know more about Warhammer 40K, leave a comment down below and we will answer them right here for you. Ranged Weapons have been covered like Blast.

If you’d like the Nights Team to give you a free Army List designed for you free of charge click this link to schedule a time with one of our team members: https://nightsatthegametable.youcanbook.me

If you’d like to have a free guide that gives everything you need to paint miniatures faster, play the game better, find more time to play, and save money on miniatures then click the link here: https://bit.ly/40kFreeGuide

As always thanks for reading!

Special thanks to Games Workshop for the use of their images and for making the best game ever!

More to Explore

alpine gt 40k

Alpine GT 40k Winning Lists

These are your Alpine GT Winning Lists results from afar! This past weekend saw the Alpine GT, a 9 round, 57 participant

Latest Articles