These are your most asked questions wrapped up for our Warhammer 40k FAQ. Since the release of Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition in July of 2020, there have been several supplements, official answers to the most frequently asked questions, and player workarounds. From painting to point value, here are some of the most often searched questions about Warhammer 9th Edition.
What’s New in Warhammer 9th Edition?
There are additional options for first and last turns as well as scoring mechanics. Each faction has new point costs as well.
Warhammer 9th Edition also introduces the Crusade System. The 9th Edition Crusade System lets you really build a story around your army–it’s narrative. You can amass a larger army as the crusade goes on, and also pick up special custom rules to apply to your army in the Crusade System.
Command Points (CPs) are also more abundant in 9th Edition. This enables more re-rolls, which makes for more suspense in each battle.
Ninth edition also includes some serious changes to how tanks function in Warhammer battles. Now tanks are able to shoot while in combat. This addresses a frequent point of frustration about tanks in past editions.
Warhammer 9th Edition is somewhat adjustable when it comes to size and length of games. While the standard size is still 2,000 points per army, you can balance each army to accommodate the length of game you’d like to play. This can result in massive, epic battles, or quick, one-hour skirmishes.
What are some good tips for someone who hasn’t played Warhammer since several editions ago?
Warhammer has existed for over 20 years. In that time, there have been many clarifications, lore updates, and rules changes. Warhammer has grown from its game of origin (more of a skirmish scale game) to a scalable, large-table game playable in narrative, story-driven campaigns.
Your first stop for catching up on Warhammer lore and changes, if you’re familiar with past editions, is the Warhammer 40,000 Codex. If you’re going from Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition to 9th Edition, you’ll find that 9th edition is less of a rules reset and more of a continuation of the story and play style, building on what worked in 8th edition. Games Workshop clarified multiple rules to ensure some universality while retaining the individual strengths and rules for each specific army.
Where is the best place to learn Warhammer online?
The best thing about learning how to play Warhammer 9th Edition online is that you can learn how to play it in just ten minutes or less. This Nights at the Game Table blog post and accompanying “How to Play Warhammer 40k In Under 10 Minutes” video. In this source, you’ll learn about the five different phases in Warhammer 9th Edition:
- Movement phase
- Shooting Phase
- Charge Phase
- Fight Phase
- Morale Phase
Nights at the Game Table is also your best source for painting tutorials, articles about how to get started with Warhammer, and even custom sessions with our experts who will help you build an elite army suited to your strengths as a player.
What Does “M” Stand for in Warhammer 40K 9th Edition?
“M” stands for movement in inches. If you see “M 5 inches,” that means the movement for the designated unit is 5 inches. Pretty simple, right?
How Do You Begin a Game of Warhammer 9th Edition?
At the beginning of the game, you and your opponent roll the dice to see who goes first. Highest roller wins. Depending on whether you win the first roll, your strategy may change. Going second means you might have a delay in deploying a particular tactic.
In this crucial, early stage, you can observe your opponent’s body language, too. Where on the battlefield are they looking? Are they telegraphing their next move or the options they consider? Which of your units or characters do they seem most concerned about? All of this can change, but getting an early overview of your opponent’s intentions can determine the appropriate level of risk, sneakiness, or straightforwardness you might take.
What websites have the best Warhammer 9th Edition army builds?
If you’re looking for specific Warhammer 9th Edition army builds, there are a limited amount of sources online. Tournament players keep their army builds a guarded secret until play. However, you can still get specific army builds at Dakka Dakka or
That said, the best Warhammer army build is custom. We can help you build an army suited to your strengths as well as the benefits each army has to offer.
Reddit hosts an active competitive play forum on their Competitive Discussion for Warhammer 40K, 30K, and AoS subreddit.
Where is the best place to learn Warhammer locally?
Your friendly local gaming store (FLGS) is the best place to learn Warhammer locally. Your local Games Workshop store is an excellent resource if you have one nearby; after all, Games Workshop manufactures Warhammer.
How do you play Warhammer 40K on Tabletop Simulator?
One of the best things about Warhammer is that it’s social. You can meet up at your local gaming store (or in your home) to socialize, eat, and drink with your friends while you play, paint, and learn from each other. However, conditions like inclement weather, COVID and other health conditions, or general distance may mean it’s not always possible to play Warhammer with your friends in person. For that, there’s a solution: play Warhammer 40,000 online via Tabletop Simulator. Buy the program, build your army, and load it into the simulator to go head to head with your best friend/opponent.
What are “actions” and how do they work?
Actions in Warhammer 9th Edition permit the achievement of victory for your armies. Think about actions as mini-goals you must complete to ensure a winning condition for your army. This might mean gathering various objects, activating different stations, or performing an uninterrupted ritual.
In 9th Edition, the army-specific rules will describe which actions your units can perform, when they can perform them, and how. You’ll also find specific conditions regarding actions. For example, “ a Character cannot use any aura abilities while it is performing an action.”
What are “Primary Objectives” and “Secondary Objectives” and how do they work?
Primary objectives occur in matched play. These objectives focus on objective marker control. They’re not scored on your first turn, and as there are five total turns, you only get four chances to score Primary Objectives. Primary Objectives have a cap of 15 points per turn.
What Are Secondary Objectives in Warhammer 9th Edition?
Secondary Objectives are objectives the players select. You choose and disclose your Secondary Objective to the other player prior to deployment or first turn selection.
Warhammer 9th Edition includes different types of Secondary Objectives for you to choose from. They are:
- Target-Based Objectives: These Secondary Objectives focus on destroying particular units or volumes of units.
- Loss-Based Objectives: Loss-Based Objectives are all about preserving the might of your army and fighting smart. In other words, don’t let your identified units die and focus on keeping your units alive. This one takes strategy and often requires a reactionary approach.
- Action-Based Objectives: These Secondary Objectives are all about performing specified actions.
- Position-Based Objectives: Position-Based Objectives are tactical in nature, requiring your units to be in specific places or within certain distances of other models.
To select an ideal Secondary Objective, it’s worth considering the skills of your opponent and the army they’re using. While you can always think ahead, Secondary Objectives are especially effective as supportive, reactionary tactics to help you score points.
What are Victory Points in Warhammer?
Victory Points are awarded in the game for achieving objectives. To win the battle, you must achieve more Victory Points than your opponent (in most scenarios).
What is ObSec or Object Secured?
Only certain units have the ability to take an objective. With that type of model, you can build your army to include models that can do this (no matter how many enemy models are on the object). ObSec adds another element of planning and strategy to Warhammer 40K.
Why are there no female space marines?
The absence of female space marines is a hotly debated topic in the Warhammer community. Theories range from “the models don’t look right” (which doesn’t make sense as the Sisters of Battle look awesome!) to something closer to the truth: no players really wanted an army of women or girls when the first edition was created.
However, the real answer to the female space marine question is lore-centric: the original Primarchs were all men and space marines were created from the gene seed of those Primarchs. While this sounds a little odd, it makes sense in the context of tradition in the Imperium of Man; there, the Emperor’s decision to create an all-male force is the way he intended it; therefore, it still is this way.
Additionally, The Imperium can no longer create new gene-seed, meaning they couldn’t make female space marines even if they wanted to.
If you want to play female space marines or think this tradition is short-sighted, you’re not alone. We recommend you play Sisters of Battle instead, especially since they’re quite effective in Warhammer 9th Edition.
Where do Orks Come From in Warhammer 40K?
Orks are part fungus, part animal, and they are created via fungal spores. This is also the reason you won’t find female Orks, either, and an explanation for why they look similar to one another. Asexual reproduction creates Orks. Orks also can’t die of old age, but they usually fall to battle wounds or recklessness.
Can Characters Join Units in Warhammer 9th Edition?
In a much-maligned change, Characters can no longer join units in Warhammer 9th Edition. Instead, Characters provide special rules to surrounding units.
Where is the best place to learn Warhammer in Bastrop, Texas?
If you’re located near Bastrop, Texas or want to further indulge in your geeky hobbies after attending the local Sherwood Forest Faire, make sure to stop by Bastrop Games and Hobbies. Reviewers hail the staff as friendly and knowledgeable. This is the type of store that caters to both new and experienced players. If you go here as a total beginner, the staff at Bastrop Games and Hobbies will help you get set up.
If you’re not local to Bastrop, Bastrop Games and Hobbies can still find Games Workshop products and ship them to you. This reputable location is known for fostering a sense of community and really investing in gaming hobbies. While you’re there, you can also learn more about other popular gaming products, such as Dungeons & Dragons or Magic: the Gathering. Bastrop Games and Hobbies’ passionate experts will help you get started.
That said, Bastrop Games and Hobbies and Nights at the Game table are affiliated with some popular, tournament-winning experts. If you’re interested in Warhammer tournament play, check out the store to find out how to get serious about your game.
Games Workshop and Warhammer 40k FAQ Final Thoughts
Do you have more questions about Warhammer 9th Edition? Ask them in the comments below and we’ll follow up with new content or answers to help you out.
