With the upcoming release of Warhammer 40,000’s 10th Edition, which was announced for June 2023, the internet is buzzing more than ever before. And as the “simplified, not simple” times loom ever closer, it was only a matter of time before the leaks started appearing. It’s important to note, however, that while we’re about to cover a major one, it’s never official until either confirmed, or released by, Games Workshop themselves.
The Core Rules Book found its way to several websites, in various formats (images, PDFs, even printer-friendly versions), but some of the links we viewed no longer appear to be working, so it is likely that Games Workshop are most likely working on keeping the leak under wraps. However, while the sources are still available, we can still make some pretty good assessments as to what the new 10th Edition rules may contain.
Notable Changes and More
We already know that the entire game will be streamlined, making it “simplified, not simple”, as confirmed by Warhammer 40,000 Studio Manager Stu Black himself. The leak already re-confirmed the use of datasheets for all existing models, and rule cards in some cases. However, new details surfaced on Coherency & Engagement Range, for instance.
As shown by the leaked documents, coherency will now depend on the size of the unit. To be more specific, when you have a unit of less than 7 models, you have to be within 2″ horizontally and 5″ vertically. If you have a unit of more than 7 models and they are more than 2″ horizontally and 5″ vertically apart from one another, you must remove models so that the unit is coherent. This is a great change that will hopefully remove the much-hated “conga line” tactic from the game.
There are, however, significant differences from the 9th Edition, most notably in how you build your army. For instance, when you start the army-building process, you must select a Faction keyword. After that, a player must select a detachment, which grants your army additional rules. Relics are also entirely removed and are replaced with Enhancements for your characters. Furthermore, you may have Epic Heroes in addition to your Warlord, as long as they are not the same character. Epic Heroes do not benefit from Enhancements.
A significant difference from the 9th Edition is pre-deployment. Before any units are deployed, players must first determine who will be the attacker and defender. After this is done, players must decide which units will be in strategic reserves and who will embark on transport vehicles. Another significant difference is that when the first turn starts, the player who goes first moves their Scouts, then rolls off for infiltrating units. Players will need those infiltrating units to capture Objectives more easily.
They play significantly differently in the 10th Edition, as players can no longer end their turn on top of them, but rather control them within a within 3″ radius. These are by far not the only changes listed on the leaked document, but once again – we remind our readers that this is not yet released by Games Workshop, and it is best to take all information with a grain of salt until June 2023. We will still keep on top of things and update you with any exciting news as they come up!