Games Workshop expanded on unit coherency rules more in 9th Edition and revealed the action mechanic, and yet another core stratagem.
Warhammer Community expanded on their unit coherency rules we first saw on the WarhammerTV Twitch Stream. On top of nerfing screens, they also showcased another Stratagem and even more CP interaction. Here’s the latest.
GW Brings in More Unit Coherency Rules, Stratagems & Performing Actions!
Screens, as we know it, are changing in 9th Edition. The new rules creates a restrictive “bubble” around your units. If you’re running small squads the unit can’t be fanned out as a whole as easy anymore In addition, you have to regain coherency the next time you make a move. Otherwise, the movement cannot be made.
For units of 6+ models, you also have to be in unit coherency with two other models from your own unit. The reason for this change was talked about by the GW team on Twitch. They mentioned how awkward it looked to see a string of single-file Plaguebearers creep across the board and sit on multiple Objectives. Or in another case, a blob of Orks completely link arms around a unit of Lootas. It just looked clunky and form their thinking, they said “nobody would ever do this on a battlefield”.
EDITOR’S NOTE: It appears GW may have meant each model must be with coherency of THREE other models from its own unit otherwise you can still string out a squad and just cap or triangle the end of a line from this wording. However as others have pointed out, morale is checked differently now and may result in heavy losses if spacing is done incorrectly.
The Penalty For Breaking Coherency
With that in mind, screens definitely got knocked down a peg. While it isn’t the death of screens, melee armies SHOULD be able to get into melee with the gooey centers of lists more easily. For armies that do use screens, you’ll have to take more to properly pad your valuable models.
If you can’t get your model’s back into unit coherency, then you’re sacrificing whatever chunk of the unit to go back in your bag. You’ll be removing models until you have a unit that is completely in unit coherency. This is the same mechanic that AoS has.
No more will long convoluted chains of Imperial Guard squads or Gretchin mobs cover the entirety of a player’s backfield. These rules mean that squads operate more like coherent formations in the game.
Emergency Disembarkation
Another core Stratagem was revealed and it’s playing off of units inside Transports. We’ve already seen that Battalions and Patrols give the option of Dedicated Transports. But now, there’s a way to squeeze out some extra movement for dues jumping out of vehicles as they get destroyed. For 1CP, you can pile out 6″ instead of the normal 3″. However, on a 1 or 2, you’ll have a slain model on your hand.
We can really only see this being super useful if you want to just throw bodies on an objective during your opponent’s shooting phase. You could also keep your units back a bit better if a vehicle is killed in melee. Aggressors can just spill out the back 6″ and get ready for the next shooting phase.
Easter Eggs On Objectives & Performing Actions
Showing off one of the new objectives in 9th Edition, Raise the Banners High will give access to every infantry unit to raise their banners on an objective. You can only dedicate one unit per objective and there can’t be enemy models within 3″ of the objective when you do it. You start it at the end of your Movement phase and will start netting CP at the end of your Command Phases. This is a neat new mechanic but we’re not sure if it’ll take over the ITC’s objectives.
Performing actions, in general, is a brand new mechanic to 40k. To give you the cliff notes of that wall of text, you can’t do any other action while you’re performing your action or it automatically fails. You can’t have units within 1″ of you while you do them, and a character’s aura abilities turn off while they do them. AKA don’t use your Chapter Master to raise a banner while you’ve got Tyranids chomping at your army’s feet.
Whew, that was a lot but overall, it looks like the 9th Edition rule book might be a daunting wall of text. With that said, it’ll certainly be a step-up in terms of complexity from 8th Edition.
What do you think about the new unit coherency rules? Can you see other useful instances for the Emergency Disembarkation Stratagem?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
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About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
