Games Workshop revealed big rule changes for Battle Tactics and how you win games in the new 4th edition Age of Sigmar!
GW has promised that 4th Edition will bring many changes to the core rules, battletomes, and modular rules. However, you’ll still need to smash your enemies in combat! There are some major changes to Battle Tactics, such as how each faction will score points and how to lead your forces to victory!
GW Reveals How Battle Tactics Work in 4th Edition AoS
Here is the latest on the new Battle Tactics rules from Warhammer Community.
- Battle Tactics are secondary objectives that players can complete each turn in Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
- Players can select a Battle Tactic to pursue at the beginning of their turn using the Tactical Gambit ability.
- Successfully completing the chosen Battle Tactic will earn the player four victory points.
- Players can only pick a Battle Tactic they haven’t yet attempted.
- A significant change in the new edition is that players cannot pick a Battle Tactic if they win the priority roll and choose to take a second consecutive turn.
- The Battle Tactics module comprises six universal Battle Tactics that have applications in both the First Blood and The General’s Handbook battlepacks.
- The General’s Handbook 2024-25 includes two extra Battle Tactics for each Grand Alliance, alongside the Honour Guard Season Rule.
- You can score up to ten points per turn, but not on the double turn.
If you are new to Warhammer Age of Sigmar, battle tactics are secondary objectives you will want to complete each turn. But you’ll still need to secure objectives and slay as many of your opponent’s miniatures while completing them!
Picking Battle Tactics & The Double Turn
At the beginning of their turn, a player can select a battle tactic to pursue using the Tactical Gambit ability. Successfully completing the chosen battle tactic will earn the player four victory points, which will add to the six points they can already score each round from the game’s battleplan.
You can only pick a battle tactic you haven’t yet attempted, and a crucial change in the new edition is that you can’t pick a battle tactic if you win the priority roll and choose to take a second consecutive turn.
This is a big change to the game, as you can only pick tactics you haven’t completed, and if you take the double turn, you can pick a new battle tactic. This should add a lot of planning to when you actually take the double turn. The rules are set up to score ten points per turn (with primary and battle tactics), but if you take the double turn, it goes to six maximum for that turn.
This means that if you don’t maximize the swing power of the double turn, you might fall behind in victory points and lose yourself the game on points. It’s a great change if you ask us.
Universal Battle Tactics
The Battle Tactics module comprises six universal battle tactics that have applications in both the First Blood and The General’s Handbook battlepacks. To succeed in the game, players must be strategic about choosing which battle tactics to pursue each turn (as you want to max out your points every turn).
For instance, players may opt to select Sieze the Centre at the start of the game if they are confident that they can take control of the area without any pushback, especially if they have some fast units to get there before their opponent. However, there is a risk of being thwarted by an opponent who uses the Covering Fire or Counter-Charge commands.
Slay the Entourage is more specific, but it should be doable if you are about to charge their General with some big beasties. Take the Flanks can be very easy to do in the first turn if you deploy it correctly. Just remember, you can only pick it once in the battle, so you might want to leave some easy ones for later when your forces are depleted.
Alliance-Specific Battle Tactics
The General’s Handbook 2024-25 also includes two extra battle tactics for each Grand Alliance, alongside the Honour Guard Season Rule. These provide some extra flexibility outside of universal battle tactics, and replace faction-specific battle tactics.
It’s always nice to see extra flexibility in the game, and we expect them to expand these fairly quickly. Plus, since they are a part of the General’s Handbook, GW could make changes quickly.
Reclaim the Realms seems fairly simple, but getting in all quarters and more than 6″ away from all enemies can be tricky. The Chaos one is worded a little strangely, but basically, you need to charge with two units; one of those needs to contest, and you have to knock your enemy off of that objective.
Marked for the Grave is pretty simple: you can pick a healthy unit and destroy it in one turn, which should be pretty doable around turns two to three. Time to Get Stuck In is very thematic, and you have to hold three units in reserve, but be ready to surge forward and smash your opponent!
Overall, these changes to Battle Tactics in 4th Edition AoS are exciting and should add a new layer of strategy to the game. Players will need to carefully plan their moves and choose their tactics wisely to earn those valuable victory points.
GW Confirms New AoS Edition, Free Rules & Release Date
What do you think about the rules changes to 4th Edition Age of Sigmar Battle Tactics?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
