Coming back to Warhammer 40,000 after years: what has changed in 11th edition?
Rule changes as stated in Games Workshop articles dated 26 March to 22 July 2026.
Terrain, objectives, charging, army building and missions changed most. Most datasheets still work as before, so your old models do too. The edition launched on 20 June 2026.
The changes that matter most
| Rule | 10th edition | 11th edition |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | +1 to the defender's armour save | -1 to the attacker's Ballistic Skill |
| Hiding | Not a rule | Infantry, Beasts and Swarms in a terrain area are Hidden unless their unit shot |
| Objectives | Round markers | Terrain areas, five or six per mission |
| Charging | Choose the target, then roll | Roll, then choose targets within the distance rolled |
| Engagement range | 1 inch | 2 inches |
| Army building | One detachment | Several, paid for in Detachment Points |
| Missions | The same for both players | Set by each side's Force Disposition |
| Stratagems | Could stack on one unit | One unit cannot have several in a phase |
| Secondary cards | New cards only if you held fewer than two | Draw two each Command phase and hold what you cannot score |
| Measuring | Charges and shooting range did not use the same method | Base to base for charges, range and moves |
One change helps Characters: they no longer lose their strongest abilities when their bodyguard unit dies.
Army building: detachments and Force Dispositions
You still pick your army from its codex. The difference is that a detachment, the set of army rules you choose, can now be smaller. You buy detachments with Detachment Points. Each costs 1 to 3, from narrow ones at 1 to army-wide ones at 3, and the size of your game sets how many you may take. Games Workshop said there would be more than 70 new and updated detachments at launch. The detachments in your current codex still work.
Each detachment also unlocks one or more Force Dispositions. You choose one for each battle and compare it with your opponent's, and that pairing decides the mission. In a pick-up game you can choose a different Force Disposition before each battle.
What stayed
For the most part, datasheets work as they did in 10th edition, so your old models still field. Our page on 10th edition models and boxes goes through codexes, points and the app item by item.
What to do first
- Download the free core rules and read the terrain and mission pages first.
- Update the Warhammer 40,000 app. New points arrived with it, and it will not run the older edition. Our page on what the app does explains more.
- Check your army's codex. Our page on when a codex is worth buying covers the edition question.
- Play a small game. A Combat Patrol tests the new missions quickly. A Starter Set (£126.40, in stock) gives you two armies, boards and terrain in one box.
-
£86.11RRP
£109.00Save 21%Sold out
Points and rules keep moving. Games Workshop planned monthly updates for the first three months and quarterly after that.
Common questions
What are the key differences between 10th and 11th edition of 40k?
Terrain, objectives and charging changed how a battle plays. Cover now cuts the attacker's Ballistic Skill, objectives are terrain areas, and you pick charge targets after rolling. Army building and missions changed too, through detachments and Force Dispositions.
When did 11th edition Warhammer 40,000 come out?
It launched on 20 June 2026. Games Workshop's first monthly rules update followed on 22 July 2026.
What is a Force Disposition in 40k?
A Force Disposition is a label your detachments unlock for your army, and it helps set your mission. There are five: Take and Hold, Purge the Foe, Disruption, Priority Assets and Reconnaissance. Each battle you choose one and compare it with your opponent's, and the pairing sets the mission.
What are Detachment Points in 11th edition 40k?
Detachment Points are what you spend on detachments when you build an army. Each detachment costs 1 to 3 points, and the size of your game decides how many you may take.
How often do 40k rules and points change in 11th edition?
Games Workshop planned monthly updates for the first three months, then quarterly updates. Points live in the app and in an interactive Munitorum Field Manual online, so check there rather than a printed list.
Warhammer Community articles: rule changes, 26 March, 2 April, 3 April, 8 April, 10 April, 15 April, 28 May, 5 June, 15 June and 22 July 2026; launch date, 15 June 2026. Prices and stock: this shop, read live.