Warhammer 40K: Terrain Objectives & How They Work In 11th Edition
Games Workshop is updating the way Objectives will look on the tabletop thanks to their new Terrain for Warhammer 40,000.
We got a look at the new terrain rules and how those maps will shape the game. Now we’re looking a step deeper at the new terrain objectives in the game. Do these add a more narrative-vibe to the tabletop? Let’s check the rules previews out to find out for sure.
New Terrain Objectives
Rather than objectives existing as tokens that units need to stand next to, most are now secured by claiming a terrain area. It might sound like a simple change, but it has a couple of big implications that shake up how you’ll approach the battle for your objectives.
Armies will no longer be battling it out over rings on the tabletop. Instead you’ll have to actually use terrain footprints to determine if you’re in or out. We got a look a these terrain footprints thanks to the maps that were showcased but here’s a look at one incase you missed it:
Keep in mind that these new Terrain Objective still interact with the other terrain rules. So things like being hidden and getting cover still apply. Theoretically, this means that units holding Terrain Objectives should be able to survive a bit better. You could even have a unit stay hidden in the backfield to hold those objectives and the enemy won’t be able to attack them until they are within detection range.
While hidden really only applies to Infantry, Beasts, and Swarms don’t think that Vehicles and Monsters are left high and dry.
“Larger units, such as vehicles and monsters, will also be able to contribute to claiming objectives in greater safety. While not able to use Terrain Areas to gain cover, they can still perch behind ruins, trees, and rubble to gain the benefit of cover, which will be most of the time when holding an objective, as objectives ARE ruins, trees or rubble.“
Oh and maybe just as importantly, Vehicles can also traverse terrain around the objectives with ease. Basically, all of those “yellow” highlighted pieces of terrain in the maps (like the one above) are things that vehicles can move through without slowing at all.
Below we have an example of scoring/contesting Terrain Objectives:
This will play out a lot like the current objectives as players are going to calculate their total unit OC scores to see who’s actually controlling the objective. It’s just based off the area terrain footprint and not distance from a point (a circle) on the tabletop.
That’s not to say that every objective must now be a building, or treeline, or an important mess of craters, and you’re still welcome to mark them with 40mm bases should the mission require. You might need to defuse a bomb, for example, or pick up and move relics while running around a crumbling cityscape.
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Personally, I hope this does bring back some more interesting tabletops in 40k. I know it’s going to come with growing pains though as folks are going to have to take account of their terrain collection. Some things can probably be reworked while other things will have to get chopped up and salvaged. Or not! These are recommended layouts after all. I mostly feel bad for Tournaments or conventions with massive terrain collections. Yikes.
Time to start organizing hobby nights for your FLGS to get the terrain in shape for 11th I suppose.
