2026 WARHAMMER OPEN TACOMA

RULES UPDATES & FAQs

This document should be considered official for the Warhammer Open taking place in Tacoma, Washington from July 17 to 19, 2026.

Formal FAQ and errata updates require careful review, translation, publication, and integration with Warhammer 40,000 app update schedules to ensure they are appropriately delivered for all our customers. In the meantime, this document is a resource to help players attending the Warhammer Open Tacoma participate with the greatest possible rules clarity in the immediate aftermath of a new edition’s release.

The information herein was developed by the Warhammer 40,000 rules and events teams. It is intended to support a clear, consistent, enjoyable event experience at Tacoma while the late July rules update is finalised.

Due to the inherent differences between an event-specific FAQ and a formal rules update, some information in this document may take a different shape in the July update. For example, a clarification presented here as a generalised response may take the form of specific errata across multiple datasheets in its final form.

Independent organisers may choose to use this document in support of answering attendee questions at their own events. Nevertheless, it is only formally intended for use at the Warhammer Open Tacoma 2026.

RULES UPDATES

GENERATING COMMAND POINTS

Excluding Core CP, each player can gain a maximum of 1 CP per battle round.

This includes the CP gained when a player discards an active Secondary Mission card.

MODIFYING A STRATAGEM'S CP COST

Rules that enable you to target a friendly unit with a stratagem for 0CP, but that do not specify the name of the stratagem, instead reduce the CP cost of that use of that stratagem by 1CP.

ONE NORMAL MOVE PER PHASE

When a unit ends a normal move, that unit cannot make another normal move in that phase.

STRATAGEMS THAT CAN BE USED

MORE THAN ONCE PER PHASE/TURN

Parts of a rule that allow a player to use a stratagem even if they have already targeted another unit with that stratagem in the same phase can only be used if the name of the stratagem is specified in that rule. Similarly, if a stratagem is limited to one use per player per turn, per battle round or per battle, such parts of that rule can only be used if the name of the stratagem is specified in that rule.

STRATAGEMS THAT ADD NEW UNITS TO YOUR ARMY If a stratagem has the effect of adding ‘a new unit to your army that is identical to your destroyed unit’, add the following Restriction to that stratagem: ‘RESTRICTIONS: You can only use this stratagem once per battle.’

STRATAGEMS THAT PREVENT UNITS FROM BEING TARGETED

If a stratagem has an effect that says the target unit ‘can only be selected as the target of a ranged attack if the attacking model is within 12"’, or ‘cannot be targeted by ranged attacks unless the attacking model is within 12"’, that effect is changed to say ‘can only be selected as the target of a ranged attack if the attacking model is within 18".’

GRENADE STRATAGEM

Some rules may use the term Grenade Stratagem, this is the same as the Explosives Stratagem.

TANK SHOCK STRATAGEM

Some rules may use the term Tank Shock Stratagem, this is the same as the Crushing Impact Stratagem.

EFFECTS THAT CAUSE DESPERATE ESCAPE TESTS If a stratagem or ability forces a unit to make a Desperate Escape test, that unit:

▫ Must make one hazard roll for each model in that unit. ▫ Must make a battle-shock roll.

CONTROLLING AN OBJECTIVE AT THE END OF A PHASE

At the end of each phase and turn, the first thing players do (before any other 'at the end of the phase/end of the turn' rules or abilities) is determine which objectives are controlled by which player.

Add to the end of 18.01 Transport Capacity: A friendly unit must be embarked within each friendly DEDICATED TRANSPORT model. At the end of this step, each friendly DEDICATED TRANSPORT model without an embarked unit is destroyed, but they do not trigger rules that are triggered when a model is destroyed.

Change the 'After Moving' of Objective

Consolidation (12.08):

▫ Objective Consolidation: Your unit must be unengaged and within range of the selected objective.

EFFECTS THAT REVIVE DESTROYED CHARACTER MODELS (e.g. Protocol of the Eternal Revenant, Divine Intervention, Postmortality)

Change the text regarding how to return the destroyed model to play to the following:

[...] set up the destroyed model on the battlefield, unengaged and as close as possible to where it was destroyed. That model is not part of an attached unit and its unit has a starting strength of 1. [...]

02.02.04 Healing or Regaining Lost Wounds Change one bullet as follows:

When a unit heals or regains a number of wounds, it regains up to that number of lost wounds. For each wound healed or regained, consult the following:

▫ If that unit has one or more models that does not have its full wounds remaining, select one of those models: that model regains one lost wound.

▫ If all models in that unit have their starting number of wounds, but one or more models from that unit are currently destroyed, revive one of those destroyed models (excluding Character models), with one wound remaining. This cannot cause a model to have more wounds remaining than it started the battle with.

GENESTEALER CULTS ARMY RULE (CULT AMBUSH) The following changes are in effect:

▫When checking if every model in the destroyed unit has the Cult Ambush ability, exclude attached CHARACTER models ▫When determining how many Resurgence Points to spend, exclude attached CHARACTER models from the unit's Starting Strength

▫When adding a new unit to your army identical to the destroyed unit, exclude attached CHARACTER models

3.2.2 Setting Up Large Models - From Strategic Reserves

Change to:

If a model is so large that its base cannot physically be set up wholly within the distance required of the battlefield edge, it must be set up so that it is touching a battlefield edge. During a turn in which such a large model is set up on the battlefield (excluding AIRCRAFT models), that model’s unit cannot do any of the following:

▫normal/advance/fall-back/charge move.

▫Make any attacks with ranged weapons.

Some large models, typically Aircraft, have wings and other parts that extend significantly beyond their base. Such models can overhang a battlefield edge if it is not possible to set them up otherwise, but when setting them up, they must still be more than 8" away from all enemy units.

Event Clarification: This change allows AIRCRAFT modelson a base larger than 6" (such as the Orion Assault Dropship, Ares Gunship,or Tiger Shark) to make attacks with ranged weaponson a turn in which they are set up on the battlefield.

Thulia Ghuld, Belisarius Cawl, Lion El'Jonson, Fulgrim, Roboute Guilliman, The Red Terror: Add the 'MOBILE' keyword

D-cannon Platform, Falcon, Fire Prism, Night Spinner, Shadow Weaver Platform, Starweaver, Vibro Cannon Platform, Voidweaver, Wave Serpent, Ynnari Raider, Ynnari Venom, Doomsday Ark Add the 'FRAME' keyword.

Ares Gunship, Orion Assault Dropship,

Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike, Vertus Praetors, Valkyrie, Crimson Hunter, Hemlock Wraithfighter, Razorwing Jetfighter, Voidraven

Bomber, Screamers, Night Scythe, Obelisk, Tesseract Vault, Stormraven Gunship, Stormhawk Interceptor, Stormtalon Gunship, Thunderhawk Gunship, Grey Knights Thunderhawk Gunship, Corvus Blackstar, Blitza-Bommer, Burna-Bommer, Dakkajet, Hunta Rig, Kill Rig, Sun Shark Bomber, Razorshark Strike Fighter, AX-1-0 Tiger Shark, Tiger Shark

Remove the 'FRAME' keyword.

FAQs

Q: When my unit shoots at another unit, how does it work if some models in the target unit are fully visible to some models in my unit, while others are within a terrain area/not fully visible?

A: For each attacking model in your unit, determine whether the target unit has the benefit of cover, as described in Terrain and Visibility. In this scenario, the target unit will likely have the benefit of cover against some of the attacking models, but not all. This means that, in an example unit where all attacking models are using the same weapon, when you get to the Resolve Attacks step of the Attack Sequence, you will collect dice for attacks made by models against which the target unit has the benefit of cover separately from the dice for attacks made by models against which the target unit does not have the benefit of cover.

Q: My unit has an ability which allows it to disembark from a TRANSPORT after the TRANSPORT performed an Advance Move. What mode of the Disembark Move do I use with this ability?

A: You will automatically select the Rapid Disembark mode, and follow the "While Moving" and "After Moving" steps of that mode accordingly.

Q: After using an ability that increases the CP cost of a stratagem, if my opponent does not have the necessary CP available for the selected stratagem, what happens? A: No CP are spent and that stratagem's effects are not resolved (but that stratagem still counts as having been used this phase).

Q: After using an ability that increases the CP cost of a stratagem, must my opponent continue to use the selected stratagem at the increased cost if they have the necessary CP available?

A: Yes.

Q: When does a FLYING unit choose to Take to the Skies? A: When the unit is selected to make a normal, advance, fall-back or charge move. Note that in the cases of an advance or charge move, that means the unit must decide to Take to the Skies before rolling for the advance/charge move.

Q: How do modifiers to the charge roll (or to the maximum distance of the charge move, such as Take to the Skies) impact selection of charge targets?

A: A charging unit may only select charge targets that are within the maximum distance of their charge roll, including any modifiers. If such a modifier occurs after selecting a target and causes that target to no longer be within the maximum distance, the charging unit would then select new targets (04.03.03 Target No Longer Eligible Or Viable).

Example: A unit's charge roll is 7" and has a datasheet ability which adds 1 to Charge rolls; that charge's maximum distance is 8", and may select targets within 8".

Example: A FLYING unit chooses to Take to the Skies and rolls a charge roll of 9"; that charge's maximum distance is 7" (9" roll minus the 2" from Taking to the Skies), and may select targets within 7".

Q: Are Upgrades enhancements?

A: Yes, Upgrades are a type of enhancement (but not all enhancements are Upgrades)

Q: Can a unit have both an Upgrade and an enhancement? A: No, units are prevented from having two enhancements, and Upgrades are enhancements.

Q: Can an Attached unit be given an Upgrade? A: Yes.

Q: Can an EPIC HERO unit form an attached unit with a unit that has an enhancement?

A: Yes.

Q: My unit began the game on the battlefield and was subsequently placed in Strategic Reserves during the first battle round; may that unit perform an Ingress Move to return to the battlefield during the first battle round? A: No, unless they have an ability which allows or requires them to do so.

Example: A unit of Flesh Hounds uses their Hunters From The Warp ability to be placed in Strategic Reserves during the first player turn of the first battle round; they are not eligible to return until the second battle round, following the normal restrictions for Arriving From Strategic Reserves (20.03).

Example: A Callidus Assassin unit uses their Acrobatic Escape ability to be placed in Strategic Reserves during the first battle round; they must return during their controlling player's next Movement phase (even if it is still the first battle round), as required by the Acrobatic Escape ability.

A: My unit has an ability which triggers when making a save roll for a specific model in the unit, or when rolling a specific type of save (e.g. an invulnerable save). How should I resolve these abilities?

Q: Treat these abilities as being active only when the model(s) that are the source of the ability are part of the Current Allocation Group at the time the saves are rolled; in most cases, this will mean the model(s) would need to be in the first allocation group. Ignore any references to a specific type of save roll for the purposes of such abilities.

Example: An Archon with a Shadowfield is attached to a unit of Kabalite Warriors and rolling twelve saves; their controlling player sets the Kabalite Warriors as the first allocation group and the Archon as the second, then rolls the twelve saves. The Archon's Shadowfield ability (which prevents re-rolling invulnerable saves made for the Archon) is not active, as the Archon is not the current allocation group. The controlling player may choose to re-roll one of the saves if they choose.

Q: How do Miracle Dice work during the attack sequence? A: During the attack sequence, an Adepta Sororitas player's attacking unit can use an Act of Faith when making hit rolls

(where they can substitute a dice from any given group of attacks before making the roll), wound rolls (where they can substitute a dice from any given group of hits before making the roll) or damage rolls (when they can substitute a dice for a single damage roll before making the roll). An Adepta Sororitas player's target unit can use an Act of Faith when making save rolls (where they can substitute a dice for any given group of wounding attacks before making the roll).

Q: For the purposes of VP scoring limits, is the end of the battle the same timing as the end of the fifth battle round? A: No, VP scored at the end of the battle are not subject to the 15VP per battle round scoring limit.

Q: Units have all the keywords of all their models, and attached units have all the keywords of all of their component units. How are destroyed models taken into account for these purposes?

A: These statements are only true so long as the models possessing those keywords remain part of the unit; destroyed models do not contribute their keywords to their prior unit.

Example: The Aspiring Sorcerer model in a unit of Rubric Marines is destroyed; as none of the remaining models in the unit possess the PSYKER keyword, that unit is no longer a PSYKER unit.

Q: Do a unit's abilities continue to function while they are embarked within a TRANSPORT?

A: Yes, within the restrictions specified by the ability itself. Embarked units are Not On The Battlefield (01.02.04), so any ability requiring a visibility or measurement to another unit will fail.

Example: Khârn the Betrayer is attached to a Khorne Berzerkers unit and embarked within a TRANSPORT. Khârn's "The Betrayer" ability will activate, as it has no requirement to be on the battlefield and requires no visibility

or measurement to another unit.

Example: Azrael is attached to an Intercessor Squad unit and embarked within a TRANSPORT, and that TRANSPORT is making a shooting attack using the Firing Deck ability. While Azrael's "Supreme Grand Master" ability is still technically active, it will have no effect, as the requirements of the ability are not met (the ability affects "weapons equipped by models" in Azrael's unit, and for the purposes of Firing Deck, the TRANSPORT itself is equipped with those weapons instead).

Q: Several units included in the Armageddon box currently have different datasheets (those from their existing Codex) in the official Warhammer 40K app. Which datasheet should I use?

A: Use the datasheet available in the Warhammer 40K app

Q: Fight On Death (05.04.05) requires models awaiting such an ability to stay on the battlefield until their unit has attacked (or the end of the phase). How do these models function while this is the case?

A: Models awaiting a Fight On Death ability are still present on the battlefield for all rules purposes. This includes (but is not limited to) the following regarding such models: ▫They can be measured to by friendly/enemy abilities ▫They can be considered visible to friendly/enemy models where relevant

▫They can use their datasheet abilities

▫They can be targeted by stratagems

▫Enemy units can still be engaged with them (which may restrict the opposing player's Consolidate moves or Pile-In moves made as part of an Overrun fight)

Q: The Secondary Mission "Plunder" references "One unit within a terrain area that is not within your territory." Is the requirement to be "not within your territory" referring to the unit or the terrain area?

A: The terrain area.

Q: If the unit I select to be my Beacon unit upon drawing the Beacon Secondary Mission is destroyed prior to achieving the mission, can I select a new Beacon unit?

A: No, which means you will be unable to achieve that mission. We recommend discarding it on your turn to gain 1CP!