Key Assault Changes: Engagement Range, Charges and Fights First
The new Warhammer 40K assault rules in 11th Edition aim to streamline close combat while fixing awkward table interactions. Engagement range has been extended to 2", so units can fight from slightly farther away, easing issues around walls and enclosed objectives and reducing stalemates where neither side can effectively interact across terrain. Deep strike positioning now places units 8" away instead of 9", but typical charges from reserves still function as 9" attempts, keeping risk–reward familiar. Charge rolls are simplified: instead of declaring specific targets, you measure 12", roll, then move into any enemy units your result reaches, potentially tagging multiple units and speeding up play. Fight sequencing is also cleaner. Fights First remains powerful, but the active player now chooses the first Fights First unit to resolve, letting an aggressive player guarantee at least one crucial attacking unit swings before a defensive counter.
Movement Tweaks: 2" Engagement and Cleaned-Up Pile-Ins
The 2" engagement range is the core of the new Warhammer 40K assault rules, and it reshapes how melee units move around terrain. You can move within engagement range but cannot end a normal move within 2" of enemy models, which makes ringed objectives and choke points more meaningful. Defenders can body-block the interior of terrain-based objectives with cheap units, forcing attackers to literally punch their way in instead of simply walking onto a point while shooting. Pile-ins have also been cleaned up: the player whose turn it is moves all their pile-in models at once, speeding up resolution and reducing fiddly micro-moves. If models you were engaged with are removed, an Overrun Fight move lets your units move again to maintain or re-establish contact, preventing opponents from escaping combat simply by pulling casualties cleverly. This double-move potential rewards precise positioning and punishes enemies who cluster too close to the fight.
Winners and Losers: Who Gains from the New Assault Rules
Melee-focused armies and fast assault detachments are the clear winners from these new 40K rules changes. The combination of 2" engagement, simplified charges, and Overrun Fight moves means that once a melee force reaches mid-board, it is harder for opponents to slip away and continue passive shooting. Armies that relied on sitting in enclosed objectives and “tip-toeing” onto points while firing out now face greater risk; they can no longer easily hold terrain-based objectives without exposing themselves to assault. Large models like Imperial Knights and other big threats are less able to casually claim objectives if defenders ring the inside of the terrain with expendable units, because they cannot simply step inside while staying safe. Meanwhile, units with Fights First lose some defensive punch, as the controlling player always picks the first Fights First activation. This subtly shifts power to aggressive, initiative-taking lists that can orchestrate the opening blows in key combats.
List-Building Adjustments and Practical 11th Edition Melee Tactics
To capitalise on the updated 11th Edition melee tactics, players should rethink both unit selection and battlefield roles. Cheap infantry gain new value as objective blockers: ring terrain-based objectives so opponents cannot just walk big units in and claim them, forcing a fight. Fast melee units with reliable charge bonuses become even more dangerous due to simple, target-agnostic charge rolls that can branch into multiple enemy units when you roll high. Consider mixing hard-hitting melee units with durable “sticky” scoring pieces that can hold ground even after casualties, since the designers suggest defensive scoring rules will be important. Shooting remains lethal, so plan for trading: one unit charges to tie up multiple enemies, then follow-up units Overrun into exposed targets. For casual players, this means building lists with at least one dedicated assault package; for competitive players, it means balancing long-range fire with assault threats that can crack open terrain-anchored armies.
Combat Scenarios: How the New Assault Phase Plays Out
Consider a scenario where a melee unit deep strikes 8" from an enemy squad holding an objective inside a ruin. The attacker rolls a 9" charge, reaches engagement range thanks to the 2" bubble, and connects without worrying about pre-declaring that specific target. If the charge roll is high enough to touch a second nearby unit within 12", they can wrap both, forcing a broader melee. In the Fight phase, the charging player has a unit with Fights First and chooses it to swing before an enemy Fights First defender, potentially deleting the key threat. If the defender pulls casualties to break contact with a supporting assault unit, Overrun Fight lets that second attacker move again and re-engage another enemy, denying escape. Defenders, on the other hand, can pre-empt this by screening the interior of ruins and spacing models so that even a strong charge cannot easily tag multiple units at once.
