The Attack Sequence

The attack sequence turns gathered dice into casualties through four steps (Hit rolls, Wound rolls, Save rolls, then Inflict Damage), with the attacker rolling to hit and wound and the defender rolling saves and allocating damage.

Rolling the Sequence

Each time you are told to resolve the attack sequence, you work through Hit rolls, Wound rolls, Save rolls and Inflict Damage in order. Within any step, if there is more than one die to roll, roll them all simultaneously. An individual attack drops out of the sequence the moment it fails or the moment it inflicts damage; once every attack has either failed or dealt damage, the sequence ends and those attacks are resolved.

1. Hit Rolls

Roll one D6 for each attack die. Read each result against the first matching condition:

• An unmodified 1 always fails.
• An unmodified 6 is always a Critical Hit (and still counts as a hit).
• A result equal to or greater than the weapon's BS/WS characteristic is a hit.
• Anything else fails.

Critical Hits matter beyond simply hitting, because rules such as [LETHAL HITS] and [SUSTAINED HITS] trigger on them.

2. Wound Rolls

Roll one D6 for each hit. Work down this list and stop at the first line that matches:

• A natural 1 is a failure, whatever the modifiers.
• A natural 6 is a Critical Wound.
• A result that meets or beats the required number below is a wound.
• Anything lower fails.

The number needed depends on the attack's Strength (S) against the target's Toughness (T):

• S is twice or more the T: wounds on 2+.
• S is greater than T: wounds on 3+.
• S is equal to T: wounds on 4+.
• S is less than T: wounds on 5+.
• S is half or less of T: wounds on 6+.

3. Save Rolls

The defending player resolves saves in three parts. First, create groups: split the target unit into one group per CHARACTER model, plus one group for every other set of models that share the same Wounds (W), Save (Sv) and Invulnerable Save (InSv) characteristics. Second, set the allocation order in which those groups will take wounds, respecting all of these:

• Any non-CHARACTER group that already contains a wounded model must go first.
• No CHARACTER group may be placed ahead of a non-CHARACTER group.
• A CHARACTER group holding a wounded model must come before CHARACTER groups with no wounded models.

Third, make save rolls: the defender rolls one D6 for each wounding attack.

4. Inflict Damage

Resolve the save results from lowest to highest, one at a time, until all attacks are dealt with or the whole unit is destroyed. Any leftover attacks against a wiped-out unit are simply lost.

1. Select Model. Choose a model in the current allocation group; if any model there has already lost wounds, you must pick that one. (The first group in the allocation order is the current group; once every model in it is destroyed, the next group becomes current.)
2. Check Save Roll. Take the earliest of these that fits the die:

• A natural 1 inflicts damage, since a roll of 1 never saves.
• If the models have an InSv and the result equals or exceeds it, the attack fails (is saved). The defender picks whichever save is better.
• Otherwise, modify the result by the weapon's AP characteristic; if it then equals or exceeds the group's Sv, the attack fails. An AP of -1 turns a rolled 3 into a 2, so a 3+ armour save no longer holds.
• Any other result inflicts damage.

1. Resolve Damage. A model that suffers damage loses wounds equal to the attack's Damage (D) characteristic. If its remaining wounds reach 0 or below, it is destroyed. Excess damage from a single attack does not spill over to other models.

Frequently asked questions

What is the attack sequence in Warhammer 40,000 11th edition?

The shared dice procedure behind every shooting and melee attack in the game: two rolls by the attacker, then a save and damage allocation by the defender. Because every die in a step is rolled together, you cannot resolve one attack fully and then decide how to roll the next; batch them by weapon and target instead.

What do you need to wound based on Strength and Toughness in 40k?

Compare S to T and use the five-rung ladder in the section above. Where beginners slip is the doubling rungs: S8 against T4 is 2+, but S7 against T4 is only 3+, and S4 against T8 is 6+ while S4 against T7 is 5+. Modifiers to the wound roll never move a natural 1 into a success.

How do Critical Hits work in Warhammer 40,000?

A Critical Hit is a natural 6 on the hit roll, so it cannot be bought with a +1 modifier; a 5 modified to a 6 is just a hit. It matters because several weapon abilities key off it, and some army rules widen the trigger to a 5+, which is written on the ability rather than on the weapon.

How does Armour Penetration affect a save roll in 40k?

AP is subtracted from the armour save roll, never from the invulnerable save, which is why an invulnerable save is chosen against high-AP weapons and ignored against AP 0. Worked out the other way round: a 3+ armour save needs a natural 4 against AP -1 and a natural 5 against AP -2.

How do you allocate wounds in Warhammer 40,000 11th edition?

Build the groups, then order them, and only then roll. The ordering rules mean a CHARACTER cannot be pushed to the front of the queue to soak hits while bodyguards remain, and a model already carrying damage must be the next one to take more. Damage is allocated one attack at a time, so a Damage 3 attack on a 1-wound model wastes 2 wounds.