In Warhammer 40,000, how do a model’s Strength and Damage values contribute to its effectiveness in combat? A model’s Strength is compared against the target’s Toughness to determine the likelihood of causing a wound, while Damage dictates how many wounds are inflicted if a successful wound is made. This guide will delve into these core mechanics of Warhammer 40k combat, explaining how these Warhammer stats interact to bring about destruction on the battlefield.
Fathoming the Fundamentals: Strength vs. Toughness
At the heart of every close combat engagement in Warhammer 40,000 lies the duel between a warrior’s Strength and their opponent’s Toughness. This is the first hurdle any attack must clear to have any hope of harming the enemy.
The Strength Stat
A model’s Strength (often abbreviated as S) is a fundamental attribute that represents their raw physical power, the might of their weapon, or the potency of their arcane energies. This stat is typically found on a unit’s datasheet and can be modified by certain abilities, psychic powers, or stratagems. When a model attacks, its Strength is the number used in the crucial comparison against the target’s Toughness.
The Toughness Stat
Conversely, Toughness (T) represents a unit’s resilience. This can be due to thick natural armor, advanced personal shielding, or simply the sheer fortitude of its physiology. Like Strength, Toughness is a key stat listed on a unit’s datasheet. A higher Toughness value means a model is harder to wound.
The Strength vs. Toughness Roll
The comparison between Strength and Toughness determines the target number you need to roll on a D6 to successfully wound. This is a core mechanic in Warhammer 40k combat.
- If your Strength is equal to the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 4 or higher on a D6 to wound.
- If your Strength is double the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 2 or higher on a D6 to wound. This is a significant advantage.
- If your Strength is triple the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 2 or higher on a D6 to wound. Even more potent!
- If your Strength is less than the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 5 or higher on a D6 to wound. This makes landing a wound more difficult.
- If your Strength is half the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 4 or higher on a D6 to wound. The target is very resilient.
- If your Strength is a third of the target’s Toughness: You need to roll a 3 or higher on a D6 to wound. This makes wounding exceptionally hard.
The table below summarizes this critical interaction:
| Your Strength | Target Toughness | Target Number to Wound (D6 Roll) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 5+ |
| 1 | 4 | 5+ |
| 1 | 5 | 6+ |
| 1 | 6 | 6+ |
| 2 | 3 | 4+ |
| 2 | 4 | 5+ |
| 2 | 5 | 5+ |
| 2 | 6 | 6+ |
| 3 | 3 | 4+ |
| 3 | 4 | 4+ |
| 3 | 5 | 5+ |
| 3 | 6 | 5+ |
| 4 | 3 | 3+ |
| 4 | 4 | 4+ |
| 4 | 5 | 4+ |
| 4 | 6 | 5+ |
| 5 | 3 | 2+ |
| 5 | 4 | 3+ |
| 5 | 5 | 4+ |
| 5 | 6 | 4+ |
| 6 | 3 | 2+ |
| 6 | 4 | 3+ |
| 6 | 5 | 3+ |
| 6 | 6 | 4+ |
| 7 | 3 | 2+ |
| 7 | 4 | 2+ |
| 7 | 5 | 3+ |
| 7 | 6 | 3+ |
| 8 | 3 | 2+ |
| 8 | 4 | 2+ |
| 8 | 5 | 2+ |
| 8 | 6 | 3+ |
| 9 | 3 | 2+ |
| 9 | 4 | 2+ |
| 9 | 5 | 2+ |
| 9 | 6 | 2+ |
| 10 | 3 | 2+ |
| 10 | 4 | 2+ |
| 10 | 5 | 2+ |
| 10 | 6 | 2+ |
| 11 | 3 | 2+ |
| 11 | 4 | 2+ |
| 11 | 5 | 2+ |
| 11 | 6 | 2+ |
| 12 | 3 | 2+ |
| 12 | 4 | 2+ |
| 12 | 5 | 2+ |
| 12 | 6 | 2+ |
Modifying Strength
It’s important to remember that Strength is not always a static value. Many abilities and psychic powers can temporarily or permanently increase a model’s Strength. Conversely, some attacks or abilities can decrease an enemy’s Strength. These modifications can drastically alter the outcome of combat by changing the target number needed to wound. For instance, a character buffing their allies’ Strength can turn a tough fight into an easy victory.
The Strength Bonus
The concept of a “strength bonus” is crucial here. When your Strength is higher than your target’s Toughness, you gain a bonus to your wounding roll. The table above implicitly shows this: a Strength 6 attacking a Toughness 3 is very likely to wound (needing a 2+), whereas a Strength 3 attacking a Toughness 3 needs a 4+. The greater the difference in your favor, the better your odds.
Deciphering Damage: Inflicting Harm
Once a successful wound roll is made, the next critical step is to determine how much damage is actually inflicted. This is where the Damage stat of the weapon or attack comes into play.
The Damage Stat
Every weapon and melee attack in Warhammer 40,000 has a Damage value, often shown as “D” or “MD” (for multiple damage). This stat dictates how many wounds are removed from the target model if the attack successfully wounds.
- D1: The most common value, meaning one wound is inflicted per successful hit.
- D2, D3, D6, etc.: These weapons inflict multiple wounds. If an attack has D3 damage, you roll a D6 and consult the weapon’s specific damage characteristic to see how many wounds are applied. If it’s D6, you roll a D6. If it’s a fixed number like D2, you simply apply 2 wounds.
How Damage is Applied
When a model is hit and successfully wounded, the attacking player typically rolls a number of dice equal to the number of successful hits, and then for each successful wound, they roll the weapon’s damage dice. The target then has the chance to use their Save to negate the hit entirely. If the save is unsuccessful, the damage is applied.
Example: A Space Marine Sergeant attacks an Ork Boy with a Chainsword (Strength 4, Weapon Skill 3+, Damage 1). The Sergeant hits on a 3+ and wounds on a 4+ (as Strength 4 vs. Toughness 4). If he hits and wounds, he rolls 1 dice for damage, inflicts 1 wound.
Example with Multiple Damage: A Terminator Captain with a Storm Bolter (Strength 5, Weapon Skill 2+, Damage 2) attacks a squad of Guardsmen. If he hits on a 2+ and wounds on a 3+ (Strength 5 vs. Toughness 3), each successful wound means he rolls 2 dice for damage. So, if he inflicts 3 wounds, he would roll 3 dice for damage, and the target would roll their armor saves against each of those damage instances.
Damage Modifiers and Abilities
Just like Strength, Damage can also be modified by various abilities, stratagems, or even specific weapon types. Some weapons might inflict “D3+1” damage, meaning you roll a D3 and add 1 to the result. Others might have a fixed damage value that bypasses standard wounding rolls, or might inflict additional wounds against certain types of units. Always check the specific rules for your weapons and units.
Weapon Skill: Hitting the Mark
While Strength and Damage are about the impact of a hit, Weapon Skill (WS) dictates how likely a model is to connect with its target in the first place.
The Weapon Skill Stat
Weapon Skill represents a model’s proficiency with their chosen armaments, their hand-to-hand combat prowess, and their ability to accurately strike an opponent. In Warhammer 40k combat, this is the stat used for the “To Hit” roll. A higher Weapon Skill means a model needs a lower number on a D6 to land a hit.
- WS 3+: Needs a 3 or higher to hit.
- WS 4+: Needs a 4 or higher to hit.
- WS 2+: Needs a 2 or higher to hit (exceptionally skilled).
Comparing WS to Target
In melee, you generally roll your Weapon Skill against the target’s Weapon Skill. However, it’s more about the target number you need. The attacker rolls their dice, and if the result is equal to or higher than their Weapon Skill characteristic, they hit. Certain terrain, abilities, or even targeting different enemy types can affect these rolls.
Modifying Weapon Skill
Similar to Strength, Weapon Skill can be modified by various factors. Some units might have abilities that increase their Weapon Skill, allowing them to hit more reliably. Conversely, some enemy attacks or stratagems might decrease an opponent’s Weapon Skill, making them less likely to land a blow.
Armour Penetration: Overcoming Defenses
Even if you successfully wound an opponent, their armor can often prevent the hit from causing any harm. This is where Armour Penetration (AP) comes into play.
The Armour Penetration Stat
Armour Penetration represents the ability of an attack to bypass or negate the target’s defensive capabilities. This stat is found on the weapon’s profile. A higher AP value is better.
How AP Affects Armour Saves
When an attack successfully wounds a target, the target gets to roll their Armour Save. The AP of the attacking weapon modifies this save.
- AP 0: No modification to the target’s armour save.
- AP -1: The target’s armour save is reduced by 1. A 3+ save becomes a 4+.
- AP -2: The target’s armour save is reduced by 2. A 3+ save becomes a 5+.
- AP -3: The target’s armour save is reduced by 3. A 3+ save becomes a 6+.
If the modified save roll is still successful, the hit is ignored. If the modified save roll fails, the attack proceeds to inflict damage. Some weapons have “Ignores Armour” or similar abilities, which means the target cannot make an armour save at all.
Effective Saves
The combination of your target’s base armour save and your weapon’s AP determines the “effective save” they have. For example, a unit with a 3+ armour save (often written as 3+ Sv) facing a weapon with AP -1 will have an effective save of 4+. A weapon with AP -2 would give them an effective save of 5+. This makes it much easier for the attacker to inflict damage.
Rerolling Wounds and Damage
A key aspect of Warhammer 40,000 combat is the ability to reroll dice. This can significantly improve your chances of success.
Rerolling Wounds
Many abilities, stratagems, or character buffs allow you to reroll failed wounding rolls. This is incredibly useful, especially when trying to wound tough opponents or when your Strength is only slightly higher than their Toughness. If you have an ability that lets you reroll failed wounds, you can reroll any dice that did not meet the target number for wounding.
Rerolling Damage
Similarly, some effects allow you to reroll damage dice. If a weapon has variable damage (like D3), rerolling failed damage dice can mean the difference between a glancing blow and a devastating strike. This is particularly impactful with high-damage weapons.
Rerolling Hits
You can also reroll failed “To Hit” rolls, thanks to your Weapon Skill. If you miss a crucial shot or melee attack, rerolling that die could secure a vital hit.
Which Reroll to Use?
When you have multiple reroll abilities, you must decide strategically which ones to use. Usually, it’s best to reroll the dice that have the greatest impact on the outcome. For instance, if you have a 4+ wound roll against a heavily armored target, rerolling a failed wound might be more important than rerolling a failed hit if your Weapon Skill is already decent.
Combat Resolution: The Overall Outcome
Combat Resolution is a mechanic that determines who wins a close combat engagement at the end of a round. It’s not just about who inflicted the most damage, but the total outcome of the fighting.
How Combat Resolution is Calculated
Combat Resolution is calculated based on the number of enemy models destroyed during the fight, plus any bonuses granted by abilities or stratagems.
- Destroyed Models: Each slain enemy model contributes 1 to your Combat Resolution score.
- Attacker Bonus: The attacker typically gains a bonus of +1 to their Combat Resolution.
- Abilities/Stratagems: Many units and stratagems can grant additional points to Combat Resolution.
Winning the Combat
The player with the higher Combat Resolution score wins the combat. The loser must then fall back and cannot shoot or charge in their next turn. Ties usually mean neither player wins the combat resolution, but the attacker still benefits from their initial charge.
Why Combat Resolution Matters
Winning combat resolution can be as important as dealing damage. Forcing an enemy unit to fall back can disrupt their plans, prevent them from shooting, or pull them out of a critical objective. Conversely, denying your opponent victory in combat can save your own units from further harm or retreat.
Example Scenario: A Fierce Melee
Let’s walk through a simplified example to tie everything together.
Imagine a squad of four Blood Angels Assault Intercessors charging into a unit of Ork Boyz.
Assault Intercessors:
* Weapon: Chainswords (Strength +1, Melee, Armour Penetration -1, Damage 1)
* WS: 3+
* Number of Attacks: 2 per model
Ork Boyz:
* Toughness: 5
* Armour Save: 5+
The Combat:
- Attacks: The four Assault Intercessors each have 2 attacks. Total attacks: 4 models * 2 attacks = 8 attacks.
- To Hit Rolls: The Assault Intercessors have WS 3+. They need to roll a 3 or higher on a D6 to hit. Let’s say they roll 6 hits.
- Strength vs. Toughness: The Assault Intercessors’ Strength is 4 (Base 3 + 1 from Chainsword). The Ork Boyz’ Toughness is 5. Strength 4 vs. Toughness 5 means they need a 5 or higher to wound.
- To Wound Rolls: Of the 6 hits, let’s say they roll 3 successful wounds.
- Armour Penetration: The Chainsword has AP -1. The Ork Boyz have a 5+ armour save. With AP -1, their effective save becomes a 6+.
- Armour Saves: The Ork Boyz roll their armour saves. Let’s say they fail 2 saves.
- Damage: The Chainsword’s Damage is 1. So, each failed save means 1 wound is inflicted. The Assault Intercessors inflict 2 wounds on the Ork Boyz unit.
Combat Resolution:
* The Assault Intercessors destroyed 2 Ork Boyz.
* They also get a +1 bonus as the attacker.
* Total Combat Resolution: 2 (destroyed models) + 1 (attacker bonus) = 3.
If the Orks didn’t destroy any Intercessors, their Combat Resolution would be 0. The Assault Intercessors would win the combat, forcing the Orks to fall back.
This scenario demonstrates how WS, Strength, AP, Damage, and Combat Resolution all work in concert to determine the outcome of a fight.
Key Factors to Remember for Warhammer 40k Combat
- Know Your Stats: Always be aware of your unit’s Strength and Weapon Skill, and your target’s Toughness and Armour Save.
- Check Weapon Profiles: Pay close attention to the Armour Penetration and Damage values of your weapons.
- Abilities are King: Many units have special abilities that can modify these core stats or add unique effects to their attacks. Read your datasheets carefully!
- Stratagems Matter: Stratagems can offer crucial rerolls, damage boosts, or special combat effects that can swing battles.
- Positioning is Key: Getting a charge off or ensuring your unit is in range of essential buffs can make a significant difference.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the most important stat in Warhammer 40k combat?
While all stats are important, Strength and Toughness are arguably the most foundational for wounding. Without a successful wound, damage and armor saves are irrelevant. However, Weapon Skill is critical for even landing the hit, and Damage determines how much harm is done. It’s the interplay of all these Warhammer stats that makes combat dynamic.
Can I reroll a hit and then a wound from the same attack?
Yes, you can. If an attack fails its “To Hit” roll, and you have an ability to reroll hits, you can use it. If that rerolled hit is successful, you then proceed to the “To Wound” roll. If that wound roll fails, and you have an ability to reroll wounds, you can use that as well. You can reroll any failed roll for which you have a specific ability.
Does Armour Penetration affect the number of attacks?
No, Armour Penetration does not affect the number of attacks a unit makes. It directly impacts the target’s ability to make their armour save against successful hits.
What happens if a unit has more attacks than models in the enemy unit?
A unit can only target models that are still on the battlefield. If a unit has, say, 10 attacks, but the enemy unit only has 5 models remaining, the attacking unit can only make up to 5 attacks against those models. The remaining attacks are essentially “lost” for that phase unless there’s a specific rule allowing otherwise.
How do Psychic Powers affect combat?
Psychic powers can significantly influence combat. They can directly damage enemy units, debuff enemy stats (like reducing Toughness or Weapon Skill), buff allied stats (increasing Strength or Damage), or even prevent an enemy from charging or fighting. Many powerful combat buffs come from these powers.
What is the difference between Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill?
Weapon Skill (WS) is used for attacks made in melee (close combat). Ballistic Skill (BS) is used for ranged attacks. Both determine the target number needed on a D6 to hit.