The battle round and every phase

A game is played over several battle rounds — the Core Rules say a battle "usually" lasts five, but your mission has the final say on exactly how many to play and when the battle ends. In each battle round, both players take a full player turn, one after the other — the same player takes the first turn in every round, and your mission tells you which player that is. Each player turn is broken into five phases, always in the same order, with a brief Start of Turn and End of Turn moment either side for any rules that trigger there.

The five phases, in order

1. Command phase — both players gain a Command Point, then the active player takes battle-shock tests for any units that need them.
2. Movement phase — units already on the table move; units held in strategic reserves may arrive.
3. Shooting phase — units with ranged weapons pick targets and attack.
4. Charge phase — units attempt to move into close combat with the enemy.
5. Fight phase — close combat is resolved.

Then it's the other player's turn, and they go through the same five phases. Once both players have had a turn, the battle round ends and a new one begins.

Every phase, step by step

Every phase in the list below is bookended by a quick "resolve anything triggered at the start/end of this phase" moment — that's normal, not a sign you're missing a step. The turn tracker walks you through exactly this checklist, live, phase by phase, at the table.

Command phase

1. Resolve start-of-phase triggers.
2. Both players gain 1 Command Point — not just the active player.
3. The active player takes a battle-shock test (2D6 vs Leadership) for every unit that's currently battle-shocked, or at or below half-strength. A unit that fails has its Objective Control reduced to "–" and can't be targeted by stratagems or start/complete actions until it passes a future test.
4. Resolve any other Command phase abilities and stratagems.
5. Resolve end-of-phase triggers, then check your mission for anything that scores or triggers here.

Movement phase

1. Resolve start-of-phase triggers.
2. For every unit in your army — including any still in strategic reserves or embarked in a transport — choose one move: remain stationary; a normal move; an advance move (roll a D6 and add it to the move, but the unit generally can't charge or start an action this turn); a fall-back move if engaged (gets it clear of combat, but it generally can't shoot, charge, or start an action this turn); disembark from a transport; or an ingress move to bring on a strategic reserves unit.
3. Strategic reserves units can only arrive from Battle Round 2 onward, set up more than 8" from every enemy unit — and any that still haven't arrived by the end of Battle Round 3 are destroyed.
4. Resolve end-of-phase triggers.

Shooting phase

1. Select a unit to shoot with.
2. Select targets for its weapons.
3. Check range and visibility to each target.
4. Roll to hit.
5. Roll to wound.
6. The opponent rolls saves.
7. Allocate and apply damage.
8. Check whether any models or units are destroyed.
9. Repeat from step 1 for your next unit.

Charge phase

1. Resolve start-of-phase triggers.
2. Declare a charge with an eligible unit: on the battlefield, unengaged, within 12" of an enemy unit, and hasn't made an advance or fall-back move this turn.
3. Make the charge roll: 2D6, giving the maximum distance for the charge move (a roll of 2 can never succeed, since the unit can't already be within engagement range to attempt one).
4. Attempt the charge move so the unit ends engaged with all of its charge targets and no one else — if that's not possible, the charge fails and the unit doesn't move. A unit that completes a charge gets the Fights First ability for the rest of the turn.
5. Repeat from step 2 for your next unit.
6. Resolve end-of-phase triggers.

Fight phase

1. Resolve start-of-phase triggers.
2. Both players make pile-in moves (up to 3") with their eligible units — the active player first, then their opponent.
3. Starting with the active player, both players alternate selecting a Fights First unit (one that charged this turn, or has an ability granting it) to fight — all Fights First units on both sides go before any other engaged unit gets a turn.
4. Once no Fights First units remain, players keep alternating, selecting any other eligible unit — engaged, or engaged at the start of this step — to fight, until every eligible unit on both sides has fought.
5. Both players make consolidation moves (up to 3") with units that were eligible to fight this phase — the active player first — staying engaged, engaging a fresh nearby enemy unit, or moving onto a nearby objective.
6. Resolve end-of-phase triggers.