WARHAMMER 40,000 · 11TH EDITION
Speed Wins
How 11th Edition Rewards Fast, Aggressive Armies
Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition dropped on June 20, 2026, and the community has been buzzing ever since. One theme keeps coming up in every conversation at the table: speed matters more than ever. The rules have shifted in ways that punish slow, static gunlines and reward armies that move aggressively, shoot on the advance, and claim objectives before their opponents can react.
Whether you are brand new to the hobby or a veteran re-evaluating your army list, this is a great time to think about building fast. Here is a breakdown of what changed, which factions love it most, and where to start if you want to get on the table running.
What Changed: The Rules Behind the Speed Shift
|
Cover = -1 To Hit (Not a Save Bonus) Previously, cover improved your armour save. In 11th Edition, terrain now imposes -1 To Hit on incoming ranged attacks. This means cover protects infantry regardless of AP value, but it also means fast units with Torrent weapons (auto-hit, no To Hit roll) can flush units out of cover without any penalty. Speed plus Torrent equals lethal. |
|
Advance and Shoot: Assault Weapons Are Essential Units that Advanced can still fire their Assault weapons this edition. Fast units with Assault-type guns can sprint up the board and shoot in the same turn, threatening objectives from across the table by turn two. This rewards armies built around short-to-mid-range aggression. |
|
Hidden: The Anti-Alpha-Strike Protection Infantry fully within terrain that did not shoot last turn gain the Hidden status, meaning enemies cannot target them from beyond 15 inches. This shuts down the old turn-one delete that punished slow armies. Fast armies flip this into an advantage: advance into terrain, stay hidden, then burst out and shoot next turn. |
|
Objectives Are Terrain You Physically Hold Objective markers are gone. Specific terrain pieces and key board positions are the objectives in 11th Edition. You score by occupying them with models, not babysitting a coin-sized token. Fast armies that can sweep across the board and physically take up space on terrain features now have a huge edge. |
|
One Stratagem Per Unit Per Phase Stratagem stacking is dead. A unit can only benefit from one stratagem in any given phase. This means the old oppressive combo turns are gone. Victory now comes from smart positioning and movement, not from finding the right two-or-three stratagem sequence. Mobile armies that apply pressure everywhere benefit most from this change. |
|
ORKS – KULT OF SPEED The WAAAGH! Goes Faster Than Ever |
If there is one army that embodies the 11th Edition philosophy, it is Orks. The Kult of Speed detachment has a single defining rule: SPEED FREEKS units can shoot even after they Advanced or Fell Back. In an edition that rewards movement, this is exactly the kind of tool you want. Ork vehicles that advance 6-12 inches and still unload full shooting, then crash into combat, are terrifying.
Key Units to Watch
Deffkoptas: Fast, flying, Advance-and-shoot machines. At 75 points for three models, they are one of the best value fast platforms in the game. Run two or three units to apply relentless pressure on all flanks. Shop Deffkoptas.
Battlewagon: The classic transport that makes the Kult work. Load up Meganobz or a big Nobz brick, advance the wagon, and use the Fasta Than Yooz enhancement to let your cargo disembark and charge in the same turn. 145 points for the wagon itself, and a huge threat multiplier. Shop Battlewagon.
Dakkajet / Burna-Bommer / Blitza-Bommer: One kit, three flyer variants, three different point costs (125 / 115 / 105 pts). Aircraft ignore the terrain-based Hidden mechanic and project threat from anywhere on the board. A great way to deal with dug-in infantry that your ground units cannot reach. Shop the Dakkajet kit.
Also worth exploring: Warbikers for fast objective scoring; the Deffkilla Wartrike as a budget leader for biker units; and the Speed Freeks buggies (Boomdakka Snazzwagon, Megatrakk Scrapjet, and Shokkjump Dragsta) for spread-out board pressure at 70-75 points each.
|
SPACE MARINES – THE FAST STRIKE FORCE Bikes, Jump Packs, and Rapid Assault Detachments |
Space Marines have the tools to go fast across nearly every sub-faction. The new Detachment Points system lets you mix a mobility-focused 2DP detachment with a specialist 1DP option, giving you bespoke speed builds that 10th Edition never allowed. Blood Angels, White Scars, and Raven Guard are the natural homes for speed builds, but even vanilla Ultramarines can run a very aggressive fast force.
Key Units to Watch
Outriders: Three push-fit bike marines at 70 points. Fast Attack, high mobility, excellent at scoring secondary objectives on the flanks. In 11th Edition, their ability to range around the board and physically contest terrain objectives is exactly what you want. Shop Outriders.
Space Marines Spearhead Force: This is the box to buy if you want to start a fast marines list from scratch. It includes a Captain with Jump Pack, 3 Outriders, and 15 Jump Pack Intercessors. Jump Pack Intercessors are exactly the kind of Assault-weapon-equipped infantry that thrive in an advance-and-shoot meta. Shop the Spearhead Force.
Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (85 points for 5, 160 for 10) are one of the strongest fast infantry choices in the game right now, with points steppers kicking in at the third unit. Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs remain a potent melee threat for the same style of list.
Blood Angels players should look hard at Death Company Marines with Jump Packs and Sanguinary Guard for pure speed builds. The Blood Angels' character roster adds extra punch to jump pack units, and they are among the early front runners in the 11th Edition community.
|
T'AU EMPIRE – FIRE AND MOTION Ignore Cover, Mont'ka, and High-Speed Battlesuits |
T'au were the dominant force at the end of 10th Edition, and the community expects them to carry that momentum strongly into 11th. The reason is simple: T'au have always been built around combining speed with shooting, and those are exactly the skills 11th Edition rewards.
The Mont'ka battle tactic gives T'au units the ability to fire while falling back, and their Pathfinder support units can mark targets with Ignore Cover, completely bypassing the new -1 to hit mechanic. Fast Crisis Suit teams that Advance and fire at full effect, backed by Pathfinder markerlights, are as strong as they sound.
Riptide Battlesuits come down in points with the new MFM, with the Heavy Burst Cannon variant now notably cheaper than the Ion Accelerator build. This opens up more budget for Crisis team spam and fast support units. The community has flagged T'au as one of the top five factions to watch in early 11th Edition meta development.
Other Factions Worth Watching
Chaos Daemons benefit strongly from the Cover and Battle-shock rule changes. Fast daemonic infantry that hide in terrain, absorb the -1 To Hit from cover, and then surge forward to contest objectives are extremely dangerous.
Thousand Sons have Psychic weapons, Torrent options, and invulnerable saves everywhere. Hidden-resistant (their weapons auto-hit or ignore the penalty) and fast enough to position themselves where they need to be.
Drukhari raiders and jetbike units are built for speed, with multiple fast transport options and units that can advance and shoot in almost every configuration.
Building a Fast Army: Where to Start
|
NEW TO 11TH? |
Your current 10th Edition codex is still valid at launch. You do not need to buy a new rulebook to play. The Armageddon starter set includes everything two people need to learn 11th Edition from scratch. |
If you are buying in fresh, the Armageddon Core Game box ($250.75) is the best starting point. It includes full Blood Angels and Orks forces, a 344-page hardback rulebook, and all the tokens and tools to play. The Blood Angels side in particular is a fantastic fast army to learn with.
For established players, the key question is: Does your army have units that can Advance and Shoot, contest terrain objectives, and apply pressure from turn one? If not, the Detachment Points system gives you a 1DP specialist option to bolt speed onto any existing army without rebuilding from scratch.
Come in and talk to us at Saga. We are genuinely excited about the 11th Edition, and we love helping people find the army that fits how they want to play. Whether you want to go full speed or find your own style, we are here for it.
Ready to build your fast force?
Browse all Warhammer 40,000 on our site or visit us in store. Shop Warhammer 40K at Saga.
