Boarding Actions is Warhammer 40,000’s close-quarters game mode: small infantry forces fighting room to room through the cramped corridors of a spaceship or space hulk. It’s fast, tense, and a great change of pace from a full tabletop battle.
What boarding actions actually is
Boarding Actions is an expansion for Warhammer 40,000, not a separate game. You use the same core rules, dice, and datasheets, but the battlefield shrinks to a pre-set layout of corridors, hatchways, and small rooms instead of an open war zone.
The mode first appeared during the Arks of Omen storyline as a way to fight the brutal shipboard assaults that decided bigger campaigns. It’s built for matched play and narrative play alike, and because games are compact you can often fit several into one session.
Why it plays so differently
Infantry gets the spotlight. Tanks, monsters, and anything too big to squeeze through a hatchway simply don’t take part. That flips the usual balance: a humble squad of troops can suddenly matter more than a heavy tank.
Space is tight, so every rule that depends on distance gets reworked. Visibility, engagement range, charging, and even standing on objective markers all have special adaptations for the claustrophobic corridors.
- Leaders fight solo instead of joining a bodyguard unit, using the Battlefield Command Stratagem to hand out their abilities.
- Units can stand on top of objective markers, because some corridors would be far too cramped otherwise.
- Hatchways can be opened and closed, and models on opposite sides of one can’t simply reach through it.
- Deep Strike, Scouts, Flying, Blast, and Indirect Fire all get adjusted for the confined space.
What changed in 10th edition
The original rules came in the Arks of Omen books. When 10th edition arrived, Games Workshop released free updated Boarding Actions Core Rules that adapt the new core rules to shipboard battles, plus free Mustering Rules listing exactly which units each faction can bring.
The old Battlefield Roles system is gone, so mustering is now a simple per-faction list. Some factions even unlocked options they couldn’t take before. The missions from the Arks of Omen books still work, and faction-specific Enhancements and Stratagems from those books remain valid.
| Element | Old (Arks of Omen) | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Core rules | In Arks of Omen: Abaddon | Free updated download |
| Mustering | Battlefield Roles | Per-faction unit lists |
| Missions | Arks of Omen books | Still usable |
| Leaders | Joined bodyguards | Fight solo |
How a game is set up
You need a boarding action board, which is a modular terrain set of walls, hatchways, and rooms. Missions come in symmetric layouts, where both sides face similar terrain, and asymmetric ones like the Killzone: Gallowdark set.
Each mission gives you objectives, deployment, and a sequence of battle rounds. Because the terrain is pre-set, you spend less time building a table and more time playing.
Key facts
- Boarding Actions is a close-quarters expansion for Warhammer 40,000, played on modular ship interior terrain.
- Only infantry take part; vehicles and large monsters can’t fit.
- Leaders fight alone and share abilities via the Battlefield Command Stratagem.
- Free updated Core Rules and Mustering Rules arrived with 10th edition.
- The old Battlefield Roles system was replaced by per-faction unit lists.
FAQ
Do I need special models for Boarding Actions?
No. You use your existing infantry, though big vehicles and monsters sit it out. Each faction’s free Mustering Rules list what you’re allowed to bring.
Is it a separate game from Warhammer 40,000?
It’s an expansion. You still use the 40k core rules, just with adaptations for tight corridors.
Are the old Arks of Omen missions still playable?
Yes. The updated Core Rules explain how to handle anything the old missions reference, so those missions still work.