The Shooting Phase

The Shooting phase is where the active player resolves ranged attacks, selecting eligible units one at a time and firing them until every unit they want to shoot with has done so. Each firing unit picks a shooting type that governs which weapons it may use and which targets it may pick.

Sequence of the phase

The phase runs in three steps: the start of the phase (when any "start of the Shooting phase" rules resolve), the shooting itself, and the end of the phase (when any "end of the Shooting phase" rules resolve). Only the active player shoots.

During the shoot step, you work through your army one unit at a time. A unit can be selected to shoot as long as it is on the battlefield and hasn't yet been picked to shoot this phase. For each unit you take, follow two steps:

• Select Unit. Choose one eligible friendly unit; it is now selected to shoot.
• Select Shooting Type. Choose one shooting type that unit qualifies for and resolve it. The four standard types are Normal, Assault, Close-quarters, and Indirect; individual rules may grant others.

Repeat until you have fired every unit you intend to. In every case, the actual attacks are worked out using the Making Attacks rules (hit rolls, wound rolls, saves, and damage).

Normal shooting

This is the default option. A unit qualifies if it is unengaged and did not Advance this turn. It simply shoots as normal, using any weapons it carries. After firing, the unit cannot start an Action for the rest of the phase.

Assault shooting

Assault shooting lets a unit fire even after Advancing, but only with certain weapons. A unit qualifies if it is unengaged, made an Advance move this turn, and carries one or more weapons with the [ASSAULT] ability. While shooting this way, you may only make attacks with its [ASSAULT] weapons — its other guns stay silent. As with every type, the unit cannot begin an Action afterwards.

Close-quarters shooting

This type lets a unit fire while it is locked in melee. A unit qualifies if it is engaged, did not Advance this turn, and is either a MONSTER or VEHICLE unit or carries at least one [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapon. While shooting, models may target enemy units their own unit is engaged with. Two different rules apply depending on the model:

• MONSTER and VEHICLE models. Each attack suffers a -1 penalty to the hit roll unless it is made with a [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapon against a unit yours is engaged with. A [BLAST] weapon still cannot fire at any unit your unit is engaged with.
• Other models. You may only make attacks with [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapons, and you may only pick enemy units engaged with your unit as targets.

The unit cannot start an Action for the rest of the phase.

Indirect shooting

Indirect shooting reaches targets your models cannot see, at a cost of accuracy. A unit qualifies if it is unengaged, did not Advance this turn, and carries one or more [INDIRECT FIRE] weapons. While shooting this way:

• The unit's [INDIRECT FIRE] weapons can target enemy units that are not visible to the firing model.
• Each attack made with an [INDIRECT FIRE] weapon gives the target the benefit of cover.
• You cannot re-roll the hit rolls for those attacks.
• An unmodified hit roll of 1 to 5 counts as a miss. The exception: if your unit stayed stationary this turn and the target is visible to at least one friendly unit, only an unmodified 1 to 3 misses instead.

A unit selecting indirect shooting can still fire its non-[INDIRECT FIRE] weapons at other visible targets in the normal way. After shooting, the unit cannot start an Action for the remainder of the phase.

Points to remember

The distinction between shooting types matters most for edge cases: Advancing turns off normal fire but leaves Assault weapons available, being locked in combat opens close-quarters fire, and hidden targets demand the accuracy penalty of indirect fire. A single unit only ever picks one type per activation, so weigh which set of weapons and targets you most want before committing.

Frequently asked questions

What are the shooting types in Warhammer 40,000 11th edition?

When a unit is selected to shoot, it picks one shooting type it qualifies for: Normal, Assault, Close-quarters, or Indirect. Each type governs which weapons the unit may fire and which targets it can pick, and a unit only ever picks one type per activation.

Can a unit shoot after Advancing in 40k?

Only with Assault shooting. A unit that made an Advance move this turn and is unengaged may fire, but it can make attacks only with its [ASSAULT] weapons while its other guns stay silent.

Can you shoot while in melee in Warhammer 40,000?

Yes, through Close-quarters shooting, if the unit is engaged, did not Advance, and either carries a [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapon or is a MONSTER or VEHICLE. Non-MONSTER/VEHICLE models may only fire [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapons at units they are engaged with, while MONSTER and VEHICLE models take a -1 to hit unless firing a [CLOSE-QUARTERS] weapon at an engaged unit.

How does Indirect Fire work in 40k 11th edition?

A unit with [INDIRECT FIRE] weapons can target enemy units its models cannot see, but each such attack gives the target the benefit of cover and cannot be re-rolled. An unmodified hit roll of 1 to 5 misses, improving to only 1 to 3 missing if your unit stayed stationary and the target is visible to at least one friendly unit.

Can a unit still shoot other weapons when firing Indirect in Warhammer 40,000?

Yes. A unit that selects Indirect shooting can still fire its non-[INDIRECT FIRE] weapons at other visible targets in the normal way. Only the [INDIRECT FIRE] attacks carry the cover and accuracy penalties.