Pre-game: Set up the playing area

Tournament table size

The tournament game rules are designed for play on tables that are 90–150cm wide by 150–240cm long (that’s 3–5 feet by 5–8 feet for you non-metric types!). The ideal size is around 120cm by 180cm (roughly 4 feet by 6 feet).

It is possible to play games on tables that are wider or longer than this. But, this may favour certain armies and so lead to an unbalanced game.

Tournament terrain

Set up the terrain for the game in any mutually agreeable manner.

The tournament game rules will work with any type of terrain. However:

• Especially dense or extremely sparse terrain will favour some armies or troop choices over others. For example, Ork armies that feature a lot of Boyz will tend to do well on a table covered with lots of terrain, while a Ork armies with lots of Buggies and Gunwagons will tend to do better on a table with sparse terrain.
• Certain terrain features can favour one army over another. Having a river running the length of the table will favour an army with a lot of skimmers and aircraft.

You get the idea, I’m sure. For these reasons, we recommend you use the following guidelines when setting up terrain for tournament games. These are not hard and fast rules, but they help to ensure a well-balanced game no matter what army or units are taken.

• Use moveable terrain features rather than modular terrain boards, for greater flexibility.
• Terrain features can be of pretty much any type, but most should be roughly 15–30cm across. Hills can be up to twice this size. See below for rivers and roads.
• Divide the table into 60cm square areas. The total number of terrain features placed should be equal to twice the number of 60cm square areas.

If you play on a 120cm by 180cm table then you have six areas in which you can place a total of 12 terrain features.

• Within the limits above, place 0–4 features in each 60cm square.
• The terrain may include one river. Rivers count as a terrain feature for each area that they run through. They must enter on one table edge and leave from another, and should not be greater in length than the shortest table edge. For example, on a 120cm by 180cm table, the river should not be more than 120cm long. There should be a bridge or ford at least every 30cm along the river.
• You may add roads after you both finish placing other terrain features. You may use any number of roads, but they must all enter on one table edge and either exit from another or end at a terrain feature.