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40k Eternal War Pre-Game Sequence Checklist
Written by LUTNIT edited by Crablezworth







There seems be a lot of confusion as to the sequence of player actions at the start of a game in 7th. A lot of people are using a mixture of 6th and 7th methodology. We went through the rule book and the rules for how to start a game and they are scattered all over the damn place. The following is a list for all Eternal War missions using the default systems for determining events as outlined in the rule book.

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• This is assuming you have already agreed to a point limit and are using Eternal War Missions.

• Agree to an eternal war mission or roll a D6 to determine which mission you are playing.


• Deploy the terrain following the method outlined in the rule book or an agreed method

• Deploy objective markers if the scenario uses objectives


• Roll to randomly determine a deployment map

• Roll off (re-roll ties) and the winner chooses which deployment zone is theirs


**Before deployment, determine night fight (page 722)
• If neither player want to use night fight, you don’t have to.
• If either player wants to use night fight, it happens on 4+


• Deploy models using the Standard Deployment Method (page 715)
1. roll off, rerolling ties, the winner chooses to deploy first or second
2. the first player deploys all their models (excluding infiltrate and reserves)
3. the second player deploys all their models
4. deploy infiltrators (roll off if both sides have them)
5. the player who deployed first chooses to take the first or second turn
6. models with scout make their redeployments*

* - this is an assumption based on an implied statement in the Scout rules. It is possible that scout redeployments are done before the first turn player is chosen

• The player going second can choose to try to seize the initiative or not.

• The game officially starts now.

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** When before deployment do the players roll for night fight?

Technically it can be rolled for at any point before deployment which could mean when armies are chosen or even after you know if you’re going first or second so long as no models have been deployed yet. The rules are not specific as to when exactly the roll off for night fight happens. Personally, I would say to make the roll before starting the Standard Deployment Method as outlined in the rule book and summarized below.

Good to have this, something similar should really be in the rulebook. Gotta add Warlord Traits, powers, combat drugs etc. though.

I agree with ryuken. All those tables are confusing. "I should roll for my psychic powers before I deploy, but wait.... my warlord traits could affect what psychic lores I roll on."

Also, a little not on infiltrators would apply here as well, I think. Good on you for writing this. I know I needed something like this when I started in 6th edition.

GW rules writing FTW.

ryuken87 wrote:
Good to have this, something similar should really be in the rulebook. Gotta add Warlord Traits, powers, combat drugs etc. though.

Yeah goof point, we'll revise it to add warlord and psychic, I don't think we'll go as far as combat drugs justs because its so codex specific.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Powerfisting wrote:
I agree with ryuken. All those tables are confusing. "I should roll for my psychic powers before I deploy, but wait.... my warlord traits could affect what psychic lores I roll on."

Also, a little not on infiltrators would apply here as well, I think. Good on you for writing this. I know I needed something like this when I started in 6th edition.

Yeah we're still in awe about just how all over the place this info is, the craziest thing is if you're not doing eternal war missions it's basically a free for all of insanity. We did mention infiltrators, it's in the subset on standard deployment method.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Andilus Greatsword wrote:
GW rules writing FTW.

The saddest part is this thing took the better part of an hour to put together.

This was awesome. What I didn't realize is that both players deploy completely BEFORE making the decision to go first or second. That's news to me but I think will have some impacts on future games.

 Crablezworth wrote:

 Andilus Greatsword wrote:
GW rules writing FTW.

The saddest part is this thing took the better part of an hour to put together.

Still quicker than actually getting a game of 40k set up.

 Andilus Greatsword wrote:

 Crablezworth wrote:

 Andilus Greatsword wrote:
GW rules writing FTW.

The saddest part is this thing took the better part of an hour to put together.

Still quicker than actually getting a game of 40k set up.

Ain't that the truth

Pre-Game Sequence Checklist Version 1.1
Updates in red

1. This is assuming you have already agreed to a point limit and are using Eternal War Missions.

2. Agree to an eternal war mission or roll a D6 to determine which mission you are playing.

3. Deploy the terrain following the method outlined in the rule book or an agreed method

4. Deploy objective markers if the scenario uses objectives

5. Roll to randomly determine a deployment map

6. Roll off (re-roll ties) and the winner chooses which deployment zone is their

**Before deployment, determine night fight (page 722)
• If neither player want to use night fight, you don’t have to.
• If either player wants to use night fight, it happens on 4+

Deploy models using the Standard Deployment Method (page 715)

7. roll off, rerolling ties, the winner chooses to deploy first or second

8. the player deploying first generates their Warlord Trait before deploying their first unit

9. the first player deploys all their units (excluding infiltrators and reserves)

10. the player deploying second generates their Warlord Trait before deploying their first unit

11. the second player deploys all their units (excluding infiltrators and reserves)

12. deploy infiltrators (roll off if both sides have them, winner goes first, players alternate)

13. the player who deployed first chooses to take the first or second turn

14. models with scout make their redeployments*

* - this is an assumption based on an implied statement in the Scout rules. It is possible that scout redeployments are done before the first turn player is chosen, between steps 12 and 13

15. The player going second can choose to try to seize the initiative or not

16. both players generate their psychic powers

17. The game officially starts now.

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** When before deployment do the players roll for night fight?
Technically it can be rolled for at any point before deployment which could mean when armies are chosen or even after you know if you’re going first or second so long as no models have been deployed yet. The rules are not specific as to when exactly the roll off for night fight happens. Personally, I would say to make the roll before starting the Standard Deployment Method as outlined in the rule book and summarized below.

Some army specific ones:
Eldar - Warlocks are assigned to specific units immediately after Warlord traits are generated. That means they are assigned to units before you start deploying and before know what powers they have.
Imperial Guard - Commissars are assigned to specific units immediately after Warlord traits are generated. This is before armies are deployed.
Dark Eldar - combat drugs are rolled for after Warlord Traits are generated and before deployment. Since Warlord Traits are done immediately before you deploy this means combat drugs can be generated after the first player has deployed if the Dark Eldar playing is going second.
Daemons - daemonic rewards are rolled for "at the same time as you determine your Warlord Trait". Technically, unless you're using coloured dice or something, that isn't practically possible. You would have to agree with your opponent to roll for rewards either before or after your Warlord Trait but, either way, immediately before or immediately after.
Necrons - The Royal Court can be split up "before the battle" but this has no definition in 7th ed. I would say it is done at the same time as Eldar Warlocks or Imperial Guard Commissars but that's just an opinion.

I'm actually embarrassed for gw how terribly long and complicated that list really is.

 Crablezworth wrote:
I'm actually embarrassed for gw how terribly long and complicated that list really is.

Meh, is it really THAT different from any other tabletop war game? In practice, this takes about 5 minutes (unless you are playing Chaos Daemons). It just looks like a lot because every single step is spelled out in detail.

 ClassicCarraway wrote:

 Crablezworth wrote:
I'm actually embarrassed for gw how terribly long and complicated that list really is.

Meh, is it really THAT different from any other tabletop war game? In practice, this takes about 5 minutes (unless you are playing Chaos Daemons). It just looks like a lot because every single step is spelled out in detail.

Yep. When people arent screwing around, it takes little time at all.

 ClassicCarraway wrote:

 Crablezworth wrote:
I'm actually embarrassed for gw how terribly long and complicated that list really is.

Meh, is it really THAT different from any other tabletop war game? In practice, this takes about 5 minutes (unless you are playing Chaos Daemons). It just looks like a lot because every single step is spelled out in detail.

Just speaking generally, I have no idea, but I'd assume something like warmachine has less than 17 chronological steps before you start the game. The other problem is, this information is all over the book, there's nowhere in the book you can find this checklist in its entirety.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jreilly89 wrote:

 ClassicCarraway wrote:

 Crablezworth wrote:
I'm actually embarrassed for gw how terribly long and complicated that list really is.

Meh, is it really THAT different from any other tabletop war game? In practice, this takes about 5 minutes (unless you are playing Chaos Daemons). It just looks like a lot because every single step is spelled out in detail.

Yep. When people arent screwing around, it takes little time at all.

In my experience it ranges drastically, but assuming it takes no time it all assumes both parties agree. Terrain is only one step, but can be lengthy due to careful placement or lengthy discussion/dispute over how to play the terrain itself. Again, this may be a non-issue among long-time friends or opponents but 7th edition does nothing to help with it's "do whatever you want" approach to...rules...writing..

Don't you know that dakka just plays terrain as 5thed area terrain ruins?

This should totally be stickied somewhere! Too useful!

 Icelord wrote:
This should totally be stickied somewhere! Too useful!

Not sure what forum though, we could probably submit it to dakka as an article.

That's a good idea

I'd move the night fight roll to some point after you roll warlord traits, as there is that one trait that lets you choose to have night fight in effect automatically.

Hunam0001 wrote:
I'd move the night fight roll to some point after you roll warlord traits, as there is that one trait that lets you choose to have night fight in effect automatically.

By the rules it can be whenever so long as it's before deployment, but I do agree with you it should have a fixed position in the overall order.

The night fight rules specifically say it's "before deployment" and the warlord trait roll says it's immediately before you deploy your first unit.

The issue with that is, technically, each player rolls their warlord trait before they deploy. So if you are going second, your opponent has already rolled for their warlord trait. So what if you get the night fight warlord trait?

The most logical way to do it off the top of my head is if you roll that trait, it supersedes the night fight roll made earlier. So if you rolled night fight before, you still get the night vision part of the warlord trait. If the previous roll said no night fight, you can now force it as you got the ability. That does mean if you deploy second you can surprise your opponent with night fight when they thought it wasn't happening which can be good and bad.

Couldn't you also generate psycher powers earlier as it doesn't specify immediately before the game begins just before the game begins?

 TheAvengingKnee wrote:
Couldn't you also generate psycher powers earlier as it doesn't specify immediately before the game begins just before the game begins?

I don't have the book with me currently to verify but from what I recall the brb was really specific on this one but I could be mistaken and its more like the night fight roll.

This stuff is all over the book, you say, with no real way to get it all in one convenient and non-confusing list?

Why are people shelling out $85 for this book?

 Accolade wrote:
Why are people shelling out $85 for this book?

Those people clearly didn't know 7th was a "shared experience"

 Crablezworth wrote:

 Accolade wrote:
Why are people shelling out $85 for this book?

Those people clearly didn't know 7th was a "shared experience"

Hehe...

In all honesty though, people shell out the $$$ because they want to be able to continue playing the games and the new rules.

I think I've seen planes with shorter starting sequences...