Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium Review

First released as part of the Kill Team Gallowdark season, and then followed up in the Arks of Omen series of books for Warhammer 40,000, Boarding Actions takes the open battlefields of the 41st millennium and trades them for the close confines of inter-spaceship fighting. Initially, the rules for this version of the 40K game were spread over the 5 Arks of Omen books, which released before the Leviathan box which kicked off 10th Edition, the current edition of the Warhammer 40K rules. The Boarding Actions rules have now been updated, and released in a collated version of their own book. In this article, we'll take a look at the Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium, see what it contains, and how Boarding Actions plays.

What Is The Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium?

The Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium is a collection of all the Boarding Actions rules from the Arks of Omen books, updated for use with Warhammer 40K 10th Edition. The book contains:

• All the rules for Boarding Actions and the rules adaptions from the core 40K rules needed to use the system
• A huge amount of missions including balanced competitive missions, narrative missions, a linked campaign to play through, multiplayer missions, and the unique dark depths missions, where players select their own board half and link it with their opponent's selection
• 55 Detachment rules for mustering your 40K force as Boarding Actions uses unique rules with limited unit selections (not everything fits in a space hulk). Most armies have at least 2 detachments options, some 3 and daemons have 5! My preference is the Adeptus Astartes Pilum Strike Team, where I can make the best use of my Raven Guard Phobos Marines

What Do I Need To Use The Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium?

To use the Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium, you will need:

• Warhammer 40K Rulebook
• Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium (for the Boarding Actions rules, missions, and detachment rules for your force)
• The Codex for your chosen faction and the miniatures for them
• A set of the Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Scenery (or 2 sets from the Kill Team Gallowdark Season)
  • If you want to use the Breaching Operations Missions, you will also need a set of the Killzone Upgrade Soulshackle
• Measuring tool, dice, and tokens

How Are The Boarding Actions Missions?

Boarding Actions completely change the way that 40K is played. You're limited to 500 points and the restrictions that your selected detachment gives you. For example, the Adeptus Sororitas Penitents and Pilgrims detachment can only take a Priest, Arco-Flagellants, and Repentia Squads.

There are also several new and slightly modified actions:

• Set overwatch, allowing a unit to fire after an enemy unit moves or when a hatch is opened
• Set to defend, which adds one to a unit's hit rolls when in melee
• Secure site, used to capture objectives
• Operate hatchway, to open the door units in the scenery walls (nearby enemy models can resist opening and closing hatches, which results in a roll-off adding the strength of the two opposing fighters as they fight over the door)

Boarding actions are fast-paced, tight, action-filled battles, that add a new challenge to creating and piloting your chosen army. I like that you get stuck in with the enemy, and the walls of the scenery gets rid of that sometimes oppressive turn 1 shooting phase that can decimate your army in open terrain.

What Are Our Final Thoughts On The Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium?

Boarding Actions themselves are a lot of fun and mainly being a Kill Team player, it's a great progression into a different side of 40K. I played a lot of the previous edition of 40K with Boarding Actions, and having all the rules and missions, along with the updated detachments in a single book is a great step. The points and troop choice limits change up force selection and brings the focus into short punchy firepower and melee.

It's great to see each faction (except the Imperial and Chaos Knights as they don't fit) get a few different detachment options, this adds some variety in the way they play, as the 500-point and limited units does restrict the optimum or meta force within the detachment. The forces are all thematic, which makes for some great Boarding Actions games (Infestation Swarm vs Terminator Assault anyone?).

Should I Buy Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium?

To use the 40K Boarding Actions Compendium, you need to invest in the Boarding Actions Scenery Set, and the missions themselves take a lot more time than you may be used to for 500-point games to link all the walls together and get them set up according to the mission. The effort is worth it, but if you're looking for quick games, or don't want to invest in the scenery set, then Boarding Actions might not be for you. 

The copy of Warhammer 40K Boarding Actions Compendium used to produce this review was provided by Games Workshop.