What Are Command Points in Warhammer 40k?

Command Points, usually shortened to CP, are the resource that powers Stratagems in Warhammer 40,000 — the special one-off tactical tricks that let you re-roll a charge, fire overwatch, shrug off wounds, or spring an ambush. Managing your CP well is one of the biggest differences between a beginner and an experienced general. This guide covers CP as they work in 11th Edition.

Where Command Points Come From

At the start of every Command phase, both players gain 1 Command Point — not just the player whose turn it is. Because each battle round has two Command phases (yours and your opponent’s), you normally gain 2 CP per battle round, for the length of the game. That steady income is the number you should plan around.

Some detachment rules, abilities and missions can grant extra CP on top of that. One example from the matched play mission deck: if you use Tactical secondaries, you can discard any number of unscored secondary cards at the end of your own turn to gain 1CP. The 11th Edition Core Rules don’t set a general cap on bonus CP, but individual rules and mission packs can limit them, so read the exact wording if you’re relying on a bonus-CP ability.

What You Spend Them On

CP are spent on Stratagems, each of which lists a cost — typically 1 or 2 CP. Stratagems come from the core rules and from your army’s Detachments, and they can be used at specific moments: in your own turn, in your opponent’s turn, or in reaction to something they do. Core Stratagems include Command Re-roll (1CP), Fire Overwatch (1CP), Heroic Intervention (1CP), Counteroffensive (2CP), Insane Bravery (1CP), Rapid Ingress (1CP) and Epic Challenge (1CP).

The Key Restrictions

You can never go below 0 CP — if you cannot pay, you cannot use the Stratagem.
You can only use each Stratagem once per phase.
A unit can only benefit from one Stratagem per phase. This is new in 11th Edition and ends the old habit of stacking several buffs on one unit. Command Re-roll is itself a Stratagem, so a unit that has already been buffed by a Stratagem this phase can’t also get a Command Re-roll.
You cannot use Stratagems on a Battle-shocked unit, which is one reason morale matters so much. In 11th Edition Battle-shock also sticks until the unit passes a later test.

How to Use CP Well

With only around one point coming in per Command phase, spending everything early can leave you defenceless when your opponent strikes. Experienced players hold CP in reserve for high-impact defensive or reactive Stratagems — re-rolls on a key charge or save, damage reduction, Fire Overwatch and Rapid Ingress — rather than burning them on marginal gains. Because each unit can only take one Stratagem per phase, it also pays to decide in advance which unit gets your key Stratagem. Learning which two or three Stratagems in your detachments are worth saving for is far more valuable than trying to use every one.

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For how this fits into a full game, see our how to play Warhammer 40k guide, and read up on how morale works, since Battle-shock can lock you out of using Stratagems on the units that need them most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do unused Command Points carry over to the next round?

Yes. Any CP you don’t spend stay in your pool and carry over from round to round, so you can bank them for a big turn later in the game. That is why experienced players often hold a few CP back for reactive Stratagems in their opponent’s turn rather than spending every point as soon as they get it.

Can you use more than one Stratagem on the same unit?

Not in the same phase. In 11th Edition a unit can only be affected by one Stratagem per phase, and the same Stratagem still can’t be used twice in one phase. You can use different Stratagems on different units, or target the same unit again in a later phase, so decide which unit gets your key Stratagem before you commit.