Morale in Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition is handled through the Battle-shock mechanic. Units don’t flee off the table; instead, Battle-shock represents a unit’s discipline wavering under pressure. A shaken unit stops counting on objectives and can’t be helped by Stratagems, so knowing when it triggers tells you when your army is about to buckle.
11th Edition note: the basic test works much as it did in 10th Edition, but Battle-shock is now “stickier”. In 10th a shaken unit recovered automatically at the start of your next Command phase. In 11th it stays Battle-shocked until it passes a later test. This page follows the 11th Edition Core Rules released in June 2026.
When Battle-shock Is Tested
Battle-shock tests happen in your Command phase, after both players gain their command point. You test every one of your units that is either:
- At or below half-strength: it has half or fewer of its starting models left. Starting strength is the number of models in the unit at the start of the first battle round, and it doesn’t reset. For single-model units, check the Core Rules wording on how half-strength is measured.
- Already Battle-shocked: it is testing to recover.
Attached units count all their models. In the Core Rules’ own example, a Captain leading five Intercessors has a starting strength of 6. If all the Intercessors die, the Captain on his own is below half-strength even with every wound left, so he has to test. See Leader rules in 11th Edition for more on attached units.
How the Test Works
To take a Battle-shock test, roll 2D6. If the total is equal to or greater than the unit’s Leadership characteristic, the test is passed. A unit that wasn’t shaken stays unaffected, and a unit that was Battle-shocked recovers. If you roll lower, the unit becomes (or stays) Battle-shocked.
The Insane Bravery Stratagem (1CP) lets you automatically pass one Battle-shock test, once per battle.
What Happens to a Battle-shocked Unit
- Its Objective Control becomes “-“, so its models contribute nothing to controlling an objective, and an enemy unit can take an objective out from under it.
- You can’t target it with your Stratagems.
- It can’t start or complete actions.
- If it Falls Back, it must use Desperate Escape, so it may lose models as it flees.
Why It Matters Tactically
Battle-shock rarely destroys a unit outright, but it can swing a game by neutralising objective holders at the worst moment. A depleted unit sitting on a key objective is effectively out of the fight once it fails a test. In 11th Edition the effect can also last more than one turn. A unit that keeps failing stays shaken, so pushing an enemy unit below half-strength early pays off for longer. On the other side, keeping units above half-strength, using Leadership-boosting abilities and saving a command point for Insane Bravery are the main ways to avoid it.
For the wider ruleset this fits into, see our how to play Warhammer 40k guide and the 11th Edition cheat sheet. Battle-shock also affects command points and Stratagems, because you can’t use Stratagems on a shaken unit.
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