Hey everyone, Matthew here from MiniWarGaming.
Today I want to dive into one of the biggest problems I see in Warhammer 40K right now: terrain. Not in the sense that terrain itself is bad, but that the way terrain is currently used is a symptom of deeper issues in 10th edition. These problems impact both the competitive and narrative experiences and, in many ways, prevent the game from being as fun, flexible, or cinematic as it could be.
Let me be clear - I love Warhammer 40K. The models are fantastic, the setting is rich and evocative, and the lore continues to inspire incredible storytelling. But loving something means you care enough to want it to be better. And there are some real pain points in how 10th edition handles terrain and overall game flow that need to be discussed.
Terrain: The Canary in the Coal Mine
In earlier editions of 40K, terrain played an important role, but it didn't define whether the game functioned. You could play a game on a sparse board or on a heavily detailed narrative table, and either way, the core rules supported the experience. Sure, the amount of terrain would affect which army had an advantage - close combat armies liked more cover, shooting armies preferred open fields - but the game still worked.
Now, in 10th edition, terrain has become essential to basic gameplay. Not because it enhances the narrative or immersion, but because it prevents the game from falling apart. That's a big distinction. Terrain isn't enriching the experience - it's patching over a problem.
Why Does 40K Need So Much Terrain Now?
The simple answer is this: the game is too deadly. Without line-of-sight (LOS) blocking terrain on nearly every part of the board, most units will get deleted before they even get to act. You can see this in how every tournament layout is flooded with L-shaped and U-shaped ruins placed in very specific, very artificial patterns. If you deviate from that formula, you risk throwing off the entire balance of the game.
But why is the game so deadly in the first place?
Lethality Has Skyrocketed
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More Attacks: Most units have significantly more attacks compared to older editions.
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Higher Damage Output: Those attacks tend to have higher Strength and Armor Penetration values.
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Cheaper Units: Units cost fewer points, so you're putting more of them on the table.
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Smaller Tables: We've gone from 6'x4' to 44"x60" boards, bringing units closer together by default.
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More Rerolls and Mortal Wounds: Game mechanics like rerolls and mortal wounds have been layered on so thickly that outcomes are extremely predictable and lethal.
The end result? First turn can often decide the game. If your opponent gets the jump and your army isn't hidden behind enough LOS-blocking pieces, you're in serious trouble before you roll a second dice.
Cinematic Battles Are Getting Lost
This is perhaps the biggest tragedy for me personally. Warhammer 40K is a narrative-rich setting, and the hobby as a whole draws heavily from the epic feel of its books, art, and video games. But on the tabletop, many of those elements are vanishing.
When terrain becomes nothing more than an abstract balance lever, the tables stop looking like battlefields. They stop looking like cities, or fortresses, or war-torn wastelands. Instead, they become sparse collections of samey ruins placed at specific intervals, completely divorced from any sense of realism or story.
Gone are the cinematic charges across open ground, the last stands in crumbling buildings, the epic duels amid destroyed tank husks. Instead, we get something closer to hide-and-seek with bolters.
The Practical Problems of Modern Terrain
Even if you accept the current terrain requirements as necessary, they come with their own headaches:
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Cost: High-quality terrain isn't cheap. Outfitting a full 2,000-point table is a significant financial investment.
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Storage: Terrain doesn't pack away easily. Miniatures can be stored compactly in foam trays. Terrain eats up shelf after shelf.
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Time to Paint: Terrain often has large surface areas and awkward angles, making it one of the most time-consuming parts of the hobby to get table-ready.
Even at MiniWarGaming, where we have an entire building dedicated to gaming, storing terrain is one of our biggest logistical issues.
So What Can You Do?
Let's say you love 40K and want to keep playing, but you're tired of these terrain-related problems. What are your options?
1. Play Smaller Games
One of the simplest fixes is to drop your game size. A 1,000-point game on a full-sized table immediately relieves pressure:
The rulebook suggests shrinking the table for smaller games, but I recommend the opposite: keep the board big and let the armies breathe.
2. Revisit Older Editions
This won't be for everyone, but I highly recommend trying out editions like 4th or early 7th. We've been doing that here, and it's reignited our love for the game. Yes, those editions have their flaws, but they also support more cinematic playstyles, slower pacing, and more diverse terrain use.
You're not going to get perfect balance, but you might get something better: more fun.
3. Use Smarter Terrain Systems
This is where modular terrain like Ruins of Perdition comes in. We created it specifically to address the problems players face today:
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It's modular, so you can reconfigure it into countless layouts.
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It flat-packs, which means it takes up a fraction of the space.
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It's easy to paint, with detail that doesn't require hours of work.
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It's affordable, especially during our pre-order window.
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It looks cinematic, so your table can be beautiful and functional.
Whether you 3D print it yourself or grab a printed bundle, Ruins of Perdition makes it possible to build practical, balanced tables without sacrificing immersion.
More info here: miniwargaming.com/perdition
Final Thoughts
Terrain shouldn't be the duct tape that holds the game together. It should be the stage for incredible stories and epic confrontations. The fact that we need so much of it, in such rigid formations, is a sign that something deeper needs to be fixed.
Until Games Workshop addresses these issues in a future edition - and I'll talk about what I think they should do in the next article - we as players need to find creative ways to adapt.
Try smaller games. Explore older editions. And if you need terrain that works within the current system and looks awesome, check out Ruins of Perdition.
Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts below - what's working for you, and what's not?
Happy wargaming!
Matthew Glanfield, co-founder
MiniWarGaming
