4th Edition Movement: More Fluid, More Tactical

By Alessio Cavatore

Movement is the heartbeat of any wargame. It’s where positioning, planning, and precision come together to shape the battle.

For Kings of War 4th Edition I wanted to freshen up the Movement Phase. Not by reinventing it, but by giving players more flexibility and tactical options, while keeping the game flowing smoothly.

Let’s take a look at some of the key changes and updates I’ve made.

More Agile Battlelines

We’ve introduced additional pivots on certain movement orders, allowing units to be more agile and responsive.

This increases fluidity and opens up new tactical possibilities, especially when manoeuvring around terrain or setting up charges. It’s a subtle change, but one that makes battlelines feel more dynamic and less predictable.

New Orders: Withdraw! and Reform!

Combat in 4th Edition is now “sticky” - units remain fully engaged unless they actively try to disengage.

To do so, they must use the new Withdraw! order, which requires passing a Nerve test. Fail, and the unit is Routed. Pass and they can move away, but crucially, they cannot charge another unit that turn. This adds a layer of risk and decision-making to disengaging from combat. The big reward is to open up the enemy for a new charge by your fresh troops that (of course) you’ve carefully positioned ready to pounce!

The Reform! order allows a unit to reposition its facing, either to turn to face an enemy or to combine with a multi-charge. One of the most cinematic uses of Reform! is when a unit’s front-facing midpoint is in a different arc - it can now wrap around into that arc, creating dramatic battlefield moments and new tactical opportunities.

Charging Made Smarter

Charges no longer have to follow the shortest route. This is much easier to execute and less prone to controversy, by giving players more flexibility in how they approach their targets, especially when navigating terrain or friendly units.

Additionally, only two units can multi-charge per facing, but they no longer block each other when doing so. Combined with changes to Line of Sight (which I’ll cover in the Ranged Phase blog), this makes charges more fluid and less restrictive, while still maintaining tactical depth.

These changes to the Movement Phase are all about giving players more control, more options, and more cinematic moments without sacrificing clarity or speed of play. Whether you're flanking, reforming, or pulling off a desperate withdrawal, movement in Kings of War 4th Edition is more engaging than ever.

No More 1" Standoffs

One of the first things to go was the old rule requiring units to stay 1” away from enemy units unless charging.

It was fiddly, slowed the game down, and often led to unnecessary measuring and disputes. Now, units can even end up in contact enemy units as long as it’s clear to both players that they’re not Engaged in Combat - unless they’ve charged, of course.

This simple change helps keep the game moving and makes battlefield positioning more intuitive.

In Conclusion

The changes to the Movement Phase make your battleline more fluid and give you two very different (and potentially complementary!) options.

Are you going for extra width on the table, with the extra pivots increasing your chances of flanking the enemy, or are you going for depth, as the new Withdraw! and Reform! orders make it easier to bring your second line of units to bear?

Thanks Alessio!

New blogs, videos and stories will be dropping regularly between now and the launch of 4th Edition in December 2025.

Make sure to bookmark the launch hub, HERE, and check back regularly.