How Momentum Works in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader

Any good tactical turn-based game needs a great morale system, and that’s Momentum in Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader. It allows you to perform powerful ultimate moves when you’re in the lead or on the ropes. So, here’s how Momentum works in Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader.

Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader Momentum Explained

Unlike some other CRPGs and systems where a morale system assigns positive or negative effects based on your success or failure in battle, Momentum works a bit differently. Essentially, the system still tracks your success or failure, but instead of passive modifiers, it’s used to fuel the ultimate abilities of your party. These powerful finishers are called Heroic Acts or Desperate measures based on how high or low your Momentum is respectively. They’re an essential part of Rogue Trader combat.

How Resolve Affects Momentum

Essentially, Momentum is a single value in combat that increases based on your character’s Resolve stat. Each character has one and its base value (various factors increase it) is equal to their Fellowship characteristic bonus (the first digit of the stat). With Resolve in mind, Momentum changes during combat in the following scenarios:

• Killing an Enemy: The Party gains momentum based on the attacker’s resolve and the slain enemy’s difficulty modifier.
• Beginning of a Turn: When a character who hasn’t yet used a Heroic Act or Desperate Measures stats their turn, the party gains Momentum equal to that character’s resolve.
• Dropping to Zero: If a character drops to 0 HP, the party loses momentum equal to the slain character’s resolve multiplied by 10.

So what are Heroic Acts and Desperate Measures exactly? I’m glad you asked. Let’s take a look.

How to Use Momentum in Rogue Trader

Momentum always starts at 100. Once the party’s momentum reaches 175 or more, any party member can use their Heroic Act ultimate ability. These vary depending on the character’s Archetype.

For example, Sister Argenta’s Heroic Act fires multiple free shots at her enemies. I find it highly useful since those attacks don’t count toward her attack limit on a turn. As you can see, these are quite powerful abilities that can change the tide of battle. The first use of a Heroic Act costs 50 points of Momentum, while subsequent uses have their cost increased by 25.

On the other hand, if Momentum drops below 25, any party member can use their Desperate Measures. This is a similar ability to a Heroic Act, but it comes with drawbacks. For example, I tried out the Desperate Rush on my melee companion but found that it stuns them.

But that’s how Momentum works in Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader. Manipulating Momentum to your benefit and utilizing Heroic Acts and Desperate Measures wisely is crucial in later combat encounters. For more tips on the game, head over to our WH40K Rogue Trader guides page.