Alright, finally got a look at the new rulebook, and I can say there are some substantial changes here. I will take a break from what I was doing to break down a lot of the changes of rules for people, and talk about what/where I see GW going with this new edition/what I would like to see in the future. Should take a few posts (hopefully just a few weeks), and during this, I can continue writing about the Space Marines, and get a good post out to you. I'm just going to go through some of the larger/more major changes. I will start with the basic phases:
Wound Allocation: This is the biggest change to my style of formations. Now all wound allocation will be done from the nearest model to the furthest model, with owner's decision in the event of a tie. I understand the earlier idea, based around the "other members of the squad pick up the weapon" theory, which is accurate. This means moving your Assault Weapons and Leaders to be more centrally located, so they receive a "buffer zone" from being killed, while staying forward enough to be used up close and personal.
This works in close combat as well, with Independant Characters having to roll a 6 to hit in order to specify the model taking the wound.
Morale: In ranged combat, It seems we have 2 Morale levels: above 25% strength and below. When below, you require a snake eyes to stay put. when above, it is a normal modifier. This simultaneously makes it harder for those that get chewed up in ranged fire, but easier for everyone else. In assault, you take a -1 modifier for every unsaved wound that you lose combat by, making it easier to break units.
Shooting: Bunch of changes. Let's start with my favorite.
More will be covered with special rules.
Special Rules:
Lotta ground to cover here
Wound Allocation: This is the biggest change to my style of formations. Now all wound allocation will be done from the nearest model to the furthest model, with owner's decision in the event of a tie. I understand the earlier idea, based around the "other members of the squad pick up the weapon" theory, which is accurate. This means moving your Assault Weapons and Leaders to be more centrally located, so they receive a "buffer zone" from being killed, while staying forward enough to be used up close and personal.
This works in close combat as well, with Independant Characters having to roll a 6 to hit in order to specify the model taking the wound.
Morale: In ranged combat, It seems we have 2 Morale levels: above 25% strength and below. When below, you require a snake eyes to stay put. when above, it is a normal modifier. This simultaneously makes it harder for those that get chewed up in ranged fire, but easier for everyone else. In assault, you take a -1 modifier for every unsaved wound that you lose combat by, making it easier to break units.
Shooting: Bunch of changes. Let's start with my favorite.
- Snap Shots: actually something I had been arguing for and using as a house rule for a while now. You can fire Heavy Weapons after moving, but at BS 1. This seems like a crap deal, till you realize that allows your Heavy Weapons squads to fall back and fire, allowing you to cause casualties in the enemy and protect your unit better. This is also useful, as your regular line squads can now still move and shoot somewhat.
Use blast weapons to maximize the impact.Didn't spot that you can't do this with blast weapons. My bad. - Blast Weapons: now roll 2D6-BS, instead of D6
- Running: you may now assault after running. Big boost for assault oriented units.
- Flamers: I believe that, prior to 6th, they were almost useless upgrades for a possibility of getting to use it once. With the new wound allocation method, they must be placed either at the front, in which case they are the first ones killed, or centrally, where you run the chance of not being able to use them. Making them even more useless than they were before. "Then why did you even bother to bring it up," You ask? Simply put, they make great defensive weapons now. The problem with them in the past was the unreliability of the shot. You essentially had a 50/50 shot of using them. Either you used it once before an assault, or you didn't get a chance to (by the time your opponent was in range, it was his turn. And he assaulted.). Now, you have an opportunity with Overwatch to land some serious hurt on an opponent (D3 hits) before the first blows are struck. In my mind, it's still a bit of a gamble, but now I think the right person could make them worth the points.
More will be covered with special rules.
Special Rules:
Lotta ground to cover here
- Acute Senses: Now allows you to re-roll outflank. Most models with this rule have outflank. Mostly helps them. Puts a kink into the Space Wolves, because it doesn't state that it grants outflank (that would be awesome). Unless you have Bran Redwolf. Then it becomes awesome.
- Counter-Assault: Now needs a leadership check. Not much, but makes it slightly less reliable.
- Fleet: This changes every edition. Now it allows you to re-roll one D6 during a run or charge.
- Gets Hot: Now affects vehicles.
- Independent Characters: Now allow you to take Morale checks without penalty if the unit is under 25% strength.
- Skyfire: 6th seems to be bringing aerial rules fully into the game this time around. Skyfire basically lets you shoot at flyers normally, instead of only succeeding with shap shots.
- Sniper Weapons: same as before. Now a roll of a 6 allows the attacker to choose his target. Lets you pick off special/heavy weapons and leadership targets. On a personal note, sniper rifles are moving in a direction I have been wanting since 3rd Edition.
- There are a bunch of special rules now for melee weapons (Thunder Hammers are now Concussive) that were in existence, but now have names.
- New special rules were left out of this to save space and time. A lot of them were existing rules, but revamped to fit larger numbers of weapons/units.
Unit Types:
Infantry: No real changes, so to speak...
Bikes/Jetbikes:
- Now have the Hammer of Wrath and Jink Special Rules, so you get an automatic extra hit with every bike, every time you charge, and they gain a 5+ cover save by moving.
- They can also Turbo-Boost now, so bikes can opt to move up to 24", and Jetbikes up to 36" in a turn, but they give up the ability to shoot, charge, or anything else.
- Eldar Jetbikes can move 2D6" in the assault phase, without assaulting.
Artillery: only one thing seems to need mentioning. You always use the Toughness of the gun, and wound allocation goes to the closest model. Put all your crew in front of the gun (within 2")
Jump Units: May choose whether to use the pack in their movement phase (move 12"), or Assault Phase (can re-roll charge distance and gain Hammer of Wrath)
Jet Pack Units:
- Move as Jump Units.
- If not engaged they may move 2D6" in the Assault Phase (without charging)/
- Relentless
Monstrous Creatures:
- Can fire 2 weapons in the shooting phase.
- Fear, Hammer of Wrath, Move Through Cover, Relentless, and Smash rules.
Cavalry: Beasts with Hammer of Wrath.
Flying Monstrous Creatures:
- 2 Flight modes: Swooping or Gliding
- Gliding: Treated as a Jump Monstrous Creature.
- Swooping: Same as above, with following rules:
- Must move 12-24"
- Can make a 90° turn at the beginning of the movement phase, but must move in straight lines only for the rest of the turn.
- Does not take dangerous terrain tests.
- May run 2D6" (straight forward, still)
- Cannot charge or be charged
- Shots resolved at Swooping FMC's are resolved as snap shots (unless the weapon/model has Skyfire).
- May be intentionally removed from the board and placed in Reserves.
- After hits and wounds are rolled, but before armor saves, the FMC may elect to Dive, gaining Jink until the end of next turn, but may only make snap shots during this time.
- After taking hits from shooting attacks, it must make a Grounded roll. On 1-2, it crashes, taking a S9 hit with no armor or cover saves allowed. It loses Jink, and may be assaulted until its next turn, where it can move as normal.
- Starts game in Glide mode when deployed normally; mode chosen when entering from reserves.
