Who’s Got their 6th Edition 40K Book and what do you think of it?
June 30, 2012 by beerogre
So, slightly before the "official" release of the book, I managed to receive my Big Rulebook from a super-secret insider source... but what do I think of it?
Well... there's more randomness... charge ranges being the big one. Many of the top players I know see this as a blatant attempt to tip the game in favour of newer and less talented players, I'm not as sure, but the introduction of pre-measuring (at any time!) is definitely an advantage new players will benefit from.
Many of the rules have been cleaned up and a lot of special rules have been renamed to make them generic (and more easily found in the new book), a system we saw in Warmachine MkII.
The new psionic rules are proving somewhat controversial, with most wondering if this means that forthcoming Codex releases will reduce the number of "unique" powers available to those future factions (probably to 1 or 2).
But the big shake up is the rules for cover and wound allocation...
It seems we can now only shoot at targets we can see (no change there), but if half a unit is hidden, you can only remove casualties from those that can be shot at... no more removing those "wound guys with Bolt Pistols" hiding around the corner, while the big guns fire at will.
The changes to the wound allocation (you now allocate wounds from the closest to the furthest away) are also designed to prevent this tactic. Of course this will lead to bloodier battles, but there was always something to be said for the tactical arrangement of troops and the knowledge required for an effective allocation of wounds.
Now, these will have to be relearned. Darrell, our resident 40K fan and cheese-hunter claims to have already found some powerful strategies involving the placement of models with varying armour saves... so you can look forward to him trying to explain that in a future video.
There also seems to be some merit to keeping your "Big, Tough, Fighty" heroes at the front, so they can avail of the new "Look Out Sir!" ruling, where they take the brunt of an assault (or salvo of fire) and are then saved at the last minute (i.e. when they are at W:1) by their squad.
Just on character models, we all know by now that the rules for challenging characters is in the book, but who will be the first to break the rules?
Well... the first one I've found is the Imperial Guard Company Commander... or more properly the Bodyguards from the Regimental Advisers. While not strictly "breaking" the rules, they do allow the Company Commander to shift (I mean "allocate") 4 wounds onto the two (15pt) Bodyguards... that's a hell of an advantage.
The big problem I see with these Challenges, is that once again they are aimed at benefiting the Space Marines. They have "big, fighty" heroes who value "honour", but what about the Xenos?
Does the Tyranid Hive Mind even understand what "honour" is in this context?
Do the Eldar give a toss for the "honour on the Mon-Kee"?
Do the Tau feel the need for personal combat (in violation of their edicts) in order to preserve the Greater Good?
How about the Necrons? Well they might have a go, but then they're getting back up anyway.
So it's only really the Orks then, that might enjoy this, but then they're always drunk and angry (at least in my mind), so no real change there!
These are just a few of the changes, the ones I thought we the most fun and/or controversial... but we want to know what you think?
Have you got your book?
When are you getting it?
Do you like the changes?
Are you now going to start 40K?
Are you now giving up?
Have your say today!
Super-cool miniatures images supplied by Worthy Painting.
i have the book for the last 2 days i quite like the changes (im now bringing 2 master of runes runepriest for a reason (maybe once or so) hmm imm gonna buy some crisis suits to piss of enemy marines =]
My CE comes next week and a regular copy should arrive on Monday… So I’ll have a read through and see. I’m looking forward to it, as more of a casual player who’s stepped back from the gaming and become more of a ‘hobbyist’ it might draw me back into it. Who knows… we’ll see I guess 🙂
Listening to Blue Table Painting 6th edition comentary on Youtube now – they’re reading the book and commenting – it’s tempting ….
I received my book yesterday, beautiful art, not wuite finished reading through it but the changes dont seem so huge compared to what I was expecting from all the hype. As for the wound allocation: to me it made sense that when a guy with a big gun falls, another with a lowly bolter might pick up his weapon and keep fighting, seems a waste to leave the big guns in the dirt as it now will be.
Thinking about it though, you’ve got incoming enemy fire, do you stand where your mate got killed and strip his body of weaponry and ammunition while the shells are flying past?
and he was probably trained to use it and you weren’t
PS still don’t like the Allies rules 🙂
@kane I’m ambivalent about the allies rules… I don’t think their as exciting or potentially abusive as they could have been.
I’ll be interested to see if the allies rules are permitted in the ETC tournaments… that’s were it really counts… as we can use any rules we want at home.
Because we’re all a bit mad, we’ve been playing ‘allied’ games around here, but usually as four/three players (to get new guys invovled while one person gm’s, as it were). It’s obviously a cynical ploy to get people to buy more models, but that’s ok – I like the idea of DE helions alongside Necron ghost arks. However there is the possiblity of unbalanced games: we had an almighty shock that guard flamer/chimera troops and marine assault troops were lethal against tyranids. That’s the only game where we’ve won by turn two. Won as in “charred remains’ – seven or… Read more »
True 🙂
I have had a look at the book, not got my copy yet. Overall looks like a return to fun, dynamic principles the same that were much maligned in 8th ed fantasy. Will be interesting to see Darrell’s take on wound allocation, as I have already see some very bad misconceptions that come from choosing to reading rules in isolation and ignoring other sections of the rules. There are definately a few ways to abuse the wound allocation – but fewer than before, they take planning and effort and can be countered. No real point looking at army specifics until… Read more »
Urgh Blue Table Painting the voice of the chap on the videos is pure aural assault – on par with listening to ITVs euro coverage. I am sure its interesting but urgh, I know he cannot help the way he talks but I cannot get past it.
I think the ally rules suit 40k better than fantasy, just think they missed the chance to have guard take nids to return the old cult list.
Section I am dreading reading is the background, I am sure they will find ways to make me rage in there 🙁
Is that the “omg he’s married!? to a woman!?” guy?
No idea I managed about a minute twice
If he is well done to him
FAQs are up
Where can I find the FAQs?
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=1000018&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&start=2
Got my book today and had a feverish look through it, but was too distracted by the new artwork and I’m interested to read about “the end of mankind” lol. Having allies does make sense when you use armies that would fight together. You could devise a scenario where an Eldar Farseer is turning rogue and allies with the Dark Eldar. Issuing a challenge doesn’t have to be taken so literally. It could, as mentioned above by @dags, be that a commander has singled out the enemy commander as a target of import to destroy one-on-one, not just as a… Read more »
Ah they have errata’d the LOS argh for IG bodygaurds
Where Can I see the FAQ’s ??
NM, I found them !! =)
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=1000018&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&multiPageMode=true&start=2
Really, really don’t like the random run/charge. It’s daft. I don’t walk, then lurch into a run only to tip toe further than I’ve gone before. It’s yet *more* dice rolling. Before 6th came out we already played that a run was twice your movement and will probably keep that. As a chum said, with every dice roll you have chance replace choice. I like hull points. Not losing to glancing is a good thing. The smash rules for monstrous creatures against vehicles thing is good, but losing the 2d6 is interesting. Grenades are finally useful and rapidfire has been… Read more »
Agree with you 100 per cent…Haven’t read everything yet, but so far sounding good. The one thing I hate is random charge…Was the reason I didn’t go for fantasy…
Yup. Took the dog for a walk, and had him running around like a loon. Oddly, he didn’t at one point move more slowly than if he were walking.
ahhh but was he covering broken ground ? Assaulting means you are looking straight ahead and running over possibly uneven surface, loose rubbl etc. There is a chance you might slip or stumble, hence you won’t achieve your maximum distance.
I don’t see a problem with variable distance
T’was in the New Forest and as a newfoundland, most of it was water, mud, dirt and what seems to be half a tree (we’re still cleaning up).
Whenever something’s random you cannot plan. It forces chance instead of choice and makes the game much less tactical, which is annoying. I don’t think it holds. There’s already difficult terrain tests. Any other terrain is ‘clear’ and distances should be fixed. We won’t make charges random in our group.
well Bubbles15 actually …normal armies in teh field have to deal with that as well dont see it as random see it as you have to be more tactical to get in a position were you can be sure to get your attack through or you have to deal tactical with the situation after a mischarge.
Fixed distances are just abstract.
How the hell can Ezekiel, the most powerful Librarian in the 1st Leigon (Dark Angels) only be mastery level 1?????
I know were more then likely to get our new codex by the end of the year/early next year, but your taking the piss ain’t you GW.
I think that’s because he could only cast 1 power per turn previously, although since they’ve changed other stuff entirely in the FAQ’s you think he’d have gotten 2. I’m personally hoping he becomes a complete and utter badass in the new ‘dex. After the last 2 FAQ’s gimped him he deserves it.
Well I think it’s a fairly safe bet the the Dark Angels codex is just around the corner so he could get a rewrite. Given the trend of Space Marine codices I’m sure there will be something ‘broken’ about the Dark Angels. Probably in the form of some kind of flyer based on the WHFB trend of ‘everyone gets a huge monster’. I would even hazard a guess that it will be Ravenwing centric, the Fantasy orcs have a giant spider but thats firmly in the savage goblin fluff which doesn’t lend itself easily to a ‘traditional’ orc army. So… Read more »
Ain’t got the book yet. It’s in the mail and I expect it to arrive at the begginning of next week.
By what I hear, it will be a very hard time for my Orks… I hope at least my Imperial Guards perform better.
One of my friends will be glad to see that the Tau seem to be back in the fight, even without a new Codex!
Imperial guard are going to be fantastic. Hull points really, really make Chimera rush tactics workable and dangerous. That and fast vehicles now being able to move 12 and fire twice is handy as our Banewolves are truly vunderbar now.
I don’t really see how Hull Points make things better. You can still get a penetrating hit, and the vehicle can be destroyed, but now even after glancing hits, you lose Hull Points(HP). Once all the HPs are gone the vehicle is wrecked.
It’s the light weapons that normally could have immobilised/weapon destroyed you. Now you keep going until everything’s gone.
Also with heavy vehicles glancing hits were the ultimate annoyance as you’d be getting shake/stunned and it would make no real difference. Now you can knock a stormraven down wmore easily.
I plan to start up 40k once they release the next starter set. I first wanted to start about 4 years ago with Grey Knights (before their new codex cheese) then Space Wolves about 2 years ago, then the new codex came out for them and then they were suddenly ‘cheese’ too, (I’m ‘anti-cheese’, by the way). Since then I’ve been really interested in Chaos Space Marines (I know their codex is out of date.. aesthetics can win games though!). If the starter set does come with CSM, I’ll be very happy! Does anyone know if there is a release… Read more »
Can’t link you to any “bullet-proof” posts regarding the release dates, but accordings to the general concensus it’s expected to arrive this late summer, september’ish or so
In the grim darkness of the far future.. There is always CHEESE.
There is lots more cheese to be found with every codex out at the moment when applying it to the new rules. And with new faq’s and codexs it will just get better.. or cheesier
Around September is the general rumor on the web.
Dang! Waiting is the hardest part *cries a single tear*
Also Chaos should have a new codex by the years end I believe
But an army is often only as cheesy as you make it
I’ll be picking this book up, if the reviews are good, with a 25% discount from the endless number of online retailers who provide such a discount.
Might as well take advantage. By the time 40K 7th edition comes along GW will have stopped supplying online retailers.
@happyhowler FAQs linky
https://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=600005&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&multiPageMode=true&start=2
@dags: Many thanks!
Just got my copy. And it was full of bubbles!
The Allies is a nerfed add on to the games really cool combo lists all are non scoring and reap zero benifit from AOE put out by special characters of main army. To field only different color Space Marines is uneventful. Would of liked to seen necrons and Orks band with full on abilities. Could care less about the fluff that would argue different.
Orks did get a spanking should of been aimed more towards GK.
They took away the Target Lock for Crisis Suits? Lame. Although Stealth Suits are finally worth taking with Shrouded and Stealth! I stopped using them ages ago because everyone seemed to be able to roll enough to see them.
They mentioned Assault Vehicles but not which vehicles have the assault special rule in the appendix. Must wait for new codex I guess. As a Tau player and Space Wolves I like the new Random Assault.
Why haven’t stormravens been faq’d as flyers and glaive encarmines been clarified
What needs clarifying with glaive encarmines?
If you get a strength bonus form using them. As it stands, they’re not a very efficient unit.
Vanguard veterans with lightning claws are better value, but that’s min/maxing.
Although they do have 2+ armour saves, but I am still wary of any one wound models costing 40 points – one crappy turn and the units can be in big trouble.
@bubbles15 I don’t see them getting a str bonus, unless they’re modelled with the axe, since that would be completely changing their rules, sure they are kinda naff but I don;t see that changing
@dags Do not underestimate 2+ saves, especially with FNP backup vs the likes of plasma now. My Deathwing command squad took a hell of a lot of punishment from GK’s today and only lost two guys.
Death company just beat them. power weapon, bolt pistol, in an assault vehicle and suddenly 5 attacks, 6 on the charge (per man) at strength 5 ws 5?
Still need to read about disembarking from fast vehicles but I assume move 12, disembark, then assault gives them a staggering range. Add a Chappers and suddenly you’ve 60 attacks, rerolling to hit and to wound. Is there anything that would stop that?
And grenades. Oh, thank you. Guardsmen blobs. 25 small blast templates will thin out any horde.
@Bigbri – I wasn’t doubting the effectiveness of 2+ save, just I have had and seen lots of turns where suddenly you roll 4 1’s for saves, which for these small high point cost units effectively removes them from an active part in the game. Its is because of that I am wary of 1 wounds big point models
From what I’ve read, you can’t disembark from a vehicle that moves more than 6 inches (page 79 “Disembarking”) Am I reading that right?
Yeah not keen on what they seem to imply for Orks, although your waargh turn is much bigger – rereolled charge distance plus the fleet, probably drops out a turn of enenmy shooting, although now rapid fire can backway and still hit at range. Not see how many hull points trukks have, despite the assault from fast vehicle nerf they could be more reliable to drop a first wave, especially as glances will leave wreaks for cover. Also Stormboys on a waargh turn are looking dirty. Dammit just looking at the FAQ and now I so want to do a… Read more »
“for no other reason than because.”
The best reason for an army 🙂
Have you seen something I haven’t? I get the impression you think fleet let’s you run and charge. It doesn’t, it just let’s you refill your run or one dice from your charge
Ah have they changed fleet, does it no longer provide a d6 move? Sorry working from bits I have scanned. If thats the case it is a bad edition for orks/nids infantry. Refill your run? sorry not sure what that means
Stormboys should still be good on a waargh turn.
Sorry, meant to say reroll but typing on my phone so it auto corrects stuff. I think its still a good rule, say on one of the charge dice you roll a 1, get it rerolled and presto, you just made it a 6.
No worries my phone is a nightmare for that, my typing doesn’t help it either. Ah so the D6 move from fleet has gone. Well got to say that is a pretty heavy nerf for infantry assaulkt armies – previous move 6, fleet D6 (waargh for Orks) and then assault 6 replaced with move 6 assault 2D6 rerolled – is about an inch charge range lost, maybe more.
@maxwelledison CHeck the reference section of the rulebook, see the unit type and hull points of the stormraven. The glavies should of been clarfied, they will either be special power weapons so follow codex rules or mastercrafted power axes I guess.
The glaives will be either a MC power sword or axe depending on what’s on the model