So we're probably a year and a half away from a new edition of Warhammer 40k. I know it seems a bit early to start wishlisting but I have to do it before all the rumors start kicking around, which I recall the 5th edition rumors starting about a year before it came out. Besides, political pundits are already discussing who's going to run for president in 2012 (and have been since November of 2008), so I'm not really all that ahead of myself. I haven't really considered the ramifications of some of these things, that's why I'm putting it out there; to get some ideas on whether these things are good ideas or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying 5th edition but there are a few changes I'd like to see in the upcoming years. In no particular order:
1. Bring back the Move stat. I really don't think a lithe athletic Eldar should move at the same speed as a Necron Warrior. I think they should keep running the way it is but one of my biggest pet peeves from the 2nd to 3rd edition transition was ditching the M stat.
2. Shooting at multiple targets. Vehicles should be able to shoot at multiple targets. It's always bugged me that a Leman Russ with anti-personel sponsons has to fire the sponsons at the same target as the anti-armor turret. On that same note, a squad with a heavy weapon shouldn't have to fire its small arms at the same target as the lone heavy weapons specialist. Give them a -1 to hit or something, but let differently armed models split their fire. Under the current rules, artillery crewmembers can shoot at a different target, why can no one else do the same?
3. Transports. I'm not making any wishlisting here but several Internet personalities have suggested that transports will not be quite as kingly as they are now. We shall see if they are right.
4. Vehicles. Back in the old days there were all kinds of crazy charts for each vehicle and even a clear template that you held over a vehicle and rolled to see which part was affected and stuff like that. I don't want to see a return to that but I think I'd like to see structure points on certain vehicles, or perhaps a modified damage chart. I haven't really thought this one through, so it might be a really bad idea.
5. Building rules. Nobody uses the rules properly these days. Some people treat them as impassible, tourneys like the Nova treated them as just LOS blocking objects, you could move freely through them. There's a reason for that. A building can really break the game. With a bastion in the enemy's deployment zone suddenly those Long Fangs are now in an AV 14 transport and can fire at will while you have to crack their transport first. In 4th edition the buildings had an AV but you could shoot at the occupants, who recieved a 3+ cover save. Weapons of S8 or more would strike an occupant as well as cause a hit on the building. Back in 4th, cover saves were a bit harder to come by so this was really good. A proposed idea would be that you could shoot at the occupants with a -1 to hit penalty, as well as they get a 3+ cover save. This gives the occupants some benefit so buildings aren't just a fancy terrain piece, but also limits their power. You should also be able to assault the occupants of buildings, like in Fantasy.
That's all I can think of now. Let the speculation begin!
I was thinking about the transports thing myself.
ReplyDeleteHow would you go about encouraging people to move away from Mech without
A)changing the damage charts to make them deathtraps like in 4th, or
B)re-writing all the codexes to increase the points value of transports?
Neither of which seem terribly likely.
I think 5th is a great edition. I hope that they don't change too much.
ReplyDelete1. I could see that, but it would have ripple effects across other ways they already use to denote speed, like fleet, slow and purposeful, difficult terrain in general, etc. 6" and d6" work nicely together. It could be done, but there would be a lot of secondary effects to work through.
2. Yes.
3-4. The pendulum has swung towards vehicles and transports especially. I could see some adjustment in the main rules, but mainly it should be addressed in the codexes IMO. The vehicle rules themselves don't make Chimera spam hideous - the IG codex making them 55pts and having 5 fire points does.
5. I actually think that proper use of buildings can help foot armies vs. mech. It's someplace vehicles can't go, and gives a foot squad the mech protection. As for those long fangs, remember all you have to do is shake that bastion and that squad can't fire.
I'd like to see defensive weapons be at least strength 5 or 6.
ReplyDelete1 - as soon as necrons get a transport, or all their units can deep strike...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, yes, some units should move faster.
Perhaps bonuses to run (such as bounding leap with nids).
2 - Then increase the cost of all those weapons...dramatically. Guard are OP enough, we don't need more. I love the stubber...its amazing for 10 points...tau would kill for 36" weapons on a fish..for 10 points.
3 - nerf fire points. or don't allow heavy weapons to use them. Firing an auto cannon out a chimera hatch? Really? Or let us shoot at guys inside if they shoot out (give good cover).
4 - The challenge is balancing models with tons of guns (Russ/Raider) vs ones with few guns (vindicator). A single weapon destroyed can render a vindicator's offensive potential immensely. One must be very careful with any changes here, as armies with easy vehicle access may be affected quite a bit (either positive or negatively).
5 - Totally agree on the buildings.
My friends and I love the bastion model, but we use it as just terrain as its too powerful in any normal game. Even then, we have issues with it (how do you assault up it? etc.).
The thing I REALLY want for sixth, is this;
regardless of any changes, please release comprehensive FAQ's for every codex at launch.
This would help immensely. FAQ's take waaaay too long in the current cycle.
The main change I would want, but do not expect to see, would be well written rules supported with proper FAQ/errata so there is none of this stupid RAW/RAI arguments.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see units in transports take a bit more damage, or maybe a negative mod on the pinning test. My big hate in 5E is No Retreat Wounds. Without outnumbing units just die...