I know it has been around for quite a while now, but I’m a bit slow getting on the 6th ed boat. I just wanted to put down my thoughts so far about the 6th ed rules. In general the rules seem well explained, clearer than 5th edition and seem to fix several holes in gameplay. I’m mostly happy. Now looking to a few key points:
Snap shots: Yes!!! Oh the joy I felt when I first learnt that you can shoot at charging models cannot be described. It also allows heavy weapons to move and fire (badly) which I think is great. Great rule.
Charging: I like the random element. The new rules also give less of an advantage to fleet units, in terms of how far they can charge. It means basic troops can charge further, which is balanced by the ability of defenders to shoot at a charging unit. All in all, it is an improvement.
Wounding: It now states that wounds are allocated starting from the nearest model. It is no longer whoever the player feels like allocating hits against. It is now possible to stall a charge by shooting the front row. Thank you GW. Another great rule change.
Cavalry: I am so pleased with this too. The old rules had cavalry moving as slowly as infantry, but charging further. It made it very hard to get them close. The 12″ movement makes so much more sense. I am so pleased at giving all cavalry fleet and hammer of wrath. I am really going to have to work on finishing my Cadian rough riders now.
Challenges: not so sure about this one. I’m likely to be refusing challenges lots, as a mainly guard player. It adds an extra element of fun though.
Vehicles: The hull points system makes vehicles much easier to kill. Instead of several glancing hits stunning the crew and not much else they can cripple the vehicle fairly easily. It seems to make vehicles less useful and makes extra armour far less tempting. Why bother reducing the crew stunned to crew shaken if the shot is still going to cripple the tank? I’m glad they put in the rules about turning. Some people used to move their vehicles in such stupid and unrealistic ways. I like that vehicles in squadrons now have a choice of whether to abandon their mates, rather than being immobilised counting as being wrecked. I tend not to rely on vehicles too much, but my feelings are mixed. Movement rules are great. Wounding rules less so.
Fortifications: I’m really happy that fortifications can be bought as part of an army list. If there are fortifications on the board, the player who starts in them has a huge advantage. Rather than that being random, I’m really glad it is now reflected in the army list.
Flyers: This is the bit I’m not happy with. In the old rules flyers were cheap, in points terms, compared to other units. (Makes up for being expensive to buy) Now they are so much more powerful. They can fire all weapons when moving flat out, they can only be hit on a 6, they are immune to blast weapons (makes sense), can’t be assaulted (makes sense) and even if you hit them they can then choose to evade, giving themselves a cover save. There is an Eldar flyer with the shrouded special rule, which gets a 2+ cover save if evading. That’s after only hitting on 6s. Its madness. They can make bombing runs against units they pass over, as well as shooting units in front of them, allowing them to split their attacks in a way most units can’t. The most basic rule of the battlefield seems to be, the army with flyers wins.
It’s not that the rules are unrealistic for flyers. It’s just that the points cost for them does not reflect all their advantages. It does reflect the desire of Games Workshop to sell lots of expensive flyer models. The rules are skewed for flyers. Taking veteran troops and stormtroopers in a Valkyrie or vendetta was already a very effective way to win battles. Now it is almost the only way to win. Air superiority certainly reflects modern warfare, but it doesn’t make for a balanced game. GW need to vastly increase the points cost of all flyers.
I know someone who immediately spent nearly a thousand pounds on flyers as soon as the 6th ed rules came out. He then mocks anyone too “stupid” to do the same. (yes, he really is that much of an arse) I can’t afford to do that. Fortunately, neither can most of my friends. I can see us playing with a ‘no flyers’ house rule for the forseeable future.
Cadian 501st 