6th Edition Rumours

Taken from Space Wolves Blog and Blood of Kittens!

“

• first real 6th edition codex: Codex Chaos Legions, really big release in three waves, doesn’t invalidate Codex Chaos Space Marines which gets extensive White Dwarf update as Codex Renegade Space Marines

• two starter sets, each with rules, dices, movement markers, mission booklet, one with Dark Angels and fitting scenery, the other with Black Legion and Chaos scenery. You can combine both to play the campaign or use one set alone to play a selection of dumbed down scenarios against every other force, first starter set that comes with a model for a well established special character

• All codexes since Codex Tyranids were written with the new rules in mind, especially the new mission and reserve structure

• The main design goals are: one book to rule them all, heroic characters, visceral combat, streamlined mechanism, cleaned up presentation and strategy before chance

• similar ballistic to hit chart as wound chart: compare BS to target’s speed and unit type. BS 3 hits moving infantry on 4+, but lightning fast jetbikes on 6+ and stationary tank on 2+

• victory points are back, but with another twist: you get two victory points if an unit holds an objective for an entire game turn, if a scoring unit holds one, you get three and one if you destroy a squad leader or vehicle

• before the game there is a bidding contest for the opportunity of the first turn, if you bid more strategic points you can go first, but the enemy can spent these points on stratagems as in Cities of Death: 22 generic stratagems – for example for one point you can decide on night fighting or place an automatic gun, for four you can shift your reserves, most expensive stratagems are at 12 points and are really drastic, every unspent point can be used once a game for a reroll

• Even two identical armies will play completely differently due to A) the bidding effecting what the first turn player has left to spend and B) the player who didn’t bid so hard, now has cards up his sleeve to deal with the fact that he is going second

• Players can customize their tactics to fit their playstyle vice using units they otherwise would not want in their list to meet a “meta” standard

• The stratagems being drawn from the same book means that there will be no calls of shenanigans and all players will have access, so there is no basis for a claim that you were beaten by codex creep instead of a better or smarter player

• new phase “consolidate” phase for random movements, jetpack movements, pursuits, morale checks/effects and resolving shooting reactions

• new turn sequence: prepare-movement-assault-shooting-consolidate

One rulebook for all

• flyer rules are incorporated in the main rules

• narrative rule section that expands core rules: formations, super heavies, gaining experience

• modular rules, core rules can easily be expanded by narratives rules or another expansion set

Heroic characters:

• independent characters more powerful, armour save and invulnerable save at the same time

• squad leaders more important, no more 50% rallying threshold, unit can rally as long as squad leader lives

• independent characters can snipe

• More visceral combat:

• standard cover only 5+ now, Feel No Pain (1) only on 5+

• slow slogging units very vulnerable

• some weapon types are specialized in taking out specific unit types and are incredible good at doing this (sniper vs. infantry without armour), but on the other hand ordnance vs flyer isn’t going to do much

streamlined:

• no more random movement at all

• 5 general types of psychic powers

• wound allocation like 4th edition on unit basis, but attacker can chose every 5th wound to go to a single model (sniper weapon every second wound)

• artillery is normal immobile vehicle squadron, crew has no other game purpose than to be a counter for rate of fire and attacks

clean up of combusted rules:

• there are tiers for most of the special rules. Instant Death (2) circumvents Eternal Warrior (1) for example. Feel No Pain (1) is 5+, Feel No Pain (2) is 4+ and Feel No Pain (3) is 3+. If no value is given, the special rule is tier 1.

• no more difference between leadership test and morale test – more streamlining

• terrain rules on a single page, true line of sight, non-vehicles models are ignored altogether, rules for special terrain like bunkers, ruins or deathworld mangroves in narrative rule section

less randomness, more strategic options:

• more elaborate reserve rules, can nominate turn of arrival and has only small change to arrive earlier or later, or can intervene behind enemy lines, arrives randomly but can hinder enemy reserves, must be distributed evenly between turn two and three, later arrivals only randomly

• This is pretty cool and reflects what battlefield reserves are meant to do and once again, like the assets, makes the player more of a factor than his list)

• no more random game length

• When looking at the bidding system for turns, this really means that the player who bids to get the first turn gets what he pays for and vice versa

• no roll for first turn

• deep striking units more than 18” from enemy away don’t scatter, but landing in 6” is much more dangerous

• movement impairing effects from pinning weapons even if morale check is passed (if roll is above halved Ld), Fearless not immune to this, but only effected if rolled over full Ld

• more reactions to shooting than going to the ground depending on unit type and special rules. bikes can evade (3+ cover as same as before, but cannot assault or shoot next turn), jump troops can fly high, units with Stealth can attempt to vanish”