New Games Workshop™

Well. Not unexpected, but damn. In case you somehow missed it, GW announced 40K 8th edition this morning. In what looks to be the biggest shake-up of the system since 3rd, I am very cautiously optimistic.

With a new website and more importantly a FAQ (go read it now!) to address some of the news. Let's hit the highlights:

ALL (current) models and armies are valid, even Forge World stuff. Yay!

All current Codexes are not. This is good because it means they are making real changes to the game. Not really bad because I still enjoy looking at older Codexes and I got my use out of them.

3 ways to play. Groovy. Good for pick-up games as well as doing some narrative fun.

The core rules for the game will be free. Words I never thought would come from GW.

I'm kind of enamored with the new folk over at GW now, they are really trying hard to engage with the community, and making good choices for the hobby.

We don't have any clear info yet on what will be changed in 8th edition other than it will be better. Less special rules and a cleaner turn system are at the top of my guess list. We will find out very soon.

I think this is a bold, and very necessary move to keep 40K viable. I'm looking forward to the Dark Future once again.

The Emperor Protects

And Will Hopefully Trim the Rules Bloat.  

Let's Talk About Rules, Baby

For the Summer Campaign I was going to use a modified Kill Team rules set for the smaller battles, and regular 7th edition rules for the rest. Then came the glorious Armageddon Shadow Wars announcement, and persistent rumors that 8th edition would be out a month or two after my Champaign start. What to do?

I really like (or is it miss?) parts of the Second Edition/Necromunda rules. I thought 'to hit' modifiers added to the game, as did Armor Save modifiers. Different movement rates for different units as well. The close combat was/is good for smaller engagements but really bogged down with a lot of troops fighting it out.

So we shall use the Shadow Wars rules for a kind of mini-campaign to enact the rise of the Genestealer cult over the other cults, gangs, and Enforcers. Hopefully at the end of that, 8th Edition will be released and we will jump right into the main campaign with the shiny new rules. It will be a slightly odd transition, but it will all depend on how much changes in 8th.

I do love how many factions got released for Shadow Wars right away, but I am missing most of the key ones for my Campaign. It won't be too hard to make stats for Gangers, Enforcers, and Sisters. I guess we will need Inquisitors and their friends as well. I think Deathwatch is in the main rules, at least I hope so.

Wanting to play two different rulesets in one campaign just highlights that no single set of rules can do it all. Skirmish games that have a handful of models per side tend to really break and/or slow down with larger games. Rules that can handle company-sized engagements quickly don't play as well with low unit counts. The current 40K rules (3rd edition onwards) has grown towards larger battles, but tried hard to keep small unit flavor, resulting in a bit of a bloated ruleset. 7th does play better than 6th or maybe even 5th, but a major overhaul is really needed. All will be revealed soon enough.

In the meantime we will enjoy the Shadow Wars.

The Emperor Protects

The Adeptus Rules Administratum is Hard at Work