How To Fix 40K

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Published on January 5, 2017 9:28:08 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6HocKRi2YE

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Clear Concise Rules:

Currently in 40k there are a lot of poorly worded and/or ambiguous rules, often not helped by the wording and which can lead to confusion or outright misconception. I would suggest looking to other gaming systems in order to see how clear-cut rules are written, even to older games such as the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit games.

Removal of Formations and Detachments

Currently, they are absolutely up a certain dark hued creek without a paddle. Formations are inconsistent with the amount of bonuses they provide a faction, often providing rules far removed from ‘accepted’ rules in the BRB, such as allowing charges from reserve, no fire and move penalty for heavy weapons or even Decurion shenanigans with Formation stacks counting as Battle Forged.

No. No. No.

Future formations should provide the core of an army, basically troops and a HQ option, and it would make construction of lists easier by not having to individually repeat the troop-tax calculations with every list. IMO the best formation would be one that comes in a 'lets get started' box which provides the rules and models for a basic army together, minus the codex. This would be the best way to introduce new players into the game beyond the starter set as it allows them to field their chosen faction (and these boxes should also be relatively balanced against one another too).

Rewriting Codexes en mass.

This is a simple fix. When writing the new edition, once the BRB rules are locked down, you need to playtest numerous codexes at once and adjust incrementally, using a group of playtesters some of whom WANT to break the game. This would ensure that the books don’t suffer from immense power creep and are roughly analogous to one another.

Missions.

Missions need to be broken up into competitive and casual. This is because right now there are missions in the BRB, but also mission cards for each faction, often poorly written too, which are adding too many additional parts to the 40k machine and consequently fouling it up.

Further to this, casual missions, or narrative missions, such as those present in the Forge World campaign books should be introduced where the requirements are quite simple and conducive to gamers who may not want to play complicated games or who are new to the hobby and intimidated.

The Psychic Phase.

It has to go. Limit the sheer multitude of disciplines and just go back to the old 4th ed system of purchasing powers effective with your army. Remove the Nova/Witchfire/Beam junk as it’s simply further complicating matters. No, deny the witch shouldn’t be a thing for non-psykers or nonwarded units.

Further to this, psychic powers need to be limited in scope, not a game changing ability. Keep them small in scope, keep them simple. Keep the more powerful powers to the level 3 and 4 master psykers.

GMC, MC’s and Walkers.

I would suggest a look into the Contemptor rules in 30k, where walkers are viable and look to the reasons why… basically armour that isn’t total junk, a basic invul save and on a platform that can dish out punishment, complete with fleet to assist it in assault moves. Also, existing MC’s which are clearly NOT MC’s need to be reclassified. Wraithknights, Riptides, Dreadknights etc. are all piloted vessels, no different realistically to a Dreadnought. Further to this, the vehicle penetration tables need some rejigging, as they are not in a good place right now. 5th edition with Hull Points is probably a good place to be, tho I would suggest an increase in hull-points on vehicles in order to stop the blatant Rhino hunting that goes on for first blood in games.