6th Edition and My Old Armies

I know, I know, everyone's put in their 2 cents about 6th edition all over the interwebz already but I have a few words to say as well.

I want to start with my first impressions with the caveat that I only know as much as I've read so far on different blogs and forums out there.  I don't have any new rumors to spread unfortunately.

So it appears to me that 6th edition is going to be a boon for garage and/or basement players.  The people who get together with their friends every week or so and play a game or two.  People like me mainly.

Why do I say a boon?  Well this new edition appears to have added in various elements of all the expansions the GW has come out with during 5th including flyers, planet strike, scenarios, special terrain, etc.  This is cool because it provides a framework for games for the more casual and 'narrative' players to play games with.  I could call up my buddy and say, "Hey I wanna play a 2,500 pt game themed around a ruined city with my own terrain pieces using my guard and Iron Warrior armies using this and this specific rules."

The ability to combine armies I already own into one force with predefined rules to allow that makes 6th easier for casual gamers to do something cool.  It also lets you play with those bastions and defense lines you bought without having them just be terrain or playing a planetstrike game.

The biggest problem with 6th edition I feel will be its use in tournaments.  The allies and fortifications rules will become a headache and possible nightmare for organizers.  They have more things to review to make sure the armies are legal and also that the terrain people bring is legal.  The fortifications are ripe for abuse AKA modeling for advantage.

Tournaments can solve this issue by disallowing allies and fortifications and of course coming up with their own scenarios (which they do now anyways).  I feel that this edition more than any other since 2nd will be open to abuse if played to the letter of the rules and tournament organizers should understand this and not just allow any old shenanigans.  Comp was created because of the stupidity of some of the combinations that 2nd edition allowed.

So onto what I like about 6th:

- Allies in casual play
- Fortifications in casual play
- Blast Templates where the circle in the middle means nothing.
- Hull Points
- New Scenarios
- New Objectives
- New scoring units

What I dislike about 6th:

- Mystical forests or whatever the crap it is they are calling them
- Random Charge distances
- Fleet of foot units not being able to charge after they fleet
- Jump pack units hitting with I10 when they assault.
- Character challenges (Just plain stupid!)
- Power Axes? how are they going to address the difference between and axe and a sword?  The Space marines codex gives units power weapons, are they axes or swords?

What I think the game will be like:

- Shooting will become more powerful.
- Hand to hand will be avoided by most of the best players and most armies with a couple of exceptions.
- Flamers will make a comeback because of overwatch and shooting at the unit that is assaulting.
- Tanks will be more powerful in the early game and get less powerful as the game goes on (but will survive most of the game).
- Flyers will have a huge impact and most people will want them in their army one way or another.

Predictions:

- Forgeworld will become more relevant and become legal at tournaments
- GW will release more digital codexes and rules
- More terrain will be released.
- GW will bring back veteran gamers who may have left the game during 5th.
- I will enjoy 6th edition.


Wow that was longer than I thought it would be.  I can't wait to look back at this post in 6 months and see where I was right or wrong.

On to what my plans are for 6th:

- Bust out the Iron Warriors again and give them new Guard allies.
- Expand my Apostles of Contagion army by making it a mix of Chaos Marine and Guard codexes.
- Make a brand new Space Marine Army with Inquisitorial Allies.
- Hold my breath for the new Chaos Codex.


I still plan on putting up the rest of the Into The Dark Scenario's battle report, hopefully later today.  I also will soon be coming out with army lists for the above allies ideas.

So until next time may your bolters never tire......