Army Building in 6th Edition 40k

If you're anything like me, you've already built several armies for Warhammer 40,000.  Every edition we have new things to consider when building our actual lists, whether those changes are brought about by the basic rulebook or the new codex for whatever the newest army is.  For many of us, especially when we possess multiple armies, this isn't necessarily a happy day as it means everything that has come before is now invalidated.  Maybe you have more points now because what you have already collected is cheaper points-wise than it was in the previous edition.  That trend has been going strong since 1997, when GW decided they wanted us to have bigger armies.

Now, however...it's a little more than annoying.

Since the release of 3rd Edition way back when, we've really only had to worry about re-configuring the lists we own when the new army codex is released.  There was the whole "Trial Assault Rules" deal that changed up how armies played, but that was before 4th Edition.  Now, with 6th Edition, they have changed the very Force Organization Chart we're all used to.  A lot of rules from past supplements have been absorbed into the main rules - and even if you don't have a new codex, you still have to pay attention to these changes.  Maybe it's your opponent fielding new units, or worse (as in my case) you realize your army simply isn't up to stuff in the new paradigm.

Let's take a quick look at the new points created by the new Force Organization Chart and the new rules available in the rulebook.  We're not going into individual codecii, this short post will consider the rulebook alone.


Flyers

Well, it's neat and all - but do these machines really belong on the table for the sort of game that Warhammer 40,000 has always been?  Yeah, they've been around for years but not as a solid part of the gaming system.  It used to be that you had to field them in specially prepared games (using Forge World pieces) and that kept it from being overused.  Now, pretty much everyone has flyers, or they will by the end of 6th Edition.

There are a few rules that really make these things worth a lot more than their points value - in effect making them something almost mandatory.  6+ to hit from any ground weapons that do not possess Skyfire, and Blast weapons cannot be used against them since it's a Snap Shot.  Not every army has been issued Flakk missiles (or the equivalent) yet.  I really don't have to point out how that will skew certain lists to the top for the next few years of tournaments.

You might say - "Well, Dave...since you're so clever, why don't you just take some Fortifications or Allies with Skyfire weapons?"  It could be that I don't feel that I should be forced to change my list to account for an artificially created threat (whose presence only thinly even makes sense) or buy the current New Releases to do the same.

Personally, I was fine when these were Forge World pieces.  I really think that this sort of support doesn't belong in a 28mm game, and is best implemented on smaller scales such as 15mm or 6mm.


Allies

An interesting development to be sure.  I don't even know what to say on this matter as I don't feel strongly one way or the other.  We always sort of played this way anyway, and it's nice to see a real rule governing it like Warhammer Fantasy Battle.  There are two points that should be made, however.

First, there will be two types of player who makes use of this rule.  One player will see some tactical advantage of combining forces (how about 4 Demolisher cannons?) cram out the spam with cheese.  The other guy will either be fielding what models he can (because all he has is a few Eldar and Space Marines) or have some sort of "fluff cruft" associate with the army.  Basically, the Power Gamer and the Play Gamer.

Second, I really don't see any real issue with the power gaming.  I've already pointed out that taking Allies with Skyfire is pretty much the only real advantage an army can gain against the new threat implemented by this edition - all other threats and answers were already in place.  If anything, it just lets us see different models more often.  Yeah yeah, you can take nothing but Obliterators and then take 60 orks to help hold objectives - but you could have just used cultists and there's not really much of a difference when it comes down to bullets and beans.

We'll probably only use this rule to create team games easier.  We've seen a lot of these sort of games, but the idea of a "married" list seems anathema to most players.  I've yet to run across one.


Fortifications

So, now I can really jack with the game board and force the scenario to behave in a certain way.  Oh yeah, and since you can give Bastions and Aegis Skyfire weapons, this might be mandatory in your army.  Certain builds are going to find that the Fortifications rule is something they couldn't live without, while other builds will blanch at having to give up 100 points.

It might depend a lot on your build, but your standard "play" is going to dictate whether or not you need a Fortification.  You know what your "play" is - you look at the objectives, you deploy your army, and then they carry out your plan.  Seize and deny objectives.  Score secondary objectives, etc., etc.  If your army has a theme based around a "play", you might definitely consider adding a Fortification over adding a flyer.

Non-MEQ's will probably make the most of this.  It was a real game changer when I added an Aegis Defense Line to my Imperial Guard infantry battalion.  Still, MEQ (marine equivalent, Sv 3+) with a certain play in mind (such as a heavy weapon laden force) can make great use of certain types of Fortifications, and the ability they offer to change the battlefield before the first piece of terrain is laid.


The Changing Game

I for one am stoked about the game changing.  However, since none of these things were explicitly stated, I can see a few folks getting angry after being punished game after game.  I've heard lots of arguments about "flyers are in the game now DERP get a skyfire or your own flyer DERP"!  Yet that's kind of a null argument when you think about it, since the whole snap shots only deal seems kinda tacked on to make flyers a better choice.

So, now you have a totally different army for this edition.  That's fine, it's good to change it up every couple of years.  Maybe you have models you can't use, but just put those aside...they'll probably be usable next edition.  Even if these new additions to the game were simply sales strategies designed to kick out flyer and fortification kits, they've been doing that sort of thing for a long time now.

What's more worrying is the stance that GW has taken lately with regards to their Retail Policies.  Much has already been said about them, and I won't go into the specifics here.  What I will do is put forth the notion that the masses are restless, and GW is on the verge of alienating even hardcore fans like myself.  GW itself would do well to take notice - there are lots of other game publishers, some of them here in the United States, that are more affable and easier to work with.  If they continue to be a huge bully, and continue to price their models higher and higher (despite telling us originally that resin would be cheaper) there's going to be some changes.

Around here, at least.

Terrain Log: Warhammer 40,000 Obstacles and Objectives

As you know, we're hip-deep in Warhammer 40,000 season here at the Wargate, and today we also announce that there will be a separate narrative mini-campaign next season running tandem with Warmachine!  More information on that coming soon, so stay tuned if you want more practice with your armies this year.  For now, we'll take a look at some pieces we like to call Obstacles and Objectives!  Yeah, they are in the Warhammer 40,000 box, but a lot of them work for lots of other games as well.

Don't stand so close to me...or near the toxic explosive chemicals.

These barrels have been around for about ... 15 years or so.  Recently rebased, they've seen more action on the field as Battlefield Debris (that explodes!) and the smaller pieces can also make great objectives.  Easy to make, and a little bit of Burnt Grass to simulate oil spills on the ground.

Praise the Emperor and pass the ammo!

These are some miscellaneous pieces we've collected over a long period of time.  The battlefield accessories were painted by myself and a colleague...oh...12 or 13 years ago, but I dug them out of a scrap box and put them on bases.  The grey asphalt style base is made simply by spraying a base with Rustoleum Beaten Iron.  Looks good, we used it on the road pieces as well.  The Black Reach force fields were painted by...you know, I have no idea.  Look good though.  For the shrines, those are made from bits from the bastions we have, and Captain Video did a great job painting them up.

Tank Traps make it hard to drive around most battlefields, but at least they offer some cover.

These old tank traps are something of an oddity.  Based on some really strong type of cardboard (that got hit with Rustoleum Beaten Iron as well) these are just as old as the barrels and came out at the same time.  They still offer that set on Games Workshop's website...the Battlefield Accessories set in the Warhammer 40,000 Scenery section.  These were drybrushed by novice hands long ago... I just gave them a new base and a new lease on life recently.  They haven't disappointed.

Some obstacles should really be avoided if at all possible.  Especially by those with soft, exposed skin.

Razor wire!  These pieces were based just like the tank traps, but I drove a nail through each end and connected a piece of Games Workshop's Razor Wire.  One of them got a little bent, and the hard cardboard that they are based on is sorta warped now.  Lesson:  don't use hard cardboard for items with tension.  Even the little bit of force exerted by the Razor Wire pulling together was enough to warp this piece.  Next time, I'll stick to the ol' masonite sheet.

That's it for today.  Thanks to everyone for a great game day yesterday.  Next weekend, Imperial Assault will be ending the final few phases of the war for Caelum Subterraneous.  Also, The Temple of Elemental Evil continues to be the most wanton deathtrap of all time, consuming souls at a frightening rate to produce a staggering death toll so far.  Be warned, and stay tuned for more gaming goodness later this week!

Army Briefing: Crusade Strongpoint

Crusade Strongpoint

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Caelum Subterraneous, .M41

As Imperial Guard regiments and more and more Astartes Chapters commit to the Crusade, more and more soldiers are deployed along the battlezones.  The vast majority of those soldiers are guardsmen, and the majority of those soldiers hail from Novus Fideles.  Known as the Novus Soldati, thousands of these brave souls have pledged their souls to the Emperor and their lives to the Crusade.

Originally fielded in separate regiments, during one of the opening campaigns of the Mardannon Crusade proper, the Novus Soldati were nearly destroyed completely by marauding Obliterator cults of Chaos.  The Soldati were brave to a fault.  Lacking any real regimental armored support or artillery, the Soldati regiments were issued only their field gear – no transports or vox-casters.  The regiment attempted to wage war against Chaos the same way they waged war on their home planet, and met with disaster.  It was the loss of thousands of Novus Soldati in the caves of Caelum Subterraneous that prompted the newly formed Crusade High Command to take action and change the way they fielded the regiments.

Combined Regiment Tactics

The High Command Council is headed by the Black Templars Marshal Erasmus, and he is attended by the highest ranking commanding officers of each regiment, and a command representative of each of the other Astartes chapters.  As the disaster on Subterraneous unfolded, the Marshal suggested a new operating order for the Novus regiments.  There had already been mass carnage on other worlds, and there were other regiments who had already been depleted to below fighting strength.  All these regiments would be combined and new tactical applications developed.

The Novus Soldati would be used as the main infantry force for the Crusade, while elements of other depleted regiments would be used to support them.  Though this practice is common on the battlefields, the Marshal actually appointed all new officers from different regiments to head new divisions.  One of these divisional types was dubbed simply “Strongpoint”.  The majority of the remaining Novus Soldati would remain an infantry assault group, but would be supported by elements of the nearly defunct Travertine Subjugators.  The Subjugators were a large Leman Russ formation consisting of standard pattern battle tanks and the exquisite Executioners, whose ancient plasma cannons reaped thousands of souls for the Emperor.  Yet there were few of them left, so the crews were reassigned to Novus sections designated as “Strongpoint” groups.

The regiments were also supplied with new gear and logistical support.  With Aegis defense lines dropped by friendly aircraft, the Strongpoints are assigned artillery officers to coordinate with divisional support batteries.  Once again, the Novus Soldati once again prepare to head to war.

Endless Waves of Blood and Steel

The commanders of the Imperial regiments being reorganized on the surface of Caelum Subterraneous are supremely confident about how the Crusade’s reorganization of the depleted regiments will perform.  The Novus Soldati have fought with the Lumisi mechanized infantry in the crusade, but now the officers from other regiments are indoctrinating the guardsmen in how to fight with the new heavy equipment.

Many of the common soldiers have had their spirits uplifted by the Black Templar’s personal touch, as the Marshal inspected the troops personally, on the ground, before assigning new officers.  The presence of the Space Marines has alternately terrified and elated the guardsmen serving in the Mardannon Crusade, and the personal touch from the “honored masters” has greatly bolstered morale in the wake of the slaughter by the Chaos Obliterator cults.

Abhuman reserves have been assigned to the Strongpoints as well.  Though the Black Templars hate these creatures as they do psykers, they have allowed the ogryns to serve by protecting the anti-aircraft batteries in these newly created battlegroups.  The ogryns do so faithfully, and they are well received by the Novus Soldati regulars.

Perhaps the most interesting of the units assigned to the Strongpoints are the Executioners.  Their ancient plasma coils are dangerous and mysterious, and cannot be repaired easily.  However, the Crusade is organizing trans-divisional field maintenance to help rearm units across the entire battlezone.  Storm Raven transports are seen flying over, carrying payloads of Techmarines and Techpriests who are united in service to both the Crusade and the Machine God.  In this way, the technologically impaired Novus regiments can receive the supplies they need to maintain all the new equipment.

The Strongpoints are important pieces of the Crusade’s overall strategy.  As other Imperial Guard regiments are organized into “Storm Groups”, the focus of the Adeptus Astartes remains on seizing new ground and assaulting enemy positions.  The Strongpoints will be the static formations that hold that ground against counter-attacks, and who act as beach-head forces who can secure a much greater area than the smaller strike forces.

The Mardannon Crusade begins to organize itself according to the fortunes of battle.  Already Marshal Erasmus and the Crusade High Command have shown themselves to be able to break with long standing Imperial Tradition if doing so is in the best interests of the Crusade at large.  The light of the Emperor will be brought to the enemy by the combined efforts of every man in the Crusade, and it will continue to organize what troops and resources it has to create an invincible army of the Imperium.