Overview:
Deploy as normal for the scenario but the default is to use alternate unit deployment. After infiltrators are placed and scout moves, both players then roll to see who goes first.
Deploy as normal for the scenario but the default is to use alternate unit deployment. After infiltrators are placed and scout moves, both players then roll to see who goes first.
Create a list of all units on the table or arriving from reserves this turn (see Reserves below). As a unit is activated, put a mark by it on the list to keep track of which units have gone in each game turn. A unit can be activated once per game turn.
The first player selects a unit to activate. That unit goes through the normal turn progression: Movement Phase, Shooting Phase, Assault Phase and then Morale (for any enemy unit, as applicable).
Whichever side has more units will have a number of units to activate at the end of the turn without interruption, just like the alternating deployment.
Movement:
Movement is handled as normal.
Shooting:
Shooting is handled in the same way as normal. Units can elect to run, turbo-boost or move flat out as normal.
Assault:
Charges are announced as normal and the unit being charged can elect to fire overwatch. Like normal, a unit can only fire overwatch once per game turn, even if they are not engaged in melee when a second unit announces a charge (such as if the first unit failed to make its charge distance).
During the Assault Phase, the activated unit and any unit they are engaged with fights like a normal melee. This should result in two melee phases (combat rounds) per game turn, like normal.
If an activated unit starts its turn in melee, it fights in close combat along with all units currently engaged in the same melee. This can trigger multiple other units to fight back. This does not count as the activation for those other units. Each unit can only fight in close combat a maximum of twice per game turn (like normal) even if new enemy units continue to charge into close combat that would normally activate a response. A unit can fight once during its own activation and once as a reaction to another activated unit fighting it.
Assault results are calculated after each combat round, as normal, and the losing side checks morale immediately. Sweeping advances and consolidation moves can be made as normal, if allowed. The normal results for Multiple Combats are followed (this is probably the trickiest area of these rules so we will have to play this one out a few times to see how it works in practice).
Morale:
Shooting morale checks are taken whenever the normal criteria are met. If a shooting attack causes a unit to reach 25% casualties in a single game turn (cumulative with any previous casualties), the unit must immediately take a morale check. If the unit passes, it holds its ground. If it takes another 25% casualties (based on the new unit size), it can be forced to take another morale check. If the unit fails, it becomes broken and falls back, as normal. When a broken unit is activated, it will first test to rally as normal and either fall back or act as allowed if it passes.
Transports:
A vehicle and an embarked unit count as separate units and require their own activation. An activated transport can move and shoot. After the opponent goes, then the embarked unit can be activated to disembark (if the transport moved 6" or less) and shoot and assault as normal (if allowed). Alternatively, the embarked unit can be activated first to disembark and act. When the vehicle is activated, it can move off and shoot as normal. When a unit is firing while embarked on a transport, it also requires a separate activation. Of course, an activated unit on a transport can choose to just remain embarked and do nothing else, if desired.
Reserves:
At the start of the game turn, roll for all units in reserves. Any units that will arrive this turn are put into the pool of units that can be selected for activation this turn.
Independent Characters:
If an independent character starts the turn as part of a unit, he is activated along with that unit in a single activation. If he moves out of coherency with the unit, then in future game turns, the character is activated separately.
Seize the Initiative:
Once per game turn, a player can attempt to Seize the Initiative. After activating a unit, but before the opponent starts moving their next unit, the active player rolls a d6. On a 6, that player can immediately activate another unit just like normal, effectively skipping the opponent's round. The turn order then reverts to alternating units again.
Psykers:
Rather than a complex psychic phase each game turn, psykers just make a leadership check to use their powers on their own turn. I think this makes sense with or without alternate unit activation.
Objectives:
Controlling objectives could be checked at the end of each unit's activation or at the end of each game turn, depending on the scenario rules.
Hold! (Optional Rule?):
When an HQ choice (and any unit it is attached to) is activated, it can attempt to Hold by rolling a leadership check. If failed, that unit is activated as normal. If passed, that unit "Holds" and the turn passes back to the opponent to activate another unit. This allows a player to attempt to hold back and have a unit to activate later in the turn, which can help when a player has fewer units than the enemy and does not want the opponent to completely dictate the end of the turn. An HQ unit can elect to Hold multiple times per turn, if desired, but it cannot make a second attempt until every other unit you control has been activated. (This prevents a player from simply Holding with a single HQ while the opponent activates his entire army, and prevents players just alternatively Holding back and forth).
Behemoths (Optional Rule?):
When a unit that costs more than 500(?) points is activated, the opponent then gets to activate two units in a row before the owner of the expensive unit gets to select his next unit to activate.
Behemoths (Optional Rule?):
When a unit that costs more than 500(?) points is activated, the opponent then gets to activate two units in a row before the owner of the expensive unit gets to select his next unit to activate.
Comments:
There are advantages and disadvantages to having a smaller elite army compared to an army with many units. The army with fewer units effectively gets to deal more damage "first" each turn as the more powerful units act, followed by weaker enemy units with less firepower. The army with more (cheaper) units then has an advantage later in the turn when he can coordinate his moves without interference from his opponent and has the last chance to grab objectives. The last two optional rules are an attempt to balance these issues out slightly. The Hold! rule makes your HQ choices very important for controlling the flow of the battle, which feels fun and flavorful. The Super-Heavies rule attempts to balance the awesome firepower that a single mighty unit can do in one activation by effectively making it feel "slower", allowing the enemy to respond with multiple moves.
I tried to address as many issues as I can think of to enable as many of the current rules to be used with their current wording as possible. Let me know if you can think of any busts. I have been thinking about these rules for a while and I am looking forward to finally trying this out!
There are advantages and disadvantages to having a smaller elite army compared to an army with many units. The army with fewer units effectively gets to deal more damage "first" each turn as the more powerful units act, followed by weaker enemy units with less firepower. The army with more (cheaper) units then has an advantage later in the turn when he can coordinate his moves without interference from his opponent and has the last chance to grab objectives. The last two optional rules are an attempt to balance these issues out slightly. The Hold! rule makes your HQ choices very important for controlling the flow of the battle, which feels fun and flavorful. The Super-Heavies rule attempts to balance the awesome firepower that a single mighty unit can do in one activation by effectively making it feel "slower", allowing the enemy to respond with multiple moves.
I tried to address as many issues as I can think of to enable as many of the current rules to be used with their current wording as possible. Let me know if you can think of any busts. I have been thinking about these rules for a while and I am looking forward to finally trying this out!
Nice overview of the trial rules for our next game. I’m eager to play through close combat, as I’m churning through my brain how that would work exactly.
ReplyDeleteThe “hold” rule will be fun. That’s a good idea too.
I’m fine with the super heavy rule. That will appropriately make them feel slower. And it’s nothing crippling at all.
Is seizing the initiative every game turn necessary?
All the rest is great and I’m ready to give it a try!!
Close combat is the hardest part to figure out, but straightforward combats of one unit against another will be pretty simple. Say Unit A moves and shoots. Then Unit B charges it. They both fight close combat just like normal. Since the first unit was already activated, there would be no further close combat this game turn - just a single melee phase. This would be like a charge happening in the bottom of a game turn, on the second player's turn, just like normal. Assuming the combat hasn't ended, on the next game turn, when Unit A is activated, the two units will fight close combat. If again it has not ended, then when Unit B is selected, they will both fight melee again. This will result in two "rounds" of close combat in a single game turn, just like you would have with the normal rules. It only gets complex when there are larger group combats and new units keep joining throughout the turn. That will take some playtesting.
DeleteI figure the super-heavy is about twice the points cost of an "average' unit (around 250) so the other player should get to respond with an approximately equal amount of force. It simply counts for two units.
The thought around Seizing the Initiative is that instead of one chance to get your entire army to unexpectedly go first, you get a chance every turn to make a surprise move with a single unit. So it is roughly equivalent: ~6 chances to make a surprise move with a single unit every game instead of one chance to make a surprise move with ~10 units about half the time (only when you are not already going first). Just like now, you do not have to attempt to seize, but it gives a chance to make a desperate double move and really take your opponent off guard if you can pull it off. I wanted to leave seizing the initiative in there so that special rules that affect it still have a place in the game.
Logan and I played a little test game using the basic rules (without attempting to Seize or Hold, no reserves, no psykers, no objectives).
ReplyDeleteIt worked fine and there were no confusing issues. My first takeaway is that morale becomes more important with these rules. If a squad gets shot and loses 25%, it takes a morale test. If they pass and get shot again and lose another 25%, they have to take another morale test in the same turn. You cannot wait until the end of the turn to take morale tests because it would create the odd situation where a unit gets shot, then fights back, and then breaks. Or you shoot and unit and want to see if it breaks before deciding to charge it. So I like doing the morale at the end of each unit's activation. I think it is fine if a unit takes more than one morale test in a turn - if you lose 50% of your starting unit size, you should be more likely to flee than if you lose 25%!
Melee will also result in more morale tests. In our game, an ork mob charged some scouts. The orks won combat and the scouts tested morale and stayed in the fight. Then an assault squad charged into the melee. The assault marines and orks fought each other and the marines won and the orks failed their morale test and were swept. Again, I think this was fine and fitting in the spirit of the battle and realism. It may seem odd to think of both sides taking a morale test in the same turn, but it can happen in the same game turn with the current rules. Just imagine the orks charged the scouts in the ork turn and the assault marines charged into the melee in the marine turn - it would have all been the same results.
One area that did feel impacted was declaring a single-use special power. On Turn 3, my warboss declared a WAAAGH!!! and my first unit to move charged successfully. On Logan's next activation, he knew my orks could move extra far so he wisely moved his terminators farther back to make the charge more difficult. You do not have the advantage of looking at all of your possible charge distances and then deciding to use the WAAAGH!!! at the time of maximum effectiveness because those charge distances can change as your opponent responds to your declaration of using the WAAAGH!!!
So overall, I was very happy with the first rough playtest since we did not find any busts where the rules were messy or did not work. I think it added more tactical decisions to each turn as you had to think about how your enemy would respond to each of your possible moves, and the order in which to move your units. For example, I always had to move my grot screen before I moved my slugga boyz so I had room to move and kept my cover.
It also brings up the possibility to move a unit late in one turn and then early in the next turn, which limits your opponent's responses. I am worried this may create some imbalance issues if a powerful unit effectively gets a double action at the critical moment. So we may need to think of some alternate rules for how you select a unit to activate - either the same order every turn, random order (by drawing cards), rolling initiative dice, etc. I like the tactical aspect of the choosing but we just need to see if it creates some broken situations. Maybe a smart opponent will make use of Seizing and Holding to try to break up that combo, but your responses are still pretty limited if a powerful close combat unit goes from being out of range to melee without anyone having a chance to shoot it, or a super shooty unit waits until a melee unit is in range and then fires and immediately fires again before it can charge. Either way could result in a very different outcome than the standard rules. But maybe that is ok: maybe you better learn to anticipate that and have your units support each other better. Only playtesting will tell us for sure if this is more fun and more balanced.
Here are two ideas to solve the “double move” imbalance issue:
ReplyDeleteThe last unit to be activated in a game turn cannot be the first one activated in the next turn, unless it is your only unit. It can be activated first if it was your last unit to go, as long as the opponent activated a unit after yours and it was not the last unit to go in a turn.
And/or:
Players roll for turn order at the start of each turn, with the winner choosing to go first or second. This makes it harder to count on having the next move after a turn ends.
I really would like to find a way to keep it so players decide which unit to activate because I think that adds a lot of thinking to the game vs rolling, drawing a card, or moving down a fixed list.
Hmmm. I hadn't anticipated being able to choose the order in which your units act. I like it even more than rolling! I envisioned a system like DnD in which units' turns were mostly random but could be influenced by a speed factor or initiative. Such a system would allow the less clever player to have a chance. Your system rewards elaborate planning and has almost no random elements. Much better! It's like playing Mario cart without items: my the best racer win. No blue shell or bullet bill can save you
ReplyDeleteIf a player "abuses" the system by giving a unit a double turn, good for him! Such a move could be huge in a small game but would have much less impact in a big sprawling battle. By focussing on double moving his terminators or double shooting w his heavies, a player forsakes his other squads. A clever opponent could shift his focus elsewhere and dominate the rest of the battlefield. Again, if it's a skirmish, the rules could be unbalancing since there is no B objective. One huge turn could win the game. But perhaps that's fair since its rewarding the best move within the available system
ReplyDeleteThe main reason I want to avoid the "double move" situation is because it feels that it could imbalance things or give a result significantly different than the current rules. Say your elite Terminator squad breaks cover and moves toward the enemy. Then the Fellblade goes last in one turn and first in the next, firing two salvos into that squad before they can react - nothing could survive that! From a strict strategy game perspective, I agree with you that it would simply reward the player who best utilized the rules. But WH40k is not a hardcore strategy game - it is a way to simulate the battles of the lore and write your own stories. So it is more important to me that the rules are fun and balanced and result in a game that feels somewhat "realistic" (using that term very loosely!) based on the stories and with a light touch of real warfare. My hope is that the alternating unit activation makes it feel more like the continuous movement and back-and-forth action of a real battle rather than one side firing a massive volley and then the other responding. But if it creates more broken and unrealistic situations than it fixes, it won't be worth it to me.
DeleteI think alternating units adds more tactical decision making to the game, which is enjoyable, as long as it doesn't lead to abuse. I think my two proposed rules (can't have same unit go last and first, and roll each turn for first turn) will solve the most blatant abuse of the double move issue. With the current rules, there are not enough real decisions to be made in each turn. Usually the biggest decision is target priority - what enemy to target with each weapon. I am looking forward to these rules creating some interesting "chess match" situations where you have to think two or three moves ahead... "if I move this unit first, then he will respond by moving that unit, but then I can move this unit freely..."
The chance to make opponents take multiple morale checks a turn is perhaps the biggest change. It's especially good for tyranids who ignore morale as long as they're in synapse range. We don't often take morale checks (outside close combat, at least) so it may not make that much of a difference. Only play testing will tell. It may end up influencing gameplay by encouraging players to inflict morale checks on one another instead of going for the wipe out overkill attack. In fact, a unit who hadn't gone yet this turn could break and rally in the same turn! Then break again. Unit order will play even more of a role
ReplyDeleteIf it makes morale have more impact on the game, I will be happy. Whenever I read about real battles, it seems morale has the biggest impact. It is very rare that a battle results in 60 - 90% casualties like most games of WH40K do for each side! Almost always the battle is won or lost on morale so I would like to have it play more of a role. So if I unit has to check morale against shooting multiple times or check close combat results multiple times, I am happy to give that a try and see how it plays out. As you say, it could benefit certain units/armies much more than others, creating some imbalance issues so we will have to watch out for that. For example, in WH40K Space Marines having "And they shall know no fear" will be even more powerful than it is, since they have no fear of being swept in close combat, unlike Orks or Guardsmen.
DeleteI have some ideas for rules adjustments to make the game feel more like real battles, and one of them would be make pinning much more common, more like it was in 3rd edition when all big ordnance weapons caused pinning. Maybe they moved away from that because pinning can be devastating to certain armies and barely affect others. But in every book or film about war, the soldiers dive for cover when under heavy fire and would never willingly advance directly into enemy guns - like we do in every game of Warhammer! 99% of bullets fired in real battles are to suppress the enemy and make him keep his head down and keep him from maneuvering, rather than aiming for a kill.