Good or bad?
I personally don't mind them anymore, i feel it balances it out more. The tru LoS will be interesting to see, and GW have even looked to make more money by releasing their own laser pen thing to see if something is visible.
The no consolidating into new combat is a bummer for me, as when i'll get raped by shooty armies such as Tau.
For those who don't know the main changes, here they are.
Characteristics-
It is specifically stated that you’re stat cannot go higher than 10 and armor saves always fail on a 1 (this was implied but never implicitly stated in previous editions)
Sizes-
No more Size 1,2,3, everything is actual LoS including area terrain (yes you can see clear through it now as long as nothing is blocking your vision), distances are measured from a models eyes to the base (can see some creative modeling here), but you do have to see the base i.e. no wings, banners, long gun barrels
Movement-
Only major change is “Run”, all models except bikes and non-walker vehicles can Run including monstrous creatures. Run is a fleet move, however you cannot Run and assault.
Shooting (this’ll be a big one)-
For models with a BS higher than 5: if you have BS 6 you get to re-roll 1’s but the subsequent roll only hits on a 6, if you have BS7 the subsequent roll hits on a 5+ etc progressively getting better.
Models can be removed from anywhere in a squad (don’t need LoS or range to remove them anymore), this is done to compensate for the VERY harsh casualty removal rules. Instead of just rolling a block of saves, you MUST allocate wounds to models in a squad and you can’t put more than one on a model unless everyone already has one. Torrent of fire no longer exists and is replaced by the above rule. NOTE: HTH wounds also work this way.
For mixed tough units, if there is a tie for majority toughness, everyone is wounded on the HIGHEST not lowest tough values.
Cover- almost everything is a 4+ (woods, jungles, rubble, buildings), but wait, there’s more. If a model is partially obscured by cover it gets the save (even if a space marines pinky toe is behind cover, he gets the full save). Models shot through area terrain of course get the standard cover save. If you are shooting while more than 2” inside of area terrain, your target gets a cover save equal to that of the area terrain. If you are shooting through other models (friend or foe, but not models in the same unit), the target gets a 4+ cover save.
Go to ground, is a new ability that every non-vehicle, non-monstrous creature has. Prior to rolling any saves, your unit may go to ground gaining +1 to your cover save or giving a 6+ if you have none, BUT you may not move, shoot or assault next turn, models that fail pinning tests also go to ground.
Weapons, plasmas are going back to only 1’s for overheat. Pistols are only assault 1 weapons (not too many rapid firing anyways). Blast weapons roll a scatter and 2D6, if they miss you subtract your BS from the result (so a marine rolling a 4 for scatter still direct hits) and they hit everything touching the template. Whats that you say? Now plasma cannons can’t overheat? WRONG, roll a D6 every time you fire, on a 1 it overheats. Oh yeah, YOU HAVE TO ROLL TO HIT WITH PLASMAS EVEN IF THE TARGET ENDS UP BEING OUT OF RANGE.
ALL SNIPER RIFLES ARE RENDING!!!!!!!! They are also S3 against vehicles
Assault-
The above mentioned allocating of wounds is a big change.
Units that move through difficult while charging are reduced to I1. ALL non-anti armor grenades are divided into two categories, assault and defensive. Assault grenades negate the disadvantage for moving through difficult, defensive removes the bonus attack for charging
All models now perform a “Counter attack” move to get engaged (Never Fear Space Wolves, read Counter Attack later to see what goody you get )
When you check morale, you have a negative modifier equal to the difference in wounds. If you are fearless, you take a number of wounds equal to the difference in wounds.
Close Combat Weapons-
Power Fists ONLY get +1 attack for having multiple weapons if the other is also a Power Fist
Force Weapons inflict Instant Death,
Unit types-
Turbo Boosting fixed to grant 3+ cover
Jet Packs are “relentless” (see below) as are bikes, and monstrous creatures
Special Rules-
Rending, only major difference is that instead of an extra D6 for armor pen, you get a D3
Relentless lets you count as stationary when firing and assault after firing heavy and rapid fire weapons
Counter Attack, you get +1 attack when you move to get engaged after getting charged (yes you get an attack bonus for getting charged!)
Independent characters-
If you’re within 2” of a unit, you join it. If you have a dedicated retinue, you’re IC is treated like a vet sarge until they die.
Vehicles (what we’ve all been waiting for)-
Rumored damage tables are entirely true as are modifiers
Obscured now gives you a cover save to prevent damage entirely (defaults to a 4+)
Defensive are S4 as feared
When vehicles explode it’s now a S3 (good news for marines)
When a transport is wrecked, everybody bails out and takes a pinning check, nothing else happens. When it explodes, everyone inside takes a S4 hit and a pinning check, but the strength is reduced to 3 for open topped
Dedicated Transports can carry anything in the army it has room for, but only the unit it was purchased for may start in it
Wrecked vehicles are now DANGEROUS terrain (not as likely to be used as cover anymore)
Skimmers are back to taking dangerous ground checks
Fast vehicles can move up to 18”, but can’t do anything if they move over 12”. Fast Skimmers can move up to 24”. If they move over 12” i.e. far enough to not do anything, they get a 4+ cover save, but otherwise are treated as regular vehicles (no more skimmers moving fast).
Dreadnoughts have no penalty for losing close combats. If it’s immobilized or stunned at the start of the combat round grenades roll WS to hit, otherwise still need 6’s
Ramming- You can ram now, same as tank shock. Both vehicles do a hit to each other with a S value tabulated by counting how far it moved, what it’s AV is, and if it’s a tank.
Scenario Rules-
When models Deep Strike, instead of dying if they land within an inch of or on top of an enemy model, they roll on a mishap table that could kill them, give your opponent control of where they land or put them back in reserve
Only TROOPS (but not vehicles) are scoring, that is from the TROOPS force org chart category.
All standard games are 5 turns, then you roll for a 6th and 7th, and games automatically stop on 7
