Rules of Yesteryear: 40k Modifiers to Hit based on Range

Back to Rogue Trader in today's post. In this earliest of editions of 40k, there were bonuses and penalties to hit your target based on your range. 

In the example below, the las pistol (which I also bet you didn't know had a nickname of "bloogers"?!) there is a bonus to hist of +2 if you're within 8 inches of the target, but a penalty to hit of -2 if you're between 8 and 16 inches away.

Rules of Yesteryear: 40k Target Priority

The year is 2004, and the 4th edition of the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook is released, alongside the Battle for Macragge (which had a whittled down version of the rulebook).

One of my fondest memories of this edition was the "target priority" rule.

It was an attempt to try to capture the sheer immediacy of battle. If a unit wanted to shoot at an enemy other than the closest one, it had to take a leadership check to be able to do so. I personally really enjoyed this rule, even if it did make the game slightly clunkier, as I felt it really captured what a tabletop war-game should be in essence.

The downside was that most units would have at least a leadership value of 9, meaning that these kinds of rolls were marginally pointless most of the time. Equally, in several tournaments, forcing my opponents to use this rule really saved my bacon a few times. So it is one of those rules that has really stayed with me. I genuinely liked it, and wouldn't mind seeing some kind of analogue to it reintroduced (if some way could be devised to do it so that it wasn't just another pointless dice roll!). 

Rules of Yesteryear: 40k Vehicle Damage

Inspired by my post yesterday, I thought I'd pull out a few old rules that have long since been discarded. Today, we're going to take a quick, and very visual, tour of the old vehicle damage charts from 1992's "Vehicle Manual". The first picture is of the front cover of the manual.

These rules were released in White Dwarf prior to this publication, but feedback from the public and play testers modified it. Yes: seriously. People wrote letters using pen and paper and sent them to Games Workshop HQ. You don't have to believe me, the authors wrote exactly that in the introduction to this tome!

This next image explains what the system was ultimately all about. The overhead sheet! Basically, you put the crosshairs on where you are targeting on the vehicle (see the next image that shows a Rhino in the cross hairs). 

Here, I'm aiming for the fuel tank. We then proceed to hit (etc.) and you can read what happens next in the summary on the targeting grid.

If you got a palpable hit, then the charts on the reverse of the rhino's sheet would be consulted. The above is an example of what might happen if the fuel tank got hit. I like the 4-6 result of the tank essentially turning in to a heavy flamer! 

Equally, I can totally see why this entire system was got rid of. Its slow, unwieldy, too detailed, too labour intensive (imagine having a sheet for every tank, dreadnought, Tyranid big bug, and variant thereof) and frankly the current more abstract system just flows a whole lot better. 

I regard this as one of the prime examples of the rules changing over the years for the better. But I fear we have reached the stage where cutting back of 40k rules will happen once more as the rule book has become too bloated and the armies too complex. Just an opinion. Regardless, I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane and found these images educational (they're reproduced here for just that purpose - please don't sue me GW!). And for those of you who've never seen this stuff before, I trust its been an eye-opener!!

Plastic Horus Heresy Marine Sprues

I freely admit to being an old-timer. I have Rogue Trader in my collection. I have very old RTB01 Space Marines in my collection. So when news (rumours!) of brand new plastic Horus Heresy marine sprues started to make itself heard, you can imagine my reaction.

To be perfectly honest, I've not been quite this excited about any given release in a long time! I will certainly be there demanding that they take my money to give my these plastic sprues for the Horus Heresy! (As usual, I won't link to these rumours, you are as capable as I am of using search engines to do that). I love what I'm seeing though. Mark IV armour with a wide range of accessories, and even the old missile launcher looking like its right out of the old RTB01 set. I'm amazed. And impressed. And want it to be launched now! (Well, maybe tomorrow will do). 

As for the other rumours. No more codexes in two years time? Probably plausible given what we're seeing in the Age of Sigmar. But for goodness sake, please let Forge World carry on with the Horus Heresy. They're doing a fabulous job at it. Split off 30k from 40k by all means, but give 30k directly to Forge World. Please! I regard it as the true spiritual successor to what 40k could be had the rules been written more betterer plus plus. As for 40k, the rules are becoming rather too complex and the expansions too many to cope with. Hence I do expect simplification and removal of a few things. Its part of the longer term cycle. Remember the overhead sheet that you used to use to determine where lascannon shots landed on vehicles? Yeah, thought you wouldn't. But that's kind of the level we're at at the moment - we need to get rid of a few things to make the game better so we don't mess up every turn because we can't quite remember some fiddly detail of a special rule and how it interacts (or not) with another special rule. 

Long live 30k! Long live 40k!

Horus Heresy Review: Relics of the Dark Age of Technology (3)

Continuing our examination and general tour of the relics of the Dark Age of Technology (Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here), we now turn to the Legions themselves.

Pyrix Extasis (Dark Angels)
This is a psycho-distruptor that generates fear! Its a once per game effect to force a fear check for every unit engaged in a close combat (which may or may not be the entire enemy force depending on how you argue about the wording). I don't think its worth the points to be honest, unless you're somehow imposing a negative modifier to Ld. This is an artefact that would be much better suited to the Night Lords in my opinion.

Lucid Blade (Emperor's Children)
An S+1 power sword that has the special ability to parry - which is a mechanic to use some (unused) attacks to buff the wielder's invulnerable save. Its potentially good on a character you want to act as a tarpit. But that's not what the Emperor's Children should be aiming to do, I think.

The Blind Helm of the Black Judges (Iron Warriors)
Want 2d6 S=5 AP3 shots at full BS in overwatch? Then this is the relic for you! Best played defensively and probably inside a fortification -- this is one that could be useful (unlike the above two).

The Parthinian Serpent (White Scars)
This is actually a really good weapon, despite its description being like the bow from the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon of yesterdecade. With sky fire, interceptor, precision shots and always used at full BS, its basically a hugely versatile heavy weapon. Expensive, but probably just about worth it for the right character.

Burning Claws (Space Wolves)
Look, its a Wolf Claw that has armour bane. I want to like it, but it is AP3 rather than AP2. Its okay for the points, but not amazing.

Indomitan Mantle (Imperial Fists)
Eternals warrior and a 3++ save against melta style weapons is nothing to sneeze at. Even if it is a cloak of chain mail from ancient Inwit times that makes a loyalist Imperial Fist look a bit more chaos-like.

Nostraman Mancatcher (Night Lords)
In effect this is a S+1 power weapon. It forces an opponent to lose attacks if a S test is failed. Its kind of cute, and fluffy for the Night Lords. But I'd still want an AP2 weapon to be honest. Equally, the ability to tarpit an enemy (a low S enemy) could be vital at the right turn of the game. Useful, if not outstanding.

Photonic Blade (Blood Angels)
This is a weapon that I would actually want to take with celerity. Not only does it have the vital AP2, but its assortment of secondary effects make it worth the points. Take it. With a jump pack!

Grav Gauntlet (Iron Hands)
A wrist-mounted template graviton gun. Love it!

The Earth Breaker Trident (World Eaters)
To be honest, a power fist is superior in close combat. But that's not the reason to judge it. It makes up for this by being able to be thrown by the wielder. The thrown is deadly: S10, instant death and AP1. Blimey! Better still, if it does kill, then a radius around it is treated as dangerous terrain for the remainder of the game! Double blimey! Take it, throw it, and see what happens. Because why not? Okay, the way not bit is the points cost. And that's something to weigh up here.

Gladius Invictus (Ultramarines)
A power sword that rends, gives an I bonus, and ignores shields sounds better than it is. This is simply because it will struggle against other characters and their 2+ armour save and good invulnerable save that may or may not come from a shield. I'm unconvinced about this relic to be honest.

The Barbaran Thurible (Death Guard)
This is a somewhat amazing and very powerful censor. It reduces the toughness of any none-Death Guard units within a close radius. Additionally, morale tests have to be taken when anyone dies - not just beyond 25%. Watch your enemies cry. Unless you're playing the Isstvan III campaign and/or facing a mirror match.

Luminiferous Resonator (Thousand Sons)
A ranged weapon that oddly compares Ld values rather than S to T values. I think this one is very situational and depends on the enemy faced. Cheap enough though.

The Cataphractii Primus (Sons of Horus)
Gaining eternal warrior is very nice. Having a bonus T against shooting is even nicer. The price is about right as well.

Conversion Dissonator (Word Bearers)
This one affects all invulnerable saves within 12" by imposing a -2 penalty, once per game. Give it to a Praetor who is kitted out for close combat duties and can readily take out 2+ armour and you're good to go. The only issue is that it affects everyone. Friend, Fiend and Foe! Beware.

Zeroth Conductor Shield (Salamanders)
Although it is not a storm shield, it does provide a huge deterrent to charging foes - d6 S8 AP2 hits is an immense amount of fire power to take at I=10. Well worth it for objective camping and any unit fearing being charged.

Fractal Harrow-Blade (Raven Guard)
Take alongside an AP2 weapon and you can then impose a slew of extra wounds when it comes to combat victories. Neat, and at a modest price. Equally, I'm not sure I'd bother unless you're not sure victory will be easy (you're playing Raven Guard and you want to do alpha-strikes - you should already have the equipment to do this arguably).

The Drakaina (Alpha Legion)
Where did they get this xenos technology from? Who knows? The reason to take this weapon is the flesh-phage rule that generates d6 T tests on any unit that suffered wounds from it in the previous turn. Give to a Moritat and get in the required range for the bad stuff to start happening. You have to weigh this up against a Nanyte Blaster though.

Horus Heresy Review: Relics of the Dark Age of Technology (2)

Continuing our examination of the relics of the Dark Age of Technology (Part 1 is here), we now turn to those artefacts that can be wielded by the Mechanicum and the Solar Auxilia.

Contagium Mechanica (Mechanicum Only)
One part heretical work, and one part wonder, depending which mechanicum sect you speak to. This is an anti-tank virus in much the same way as the Nanyte Blaster functions. Instead of having a typical weapon profile, it is simply a haywire profile with a short range. Cause a hull point of damage and not destroy a vehicle and it can jump to another vehicle within 12" of the original.

This makes it perfect for taking out large concentrations of enemy tanks fielded by (e.g.) enemy Mechanicum sects, or even the Iron Hands legion.

In terms of who to give it to, I suspect some kind of close combat Magos would be perfect, e.g. a Magos Reductor.

Cortica Primus (Mechanicum Only)
In essence, this device allows the user to cast their cybertheurgy powers on more than one model in a friendly unit, as well as acting as a cortex controller. This is great, but the draw back is significant: a misfire gets bonuses proportional to the number of extra models in the unit that was being targeted. Hence some caution needs to be employed in using this.

I'm a bit on the fence as to whether this one is worth it or not. Arguably the risk is rather high and a simple cortex controller may be better. But I can't quite resist the ability to boost an entire unit!

Metaphasic Reader (Solar Auxilia Only)
Although pricey, this relic grants interceptor to the unit that has it, PLUS any other unit within 12 inches of the first. Simply put, this is amazing. But it is also highly contextual. Against legions that are going to be coming in via drop pods (etc.), this can be absolutely devastating. It can therefore be the heart of a tactic by a Solar Auxilia player to ensure that their army is proof against such tactics, at the risk of being redundant against other types of armies. Might as well take this one really!

Apex Digital Weapon (Solar Auxilia Only)
This is one to avoid, in my opinion. The apex digital weapon is like other digital weapons but once per game can be fired as a heavy weapon like a lascannon. Considering the points that you invest for this once per game ability to fire a moderate BS heavy weapon shot at something, it just doesn't seem worth the points. Don't bother: take the Metaphasic Reader (above) or a Nanyte Blaster (or similar) instead.