So, more rules for Age of Sigmar are out, and as expected, they are
pretty much unusable for any semblance of balance. Many people on the
forums seems to be thinking about a community effort and make a
Warhammer 8,5 ed, which is something I have been contemplating myself
for quite a long time. So, I would like to dedicate this post and the
following comments to see what people in General are not happy about
about the current edition, and what they would like to see in an 8,5
version. As for myself, I would plan to rework the following:
Basic Rules:
- Line of Sight is divided into different heights for various troop types and terrain instead of true LoS.
- Terrain is basic without special rules by default, "magical forests" is an optional rule that the players decide on.
- The player who gets to choose table side starts to deploy first.
- Magic Phase before Movement phase.
- VP's are rewarded for killing 50% of a unit, 50% if the unit is fleeing at the end of the game.
- No more than 2 characters may join a single unit.
- Add "medium armour", which would give a 5+ save. Heavy armour would grant a 4+ save, and full plate a 3+.
- Remove +1 to AS for being mounted. Mounted models *might* get To Hit bonus against Infantry instead, to reflect them fighting from "higher ground".
Movement:
- Failed charge = move the result on the highest dice.
- Distance when charging is measured from the centre of the front rank, not the closest point.
- Units may not move within 3" on an enemy unit's front voluntarily, unless they are charging. This gets rid of the problem of cheap redirectors blocking the movement of a bigger unit completely. It can still be used to try and flush enemies out, just not to the same degree.
- Units with less than US5 that are charged realign towards the charging unit, not the other way around. This means you cannot use single characters or single-model units too steer huge units into deathtraps as easily.
Magic:
- No +x to cast depending on Wizard level.
- Channelling = roll 4+ for each
wizard level to generate extra Power dice. Half when determining dispel
dice, rounding up (Lvl 1-2 rolls 1 dice, Lvl 3-4 rolls 2).
- Possibly change casting values of all spells to reflect change in channelling and +x to cast.
- Miscast result depends on number of dice used.
- Number of allowed dice when casting spells are Wizard Lvl + 2.
- Wizard chooses spells rather than rolling for them. Wizards are allowed to choose spell level equal to their wizard level +2. This means a lvl 1 can choose between spell 1, 2, 3 or signature spell, and only level 4's can use the 6th spell.
- "Look Out, Sir!" applies to instant kill spells that effect the entire unit.
Shooting:
- War Machines can only fire at targets in it's front arc without moving (same as move-or-fire weapons).
- Cannonballs scatter D3" before bounce. "Hit" equal no scatter, same as stone throwers.
- Cannon direct hit = S10, D6 W; bounce = S6, D3 W. Great Cannon, S10, D6W on both direct hit and bounce. No armour save.
- +1 to hit on short range (25% of maximum range), no penalty for long range.
- Riders on Mo are hit by cannons on a 5+, Mo on 1-4. With Stone Throwers, they are hit (under the hole) only if the rider model is actually in the middle of the template, otherwise they just suffer the smaller S. Alternative: combine Mo and Rider profiles, like MC.
- Bolt Throwers allow armour saves, have Armour Piercing rule instead.
- Fast Cavalry and skirmishers can fire 360 degrees, with no penalty for firing through their own unit.
Close Combat:
- Remove supporting attacks for everything except spears and pikes
(making spears and additional hand weapons more useful, and great
weapons and halberds less of a no-brainer).
- Remove Horde formation. This only encourages models with few high-strength attacks, same as supporting attacks, and encourages deathstars. Cheap weak troops still benefits more from keeping their rank bonus and minimise the number of attacks back at them.
- Bring back Unit Strength, Steadfast determined by this rather than ranks. In/WB = US1, Ca = US2, MI/Sw = US3, MC/Ch = US4(+1 for each additional steed pulling the chariot after 2), MB/Mo/Un = number of Wounds, ridden Mo = number of Wounds + 1 for each rider.
- Charging a unit in the flank or rear with a unit with a US
of 10 or more and at least one complete rank causes Disruption.
- A unit must have at least US10 to be able to be Steadfast.
- Steadfast is lost by being Disrupted or being Outnumbered. This premiers flanking and punishes Deathstars with no flanking support, meaning player's wont be able to solely rely on their expensive unit to win the game for them. Large units will still be steadfast as before as long as you can protect their flanks.
- Rank Bonus = total number of complete ranks of all unit involved in the combat, not just the unit with the highest.
- Regular troops can always be attacked in combat, even if not in direct base contact. Champions can not be attacked directly, but follow the same rules as standard bearers and musicians.
- Charge = +1I, +1 CR. For every unit with US10+ that charges the same unit, +1 CR.
- High Ground always give +1 CR, not just when charging.
- +1 CR for wider frontage than opponent (can be combined with multiple units). This an updated version of "lapping around", which used to give flank bonus.
- +1 CR for each flank attacked.
- +1 CR for friendly units [with US10 or more] within 3" (maximum +3 CR). This represent troops getting a morale boost due to having supporting troops nearly.
- Fleeing units suffers a W (with no saves) for every attack that the
pursuing unit has if "caught". (Example, unit of 4 Ogres with additional
HW's causes 16 Wounds). The pursuing unit is then placed 1" in behind
the fleeing unit. This keeps small units from instantly killing huge
units in one go, and encourages the use of light infantry with multiple attacks.
- Redo Weapon Skill table to allow elites To Hit on 2's vs poor troops (WS 2x+1).
Special Rules:
- ASF no longer allow re-rolls to Hit, remove ASF from Elves.
- Fear = -1 Ld, Terror = -2 Ld. No roll at the start of combat. Multiple units are not cumulative, but Fear plus Outnumber = -2 Ld. Terror only have this effect if the Terror-causing unit outnumbers the enemy. Terror still forces panic checks when charging.
- Flaming Attacks = re-roll 1's To Wound. (no Regen). In the case of
Missile weapons, -1 To Hit as well. Unit that can already do this
re-roll both 1's and 2's To Wound.
- Impact hits [at the mount's Strength] for Cavalry and MC, +1S if barded.This will be a trample rule that is resolved at the mount's Initiative, before it makes its normal attacks.
- Immune to Psychology units will be able to flee from chargers, also immune to spells/attacks that force Leadership tests.
- Units can Killing Blow riders of the same Troop Type.
- Magic Resistance applies to spells that "do not allow any save".
- Regeneration works like the new Hydra rules, except at the end of each close combat turn.
- Stomp only applies to Monsters (still D6 hits).
- Skirmishers are not steadfast in Forests.
- Stupidity test before movement rather than Start of Turn.
- Volley Fire allow all ranks to fire, but with -1 To Hit. Can only be used at long range (maximum range/2).
- Additional (optional) hand weapon types (to be used with shields):
swords = parry, axes/morning stars = +1 S first round, hammers/maces =
armour piercing.
- Spear (mounted) = +1S, +1I (on foot, fight in extra ranks, +1I when charged).
- Pike = fight in extra ranks (3), +2I when charged.
- Lance = +2S, +2I.
- Great weapon = +2S, -2I.
- BSB only allow re-roll of Break Tests, not all Leadership tests. Alternative: increase cost to 50 pts.
- Cavalry get rank bonus for being 4 models wide rather than 5.
- Champions no longer allowed to do challenges (will allow re-rolls to redirect charges, march within 8", reform or restrain from pursuit). Will be "Officers" instead.
And probably quite a few things. In essence, I would
prefer 6th-7th edition with its focus on tactical manoeuvres and static
combat as opposed to a battle royale where armies compete in who can
cross the table the fastest, but with clear rules, equally balanced
armies and less clutter. This could mean revamping some of my army books
too to streamline them a bit.
Lots of rules that take place in situations where you often forget them (Stomp, Stupidity, Fear) are fixed with these changes.
Steadfast
is a bit more complicated, but means that Elite Infantry can break huge
units without being bogged down all game, while weak Infantry still
benefit from being in great numbers.
Greater emphasis has been
made towards flanking, especially with multiple units, which encourages
the use of multiple smaller units against Death Stars.
Magic now
scales better with larger games, and there is more reward in taking
multiple wizards and using lower level wizards to cast due to removing
+x when casting (x = Wizard lvl).
War Machines will now have to be
placed in strategic position defending key points rather than doing
360-flips to shot everything.
Missile weapons are now more efficient with basic weapons. Some points cost revisions might be necessary.
Charges
are now more important, and spears and lances have a better chance of
striking first, which is logical. Charge distances are more similar to
7th ed, but still with a bit of the randomness of 8th ed.
Note that none of these suggested changes are set in stone, and is subject to change depending on community suggestions.
What changes would you players like to see in an updated Warhammer version?
