This week's rules

We have seen a number of previews this week, mostly buried in faction focus posts. I've probably missed one or two and I'll cover some of the other posts like the Combat Patrol and Astra Militarum faction focus separately.

Dense cover is one of the new terrain traits. Again, I'm still split on these new traits, I still think that they will get very confusing keeping up with everything during the game.

This trait subtracts 1 for the hit rolls of ranged attacks. Added to the light and heavy cover we've already seen and you've got your a lot of rules to think about. 

The rules for dense cover mirror that of the other terrain rules we've seen. No surprises either. 

Strategic reserves is up next and while there are a few changes. Nothing dramatic, just a few tweaks by the looks of it. 

As per this edition, no deployment first turn but now the deployment changes depending upon what turn it is. However, there isn't much difference, just seems to be the enemy deployment zone that's different. I would have thought there would be more alteration, maybe start with your deployment zone, then no man's land and then enemy deployment zone. There are also some cleaning up of the rules around reserves, such as movement. The opportunity to deploy is extended right up until the end of the get, rather than up till turn 3, which is definitely an improvement.

Another improvement is that the cost of putting stuff into reserve is now combined to a core rules rather than a stratagem by individual units. Another good move I think.

Moral has also changed and not really for the better. The first part is the same but the second half seems overly complicated. First up, the morale test. 

On the whole, the test has remained the same with a day rolled and added to the number of models that are killed and a roll of one always passes. The change comes when you fail. In the past you'd loose the number of models equal to how much you failed by, now you loose just one model but must make a Combat Attrition test. So what is a Combat Attrition test?

Well, it's a bit of a mess, that's what it is. So, whole for the morale test, a 1 always passes, now a 1 fails? Anyway, you roll a d6 for each model remaining and then remove models that fail. This whole thing is yet more complication, more dice to roll and more rules to remember. At this rate it'll take hours to play a game, as you'll have to keep referring to the rule book every 5 seconds.

Lastly we have aircraft. There are a few changes here as well, mostly good. 

So, we know that AIRCRAFT is a new keyword that has enabled a whole bunch of models to take on a new lease of life. It gets rid of some of the rules issues, such aircraft not being stuck in combat by crashing as you can't move your minimum move distance by falling back. The new rules for aircraft are good and I like it. 

So, the rules are a mix bag really, there are some really good ones but also some rather long winded and overly wordy ones. I am looking forward to 9th as I think it will help me get back in to playing games, probably at the 500 to 1000 points, or combat patrol and Incursion.