Hello everyone !!!

Warhammer rumour of the week! Today the image could be some kind of flying Necrons wearing skins? Or maybe it's more Squats?

It reminds me of an earlier Rumour Engine from a few weeks (month?) back?

What do you think?

/Cheers.
Bob.

Hello everyone !!

Today review is the third examining the Indominatus Box if you want to read the two previous reviews (book & terrains) check here

I prefer to focus this part on the matched play mission because it's "usual" standard you expect when you play a 40k game.

Introduction

The core book comes with the Eternal War Mission pack. Each mission pack is a "Meta" with a specific theme. We can expect future mission pack (a new one is coming with the matched game companion on release day) that could change particular rules.

The book includes rules for four games size: 500/1000/2000/3000.
The review will focus on 2000pts games setup, the mission and the scoring to determine the victor.

Missions Set up

There are 13 steps before the battle start!
Step 14 is the actual start of the game.
Step 15 & 16 are "ending" and determine the victor.

Road the Battle the fourteen steps!



1. Select Battle size

The First step is choosing game size: 500 / 1000 / 2000 or 3000. You usually agree on points before you show up at the table. For the review, we are going to choose 2000 pts.
2. Musters Armies

Each player must use a battle forged armies. All units in each detachment must have a common keyword, but it cannot be: Chaos, Imperium, Aeldari, Ynnari or Tyranids unless it's a fortification Network.



Note Use Roster Changing Stratagem now!

3. Determine Mission

Agree or Roll it's up to the players. For the 2000 points level there is 6 missions :



The theme of the Eternal War Missions Pack is Capture and hold. All missions revolve around keeping some objectives.

In this case, imagine we rolled a three we would play the Four Pillars Mission.

4. Read Mission Breafing



5. Place Objectives Markers

Set up Objectives markers.
6. Create the Battlefield

You set up terrain as explained in the terrains rules 266-269. Not that in Matched play, terrain feature serving as an example on page 264-265 is mandatory. So all woods have the same rules in Matched Play, same for ruins.

7. Select Secondary Objectives

You can secretly select three and (more details later), but you can also choose from the mission.

8. Determine attacker and defender

There is no mention of attacker or defender in the missions ??? the winner of the roll-off choose to be attacker or defender.

9. Choose deployement zone

Defender chooses his deployment zone first.

10. Declare reserve and transport

A crucial step, you must decide who to go in reserve before rolling for initiative & it's the same for transports.
No more than half the army can be kept in reserve.
After turn three if they have not joined the battle unit kept in reserve count as a loss!

11. Deployement

Alternate deployment until you deploy everything.

12. Determining first turn

Roll-off, the winner chooses if he starts or go second.
Weirdly, the initiative has no link to the Attacker roll at step 8.
I hope for a FAQ or clarification as it seems weird...
13. Resolve Pre Battle ability

Use all the before battle start rules and stratagems. Note that stratagem modifying the roster (like transforming a unit into veterans.) are not allowed now.

14. Begin Battle !!

Start first turn

Playing to wins

In the 9th editions, Primary objective Worth up to 45 pts and each secondary up to 15 pts. The last 10pts depends if you painted your army!

Note that this is only true for the Eternal War Mission Pack and we don't know how the next Mission Pack manage points.

Your max score from play is 90 pts. Each Primary Objective can score up to 15pts a turn (max 45), you can then reach max points from Primary Objective in 3 turns. The game lasts five rounds, and each mission has ONE primary Objective.

Each Secondary Objective scores up to 15 points, and you can choose 3 (List at the end of the post). There is a large variety of Secondary Objectives, and you pick them during Step 7 of the pre-battle phase.

That Mean you already have some info on your opponent's army, terrain, missions at this points in time. Choosing the right Secondary will be VITAL if you want to wins games.

Also, having no models on the table doesn't count as an instant loss. It just means that the surviving army can play until round 5 without opposition. But with the scoring limits per turn, it's imperative to start scoring ASAP or prevent easy scoring and then crawl back...Imagine getting tabled end of turn three after focusing on getting full points. With two turns left and only 30 pts to score on the Primary Objective, maybe you already won. The Secondary scoring is harder to predict, but it's 3 to 4 per turn up to 15 per Secondary.

>What is important in this mission pack ?

Objective Secured, durability and movement these three stats are the most important in this mission pack. All six missions Primary Objectives are about securing objectives; of course, Objective Secured ability is essential.
Most of the time, there are multiple objectives to hold at the same time, so you probably need MSU (multiple Small Unit)to perform well.

Without Objective Secured units on an objective, the opponents can just come and take it with one model ^^

Choose Secondary Objectives

Choosing Secondary is going to be tricky and exciting (I think). Off course I don't know what the Secondaries of the next mission pack are going to be. I hope they are the same for this season. It's hard knowing 25+ secondary and their interaction this early in the 9th.

Anyway, there are five categories!

• Purge the Enemy




• No mercy No respite




• Supremacy




• Shadow Operation




• Warpcraft

But that's not all, each mission offer a secondary that you can select :

Four Pillar Secondary Objectives

Purge the enemy, and other Objectives that you score automatically at the end of the game are from my experience the most desirable unless you have a particular plan. (it's like any Recent Euro Boardgame, scoring at the end of the game is regularly the top strat if it allowed you to play other objectives during the games)

Secondary Objectives needing actions are ok if you have units that don't have great weapons like five space marines or Necron. But if you only have super kill-ly Eldar units or Elite stuff better use these actions on attacks. In that case, don't choose the Secondaries Objective that uses the new Action Mechanism.

Conclusion

I am Hyped to try Warhammer 40000 competition, more than in many years. This Mission Pack Meta seems excellent! Can't wait to try it with: new small board + points updated + terrains + all rules updated for 9th!

Off course this is only the matched aspect of Warhammer 40k, and there is much more to do!

This Post is also added to the Indomitus Review Mega Thread here

/Cheers.
Bob.

Hello everyone !!!

Look at these awesome objectives...Really liking this one..

I am sure there is a lot to do with this one !

/Cheers.
Bob

Hello everyone !!

Next week ok the 9th initial release on pre-orders :

• Indomitus Box


• Core Book


• Limited Edition Corebook


• Open War Cards


• Chapter Approved


• Crusade Journal


• Battlezone: Manufactorum – Battlefield


• Gaming Accessories


• New paints

Hello everyone !!!

Squats are coming ?

It's true something squat is coming (it's what I have been told).

But this may not be a Warhammer 40000 army, maybe a kill team box or some New Warhammer quest thing taking place in a squat ship or something along the lines...

What sort of Squat release would you like? expect?

/Cheers.
Bob.

Hello everyone !!

Image and rumours on the Ge 2020

bye bye STD ^^

I'll update as it goes

/Cheers.
Bob.

Hello everyone !!!

Indomitus Faceoff is happening right now on Twitch but Silent king reveal video is already on FB.

Click the image to launch

or click :

https://www.facebook.com/warhammer40000uk/videos/587253575127922/

Will update with more stuff as it goes

Hello everyone !

Second mixed roster. This one is a remake of a 1st ed Heroes of Law ^^ but in the 1st ed Elves were part of the roster!

The roster look quite strong with bunch of positional, an Ogre and 2 halfling for one turn play...Still non human have Loner so this could be tricky to use them at start !

What do you think ?

/Cheers.
Bob.

Hello everyone !!

If you play AOS don't forget that today the GHB 2020 goes on pre orders. Sadly this year no review as the Covid situation prevented the sending of the book :'(.

Element game sell the standard version at 16£ and you can pre order it by clicking the image (and giving us store credit ^^)

Hello everyone !!!

In today review, prepare to be Amazed because everything changed!

Terrain should be an essential part of the game. Sadly the 8th missed the mark with them, but this is over! The 9th Edition of Warhammer 40000 is smashing everything you know about terrains!

Terrain in the 9th

The terrain rules are the big game changer of the 9th editions. No game in the eight will ever resemble what is going to happen in a 9th Matched game.
Off course, all the rules displayed in this review, should are balanced by the mission, forcing you to move out of cover to try to win the game.

Before starting, I am puzzled that the free rules online don't have terrain or cover rules (unless I missed them), it such a dick move. You offer free rules, but not the interaction with the battleground? Wtf is that?

Anyway, let's start the terrain review with the rules included in the Core book.

4 types of terrains

There are four types of terrains in the 9th editions. All terrains must be from one of these big assortments.

Specific types of models gain cover or not depending on the terrains types. Note that having cover doesn't do anything ! but receiving cover from a terrain get you a bonus or malus depending the Keywords it has.

The 4 types of terrains are :

• HILL


• OBSTACLES


• AREA OF TERRAIN


• BUILDING

Hill

The hill is the first type of terrain described in the book. They can be free-standing or modelled into the battlefield itself.

They don't grant cover but can potentially break los if you are behind it.

This is los rule by the way is :

So, in a nutshell, the hill type of terrain doesn't do much; however, if the hill model is big enough, you can break or gain LOS. Note you can decide to grant your hills with keywords as will see soon.

Obstacles

Obstacle includes barricade, walls, statues, debris, box, container. This type of terrain regroups all the solid and limited in zone terrain. Models move over an obstacle using regular rules (1" or less ignore the Obstacle or move over if more than 1").

So, you can't attack Obstacle, use standard rules for LOS and MOVE. Grant cover if you are within 3" of it and the shooter has to shoot through the Obstacle.
Though the cover bonus is limited to Infantry, Beast, Swarm, so Vehicles don't get any cover from obstacle terrains.

Area Terrain

I am happy to see Area terrain rules back.

Area terrain represents a zone of terrain with a defined limit, like woods, a swamp, craters. When you deploy such a terrain, players must agree on the terrain limit. Most of the time it's easy, but with some ruins terrains, you may have to define the area to be 100 sure.

Like Obstacle, area terrain uses standard rules for LOS and MOVE. Models receive benefits of cover while within. So you solely need one "toe" in the section to get the full advantage.

Again the benefit of cover is limited to INFANTRY, BEAST, SWARM. So bye-bye cover for vehicles ^^

Building

Buildings are paid with points by players, and their rules are on their corresponding Datasheet.

Buildings are units, you can attack them, you can't move through them, and you use regular LOS rules to see through them.

We have no details yet, but buildings should benefit from friendly aura if they have the right keyword?

After reading this portion of the rules, it looks like You CAN'T move over an enemy tau shield wall?

We'll have to wait for the online errata & the rules update dropping the 11th to get the complete rules.

Now that we understand what the four types of terrain are let's get to Terrains Traits !!!

Terrains Traits

Each terrain not only has a type (hill, Obstacle, area, building) but also have Traits. Each trait has specific keywords granting particular abilities.

There is no limit to the number of traits you can give a terrain. Both players have to agree on the traits before the battle.

The trait list
• Defensible

The first trait of the list only applies to INFANTRY. IMO it's the most exciting keywords as it allows a new charge reaction in place of Firing Overwatch.
The trait gives the unit +1 to hit in melee if you don't shoot or if you choose to overwatch you'll hit on 5+.


Note the wording: +1 to hit for the melee reaction (so don't stack with your other modifier) but the overwatch is hit on 5+ so if you get a +1 to hit overwatch somewhere you can stack it. (as you know in the 9th Warhammer 40000 editions, you can't benefit from more than a +1 or -1 to a roll)

• Defence Line

The intent is to be able to charge a unit behind a small wall even if you can't reach it physically with your models (the plan is to prevent abuse I guess ?)



I think there is an imperfection with the rule. The charge target has to be within 1'' of the terrain to benefit from it. But if the charged unit can be 1.1'' away from the defence line terrain, it still gets the cover bonus and defensible benefit without the defence Line rule allowing a charge against you.

Note it also applies to vehicle standing behind a defence line terrain.

• Breachable

Pretty simple if the terrain has this keyword, like ruins, for example, Infantry, Beast and swarm can move through it without losing movement.



• Difficult Ground

Minus 2, speed malus that applies to everyone but units with fly keywords! Wood is a difficult ground, craters as well, swamp could be too.



• Dense Cover

The name of this trait is chosen poorly and bound to cause errors. Dense cover has nothing to do with being in cover (see types of terrain at the start) .

The rule applies to Vehicles even if they can't get cover!



For example, Woods get the dense cover rule, so if you shoot at something inside the woods or if the shoot has to go through a forest, you get -1 to hit.
Doesn't apply to AIRCRAFT target or with a Wounds Characteristic of 18+
Note, AIRCRAFT is not a unit with the keywords fly but a unit from the AIRCRAFT list!

No link to the cover rule, just lousy naming. Something like: "hard to hit" would have been clearer.

• Unstable Position

Cant end the move on the terrain



Don't want to spend more time on this but, Fuel pipes are defence line and unstable. I fear some exploit where my unit can stand 1.1 " behind the pipes. That implies you can't charge/attack my unit from the other side and can't finish your charge move on the terrain...

• Exposed Position

Applies to box and container terrain, love this idea !!!



• Obscuring

Terrain Block Los if the target on the other side.



All ruins example have this trait (but not wood ?) it should help lower LOS line turn 1. Apply to vehicles as while they are not AIRCRAFT or with 18+ wounds.

• Light & Heavy cover



If you get to cover and the terrain has this trait you get +1 against melee or ranged depending on the trait.

You NEED benefit of cover to claim this bonus (so only inf, swarm, Beast) it's different from dense cover ^^

• Scaleable

It's a perfect addition to the terrain rules & huge boost to melee Beast. All ruins have Scaleable & Breachable(nice !!!).

It's excellent and going to fix a lot of exploits.

Again tanks, while buffed by the rules, are getting nerfed by terrains rules.
Note that antigrav vehicle with the FLY keywords can still deploy on the top of ruins ^^



• Inspiring



Great for adding interested to status and chaos icons ^^

TERRAIN example

NOTE: In "matched play", these are not guideline but are mandatory!

Battle field exemple

Gw included example of what a good and fair battlefield should be :

Conclusion

Time to conclude this review of the new terrains rules !!! It's the most ambitious change in the 9th editions. There are a lot of unanswered questions for now, but I find this method smart and new (for GW). I think it's going to work very well and create a much more compelling battlefield than in the 8th !!

That's it for now.

Review also added to the Review mega thread here

/Cheers.
Bob.