RUMORS: 40k 5th Edition News
Rumors brought to the community by Warseer’s Shebnar
-Well look here: Some exciting 5th edition rumors. Caveat emptor my friends…
OK, looking again, it would seem that perhaps 5th Edition is coming next year. A lot of trustworthy folks seem to confirming at least that part of the rumors.
OK, I’m going to post these other rumours appeared on GW Tilea: the source is trustworthy.
– First of all, WH40K V Edition will see the light before summer 2008 (yes you read it right), just after the Codex
aemons.
There’s not much in the new edition that is going to be radically changed, the things which will be modified for sure are:
1) rules about vehicles
2) damage chart for vehicles (MAYBE we’ll have one only chart for glancing and penetrating hits, with modifiers according to the weapon which scored the hit – note that this is an uncertain rumour)
3) rules about psychic powers
4) small variations on HtH combat
the source denied any further explaination.
It has been speculated that the new Starter Box will include SM and Orks (both in plastic).
**********
And THEN?
– Codex: Imperial Guard.
New miniatures are ready, the Codex is still undergoing the brainstorming phase 
It is almost certain that the Combat Doctrines will remain in the Codex.
New plastic soldiers with great coats and different heads: we’ll have Death Korps of Krieg and Valhallans!!! 
Possible new Valkyrie in plastic.
New bits for the Sentinel in order to be able to field all of the four patterns in plastic!
New bits for Rough Riders.
– Dark Eldar.
The entire range is going to be redone with new design.
At the moment they’re going to made the first new models!
The rules (according to the source) are NOT going to be much changed, except for some units (the source didn’t specify which ones).
– Necrons
We won’t see them before the end of 2009!!!
However, the Codex will be redone and will feature new models.
Pariah and Immortals are going to be redone.
Maybe new bipod/vehicle?
– Space Wolves
end 2008 – beginning 2009
The Codex has been planned, but nothing is certain.
MAYBE (uncertain rumour) the SW list will be integrated with the 13th Company’s units and rules.
Unfortunately, the Codex:Inquisition is still not in schedule 
We won’t see it for a veeeeery long time…
UPDATE: And this tasty tidbit from the pretty much 100% accurate Brimstone from Warseer:
“Some of this is correct and some is a bit inaccurate.
Vehicle rules are undergoing a pretty big overhaul which some will be quite unhappy about.
There will be one vehicle damage chart with modifiers for glancing/penetrating hits.
Overall most sections are being amended to a degree up to and including missions.
It’s a new edition hence a new rulebook IIRC.”
UPDATE (2): More word from Warseer’s reliable sources:
Things I’ve heard about 5th edition:
It will be released in 2008. I’ve been hinting at this in
these forums for months now…I was told September/October, but maybe they are
pushing it up for some reason. Maybe they are launching the new edition before
they release the next supplement. Could have something to with the rules changes
that they need the new system out before the next supplement.
The new starter box will be Orks vs. Marines. Like BfSP it will have two small but complete
armies. The new technology lets them put so much more stuff on a sprue and I’ve
heard you get TONS of stuff in this box. I expect a vehicle or two (those rumors
of a plastic killa kan have been floating around for some time) but I have no
info to say what the contents will be beyond Orks vs. Marines (What do you think
they are making those plastic grots for?). As an Ork player I am so very excited
about this box…
Rules wise I’ve heard that the vehicle damage chart will look
like the Apocalypse one but for standard vehicles.
I’ve heard nothing of a nerf for skimmers or any other major
changes to the vehicle system. But that just means my source hasn’t told me
anything or may not know himself.
Two big changes I’ve heard about are changes to movement and
(everyone wait for it…) changes to Rending! I posted these in a “rules idea”
thread a few weeks back to see if anyone would notice…nobody did. I’m not going
to go into detail now as I’ve been tourtured by the =I=nqusition before and do
not wish to revist those dark places. But if you search for them, they are out
there…posted as my own idea. (see how I do that? Like a f’n ninja!)I’ve heard
that Combat Patrol and Kill Team are gone from the rule book. They will make a
reappearance as their own supplement in 2009 with expanded rules for “space
hulk” and “Necromunda” style games.They have been replaced with a much expanded
mission system and campaign rules that are based off the Mighty Empires system
for FB.
I’ve heard that there are a few 40K specific tiles in the works. One
being a hive-city tile.
Dark Eldar are next after Deamons, beyond that I have no
clue.
UPDATE (3): a warseer source offers a glimpse at what may be some of the rumored 5th edition rules changes:
Rending: A roll of a six to wound makes the shot AP1. A roll of a six to penetrate a vehicle causes an automatic glancing hit unless the total already exceeds the AV.
-I think this will tone down Rending a bit while still maintaining the
effectiveness of those weapons. This would also pave the way for all Gauss
weapons to have Rending.On that note I would also change FNP so it is negated by AP1 weapons.
Forced March: All infantry units may make a D6” move in the shooting phase instead of shooting as long as there are no enemy models within 12”. However they may not move in the assault phase unless they have the Fleet of Foot special rule. Models with Fleet may make this move even if enemy models are within 12” and may make a 6” assault move as normal.
-I think this would open up the game a little more as it would allow
units to sprint for cover/objectives in lieu of shooting. It would make the game
a bit more dynamic and allow for playing games on larger tables like you might
see in Apocalypse. This would also greatly benefit reserves allowing them to get
in the game much quicker than before.
Skimmers: Change the Skimmer rule so it counts as being obscured when moving at least 12” instead of the current rule.
-This would mean they would only benefit from the Skimmer ability on a
4+ and only if they stay on the move.
