40K Deep Thought: The WarpStorm Table – Triumph or Tragedy?

If there is one thing that polarizes players – it’s the Chaos Deamons Warp Storm table. Time for a closer look.

Ok, before I get into the details, I want to clarify: I AM NOT TRYING TO COMPLAIN. I’m actually hoping that someone who knows the game better than I can explain this to me – in part so I can just learn more stuff and in part so that I can stop getting so damned tilted when I see Daemons across the table from me.

That clarified…

It’s the warp storm table.

The fact that Chaos Daemons have the power to reach out and tough my army no matter what I do, regardless of cover, or being in a vehicle, or anything, seems like an insane advantage. There is nothing I can do to prevent my opponent’s army from potentially shafting me on every turn. No amount of tactics, or army composition, or anything has the power to offer me any kind of protection or insurance.

As far as I can tell, there is literally nothing else in the game that works this way. So, ok, Grey Knights are really good at close combat in certain situations. So, shoot them! So, the Tau can do a killer gunline. Deal with the overwatch hits and charge them! So the Eldar do whatever it is the Eldar do now (I don’t own their new codex yet, due to having fallen off the Eldar wagon right before the new release and not having the budget to buy books until I need them). I’m sure there’s something I can do about it.

But Daemons? The warp storm? I just don’t get it.

It probably doesn’t help that the times I’ve faced Daemons have been in odd environments – two highly scenario-based Kill Team games – and perhaps that makes the warp storm table seem like more of a threat than it is. And now I’m preparing to go against Daemons in a Cities of Death tournament, in which I might maneuver all game to come to grips with the *******s while their warp storm ignores cover and blows me off the table. Nevertheless, the warp storm table looks on paper like it should be terrifying, and so far that’s been my experience of it.

And don’t tell me that it can do as much harm as good. I’ve never seen that happen in actual play.

So, can someone who understands this game better explain to me how this is supposed to work? Am I getting tilted by a couple of bad games, or is this indeed a horribly unbalanced and killy mechanic?

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At a larger level, this question leads into other rule-mechanics where one side can cause damage to the other side randomly and with no ability for the victim to do anything about it. It’s the 6th edition version of the Alaitoc Ranger Disruption table – one of the most despised rules-mechanics in the history of the game.  So when you weigh in, always remember that “balanced” does not always equate to “fun”, and it’s a game designer’s job to keep the game fun and balanced for both players.