40K: One Rule to Rule them All!

Image by Kahlan

Hey everyone, Reecius here from Frontline Gaming to talk about something provocative!! Not that I ever do that….

So anyone with an internet connection and a pair of functioning eyes is aware of the rapid changes 40K is going through at this point in time. Formations? Super Heavies? Forge World? Fortifications? Digital Rules with unannounced updates? Supplements? Codices? FAQs? Holy Confusion, Batman!

We are truly in uncharted waters.

I have been in spirited, and very interesting discussions with other TO’s, tournament players and gamers in general about what to make of all of this interesting, exciting, crazy new information we are getting bombarded with and GW’s (apparent) complete disregard for balance (or even spell checking…or you know, making sure the Inquisition release even had the right title!).

So what to make of it all? I, obviously, love organized 40K. It is what I enjoy most about the game, honestly. The social aspect of going to events and gaming with, and playing with other hobby enthusiasts is just the best.

Previously we have been able to adjust to rules changes after thought and play-testing but now things are coming so rapid fire, and in so many different formats and media types, and with updates on the down low that keeping up with it all has become incredibly difficult. And, everything is being billed as good to go for any game of 40K (although what we choose to use is always entirely up to us).

So what to do? I love organized play, as do many, many thousands of gamers. However, presenting a cogent, tested format for tournaments, casual play, etc. in the face of this barrage of new material is an interesting quandary.

As the game becomes increasingly more complex with rules interacting with one another in nearly infinite ways, the potential for game breaking combos increases exponentially.

But what is game breaking? Even that is hard to define as two of the most commonly derided lists I hear about are the Seerstar and Screamster (both of which revolve around the notorious 2+ reroll save). Most gamers I would bet would say these are cheesy, or broken. However you talk to top level tournament gamers and they will tell you they aren’t that hard to deal with, some may even say they think they are bad!

Are they both right? Both wrong? It all depends on perspective. For the player with the knowledge of how to deal with something, that thing may be no big deal. For the player that doesn’t, it kills the fun of the game.

Where does that leave us? Well, as I see it, we have a few options if we want to continue to have fun gaming together as friends, rivals and fellow enthusiasts.

1. Let it ride and see where GW takes us! The game has had broken, crazy stuff before and we have all survived. Perhaps this is just another storm to weather? Perhaps it will, at some point, all make sense.
2. Look at running two types of events at each event in respect to tournaments. A “Gladiator” style event with a higher points limit, no restrictions on any official material, less games and a no-holds barred style format along with a more traditional tournament format with restrictions on supplements to create a more predictable, stable tournament environment with less points, more rounds.
3. Introducing a “Ban List” style concept such as we see in games like Magic. This could take many forms and is essentially a form of targeted comp with the intent to prevent the most abusive units (at least as perceived by those determining the ban list) to hopefully prevent “unfun” combos. This would be a constantly evolving list, adjusted with each new release. As much as I dislike comp due to it’s subjectivity, a very focused list of no go units/items/etc. is something to consider.
4. Attempt to “fix” universally abused rules. Some proposals have been to eliminate allies, limit allies, restrict the type or number of allies. Another suggestion was to target specific rules that impact all armies, such as the proposed change of making any 2+ save with a reroll downgrade to a 3+ save of the same type with a reroll. The intent being to prevent any army from having a potentially “invincible” unit to, again, make the game more fun for more people.
5. Try to use missions, terrain, and deployment to encourage army diversity and to potentially penalize “abusive” lists. 

Author: Reece Robbins

Reece Robbins, is one of the most respected names in tabletop gaming. He founded Frontline Gaming and the largest Warhammer 40K tournament in the world, the Las Vegas Open. Reece has been playing competitively and covering Warhammer since the 1980s. He has won major events including Adepticon.