40k Deep Thought: Realistic Rules Part 2
Pimpcron comes back this week with the a second look at making 40k more realistic.
If you didn’t catch it last week, here is part one of this *rant*. For the record, I love this game above all others, so I am not actually hating on it by any means. Just day dreaming.
Choosing Outflank Sides
Years of training, genetic engineering, hundreds of battles under their belt, and they still stumble onto the field like they were just looking for the bathroom. Why can’t I just tell my scouts to flank the right side or left? Why is it such a crap shoot?
“Oh, so that’s where all the fighting is. I thought I heard some commotion.” –Scout Sergeant Gomer Pyle
Throwing Grenades
Grenades: hazing the new guy since the 40th Millennia.
The rules involving throwing grenades leads me to believe that grenade manufacturing has been outsourced to some terribly incompetent hive world where they make crappy stuff. Why else would only one guy get to throw his grenade when the entire squad is equipped with them? I imagine that these grenades are just as likely to blow up in your hand as they are to blow up where they’re thrown. That’s why everybody is like, “Let Jimmy the new guy throw his grenade” and everybody snickers, waiting for Jimmy’s fingers to go flying in every direction. Either that or “Throwing Stuff” wasn’t a required class in boot camp. And the armies of the 41st Millennium are so terrible at throwing they actually have to assigned a Minor League Softball pitcher to every squad just to throw their grenades.
Delaying Reserves
If I can call friendly units over to help me, why can’t I tell them to hover in the background for a while until I want them tactically? You roll for them to come in, but have no way of contacting them back to say, “hold up”. It’s like that friend who you just got off the phone with 30 seconds ago, and now they won’t answer their phone. Did they throw it in the river after they got off with you? Apparently your reserves did. I say that once you make the roll for them to come in, you can choose to bring them in on any turn after.
Line of Sight to Flyers
“Hide your kids, hide your wife . . .”
How is it, that a Flying Monstrous Creature can be safe from assault, but still be so close to the ground as to hide behind a wall while “flying”? I am a big fan of Flying Monstrous Creatures and have many of them in my Nidzilla army. But even I say that it seems a little unfair. I say, if they are in the air, Line of sight can always be drawn to them and the only cover saves they get would be Jinks. I also like the idea of FMCs getting put on flying vehicle stands or something when up in the air.
Weapon Skill Value
How is it that an ancient Demi-god with weapon skill 10 has the same chance to hit in close combat as the guy who trained just a little longer than you? I have always thought that Weapon Skill should range from 2+ to 6+ To Hit. Not 3+ to 5+. Or at least give someone rerolls to hit if you’re not onboard with the 2+ To Hit. I always feel like close combat isn’t nearly decisive enough. Often times they just drag on and on.
Now for Full Disclosure (Again)
I know that some of these would drastically change the game, and most of the questions I have asked are rhetorical. Some of these are easy to see why they don’t implement them with the current rules. But it really comes down to what you want out of the game and how much you are willing to sacrifice to speed it up.
So what are your thoughts on these rules? Like them? Hate them?
Check out my third and final segment on realistic rules next week!
Want to witness my slow descent into madness first-hand? Check out my blog at www.diceforthedicegod.com
