Warhammer 40K: We Need A Generic Counter-Stratagem For All
Stratagems need a hard counter and it’s time to bring back the idea of a Dispel Scroll to Warhammer 40,000.
Yep. We’re going there. With all the codexes running around with 20+ stratagems it’s kind of surprising that GW doesn’t offer any real counter-play to using them. They used to…
Now before anyone freaks out – this is the OLD Agents of Vect stratagem from the previous Drukhari Codex. The new one works different and increases the cost of repeat uses of the same stratagem. It’s completely different. But I’m using the old one to make the point – this concept isn’t new. So what I’m proposing is that we need a ‘Generic’ Counter-stratagem stratagem.
Here’s a rough idea:
Corrupted Signal – 3CP
Use this Stratagem just after your opponent has spent CPs to use a Stratagem, but before the effects of that Stratagem are resolved. Roll a D6; On a 3+ your opponent’s CPs are refunded, but the Stratagem they were activating is not resolved and cannot be attempted again this phase. This Stratagem cannot be used to affect Stratagems used ‘before the battle’ or during the first turn of the game. This Stratagem can only be used once.
It’s 3 CP so the price is STEEP. And it’s only on a 3+ so there is a chance that it won’t even work. And even if it DOES work, your opponent gets their CPs back anyhow. AND it’s only once per game! This is clearly intended to mimic a lot of what the old Agents of Vect – but it would be available to everyone as a generic ability. I don’t want to make the generic version more powerful than the old specific version.
That said, there are some cases where I will GLADLY spend the CPs at just the chance to stop a Stratagem from going off. It can be a total game changer to prevent that unit from attacking again. Or getting to use some other ability. Or…well, you get the idea.
“What? Did I do that?”
Is this the final form of this stratagem? No – I’m sure the Game Designer Studio at GW can tweak this and playtest it to make it right for the current state of the game. I do question why they haven’t already created one of these type of Counter Stratagems yet.
They had to expect Stratagems would grow to the amount there are now, right? Or maybe they just didn’t think a generic “counter” was necessary to do. But with each codex we’ve seen another 20ish stratagems get added to the game. It’s a LOT to take in. Why can’t we have just one generic Stratagem to possible prevent ONE from working during a game?
What do you think? Would you want some type of Counter Stratagem for 40k? Is it too powerful? Should it be once per game? Put on your game Designer Hat and let us know in the comments!
