Warhammer 40K: What’s the Correct Points Cost?
Warhammer has a lot of rules, and sometimes no one can tell how much something costs.
Games Workshop put out a lot of rules for us to try to remember. I mean there are over 20 codexes plus the book for Forge World, any of the side games that they put out and all the White Dwarf articles that talk about new rules for armies, usually Space Marines. Even then, there are more rules when the FAQs come out, mission and crusade books, and the annual Chapter Approved. I mean it is a lot. With all this information it doesn’t really surprise me some things seem to slip through the cracks. Whether it is weird rules interactions or actual issues
Recently there seems to be an issue with the point value of the Reaver jetbike in the Drukhari codex. At the beginning of this edition, they were 10 points. Games Workshop put out a correction that they should be twenty points per model. The new codex recently released has the jetbikes back to ten points per model. There are people on both side of the discussion as to which value to use. This week we will look at both sides of the points debate.
Ten points Is Where It’s At
This point of view is pretty straightforward. The English version of the codex says ten points and for many, that is enough. In the past, Games Workshop had stated that if there were any differences in the rules between languages, the English version take precedent. So even if a non-English codex, or rulebook, said one thing, the English version, if you had one, is the one that most tournament organizers followed. This assumes that you had an English version available to you.
Having the answer printed in your book, absent of any correction from Games Workshop, makes it easier for you to prove that the jetbikes are ten points. Many people are claiming that there are some non-English codexes that say 20 points but I have not seen this in any of the forums or groups that I belong to. As a result, you can only go by what is written in the book. This is really a case for some of Rules as Written over what people think the points cost should be.
We All Know its Twenty Points
This attitude depends on a big assumption, that Games Workshop meant for the jetbikes to be twenty points. This is almost a perfect example of Rule as Intended. These people, because of the point cost in the old codex, are assuming that Games Workshop just had a misprint and they should be twenty points. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are some that claim that some of the non-English codexes say twenty points.
In addition, some people also claim that they have spoken with people “in the know” and that these mysterious people confirm that the jetbikes are supposed to be twenty points. Unfortunately, many people won’t take the word from some mysterious people or claims that “the developer said” this or that. For some, however, the people making these claims are seen as reliable so they go forward with the twenty-point jetbike in their events, to the chagrin of many Dark Eldar players.
What To Do?
This one is really up to the tournament organizer. I have already mentioned what to consider when making this decision. Knowing your player base may also be a factor in that a boon to the jetbikes due to the points decrease may not make that big of a difference. If anyone has been keeping track of the scene recently, you will know that jetbike are not tearing up the scene, no matter the points cost. If you have a lot of Dark Eldar players, then using the lower price may prove too much for the non Dark Eldar players to handle. If you are trying to attract players to your tournaments, then using the lower points may help with that also.
Maybe these are the 10 point ones?
For myself it really isn’t that difficult, I will use the points listed in the codex. Personally, I know that the point change is coming. Even knowing that I try to stay with what is written in the book, especially when it comes to building armies, as much as possible. many players use my tournaments to practice for bigger events, so if the big events are using the book value then it is better for the players to also play at the same level. Hopefully, Games Workshop will correct this oversight sooner rather than later.
~That’s all for this week. I hope you enjoyed the article. let me know what you think, and what point value you would use, in the comments section below.
