Goatboy’s Warhammer 40K Hot Mess – Multiple Detachments
Goatboy here, and as we wait for all the 40K Rules updates to arrive, let’s talk about the current hot mess of 40K – multiple detachments.
Yes, I know it is most likely going to be moot to discuss this as the new “Ark of Omens” detachment is here with the option for one extra little thing to add to your army. So instead of that let’s talk about how messy the old ways to build armies were. Let’s wade into Multiple Detachments.
Ah, you all had forgotten about the 7th Edition Gladius Detachment, hadn’t you?
How Did We Get Here?
The idea of detachments was initially interesting. It let you build unique armies, and while the idea behind it was neat – the method of building was initially flawed. The first iterations were the old Battle Brother days and the mismanagement of friendly armies. This was the birth of the Death Star era and while it did help create the robust tournament scene we see today, it wasn’t an exciting time to be playing 40K.
8th Edition started so innocent and pure.
Deathstars Were Only the Beginning
You build armies based on what was good in each part, and it was even better if they could combine and “share” rules. I remember playing versus a Tau/Eldar monster that would join a commander with a ton of aura rules into a Reaper unit to create a murder ball of doom. Or how about Dark Eldar and Eldar working together to create huge units of insanity? Or seeing your Marines combining some chapters and creating Bark Bark star.
All of these things were due to the initial push into having more Detachment options for your army. Sure it let you do some goofy things that might feel kind of fluffy, But in the end it really just amped up the power game aspects. The “deck” building of your army at the armylist stage became too important, and the hope that the laws of rolling averages just let you power thru your opponent.
Thankfully those old deathstars died out, but the detachment idea stayed intact. You had the ability to create an “army” within an army. A small army with all the “best” choices to improve your other larger army – that met the Detachment requirements. This of course, created issues when you had choices that were too good or gave you too much stuff.
The new normal.
Welcome to the New One-Detachment-Fits-All World
Of course, this all is changing with a big fat new Arks of Omen Uber Detachment and some very specifically placed Patrols (Even though Votann are a part of it… for all the Imperium to use… yay…). So is this going to be better? I think so, but will just have to see.
But yes – the hot mess of building armies is gone now. We now have the same amount of choices with fewer detachments to use. Is this going to be good? Are we just going to move away from multi-faction and just let things be all Chaos, Imperium, or Aeldari? The whole AoS method? I don’t know, but we will see. But yes, the last Hot Mess before all the changes is the old Detachment system. Good riddance.
Good bye and see ya at the dump with all those Outrider, Vanguard, and Supreme command nonsense.
