Warhammer 40K Hot Mess: Close Combat Is Weak
Goatboy here to figure out why 40K 10th Edition close combat is getting weaker and less lethal, while shooting is getting deadlier. What is up with that?
This time around I want to talk about how Close Combat just doesn’t feel nearly as killy as it used to be. There seems to have been a slew of downshifts in output for the close combat side of things while a lot of shooting as slowly amp’d up. I know Close Combat used to be super scary but with so many units always getting a save of some sort it feels less like you need it to be super deadly and more like you just need a crap ton of it to make sure something happens.
Some Scary Melee Units – Aren’t
How is it that a giant chainsaw blade built into your muscled forearm is only a flat 2 Damage weapon? How the heck can you see this World Eaters Exalted Eightbound swing their mangled fists of destruction into you and each failed save only kills a Marine? Why is a Terminator Chainfist regulated to being harder to hit with and again only throws out a measly 2 damage? Why are 3+ damage options limited to giant monsters, some special characters, or crazy immortal leaders of the Dire Avengers?
It always feels to me that some of these close combat weapons don’t match up to what they look like. I know a lot of the time we don’t want a bunch of elite killing weapons out there but if they are living on an Elite choice whose whole purpose is to throw chainsaw fists into your face you would think it would do better. I just want close combat stuff to actually be scary.
The Aeldari Are Lethal – How About Everyone Else?
The new Aeldari are set up to throw out a ton of high quality damage options and while that is cool it still isn’t too cool to not see this show up in other places. I am hoping we see a major shift in some of the options in the upcoming Cult books but I get the feeling will just be awash in the whole – Damage 2 jail cell that a lot of the armies are stuck into. It is ok to have more Damage 3 as it gives those assault books an answer to things like Dark Angel Deathwing Knights or other Damage reduction options. These units still need to get there while you are throwing out bullets, lasers, or grots thru a warp tunnel.
I know some of these editions have had some crazy assault options. Heck I remember some of the Deathstar stuff I played pretty heavily back in 6th and 7th days and watched as my giant Thunder Hammer Thunder Wolves rolled into a unit and put the hurt on you. I don’t think we should go back to that as much I would just rather have some things updated to help units get a chance to put some damage out. Even if it is just 1 or two per unit it lets you get a chance to be scary when rolling into another tough anvil option.
Is AP the Answer?
I know they have experimented with pushing AP on some of these weapons such as the Shining Spears lances AP -2. But this game isn’t really set up for tough units to not have some kind of invulnerable save. AP -2 is almost the only one you need as against it puts almost all of the things on their invulnerable save if they have one. No matter how many times you supposed can break their army that little trinket, daemonic buddy, or just faith can stop you no matter how much Armor penetration you throw into it.
As someone that plays a lot of assault armies I would love some of the options to get a bit better. I would love the common AP value to sit at -2 with some other fun stacks of options. You could do something like a new keyword call “crushing hit” that adds a pip of damage on a roll of 6 to wound. Small things to help amplify up some options that help these close combat monsters break thru a stalemate with an anvil full of “protection” rules.
What do you think is going on with 10th Edition Melee lethality?
