Goatboy’s 40k Thoughts: What I Miss from the Old Editions
Goatboy here again while we have some new 40k nonsense to talk about I’ve decided to look back at the things that I miss from the older editions.
Everything wasn’t always the best but there are some things I miss from the older days of 40k. These range from small changes to rather large changes that just make me wonder – if they were left in what type of game would we have right now. Let’s start with an extremely old rule that will most likely never come back.
Sweeping Advance
Sweeping advance assaults after you destroy a unit. This was the ban of a lot of armies as a fast assault element could get there, get to work, and then continue doing the work without having to waste a turn of movement. This is a rule that will probably never come back as the new good assault elements of 40k are so strong that they would just dominate an edition with this rule. Could you imagine the DA/SW mash ups with a +3 to movement as they go from unit to unit? You would see games get decided in one broad swing of the Powerfist/Thunder Hammer/Thunder Wolf Swipe. It wouldn’t be good for the game but as lover of the assault phase I do get misty thinking about those days when my Bezerkers tore through whole armies.
Rhino Rush
Speaking of assaulting the old Rhino rush is something that is missed by some. It wasn’t the most balanced set of rules but it did feel very Space Marine like. I still don’t understand why the Drop pod isn’t an assault vehicle as every story, videogame, and fluff bits has Marines popping out and just laying waste to whoever they landed by with their chainswords. Right now I just want the old rule of allowing you to assault after getting out of a vehicle if it didn’t move. That would be neat as some tanks would get some more life back in them as well as some other vehicles.
Abstract Terrain
I miss the abstract terrain that actually allowed some cover. Sure it would give benefits to assault armies but it is kinda annoying trying to see true LOS. It also causes some arguments as people can get really made at terrain or love the shooting gallery of death. I always thought that there could be a better way to handle it with units being close to the piece of terrain having better vision then those far away. This way you could remove some of the static nature of 40k at times and look at making people move to get the best range of firepower. I just think the abstract nature that terrain used to have allowed for a faster bit of gameplay and just let events worry less about having huge friggin walls of doom.
Psychic Phase
There is a lot of psychic powers I miss that I think should come back to the game. Misfortune was a great equalizer on some of these rerolling save death stars. Forcing an opponent to pay for their shenannigans with only one allowed reroll whether good or bad would help out a lot. I also miss the old Terrify when it removed Fearless. There are a lot of fear based combos that could break these units in half if they lost the mad ravings of their best friend Chaplain/Wolf Priest. I think Chaos could use the old Lash of Despair back again as it would let them compete with some of the armies by forcing maelstrom issues or other scoring opportunities. Fear the Darkness was a pretty neat power form the Blood Angels that never got its say. If Terrify was back then I could see some combos with this to break armies in half as they ran off the table. Still that isn’t the most fun way to lose so it is probably good we don’t have it in there. Heck there is still the dominate cheese that can lock down a Thunder Star for a long time that is still out there.
I really miss the better psychic counter spelling. I think that is a big missed opportunity that GW had with the 7th edition psychic phase. While the Rune Priest’s consistent 4+ (or 3+ with the best weatherman ever – NJAL) might have been too good I think a better reworked countering system might benefit the game. It would at least move some things away from the extreme paper/rock/scissors match ups we see now.
Pre-Allies
With this whole combo nature of army building I do miss the glory days of only taking one book to an event. I think things would be better if combo’d units were better defined on what they are after a bunch of drinking buddies decide to ride all their bikes/wolves/jetbikes together. If these units were either all of the things they are combine or none of them it would make some rules arguments easier. Being the best Space Wolves players was a heck of a lot more interesting when you just had to play Space Wolves and maybe one Inquisitor.
Odds & Ends
I miss the old night fighting rule where you had only a certain amount of distance to shoot. It let going first be less of an issue and would help you hide your army better. I would also remove the whole – no models on the table you lose bit of the game as there are a lot of match ups that force you to waste your army because your opponents alpha strike is just too good. Of course this forces a ton of people to just go 2nd a lot but with proper maelstrom missions and set up you will be a good deal behind if you have nothing on the table to compete with your opponent. Its the balancing game that I think is missing with 40k and forces army building into the extremes of either surviving or hiding out to remove your opponents abilities to do damage.
Classic Force Org
There is also the thought that the force org has gotten too bloated and needs to either be reined in or changed to allow for less extreme building. Sure this is a game where in reality you can build whatever type of army you want even without going Unbound but there is benefit to creating a structure to hang your balance hat on. It helps create the competitive structure you need. It does make me think that some of these detachments and other force org changers could have used more taxes in order to create the benefit of a true old skool CAD.
What things do you miss from the older editions of 40k? I know I didn’t list everything but I am sure there is other things out there that you wish was still a part of our plastic crack habit.
PS: Top image is what I got when looking up Good Ole Days…
