We previously reviewed the “Simplified, not simple” direction the 10th Edition of Warhammer 40,000 will be taking. But now it’s time to expand on how that design philosophy will affect army building – a really important aspect, as the 10th Edition of Warhammer 40,000 is expected to bring a lot of new blood to the tabletop (Khorne will be pleased). We already covered how this edition is quite possibly the best one yet, and for a good reason!
Games Workshop Announces Major Changes to the Detachment System
Games Workshop has revealed that there will be a major change to the Detachment system – a long-standing Warhammer 40,000 staple.
To be more specific, Games Workshop announced that they will be retiring Battlefield Roles. Their original concept, along with the old Force Organization chart, was to add some form of structure for army building, but players always found them rather restrictive and dull.
With the removal of Battlefield Roles, Games Workshop aims to encourage players to get creative and use a wider range of units. This is incentivized by giving each unit a unique ability and battlefield role. In the 10th Edition, Games Workshop aims to make units even more fleshed out and have a unique role on the battlefield.
This change will also make troops feel like less of a “tax” to bring units a player would actually want on the battlefield. This doesn’t mean that old battle lines will become obsolete. On the contrary, old strategies and front-line squads will be very much viable, but what is certain is that the removal of Battlefield Roles will bring more unit diversity – we will be seeing a lot more different units and strategies on the battlefield.
It was further revealed that there are now three main army sizes: Incursion (1,000 points), Strike Force (2,000 points), and Onslaught (3,000 points). 500-point army size games are also available, but more suited for the Combat Patrol format, while the larger sized armies are more suitable for the core Warhammer 40,000 rules.
Power Levels will also be retired in the 10th Edition, giving points the main role for building your roster. This change will add even more clarity and simplicity. From there, the possibilities are endless.
Detachment Rules Will No Longer Be Color-Bound
Yet another major change to the Detachment System will be to the selection of the Detachment rules for your army, including special abilities, Enhancements, Stratagems, and unit restrictions. This means that they will no longer be color-theme-restricted.
For example, if your army is painted in the color of the Blood Ravens chapter, but you want to use an ability attributed to the Ultramarines chapter – you can! This also means that you can try various Detachments with a single army until you find the ones suited to your playstyle and strategy. This is a wonderful change favoring diversity and freedom that is sure to please any Warhammer 40,000 fan.
The article further emphasized that the streamlining of the rules means that any army’s or unit’s rules will comfortably fit on either a page or a card, so there will no longer be any need for codex delving for one specific rule.
We will definitely be keeping a close eye on the 10th Edition, so stay tuned for more news!