Goatboy right here with ideas on the brand new Leagues of Votann codex. You higher consider it would shake up the sport!

Yes I do know that a whole lot of you could have learn it so whereas I gained’t go loopy deep into the foundations I need to do a fast look via what I like and dislike in regards to the Codex.

Big disclaimer – I gained’t be constructing a Space Dwarf military for myself.  I do assume the fluff is fairly dang neat because it does give a unique tackle the 40k life.  I at all times benefit from the story entering into a unique path than the conventional – finish of the world and every part sucks mentality that a whole lot of 40k has.  With that – let’s soar on in.

I break my critiques into the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  Like some sort of misplaced western what I believe is Bad won’t really be dangerous – simply misunderstood.  The ugly components of that is actually how this codex would possibly find yourself being the final word gatekeeper/newb shooter military for 40k.

The Good

On the Good facet of issues, I do actually benefit from the total tone of the e-book.  It is a way more optimistic tackle the Grimdark universe with a massively technologically superior race doing extra than simply being overrun with the spiritual weight of a god strapped to a chair.  The e-book feels excessive tech and it’s a good factor as that is speculated to be the race of tremendous dangerous ass scientists doing superior sci-fi stuff.  I like the concept of cloneskins and large unwieldy AI operating the world.  Like some sort of loopy Dwarven Logan’s Run. RENEW!!!

I additionally assume the fashions – whereas not my spikey chaos-loving cup of tea – do offer you a full line of stuff to make the most of.  You have a pleasant array of HQ characters, a tank-like choice, and a pleasant feeling troop alternative.  You combine that with another bits and items just like the assault parts and capturing choices and you are feeling like it’s a full drive to play with.  There actually isn’t any chaff within the e-book and hopefully as they proceed so as to add issues they don’t bloat the e-book out as they additional launch choices.

Judgement Tokens

On the foundations facet of issues I’ve my very own opinions in regards to the Judgement mechanic, I’ll focus on afterward however as an entire it’s a simple mechanic to make use of.  You don’t have to fret about burning an motion to activate it. The e-book comes with tokens so that you can use, and the way it works is fairly simple.  Heck all of the stratagems that grasp off of it are fairly easy past just a few bizarre interactions on particular Leagues and counting models you shot as having Judgement tokens.  This is the mechanic Tau would have beloved to have and one thing I really feel might simply be chained into different armies.  It is only a quite simple rule that offers an enormous profit because it chains so many issues off of it.  This is in fact the place there are some points – however we are going to discuss that later.

The Void armor rule can also be an excellent rule that feels somewhat bit too highly effective.  If you’ve learn it everybody with that armor ignores an 1 level of AP on an assault and you’ll’t reroll the injury roll or the wound function on an assault towards them.  That is a really highly effective rule that each one the League models get as a substitute of only one particular group of Space Dwarves.  I don’t know if such a rule ought to actually be in a whole lot of books and as a substitute look in direction of eradicating among the reroll mechanics however that’s one other story for a unique soapbox to cry from.

Weapons

On the weapon facet of issues, the Leagues of Votann have a whole lot of very highly effective choices.  We have seen the chatter in regards to the beam weapons however the Magna-Rail actually appears excessive.  You have a large laser that ignores Invulnerable saves and on unmodified rolls of 6 to wound (which with Judgement tokens can occur so simply) the surplus injury spills into the unit.  This primary interplay is how AOS handles injury and whereas I’ve ideas on that it’s a enormous menace within the present panorama of 40k.  Most of the time you had weapons that had been good towards one goal or good towards a number of targets.  Now you could have a gun that may be good towards all targets.  Those weapons in fact have the conventional d3X*+3 or +6 injury profile which might imply a single laser murders a ton of dancing Space Elves .  This appears tremendous tough to cope with, particularly with an elite-style military.  Let alone any large large factor that may’t disguise from demise lasers capturing out their naughty bits.

They even have a bizarre HunTR weapon profile to additional confuse folks.  I perceive that a whole lot of these weapons don’t match into the Assault, Rapid Fire, or Heavy choices so that you need one thing a bit totally different.  If you gave it assault it turns into too highly effective as they’ve some motion tips that may get them to go someplace.  It makes me assume they need to have simply made a brand new primary Weapon profile for any future issues too.  Like arrange a system like Basic, Heavy, Assault, and Beam and so on.  That would have been simpler and I hope we see one thing like that in tenth version.

Spells & Warlord Traits

On the Spell facet of issues the acquire the CP for a Warp Charge 5 spell appears actually good in case your military wants CP.  They in fact have a combo FNP of 6+ with +1 to Toughness for WC 6 which appears fairly first rate. They get their very own model of Death Hex/Null Zone which appears good however their Magna Rail does that job with out having to roll a psychic take a look at.  Their Psychic isn’t superb however then it has at the least 2 powers which can be tremendous useful so having one caster isn’t a foul factor for a military.

On the Warlord Trait facet of issues, the large splashy one is the “A Long List” that lets the character ignore Look out Sir.  With just a few different issues, Judgement Tokens, and Stratagems you may get a unit that simply flat out murders 6-wound or much less characters.  This will present up rather a lot and be ready to lose your Master of Possession to a well-timed shot to the face. It makes me assume Rhinos is perhaps wanted to cover your guys – or simply hope to cover past terrain.  There are another League-based ones with regaining CP, deployment tips, FNP, and injury will increase.  I believe the Long List is by far the one we are going to at all times see and the others are depending on what you need your chief to do.

Upgrades & Relics

There are 3 level upgrades in your character with the High Kahl supplying you with a Chapter Master like means and exploding Judgement Tokens in the event you kill a unit that has some.  This is highly effective as once more – everyone knows how good rerolls are and this one offers a unit full rerolls.  You have the power to forged one other spell with the Psychic Upgrade which is okay.  Finally, you bought the one for the Forge-master that lets your Long List warlord trait go bonkers the place on a wound roll of a 6 you get to do mortal wounds to the unit-based injury profile.  If it occurs to be a beam weapon it goes on all of the models you hit with the beam weapon too.  That’s proper you possibly can throw out mortal wounds on everybody!

Relics you get a wide variety of harm choices and a battle final.  Will see what finally ends up displaying up however I anticipate no matter choice you possibly can put your demise laser character on would be the alternative you need.  This military is constructed to shoot you and do as a lot injury with their future bullets, laser demise beams, and simply spiteful wishes to have you ever get off their garden.

The Bad

The military is absolutely going to be designed as a gatekeeper military.  It will hold a whole lot of different builds down as they’ll simply shoot you off of the desk fairly simply.  Some of the  GW terrain setups shall be particularly lethal as the center is left as a no man’s land zone of homicide.  I don’t know if that’s good as taking part in towards T’au is simply not that thrilling. In a whole lot of methods that is only a slower however higher capturing Tau military.

Thankfully their secondary’s are usually not superb so whereas they’re capturing you I can see some builds simply bullying them away from the Primary Mission because the e-book is fairly dang gradual.  Even their quick stuff will get too far forward and you’ll simply capitalize on being misplaced and making certain you retain forward.  Without any slam dunk choices it does get arduous for them to try to keep forward of you.  Their hope is to homicide sufficient of your choices to maintain your military down on the Primary mission.

The weirdest factor is there isn’t a flyer within the e-book.  You would assume they might have some sort of cool choice to fly across the desk however left that for the bikers to do.  I additionally assume the Wheels on the Land Fortress really feel misplaced as they’ve proven to love floating issues why not proceed in that path?  I additionally really feel just like the AI stuff wants to point out up extra with some sort of Giant Dreadnought like factor or some even larger area swimsuit with an enormous beard of demise.

The Ugly

Finally, on the ugly I do assume the Judgement mechanic wants a tweak. I really feel the second bullet level for Judgement tokens feels too oppressive.  The means to realize a Judgement token for finishing an Action or Psychic motion simply feels an excessive amount of for a sport that’s closely designed on doing actions.  You need to ask GW why would they do a really highly effective and explosive means chained onto what your Enemy must do to finish the mission.  It is simply one thing I’ve to surprise about as I really feel it is rather damaging to a military. Especially on a really vast open desk.

Overall Thoughts

There is a ton of stuff within the e-book as you could have customized Leagues, combos for days, and the power to do a ton of harm within the capturing section.  You additionally get some tremendous highly effective assault choices with a particular character that may punk most different large characters. The Leagues have a tank that gained’t die, terminator like our bodies which can be so arduous to chew threw, and beams of demise.  Like I mentioned that is the military Tau needs it might have had with extra fits of superior leaping motion.

This military will gatekeep and try to be ready to see it as a ton of choices can be found.  Thankfully the military isn’t going to be totally launched till later in October however it would nonetheless be a tough time for these making an attempt to not get beamed to demise.

~All Hail the Squats!

Thomas Reidy, aka Goatboy, the ever-evil member of BoLS. I do arts, play 40k, and even paint a whole lot of stuff. I’ve been taking part in Warhammer 40K because the Nineties, and have gained a number of nationwide occasions together with Adepticon and GW GTs. I’ve been writing for BoLS for 15 years. Look at my Instagram to see what I’m engaged on – or engaged on for somebody. I’m at all times doing one thing pastime associated.

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