Fantasy and 40K: The Shooting Phase

The Shooting Phase is the phase were armies begin to show their killing potential. For 40k its often the most violent and causality heavy phase of the game, and for Fantasy it’s the phase where players aim to either weaken a unit before a big charge or cause a panic and delay their opponents plans for a few turns.  The mechanics of each system shooting phases reflect this as well as the profiles of the ranged weapons themselves.

40k

In 40k the majority of units can shoot (even if having moved), the two most common reasons why a unit would not be able to shoot are 1) the unit is in assault and 2) The unit is fleeing.  Other reasons exist as to why a unit would not be able to shoot, but these are often race specific, the two above are the most common reasons why a unit would not be able to shoot.

After you have determined who will be shooting at what you will need to roll a number of dice equal to the number of models in the squad who wish to shoot. Ballistic skill determines how likely you are to hit (this is the same as Fantasy). After rolling to hit compare the strength of the weapon being fired to the toughness value of the target, this will determine what roll on a d6 you will need to wound the target. Finally the target gets a chance to save the wound with either Invulnerable saves, Armour saves or cover saves. Unlike Fantasy a models armour save is not affected by the strength of the shot. Cover saves are determined by what type of cover the model is in (if any). It is vitally important to pre determine what terrain piece gives what save before the game beginning in order to avoid arguments later on in the game.  Generally light cover gives a 6+ save, medium cover gives a 5+ and heavy covers gives a 4+. If half a squad is in light cover and the other half is in medium cover then the shooting unit can choose to focus fire on either only the models in light cover, or only the models in medium cover.

Where 40k sets itself apart from Fantasy is in the weapons themselves. There are 6 different types of weapons each with their own general rules set. For example assault weapons are the only weapons that a model can fire with in the shooting phase and then assault in the assault phase.

Finally the 40k shooting phase has the option for squads to fore go shooting in favour of making a Run move. A run move allows the squad to move equal to the roll of a d6. Note that squads that run cannot shoot or assault unless stated in their codex.

Pros

• The 40k shooting phase is faster than Fantasy, with the majority of squads being able to shoot.

• The 40k shooting phase can be a game winner, this means that armies who are good at shooting can win games in the shooting phase as opposed to just weakening the enemy.

Cons

• The 40k shooting phase is very unforgiving, a misplaced squad can easily be obliterated in one turn.

Fantasy

Fantasy works in much the same way as 40k does for its shooting e.g. Ballistic skill determines what you need to get on a d6 to hit, the strength of the weapon Vs the toughness of the model being shot determines what you need on a d6 to wound. There are some major changes from 40k that set the Fantasy shooting phase apart. They are:

• In Fantasy cover is broken into 2 categories, Hard and Soft. Hard cover gives a -2 to hit penalty for shooting and soft gives a -1 to hit plenty for shooting.

• The majority of units can move and shoot (notable exceptions include any “Gun” units) however moving and shooting gives a -1 to hit and units cannot march and move

• Ranged weapons have a short and long range distance. At long range all shooting attacks suffer a -1 to hit penalty and at short range there are no penalties (for range)

•  Units that suffer 25% casualties must take a leadership test or flee (referred to as a panic test) furthermore units within a certain distance from a unit that flees as a result from a failed panic test must test for panic themselves.

• The Strength of a weapon modifies the armour save of the target. Strength 4 reduces the armour save by one. e.g. a model with a 5+ armour save shot be a strength 4 weapon would have a 6+ save against that shot.

Here we see a example of the panic rule in action. The 3 units of Glade Guard focus their attacks on the center unit of Orc Boyz....

Which causes the unit to flee.......

Which in turn causes the other 2 units to flee due to failed panic tests

Pros

•  The Fantasy shooting phase, while not as violent as the 40k, can still be effective, with whole battle lines turning tail and fleeing due to one unit being targeted.

•  The rules do a good job of ensuring that ranged armies do not dominate in a game that is still largely based around close combat.

Cons

•  While the rules do ensure that ranged armies don’t dominate, they do make it difficult for an all ranged army to do well. The rules force players to have some close combat units in their army.

Conclusion

Once again the 40k shooting phase continues the trend of being the more streamlined shooting phase, allowing for the majority of squads to shoot ensuring maximum damage from turn one. Fantasy shooting shows just how close combat focused fantasy is, with shooting attacks useful only in their ability to whittle down a until before a charge or causing a panic in the enemy lines. While having 3 units panic from shooting and fleeing sounds bad most units rally the next turn meaning that the shooting player only managed to buy him/herself another turn, 2 at the most, that being said this can be all a good player needs to turn the battle in his favour.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post, for the final part of Fantasy and 40k I will be looking at the close combat/assault phase and giving a summary of each system.

Until next time.

Rex

Fantasy and 40k: Psykers and Magic

Magic is a big part of Fantasy, so big that it gets its own phase and the majority of Fantasy players lists will include a mage. For 40k pyskers, and psykic powers, are a small part of their game. Psykic powers are part of the shooting phase and Pyskers aren’t seen as key to many 40k lists. This post will examine the difference between how Fantasy and 40k treat magic, and will look at why pyskers have such a small roll compared to key position held by mages in fantasy.  

40K

In 40k a player generates warp charge tokens equal to the total combined warp mastery level in his army, also the warp mastery level is also how many spells a psyker can know in one game. He can then spend these tokens to use psykic powers, activate force weapons in close combat or similar things. Each psykic power has a cost to use it e.g. Power A costs one charge token to use and power B costs 2. Once a player decides upon a power to use he subtracts its costs from his warp token pool and takes a Leadership test, if the test is passed then the power is cast and the effects are resolved, if he fails the test then the power fails to take effect.  If the player rolls a double one or six then the model who tried to cast the power suffers 1 wound with no saves allowed, (referred to as “perils of the warp”). If the power targets a squad then they can try to prevent the power from having any effect by rolling a 6 on a d6 (referred to as Deny the Witch). The 40k rule book has 6 standard power lists with the newer codices having race specific lists.

Pros

•  The system is similar to the old fantasy one, where having higher level pyskers is worth more than knowing a few more spells.

•  The system is yards better than it used to be with psykic powers being a more in depth game mechanic. To add to this the rulebook powers are more than just place holders with many of the power lists having serous bite to them.

Cons

•  With the lack of any real basic dispel mechanic, older armies will find it hard to defend themselves against pyskers.

• Without the danger presented by a miscast table, and perils of the warp doing little to punish failed attempts, there is no real reason for players not to spam their best power and blast their opponents with little concern for the potential risks.

Fantasy

In Fantasy each mage knows a number of spells equal to their wizard level.  Each player gets a power dice pool at the start of their magic phase, the power dice are equal to the roll of 2d6, and their opponent gets a amount of dispell dice equal to the highest d6 from their opponents 2d6 roll, the maximum amount of power/dispel dice a player can have in his/her pool s 12. Each spell has a casting level which players must equal to or beat with the roll from however many of their power dice they decide to use on any one given spell, some spells give the option for a boosted version of the spell which will have a greater effect .Also the wizard who is casting the spell can add his wizard level to the dice result, the maximum amount of dice that can be used to either cast or dispel a spell is six. The opposing player can then decide to attempt to try and dispel a successfully cast spell by equaling or beating his opponents power dice roll, he adds his/hers highest wizard level to the dispel attempt.  A roll of a double six for casting results in the spell being automatically cast and immune to dispel attempts however the casting mage must roll on the miscast table. A double six on a dispel attempt automatically dispels the spell regardless of casting result.  

Pros

•  Each army gets has an equal chance of getting a high power dice pool.

• Regardless of how many wizards are in a army,  each army will have a decent sized dispel pool

Cons

• There is now virtually no point to taking a level 4 wizard over a level 3, as the level  4 only offers 1 more spell and +1 more to the casting result.

Conclusion

In 40k the shooting phase is often a game changing phase, with weapons powerful enough to remove whole units in a single shot. This is could be part of the reason why pyskers aren’t a must have in 40k armies.  While psykic powers are powerful many of the 40k weapons do what pyskers do only better (and without a chance of hurting themselves). One example of this is a space wolf rune priest with living lightning (a range unlimited, strength 7 AP 5, Assault D6 psykic power) compared to a squad of grey hunters with bolters. While the psykic power does have a longer range and higher strength the squad of grey hunters can pump out more shots and only has to roll to hit and wound, whereas the rune priest has to roll to cast, then to hit and to wound. Considering that a rune priest cost 100 points(and comes from a HQ slot, where other more useful options compete for those force org slots) and 10 grey hunters costs 150 points (and take up a troops slot where there is only one ,worse, option) it’s easy to see why many 40k players forgo pyskers in favor of other HQ options, confident that other units in their army can do the job of pyskers.

Compare this to Fantasy where the main job of the shooting phase is to weaken units for combat or panic units (and thus delay them while they rally) and it’s easy to see why mages are often included in a fantasy force. Often Fantasy magic will be far more destructive than fantasy shooting (this is helped by strength modifying the armour save in Fantasy and high armour saves being relativity rare). A boosted fireball spell can do more damage than any unit of archers in the game due to its 2d6 hits, not needing to roll to hit and high strength. Fantasy magic is not outshone by other parts of the army, and as such it has such a respected place in most Fantasy list. Whereas 40k pyskers are often outshone (on both the destructive and buff front) by other parts of a 40k force.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post, next time I will take a look at both systems shooting phases and how they affect the rest of the game.

Until next time.

Rex

Fantasy and 40k: The Movement Phase

It is undeniable that 40k and Fantasy's movement phases share certain aspects yet are also different enough from one and other to be called separate rules sets. 40k's movement system can be called stream lined where as fantasy's system is a more tactically minded one. As the movement phase is more than just movement this post will look at the Movement Mechanics of each system and how terrain effects movement in both systems.

40K

Movement Mechanics

In 40k the majority of models move 6 inches in the movement phase, with exceptions being calvary,  jetbikes, jump infantry, beasts and bikes (who all move 12 inches) ,and vehicles (whose movement is based on the type of vehicle). In terms of the direction a squad can move the player simply turns the squad in the direction they wish to move and then moves the squad.

Terrain Effects

In terms of the effects of terrain on movement in 40k open ground has no effect on movement. Impassable terrain cannot be moved through. Lethal terrain cannot be moved through in addition any model that touches lethal terrain dies instantly with no saves of any kind allowed. Difficult can be moved through however any squad or model that wishes to move through difficult terrain must roll 2D6 and pick the highest as their movement value. Dangerous terrain works exactly like difficult, in addition each model that passes through dangerous terrain must roll a dice, and on a roll of 1 that model suffers a wound with armour and invulnerable saves allowed (referred to as a Dangerous terrain test) . 

Different model types are effected differently by terrain, for example Calvary ignore the movement reducing effects of difficult and dangerous terrain but must take a dangerous terrain test when moving through difficult and dangerous terrain.

Pros

• The 40k movement system is by far less complex than the fantasy, allowing for a quick and fast movement phase.

• Terrain rules are simple and straight forward.

•  With every model (regardless of race) moving a set distance the 40k movement      phase is streamlined and straight forward.

Cons

• The more difficult tactical maneuvers of Fantasy don't work in 40k due to the fact that there is no penalty for turning your squad to face a new direction, and that the squad formation in 40k is very loose compared to the tight unit formation of Fantasy.

• With Charge moves being moved to the assault phase, and having the option to “Run” models in the shooting phase there is movement going on in every game turn, and given that newer armies take advantage of this it can leave the older armies at a severe disadvantage.

•  Lethal terrain, if not properly defined, can cause arguments during game given the extreme effects it has on models that enter it.

Fantasy

Movement Mechanics

In Fantasy every model has a individual movement characteristic, a model can make a normal move up to the maximum value of that movement characteristic or can march, in which case they can move up to double that movement characteristic, however you cannot march if you are within 8 of an enemy unit or model unless you pass a leadership test first. The Fantasy movement phase is very structured and each movement phase is broken down into various steps that must be followed in a particular order, those steps are as follows:

1)Declare charges. The player declares which units will be charging who, and then resolves each individual charge before moving onto the next unit. 

2)Resolve Charges. The individual charges are resolved, with the unit being charged either standing and holding (standard charge reaction where the unit braces for the charge, has no additional effect), Standing and shooting (a optional reaction for a unit with ranged weapons, the unit can make a shooting attack, at -1 to hit, before the charge hits) or Fleeing (the unit runs directly away from the charging unit 2d6, unless the charging unit can redirect the charge, a leadership test, it counts as a failed charge), after the reaction has been resolved each charging unit moves 2d6 plus the movement characteristic of the unit.

3)Compulsory moves. Any unit that has to make a non-voluntary movement does so now, after charges but before remaining moves. Also any fleeing units can try to rally.

4)Remaining Moves. Any unit that has not moved yet, either  as a charge or compulsory move, can do so now. 

Moves like pivoting and turning count towards moving the total distance a unit can move, for example a unit of Wood Elf Glade Guard turns to the left of its current position (which say takes 3 inches) it can them move 7 inches forward.

Terrain Effects

Terrain has been simplified in Fantasy, there are 3 types of terrain:

1):Open Ground. Open ground has no effect on unit movement

2):Dangerous terrain. Like 40k and model that moves through difficult terrain must pass a 
dangerous terrain test or suffer a wound without armour saves.

3):Impassable terrain. Impassable terrain cannot be crossed.

Pros

• The Fantasy movement system allows for tactical maneuvers and sneaky movement tricks
• Each army has a base movement value that compliments its play style making for a more unique feel per army

• As the terrain system is fairly simple less time is spent debating whether a forest is difficult or dangerous terrain. 

In this selection of images we see how a wood elf player Maneuvers in between the two units of zombies to prevent them from charging the unit.

Please note that the wood elf player deserves to have dice thrown at him for playing this trick

Cons

• The Fantasy movement phase takes far longer as it is more complex than 40k

• Due to how models are placed in their unit arguments can easily begin about how many models in a unit should take Dangerous terrain tests.

Conclusions

The movement phases of Fantasy and 40k echo their deployment phases in that 40k is streamlined, allowing for a fast movement phase, and Fantasy is complex, allowing for more tactical moves. While a streamlined system is good it removes a fair bit of tactics from the 40k movement phase in order to be as streamlined as it is. And while there is a certain amount of boundless glee to be gained from pulling off a tricksy fantasy maneuver newer and inexperienced may be put off doing some of the more cunning tricks due to the many rules that surround the Fantasy movement phase.

Hopefully you have enjoyed part 2 of the Fantasy and 40k series, at some point in the future part 3 will be published which will look at the Fantasy magic phase and 40k psychic powers.

Until next time.

Rex