The internet has been full of rumours for the past week that there is a new Warhammer 40K on the way - and with this week's White Dwarf we can confirm that is the case! In terms of releases, the WH40K reveal in this issue is really just a teaser, but we can see the new things being introduced that could make it a very different game. There are also echoes of the past with the return of an old favourite for some players - especially the Grey Knights. Not only that, we see a new War Zone book and some Wood Elves. As far as issues goes, this is a pretty packed one with new Wood Elves, the 40K teaser AND an new War Zone book! The stand out for me this issue though was the photography. After a pretty crappy start, they seem to be back on track with some great images and models. Want to find out what 40K has in store for you AND what's in this issue? More after the jump... |
War Zone: Valedor, yet another installment in the War Zone series, sees Hive Fleet Kraken up against the Eldar and their old friends [not sure when this happened... ] the Dark Eldar. Really all we see is an ad at the start of the issue with some pretty pictures, but there is more to come. Personally anything with the Dark Eldar in it is good in my books | In terms of books, it's a pretty good release schedule; The Last Days of Ector is a War Zone: Valedor prequel novella Orion is the 3rd in the Wood Elves trilogy. Then of course we have Valedor, the novel to accompany the War Zone: Valedor release. There's also a bit on Carnage for the gamers! |
For me this really opens the Wood Elves up to a whole lot more modelling options.
Still on the Warhammer release, the formidable Gorbad Ironclaw is in the Hall of Fame. Interesting what modeller, Alex Hedstrom has to say about digital sculpting in terms of how they used to sculpt.
We INTERRUPT this White Dwarf Review to bring you this IMPORTANT message!
May 24th with preorder going up next week
Major changes:
1) "Unbound" and "Battle-Forged" armies.
Battle-Forged armies are armies as we know them know, plus they get in-game bonuses.
Unbound armies effectively allow you to take whatever you want to take as long as it's in the alotted points limit. Force organisation is no more in this army structure. There is an Allies Matrix being released, so there will be some boundaries.
This therefore means that if you want to take a Predator squadron as your army you can, or a Vindicator force to lay siege to a fortress, you can.
2) New Tactical Objectives
As well as the current Eternal War missions in the current book, there will also be six new Maelstrom of War missions using 36 Tactical Objective cards allowing more strategic choices. There will therefore be Tactical Objectives in play during games that award specific victory points at the end of each turn.
It seems a bit like Achievement Points in Call of Duty of Titanfall.
You'll have to juggle these new Tactical Objectives as well as still hold objectives and eliminate your enemy - or at least win!
3) Psychics rejoice - the Psychic Phase is back!
If you're a real Psychic player you probably already knew it was coming back already though...
So a collection of Warp Charge dice is created at the start of the Psychic Phase equal to the roll of the D6 added to your Psyker's Mastery level. Although you can use as many dice as you want, Perils of the Warp is out there. There will be a new table to refer to, and it's supposed to be a bit beastly.
The Psychic Phase can be stopped by another Psyker or the like, so getting this right seems pretty crucial.
There is also a new form called Daemonology which although summoning creatures from the Warp, can have a very high cost!
We Now Return You To The White Dwarf Review...
Then it's back to War Zone: Valedor to look at the formations - the Dark Eldar are so cool. The rumoured relaunch worries me no end! I hope Jes Goodwin is still involved... If we return to the Ally Morrison days of Dark Eldar you'll hear the screams from where you are! | The Week in White Dwarf continues to be the stand out part of this incarnation of White Dwarf. There's a lot to see, and some fun stuff and some beautiful models. This issue of White Dwarf has some of the nicest models we have seen so far. (see below) |
There's quite a bit to see, some great photography and top-notch models.
I would go out in the snow to buy this issue - it doesn't snow here so it's a hollow statement but you get my drift!
So what do you think of the new 40K rules?
Are your fears allayed so far?