Chapter Approved 2018 is coming, and with it, a huge host of new content for every kind of gamer. This week, we’ll be looking over some of the main headlines, starting with a closer look at what’s in store for matched play!
This article was originally published on the Warhammer-community site.
2018 has been an incredible year for Warhammer 40,000 matched play. Working with our playtesters, tournament organisers, and fans from around the world, we’ve been able to keep the game balanced and fun, leading to a diverse, fast-moving competitive field at the highest level as well as making the game fair for all players. In Chapter Approved 2018, we’re going to make matched play even better:
Missions are at the heart of matched play, each designed to test a different aspect of your generalship and give tournament organisers a host of options when designing their events. We’re bringing 12 new missions to matched play in this Chapter Approved, with 6 for Eternal War and 6 for Maelstrom of War, designed in conjunction with our expert playtesters to create a balanced, objective-focused and fun experience.
One of the most interesting additions to several of these missions is Acceptable Casualties. This being the grim darkness of the far future, often, any sacrifice is worthwhile in pursuit of greater victory, and we want more of the game to reflect that. In missions with Acceptable Casualties, Sudden Death rules do not apply, meaning if you’ve played to the objectives, you can still win, even if your army gets wiped out!
This turns list-building for matched play on its head as your army might be able to table the opponent, but if it can’t capture objectives, then you’ll be unlikely to claim victory. Speed will also be key in winning these missions – if you can grab enough points early on, you’ll be able to claim an insurmountable lead.
One of these awesome missions is Narrow the Search, where the radius in which you can control each objective starts off as an 18″ bubble and shrinks every turn, bringing both players’ forces inexorably closer…
As well as missions, we’ve taken the opportunity both to enshrine some Big FAQ rules in print as well as taking a look at points. As before, this review is pretty wide-ranging, but there are a few highlights…
Take the Necrons as an example – cool units like Triarch Praetorians have had a hefty reduction in points, making them a much more viable choice in a Necron army, and offering aspiring Overlords an interesting tactical option for their matched play forces.
Grey Knights, too, have seen some sweeping points reductions to a bunch of core units, including Paladins and Purifiers, as well as the Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight. If you collect Grey Knights, you’ll have loads more flexibility when building your lists and may well find units you previously overlooked to be much more appealing.
It’s fair to say that some of the most stunning models in Warhammer 40,000 weren’t getting much time on the table in the matched play scene (Wraithknight, we’re looking at you), so we’ve made some adjustments to help encourage their use. For example, the aforementioned Wraithknight has had an enormous reduction in points, now costing a little over 300 points, rather than over 400 before weapons! You’re now free to use these extra points on reinforcements, or more Wraithknights…
We’ve also taken the opportunity to look at some units that might be over performing based on their points costs, making increases where necessary. Chaos Cultists, for instance, have been given a small increase based on their overwhelming popularity in Chaos lists of all kinds. Several other units that have been dominating lists have had a similar treatment – we’re looking to make a more diverse field where every unit has a legitimate place in matched play.
Like the previous edition of Chapter Approved, we’ve also had the chance to look at some Forge World datasheets and tweak points accordingly. One option we’ve had loads of feedback on is the Knight Magaera. Loads of you guys thought this cost a few too many points – and we agree! After some further testing, we’ve dropped its cost to a more appropriate level. If you’ve been holding off on adding a Forge World model to your army, you may well find yourself with the perfect excuse.
Loads of other content in this year’s Chapter Approved is designed to be compatible with matched play too, like the Eight – Commander Farsight’s elite unit of battlesuit-armoured heroes. Taken as a single Lord of War choice and costing over 1000 points, the Eight are awesome, featuring new datasheets and Signature Systems to represent their unique abilities. If you’re looking for a powerful new choice for your T’au Empire army, this could be it…
The Sisters of Battle beta codex has also been provided with a full set of points for matched play (which we’d love your feedback on via social media and email), while Index: Renegade Knights has been reprinted in full and remains an official part of the game. The future’s bright for matched play…
We’ll have more previews of Chapter Approved in store for you throughout the week, continuing tomorrow with a look at Open Play – see you then!
While you’re waiting, let us know what you’re most excited about on the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page.
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Reece, I know you cant speak on anything until it is official, but I have seen a lot of rumours regarding Terminators going down almost by half in points. So assuming they have enough of a drop that they are close to half current cost, am I crazy in thinking BA assault terminators have a shot – especially with all the BA deployment/charge hack?
also, great to see GW adopt First Strike and the can still win if wiped out. Some ITC influence there for sure!
I’m hoping you can see how it would be an unreasonable expectation for a T4, W2, 2+/5++ with natural deepstrike to only cost 15 points before wargear.
The usual suspect rumour sites are listing tactical termiantors with gear ( SB and PF ) at 23 points, down from 40 – so almost a half price drop.
If true, I will try out a 10 man 230 point terminator squad on the tabletop
That would be before wargear. Currently Terminators are 26ppm naked, rumors putting them at 23 or so, which would bring them from 40 to 37 with a Power Fist and Storm Bolter.
It is all wild speculation at this point, but a 3 point per model drop will not help them see tabletop. Admittedly the 23 down from 40 seems crazy but the specific rumours have them at 23 after wargear…which is likely wishful thinking. Easy to allow yourself to be led though, as I have a bunch of termies.
I find the idea of them being made 9ppm before wargear rather unrealistic.
Yeah there’s absolutely no way Terminators are gonna be 23pts total. 23pts _before_ wargear is fairly plausible, though.
It seems far fetched for sure, but at what points do they become fieldable?
The issue with the way points are structured in general with the generic wargear costs is a bit problematic in how it can intersect with a units statlines and special rules – the idea being that you tweak the models base cost to adjust the unit and only touch the wargear cost if there is more a game wide issue.
So if we assume that power fists are fine at 12 pts and stormbolters fine at 2 pts – the only option for giving a unit “free” wargear or discounted wargear is in the ppm.
So yes 23 with wargear (9 without) does seem ludicrous – but terminators (tactical) are a bad unit – 5 cant reliably kill a smash captain, 10 can’t reliably kill a knight – other units do the stormbolter drop cheaper, the mass fists cheaper, and 2+ save 2 wounds is in a weird position with all the ap -2 dmg 2 weapons.
Maybe there is little hope for terminator armour?
Power Fists aren’t 12pts, they’re 7pts I’m fairly sure.
Guard pay 8 i think (as per chapter approved 2017), but unless I’m missing something right in front of me, I’ve been paying 12 pts. This is something I’d be happy to be wrong about!
So many units are getting a boost it’s crazy. There was a very close look taken to under-performing units and an attempt made to try and make them more appealing. So, hopefully the scenario you describe is what we get for Terminators and other similar units, too.
I hope they went ham on some units. It’s like free money for them:
Ruststalkers get good? My collection suddenly goes from 5 to 30 easily, etc
If Cultists are going up to 5 points I’m really hoping that Guardsmen also see the same treatment.
Yeah, it’s not like the Loyal 32 haven’t made more than their fair share of tournament appearances.
Which is more for the benefits they provide (past iterations of Relics and CP) more so than their raw point efficiency. However, Guardsmen can be some of the most point efficient choices in the game and are easily taken in mass with those same, other benefits. I haven’t seen too many people run hoard guardsmen outside of Catachan, but I’ve seen firsthand how well Cadian hoards can fare.
Why does GW make missions that just fk an army for no reason (usually daemons for some reason)? It’s ok, I’m sure there’ll be a mission that remove normal saves within 12″ ?
Fortunately, no one on the west side of the Atlantic is actually playing with the GW book missions, so it’s not gonna be a problem for us.
Guess who lives on the east siiiiiiiiiiide~~~~ ?
But I persuaded everyone to use ITC in my country so it’s k
I just hope yannari get fixed. Are they dominate most metas. Can weapons platforms with 2+ saves please stop taking all the words for massive blobs of infantry? Lol
On one hand:
“Whoa, super cool that Daemons are getting less expensive”
On the other:
“You literally can’t play this mission, sorry”
🙁
Well at least plaguebearers with a tree will get a save.
Kind of hope the tree gets cheaper.
I am excited for the rumor floating around that Greater Daemons are getting a sizable point drop. Chaos Daemon’s centerpiece models have been MIA for too long.
I don’t think I would call the current Keeper of Secrets a “centerpiece.” It’s more like a turd that won’t flush.
I think the Keepers of Secrets are a perfect compliment to my chariots to form the bouquet of “I want to lose turn 1”.
All seriousness, if KoS are 150pts like the rumor says then they can be “Denizen of the Warp” for 1CP each. 300pts and 2 CP, to Deep Strike a pair of KoS isn’t bad by Slaanesh standards.
Is it better than just paying 60 more pts and taking 2 Princes with Claws who advance/charge and have character protection?
All Slaanesh characters in a pure detachment get the “Locus of Swiftness” which allows all Slaanesh daemons within 6″ advance and charge.
Keeper of Secrets has a couple unique tools over the Daemon Prince.
They get 6 attacks with the Witstealer sword, which is an S7 AP-3 D3 damage. Unsaved wounds cause the model to take a -1 to hit for the rest of the game.
Keeper of Secrets has an ability which causes them -1 to be hit in the fight phase.
They also cast 2 deny 1.
KoS can stack up to a -3 to be hit with Symphony of Pain psychic power. This makes them very annoying to elite units like Knights.
The major downside is they are W12 and degrade on M/S/A. They also only have a 5++ so mass small arms fire can kill it pretty easy.
Just spitballing here, but maybe they should have the greater daemons trade in one of their degrading stats for 3++/4++/5++
With the Wraithknight getting a 100 point drop I am gleefully hopeful that the Iconic Monolith will get the help it deserves. 🙂 On the hype train!
I am not even sure if a greater daemon needs a 3++. I think a 4++ would be fine.
A 4++ isn’t an outrageous save throw for the greater daemon price point. KoS is the cheapest at 223pts. The rest are in the 300pt range.
Considering there are other higher end Monsterous Creatures like a Hive Tyrant who has a 4++ and is considerably less expensive than most of the Greater Daemons.