Hello, competitive 40k players. SaltyJohn here from TFG Radio to talk about how 40k could be improved with a single errata.
8th edition and 9th edition 40k were supposed to be simpler, more approachable games. The core rules are certainly more streamlined and user-friendly, and on the surface, the game is definitely more approachable for the new player and seemingly well balanced for Matched Play. However, the game becomes extraordinarily complex and bloated with rules very quickly. There are a lot of culprits when it comes to what makes 9th edition 40k too complex and effectively not very competitive. Two of the largest issues with 9th ed Matched Play are rules bloat and OP (overpowered) combos, and they both stem from the same source, Stratagems.
Stratagems were introduced in 8th edition alongside Command Points as a way to give players more choices and reactions to things in the game. Need a re-roll? Strat (stratagem). Do you really need to interrupt your opponent’s fight phase? There’s a strat for that! The issue with stratagems begins when each codex has 20+ Stratagems and they can create some hyper-powerful combos. These combinations are not always obvious as they can require using stratagems over several phases in conjunction with Unit special rules found on one or more data slates, warlord traits found on the warlord trait pages, and a psychic power or two found on psychic power pages. All of which combine to create a built-in “gotcha” system for all but the most well-versed players. A “gotcha” moment in gaming is one where a player surprises another with an unknown, or obscure, rule. It usually results in a game altering action that had the victim of the gotcha known about ahead of time, they could have planned for and avoided. These combos are often not only unintended but usually found by the Competitive “professional” players. These combinations often require a large number of CP (command points) to be spent in turns 1 and 2 to pull off. If you need evidence that this is an actual issue look no further than the latest Grand Tournament Rules released by Games Workshop that effectively neutered the Command Point system in order to stop some of these abuses.
Stratagems added an even more complex, and difficult-to-balance, system of rules that adds to bloat exponentially with every new release than the old Universal Special Rules system and pre-8th ed codices and formations ever did. In an attempt to create a more streamlined edition with the core rules, which they achieved, GW concurrently created a new design for codices that made rules bloat and game complexity a much larger issue with every new release.
So if rules bloat and overpowered, and often unintended, combos are largely the result of Stratagems what is the best way to handle the issue. Matched Play 40k can immediately be made simpler and more competitive with a single sentence Errata. “For Matched Play purposes ignore all references to Command Points, in addition, Stratagems may not be used in Matched Play when playing or mustering armies. All players get one Warlord Trait and one Relic when mustering their army.”
Removing Stratagems from Matched Play will fix several major problems with competitive 40k overnight. It will make the game exponentially easier to play while simultaneously making the game more skill and decision-based. It moves the game toward a more level playing field among players of all skill levels while not targeting the players with the highest skill levels unfairly. The first point is easily the most important.
A major barrier to entry into playing the game competitively is the complexity of the game once you start encountering lists from the pantheon of codices. It’s impossible to have a full breadth of knowledge of the rules of 40k, and even more so for someone new or the player who goes to a handful of events a year. Even for the 40k “pros” it isn’t possible to have a full knowledge of the rules. By removing one of the most confusing aspects of the codices, as well as one of the sections with the most rules and rule interactions, the game becomes much simpler to play. Those gotcha moments that were baked into the game via Stratagems disappear, and a factions competitive viability depends less upon the potency of it’s strats.
Removal of the CP and Strat system also creates a game that will be more balanced and diverse in terms of lists. Right now lists are designed around both the CP and Strat system. Codices that have access to: Command Point generation, regeneration, or refunds are stronger than those without. Lists are also built around units that benefit most from Stratagem combos and synergy with their dataslate rules. This can leave large numbers of units in a codex on the sidelines because they lack strat synergy or use. Removing the CP and Strat system from Matched Play will open up the possibilities in list building to include a plethora of overlooked and underutilized units as well as breathe new life into the meta through new unit combos.
The current iteration of competitive 40k using 9th edition Matched Play rules and the Grand Tournament Nephlilim book are unfortunately rife with issues at the moment. Some of the issues are new and unique to the current GT book, but some have been issues from the start. Many of those issues can be mitigated or even begin to be solved with a few simple measures, the first of which should be the removal of the Stratagem and Command Point systems from Matched Play.
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