This doesnвЂ™t apply to blast weapons, however, so there is still something to be said for neutering tanks by getting into combat with them. Be careful charging those repulsors and wave serpents though because vehicles have also now seen a change that means they can shoot their guns at units they are in combat with.

As with all the analysis of these changes there is the caveat that we havenвЂ™t seen any 9th edition codices yet so we only have part of the picture.ДЇlying units can no longer fall back from combat and shoot by default, making tagging units with the Fly keyword in combat much more effective than in 8th edition. This is a pretty big ding for horde armies and for large size units in general and the game is being pushed more towards MSU (multiple small units) for now. That minimum is three for targets of 6+ models or maximum shots versus targets of 11+ models. Applying to many weapons in the game (thereвЂ™s an awkward list of every weapon that gains the keyword in the back of the rulebook) this rule means weapons with a variable number of attacks will have a guaranteed minimum if targeting units of a certain size. The new blast keyword is probably one of the largest.

In terms of the gameplay changes there are some small, but significant changes. Some modern Imperial Guard tanks lined up next to some very old-school sentinel walkers. My feeling is that, as 9th edition codices come out, weвЂ™ll see those tightened up even more. There has also been an effort to make some rules more universal, reducing the instances of units having the same rule with slightly different wording. It feels like there are fewer gaps between rules and grey areas open to interpretation which you would expect after three years of feedback and FAQs. What Games Workshop have done with 9th edition is to take the opportunity to really tighten up an already solid ruleset. If you did read the newcomerвЂ™s review then youвЂ™ll see that the core fundamentals of the game are unchanged. ItвЂ™s best to think of the new edition as an evolution of 8th rather than a reinvention. If youвЂ™re no stranger to Warhammer 40k then your primary interest will be in whatвЂ™s changed between editions, and whatвЂ™s new to 9th. If youвЂ™re new to the hobby read our overall introduction to the game and review from a newcomerвЂ™s perspective. This is a review of the new edition of the game for those who are familiar with 8th edition. Having said all that, the release of the 9th edition of the game is both a great opportunity, as well as a big risk. With the model range for 40k being so broad, and gorgeous, that was all it took to propel the game, and the company, to the next level it seems.

Providing comparative simplicity of rules, but still with plenty of depth, 8th edition was a ruleset that had mass appeal in spades. Players who are familiar with the mess of 7th edition may appreciate that this is quite the achievement and it has happened, in large part, due to the new direction the 8th edition of the game took back in 2017.

Games Workshop, as a company, has soared in recent times, making it to the FTSE 250 for the first time. From its humble beginnings as a small scale skirmish game (with a completely different name) Warhammer 40,000 (or 40k, as many of its players refer to it for the sake of speed) is a behemoth in the tabletop miniatures scene. Warhammer 40,000, Games WorkshopвЂ™s flagship offering, has been through many different iterations in the twenty-plus years it has existed.

Warhammer 40k 8th edition rules firing