Warhammer fixes: What I would like to see

Crazy Gamer here!




I'm sure by now you know that I'm a big fan of 8th edition Warhammer.  I feel it is a vast improvement over 7th edition which was a control freaks dream, but as far as fun was concerned it was lacking. 

Don't worry haters, I am well aware that my opinion is in the minority which makes me sad but as the saying goes: haters gonna hate, and my blog is hardly going to change your mind.

So instead I will talk about a few things that I would like to see tweaked in Warhammer, after all even I don't think the game is perfect. 

Weapon Rules:

This subject is contentious.  Many gamers look for authentic rules in which weapons mirror their historic counterparts.  I don't suffer from this problem, instead I look for balanced game design in which all options are viable. 

If we look at the current game it doesn't take a rocket scientist (or a theoretical physicists) to see that great weapons are the preferred choice wherever they are offered.  This means that the other options aren't as balanced. 

Let us look at the options and see what we can do to make them more attractive.

Halberds- This poor weapon is the red headed step child of the Warhammer game.  Currently the halberd is two handed and offers +1 strength.  This isn't too bad for models with a strength of 4, but currently most models that have the option of this weapon are only strength 3 and bumping that up to strength 4 is not appealing.  I don't blame them. 

This is a halberd:

In the high middle ages this weapon was popular because it combined the blade of an axe with the reach of a spear. 

How about this for halberd rules

+1 strength in the first rank.  Fight in extra ranks for ranks 2nd and 3rd (no strength bonus for them)

This will give units armed with the weapon added flexibility and make halberd a more attractive option.

Some may say, won't this make spears more unattractive?  Possibly.  I'm thinking of tweaking spear rules as well but let's not forget that units with spears can use shields in close combat and halberds can't. 

Extra hand weapon- Currently this option allows you add +1 attack.  However this isn't an attractive option because you can't a shield and you still fight at your basic strength.  Units with a higher strength find this option a little better, but the current rules only allow models in a second rank fight with one attack so the bonus is lost after the first rank making this weapon option the only one that is useless beyond the first rank.

How about this: +1 attack, re-roll missed to hit in close combat.

Great Weapon- +2 strength, always strike last is how it's currently written.  How about +2 strength, always strike last -1 to hit from second rank.  It's a small penalty but will make the choice between all options more of a choice. 


Missile weapons:

Just like their close combat counterparts missile weapons, I feel, could use some tweaks. 

Bow/ Short bow- same

Long Bow-  currently it's 30 inch range and strength 3.  Currently I feel it's too expensive for what you get.  It need to be strength 4 with a 30 inch range.

Crossbow- Strength 4, 30 inch range, move or fire.  With the change to long bows we need to bump this up.  Add armor piercing.

Hand Gun- currently Strength 4, 24 inch range, move or fire, armor piercing.  How about 24 inch range, strength 6, armor piercing, hits on 6 regardless of ballistic skill or modifiers.