First thoughts on 6th

Ive been busy reading away at my rulebook. Ive not finished yet, but I have noticed a couple of big changes to how my group used to play.

You now roll up deployment before mission type. This is the opposite way around. You also can't put terrain down until AFTER deployment areas have been agreed, because the rules facilitate monstrous fortresses being deployed. In my opinion this is going to cause a LOT of issues because people will think that they are being shafted with the table set up.

People have been telling me that the allies are optional. That isn't how it reads. It is optional for the player making the list, so he can choose or not, the other player doesn't get a say in it at all. A lot of the ally rules are fluffy, eg dark angels and space wolves are not battle brothers, but they both are with all the other marines and guard. Tau and space marines being chummy is probably because the Ultramarines [who are the only space marines apparently] are protecting the tau these days.

Seems noone especially likes grey knights. Probably due to how over powered they are that they are no-ones battle brothers because other armies would be able to become beardier just by adding a liberal dose of grey knights.

Dreads, along with nearly every other tank are shafted. Cheap tanks like rhinos still have a purpose. Im unsure about any others without playing some games to get some better perspective. I did however read there is something called "heavy vehicle" which as far as I can tell no actual vehicle in the rules has at the moment. I am guessing this is what super heavies may become. The Vulcan mega bolter is also in the weapons section which adds more weight to this theory, as only super heavies and titans have ever had this.

It would be very silly to have stupidly expensive vehicles and crap rules. People, well me anyway, will pay good money for a tank if its rules are decent, but I certainly wont be buying any more vehicles until I can convince myself they are worth the points. Its much like if its god awful looking and has good rules, it would still be bought. But with no positives, it really wont find its way into my shopping basket.

If Baneblades do come over, and I am hoping they do, I would like to see structure points remain and/or a huge amount of hit points, eg 10 or so, otherwise its 500 points which is easy to kill. I would have preferred they removed vehicles entirely and gave them toughness/wounds/saves as it would have made things much simpler.

Also field artillery guns are now halfway decent. A good toughness value, 2 wounds and power armour and the ability to move. Maybe the Thunderfire cannon wont be as lame!

Aircraft are also very good, as are flying monsters.  We could be seeing a lot more of these.