My Miniature Mischief: June 2018

I've always liked Warhammer 40K, particularly the universe. I've always found the rules lacking, but often "okay" enough to play the game. I can enjoy a game of 8th edition Warhammer 40K, something I could not say about some earlier iterations.

However, having gone on a lovely non-GW hiatus for a good 5-7 years recently, I've discovered how much I dislike IGOUGO as a format for any game the scale of 40K. In essence, one side carrying out its entire turn before the other player can respond or play. This is really an archaic "classic" method of running a game, particularly one at 40K's scale.

Enter the Token

While playing 2nd edition Warhammer 40K the past couple of years, my friend and I adopted a token system to remove the IGOUGO mechanic from the game. It worked so well I decided to adapt it to 8th edition since I think it's a good match.

Disclaimer: There is nothing revolutionary about what you're going to read. It is simply a modification to the core game rules which will present a far more interesting and challenging game of 40K, and notably; removes the "Alpha Strike" mentality. If you're a die hard tournament gamer...stop reading now.

Using the new system, you'll need a few simple things:

Sets of tokens in various colours. These tokens should be the same size, weight and material (they will be drawn blindly). A player should not be able to discern which token he is holding by feel. Each army will need 15-20 tokens depending on their army list. Each army should have a unique colour. You can find glass gems easily or Fantasy Flight Games produces tokens in sets of 20 --- sold in five separate colours, for relatively cheap.
A large opaque container, so a bag, a cup, or mug. Anything you can fit tokens in and not see them as you draw.

That's it. Some tokens. Simple as.

Token Force Assemble!

At the start of the game, take one token for each unit you have in your army. Place all players' tokens into the opaque container and give them a good shake. After deploying normally for 40K, the player who gains the normal +1 die roll bonus, instead places an extra token in the cup (this applies for the first battle round only). When possible, you can even use an extra colour for this token to remind players. This is your "bonus" for finishing deployment first.

At the start of each subsequent Battle Round, players will collect tokens for each unit they still have in play. Units destroyed in the previous Battle Round no longer generate a token. Remove these tokens and place all tokens back into the container - shake them up for the next Battle Round.

Battle Round - FIGHT!

Because we're removing the IGOUGO structure, we're moving from player turns to full Battle Rounds (in which each player activates all of their units). Due to this change, there are modifications players will have to make, and likewise you'll encounter random unforeseen issues you'll have to resolve on the fly.

These are some guidelines:

All spells, effects, and stratagems which act "until your next _____ phase" will end collectively at the end of the Battle Round. For this reason you'll want to activate these effects early in your turn to get the maximum effect.
There is one collective Morale phase at the end of the Battle Round where all units from each side will make their Morale tests.
Because units will be activating at different times you'll have to keep track of which stratagems you've used and in which phase.

Activating Units

At the start of the Battle Round, all tokens are mixed up in the opaque containers and a player draws them one at a time - drawing until an opposing colour is drawn.

Example: Player A has 12 tokens (purple), and Player B has 15 tokens (green). They mix the tokens up in a mug, and at the start of the Battle Round Player A draws a purple token, then another purple token, and then a green token. Player A takes his two tokens, and they set aside Player B's green token.

Once you've drawn an opposing token, the player with the first drawn tokens will assign them to units of his army and carry out a miniature turn; meaning he'll do a Movement Phase, Psychic Phase, Shooting Phase, Charging Phase, etc. with the units he's assigned tokens to. We find it easy to place the token next to the unit when activated. These units are activated together, meaning both will move, both will then carry out a Psychic phase, etc.

No unit in the game is ever activated more than once per battle round, even if you have extra tokens (i.e. you have the bonus token, or your units are destroyed before getting to activate).

Once Player A has finished his two activations, Player B will keep his first green token, and draw from the cup - again drawing until another colour is drawn. With this system it is possible for players to occasionally draw a string of tokens, but it's then equally possible for their opponent to draw a string later in the game.

Considerations on the Battlefield

Having played 40K numerous times using this method, the benefits are (at first glance)

No more Alpha Strike - don't sit there while 650 points of your army are deleted.
Easily accommodates three or more sides in a game - no more teaming up on the third player while he waits for two whole turns to do anything.
Adds an entirely new way to look at the game, and provides more necessary thought.

Things we've discovered are worth considering when playing:

Units which activate last in the Battle Round may be activated first in the following turn (do you risk delaying your activation to try to double-activate?)
You end up considering chasing down tiny ineffective units in order to remove their token for the next turn.
Likewise you'll consider hiding small weak infantry units to avoid losing a token.
Carrying out large combined operations is more difficult, you can't build a strategy around 5-6 units activating at the same time.
You will find a bit more analysis paralysis - the game takes a bit longer, but it makes 1,000-1,500 games much more enjoyable.

How to handle continuing close combat...

As you play games you'll discover minor things you'll want to address - things which don't fit neatly into normal 40K rules. One of these is activating a unit to charge into an existing close-combat. This may occur 5-10 activations after the initial fight. The way we do this at the moment is as follows:

The unit which charges during its activation will attack all units it declares a charge against and reaches, attacking first as normal. Subsequently all units which were actively attacked may attack back - if these units elect to attack another unit which was not involved in the charge, that unit may then fight afterwards. In essence the defending units of the new charge may fight the new charging unit --- and if they do not attack any other units, will not suffer further attacks.

Stay Tuned

I will likely continue to modify this post as needed - linking to it later. Please contact me with any questions, or please feel free to post your findings when trying this method. As with all things 40K, this method can be abused just as easily as any normal version of 40K. Rule #1: Have Fun (and don't play with douchebags).