Re: Interesting perspective piece on 5th Ed rules...

On 14 Jun., 08:41, Blackheart <blackheart666_2...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jun 13, 8:11 pm, Myrmidon <im...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

My buddy Toaster hooked me up with this as he found it rather amusing -
and I had to agree. I might have to hork the last line for my sig file.

http://www.suburbanconspiracy.com/theplot/index.php?
PHPSESSID=d9e76aeb14fd7da9785d8cb19a9294cb&page=92

Myrmidon

(This classic from my sig file seems made for the article as well.)

executive summary for those of us too lazy to fix your broken link?

No summary (that was done by Myr's sig already), the whole thing:

"1) Treat others as you would like to be treated.
2) Respect others' property.
3) Laugh with anyone, but never at anyone.

I remember those rules from Grade School, do you?

Ever since it arrived at my local game store, I have had the
opportunity to take a good long read through the upcoming Warhammer
40K 5th Edition book. While I do approve of a majority of the changes,
I find one addition to the new rules set to be appalling! Is it the
new 'running' rule, the fact that defensive weapons on vehicles must
now be strength four or lower? No! I am appalled by the inclusion of
rules and suggestions of what should be considered common decency when
playing a game.


Here are a few examples...

At the top of Page 2, you will find what they label as The Most
Important Rule. However, as I stated before, the gray sections are
suggestions. Thus I find it a bit misleading. Still it is an important
statement. "Winning at ant cost is less important than making sure
that both players - not just the victor - have a good time."

The right hand side of Page 19 holds the section that tackles the ever
important debate over dice rolling. Did your die fall on the floor,
does it count, should you reroll it so your opponent can see what you
really scored? How about cocked dice? Here is the suggestion in the
new rulebook: roll in a box. I pray that no one ever really needs to
be aware of this section in the book. If your die rolls under the soda
machine, then it doesn't count! Common sense should tell you that!

Now we are up to Page 30, and are talking about blast weapons and
scattering. Apparently, according to this section, many arguments can
come up over where a template scatters. Really? I never knew! The
suggestion here is to roll as close as possible to the blast template,
so that it is easier to determine direction.

It wasn't until Page 62 that I found a actual rules wording, not just
a suggestion, dealing with wrecked vehicles. "For example, they can
turn the vehicle or just its turret upside down (and not sideways to
gain extra cover!), place a marker or cotton wool on it to represent
smoke and flames, and so on." Honestly now, if you need to cheese out
that little extra quarter-inch of cover, this is not going to help
you! You want my suggestion? Don't move the tank at all, just place a
smoking wreck token on the top and move on with the game. This is even
touched on on page 57, where they describe other ways to represent
battle damage. Since that little bit is in gray, though, it is not set
in stone.

The final example I will include, is on Page 82. This one is once
again not in the gray suggestion boxes, and so had a bit more concrete
feel to it. It is in the section of the book that talks about terrain
and ruins, and concerns unit coherency when traversing multiple
levels. "Players should be generous when measuring for very short
models, like swarms, which otherwise may be unable to spread over
several levels of a ruin (give them a break - they're only little!"
Still, the use of the word "should" makes me wince. I should be able
to shake hands with my opponent before and after the game. I should
not be screamed at or pelted with dice while playing. I should have
had the suggestion boxes in the actual rules as strict codes of
conduct, but hey... I at least have the suggestions in print.



Now, before anyone gets all excited, I am not in disagreement with
these rules nor am I stating that they make the rulebook bad in any
way, shape or form. What I am appalled by is the necessity for Games
Workshop to include them! To think that enough players have forgotten
that they are participating this game for fun, makes me sad for the
hobby. Is being better at something so important to these players,
that they will stop at nothing just to win? Apparently so! We
wargamers, as a whole, need to go back to Grade School and relearn the
lessons we have forgotten from Kindergarten.

Once again, I will state that I do not mind these rules in the book.
In fact, I am very much glad they are there! This expensive, hard
cover manual is NOT my Warhammer, it is my Storm Shield against the
jackass hordes from the basement warp gate. All hail my mighty 4+
invulernable save vs. stupidity!"

Christof
.