I listened in on Games Workshop’s live Q&A on the new edition of Warhammer 40K. Here are my notes, in case you’re interested.

Rule Changes

• Rules from the Warhammer Community Preview Article are still in.
• Armour Values for Vehicles are gone. Vehicles use a stat line like other models.
• Vehicles will become less effective and “lose” abilities/stats similar to how big monsters in Warhammer Age of Sigmar become less effective as they take wounds.
• Each vehicle will be affected differently and in a unique manner.
• Monsters will work very similar to vehicles (and vice versa).
• The new Edition still uses D6.
• An average game of, say, around (currently) 1500 points will last about 90 minutes on average (about half of what it takes now).
• New version is designed with 3-ways-to-play in mind with strong support for narrative play planned.
• There will be two sets of point values for units/models.
  • One called „power level“ for narrative play. Very „rough“, not taking into account individual equipment, etc.., but allowing „rough“ balance.
  • For „Matched Play“, point values go into all the granular details of individual weapons, etc.
• Key words are used to define abilities (i.e. a Space Marine Captain may buff units with the „Adeptus Astartes“ keyword, but not, say, Imperial Guard).

Command Points & Army Organisation

• Command Points are a new mechanism to make the game more tactical and better reflect army selection (narrative & matched play).
• Narrative and matched play requires armies to be “battleforged” (organised long detachment rules).
• Compliance with detachment rules will give an army command points.
• Lots of detachments/force organisations will be available.
• One command point per phase.
• Command points can be used, for example, to re-roll dice, interrupt actions of an opponent during an opponent’s turn, etc.
• “Generic” Command points will be in the general rules and army specific command points will be featured in future Codexes to reflect the flavor of different armies Codexes as a product will still exist (including command point rules).

Rules & Codexes

• On launch there will be 5 books: Space Marines, Forces of the Imperium, Xenos, ??, ?? to cover all armies at launch (cheaper than Codexes). These include points.
• Expansions such as Planetstrike and Cities of Death will reappear eventually (as well as new narrative supplements).
• free core rules will be available digitally. GW stores and stockists will have a limited supply of printed free rules.
• A Warhammer 40K app with army builder is being worked on, but will not be available on launch.
• No currently existing factions and models will disappear (no „Bretonnians“).

Matched Play and Tournaments

• Matched Play section will be updated annually (along the lines of Age of Sigmar General’s Handbook), including adjustment of point values.
• New Edition was playtested by external playtesters (e.g. Frontline Gaming, etc..) as well as internal playtesters.
• There are no specific tournament rules over and beyond „Matched Play Rules“ (but guidelines/recommendations to help tournament/event organisers).

Story & Other Things

• New faction(s) coming, including at least one at launch.
• A design goal to position Chaos more fully as the main antagonist.
• White Scars still exist (despite being absent from the new map).

Codex Refund

• If you bought a Warhammer 40K Codex or rulebook within 8 weeks of last Saturday’s announcement of the new edition, you can contact Games Workshop customer service for a voucher.