It speaks volumes as to the sheer influence 40k has had over the years that it seems we have all been compelled to come out of retirement to comment on the (admittedly scant) information thus far presented on the burgeoning edition.
Some of you will no doubt recall how poorly 6th was received here at TKE HQ - deservedly so, and in my view I could have been even harsher than I was, quite justifiably.
7th, in contrast, came and passed without a word. It was neither sufficiently divergent nor innovative enough to rouse this once-enthusiastic blogger from his Arthurian repose - and if I had been forced (or paid) to actually attempt an article on it, I fear it would have rapidly devolved into a frothing tirade of sentence fragments and incoherent thoughts only vaguely germane to the opening paragraph; like a Trump speech, but with far superior vocabulary and a fundamental understanding of the topic at hand.
The new edition, however, promises quite the departure from recent 'moar titanz plz' even, in fact, promising that 'anything can hurt anything'. This cannot be overstated: this is a sea-change in the very fundament upon which the other rules exist. Regardless of the previous iteration of vehicle rules, or what became the 'Monstrous Creature' type, there have been many theoretical (and a number of actual) exceptions to these rules: poisons; gretchin in melee; S7 and below weapons cannot harm Land Raiders (except Lances, Rending, or *ahem* 'Armourbane'); Bolters cant kill anything tougher than a Trukk except to the rear; and so on.
This is gone. All of these things, while it may be difficult for them, can damage any model they please - and this is not rumour, speculation or supposition. We have this, from the proverbial lion's mouth.
On top of this, statistics are no longer capped at ten. The fundamental understanding of comparative values that has remained a constant, is gone. The game is described as being 'recognisably still 40k' but these are far more than trivial alterations... the house may, or may not be built on sand now - but it absolutely has new foundations.
I cannot be too clear, however - this is not a criticism. There is simply not enough information available to me to pass that judgment. Yet.
At the same time, I have basically zero desire to play - whatever degree of that still existed was vaporised by the excommunication of Eldrad and the alteration that sees Eldar switch factions now like the British Isles change weather!
The amount of information we have is still scant, and I'm reluctant to get TOO into it without more... yet I feel compelled to say a few things: and the best way I know of to do that is to use our old friend the snowmobile. Thankfully, Kirbs is already doing so, and jumping on his snowmobile train is more efficient than starting anew.
Prepare yourselves!
We begin this next week.
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