This is a continuation of my 'major house rules' (the game is becoming barely recognisable), to deal with my general unhappiness with the current Old World rules, and my desire to turn it into something really good I want to play, given I own 7 armies. The latest part of this is 'Core-Hammer'. A major issue with the game is how the army lists work, given it's a list building game, the system is very clunky for something which is foundational to how the game will play. So, I have my own revised plan...
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Blocks of troops... big blocks of troops... feels like WH. |
This is a conversion of the current Old World army lists to encourage playing with more Core units over powerful characters, wizards and monsters, etc, and with this, the use of more core units over the more ‘elite’ end of the unit scale. This will, of course, make for generally larger armies on the tabletop (naturally, as more of the cheaper pointed troops are used), but also place more reliance on the ‘standard’ rank and file troops being used, and in generally larger units (to help use up the increased core points requirement).
This revised army list system won’t be of interest to all, but hopefully to those that prefer to play with blocks of troops as the mainstay of the army, supported by the other elements of an army, with reduced power in the characters (especially the top ‘lord’ level characters and wizards).
All of the troop types currently available will remain available to all the armies, just moved into a different configuration, for better balanced and looking (and thus playing) armies. The general principal here is that ‘a bit of everything’ makes for the best Warhammer games, but the balance should be leaning towards the Core troops. The intention here is not to remove any troop types from any army, just to limit the more powerful types and re-balance the lists to emphasise more, and better, Core units, whilst at the same time allowing for more flexibility and variety in those Core choices, so it not seen as an unwanted ‘tax’ to be paid on ineffective units, but as the main fighting heart of the army, then supported by the characters, monsters, war machines and the other Special and Rare units.
There is a ‘relative’ argument here, in that, Core troops, with their more basic stat-lines, equipment and special rules etc., aren’t seen as that effective, but they will be, relative to other army’s core troops – if both sides are using more of them. A troop type or unit is only ‘underpowered’ in relation to other units it faces. If it faces more enemy Core units more often, then the relative power level should even out.
As well as a minimum size for all units, a maximum size has been introduced. This has two effects, first it prevents ‘death star’ builds. By still being generous with the maximum large and powerful units can still be selected, but the worst excesses are curbed. The second is to add to the character or theme of the troops type. Goblins and Skaven Clanrats can come in larger hordes than Chosen Chaos Warriors or High Elf Swordsmasters, which feels right (because it is right). Powerful and elite units come in smaller numbers than rank and file, and this reinforces a unit’s character, and can also build in an advantage in the rank and file units, because there are simply more of them available.
Characters
Currently, the points allowance for characters is too generous, and these points can be freely spent on the top end of the character scale, i.e. ‘lords’ on monsters with many magic items. I feel, one of these super-heroes is enough for any battle, and the very best lord, the overall army commander, should be a single, individual, stand-out hero. The top-tier characters are not to be taken as a requirement (they are still optional, so other lesser characters can lead an army), but if each army has access to one such uber-character, that is enough ‘hero-hammer’ for me. This helps saves points as well, and these points are then re-purposed into more Core units. So, first, a reduction in the maximum points allowance for characters from 50% to 33% (a third) will reduce the points pool available for the best characters, and introduce a hard limit of 0-1 on the ‘lord level’ characters, for all armies, of any size. This helps limit their battlefield dominance without removing them from the game. One Chaos Lord on a Chaos Dragon is enough for any game.
Next in characters, to encourage a greater use of the lower and mid-level characters, the captains, nobles, aspiring champions and such like, which do not see a lot of use. First, the lowered total points allowance restriction should mean these are now more of a requirement, but also that these characters are the ones that open up extra options in the Core troops, as they bring ‘their’ troops with them. So, for example, a High Elf Noble of Chrace (i.e. with the 'Chracian Hunter' elven honour) would be able to bring a single unit of White Lions into Core troops, or a Priest of Sigmar will bring his unit of Flagellants into Core, etc.
Next, a reduction for magic users of all types, and thus magic’s overall effect in the game (to allow the Core troops to better take up the fight). All magic users have a hard limit of level 3 maximum. No level 4 wizards allowed, with the except of a few of the Old World’s most powerful spell casters, these being: Slann, Tzeentch sorcerers and daemons, and perhaps the best High Elf mages. These few army's remain able to take a single level 4 wizard in an army, regardless of size. Thematically, they are the most powerful sorcerers in the Warhammer world, so it is also more characterful for these armies to have a slight edge in magic (and it is slight). Most armies cannot get such potent wizards. This also moves away from an over reliance on level 4 wizards only (perhaps only moving it down to level 3), but saves those points to spent on less powerful wizards, and to be moved back into Core. Level 1 and 2 Wizards also become relatively more useful in comparison to the top-end.
The final adjustment to Characters is a minimum requirement of 1 character. So an army must include at least 1 character, as their general, it can’t be led by nobody. Someone has to be in charge of the army.
So, to summarize, 1+ Characters, up to 33%. 0-1 Lord level character. No level 4 wizards, unless otherwise noted in the army list.
Core Units
This is to become the heart of every army, and the main fighting force. The minimum points requirement is increased from 25% to 33%, which might seem like a lot, but in compensation, more options will be available to spend points on for these troops. So, at least a third of the army comes from Core, but Core also has a broader definition.
There will also be a single compulsory Core unit selection for each army, a unit each army must take as their basic troop type. It seems odd an Orc and Goblin army might fight without any basic Orc boyz mobs or Goblin mobs. There is still a choice here, so this rule is not just dictating a single compulsory unit selection (and thus all armies always have it, which gets repetitive) and it is not taking a decision out the player’s hand, but, one unit of the compulsory requirement must be included, as these are the ‘core of the core’, the standard troops types of that army which just can’t be ignored, as they are the mainstay of the army.
Other Core units largely remain the same. But, added to these, are the new options to move a unit from Special or Rare into Core, depending on which characters have been selected. These characters allow a single specific unit to be selected as Core, actually making access to them easier, and allowing points spent this way to be part of the higher minimum requirement, so, for example, a High Elf Noble of Chrace would allow access to a single unit of White Lions, taken as Core. Thus, using White Lions actual gets easier, and a limited number of the more ‘elite’ troop types can then appear in Core, so players should want to include them, to help spend towards the larger minimum Core points requirement. Some army lists already use this mechanic within their lists, and the principal works. Here, it is just vastly expanded across all armies.
Special Units
All the other stuff, rarer units, but still generally available, including many oddities like war machines (the more common ones like bolt throwers, rock lobbers, etc.) and some monsters.
Any units that were not taken as optional in Core can still be accessed here, so, in the example above, units of White Lions are still in Special, even without the Noble of Chrace chosen to make them a Core unit. Access is thus not limited (its actually easier to have 2 units of White Lions this way!). The maximum points allowance remains as 50% of an army’s total points spent on units from Special.
As with Core, some characters might allow Rare units to move into Special, to reinforce the theme of the army. This won’t be as common as with Core though.
Rare Units
Only the rarest of units, those which are severely limited, for which, in the background, there is perhaps just one unique regiment, or the extreme oddities, some with hard limits of 0-1 for an army of any size. The points limit on Rare is still set at 25%.
New Army Organisation using Core-hammer
All this breaks down as follows:
Characters - maximum of 33% (minimum of 1 character must be included)
Core - minimum of 33% (1 compulsory unit must be included)
Special - maximum of 50%
Rare - maximum of 25%
So, for a 2,000 point army, this looks like:
Characters - max of 666 points, on 1+ characters
Core - minimum of 666 points, with 1+ compulsory unit.
Special - maximum of 1000 points
Rare - maximum of 500 points.
Example Army Lists
This requires some re-arrange of the jigsaw pieces that make up the current army list, to make a better picture. The examples here will be for an Empire army and a Beastman army (stuff we have lots of experience with).
CORE-HAMMER EMPIRE ARMY LIST
Empire Characters (max 33%) (minimum of 1 Character must be taken)
0-1 General of the Empire (in an army of any size)
0-1 Knightly Order Grand Master (in an army of any size)
0-1 Lector of Sigmar (in an army of any size)
0-1 High Priest of Ulric (in an army of any size)
0+ Captain of the Empire
0+ Knightly Order Chapter Master
0+ Empire Wizard (limited to level 1-3)
0+ Priest of Ulric
0+ Priest of Sigmar
0+ Witch Hunter
0+ Engineer
0+ Doomsayer
Empire Core Units (min 33%) (minimum 1 compulsory unit must be taken)
1+ unit of State Troops (max 50)
or
1+ unit of State Missile Troops (max 40)
State Troops (max 50)
State Missile Troops (max 40)
Outriders (max 10)
Pistoliers (max 20)
Knights (max 20)
Free Company (max 40)
Archers (max 30)
Swordsmen (max 40)
0-1 unit of Greatswords (for each Empire Captain included)
0-1 unit of Flagellants (for each Doomsayer or Priest of Sigmar included)
0-1 unit of Teutogen Guard (for each High Priest of Ulric or Priest of Ulric included)
0-1 unit of Inner Circle Knights (for each Grand Master or Chapter Master included)
0-1 Great Cannon or Mortar (for each Engineer included)
Empire Special Units (max 50%)
Greatswords (max 30)
Flagellants (max 40)
Inner Circle Knights (max 10)
Mortar (max 1)
Great Cannon (max 1)
War Wagon (max 1)
0-1 Demi-gryph Knights (only if the army is led by a Knightly Order Grand Master) (max 10)
Road Wardens (max 10)
Empire Rare Units (max 25%)
Demi-Gryph Knights (max 10)
Helblaster Volley Gun (max 1)
Helstorm Rocket Battery (max 1)
Steam Tank (max 1)
0-1 Teutogen Guard (max 30)
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Ranks and flanks, with powered down characters... |
CORE-HAMMER BEASTMAN ARMY LIST
Beastmen Characters (max 33%) (minimum of 1 Character must be taken)
0-1 Beastlord or 0-1 Doombull (in an army of any size)
0+ Wargor
0+ Gorebull
0+ Bray-Shaman (lvl 1-3 only)
0+ Centigor Chieftain
0+ Dragon Ogre Shaggoth
Beastmen Core (min 33%) (minimum 1 compulsory unit must be taken)
1+ Gor Herd (max 40)
or
1+ Ungor Herd (max 50)
Ungor Herd (max 50)
Gor Herd (max 40)
Chaos Warhound Pack (max 30)
Razorgor Herd (max 10)
Tuskgor Chariot (max 1)
0-1 Bestigor Herd (for each Beastlord or Wargor included)
0-1 Minotaur Herd (for each Doombull or Gorebull included)
0-1 Centigor Herd (for each Centigor Chieftain included)
0-1 Dragon Ogres (for each Dragon Ogre Shaggoth included)
Beastmen Special (max 50%)
Bestigor Herd (max 40)
Minotaur Herd (max 10)
Centigor Herd (max 20)
Dragon Ogres (max 10)
Razorgor Chariot (max 1)
Cockatrice (max 1)
Chaos Ogres (max 10)
Chaos Trolls (max 10)
Chaos Spawn (max 5)
Beastmen Rare (max 25%)
Jabberslythe (max 1)
Cygor (max 1)
Ghorgon (max 1)
Chaos Giant (max 1)
Picking an army from these Core-Hammer list, and whilst still allowing good access to all units, it will look more like a Warhammer army for a rank and flank game and place more emphasis on the core troops, whilst also including more, lower level characters. Game play will then improve, with emphasis on unit actions, with less character and magical dominance, whilst they still remaining a significant, if reduced, presence. You get a bit of everything...
I have actually done most of the others army lists in Core-Hammer format too.
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