Alternative Combat?

[Valkyrion]

Roll 2D6 and add the HIGHEST CAF of all models in a detachment, adding +1 to the dice roll for each model you outnumber your opponent by.

For each point of difference, the losing detachment must take that many armour saves, losing a wound for each failed save. 

Regardless of any special rules, this save cannot be better than 4+ but may be worse.

(still gain CAF for charging) (maybe allow +1 CAF per model that charged - allows for small charging units to do some damage!)(allows for nuanced rules other than rend - e.g SA power axes could change that max save to 5+ instead of having a most undeserved rend)

 

Reasoning:

Base to base pairing off combat for a mass battle system is quite jarring, both mechanically (2d6+CAF a dozen times), and figuratively (the defence weapons, the melta bombs, the explosions, that one Emperor's Children Chaplain dude riding a Land Raider on Isstvan hitting loyalists with his crozius)

Having superior numbers still matters.

Having high CAF still matters.

Having good armour still matters.

Still allows for Rend (3D6, maxing out to 4D6 for dedicated CC things).

 

I get that in 40k/30k the placing of your dudes vs their dudes is important in close combat - but to my mind epic should be more fluid - so have all members of a detachment fight. They've all got pistols or knives or defensive weapons and such, so as long as one model is engaged, they are all engaged and its resolved as described above. 

 

Titans:

I've not totally mathed it out, but you can currently have 40 tactical squads to one warhound in almost equal points, and 8 tactical squads will/should kill one in close combat - for 60 points vs 330 points. 

I know they've got to get there, and the game isn't titans vs marines and it's not as straightforward as a dice roll, but still. 

In my idea up top, the warhound would roll 2D6+10 (avg 17), and the tactical squad would roll 2D6+2 (avg 9), +1 each additional squad, so your tactical detachment would need to be at least 8 strong just to break even.

 

Worth a rethink, maybe, for those of us with groups amenable to it. 

[Crablezworth]

I dunno, while I totally agree combat isn't fun, I do sort of enjoy the contextuality of it, but ONLY in the context of very small combats, like 4 bases vs 4-6 bases/models. I worry too because the system being so contextual is also what makes stuff like lancers good with how they're able to engage/allocate attacks. This would alter that would it not? 

 

My biggest concern is, again, no fan of the combat rules, but i do like the contextual nature of them, so if for example i have a narrow passageway between two pieces of impassable terrain, that limiting of how many models can be engaged is also what helps buy time, and also where stuff like lancers come in for unplugging gaps due to how they're able to engage. And finally numbers, not that I want big combats but, going too much into the 40k way also has its drawbacks even if we get some advantages to speed of play. 

 

I do like the idea of taking saves. I also find the current combat systems morale really weird. Very often I'm like losing all but one model but passing, or only losing 1-2 models and failing, its very weird. 

 

I think my solution to combat is making it rare or difficult to get into. I like the suggestion, for example, that los be a requirement for charging, ie no blind charge 10 inches around a corner. 

 

I also think it's no so much about changing combat as making it less relevant the bigger you go up in scale. I made rules for tanks/knights/titans basically having tank shock. It exists entirely in addition to having charge as an option, but in this case it's something they all can do on advance or march order instead, they just can only do it at half speed. 

 

Here's the link: 

 

 

It's conceived to save time as well, as the interactions a pretty fast. In the case of titans, they can even step on more than jsut infantry, so it bring scale into play pretty well. They're also the only ones of the 3 that don't have to care if their potential target is in cover, this also works well with terrain rules as titans can remove obstacles for example.