6th edition and GW's Master Plan behind this

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**Kroothawk**

This was posted by Reecius of Frontline Gaming http://www.frontlinegaming.org/2012/01/13/6th-ed-40k-rumors/ :

Summary:
- The leaked 6th edition rules are legit
- They want to get rid of edition cycle by releasing a core rule set valid for a long time
- These core set will be updated by FAQ's, erratas and supplements
- allows for expansions (30k, 41k?) and concentration on model making

(Thanks to Drachii for finding this and Reecius himself for posting them in another 6th edition thread

)

So, we heard a doozy of a rumor today that I wanted to share with the community.

A source of ours who knows people who knows people, etc. often shares tidbits of juicy rumors. Today he and I were talking about 6th ed and whether or not the leaked rules were legit.

He told me that a friend of his who works for GW not only confirmed that this rule-set was legit, but that it was the culmination of a master plan, so to speak, that has been in the works for years.

Apparently, GW game design has wanted to get away from the edition cycle they’ve been in for the past 3 editions, and want to move towards a core rule set that they can rely on for a long period of time, updating with FAQ’s and Erratas as needed. They want to avoid sweeping changes that leave certain armies in the dust, and therefore with lagging sales.

This would allow them to focus on the model line to a greater degree, and to expand the game into different directions. They would be able to explore the game story both forwards and backwards, and a Warhammer 30K supplement was mentioned (which we’ve been hearing about multiple times). He also mentioned the possibility of progressing the story-line, which we have also been hearing from multiple sources.

The following are my thoughts on that information.

Forgeworld is already fleshing out the backstory with all of their preheresy and heresy era kits. It is not much of a stretch of the imagination to see FW doing a supplement for this period much as they did with the Badab War books, or at least making the models (Primarchs, anyone?).

This would allow GW to keep all books current, and to focus on the models, updating books as they need to.

Is this true? Who can say. Do I want it to be true? Yeah! It is criminal that GW has not made a game supplement for the most exciting part of the game background (Horus Heresy) and who wouldn’t want to use Primarchs and the Emperor and Horus in games? That would be awesome. Who wouldn’t want to see the story advance? That would be awesome, too!

And a lot of what we see in books that don’t make sense now, in the context of the new 6th ed rules we think are real, start to make sense. Maybe that is a case of fitting the system to the existing rules, or perhaps it was all part of a master plan. Who knows? Time will tell what we actually get, but all I can say is that I am very excited for what is to come.

What do you all think about this rumor? Would you like to see these things come true?

**RandyMcStab**

That sounds pretty staggering, and good I think..

**Absolutionis**

They're at least taking a cue from other growing companies and sticking with a single solid ruleset and not neglecting armies for years at a time.
They originally had balance-tweaks to armies with Chapter Approved articles and books, but they abandoned that in 4thEd. They outright gave Terminators a 5+ save for free because they felt they were underpowered.

This is good news for the game that we all want to love again.

**Perkustin**

Now i am questioning the legitimacy of the rules, as this is just a great big wish list.

Some of these claims are the things fans have been saying for about five or six years. This would mean GW has actually listened to fans.....

**Eisenhorn**

Sorry Kroot I do not think any of that is true,because it makes too much damn sense. :p
Kidding aside I hope that is true,it would mean great things for the models.

**Andilus Greatsword**

Oh wow, I really, really hope that this is true! It's a massive shift in GW's policies though, so I'll believe it when I see it unfold, but all this 6th ed goodness is making me giddy!

**Absolutionis**

Perkustin wrote:Now i am questioning the legitimacy of the rules, as this is just a great big wish list.

Some of these claims are the things fans have been saying for about five or six years. This would mean GW has actually listened to fans.....

Maybe GW really had listened to us all along. They're just tremendously slow to respond.

We might even get a price drop five years from now after four more price hikes.

**BDJV**

This would be fantastic of GW if it is their plan!

**lord_blackfang**

Even if the core rules stay the same, I would still hope for a new starter with an updated rulebook (errata!) every few years.

**Korraz**

This sounds too good to be true.
Which is why I don't believe it. Such a model would make sense in the long term, but would be lacking in short term profits. And that's not how Wells and Kirby fly.

**DeadlySquirrel**

Let's look at it from a purely sales-based point of view.

If what Kroot says is true, there will be "one book to rule them all" so to speak. This will be a one off purchase. BUT, it will allow them to sell and to concentrate on models. Without having to pay a team to design the next Edition, they can spend the money on advertising and making and designing models.

This seems like a decent sales tactic, and I can see this being true.

Cheers, Kroot.

**warboss**

If they are moving to some sort of living rulebook with frequent updates, I certainly hope that they'll make it available for free download online in some basic fashion with less art (similar to the mini book that came with AOBR).

**BDJV**

warboss wrote:If they are moving to some sort of living rulebook with frequent updates, I certainly hope that they'll make it available for free download online in some basic fashion with less art (similar to the mini book that came with AOBR).

As great as that would be, I just cannot see GW ever doing that.

**CthuluIsSpy**

DeadlySquirrel wrote:Let's look at it from a purely sales-based point of view.

If what Kroot says is true, there will be "one book to rule them all" so to speak. This will be a one off purchase. BUT, it will allow them to sell and to concentrate on models. Without having to pay a team to design the next Edition, they can spend the money on advertising and making and designing models.

This seems like a decent sales tactic, and I can see this being true.

Cheers, Kroot.

Wait, so there won't be codices? I hope that's not the case. I like having a codex.

**warboss**

BDJV wrote:
warboss wrote:If they are moving to some sort of living rulebook with frequent updates, I certainly hope that they'll make it available for free download online in some basic fashion with less art (similar to the mini book that came with AOBR).

As great as that would be, I just cannot see GW ever doing that.

Yeah, not likely but I can still dream, right?

**Kharrak**

This seems inline for some of the rumours I've been reading, the "one book to rule them all", a core rulebook with an eight year lifespan, and so on.

Sounds pretty fantastic.

**SoulGazer**

Allows for plot development, you say? Pardon me, I'm going to run to my local GW and scream about this until I pass out from awesome.

**Theophony**

With an 8 year lifespan that might give them time enough to actually update all the codex armies. They might even be able to create further armies and incorporate them with resources not being diverted towards creating a new ruleset over and over.

They could also save money by doing the downloadable core set for a nominal charge, but having the hardback premium version for those not wanting to print them out themselves. With how convenient tablets are now maybe just an app for the one book to rule them all.

And there could be a fluff free version for all the Ward hatred.

**ShatteredBlade**

I'm still skeptical, only because I don't want to suffer an epic burn like these rules being fake. I'd love for them to be real,

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

One of the reasons I can still see this happening even with my doubts, is because the multiplayer options (or at least it will make them actually viable in a three player sense) and apocalypse styled rules themed into the main ruleset will allow them to up the 'average' points per game and allow for larger and better models in 40K.

Hence getting us all buying extra models for our armies, just like what has begun to happen in Fantasy since 8th.

**Smegmalicious**

I can't see them actually advancing the story. I think that would be a huge mistake. A lot of the allure of the game is the mystery. They know their limitations as writers and they exploit them for their benefit with the use of mystery. If the storyline was more resolved I think it would be a lot less fulfilling.

I also have a hard time believing that they have this kind of grand over-arching strategy given how poor their planning usually is and how aggressive their release schedule has been.

I do hope that if this is true they streamline the rules significantly so that play can be faster and more accessible to new players.

**ShatteredBlade**

Smegmalicious wrote:I can't see them actually advancing the story. I think that would be a huge mistake. A lot of the allure of the game is the mystery. They know their limitations as writers and they exploit them for their benefit with the use of mystery. If the storyline was more resolved I think it would be a lot less fulfilling.

I also have a hard time believing that they have this kind of grand over-arching strategy given how poor their planning usually is and how aggressive their release schedule has been.

I do hope that if this is true they streamline the rules significantly so that play can be faster and more accessible to new players.

Gw has always had a grand, over-arching strategy. I like to call it " bilk the nerds of all their cash". So far, it hasn't worked on me because..oh..wait..it has

**gilljoy**

Really think this sounds good.

One solid rulebook thats updated when needs be, and the possibility of some cool expansions and the like.

I approve of this if its true

**Kroothawk**

Well, the leaked playtest ruleset includes:
- multiplayer rules
- strategems
- rules for flyers, superheavies and gargantuan creatures
- cityfight rules
- rules for active bunkers (planetstrike)

And that's just the pages with the major rules. More (including scenarios) is to be expected in the other 1-300 pages of the book.
This all adds up.

**gilljoy**

Kroothawk wrote:Well, the leaked playtest ruleset includes:
- multiplayer rules
- strategems
- rules for flyers, superheavies and gargantuan creatures
- cityfight rules
- rules for active bunkers (planetstrike)

And that's just the pages with the major rules. More (including scenarios) is to be expected in the other 1-300 pages of the book.
This all adds up.

I agree

The rules for FW style stuff like super heavies etc makes me wonder if they want forgeworld / superheavies in general to be more main stream

**Luke_Prowler**

This seems kinda wishlisty to me, expecially the "progressing the storyline" part. The setting isn't really meant to be a story, but a backdrop for people to make their own stories by playing the game.

**Kroothawk**

Yet, 5th edition did ... a bit (e.g. failing golden throne).

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

I also thought when this 'advancing storyline' stuff has come up of late. Its been less, lets jump 50yrs and make large sweeping changes to the background, and more, lets put Chaos back on top as the big bad and really ramp up how much of a threat it is.

Looking at the changes to the Necron fluff, I have to say.. I can believe it, as Necrons aren't the bogeymen in the night they where previously. I have to ask why make that change, unless there are plans in motion to really put Chaos back at the forefront of the villians parade.

**Dynamix**

Kroothawk wrote:This was posted by Reecius of Frontline Gaming http://www.frontlinegaming.org/2012/01/13/6th-ed-40k-rumors/ :

Summary:
- The leaked 6th edition rules are legit
- They want to get rid of edition cycle by releasing a core rule set valid for a long time
- These core set will be updated by FAQ's, erratas and supplements
- allows for expansions (30k, 41k?) and concentration on model making

**DeadlySquirrel**

Dynamix wrote:
Kroothawk wrote:This was posted by Reecius of Frontline Gaming http://www.frontlinegaming.org/2012/01/13/6th-ed-40k-rumors/ :

Summary:
- The leaked 6th edition rules are legit
- They want to get rid of edition cycle by releasing a core rule set valid for a long time
- These core set will be updated by FAQ's, erratas and supplements
- allows for expansions (30k, 41k?) and concentration on model making

Summary:
- The leaked 6th edition rules are legit - No - they are not
- They want to get rid of edition cycle by releasing a core rule set valid for a long time - Cant see that happening
- These core set will be updated by FAQ's, erratas and supplements - Dont make me laugh !
- allows for expansions (30k, 41k?) and concentration on model making - Dont care

Very polite