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So I was looking at this custom board I had mocked up for a different game project and realized that it might make the basis of a 40k-based game.

The Astartes Training Cage
The Training Cage
The board, for the purposes of being an Astartes Training Cage, is three concentrate circles section into 1,5, 7, and 9 'squares' with the circle in the middle being a 'square'. The Space Marines can move from square to square via a shared edge, but not across corners. The Space Marine always faces the same edge unless an action reorients him.

Game Sequence
1. Space Marines of the player's choice are place on the notch-squares of the outermost ring of the board.
2. The Marine with the higher Initiative taking the first action. If the Space Marines are equal Initiative roll off with the higher going first.
3. Space Marines alternate spending Initiative points making actions. A Space Marine is allowed to make one action per point of Initiative
4. Each game turn is a set of sequential player turns, alternating actions until both models run out of Initiative points to spend.

Moving the Training Cage
After each game turn, each player may adjust the position of the board section occupied by his Space Marine relative to all the other sections of the board, with the initiative player going second.

Initiative Actions
1. Advance: Move one square forward to an adjacent empty square
2. Fall Back: Move one square backwards to an adjacent enemy square
3. Turn 90 degrees: (Terminator Armour is 45 degrees):
4. Close combat attack: Roll to hit, wound, save. All attacks directed at square directly forward & and side with weapon. The number of close combat attacks in a turn is limited by the model's armament and the attacks on its profile. A Veteran gets two per turn out of four actions.
5. Parry one attack: If the next action is an attack action, then -1 attack dice to it.

Special Rules
Combat Tactics: May convert 2 results for 3 results, defenders choice.
Fleet: Move up to two squares.
Hit and Run: May move directly sideways one square instead of moving directly forwards one square.
Stubborn: Ignore push-backs, though not knock-backs.
Counter-Attack: May attack simultaneously with attacker, actions and position allowing.Red Thirst: Ignore knock-backs, rolls +1 attack die if previous action was 'Move one square forward to an adjacent empty square'

To Hit dice are like Blood Bowl Dice with higher choosing the result and the number of dice determined by WS vs WS. If equal then one die, if greater two dice, if greater than 3x then three dice. Attacking from the flank adds +1WS and from the rear adds +1WS.

Attack Dice Results
1. Attacker harmed: Attack hits attacker.
2. Attacker harmed: Attack hits defender, Space Marine plus close combat weapon lands hit on Attacker. Roll wound and save.
3. Defender Push-Back: The Space Marine must retreat one square directly away from the attacker. If forced to retreat past the outer edge, the game is lost.
4. Defender Disarmed: The Space Marine has a weapon scatter to an adjacent square and must move into the square to reacquire it.
5. Defender Harmed: Attack hits defender.
6. Defender Harmed and Knocked-Back: Attack hits defender, and the Space Marine must retreat one square directly away from the attacker. If forced to retreat past the outer edge, the game is lost.

Ending the Training Cage Match
Each game turn that goes by without an attack being made increases the chance of the game ending in a dual loss. The first game turn without combat ends the game on a 6. The second on 5+, the third 4+, and so on. The Space Marine with more wounds at the end of the game wins. If both have equal wounds, it is a tie. If a Space Marine is reduced to zero wounds, then the game is ended in favour of the surviving Space Marine.

I thought I might add that people interested in trying this out can make training cages out of circles of paper.

Sounds pretty cool, although I am having trouble envisioning the board. Also, how do you decide who gets what special rules?

I think I might have to try this. It would also be a great fluff way to determine who leads a multi-chapter strike as in who gets overall field command.

Manchu:

Other than described here, the Warhammer 40k rules are in effect. Thing of the board as being the Apocalypse 7" blast divided like a pie graph. Now schlep the 5" blast on top of it, so they're layered and the edge of the 7" now resembles a ring. Finally the 3" blast goes on top, with a single-cell circle in the middle over the hole(s).