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I have no problem with the ubiquity of cover saves, only with the degree to which cover effects certain races in an unbalanced way. Since you only get one save, troops with crappy armor benefit far more from cover than troops with good armor. It's almost pointless to pay the premium for Terminator or Power armor as, outside of assault, you're almost always getting a cover save anyway.

Now people play with the table to reduce cover in tournament settings, etc., but how would you feel about reducing the default cover save from 4+ to 5+? This would reduce slightly the benefits of cover, widening the gap between poorly and well armored units.

I think its a great idea. Cover saves are far too generous as it is, and I say this as a Daemon player!

Yeah, sounds like a good idea.

I'd go for that.

Yup.
I'm a big fan of 5+ cover for half the terrain, with 4+/6+ split between the other half.
You've still got the 4+ cover so some key units, but it's not like everyone and their mother is in 4+ cover.
I lost interest in 40K when cover became so good. I just wasn't a fan of 20 storm guardians w/scatter laser killing a whopping 7 grots with 44 shots; not even enough to force a break test.

-Matt

I'm a Guard player who benefits like crazy from the current cover rules.

I would not mind if they were lessened in a way that was of detriment/benefit to everyone.

Just some ideas:
Keep the save for being literally IN cover (ruins, rubble, ect.) the same. (4+)
Change the cover save for being obscured by a friendly unit to 5+ (How are they blocking those saved shots anyway?)
Make craters and other minor terrain 5+ cover.

The idea is basically to downgrade the usefulness of cover by 1 all around:

Fortifications give you a 4+ coversave, ruined buildings and forests give you a 5+, and tall grass gives you a 6+. With these coversaves you would actually get more benefit from going to ground or using camo cloaks.

Not only that, but it would add a little (more or less) realism to our Grim-dark alternate universe.

I agree, cover saves are much too common and good.

My last two games have had every unit (aside from my power armor guys - which was all of them) in a 4+ cover save the whole game. It was beyond stupid.