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Now these seem pretty obvious to me, so I'm sure others have already proposed either or both, perhaps many times in fact! Regardless, I've thought of a couple modifiers for the rules that I'm thinking of trying out. Figured I'd get the opinion of a couple thousand 40k players on this site before I do so though!

Ballistic Skill Changes

Simply put, Ballistic Skill changes based on distance to the target. Up to half range, you add +1 BS. At half to full, no modifier. Up to half again your maximum range, -1. Up to double your maximum range, -2. Up to two and a half time maximum range, -3... and so on, until you reach zero. You only apply one modifier, the best one your entitled to.

So say someone with an assault 1, range 24" weapon fires. They'll get the following modifiers depending on the distance to the target.

1"-12": +1
13"-24": 0
25"-36": -1
37"-48": -2
49"-60": -3

Overwatch Changes

Right, so I'm thinking, perhaps we can apply Overwatch to enermy actions aside from charges? If an enermy unit moves into range, you can Overwatch fire into them. To do so, every model in your unit must roll for an INT test. The ones that pass can fire snap shots at the target, applying modifiers as above. Overwatch against charging opponents would not receive a bonus for 'under half range', would not require an INT test, and would be affected by negative modifiers as per usual. Snap shots would now be half BS, rounding up rather than a constant BS 1. Each unit only gets one Overwatch per turn, so if you fire at a distant moving opponent, you miss out on the chance to fire into a unit charging at your own unit. Units cannot fire overwatch into enermies charging at an allied unit (the allies are too close for that!)

I don't think allowing units to fire their basic weaponry up to 5' away is a good idea.

There is no way a bolter would have the same range as a sniper rifle or lascannon.

I do approve of the half bs for overwatch though. All races being reduced to BS1 is totally unrealistic as it does not take into account the skill of the firer or how calm they are under fire (for example a marine being charged by an ork will panic a lot less than an Imperial guardsman).

I think it should be rounded down though as otherwise BS3 overwatch is the same as BS4.

If the units get an automatic overwatch attack when charged, at full BS, then they are going to cause even more damage to assault troops. If you go back to the 2nd edition rules where if the unit is stationary and does not fire during the shooting phase a unit can choose to go into overwatch and then, in any preceding phase, shoot at one unit. Would be far more fair to assault armies.

Realistically, what you'd hit on in Overwatch would depend on, not on the skill of the firer, but also about how close the assaulting unit is. And while you're incorporating that, you may as well incorporate the number of models in the unit as well as the size of the models.

This carries on, until we come back to that word. "Realistically". It is not a word that should ever really be used alongside 40k, or any other wargame, in a sentence. Making 40k realistic, i.e. things like you're proposing here, would just mean tons and tons of over complicated rules. This would, actually, have a negative effect as the game would become very tedious, hard to learn and new players will be having none of it.

The game needs to be kept simple to work effectively. So, simply saying that, during overwatch, every unit is BS1 is a quick, easy solution and you can, in fact, see the logic behind it. Maybe even throw in the odd rule or psychic power that alters these but, other than that, keep it as it is. Simple. Easy. Effective.

With this, how would you rule rapid fire weapons? Would marines double tap things 2" away at 5 BS? or would that be halved as well, so they would get 5 BS double tap at things 6". Would I be able to double tap farther with reduced ballistic skill?

I think you should also limit the increased range as well. Maybe just do the -1 penalty for max range +(max range/2). Otherwise some things could get a little crazy, "yeah I'll just snap fire these las cannon devs at something 96" away". Also blast templates? "Just going to fire my whirlwind double it's range, oh well about my BS modifier, was firing it barrage anyway".

I like the Initiative test for Overwatch, and the idea of using it elsewhere.

However, it very quickly becomes just a version of Interceptor that would allow shooty armies to be even shootier. Especially if you are going to make Snap Firing easier.

Just a note on distances and charge range, I think you'd find this is very difficult to work realistically and have it make sense.

When you are being charged, the time you have to fire and the distance from your opponent both impact on your ability to hit accurately.

The closer you are to your opponent, the more likely you are to hit him, but the less time you have to aim

The further away from your opponent, the less likely you are to hit him, but the more time you have to aim.

time is VERY important when things are charging at you with huge axes. You need to knock off a few rounds then get your knife out. That gak isn't easy.

How about a simplified concept of Short Range and Long Range depending on weapon type.

Assault: Short Range yields +1 BS
Rapid Fire: Short Range yields +1A (i.e. like now)
Heavy: Short Range yields -1BS (Eldar grav platforms retain their weapon characteristics inspite of being shot as Assault)

Why? Heavy weapons are large, long ranged, weapons that don't exactly get easier to use when transverse velocity tracking is required more than precision. Heavy also houses the snipers. Assault weapons on the other hand are almost all short ranged weapons, very few are 24" and above, and are almost all of them light and made for close quarters combat. Assault weapons are also the weapons which have translated worst going into 6th edition.