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So, yeah, re: "cumulativity" (or if that's not an actual word, then "the cumulative effects of multiple instances of overlapping/identical special rules")...

... it seems as though, in this relatively bare-bones rules pamphlet we're still figuring out, that all potential cumulative effects do in fact combine and/or stack.

I ask the question because of a silly-brutal combination I haphazardly threw together for my first game. It all appeared to be legal, and not even particularly game-y, lawyer-y, or borderline (which makes me think there are probably even worse combos out there). But even though it all seemed above-board it still felt dirty after internalizing decades of consistent GW rules prohibiting this type of thing.

It wasn't anything fancy or clever -- Throt the Unclean, 2x Packmasters, and a unit of 8x Rat Ogres.


Throt
Master Controller: In your hero phase pick one Moulder unit within 6". Until your next hero phase, you can add 3" to all run and charge rolls for that unit, and add 1 to all hit rolls made by that unit in the combat phase."

Packmaster
Herded into the Fray: In your hero phase, pick one Moulder unit within 6". Until your next hero phase you can add 1" to all run and charge rolls for that unit, and add 1 to all hit rolls made by that unit in the combat phase.


So, obviously, I kept all the Moulder Crew together, and each ability was triggered.

Does that really give me a unit of Rat Ogres who are charging 2D6+5" and adding +3 to all their hit rolls??

Incidentally, that also makes me wonder if GW secretly wants rolls of 1 to stay auto-fails... cuz if not I'm rolling 32 auto-hitting attacks, with some likely follow-up from the Rabid Fury bonus.

Seems to be legal, and works. The rules don't have any rules against cumulative effects. While this is indeed powerful, it also allows some strong synergy that I feel most GW games severely lack. Specifically, Hero Units/HQ's feel like they SHOULD support their troops in such a manner, giving some sort of bonus effect.

For example, in the Orcs and Goblins book, Orc Bullies help out Orc war machines, allowing them to make re rolls, which is awesome. You bring a Bully, and have him keep the lowly grots from messing up. If he gets sniped, then your opponent just crippled your war machines a bit without actually attacking the machines themselves.

Yeah, all the talk of synergy lately (in both early reviews and fledgling rumours about the intent/future of AoS) make me feel like, hey, maybe this is perfectly fine and business as usual.

And tbh it only feels ridiculously powerful when it's the only mega-combo on the board. If every race can come up with something like this then it would all even out.

 Altruizine wrote:
Yeah, all the talk of synergy lately (in both early reviews and fledgling rumours about the intent/future of AoS) make me feel like, hey, maybe this is perfectly fine and business as usual.

And tbh it only feels ridiculously powerful when it's the only mega-combo on the board. If every race can come up with something like this then it would all even out.

I think a lot of the craziness will be reigned in a little bit when/if GW comes up with an army construction method. A lot of times, these combos require specific things and once a system of army building becomes a thing, it'll make choices harder.

A lot of proposed rules have already been coming out for an army building system. Mine has been based on army totals consisting of 50 wound increments, where you have access to 1 hero unit, and 1 single model unit that has 10+ wounds, per 50 Wounds. Combos like this will be difficult in smaller games, as you devote a lot of your wounds to those synergies, but doesn't allow for too much else in a minimum 50 Wound game. Though as you increase the wound cap, you get more options and can really expand those themes and combos.

There's no limit to the standard save buff spell either; so you can get a few wizards to give a unit a 1+ save.

However, that's a waste of spells.

AoS does remind me of an RTS.

It's good, but not too crazy.
A pack master is a 3 would model on a 6+ save, Thott is 5 wounds with a 4+ save (durable, but not at the insane level).

It isn't tough at all to kill both pack masters, especially with anything with indirect fire. A single doom diver is a threat; 3+ to hit one pack master, on a miss, 4+ to hit the other pack master, D6 wounds if near a bully.