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Note: I only have Index Imperium 1, Xenos 1, and Chaos, so that's all I'm doing. I do have a few Codecs, but I figure the Indexes should be enough to get my point across.

USRs

[Faction] Aura X" (Effect)
This is an ability that affects all units within X inches of the appropriate faction, with the effect in parentheses. For instance, the Space Marine Captain's Rite of War becomes [Chapter] Aura 6" (Reroll Hits of 1).

Invulnerable (X+)
This model has an Invulnerable save of X or higher.

Deep Strike (X")
This model or unit can, instead of deploying normally, deploy in Deep Strike Reserves. Then, at the end of any of your movement phases, it can set up anywhere on the battlefield more than X inches away from any of your opponent's models.

Turbo Boost (X")
This model, when it advances, gains additional X inches to its move, rather than rolling.

[Faction X] Bodyguard W" (Y+ or Automatic)
Whenever a friendly [Faction X] (where X is USUALLY any character, but can be specific characters or any faction model) loses a wound within W inches, this model may attempt to intervene. Roll a die-on Y or higher, they suffer a mortal wound, but the [Faction X] does not lose their wound. If it is automatic, no die roll is needed.

[Faction X] Intercept W" (Y+ or Automatic)
Same as Bodyguard, but instead of proccing when a wound is lost, it happens AFTER a successful hit roll but BEFORE any wound rolls are made. If the die roll is successful, the model with Intercept is subjected to the entire attack, starting from the successful hit roll.

Infiltrate (X")
When deploying, this model or unit may set up anywhere that is at least X inches from the enemy deployment zone and any enemy models.

Cover Bonus (X)
This model gains additional benefit X when benefiting from cover. This is usually an additional +1 to their armor save, but can be other things, such as -1 to hit.

Feel No Pain (X+)
Whenever this model loses a wound, roll a die. On X or higher, the wound is not lost.

Open-Topped
A transport with this rule allows its occupants to shoot in the shooting phase, drawing line of sight from any point on the vehicle.

Airborne
This model cannot charge, may only be charged by units with Fly, and can only be attacked in close combat by units with Fly.

Supersonic
This model may only move straight. However, before moving, it may first pivot up to 90 degrees.

[Phase] Hard To Hit (-X)
This model inflicts a -X penalty to all attack rolls made in the indicated [Phase]. If [Phase] is [All], then it always inflicts that penalty.

Relentless
This model does not suffer the penalties for moving and firing Heavy weapons.

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Examples:

Space Marine Captain has the following rules:
[Chapter] Aura 6" (Reroll Hits of 1), Invulnerable (4+), Invulnerable (3+) (With Storm Shield only), and Deep Strike (9") (With Jump Pack only).

A Chaplain would have:
[Chapter] Aura 6" (Reroll All Fight Hits, Use Leadership), Invulnerable (4+), and Deep Strike (9") (With Jump Pack only).

Bike models would have Turboboost (6").

Company Veterans would have [Chapter Character] Bodyguard 3" (2+).
On bikes, they would have [Chapter Biker Character] Bodyguard 3" (2+).

Scouts would have Infiltrate (9") and Cover Bonus (+1 Armor).

Venerable Dreadnought would have Feel No Pain (6+).

Land Speeder Storm would have Open-Topped.

Stormhawk Interceptor would have Airborne, Supersonic, and [Shooting] Hard To Hit (-1).

Centurion Devastators, and all stripes of Land Raiders, would have Relentless.

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Currently, I've just gone through the first bit of Index Imperium 1. Let me know if you have any suggestions for cleaning up wording, new rules, or whatnot.

You could also have Explodes (score to explode, radius, damage), Rend (-x) (scores of 6 to wound have an AP of -x), Melta (at half range roll damage twice and pick higher), Gets Hot (on a roll of 1 to hit the firing model is slain after the attack is resolved), Gets Warm (on a roll of 1 to hit the firing model takes a single mortal wound after the attack is resolved), Advanced Deployment (deploy in the shadows instead of placing normally, at the start of the first battle round but before the first turn deploy the unit anywhere not within 9" of any enemy models), and Hover Tank (measure distances to the model, not the base).

I like and hate fluffy rule names at the same time. But yes replace deep strike, manta strike bleh bleh with a reinforcements rule.
I will reference the Mtg rules pamphlet. Mtg is swamped with special rules/keywords to save space for the little box under the art. The rule pamphlet which comes with any box set or intro deck has a list of all current universal keywords for reference.

If I can learn all of Mtg's keywords I can learn all of them for 40k.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
But one thing these rules would need to be is written by like a lawyer to stop all the Raw and Rai arguments

I was glad to see the back of usr's. They baffled me and when different rules referenced different usr's it was ridiculous. New way works much better for my old aged brain.

Andykp wrote:
I was glad to see the back of usr's. They baffled me and when different rules referenced different usr's it was ridiculous. New way works much better for my old aged brain.

Yes and no. The 'reminder text' (to appropriate a name from MTG) is nice, sure, but the current approach also means you have to read through the entire text of every rule just to be sure it hasn't changed from a rule that you think is similar but has a different name so it might not be.

What ought to be the case is a best-of-both-worlds approach where identical rules have a consistent name (so those of us who want to be able to memorize a short list of rules and quickly determine that they're the ones we expect them to be from the name) and where reminder text is still printed on the datasheets (so those of us who don't want to have to memorize what everything does or constantly flip back to a reference can read the rule and determine what's happening quickly).

That could work. I've noticed a few of the similar rules are a bit different like the explodes ones have a good bit of variation to them. As long as theirs reminders I'm good. Same names would help, I call them the same thing anyway.

Also need new unit type USR's.

Need to change biker/calvary into unified "Mounted" or something in that line. If we follow the general framework that Chapter Tactics have been working, RAW, TWC cannot benefit from Chapter Tactics since they are not 'Infantry', 'biker', or 'dreadnought'.

 skchsan wrote:
Also need new unit type USR's.

Need to change biker/calvary into unified "Mounted" or something in that line. If we follow the general framework that Chapter Tactics have been working, RAW, TWC cannot benefit from Chapter Tactics since they are not 'Infantry', 'biker', or 'dreadnought'.

RAW TWC cannot benefit from chapter tactics because they are not a part of Codex Space Marines. Space Wolves have their own codex coming just like DA, BA, TSons, Grey Knights, and Deathguard.

 Lance845 wrote:

 skchsan wrote:
Also need new unit type USR's.

Need to change biker/calvary into unified "Mounted" or something in that line. If we follow the general framework that Chapter Tactics have been working, RAW, TWC cannot benefit from Chapter Tactics since they are not 'Infantry', 'biker', or 'dreadnought'.

RAW TWC cannot benefit from chapter tactics because they are not a part of Codex Space Marines. Space Wolves have their own codex coming just like DA, BA, TSons, Grey Knights, and Deathguard.

I'm saying when SW codex drops - we have seen the chapter tactics equivalent for DA and BA where it only applies to the aforementioned unit types only. i.e.- DA LRC cannot benefit from Grim Resolve because it is not eligible unit type.

sure and we've seen chaper tactics apply to differant units dependaning on codex before. so I'd not be too worried about that

I would add "Charge Bonus[x]" and "Ignore[x]", where Charge Bonus is a bonus the unit gets for the remainder of the Assault should they declare a charge, and Ignore lets you ignore a rule or ability of an enemy unit that you attack or defend against. So for example, Blood Angels would have Charge Bonus[+1 To Wound], Warp Talons would have Charge Bonus[Ignore[Overwatch]], Inceptors would have Charge Bonus[Mortal Wound[6+]], etc. In theory if Photon Grenades were to be a defensive toy again, you could in theory give them Ignore[Charge Bonus[!]], where * is a wildcard qualifier.

I would rename "Feel No Pain" to "Ignore Damage" but that's a nitpick, and rather than "Advance/Turboboost/Supersonic," I would just give each unit two separate movement values, so Marines move 6"/+D6", Jetbikes move 14"/+6", etc.

While I agree that there needs to be more clarity about common rules, I don't think that going back to the old universal special rules lookup is the way to do it, as I like having the summary of the rule right there in the datasheet. I think the best solution that fits in with 8th's style of data sheet is to make use of keywords.

For example, any unit with a deep-strike equivalent rule would specifically be described as arriving as Reinforcements (i.e- they basically have that keyword if they arrive in this way), making it easier to specify rules that target Reinforcements on the turn that they arrive, e.g- the Auspex Scan stratagem.

Abilities that apply continuously (or temporarily) to units within X" should specifically use the keyword Aura, for interactions with abilities that apply to Aura effects. This would eliminate the odd way that Aura abilities are currently defined, which feels more like a footnote in the rules rather than some explicit, important definition.

I do agree that common abilities do need to have the same basic name; fluffy names should be added as italicised flavour text, if at all. Personally I'd favour not including the fluffy ability names at all as they're seriously stretching the ability to come up with good names for everything, and have already resulted in a lot of poaching when you add up abilities, tactical objectives, stratagems etc. Using a common name would also make it possible to release an all-armies FAQ correcting/clarifying common abilities with the same name in a single location, rather than for every army that uses them.

USR's are a referencing nightmare in gameplay. It's far cleaner to have the rule right there with the rest of the model rules. That said, its very useful to keyword your rules. You have have orbital drop and teleport strike do the same thing, but they should do so via a keyword with reminder text. That way you still have fluff diversity, but you gain the ability to easily adjust every version of that rule and even cleanly reference the rule in other rules rather than try to describe what its doing.

Just looking up a page of USR's is far far easier than to look up every single unit for special rules, especially if those rules are all slightly different.
Having the USR's int he main rulebook also makes it possible for a player to be aware of all of them. Unless you buy every single Codex, there are going to be special rules that you're simply not aware of, and that can catch you by surprise.

Referencing in 8th as a whole has gotten worse than it used to be, after they slimmed down the main rulebook by just moving many of the rules over to the Codices.