Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have two ideas for improving the "feels bad" nature of the current Overwatch Vs Close Combat situation:

As of now, when a unit is charged, it gets a free shooting attack that hits on 6s against the charger, outside of the normal sequence of their turn.

Suggestion 1: The number of actions a model can take in a battle round should be a fixed quantity. Units firing on chargers makes sense, them getting to magically fire more bullets while being charged does not. This is a good opportunity to add a little agency to your actions during your opponent's turn!

Remove Overwatch as it currently exists. Replace it with this.

Any unit may forgo its normal shooting in the shooting phase to enter Overwatch. Place a counter next to the unit to signify to their opponent that they have not yet used their shooting action. A unit on Overwatch may shoot as if it were the shooting phase after their opponent has fully resolved any move, psychic power, shooting action, or charge move on their turn.

All shots from a unit on Overwatch suffer a -1 to hit penalty.

A unit that has declared overwatch is subject to all the normal restrictions on shooting, E.G. if they Advanced during the movement phase of their turn, they are treated as having Advanced throughout their opponent's turn. They gain one exception to these rules as detailed below.

Incoming!: A unit on Overwatch may still fire their shooting weapons after an opponent's charge action even if the charge move brought enemy models within 1" of models from that unit. However, all models in the firing unit must target the unit that made the charge move with all their weapons.

Suggestion 2: Keep the current "bonus action" style Overwatch, but add the following rule for melee.

Attack of Opportunity: When a unit declares it is Falling Back, the unit they are in combat with may attempt to strike while they turn away to flee. All models within 1" of the unit falling back, or within 1" of a friendly unit within 1" of the unit falling back may make close combat attacks as if it was the Fight phase. All attacks made as Attacks of Opportunity hit on a roll of 6, regardless of modifiers or the attacking unit's weapon skill.

I like the declare Overwatch instead of shooting. With a -1 penalty, it helps make it not overwhelming, while still remaining useful.

I am definitely not a fan of Suggestion 2 for reasons that I'll refrain from ranting about here.

Suggestion 1 is interesting, but would it risk turning the game into a standoff? For instance, I deploy some dark reapers on top of some terrain. Normally, you'd probably want to hide a unit out of line of sight so that I don't alpha strike them to death with said reapers. But now if I get first turn, I can opt to overwatch the reapers, waiting for your unit to come into line of sight where I can basically wipe them out before they shoot.

I like the first rules of "going into overwatch", it works like space hulk and I think that this is very useful. I would add the following bits:

Overwatch as a phase in the enemy turn; Rather than "after the enemy does a single thing", which makes it a little too good (EG if a unit moves away from an aura character, shoot them before he moves. or if the character moves first, shoot him whilst he's closest.) I would remove the -1 to hit, but make them fire at the end of the enemy movement phase. This means that everything has moved (and might move to compensate, allowing you to affect the enemies turn through psychological warfare), but you haven't been attacked yet. Charges are lined up, units are out of vehicles, and it's time for you to overwatch. This is the moment you were holding fire for.

This will also help to counter alpha strike units, as they will deepstrike in, then get shot a bit, then do their damage.

whether or not the -1 to hit is needed will be a matter of balance and refinement. I think this may also need to be an alternative to advancing, I can't see people being disciplined in their shooting and sprinting across the battlefield. Make people choose - shoot, advance, or overwatch?