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***Not sure if this is the right forum section for this. If it's not, sorry***


I used to play 5th eddition back in the day but stoped when 6th ed came out. Now I'm back and am faced with the fearsome might of 7th eddition. Pretty much all I know about the changes is this new detachments and allies thing and that psykers are like fantasy's magic now.
Would anyone be kind enough to outline the major changes for me, or am I just gona have to spend 3 months reading the rulebook cover to cover 8 times to understand it all?
Thanks in advance.

If you liked 5th and stopped due to 6th, you're gonna have a bad time with 7th.

 Grimtuff wrote:
If you liked 5th and stopped due to 6th, you're gonna have a bad time with 7th.

It wasn't that I didn't like 6th and preferred 5th. I knew there were a lot of changes, some of which I liked, some I didn't and I couldn't be bothered to learn them as I was already getting burnt out on the hobby.

 Bwah wrote:
***Not sure if this is the right forum section for this. If it's not, sorry***


I used to play 5th eddition back in the day but stoped when 6th ed came out. Now I'm back and am faced with the fearsome might of 7th eddition. Pretty much all I know about the changes is this new detachments and allies thing and that psykers are like fantasy's magic now.
Would anyone be kind enough to outline the major changes for me, or am I just gona have to spend 3 months reading the rulebook cover to cover 8 times to understand it all?
Thanks in advance.

Take the time to read the books. Major changes from 5th to 7th (ignoring 6th), include:

Challenges
Look Out Sir!
Detachments
Formations
Allies
Fliers
Flying Monstrous Creatures
Jump infantry can use their jump packs in the movement phase for 12" or assault phase for additional charge movement (rule escapes me ATM), but not both.
Fortifications
Super Heavies
Lords of War
Warlord Traits
Precision Shots and Strikes
A new phase called the Psychic Phase
How psychic powers are manifested
Summoning Daemons
2d6 charge range instead of a flat 6" in the open.
How Rapid Fire weapons work
Snap Shots
Overwatch
Models with heavy weapons can move and still fire snap-shots
If models in a unit move, but certain models don't, then those models counts as stationary
"Gets Hot" affects vehicles

I'm sure there is more, but that will get you started.

I'd argue that 5th, despite having it's own problems, was the best edition of the game and the one I'd use as a base for house-ruling.

As for 5-7th, main changes:
-Random charges and Overwatch
-Flyers/Flying Monstrous Creatures
-Completely revamped Psychic (including a new phase)
- Unlimted Detachments/Formations and Unbound armies
-Super heavy vehicles and Gargantuans legal in standard games
-Hull points for vehicles
-Power Creep (e.g. free models/upgrades)

Granted, some of these are from 6th edition but 5th - 6th is more radical than 6th - 7th.

Then you've got the little changes in the special rules that are probably not allowed on Dakkadakka (it's not a substitute for a rulebook).

There's a lot, but here's the BIG ones:

#1 - Random Charge Ranges; No longer straight 6". Now you charge 2d6". Averages 7", but sometimes they make a long charge, sometimes a short charge.

#2 - Snap Shots & Overwatch; Most things that used to cause "unable to shoot" (like moving with a heavy weapon, or being pinned) now force you to shoot Snap Shots - shots that only hit on 6's. You can fire Overwatch at charges, which are snap shots.

#3 - Psychic Phase; No more Ld-based psychic powers. Now you form a psychic pool based on mastery level with a chance to deny psychic powers.

#4 - Everything can "fleet"; They call this Run - a d6" of movement in the shooting phase instead of shooting. You can't assault after running. Other unit types either go Full Out or Turbo Boost, for tons of extra movement, making the game much more dynamic.

#5 - Hull Points for Vehicles; All vehicles have Hull Points that are like wounds. Glancing hits take away a hull point, while Penetrating Hits are more like "Criticals" - they remove a hull point and have an extra effect. Most common way to destroy vehicles now is with medium-high strength shots that fire many times (Autocannons have a real purpose now).

#6 - Maelstrom Missions; A great way to play that heavily encourages position-based gameplay. Far different from the "win at the end" missions of the past.


Generally speaking, the game has become more about movement and shooting, and less about assault. The Assault phase is still important though, but largely as an additional means of movement. The strongest armies are the ones that can move around the best while surviving to make a difference, making Space Marines in Drop Pods and Eldar the top dogs. Necrons are very strong because they can take up a large footprint and simply not die, which is a viable strategy.

Also, the game now uses Super Heavies in most "standard" games. Imperial Knights are a common sight now, being one of the cheapest and most effective Super Heavies that any Imperial army can field. Eldar often bring a Wraith Knight, since it's also a super-(SUPER)-effective Super Heavy.


Hope this helps!

Wound allocation changed as well. Closest models take the hits first.

Thanks everyone for the responses so far.
I must say, I do like the sound of most of these changes, even if it will take some getting used to.
Definitely not looking forward to fighting Baneblades etc in vanilla but should make for some interesting war stories if nothing else.
The detachment and allies system seems cool, looking forward to putting some inquisitors in with my Blood Angels and hoping they look the other way when all the blood drinking starts.
Summoning Daemons sounds very interesting indeed as well as utterly terrifying.
As for flying monstrous creatures, I'm already traumatised.

I guess I'm going to have to buckle down and get reading if I want to learn the rules though.
Thank you all.

Too many words. To make it simple.
5th=good.
7th=bad.

Makumba wrote:
Too many words. To make it simple.
5th=Bad.
7th=Good.

Fixed it for you.

I had more fun with 5th edition, but 7th doesn't completely suck.

Makumba wrote:
Too many words. To make it simple.
5th=good.
7th=bad.

5th was by no means perfect, but it was definitely superior. The power curve was significantly more flat.

 Bwah wrote:
Definitely not looking forward to fighting Baneblades etc in vanilla but should make for some interesting war stories if nothing else.

Well, although they're more common, many gaming groups work under a gentleman's agreement that you discuss whether or not to bring Super Heavies before making lists. Places where gaming groups converse more ahead of time via email, facebook, or forums are more likely to do this, while those who just show up for a random game are less likely to do this.

7th is 5th ed with Apocalypse pasted on top of it.

 BoomWolf wrote:

Makumba wrote:
Too many words. To make it simple.
5th=Bad.
7th=Good.

Fixed it for you.

Being wrong is not fixing.

Both were differently broken. But the same can be said to every edition of 40k. The question is what parts do you like?

 Nevelon wrote:
Both were differently broken. But the same can be said to every edition of 40k. The question is what parts do you like?

Yep. 5th definitely felt harder to get into from an outsider's standpoint, while 7th has the problems of still broken rules and massive power creep along with no clear difference between Apocalypse and 40k.

7th continued the direction 6th was heading in


-Flyers are a thing now
-Fast things can jink ( cover save but Bs1 next turn)
-Characters can issue Challenges in close combat
-Allies can ride each others transport.
-On average 7th psykers are weaker then 5th psykers with the exceptions of armies who really go for it.
-Cover changed a lot
Cover and saves are rolled per model.
Removal of models from the front / closest model instead of the back.
=> Cover congo line no longer works.
- Wound allocation tricks no longer work
-FW is more accepted
- Flamers and other weapons can only kill models in reach. So burning entire squads down is harder.
-Terrain is simplified/dulled down.
-There are a lot more universal special rules.
-Close combat weapons have an ap now. power swords are are ap3.
-D weapons are nerfed, But a lot of normal units have str D now.
-FnP is most of the time on a 5+ now
-Night fighting now gives just a bonus on cover saves, regardless of distance.
-Furious charge does no longer give +1I
-You can buy fortifications
-Stand and shoot ( or overwatch) is a charge reaction now. You hit as Bs1. Tau and Dark angels have ways to abuse it so they shoot at full BS
-Formations are a thing now. ( like the ones in appoc) they do no longer cost points and can give huge bonuses like free transports, free upgrades or re roll saves.
-Rage no longer forces you to move towards the enemy
-Tank shocking is dead
-No more assaults from reserves or infiltrate
-Artillery and every model in the unit is t7 for shooting now
-Mealstorm missions with random and totally unbalanced objectives that you can score each turn. Favouring fast armies.

General feel
-Huge power creep
- Some games can feel like a poor mans apocalypse.
- Almost every army has their own knock off titan.
- Assault is dead compared to 5th.
- Your army is no longer constructed from one book, Allies and formations from other sources are a thing.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Don't try to play orks or an tyranid army in this edition with an 5th army list and expect to win.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Grav weapons are back and common now for space marines. They are the new better poison weapons that wound an armour instead of toughness and are ap2.

I think this edition is the best if you play with good people interested in playing a casual narrative game. There is a lot of flavor and fun things.

It's not balanced at all but 40k never has been and is designed to be a truly competitive game. If your looking for a tight rule set your never going to find that here