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Ignoring the fact that in the real world chainswords/axes would be utterly unreliable weapons with broken teeth/ snagging/ jamming/ requiring power etc. We are after all, playing the game in a fantasy setting in the far future. Now 8th is here, would you like chain weaponry aside from the Bezerkers axe being represented in the rules?
After all, very few units actually have them, even SMs who are the ones most commonly depicted with them in the fluff only have CCWs (or just bps). It's usually only specific characters that actually have them, and certain units like Deathwatch. Obviously it would require squad leaders to pay a few extra points if they were upgraded. Personally I think something needs to show the difference between a knife/sword and a chainblade ripping into you and would give squad leaders a little something extra... but does it warrent enough of a difference to be represented in the rules in your opinion?

There's quite a lot of chain choppas and big choppas on ork sprues as well... Just saying.

 ergotoxin wrote:
There's quite a lot of chain choppas and big choppas on ork sprues as well... Just saying.

There is that, and of course things like dedicated assault units like assault marines have them. But if there was a slight price increase, it would give them the slight edge they've been needing. Is it justified though?

Yes, other.

When rolling to wound rolls of six get -1 rending.
Assault Marines get -1 to rend on rolls of five or six.

In my opinion the best way is to keep them without rules as the game already has enough bloat...

However there are the rules for Berzerker chain axes in Codex: CSM, which cost little more and have AP 4. This could be used for all chain weapons.

Myself I'd prefer +1 S as that would represent the chain weapon better - it seems to be a pretty bad weapon for armour penetration, but the effect on flesh would be horrifying...

-1 rend is way too much of a buff, if this game is going to be anything like AOS, even -1 rend is handed out very rarely.

Keep them the same.
Otherwise why not give every semi unique weapon a sub rule?
Powerfists/klaws/scorpion claws etc, power mauls, axes, whips .
As someone already said thats just going to lead to more rules bloat :(

 Wyzilla wrote:
-1 rend is way too much of a buff, if this game is going to be anything like AOS, even -1 rend is handed out very rarely.

unless you're an elf

-1 rend is equivalent to the former AP 4, which is too much for a chain sword. AP 5 I could live with, but that's going to be Rend 0 in the new edition by the looks of it, so no game effect.

I think something small, but occasionally useful like rerolling 1s to wound wouldn't be bad.

Getting -1rend on a 6/ 5 or 6 to wound, sounds a good compromise, as does rerolling 1's to wound (meaning either/or of course not both).

I would either make chain weapons Reroll 1s to wound or do A mortal wound on a Roll of 6 on the wound roll.

Though that may end up being the rule for Lightning claws.

I voted for a strength bonus but after thinking twice am on the fence with a rend bonus.
I went with a strength bonus as I was thinking of chain weapons as the everyman's big choppa but now I am leaning toward rend in order to differentiate them from the big choppa...
In the end, I would have to wait to see how other weapons are profiled to see how chain weapons should fit in.

Yes. And bolters should be more devastating. And marines should be 50 points each with 5s across the board.

The chaos space marine sprue has tons of chain weapons. It's been their go to CCW for years. Sure it might rustle a few feathers making people pay points for the difference, BUT it might be interesting at least...

Don't think it will happen though. Maybe as a free option?

What effect do they have I SW:A? And how much better is a power sword?

 NivlacSupreme wrote:
Yes. And bolters should be more devastating. And marines should be 50 points each with 5s across the board.

I'm really hoping that rapid fire lets you get an extra shot at half range still and that marines get an extra shot if they didn't move more than 3"... but yes, an Ork chain axe should be more deadly than a shiv.

No, because it's incredibly unclear which units can actually have chain weapons at this point, due to how long they've been blended in to "CCW".

The two handed eviscerators and big choppas I'd give rend -1. No need to start another AP arms race.

The eviscerators should have way more than rend -1, they're AP 2 armorbane.

I would do it for assault marines that's for sure. Because as it stands they're complete garbage right now, made worse by the fact that bolt pistols have AP- now.

Anything that's a Chain Weapon needs at minimum rerolling of 1's to wound. It's ridiculous that a Chainfist doesn't have additional effectiveness against anything organic but does more against a vehicle.

30k seems to function with the addition of chainsword -> chainaxe as a +1S upgrade in a few places (Blackshields and Sons of Horus have to pay for it, World Eaters get it free). A generic 'chain weapon' distinct from a CCW, that gave +1S and cost a few points, seems like a fairly bland and inoffensive suggestion to me.

You may need to give some compensatory benefit to all the armies stuck with S3 close combat troops who are now going to be very grumpy that Santa Logan came along to give all the humans' S4 close combat troops S5 without giving them anything if you did, though. Chainswords for everyone!

A system based on a d6 doesn’t have that much wiggle room to differentiate things. I like the concept of -1 rend on a 6 to wound. Gives them a little boost, but not game breakingly so.

re-rolls are powerful. I’d like to see them reserved for something a bit more impressive then a chainsword.

Chainsword are cool and iconic weapons and should be more effective than plain old knives. -1 rend is fine, just give them appropriate point cost.

Setting reality considerations aside, I'm fine with any changes as long as they're appropriately costed, though I'd also prefer them just being normal CCW's if anything. That said, to pay some nod to reality, if they must get something, I'd rather see them get something on wounding rather than a bonus against armor. Reroll 1's or something maybe.

I really fancy having to cut off the arms from 100 ork boyz to re-arm them with new chain/non-chain weapons depending on the stats.

I feel all tingly just thinking about it.

I'd go with +1 STR or something, it'd make chain sword vs power sword an actual CHOICE. "Do I want actual hitting power, or do I want armor penatration?"

I really hope Chainswords are different from regular CCWs. Not at all because my Blood Angels run around with dozens of Chainswords. Nope. Not. At. All.

On the one hand, I would like chainswords to have their own unique thing since they are so iconic. Plus, I tend to model them where I can because I think they look cool.

However, they do seem to be given out like candy which means a lot of units have them available. Which isn't such a big deal until you think about those players just have them as CCW not really paying a premium for them nor wanting to.

Then their is the fact that I don't want every little thing to get its own special rule. I think the chainsword is one of good places to keep the fat off the new rules.

But if you really want to know, I also think all power weapons should also be the same weapon too. At least even more so than the chainsword.

It's not just chainswords that are the problem. In the HH books they say that a marines standard issue combat blade is a power weapon.

 Saturmorn Carvilli wrote:
On the one hand, I would like chainswords to have their own unique thing since they are so iconic. Plus, I tend to model them where I can because I think they look cool.

However, they do seem to be given out like candy which means a lot of units have them available. Which isn't such a big deal until you think about those players just have them as CCW not really paying a premium for them nor wanting to.

Then their is the fact that I don't want every little thing to get its own special rule. I think the chainsword is one of good places to keep the fat off the new rules.

But if you really want to know, I also think all power weapons should also be the same weapon too. At least even more so than the chainsword.

I agree that chainswords shouldn't be made special because every one and their whole family has them. Power weapons on the other hand are much different. A sword is different then a fist and so on