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I've been intetested to try out 40k with with warpaths unit activation system (aka dumping the igougo -system)

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/e62f0c35454fa3ba687404d69/files/Warpath_II_Rules.pdf

Basically it goes like this:

1. players roll off every turn (I guess that means seize the initiative also every turn)

2. starting player gets to activate 3 units. First one gets activated automatically, second on 3+ and third on 5+ and then the second player does the same.
2.1 If players fail to activate a unit he loses control and the second players starts activating his units
2.2 Reserved and pinned units need to roll 4+ in addition to normal activation (ie player chooses to activate deepstriking termies on 3+ but need to also pass the "nerve" test on 4+ to be activated.)
2.3 activated units get to move, shoot and assault normally

3. When one of the players is finished his activations the other player gets to activate all his remaining units on 3+.

What do you thing how is this going to work. What could be the possible rules issues (I can't find any). Are there army lists that could become op or up (assuming lists are made for normal 40k)?

I can see this rule frustrating some players, especially if you are relying on a unit making a move, shot or assault and they fail their activation roll.

It will also make more people cagey with alpha strike deployment and such as well as reserves if their is a chance their deep striking terminators or whatever will stand there and do nothing when they drop in.

It would be interesting to have a few games with and see what happens though.

rohansoldier wrote:
I can see this rule frustrating some players, especially if you are relying on a unit making a move, shot or assault and they fail their activation roll.

It will also make more people cagey with alpha strike deployment and such as well as reserves if their is a chance their deep striking terminators or whatever will stand there and do nothing when they drop in.

It would be interesting to have a few games with and see what happens though.

Well it might be frustrating but you get to activate 1 unit automatically.

I'll clarify the reserve rules a bit. If the reserved units fails its' 4+ roll it doesn't arrive at all during the turn (so you don't have termies just getting shot). I could see a problem with deepstriking units activating and mishaps make them rather unreliable so some tweaking is required.

I agree that a more interactive game turn would be a good idea for 40k.

However, a straight alternating phase would be easier to use with the current rules as is.

Roll off each turn to see who goes first,
Start of turn.
Player A moves.
Player B moves.
Player A shoots
Player B shoots
Player A assaults.
Player B assaults.
End of turn.

The problem with alternating unit activation is disparity in the number of units in each force, CAN make the game unbalanced.Warpaths game turn can only do so much...
(40k has a much wider spread than Warpath in this respect .)
Alternating unit activation would work well in a 40k re-write though...

While straight alternating system would be easier/faster it still doesn't fix problems that gunline armies create.

Alternating between turn off decreases the odds that one players gets to steam roll the other player (ie when ig player goes first and just kills half of you force on turn 1).

Alternating between units would decrease this even further but also open up various other tactics for both players. A more assault oriented force could try to tie key units before they get to shoot. A player could delay his activations in order to summon his reserves all at once.

After thinking abit on reverves there are couple of issues. Deepstriking units are really risky as you have activate, shrug off suppression (4+) and they still roll for mishap table.

So I suggest that mishap table is replaced with this:

In the case of mishap each model in the unit takes 2 dangerous terrain tests.

So you if you manage to get your minis to the table they stay there but represent dangerous teleportation (or something) you get to roll loads of dangerous terrain tests.

Second issue with deepstriking are rules that allow you to bundle up units into 1 reserve roll (ie drop pod assault, deathwing assault, escort craft, squadrons of vendettas etc.).

Are all the models activated at the same time? Should they get slightly tweaked activation rules?