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Here is my version of the rules for 40K. Me and my son use to play, but eventually found the game boring, and stopped playing while I just collect. We want to start playing again. Since GW encourages us to change the rules on how we see fit, I am attempting to do so. I have been reading the 40K Proposed Rules, and even make a thread about questions of how my rules are. I am making this thread here to be different from y other thread because that is just ideas, while this one is the actual rules. Here is what I have so far. It is just a basic beginner rules, something like we might have had in Battle for Macragge and will add to it after I get it down. For now, all I have is the Turn Sequence. I haven't gotten rules what to do for movement, shooting and assaulting yet. Just wanting to get started.

So I would like to see what you guys and girls think of my turn sequence. I am not good with words so if you can help me with my wording and writing, I would appreciate how I should write it out then.

Davor’s 40K Rules v .001

Turn Sequence

➢ Roll for Priority.
o 1st Sub Phase
• Person who won Priority can decide to Activate their units or pass on to their opponent.
• When it’s the person’s turn to Activate their units he can either move or shoot his units. When he is done, it’s the other person’s turn to Activate their units, and either move or shoot.
o 2nd Sub Phase
• Person who lost Priority can decide to Activate their units or pass on to their opponent.
• When it’s the person’s turn to Activate their units he can either move or shoot their units, which they didn’t do in the 1st sub phase. When they are done, it’s the other person’s turn to Activate their units and move or shoot in which they didn’t do in the 1st sub phase.
➢ If any units are in base to base (b2b) then the Assault phase takes place.
➢ End of turn.

Priority Phase

➢ Roll a die 6 (d6) and the highest roll wins Priority for that turn.
• On turn one in an event of a tie, reroll until someone wins.
• After turn one, in the event it is a tie, person who lost Priority the previous turn gets Priority this turn.

Activation Phase

• Select a unit, and choose move activation, shoot activation or do nothing.

Movement Activation

• Select a unit and move it it’s allowed distance (Usually 6”) or choose to remain stationary.

Fire Activation

• Select a unit and choose it to fire at an appropriate target or choose it to not fire.


I have chosen a Priority Phase because me and my son like the rules in LotR. So I picked to keep it in. My son likes having "The One Ring" going back and forth, so what ever adds to his fun is good right? Also when I played 40K, I didn't like I either always moved first or always moved second. This way it gives everyone a chance to move first if they want (or second if they like) and ties make the looser of the previous turn to go first so more of a chance of everyone going first on the turn.

I HATE, and my son HATES I move/shoot/assault you move/shoot/assault so we want an alternating activating units. Standing around doing nothing is no fun. So I was thinking of using a move one unit, your opponent moves on unit. After some comments and reading other threads, I choose not to go that way.

I am trying to keep the "spirit" of 40K by having someone move all there stuff first. So person who has Priority can choose to go first or not. (keeping this basic rules no rolling to seize the initiative.) So once the person moved all his units (or choose to shoot instead) then it's the opponents turn he can either move or shoot at you. This should eliminate of just sitting there and doing nothing while you are being shot at and all you do is remove minis.

Then then when the person who lost Priority does the same. They either shoot or move what they didn't do in the previous phase. So this way we all have a move phase and a shoot phase. It's just combined instead of having a Move phase only and a Shoot Phase only. I know other games do I move, you move, I shoot, you shoot like in LotR and other games, but hey I want something different with Davor's flavour. Also some more tactics can come out of this I hope. Yes you move your assault unit closer to get into an assault, but what if the other person decides not to move? He can shoot first and then move out of the way later if he wins priority. Or maybe have your glass cannons Devilgaunts move and approach so can't shoot, but also have your Stealers approach as well. Now the other person has to think, who do I shoot at? Devilgaunts should go down in flames but the Stealers are approaching soon. Who to shoot at, or move and go for better cover or away from both units and shoot later just in case I don't win Priority next turn.

Later I am going to add in more rules for what happens if you decide to no move and have reactionary moves if someone moves in front of you (to keep my spirit of both parties can do something and not just sit there and do nothing. But that is for another time.)

So what do you think of my Turn Sequence. Simple enough? A little bit complicated? Since I see a lot of games use counters I am thinking of doing it too. I know GW even made counters to show what unit ran or gone to ground so will use the same. Have a red die (Or counter but I have lots of dice for now, who doesn't ) to show who fired and white dice to show who moved.

Comments and criticism greatly appreciated.

I'm not clear on this: does the priority winner move or shoot each of his units, or just one, before the other player does the same?

Hi Davor.
I agree that alternating phases or actions is a good game turn mechanic for 40k.
(Better than army level alternating game turn , and alternating unit activation anyway!)

However, I think it would be better if you wrote the turn structure more clearly.

Command Phase.
Players roll for priority, and request off table support.

Primary action phase.
Player with priority, readies (to fire heavy ordnance.)OR moves OR shoots with all their units, one at a time.
Opposing player , readies ,OR moves, OR shoots with all their units, one at a time.

Secondary action phase.
Player with priority , can shoot with units that moved OR readied in the primary action phase.
OR may move OR assault with units that moved in the primary action phase.

Opposing player,can shoot with units that moved OR readied in the primary action phase.
OR may move OR assault with units that moved in the primary action phase.

Resolution phase.
Players resolve out standing issues.(Rally units on poor morale , plot off table support arrival etc.)

It may be beneficial to list the 2 actions on an order counter you place face down next to the unit in the command phase perhaps?
As this would keep track of what units have done throughout the game, IF you place order counters face down in the command phase.Then flip them over in the primary action phase, and remove them as actions are taken in the secondary action phase.

I know I may not have transposed your idea completely ,but is was just an example of how you could re structure the game turn instructions to make them a bit clearer.

Well this makes assault even worse... and gunlines better... so two of the more anoyong parts of the game get built up. Good job?
gunlines can always chose to shoot, because gunlines always have range. And trying to assault means giving up shooting entirely.
Unless I am misunderstanding and there are actually 4 activation phases a round minimum. Cause it look s like a static unit can put out 2x the firepower of a mobile unit.

@Lord Davenport.
Are you commenting on Davors outline or mine?

In my game turn , I have tried to keep the options similar to current 40k.

Stay still and fire to full effect.(Ready then shoot.)To fire heavy/ordnance.

Move and shoot.(Unable to fire heavy/ordnance.)

Move then Move again.

Move then assault .

Or just shoot in the first turn , sort of reaction fire / over-watch.

Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.Maybe with order counters we could get better balance in the actions?

BadMoonMek wrote:I'm not clear on this: does the priority winner move or shoot each of his units, or just one, before the other player does the same?

Wish I could write clearly, sorry. Yeah what I am thinking of Priority winner can take the turn or pass. On say Turn 1a (which would be in 40K terms, I move/shoot/assault) the person would pick a unit, and then that unit would move, shoot or assault. Then the opponent would pick their units and move, shoot or assault. Then on Turn 1b (which would be the opponents turn to move/shoot/assault in 40K terms) the person who won priority would then pick his units, and then do what he didn't do in turn 1a. Then once he is done, their opponent would do the same.

Lanrak wrote:Hi Davor.
I agree that alternating phases or actions is a good game turn mechanic for 40k.
(Better than army level alternating game turn , and alternating unit activation anyway!)

However, I think it would be better if you wrote the turn structure more clearly.

As I said, yes I wish I could write better. That will take time for me. I like what you said and will change my style a bit.

Me and my son have play tested a few games. We did the you activate a unit, I activate a unit and then tried, I activate all my units and they you activate all your units. We found the latter is so much better.So when he was activating all his units, he would either choose to move, shoot or assault.

For now, we have:

move 6" and be able to shoot.
Do a double run and move 12" and not be able to shoot.
move 9" and able to assault.

If you assault a unit that hasn't shot, then that person can do an overwatch at full BS. You can only shoot ONCE pert turn. So now you have to think, if I double run, I can't shoot or Overwatch. Do I shoot first, or do I move, seeing I may be assaulted later. If I assault, the unit that hasn't double run or shoot, can now shoot at full BS at me before I can assault.

For now once a unit has been activated we put a dice beside it. A 1 means it moved 6". A 2 means a double run move. (2 times greater than 1 ) A 5 means it didn't move (this way it will get positive modifiers to shoot, or be able to shoot weapons that you have to stand still in order to shoot) and a 6 means it fired, but didn't move yet.

Once in Assault it is done right away. This way if you become the victor, you still can be shot at, from other units that didn't shoot yet, or be assaulted by an enemy unit. Still working on it to see how this works, but for now it's working for us.

I haven't added these yet into my Rules yet because we are still trying it out. Will be updating the rules with me borrowing the rules I have read in the last few days from other threads. Great ideas to borrow.