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Hello, I’ve been pointed here as somewhere which has tried various alternating activation systems. I’ve had a quick skim through those already around, but wanted some feedback on the very simple version I am pondering, which draws somewhat on new Necromunda.

Proposed turn sequence
1) players roll off to secure initiative for the turn. If the first turn, the player who finished deploying first gets +1 to the roll. In subsequent turns the player who did not have initiative in the previous turn gets +1. In all subsequent steps the player with initiative takes the first action.
2) players alternate activating any start of the turn abilities (stratagems, objective selection, acts of faith etc)
3) Players alternate activating units. If a player activates a character model they can activate additional units within 6” that have not yet been activated this turn alongside it as follows: non-HQ character 1 unit, HQ character 2 units, Warlord 3 units. When a unit is activated it proceeds through the movement, psychic and shooting phases of the turn per normal 40k. Deep striking units and others which appear at the end if the movement phase may only be deployed once all other units have been activated.
4) once all units on both sides have activated players alternate declaring and completing charges with any units that they wish as if it were the charge phase. Each unit may only be activated to charge once.
5) once all charges are completed players alternate activating units to fight in the fight phase, starting with any units that automatically fight first, then chargers, then any remaining units.

Any thoughts? I’m aware this reduces the number of fight phases versus shooting, but feel that is ok: any dedicated combat units will probably destroy their foe in one round of combat.

This runs into the same issue as any other AA system that breaks up the activation between movement/shooting and charging/fighting.

Melee units are at an extreme disadvantage.

The melee unit has to play it's hand and show you what they are going to do. For instance, genestealers who try to rush forward across the board. But before they can actually do ANYTHING you can see what they are gunning for and then use your remaining activations to 1) move farther away reducing their ability to successfully charge and 2) shoot the gak out of them potentially crippling or neutering the units ability to accomplish anything in a fight.

This system will severally benefit shooting armies and severally cripple dedicated melee units/armies.

 Lance845 wrote:
This runs into the same issue as any other AA system that breaks up the activation between movement/shooting and charging/fighting.

Melee units are at an extreme disadvantage.

The melee unit has to play it's hand and show you what they are going to do. For instance, genestealers who try to rush forward across the board. But before they can actually do ANYTHING you can see what they are gunning for and then use your remaining activations to 1) move farther away reducing their ability to successfully charge and 2) shoot the gak out of them potentially crippling or neutering the units ability to accomplish anything in a fight.

This system will severally benefit shooting armies and severally cripple dedicated melee units/armies.

He has a point. This system heaviliy benefits ranged.

Rather, i would add charging to movement, so that units can actually perform either a movement (with optional advance) or a charge(Which is a movement with a charge roll) to combat the potential for shooting armies to counter a CC oriented strategy. It's also the same system that was used in mordheim and that game style was rather good.

So a movement can instead become a charge, with units that can advance and charge adding an additional D6 to the charge roll (so a unit does a 3d6+movement charge, 4d6 if they have a 3d6 movement thing ect.)

This system would actually be more fairly balanced as it makes activation more of a risk/reward for cc and makes the ranged person actually think about placement of units cause of the threat of a charge

The character activation sounds like a pretty nice idea, it's both fluffy and tactical as having characters allows you to have more flexibility to act.

How i would do it is like this

1) Roll for priority unit: +1 for one who didn't get last turn or did deploy first
2) Choose Unit to activate: Character +1 activated unit within 6", HQ unit +1 activated within 12", warlord +2 units at 12"
3) resolve the unit/s psychic phase (If any) and any character or army abilities
4) Resolve Movement/Charge phase for the unit/s (deep strike units skip the movement/ if they charge they only go on a charge roll, not Charge roll + movement)
5) Resolve Shooting Phase for unit

repeat 2 to 5 unit all units resolved.

6) resolve fight phase as per CRB
7) morale

End of battle round

Charges are resolved as: Movement + charge roll (2d6) (+d6 if the unit in question has an ability that allows them to advance and charge) it is only charge roll (2d6) if the unit came as reinforcements in the battle round, no advance roll added to charge