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Say I target an enemy unit across the map that is defending an objective and I declare shooting at them. They should be able to choose to take cover or not. If they take cover it’s a -1 for me to hit. But next turn their movement is penalized. There should be some way to make decisions that can help you not get shot off the table so fast but also have a cost to you on your next turn. I almost think giving units activation points would be a good idea but might be too much of a pain to track

warpedpig wrote:
Say I target an enemy unit across the map that is defending an objective and I declare shooting at them. They should be able to choose to take cover or not. If they take cover it’s a -1 for me to hit. But next turn their movement is penalized. There should be some way to make decisions that can help you not get shot off the table so fast but also have a cost to you on your next turn. I almost think giving units activation points would be a good idea but might be too much of a pain to track

In previous edtions this was called "go to ground", it allowed a unit to gain +1 to it's cover save (cover used to be a fixed save, an invulnerable save vs shooting) but not move and only fire snapshots (hit on 6's) next turn. Pinning weapons could force this effect.

Action points per squad would be a massive pain. it is easier to bypass them with phrases like "a unit which advances cannot shoot or charge" or "a unit which fires a heavy weapon cannot charge".

I would like to bring back "go to ground" and "pinning", I think it made the game more immersive without unnecessary bloat.

Agreed. I think some units would be easy to pin like an imperial guard guy. A space marine or biker wouldn’t because of their armor or speed. But I think games workshop has decided to go simpler for more people to learn the game. I think creating a pdf with “home rules” that are more immersive would be the only way we would get that stuff back.

The problem with the old system was that playing against unarmoured targets became wack-a-mole simulator, every time your unit got shot you had to go to ground, I think GW removed it because they gave every unit the ability to split fire as much as they like. It bogs down the shooting phase when you have to split fire in fear of wasting shooting on a unit that becomes extremely tough after the use of going to ground, whether it costs CP or not. We already see this problem with Quantum Deflection (Necrons), Take Cover (Astra Militarum), Rotate Ion Shields (Knights), Lightning Fast Reflexes (Aeldari).

Having Terminators go to ground also isn't very cool, but it's something you'd be forced to do when faced with overwhelming firepower, then your opponent just stops shooting you after you've gone to ground with your Terminators and they become sitting ducks for next round. Because going to ground isn't very heroic and Terminator like Terminator's didn't have the option in previous editions from what I remember, but then you have the problem of having to specify exactly what units can and cannot do it. It's easier to just not have it or just have the existing Stratagem for Astra Militarum.

I don't really want to go to ground with my Necrons either, I don't really love the changes to AP and cover this edition either. I think if you wanted to make a rule or Stratagem or something for this it would have to be for units with weak armour, like giving a unit a minimum save of 5+ regardless of modifiers or just giving the unit a flat 4+ sv. But again AM already have that Stratagem, it just doesn't come with the downsides you suggested.

I think this is why weapon classes are good. It should be exceptionally difficult to actually even hit light infantry with heavy weapons unless it’s specifically something for hitting infantry with tons of rapid fire shots. Then the cover saves and concealment and all that are crap right now too. Infantry should be pretty survivable unless being engaged by other infantry.

warpedpig wrote:
I think this is why weapon classes are good. It should be exceptionally difficult to actually even hit light infantry with heavy weapons unless it’s specifically something for hitting infantry with tons of rapid fire shots. Then the cover saves and concealment and all that are crap right now too. Infantry should be pretty survivable unless being engaged by other infantry.

You are already losing if you are shooting lascannons into Orks or Guardsmen, why do you need to rub salt in the wound?