The hype machine is accelerating week-by-week, as the long awaited Warhammer 40,000 (aka Warhammer 40K) 10th Edition approaches. Following the Warhammer 40K 10th Edition cinematic trailer, we now get the first look at the proposed Datasheet revisions. And boy, is it a big change.
The ethos of Warhammer 40K 10th Edition – as we’re told by Games Workshop – is ‘simplified, not simple’. This is a great basis for streamlining the game for experienced players. But also making it more accessibly to newcomers, which is arguably the weakest aspect of both Warhammer 40K and Age of Sigmar. With our first look at the new Warhammer 40K Datasheet, it certainly appears to be a promising change.
Warhammer 40K 10th Edition Datasheet
The preview of the new Datasheet format features the Space Marine Intercessor. As you can see in the image below, there have been some drastic changes. Where are Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill? The classic rulesets that stretch back to Warhammer: Fantasy Battles are no longer apparent. Plus, what’s this new ‘OC’ stat?
Well, according to the Warhammer Community blog, ‘OC’ refers to Objective Control. This is a measure of how well a unit can hold objectives. It’s intended to clarify a previously complex aspect of the game. Each model has an OC characteristic, and to determine who controls an objective, you simply count up the total OC of all models within range. Simplified calculation, but not simple gameplay.
Leadership is much more impactful in the new edition. Leadership – or ‘LD’ – now counts upwards. The Intercessor has LD 6+, – which is equivalent to the old value of 8.
So, what about Weapon Skill (WS) and Ballistic Skill (BS)? Well, they’re still in the game, but they now live on weapon profiles.
Weapon Profiles Revisions
All the information about weaponry is now on an individual weapon profile. Attacks, WS, Damage and more is all in one place. This means that weapons like power fists, which used to need text to explain that they made things harder to hit, now have their own hit roll statistic. Moreover, weapon profiles are tied to individual units. As such, a chainsword in the hands of a Space Marine is deadlier and easier to hit with than one held by a cultist.
The fundamental interactions haven’t changed. For example, equal Strength and Toughness still means you wound on a roll of 4+. But now all of a weapon’s quirks are contained in its Core Abilities.
Many different effects are covered by Core Abilities, from classic weapon types like Assault and Rapid Fire to auto-hits from flame weapons. Games Workshop promise to deliver more details on this in the near future.
Are you excited for Warhammer 40K 10th Edition? Let us know in the comments below!
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