Warhammer 40k tourney organisers have already fixed “nearly 100” balance problems with 10th Edition

The ink had barely dried on Warhammer 40,000’s new 10th Edition rules before tournament organisers claimed to have found a heap of issues in dire need of fixes before the miniature wargame is ready for competitive events.

According to Wargamer, a group of event organisers and competition-level players formed a rules review group ahead of the upcoming Münsterland GT and Bembel Clash to find and patch what they claim were “nearly 100” serious issues with publisher Games Workshop’s mechanical foundation.

Members of the group say they played approximately 50 games of Warhammer 40K using the 10th Edition rules in order to develop a relatively small batch of house rules aimed at fixing - or ameliorating - most of the problems. Chief among the issues were balance problems that decided games as early as the second or third turn, when one army would crumble under the treads and rifles of their opponent. Other key issues included point cost distribution and stratagems for a number of factions’ armies.

One interesting insight regarded the new Overwatch stratagem, which allows units to fire on an enemy if they start or end their turn too close, along with a few other moves. One member claimed the expansion of Overwatch in the 10E rules meant opponents couldn’t relax or step away from the table, even once their turn was over. What players have gained in reactive strategy, they’ve lost in the practical playing of a wargame in physical space.

Wargamer’s sources made it clear that the review group don’t believe Warhammer 40k’s 10the Edition rules are ready for serious competitive play - their judgments don’t apply to casual or recreational play in hobby shops or around kitchen tables. The publisher consistently flaunted the ease in which this new edition could be picked up by new or casual players, but those same promises weren't extended to the most dedicated and fervent.

The players who dedicated their time and energy to running a fine-tooth comb through 10E claim that their handful of house rules dramatically increased signups for competitive events once they were introduced. It’s not clear if Games Workshop will respond with a very early round of errata or official fixes before Warhammer 40k’s brand new iteration hits too many high stakes events. Dicebreaker has reached out for comment but did not hear back before publication.