Storm Bolter

Flame Thrower

Targeting

Map Sections

Space Marine

Genestealer

Miscellaneous

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Sustained fire can continue down to a 3, 4, 5, or 6.

·  Sustained fire limited to a "5" (the sustained fire icon) or "6" (the kill icon), but can attain overkill on "double 6s" (two kill icons) which allows the marine player to remove a second, adjacent target.

Notes

First edition allows the marine to use sustained fired up to a 50% chance to kill. Second edition knocks this down to 33%, a full 17% difference. Overkill is almost useless, since double sixes make a whopping 2.7% and you'd only get the chance to overkill if there was an adjacent model to use it on. Second edition changes are bad for marines, good for stealers.

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Fully loaded, has 6 shots, each filling the entire board section of each map corridor the marker touched, whether it be a large room or a single square piece.

·  Flames blocks movement and LOS.

·  Kill on a 2 or better.

·  A section may be attacked with the flame thrower multiple times.

·  Models that survived a flame attack may move freely about in the affected area.

·  All flame markers are removed at the end of the stealer's turn.

·  If there is any ammunition left in the flamethrower, the marine may choose to self-detonate the weapon, killing all models in that section, except for bulkheads.

·  Fully loaded, has 12 shots, each affecting a single square.

·  Flames block movement and line of sight.

·  Kill on a 2 or better.

·  A marine may attack a square twice with a flame thrower.

·  Surviving models must move out of affected area as quickly as possible or roll again for survival.

·  1 flame marker per square is removed per turn.

·  Chain of fire allows the marine to fire an aimed stream of flame at no additional cost except for ammunition.

Notes

First edition rules had an unwieldy, but extremely powerful targeting system, depending on the board section that the flame marker covers. However, the sheer nature of its overkill to a section seems appropriate for flame throwers in general, and the Warhammer 40K universe. Second edition made this much more of a pinpoint accuracy, strategic weapon, but targeting a single square is too perfect for a heavy flame thrower. Plus, first edition detonation gives homage to Vasquez from the movie Aliens.

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Line-of-Sight (LOS) is determined from the center of the shooter's square to the center of the target's square with no obstructions.

·  Line-of-Sight (LOS) is determined from the center of the shooter's square to the center of the target's square with no obstructions only if the shooter is on the same map section as its target. If not, the shooter can only fire straight ahead.

Notes

This is probably the most overlooked rule that has changed, but one of the most important rule changes. Because a shooter can no longer use the standard fire arc unless within the same map section, it allows genestealers to safely huddle and gather into room sections with less danger from fire arcs. This forces marine players to go room cleaning and risk closer encounters with their enemies. This rule makes it terribly difficult for a marine player just to sit back and stand on overwatch, which is what I believe the original designers had intended not to happen. While this is a much harder obstacle for marines in second edition, it also makes a much, much more exciting game for marines to get up close and personal!

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

Section effect weapons relied on the gamers luck as to map sections, especially grenades, since marines could throw grenades X number of map sections away - so three single-square sections was dangerous, compared to three 5-square corridors made it marine heaven for grenades!

Second Edition does not make distinctions amongst map sections pieces for flamethrowers, section effect, or grenades.

Notes

I'm not sure how many 1st Eddies often used this rule, or made their own as they couldn't quite figure out why this rule was made. I suppose 5 single-square pieces represented more difficult passageways than a single 5-square corridor to throw or shoot through. It did add a MUCH greater level of complexity to the game, as well as for those who designed maps. There's no reason this rule can't be integrated into the 2nd Editon though!

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Command Points can be used on the marine, or genestealer turns if a marine sees stealer movement within LOS.

·  Sergeant gets a +1 close-combat modifier, which was added to the later rules addendum.

·  Space Marine turns are timed.

·  Command Points can only be used on the marine turn.

·  Sergeant gets a + 1 close-combat modifier and comes standard with a power sword which allows him to parry an attack.

·  No timer for Space Marine turns.

Notes

Second edition speeds up the game, but greatly decreases a marine's chances for survival. What is sacrificed, compared to first edition, is the sense of desperation and last minute saving grace from a last minute heavy bolter shot and fixing jammed weapons! This is leveraged by the Marine not having to decide so quickly, and hopefully, making better positioning decisions.

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Genestealers strafe at 2 points per square.

·  Blip forced conversion: Marine places model, Genestealer faces model.

·  Blip quantities: Only featured blips numbering from 1 to 3.

·  Genestealers strafe at 1 point per square.

·  Blip forced conversion: Marine places model and faces model.

·  Blip quantities: Featured blips ranging from 0 to 6.

Notes

Second edition makes genestealers more deadly, being even faster and more varied in their numbers, with more surprises for the marine player. The sacrifice in second edition is that the genestealer player penalized harder for not paying attention when a forced blip conversion arises, but how often does that ever happen?

First Edition

Second Edition

Rules

·  Supported with 2 expansions and campaign book.

·  Extra, official rules for new troop types.

·  Large number of supporting articles in White Dwarf.

·  No bulkheads until the expansions were released.

·  No expansions.

·  Somewhat official rules supported in an article from Citadel Journal.

·  A good number of the extra rules from 1st Edition can be adapted to 2nd Edition.

·  Bulkheads immediately introduced.

Notes

Well, what can I say? Games Workshop didn't support second edition as much as they did first edition, and that's a pity. Luckily, most rules can be adapted to second edition - check the Periodicals section for a review of these articles and which may apply to second edition. Have I missed something, or are my rules interpretations incorrect? Let me know, so you can let others know! Hulkskulker @ yahoo.com

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