What's good and bad about 6th edition?

I think talking about 6^th edition of Warhammer 40,000 is a safe topic now-a-days. It has been almost 5 months since the release and I have had enough games to figure out what I like and what I dislike about it.

I really think the best changes all have to do with assaults. I love how restrictive and difficult launching an assault can be now. Assaults and 5^th and 4th seem like they were the no-brainer approach to the game. After all assaulting multiple units or chaining assaults could yield really positive results. If your opponent didn’t have a unit that could fight back effectively they would be mopped up. All of the expensive heavy weapons counted for little when you’re only a sword stroke away. But now the balance has shifted and assaulters are at a disadvantage.  Between overwatch and the inability to assault out of stationary transports (with the obvious exceptions) assaulting is now a costly investment. But it’s still so important! Assaulting a unit on a objective is still the best way to remove them.  Assaults are now in the context they should be; a risky investment to gain an advantage. Pure assault armies can still work, but it's an up hill battle.

  

It was annoying how some armies like Eldar or Dark Eldar could just fly into my lines and if I killed the killed the transport or now something of my mine would die. It just always struck me that units like Tactical Squads or Fire Warriors couldn’t stop this despite sometimes costing more points. The attacking unit would just win combat, hide in cover and then move onto its next victim. In some cases you could wipe out entire units by doing 1 wound! Now small arms are worth their points and not something you just remember after the big guns have fired. 

                

              Buildings and fortifications are cool as all hell. I love buildings. I love having a squad in a bastion raining hate and discontent on an approaching foe! I love that that foe can assault my building and there is a close quarters battle. I love blowing buildings up. Having guys jump down and die; having guys jump down and live! If you aren’t playing with building rules you are missing out on an epic portion of the game.

The next thing I love is hull points and the vehicle damage table. Where to even begin! In 5^th the more vehicles and the more vehicles killing power you had the better off you were. Need to contest an objective?   Throw a rhino at it! How many victories were snatched away by tank-shocking?  Have many times did people roll 5 glancing hits and get shaken results? Now vehicles are the way they should be. They are sturdy without being hard to kill. They can add a lot to a unit without stealing the spot light. They don’t become glorified cans whenever a single missile glances them. All around vehicles better.

            Probably my biggest disappointment in 6^th edition is psychic powers; specifically the buffs in Divination and Biomancy.  I don’t get why I can’t deny them. Of all the powers they are most devastating and there is shit all you can do about them.  Let’s be honest, a 5 or 6 at 24 inchs or so is not that bad. The powers would go off more often than not. It’s just frustrating that all of these powers are good to the point of almost being no brainer to take. But at least the rule book powers are random! Some codices get crazy powers for pittance! 

 

 I think the best example of buffs is fortune. Re-rolling all saves, everything. You just need to roll under 10! I hate this power. It wasn’t so bad in 5^th. A Librarian could have a roll off with the Farseer to deny it and at 24 inchs that roll could roll was important! But now players just get it all the time. I know these powers are old, but that’s hardly an excuse when they have a FAQs and Erratas to change rules literally at a whim.  Maybe it's just me and my unfathomable hate for Eldar but buffs in general, are pretty lame. 

Overall I think 6th is a fantastic change. A lot of life got breathed into the game things changed for the better. I know a lot of people were upset with some of the changes. More than one player has said they hated flyers. But as 6th edition codices come out the edition matures i think we are going to see a rich and colourful edition of Warhammer 40,000.