2nd was odd for a modern combat game. They basically used the fantasy framework and bolted shooting/etc onto it with a god awful close combat resolution system. The fiddly bits you can get away with in Fantasy work okay because you have large blocks that are essentially one big blob/model rather than everything spread out skirmish formation. I started out playing miniatures games before GW got into the game and had experience with Middle Ages, Ancients, WW2, Modern, etc and what works for one type of warfare does not always work for another.
I remember playing some 500 point games in the last days of 2nd and actually really liking it with the much lower model count. Things just worked right at that level and it really starts to bog down over that. I have always thought the rules were there best with Necromunda and GorkaMorka.
3rd took a higher level view where all the things like the difference between a bolt pistol/chain sword/sword/etc just don't matter and went back to the standard resolution for close combat that fantasy and Rogue Trader used. I honestly really liked the new approach. Psychic powers worked better in the flow of the game which was very very welcome. Now we are at some happy medium with some monster heroes again but they are expensive and still can go poof if caught out of their element or can be avoided and a little more variety in the close combat weapons and with official options to bring in BIG THINGS if you want to.
I just wish I had time to get in some games.
edit: added enough thread drift
On topic...
Maybe they are looking to take on Fantasy Flight, maybe there is something in the air that Hasbro or some such are looking at them maybe they have their eyes on something entirely different. Who knows right now it is all pure wishful speculation.
