pretre

I'm not saying a degree is needed, but I don't see Phil doing statistical analysis of each unit.  Comparing pro and cons, mapping out how each unit interacts with every single other unit. While their fluff is great, and Phil is a great writer, the existence of 2++ reroll death stars makes me question if they spent anytime balancing the rules.

 

Edit:

D&D does have problems. But I am more referring to MtG, there release process is quite meticulous and very analytical. 

Sure, but MTG also fixes a lot of problems with the rolling release cycle and not having to balance against previous editions.

I have said this before and I will say it again.The problem with 40k is not balance itself. The problem with 40k is that the people who own and write 40k (i.e. the design team) play an entirely different game than the people who buy their product. They love beer and pretzels, fast and loose wargaming. They have never and, quite possibly, will never produce a tight rules system. It isn't because they can't do it or they are incompetent or bad at their jobs, it is because they don't see any reason to. The way things have played for the last 30 or so years have been fine for them, so why change it? They think: "All of my games work out fine using the Most Important Rule and just discussing things, why can't all of our players just do that?"

Add into that the need for a new edition every 4 years and new army books every 4-8 years for each army (both from a profit standpoint and from a consumer demand standpoint) and you have a nasty stew of cobbled together rules that work perfectly fine if you are just looking to drink beer and play a game but fall apart when two people who don't have the same understanding sit across the table from each other.

There are far worse writers (rules and fluff butchers) at GW to be worried about than Mr. Kelly.  

 

A certain fluff butcher, let's say his name is Matt Ward, who has been credited with a significant volume of the 'codex creep' we've seen in the last two editions is a far greater concern than how a sculptor happened to work his way up the chain to game designer.  Whoever brought him into the fold and then promoted him to write anything more than a table of contents needs to be thoroughly examined.

Ugh. Thread is Draigo'd already? Yuck. Matt Ward gets far more crap than he actually deserves for codex creep and fluff butchery. A more even assessment shows him as not really any worse than anyone else in the design studio. They all have their little foibles, but overall provide a pretty decent product.

In addition, and I love this about the new codexes, the books aren't really just written by Kelly or Ward. Each book is written by the design team together with one person taking the lead. In the new books, they emphasize this by removing individual writing credit and putting 'Design Team' as the author. So things you blame on Kelly or Ward may not even be things they actually did.

Personally, I find a lot of degrees to be overrated for the majority of jobs. You just don't need them. Of course, people still expect them for some silly reason so I'm getting one in my spare time. Ugh.

On the other hand, how many people do you know that have degrees in XYZ but have no practical experience?

Phil Kelly has been writing rules for the most popular miniatures game in the world for what... 30 years? We may not like some of the decisions he makes but you can't argue with the results.

Also, just because WOTC writers have better resumes doesn't mean that their decisions aren't just as controversial/picked apart as Phil Kelly's. D&D: Remember the launch of 3 and the uproar there. The need to launch 3.5 to fix 3. The launch of 4 and [big bad swear word] storm that caused. And D&D has plenty of FAQs to handle current situations.

Now if you're talking MTG, that's a whole different beast.

Can't wait to see the book and figure out where the list is really at though.

That warlord trait is so bad, I would give them use of it for any area terrain on the table regardless of what it looks like.

Yeah, 1 and 5 are pretty bad. 2 is meh, 3 and 6 are pretty good. 4 is situational.

As with every single book this edition, the assigned trait characters will be better than rolling on the table.

From the tyranidhive:

Warlord Traits:

1 - Nature's Bane - At the beginning of each movement phase, select one jungle within 12' of the warlord. It becomes carnivorous for the game.

2 - Heightened Senses - Warlord and Nids within 12' have Night Vision.

3- Synaptic Linchpin - Warlord has 18' synapse

4 - Mind Eater - 2 VP for independents slain by warlord in a challenge.

5 - Digestive Denial - After deployment, pick one piece of terrain on opponent's side that was NOT paid for. Cover save worsens by one. (4+ becomes 5+, etc.)

6 - Adaptive Biology - Warlord gains FNP (5+) on next movement phase after it suffers a wound. (For rest of game)

AG is about 15 points as a biomorph for 'characters' according to the screenshot. No idea if it is less for other units.

via anonymous over on 4chan
Bio Artefacts of the Tyranids
1.The Maw-Claws of Thyrax- S: user AP5 Melee, Assimilate (can give preferred enemy), rending
2.The Norn Crown- Increases synapse 6"
3.The Miasma Cannon
Spit: Rang 36" S1 AP4 Assault 1, blast, poisoned 2+
Spray: Template S1 AP4 Assault 1, poisoned 2+
4.The Ymgarl Factor- Can choose a new ability every assault phase, Slashing Claw, Tentacled Limbs, Protective Carapace
5. The Reaper of Obliterax- S+1 AP3 Melee, Life Drain (rolls of 6 have instant death), Shred, Swiftstrike (+3 init)

Powers of the Hive Mind
Primaris: Dominion-6" additional synapse
1. Catalyst : FNP
2. The Horror: pinning test
3. Onslaught: Unit can run and shoot
4. Paroxysm: Targets WS and BS lowered
5. Psychic Scream: Nova power; 2d6+2 vs ldrship or take difference in wounds
6. Warp Blast: Burst 24" S5 AP3 blast, Lance 18" S10 AP2 lance

Biomorphs
Acid Blood- Initiative check or take damage
Acid Maw-sacrifice attacks for a single S5 Ap2 attack
Adrenal Glands-fleet, furious charge
Blinding venom-sacrifice attacks for S3 melee blind and poisoned 6+ attack
Regeneration: 4+ to regen
Toxic Miasma: suffer additional hits in melee
Flesh Hooks and Spine Banks: grenades with shooting attack
Toxin sacs: poisoned special rule
Wings: becomes flying monstrous creature
Tail Biomorphs: Bone Mace, Prehensile Pincer, Thresther Scythe, Toxin Spike

Ahh, I forgot about tank hunter. That is nice. Hmm. I'd really like to get some specials in there, but tinkering with points is where I'm at right now.

Any chance to get some tests in?

BroG, et al. I'm looking into trading for the lot. If it goes through, I'll split if for you.

lol You're just behind the curve. :)

Feels like it would struggle against armor. Against infantry, you'll probably be happy though.

No combis on the Sternguard?

People are panicking over insufficient information. Remember before the last codex when people were saying Tyranids were going to destroy everything they touched with no problem? Or before Eldar when everyone said they sucked?

Yeah, about that... Sometimes it pays to wait for the codex.

Did the SH walker move combat or cruising speed? (i.e. what does that 12" move count as for a speed band)

The distance moved really doesn't matter. The speed band does.

Keep in mind that it is pretty easy to magnetize Crisis Suits if you are so inclined.

Yeah, I could see that one.

Now that would be a kitbash fortification if I ever heard one.  Make all the walls just stacks of bodies for the walls....

I think that one is more imperial guard than Orks. In fact, the wall of martyrs line of forts is kind of based on that idea.

Trying to come up with a 40k race other than the imperium that would use bodies for walls... Nids would eat them. Orks wouldn't care enough to stack them. DE would torture them and hang them out afterwards.

What was the show?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otherworld_%28TV_series%29

Actually it probably is based on previous things you've searched for.  When I type 80's tv show into google, for example, I get 80's tv show theme songs, 80's tv costumes, 80's tv show helicopter. 

Apparently, this is true. I get the same four as you.

BroG must have drunk googled previously and forgot about it. :)

too bad his neck didnt crack

That's a lot of injuries for falling down the stairs. I think he may have 'fallen down the stairs' a couple times before the police arrived. :)

It means other people were trying to find it. Even our most unique searches are commonplace. :)