While a huge proponent of Warhammer Fantasy Battle 8th edition, I am not and have not been a fan of the rules for 40K for a long time– since 1996 or so actually. The last edition I played was 4th–just a one off, but the last edition I played a LOT was 2nd edition from back in 1993. This is the edition that spawned GW’s new style of boxed games rather than just the big hardback books and miniatures. The plastics were crap, but the rules are IMO the best and were used in both 40K, Necromunda and Gorkamorka: at testament to the strength of the platform. Subsequent versions of 40K, while solving the “herohammer” problem 2nd edition definitely has, added in the less desirable ” every game is just a mob of infantry in close combat in the middle” and “my entire army was destroyed by ordinance because I didn’t roll well for the first turn” issues that I just couldn’t abide.
So we got a game in of 2nd edition last night and it was good fun, while I prefer EPIC from this era, 40k is much faster to set up and play than the 6mm behemoth. Thousand points of Marines vs Eldar (and there weren’t many marines for that point value for sure). The game played fast and the rules, dusty as they were, played SOLID. It mattered where the individual models were on the table and what weapons they had and what sort of cover they had– and while there was some close combat, it was not the defining factor of the game. Here’s a shot of the predator vs Avatar with Blind grenade spots roaming around. Needless to say, with tons of chances to hurt the Avatar with shooting, the Predator did not hold up once the king of the Eldar got into close combat with it.
