GW wrote:
In Warhammer 40,000, a unit’s rules can be found on its datasheet.
Currently, a lot of these rules will reference universal special rules, and you might need to do some digging to find a specific rule in the main rulebook, or just be really good at memorising a lot of rules.
Not for the new Warhammer 40,000 – universal special rules are out, and all the rules for a unit will appear on its datasheet – no more lugging a demi-library of books to every game night to ensure you have all the rules you need. Even the rules for weapons will be on there for the most common weapons the unit is likely to be equipped with. The best way to show you is with an example. We’ll be using the Rubric Marines Datasheet, as requested by Marco Tonino on our Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page.
Ok, lots going on in there, so let’s look at a few elements.
At the very top right, we have the Troop icon, which represents the unit’s battlefield role. There are actually two ways to use Rubric Marines, either as an Elite choice in a Chaos Space Marines force (maybe belonging to a sorcerer pledged to the Black Legion or a renegade warlord), or if your detachment is pure Thousand Sons, they can be Troops, much like today.
Next to that we have Power Level, which we’ll look at in detail tomorrow, but for the moment, suffice to say that it is a quick and easy mechanism for balancing in less competitive narrative or open play games.