40k Changes - a new wargame for 40k minis (WIP, core rules published)

Mayday

Hello.
I'm working on a miniature wargame, under a working title of 40k Changes (or simply Changes). It started as a remake of Warhammer 40k and has no ambition of being anything more right now. Its main target group are 40k players that are unhappy with the official ruleset, but the rulebook is formatted in a way that makes the game completely accessible for new players.
Or, at least, those are the goals. I'm currently working on the alpha version of the rulebook, and I'd really appreciate your help from time to time - mostly with giving rules / game elements accurate names (English is my second language), but also with some rule minutiae.

My current problem are unit states- these define what can be done with a unit at a given time, depending on whether it has been activated, attacked and/or visible at the beginning of a turn. I'm looking for single keywords that would describe these states to be able to quickly mention them in the later rules (they are quite prominent).
I presume there might NOT actually be words that would be accurate enough. Can you look at these names and tell me if they're clear enough for you?

1. CURRENT - Units that are currently attacking. These are the guys for which we're rolling dice right now.
2. AWAITING or READY- Units that have been neither activated nor attacked.
3. ATTACKED - Units that have been attacked but haven’t been activated. This means they can no longer be attacked (it's already been decided who's shooting at them during the turn) but they can still return fire
4. DONE - Units that have been attacked and activated. They have been attacked and returned fire, so there's nothing you can do with them in this turn.
5. OVERWATCH - Units that can still fire a snap shot. They have moved carefully and are still ready to fire at the last minute.
6. EVADING - Units that can still fire a snap shot and can only be fired at with snap shots. These units haven't been visible to the enemy at the beginning of the turn and moved very carefully, so they can only be fired at in a snap shot.

The main concept of the game is that you have to decide who's shooting at a guy before you know if some other guy will not take him down at the same time. So you choose some units to attack him and if they fail to kill, you can't try to shoot him with any more units. At the same time, if you allocate three units and the second one manages to kill, the third's shots are wasted. (But you can attack 2 units at the same time, so that will probably never happen).

Delduwath

I'm only a pretend-fan of wargames (I just admire the minis and the fluff from a distance), so my experience with rules is severely lacking; take my advice with a grain of salt.

I feel like "READY" or "READIED" would be easier to understand than "AWAITING"; admittedly, this is influenced at least partially by the fact that I've played some other games where "READY" is the words to describe units in this state.

I think "ATTACKED" is ambiguous, because without context, it can mean "we attacked someone" or "we have been attacked by someone". In fact, before I read your description, I thought it would mean "we have attacked someone".

Mayday

Alright, thanks! I agree on both points.
The state that I've named "attacked" should express things like "ready to retaliate" "can't be shot at but can still shoot". I'm kinda stumped on this one. RETALIATING would be nice but, well, they're not retaliating just yet, they're about to.

Mayday

Back to this section, I've got some more ideas.
For units that have been attacked but haven't responded yet:
UNDER FIRE, TARGETED, ASSAILED (instead of ATTACKED)
Does ASSAILED carry a passive connotation as opposed to ATTACKED?

For units that are currently making their actions:
ENGAGED (instead of CURRENT)

For units that have been attacked and have attacked themselves:
OCCUPIED (instead of DONE)

Inquisitor

A question: What is the proposed turn structure? I go, you go? Alternative activations? Etc. Knowing how a turn is supposed to play out will help come up with the best possible terms for the various game stats.

As for keywords, here is my current votes:

1. ACTIVE (The unit currently being used is the ACTIVE unit)
2. READY (Units that are able to do things, but have not done them yet, are READY to go)
3. ENGAGED (A unit that has been targeted by an enemy has been ENGAGED by that enemy)
4. FINISHED (A unit that has both attacked and been attacked and is no longer participating in that turn is FINISHED for that turn)
5. OVERWATCH (A unit that is prepared to make reactionary fire is on OVERWATCH)
6. AMBUSHING (A unit that is becoming visible to the enemy for the first time and is sneaking up on them is AMBUSHING them)

With more details I might be able to try more precise words, but I think these are relatively clear word choices.

Mayday

Ah yes, perhaps I should have described this in the beginning. The general principle is decided (active + passive player, active chooses 1-2 passive units to attack with as many units as he wants, actions resolved, the units that performed them may not do anything in this turn anymore) but I'm currently trying to decide between two models: two actions per turn (simple but less familiar) or one action per turn (more familiar but requires quite a few balancing rules).
Once I'm done with completely setting up both models, I'll publish both for people to judge. In the meantime - I appreciate the suggestions, I'll try to work them in and see how it all fits together.

Mayday

Alright, the core rules and turn structure that differ from 40k are as follows (the general idea is described in the post above). There are some details that need to be made more specific, but it should be enough to give you a general idea.
The turn sequence is MUCH simpler if there are no close combats and transports involved.

To hit, to pierce, to wound and characteristics

During an attack, you compare appropriate characteristics of the attacker and the target:
Shooting To hit: Ballistic Skill vs Cover or Invulnerable
Melee To hit: Weapons Skill vs Dodge or Invulnerable
To pierce: Armour Piercing vs Armour Save
To wound: Strength vs Toughness

Each characteristic is either a D12 roll (eg. Strength 6+), a modifier (eg. Toughness +2) or a value (eg. Wounds 3).
The above model would wound an identical model on an 8+ roll.
Example space marine profile:

WS  BS  S   T   W  I  A  Ld  Sv  D  Inv
5+  5+  5+  +2  1  9  1  5+  +3  +2  0

Actions:

The distance included in the action name is the maximal distance every model can move during this action.

The following three actions may be performed right after the main action, if there are appropriate symbols in its name:
• - SNAP SHOT – while performing this action, the unit may shoot light weapons only
•• - SHOT – while performing this action, the unit shoots heavy weapons with BALLISTIC SKILL U+4 (cover or invulnerable modifiers to hit still apply)
••• - AIMED SHOT while performing this action, all models in the unit fire their weapons at their full BALLISTIC SKILL

What follows is a complete list of actions an infantry unit may perform.

1. Move 6" •• - move all models in the unit up to 6”.
2. Disembark 6" •• - if a unit was embarked on a transport vehicle, place all models in the unit on the table within 6” and LINE OF SIGHT of its access points.
3. Tactical Charge 6" • - move all models in the unit towards a CURRENT enemy unit, attempting to put as many as possible in base contact with the enemy. If at least one model touches an enemy model, the two units are LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT.
4. Furious Charge 5” - move all models in the unit towards an ENGAGED enemy unit, attempting to put as many as possible in base contact with the enemy. If at least one model touches an enemy model, the two units are LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT. Each model in the charging unit performs one free close combat attack.
5. Desperate Charge 6+D6” - move all models in the unit towards an ENGAGED enemy unit, attempting to put as many as possible in base contact with the enemy. If at least one model touches an enemy model, the two units are LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT.
6. Hold Ground 3” ••• - You may move all models except the ones that carry HEAVY weapons. Only the models that remained stationary may shoot.
7. Move 9+d3" - move all models in the unit up to 9+d3”.
8. Embark 6" - if the whole unit is within 6" and at least one model is within line of sight of access points of an ENGAGED transport vehicle, take the unit off the table - it is now embarked on that vehicle.
9. Block– The unit may deny ONE of the units performing a FURIOUS CHARGE at it its free melee attacks.
10. Go to ground • – place a GO TO GROUND MARKER next to the unit. Its COVER MODIFIER is improved by +2. As long as the marker is there, the unit cannot move in any way and may only make SNAP SHOTS. Any unit it fires at receives the same cover modifier this unit currently has. If the unit is forced to move in any way (eg. by failing a MORALE test), remove the marker immediately. When this unit takes part in a FIGHT, remove this marker at the start of it. Models charging at a unit with a GO TO GROUND MARKER do not receive the CHARGE THROUGH COVER penalty. This action may be performed immediately when the unit is attacked.
11. Get up – remove the GO TO GROUND MARKER from a unit that has one.
12. Postpone 6" – move the unit up to 6” - the unit gets a POSTPONED marker. You can remove this marker during one of the later PHASES in this TURN, at which point the unit may perform a SNAP SHOT at a PASSIVE UNIT that takes part in this phase.
13. Evade 4” – if this unit is not within LINE OF SIGHT of any enemy units, you may move the unit up to 4” and place an EVADING marker next to it. This marker works exactly like the POSTPONED marker, except that enemy units can only fire at this unit with SNAP SHOTS.

Turn structure:

The game is divided into TURNS, during which every unit gets a chance to act. During one turn, one player is the ACTIVE PLAYER, the other is the PASSIVE PLAYER. The ACTIVE PLAYER has full freedom of action, while the PASSIVE PLAYER is mostly limited to reacting to the ACTIVE PLAYER’S decisions. Units fielded by the ACTIVE PLAYER are called ACTIVE UNITS; units fielded by the PASSIVE PLAYER are called PASSIVE UNITS.
A TURN is divided into PHASES. During a single PHASE, one or two PASSIVE UNITS are attacked by any number of ACTIVE UNITS.
Units that are FIGHTING cannot be shot at. They cannot perform any actions during a phase – they may only FIGHT at the beginning and at the end of the turn.
Every unit may only have one status marker – when you are asked to place a marker next to a unit that already has one, replace the old marker with a new one.
What follows is a complete description of playing the game turn.

EARLY COMBATS
If there are any units already locked in close combat, perform their FIGHT actions now. If any of those units manage to kill all their opponents, place an EVADING marker next to them. Otherwise, place a FIGHTING MARKER next to them.

ACTIVE PLAYER PHASES
1. At the beginning of a PHASE, the ACTIVE PLAYER chooses the target 1 or 2 READY, EVADING or FIGHTING passive units (a transport with a unit embarked on it counts as 2 units). These units are the only ones that can be directly attacked during this phase.
2. The active player declares, which of his READY units will attack the target passive units.
3. The PASSIVE PLAYER declares which (if any) of his READY units will ENGAGE or stay UNDER FIRE. A unit UNDER FIRE can’t perform any actions in this phase.
4. If one of the passive ENGAGED units is embarked on a transport, it may now perform a DISEMBARK action.
5. The Active player resolves the ACTIONS of attacking models.
6. The PASSIVE player performs the actions of his ENGAGED units. They cannot DISEMBARK. A unit that has just been successfully charged may only BLOCK or CHARGE at one of the units that charged it (it may perform no other actions). Targeted EVADING units may now also SNAP SHOOT, which turns them into OCCUPIED.
7. If a FURIOUS CHARGE was performed, resolve its attacks.
8. All casualties suffered in this phase are now removed from play.
9. All units that became locked in close combat because of a TACTICAL CHARGE or a FURIOUS CHARGE in this phase are now FIGHTING. All other units that were ENGAGED in this turn are now OCCUPIED. All passive units that chose to stay under fire are UNDER FIRE.

REMAINING UNITS PHASE
Once the active player resolves all of his units (all his units are either OCCUPIED, FIGHTING, EVADING or POSTPONED), it’s time to take care of all the remaining units.
1. The PASSIVE PLAYER may now perform actions with all his READY, EVADING and UNDER FIRE units, one by one. They can only shoot after HOLD GROUND or TACTICAL CHARGE actions. He may target any ACTIVE unit.
2. All POSTPONED and EVADING active units may now SNAP SHOOT.
3. All casualties caused by those actions are now removed from play.
4. Place a FIGHTING marker next to every unit that has become LOCKED IN CLOSE COMBAT in this phase.

LATE COMBATS
Every unit that is still FIGHTING at this point resolves its FIGHT action.
Perform a close combat morale test for every unit that lost a close combat.

Unit states:
FIGHTING Units that may not perform any actions and cannot be shot at.
ENGAGED Units that are currently attacking.
READY Units that have been neither activated nor attacked yet.
UNDER FIRE Units that have been attacked but haven’t engaged yet.
OCCUPIED Units that have been attacked and engaged.
POSTPONED Units that can still fire a snap shot.
EVADING Units that can still fire a snap shot and can only be fired at with snap shots.

That forms the bulk of the major changes I've made, the rest will be less significant details. The turn structure is not as simple as in 40k, but my brother got the hang of it after two turns - we'll see how other test subjects fare. We played a roughly 1k point game and no markers were necessary, we were able to easily keep track of what unit was in what state. I'm still looking for ways to simplify it, of course, but the above method provides the following advantages compared to 40k:
-no model gets killed without a chance to fire back (unless stats or special rules prohibit it). In 40k, the whole army of the "active player" gets free shots at the "passive player" in the first turn, all casualties are removed without firing back
-you have to take risks - you can't shoot, see what happens and decides whether to shoot with another unit at the same target. Everything is simultaneous, so you have to assign your forces beforehand (although you can still modify your plans as you go, but not nearly as much as in 40k).
-you have to plan the timing nuances. eg. a unit that started a CC in a desperate charge only begins fighting in the next turn. A unit that wins a CC at the very beginning of a turn may be shot at
-there is a balance between the active and passive player, eg. both the charging unit and its target may fire assault weapons at each other
-there is no IGO-UGO. Both players constantly need to keep track of what's going on and make decisions.