So Apocalypse is out and its time we break it down. Nights is going to give you a review of the New Apocalypse rules. This s a brand new game and one that I am really enjoying, so lets dive in!
Overview
Apocalypse is the mass battle system for Warhammer 40k. In a regular game of 40k you are usually playing at around 2k and maybe have a superheavy or two. Most things like Titans cost too many points to see regular play in 40k and playing at higher points levels can cause the game to really drag on. Even with 8th’s streamlined ruleset, most people don’t have time to play a large scale game.
Apocalypse fixes this by streamlining 40k’s rules even further. In fact it recommends playing at 150 PL each minimum. Which comes out to about 3k or so worth of points. This game is meant to be played at a large scale, while not taking up an entire day.
The Rulebook
The rulebook for Apoc is nicely laid out. If you sit and read through it from the beginning you should walk away with a decent grasp of the rules. There were some issues worth noting. While it flowed nicely when I read it from front to back some of the rules are spread out in such a way they can be hard to find. This issue is slightly aggravated by the lack of an index. Want to find where in the book it talks about super heavies? You might need to spend some time digging for the info. Otherwise its a great book.
The Rules
I love the rules for Apocalypse, in fact i like certain thing about it more than regular 40k. The first time playing a new game with new rules is bound to take a little bit longer than intended. However once you are comfortable with the rules you will find that the game plays lightning fast. The rules are simple and easy to understand. The irony here is that this game is ( In my opinion) much easier to learn than regular 40k, despite its higher cost of entry.
In fact some of these rules found in Apoc could easily find a new home in regular 40k, and would make the game better in my opinion. Particularly the damage phase and resolving damage after both players have gotten some use out of their units.
Game play
While some aspects of gameplay might seem strange at first, once implemented they work great. The Command assets are fun and powerful, and can vastly effect the game. Moving your infantry around as blobs and the defensible terrain mechanic work great here and cuts down on some of the fiddly aspects of movement. Units die fast in Apocalypse. Plus a lot of units that were maybe too costly or points inefficient can find a new home in apocalypse. All and all the gameplay was very satisfying.
In Conclusion
Getting in to Apocalypse can be hard for someone new to the hobby. You just kinda need a lot of miniatures. Also if you are playing a swarm Nid or Ork green tide list you better get some movement trays. If you don’t, the streamlined rules won’t save you. Having said this, Apocalypse is amazing and is really about one thing above all else. Spectacle. Apocalypse is a game about the spectacle of massive armies and war machines clashing over warzones. Apocalypse is awesome!
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