Active Turn Sequencing

The “I Go, You Go” turn sequence of Warhammer 40k is one of the most dated aspects of the game engine. In the 1st edition, there was a rule called ‘overwatch’ which allowed units given such orders to fire during the enemy movement phase. Clever but subject to abuse, especially when both sides issued ‘overwatch’ orders to their troops.

However, a simple alteration to the turn system can keep both players interested in the entire game and allow for firing at targets of opportunity. Instead of the first player moving all of his units, then the other doing likewise, then resolving fire and removing casualties – break the turn up into activations.

Each activation covers an initiative value - initiative 1 units move first, initiative 10 units move last. A higher initiative can move earlier but a lower initiative unit cannot move later. Thus all initiative 1 units move before players move initiative 2 units.

In each activation, the player that has the first movement may nominate a unit to move - either one of his own or his opponents. Each unit will move and may be fired on by enemy units in range. Casualties are marked but not removed. Units that fired are marked (they may not fire again this turn). The unit that moved is marked, it may not move again but it may fire if it has not done so already.

The player who didn’t move a unit then nominates one of his own units and repeats this process.

Players alternate unit all units belonging to both sides have had the opportunity to move (a unit may be moved 0” if desired – while the unit doesn’t move, it counts as having been moved for turn sequence purposes, however move-or-shoot weapons may fire in a unit that moved 0”)

After all units have had the chance to move, any unit that has not yet fired may do so with players alternating to nominate which unit fires next just as with movement.

After all units have had the chance to move and fire, casualties are removed along with all markers and the turn sequence repeats.

This allows players to take advantage of targets of opportunity, engages both players throughout the game turn and removes the 'one who charges first wins' quirks that WH40K has developed over the years. No other change to the basic rules is required.
 

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Active Turn Sequence
Campaigns
Ice Warriors