Age of Sigmar is a fantastic game to go to when you’re tired of the 40k meta. It’s definitely way more immersive. But what could make it more detailed?
AoS has had a lot of work done on it here recently and 40k 8th edition was even modeled after its dice-rolling mechanic. There are some key differences between the two games though. One of the major ones being that units in AoS have a fixed “wound roll” against other things.
40k Modeled after AoS
40k 8th edition:
AoS 2.0:
These stat sheets may be totally different and that’s for good reason. Both games play very differently. But if you know anything about both games, there are quite a few similarities.
- Rend and AP go hand in hand. They have the exact same mechanic and are modifiers to your save rolls.
- The Unclean one in AoS and 40k both degrade after their wounds get dropped below a certain point.
- There’s no more WS (weapon skill) chart to follow when you want to hit things in close combat (like 7th edition). It’s now just a flat 2+, 3+ etc. etc.
They have it printed on the stat sheet of what you need to roll to hit the enemy no matter what (not taking other rules that modify hits into account).
Strength vs Toughness in 40k
Some of the things that are exclusive to 40k are the Strength and Toughness characteristics of units. These play a crucial part in whether or not you can actually kill/survive the hellscape that is the grimdark future.
In 40k, wound rolls are constantly changing. Looking at close combat, before you wound, you need to look at your own unit’s strength and compare it to the toughness of what you’re hitting. It makes sense that if your Strength is double the Toughness of an enemy, you should be able to completely demolish it. (Wounding on a 2+.)
On the other side of the spectrum, if something’s Toughness is double your units Strength, then you’ve got about as much chance as a wet match in a dark cave on killing it. (wounding on a 6+).
AoS goes about wounding totally different…
The Fixed Wound Roll in AoS
What do we mean by the “fixed” wound roll? Well looking at the Stonehorn Beastrider’s stats, he always wounds on a 3+, 4+, or 2+ depending on the weapon. To add that extra bit of detail into the game, wouldn’t you like to see wound rolls get modified if he hits something bigger or smaller than him? And before you start shooting up the comments, no this isn’t a hate post. AoS has come a VERY long way recently and we like where it’s at.
Don’t you think the Stonehorn should be wounding a Clanrat or a Skaven Slave on a 2+? Just look at the size of this behemoth.
Conversely, a Moonclan Grot should be wounding this guy on AT LEAST a 5+.
This is where a Strength and Toughness characteristic to units would add another layer of detail into the game. As of right now, AoS is still an absolute blast. But it does lack certain areas of detail that some wish the game would have. And no, it wouldn’t just be a reskinned 40k at that point. With realm rules, unique spells, models, and factions, AoS is the perfect fantasy universe to immerse yourself into if you aren’t a futuristic space kind of person.
Adding in a Strength/Toughness mechanic would allow the player to think a bit deeper and weigh the risk/reward options for attacking certain units.
Editor’s note: another big difference between the two systems is wound splashing. AoS is mostly (for now) a close combat oriented game, whereas shooting in 40k may necessitate single models absorbing wounds in the way they do.
Would you like to see that change come to AoS? Should it stay exactly how it is? What other things do you wish were added to the game? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, King of sprues.
