The Vigilus Open Day let us in on new rules that are coming for Warhammer 40k in December. Looks like Detachment rules are coming back from 6th and 7th edition!
Games Workshop revealed all sorts of previews based on the Vigilus campaign including models, more Chapter Approved information, etc. However, there’s more revolving around Vigilus than we thought, as it looks like formations coming back to 40k.
Formations Coming to 40k (Narrative & Matched Play)
According to hobby hero, Garro, who was at the Open Day, Formations are supposed to be coming back to 40k.
If you’ve played the game for a while, they’ll be like the ones from 6th and 7th edition. With that being said, these formations sound like they’ll be a bit tamer because of the cost included for taking them.
Formations are going to cost varying amounts of CP gathered from whichever detachments you take. For example, if a formation costs 5CP to take, you’ll have to throw the CP from your Battalion detachment before the start of the game.
So what do these Formations give you? They’ll give your force special rules based on keywords. Primaris Marines will be upgraded as veterans in the Indominus Crusade Veterans special detachment.
The main draw for players (and what will likely cause the most controversy) is the introduction of “special detachments”. These are a selection of special rules that stack on top of existing detachments that give special rules for certain units (akin to formations in 6th and 7th). These work in that you pay a certain amount of command points to call your detachment ‘SD Indomius crusade veterans’ for example, this then allows units with certain keywords to unlock (via command points pre game) additional rules buffs to represent certain narrative forces.
for example the Indominus crusade veterans special detachment allows intercessor squads to be upgraded to veterans.
Now just exactly what kind of rules the Primaris Veterans will have is still up in the air.
Another example for Orks lets them take a Stompa as a Warlord with its unique set of warlord traits.
There are several special detachments in book for regular marines (plus angels and deathwatch, but not wolves), Chaos, and Orks, with Tempestus scions, Genestealer cults, and Mechanicus, and I think Space wolves, getting one each. One of the Ork ones allows you to take a Stompa as your warlord, with its own set of warlord traits to choose from.
With the Vigilus campaign being completely narrative based, we initially thought these formations would come to narrative play games first. But what may spark the most controversy is that these formations are coming to Match Play games as well. We may be about to witness a complete meta shift in 8th edition as we know it.
Formations are Less Specific in 8th edition
If you remember the older formations from previous editions, you had to fill out X, Y, Z unit choices in order to get the buff. In this coming add-on to the game, the formations don’t care what units you take as long as you remain battleforged. However, the formation will only buff certain units with a matching keyword.
these detachments aren’t like old formations in that you can only take units x,y,z in them, you can use them with any detachment with the correct faction keyword. however the special rules will only effect certain keyword units, plus the Special detachments cost command points to purchase as well, which should keep them in check. they were also stated as being useable in matched play, as GW see the campaign expansions no differently than the indexes or codices.
Formations are an exciting announcement, to say the least. They’ll be adding another layer of complexity to the game that most veterans were looking for. These formations could be another tool used to get a leg-up on their opponents in 8th edition. Hopefully, these formations will be balanced with rulesets/CP cost to keep the playing field level.
What do you think about formations coming back to 8th edition? Should these only be in Narrative Play games? Would you rather save your CP for stratagems? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials:@RealmbrushPainting
Bio: Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4.
If you like what he writes and want to reach out or get your models painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
