The Table is smaller than it used to be...

Evening all, Rancor709 here with some deep thoughts on the game. The table has shrunk in 5th edition, the space between armies is smaller and the gaps can be closed more quickly. How has this happened, well the first and obvious choice is the mechanization of so many armies namely marines and the infamous imperial guard. The sutler shift has occurred through the deployments in the game itself and the run rule. Along with the ability of many units to outflank.

Run shrunk the game because for the first time infantry could move a total of 12" if dice are lucky without the aid of a vehicle. Combine run with a fleet unit and you have the potential for basic infantry to charge 18" jump infantry potential 24" charge. If you roll pitched battle and both you and your opponent line up on the 12" starting line you have a turn 1 charge.

Outflanking, the ability of a unit to come in along the short board edges out of reserves has really shrunk the game table. No longer is the battle field 48" wide the ability to outflank means anywhere along that edge I can bring my forces to bare on a unit. Outflanking units ably pressure and help force deployment of your opponent.

The board has shrunk so what does this mean, this means that 24" range is not a handy cap for many armies. The speed with which the gap can be closed means range won't always protect you. It also begs the questions in the meta, have we come to the point that infantry heavy is going to be the new counter for heavy mech forces, and forces tailored to crush mech. If you are vehicle heavy you simply don't have the points to be infantry heavy. More testing is needed but I am bringing a foot heavy Shrike list to the tourney we are having at Area 51 in Grapevine inviting the boys from Bell of Lost Souls up for a Texas, style challenge using modified NOVA format. I give you the list

1850 pts
Shrike
Libby Termy Armor Storm shield-Avenger and Null Zone
10-Assault termies 7Th/Ss 3xLCs
6Man Sternguard 2xMissile launcher srgt with Combimelta
10 Man Tactical Squad Lascannon Flamer and Srgt with combimelta
2x5man scout squads CCw&bps Srgts with PFs, Combimeltas and meltabombs
2x5man Scouts squads Sniper Rifles Missile Launchers and Srgts with Sniper Rifles
LandSpeeder storm Heavy Flamer
Landspeeder Storm Multimelta
10 Assault Squad with Jump packs Srgt with PW.