BC changes certain rules for multiple attacks quite notably.

Semi and Full Auto bursts are now half-actions, and no longer get a bonus to-hit. (In fact, Full Auto gets a -10)

Swift and Lightning attacks are also half actions, and work the same way as auto-fire (IE, one WS test, hits pr every/every-other DoS), with number of hits/attacks limited by your WS bonus.

I like these changes, and am considering importing them into our DH campaign, which is about to hit Ascension. Anyone else done this? Anyone see issues with mixing rules from the games like this?

That sounds like some good changes anyway, its already kind of annoying that the high agi character in out group can dodge bullets like he just fell out of the Matrix movies but anyone with 2+ attacks and he gets cut to shreads. I might implement these into my gaming session too.

We have used them now one evening for your High level Ascension group, and i have to say our Deathcultist is deadlier then before.

But above all it makes combat more fluid since less rolls and more movement on the board.

We use those rules for Ascension and RT and they seem to work well.

For some chars it's a buff, for some it's a nerf but overall it works and I like them better than the original DH rules.

One exception is the fact that twohanded weapons were nerfed by the limitation on lightning attack where they would have needed a buff.

Umbranus said:

I quite like the the new BC rules, I've not been through all of them but I have just been reading about it. I quite like the unweildy / unbalanced thing for many weapons, powerfists (and Thunder Hammers) and Great weapons all have staggering damage which balances the lack of potential hits to a degree but lots of weapons do only a little more damage which doesn't really pad out.

Does not the Death Cult Assassin in Ascension have a special ability that lets her use these as a half action already? Will these changes Nerf her?

Darth Smeg said:

Yes and no. The Death Cult Assassin's special ability is called Preternatural Speed, which became available as a Talent in Deathwatch (functioning the same as it does for the Death Cult Assassin), and in Black Crusade (which, with the changes to combat, now works differently - a character with Preternatural Speed doubles their charge distance).

Another thought: BC characters start with generally higher stats than DH ones, so the -10 penalty to Full Auto Burst might mean a lot of missing for those 30-something BS Acolytes. This is partially offset by the fact that as a Half Action you can combine it with a Half Action Aim to negate the -10 penalty, but even so a starting Acolyte needs all the bonuses he can get.

Thoughts?

I don't have a book on me right now but I think I remember something about aim not affecting Semi/full auto, but that might just be a home rule of my local GM I am not really sure can anyone verify this?

Incorrect. You can aim with auto-fire, but by the DH RAW you can't do this on the same turn, as Bursts are full actions. But you could do Aim+Aim on Turn 1, then FAB on Round 2 for a total of +40 to your BS in addition to any range modifiers.

In DC this changes so you can Aim+Burst every round, if you are so inclined. You can now also Aim a Lightning Attack, whereas before the bonus would only apply to the first attack (if you were not hit or had to dodge/parry between your Aim turn and the hitting turn, thus losing your aim).

Aim (Half or Full Action)
You may take extra time to set up a melee or ranged attack
to increase the chance to hit. If you spend a Half Action to
aim, your next attack is made at a +10 to your Weapon Skill
(for melee attacks) or Ballistic Skill (for ranged attacks). If
you spend a Full Action Aiming, the bonus increases to +20.
The attack must follow immediately otherwise the benefits of
Aiming are lost.

Those of you who play with Black Crusade rules, do you play with 1d5 "crits" when damage roll is 0 and how does it play out?