Post: #1

I don't think fear does enough in this edition of warhammer. I understand the idea of this edition is to have things in combat and everyone gets a turn smacking each other about. But when did something dead or something big and scary because less... Scary?

Fear I think should have the following:

Like the old rules in other editions. Units who fail a fear test need to roll 6's to hit in combat. This represents fear striking at them and them not concentrating on what they'd normally do best.

Fear gives the fear causing unit +2 to combat res. It still allows the other unit to fight but now makes the unit a bit more daunting to charge, be it an unit of insignificant zombies, or a unit of Phoenix guard.

I find a reduced weapon skill to do nothing in the scheme of things hence the reintroduction of needing 6's to hit if you are indeed fearful. Haven't tested it yet but would like to hear what others think.

Post: #2

I've found that Psychology in general doesn't have much of an impact on the game. With universal access to items such as the Banner of Discipline and the Battle Standard now allowing re-rolls of all psychology tests, its not just Fear's effect that has been nerfed but its chance of affecting units fighting Fear causing enemies.
I guess its just another change in 8th Edition that we have to learn to work around. In a game where doing the most damage to the enemy is more important that psychology or strategy its a rule that armies like Vampire Counts can no longer rely on to help them win games.

Post: #3

Which I think is wrong.

Psychology has always been an important factor of any battle, and hitting the enemy in just the right way or with something that undermines their resolve can be devastating.

I personally feel that as some aspects of psychology were OTT in the 7th they tried to make amends in the 8th, but went waaaay overboard. Having steadfast, the general's leadership, BSB re-roll as well as magic items. Well it just means that massive huge scary dragon is just not scary anymore. It lands, a few tonne of killing machine and those gobbos just stick their tongues out.

Personally I think the BSB re-roll should only apply to break tests. When a big gribbly is about to chew you're arse off, you're not going to pay much attention to the tit waving a flag in it's face. You've either got the balls to stand and fight or your don't.

That just by itself would have a decent impact.

To make Fear work, I agree on the 6 to hit if you fail your Ld test. I think Fear itself should have an impact on the unit's leadership. So something along the lines of:

Fear
Any units that are in BtB contact with one or more fear causing enemy units suffer -1 to their Leadership, unless they are Immune to Psychology.
Any unit wishing to declare a fear causing unit must take a leadership test. If failed they may not charge the unit but may select a different target.
If a unit is combat with a Fear causing enemy, they must take a leadership test (including the above modifier) at the start of every round of combat. If failed all to-hit rolls require a 6+. This overrides all Leadership based bonus or effects, however any modifiers which affect the to-hit roll (such as the Banner of the Barrows) can modify this roll.

I think this would work really well. High leadership units would still be relatively unaffected by fear, though the -1 leadership does help. But it also helps in combat if the fear causing unit wins, without being too over powered.

Post: #4

I think the not being able to charge is the reason it was removed. This time around making a fear test in the middle of combat is ok. It means a unit actually gets to where it wants to be and then possibly has a second thought, that's where the modifiers should kick in reflecting their courage wavering somewhat.

6's to hit is hard for any unit that fails their leadership I think. I remember having a unit of zombies pop up to annoy a small unit of sword masters, who faield their leadership. He fluffed his rolls and I thought, I can still hang around, but no, he got all his re-rolls and he was rolling 4's to hit instead of 3's. So in the end, no real disadvantage.

I think sometimes GW takes their rule changes from one extreme to the other, which is a bit disappointing. I think it's great everyone gets a chance to make it to combat, but make attacking scary units just that, scary.