[Zion]

Just a little thought that crossed my mind just now. Basically Overwatch wouldn't be changed beyond the following addition:

"Models who fire Overwatch go at half their base initiative and weapon skill rounded down and fight with during the fight-sub phase during the turn they Overwatched."

Basically makes it so Overwatch now has an offset to the shooting, as the models are shooting at the models who are charging they are less prepared to fight in hand to hand as they would be if they weren't shooting at the time.

No, it doesn't fix Tau, but Tau need an adjustment to Markerlights that makes it so they can't improve Overwatch past BS2 or something.

 

[Dakingofchaos]

Sounds interesting, but with overwatch being on snapshots I think most would rather fight normally in combat. Might be different for flamer units.

 

[Zion]

Sounds interesting, but with overwatch being on snapshots I think most would rather fight normally in combat. Might be different for flamer units.

You don't butt stroke someone with a rifle while holding it the same way you shoot it though. That change in grip takes a moment and can put you at a disadvantage.

Plus I think that Overwatch is too much of a no-brainer right now. There is literally no reason to not shoot the first thing that tries charging you because you're not likely to get a chance to shoot again if it makes combat and Overwatch seems to be about giving defending units a way of avoiding combat. Putting some emphasis on making a tactical decision makes the other player actually have to consider if they should be counting on the Overwatch to stop the charge, or bracing to accept it to fight. It makes them more than a random number generator when you declare a charge.

EDIT:
So after spending some time thinking about it I think I've got a solution for Overwatch that even corrects Tau rather nicely:

During your shooting phase, instead of shooting or running you may elect to have any unit elect to Overwatch instead. This allows them to hold their shooting action until the end of opposing player's movement phase, but before that player's shooting phase, at which time the Overwatching unit may make a firing attack as if they were firing during the shooting phase with all of the usual penalties and bonuses they normally have.

The reason I went with the "hold until later" option is because the snap shot option only penalizes those units who somehow kill enough models to upset the charge and it doesn't penalize Tau who can just Markerlight their way out of it. This way instead the players have to respond tactically: choosing when to hold firing for a moment in hopes of gaining a bonus against the other, and adding importance to a player's movement phase beyond "push forward 6 inches" as now there is a threat they could end up exposing themselves too.

And yes, I propose making Overwatch more effective by doing this too. But it's not adding a free shooting phase for a unit, it's moving that shooting phase to a later point which I think is pretty fair for the system we currently have.

 

[Eva]

I agree with the second adjustment.

The first seems a bit lame. I mean I understand what your saying about how your holding the rifle, but in all honestly your not just going to turn your gun around and start bashing people with your rifle are you? You will shoot till the every end. So I think its fine how it is in that regard.

The second option seems like it will balance out shooting and by balancing out shooting I mean it balances out Tau. Lol. All kidding aside, it would actually penalize ALL armies for using over watch.

Also, a third option I like is the rumored 7th edition changes. Having to make an initiative test to attempt over watch.

 

[Zion]

I agree with the second adjustment.

The only issue with the second adjustment is some armies will just turtle up and use their shooting phase on your turn to screw you over. Might as well swap who shoots on which turn at that point.

The first seems a bit lame. I mean I understand what your saying about how your holding the rifle, but in all honestly your not just going to turn your gun around and start bashing people with your rifle are you? You will shoot till the every end. So I think its fine how it is in that regard.

If you're shooting up until the very end, wouldn't that mean you'd lose even more momentum when it came time to actually buttstroke someone?

Rifles are not close range weapons, and firing with them in melee is a bad plan.

The second option seems like it will balance out shooting and by balancing out shooting I mean it balances out Tau. Lol. All kidding aside, it would actually penalize ALL armies for using over watch.

To be fair, then Overwatch becomes an actual tactical decision instead of "well I might as well do it anyways".

Also, a third option I like is the rumored 7th edition changes. Having to make an initiative test to attempt over watch.

Yeah, that is probably better than my idea. Though the rumor for that is Full BS if you pass....