Open Forum is the column where we (you the readers and your editor) discuss rules interpretation, clarification, revisions, new rules, necessary rides, or anything else that needs to be dealt with in Warhammer 40K. We will bring up questions, problems, and issues and open them to all. So send in your questions and concerns!

Welcome to the first all digital Inquisitor. The photographs were all transfered to to a Photo CD, opened in Photoshop and then imported into Pagemaker. This issue also has more pages than a normal issue (it just kept growing!), but I do not know whether this is a one shot expansion or a new policy. There is probably enough material to support a larger issue.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

White Dwarf 179 contained a very interesting article by Jervis Johnson called Rides Of Engagement that clarifies a number of confusing rules. Displacer fields, targeting and charge limitations, model facing for Hawk wings and jump packs are all covered in detail. I would suggest memorizing this article since the clarifications make a big difference in how the game is played.

CHAOS CODEX

The Chaos Codex has been released for Warhammer Fantasy Battle and contains a number of things that are useable for a 40K Chaos army while we wait for the 40K Chaos Codex to be released, since many of the rules and game mechanisms will probably be similar.

There are 10 spells/powers for each of the psychic Chaos powers and a deck of Magic Items cards (used like Wargear cards) that are split between actual magic items and Magic Item/Rewards, which are basically Chaos attributes. There is also a deck of Chaos Gift cards that can be played on heroes or units during the game to temporarily increase their fighting abilities.

There is more to the rules than I can go into here, but we have used the Chaos Gift cards in a 40K game or two and they do work if you take out the ones that don't apply to 40K (7 out of 48). Some of the additional Chaos spells are also usable. A future issue will include an article detailing the use of these rules and cards in 40K.

THIS ISSUE

Eldar Pirate Army List

This is a suggested army list for building a complete Eldar Pirate army instead of using pirates only as allies for a craftworld army. Characters, squads and support are all covered.

Vehicle System Update

This article upates the vehicle system from Inquisitor #4 to second edition Warhammer 40,000 datafaxes and provides a points system for building your own vehicles. Also included is a set Of universal Damage Tables as well as Datafaxes for 20 vehicles. The next issue will include many more Datafaxes.

WIERD STUFF RULES

The rules for all of the unusual weapons and how they effect Titans were supposed to be in this issue, but the article did not get finished in time, so look for it in the next issue.

LEMAN RUSS

The long-awaited Leman Russ plastic tank kit is out, and it is very nice kit, with detail more on the order of a commercial model tank kit than with GW's earlier plastic kits. There are separate hard plastic tracks and an extra sprue of some of the bits and pieces that are covered by the vehicle upgrade cards (searchlight, bulldozer blade, storm bolter, hunter-killer missile and heavy flamer). All in all, a really great kit!

FOAM CUTTER UPDATE

The ceramic insulators that were used in the foam cutter article (Inquisitor #12) have been harder to find than I originally thought, so here are some alternatives. The first option is to use phenolic resin (not plastic!) insulators instead of the ceramic ones. They are more available and we have tested them and they work fine. As a second option for those of you who are having a hard time finding these items, I am offering a 30" piece of the nichrome wire and two phenolic insulators at a cost of $5.00 (postpaid). Ask for the foam cutter bits.