There are couple new bits in bold italics below.
There has been a lot of charges about 40k being a lot like warhammer fantasy with these new changes. Personally I do not think of these as bad. Instead I see 8th edition fantasy as a testing ground for a better 40k ruleset. Games Workshop has had plenty of time now to see just where the game should be going. With the current 40k rules and Fantasy 8th edition, I see a better, more complete ruleset. The best of both worlds.
These rules taken in pieces like we have them currently, make for quite the mess. The rules look out of place, and are quite shocking to start to get a grasp on them. Thats why a compilation of these more solid rumors is so vital.
Please remember though that until we get something in our hands, these are still considered to be rumors.
2012 Schedule
via Tastytaste
June-July 6th Edition
Sept-Oct Chaos Space Marines
Sprinkle in some flyers, buildings, and that is all you will see from the 40k front for the year.
Chaos Space Marines
The Chaos Space Marine codex is the only 40k codex for this year. It is not going to be divided into two codexes or anything special. This is not the return 3.5 codex everyone has been wanting this is more a clean up than anything else.
Troops choices will be Chaos Space Marines and Cultists
All Cult Marines are Elites
No new Special Characters
Special Characters will unlock Cult Marines as troops (Kharn for Berserkers and so on)
Typhus makes Cultists into Zombies
Chaos Dreadnaught is removed and replaced with a new unit (like how pariahs were replaced with Lychguard)
CSM now get a Flyer a Mechanical Chaos Dragon (model is done will be part of initial release)
Lesser and Greater Demons are gone
Spawn replaced by “Fell Beast”
Rules for Traitor Guard are in!
Oblit options will be even more expansive with close combat load out available.
via Bigred on BOLS
Codex author is Phil Kelly ~Whew...
Chaos Cultists are available in blob squads into the thirties...
Certain Named Characters grant various USRs and other special rules to Cultists when selected.
via Grant
Imagine a dragon made of "fire" and coverd in a platemale armor and you won't be too far off. That is the best discription I can give.
Some of the concept art shows it mauling a valkyrie mid flight. It is pretty cool.
Chaos units that kill a unit get to roll on a chart for gifts from a chaos lord very similar to the power from pain rule that Phil gave to DE.
Thousand sons are still relentless and still have ap 3 bolters.
The codex is a full color hard cover book.
There are no legion rules
6th Edition
via Tastytaste at Bok
That leaked 6th edition pdf was and is still a complete fabrication.
40k 6th edition is going to be much closer to Fantasy 8th and 40k 2nd edition than anything else.
GW still has rumor lock down in place, so these leaks are for the most part things that have been seen before from previous editions of Games Workshop games. This is to protect sources from the long arm of GW.
Let us start with 6th edition fluff progression.
The Imperium is fracturing and the Space Marines are starting to separate themselves from the Lords of Terra. The heretical and xenophobia has gotten to a tipping point causing many chapters to take actions against the “best wishes” of many in the Imperium.
A discovery of galactic importance has happened.
At a time before right before the Horus Heresy the Emperor had intrusted Roboute Guilliman in the protection of one Xenos race that was completely immune the temptations of Chaos and would prove the ultimate key to the destruction of Chaos. The Horus Heresy ended such plans. Fast forward today with discovery of these lost correspondences, it is believed by the Ultramarines and others that the Tau are that lost race. So now instead of being charge with their destruction the Astartes are the Tau protectors.
Rules changes
•Every unit gets a 6+ save vs. all Psychic Powers.
•Random Charge Lengths are in
•Pre-measuring is in.
•Random Battle field effects are in.
•All armies can purchase buildings for placement on the battlefield.
•Psychic powers are selected during deployment. (except Grey Knights)
•Deployment and Missions types have doubled.
ALLIES ARE BACK IN
That is right allies are back in and this will be according to fluff and will have certain restrictions. So for instance Tyranids will not have any allies. Tau with all Space Marine Chapters. Necrons with Blood Angels. Imperial Guard with Space Marines. Chaos Space Marines with Demons. If it fits the fluff it will be done.
via Bigred at Bols
Psychic Powers
-There will be at least 4+ "Disciplines" of Psychic Powers in the game. (WFB has 8 lores)
-Disciplines seem to fall roughly along the lines of the sects described in the novel "A Thousand Sons" as used by the Heresy-Era chapter.
-Each Discipline will have a "Default" power and a set of others that you will roll for each game.
-Number of rolls you get and the the exact details of which powers you end up with are said to be similar to WFB 8th's power selection mechanic.
-Powers have a "Casting Cost" that is different from the mechanic used in WFB 8th.
-Certain 6th Codices will add additional racial specific Disciplines.
via Grant
As far as 6th ed...
I will also add that vehicles use "hull points" in 6th. If a vehicle has 3 hull points it will die after 3 shaken results, but it can still explode after 1 shot as normal.
All cc weapons have AP values in 6th similar to what was in the fake 6th ed rule book leak.
There are going to be no different levels of Eternal Warrior either.
I know all of these rumors sound ridiculous but they may not be bad for the game at all. I have been chatting with the source for my documents, we both feel that based off of the csm codex that assaults off of consolidation will be back as well as possibly off the bloody deep strike. This is not only backed up by the fact that they are "nerfing" assault range, but also because of 2 special rules.
say hello to "snap fire" and the return of overwatch.
Snap fire - allows a unit to shoot at an attacking unit at bs 1 prior to being assaulted.
Rhino's have 3 hull points, Landraiders and the defiler have 4. Any damage chart result other than wrecked or explodes will take 1 hull point away.
HQ's can now challenge each other just like in fantasy. This must be accepted by opponent or is played normal. HQ that wins, wins the assault for his unit.
"Mysterious Terrain", basically you don't know if the stuff is difficult or dangerous until you roll a d6 upon entering it
Vehicles have assigned hull points (There is no formula)