I was very happy with how the Megabattle turned out this year.
I believe the 2010 Megabattle was a vast improvement over the prior year and very well done. The biggest change was the energy level at the end of the day. At the end of the 2009 battle, everyone was dragging, and no one wanted to play 40K again for a week. This one ended with enthusiasm.
I would not like to see most of the Megabattle heavily limited in the future. I like the idea of "minor" restrictions on a table or two, sort of like the Sewer table this year. I felt like the restrictions on the Sewer table were really good and allowed for exactly the type of game we wanted to see down there (tons of codex stuff with a few bigger things).
I also felt like the game played on the Planet Surface table worked out very well. It was certainly my favorite table and in my opinion best resembled the type of Apocalypse game I wanted to see. The Disorder side may have been out gunned overall and they did end up losing the table but I think it's unfair to place the blame on lack of Super-Heavies.
The bulk of the players are self regulating themselves at the zero to two baneblade level. There are only four or so players who want to spend all their points on superheavies. At this point, if the four or so players work together something that is right for them and that can attract a few more supporting players, we could have an Iron Man table, and no one would end up facing an all superheavy force that didn't buy into the exercise.
It may be that the bulk of the players do not require any special limiting rules. If someone does decide to start building lots big models, he should just apply to the Iron Man table.
I paid little attention (comparatively) to the Moon table. From what I understand the table was won largely due to the fact that one team behaved as a unit, made sure they had many bases covered, used assets to make sure the pace of the game went exactly how they wanted it to, and made sure their Emperor was able to fire each turn.
I think that trying to micro-manage each table more than a little bit (like the sewer table this year) does do damage to the integrity to the event. With that said, I am very interested in what the community has to say about all of this.
The flip side of the above good planning on the Disorder side of the lunar table was several young players on the Order side with more enthusiasm than Apocalypse experience. I would not underestimate the worth of the enthusiasm. I believe we managed to have fun while getting thoroughly clobbered. This is nothing to dismiss lightly. I am still trying to figure out where to display my Last Stand certificate. Pirate hats, Lady GaGa and
I Love the Moon, Arrrr...
Next year, if the same bunch of Order player comes together, we will likely have better asset selection, better models, better teamwork, and a better expectation of what it takes all around. Nothing teaches like getting burned. I did have a rough plan, as you might see if you visit the Moon thread in the Order section, but there wasn't a lot of give and take, exchanges of ideas to fine tune and amplify. We just didn't have the experience of the players on the other side of the board, and the last minute change ups threw off what little planning we had.
But we still had no lack of enthusiasm. Next year, I hope the Bryan Marine gets a chance to avenge the shocking upset head to head victory by Angarath... That battle should stand as a symbol of this years Moon table.
I remember a poster showing a mighty American Bald Eagle in all it's glory swooping down on its prey. The prey, a mouse, is shown giving the Eagle the finger.
Chase! I salute you!
