Apocalypse Megabattle 2011 Table Interactions

[Benjamin]

what about daemons?

What *about* Daemons?  

Ha! So, the 5th Edition Hardcover rulebook has this covered. Page 270, Evacuation mission.

Imperial Guardsmen might be issued rebreathers when fighting in a near or total vacuum, while races such as Orks are so hardy it can be imagined that they can go several hours in such conditions with no ill effects.

Low gravity and Vacuum special rules make things crazy interesting, perfect for the moon tables...

[cryptoron]

Ok, so if people don't like my crazy moon idea, how about this.
 
Change the Vortex Grenade so that any unit taken out by it deep strikes on a different table, chosen at random, then scatters 6d6 from the center of that table.

[jesterofthedark]

ehhh we shouldn't have anything that moves a player in any sense from one table to another.  Its always a problem every year trying to get a players to be available to deal with his army on various parts of a table in general.  Add that the fact that the smaller tables in general will move along quicker and you have a guy trying to roll armor saves on one table and attempt to do his army movement on another table.

I think global affects that can go from table to table, based on objectives held or major terrain effects.  For instance the moon laser shooting to the main table.  Or if a super heavy goes apocalyptic on the main table maybe all movement in the caverns will be difficult due to tremors and falling debris from the explosion above.

[blantyr]

I suggest only helmeted models can be used on the moon( same for airtight vehicles)

Cool and flavorful idea.  I'd like it in a lot of ways.  One thing to consider.

Last year, in an ad-lib last moment decision, it was decided that Emperor Titans belonged on the moon as the other tables had too much terrain.

But I'm thinking there should be at least one table with no limits on the amount of points spent on super-heavies.  It would have to be a table suitable for Emperors, meaning it would either have little terrain or terrain that collapses easily if something really big steps on it.  If that table is the moon table, armies without helmets might not be able to go super heavy crazy.

Perhaps the ice or wasteland table will also be flat enough...

[the_trooper]

If we could have rules for super heavies sliding on ice when they firing their primary guns.... 

[Chase]

Last year, in an ad-lib last moment decision, it was decided that Emperor Titans belonged on the moon as the other tables had too much terrain.

But I'm thinking there should be at least one table with no limits on the amount of points spent on super-heavies.  It would have to be a table suitable for Emperors, meaning it would either have little terrain or terrain that collapses easily if something really big steps on it.

I feel terrible that we had to throw the Emperors on the Moon table last year.  It screwed with too much in my opinion.

Personally, I hate the idea (and power level) of the Emperor titan.

I promise that there will be a "no holds barred" table this year that is 100% completely open ended.  This will be the only table that allows Emperors if I have things my way.

Sometime soon (hopefully within 2 weeks of this posting) Derek and I will open registration and have the "point restrictions" for the 5 tables.

The Megabattle is 2.5 months away... which is to say, "it's here."

[blantyr]

I feel terrible that we had to throw the Emperors on the Moon table last year.  It screwed with too much in my opinion.

Personally, I hate the idea (and power level) of the Emperor titan.

I promise that there will be a "no holds barred" table this year that is 100% completely open ended.  This will be the only table that allows Emperors if I have things my way.

Sometime soon (hopefully within 2 weeks of this posting) Derek and I will open registration and have the "point restrictions" for the 5 tables.

The Megabattle is 2.5 months away... which is to say, "it's here."

My wargaming side agrees that Emperors are problematic.  My modeling side thinks the Red Emperor was cool, and it would be a shame if he can't make another appearance.  Alas, I suspect that the no holds barred table will have both war game focused players and model builders.  Hopefully there will be both sorts on both sides of the table.

So long as the book rule about guns not firing below 45 degrees from horizontal is enforced, going up against an Emperor or other big titans might not be quite so bad.  If one wants to tone down big titans some, don't allow every big weapon slot to fire a D template.  An Emperor's six carapace weapons have generally turned into six d templates a turn.  Might be a bit much.

Last year, excepting the four players who spent every point on big models (including the two emperors), I believe giving everyone else enough points for two baneblades worth of super-heavies would have covered everyone else's lists.  My recommendation would be a no holds barred table, a couple of two baneblade tables, a one baneblade table, and a no super heavy table.  The no holds barred table would have to be fairly flat for potential Emperors.  The cavern table makes the most sense as a no superheavy table.

You might not want to lock which table will have how much superheavy until after the players start registering.  When people register, along with asking a shirt size, ask how many points of super-heavies they intend to field, or how many points of super-heavies they would be comfortable fighting.  If lots of folks want lots of super-heavies, you might adjust table limits to fit.  If more folk want a more codex driven force, again, adjust to fit.

[the_trooper]

So much fear of the Emperor Class titans even though the main game plan on that table was just to neutralize one while the other ran roughshod over the opposition's armies.

I'll just mention once that tying up / neutralizing even an emperor class titan (or any titan) is easy if people are willing to work together.  2 years in a row a couple smaller models combined with team work helped take down something much bigger and more expensive than it.

I do like the idea of a more "iron man" table where as people can just not whine.  Although warhounds and other "lesser" titans and daemons shouldn't be restricted from the main table.  It adds a lot to the scale of the battle.

I'm pretty sure what made the moon table what it was last year wasn't so much the Emperors but the rumor mill that made people quiver.

[Captain Bryan!]

I AGREE WITH RON'S IDEAS

[cryptoron]

I feel that what cannot happen is that it turns into 5 separate games on 5 separate tables.  Otherwise it shouldn't be called a Megabattle.  To prevent that there must be dynamic ways that the tables interact and it should include being able to move between tables.  I understand that it will be confusing, but I feel the Megabattle NEEDS to be over the top, that's what makes it the amazing event it is.   

[Dissimulation]

I feel that what cannot happen is that it turns into 5 separate games on 5 separate tables.  Otherwise it shouldn't be called a Megabattle.  To prevent that there must be dynamic ways that the tables interact and it should include being able to move between tables.  I understand that it will be confusing, but I feel the Megabattle NEEDS to be over the top, that's what makes it the amazing event it is.   

There is a difference between controlled chaos and just plain confusing. I think that movement from one table to the next would not only result in a lot of people running into each other, But a lot of dropped models. I agree with the other people in this thread that think movement from table to table is just out of the question.

[Benjamin]

I feel that what cannot happen is that it turns into 5 separate games on 5 separate tables.  Otherwise it shouldn't be called a Megabattle.  To prevent that there must be dynamic ways that the tables interact and it should include being able to move between tables.

Actually, dynamic interactions do not necessitate moving between tables.

There can be tables with objectives. If you hold the objectives uncontested, you get to do something to another table / team / player. For example, if you hold an objective on one table, perhaps you can launch an orbital bombardment at any other table. Or an objective allowing another table's unit to reinforce back up to full. Stuff like that, fun but not ridiculous to track.

[Godlyspear]

What about rolling to see if a unit freezes or dies of heat exhauston each turn?  That would be awesome/horrible.

[Logan007]

ehhh we shouldn't have anything that moves a player in any sense from one table to another.  Its always a problem every year trying to get a players to be available to deal with his army on various parts of a table in general.  Add that the fact that the smaller tables in general will move along quicker and you have a guy trying to roll armor saves on one table and attempt to do his army movement on another table.

I think global affects that can go from table to table, based on objectives held or major terrain effects.  For instance the moon laser shooting to the main table.  Or if a super heavy goes apocalyptic on the main table maybe all movement in the caverns will be difficult due to tremors and falling debris from the explosion above.

off topic, but dude, check your facebook messages.

[blantyr]

So much fear of the Emperor Class titans even though the main game plan on that table was just to neutralize one while the other ran roughshod over the opposition's armies.

I'll just mention once that tying up / neutralizing even an emperor class titan (or any titan) is easy if people are willing to work together.  2 years in a row a couple smaller models combined with team work helped take down something much bigger and more expensive than it.

I do like the idea of a more "iron man" table where as people can just not whine.  Although war-hounds and other "lesser" titans and daemons shouldn't be restricted from the main table.  It adds a lot to the scale of the battle.

I'm pretty sure what made the moon table what it was last year wasn't so much the Emperors but the rumor mill that made people quiver.

Tis hard to give my view of the moon table while avoiding any hypothetical prohibition on whining.  I think I can agree with what was said above, though.  Chaos had veteran players, knew what they were up against, planned for it, and had the stratagems and models to implement the plan.  As I'd anticipate nothing less next time around, Order players intending to go to this year's no holds barred table might take note.

I figure the main table ought to allow each army enough superheavy points for a couple of baneblades.  I'm concerned that the big table is going to play slowly again.  While some interaction between tables is good, minimizing confusion and bookkeeping seems a worthy goal, and I wouldn't focus too much of the interaction on the main table.

We also ought to minimize the number of sanity points lost by Chase.  Just getting 60 players with 4000 points each implies 'over the top' and 'wild and crazy' enough.  I'd suggest 'some semblance of sanity' might also be a worthy goal.