500 Points about 500 Points (Lists, Touraments & Rules, oh my!)

[Benjamin]

This is another way to consider the diagonal deployment.



That makes the No Man's Land a bit longer to cross, which is closer to the distance for Pitched Battle deployment. So, unless I see hard numbers otherwise, I'm sold.

... at least I think that math is right. Geometry was never my strong suit.

[steelforge]

I declare Blood Angels fast vehicles the winner!

[Benjamin]

The first draft of the 5 missions, ready for lots of feedback. There will be illustrations accompanying the final draft. (Revisions: 3:45 PM)

All draws are settled by Victory Points scored from enemy units. If this results in a draw, then the match is a draw. If all of your forces are destroyed, you automatically lose the scenario, regardless of whether you would win by other criteria.


Round 1 - Kill Troops!
Deployment: Pitched Battle
Objective: In this scenario, all scoring units killed count for double victory points earned. Winner is decided by Victory Points.


Round 2 – Into No Man's Land
Deployment: Diagonal (lines drawn from points 14” from corner)
Objective: 3 Objectives markers.
One objective marker must be placed in the center of the table. After table edges have been decided, but before deployment, each player places an objective marker on the table, with the player going first also placing his marker first. These objective markers must be more than 6" from any table edge and more than 12" away from any other objective. Winner holds the most objectives at game end.



Round 3 - Base Objectification
Deployment: Pitched Battle
Mission: 3 objective markers evenly spaced on a north-south center line. Holding an objective is worth 25 VP, scored at the end of each and every Game Turn. These victory points are scored in addition to those earned by killing the enemy. Most victory points earned wins this scenario.


Round 4 - Reese's Conundrum
Deployment: Pitched Battle
Mission: Units that end the game in the enemy's half of the board count as double for the purposes of Victory Points. Player with the most Victory Points remaining wins this scenario.


Round 5 – Spread Out
Deployment: Spearhead (10" middle circle instead of standard 12")
Mission: Table Quarters, most VP in a quarter wins the quarter. Roll off for units unable to determine which quarter they are in.

[Chase]

Please post your thoughts on the scenarios.

[canadianone]

I SELL SUSPENDERS, AND I THINK THEYRE GREAT!

[keithb]

Mission 3, it states that you score VPs by holding objectives, is this in addition to the normal ways to score VPs or replacing them?

[KestrelM1]

Mission 2 could use a fall-back in the case of a tie on Objectives. I am also a fan of having objectives fixed in place rather than placed by players, but that's a personal preference.

For Mission 3 you may want to consider only starting to count objectives after turn 2 - otherwise you are giving a huge advantage to armies that can get to the objectives on turn 1 and penalizing armies who want to Reserve or are on foot.

Other than that I think everything is good.

[Rurouni Benshin]

Mission 2 could use a fall-back in the case of a tie on Objectives. I am also a fan of having objectives fixed in place rather than placed by players, but that's a personal preference.

I think the general rule of thumb in this case would be to go by Kill Points, in the event of a tie.  It's the usual tie-breaker in most cases, but in a 500 point game, it may be less of a factor than games played at a higher point count.  Maybe Victory Points could be used instead?

For Mission 3 you may want to consider only starting to count objectives after turn 2 - otherwise you are giving a huge advantage to armies that can get to the objectives on turn 1 and penalizing armies who want to Reserve or are on foot.

+1 to this idea.  I think if the scoring for this scenario is done similarly to how the Megabattle was scored, it would make it a more balanced scenario.

[Benjamin]

I revised and clarified the third mission with regard to objective-based victory points.

I already wrote that in case of a draw in any match, the decision will be made by most Victory Points scored. I should emphasize this point more if two people already missed it. I also added a "tabled = auto-lose" provision.

I'm undecided on the Mission 3 suggestion to start scoring on Turn 2, so I definitely want more people to chime in, more discussion.

Here's the illustration of the objectives in Mission 3.



So the objective on your side is on the deployment line. If you deploy within 3" of the objective, within your zone, most armies can start earning Turn 1 Victory Points reliably. Aside from Daemons, I don't know of an entire army for which coming in from Reserves is mandatory. (And until Daemons learn how to play 40k like everyone else, I'm not making exceptions for them.  )

The scenario is meant to force the choice between killing the enemy or holding objectives, with a point system based on risk and reward. In that regard, I am thinking of tweaking this such that the middle objective is worth 50 points instead of 25...

By the way, not a fan of the Megabattle scoring system. It makes sense, given the complete chaos of the event. But when scoring starts on Turn 2 and the game ends on Turn 3...

As for objectives in Mission 2, placing objectives is a lost art. Mission 3 is fixed, and that's when the matches will start to count for prizes. I like fixed objectives too, but I respect the hell out of players who know how to place them.

[canadianone]

I just had an idea, what if we did this small side story to the tournament, with the various HQ's? it could be like each HQ needs a name, and depending which HQ does the best, they win, or something? just to add a little character to the armies, and some story to the game. This could also be colossally dumb. 

[Loranus]

I just had an idea, what if we did this small side story to the tournament, with the various HQ's? it could be like each HQ needs a name, and depending which HQ does the best, they win, or something? just to add a little character to the armies, and some story to the game. This could also be colossally dumb. 

Usually called Best Theme like reason why your there fighting. You tend to see it in the Doubles for Battlegrounds where people create groupings that would make sense and ones that would not.

[Benjamin]

It's hard to say by which measure an HQ did "best". But I could be amenable to creating a Best Theme army category, or something like it. I imagine there will be some surprise armies and lists coming in, maybe a Most Surprising List... Like, if someone actually brought 20 warriors and a Necron Lord with Res Orb. Most unique list? I think there are players who will take 500 points in some surprising directions. One list I've heard of would already be nominated, if it in fact hits the table.

I'd have to retool the prize structure, but I think I know where I can make room.

[Loranus]

Whats that you Want something that is completely useless after Turn 1 but would make people piss their pants for the first turn. Done.

[Wes]

For rules, why not use an expanded kill team that Sam was running for a while?

Because it had too many rules and way too many restrictions for far too few figures. As it is 500 points, gives Necrons only 30 points to play with.

I think you mean 0 points. ( If you don't take a resorb you are an idiot )

[Banosby]

I like them all. As for when to start earning points off of objectives, whatever. If someone wants to take scouts, more power to them.