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

[shwnlyns]

You might be able to table them before the hell drakes arrive if they get soke unluckey reserve rolls

[Sir_Prometheus]

Can you handle a Riptide?  (Riptide can handle you)

Depends on what the rules for that bad boy actually look like, I suppose.

Something like this might give it a pretty hard time (unless it has hit and run), especially if the table is only 4x4

5x Warriors
5x Warriors

8x Scarab Swarms

3x Tomb Spyders
2x Tomb Spyders

Have to mess around and see what a good mix is. Might be time to dust off my C'tan, who knows.

I'm not sure I see the problem?  Riptide stats are T 6, 5 wounds 2+. Lots of special rules, but punch line is its mobile as hell and has str 7 ap 2 shots, str 9 large blasts, or HVY 12 str 6 rending shots.

[Grand Master Steve]

its mobile as hell and has all that fire power on a smaller table. Would make me sweat a bit thats for sure

[robpro]

Can you handle a Riptide?  (Riptide can handle you)

Depends on what the rules for that bad boy actually look like, I suppose.

Something like this might give it a pretty hard time (unless it has hit and run), especially if the table is only 4x4

5x Warriors
5x Warriors

8x Scarab Swarms

3x Tomb Spyders
2x Tomb Spyders

Have to mess around and see what a good mix is. Might be time to dust off my C'tan, who knows.

I'm not sure I see the problem?  Riptide stats are T 6, 5 wounds 2+. Lots of special rules, but punch line is its mobile as hell and has str 7 ap 2 shots, str 9 large blasts, or HVY 12 str 6 rending shots.

Might be able to get the riptide into cc (scarabs are quick, plus adding 5 more is sexy), which I assume would do the trick. Once it's there I can keep replenishing scarabs with the spyders or keep the riptide tied up until the spyders can charge.

That list wouldn't really be able to deal with flyers unless they're in hover mode, though. Have to keep brainstorming.

[Benjamin]

I don't remember too many players bringing Flyers to the last tournament. Generally, the lists end up more balanced than not.

And then some people decide to play Bjorn, which is awesome.

[Grand Master Steve]

one hell drake is all it will take to ruin a "balanced" list that has no fliers or anything to deal with them. I thought of 2 5 man tac squads and grand master Moloc but that list would get slaughtered with no anti air support

[andalucien]

Is it a balanced list if it has no flyers and no way to deal with flyers?   I wouldn't necessarily call that "balanced", I'd call it "flyer-less".

[andalucien]

Anyway, yeah I think that at 500 pts, it's a real problem to have an expensive unit that is forced to start in reserve no matter how awesome it is.   There's a 1 in 9 chance of it not showing up till turn 4.  At that point, especially if you went second, the game might be basically over.

[Benjamin]

That's pretty much the idea. Flyers are almost always worth it... except they're much more expensive now! How much of your force are you willing to commit to one model? And that's the quandry facing list designers at this level.

[robpro]

Is it a balanced list if it has no flyers and no way to deal with flyers?   I wouldn't necessarily call that "balanced", I'd call it "flyer-less".

Well, some books have limited access to flyers (some flyers that can't go into hover mode, too) or units that are effective against them, and a lot of those books have relatively high minimum points costs for troops (which limits taking other units better against flyers).

Someone posted a list with 3 helldrakes that fits into 500 points, you can bring 2-3 min-size units of cultists for the cost of other book's smallest troop size. The game does change a fair amount at 500, but I'm kind of enjoying the challenge (at least on paper) so far.

[Chase]

People seem to absolutely love 500 points after spending some time on it and actually playing in the event.

I really think it's the best event we do, period.

[Sir_Prometheus]

Can you handle a Riptide?  (Riptide can handle you)

Depends on what the rules for that bad boy actually look like, I suppose.

Something like this might give it a pretty hard time (unless it has hit and run), especially if the table is only 4x4

5x Warriors
5x Warriors

8x Scarab Swarms

3x Tomb Spyders
2x Tomb Spyders

Have to mess around and see what a good mix is. Might be time to dust off my C'tan, who knows.

I'm not sure I see the problem?  Riptide stats are T 6, 5 wounds 2+. Lots of special rules, but punch line is its mobile as hell and has str 7 ap 2 shots, str 9 large blasts, or HVY 12 str 6 rending shots.

Might be able to get the riptide into cc (scarabs are quick, plus adding 5 more is sexy), which I assume would do the trick. Once it's there I can keep replenishing scarabs with the spyders or keep the riptide tied up until the spyders can charge.

That list wouldn't really be able to deal with flyers unless they're in hover mode, though. Have to keep brainstorming.

The scarabs are dead first turn, every weapon the riptide has doubles them out.  The best you can do is chase it around with the spiders, which I don't really see working on a small table.

The Tau player has another 320 pts to work with, too.

I think you'd do much better with wraiths, they'd have a chance to get there, at least.   

[andalucien]

Yeah the riptide seems like it might be a really tough nut to crack at 500...  it seems like other Tau might actually be best equipped to handle it (lots of long range ap2 shooting).

[Benjamin]

But if everyone brings their nuts, it should be a wildly great tournament.

[andalucien]

Oh yeah, I'm not complaining, just machinating.