So, I felt bad about taking exactly the same list. I just hadn't thought about until last minute, and couldn't find something else that really worked. In retrospect, i probably should have used crisis suits instead of the riptide just for variety, but I didn't think of it until after.
I am strongly considering not allowing MCs and skimmers / flyers for the next 500 pointer. I received this suggestion in an email after the event (by a prime offender), and I agree with him when he says he thinks that kind of limitation might produce something different than what we've seen winning these things lately.
I think Bill won the very first 500 pointer, although I forget what he took. Since then I think MCs + flyers / skimmers have been in all of the winning lists.
Spitballing.
You said "skimmers/flyers" a lot. I don't really get that......there's nothing really special about skimmers, and they don't really bear much relation to Flyers, at least rules wise. But several Xenos armies ONLY have skimmers as vehicles (both eldar, Tau, Necrons, sooo...actually everybody but Orks) so banning skimmers would just mean those armies couldn't take vehicles. (Ok, I forgot eldar have war walkers, but still)
I didn't take any Flyers. I don't love Flyers, as a mechanic, and have been in favor of banning them previously, but if you look at these results, it actually looks like a Flyer or FMC was
disadvantageous.
If you wanted to nerf my list, specifically (it's OK, I don't mind) I would remove Forge World (was I the only player who took any?). The list is just much better with the tetras than it would be with equivalent pts in pathfinders.
Rather than adapt those rules, Kill Team straight up.
I think this is a great idea. I've heard good things about the new kill team rules, and picking little special skills for everyone is always fun. It might not be a s quick, though, since people don't really know the kill team rules.
When I designed this originally in 5th Edition, everything at 500 points had a chance of killing everything else. The current game has either made that chance very remote (Snapfire) or removed that chance entirely (basic infantry vs T8+).
Well, T8 has always been around. People could always take a wraithlord, or a Landraider. Only real difference seems to me is the Flyers. But Flyers didn't do well, so I dunno.
I sure would like to see more painted armies, though. Saturday was... lacking.
It doesn't seem that onerous to require all painted armies for only 500 pts.