New Objective and Scoring Method

[Maelstorm]

I'm the TO for our upcoming local tournament. Details can be found on http://geek-garage.net/forum/index.php

Our group has been mulling over options for placing Objectives and scoring Victory Points to help balance the game.

Example: http://whiskey40k.blogspot.com/2013/12/better-mission-design-more-proactive.html?m=1

After digging around for suggestions both on the web and within the group we settled on the following: All of our test games have gone very well.
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Game Length: Fixed 5 Turns, 2 Hour time limit

Objectives: 3 or 5 with balanced placement: 1 in the center, the others evenly spaced around the map.

Primary Scenario Objective - BRB pg 123 plus the following:
• Beginning in turn 2, score + 1 VP for each controlled objective at the end of your turn (data download)

Secondary Scenario Objective BRB pg 122:
• Slay the Warlord +1 VP
• First Blood +1 VP
• Line-breaker +1 VP

We've taken Battle Missions from the 5th Edition book and modified them for 6th Edition rules

Is this something you'd like to see at your local tournament? Your thoughts, questions and comments are welcome!

[Maelstorm]

Game 1: Reconnaissance in Force

6692

Objectives: 5, as shown on Map

Game Length: 5 Turns, 2 Hour time limit

Primary Scenario Objective - BRB pg 123 plus the following:
• Beginning in turn 2, score + 1 VP for each controlled objective at the end of your turn.

Secondary Scenario Objective - BRB pg 122:
• Slay the Warlord +1 VP
• First Blood +1 VP
• Line-breaker +1 VP

Deployment:
• Before deployment roll off to determine Attacker and Defender.
• The Attacking player must secretly note which table edge their units will enter from.
• The defenders deploy first: Anywhere on the table that is more than 12” away from a table edge.
• The attackers units will enter from their pre-chosen edge on the attackers first turn.
• Night Fight is in effect for Turn 1

Reserves: The attackers may place any number of units in reserve. •The attacker’s reserves enter from their nominated table edge. The defenders may not place any units in reserve except units that are required to start in reserves (i.e. Flyers, Drop Pods).

Special Rules: Fog of War - At the start of the battle the enemy is not expecting to be attacked and the attacker is not sure of the enemy’s positions.

• On turn 1 units may move as normal but may only shoot or assault if they first pass a separate Leadership test at (-1) for each phase. If the Leadership test is failed then the unit may not shoot or assault that turn. Units that failed the roll may not choose to Run/move Flat Out/use Psychic Powers/Jump etc. instead. Units without a Leadership value (including Power of the Machine Spirit) can fire/assault only a d6 roll of 4+. 1st turn Assault is allowed – if you pass your Leadership (-1) roll.

First Turn: The attackers always have first turn – do not roll to steal Initiative.

• Except for units which are required to start in Reserves (i.e. Flyers, Drop Pods), any of the Attackers units may move onto the table from the chosen table edge on the first turn. Any of the Attackers units that do not enter play on the first turn are placed in reserve.

[Maelstorm]

Game 2: Blitzkrieg

6693

Objectives: 3, as shown on Map. Players deploy in the quarters without Objectives.

Game Length: 5 Turns, 2 Hour time limit

Primary Scenario Objective BRB pg 123 plus the following:
• Beginning in turn 2, score + 1 VP for each controlled objective at the end of your turn.

Secondary Scenario Objective BRB pg 122:
• Slay the Warlord +1 VP
• First Blood +1 VP
• Line-breaker +1 VP

Deployment:
• Split the table in four quarters and roll-off to see which player picks the quarter they will deploy in. The opposing player deploys in the opposite table quarter.
• Up to half of your units (rounding up) may be deployed at the start of the battle – Heavy support units always start in reserve.
• Units in reserve move onto the table from their deployment quarter edges (24” or 36” side) on turn 2.
• Flyers come in as normal – roll to see which turn the arrive.
• Night Fight is in effect for Turn 1

Reserves: All reserves enter from their nominated quarter edges (2).

First Turn: The player who won the roll-off has the first turn.
• The opposing player may attempt to steal the Initiative.

[Maelstorm]

Game 3: Scorched Earth

6694

Objectives: 5, as shown on Map

Game Length: 5 Turns, 2 Hour time limit

Primary Scenario Objective BRB pg 123 plus the following:
• Beginning in turn 2, score + 1 VP for each controlled objective at the end of your turn.

Secondary Scenario Objective BRB pg 122:
• Slay the Warlord +1 VP
• First Blood +1 VP
• Line-breaker +1 VP

Deployment: Roll-off to see who goes first. Dawn of War Deployment (12”)

Special Rules: All pieces of terrain are either Burning or Smoking. Before Deployment roll a D6 for each piece of area terrain and refer to the following table:

• 1-3 Burning: A raging fire blocks Line of Sight at all levels (except flyers). The area counts as dangerous terrain for units moving into, out of or through the raging fire. Also roll for damage each turn a unit stays in the terrain. Only Snapshots are allowed into or out of the raging fire. Add +1 to the cover save of any unit in the terrain.

• 4-6 Smoking: Billowing hot smoke impedes Line of Sight at all levels (except flyers). Only snapshots are allowed into, out of, or through the smoking terrain. Add +1 to the cover save of any unit in the terrain.

• If opposing units are in the same Burning/Smoking terrain piece they may fire at each other without the above modifiers.

First Turn: The player who won the roll-off has the first turn.
• The opposing player may attempt to steal the Initiative.

[Maelstorm]

The scoring sheet used by players to track mission points:

6697

[PaD]

Looks good. I'll give these a try over the next few games. Thanks

[Maelstorm]

Thanks. Please let me know the results of your test games.

A note on getting tabled:

If you get tabled, you score points up until your forces are eliminated.

If you table your opponent, you finish out just the Move phase of the game through turn 5 in an attempt to score as many Primary and Secondary points as possible.

With this method a savvy player can score multiple points early in the game, get tabled in turn 4 and still come out ahead! Play the mission!!

I'm hoping a few more TO's will chime in and give their thoughts.

[Orange]

This can also lead to some silly shenanigans by players, especially for Chaos Space Marines in taking 6x35 cultists and dumping them on two objectives and racking up points while letting 3xHelldrakes chomp Troops off objectives, leading to all sorts of terrible. I like VP's to be scored at the end of the game.

[AdamHarry]

Thanks. Please let me know the results of your test games.

A note on getting tabled:

If you get tabled, you score points up until your forces are eliminated.

If you table your opponent, you finish out just the Move phase of the game through turn 5 in an attempt to score as many Primary and Secondary points as possible.

With this method a savvy player can score multiple points early in the game, get tabled in turn 4 and still come out ahead! Play the mission!!

I'm hoping a few more TO's will chime in and give their thoughts.

Couple of questions:
1) How many points are you guys playing?
2) Why the 5 turn hard limit? you have have a two hour window (again It depends on points)
3) I'm curious how the rolling objective tally works out for you - We've used that for Apoc games and I've wondered how that translates to a smaller game. Keep in mind that really mitigates your secondary objects - you might want to increase the reward for completing those. At least in the 5 objective games.

4) On the tabling thing - I guess the way you are playing with the rolling VP's it makes sense - it just seems strange that if a player tables the other person, they can still lose the game. Thematically, it makes for some interesting drama - the squad sacrificed itself to complete the data download - but if everyone is dead, wouldn't the enemy be able to then download all the data?
Food for thought.

Anyways, good luck on the tourney - always good to see people trying different things!

[Maelstorm]

Couple of questions:
1) How many points are you guys playing?
2) Why the 5 turn hard limit? you have have a two hour window (again It depends on points)
3) I'm curious how the rolling objective tally works out for you - We've used that for Apoc games and I've wondered how that translates to a smaller game. Keep in mind that really mitigates your secondary objects - you might want to increase the reward for completing those. At least in the 5 objective games.

4) On the tabling thing - I guess the way you are playing with the rolling VP's it makes sense - it just seems strange that if a player tables the other person, they can still lose the game. Thematically, it makes for some interesting drama - the squad sacrificed itself to complete the data download - but if everyone is dead, wouldn't the enemy be able to then download all the data?
Food for thought.

Anyways, good luck on the tourney - always good to see people trying different things!

Thank you for the feedback.

1: We are playing @ 1500 points.

2: By having a hard stop at turn 5 it forces the players to "play the missions". Everyone who makes it to turn 5 has the same maximum number of points.

3: The rolling tally of VP's works very well. In our test games the scores have come out fairly even, with Secondary Objects making a difference. Players rarely scored more than 2 Objectives per turn, 3 was the max (and only for 1 turn). Everyone is very quick to grab and contest objectives while focusing on blowing away their opponents troops. The objectives are not hidden in buildings and terrain on purpose! Soft, min-sized scoring Troops were hammered quickly. A last turn objective dash will only score a point or two.

4: In the fluff write-up the data ports (Objectives) become active at the top of turn 2 and fall silent at the end of turn 5, never to function again. Table your opponent without scoring Objectives in the time/turns allotted and you've failed your mission. Very fluffy... :)

Note: We have 3 distinctly different play style missions on-tap. Every army should have a mission they excel at and a mission they have to work hard to win.

[AdamHarry]

Thank you for the feedback.

1: We are playing @ 1500 points.

2: By having a hard stop at turn 5 it forces the players to "play the missions". Everyone who makes it to turn 5 has the same maximum number of points.

3: The rolling tally of VP's works very well. In our test games the scores have come out fairly even, with Secondary Objects making a difference. Players rarely scored more than 2 Objectives per turn, 3 was the max (and only for 1 turn). Everyone is very quick to grab and contest objectives while focusing on blowing away their opponents troops. The objectives are not hidden in buildings and terrain on purpose! Soft, min-sized scoring Troops were hammered quickly. A last turn objective dash will only score a point or two.

4: In the fluff write-up the data ports (Objectives) become active at the top of turn 2 and fall silent at the end of turn 5, never to function again. Table your opponent without scoring Objectives in the time/turns allotted and you've failed your mission. Very fluffy... :)

Note: We have 3 distinctly different play style missions on-tap. Every army should have a mission they excel at and a mission they have to work hard to win.


Cools, sounds like a solid tourney plan then! having the hard cap at 5 turns make more sense now that I see your reasoning. It's a good way to force people from behind their wall and onto objectives.

Do you guys use fixed terrain or player placed?

[Maelstorm]

Cools, sounds like a solid tourney plan then! having the hard cap at 5 turns make more sense now that I see your reasoning. It's a good way to force people from behind their wall and onto objectives.

Do you guys use fixed terrain or player placed?

I will work with the gang to set up balanced LOS blocking terrain with a theme on each table before the Tournament. The club we play at (End Zone Hobbies) has game table space for 24 Players and more than enough themed custom terrain for all tables.

We'll give them 15 minutes to set-up and 2 hours Game time.