Spearhead - suitable for tournament use?

[Atrotos]

Now that people have played a few games what are some opinions on balance. In my experience not all races benefit equally from spearhead formations with Dark Eldar and Tyranids having the most prominent issues.

Despite this does anyone think spearhead could be used to spice up the tournament scene?

[Nixter27]

To be fair I think that as seen in events such as the 'Ard Boyz and Adepticon's Gladiator tournament the players are what make the tournament competitive.
An example of this is how 5th edition made transports a much better option. Noticing this players began using more and more melta weapons to even the playing field. Similarly if super heavies become a huge advantage in spearhead, counters for them will become more common.

[Atrotos]

I suspect come 6th edition Super Heavies will be part of the game, as will flyers.

[Lerra]

I could see Spearhead entering the tournament scene, especially the big multi-event cons. For things like Adepticon's Gladiator tournament (2250 with superheavies allowed), Spearhead seems like a natural addition.

[DarkLink]

I think, at the least, some of the concepts from spearhead can be used as good scenarios for tournament games.

In particular, I like the mission where you win by having more scoring units in your opponent's deployment zone than they have in yours. I think something like that could be a cool tournament scenario.


I suspect come 6th edition Super Heavies will be part of the game, as will flyers.

Unless they significantly rebalanced the rules, I certainly hope not. Even with the craziness of apocalypse, super heavies are insane. In regular games, it'll probably turn into "who has the better super-heavy". Which is kinda what apoc can turn into real easily.

[Archon Charybdis]

I suspect come 6th edition Super Heavies will be part of the game, as will flyers.

They're sort of incorporating flyers into the game already, but they're doing it by making them skimmers or giving them special rules that are a break from normal 40k-- but nowhere near Apocalypse/IA Flyer rules. I doubt they'll actually out and out incorporate flyers from FW/Apocalypse stuff into the basic rules.

[Commissar Lewis]

I sort of hope SHs don't become main 40k in 6th. It kinda takes the awe out of using them. After all, when I break out my Baneblade, The Fury of Daneland, (or Samantha as I call it casually) it means a big game of Apoc is going down and some major crap is getting wrecked.

Making them regular 40k kinda takes that oomph away if you see them all the time. Super Heavies are like boobs - when you see them it's glorious, but see em too much and they lose all the excitement that makes them great.

[fade_74]

I sort of hope SHs don't become main 40k in 6th. It kinda takes the awe out of using them. After all, when I break out my Baneblade, The Fury of Daneland, (or Samantha as I call it casually) it means a big game of Apoc is going down and some major crap is getting wrecked.

Making them regular 40k kinda takes that oomph away if you see them all the time. Super Heavies are like boobs - when you see them it's glorious, but see em too much and they lose all the excitement that makes them great.

Who the heck gets tired of boobs? I've been with my wife since 1999.....and I'm still not tired of them.
I hope they do allow superheavies in the next edition. Tanks......superheavy tanks......I would like to see them on the table more often.

[BlackKnight15624]

IMO Spearhead has rules that compensate for certain armies' deficits of Superheavy tanks. It may not be much, but DE and Tyranids can still be competitive in a Spearhead tournament.

[Herald of Nurgle]

IMO Spearhead has rules that compensate for certain armies' deficits of Superheavy tanks. It may not be much, but DE and Tyranids can still be competitive in a Spearhead tournament.
Rage.

[Lerra]

GW said they intend to add more Spearhead formations in future White Dwarves, and I'm sure a Gargantuan Creature formation will be added. There will probably be more Monstrous Creature and Infantry formations added, too, and that should help the non-mech armies a bit.

[Herald of Nurgle]

Not sure I like the sound of that.
Seems a bit like Spearhead is the 'poor man's Apocalypse'... in more than one way.

[MajorSoB]

Seems a bit like Spearhead is the 'poor man's Apocalypse'... in more than one way.

To be more accurate, Spearhead is an ill-conceived set of rules designed to sell multiple models. Marketing earns a score of 10 while playability gets a 0. Good job GW!

Much like Apocalypse, Spearhead does not have enough balance to even think of including it in any serious tournament setting.

[Atrotos]

Much like Apocalypse, Spearhead does not have enough balance to even think of including it in any serious tournament setting.

But if Lerra is correct and they add to it over time is it not conceivable that what is unbalanced now may become balanced in the future? The community is giving GW feedback in all kinds of ways, this could help mold future releases into what the playerbase actually wants.

[Lord Azaghul]

I suspect come 6th edition Super Heavies will be part of the game, as will flyers.

Flyers maybe, superheavy, please no!
Strength D shouldn't be in anything other then apoc.

Which leads into the actual topic:
My fiends and I had this dicussion at a tourney the other day. We settled on superheavy if nothing higher then old titan killer, S10 AP1, IE no S D.

A spearhead tourney would completely change the dynamic of a 'standard' tourney so it could be interesting or it could just explode into 'Oops! I didn't think that could happen'

[Lord Azaghul]

But if Lerra is correct and they add to it over time is it not conceivable that what is unbalanced now may become balanced in the future? The community is giving GW feedback in all kinds of ways, this could help mold future releases into what the playerbase actually wants.

Double post.


Sorry but that last part caught my attention, when has GW EVER fix or updated anything in a timely manner?
Especially when the players wanted it?

The only thing I can think of was recanting on the SW faq for counterchange/furious assult

They ignored the problems in other 'dex's and ignored the failts in fantasy for 2 full years, losing tons of players (and now they are pretty much force to change the entire game just to make a few stupid things 'work')

[Atrotos]

What I meant to say Lord Azaghul is that Spearhead could be the start of something new. A change in GW's operations that favors all of us. I, of course, agree that it would be unprecedented for us newer players (playing less than ten years) but then so is putting rules or anything of substance in White Dwarf. That's why buying this month's WD is so important - we could show GW that they're moving in the right direction.

Nobody likes the way GW's ignored all feedback but this could be the beginning of the end of that policy.

[Lord Azaghul]

Ah, I understand.
If GW took that approach I think they'd have alot more happy(ier) customers!

[Porty1119]

Moar Flyerz!!!

I betcha my friend will quit 40k if flyers become main ruleset material...

[scadugenga]

Nobody likes the way GW's ignored all feedback but this could be the beginning of the end of that policy.

While I would love GW to move to a more customer-oriented business paradigm, I won't hold my breath.

GW is going to have to really dig in and earn the trust of their playerbase, not just toss out a tidbit here and there.

[Chuck777]

I think GW would be fools to port in Super Heavies as written for Apoc into normal 40k. However, I could easily see them adding super heavies into the game with new rules. I mean when you break it down all a Bane Blade needs, rule wise, is for it to be a big Tank with lots of guns and 'wounds' to help keep it survivable. Appropriately cost-ed, it could be quite fair and fun.