Orktoberfest - Special Rules & Composition

The next Australian tournament I will be attending is Orktoberfest in Brisbane in late October. This is the last event of the Warhammer season and so always draws a highly competitive field.

The Players Pack was released yesterday and the points limit has been set at 2000 points. They have also introduced a series of Special Rules and Composition criteria:


TOURNAMENT SPECIAL RULES

The following rules and interpretation will be used for the tournament:

1. Figures in your army must be representative of the troops. The "What You See is
What You Get" (WYSIWYG) guide will be used. Please ensure that you make clear
to your opponent before each game what your units are and what standard equipment they have – this is especially true if you are using converted models
that are different from the usual figures for that type. If you are in doubt, please
seek guidance from the Tournament Organiser prior to the tournament.

2. Hills in game are considered of infinite height and block the sight for everything.

3. Fleeing units at the end of the game are worth full victory points rounding up.
Such craven cowardice will not be rewarded!

4. Characters may benefit from a look out sir against direct damage spells
that target a unit, and not the character himself, like as to the hit from a
warmachine.

5. No more than 12 power dice may be used in your turn. This number is
calculated after the addition of abilities and items that add dice to your pool in the
magic phase, but before those which would reduce it.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF COMPOSITION

The following ten commands of composition must be obeyed. Please note there is no
composition score contributing to your results for this event:

1. No more than 2000 points can be in your army;

2. No more than 3 of the same unit type, including characters, can be in your army;

3. No more than 2 scouting units can be in army;

4. No more than 4 warmachines and no more than 2 of the same kind. Lizardmen Stegadons count as warmachines. Empire Steam Tanks count as 2 warmachines.

5. No more than 1 of the following selections in your army - Arch Lectors, Hellpit Abominations, Plague Furnace OR Screaming Bell, Hellcannons, War Hydras, Black Coaches, Wraiths, and Flamers.

6. All armies must be created from the latest published Games Workshop Warhammer Fantasy Battle Army Book, published before 25 September 2010;

7. No 'Back of the Book' alternate lists allowed;

8. No special characters or ‘named characters’ or champions from the army books. You may use the special character miniatures if you like as normal characters;

9. No Chaos Dwarf armies;

10. No Dogs of War Armies (armies cannot use Dogs of War or Regiments of Renown.

Personally I am disappointed that they have seen fit to change the core rules of the game with regard to True Line of Sight, Victory Points and Look Out Sir. As regular readers know I believe that these create ripple effects and will likely lead to even more restrictions to constrain unforeseen consequences.

At least they haven't gone for outright banning of spells as was originally slated at MOAB, among other tournaments.

I can't help but feel people are not willing to adapt to the new ruleset and instead want to create a hybrid they feel "comfortable" with.

The Orktoberfest TOs are playing 4 scenarios - Battleline (x3), Dawn Attack, Blood & Glory and one of their own Messengers. Again I would have preferred that Battle for the Pass and Watchtower got a run. They have cited logistics as the reason why BftP has been dropped but having played it at Pilgrimage I don't see that as a compelling argument. People adapt. Rather I see it has a sap to those...vocal....players who have critised the scenario as favouring shooty armies. Of course it does, and other scenarios favour close combat forces.

List building should take different situations faced in the CORE rules into account....Evolve or Die!