Review of Composition System Used at 2012 Wellington Events

As we move into the end of the year, I’d like to initiate a discussion around the composition system used at the events I organized over 2012. This was heavily based on the 2012 SCGT system in England.

There were a number of reasons for this, most notably the following:

• It is hard cap composition – discussions at HomeCon II indicated that the regular tournament goers strongly preferred a hard cap system over ANY form of subjective comp.
• It was relatively light comp with the aim of being generally permissive – the restrictions allowed you to build hard but not OTT lists that spoil the enjoyment of other players.
• It did not change the underlying core rules in any significant way. There was a shot cap and a cap on Power Dice but generally you played out of the book.
• It was independent.

This last one was important for me as given I wanted to play in tournaments, I wanted to distance myself from any perceived bias.

The restrictions used at the Masters are attached below.

The only alterations that were made to the original pack were the exclusion of Special Characters and an amendment to the Daemon rules (removing the restriction on Flamers) after the White Dwarf update came out.

The first of these was driven by history – Special Characters had a bad rep from 7th Edition. Those perceptions remained. Special Characters were trialed at Call to Arms and those used attracted little comment apart from Khalida.

Unlike previous years, the SCGT pack was not updated during the year which therefore required some NZ-centric interpretation as new books were released. The pack was written with only 1-2 months experience of the Vampire Counts book and so that comp was largely untested. However, other than that, the only book released since the pack was written was Empire. That release has seen an increase in Monstrous Cavalry and that has changed the local meta. Similarly, the most recent White Dwarf update for Warriors of Chaos has continued that with the Skullcrusher release. In addition, there was the release of the White Dwarf update to Daemons.

So in light of all that what changes are needed?

• Should Special Characters be added? If so what restrictions and what exceptions?

• Do any of the four new releases – Vampires, Empire, Daemons and Warriors – require amendment?

• Do any General Restrictions require amendment?

• Do any specific Race Restrictions require amendment in light of the evolving meta?

My initial comments are that, firstly, a new Daemons book is due no later than February 2013; secondly, the intention is to be permissive if at all possible and thirdly, if advocating restrictions is the problem actually game-breaking or is potentially based on utopian theoryhammer?

Let the discussion commence!

GENERAL LIST RESTRICTIONS

• Non warmachine shooting is limited to 90 shots per army - count the number of shots, not models. So for example Dark Elf Warriors with repeater crossbows count as 2 shots. Ranked (non-skirmisher) infantry with missile weapons with a range of 12" or less are excluded from this restriction

• No Special characters

• An army may not include more than 2 warmachines of the same type and no more than 5 in an army.

• No single non character unit in the army may be over 450 points

• The magic item “Fozzrik’s Folding Fortress” may not be taken.

Race Specific Restrictions:

Lizardmen

• Salamanders 0 – 3 models per army.

• Higher State of Consciousness and the Crown of Command may not be taken on the same model.

• Skink Cohorts are 0 – 3 units per army. Cohorts containing Kroxigor do not count towards the cap.

• Only two of the following may be taken per army – Beclaming Cognitation, Cube of Darkness, Dispel Scroll, Cupped Hands.

Vampire Counts

• Max 3 units/characters with the Ethereal special rule

Skaven

• Hell Pit Abominations and Warp Lighting Cannons are 0-1 unit selection per army.

• A Screaming Bell or Plague Furnace may only be placed in a unit containing no more than 50 models.

• Gutter Runners units are 0 – 2 per army.

• Warlock Engineers are 0 – 3 models per army.

• Skaven Slaves units may only be a maximum of 50 models per unit.

Dark Elves

• The Pendant of Kaleth and the Crown of Command may not be taken on the same model.

• Hydras 0 – 1 unit selections per army.

• Max 3 units with the ‘fly’ special rule

Empire

• Steam Tanks are 0 – 1 models per army and count as a Warmachine

Daemons of Chaos

• Infantry units may only be a maximum of 400 points per unit

• Max 3 units with the ‘fly’ special rule

Tomb Kings

• Only Skeleton Bowmen count towards the shot cap, all other “shots” in the army are excluded when calculating the army’s total “shots”

• No further restrictions

High Elves

• High Elves may take units of up to 550 points, overriding the 450 point restriction given above

• High Elf armies may ignore the “same type” warmachine restriction

• Dragon Mage's additional dice do not count towards the '+2 cap' Winds of Magic dice restriction. They are effectively 'free'.

Ogres

• A maximum of 2 out of the 3 following items may be taken in the army: Greedy Fist, Lore of Death and Hellheart

• If the Hellheart is taken then a Dispel Scroll may not be taken in the army

• If a second Ironblaster is taken, Mornfang Units become a 0-2 unit selection per army

Orcs & Goblins

• Goblin Bolt Throwers do not count when working out your 5 maximum warmachine allowance

Beastmen

• Beastmen armies may take units of up to 550 points, overriding the 450 point restriction given above

Bretonnians, Warriors of Chaos, Wood Elves, Dwarfs, Chaos Dwarfs (Forgeworld list will be used)

• No further restrictions