Thoughts on an attrition/narrative league

[peter.cosgrove]

Without going too far into it and creating a TL:DR issue here are my thoughts on an attrition league set up along the Shadow War:Armageddon league play set up.

I call it "The Best of What's Left" or The Rumble In the Jungle.

Starting at 500 points, build 1 HQ and 2 full countTroop choices. These have to be WYSIWYG, fully painted and based. Any additional points goes to other units. Other units besides the initial HQ/Troop choices can be shorted.

At the beginning of the first game for each HQ unit roll on a 2d6 table. The table has campaign narrative interaction requirements to gain 100 points after each game. An example would be "Revenge! After losing a game post a thread vowing revenge, gain 100 points after winning against that player." The table will have listed forum thread requirements that when met will give points. For each HQ unit added to the roster later in the campaign roll again on the table. 

Table terrain will be deployment type specific in terms of demonstrating with the terrain the deployment type. For example Spearhead Assault deployment type will have a LOS blocking ridgeline of terrain down the center with a narrow pass. In other words, instead of generally placing terrain the terrain is set up to deliberately show the deployment type. Additionally 6 columns/tree trunks, towers, spires etc are placed on the battlefield. These posts are impassable terrain that also cannot be flown over, they represent impossibly tall triple canopy trees made out of magnetic flux carbon molecules that are indigenous to the planet. The trees cause severe interference to communications causing lack of reinforcements from higher. The idea behind the terrain setup is to visually represent a terrain based panorama instead of setting up the table in a symmetric competition style.

At the beginning of each game roll on a 2d6 table, the table will have game peculiarities and victory conditions aka Shadow Wars style.

Initial deployment to be only the original HQ and 2 Troops, all other units are in reserve. Reserves can start walking/deep striking on the board iaw 8th edition rules. Players are limited to just 3 command points and no warlord. Once both players have 750/1000/1250/1500 points they both add an additional unit to the initial deployment, however the added unit(s) must be built full count, WYSIWYG, Painted and based. If either player does not have an additional unit at each increment level to deploy, both players are limited on units for initial deployment to the lower player's available units.

Each game will have 5 caches. 3 to be placed in the neutral area between deployments and the last two placed in each players deployment zone by the opposing player AFTER deployment. Cache's to be placed 12" from any other cache and 8 inches from any table edge.

The player that ends up with units further away from any cache after deployment chooses to go first or second.

Caches to be captured/carried by infantry models, 

When a model would normally be removed from the battlefield, instead gently lay it down on the battlefield, it becomes impassible terrain. At the end of the game each downed model can be attritted. If a friendly unit is within 3 inches of the downed model and can claim the downed model iaw objective rules in 8th edition (Troops with objective secured rule applies), then the model will only attrit on a roll of 1 on a d6. If neither friendly/enemy can claim it attrits on a 1-2 on a d6. If an enemy unit can claim the model it attrits on a 1-3.

Models that are not downed at the end of the game that have some capability to heal/resurrect/stat change models in game allow rerolls for downed models, i/e Sanguinary Priest, Techmarines, Fabius Bile, etc. Models that have self heal/repairing can also reroll for themselves, i/e Rhino's.

Once a model is attrited it is removed from the roster at the end of the game. If an HQ is attrited then the next ranking model becomes the HQ (i/e must be seperated from the model's squad)

Both players gain 100 points at the end of the game to add models/wargear to their roster. Loser gains 1 cache. Winner gains 1-3 caches. Players can burn a cache to gain another 100 points to spend.

In between games players can add up to 100 points before the next game by conducting on the forums trading communication to trade models, bits of models, bases that are then built WYSIWYG/Painted/based into the spent points. I/e an Ork player with Tyranid bits trades them to a Tyranid player for OrK bits that are then paid for with the points and after building/painting/basing added to the player's Ork roster. Bear in mind, beggers can't be choosers, if you get bits/models from another player for your points you are required to build it WYSIWYG/painted/based and add it to your roster. Any points left unspent because of lack of trades are lost at the beginning of the next game

League will finish upon a player gaining 15 Caches. The purpose of the league is to keep the games short/fun and facilitate the build up of a player's army into larger point army lists, while also rewarding interaction/sportsmanship. I believe that by doing it in this fashion also assists to capture newer players by presenting small manageable lists that become expandable as part of the campaign play system.

[happycamper]

Pete I don't think you know the term TLDR means..😜

I like the idea, though I don't see the point of require full count squad.  For my sally Primarus army, a full count squad (10 man)of troops is atleast 200pts per unit. I don't even have 20 guys to do that with lol. 

[happycamper]

Over all I like the idea, but I would simplify it. We can chat on Saturday about it

[peter.cosgrove]

3 hours ago, happycamper said:

Pete I don't think you know the term TLDR means..😜

I like the idea, though I don't see the point of require full count squad.  For my sally Primarus army, a full count squad (10 man)of troops is atleast 200pts per unit. I don't even have 20 guys to do that with lol. 

I mean the minimum count squad. So if your base is 5 models that's what I mean. 8E allows you to take short squads. So if your squad starts with 5 models, then a full count is 5 models instead of a short squad.

[peter.cosgrove]

Actually I would like to playtest the system first before anything else. It introduces a concept that's not really 40k ish.