Crusade PL/Points Questions

[Tao Tsê-Mung]

Learned more about Crusade, interested in playing in the near future, but I have a few questions about list building for it.

When creating/adding units to your Order Of Battle the loadouts, powers, etc. are all set unless you use Requisition Points to change them. Does this include chapter/clan/craftworld etc. as well? Or am I able to play the same unit as Black Legion one game and Alpha Legion the next?

Also, I’m noticing a quirk with the PL system that if I add another body to the squad the PL goes up - but weirdly upgrading a bunch of weapons which normally cost points doesn’t change the power level of the squad at all. What’s a reasonable amount of upgrades that won’t power game the PL system? I really like customizing a bunch of squads for more specialized roles but I don’t want to end up creating unfair units.

Finally, when will you guys be starting a new campaign from scratch? The other thread seems to mostly be about TTS and I’d rather paint some new models, play in person, etc.

Thanks!

[Ish]

1 hour ago, Tao Tsê-Mung said:

When creating/adding units to your Order Of Battle the loadouts, powers, etc. are all set unless you use Requisition Points to change them. Does this include chapter/clan/craftworld etc. as well? Or am I able to play the same unit as Black Legion one game and Alpha Legion the next?

When you start a Crusade Force, you must declare what it's Crusade Faction will be (Imperium, Chaos, Ældari, etc.) All of the units in your Order of Battle (unless Unaligned) must share at least one Faction Keyword in common. Once a unit is added to your Order of Battle ("OoB") it is "locked in" as it was when first added to the OoB unless you spend Requisition Points ("RP") to change it. These changes are things like Fresh Recruits (add models to the unit) and Rearm and Resupply (change equipment options, there is no way to change any unit's Keywords. So a Space Marine Tactical Squad that was assigned the < Ultramarines > keyword when you added it to your OoB will always be < Ultramarines >, it cannot become < Raven Guard >.

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Also, I’m noticing a quirk with the PL system that if I add another body to the squad the PL goes up - but weirdly upgrading a bunch of weapons which normally cost points doesn’t change the power level of the squad at all. What’s a reasonable amount of upgrades that won’t power game the PL system? I really like customizing a bunch of squads for more specialized roles but I don’t want to end up creating unfair units.

This is a well-know quirk in the PL system -- and is probably the leading reason people who dislike the PL system dislike the PL system. Best advice I can give is simply "Don't Be That Guy." Upgrade your unit in a way that feels fair to you and seems like something you'd reasonably do with the squad in a "regular game" using the Matched Play point values... Yes, you could give that five-man Blood Angels Death Company Squad all thunder hammers, storm shields, and jet-packs. But would you do that in a "normal" game? Remember, this is intended as a "casual" league and we're all trying to keep things fairly friendly. But if one of us does go Hardcore, then the rest of us can too. Let's try not to cross the Godzilla Threshold.

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Finally, when will you guys be starting a new campaign from scratch? The other thread seems to mostly be about TTS and I’d rather paint some new models, play in person, etc.

We only started, like, two or three weeks ago. I don't think any of us have more than 3-4 Crusade games (heck, I've only got one!) under our belts at this point. Games can be played in person or via TTS, because we wanted to have the option for people who couldn't come into the club due to health risks to still be able to play. You could easily jump in now. 

Crusade has a built-in mechanic where the player who's Crusade Force has a lower rating gets a bunch of extra Command Points when playing against someone with a higher rating. Plus, since both players can only bring the same PL worth of units to the table, the "underdog" isn't really at that great of a disadvantage in any single game.

[Tao Tsê-Mung]

Thanks for the quick answers! Yeah, I’m not going crazy with this. Doing something like the sergeant and 2 of 10 may take a heavy weapon; or the Nob may take a flamer and power claw is along the lines of what others are doing. Just wanted to check because I would normally tune every squad to a in the list.

As far as the current campaign goes the other thread read like the requisition points were only being used on expanding the OoB pool or increasing the game PL. Are you guys using them to upgrade squads/characters as well? For me the developments unique to Crusade are the more interesting features since we can already play a game of 40k at whatever PL/Points two people agree on. Is it possible to play catch-up games to reach the current campaign level instead of just getting extra CP? Again, I’m less interested in more CP because it’s already in core 40k.

[Mulgrok]

It doesn't hurt to save an RP or 2 to use on removing potential battle scars.

[Ish]

Everyone starts with 5 RP, but at the beginning of your Crusade there’s not a whole lot to spend them on beyond Increased Supply Limit (one RP adds 5 PL to your OoB), buying a Warlord Trait (your WL doesn’t automatically get one), or Relic (ditto).