Escalation League Discussion

[Dave]

A new thread to generate some discussion.

Escalation League Guidelines

In order to give everyone a chance to get a game in, what with Mordheim and Deadzone also looking to start early next year, each round will consist of four game weeks.

Round One – 500 Points - 13th January to 3rd February.
Round Two – 750 Points - 10th February to 3rd March.
Round Three – 1000 Points - 10th March to 31st March.
Round Four – 1500 Points - 7th April to 28th April.

You only need to play one game per round but may play as many as you like in the given timeframe.

Only one result from each round will count towards the league (this gives those who can only play one game per round a fair playing field).

Army Construction:

The units that you use in the first round games become the core of your army and must be incorporated into all other lists as the campaign progresses. The exception to this rule is that you may add additional men and equipment to your original units as you see fit. For example, you may not have been able to afford a special weapon for your tactical squad in the 500 point list but in round two you decide to equip them with a melta gun for x points. Alternatively your HQ may now be able to afford an invulnerable save or shiny new weapon.

The points in subsequent rounds can be used as you see fit and units can be switched in and out as you build and paint them. For example, in round two I decide to add a Nightscythe, I spend ages building and painting the damn thing only to decide it is terrible. In the next round I remove it from my army and replace it with more warriors.

Due to the limited points available in round one some additional list building guidelines may be required. The following will only apply to games in round one:

• Only one troop choice and one HQ required in order to qualify as a battle forged army.
• Only two troop choices (with no HQ) required in order to qualify as a battle forged army (squad Sergeants may act as the Warlord until one is recruited).
• Nothing with a Toughness value of more than 5 and with more than two wounds (so wraithguard are ok, Riptides are not).
• No units, excluding walkers, with a combined AV value of more than 33 (when adding the front, rear and one side of the AV values together).
• No units with the ‘Fly’ special rule.

Unbound armies are allowed (but must abide by the restrictions above) and will suffer from the normal penalties of unbound armies i.e. Troop choices not benefiting from the ‘objective secured’ rule.


League points are scored as follows:

Annihilation – 3 Points (No enemy units remaining at the end of the game/ you score more than double the Victory Points of your opponent).
Victory – 2 Points (You score more VPs than your opponent).
Stalemate – 1 Point (You score the same amount of VPs as your opponent).
Defeat – 0 Points (You score fewer VPs than your opponent/you have no units remaining at the end of the game).

Bonus Points:
1 Point for every 500 points that is fully painted* (this is not available in round one as the armies are expected to be unpainted).
1 Point if your entire army is WYSIWYG (still not sure about this one).
1 Point if your name is Dave (I need all the help I can get).

*Defined as at least three colours and fully based.

In game bonuses:

These are intended to provide a small reward for achieving a prior victory.
If both players won their previous game then both will gain their respective benefits.

Result - Annihilation - One of the following bonuses:

• May choose to reroll the dice to determine if the ‘night fight’ rules are in affect.
• May exchange one tactical objective card at the start of the game.
• May reroll the “seize the initiative� dice.

Result - Victory - One of the following bonuses:

• May choose to reroll the dice to determine if the ‘night fight’ rules are in affect.
• May exchange one tactical objective card at the start of the game.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

Talking to Simon and he likes the small idea, so if possible can we join in the 500 point part and as you expand we can still play your original forces in the later rounds? They won't be the scoring game but will give you different opponents. (Plus we'll make you feel happy inside when you clear the board with us)

[JAC]

Sounds pretty straight forwards to me. What about allies? In or out, come the apocalypse or battle brothers?

[Dave]

Hi Jon, thanks for coming down, hopefully you'll be back. I reckon do whatever takes your fancy when it comes to allies.

Gary/Simon,

The more the merrier, I'm sure you could even stretch to round two and play some 750 point games......

[Darkson (Simon)]

Nah, "40k in 40 minutes" type games are my limit.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

I may move up depending on what I take and what I own. I notice my exorcist or Lemun Russ' have bit the dust. Does your living armour count as 11 or 13 at the army list stage?

[Darkson (Simon)]

Wil need to look at someones SM codex - last I own is 4th ed I think.

[Dave]

I think that armour rule is an old 40k in 40 minutes rule? I would suggest that as you are not taking part as such then you can bring whatever you like.

My barge thing is 11/11/11 so just makes the restrictions.

[nobby]

i got all excited thinking it was going to be a good game then why not a bolt action escalation league, where the rules work?

[Darkson (Simon)]

If you run one, someone might play it. I've no interest in playing big games of 40K, but obviously Dave and Mark do, we've had a new guy turn up that wants to play it and Ray and Pass both already have armies, so why not?
I'm only interested as I've attic full of SM figures that I can't/won't sell, and I like small scale games, so 500pts work for me. I wouldn't be interested in BA because I don't want to get into another system.