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Working on getting together a 40K league come January or so, and after a mess of a Fantasy league need to work out some fresh rules.
Starting with the base of some other league someone mentioned, with a few tweaks, and then adding some random factors into it.

Army composition
Each player will choose a 'Commander' – an HQ, either a Special Character or a normal HQ character. That player must field that Commander each game (with the same wargear choices if a 'normal' character), representing the leader of that player's armies throughout the campaign. No Special Characters other than a player's Commander may be used. Special Character Commanders are unique within the League; only one player may have Abbadon The Despoiler as his Commander, only one may have Marneas Calgar, etc.
Come up with a name for your Commander if he doesn't already have one (Farseer Fancypants Glittersparkle, Captain Beaky McEmperorhugger, Painflenser Raven Darktalon Abyssheart, etc) and a name/chapter/etc for the army (The Imperial 402nd Meatshield Platoon, Craftworld Dis'nee, Dark Blood Salamanders 11th Company, etc).
Armies start at 2000 points, using the normal Force Organization Chart.
At the beginning of each league round (a two week period), an army list is submitted and may not be changed for that round. Army Builder is preferable, but any written army list is acceptable so long as you clearly note any optioned wargear and such.

Game play
Maximum of five league games played per two week round, and the same opponent may not be played twice in a round.
Roll for battle type and deployment as usual. Before the game starts, d3 Battlefield Conditions are randomly determined from the list that the League Organizer possesses. The list is kept unseen, but know that it will affect the game on a tablewide scale, if most of the time subtly; time of day fought, atmospheric or weather conditions of the battlefield's planet, interference by a third party, and a whole slew of other such things.
A word to wise generals: bring a well-balanced army, as some of these rules may critically hamstring certain very focused tactics. War is not fair, neither to you nor to your opponent, but a clever commander can mitigate unfavorable conditions. Bring your Dozer Blades and Searchlights.

League progression
A win earns the winner 3 League Points, a tie earns both players 1 League Point, and a loss is worth 0.
At the end of each league round, the points available to each player are adjusted: For each win that round, the player loses 100 points; for the first loss in a round, the player gains 150 points, and gains 75 points for subsequent losses in that round; a tie loses both players 50 points. Points max out at 2000. Thus, players that win repeatedly will have steadily fewer points to work with, until they start losing from the overwhelming handicap and start regaining points.
Games are to be played at the store only (of course), and results reported to the League Organizer (winner's responsibility to report the win).
Towards the end of the league there may be further events for additional points; team games, specific scenarios, etc.
Prizes will depend on number of participants, and there may be additional prizes for things like best painted army, best converted Commander, etc.
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Battlefield conditions:

1 - Tyranid Spore Seeding – As the battle engages, a Tyranid Hive Fleet has entered orbit and begun seeding the atmosphere with an initial barrage of spores. Before deployment, roll 2d6. Starting with the player going first, each player alternates placing on the table a Spore Mine (or appropriate marker like a coin), outside of both players' deployment zones, until that many are placed. At the beginning of each movement phase, each Spore Mine drifts d6" (d3" on a 'Hit'). Spore Mines are Mindless, automatically passing any Leadership test they are required to make, and if they come into contact with a unit or are killed, they explode; put the large blast template over the mine and resolve it at S4 AP4 Pinning. If they encounter Impassable Terrain, stop the mine at the edge of the terrain. A Spore Mine's stats are all 1.

2 - Dark Eldar Nightmare Inducer – Interference from a Dark Eldar raiding party seeking to drink in the suffering of the battle. All leadership tests are taken at -1Ld (max Ld9 for Ork mobz), Fearless units are Stubborn instead, and Tyranids may use the Ld of any Synapse creature in range.

3 - Tectonic Activity – The planet's crust is dangerously unstable. At the beginning of each game turn, roll a d6; if the result is under the turn number, open ground is treated as difficult terrain for that game turn, and already difficult terrain is treated as dangerous.

4 - Wildfires – Fires rage out of control in wooded areas. Forests are dangerous terrain.

5 - Heavy Fog – The combatants can barely see, whether shooting or driving too fast. The first two turns of the game are Night Fighting, and vehicles moving at cruising speed or faster (in the first two turns) must make a dangerous terrain test.

6 - Warp Storms – The barrier between the Real and the Warp grows dangerously thin. Psychic tests suffer Perils of the Warp on any double. Psychic powers have +12" range, and any strikes they produce are at +1S.

7 - Aether Storms – Teleportation and atmospheric drops suffer from the planet's electromagnetic fluctuations. For any non-vehicle deep striking after the first game turn, roll a d6; on a 1-4, they count as deep striking into difficult terrain.

8 - Unstable Atmosphere – The atmosphere may go up in a fiery conflagration with too strong a blast. Any shooting weapon with a strength over 6 'Gets Hot'. Such weapons on vehicles that do get hot will suffer a Weapon Destroyed result on a further roll of 1-3.

9 - Thin Ice – The ground can't support heavy stomping. Monstrous Creatures and Walkers move as if in difficult terrain and do not benefit from Move Through Cover. If already in difficult terrain, they roll 2d6 and take the lower result.

10 - Fog of War – Battle has made the battlefield an unreadable mess full of smoke and debris. All units have a 6+ cover save against all shooting from more than 6" away.

11 - Vital Artefact – Your superiors won't tell you what it is, just that you need to recover it at all costs. In the center of the board, place an additional objective. It is worth 2 objective points, even in kill point missions (use the rules for objectives as normal).

12 - Temporal Anomalies – Bubbles of time scattered around the planet are slowed down, for some unknown reason. Each player alternates placing 1d6+2 counters before deployment, outside of either deployment zone and not within 12" of any objective. Units at least half within 3" of a counter have a 4+ cover save.

13 - Lightning Storms – The skies are a dangerous place to be. Open ground is Dangerous Terrain for Jump Infantry and Jetbikes moving over 6" in the movement phase, and Skimmers moving at faster than combat speed.

14 - Acidic Atmosphere – Advanced corrosion sets in almost immediately. Vehicle armor values are reduced by 1, and all weapons are Rending against non-vehicles. Weapons that were already Rending will 'rend' on a 5+.

15 - Khorne's Curse of Bloodthirst – Blood for the blood god! All units are Fearless in close combat.

16 - Orbital Interference – Reinforcements are delayed by enemy ships in orbit. Reroll successful reserve rolls.

17 - Familiar Battleground – The site has been extensively scouted, documented, and fought on numerous times. Add +1 to all Reserve rolls, and Deep Strikers only scatter d6" (does not 'stack' with Descent of Angels).

18 - Ravenous Vegetation – The local plant life grows over, strangles, and engulfs anything standing still for too long. At the end of each movement phase, each unit of the active player that did not move that turn takes d6 S4 hits. Does not affect vehicles, embarked units, or units locked in combat.

19 - Researched Targets – You know just which threat needs neutralization above all others. After deployment, each player chooses an opponent's unit (even one in reserve). All shooting on the chosen units is twin-linked. All units have Preferred Enemy("That" Unit).

20 - Anesthetic Atmosphere – Something in the air deadens your nerves. All units have Feel No Pain (5+).

21 - Communications Interference – Due to orders being intercepted, key units are delayed. Before deployment, each player chooses an opponent's unit. Those units must, if able, start in reserve (though if able to Deep strike or Outflank may be choosen to do so as normal).

22 - Inspiring Speech – Your Commander took time before the battle to raise morale personally. The entire army may use its Commander's Ld for non-psychic tests.

23 - Nanoscarab Infestation – Necron nanoscarabs take sporadic control of your primitive machines. Whenever a vehicle attempts to fire a weapons (only roll if it attempts to fire), roll a d6; on a '1', the opponent may choose the target instead, including shooting the owner's own units (though the vehicle may not fire on itself). The 'new firer' may not change the vehicle's facing, etc, though turrets and walkers' waists and such may rotate as normal.

24 - Orkish Sabotage – Orkish Kommandos infiltrated your camps and sabotaged key vehicles. After deployment, each player may target an opponent's vehicle, even in reserve. Sabotaged vehicles roll a d6 at the start of its turn; on a '1', they move straight forward at cruising speed, and may not shoot or embark/disembark.

25 - High Gravity – Moving with any sort of speed is exhausting. All units roll an extra d6 and take the lowest when running, and assault moves are reduced by 2".

26 - Low Gravity – Bounding leaps are effortless. All units roll an extra d6 and take the highest when running, and jump infantry has +2" movement.

27 - Chaotic Hurricane – A fierce windstorm rages over the battlefield. All shooting weapons are -1 to hit at greater than half range.

28 - Cursed – Someone or something has laid a curse on the land on which you fight. Successful armor saves must be rerolled.

29 - Shattered Reality – A catastrophic malfunction with some sort of Eldar warp-jump device leaves the planet's place in sparetime fractured, such that a straight line between two points may not always be the shortest route. After targeting any shooting attack, roll 2d6 and take the highest; the target is counted as that much further away for weapon range (shots are wasted if now out of range). When assaulting, roll d3; subtract that much from the unit's assault move.

30 - Chronomantic Disruption – A buried Necron device has become partially activated, causing 'hiccups' in time. At the start of each player turn, both players roll d6, and each receives that many 'time counters'. A time counter may be expended to reroll any d6 roll (not part of a 2d6 roll) made by that player, even one that was already rerolled through any means other than another time counter. All unused time counters are lost at the end of each turn.

31 - Chaos Twister – A fierce whirlwind of warp energy spins across the battlefield. Place a marker (small blast temple, soda can, something around that size) in the middle of the table. At the start of each player's turn, it scatters 2d6". Any model it passes over takes a wound on a 3+, with no armor saves on a 5 or 6. Vehicles take a glancing hit on a 2-5, a penetrating hit on a 6. If it would end its movement on a model, move those models out of the way as if the twister was a tank that just tank shocked them.

32 - High Winds – Winds whip across the battlefield. Blast Weapons scatter further; roll 3d6 and take the highest two. On a 'hit', it still scatters equal to the lowest die (do not reduce scatter on a 'hit' for the firer's BS).

33 - Vital Objectives – You need to accomplish this at all costs! At the beginning of the game, before deployment, each player chooses an enemy unit if a Kill Point game, or an objective outside of his own deployment zone if an objective game. The chosen units/objectives are worth an additional point.

34 - Magnetic Core – The planet's core's unique composition plays havoc with the field surrounding powered weapons. Power Weapons strike at initiative 1. Power Weapons that already do this, such as Thunder Hammers, Power Fists, Power Klaws, etc, instead strike at initiative '0'. Power Weapons may be 'switched off', striking at normal initiative order, but no longer ignoring armour saves.

35 - Orbital Satellite Relays – You receive aid in targeting from your satellites left in orbit as you landed. At the beginning of each player's turn, that player chooses an enemy unit. All shooting at that unit is Twin-Linked that turn, and cover saves taken by that unit are worsened by 1.

36 - Volatile Atmosphere – Negate the effects of all grenades. It's just too dangerous to use them.

37 - Prophetic Visions – You catch glimpses of the future from some mysterious source. The roll to see if the game ends is made at the beginning of each appropriate game turn rather than the end (though the game still doesn't end until the end of the turn).

38 - Strafing Run – Your aerial support softens up the enemy before you engage. At the beginning of the game, after deployment, if both players have at least 1 unembarked infantry unit on the table, each player chooses an enemy unembarked infantry unit. The chosen units each take d6 wounds with no saves allowed.

39 - Special Issue Ammo – You have a limited supply of more powerful ammunition. At the beginning of the game, before deployment, each player chooses one of his units. The chosen units' shooting weapons have +1S, to a max S of 6. After each turn in which the chosen units fire, roll a d6; on a '1' the ammo is exhausted and their S returns to normal.

40 - Toxic Atmosphere – Breathing too deeply can be deadly, causing attackers to hesitate. All units are counted as having Defensive Grenades.

41 - Spotters – You have scouts helping to guide your artillery. The scatter dice for blast weapons may be rerolled.

42 - Traps – You've prepared the battlefield beforehand. After deployment, each player secretly chooses one of his own units and writes it down. When any of those chosen units are assaulted in a turn in which they did not move in their controller's last turn, the assaulting unit immediately takes d6+2 S6 hits.

43 - Nurgle's Blight – The plaguefather has blessed this battlefield. At the beginning of each player's turn, that player rolls a d6 for every unit of his on the table. On a '1', the unit suffers a wound with no saves of any kind allowed.

44 - Shifting Winds – The high winds whipping over this battlefield shift without warning. At the beginning of each game turn, randomly determine one of the long table edges. The wind is blowing in that direction. While the wind is at their back, non-vehicle units have +1" movement, +2" instead for Jump Infantry, +1" to their Assault moves, and add +6" to their weapon ranges. While the wind is at your face, non-vehicle units have -1" movement (-2" for Jump Infantry), -1" from their Assault moves, and suffer -3" from their weapon ranges. Wind facing is binary; determine whether units not facing directly at one edge are closer to facing into the wind or with it.

45 - Luminous Night – Night isn't so bad with five moons lighting it up. All units testing for spotting distance add an additional d6 before the multiplier.

46 - Farseer's Curse – One of you fools killed a powerful Farseer, who tangled the skein of your fate in retribution with his dying breath. After deployment, each player chooses an opponent's character (even one in Reserve). All unsuccessful rolls to wound that character may be rerolled.

47 - "Upgrades" – One of your guns is, after some tinkering, “better”. After deployment, each player may choose a non-template, non-blast shooting weapon possessed by one of their characters (even one in Reserve). The chosen weapons have AP1, but "Gets Hot".

48 - Inert Atmosphere – The atmosphere of this planet diffuses excess heat and plasma. Weapons do not "Get Hot".

49 - Hallucinogenic Environment – Something in the air isn't right. At the beginning of each player turn, that player rolls a 2d6 for each of his units. On a '3' or less, that unit may not move, shoot, use psychic powers, or assault this turn. Embarked units may not disembark, though the vehicle may move as normal. Models locked in combat may fight as normal.

50 - Imminent Imperial Bombardment – The Imperium has noticed your battle, and has decided that the only way to be sure the right side wins (especially if that side is “neither”) is to declare Exterminatus on the planet. Place a marker in the center of the table at the beginning of the game. At the beginning of each player turn, roll a d6; if the result is not under the turn number, the marker scatters 3d6" (2d6" on a 'hit'). If the marker would scatter off of the table, reverse the scatter direction instead. If the result is under the turn number, scatter the counter as above, and then place the Large Blast Template over the counter; anything underneath it takes a S10 AP1 Ordnance hit that ignores cover saves, and then the counter is removed.

No opinions? Hoping to hear some thoughts on it.

Added a few more rules and giving one last check to see if anyone has any thoughts on this.

I would exclude all army specific conditions as there will be situations where neither army can represent that condition (for insteance the Tyranid Spore Seeding when its Guard vs. Tau). And I would condense some of the similar conditions together to prevent both confusion and complication (for instance you can combine Heavy Fog and Fog of War together).

I, for one, think that these rules are pretty cool.

Some of the rules are great, but others will make battles very one sided in favor of certain builds; A lot of the rules benefit CC armies over ranged armies, which might be fine for versatile codices like SM and their variants but pose serious problems for Tau and Eldar. Adding somt e rules that impede assault or reward long range combat might at least balance out the meta.

If I were competing in your league, and was privy to this list of conditions, I would almost certainly pick an assault heavy faction.

Thanks, junk, that's what I was looking for. Couldn't tell if one style or the other was particularly lopsided. I'll add some more to favor shooty armies.


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Any rules in particular stick out as being a definite problem? They're going to favor one army type or another, but I mean ones that are just inherently bad, too game-changing, etc.

Change High Gravity to reduce run and MTC dice, instead of the CC effect. Create opposite effects for Unstable Atmosphere, fog of war, and chaotic atmosphere; also maybe a create 'luminous sky' effect that allows units to double spotting distance in Night Fight (especially relevant considering the new necron dex)

Added more rules.

What does everyone think about the bit about not being able to change your army (aside from the gradual loss of points for winners) until you lose? Should I keep that part in? Is it needless? Would it get confusing to tell people they have to drop their army by 100 points without changing its basic composition?

Okay, so I'm liking the battlefield conditions, though probably going to tweak a few of them here and there.

At this point, it's the 'base' rules that I'm a bit iffy on.
Should a loss jump you back all the way up to 2000 points? Or should it restore 100 points? Or 200 points, perhaps, a loss making up for two wins? Actually leaning towards this.
And should armies be allowed to change between matches? Or go with my original idea and keep them static until you lose?

I like the structure, but I assumed that winners would reconfigure lists after losing 100 points.

What I would suggest is that at the start of each League round, everyone submits a new list; that way people aren't tailoring for specific players, but instead tailoring for the field.

Once all battles for a round are completed, then going into the second round the new point values are assigned based on wins/losses.

Assuming 6 players, if one player goes into round 2 undefeated, then they are at a 300 point handicap. If they have 2 wins and 1 loss, they're at a 200 point handicap, and so on...

Draws should carry a 50 point penalty for each player. You only enter round 2 with 2000 points if you managed to lose all 3 match ups.

Conditions:

Hallucinogenic Environment and similar rules which cause dice rolls every time someone attempts to do something, IMO, are a pain in the ass and will drag out games much longer without really being fun for either player.

I like that, junk. Hadn't thought about ties. And waiting until the end of the week to rework points is a lot less hassle.

So, in your version, would there be a way to earn points back? Do losses get you any points, or just lose you 0 and peoples armies gradually succumb to entropy?


Hmm. I'll take a look at the rules and see which ones would be just annoying. Thanks for the suggestion.

Okay. Looking at -100 points for a win, +200 points for the first loss in a round and +50 for each additional loss that round. Maxing out at the original 2000. Two week rounds, max five games per round.
Lists submitted and kept for each round, reworked each new round with new point values.
How does that sound?
And still reworking a few of the conditions.


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Edit: maybe +150 instead of 200 for the first loss.

Looks good to me. I'd play.

junk wrote:Looks good to me. I'd play.

Awesome. Thanks for all the help.
Signups at my store started a few days ago, and people seem excited.
I was a little iffy on the "you can't use Special Characters other than your commander" bit, but I think it's thematically good.

Edit: copy/pasted the final rules as I posted them at the store, as well as the same for the conditions. Some are still a bit iffy, I didn't have time to revise a few, but the organizer who will be rolling them knows to keep an eye out for things that will be too complex or make things not fun, so it should go smoothly.