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I've just been recalculating my Chaos Warband's total points (2,886 btw), and realised that there are actually multiple ways to do this.

1) Do you just calculate by WYSIWYG?
2) Or by adding on all possible upgrades?
3) Or do you have set loadouts?

4) Do you only take into account those that can form a legitimate unit?
5) Or do you work out every individual model (20 CSM +1 CSM)?

6) Do you account for the entire collection, or just what you can field in a normal 40k game?

As you can see, this results in quite a lot of possible points totals...

I calculated mine by WYSIWYG (only accounting for what the model obviously has, no VotLW type things), except for specific characters in my army, who have some personal fluff to them and are given a set loadout.



Do you do yours differently?

For my general collection totals, like the ones in my sig or if I'm telling someone I have x points of something, that refers to the largest game I could play with them. For Space Marines, I probably have close to a thousand points in HQs alone, but there's not much point in listing them. It's really a rough estimate, but based on what I can bring to the table.

Whatever size the largest army I'd field them as is. Right now I'd say I only have 2k points of IG even though I could theoretically go to around 2500

I go by base cost. Then round off to assume some minor upgrades/weapons modeled.

The total in my signature is the WYSIWYG sum of the points cost of all my units, but it also includes some upgrades (Marks, VotLW, etc.). The absolute WYSIWYG value of my army is around 1850 pts, but I could also upgrade it with such stuff to about 2100, if not more, so I've listed a sort of average of those possibilities.

I calculate the army list before wargear, and my entire collection, not just what I field in a given battle.

Battlescribe is enormously helpful in doing this, by the way. Can tally up an army within a minute or two if you have your inventory memorized.

For my CSM army,it is WYSIWYG on all the models but everything is unmarked and unupgraded.

It's roughly 5000 pts at the moment, but it could grow to at least 6-7k if i said everything was a plague marine etc.

I count by a combination of barebone point cost. and WYSIWYG.

Using maximum model count while minimizing point costs without breaking requirements for codex entrys (so no half squads and the like).

Calculating the possible maximum is just misleading. (this is my 20 squads of Guard Veterans with all 3 doctrines)

I build my IG list before buying it. I only have the models that I use in that list , so the point costs are always the same .

Well I count my up as a really rough estimate as to how many points the army is.
I don't do barebones points cost though because a crisis suit is 22 points but is 3 times that when equipped right.

So basically I count it up in a way with the things I would field them as. Not all the war gear or extras just exactly how I would equip teach unit etc.

I field my army WYSIWYG/fluffy, and I use set entries for each that I only modify slightly when there is small gaps in my army builds. It adds up to a total of 3404 points. I do not have my list here so I do not remember the exact points values, but here is my models:

Lord Kraxis, my Chaos Lord special character
Kharaxx, counts-as-Khârn
Morgath, my Dark Apostle
Sharikh, my Sorcerer
Thakar, my Raptor Lord
5 Chaos Terminators
10 Chosen
Rhino
20 Chaos Marines
26 Cultists
10 Raptors
10 Raptors
8 Havocs
Vindicator
Defiler
Helbrute

I go by base cost, and then add on all upgrades or extra bitzs & bobzs of kit I use on them.

I usually go by what's the highest point list I am comfortable with for my army. I can run a 2k list with my IG but I'd rather not as they'd be bloated with upgrades.

Calculate by WYSIWYG.

"Hidden" wargear upgrades don't count (plasma pistols only count if they are wielding them - although a model with a holster can be upgraded to have a "pistol" of any kind in my eyes).

I use WYSIWYG, although I do include hidden upgrades (but only ones that I would take, not as many as possible).

Because of magnetization, I can have multiple WYSIWYG options so I calculate points as I would deploy the unit in an Apocalypse game, minimal regard for cost efficiency.

I count the units as I field them on the tabletop. I rarely change a unit's composition regardless of the games point limit. I just remove whole squads or drop single model units to make the points add up.

As such my total points includes all warhead taken and rules that have to be purchased as if I was actually fielding the army.

basically WYSIWYG , i could ad alot of wargear but haven't , so just models. Alot of models...

I add up the points of the units as I actually use them.

Or, rather, I would if I could actually be bothered to add up everything.

Another vote for WYSIWYG/usual load outs I'd run.

I go with my most common load-out. If I have other options built, like different weapons for a dreadnaught, I simply list the ones I use the most with points for options listed separately. You can't field them all at once anyway. However others do it doesn't bother me in the least...there isn't really a "right" way to do it.

I'd go by the box.

So I bought 5 possessed, there 5 possessed without upgrades.

Bought a terminator lord, there's a chaos lord with termie armour.

Bought 10 marines, there 10 basic marines, no marks anything.

Then afterwards I'd say 'Well i have XXXX points army, without upgrades, but if i upgraded to taste then I'd have XXXX'

I usually go wsywig unless it's a magnet option then default to most common used weapon ect.

I don't really watch force organization simply due to one of my marine armies has 30 scouts and 100 painted tactical marines.

But my smaller armies force organization would probably be a good idea.

I just spent two weeks digging out models/armies and sorting for the first time in many years lol the idea of totaling u
It up popped up in my mind but man that would be time consuming. I need to go the route of my dad...spreadsheets lol
At least my addiction is far less then his in recent years!

All my armies (and planned armies) are collected from a pre-written list and therefore their load outs are set. Makes it harder to play larger games, but that is why I like the allies rule.

Then again, if you want to bring 4,000 points I would still take you on with my 2,000 points of Guard, what do I care about odds when there is an epic story to be told. Full speed ahead and damn the lascannons!

The totals in my signature refer to my current army lists. As I only have one opponent at the moment (who is sitting on 1000pts), all of my games are 1000pt for now.

When I'm totaling the points of my collection for fun, I take a range. Squads are put to their expected size (10-man CSM squads, 5-man Terminator squads, etc), and I determine both their minimum and maximum costs with wargear. For models glued with certain items of wargear or specifically designated to be a type (Khorne Terminator Lord, for example, is a Chaos Lord with Terminator armour and the Mark of Khorne, even though I could use him as a standard Terminator with or without the Mark of Khorne; or the five-man Havoc squad is a Havoc squad and not individuals with heavy weapons from CSM units).

With the number of CSM models that I have, I think I could make a decent list around 3000pts. Maximising all possible costs, though, I might be able to break 4000.

EDIT: I also have a few Legion of Everblight and Combined Army models. The '?' is because, although I have them, I'm not actually sure of their points cost because I don't know the rules for either game, and have no motivation to learn them. I was going to start with someone, you see, and then they sort of disappeared.

I have my list all planned out. My units are 'static', I don't change them except in smaller games, which I consider 1500 or less. My usual game is 4000 points, that lasts a whole day. My points may seem like a lot, and they are (I went buy crazy a few times), but I get a great chance to try out different lists, and play things that might not be played otherwise. Everything is WYSIWYG on my guys.

If you care to look, here is my PDF with the units. http://chaosvoices.com/BlackVoicesOfTheBlackLegion%20-%20Army%20Cards.pdf

Most of my units have many upgrades, as with the large points total, I can afford to not be frugal. I have waaaaaay to many HQ's though.

I base it on how I use it. Like if I know I would always buy Mantle of the Laughing God for an Autarch, I'd probably count her as the points cost including that. I go for what seems reasonable and likely, basically.

For the OP, its true one could calculate army(s) point totals in a number of different ways. In the end, it comes down to what works for you.

If WYSIWYG, works to your choosing, then use it.

I like to use a mixture of methods, to give myself the most flexibility to make a game up. I would include all models that I can field in a normal game of WH40K, armed WYSIWYG. But I still have a general idea of how far I can push an army "points-wise" with the hidden optional upgrades, that don't need to be represented on the model.

zteknon wrote:
I go by base cost. Then round off to assume some minor upgrades/weapons modeled.

This. Base cost is sufficient. I always keep upgrades to a minimum.

I build a list out of it, one how I might field it in a really big apoc game.

So, if I have units only modeled a certain way, I use that cost, if I have options, I base it on the options I might realistically use.

For many units, base cost might be fine too (ones that might not have a lot of upgrades, or ones that I would ever take).