Allowable number of free points

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**Ubl1k**

Hey guys

When building a list I always seem to come to like 1503 points when I'm done and then it's a struggle to find those unnecessary couple of points.
Often my mate and I say that if it's 3 or less points over its chilled. How do other guys feel about this small infraction? Is it absolutely not allowed or is it a small enough number as to not really affect the game?

Regards Ub

**Peregrine**

Zero points over is the limit. If those points above the limit will really have no significant effect on the game then you shouldn't care so much about keeping them. Take something out until you have a legal list.

**CrownAxe**

Zero points over. Setting the points limit is already a basic social contract you agree to with your opponent and if you can't follow something as simple as that its pretty pathetic.

Also here was the last thread on the subject. As you can see and majority of players also disallow grace points

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/625473.page

**bomtek80**

If your opponent is cool about it (assuming you have informed them of course) then that is between you and them. Obviously for some kind of league or tourney that wouldn't fly though.

**Hanskrampf**

Also voting for 0 points.
It's easy for most armies to take away a minor upgrade like a melta bomb or something.

**Ubl1k**

OK cool thanks guys just wanted to get an idea on the rest of the community, from now on all games will be 0 points or under.

**oldzoggy**

You can be the total number of point -1 under but 0 over.
A 1,5k game is a game with armies ranging from 1 - 1500 points. But you will generally like to bring an army that is closer to 1,5k in a 1,5k game then to 1 point.

**Thairne**

Up to 3 points I won't complain.
Sometimes the points are stupidly designed and I'd rather be my opponent have that half melta bomb than being UNDER the limit.
Cause honestly, what difference will those 3 points make?
If I need that 20pt upgrade but it puts me 2 pts above the limit and I don't have a auspex/melta bomb to ditch I'd rather be 2 pts above than fill my list with useless 5pts upgrades.

**Vector Strike**

We used to let 1% over, but we noticed we started building with the total points in mind, instead of only using this 'fat' for the extra 1-2 p as you're asking for.

I'd go with extra 2-3, nothing more.

**commander dante**

I can go up to 50 points
i always love a challange

**eskimo**

3 pts here to. Against close mates 10 pts has been done before. Sure 0pts in a tourny.

**Lammikkovalas**

For my own lists it's always 0 points over. For a friend of mine I've allowed him to play 4 points over. 5 or more points could have a real impact on the game already, there's no way I'd allow that.

**Munga**

If you're a few points under and can't figure out how to bridge the gap, then good. You used every option you had available to you. 5 points can mean a difference. If you have spent 1847 out of 1850, then you're pretty optimized. The limit is the limit. Coming in under is okay. Coming in over is not.

**Oberron**

im for no points over but then again im starting to try non-rounded point totals. instead of 1500, use 1504, 1850 becomes 1857.

Pretty much point totals that the last digit almost doesn't matter and can be difficult to fully use.

**vipoid**

People going over always annoys me - not least because I don't want to feel like the bad guy if I say 'no'. Especially when there's some gear they could easily remove to get back under the limit.

Yes, I'm sure you want that gear. Guess what? There was also gear that I wanted, but I didn't take it because it would have put me over the limit. I expect you to show the same courtesy.

**Grimtuff**

vipoid wrote:
People going over always annoys me - not least because I don't want to feel like the bad guy if I say 'no'. Especially when there's some gear they could easily remove to get back under the limit.

Yes, I'm sure you want that gear. Guess what? There was also gear that I wanted, but I didn't take it because it would have put me over the limit. I expect you to show the same courtesy.

This.

Now for the same old tired debate about people who actually want to follow the rules of the game being WAAC cheesers or something.

**Lionheart713**

I don't see a problem with any extra points in casual games among friends, as long as the other guys are cool with it. As long as they don't get an extra 50+ point unit, that's fine. Upgrades, little drones, an extra troop in one squad or the other are okay as long as it doesn't bother anyone.

**Peregrine**

Thairne wrote:
Cause honestly, what difference will those 3 points make?

Apparently quite a bit because you're asking to take them. If they genuinely make no difference then why can't you just cut them from your list?

**jasper76**

Zero points over. You have to draw the line somewhere, and the actual line is as good a place as any.

**kronk**

Ubl1k wrote:
Hey guys

When building a list I always seem to come to like 1503 points when I'm done and then it's a struggle to find those unnecessary couple of points.
Often my mate and I say that if it's 3 or less points over its chilled. How do other guys feel about this small infraction? Is it absolutely not allowed or is it a small enough number as to not really affect the game?

Regards Ub

None. Never go over. Always under or on the money. For new players, I might give a pass as it's usually a "learn to play" type game.

I hope that helps!

**AncientSkarbrand**

I'm fine with 4 points over, but a 5 pt upgrade can change the game. Alternatively, I can match the points my opponent went over as long as it isn't too much as to make the game last way longer than planned.

I've shown up expecting a 1500 and ended up playing a 2500 before, if it's a friendly game and you have the time, why not match his points rather than demand he cut from his list?

**Scott-S6**

Thairne wrote:

If I need that 20pt upgrade but it puts me 2 pts above the limit and I don't have a auspex/melta bomb to ditch I'd rather be 2 pts above than fill my list with useless 5pts upgrades.

This exactly why people shouldn't allow limits to be exceeded - you've got a 20 point upgrade that you "need". Presumably that's pretty important? You should not have it.

So of course you'd rather be 2pts over - you're getting a valuable upgrade that you shouldn't have been getting.

Thairne wrote:

Cause honestly, what difference will those 3 points make?

Apparently it makes the difference between you getting a valuable 20pt upgrade or not - so quite a bit of difference.

AncientSkarbrand wrote:
I'm fine with 4 points over, but a 5 pt upgrade can change the game. Alternatively, I can match the points my opponent went over as long as it isn't too much as to make the game last way longer than planned.

This is the thing - that 4 points could be a whole extra squad that he shouldn't have been able to squeeze in.

**vipoid**

Thairne wrote:
If I need that 20pt upgrade but it puts me 2 pts above the limit and I don't have a auspex/melta bomb to ditch I'd rather be 2 pts above than fill my list with useless 5pts upgrades.

But that's the point - list building is about making hard decisions. If you really want that 20pt item, rearrange your list so that you can have it without exceeding the point limit.

**Shadox**

If you don't have a minor upgrade to ditch or it would hinder you from playing wysiwyg to drop something then you can have up to 5 points but as we make the lists right before the game anyway the other person can add the points to his list too.
But I'm not playing pick-up games so it's probably not very representative .

**oldzoggy**

Sometime those 5 points can make a difference, taking that extra meltabomb for example.

But this is noting when you compare it with those new formations that give hundreds of points away for free.

**Eldarain**

In this age of hundreds of free points formations I thought there would be more tolerance of a point or two over in list writing.

**oldzoggy**

You just Ninjad my edit

**vipoid**

Eldarain wrote:
In this age of hundreds of free points formations I thought there would be more tolerance of a point or two over in list writing.

By the same token, isn't that all the more reason to be strict?

I mean, if a marine player is using a double Gladius with several hundred points of free transports, and then has the gall to still be over the limit, then frankly he deserves to have a rulebook thrown at his head.

**Scott-S6**

Eldarain wrote:
In this age of hundreds of free points formations I thought there would be more tolerance of a point or two over in list writing.

When a couple of points means you don't get to take a unit which then means that you can't select that detachment/formation and get all of your free stuff surely it's more important?

With all of the mandatory units you're forced to take for detachments a few points can make a huge difference.

**jreilly89**

Zero points in a tourney, up to 5 in a friendly game. Those extra points generally don't have an effect on mine/my opponent's list.