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When setting up an apocolypse game is it better to just let everyone field a list of whatever or is it better to agree to a force heavily modified organization chart? I was mainly wondering kit because my friend insists that being able to field 20 heavy support and a super heavy with a few other things mixed in is the best way or to field a dozen HQs so I could take a dozen harps of dissonance and potentially drop a super heavy to av 2 in the first round. I think it should still have some kind of overall structure to the army list but the way my friend talks about it having structre to lists would completely ruin the game.

For sense, base your army around a FOC and add units.

For idiocy, take 100 Hydra Flak tanks and a Baneblade.

Honestly, the ideal apocalypse game is one which isn't too sensible. There should be some silly formations, really.

There's a reason that there's no force organization chart in apocalypse games, most of their units, or their formations either use up the chart or ignore it altogether.

Couple of Examples- Baneblade, where's the super heavy selection in the FOC? Emperor's fist tank company, I need to take 3 squadron's plus a command tank so all the heavy support slots are used. Masters of the Chapter, I have to take 5+ HQ choices just to take it.

The FOC works for your typical battles, but it's limited by the higher points levels of apocalypse. Apoc itself was designed with "play what you want to play" in mind, and to force limitations on that makes it so it's no longer apocalypse.

Other thing is, this really isn't a rules question so much as a Proposed rule.

I do understand I was mainly wondering under the rules if it was better to at least setup some kind of force organization(incredibly heavily modified) or to just spam things to fill in gaps. TO be honest I doubt we will ever get in a game since we will never agree on the stuff we need to house rule.

In apocalypse the mass amount of super hevs and über HQ usage is fine.... Burials I find that fully kitted out troops can do just as well, plus be easier on the points and serve a vital role in protecting your crazy super hevs titans tanks etc.

But no, a force org is not required. But balance never hurts and a well balanced and synergized force does better then just loading up 100 of one thing.

Generally, I'd default something like this to the rule of "don't be an asshat." Almost every Apoc game I know of is supposed to be more of a friendly, party game affair, why go WAAC with cheese in that?

I would not suggest enforcing some kind of FOC, as that would defeat the purpose of ApocAlypse.

I would, however, suggest talking to your opponent(s) about what kind of experience you expect to take away from the game.
Nothing is worse than one side playing ApocAlypse in the correct spirit of things and then having the other side put down X number of titans (and nothing else) because they are idiots.

Decide whether titans are suitable for this particular game, and try to have some balance in the number of Super Heavies and str. D-weapons on the table.
It will make your experience a lot more enjoyable.

Apocalypse is designed to be customized and house ruled by the people playing it, and how you do so depends on the players. Some like taking nothing but super heavies and special characters, while others like HUGE 40k armies (im one of those people). it is imperative that you discuss these things with your opponent before the game, otherwise one of you won't be having as much fun, which is the whole point of apoc games. (having fun, that is)

If you want huge 40k armies rather than massed characters and superheavies, there are a few solutions that I like.
For small apoc games, (between 4,000 and 8,000 points per player) use the FOC, but allow each player as many as they want. For example, I can take an IG tank company as 4 HS slots (3 squadrons of 3 and a command tank) or 10 HS slots (each tank as it's own separate unit). In the first example, I use 2 force orgs for my heavy support, so I need 2 HQs and 4 troops. In the second, i use 4 force orgs, so I need 4 HQs and 8 troops. Super heavies have their own force org slot of 3 per FOC, but each structure point counts as a slot. A baneblade with three sturcture points fills it's allotment in one force org, but a reaver requires 2 FOC.

In larger games, of 10 to 20k points per person (20k is usually the most a person can field by themselves, imo), use percentages.
Here are a few house rules that I suggest:
no flank march: it can easily break the game and is very unfair
no jammers: just isn't fun
limit forces to their fluff: for example, imperial guard and space marines can work together, but eldar can't take a baneblade. Armies built around a theme, such as imperial guard auxiliaries to tau or ork mercenaries are okay
Space marines painted in the same color must use the same book, which keeps them from spamming the best available options from each of the different books (example, space marine codex thunderhammer terminators supported by tacs in blood angel rhinos and long fangs and black templar land speeders)
Reduce the D weapon template by one size. (example, 10" blast becomes a 7" blast, 5" becomes 3" etc) D weapons are an obvious choice on superheavies, and should be used primarily to hunt tanks, rather than infantry.
Try to keep the number of flyers equal on both sides. Though flyers are not amazing, they can be very annoying to deal with if your opponent does not have AA weapons. Also, skimmers on the oval base (voidraven, stormraven, valk, etc) can be flyers in apoc, but their armor is reduced to 10 (they become stupidly good without the armor decrease, as most AA weapons are strength 6 or 7)

Legally you can take whatever. However for having a REASONABLE army 1/4 of your points should be troops, 1/4 elites and HS. 1/4 mech and 1/4 torward whatever FW apocalypse monster you want. That way your army makes scene.

My group has played 6 or 7 Apoc games to-date and we really haven't had any issues to-date.

We have, however, voiced the opinion that spending 5000 points on 50 Bombard Strikes is no one's idea of a good time.

We've also have had games where we've limited each side to 1 Super Heavy per player to keep the game from spiraling into Super Heavy 40k.

When setting up an apocolypse game is it better to just let everyone field a list of whatever or is it better to agree to a force heavily modified organization chart? I was mainly wondering kit because my friend insists that being able to field 20 heavy support and a super heavy with a few other things mixed in is the best way or to field a dozen HQs so I could take a dozen harps of dissonance and potentially drop a super heavy to av 2 in the first round. I think it should still have some kind of overall structure to the army list but the way my friend talks about it having structre to lists would completely ruin the game.

You and your friend need to have a serious heart-to-heart about what each of you want out of this game.

Bring whatever you want Apocalypse games are very little fun. The point of the pre-game organization round, is to organize the battle and not let bring what you will armies to take over the table. Our local Apocalypse events frequently see players bringing 2 Stompas, and Super Heavies can end up all on one side of the game, it just really is un-enjoyable.

Troops=bread
Elites/HS/FA=butter
HQ=jam(or other suitable topping)
GARGANTUAN CREATURES =fats(to be used sparingly)

Think of the food pyramid.