Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Has anyone done a mission analyses of 4^th edition?  Id like to put something together that I can use to evaluate army composition in addition to fluff, addressing accomplishing mission requirements.

 <?

Im thinking along these lines:

 

% of missions requiring movement out of deployment zone

% of missions requiring movement into opponent?s deployment zone

% of missions based on VP?s

% of missions based on owning table quarters

% of missions with escalation

 

This list isn?t exhaustive ? please feel free to contribute other relevant charactertistics.

 

In addition to simple percents ? Id like to include unit examples or army composition %?s

The only problem I can think of is that each tourney seems to have its own set of missions.  I guess you could base the numbers off of past tournament scenarios, but you'd always run the risk of going to a tournament that has missions that exist 'on the fringe' of your calculations.

good point - Ill just stick to the book and to the more common missions then - trying to get a 70 to 80% resolution

It'd be an interesting set of statistics to look at, for sure. I'd even be interested in seeing what a breakdown of tournament mission packs would look like.

Ill need help with the tournament packs - I dont get to too many.

Ill provide an initial assessment and Ill see where people want it to develop.

Groovy, can't wait to see the results. I've got an idea of what we'll be seeing, I'm curious to see if my gut's right on this one.

This can go either here or on the tactics page - Id like it to stay here because my intent was to develop a discussion on what goes into putting together an army list when mission requirements are the focus. This is a long post. Its a rough draft, after discussion, Ill consolidate the pearls and make it look nice. I am by no means claiming to be an expert here. I want your feedback and insights. I make no claim to have an exhaustive list. Theres enough though to generate some thought:

4/5 missions reward you for moving scoring units
2/3 of the time I can expect either a Gamma or Omega level mission. Elements common to both levels:
Victory Points
Protect my own
Destroy his
or both
Infiltrate
Deep Strike
Some variation of night fight (2/3 x 1/5 = 13% of the time)

Must be prepared to win the VP battle ? 2/3 of missions will be VP
-Focus on eliminating entire enemy units
-Determine how your opponent is likely to win
-Is he mobile, modular (many small scoring units), resilient (few large targets) ? what combination does he have
-Have game (or at least a plan) for each of these elements
-What are his most lethal units to your army - what are your known weakness/strengths


Against mobile armies ? be mobile or refuse the flank

Against modular armies ? In Alpha Missions, eliminate his most lethal units first. There will be specialization to his units ? take out the ones most lethal to you first. Take his units below half and move to the next, then go back and eliminate them ? his weakness is its easier to make his units non scoring units. His strength will be having enough scoring units to capture bonus VP's for satisfying mission objectives. In Omega and Gamma missions control the objectives ? directly or indirectly.

Against resilient armies ? mobility and templates are your friends, focus on eliminating whole units, their weakness will be allowing you maximum killing efficiency with what ever you target them with. His strength will be preventing you from getting completes VP because you didnt eliminate whole units and for getting massive chunks of bonus points by bringing a high VP unit onto an objective.

-Eliminate or avoid his most lethal units ? these are most likely how he will win the VP battle
-Priority of fire goes to highest VP SU?s then it shifts to highest VP units
-Fast Vehicle SU?s are first priority in all but Seek and Destroy Missions
-High VP Vehicle SU?s are second priority. These units allow maximum killing efficiency
-High VP infantry SU?s are third priority
Note: VP represent the face value of the vehicle or infantry unit AND the potential these units have of scoring additional VP?s for securing mission objectives. A speeder may only be 80 points but if it takes the opposite quadrant in a cleanse mission ? it will net an additional 1000 points in a 2000 point game. Targets these gits first.

-Protect your units ? if going with few but large units, ensure at least one model remains; if going with the modular approach ? focus on mission objectives and bonuses
-Go with few large infantry targets or many small infantry targets
-Many small targets give up few points but are easier to wipe out
-Few large targets give up more points when wiped out but are harder to wipe out
-Few but large infantry units allow opponent maximum killing efficiency, none or few shots are wasted
-Few but large infantry units provide highest unit survival potential ? all it takes is for one model to survive to ensure half VP are retained
-Small but many infantry targets minimize enemy killing potential ? there will be shots wasted (all the models are dead already)
-Small but many infantry units ensure one unit is likely to get through
-Look for ways to ensure your large infantry units are not completely wiped out
deploy them last if possible (DS, infiltrate)
limit LOS to them ? use terrain
target most lethal enemy units first

1/3 of Missions will be Omega ? in addition to the rules relevant to Gamma these rules will be in effect:
Escalation ? 1/3 of the time my army will come in piece meal unless its all infantry
Concealment
Random game length

1/3 of the time (Alpha missions) in 4/5 missions, moving to secure something is all that matters (4/5 x 1/3= 27%) ? can my army move a scoring unit into my opponents DZ? ? if not, is my army capable of a victorious slaughter? If modular, do I have enough mobile units to ensure one or more get there. If resilient ? what is my delivery plan?

4/5 missions reward you for moving
In 2/3 of all missions, moving SU?s onto objectives and Victory Points can substantially swing the battle

In 53% (4/5 x 2/3) of the standard missions played, moving SU?s onto objectives and Victory Points will be the determining factor. Obtaining an advantage in Victory Points can be achieved by:
53% of all missions: Destroying the enemy ? in all missions that consider VP to establish the victor, plain out destroying the enemy is relevant in all of them. How achievable is this approach? More than likely, achieving an advantage by moving a scoring unit onto an objective is more attainable.

(1/5 x 2/3=13% of all missions) Moving Scoring Units into adjacent or opposite quadrants ? only relevant in Cleanse

(1/5 x 2/3=13% of all missions) Moving SU?s into opponents DZ ? only relevant in Recon

more to follow

Good stuff. Looking for more to come.