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Hey guys,

I'm looking to set up a tournament here at the gameshop I go to, and I need some ideas. Here is the back story so far...We've been doing a campaign, Imperial Vs Chaos Vs Xenos. Every player has their general which can't go passed 200 points, and as he is involved in battles he gains upgrades as long as he doesn't die.

I want to incorporate this General in the tournament, everyone having a 1550 base army, then the General not taking up any slots who can be upgraded to 200 points, and it has to be a generic HQ.

So far to keep it balanced, I've decided for each General to come with Eternal Warrior, and a 5+ invul. Now I need to figure out what are some options to do for generals that cannot reach 200 points and have some points to spare?

I also want to figure out how I can include the General in games so that people are gunning for him, as it should be. I was thinking he'd be worth D3 victory points if slain, and perhaps a relic only he can capture.

What do the great minds of DakkaDakke have to share with me?

To my mind 200 points just seems entirely too much, at that point you're not looking at a characterful general (one with strengths and weaknesses) essentially you're just getting one very tooled up on with upgrades slapped on just to make up points. Even my tooled up Tau Battlesuit Commander (who lets face it takes more upgrades than most races generals) sits nowhere near 200 points even with his drones included. To make it fairer a lower limit might be needed (one that all races can field something). Otherwise as you've already realised some races wont reach the limit (so will be worse off) and if you gave them those points for their army list then it may encourage a minimal general just to use the extra points in list building.

To make it so people are gunning for the general you could introduce perma-death, or "flaws" for if they fall in battle (reduced wounds, or toughness, initiative etc).

I'm a little confused. Do you mean the general can have 200 points of upgrades or that he cannot cost more than 200 points total?

Because the latter method is incredibly limiting for some armies. Lots of Space Marine HQs that aren't naked Librarians are almost 200 points before any upgrades. Other armies are nowhere near 200 points. Its not fair to people with expensive HQs and incredibly biased to those who do.

Why not just go with giving every player's chosen Warlord model Eternal Warrior and a 5+ invuln.

Space marine HQ all cost a lot. A chapter master will a
Ways be to a degree tooled up. There a waste minus upgrades.

Even captains are not cheap, if I recall correctly a chaplain is pushing 100 basicly kitted up.
Lower mpdel counts are aided by there powerful hq units.

If the general can't be upgraded and still falls short of the 200 points, just give them a one use Orbital Bombardment (S8, AP2, Large Blast) for every 10 points they are under.

A side benefit is that it will help with game length.

No, don't do that. 10 pts for a free Str8 AP2 large blast is way too good.

I'll just take my 140 point librarian so he effectively has a permanent Str8 AP2 large blast gun.

I would come up with separate upgrades, and let them pick a certain number from that list, or give them a points value of their own that are drawn from a special pool.

For example, you could give them a list and tell them to choose one from...

- Model improves Ld of all units within 12" by 2. All friendly units on the table suffer -1Ld and must take a pinning test when the model is killed.

- Model adds 3" to the charge range of any friendly unit within 12", and reduces the charge range of any enemy unit within 18" by 3". All friendly units suffer -1WS when the model is killed.

- Model adds +1 to cover saves of any friendly unit within 12". All friendly units suffer -1 to any cover saves they make, and can no longer choose to go to ground when the model is killed.

- Model adds +d6" to run rolls for the army, which is lost if the model is killed. When the model is removed as a casualty, all enemy models may immediately make a free consolidation move.

you know, those kinds of things. Don't let them pick from wargear for free, because that seriously helps or hurts various HQs depending on what codex they're from. A chaos lord could easily use 100 points to make himself beatier, while a guard senior officer can buy a plasma pistol and a powerfist, and then waste the remaining 60 points on nothing.

 Ailaros wrote:
I would come up with separate upgrades, and let them pick a certain number from that list, or give them a points value of their own that are drawn from a special pool.

For example, you could give them a list and tell them to choose one from...

- Model improves Ld of all units within 12" by 2. All friendly units on the table suffer -1Ld and must take a pinning test when the model is killed.

- Model adds 3" to the charge range of any friendly unit within 12", and reduces the charge range of any enemy unit within 18" by 3". All friendly units suffer -1WS when the model is killed.

- Model adds +1 to cover saves of any friendly unit within 12". All friendly units suffer -1 to any cover saves they make, and can no longer choose to go to ground when the model is killed.

- Model adds +d6" to run rolls for the army, which is lost if the model is killed. When the model is removed as a casualty, all enemy models may immediately make a free consolidation move.

you know, those kinds of things. Don't let them pick from wargear for free, because that seriously helps or hurts various HQs depending on what codex they're from. A chaos lord could easily use 100 points to make himself beatier, while a guard senior officer can buy a plasma pistol and a powerfist, and then waste the remaining 60 points on nothing.

I'm really liking this idea, I'll give it some serious consideration.

You could also do something as simple as letting them pick their warlord trait, rather than making them roll randomly for it every game.

This would be a good way to bring points back into the pool, actually. Try to come up with an appropriate points cost and just let them buy one.