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Hi guys,

I'm running a battle this Saturday for two friends who have their first models but haven't played 40k before, and we're going to do a three way battle with 500 points each.

I've said that we'll do no psykers, as I don't know how we'd do deny the witch etc with three players. However I have a few things I'd love some help with:

Setting up the game
I'm thinking that we'd first of all roll and the highest chooses which of the three deployment zones they use, and then the second highest roll chooses one of the remaining two. Then we roll a dice and the highest roll deploys first and gets first turn. No seize as I don't know how to do this with 3 players. A further roll determines whether we go clockwise or counter clockwise each turn. Would this work do you think?

Objectives
To keep things really simple I've thought of two ways of getting victory points: one objective dead centre (to encourage us to converge in the centre) worth 3 VP with a further 1 VP awarded for each enemy unit wiped out (to discourage sitting back and letting the other two players kill each other). What do you reckon?

Deployment
This is where I need help. We'll be playing on a standard 6x4 table, so how should I set up the deployment zones so that we're equal distance away from each other and from the centre of the table? I want the deployment to be completely even, with no one in a more advantageous or disadvantageous position.

Any help would be great, and I'm looking forward to introducing my friends to the hobby!

You've taken a complicated game and made it even more complicated by adding an extra player to the mix, you absolute madman.

My advice would be to use a bigger table.

Another option would be, they combine for 1000 points, and you deploy a 1000 point army against both of them. That way, it's a bit easier, and no one gets ganged up on.

I've been thinking about having a free for all game as well. And I would use a circular table. This way everyone deploys equidistant from the center, and position objectives so that the game is symmetrical based on the number of players.

I'm also new, so take what i say with a grain of salt.

6"x4" is 24 square feet.
if you wanted roughly 24 square feet in a circle, 2.75 feet radius or 5.5foot diameter would be what you'd need.

You would probably need to make a new mat for that though.

Her's how we do it when my two sons and I play a three-way game. Divide board into six 2X2 sections. The red zones are the deployment areas. Roll to see who deploys first, then second. Place three of the objective markers where the green stars are. Each player then places one marker in his own zone.

We then play in this order...

Turn One. Player 1, player two, player 3
Turn Two. Player 2, player 3, player 1
Turn Three. Player 3, player 1, player 2

then repeat for turns 4, 5 and 6. Regardless of scenario we just play three way games to six turns

I think it would be best if you didn't play for their first game tbh. It makes things even more complicated than it already is and in my experience someone always ends up at a disadvantage in terms of start position. If you just watched and helped out both of them equally it would probably run a lot smoother. Another option would be for you to play a 2v1 game where they each use 500pts and you use 1000.

How about a round-robin style thing where you each play each other in a rotation, and then tally up the wins/losses afterwards to get an overall winner?

Solis Luna Astrum wrote:
Her's how we do it when my two sons and I play a three-way game. Divide board into six 2X2 sections. The red zones are the deployment areas. Roll to see who deploys first, then second. Place three of the objective markers where the green stars are. Each player then places one marker in his own zone.

We then play in this order...

Turn One. Player 1, player two, player 3
Turn Two. Player 2, player 3, player 1
Turn Three. Player 3, player 1, player 2

then repeat for turns 4, 5 and 6. Regardless of scenario we just play three way games to six turns

Woe be upon player 2. Everyone should be in position by the time it goes to the 3/1/3/1 phase over turns 2 and 3. The two of them could decide to eliminate player 2, especially if player 2 is unlucky enough to deploy in the middle.

Three player games don't really work. No matter how you divide up the table, one person winds up in a disadvantageous position being set upon by the other two.

You'd be much better off doing a 2 vs 1 game, or letting your two friends play each other and you coaching both players.

Don't do a 3 way battle for an introductory game. 40k is very complicated and adding another player just makes it worse. Also 40k isn't designed to have more then 2 sides so adding another makes the game very unbalanced and unweildy

 roflmajog wrote:
I think it would be best if you didn't play for their first game tbh.

This, help both sides equally so they can get used to the game. I know it sucks having to sit out, and I am sure you have been excited about them both starting up armies, but if you can make it a fun experience for both, you will have plenty of games with them going forward.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Marmatag wrote:

Solis Luna Astrum wrote:
Her's how we do it when my two sons and I play a three-way game. Divide board into six 2X2 sections. The red zones are the deployment areas. Roll to see who deploys first, then second. Place three of the objective markers where the green stars are. Each player then places one marker in his own zone.

We then play in this order...

Turn One. Player 1, player two, player 3
Turn Two. Player 2, player 3, player 1
Turn Three. Player 3, player 1, player 2

then repeat for turns 4, 5 and 6. Regardless of scenario we just play three way games to six turns

Woe be upon player 2. Everyone should be in position by the time it goes to the 3/1/3/1 phase over turns 2 and 3. The two of them could decide to eliminate player 2, especially if player 2 is unlucky enough to deploy in the middle.

He is just playing with his kids, I doubt he would help gang up on one....

Yeah... don't play yourself. Take a step back and just act as a Game Master.

We started with three player games. Two custom modes:

King of the Hill: If you have any models in the zone at the end of your turn you get a point.

Circle Pit: You're after the person deployed to your right. You only get kill points for killing their models.

Plus one inspired by AoS...
We died standing: Take it in turns being set up in the middle of the board. The other two players have to table them as quickly as possible. Player that lasted the longest wins.