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.

Coming back to 40k recently it seems even more unbalanced than when i left but i had a novel idea, depending on game level and meta it could be great or terrible but how about this:

Each codex is assigned a base handicap as a points modifier by percentage depending on current effectiveness, for example:

CSM +15%
Tyranids +10%
SM -5%
Craftworld Eldar -10%

(not a discussion on which codex is good/bad)

this could then be modified further for certain conditions:
want to take a decurion? -5%
etc

It would only really work well on a small scale but could be interesting, thoughts?

I can see a handicap system based on player skill, but if you have to do it by codex, then the codex itself needs to be fixed.

You can say it's not a discussion on which codex is good or bad, but that's the ultimate driver for this idea to begin with, so it's probably going to end up being that.

My first thought is "No, thanks." It adds more to figure out and then you have to deal with weird point levels. I don't think it's a horrible idea, but I don't think it necessarily fixes the actual issues. Plus, as far as conditional extras for it, would really depend. If I as an Eldar player play with 10% less points, you bet your sweet bippy I'm not playing a Decurion and losing another 5% points. Trouble with that, CAD is actually better for Eldar anyway, in terms of sheer beatdown, which I'm assuming this idea is meant to avoid.

Kataklysmic wrote:
Coming back to 40k recently it seems even more unbalanced than when i left but i had a novel idea, depending on game level and meta it could be great or terrible but how about this:

Each codex is assigned a base handicap as a points modifier by percentage depending on current effectiveness, for example:

CSM +15%
Tyranids +10%
SM -5%
Craftworld Eldar -10%

(not a discussion on which codex is good/bad)

this could then be modified further for certain conditions:
want to take a decurion? -5%
etc

It would only really work well on a small scale but could be interesting, thoughts?

More like CWE -33%.

 Stormonu wrote:
I can see a handicap system based on player skill, but if you have to do it by codex, then the codex itself needs to be fixed.

True dat

I can see a good narrative format that works something like

Defender says I have a 1750 Necron Decurion force. The other players then bid for the right to take him on.

player 1 1700 space marine battle company
player 2 1600 elder CAD
Defender - that doesn't beat it - id still prefer the 1700 space marine CAD
player 2 ok 1550 elder cad
player 1 - ok you go for it.

 RFHolloway wrote:
I can see a good narrative format that works something like

Defender says I have a 1750 Necron Decurion force. The other players then bid for the right to take him on.

player 1 1700 space marine battle company
player 2 1600 elder CAD
Defender - that doesn't beat it - id still prefer the 1700 space marine CAD
player 2 ok 1550 elder cad
player 1 - ok you go for it.

Ahh, this brings back my Nova Cat memories. You will bring great victory, quiaff?

Stormonu wrote:I can see a handicap system based on player skill, but if you have to do it by codex, then the codex itself needs to be fixed.

Haven't we been saying that all along?

I really do not like the idea of a handicap system in general. If I win/lose I'll just feel that it was because of that handicap, not due to any skill that I might have as a general.

I don't particularly commend a points-based handicap, on the premise that, if you're lucky and/or your opponent couldn't even strategise candle placement for a 1 year old's cake, you can easily stomp their list with 2/3rds the points, maybe even half.

Honestly if you feel that bad that you need to handy cap you might as well do it your self instead of having some random forum post tell you how many points to remove.

Yeah, due to the vagaries of the game, I'd be hard pressed to think of any effective way to make a standarized handicapping system. Doing it on a case by case basis if at all would be best.

Becomes tricky to implement with the alliance matrix in mind.

I don't like this feature, because it's very patronizing to low tier dex players to give them this "you're special!" Treatment. Keep it as is, if you're opponent agrees on this he should agree on playing nice.

 Stormonu wrote:
I can see a handicap system based on player skill, but if you have to do it by codex, then the codex itself needs to be fixed.

This is just the answer. A handicap system based on codex is silly, the codices should just be balanced.