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I can't really claim credit for this idea. I've seen it tossed around from time to time in conversation. Basically, the idea is to have a second pool of points with which to purchase cool-but-situational/flavorful wargear that normally gets put aside for the sake of more powerful options. So for instance, it might be kind of neat to take chain snares on my dark eldar raiders, but those points will probably be put to better use purchasing blasters, venoms, etc. So what if a portion of your points were set aside and devoted to "secondary" wargear?
Example:
Instead of playing an 1850 game, I might play a game where I have 1650 normal points and 200 secondary points. Certain pieces of wargear, such as chain snares, red paint, etc. would be designated as "secondary" wargear. Secondary wargear is purchased with either normal points OR secondary points. So now I have 200 points that I'm basically forced to spend on cool-but-weak wargear that I've always wanted to use but couldn't justify taking. My raiders would have aethersails and chain snares, and I might be able to take minor upgrades like turning a mandrake into a night fiend with those secondary points.
Counterargument:
Ideally, points should accurately reflect the potency of wargear resulting in all wargear being roughly equally desirable and competitive. Therefore, there's a strong argument for simply redesigning "bad" wargear to make it better.
Counter-Counterargument:
While it would be nice for all wargear to be equally desirable, I"m not sure that's ever actually been the case. Even if chain snares were 1 point apiece, part of me would still strongly consider turning those 5 points into a haywire grenade for a character instead because they require such odd shenanigans to make work. Similarly, the cost of red paint across an army, even at a discount, might add up to be the cost of a power klaw or even just a few extra boyz. Even if a piece of wargear isn't especially expensive or weak, elements of the meta or current rules might cause those options to be a lot less useful or downright situational. Soulfright weapons for dark eldar come to mind. They're fun if you know you're facing orks, but half the units in the game completely ignore them. I see secondary wargear (and secondary points) as an opportunity to identify problematically-weak wargear and make said wargear playable without penalizing the player or requiring an extensive redesign of every subpar wargear option in the game.
Possible Expanded Idea: Faction Wargear
As an alternative or add-on to secondary wargear, you might have "faction wargear." Faction wargear would represent upgrades available to only one or some of a given faction's sub-factions or it might simply make that gear easier to take without penalizing yourself. Eldar playing Saim-Hann might be able to spend secondary/faction points on close combat weapons for their jetbikes representing Saim-Hann wild riders. Tyranids might be able to purchase 5+ invuls for big bugs in a Behemoth army or +1 to Mishap table results for Jormungandr armies. Poisoned Tongue kabal HQ units might be able to purchase extra warlord traits, and that one kabal obsessed with fear (forget the name) might be able to purchase soulfright weapons with faction points.
The idea is that you'd basically be setting aside a few of your normal points to take flavorful and unique options that add characters to your army without punishing yourself because you know your opponent is being forced to do the same.
Thoughts?
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