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There doesn't seem to be a comprehensive thread on meeting Engagements, so I figured I'd start one. What are everyone's thoughts? I actually prefer that style to the standard 2k versions.

My opinion: The core idea is that matched play is balanced around 2000 points, meaning at 1000 things can get a bit weird with balance and unit performance, thereby meeting engagements adjust things to bring them in line. Only they don't; meeting engagements amount to jumping through hoops for a game that is still unbalanced. It is less fun than playing 1000 points using normal pitched battle rules.

For example, I played a game of Nurgle vs Seraphon. He absolutely drowned me in summons and was able to teleport his incoming units around at will, while I just shuffled in from the board edge. Had we played without meeting engagements I would have at least had a chance.

But again, just my opinion. I'm sure others have had better experiences than mine.

 NinthMusketeer wrote:
My opinion: The core idea is that matched play is balanced around 2000 points, meaning at 1000 things can get a bit weird with balance and unit performance, thereby meeting engagements adjust things to bring them in line. Only they don't; meeting engagements amount to jumping through hoops for a game that is still unbalanced. It is less fun than playing 1000 points using normal pitched battle rules.

For example, I played a game of Nurgle vs Seraphon. He absolutely drowned me in summons and was able to teleport his incoming units around at will, while I just shuffled in from the board edge. Had we played without meeting engagements I would have at least had a chance.

But again, just my opinion. I'm sure others have had better experiences than mine.

Summoning is just silly across the entire game. I think if that were tuned, it would make a world of difference across AoS. I like the fact that meeting engagements are short and force tactics into the list building, as you can't really stack a detachment without potentially having issues depending on the mission.

There are a few quirks though that need ironed out. For instance, when forces come on at the end of a players turn, I have found a couple instances where clarification is needed:

1) Detachment only has 12" of board edge in which to deploy, but the force is too big to fit. Do the unplaced models get destroyed, placed in reserve, or something else.
2) Similarly to 1, if an enemy is able to make it to the deployment zone, can models be placed within 9 inches?
3) Reserves have to come on with a specific detachment and not before, but can they be placed anywhere on the board per their individual rules, or does it have to be a specific deployment zone.

I tried meeting engagements a few time. I found the game to be just as skewed. As Ninth put it exactly. The summoning has ruined the game for me entirely.

Then you have gak like Gotrek running amuk in meeting engagements as well because of his special rules.

As always - if you have a group that can self police themselves and not try to bust the game open I think there is a whole lot of potential and good times to be had.

Otherwise... meeting engagement does not help the issues at all.

 auticus wrote:
As always - if you have a group that can self police themselves and not try to bust the game open I think there is a whole lot of potential and good times to be had.

This actually highlights the core issue for me--if I have such a group why not just play 1000 pts pitched battles? No one from my group who tried meeting engagements found the extra elements to be more fun (though tbf that is not a huge number of people, there was little interest).