2013 - The year of a brand new 1500 point army for all?

So....

As everyone will know I am switching my codex from Vanilla marine to Dark Angel. While I already have the majority of the models to pull off this army it occurs to me that I would rather not. In that I would rather buy the proper models.

Given that Hobo is intending to make a 15500 point Tau/Space Wolf army and Stryph is making his Star Gate Necrons it occurs to me that we could make up some sort of challenge.

My initial thoughts were that we try and do a "campaign" style challenge.

- In January a 1500 point list must be made
- In February a troop choice
- In February play a kill team game!
- In March a HQ
- In April a troop choice
- In April a game!!! (including proxies to make the points even)
etc...
- Work all the way through until the army is completed, including games every few months and a large game including all participants at the end of the year!

Points to be awarded for the completion of the each task and for the games.

My thought is that this is affordable for all. It should come to no more than maybe £25 a month (if brought brand new) on average. That is likely to be a higher sum than it is, but it's always good to plan! Of course if you already have the models that could be a new army too (such as Clappers and his Eldar)

Let me know your thoughts on this!

im up for it for sure! they did something similar in white dwarf didnt they? forget what the article was called.
a smaller scale version of this would be easy!

ill plop for space wolves first, as tau will get a new codex soon so theres no point in devising an army list for them yet.

can we extend this to 1750 though? or have an extra time type thng for the extra 250? i only ask because when i made my wolf list (i will post seperately for thoughts), i could quite get my vision into 1500!

We'll see who else is up for it. I have no real issue with 1750 as long as everyone (or anyone ) else has no issues with it.

In my imagination I see:

Taff: Deathwing
Hobo: Space puppies
Styph: Necrons
Rellik: Necrons
Clappers: Eldar

It was just n idea though but discussion helps us to know where we are right now, what this small part of the community want to do and how achievable things like this are.

Sounds good to me and whilst I'd like to try something different its unlikely to happen until I at least get my GK army up to scratch; I can run what I (Nathan) has and fix mine in the meantime

Sorry Rellik, I can't tell if your up for it or not!

My bad yeah I'm up for it - you'll have to explain the requirements in a little more detail and to start with, to keep things on a level, I shall gear up my knights some more as Nate has some forces....

Absolutely! I'll figure out the rules if we get enough people interested. Like Hobo said, white Dwarf id something similar with the Lord of the Rings game. 1500 may be too many points for the majority so it may end up being 1000 or 2000, its hard to say until people get into the discussion.

this does sound cool i will admit!

one selection a month (or at least part of it if youd need multiple boxes (not a problem for marines it seems!) is easily affordable and keep-up-able 1000 points is a decent idea, then we caan increase the points for those who want to

I think the HQ is a good choice to start them all off - you need a leader before you can build an army

I think the codex is more important...

But if we do choose to do a HQ (in addition to publishing a list) then, if Rellik did Necrons, he already has one as I painted it myself,lol.

As much as I'd hate to admit it I think the codex ought to be everyone's first purchase; from then everyone can submit the relevant list for the first stage and get the required models..... Doesn't really matter how many of us there are does it?

I suppose not actually, though 4 would be nice to make it easier for the games section.

Yeah I'm in - my necron list is already drawn up and I have the majority of the models (further xmas presents from my parents pending) at 1500. From memory (can't find the list as I put it somewhere safe, no idea where that was now!) it is:

HQ - Overlord with 2+ save, ress orb, MSS and made to be a general badass as this guy represents my goa'uld lord

HQ - Vargard Oyron - First Prime - odel just looks like a first prime all the way

Elite - 5 deathmarks - they join with obyron and represent the lords personal assassins - part of e wanted to go warscythe triarchs (or whateer they're called) but these came in the battleforce so they win!

Elite - C'tan - this inclusion is a it off the startgate track but my crons still believe in the c'tan hence the inclusion, but this may get booted if I can't find/ make the model I want for it

Troops - 10 warriors + nightscythe - jaffa with the flyer

Troops - 10 warriors + nightscythe

Heavy - Doomsday ark - came in the battleforce

Heavy - Monolith - will end up being the mothership


I don't think this is really a very competitive list (the monolith is slightly pointless, it lacks troop numbers, the c'tan is pricey for what it does and the HQ lacks a proper home just for starters) but It's the one I wrote first up when I decided to do the crons and may be tweaked a little bit as I go along!

OK, So to make it a little more official I thought I had better get some rules down...

The point of this is to try and get a completed 1000 point army that is completely painted. Hopefully we will do this as cheaply as possible, but this thread and competition is to add a little motivation and to keep it in realistic bite size pieces to avoid it being daunting.

The reason it is initially 1000 is to keep it reasonably priced but still allow us to play a game. If people want this to be higher that is not a problem and we can decide together as a group. bear in mind though that for a death wing army that's a Grey Knight like number of models and for others it may be alot more...

Points Make winners
There are several ways to score points in this and, while it will be slightly weighted towards painted armies, it will also include battles to try and keep it more fun than sitting at a painting table.

PAINTING
The first way to score points is to paint models! Each month, running from the 1st of each month, we will be required to paint a pledged amount of troops. For example i could paint 5 death wing, Strpyh 10 necrons etc... I say a pledged amount due to points of models and number of models - painting 30 boyz with nob and power claw will likely take longer than 5 space marine scouts.... Photos of these will need to be submitted by the end of that month to qualify. Preferably at the start too. And if you are doing this you may as well do a WIP and add it to the WIP section of the website

In an ideal workd I would have liked to judge the painting too as added incentive to try and get people to push themselves more. But then who would judge mine? If anyone wants to push this idea forward let me know.


BATTLES
With so few troops initially we will have to be slightly creative here. I have faith in the group to do that! My initial thoughts are;
- Character Battles
- Standard(ish) kill team)
- Skirmish scenario (say 500-600 points winner is best out of three)
- 1000 point battles
- Maybe a team up or free for all.

My hope is that this means there is a short battle every 6-10 weeks that can be played or maybe done via film or something in the case of Stryph (really need to learn about Skype). these opponents are going to be drawn out of a hat to keep it as random as possible!

PRIZES!
Not 100% sure at this stage. i doubt a trphy is to everyones taste so I was perhaps thinking that the "losers" put in £5 each and buy an online GW voucher? Obviously the more people who join (Im still hoping on Clappers thoughthat will likely need a text) the better the proze is. Hobo - up to you to get the Puds in on this!

BONUS POINTS
two or three times a year I may well add bonus points to a particualr month. Immediate thoughts involve a army specific terrain piece (e.g. something specific to your army/codex - a necron plynth, a space wolf runic something)

JOKERS!
There will be times this year when people cannot keep up with their commitment. Examples might be if I move, child related, etc... therefore you are given two jokers to play! These mean you effectively call a time out and everything stands still. Whatever you were meant to be on will be what you are still on, and there will be no stacking (i.e. you will not end up with more to paint than you originally pledged).

Another note is that finishing the entire army early is an option! Just not one that will get you points,lol.
DETAILS
Painting a Pledge unit = 5 points
Completed monthly pledge on time = 5 points
Character Battles = 2 points
Standard(ish) kill team = 3 points
Skirmish scenario (say 500-600 points winner is best out of three) = 5 points
1000 point battles = 15 points.
(Maybe a team up or free for all = 20 points?)

FEEDBACK
what do you think? Is this workable? Is this something people want to do?

If it is then the only thing that has to be done in January will be to get your hands on a copy of the codex you want to use, and create a 1000 point (of higher) list (Remember that if you do make a 1000+ point list then you will still need a 1000 point list to play with at the end). I know some of you have done this already, but you might also want to think about paint schemes, base themes, supplies (army painter for example), looking at ebay now!

AND FINALLY
I think this is a really good idea to add some diversity to the group and could be extended for many years to come. it might only be 1000 points this time (and that is still open for debate) but next year it could be to add 1500. Or to make an apocolypse army? or to create a brand new army that is not yet in the gaming group so we can play a more varied list (Call Shotgun Imperial Guard - too late boys,lol) as there are Tau, IG, Sisters, DE (unless Sarentia has come back) to name but a few.

Speak to me boys, let me know what you think!

Like the sound of it all and it's an excuse to maybe play more; probably a little tweaking around battles but then I've always quite enjoyed the group battles as quite a social occasion anyway! Sounds very good, though curse you for your IG tag: I'm calling dibs on the dark eldar.......

Only joking on the IG! I think Mrs Taff would have my balls as a christmas decoration if I said I wanted a 4th army.

What tweaks were you suggesting for the battles? Remember how many points people will have and that the points should be for your own armies and not joint efforts really...

Great idea, stryph i think the article you're thinking of is 'a tale of 4 gamers' but that was about 8 years ago so they coulda done a different one since then.

I'm up for it but i think it'd be cheating if i did eldar as i've got a butt load of em already! oh taff i picked up something interesting the other day, i found my 2nd edition eldar codex! io'm so happy! i think i've still got the old rule books knocking around somewhere too!

sounds like a cool idea anyway guy i'm in!

well funnily enough mentioning guard - that is the most obvious one our group lacks - so clappers, theres my recommendation!

im definitely going to do a tau army next - i hoped to get the wolves done this year, and tau done next year with their new codex - so seeing how this one goes i'm definitely already signed up for it - ive even got the list ready, just need to downlo....i'm mean buy the codex to put points to it

my only feedback/advice/suggestions are:

[a] keep it casual, as we are all busy people and i'm stacking up "things to do" at a rate of knots!
[b] rather than scattered events have a bi-monthly games day like we had at riches house where we can do a whole series of set piece events, and maybe make up a mini campaign just for the day (similar to the dark vengeance campaign in box set

I second the guard motion...

You need to define casual I think Hobo. I thought that by pledging yourself what you were going to paint that made it achieveable and more importantly motivational?

As for ho to do the games I'm easy. Can we call commit to a bi monthly date? I have doubts. But if we can that would be great. I d know I will not have time to write any kind of balanced campaign (bearing in mind points differences etc...) myself so I'm open to volunteers! But depending upon the stress and time demands of Stryoh the current one may need help any way!

I think a bit of both - at the end of the day if you fail to play or comply with the "rules" you don't score so it's up to you! Having said that rather than a campaign as we already have one, can't we just contend with a league, whether we play as a group on 1 day or individually, so at the end of the "season" provided you've fulfilled the required elements, you're points ratio to games played is used which keeps it fair to stryph too as he's further away, bearing in mind it's only part of the contribution?

dunno really...just achievable i guess nothing too strenuous

ill have a google wehen i can and see if i can find a premade mini campaign that can be done in a day a minigame type affair with maybe an all in at the end rather than a series of singular games.

i for one will find that easier to dedicate too if im keeping up painting 2 armies and playing the campaign. plus it will mean the days are more diverse as we'll all have pledged and painted different troops each time - maybe the HQ can remain static and just the troops differ based on what youve pledged. so we have different "lists" every time

EG if we all pledge troops and HQ's for the first games day, but then for the second our pledge was heavy support - so well basically have a series of skirmishes in the first and tank battles for the second (for example - just thinking out loud )

rellik posted while i was writing this - a league is also a good idea!. i should say here, by campaign i mean more a narrative - again just like the dark vengeance series (where if i recall the first game is the hillbrute vs the HQ and chosen after hes gone out of control, the next is a couting mission gone wrong etc etc). i dont mean campaign as in a full blown set of rules or anything.

if i can find anything decent im happy to spearhead and do all the thinking - all you guys have to do is turn up and roll dice

As long as people are motivated to paint and to improve that is what matters. It doesn't matter how they do it.

I'm not in favour of a campaign too much but, if it was all on one day that would be different. As it would be a narrative really. The thing that worries me about that is simply how do you do it with so few models. The evolutions I mentioned in an earlier post were only there for an example though. They could be quick, easy and increasingly long. Not even Mrs Taff minds when I play for half hour. It's because every game takes 3-4 hours that is the issue. Probably the same with Mrs Rellik too.


Stryph may not be at a disadvantage - he may ask some of the people down there to play too!

I do like the % thing though.

We'l leave this open for a little while longer, lets say to the 20th for when decisions must be made on the format. At that point we will set some guide lines (as rules seem too strong a word). That would give anyone ho is wanting to do this 11 days to get their hands on a codex (speak to Stryph if you know what I mean) and create a 1000 point list. Then we pledge.

Hope this is acceptable to every one.

Hobowan wrote:

EG if we all pledge troops and HQ's for the first games day, but then for the second our pledge was heavy support - so well basically have a series of skirmishes in the first and tank battles for the second (for example - just thinking out loud )

Depending upon your army composition of course

agreed the 20th is a good deadline for fixing the system, with pledges then starting for payday?

i will likely be buying a unit of grey hunters w to make when GW opens again on wednesday to start on the wolf guard, 5 of the blood klaws and converting a wolf priest (i hate the official model - i might put my hand in my pocket one day and get the 2003 gamesday wolf priest from ebay



or failing that the GW rune priest)

So i might have a headstart. then on payday ill buy Canis as my HQ pledge

taff, i must warn you, the remaining reinbow terminators might all end up in space wolf grey for me to practice the colours on and space marine armour!!!!!

I'm getting excited about this army looking at a downloaded IG codex. still wondering what to base the army on, wether to go tanks or men. Got 4 squads bought at the moment, I'm looking at finishing off my GK in the next couple of months with some more Inquisitor stuff and then i'm all focussed on IG for this year!

MARBO!