NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Okay, so let's open it up to discussion on the format and use last year's rules as the base.

http://www.heroscapers.com/community...ad.php?t=26639 from 2009

Dual Army Play

Bring two 520 point armies: a primary army and a backup army. There can be as much overlap between the two armies as you like--that is, there can be only one unit's difference, or no units in common whatsoever, or anywhere in between.

When you receive your tournament card, record both armies. Your primary army goes in the [probably red] section; your backup army goes in the [probably blue] section. Immediately before you begin play each match of the tournament, briefly switch cards with your opponent so that you can see what army you will be playing against, and your opponent can do the same.

For the first two matches of the tournament, use your primary army; the backup army is not used at this point. Before the third game, and before each game thereafter, everyone who has lost at least two games may choose to retire their primary army and begin using their backup army. If you choose to do this, draw a line through your primary army on your tournament card. Your decision to retire your primary army is irrevocable; once you do so, your primary army is not used and you must use your backup army exclusively.

Your choice to retire your primary army is made before assigments are given for the upcoming match. Thus, you will not know either the next map you will be playing on, nor who your opponent is (or what army they will be using). Your decision is based solely on whether you feel that your primary army has performed poorly enough that you would be better off switching to your backup army.

Switching armies is entirely optional, and therefore you do not have to bring a backup army if you do not wish to. You cannot switch to your backup army unless you have lost two games. Your decision to switch must be made during one of the windows allotted for switching and at no other time. Once you switch, you cannot switch back. If you honestly don't have enough figures to field a backup army, please contact the tournament organizers and we will make every effort to help you out.


Avoiding Duplication

Duplication of Opponent: For the first match, if your randomly chosen opponent is someone that you came to the tournament with (i.e. family member or friend), tell the tournament organizers and they will arrange a switch. In later matches, you may play either someone you came with or someone you've already played. That's just the way the tourney ball bounces.

Duplication of Map: In any match, if you and your opponent have played two other matches on that map (i.e., if you have played two games on it, or your opponent has played two games on it, or you have played one game on it and your opponent has played one game on it), notify the tournament organizers and they will arrange for you to play your match on a different map.


Mistakes/Questions During Play

If you make a mistake during play in your opponent's favor, such as forgetting to use your bonding, forgetting to add a bonus for height, special powers, etc, or just moving somewhere you didn't mean to, the mistake stands. Your opponent may allow you to correct the mistake (go ahead and take the bonding turn, roll the extra die, change your move, etc), but certainly is not obliged to. It's a tournament. Strict rules apply.

If you make a mistake during play in your own favor and your opponent catches you, you must immediately reverse the mistake (reroll all your dice if you rolled too many, return to your starting point if your move was illegal, etc). If your opponent doesn't catch the mistake until after s/he begins his/her next turn, the mistake stands.

Try to insure that all your dice are rolled on a flat surface. If any of your dice are "cocked" (i.e. not lying flat) or roll off the table, you must reroll all of them. (Again, your opponent can show mercy on you at his/her option.)

If your figure won't fit, it can't stop there. Period. No "it mostly fits," no "it's almost flat on the board," no "stinger denial is so cheesy." Sorry. (Again, your opponent can be nice to you.)

If you and your opponent disagree as to line of sight, just roll off with the d20's. No need to make a big deal about it.

If you or your opponent has a rules question or clarification that you can't settle between you, solicit the opinions of other players until you find 2 others in agreement, then take that as a final decision. To be clear: once you find 2 other people who agree with each other--regardless of whether or not they agree with you--stop asking. Feel free to start with the tournament organizers; many of them are very knowledgeable about the game, the official Hasbro FAQ, and the rules discussions at Heroscapers.com.


Time Limit Per Match

At the beginning of each match, the tournament organizers will announce the start of the match. After 45 minutes, the tournmanet organizers will call time. At this time, finish the current round that you and your opponent are playing. For instance, if you just started the round, play all 3 turns. If you are currently just finishing turn 3, that will be the end of your game.

After the match is complete, score the game according the partial scoring rules

What needs to change and why?

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Personally, I'm all about changing it up. Different is always better.

I mean, really. One of the best things about Heroscape is what a versatile game it is. We should be showcasing that, right? So why do the same thing over and over?

That's just my $.02.

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

I agree that variety is good, but I'd prefer if we played "normal kill 'em all". I don't want to do a draft or an army swap-I want to use the army(ies?) I bring. That's my $.02.

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Thanks for getting this up WNFB.

The only change I'd really like to see would be the point total. While I wouldn't complain about playing at 520 points, I'd really like to try something in the "standard range" that's a little more nonstandard. Maybe 480?

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Well, okay. there's plenty of "different" to be had even within those guidelines. There's teaming up (preset or random). There's glyphs (which we've never played with, AFAIK). There's doing theme armies. There's put out a list of little used units and your army/ies must include at least one of them. There's (at the risk of starting yet another religious war) actually allowing Marvel units. There's no range allowed, or only range allowed. There's draft a giant (say, 1,000 point) army but then form a smaller battalion out of that army for each game, after seeing the army (but not the battalion) you're up against. There's so much creativity in the game, and here on the boards, to draw from. Let's capitalize on that!

(Although why hating on the draft? I love the draft. Adds a whole new dimension to the games. Although admittedly difficult to do in a tournament setting ... I'd love to come up with something to address that sometime. But probably not until we get Battleplan for smartphones.)

The only thing I have to say about that is that my appetite for lower point totals increases proportionally with the number of armies I'm allowed to bring. :D (Well, and okay, one more thing: what counts as "standard"?)

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

I don't like the draft in a tournament setting because I think it's more suited to casual play. I'm fine with theme armies (planet, general, personality, etc.) but I'm not that much of a fan of limiting builds by forcing them to exclude certain units or include others.

And I think most people regard the standard as 400-600 points, 24 hex start zone kill 'em all

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

I'd say 450-550 would be the standard range. You really don't see alot of 400 point tournaments anymore, and 600 is fairly uncommon. Though I know many/most people would say 400-600.

The more I think about it,the more I like the idea of a lower point total. Lower point totals usually result in smaller armies, and fewer games going to time, which is always good.

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Hey WFNB, could I suggest adding the following to one of your rules points. In the category Mistakes/Questions During Gameplay:

"Try to insure that all your dice are rolled on a flat surface. If any of your dice are "cocked" (i.e. not lying flat) or roll off the table, you must reroll all of them. (Again, your opponent can show mercy on you at his/her option.) All dice rolled shall be aggitated/shaken in some manner, either in a dice tower, cup or simply SHAKING them in your hand. Please, don't simply flop them out of your palm onto the table."

You don't have to use the all caps in shaking.;)

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Sounds good to me.

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

I'm fine with last year's format. But change is always a good thing. As for new ideas maybe we can use Glyphs, capture the flag, kill the general, or maybe use Marvel characters :mrgreen:

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

I like the idea of a team format, it brings an extra little challenge. I think we should rank all the people entering into 3 general categories. 1 being the better players, 2 being average, and 3 being newer players. We'd match up the 1's with the 3's and then the 2's with each other. This way we do something different, and the newer players have a better chance of winning and might learn something new. Each player would have 300-400 points to play as, and I also would vote that each team should only consist of one general.

Re: NHSD: SoCal Slaughter! 2010 format
 

Like the idea of having teams. But I see 3 problems with it. 1. How are you gonna do rankings and hand out prizes (if we do have any) to teams? 2. Are teams allowed to have 2 of the same unique figures? Like if I brought an army with Marro Warriors and my teammate also has Marro Warriors in his army? 3.Matches could take awhile to finish. I say maybe lower the army point value to 200-300 point range if we are doing teams to make it go faster.