Allow five minutes at the beginning of each game for picking armies and becoming familiar with them, and then allow 45 minutes to play each game.
Location:
Sci-Fi City, Cincinnati (Northgate Mall by Macy's, Exit 33 off I-275)
9527 Colerain Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45251
Store Phone: 513-245-9105
Background/ Concept:
Spoiler Alert!
Wookie and I were talking at a tournament a while back, and the idea came up of a tournament where you don’t bring an army. Instead, the armies are already preset and assigned to maps. You move from map to map, playing different armies instead of taking an army with you. The main problem with this idea, at least how I saw it, was making sure that the assigned match-ups are fair: you can’t pick the winner just looking at the pairing, and, ideally, the strength of both armies is so balanced that each army could potentially win 50% of the time.
I looked around for threads with similar ideas, and I did find some, but most people seemed more interested in thematically interesting pairings than balanced ones, so I shelved the idea for a while. I figured the only way to get fair pairings was to playtest a bunch until I figured them out, and that sounded waaaaaay too time consuming. Eventually, I decided to give it a spin.
Methodology: I determined around 10 potential pairings based off similarities between different units, power rankings, and the matchup calculator. After that, I needed to try them out.
Fist I decided that I’d have to playtest against myself to control for player skill. After that, I thought that I would play normal games on normal maps, but I decided that might bring in too many variables. If I was just trying to determine even matchups, why not dumb down the game elements as much as possible to control for all those variables? Instead of playing normal games, I set up two potential armies on either side of a flat lexan map. If height would make a big difference to a unit’s effectiveness (Ex Granet Guardians), I added a patch of one level up height in the middle of the board. I rolled for initiative, but I set up the armies close enough to each other so that whomever won would basically get to attack first. After that, I usually played a “stupid” game (no real strategies in play) where similar units would pretty much attack each other until one was destroyed, followed by the next, etc. until one army was wiped out. If there were a pretty obvious strategy to a matchup (Ex: Zelrig going after squads instead of Nilfheim), I’d play it instead of the “stupid” strategy. If one side seemed to dominate, I made adjustments to the army make up until it seemed pretty even, meaning the side that one didn’t win by much, or if one side won by a bit more the other won by about the same amount the next game. I tried to play at least three games with a matchup until I figured it were okay. If a unit benefitted from a terrain feature (Ex Drow), I played a game or so with and without it in effect to see how much of a difference it made, and then placed them on a board that would help even out the matchup.
After all this trouble, I’m curious to see how this all plays out!
Starting Each Match:
Spoiler Alert!
After pairs of players are paired, use the following procedure for determining who picks his or her army first:
1. If the opponents have different records (not including points or strength of schedule—raw record only), the player with the lower record picks first, leaving the second army to the player with the higher record.
2. If the opponents have the same record (including the first round), each player rolls a d20. The higher roll picks first.
3. The player picking first is allowed to defer choosing to the player picking second.
Special Note: Both players should be given ample time to review the cards of both armies before choosing and playing. Since many of these figures might be unfamiliar to both players, please be kind enough to remind your opponent of any ability restrictions or factors that may alter his or her decisions during the games.
Maps and Pairs of Armies:
Spoiler Alert!
Minions x3 (330) + Taylord (180)= 510
vs.
Sentinelsx3 (330) + Raelin RotV (80) + Iron Golem (100) = 510
on… Schwerpunkt Glyphs: Wannok (Wound) x2, random treasure x2
Drow x3 (210) + Master of the Hunt (140) + Mika Connour (110) + Blue Wyrming (35)= 495
vs.
Phantom Knights x3 (210) + Frost Giant of Morh (140) + Evar Scarcarver (110) + Blue Wyrming (35)= 495
on… Underground Iceways Glyphs: Random treasure x2
Johnny Shotgun (65) + Tagawa Samurai (120) + Kumiko (80) + Erevan Sunshadow (80) + Finn (80) + Earth Elemental (35) + Water Elemental (30)= 500
vs.
James Murphy (75) + Kozuke Samurai (100) + Moriko (110) + Shiori (60) + Thorgrim (80) + Fire Elemental (35) + Water Elemental (30)= 500
on… Shadow Crossing Glyphs: Random treasure x2
Notes: I wanted to try to break out some of the less frequently used uniques, so I tried to find a bunch that were similar. I’m tempted to add more, but I play tested this and it’s ridiculously even. It will probably be a quick game, but fun!
Horned Skull Brutes x4 (300) + Goblins x2 (100) + Agent Carr (100) = 500
vs.
Sparticus (200) + Gladiators x3 (210) + Crixus (90) = 500
on... Vulcan Glyphs: Random treasure x2 (power side up)
Notes: I REALLY wanted steamroller vs. greenroller, but steamroller won that pairing every time without question. Brutes provide even stats (4/4), but no bonding. The goblins and an extra squad of brutes and Carr seemed to even it out.
10th Reg x4 (300) + Gurei-oni (100) + Emirroon (80)= 480
vs.
4th Mass x4 (280) + Torin (120) + Saylind the Kyrie Warrior (80)= 480
on... Invasion Glyphs: Random treasure x2
Notes: Classic match up…had to be done. I thought adding the Cyclopes made it fun, and it evened out the points. I might add a bit to this one to help even out the points with the others.
Axegrinders x3 (210) + Migol (110) + Mogrimm (120) + Darrak (60) = 500
vs.
Romans x3 (150) + Marcus (100) + Me-Burq-Sa (50) + Ne-Gok-Sa (90) + Sgt. Drake RotV (110) = 500
on... Quasatch Playground Glyphs: Random treasure x2
Notes: This was tough to balance. The Romans are better for their points on a flat board, but throw in some terrain and it gets harder to keep them together. The dwarf bonding options are a little tougher, and their potentially faster speed gives them a little more board control. The terrain will help keep this one balanced.
Anubian Wolves x4 (300) + Shurrak (160) + Fire Elemental (35)= 495
vs.
Wolves of Bandru x4 (320) + Werewolf Lord (140) + Fire Elemental (35)= 495
on... Burial Marsh Glyphs: Gerda (Def. +1) and Random treasure x2
Notes: Wolves, wolves, wolves! This pairing could go either way depending on how hot the Anubians are with the d20. but that shouldn’t be surprising. Poor Khosumet didn’t seem to help as much as another squad of Anubians. Yes, the Bandru have bonding, but Shurrak is a nice closer after the Anubians are gone. Every game of this I played was a squeaker.
Heavy Grunts x3 (210) + Tornak (100) + Grimnak (120) + Sahuagin Raider (25) + Drow Chainfighter (25) + Dumutef Guard (25)= 505
vs.
Knights x3 (210) + Sir Gilbert (105) + Sir Denrick (100) + Water Elemental (30) + Earth Elemental (35) + Dumutef Guard (25)= 505
on... Embattled Fen Glyphs: Wannok (wound)
Notes: One game the knights won easily, but the next one the orcs won just as easily. Game three went down to the wire. Careful positioning of your squads around your bonding/ boosting heroes is big here.
Zelrig (185) + Granite Guardians x3 (300) + Swog Rider (25)= 510
vs.
Nilfheim (185) + Deathstalkers x3 (300) ) + Swog Rider (25)= 510
on... Blacktop Version 4 Glyphs: Random treasure x2
Notes: Nilf beats Big Z one-on-one, but Big Z can wreck havoc on the double-based Deathstalkers. Guardians with height are better than Deathstalkers (much better, in fact), but Deathstalkers are faster, and Maul works against the Guardians. Either side can win or lose this depending on the strategy.
Treasure Glyph Pool:
Spoiler Alert!
Holy Symbol of Pelor - Attack +2 vs. Undead (Perm)
Talisman of Defense - Defense +1 (Perm)
Heroic Rune - Attack +1 (Perm)
Brooch of Shielding - Disengage (Perm)
Giant Hunter Stone - Attack & Defense +1 against large or huge (Perm)
Oceanstrider Amulet - Free water movement (Perm)
Belt Of Giant Strength - Attack +2 (Temp)
Bracers of Teleportation - Move 10 spaces (Temp)
Cloak of Invisibility - No visible hit zones (Temp)
Elixir of Speed - Move +4 (Temp)
Potion of Healing - Heal 3 Wounds (Temp)
Ring of Protection - Defense +3 (Temp) Heroscape Glyphs - The Definitive List
Entry fee/Prizes: No entry fee. If you provide a prize for the prize table, you can pick out one at the end. The top player will pick from the prize table first, etc. Prizes can be anything...Heroscape related, other games or even a gift certificate to somewhere. Sci-Fi City is a full-service game store and does carry Heroscape, and they would probably appreciate your patronage since they are allowing us to use their space. : )
Attendees
( ). Johnnylama (I will be available to play if needed to round out pairs).
1. Jandar70 (aka Zach)
2. ravenwolf64
3. Beowulf
4. Brownsfan82
5. El Diabolo
6. Deroche
7. Mooseman
8. Yogurt
9. Nathaniel
10. tfelts
11. +1 with tfelts
Possibles
TheAverageFan +1
+1 with ravenwolf64
acdveins+?
Total including possibles:
14
Changes from the Last Tournament:
I was a little disappointed that Tournament Director repeated some of the pairings last time, and I don't know if there's a button somewhere that I can click to fix it. I have a new scoring sheet in mind that might make the "old fashioned way" a little easier, assuming there aren't too many people.
I think the start time and break in the middle worked pretty well, so I'm keeping the schedule the same as the last time.
“Battle is a hard business, sister. Soft training will make for soft soldiers who will in turn become soft corpses.”
― Anthony Ryan, Blood Song
May 17th, 2011, 05:10 PM
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