40K campaign with a twist

Guys, A few of us have been spit balling an idea for a small 40K campaign with a difference. The background behind this was to produce a campaign of attrition, to see who has the most durable army.

The concept is to draw up a 4,000 pt army list. If you don't have a army that big it doesn't matter because you won't be fielding it all at once. Your Army must be battle forged, and can only contain a maximum of one Super Heavy.
This army will play 2 40K games over a period of 2 weeks with missions being randomly generated as per a usual 40K game. During either of these armies, you can only field a maximum of 2,000 points of this 4,000 point army list.
If a model dies within the game then it is removed from your army list.
At the conclusion of the two games any remaining elements of your army are then fielded in a mini apoc game.

So you have a 4K army, and any losses are losses for the whole 3 game campaign.

We are keen to split all comers into 'good guys' and 'bad guys' so there are two even teams. In week one and two, the opposition is randomly generated and then what ever is left is brought to the final battle.

Sounds good? bring a 4,000 point list with you next week and we can stick your name down for the games and start to draw up the two teams.

Erm sooooo spacemarines win then?

I had this idea a few years back for a tournament, 8000 points 5 games, never did get off the ground so I'd definitely be interested in taking part if someone else finally ran with the idea (or a similar one)

Quick question though guys. Let's say I take ten squads of guardsmen, 100 men. Now if 5 of those squads are slaughtered down to one or two survivors, do I then have to field those as 1/2 man squads (very shit in a kill points mission) or can I roll them into another squad? It'd have to be the same type of squad obviously (no sneaking ablative wound guardsmen into Ogryn squads) and wouldn't be allowed to take me above my maximum squad loadout (no sneaky 4 flamer squad, or 5 sergeant squad for that matter) but would it be allowed?

I'm in, good point about remaining squads surviving.

Does the complete 4000 point army list need to be bound or just the 2 games prior to the final game?

This defo sounds like the rules were written for Imperial armies. None of us have the durability of Marines, inclusive of the auto rally. Also Guard have the ability to take 100 man squads and Knights are a bitch to take down. I am up for it though if some of the questions can be answered. My Nurgle element of the army is growing so at least I will have some durability from anyone but Tau or Guard. The bound thing is a little confusing though as 4k bound is nearly impossible without going 2x force org which then would open up another super heavy slot.

Also as Chaos now have a forgeworld book for 40k giving them loads of Imperial stuff will this make people less inclined to moan me and Neil use Stormlords to supplement our lack of assault transports.

Only the first two battles will be bound the final will be what ever you have left. Those sides which win the battles will get extra points to replace lost troops. So your 4000 points do not need to be bound but you will need to be able to make bound lists out of it.

no one will moan about you using a stormlord we are all allow one super heavy for our army. But if the Stormlord gets destroyed in the first battle then it can not be used again.

Jamie I'm in I will send you my list via e-mail as I will not be there next week.

Ginge as for your squad question I brought this up as well and I don't think we came up with a concenus. I think being able to combined half destory squads as long as they fit within the rules, fits with fluff and is logical. So I'm for combining squads after battles.

Bit pointless for a nid army. Kill the synapse creatures and watch the army eat itself/sit doing nothing for the remaining games!
Not that nids would do well in this format anyway. The army uses its troops as literal meat grinders to wear down the opponent, so typically takes a lot of casualties in games (especially getting in short/weapon ranges).

Gents, There seems to be an element of negativity about what we're trying to do here. This is a spitball idea where we're looking to mix up what we pay on a Tuesday night. I appreciate that it is not going to suite everyone's army due to the strengths and weaknesses of each codex.

I don't come to the club every Tuesday to win every game, it's about having fun playing a game with some mates! I proposed this as an opportunity to do something different.

If you're keen to get involved then please bring along an army list next Tuesday and we'll put our name down (or if you can't make it then drop me a message).

I think it'll be fun and offer a differing game at the end (it also means that characters like Lysander won't be blazing around the board kicking ass as i won't want to lose him).

Scott has a point with the way that Tyranids don't fit this theme too well, but then Tyranids are the ginger step child of the GW line - everyone has allies... ooh, not you. Everyone has super heavy tanks... ooh not you. Everyone has fortifications... ooh...

Yes, it may favour some armies more than others. From a guard point of view I'd want to keep backups of the heavy weapon teams and the order giving squads, as those are what people aim for first. But this isn't a club sponsored tournament, this is Jamies own idea of what may be fun, so he has more freedom to set rules than I would if I was running a club official event (that has to try to cater to all armies equally as much as possible)

I'm interested Jamie, but would like the question on whether squad remnants can be merged (within their class, so merging two decimated tactical squads is fine, adding ablative tactical squad wounds to a devastator squad is not) before I design my army list, as the answer to that question could seriously alter the type of list I intend to bring...

I wouldn't agree with the squads merging as this again favours certain army types. if a lone tact squad guy survives well hes on his own, if hes lucky enough to have a missile launcher then quids in, if hes got a bolt gun may I suggest hiding him. as Apoc isn't kill points based I don't see that being an issue and he could still hold an objective and raise the dilemma of whether a lone man is worth wasting a units shooting on vs his ability to still score.

in terms of guard this could be a problem due to blob squadding like you said. if you lose 17 of 50 guys and still have 5 sergeants then would you have to divide the remaining men between 5 squads, if you lost a couple of sergeants then could you max out the other squads and have a couple of guys on their own.

I get the idea of this being fun but we all know how games can get in the heat of the moment and its far better to resolve these things pre start up than during a game when it could effect the outcome or while your trying to set up an Apoc game and just want to get started.

Interestingly this subject came up when we discussed the initial concept of this idea. As a marine player i didn't want squads merging as a lone marine can still be a pain in the arse, hold objectives and with his armour possibly survive a few rounds of fire.

However, looking at the guard issue, i agree that merging squads need to be merged. I also think fluff wise that this would be the case. Even Marines would merge squads.

I think at the conclusion of each battle you will be able to merge two squads, as long as they are the same. So tact squads with a tact squad, Devastator with Devastator, etc.... With guard i guess it's blob squads with blob squads, vets with vets etc...
As long as the original rules of the squad are not broken (too many sgts, heavies special weapons etc..) then this will be fine.

Just a note, as this is just for fun, my army list tops out at 4003 points, if that's ok.

Ok cool thanks for the ruling Jamie...

And Rich about two Guard codexes ago infantry platoons could have remnants squads - squads of less than ten men. You had to have at least two full strength squads but then each platoon could have one understrength squad where the leftovers of other decimated squads had been rolled together. It fits with the fluff - look at the Valhallan 597th of Ciaphus Cain fame.

I'll knock up an army list tomorrow and hand it in. When are you thinking of running this by the way?

But again this heavily favours the Imperials who have more samey samey squads and not the rest of us, in fact completely screws the more diverse armies like Eldar and Daemons who lack the durability or marines or numbers of imperial guard. Plus think logically, what usually survives longest in your squads, the squad leader and special/heavy weapons. so your going to end up with random bits here and there anyway. think I will sit this one out.

Yes with the survival of special weapons being predominant, this probably won't be too much of an issue... however I have had games where the flamer (near the front to attack) has died to retaliatory fire, and the sergeant has taken one to protect an IC from a challenge... I just have a few basic troopers left. Be nice to just merge them into an understrength squad rather than have them standing around going "well gee I guess we sit back here and try not to die for the next two games"

Admittedly, I hadn't considered it from an Eldar point of view, but the only person we know who plays Eldar pretty much uses the same squad throughout his army.

Perhaps a concept that you may prefer Rich would be a Highlander style event - There can be only one. Basically it makes everything in the entire codex 0-1, except troops, though then you have to take all the troops options before you can repeat - so guard would have to take a vet squad, then an infantry platoon, before it could take a second vet squad. Orks would have to have a mob of gretchin for every mob of boyz. Now where I first read this they ruled single detachment no LOW too, and that dedicated transports also counted as 0-1 (to stop people getting around the rules and still turning up with 6 Landraiders) but we could potentially fiddle with the details depending on what people want to do with the idea.

Anyway, Highlander can be looked at in the future, I don't want to steal Jamies momentum with the Attrition concept.

Thanks Ginge. momentum is always important!

Looking forward to the 3rd game (the mini apoc game) I think we may struggle to get that done in a single evening game.
What's peoples availability for a Saturday or Sunday game at the club for that 3rd game?

Jamie, I've had a bit of a think, and between me not being able to make it to the club on your proposed start week (our staff end of financial year do is on the 4th, and we've got a £1500 bar tab to use up...) and my general struggle to get weekends off from work, I think I may have to withdraw from this challenge. I do find the idea appealing and if you run it again I would like to take part (particularly in the quiet winter months in the new year when it'll be easier for me to get a Sunday off work) but at this time, for the above reasons (plus the ongoing fantasy campaign) I shall have to sit this one out. Sorry

Speaking of the fantasy campaign, this time it's gone on way too long. But everyone thought the last one a couple years ago was too short. Not sure how to balance that out really... though perhaps picking every campaign date before the first dice was rolled and sticking to it come hell or high water may have helped - we've lost about three months during this campaign just trying to organise a mutually suitable time for End of Season big games. With that in mind, my advice to you Jamie, for Attrition or any other series of games; Set your dates in advance, stick to them. Let people sign up knowing what the dates will be. Expect them to make it or forfeit. Now admittedly your campaign is somewhat shorter in nature so less likely to suffer an overrun, but it's something this campaign has taught me, so decided to share the thought.

I'm with Ginge here. While I was talked round to the concept I don't think I will be able to commit due to the fantasy campaign. Will keep an eye on how this goes and maybe join the next one.

I think a small scale campaign, just involving the guys not in the fantasy game might be the best idea. I'll let u know I will how it goes.