I think a really good way to handle this would be to have some kind of "bin"system. Of course, most venues don't have the space for this kind of thing, but if your BM is filling out rosters, when you put down your army, you have to put them in a bin designated for you. Then when it is time for you to fight, you get your army. This is a bit extreme, (and I do agree that changing your army BEFORE anything is "official" i.e. on paper, on the roster, declared, etc. ) but it would work well. Kind of like a locker system.

My two cents.

We mostly did this with MK

Imagine Entire armies of wood golems(i actually built this)

It is a lot of fun to play this way although i agree bring nothing that is dear to you for this event

Swapping is a problem and its the most cowardly thing to do. Its showing that you don't think you can win with the army you were planning on bringing to the table. I've had it happen to me everyonce in awhile sometimes I still win other times I lose. The key to prevent this from happening while not being sneaky is simple bring a well balanced army to the table.
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HOT BOX VAPORIZERS

terma i agree with you it is wrong

cuz the game is already started

that guys shall not change the army at all cuz the game is start

Yes I guess that using a 'bin type' system could pose a problem with theft. Got to be a way around it. Maybe when I become a venue I will deal with that on my own.

One thing that people haven't really addressed is that, yes, the ability of each and every piece of equipment and how deep the dial is makes a tremendous difference in the outcome of the battle, but in the end, if the armies are pretty well matched (which most will be give or take a few points), it all comes down to how lucky they are with the dice and how well they can anticipate their opponent.

At our Venue, everyone realy liked how Faction Wars worked on what units could become available next game pending if they were captured, destroyed, salavaged. Was a big hit. We are looking at using this idea on our future games.

Example, on a 450pt game you are allowed to have a total force of 600points. Granted you only get to use 450points and can recreate you force for the next game with what you have left. The big plus is that you get to try different tactics. You also become for tactical and strategic in your thinking because your resources are limited and to just go out and waist them is not the smart thing to do. Really have to think.

Another nice thing about it is that while your playing one opponent.. ohter players who are most likely watching you and your army.. won't be able to PREPARE for your army. Thats what Faction Wars so popular at our venue.. even gained players that left because of this.

Hey Terry,


Doing OK, thanks! :) You?

I get exactly where you're coming from on this and you're 110%
right to be PO'd! Once the deployment phase starts, that's it.
The game is, officially, under way at that point. If I were a BM
and some chucklehead tried that, I'd pull him aside and give him
a warning. The second time, if there was one, I'd DQ him from
the tourney. At that point, if there were to be a third infraction,
I'd recommend to the venue that he be barred from playing
there.

lol david :)

i have to agree with you

if it was me

i'll tell that guys not changing period.

if he insist to change then don't play at all :)

Exactly, swapping after the game has started is BS, and certainly cheating.

Every BM or venue has to define a point where the tournament has officially started and what you've got is what you've got. Eyeballing other peoples stuff, setting up fake armies for people who eyeball yours, or just rethinking your own army and making changes, is all fine and prefectly legal.

Terman8er, you got cheated, based on what you described.

My beef was with other posts that came after, more or less stretching the definition of cheating.

Personally I think it's fun to try to scope out other stuff, and I know people do it to me. Heck, at FW one guy was even switched factions when he found out I was playing DF.

Look, make sure everyone is on the same page that once the tournament starts no one gets to change anything. Ask the BM to make everyone write it down, and if the BM is cheating, report him. And before the tournament don't show your army!

Anyone can correct me if I am wrong, but Terman8er, aren't you supposed to show your army prior to choosing terrain. Once you start choosing terrain, it is the start of the tourny, and as soon as the timer starts, you THEN roll off for who is P1. I know you got cheated, but aren't people supposed to show their armies prior to rolling off, AFTER everyone has created their army.

Anyway, I am glad I don't have this kind of problema t my venue. I would DQ the person from the event if he decided to do it after the timer started, or when people are choosing terrain to put into the terrain pool, or even after everyone is done building their armies, and has declared it.