I don't know if anyone else thought of this, I feel stupid for not thinking of it earlier...

If Wizkid$ would just introduce faction abilities to the older factions things would be alot less agrivating at venues (I know I get fired up when people bring the best of the best just to win). If you go faction pure, you can use the abilities. If not, you don't. As easy said as done. Well this might have (and probably has) been said a million times. But here's one more time for good luck. Come on Wizkids!

At our venue we have an unspoken "Faction Pure" rule for the more experienced players (IE. the ones with enough figs to put together a pure force) and we never see a cheese army. Why? Because no one faction has enough of the right pieces to put one togther. Now, you can make some brutal armies (BH with DF ATV squads) that push that envelope, but none that win consistently. Mostly you see balanced armies that try and work around each faction's shortcomings. The games are alot of fun and I would suggest it to everyone. Imagine what would happen if Wizkids made Constructed tournaments (including Nationals/Worlds) faction pure. I think the games would be driven more by tactics and strategy than by who has the most broken figs. Just my 2 cents.

Wait, so you're saying it should be decided by broken figs? My problem with mixed armies is that most I saw were DF trikes or ATV's, SS Balac, Merc or SSArrow, etc. Things wouldn't HAVE to be faction pure, but if someone did play it, they'd get rewarded by chemistry of the warriors.

In general I think this is a good idea, but here's a flaw in your logic - none of the new faction abilities require faction purity at all. Jade Falcon and Sea Fox units all have the abilites regardless of faction purity. In fact, the only abilities that ever even encouraged faction pure play were Awe, which required 1/2 of your army to be :^^^: Liao units, and Fanaticism, which heals nearby Liao units when another Liao unit dies. I think Faction Abilities for old factions is a cool idea, but I'm not sure how it encourages Faction Purity.

Besides, all the Liao and now CLF and CSF units are accurately priced with the factors of faction abilities added in. It is somewhat like the Mercs, who are better for their points because of no formations.

It is somewhat like the Mercs, who are better for their points because of no formations.
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ullerdf

Merc infantry with a 7 attack is better than a similar infantry with a 6 attack? SC Shock Troop, for example has a 6 attack, 8" range with two targets, costs 16 points and can get a formation bonus that pushes the attack up as high as 14. How can the Merc Shock Troop with bypass for 18 points compete with that?

Ummm.... it can take over a mech.

It was the first infantry that had a 10" jump and bypass. Also it was one of two (I think) bypass units at the time. Back then it was definately worth it.

merc shocks have 8 inch jump.

IMO, the only superior mercenary infantry are the following:
Kanazuchi
Greay Death BA
and all 4 Mikos' squad

The best you can do is use house rules. If you've got a consistent group at your venue talk it up and see if you can get your BM to do house rules; otherwise, go like me and play with a smaller group of friends. Less hastle, no long drives, and nobody wins the cheeze so you don't have to worry about that comming in off of anything but ebay. Works for me. Kindof small group though :(

Our group are so fanatically loyal to thier individual or couple of factions that faction purity is just assumed every game and no one ever comes with anything other than that for fear of being laughed out of the joint. "No prize is worth your reputation and the respect of the other players" seems to be the attitude at our venue and I sure do appreciate that outlook as it makes every event a lot of fun with plenty of bragging rights and lots of loyality towards factions.

That being said, I can't imagine playing any other way. When I play at other venues I really don't enjoy it as much as I do at ours, especially when I encounter the min/max, fluff illogical forces that you see out there.

Gebus

Ok. I guess I should have said that Mercs have more special equipment and better stats for their price than a faction equivilent. Happy?

The older factions may not have faction abilities counted into their point costs, but if the faction abilities were based on a 100% faction pure battleforce (no mercs even), then a player would be giving up the option of using better units for using a faction pure force.

On the other hand, some might argue that fire formations and move formations are a form of general faction ability for everybody except Mercs and CSF.

Venues like that make me shake my head. An atmosphere like that isn't far off from a prize-hunting player.

I really think you must be exaggerating when you say any player that shows up not playing faction pure will get laughed at, but I get the impression that you guys frown upon it. That's very silly, just because a player likes to play competitively, you shouldn't frown upon him.

It is not necessarily true that a player who plays competitively is playing for the prize and not to have fun.

It is necessarily true that an atmosphere that is negative or condenscending towards players who do not want to play faction pure or mechless or tank drop or whatever is poor sportsmanship.

Let me make it clear, I'm not accusing you of being among the ranks of these unpleasant players (and I have met some), but you have to understand how your post reads, it sounds really really bad. Unless of course you're only referring to your circle of players and not any new players that show up.

I got the impression he was referring strictly to his circle, not new
players. I think you overreacted to his post. ;)

It's been my experience that most who embrace faction pure
play also played/play CBT while most who play rainbow armies
never played CBT. CBT loyalties tend to carry over to MWDA -
those who were loyal to Davion in CBT are loyal to Swordsworn
in MWDA, etc.

I'm not classifying you as one or the other. Simply stating what
I've observed. Take it for what it's worth. :)


David