The way this works is, I'll name a handfull of figures that I feel most people agree should be banned.

Then the next person should imagine the game without the figures that have been added to the "banned" list. If that person feels that the game would be "balanced" then they should say so - if they feel that this would make another figure too powerful in the environment, then that figure should be added to the list.

For starters, it seems that most people feel that these figures should get the axe :

Amazon Drac
Bakus
Corpheus

This is the starting of the banned list; if you feel it is complete - just say that the game would be balanced, but if you feel that something else should be added - just copy the list and add your thoughts. Copy from the last list posted and do not take any figures off of the list that someone else puts on there.

shield golem

for starters, if you ban corphy and AD, you take away the good pieces with 13 attack. yes, there is still the auto damage but using a toughness tank will negate that. this also limits the number of usable figures because of the lacking attack rating. although this encourages the usage of formation attacks, formations aren't too good these days.

Amazon Drac
Bakus
Corpheus
shield golem
Orc stonethrower

First off the game will never be balanced - there's no such thing. Only varying degrees of unbalance.

Amazon Drac
Bakus
Corpheus
shield golem
OST
IRHG

You want an area this banning really falls apart look at conquest castle pieces and chariots. To have these pieces be competitive you need to ban all figures that can double range attack dragons, titans, etc....

THrow in all ME figures as they're definitely unbalancing to the game at the conquest level.

Gets real silly real fast.

Nice job Yandros...getting to the heart of a matter!

I should sit still and be quiet because I never play in sanctioned campaigns or tournaments anymore, so these debates about banning don't really apply to me. But, we know I won't do that!

Howe'er....if I knew for a fact that I wasn't going to see the Amazon Drac, Corpheus or ANY LE's, I would be a happy guy.

I would expand the list to exclude all LE's. I propose that LE's should be more in the "collectible" trophy arena, and not as relied upon for army building as they are. Fine for casual play, but leave that 10" charge and Conquest LE silliness on the shelf with the bowling trophies sometimes.

:)

My list:
Amazon Draconum
ANY titan/MDF in Rebellion

Thats it. Bakus is ONLY 3 DMG! Gawd, people, stop whining about 3 measly dmg with pierce. Corpheus is was to glass-jawed to be considered "broken" and you can still have a chance to hit a 20, its just not great odds.

wouldnt the banned list change that statement??? I think the main reason why formations :aren't too good htese days" would be the triple f/l 22 i nch range mother. Without him.. this statement might be a little less true.

I think this format, without the aformentioned 3 figures would be quite balanced.

Lets look at the main "centerpieces" or "archtypes" after these three disappear.

Pyre Spirit
Totally legit. Can be countered with toughness.. stays

Aycorn Trueshot
3 damage, low defense. Incredible bound range, but quite counterable. The same here goes for Roleric, Scarabet, *** Sisliths and the like.

Khumeret of Caero
Questionable. Low attack -> point cost ratio makes him a little more legit.

OST
Questionable. I don't think many campaigns/ event are allowing titans in small unlimited games anyways.

Wind Minion, Zombie Baron
Both become less dominant as the game would shift away from bound.

Troll Tank, with shield golem.
As easily counterable as it always has been. Its still static range, and we still have CPs.

If you think of any others, post them.

If these figures are banned:

Corpheus
Bakus
Khumeret
Amazon Drac
OST

Then I think all 14" rangers should be banned:
Striker
Storm Golem
Thunder Golem
Heirophant

No one can touch their range. Sure I can use LI or a blocker, but that just sacrifices points.

Plus, Shield Golems, EGM, Eldritch Draconum and other 19 Defenders. Too hard to hit that defense with the figures left.

ummm well i wouldnt ban stonethrowers after all they can no longer be inhanced .....
but if everything listed above were to go ide have to say the next would need to be the GFD...... him and the IRHG have become complete monsters since the stonethrowers have weakened and theres no yoyo anymore/multi-ram ect...ect....

getting rid of 14 inch range uniques is silly. use terrain. it helps. as for 19 defend figs, so what? formations take out defend easily. venom and ram help as well. getting rid of 2 of the best healers in the game is nuts. EGM is one of the most fragile figures, and even the eldritch falls after some venom, even with his high point value. dont you see? once you remove one thing, you leave a massive gap. in a vain attempt to sew the gap together, we tug at one end and stretch it until it breaks too. soon, we're banning everything until we end up with goblin volinteers and imps. BUT WAIT! goblin volinteers have beserk and imps dont! out with the goblin volunteers, they're way too broke. *rollseyes*

Tezlacore.

He's such a beast in dungeons..

;)

How about a macro-game rule that automatically weakens boring unique figures. If 2 players bring the same unique to the table - that unique is removed from play for the game.

There's an anti-cheese rule for you.

"Oh, you both brought Skyros,Black Dirge, Corpheus, Marrow, Mondralavis and Amazon Draconum to the table. I guess your imps will have to settle this by themselves....."

what's wrong with LE's though? most of them are worth their point value and aren't game breakers

OMG - that is a cool begining of an idea

Wouldn't work for Nationals or whatever.. but for local tourneys you could do a rule that you get -1 to attack for each other person that is playing the same unique in the tourney!

so if 4 people play ADs, she gets -3 to attack, and if only one person plays a Chaos Mage then there is no negative... I like the concept.

@Kinkalous: LOL! I didnt think of Tezlacore...I guess a free command roll every turn is just as lame, but he does act as a roadblock...sorta....

@ Godmagnus: How many armies have you tried to put together and get reviewed only to have someone post back..."well, the army would be good, but I would use x,y, and z LE instead!" Look at that list again, Corpheus, Bakus, Skyros, Mondravalis....yes, they are all built on the same point cost, but it seems that the debate is whether they SHOULD have been made in the first place.

The "highlander" approach to Uniques is a pretty cool one.....the -1 per repeated Unique could get awful at a big tournament!

:)