FW: [Epic] deathstrikes

From: Miller, Chris <CMiller_at_...>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 16:56:36 -0500

>
>> may seem to the E40K guys, I think they're toned down from what they
>> were. Still unpleasant, but not a win-the-game-in-one-turn type thing
>
>> anymore.
>
>After reading your descriptions and feeling rather nauseous, I think
>I'll be grateful that I never played my occasional IG opponent under
>SM/TL. This guy hardly owns anything other than artillery,
>deathstrikes and the occasional leman russ. I have to kid him
>constantly to get him to bring out any infantry and then it's an
>inquisitor lord... <bleagh> Anyway, my battles against him are becoming
>more occasional as time goes on.
>
>Regards,
>
>- Erik

Note the mentioned correction to the arty co #'s - it was still nasty
though. The deathstrikes worked as advertised though.
        The IG aren't neccessarily unbalanced (in either version)
but they certainly can be, and it seems like many people want to
play them that way - "Troopers suck - I like tanks" etc. It happens
some with eldar too, especially in SM/TL with "guardians suck -
why would anyone ever take them?". It's not as bad with eldar, but
it still bugs me. You take grunt troopers because they're the core
of your army, the majority, and personally I think an IG force
without troopers is under immediate suspicion, especially in
your larger battles. This often comes up as the mark of a
powergamer - "I want to win, pushing the limits of the rules,
without regards to the fluff/background text". It would never even
occur to me to take 60 Deathstrikes. That's just moronic. Even for
a special scenario, it's ridiculous. Games, especially with a point
system for buying troops, are based on the assumption of a
"typical" army. Game balance goes out the window with a force
like was mentioned before. If the only infantry in an IG force is
the commander, I'd say they have a problem. If you're using
500 pts and it's supposed to be an all tank force, OK. If you're
playing 2000 points, I think it's abusive. Star Fleet Battles has
had this discussion numerous times over the years, and I will
point out the same things:
1) If all you ever play with are the "best" units, then you are
missing a lot of the game.
2) Sometimes what you think is the "best" may not really
turn out that way in a particular game or against a certain
opponent.
3) It's unrealistic to think that there are special, unique,
or elite units in every battle. Sometimes it's grunts vs grunts.
Special ought to be special.
4) If you push a points system far enough, it will break down.
Sure, 10 bloodthirsters in a unit will probably stomp anything
it meets in HTH. What if you opponent takes all ranged attacks
and shoots it before it gets into HTH? Same points, but the
demons never had a chance. Are the two forces equal in
effectiveness? No. You could spend all of your points on
troops with no ranged attack, I spend mine on units with all
ranged attacks. These are not balanced forces, even though
they cost the same.

Rant over (for now)



Chris Miller
Received on Thu Jul 24 1997 - 21:56:36 UTC