last updated:
21.08.08 | 18:45 gmt
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written by:
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Dragon Slayer Tournament Rules
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All tournaments need rules and restrictions to make sure each game is as fair and equal as possible. The Warhammer Fantasy Battle tournaments run by the Dragon Slayers are no different, so please read these rules carefully! Many of these extra rules and clarifications have been used before at Dragon Slayer or other tournaments, so are tried and tested over many events. If you're not happy with anything, have a word with the tournament organiser.
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Nathan Hoole ponders over his moves at a Dragon Slayer tournament
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Overview
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Tournaments are generally run as a system of five games in the swiss chess manner and will use the rules from the sixth edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle as well as the rules and errata presented here. All officially-sanctioned Games Workshop rules or modifications - such as those from the Warhammer Annual 2002 or the Warhammer Chronicles from White Dwarf - will also be used.
Armies may only be selected from the relevant army book, unless the army is still limited to White Dwarf or has been updated in another Games Workshop publication. Armies taken from the Citadel Journal, the Internet or any other source may not be used.
There will be three games on Saturday and two on Sunday, at least three of these games having scenarios other than pitched battle, and the results from each game will be entered into a league using the current Dragon Slayer Scoring System. A printout of the league table will be posted on the notice board at the end of every round so you can find out who your next opponent is. Additionally, there will be scores for painting, sportsmanship and a rules quiz - as well as some kind of special scenario before each game - which will all be entered onto the league table at the end of the last game to keep players guessing!
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Armies
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Armies may only be selected from the relevant army book or other official Games Workshop publication (such as a Warhammer Annual or a White Dwarf), with the most recent version taking precedence. Armies taken from the Citadel Journal, the Internet or any other source may not be used.
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Players are not required to produce an army list before the tournament, but must make sure they bring two on the day - one for his own use and one for the Umpires.
On the army list each player must specify whether each unit has been painted by himself or someone else.
Players must make sure that the army lists they hand in are correct and conform exactly to the army that you will be using. All weapons, armour options and upgrades must be shown on the majority of the models in each unit. The Umpires will check the army lists scrupulously and any errors will incur a points deduction. It goes without saying that players should check and double check their lists before registering on the Saturday morning!
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Models do not have to be exclusively Citadel miniatures and conversions are welcome — in fact, they are positively encouraged! Players may feel free to use any miniatures they wish, but the models must be representative of the army in question. Proxies are frowned upon!
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No special characters from the Army Books or the Games Workshop website may be used. This includes Dogs of War special characters not included in a Regiment of Renown.
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Appendix armies from the back of the army books may not be used.
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Dogs of War and Mercenary Allies
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Dogs of War armies may be taken as per the Warhammer Annual 2002. In addition, other armies (including Ravening Hordes or White Dwarf updated armies) may take any Core, Special or Rare Unit from the list in the Warhammer Annual as a Rare Unit in his own army. Albion units are selected as normal.
Note that Dogs of War armies may use the various Regiments of Renown as listed in White Dwarf, but other armies may not select them as Rare choices.
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All armies are to be selected using the 2,000-3,000 point restrictions, but it must not exceed 2,500 points. Any army lists found to do so, either through design or error, will be penalised as the Umpires see fit.
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According to the special rules for each individual tournament, there may well be additional requirements - for example, many scenarios allow players to use extra characters or dioramas. Please pay close attention to these additional requirements!
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Games
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Please read your rulebooks, supplements and other relevant material to refresh your memory before attending a Dragon Slayer tournament. Remember that you may play against players who do not interpret the rules the same way as you do, so be prepared to compromise and accept the fact that you could be playing the rule incorrectly.
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Players' opponents are to be drawn randomly on the day by the tried and tested name-in-a-hat system, so be prepared to play anybody. The subsequent rounds are of course to be decided by the swiss chess system.
Please note that grudges are allowed, as long as both players notify the tournament organiser.
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Games are to be six turns long or up to a maximum of 3 hours (whichever is shorter). This includes setting up and any special scenarios, so don’t hang about. If you don’t have enough time to finish your game, work out your victory points when you stop and hand them in. You’ll get plenty of warning before your time is up.
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If there are any rules questions that can’t be resolved by either looking in the rulebook, talking with each other or rolling a D6 and getting on with the game, have a word with one of the Umpires. Please check the rulebooks prior to asking the Umpire — most answers are in there somewhere — but once an Umpire makes a ruling, that decision is binding.
Note that Umpires will interfere with a game if they see errors being made, or if something is going on that goes against the rules. Play fair!
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When you’re playing somebody the last thing you need is somebody telling your opponent what to do or how to play against your army. If someone deliberately sits down beside another player and begins to coach (and that includes reminding them they’ve forgotten something), that person will get a severe talking to and if he persists in doing it will get a points deduction in his own games, or a good slapping of course. The old adage “two heads are better than one” does not apply here!
If you see an error going on during a game, don’t interfere — leave that to the Umpires. Call them over instead!
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All ‘cocked’ dice must be re-rolled, and any special dice rolls must be declared before they are made and witnessed by either your opponent or an acceptable independent (i.e. an Umpire). Note that all dice must be rolled, not dropped or spun.
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Remember that there is a sequence of play. Should you forget to rally that 500-point unit with your General – tough, it is your fault. Do not use the ‘puppy dog eyes’ tactic and try to make your opponent feel guilty, this is unfair. Accept your mistake and get on with the game.
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If you find that you’re paired against someone you’ve already played, talk to the players on the tables next to you and swap with them to play somebody different. There shouldn’t be any repeat encounters - talk to the Umpires as a last resort; they’ll sort you out.
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Club members who find themselves playing another member of their club may not swap with other players, unless they have already played their opponent before in the tournament.
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Tournament Scoring
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The tournament will be scored according to the following guidelines. There may also be additional scoring for each game dependant upon the scenario being played so make sure you know what's going on!
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Games will be scored using the system given in the Warhammer rulebook on page 198. For example, if you lose a unit that costs 175 points, then the enemy will receive 175 points for that unit if it is destroyed, fleeing at the end of the battle or fled from the table.
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Some games may have additional scoring depending upon the scenario being played. Please make sure you are aware what scoring is available, and how to get it, by reading the scenario rules closely - have a look at some of the scenarios we've used in the past at the Dragon Slayer Scenarios section.
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At some point during each game players will be given a score sheet to fill in, after a good battering of course. Please note that only the victory points scored by both players - and any additional scenario scores of course - must be entered on this score sheet. The Umpires will work out the league points and adjust the league table accordingly!
For a full explanation of league points, have a look at the Dragon Slayer Scoring System page.
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Your progress through the tournament will not be judged entirely on your game scores. Your final rank within the tournament is based on league points and they will depend mostly upon whether you have won, lost or drawn your games (as well as additional scoring such as painting or sportsmanship); but it will also incorporate some of the victory points you have scored, thus ensuring you don't give up after two turns.
For a full explanation of league points and how they are calculated, have a look at the Dragon Slayer Scoring System page.
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There are, of course, other scores that you or your army will be judged upon - painting, sportsmanship and so on. There is even a rules quiz!
For a full explanation of these additional scoring systems, have a look at the Dragon Slayer Additional Scoring page.
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Setting Up for Battle
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Before each game, players must adhere to the following rules for setting up the battle.
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In the manner of the Warhammer Players Society tournament rules, all terrain must be brought by the players themselves and generated randomly before each game. If you are unsure how the WPS' terrain generation system works, ensure you visit their website and download the appropriate rules.
Feel free to discuss the effects of terrain with your opponent before the battle. Basically, as long as you agree on what effects a piece of terrain has, everything should be fine. If you can’t agree, dice for it or, failing that, call over an Umpire and as well as deciding he’ll give you both a slap for being girly whinging gits.
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All games will use the pitched battle scenario found on pages 199-200 of the rulebook, and all deployment will follow the rules given there. Please note, however, that other scenarios used may alter deployment rules, so please pay careful attention to them.
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Both players must be prepared to display their army on the battlefield prior to deployment. This means that your opponent can see, in a general sense, what you have and react accordingly, which is perfectly fair.
However, it is felt by the Dragon Slayers that the swapping of army lists is detrimental to the game ahead — after all, a real general wouldn’t know everything his opponent has up his sleeve, he’d only vaguely know what he was up against. Besides, it makes life more interesting if players don’t know what magic banners or poisonous attacks certain units have!
Because of this players are not allowed to swap army lists before the battle and are urged not to show their opponents their own army list. If anybody tries to gain advantage by doing so, players must call over an Umpire.
Players may feel free to swap army lists after the game, however!
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The selection of spells, however, is done openly and both players must be aware of the other’s magical proficiency. Wizards have immense magical awareness and know exactly what his opponent can and can’t do with their magic!
Please make sure all spells are rolled for before deployment as they may affect the positioning of wizards.
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Having laid down some stringent rules, please bear in mind that players may feel free to discuss with their opponent any of the game’s rules or any special rules regarding their army that may be ambiguous or unknown. As long as both players agree on how to play things there should be no arguments, and if there are, there’s always an Umpire about.
Please remember to be patient and be willing to point out paragraphs in the rulebook if you cannot come to an agreement. If players have to call over an Umpire, remember that most questions can be answered directly from the Warhammer rulebook. Also remember the old adages: “if it means that much to you...” and “a game won by a quarter of an inch is no win at all.”
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Wednesday, 07 January 2009
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