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Terrain Nitpick: Bigger buildings need 3 entry points


Hagisman

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This is a hold over from when I played M2e, but is still valid in M3e. 

For most building terrain pieces there should be at least 3 entry points. Why am I bringing this up? Because a lot of the time terrain can change how combat goes. In particular there were times where I'd From the Shadows a model into the second floor of a building and he just sat there defending a scheme marker. None of my opponents models had a chance. Because the building was pretty big, the only entrance was an outside stair case on my side of the field, and he had no models with flight/incorporeal to get inside. We calculated how many movements it would take for him to get there and by the time his model could I would have scored all 3 of my points from that scheme marker. What would I have done to make this building more accessible? Instead of just the outside staircase I would have thrown in a interior stairwell, and I'd put a ladder up to one of the windows and treat it as a doorway.

What does having 1 entry point do?

  • Your model is trapped with only one exit. 
  • Your model gets cover if within Line of Sight.
  • Your opponent cannot interact with that model if its outside of Line of Sight. 
  • Your opponent will have to get to that 1 entry point to get inside. Which is likely the opposite face to their deployment zone.

What does having 3 entry points do?

  • Your model has options to escape if cornered.
  • Your opponent doesn't have to walk around an entire building to get inside.

Why 3 and not 2?

  • 2 would mean that your opponent knows where you will retreat to.
  • 3 gives more options for retreat.
  • 3 allows for versatility in case that one side of the board needs more help than another.

What is 1 entry point good for?

  • Small buildings that are used for cover, such as Outhouses and Small Shacks.
  • Small hiding places for models who need protection.

What is 2 entry point good for?

  •  Short Covered Bridges
  • Gun lanes

What is 3 entry point good for?

  • Medium to Large Buildings for more flexibility in escape routes.

So please, when you look at buildings maybe decide to throw on a few more entry points/doorways instead of having just a big 1 entry point coffin for a model to sit in all game.

Thoughts? Critiques? Please reply below. I know some people might not agree with me 100% on this, but I think that it might be a good practice to adopt for tournament play or at the very least to make your casual games a more interactive experience.

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If you are playing with buildings that have a footprint of 6" or smaller (advised in the rules" then having no entry points seems the best option, that is how we play.  Otherwise if you are going for a theme around a building such as a big factory, I do agree that a minimum of three is the best.  Possibly allowing windows as an option and adding the rule that 1 action to break a window or open, close a door could add to some interesting moments.

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The only buildings my locals tend to use are either the typical "two separate halves of ruin" or solid blocks with balcony's and rooftops. The sentiment seems to be "make it look as close to the setting as possible, but balance it like making a map in a first person shooters pvp mode". Sometimes you gotta give up on some flavour in the name of your map layout serving the game better. I figure thats why everything companies like GW make are open air or half crumbled ruins.

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Our general viewpoint, when playing other miniature games, was always allow any window to also be used as an entry or exit point.  This goes a long way towards balancing the mechanics around buildings.

 

Additionally, I would say that you don't allow models to enter any building unless there are multiple terrain pieces on the table that are a similar height.  I don't mind you hiding a model on the second story as long as there are terrain pieces that allow me to get up to the same height and shoot through a window.  Sure, you will have cover.  So will I when you shoot back.

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