Iron scorpius variant - can't take the same model more than once?

[Maniacal_cackle]

Next month's tournament for the vassal world series uses the Iron Scorpius format (can't take the same master more than once), and it got me thinking...

Has anyone tried a variant of Iron Scorpius where you can't take the same model more than one round? So you could use two shieldbearers in round 3, but then couldn't use them in rounds 1, 2, or 4?

It seems like it'd be an interesting way to ensure a lot more keyword models see play, since the powerful versatile and OOK options wouldn't be spammed every round. On the other hand, some factions might just cease to be viable entirely (Guild?) and some would take a big hit (Arcanists, TT?)

[Jesy Blue]

Highlander Rules ("There can be only one!"). That's super hard mode!

I think we used to do that with MtG & L5R back in the day.

 

[Higgybeans]

An interesting concept. As a guild player I still think it would be viable (but I'm not the best player and don't do too much OOK) but I think it could be a fun thing to try!

[Ogid]

26 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

Next month's tournament for the vassal world series uses the Iron Scorpius format (can't take the same master more than once), and it got me thinking...

Has anyone tried a variant of Iron Scorpius where you can't take the same model more than one round? So you could use two shieldbearers in round 3, but then couldn't use them in rounds 1, 2, or 4?

It seems like it'd be an interesting way to ensure a lot more keyword models see play, since the powerful versatile and OOK options wouldn't be spammed every round. On the other hand, some factions might just cease to be viable entirely (Guild?) and some would take a big hit (Arcanists, TT?)

Agree, very interesting concept and it'd also be informative to check the internal balance of the factions and see how hard factions depends on some picks.

I also think Guild would be terrible in that format, all their competitive lists use the same models over and over again and those would be gone from turn 2 (but maybe some gifted player could surprise us, who knows). I'm not that concerned about TT or ARC tbh. TT have several strong masters that can be strong picks without much OOK on top of a strong versatile pool and also quite a few ways to get healing and Focused; ARC also have several strong choices, a good number of supports that may last the entire tournament and SS cache gives them a lot of versatility to adapt.

[Adran]

1 hour ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

Next month's tournament for the vassal world series uses the Iron Scorpius format (can't take the same master more than once), and it got me thinking...

Has anyone tried a variant of Iron Scorpius where you can't take the same model more than one round? So you could use two shieldbearers in round 3, but then couldn't use them in rounds 1, 2, or 4?

It seems like it'd be an interesting way to ensure a lot more keyword models see play, since the powerful versatile and OOK options wouldn't be spammed every round. On the other hand, some factions might just cease to be viable entirely (Guild?) and some would take a big hit (Arcanists, TT?)

Last M2e UK GT I tried a varient, I stuck with 1 master ( Marcus) for all 7 rounds, but other than the master and the totem every other model was unique during the hiring steps. 

At the time you could hire out of faction mercenaries so I also made each list contain a crossroads7 model. I think I wrote up all the games in the battle reports forum. 2018 ukgt report or something similar...

Edit -Marcus at the crossroads is the title of the thread but can't work out how to link on my phone. It's page 3 or 4 at the moment.

[Jesy Blue]

1 hour ago, Adran said:

Edit -Marcus at the crossroads is the title of the thread but can't work out how to link on my phone. It's page 3 or 4 at the moment.

 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Another variant I'm considering is Keyword Scorpius.

Can't declare the same master more than once, can only use keyword models. At the start of the tournament, you can declare any versatile model without a keyword hireable in one crew.

This would have largely the same effect, though, I think? Except it would kill off models that are better out of keyword than in keyword (like Bete Noire).

Could also do this without the Scorpius part to accommodate smaller collections.

[touchdown]

For models that you can normally hire multiple of, could I take one each in multiple lists? Like have 1 prospector in 3 different lists. Or once I hire a single prospector, it's done?

[Scoffer]

I'm strongly against restrictive formats, because they make the game poor and less balanced.

Iron Scorpius was originally invented as a personal challenge and that's what it should be. If one wants to play the game hard mode (henchman leader, iron scorpius, single leader, single crew, playing with one hand tied behind your back etc) it's fine and I'll be the first to pay respects. But it shouldn't be a restriction for everyone on a tournament.

[Adran]

50 minutes ago, Scoffer said:

I'm strongly against restrictive formats, because they make the game poor and less balanced.

Iron Scorpius was originally invented as a personal challenge and that's what it should be. If one wants to play the game hard mode (henchman leader, iron scorpius, single leader, single crew, playing with one hand tied behind your back etc) it's fine and I'll be the first to pay respects. But it shouldn't be a restriction for everyone on a tournament.

I would disagree on the fact if I want to run an event with weird restrictions, then I should be able to do so. You would be welcome to not play in such an event, but you shouldn't be able to stop me running it.

And whilst I agree it'd be less balanced, I expect a lot of people won't have spent enough time playing with such restrictions that they have out right worked out the best options so it's much harder to know which models have a major power shift and so the imbalance are much less likely to show. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

4 hours ago, touchdown said:

For models that you can normally hire multiple of, could I take one each in multiple lists? Like have 1 prospector in 3 different lists. Or once I hire a single prospector, it's done?

I would lean towards taking any number disqualifies for future rounds. Otherwise there would probably be some OP minions you would see a lot, like nurses.

4 hours ago, Scoffer said:

I'm strongly against restrictive formats, because they make the game poor and less balanced.

Iron Scorpius was originally invented as a personal challenge and that's what it should be. If one wants to play the game hard mode (henchman leader, iron scorpius, single leader, single crew, playing with one hand tied behind your back etc) it's fine and I'll be the first to pay respects. But it shouldn't be a restriction for everyone on a tournament.

Personally I find restrictions quite fun. Of course before organising a tournament, I would check the general local opinion on the format.

[Maogrim]

Interesting concept to freshen up the tournament meta. On the other hand restrictions like this make it harder to participate for newer yet competitive players who may have just completed one or two masters plus some key versatiles and don't own an entire faction.

[Maniacal_cackle]

1 hour ago, Maogrim said:

Interesting concept to freshen up the tournament meta. On the other hand restrictions like this make it harder to participate for newer yet competitive players who may have just completed one or two masters plus some key versatiles and don't own an entire faction.

Yeah, for in person tournaments I would always include a caveat for players with smaller crews (like an option to just run one master for every round, or to say the limit no longer applies once you've used every crew you have once).