Matty_C wrote:
I'm having some problems applying the points formula as it stands to companies, and to a lesser extent support detachments.
My main issue is that I want companies to be flexible in composition, with adding of transports being optional and different detachments assigned to companies. So they don't have a set number of models, so the break point calculation in the morale section isn't practically applicable.
I should get a revised PDF out soon with point values for companies in it, but there might be some refinements to the points formula I have to make. I think I will apply the morale factor to half of a unit's base cost so that there is just a simple cost per model/stand. That seems like the easiest work around.
Also the onus will be on players to calculate their own company break points, points values and victory points. But it shouldn't be too tricky for our group to use.
If anyone else is thinking of using the formula to calculate points values of variable sized formations then they will have similar problems with the morale section of the formula. If you are sticking to fixed size and uniform composition companies then you should be right.
Morale should not be giving you problems. The only issue with variable composition formations should be Break Point, and which models count into which sub-category thereof. Also, Break Point is not a sub-category under Morale. Both Morale and Break Point are sub-categories under Formation building.
As is obvious, the intent of the Formation rules as written are for building fixed-composition formations. Variable composition formations do not exist in Gold, and in my opinion should not exist at all as it destroys the base concept of having preset formations. If a player wants a formation with a different composition of models, they can use the formula to build it. Still, this exact discussion did come up in the Platinum thread and we came up with a work-around there (albeit for an earlier version of the formula, so that fix is out of date), so we can come up with one here. Read that thread to see how it was worked out for that.
Negative, don't go changing the rules. Apply the Morale adjustment to the Model cost before any other formation modifiers. Break Point should be the last thing adjusted for, except possibly for Formation Type.
Actually, this is simple to solve. For example, say you have a detachment of Infantry stands and you want to have the option for them to have a couple of Transport options, or none at all. To begin with, calculate the total value of the formation without any Transports. Then also calculate the value of the formation with each Transport option. Now you have the values for all possible options and you can present these options to the player either as "You have these choices that cost X, Y, & Z" or "The basic formation costs X, to add A costs +N, to add B costs +H, etc". The final result of this would probably look a lot like the "Expanded Formations" I posted for Marines and Guard a while ago.
So long as your options are detachment-based, this should be a reasonable work-around. If you are trying to give options on a stand-by-stand or model-by-model basis, then you are basically trying to recreate the formula and you should not be doing that. If someone wants that level of customization, they can work their way through the Formation Building part of the formula on their own.
In other words, the formula itself is already made for calculating the value of a variably sized formation. The only reason to pre-create formations is when they are of fixed composition.
If you absolutely have to have your pre-made formations have model-by-model options, then just doing 50% is far too simplistic and will produce inaccurate results that will NOT be compatible with other formula based formations. For all non-Command models, you will have to take the average of the Iterative (first group) value (0.75 for a BP of half, etc) and the Broken (second group: varies by Morale) value. For example, for a Company or other formation with a BP of half the total number of models and a Morale score of 3 (40% or 0.4), the amount you would adjust each model by would be (0.75 + 0.4)/2 = 0.58. If the BP is anything other than half, that ratio will have to be taken into account. For example, for a formation where all models are Morale 3 and has a BP of 2/3rds (0.833), the average would have to be found as per (0.833 + 0.833 + 0.4)/3 = 0.69. Command models are always adjusted as per Morale of -- or 0.7.
As a note, I have actually done the above myself for the few instances in Gold where the contents of a formation are variable amongst fixed options. Examples would include the Imperial Deathstrike Launchers and Ork Renegade Mekboyz formations. There are a few others, but not many. I'll have to add a note about this to the Formula thread, as well as make it clearer that Break Point is not a sub-set of Morale.