Indeed it's doing exactly what it was intended to to: Reflect an old version of the Warhammer 40,000 rules that has been sensibly forgotten about in Warhammer 40,000, and should in my opinion also be sensibly forgotten about in Epic too...

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Well, I just tend to use Undivided formations, with the occasional Slaanesh or Tzeentch formation thrown in because I've got some blue and pink Chaos Marines.

Black Legion armies don't need Factions at all, since so little of the army is dependent on requiring a Faction, and especially not more than three at a time, unless you want more Daemon Princes, right T_R_C?  

The Faction rule has no real effect since it doesn't force a "hard choice" at all, and everyone just defaults to "1+ init" anyway.

Lost and the Damned shows the other side of that coin, requiring specific Factions for specific support options, so there's possible "conflict".

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"EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer

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True. Faction rules are totally useless and unneeded in BlackLegion list. In LatD it is much more importand.

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I wouldn't say "totally useless"; as a limitation on upgrades it's fine... the "hatred" part of it is the "useless" part.

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"EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer

Now living in Boston... any EPIC players want to meet up?

Well yea ok not "totally" The upgrade limitation is ok so that you can't mix different factions in the same formation.

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I'd prefer the faction rules were just dropped in total. Daemons of different factions dislike each other (at least in some editions of the game), but I don't see it having battlefield-wide consequences unless special situations (scenarios) are in effect.

Nah, 3 are enough for me (FF one, CC one and undivided one!). Besides its Ginger that is more keen on them, or at least discussing them!

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I wouldn't say I was especially keen on DPs - quite the reverse actually. I have always contended that the BL list is slightly overpowered, and the DP is one of the units that seems OTT (along with the Obliterator in its current form).

The Faction rule provides a brake on the number of these (and indeed specialist Daemons) that can be put into an army. In that sense it is indeed doing what the rule intended - providing everyone remembers the small print etc, and that is the point; people usually forget it.

I really like the principle behind BL's idea; building the faction characteristics into the way you build the army. Can we try to develop this idea in a way that is acceptable? For example, drop the hatred part of the rule but restrict the army to using any two out of the four factions; or giving undivided formations initiative 1+, but any faction orientated formation 2+ etc. I am sure there are lots of 'creative' ways we could build some characterfull colour into the list that provides some choices to the player, which in turn would make the list more enjoyable.

IMHO the alternative suggestion of dropping the rule entirely, allowing a free choice of Daemons and DPs etc you are effectively increasing the power of the list.

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How about making them 2+ basic, but giving +2 to their favoured actions, so 0+?

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Epic: Hive Development Thread