Hello 40k tournament fanatics, the Head LVO Judge Salty John is here from TFG Radio and is bringing you a final update for the 40k Championships at the Las Vegas Open 2023!
If you didn’t see the previous announcements please read them here and here.
Let’s get the big news out of the way first. For several weeks, there have been many rumors about the new Astra Militarum codex and what will, or won’t, be allowed from it about how the secondaries will be addressed, etc. Currently the policy Games Workshop has in place is that the Astra Militarum codex will not be legal at official events until it has received a full release, meaning not just the box set. When it becomes legal, we expect Games Workshop to update the Balance Dataslate to reflect the necessary changes. We, as many other major 40k events have already done, will follow the policy Games Workshop has in place, meaning the new Astra Militarum codex, as of this writing, is not legal for the Las Vegas Open 2023.
For clarity, this is GW explaining the rationale behind their policy on Codex viability before full product release. Jump to about 7:15 in the video for the relevant discussion.
Next up on the docket, the Player Packet has been finalized. This includes having the missions listed. We will be playing the missions in order out of the Nephilim GT Book, Missions 1-9 for rounds 1-9. The Shadow Round, should it be necessary, will use a Mission from Nephilim rolled at random by our Shadow Round judge, Daniel Ruiz. We have also finalized the terrain section of the packet. Besides the aforementioned change to how the bottom floor will be played for certain pieces of terrain, we have also taken further steps to help mitigate the advantage of placing the first piece of terrain. Certain terrain sets now have pieces marked with a C, these pieces are preset and do not move. Another change is with the terrain being used, we have gone to great lengths to make sure the least popular terrain sets will be used the most sparingly and are the first sets that will be phased out of use due to drops and event attendee attrition.
Lastly, I am happy to publicly post the new FLG Paint Rubric for the Las Vegas Open 2023. Every player who wants to be paint-judged will be judged using this rubric. The scores will be input by a trained judge via an online form, these scores will be made public so every player can see their scores. The publication of your score is for the purposes of transparency, scores cannot be disputed, and a paint judge’s scores are final. With a large number of players at LVO, it is a very time-consuming, and difficult, task to paint-judge the event and we do not have the time and resources to go back and re-judge armies.
Please remember that even with a rubric judging the Hobby side of Warhammer events is still a highly subjective activity. It is entirely possible two judges could have different scores for the same army, the point of the rubric is to help the judges look for the same factors and make you aware of what those criteria are.
The LVO 40k Judges and TOs strive every year to bring you the best possible experience at the world’s largest Warhammer 40k event and I can’t wait to see you all there in a few short weeks!
So no new Guard codex and losing both PA: The Greater Good and War Zone Octarius 1. That really hurts as someone looking to bring guard to the event.
Yeah, understandable, but if the dex is released in time we can pivot, we just don’t know when that is. Check out the video I added for GW’s explanation on the topic.
Are the dice that you’re going to require for top table play available for purchase?
No they are not, they can only be earned.
Wasn’t the position of ITC for years that final decisions are up the the TOs?
I just find it amazing that guard will go ALL of 9th not using their codex at LVO.
Not our call on the policy, I added GW’s explanation in the video above if you wish to have more clarity.
I understand and respect going with GW’s communicated policy and plans on this. I do want to say that it still *is* FLG’s call. There’s no authority making you rule otherwise.
That said, I’m confident your excellent team will go with the ruling that makes for the best competitive tournament environment possible.
This realy is disapointing…. Hoped to finaly fight with new rules….
Guard player here. First time signing up for LVO. I’m dumbfounded that GW and LVO would both disallow the new book AND remove our Cadian supplement.
Astra Militarum is the only faction that can’t be played with 9th edition rules? Why? I am holding their codex in my hands. I played a game with a friend yesterday with the new rules. I have an RTT on Saturday letting me play with the new rules.
It’s not like LVO follows GW rules to the letter in every other case. Player placed terrain does not follow GWs guidelines for play. Frontline can rule that windows are an closed on the bottom story as an abstraction, but they can’t rule that “” becomes “Regimental” in the guard secondaries? Give me a break guys. Does this also mean that Votann can’t take their codex secondaries because they don’t exist in the Nephilim book? Why bother making balance changes outside of GWs ruleset at all if you’re going to leave entire factions in the dust.
So, what do we get as a consolidation? We have to use our old book and we can’t use the Cadian supplement? Again because GW said so in an article back in April? You can’t make an exception for a 5 year old faction for this event? Again I ask, Why not? Who does it benefit?
Don’t be obtuse, TOs. Make rulings that ensure your event is a better experience for each player. Forcing guard to play with a 5+ year old codex sans supplements is NOT good for any player.
I understand your frustration but the release schedules and timing and all that isn’t something we at FLG have any control over. We’re following GW’s policy on this as have many other major TOs around the world, and several events have already gone off with this in place.
If the dex is out in time we can pivot but we don’t know when that will be.
You’ve effectively banned guard players from using 9th edition rules or the complete 8th edition rules. Why should any of them attend your events?
We are not, no, this is GW’s policy. And, as I have said, if the Dex gets full release in time we can pivot, but we don’t know when that will come.
The LVO 40k Judges and TOs strive every year to bring you the best possible experience at the world’s largest Warhammer 40k event and I can’t wait to see you all there in a few short weeks!
In my opinion this statement contradicts the feeling for all guard players right now. No new codex, no greater good, no warzone octarius. How does this statement support this descicion? We are left in the dust for years already.
Please review this descicion. All players want to make this work. And I am convinced so do the to’s. I am travelling from europe to attend. Please fix this.
Could you elaborate why Guard are not allowed due to the book not being released on its own, but Chaos Knights were allowed to use their codex when they were in an identical situation earlier in the year?
Guard are broken
Chaos Knights aren’t
Lmao
I recall Custodes being allowed last LVO too, and they got their codex in January!
This situation is new, it wasn’t in place at that time.
Fantastic news, that ruling on guard makes sense and will definitely help keep the field more even for the comp event!
Please reconsider your stance on the imperial guard. There is definitely a middle ground: no unreleased models, limit faction secondaries that need adjusting, no dataslate. Guard don’t need to win or be competitive but let’s at least use the new book. Love FLG events and wouldn’t miss LVO, take another look at this decision.
This isn’t FLG’s stance this is GW’s policy which we are using. I do not have any sway on what those policies are.
“Dear guard players: please don’t come to our event, past precedents with allowing codices before their ‘official release’ or first FAQ don’t count because Reasons and will not be considered.”
It’s absolutely absurd to hide behind “these are the rules GW asked us to use” while making clear rule changes to, for example, how terrain works. If guard have to be banned because we need to follow GW’s official rules then terrain should also follow GW’s official rules. Either official rules are non-negotiable or they aren’t, drop the double standard.
There is no policy on terrain, but there is on Codexes. It is not a double standard. I am sorry it upsets you, I totally get it, but as they explain in the video above, this is the stance they have chosen to take on this issue.
Do you know what you guys are cooking ?
No, but the Rock probably does.
I don’t see anything about first floor blocking terrain or the solution that was coming to avoid “magic boxes”….was the solution to scrap the idea altogether in the revised player packet or what?
The guys are updating the pack, their was a typo.
Can’t find it anywhere, but can I bring my Renegades and Heretics army?
Just an FYI the player pack doesn’t seems to be missing quite a bit.
Terrain labeled F and C isn’t explained at all.
There are a bunch of links that don’t work, like the ITC code of conduct or the battle ready standard modelling guide.
It is being updated as I type this.
Thanks Reece! Gotta say I like the terrain changes a lot.
You got it, brother!
Now if the guard codex does come out before the event and ends up being legal, what will the ruling be about models not out yet, would we be able to kitbash, or only current released models?
??
New to hobby, and have yet to do a tournament, but man, the clarity on the players’ packet is exquisite. Very well done! I especially appreciate the explanation of terrain; even as a complete scrub I feel like I understand the layout and intent. 🙂
Thanks! It’s nice to hear the hard work of the crew that puts it together is paying off.
I just don’t understand. Wasn’t it a few years ago that LVO/ITC had its own scoring policy that was completely unofficial? Don’t we still have tournament rules that say you can’t see through the windows of some buildings? Why is it that these kinds of changes are allowed, but you also say that Guard cannot use their Psychic Awakening rules (from 2020!) because it falls 20 days on the wrong side of some date on some obscure document?
Please make it make sense. This feels like a decision by a robot and not a human with common sense. Why should I pretend I can’t see my a unit through a first floor window when my opponent can’t pretend that the old supplement isn’t technically expired (by less than a month) ?
Things have changed a lot in the past year, and will continue to change as we go forward. GW’s policy is no dex in comp play for official events until it is fully released, and they are retiring the other books at a date they choose, we have no influence over these choices unfortunately. Sorry for the disappointment, totally understand but we’re not the ones to aim these types of questions at in regards to the Codexes and such.
Will the upcoming points update in January be used in Lvo if they release it before the cut off for list submission?
With the Chapter Approved expected to be released on Jan 14th and cutoff for new materials being the 15th. will the Point changes, balance dataslate and Ark Of Omen be in use?
We don’t know when it is dropping but the gameplan as of now is to wait until we know if/when it is coming and then ask the 40k Champs attendees what they want to do. A major change last minute is a tough spot to be in, but we will roll with it.
Tough call but I say use the Dataslate and point changes in full. Going half/half would cause even more problems and could even call into question the outcome of the event. Trust in the Dataslate. Good luck and looking forward to the 40K champs!
Yeah I assume you’d have to use both or it would be a hot mess.
You could do as you did originally, tell gw you will run your event how you see fit and do just that. You all didn’t get to where you are by playing only gw rules. Hell, the mission packs are only in existence because of itc.
The very ham fisted profit seeking release schedules are the only actual reason for these skewed releases (boxes prior to codex) and should not be a consideration for tournaments. The codex is readily accessible to anyone who wants it, let it play. 5 years is a long time for players to wait on a codex and we all know this is it’s only year in 9th edition to possibly be used at the biggest event of the year.
If you won’t let the codex play, at least let the current book keep its supplements.
As it stands, its a double penalty on a long standing under performing faction.