I want to start this article by letting the readers know everything that follows is my own opinion. I do not know how FLG is going to handle the upcoming Balance Dataslate and Mission Pack set to drop in January in regards to the LVO. I am not even attending the LVO, but I did want to address how difficult a decision FLG will be forced to make if these rules changes are published by GW prior to the rules cutoff for LVO.
The LVO is the premier competitive 40k event in the world. It draws the best players, brings the most prestige, and should be the final cap to an excellently run 40k season. Unfortunately, there are leaks and rumors that show GW is planning to release a massive update to the 40k rules on January 14th. One day before the rules cut off for LVO. These rules changes contain massive points changes, new missions, a new allies matrix, and even an entirely new detachment for how 40k armies are constructed.
On one side of the argument you have the players who spent their money preparing an army for the LVO. They booked travel accommodations in a time where traveling anywhere is uncertain at best. They spent their money to build, paint, and practice with the army they planned to take to the LVO. Now those preparations could need to change. If some of the LVO attendees are like me they will be able to make the changes to their army quickly using models they have accumulated over years of being involved in the hobby, but some players do not have this luxury. Neither type of player should have to change their planning or preparation this close to the most well known 40k event in the world. While there have been changes to competitive 40k throughout the year these players should not have all of the work they put in to their hobby invalidated by a rules update which would provide mere weeks of prep time.
The timeline for preparation of these new rules is another contentious issue. High profile 40k players, who will be playing in the 40k Champions Tournament at LVO, have had access to these updated rules prior to their public release. They have had extra time to prepare and practice with these rules that the public has not had. I fully realize one of these professional 40k players was most likely going to win the event. They have built their livelihoods around playing 40k at a high level and producing high level 40k content. The truth is these players just play more 40k, against high level opponents, than any other group of 40k players in the world. A player who doesn’t make 40k their livelihood is going to have an incredibly tough time competing with individuals who spend 40 hours a week practicing and preparing content for this game. The use of these new rules from GW just gives this group another advantage other players do not have access to.
I believe FLG will continue to do what they have done in the past and take into consideration the 40k community’s input while endeavoring to make the best decision possible for the players who have decided to spend their hard earned money to attend the LVO. I do not envy their position in making this decision, and if GW really wants to support a company that has grown the largest competitive community in the world for their product line they will make sure these rules changes drop after the rules cutoff for the LVO.