Choosing army list alternatives - at which point in time

[Maerk]

This thread ( http://www.fanaticus.org/discussion/showthread.php?t=7213 ) reminded me of a question concerning friendly games only:

If you are playing an army list with more than 12 elements, at which point of the game setup process exactly do you choose the elements for the fight?
1) at the very start
2) after rolling for invader/defender
3) after terrain placement
4) after selection of gameboard edges ?

There are pros and cons for all the possible points, but I would like to know how you handle it.

[Xavi]

option 0: Before I know the opponent, generally. I tend to set out of home with a predefined 12 element list.

Xavi

[Paul A. Hannah]

If you are playing an army list with more than 12 elements, at which point of the game setup process exactly do you choose the elements for the fight?
1) at the very start
2) after rolling for invader/defender
3) after terrain placement
4) after selection of gameboard edges ?
For me, it's "Option 1 - At the very start". Always. Never after rolling for terrain, etc. Again, that's my modus operandi, Reasonable men and women, however, may take a different approach.

[Haroldo Hic]

While getting ready for a game with Maerk today I mused about the same problem. After contemplating the posts in the aforementioned thread I would now go for: 1) at the very start.
greets and see you in ...15 minutes, MAerk :)

menic

[David Kuijt]

I decide at the start. To do otherwise is lame, and suited only to those who are so worried about losing a game that they would never take Early Libyan, Catalan Company, or Mongol Conquest even in a friendly game.

[Richard Lee]

At the start for me as well. Anything else would seem a bit strange to me.

[Gregory]

Definitely option 1. I usually try to pick my 12 elements based on an army that can do well against everyone, not just my current opponent.

[Tony Aguilar]

Do it at Step 1. Later than that seems like cheating.

[Scott Russell]

This has been discussed before. Bob's view is that there is nothing in the rules to suggest you have to select your army before you are required to lay it out. So option 4 on your list.
Scott

[Rich Gause]

I would go with number 1. If there is nothing in the rules to say you have to choose before setting the army out then the attacker could wait to see the defenders deployment before he had to pick his elements. That would make the best tournament armies high aggression armies with lots of element choices.

[Scott Russell]

We are not talking about tournament armies. The question specifically refers to friendly games. The rules for tournaments are quite clear. You have to choose your army composition at the start of the tournament and keep it for all battles.
If you go for option 1, as seems to be the consensus, then what method are you suggesting to make sure that one side doesn't gain an advantage by sneaking a look at the opposing selection? Are you suggesting the armies are written down, or chosen in a darkened room? Imagine you choose a knight element, so your opponent goes for the bow, but then you lay out a blade instead of the knight, so he puts down knight instead of the bow etc etc....
That said, we always seem to choose all twelve elements before anything else, so option 0.
Scott

[Maerk]

hmm .. I see:

according to the rules, you could delay the selection of your 12 elements to the moment of deployment, BUT the vast majority of you do it at the very start of the game.

I had (and still have) a certain liking for option 3) after terrain placement: It adds an interesting step of assessing the actual terrain and choosing the most promising elements. BUT as I have learned from your valuable postings, a procedure like this is neither historically correct nor fair gaming.

Thanks a lot for your comments!

[Kontos]

We are not talking about tournament armies. The question specifically refers to friendly games. The rules for tournaments are quite clear. You have to choose your army composition at the start of the tournament and keep it for all battles.
If you go for option 1, as seems to be the consensus, then what method are you suggesting to make sure that one side doesn't gain an advantage by sneaking a look at the opposing selection? Are you suggesting the armies are written down, or chosen in a darkened room? Imagine you choose a knight element, so your opponent goes for the bow, but then you lay out a blade instead of the knight, so he puts down knight instead of the bow etc etc....
That said, we always seem to choose all twelve elements before anything else, so option 0.
Scott

Winterbadger and I use the 1.1 system. I select my army list and lay it out. Jan thens sees what I've selected and rummages through his box o' armies to best match up against me. :D

Just kidding. We select as the majority do - at the very start.

[Rich Gause]

For friendly competitive games I would have both players simultaneously pick then announce their armies, then have both players simultaneously pick their army composition without knowing what choices the other made.

[Macbeth]

That would make the best tournament armies high aggression armies with lots of element choices.

If only it were so - I tried the Early Tang Chinese at MOAB and fell to bits - you should check out my battle report thread

cheers