The winner of the tournament will be the player who controls the most planets by midnight on January 30th.
Each player begins play with one planet of each type (Hive World/Ash Wastes, Agri-world, Ice World, and Death World) contested with each of the other players. If a player chooses to drop out of the tournament, all planets contested by that player are considered cut off due to warp storms, and are worth nothing for victory conditions.
To control a planet, you must defeat a player with whom you contest its control in a game of Warhammer 40K. You can also contest a planet controlled by another player by defeating that player in a game. The arbitrator must be notified as soon as possible of any change in a planet's controlled status.
You may participate in any number of battles per week. However, once per week, you may also declare outright aggression against an enemy planet of your choice. The defender has one week to schedule a game with you, or count as having lost the game by forfeit. The game must be scheduled for play before or on January 30th, and both parties must agree to the place, date, and time. You must notify the arbitrator of the aggression and the place, date, and time the game is to be played. Should either player fail to show up for the game at the appointed time, that player forfeits the game and counts as having been defeated. Note also that each player can only be targeted by aggression once each week.
Set up the terrain using method 4 on page 124 of the rulebook. Use the terrain generator appropriate to the world being fought over.
Use the armies' strategy ratings on page 129 of the rulebook to determine who gets to choose the scenario. If the game is the result of an act of aggression, the player who initiated the aggression is automatically considered the attacker, where an attacker and defender are necessary. Otherwise, the player who selected the scenario is the attacker. Remember that both players must create their armies before rolling on the scenario table to determine the mission.
Any special rules that requiring your opponent's approval must be stated to your opponent before the mission is rolled. Your opponent has the option of disallowing the special rule, character, mission, wargear, etc. Once the mission has been selected, your opponent must accept this decision. However, if you use special rules without declaring them in advance, your opponent may elect to quit the battle at once and count as having defeated you, regardless of how close either side is to fulfilling its mission objective. If your opponent elects to continue the game, the special rule now counts as legal and must be accepted for the rest of the game, although other undeclared special rules may still overturn the game upon discovery. If you are found, after winning a game, to have been using undeclared special rules, your victory will be overturned and count as a defeat.
The rules for experience on pages 159 to 163 are being used as is. Any unit which gains experience must be given a name. Any gains or losses of experience and associated battle honours by any unit must be reported to the administrator before your next game. If your opponent finds out, after or during a game, that any of your units have been credited with more experience or different battle honours than they actually have, the game may be declared void and your opponent declared the victor. Also, remember that units from the Troops, Heavy Support, and Fast Attack sections of the army lists become Elite. If you are found to have used an Elite unit as any other troop choice, your opponent may also claim victory.
Note that only units composed entirely of painted, representative miniatures may gain experience. A painted, representative, experienced unit may not be padded with unpainted or unrepresentative miniatures without immediately losing all of its experience.
The size of the game may be determined by the players. If the players do not agree on the size of the game, use whichever is closest to 1000 points.
Some of Warhammer 40,000 rules are ambiguously worded, and may cause confusion. Whenever such an ambiguity is brought to my attention, I will make a decision as to the wording and post it on this page. For the purposes of this tournament, these rules clarifications take precedence over those given by Games Workshop employees. That being said, if two opponents agree before a battle to use a different interpretation of the rules, they are welcome to do so. These rules clarifications are meant to avoid disputes, however, and should be considered the "default" interpretations when no other interpretation has been agreed upon by the opponents.
Models block line of sight to other models no more than twice their height. However, units do not necessarily block line of sight to other units. If gaps of greater than a quarter inch exist between models in a unit, they can be fired through to hit units behind it. This rule applies to all models, including vehicles, so in order for a model to shoot at a vehicle which is screened by a unit that is at least half its height, there must be gaps.
Of special note here is the Living Shield rule for Gretchin. Tall Gretchin may block line of sight to short Orks, so that the Orks can not be fired upon. If the firing unit can actually draw line of sight through gaps in the ranks of Gretchin or because the Ork models are over half the height of the Gretchin, the Living Shield rule comes into effect.
A unit engaged in hand to hand may not be fired upon. Any models in the engaged unit that are not in base to base contact with an enemy model at the beginning of their turn may move, fire their weapons, and assault, just as if they were not engaged. Remember that the normal rules for Heavy and Rapid Fire weapons apply here, as usual. Also remember that, at the end of the assault phase, all unengaged models must move in to base to base contact with the engaged enemy if possible within the allowed 6" range.
Zzap guns can only nominate models that they can draw line of sight to. They may not pick out individual models from units, or target independent characters that are not the closest models. The defending player may choose which model is affected if a Zzap gun is fired at a unit, much like any other shooting attack. All Zzap guns in a battery must be fired at the same unit.
The Farseer does not require line of sight to the target unit, but must attempt to place the template over one unit, rather than several. Also, this power may not be used against units that are engaged in hand to hand.
The Farseer can nominate any model within range, even distinguishing between the models in a unit, or independent characters who are not the closest models. Invulnerable saves apply, while normal armour saves and cover saves do not, and are taken once per wound inflicted.