An interesting way of looking at it.

[Primarch]

This was posted on Bell of Lost Souls forums and is quite interesting I think....

Hey all

I thought you might like to know the following - I have decided it is newsworthy, particularly because I feel I have gained a small insight to the corporation...

Anyway, you may be aware that the format of the GW GT - Throne of Skulls - has changed from a straight up, wins, rounds to final (and wild card for painting) to the following, ably described by Mr Miteyheroes in an earlier post in the discussions section:

Basically, you play 5 games. Each win gives you 3 points, draw gives you 1, loss gives you 0.
At the end of the whole tournament you pick one army that was your favourite to play against (combining painting & sportsmanship & so on), and give that army a Favourite Army vote. You get 1 point if you get 1 Favourite Army vote, 3 points if you get 2 Favourite Army votes and 5 points if you get 3+ Favourite Army votes.

At the end of (say) the 40k Throne of Skulls they give a prize to the best SM player, the best BA player, etc etc etc. Then the player that has beated their army's average score by the most wins the overall prize. So the overall winner is NOT the player that gets the most points, but the player that gets the most points whilst playing with the codex that is weakest (or that only n00bs play)?

So, today, I phoned MO to purchase a ticket. They haven't actually been released yet, but i took the liberty of asking the troll why there was a format change. The answer, which he caveated as his opinion, was that the previous format invited WAAC, cheese, spam, and internet lists. He then said that this was felt to be disadvantageous to people who just wanted to play games and not worry about deathstar type lists.

He quoted the possibility of a 16 y.o who may be new to the hobby, saving his hard earned £55 to enter, getting his starter army marmalised by a beard with a hardcore list. He proceeded to say that 'this wasn't what GW was about' and that the new format allowed you to turn up and play with your favourite army, and have a chance of winning by tactics and not just list selection.

I then said 'OK, but surely the battlefields events are for the fluffy turn up gamers, and the GT does what it says on the tin - ie is for competitive players.' He then proceeded to say there were plenty of tournaments out there with money prize support for the competitive players to get their teeth into, but GW preferrred their version to rerpresent their philosophy - its a hobby not a competitive cut throat event. He also said the events would be increased to up to 4 a year (depending on how this goes - this is one reason why I have included this as news.) and they would be self contained - no coming back afterwards for a final round.

Interestingly the 'favourite army' votes can cover all apsects of soft score - painting, fluff, theme, sportsmanship

[Colonel Voss]

Intriguing, I wonder how it will work out.

[me_in_japan]

hmmn. Even if this isnt how GW end up doing the GT, its an interesting idea. It needs a fair few players to make it work, as if you are the only player that brings Tau (fr example) then you are going to BE the average score, and thus have no chance at winning overall.

Still, nice idea.