SR 2014

Here it is! The hype! The excitement! The meta-shift! The solution to all the game's problems! Who needs a balance update when we have Steamroller and some new models once a year?

>>>> SR 2014 DOCUMENTS  <<<<

Ok, now that we have that out of the way, I can inform you that there's probably not all that much change coming. At least nothing like the 2012 to 2013 change with pretty big changes to scenarios and the introduction of dominating. This is more of a cleanup of SR 2013 and generally improves the packets and provides responses to common criticisms. 

Here are some of the bigger changes:

• All objectives are now ARM 18, 15 boxes. SR 2013 unified the zones into either 12" circles or 6"x12" rectangles, now SR 2014 gives all objectives the same stats.
• Models out of formation can no longer contest.
• Objectives that give bonuses no longer have to be dominated to grant the bonuses, but simply uncontested by enemy models. These also have a larger buff area of 4" rather than 2".
• You can no longer score 3CPs when dominating certain enemy zones/flags/objectives. This was a big problem in 2013 scenarios like Incoming where you could super jam your opponent and lock them out with a bullshit feat like Harbinger or pDenny and then win quick.
• Objectives with "Inexorable" can no longer be Prey targets.
• You can measure 4" from any flag or objective during your turn.

Some specific scenario stuff:

- Destruction: now only 1 objective on each side, and objectives have an optional "Call to Sacrifice [Friendly]" type rule. So an objective swarmed in Shamblers or McThralls is unlikely to get destroyed.... ever. Go go Shamblers!

- Balance of Power: new scenario where dominating a friendly flag makes an opponent LOSE 1 CP before other CPs are scored that turned. I have no idea where that'll go but it could be interesting.

- Rally Point: the Effigy objective can no longer be moved. THANK KOSSK ALMIGHTY IN HIS WISDOM. I hated that scenario so bad for reasons unknown. Also the Valor buff from the objective gives Inspiration to friendly solos within 4", basically giving you a massive (partially mobile) bubble of fearless. Minor nerf to Gators, I guess, since sometimes people fail command checks.

- Incursion: The flags are further apart, but the middle flag never disappears. Also dominating the centre flag only gives 1 CP, while the outer flag still gives 2CP.

- Into the Breach: one of my favourite 2013 scenarios, now has 2 Effigy objectives thrown in for lolz. Probably to give that extra CP since that scenario could be a bit slow at times.

The Hardcore scenario has been changed to have a central circular zone rather than a rectangular one, and dominating it puts 7 damage on your opponent rather than the 5 you get from killboxing.

There is also a new format called Commander's Crucible that is basically a pseudo one-list format except you have to change Battlegroups every round (while the rest of the list stays the same). At least half your points have to be in BG stuff as well. It doesn't sound terribly exciting in a competitive setting but could be neat especially for newer scenes.

Early thoughts

In the end, I would be surprised if this format changes much in the current metagame by changing tournament list-building mindset - something that did happen last year with eLylyth, for example. 2012 goddess, 2013 benchwarmer. I don't think we'll be seeing much of that, but we will get some better games I think :)
I wish they had made Specialists for 20% of your points (10pts at 50, 7 at 35) baseline for Steamroller and Masters events, that would have changed list composition quite a lot. However it does artificially increase the size of your list so you have to buy more stuff (oh noes).

Basically scenarios are less 'live' on the whole than they were before, and zones are less likely to be far apart so tight brick lists have less of a disadvantage.

As a Gator player, just keep on doing what you're doing, basically - Rask + either Barnabas or Maelok and a swampload of Gatormans.