Build Better Lists: Quadrant Theory

[Frosty the Pirate]

So I came across this video on youtube the other day, and I was incredibly impressed. I'd highly recommend giving it a watch, it's very well done.

Youtube: Design Better 40k Armies -- Quadrant Theory

I honestly am still kind of in shock how much this improved my perspective of what my list should be trying to do, and how I should be assigning my roles to units within my list. Even with very minimal tweaks to my Space Wolves list it feels so much more cohesive already. Even if you aren't a "competitive" player, I think this can help a LOT with list design for those looking to play "casually-competitive" weekend or tournament games and might even make you enjoy playing certain lists more.

You can read about the raw-experience I had going through this over in my list building thread here

I'd be curious if anyone else tries this with one or more of their existing lists to see what you find.

[distractedcarnifex]

Watched the video - I think its a useful resource. 

In 8th my building methodology was generally to make the best deathball I could with some screening units. Since 9th came out, though, I have gone about it differently. When I build a list with a mind to being "competitive" I use some of the concepts he mentions, but I have been going about it a little differently.

I ask several questions as I go along building a list:

  a.  How will I control at least two objectives every turn and contest at least one other every turn? Related to this is how will I project my force into the middle of the board? So this is like one of his quadrants.

  b.  How will I score Secondaries? Again like one of his quadrants

  c.  How will I handle enemy vehicles and big monsters?

  d.  How will I handle scary hordes?

   e. How will I handle elite, well protected infantry?

So I suppose this is similar to his Quadrant Theory, but I don't necessarily stick a unit in a given quadrant. A Hellblaster Squad sitting on a home-field objective is killing stuff and scoring VPs. You don't have to be Obsec to get Primary VPs - although of course it does help. My Talonmaster might be buffing the Attack Bikes while also handling crowd control and elite infantry. Still, I think his Quadrants could be a great way to look at a list that you like but is consistently underperforming. 

I concur on the importance of thinking ahead on Stratagem usage. I usually have a plan, with a turn by turn budget for Strats including which ones I intend to use. I then promptly blow through my CP budget on the first battle round...