AB40k Maintainers

I downloaded the Authoring Kit but i'm very confused.

Me and my friend's often play multiple-detachment games (non apocalypse) of 2,000 points and higher. Usually this games are 2 on 1 or 2 on 2 and so on.

When creating a list in the army builder the validation rule error shows up if you add more than the allowed Force Organization options of 2 HQs, 3 Elites, 6 Troops, 3 Fast Attack and 3 Heavy Support options.

I wanted to 'edit' the file to create a multiple detachment option that would allow these limits to be doubled or tripled.

I figured this would be way easier, just go in and double the amounts then "Save As" multiple detachments. But now I see that it is not, so I need your guidance.

Also besides doubling the roster options, I will need to double the limits on stuff that is for example 0-1. So that for example a multiple detachment army could include 2 Winged Hive Tyrants.

And lastly I need to edit composition rules so that you NEED to have 2 HQs and 4 Troops minimum in a multiple detachment game.

Any help would be appreciated and if you would be so kind as to include multiple detachment roster options in one of your future releases im sure it woudl be greatly appreciated as many players enjoy these kind of games (which is likely the reason why Apocalypse rules were created)

The problem with apocalypse rules is that they have no limit as to what you can bring so using that system doesn't work the way we'd want a multiple detachment roster to run.

I believe that this is one of the questions/comments that pops up every once in a while and you pretty much have found by looking into the system that it is not quite that easy to do - which is the reason why it isn't there in the first place. And of course the alternative, creating two separate lists each with the single standard FoC and putting them together is tremendously easier except when it comes to micromanaging points between the lists.

If you still insist on doing this with your copy of the files (as is your right), you need to go into the definition file and adjust the limits on the troops and HQs for those limits. Other options/items/units may be controlled by a generic rule (found in the rules tab of the genralstuff.dat file), or may have a tag (limited.?) which sets up the amount that it is limited to, or by. In addition, the file itself (such a tyranids) may have a rule which limits an item/option/unit to a specific amount, which would need to be adjusted. This is just a small sample of what you would need to look at, and I would encourage you to play around with the files to see what and where you would need to change to get the desired effects.

Note, if you do ANY modification to you files, I would save them in a separate folder (such as AB40K2x, or something) so that when you update the files, all your work does not get ruined by an update. And also, any update to the files may not be easily transferred into your modifications without overwriting any of the work that you had done.

damn that sucks, i was hoping that I could just add another option to the roster options menu.

much like how 'apocalypse' option was added allowing u to take things without limit.

since multi-detachment games will be a rare occurence I wouldn't want it as default.

Actually something like apocalypse was sort of easy to do since it ignores all limits.

Of course, some things still needed to be changed - such as if you go into any rule which creates a limit you will notice that there is a line of code which is checking for the selection of the Apocalypse ruleset. If the ruleset has been selected, remaining portion of the code (which sets up the limit) is ignored entirely.

But when you would try something like this with the two FoC system, the rule would have to check to see if it is legal in the army, and then legal within that FoC. For example, you could have two sister repentia units (normally a 0-1 limit) but no FoC could have more than one of them. This means that an entire new portion of rules and code would have to be made to handle this - if it is even possible within the structure of AB3, which it may not be capable of...