CAV: Strike Ops event, the First Strike program allows for a variety of levels of play, allowing players to participate in the type of game they enjoy most. From casual play and tournaments at your local store to more formalized competitions at larger regional events, the First Strike program will allow players to participate in sanctioned events throughout the year, earning special prizes and awards, while making new friends and having fun! First Strike Seasonal League Organized Play Our organized play system is currently under development. Stay tuned for updated information! First StrikeTournament Play TournamentTiers and Rules Levels Sanctioned First Strike tournaments are organized by tier (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) and rules level (,, or ). These designations are used so that players will have an understanding of the experience they can expect at an event and the requirements needed for successful play. Bronze Tier: Bronze tier events are store level tournaments designed for more casual play, providing an event for players of various experience levels. A bronze tier event may be an official (sponsored by Talon Games) or unofficial (sponsored by your local store or small game convention) tournament and will typically have a smaller number of required participants (Minimum tournament participation: 8). TOURNAMENT First StrikeTournament Rules & Guidelines.0 CAV: Strike Ops is the classic tabletop miniatures game of combined arms warfare in the rd century from Talon Games. Led by the mighty Combat Assault Vehicles (CAV) and the pilots who control them, every match is a urry of non-stop action as players face-off across the battleeld for ultimate victory. So, warrior, gather your troops, assemble your squads, and prepare for battle.the fate of the galaxy is in your hands! About First Strike First Strike is the official organized play and tournament program from Talon Games. The intent of the First Strike program is to feature a system for players to test their skills in competition against other players while maintaining an atmosphere of friendly play and good sportsmanship. Besides providing a uniform set of rules in which to run a Silver Tier: Silver tier events are official events centered on regional game conventions with a minimum level of participation (Minimum tournament participation: ) and an expectation that players will possess a minimum amount of experience to play at a higher level of competition. Gold Tier: Gold tier events are exclusive official events directly organized by Talon Game at larger game conventions. Participants are expected to possess a moderate amount of experience and the level of competition will typically feature players in a much more competitive environment (Minimum tournament participation: ). Levels are used to designate which rules and models will be eligible for use during play: Level One ( ): A level one tournament is restricted to CAV models only. Faction doctrines, bonus points, battleeld upgrades, and specialization assets and packages will also not be used for this event level.
Level Two ( ): A level two tournament allows for the addition of other model types and may or may not (as determined by the event organizer) include bonus points, battleeld upgrades, and specialization assets and packages for this event level. Faction doctrines will not be used. Level( ): A level tournament allows for all the rules found in the CAV: Strike Ops core rule book and any subsequent errata or rule changes made prior to the event to be used during play. Note: Infantry models will not be allowed for official play in a First Strike Tournament regardless of the event's designated level. Age Limit Players must be at least years old to participate in a sanctioned First Strike tournament. Any player under the age of must be accompanied by an adult (playing or non-playing). Preparing for thetournament In a First Strike tournament, players will face off with their selected force group using terrain set up by the event organizer. The First Strike tournament system is designed to challenge players beyond the normal kill or be killed format and rewards players for building a force group than can complete a variety of differing objectives during each round and being able to adapt to a variety of game boards that may allow for cover and concealment or wide-open lanes of re. Force Group Selection All First Strike tournaments will use the CAV: Strike Ops Core Rule Book set of rules and any subsequent errata or rule changes made prior to the event, with a maximum force group threat value of 000 points using the standard Force Group Selection process (p 9). Force groups must contain at least two squads, with a total model count not to exceed. A force group may only use those models designated as an official game design (see list at www.talon-games.com/downloads) and allowed by the tournament's designated level. Note: While faction doctrines may not be in use, players can receive bonus points as part of the tournament painting competition when using a force group made up of models from a single faction. C Points C points (p ) will be used during tournament play. During each round, players will receive one C point for each squad in play at the beginning of the match. What do I need to bring? Besides each player bringing their own force group, they will also need to bring the following items: You will also need to bring miniatures for all the models you plan on using in your force group, along with their associated data cards. Make sure to explain to your opponent(s) how you will be tracking damage during a match! At least two copies of your force group model list (one for you and one for the event organizer). Force groups will be veried and must include a list of all the models in the force group, their threat value (including any extra modications for level and events), and your name on the list (please include your call sign or handle and a valid email address to allow for ranking across multiple events). The use of the CSO Force Manager application (www.talongames.com/downloads) is highly recommended! A rule book, dice, tape measure, pencils, and any other gaming accessories you plan on using. Miniatures All models used in a First Strike tournament must be Talon Games (plastic or metal) miniatures and must use the same base type (size and shape) for every model, limited to a maximum size of 0mm (at to at for hex and square bases, diameter for circle bases) with the following exceptions: Quad CAV models may use a larger base with a maximum size of 0mm. Aircraft models may use the 7 0mm Slotted Round Base, regardless of other basing sizes or shapes. All miniatures must be assembled and mounted in such a way that the model's front facing is clearly understood. Players are encouraged to have a fully painted force group on the table, providing for a more interesting and exciting game experience for all. Unpainted miniatures are allowed but will receive an automatic score of zero for the tournament painting competition. Please Note: Adepticon requires a three-color minimum for all models used in any tournament play. Force groups that do not meet that standard will not be allowed for legal play. Proxy Models Model designs that are not currently in production may be represented by a proxy under the following conditions:
The model must not be in production. If a current Talon Games miniature exists for that model, it MUST be used (No exceptions). Older CAV miniatures (those produced prior to 0 by Reaper Miniatures) are allowed for tournament play provided they are the model design being represented. The proxy model must be clearly labeled as to what model it represents, either on the leading base edge or a piece of tape across the top of the model. The proxy model should have the same approximate DT value as the model it is representing. The proxy model cannot be a model that is part of the players force group. Example: You may not use an Emperor model as a proxy if your Force Group contains an Emperor. If in doubt, please ask your event organizer in advance for clarication! Dice When rolling dice, all dice must be rolled simultaneously and in full view of both players. When rolling dice, if one or more die rolls off the table, all dice must be re-rolled. The same applies to a cocked die, a die is considered cocked if a d of same size and material will not sit on top of it. If it falls off, the die is cocked. Do not roll dice until there is a reason to do so. Before rolling make sure to declare what you are rolling for and in what order. Only pipped or numbered dice are allowed. Dice with symbols or dice that are oddly-shaped are not permitted for tournament play. If a player's dice are challenged for whatever reason, the challenger will be allowed to use those dice as well or they will be removed from play. GameTime A First Strike tournament consists of three timed battles (rounds) set among three (minimum) or more unique battleeld designs using a standard 'x' game board over the course of a single day. The time allocated for each round is 0 minutes, including deployment. Unless otherwise posted, a First Strike tournament will adhere to the following schedule: Tournament Check-In 7:0-8:0 Tournament Brieng 8:-8: Tournament Round One 9:00-:0 Break (Lunch & Paint Judging) :0-:00 Tournament RoundTwo :00-:0 Break :0-:00 Tournament RoundThree :00-8:0 Awards 9:00 Tournament Sequence First Round Pairings During check-in, each player will receive a random playing card that will be used to determine the players pairing and their starting game board for round one based on matching cards (i.e. players with an ace of spades will play on the table with the ace of spades card on it). If there is an odd number of players, one player will receive a bye (randomly determined for round one) and will not play in the current round and will receive a tournament score of zero. During nal scoring, only a player's two highest scores will be used for determining the tournament's overall winner. Second andthird Round Pairings At the end of each round, players will be ranked by their current overall tournament score from highest to lowest. This ranking will be used to determine subsequent opponents in the second and third rounds, pairing players with high scores against one another (rank one vs rank two and so on), provided they have not already played against one another already in the current tournament. In that case the event organizer will match both players to the next eligible ranked player. For bye s in the second and third rounds, the player with the lowest current tournament score (and who has not yet received a bye) will receive the bye for that round. Starting the Game Players must be at their assigned table at the start of each round with their models on the table. Players that are late or fail to show up will be penalized (seetournament Scoring). Once the round begins, both players will roll d (highest roll wins, rerolling any ties), with the winner choosing their starting edge (short edge only) for deployment and the loser which color from the Draw Deck (red or black/green) they want to use. Deployment Each round will be played with a single-card per model Draw Deck. For deployment, the draw deck will be shuffled, and the rst card ipped over indicating which player must deploy their rst model inside their deployment zone, no further than six inches from their starting edge. Cards will continue to be drawn until the models of both players are at their starting position, ready to begin the rst turn. Tournament Play At the start of each new turn, the Draw Deck will be reshuffled, and play will continue until either one side is
destroyed or time elapses. The event organizer will announce when there are only minutes remaining in each round. Players should complete the current turn as quickly as possible and NOT start an additional round if that turn cannot be completed in the remaining time. The event organizer, at their discretion, may allow a veminute round extension if they feel a game turn can be completed within that amount of time at the request of either player. Score Cards At the end of each round both players will be required to ll out the provided score sheet for their match, listing their starting force group models and their threat value points, which models were damaged or destroyed, and any additional objectives completed by either player. Both players are required to sign the completed score card and turn it in to the event organizer together as quickly as possible after the end of a round. A copy of the score card can be found at www.talongames.com/rststrike/card.pdf Tournament Scoring Each round has a set of objectives, besides just destroying the enemy, that a player can choose to complete before the end of each game to improve their nal score. Should a player destroy an opponent's entire force group, they will have until the end of the current turn to complete any moves by their models that have not yet activated to achieve an objective. If you cannot complete an objective before time is called, you will receive no points for that objective. Tournament Points A total of 0 points are possible for each round played: Time on Target () The player is at their assigned table with their miniatures and data cards, ready for deployment at the appointed time. TheObjectiveis () Each round will include an objective marker in the center of the board (0mm round base) with an 8 (diameter) control zone. A player will control the objective and receive one control point per turn if they have at least one model in the control zone and it is not contested. If both players have at least one model within the control zone at the end of a given turn, the objective is considered contested and no control points will be awarded. At the end of the round, the player with the most control points wins the objective and will receive a () to their score. In the event of a tie, both players each player will receive a () to their nal score for the round. Headhunter! () At the start of each tournament round, both players will designate one of their models as their commander and notify their opponent of their choice. This model will also receive the Upgrade: Ace Pilot (p. 9) for the duration of the round. A player that manages to destroy the opponent's commander will receive a () to their score. A player that can destroy the other commander and keep their own commander alive will receive an additional () their score. Breakthrough! () A player may choose to enter an opponent's deployment zone during a round with one or more of their models to receive a bonus to their nal score (). If a player manages to enter the others deployment zone with more than one model, an additional () will be added to their score. Sportsmanship () A player who receives no negative sportsmanship marks by the opposing player or judge(s) during a round will receive a () to their score. Players will be required to explain any negative marks to a judge following a match. A player that receives excessive negative marks during the tournament will forfeit any chance to win an award and may be removed from the tournament and/or convention. StandandFight! (0) Both players will be assigned points to their score based on the damage they are able to inict on their opponent. Damage Amount Points Scored 00 to 000 00 to 000 00 to 000 00 to 000 to 000 0 0 Players receive the full threat value to their damage amount for any enemy model destroyed (no remaining damage tracks) and the partial threat value of a model that survives the round (at least one remaining damage track). To determine the threat value points received for a damaged model: Divide the number of damaged tracks by the model's starting DT value. Multiple the model's threat value by that value and add the result to a player's damage amount (see the First Strike Tournament Damage Table).
Example: A model that starts the round with eight damage tracks (8 DT) and has a TV of 00 points receives points of damage during the match. Taking the damaged DT s () and dividing by the number of its starting DT s (8) gives us a value of.7 (/8=.7). We multiply the models starting TV (00) by this value (.7) for the damage amount awarded to the player's opponent for that round, which in this case is (00*.7=). A player who enters a round with a lower threat value force group (as compared to their opponents) will add that difference to their nal damage amount as bonus points. Example: Player A begins the round with a total threat value of 988 and Player B with a total threat value of 77 (a difference of points). At the end of the match Player A has damaged or destroyed 0 points and Player B 89 points. Player B's adjusted damage amount is 89=08 points. The player with the greater nal damage amount will receive an additional () points to their score. Tactician () A player who manages to score in every listed scoring category during the same round will receive a () to their score. Winning the Round After totaling both player's score from the current round, the player with the greater value (total points scored) is declared winner for that round. If both player's score is the same, the round is considered a draw. The win-loss-draw ratio for each player is used in the event a tie-breaker is needed for determining the nal winner of the tournament. A win is worth round point, a draw is worth / round point and a loss 0 round points. Winning thetournament Points from each scored round will accumulate to provide an overall score for each player that will be used to determine the nal winner of the tournament. Tie-Breakers In the event of a tie (highest overall score), a player's tournament win-loss-draw ratio will be used as a tie-breaker to determine the tournament winner. If two or more players remain tied (same tournament score and win-loss ratio), the event organizer will add up the scores of each player's opponents in all three rounds, with the player having the greater total (strength of schedule) being declared the tournament winner. In the unlikely event that a tie remains, the tournament is over with a joint victory for each player. Tournament Forfeiture The forfeiture of a match, other than an emergency situation, besides being a poor showing of sportsmanship, is unfair to the other players who do complete their matches as required. A player may forfeit by their own declaration or by leaving the game without an explanation to their opponent. A player may also forfeit a match through excessive breaks at the sole discretion of a tournament judge. Forfeiting players will result in that player receiving a 0 score for all three rounds and will be ineligible for any awards. In the event of a player forfeiting, the remaining player will be awarded a win for that round, receiving () points and any other objective points that may have been earned up to the end of the game, including damage points equal to half the forfeiting player's starting threat value amount (unless the player has already destroyed more prior to the forfeiture). Should one or more players be unable to complete all three rounds due to their opponent's forfeiture, judges will have the discretion of dropping the lowest score of the remaining players, and using only two rounds worth of play for determine the overall tournament winner. Sportsmanship For everyone to enjoy the tournament and have fun, a fair and honest environment is required. Players are expected to play each round using the rules of the game and to cooperate with the event organizer, judges, and opposing players, answering any questions that may arise honestly and making sure to hold their opponents to these same standards. The event organizer and any additional judges they may appoint will be unable to observe every minute of every game. In the event of a dispute, either player has the option of requesting a judge to explain the situation and receive a ruling. Players are also expected to present a mature and polite demeanor to their opponents, the judges, and anyone that may be observing the tournament. Abusive or offensive conduct (including language), cheating, arguing, stalling, or any other inappropriate actions will not be tolerated. All players should take note: all rulings by a tournament judge are nal. Do your best to win, but win nicely. Judges reserve the right to remove players from the tournament with no refunds or awards and risk being barred from any future participation in a sanctioned event. Talon Games reserves the right to modify, update, clarify, or change tournament rules to improve the overall experience for participants at any time. The release of new game rules and/or changes to the official FAQ/Errata document (www.talon-games.com) may also require changes to the tournament system as presented.
Prizes There will be prizes for st, nd, and rd place nishers as well as an award to every player that completes all three rounds of play in a First StrikeTournament. There will be additional prizes for Best Painted Force Group (st, nd, and rd place). Tournament Painting Competition For a force group to be eligible for the tournament painting competition, each model is required to be painted to a threecolor minimum standard (base not included). Each eligible player will have their force group judged by the event organizer during the tournament. The attached tournament painting competition worksheet will be used by any judges to determine a player's overall painting competition score. In the event of a tie, a player's nal tournament score placing will be used to determine the winner.
FIRST STRIKE TOURNAMENT PAINTING COMPETITION WORKSHEET TOURNAMENT PLAYER NAME OVERALL PAINTING (CHECK ONE) BASIC PAINTING: FORCE GROUP IS PAINTED, BUT ONLY TO THE THREE-COLOR STANDARD. BASIC PAINTING PLUS: FORCE GROUP IS BEYOND BASIC PAINTING, ADDITIONAL STEPS BEYOND THE THREE-COLOR STANDARD. MASTERFUL PAINTING: OVERALL APPEARANCE IS AMAZING! EVERYTHING WORKS GREAT TOGETHER TO CREATE AN AWESOME FORCE GROUP.. UNIFORMITY (CHECK BOTH IF APPLICABLE) PAINTING IS UNIFORM: NOT A MIX OF SCHEMES, STYLES, AND/OR LOOKS FACTION SPECIFIC: ALL MODELS IN THE FORCE GROUP ARE FROM A SINGLE FACTION. BASIC DETAILS (CHECK ONE) BASIC DETAILS: DETAILS ARE PAINTED SUCH AS WEAPONS, COCKPITS, EXHAUST PORTS. BASIC DETAILS PLUS: DETAILS HAVE BEEN ADDED SUCH AS UNIT MARKINGS, SCORCH, AND/OR RUST MARKS, ETC. MASTERFUL DETAILS: OVERALL DETAILING IS AMAZING! MASTERFUL ATTENTION TO DETAILS IS AMAZING! NEW DETAILS ARE NOTICED EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT THE MODELS. HIGHLIGHTING (CHECK ONE) BASIC HIGHLIGHTING: LINES ARE NEAT, DRY-BRUSHING IS APPROPRIATE, WASH/INKING IS CONTROLLED AND NOT SLOPPY. BASIC HIGHLIGHTING PLUS: HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN BLENDED, SHADED, OR LAYERED TO AN ABOVE AVERAGE STANDARD. MASTERFUL HIGHLIGHTING/BLENDING: OVERALL HIGHLIGHTING AND BLENDING IS AMAZING! EVERYTHING JUST WORKS GREAT TOGETHER. BASING (CHECK ONE) BASIC BASING: MODELS ARE CLEANLY AND UNIFORMLY BASED WITH BASING MATERIALS (FLOCK/SAND/TILES) OR PAINTED ON DETAILS. EXTRA BASING: THE MODELS HAVE MULTIPLE BASING MATERIALS (ROCKS/GRASS), EXTRA DETAILS PAINTED ON (CRACKS IN CONCRETE), OR BASING IS VERY WELL DONE (E.G. ROLLING SAND DUNES). JUDGE SIGNATURE: TOTAL
FIRST STRIKE TOURNAMENT PLAYER RECORD SHEET ROUND ONE: ROUND TWO: ROUND THREE: TOURNAMENT PLAYER ONE PLAYER TWO NAME NAME CALL SIGN CALL SIGN EMAIL EMAIL FORCE GROUP TOTAL THREAT VALUE FORCE GROUP TOTAL THREAT VALUE MODEL DT TV D DM MODEL DT TV D DM BONUS BONUS TOTAL TOTAL TOURNAMENT POINTS TOURNAMENT POINTS STAND & FIGHT! (TOTAL ) STAND & FIGHT! (TOTAL ) STAND & FIGHT! (HIGH ) STAND & FIGHT! (HIGH ) TIME ON TARGET TIME ON TARGET THE OBJECTIVE IS... THE OBJECTIVE IS... HEADHUNTER! HEADHUNTER! BREAKTHROUGH! BREAKTHROUGH! SPORTSMANSHIP (-) SPORTSMANSHIP (-) TACTICIAN TACTICIAN TOTAL POINTS TOTAL POINTS PLAYER ONE SIGNATURE W: L: D: PLAYER TWO SIGNATURE W: L: D:
FIRST STRIKE TOURNAMENT TABLES TOURNAMENT STAND & FIGHT TABLE TOTAL 00 TO 000 00 TO 000 00 TO 000 00 TO 000 TO 000 0 TRACK: TRACK: TRACK: TRACK: TRACK: TRACK: 7 MODIFIER.00 MODIFIER..7 MODIFIER.0.00.70 MODIFIER.00.00.00.800 MODIFIER...00.7.8 MODIFIER..8.8.7.7.87 POINTS 0 TRACK: 8 7 TRACK: 9 7 8 TRACK: 0 = MODIFIER TRACK: 7 8 9 0 TRACK: 7 8 9 0 MODIFIER..0.7.00..70.87 MODIFIER......7.778.889 DMG=.00 MODIFIER.090.8.7.....77.88.909 MODIFIER.08.7.0..7.00.8.7.70.8.97