The MAWL

As I have mentioned many times, I play in a Warhammer League called the MAWL.

MAWL stands for Metroplex Area Warhemmer League. Nice and simple.

I founded it 3 years ago. I originally got about 8 - 10 players in it when a local store said they were also starting a league and wanted to merge the 2. We talked about it and agreed to let me run it and off it went.

The first year we had 16 players and went for 10 games.
Year 2, we went up to 24 players and decreased the games to 8.
This is the 3rd year I've run it and it is up to 30 players. And I have a list of more players who want to jump in.

When designing the league, I got tired of the Leagues where:
1. Players can play 4-5 games a week and dominate the league.
2. A player can jump in with 1 week to go, beat the same guy 3 times and qualify for the final rounds.
3. A system where the winners can continually build bigger and better armies making battles lobsided by the end of the league.

So what I designed hopefully eliminates these. Here is how I run it.
1. Everyone signs up for the league ahead of time and pays $10 if they are new, or if they forfieted a game the previous year. Or $8 otherwise. This gives you incentive to not forfiet any games and to come back the next year.

2. The money goes towards trophies and door prizes at the end.

3. I divide the League into 2 regions and each region into 2 divisions. The regions are done geographically to keep players from having to drive huge distances to get to their games.

4. A schedule is made and posted to a website. There every player can see who they are supposed to play and when. Also on the website goes the standings, contact info and what resources a player has.

5. Each player picks the type of army they are playing before the league begins. SoC armies are different. Chaos must choose Mortal, Beast or Daemonic and which mark their general will bear. VC must pick a bloodline. Example, I am playing Chaos Beastmen, undivided. Players cannot switch armies in the League. (I make exceptions for players doing really poorly, who want to try something different at the end of the League.)

6. Players are given 2 weeks to play each game. They email me with the results and i post them on the website for all to see. Players are encouraged to write battle reports, but are not required.

7. Before the League begins, players are given 2 resources and 1 special resource. This is done in what has become to be known as the MAWL draft day. We all get together, this year it was at a pizza joint. A draft order is determined. This year, we did it by, who had the worst record to best record from the previous year. New comers were inserted into the draft randomly between those who made the playoffs last year and those that did not.

8. We have 36 different resources. Since we had 30 players that means we need 60. So most resources there were 2 of, some only 1. We start at the top and each player can pick the resource they want. We go through the list twice.

9. Each player also gets what is called a Counter Special resource. What this allows a player to do is 1 time during the league. So in all 8 games, they can use this 1 time. Is stop another player as he starts to use a resource.

10. What the resources are is mostly 1 shot items that will help you in your games. Perhaps 1 free re-roll of a dice. Give a unit +1 weapon skill for 1 round of combat. Some help you ahead of time, by giving you an extra 25 or 50 points. Some help with deployment, allowing you to always pick your deployment zone, add or delete terrain items, redeploy a unit of yours after deployment, or even redeploy one of your opponents units after deployment.

11. Games are base 2250 points (same as local GT's).

12. Each game has a home player and visiting player. Home player gets 3 advantages:
A. They get to pick, within reason, where to play.
B. They get +50 points. So most games are 2300 vs 2250 points.
C. They get to use their terrain chart.

13. A player may bring 3 resources to use in each game. So even if I have 8 resources and my opponent only has 3. We both bring the same number to the game, I just get a wider choice of what I'm bringing.

14. Of the 3 he brings, he must wager one of those 3. So while I may have 3 great ones and bring all 3 I have to wager one of my good ones. A random one is also rolled up.

15. Play the game, if there is a winner, then he may choose either the wagered resource or the random one that was rolled up.

16. After all 8 games are played, Then the winner of each division + the next 2 best players in each region make it to the playoffs.

17. In the playoffs, it is single elimination in the first round. The final 4 come together for the final day. Here everyone comes, plays warhammer or whatever and watches the final matches. The winners of the semi finals face off for 1st and 2nd. The losers of the semi-finals face off for 3rd.

18. Trophies are given out for 1st through 3rd. Also a trophy is given to the best sport voted on by all the players. And this year I'm adding a 5th trophy that is called Lore Master, given to the player with the best battle report.

Thats about it, let me know if you have any questions. You can find our website here:
http://dfw.mawl.googlepages.com/index.htm

Have fun!!