Bring back mode preferences

Actually it seems counter intuitive but Deathmatch mode is actually the hardest to balance. LOL is a poor comparison because the games are not alike. I do see your point though of picking one mode but it would be better to pick an AP bracket. What you should be looking at for balance examples are, Table Top Miniature War games. Have a look at their competitive play, not a one of the systems I have armies for use the Deathmatch mode for balance or in tournaments. I'm talking faction balance not individual unit balance.

The reasons are simple.
- Some styles of armies can never be balanced at that mode. ie Wolves currently. More bodies Meta we have currently.
- It limits variety.
- It is actually the least strategic of the game types. More victory conditions alone add more avenues for events to play out.

When you add in KotH style play or VIP or other scenarios like Defend or Capture the flag you will see that each style even within a faction will vary and thus overall balance will be much better.

Yes one faction my be pants at a game where they have to kill everything on a static map but now add in a victory condition where they can use their superior maneuverability, durability and suddenly they shine. Balance is achieved.

Table Top games are never balanced at every points value. They are balanced at what the designers have said an army size should be. This is why when you pick up those games's rule books they always give you either a starting points value to build a list with or a prescribed list with extras.

What you suggested seems to limit build options, and make it even more random who gets the upper hand in competitive play. Ranked play should have the absolute minimum amount of randomness to it, so that its an even playing ground and who is the superior player/builder wins.

I'll just address this as well.
Actually it will add a layer of strategy to since again some of the lists we have currently would struggle to compete in those situations and thus we would see more all rounder lists. The caveat being we would need more variety of units with in a faction.

Not being able to build a list to just dominate DM would mean that more lists and styles become viable. Each style would have maps and modes it shines in and sucks in and you have and equal chance to happen upon them. Thus far less likely to get hopeless matchups even if you do build a focused list.

I'll restate it the caveat being that we would need more variety within each faction. Currently each faction has at most 2 style options. ie Lion - Archer or Mage

A style of group having strengths and weakness with random modes is not healthy competitive play, it adds more luck and less skill/clever building. In healthy competitive play you are supposed to know what to build for, competitive play should have the least amount of luck in it. There is plenty more I could discuss but I really don't want to derail the thread trying to define what is competitive play, or argue about build variety in whatever format we are in.

The thread is supposed to be about wanting or not wanting mode preferences. My balance ideas and suggestions were supposed to add support rather then spark debate. Point is you can balance any type of way they decide to set the game up. How that is done or how easy it is, is a very long and different discussion.

I think even you and the other tiny minority that on the surface appear to support the random modes still dislike it, you appreciate the potential balance it can give to the game. I believe no one, not even the supporters to this change like being forced into playing modes, because even if this model that's currently set up truly is more balanced is not the point, because we can pick a non random version that EVERYONE would like and then balance it.

Any model can be balanced, but while the devs sometimes may listen to balance suggestions for the most part that is pretty much all on them, however what we as the community can do is decide what type of game we want to play, and the devs must tailor to that or loose a large portion of the player base, which hurts every one, devs, vets, and new players alike.

All balance aside can you honestly tell me you like not getting to choose what type of game you want to play? Can you really tell me you prefer this model as apposed to a balanced one where you get to pick your game type?

(On a side note I do hope the devs pay attention to in game chat as huuuuuge numbers of people there voice their hateful opinion of this change, only the most vet players who are only looking at this from the standpoint that it may be more balanced then the previous patch, as apposed to what is actually fun are who seem to be lurking on the fourms)

No I fully agree with you we did derail the thread a bit. In it's current state not being able to choose which game mode I want is truly terrible. I did say that in my first post and in the patch thread as well.. Like you I decided to try and give ways that they can fix it from my experience in the Table Top community.

I also agree with pretty much everything you have said. It would work perfectly well, but alternatives are always helpful.

Current non mode select play is bad.