Reserves - solution to who goes first?

This is a method of play that we've used around here often. I've not discussed it much before, but thought I might share it as a way of balancing out the game a bit. As we know the player that gets to go first seems to have a higher chance of winning than the player that goes second.


I came up with "RESERVES" a long time ago when I found it annoying to lose my "RALLY" figures off the bat. I hated it when they got shot off the line and I didn't even get a chance to move them and obviously won't get a chance to Rally anything with them even if they were white. Frustrating indeed.

Rules of RESERVES.

You pick your team as you always do. We shall use my 200 point team from Tix Con as an example.

X5 Spiderman 07
X1 KAM
x1 Venom
X5 Jedi Knights
X2 Kit Fisto
X1 Armor Spiderman

Now when we play the game with "reserves" we pick and choose who we wish to start the game with. For instance I could choose these figure to start the game with and place them on the line:
X5 Spiderman 07
x5 Jedi Knights
X2 Kit Fisto
X1 Armor Spiderman

Then I would take these figures and place them into my Reserves:
Venom
Ki Adi Mundi

Reserves are figures that are a part of your main team, but are placed to the side of the table instead of on the line. Think of it as if it was another defeated area, but more like a waiting area instead. This makes it so you don't lose one of your key figures off the bat without ever even getting a chance to move him.

Now there's several different ways you can bring in your reserves. You could make it a mandatory "1 round" rule where you must bring them into play after 1 round had completed itself. Or you could make it to where the person could bring them in whenever they wish to bring them in. This adds lots of strategy to the game. However you wish to do it is your choice.

One key rule is that if all your opponents figures have been defeated and he still has some in reserves, they are lost and the game is over. So sitting them in your reserves for too long can be costly indeed!

Bringing in figures should have a penalty in a way in my opinion. So here's how you do it and what the small penalty is.

Figures can only be brought in at the end of your turn. Place them at your starting line. They may not shot or move until the beginning of your next turn. This makes it so that the following doesn't happen.

I'm marching my figures down the board and am firmly planted on my opponents side of the board. On my opponents turn he brings in both of this S4 Vaders from his reserves at the beginning of his turn and annihilates my figures. Not real fair is it?


Now with the above mentioned you can see where Reserves must pay a small penalty for being there in the first place.

So you might ask "What benefit is there if I have to put them on the starting line at some point"?

Well let's look at what my team could do with Reserves in effect.

So I have chosen to leave Venom and KAM in my Reserves. Well, I know that Venom need one of my opponents figures to be defeated to be able to Vanquish. This gives me a chance to defeat some of my opponents figures BEFORE I bring in Venom.
Also with KAM it's a disadvantage if he gets shot off the line at the start of the game even if he is white. So this makes it where I can march my Jedi Knights down the table a bit BEFORE KAM gets shot off the line. And if he does then, so what, at least I'm in striking range now with all my Knights.

See the benefits?

What's your thoughts? Any questions?