The Warhammer 40,000 Allies matrix (feel free to google that, I can't post a direct link). A spreadsheet detailing which armies can ally with which, and to what degree the two trust one another, which has an actual effect on gameplay in an edition rife with random everythings.
In no particular order: the magic spells (I mean psychic powers), Warlord traits unless you get one of their very special named characters which just happen to cost five to twenty bucks more, the effects of terrain (including 'something kills all the guys'), the effects of objectives (including 'it blows up and kills all the guys'), etc are all things that you roll randomly for, but I digress.
At a glance to the new player it might make sense for one army to be a lot more friendly to another, and for the giant space bugs to not be friendly with anyone ('come the apocalypse', referencing very large games called Apocalypse). But this is also the setting that's so large 'anything' can happen, and there's quite a few pieces of fluff (official fiction) that contradicts The Matrix. It's also a game system that's built heavily upon rule zero; Play, have fun, and give your opponent the benefit of a doubt. Or failing that, roll a pair of dice and the higher roller wins whatever dispute.
Finally the pairings of parent army and detachment army (which is significantly smaller) doesn't exist. The spreadsheet is mirrored. The space bugs can't ally with anyone. Period. Full stop. ... ... ... Except that they often subvert local populations and infiltrate their military, which means a bug primary and Guard as a detachment makes perfect sense. But it's not possible because there's a chart with rules that says so. So too do the Orks often work as mercenaries, even for the races that normally detest them, which would be nice, but apparently too complicated for your average hobbyist.
Good idea, poorly, poorly executed.
In no particular order: the magic spells (I mean psychic powers), Warlord traits unless you get one of their very special named characters which just happen to cost five to twenty bucks more, the effects of terrain (including 'something kills all the guys'), the effects of objectives (including 'it blows up and kills all the guys'), etc are all things that you roll randomly for, but I digress.
At a glance to the new player it might make sense for one army to be a lot more friendly to another, and for the giant space bugs to not be friendly with anyone ('come the apocalypse', referencing very large games called Apocalypse). But this is also the setting that's so large 'anything' can happen, and there's quite a few pieces of fluff (official fiction) that contradicts The Matrix. It's also a game system that's built heavily upon rule zero; Play, have fun, and give your opponent the benefit of a doubt. Or failing that, roll a pair of dice and the higher roller wins whatever dispute.
Finally the pairings of parent army and detachment army (which is significantly smaller) doesn't exist. The spreadsheet is mirrored. The space bugs can't ally with anyone. Period. Full stop. ... ... ... Except that they often subvert local populations and infiltrate their military, which means a bug primary and Guard as a detachment makes perfect sense. But it's not possible because there's a chart with rules that says so. So too do the Orks often work as mercenaries, even for the races that normally detest them, which would be nice, but apparently too complicated for your average hobbyist.
Good idea, poorly, poorly executed.