Power Level VS Points

A Chaos Sorceror is 5 Power Level points, but what is it in regular Points?

I have been thinking about this for awhile and I finally decided to do a comparison of army lists Power Level VS Points.  In all of my games of 8th edition I have used Power Level to build my list.  I have made the assumption based on feel that 100 PL is approximately 2000 Points, but am I correct?

Here is my army list from the previous battle report:

100 Power Level

HQ

Chaos Sorceror with Force Sword and Bolt Pistol and Eye of Tzeentch Relic

5 Power Level

102 Points

Warpsmith with combi-flamer and mechatendrils

5 Power Level

56 Points

ELITES

Helbrute with Twin Lascannon and Missile Launcher

7 Power Level

147 Points

4 Chosen 2 Flamers and 2 Meltaguns

1 Champion with Power Sword

7 Power Level

136 Points

TROOPS

19 Chaos Marines, Icon of Vengeance and 2 Plasma Guns

1 Champion with Powerfist

15 Power Level

308 Points

9 Marines with Missile Launcher and Plasma Gun

1 Champion with Power Fist

9 Power Level

180 Points

9 Cultists with 1 flamer

1 Champion 

3 Power Level

49 Points

TRANSPORTS

Rhino with Havoc Missile Launcher

4 Power Level

81 Points

Rhino with Havoc Missile Launcher

4 Power Level

81 Points

FAST ATTACK

3 Spawn 

6 Power Level

99 Points

4 Raptors with 2 Meltaguns

1 Champion with Chainsword and bolt pistol

6 Power Level

119 Points

HEAVY SUPPORT

3 Obliterators

10 Power Level

195 Points

Predator with Twin Lascannon Turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons

9 Power Level

190 Points

Predator with Twin Lascannon Turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons

9 Power Level

190 Points

POWER LEVEL: 100

POINTS: 1933

So it seems my feelings were correct.  So far at least my 100 PL army equates to just under 2000 Pts.

Next I am going to point out a 200 power level list which I will feature in my next battle report.

200 Power Level

HQ

Chaos Lord with 2 lightning claws and Fleshmetal Skeleton Relic
5 Power Level
86 Points

Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour and 2 lightning claws
6 Power Level
117 Points

Chaos Sorceror in Terminator Armour and Force Axe and Combi-Bolter
8 Power Level
158 Points

ELITES

Helbrute with Twin Lascannon and Missile Launcher
7 Power Level
147 Points

Helbrute with 2 Helbrute fists with 2 Combi-bolters
7 Power Level
156 Points

Helbrute with Helbrute Plasma Cannon and Helbrute Fist with Combi-bolter
7 Power Level
144 Points

4 Chosen 2 Flamers and 2 Meltaguns

1 Champion with Power Sword

7 Power Level

136 Points

TROOPS

19 Chaos Marines, Icon of Vengeance and 2 Plasma Guns

1 Champion with Powerfist

15 Power Level

308 Points

19 Chaos Marines, Icon of Vengeance and 2 Plasma Guns

1 Champion with Powerfist

15 Power Level

308 Points

9 Chaos Marines with Missile Launcher and Plasma Gun
1 Champion with Powerfist
9 Power Level

180 Points

9 Chaos Marines with Missile Launcher and Plasma Gun
1 Champion with Powerfist
9 Power Level
180 Points

9 Chaos Marines with Lascannon and Plasma Gun
1 Champion with Powerfist
9 Power Level
180 Points

9 Chaos Marines, 1 with a flamer, 7 with chainswords and bolt pistols
1 Champion with Powerfist
9 Power Level
138 Points

TRANSPORTS

Rhino with Havoc Missile Launcher

4 Power Level

81 Points

Rhino with Havoc Missile Launcher

4 Power Level

81 Points

Rhino 

4 Power Level

70 Points

FAST ATTACK

3 Spawn 

6 Power Level

99 Points

4 Raptors with 2 Meltaguns

1 Champion with Chainsword and bolt pistol

6 Power Level

119 Points

4 Raptors with 2 Meltaguns

1 Champion with Chainsword and bolt pistol

6 Power Level

119 Points

HEAVY SUPPORT

Predator with Twin Lascannon Turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons

9 Power Level

190 Points

Predator with Twin Lascannon Turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons

9 Power Level

190 Points

Predator with Twin Lascannon Turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons

9 Power Level

190 Points

Landraider with Twin Heavy Bolter and 2 Twin Lascannon Sponsons
19 Power Level

356 Points

9 Havocs with 4 Lascannons
1 Champion with Chainsword and bolt pistol
10 Power Level
230 Points

POWER LEVEL: 199

POINTS: 3951

So it appears that 200 Power Level is approximately 4000 Points.

Some interesting observations:

- 1 Power Level point equates to approximately 20 points

- Some units are way more expensive points-wise than they were in the previous edition.

- Rhinos are definitely over-costed in Points and probably also Power Level.

I want to compare certain units builds' Power Level Vs Points.  I have had some thoughts on which units could be abused using Power Level as well as some conversations and I want to see if we were right.  Also the disparity of Power Level Vs Points had been a big concern for me before I started playing 8th and I am not certain it matters.  I will explore this below.

9 Chaos Terminators, 9 with Chain Fists, 9 with Combi-Meltas, 1 with Icon Of Vengeance
1 Champion with Chainfist and Combi-melta
28 Power Level
730 Points

9 Chaos Terminators, 9 with Combi-Bolters, 9 with Power Swords
1 Champion with Power Sword and Combi-bolter
28 Power Level
370 Points

9 Chaos Havocs 4 with Lascannons
1 Champion with Power Fist
10 Power Level
242 Points

9 Chaos Havocs, 4 with Heavy Bolters
1 Champion with Chainsword
10 Power Level
170 Points

Some more interesting observations:

- Some units are a steal when using Power level as long as they are kitted out a certain way.

- The Terminators have a huge points swing depending on the wargear loadout; from 370 to 730!  That's a swing of 360 points!  You could have two units of 10 Terminators with Power Swords and combi-bolters for one unit of Combi-melta and Chain fist terminators in the Points system, but it would cost you 56 Power Level points to have two units of terminators!

- A Squad of 10 Chaos Terminators, if using the conversion I came up with above where 1 Power Level = 20 Points, should cost 560 points.  560 is almost directly between 730 and 370.

- 560 Points is a lot more than Terminators used to cost!

- I am pretty sure any unit that can really be kitted out like terminators, in other words, Chosen and Ork Nobs are going to be able to be taken advantage of in Power Level games.

- The Havocs have a swing of 72 points.  This would allow you to buy a unit of Havocs with 4 heavy bolters and a rhino in a Points based army for the same cost as one unit of Havocs with Lascannons, but in a Power Level game both Havoc units are the same Power Level points.

- When playing Points it seems you can generally get a better deal.

- Power Levels probably balances out between the two players and between the units as long as one person isn't trying to maximize the power out of units like Terminators.

- Power Levels aren't as granular so when you take an under-strength squad you simply end up paying more Power Level points than you probably should.


Closing thoughts:

I think Power Levels are a good way to play games between friends who have armies already built.  Play WYSIWYG and no one should have any issues with balance.

Power Levels aren't a good way to play for Power Gamey Tournament Players (PGTP).  I have played in a number of tournaments where these players exist.  They aren't the same as Win At All Costs (WAAC) players who will literally cheat using fast dice rolling and measuring inconsistencies with tape measures etc. because they have a low self esteem (Or at least I think they must have low self-esteem to cheat in a game like this.), but these are players who will try to create lists that give them every possible advantage to win.

The reason I say this is that both PGTP and WAAC look to use everything they can to their advantage and will build a brand new army from scratch to take advantage of the Power Level inconsistencies.  It would stagnate the tournament environment.  There would exist units and armies that everyone would play with no variety because a PGTP or WAAC player would take the unit at its most powerful build every time and the Power Level would stay the same.

With a Points environment for tournaments more options are available and subsequently more army builds.  As I mentioned above I could take 2 terminator units for the price of one in a Points-environment but I could not do the same in a Power Level environment because both units would cost the same Power Levels even with drastically different equipment.  Each terminator unit fills a different role but Power Levels don't account for that.

I think GW knew what they were doing with Power Levels even though I initially did not agree with the decision.  I feel like if I played in tournaments I would never touch Power Levels; and for good reason!

The separation of Points from Power Levels and the choice to put all the Points in the back of the codex was a smart move.  By separating out Points to a list in the back, GW can simply update Points occasionally to make sure they are balanced with the other armies they make in the future.  The Power Levels can stay the same, because face it, us casual players don't care so much.  We want to play games with our armies!  I can do that with Power Level, slightly easier even than with Points.

Points are more granular and more flexible than Power Level.

In conclusion, GW did a smart and good thing for the players and the company.  I think they have successfully been able to separate the casual from the competitive finally after many many Editions of trying.