Wait, I can't play my army? - List Censorship in Tournaments

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a French project that I had started for the purposes of playing in a three player team tournament that I had entered with a couple of gaming buddies. The tournament asks players to bring a list for each of the Axis and Allied sides. I knew I was going to field a French combat squadron, but I wasn't sure which early war Axis list I would bring.

My early war Axis army is Afrika Korps and I know that I'll run something from the desert. I was considering schutzen, light panzer or stutzpunkt. When I looked at the tournament format webpage, my options had been limited for me. No fortification lists allowed. My perfectly legal list was made illegal all of a sudden. It is this trend of list censorship in tournaments that I am writing about today.

Regardless of which company I choose for my early war army, I know that I'm going to have to field air support, 88s, heavy artillery or some other heavy tank killer. Someone will show up with a fat unit of T-34s, Matildas or Char B-1s. They will have a number of extremely heavy (for early) tanks that I must specifically tailor some aspect of my army against. I will spend points that I would much rather spend on units I actually like to combat obnoxious units the enemies list is completely based around.

I'm fine with this, because those heavy tanks are historical, pointed well and part of the game. I know they will exist, and I take steps to counter them in my list.

This pillbox is completely allowed....

.... this one is not.

Not one of those players will have to think about how to face my Stutzpunkt, Fuciliari or any other fortified lists. They won't have to think about pioneers and their role in breaking defenses, about attacking with their limited infantry or how to strategically place objectives to take advantage of the fortified company rules.

This would have been FAR easier if they just enlisted the Milton Keynes Wargamers Society to run things.

The tournament has removed an interesting and very historical part of the game for some arbitrary reason. Maybe they think it's boring, without realizing how the pre-placement of fortified companies mean the fortified company is often counter-attacking to hold exposed objectives. Maybe they think an entire list needs to be tailored to fight fortified companies or that the lists should be for scenarios only. Whatever the reason, the fact is that I can't choose one of my companies because someone thinks they are not fun.

A lot of talk on forums is how powerful the strelkovy horde with a KV is during early war, or how T-34 tank lists are so nasty. These lists are extremely well suited to win against most lists in the game. The strelkovy defend exceptionally well, and have a KV that can barely be touched. The T-34s outclass comparable tanks and have a great deal of support. They are strong lists, especially the strelkovy. However, fortified lists are able to counter the huge immobile defending horde. They make it difficult to play a sit and win infantry army, and force the strelkovy player to take units that can attack and beat fortifications. They are required to have units that are mobile and powerful to the point that they can take advantage of exposed objectives and race against reserves.

Enver Hoxha thought bunkers were fun! 700,000 of them in 28,000 square kilometres.

I just don't understand how 41 tank T-26 companies, Matilda lists, and immobile strelkovy lists are totally fine, but a german Stutzpunkt list with a stupid expensive compulsory section and other similar lists are disallowed. The rules with objectives and exceptionally limited mobile reserves create balance and can lead to exciting, close games. Removing that senseless and means players like me can't simply play their armies as the rules of the game allow and dictate. Choose missions and victory conditions to make things difficult on fortification lists, but don't start redacting army books.

Look, it's the list selection page before my next tournament!

What do you think? Should we be picking and choosing which lists are kosher? Does it make for a better game?