The Thing about Vassal

If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you know that I advocate using Vassal to help make informed decisions about what models to buy from GW so that you don't waste real money on models that suck.  Also, with Gone to Ground Jr. coming in a few weeks and a fairly busy commission painting work schedule, I don't get to go out to my FLGS much to play real games. So, Vassal is a great way to meet people and play games.  Using Vassal, in part, has inspired me to collect my Sanguinary Guard army.  There is no way I would have put it together without having played it several time first.  Since I have been able to use Vassal I have been able to really put some thought into my army.

However, there are a few things that irk me about Vassal.  They are small things, but nonethless they make playing games....let's just say interesting.

1) 2D.  I hate that it is in 2D.  There are many, many decisions in 40k based on line of sight and let's face it, 3D is where's it at.  I have had many discussions with opponents about whether or not a model truly see over something and the discussions always end in us kind of just agreeing to move the game along.  I wish there was some way to instill some sense of height to models and terrain. 

2) Wacked out armies!  It is nice being able to put together any army you wish, but I don't think I have actually played against a single "normal" army out there.  I have played anything from all wraith Eldar to a GK army complete with Coteaz and 40 jokaeros.  No one really brings a normal list on Vassal, or at least I don't run into many.  Then again, a Sanguinary Guard army isn't your typical fair either. 

So, those are my two biggest beefs.  They really aren't anything that detract from the games overall.  They are just in my wishlist of things I wish I could control, right up there with the weather, gas prices, and my current salary. 

Regardless, if you have the models or are wanting to put together an army and want to playtest it, Vassal is where it's at.  Try it out.