One of Those Weeks

Man.  This week has killed me.  I am currently transitioning careers, from one to a totally different one.  That said, life has been a bit hectic. On top of that, I have had quite a few commissions come across my worktable.  I have had a chance to do some cool stuff.  I will have an upcoming post to show off a few things. 

That said, I'm hoping to get a few more posts done in regards to learning about Warmahordes.  A couple of things I've learned that I want to talk about are threat ranges and feats and timing.

I also have a model in the works that I want to get ready for a giveaway. Stay tuned for that little bit of fun. 

Ah, the Learning Curve is Back

If you read my last post, I had a great time playing my first game with my Menoth army. It was a blast, but it reminded me of something.  The learning curve. Ugh!  I forgot about this guy.  I have been playing Warhammer Fantasy for 8 years and 40k for about 2 1/2 and they are very similar.  I totally forgot what it's like to not know something about everything in the game (note I didn't say everything about everything).  I feel I have a reasonable grip on the rules, though I need a ton of refining, but knowing all of the faction specific rules and styles, the various warcaster/warlock effects on units and armies, and just the special rules for every model is incredibly daunting.  In my game last night, I basically played according to what I thought were solid choices for my army and the situation at hand. Past that, I hoped and prayed my opponent did smash the crap out of me with impunity. 

Luckily, he didn't.  Aside from the extraordinarily lucky turn of events that lead to an easy road to the caster kill and dominance of the game, I really didn't have a solid knowledge foundation to stand on and that reminded me that I am once again a small fish playing in an extremely large pond. 

So, my thoughts on this:

1) Read, read, read.  I hope to get my hands on as many copies of rules as possible to read up on the various factions and their models.  I also will make some stops to Battle College for information. Information gathering is going to be a key to success.  A large part of playing Warmahordes is knowing what your opponents can throw at you.  Thus, I need more information.

2) Play more games.  I love that Warmahordes on average takes far less time than 40k or WFB.  That means that in a given night at a 35pt. level, I can get in around 2-3 games, especially since I am a noob and will get my butt kicked fairly easily. 

3) Watch games.  I am loving youtube right now.  There are tons of games online that I can watch and learn from.  I have watched quite a few Menoth battle reports, but I need to start watching battle reports from other factions to see what various players do.  This is definitely next on my list. 

So, the road has started.  I am pumped.  This game rocks!  Now I need to do some homework.

What other things should I consider when prepping for upcoming battles?  What are those key pieces of information that will give me the edge?  I'm interested to hear from some readers out there. 

Here are some other Warmachine articles:
Warmachine the Way I See It: Warcaster Study, pKreoss
The Harbinger of Menoth: Model Review
How Important is the Front Arc, Really?
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Starting Something New: Having a Cohesive Plan

I started the year out with a few articles about how to be successful in trying new things in the hobby, whether that be painting a new army or starting a new gaming system.  Doing these things isn't that hard, but as I mentioned ad nauseum in both articles, it takes planning.  Luckily, planning is pretty easy if you take the time to look around and ask opinions/advice and seek information.  With blogs and forums in an abundance this is fairly easy to do.  Everyone has an opinion on how to play a given game and unlike excuses, not every one stinks.

Not all plans are equal though.  Anyone who knows how to create a successful plan will tell you that a plan has to be created based on a successful vision.  The vision is the end result of what the plan hopes to accomplish.  It is what carries your efforts through to completion.  The vision can be elaborate or it can be simple.  Any vision requires a few things though.  It needs to be realistic, viable and it needs to ultimately be a success.  No one plans a vision that ends in failure.  That would be plain stupid.  Why do the work to achieve a failure?  The plan also needs to be viable meaning it is possible.  Sometimes our eyes get bigger than our abilities.  That said, if you want to develop a new skill, definitely try it out, but try to sustain viability.  Finally, be realistic.  Most plans crash and burn because there just aren't enough hours in the day.  Be realistic about how much you can accomplish, how difficult the task is and how attainable your end result will be.

That said, I thought I would give an example of a plan I am working on to get my Protectorate of Menoth army up and running.  Having done the research, I know that the Privateer Press seems to really be organized with their competitive play.  I have heard about the steamroller 2012 rules pack and understand that in most cases you need two armies, each with a different caster to compete in most events.  I have done quite a bit of research on what it takes to build synergy to really make a Menoth army dangerous. So, it's time for a plan.

The plan is simple really. I need two solid 50 point armies that will provide enough competitive edge, that I feel that I can stand a decent chance of winning a handful of games.  I don't have to be a tournament winner right out of the gate.  These armies need to be painted in short order, so if I can use the same models between the two armies, I can really make things more efficient from a time and monetary perspective (warcasters aside, obviously).   Finally, I need to get plugged in to the local Warmahordes scene at my LGS, so that I can get some experience ASAP.

There is one fairly glaring hole in my plan, though it should fill in quickly with experience.  I have a relatively limited understanding of the abilities of other factions, so my army and strategy building are also in turn limited. 

Overall, this is a simple plan.  In fact, it is one that I have already started.  Thus far it has provided quite a few benefits.

1) Monetary savings- between researching units/models and different strategies, I have decided on a relatively limited amount of models to buy, build, paint, and play.  Between this and using Bartertown and Ebay, I have come out a significant amount cheaper than I would if I were to build another 40k army (sorry GW your stuff is expensive).

2) Time savings- In relation to #1, I don't have so much stuff to build and paint, so as a result I draw nearer to a completed plan faster.

3) Less Frustration- Let's face it.  Buying a model because you thought it looked cool or misunderstood its uses only to have it relegated to your case/mini display is a headache.  Having a plan has really helped me a lot in this regard. 

To bring things into perspective, I decided to give Warmachine a try around December 15th.  Almost a month later, I have the majority of the models I need purchased, most at 50%-60% of retail.  I am currently painting the models with a good handful (two warcasters + 3 warjacks) already completed.  I have also decided on two lists that probably don't look all that extraordinary, but I think they will work out quite well. I have decided to settle on the 50pt limit for building out my army initially.  This gives me the benefit of being able to play at lower points limits just as easily.  So, here are the lists that I have chosen to build and play.  I would love any feedback that I could get on them.

(* denotes models I currently have purchased)

List 1- pSeverius @ 50 points

*Grand Scrutator Severius +6
- Blessing of Vengeance -7
*- Reckoner -8
*- Vanquisher -8

*Avatar of Menoth -11
*Max Choir -3
pEiryss -3
Gorman -2
*Max Temple Flameguard + UA -8
*Covenant -2
Vassal Mechanik -1
*Vassal of Menoth -2
3 Wracks -1


List 2- Harbinger @ 50 points

*Harbinger +5
*- Crusader -6
*- Reckoner -8
*- Vanquisher -8
- Heirophant -2

*Avatar of Menoth -11
*Max Choir -3
*Max Temple Flameguard + UA -8
*Covenant -2
Vassal Mechanik -1
*Vassal of Menoth -2
Rhoven and Bodyguard -4

I think both will play to my strengths as a player.  They will also provide a good array of threat to opponents that simply can't be ignored, but also allow me to provide counter punch should my opponent try something.  They also contain two of the most powerful casters we have as a faction.  Ultimately, I think I will be pretty happy with these lists and can then buy additional models as I desire variety. 

It's my hope to have everything above completed at least by mid-year.  Hopefully, I can get some smaller, casual games in for the time being as I learn more. 

So, a good plan starts with a good vision.  Get that vision, build your plan, and stick to it to see success. 

Other Warmachine related articles:
Crusader Heavy 'Jack Completed
Warmachine the Way I See It: Part 2...err kind of
Warmachine the Way I See It: Warcasters
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Breaking Into a New Gaming System

Yesterday, I wrote in an article about how I don't like change.  It is daunting to me.  Thus, I generally stick with the stuff I like and am comfortable with.  However, I have had a growing desire to try something new in regards to the hobby and gaming.  That's where my new found interest in Warmachine has come from.  Since I hate change and am making a big one in regards to my hobby time (7+ years of exclusively playing GW games), I thought it would be interesting to share some ideas on how to make the switch without the terror that comes from being an incredibly small fish in a big pond again.  Let's dive in.

1) Do the research.  When I began to think about this change, I decided to do a bit of research.  The first stop was to Privateer Press' website.  Always start with the source, the manufacturer's site. From there I visited their forums and got information about the game and the faction that I had models for.  It's always encouraging to see a company that has a vibrant community attached to its primary website.  Getting the opinions of honest players and not just reading the writing on the package makes for a more balanced decision making process.

2) Check out the products. In my case, I got really excited about the minis PP makes.  They are beautiful.  The poses are dynamic.  The figures are epic.  The models themselves are quite nice and easy to put together/work with for painting.

3) Check out the fluff.  This kind of goes hand-in-hand with #2, but honestly most people simply don't do things they aren't interested in.  For that same reason, I stick to fantasy/sci-fi based gaming over historical.  I game for the fantasy element, not the tabletop.  Flames of War doesn't interest me because of its realistic nature.  Warmachine does. Checking out the fluff will also help you to identify with a faction or army as each one generally has its own personality and overall strategy.  Players will find that they identify strongly with at least one faction or army. 

4) Check out the rules. Get your hands on the core rules set and really go over them.  Try to envision the game and how it works.  If you like everything else about the game, you will more than likely make a strong effort at learning how it works.  Learning the core mechanics of the game will also help you make informed decisions on which models to buy.  Along with this, try to get in a learner's game with someone who can teach you a thing or two about the system.  Lucky for most gamers, you can now test a lot of games online via systems like Vassal. This allows you to try things out before making any kind of significant monetary commitment. 

5) Plan your purchases.  As is true across all gaming systems, understand how you want your army to work based on the rules.  Then, collect the models that will help you accomplish your goal.  Will-nilly collecting of models without a plan isn't something I would recommend.  Chances are that you will end up with a lot of models that you won't ever use and that. is. frustrating. 

6) Paint and play.  Get to it!  This is the fun part where you begin to paint your army up to look awesome and then go and beat face with it!  Actually, I'm sure in reality you will have quite a few knockdowns before you become uber-competitive, but nonetheless, this is the aim of gaming.  Get here and let the good times roll. 

Starting a new gaming system can be daunting, especially if you are like me and a professed diehard for a single system/company for many years.  However, if you babystep your way into a new game with careful thought, you generally don't have to pay out too much and can make the switch fairly pain free. 

Other Articles of Interest:
What's Your Coolest Unit
G-dubbin' it Throwback Style
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What's Your Coolest Unit

We all know by now the units that are seen as competitive and effective, the ones that are purely fluffy and generally play like crap on the table, and the ones that fall somewhere in between.  I get that.  In my last article, G-dubbin' it Throwback Style, I talked about playing some old school Dawn of War: Dark Crusade and how fun it has been of late. All those little CG marines got me thinking of what I thought would be the coolest unit/model I own is in wholistic terms, i.e. how it looks, is portrayed in the fluff, and is played.  After thinking for a bit, it occurred to me that perhaps the coolest unit I own and have played has to be Black Templar Assault Terminators.  First, though I am probably biased, my BT assault terminators look great.  They are one of the better paint jobs I did early on.  Next, they are absolute beasts on the tabletop.  Combine army-wide preferred enemy and the purchase-able furious charge skill and you have some absolute beasts.  If only we could get them FNP as well!  All things aside, these guys beat face and do so well.  They are an auto-include in most BT lists and are simply amazing. 

So, what's your "coolest unit"?  What unit meets all of your criteria for simply being awesome? Share with us.  Give links to the models if you have them.  I would be anxious to see others' example of what rocks about this game. 

You might also find these articles of use:
Make Your Own GW Paints
Taking better pictures with cra...inexpensive equipment
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G-dubbin' it Throwback Style

Yeah, so the title is ridiculously stupid.  I know it.  Yesterday, it occurred to me that I have a long dormant Steam account.  Thus, I logged onto Steam's site and dowloaded their client.  Why?  It occurred to me that I had purchased all of the original Dawn of War (DoW, Winter Assault, and Dark Crusade) games quite awhile back and I was looking for some computerized action!

Enter:

What a fun game!  Sure, it isn't really 40k, but it is fun nonetheless.  I enjoy this episode of the DoW series the most (haven't tried DoW 2 or any of it's expansions) because it is run like an old school map campaign.  You also have the ability to play with some 7 of the 40k armies and the number of playable models in the game is much better than the previous versions.  I hadn't played in awhile and was super excited to see that as a marine player you can enlist the aid of a single unit of Grey Knights for your army!  Of course, they kick butt! 

It's also funny that I haven't played this game since before I started 40k, some 2 years ago.  Now when I play, I am constantly creating squads and tanks and building them out based on my preferences in actual 40k.  I am a bit bummed that assault terminators can't have lightning claws and that you can't get more of the variety of heavy weapons in marines squads, but I love the ability to take 5 plasmaguns (that don't overheat!) in a single squad of marines once all of the upgrades are completed.

So, if you haven't ever given these games a chance, please do.  While they aren't the exact playstyle of the actual game, they are super fun and a quick way to get in some 40k related bliss.  They are also rather cheap to come by and have fairly decent graphics which look good even on today's mediocre machines (like mine). 

On another note, how does DoW II compare to these games?  Is it an improvement?  I have heard both positive and negative reviews.  I am anxious to hear from some people who have played it.

Other useful articles:Blood Angel Librarian Complete
Sanguinary Guard- A Different Look
Tutorial: How-to Rock Bases on the Cheap
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More Site Updates

As most of you have noticed, I have made a change or two to the site.  One of which is the background color, though it would seem from my short survey that black is perhaps the way to go.  I will probably change it back in the near future.  For now, we will try out the white. 

Another change to check out is the addition of an "archives" page at the top of the page under the title.  I will constantly update it to include new posts and articles of note that I write. Check it out now.

Hopefully as more time goes by, I will add more spiffy updates to the site.  Keep checking the Archives for additions and updates which will hopefully make it easier to find things in the future.