As I work my way through the Masters player pre-event interviews, one question that I've been asking each person (although in some cases, it just naturally came up in conversation) is whether or not they'll be taking on a new army heading into the new calendar year, and in most cases, it's a resounding yes. For the most part, each player is taking on an army that is quite different to the army they played for the 2017 tournament circuit. In my mind, this is fantastic. It shows that the scene is constantly evolving and diversifying.
Having asked the question to some of the best players in the country, however, had gotten me thinking about what my 2018 main project would be. This year has been pretty much split down the middle. The start of the year saw me wrapping up my Khorne Bloodbound army, while the second half of the year was dedicated to crushing out my Pestilens army, a project I originally started because it was a fairly low-cost army, and I already had two boxes of Plague Monks from my existing Skaven army. A huge incentive was that the whole range (excluding Plague Censor Bearers) were plastic kits, and all were pretty affordable. I didn't really take into account the time investment required to paint the army to a standard that I was happy with, but I took it on, and am predicting completion of the project to happen over the Christmas break. Only forty five infantry to go…
But with the end in sight, and my weak-willed resistance to impulse purchases, I began to plan my next army. Clan Pestilens will be my tournament army for the first half of the year while I begin work on the next army, but I needed something to redirect my energy after the rats were complete.
With an open mind, and GHB17 as my canvas, I began to ponder and plan what army I could sink my teeth into. For once, I was completely open to any Allegiance, any Grand Alliance, anything. My goal with the army was to plan and build a force that would not only be competitive and threatening (for some) on the table, but also have a strong theme, and enable me to paint an army that would perhaps be a contender for Best Painted at any event that I happened to go along to. Not saying that I would necessarily win any, because I'm the first to admit that my painting is not Golden-Daemon-worthy by any stretch, but I wanted an army that would catch the eye and stand out from the crowd.
I also wanted an army that didn't require me to paint 100+ models *shudders*…
So, with the mindset of artistic potential, competitive ability and low model count, I began scribbling down a shortlist. Soulblight and Ironjawz were both realistic options, as were Stormcast, but all were currently in-progress armies of good mates of mine. So, I continued searching until I read through a certain set of war scrolls that I'd previously written off.
Beastclaw Raiders.
They weren't uncommon on the table by any stretch, but typically they would be an element within a Grand Alliance Destruction army; it was extremely rare to see a Beastclaw Allegiance army. Simply put, Grand Alliance was just straight up stronger. It compensated for the low model count by giving players access to Grots and Bonesplitters, and gave them a considerable buff in the form of things such as Battle Brew. There was little-to-no motivation to restrict yourself to just Beastclaw.
But that's all changed. While Grand Alliance Destruction has been made slightly less attractive, the inclusion of the Allies system has neatly offset the model count problem that Beastclaw seemed to have. All of a sudden, they had a new lease on life!
My mind was made up.
So, how did I go about planning my list? From a competitive standpoint, one of the scariest things that BCR has access to is Thundertusks. Being able to hand out massive chunks of mortal damage from a safe distance was very, very scary. They're capable of just deleting characters, or crippling larger units, with only luck to stop them in most cases. Ok, so there was my focus. Ice Lasers!
Thundertusks do diminish in strength as they take damage, and for them to remain a viable threat, I needed them feeling tip-top. This naturally led toward including some healing mechanics in the army to keep damage output at its possible highest. A Frostlord on Thundertusk with the Pelt of Charngar (each friendly hero phase, roll a D6; 1-3 heals a wound, 4-6 heals D3), and two Huskards of Thundertusks (each triggering their healing abilities on a 2+ while all three characters are alive) meant that I had three solid, regenerating fire-bases to build my army around. Not that there was too much left to play with after purchasing these three juggernauts.
Next up was Battleline slots. Taking a Frostlord on Thundertusk conveniently unlocks Yhetees as Battleline, and they have some pretty cheeky Pile In shenanigans in their box of tricks, as well as being a little bit scary for smaller units. So I picked up two units of three to cause mayhem. All three characters and the Yhetees have negatives to hit them in close combat, so I'm hoping that keeps them all alive just that bit longer. My last Battleline choice was a unit of four Mournfang. While I don't think they are quite the wrecking ball they were in 8th Edition, there's no debating that twenty-four wounds over four models is nothing to cry about, and they aren't too shabby in combat either. I wouldn't put money on them to drop Archaon, but they can punch on with most equivalent units pretty reliably.
So, I'd completed my character plan and ticked all my Battleline requirements… And was left standing with 220 points. With only thirteen models in the list, I desperately needed some bodies. And I found them in Gutbuster allies, bringing in two units of twenty Gnoblars. Fantastic! I mean, sure, Gnoblars aren't going to kill anything, and they tend to die if they fart too hard, but they filled several valuable roles that perfectly plug (PLUG!) the weaknesses of BCR. I had two large units that I could leave in my backfield to deny deployment tricks and control the board, or plonk them on an objective and not stress about leaving martial strength away from the main brawl, or (probably most commonly) use them as screening units to absorb charges and prevent scary combat beasts from charging unimpeded into my crucial characters, hopefully giving me time to either counter charge them or blast their faces off with beams of ice magic.
One other thing of note about the list is that I took Blood Vultures on both of my Huskards. The reason for this is, where the Chaintrap and Harpoon Launcher roll dice to hit and wound, offer a save and inflict different degrees of damage, the Vulture is guaranteed to do a mortal wound every turn, with a massive 30" range. It might not always hit where I want it to, but that angry bin-chicken is going to gouge out the eyes of some poor fool no matter what. I think Vultures are by far the best ranged option for any of the riders that have a shooting option.
Now, I am very aware that this army still has glaring weaknesses, and I'm not expecting to be winning GT's left right and centre with it, but I think it has real potential to cause some headaches. I think if I invest time and practice in, I can become quite adept with the army.
So that's model count and the competitive side of things sorted. That leaves only one aspect; creative potential.
It goes without saying that Beastclaw Raiders in winter themes on snow bases has been done. That is their lore after all. It makes sense. But it's been done to death. Snow-themed BCR armies look good, but I needed something that would leap out and catch the eye; something different and unique. The decision to go in the complete opposite direction was an easy one. My "alternative colour scheme" armies have been a bit hit and miss over the years (my blue Grey Knights being an obvious and self-explanatory example), but I'm really satisfied with the pallet that I've settled on.
My ogres will wear deep red robes broken up by leopard skin pelts. They would ride natural-toned monsters based off real-life animals from our own world (you may have already seen my Jackal-inspired dogs that I'm using as Frost Sabres in a different list to this), and the basing would be crumbling ruins in the desert, using the fantastic Shattered Dominion large basing kit. As easy as that was to sum up, it's actually quite a challenge for me, as my style of painting naturally lends itself toward cartoony details and bright pops of colour. But I think it will be a good learning experience, and you don't learn if you don't push yourself. So, there it is. I'll post the list below, and hopefully you enjoyed the breakdown. Do you like it? Do you think it's trash? And are you starting a new army for the new year? Hit the comments and we'll have a chat!
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
Frostlord on Thundertusk (General, Everwinter's Master, The Pelt of Charngar)
Huskard on Thundertusk (Blood Vulture)
Huskard on Thundertusk (Blood Vulture)
3 Icefall Yhetees
3 Icefall Yhetees
4 Mournfang (Gargant Hackers)
20 Grots (Gutbuster Allies)
20 Grots (Gutbuster Allies)
1980 points
Sunday, 19 November 2017
Sunday, 12 November 2017
#108: Hell Hath No Fury...
They say that Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned; and Daughters of Khaine are so far past scorned, that Bloodletters have nightmares about the acts of violence Witch Aelves carry out when they streak into battle!
Tonight, I wanted to focus on one of the most fleshed out, well supported and strategically versatile factions in the game never to get the Allegiance treatment. Although Nurgle is undeniably larger, with a better range, and with a far more passionate and vocal player base, its also strongly implied that Nurgle will be getting the Battletome treatment in the near future.
So, there are plenty of strong factions without allegiance abilities and so on, I hear you say. Moonclan Grots, Gutbusters, even Deathrattle get more table time than Daughters of Khaine.
And that is exactly my point! Why is that?
The Daughters of Khaine element of the Dark Elf army of old was the most recent section of the army to get a revamp pre-End Times, and if I'm honest, I was hoping that they would fall into the same course that Bonesplittaz did, forming their own fully sustained and very viable sub-faction in the Age of Sigmar. But it was not to be. Daughters of Khaine waited patiently as Clan Pestilens, Sylvaneth and a myriad of other factions incorporated old ranges of models into new and exciting armies.
The longer these stunning models sat on the shelves, the more and more unlikely it became that they were gonna get their own Battletome. New armies burst onto the scene, with the Kharadron Frigates sailing into the game atop a wave of hype and enthusiasm for new dwarves! Surely, elves would be on the horizon. With word hitting the internet that many sub factions would be getting the 'treatment', hopes were high. Once again, the ladies with serious rage issues were given an issue to rage about.
So, while they remain in the shadow, are they still a viable army in the current landscape of Age of Sigmar? Well, lets deep dive into the war scrolls and find out.
The Daughters of Khaine sub faction is actually very reminiscent of Clan Pestilens. They both are built upon the backs of masses of fragile infantry that kick out a horrific number of attacks, supported by towering constructs that emit saves and buffs to anyone nearby.
But Daughters have a few tricks up their sleeves. The first, and probably most important element to Daughters is Witchbrew. Cauldrons of Blood and Death Hags all have the option to carry Witchbrew, which is superior in my mind over the Death Sword, purely for the fact that you can use Witchbrew every turn regardless of whether you're in combat or not, and be able to hand out Battleshock immunity (as well as a cheeky re-roll) to just about every unit on the field. This is a massive deal for a horde army (because, lets face it, Witch Aelves weren't made to be taken in units less than thirty), and means that your opponent has to punch through each and every wound
The Bloodshield being emitted from the Cauldrons is also crucial, as it offers your berserk warriors a decent save against all wounds AND mortal wounds! Not only that, there is no trigger or ability that has to happen, meaning even if your opponent gets a drop on you, you don't miss out on the shield because you perhaps haven't had a hero phase yet. Cauldrons can also dispel enemy casts and kick out useful prayers in the same manner that Plague Priests.
Where Daughters veer more sharply away from the parallels with Pestilens is their inclusion of powerful wizards in the form of Doomfire Warlocks. There's nothing subtle about the warlocks. They're designed for one thing and that is melting faces off. Combined with the sheer mortal wound potential from the lithe Bloodwrack Medusae, and the athletic throat-slitting of Sisters of Slaughter, the allegiance actually has a great degree of flexibility and tools available to them.
I think there is a great deal of power in this list, even with the Grand Alliance Order artefacts and command abilities, with hordes of attack-heavy, re-roll-heavy infantry (with a 7" move no less), some very fast mortal damage dealers, and plenty of options in the Allies department. The double pile in from the Cauldron's command ability just accentuates the army more. The sheer number of bodies combined with the Bloodshield, the tons of re-rolls, modifiers and buffs, as well as a complete disregard for Battleshock or caring if their opponents finish the game with their entrails on the right side of their skin, is a huge boon for the army.
So, why does no one play this army? There are certainly more expensive armies, and I believe there are certainly less versatile ones, and so I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm yet to see a Daughters army in the flesh. The models are absolutely stunning; the elegance and dynamic model range just waiting for someone to do an exceptional paint job. As well as that, they are probably one of the most unique armies going around.
With this season of the game where powerful combinations are emerging from every dark corner of the game (Moonclan Grots winning Heat 3 at Warhammer World being a good example), I think that Daughters of Khaine is just waiting for their moment in the sun!
Why am I not doing the army myself, you may ask? Well, after Pestilens, I'm going to need a loooong break from hordes. Not only that, I already have a super secret project in the process of being bought and built…
But now I'm just getting ahead of myself.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
Tonight, I wanted to focus on one of the most fleshed out, well supported and strategically versatile factions in the game never to get the Allegiance treatment. Although Nurgle is undeniably larger, with a better range, and with a far more passionate and vocal player base, its also strongly implied that Nurgle will be getting the Battletome treatment in the near future.
So, there are plenty of strong factions without allegiance abilities and so on, I hear you say. Moonclan Grots, Gutbusters, even Deathrattle get more table time than Daughters of Khaine.
And that is exactly my point! Why is that?
The Daughters of Khaine element of the Dark Elf army of old was the most recent section of the army to get a revamp pre-End Times, and if I'm honest, I was hoping that they would fall into the same course that Bonesplittaz did, forming their own fully sustained and very viable sub-faction in the Age of Sigmar. But it was not to be. Daughters of Khaine waited patiently as Clan Pestilens, Sylvaneth and a myriad of other factions incorporated old ranges of models into new and exciting armies.
The longer these stunning models sat on the shelves, the more and more unlikely it became that they were gonna get their own Battletome. New armies burst onto the scene, with the Kharadron Frigates sailing into the game atop a wave of hype and enthusiasm for new dwarves! Surely, elves would be on the horizon. With word hitting the internet that many sub factions would be getting the 'treatment', hopes were high. Once again, the ladies with serious rage issues were given an issue to rage about.
So, while they remain in the shadow, are they still a viable army in the current landscape of Age of Sigmar? Well, lets deep dive into the war scrolls and find out.
The Daughters of Khaine sub faction is actually very reminiscent of Clan Pestilens. They both are built upon the backs of masses of fragile infantry that kick out a horrific number of attacks, supported by towering constructs that emit saves and buffs to anyone nearby.
But Daughters have a few tricks up their sleeves. The first, and probably most important element to Daughters is Witchbrew. Cauldrons of Blood and Death Hags all have the option to carry Witchbrew, which is superior in my mind over the Death Sword, purely for the fact that you can use Witchbrew every turn regardless of whether you're in combat or not, and be able to hand out Battleshock immunity (as well as a cheeky re-roll) to just about every unit on the field. This is a massive deal for a horde army (because, lets face it, Witch Aelves weren't made to be taken in units less than thirty), and means that your opponent has to punch through each and every wound
The Bloodshield being emitted from the Cauldrons is also crucial, as it offers your berserk warriors a decent save against all wounds AND mortal wounds! Not only that, there is no trigger or ability that has to happen, meaning even if your opponent gets a drop on you, you don't miss out on the shield because you perhaps haven't had a hero phase yet. Cauldrons can also dispel enemy casts and kick out useful prayers in the same manner that Plague Priests.
Where Daughters veer more sharply away from the parallels with Pestilens is their inclusion of powerful wizards in the form of Doomfire Warlocks. There's nothing subtle about the warlocks. They're designed for one thing and that is melting faces off. Combined with the sheer mortal wound potential from the lithe Bloodwrack Medusae, and the athletic throat-slitting of Sisters of Slaughter, the allegiance actually has a great degree of flexibility and tools available to them.
I think there is a great deal of power in this list, even with the Grand Alliance Order artefacts and command abilities, with hordes of attack-heavy, re-roll-heavy infantry (with a 7" move no less), some very fast mortal damage dealers, and plenty of options in the Allies department. The double pile in from the Cauldron's command ability just accentuates the army more. The sheer number of bodies combined with the Bloodshield, the tons of re-rolls, modifiers and buffs, as well as a complete disregard for Battleshock or caring if their opponents finish the game with their entrails on the right side of their skin, is a huge boon for the army.
So, why does no one play this army? There are certainly more expensive armies, and I believe there are certainly less versatile ones, and so I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm yet to see a Daughters army in the flesh. The models are absolutely stunning; the elegance and dynamic model range just waiting for someone to do an exceptional paint job. As well as that, they are probably one of the most unique armies going around.
With this season of the game where powerful combinations are emerging from every dark corner of the game (Moonclan Grots winning Heat 3 at Warhammer World being a good example), I think that Daughters of Khaine is just waiting for their moment in the sun!
Why am I not doing the army myself, you may ask? Well, after Pestilens, I'm going to need a loooong break from hordes. Not only that, I already have a super secret project in the process of being bought and built…
But now I'm just getting ahead of myself.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
Sunday, 5 November 2017
#107: You got a friend in me… - Allies and where to find them.
In the General's Handbook 2017, army building changed dramatically. With an abundance of different Allegiances entering the fray, free of the constraints of having to wait for their own Battletome, and the addition of Allegiance-specific Battle-line choices, it has become obvious that Games Workshop is actively looking to guide the meta.
And I am totally ok with that…
It feels like the more we explore each faction, the more layers we are finding to the synergies and combos. And the more synergies and combos we find, the more attractive those minor factions become over the typical Grand Alliance armies of old (well, you know… a few months at least.).
One of the catalysts for this shift toward smaller faction Allegiances I think has a lot to do with the adjustments to certain artefacts (Battle Brew, I mean you!), and the introduction of Allies; and that's what I'd like to touch on today.
In the first iteration of the General's Handbook, choosing a specific Allegiance was quite restrictive. While it opened up a lot of fresh options and rules, you paid a high price by limiting yourself to a very small selection of units. Some armies were still very flexible, with generous options available to them, while others had a mere handful of units with which to cobble together an army. And naturally, the cost-versus-payoff was a decision each and every player had to make.
In time, several Allegiances proved themselves very capable of holding their own without help from outside their stable of units, while many players chose to dive headlong into the Grand Alliance mindset, cherry picking the cream of the crop and creating lethal combos brewed from a concoction of war scrolls and special rules. Eventually, the best combos rose to the surface, and we began to see the dreaded Sayl/Stormfiend/Bloodletter slingshot army, the Kunnin' Rukk/Stonehorn army, fifteen Kurnoth Bow-Hunters/Hurricanum… the list goes on.
In an effort to steer away from the prominence of Grand Alliance armies, the Allies mechanic has been introduced. In one swift motion, list building became much more flexible as well as having suitable constraints and boundaries. By giving each allegiance a list of allies, and a points limit, this now gives each player the room to stretch their legs and explore a whole new set of units and combos.
Now, in my opinion, Allies have one of three purposes. They are either a Sharpener, a Plug, or a Brick. Allow me to explain.
A Sharpener is an ally unit (or multiple units) that accentuates existing strengths already present in your army. A Loremaster is a perfect example of this, as his spell amplifies the killing potential of any model in your army (typically the biggest, angriest one!), and not restricted by any keywords, which is a huge deal. Sisters of the Thorn and Celestial Hurricanums are both exceptional Sharpeners, adding significant power to whatever force they join.
A Plug is a contingent of allies that poses a hard counter to a glaring weakness present in an army. For example, Beastclaw Raiders have always had a model count problem. They usually have very little in the way of expendable units, but in a new meta where scenarios can be influenced strongly by large units, the ability to purchase units such as Gnoblars gives Beastclaw armies access to cheap, numerous bodies to use as either objective campers, area denial units or screens; whichever is most needed. Alternatively, they can choose to invest a hefty sum in a Massive Regiment of Ogors, offering up a truly daunting slab of models. With 48 wounds spread across only twelve models, your opponent may struggle to get through the unit while also dedicating resources toward more aggressive threats (no one likes taking multiple Ice-Wreathed Spheres now, do they!). While this ally contingent is perhaps more expensive and less numerous than Gnoblars, it fills the same role with a little more tenacity; filling out your army with a large unit capable of claiming and holding objectives while taking acceptable losses. Dispossessed players may look to incorporate a Plug into their army in the form a Endrinriggers, giving them the speed and mobility that they so desperately need.
Lastly, there is the Brick; a self-sustained, independent unit or collaboration of units that gives you the tactical flexibility, damage output or survivability that you feel you need. Whether it's a Runesmiter and some of his friends, a Mourngul or the sheer destructive potential of a Celestant Prime, the idea behind the Brick is that you don't need to babysit it for it to be able to perform at full potential. Support won't hurt a Brick, but without it, your opponent still needs to have concern.
I think there are two questions you need to ask when writing a list.
"Do I need Allies at all?"
"Will an allied Warscroll make my army more powerful?"
I think that no matter what army you play, or army composition you prefer, there is a degree of flexibility offered by the Allies mechanic. I don't think Allies should be taken for the sake of it, and if it doesn't serve a specific purpose, I'd question it's presence in the list, but I am overall very happy with how list-building is currently. There is so much variety in the scene at the moment, and it's extraordinarily refreshing!
I don't think that there is any calculation on what the "best-in-slot" ally is, as it depends so heavily upon the main list and its strengths and weaknesses, but its fascinating seeing different players take the same list and spin it in completely different directions by simply mixing up the allied portion.
What are your go-to Allies, and how do they fit into your army? I'd love to know your thoughts.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
And I am totally ok with that…
It feels like the more we explore each faction, the more layers we are finding to the synergies and combos. And the more synergies and combos we find, the more attractive those minor factions become over the typical Grand Alliance armies of old (well, you know… a few months at least.).
One of the catalysts for this shift toward smaller faction Allegiances I think has a lot to do with the adjustments to certain artefacts (Battle Brew, I mean you!), and the introduction of Allies; and that's what I'd like to touch on today.
In the first iteration of the General's Handbook, choosing a specific Allegiance was quite restrictive. While it opened up a lot of fresh options and rules, you paid a high price by limiting yourself to a very small selection of units. Some armies were still very flexible, with generous options available to them, while others had a mere handful of units with which to cobble together an army. And naturally, the cost-versus-payoff was a decision each and every player had to make.
In time, several Allegiances proved themselves very capable of holding their own without help from outside their stable of units, while many players chose to dive headlong into the Grand Alliance mindset, cherry picking the cream of the crop and creating lethal combos brewed from a concoction of war scrolls and special rules. Eventually, the best combos rose to the surface, and we began to see the dreaded Sayl/Stormfiend/Bloodletter slingshot army, the Kunnin' Rukk/Stonehorn army, fifteen Kurnoth Bow-Hunters/Hurricanum… the list goes on.
In an effort to steer away from the prominence of Grand Alliance armies, the Allies mechanic has been introduced. In one swift motion, list building became much more flexible as well as having suitable constraints and boundaries. By giving each allegiance a list of allies, and a points limit, this now gives each player the room to stretch their legs and explore a whole new set of units and combos.
Now, in my opinion, Allies have one of three purposes. They are either a Sharpener, a Plug, or a Brick. Allow me to explain.
A Sharpener is an ally unit (or multiple units) that accentuates existing strengths already present in your army. A Loremaster is a perfect example of this, as his spell amplifies the killing potential of any model in your army (typically the biggest, angriest one!), and not restricted by any keywords, which is a huge deal. Sisters of the Thorn and Celestial Hurricanums are both exceptional Sharpeners, adding significant power to whatever force they join.
A Plug is a contingent of allies that poses a hard counter to a glaring weakness present in an army. For example, Beastclaw Raiders have always had a model count problem. They usually have very little in the way of expendable units, but in a new meta where scenarios can be influenced strongly by large units, the ability to purchase units such as Gnoblars gives Beastclaw armies access to cheap, numerous bodies to use as either objective campers, area denial units or screens; whichever is most needed. Alternatively, they can choose to invest a hefty sum in a Massive Regiment of Ogors, offering up a truly daunting slab of models. With 48 wounds spread across only twelve models, your opponent may struggle to get through the unit while also dedicating resources toward more aggressive threats (no one likes taking multiple Ice-Wreathed Spheres now, do they!). While this ally contingent is perhaps more expensive and less numerous than Gnoblars, it fills the same role with a little more tenacity; filling out your army with a large unit capable of claiming and holding objectives while taking acceptable losses. Dispossessed players may look to incorporate a Plug into their army in the form a Endrinriggers, giving them the speed and mobility that they so desperately need.
Lastly, there is the Brick; a self-sustained, independent unit or collaboration of units that gives you the tactical flexibility, damage output or survivability that you feel you need. Whether it's a Runesmiter and some of his friends, a Mourngul or the sheer destructive potential of a Celestant Prime, the idea behind the Brick is that you don't need to babysit it for it to be able to perform at full potential. Support won't hurt a Brick, but without it, your opponent still needs to have concern.
I think there are two questions you need to ask when writing a list.
"Do I need Allies at all?"
"Will an allied Warscroll make my army more powerful?"
I think that no matter what army you play, or army composition you prefer, there is a degree of flexibility offered by the Allies mechanic. I don't think Allies should be taken for the sake of it, and if it doesn't serve a specific purpose, I'd question it's presence in the list, but I am overall very happy with how list-building is currently. There is so much variety in the scene at the moment, and it's extraordinarily refreshing!
I don't think that there is any calculation on what the "best-in-slot" ally is, as it depends so heavily upon the main list and its strengths and weaknesses, but its fascinating seeing different players take the same list and spin it in completely different directions by simply mixing up the allied portion.
What are your go-to Allies, and how do they fit into your army? I'd love to know your thoughts.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
Sunday, 22 October 2017
#106: Shadespire First Glance - Enter The Arena!
When Shadespire first was announced, my initial thought was similar to my thoughts when Betrayal at Calth was announced.
"New models for the mainstream game disguised in a box marketed as a board game."
I remember back to when the Calth box set was released, and without fail, every customer ripped open the box with enthusiasm, removed the sprues, and threw the rest of the box in the bin. Not one person played the board game inside, and barely anyone even glanced inside the board game rule book. The box pretty much sold itself on the models alone. And if i'm brutally honest, I was expecting nothing different from Shadespire.
But Shadespire has quickly forged a reputation of being a well-supported and brilliantly designed game within the Age of Sigmar universe. While the war bands are set (Stormcast will have the three models in every match), the real depth, diversity and tactics come from the deck-building element that blends Shadespire into a lovechild of Age of Sigmar, Magic the Gathering and Malifaux, while being reminiscent of Arena matches from World of Warcraft.
While I haven't had time to fit in anything more than a quick introductory game (life being what it is), I can see this quickly becoming a game that every Sigmar player will get into, and have a warband and pack of cards with them everywhere they take a full army for Age of Sigmar.
Let's talk quickly about the models. The Stormcast team caused quite the buzz, with the very first female Stormcast model being released. I actually think this model was very well done, looking distinctly female without slipping into the "video game armour" trap. Joining her is a staunch soldier carrying a massive grand hammer, and then there is Steelheart; the Liberator with probably the most majestic power stance ever! Facing them are five Bloodreavers in suitably fanatical poses, and they are exquisite!
Each model also comes with a fully moulded base, and everything is push fit, meaning it's a perfect product to rip open and get playing straight away. Of course, thats not to say that these models aren't incredibly sculpted. Already, some of the faster, more talented painters in the community are posting their finished models to social media, and there is no shortage of jaw-dropping paint jobs, from traditional gold to non-metallic-metal armour.
There is also an Ironskull's Boyz and a Sepulchral Guard war band in the near future, giving Destruction and Death some love. If the rulebook is anything to go off, we'll also be seeing a Fyreslayer, Skaven (yes!) Blood Warrior-based and Stormcast Hunter-based war band in the pipeline.
The more I think about Shadespire, the more impressive this product becomes. It's a great plug & play game, where Games Workshop could release a new war band or two periodically, and completely change the dynamic of the game. Not only that, but the war bands are all at that perfect size for us Hobby Butterflies to crush one out and finish it in its entirety before the next shiny piece of glass catches our undivided attention. They're all essentially character packs, allowing the creative team to stretch their legs and create a set of models based around a theme that could otherwise never support an entire Battletome in the main game.
And just when you think it couldn't top itself, the Warhammer Community website dropped Matched Play war scrolls and profiles for the war bands currently available, setting a really positive pretence for the rest of the war bands to come!
If this game turns out to be everything we're expecting it to be, I have the feeling that we may be on the brink of a brand new realm of competitive table top gaming. I'm about to assemble and prime my own set, and as soon as they are painted, I'll be posting a Arena Report (or three!).
Are you getting into Shadespire? What war band will be holding your banner aloft?
As always, thanks for reading.
Gabe
"New models for the mainstream game disguised in a box marketed as a board game."
I remember back to when the Calth box set was released, and without fail, every customer ripped open the box with enthusiasm, removed the sprues, and threw the rest of the box in the bin. Not one person played the board game inside, and barely anyone even glanced inside the board game rule book. The box pretty much sold itself on the models alone. And if i'm brutally honest, I was expecting nothing different from Shadespire.
But Shadespire has quickly forged a reputation of being a well-supported and brilliantly designed game within the Age of Sigmar universe. While the war bands are set (Stormcast will have the three models in every match), the real depth, diversity and tactics come from the deck-building element that blends Shadespire into a lovechild of Age of Sigmar, Magic the Gathering and Malifaux, while being reminiscent of Arena matches from World of Warcraft.
While I haven't had time to fit in anything more than a quick introductory game (life being what it is), I can see this quickly becoming a game that every Sigmar player will get into, and have a warband and pack of cards with them everywhere they take a full army for Age of Sigmar.
Let's talk quickly about the models. The Stormcast team caused quite the buzz, with the very first female Stormcast model being released. I actually think this model was very well done, looking distinctly female without slipping into the "video game armour" trap. Joining her is a staunch soldier carrying a massive grand hammer, and then there is Steelheart; the Liberator with probably the most majestic power stance ever! Facing them are five Bloodreavers in suitably fanatical poses, and they are exquisite!
Each model also comes with a fully moulded base, and everything is push fit, meaning it's a perfect product to rip open and get playing straight away. Of course, thats not to say that these models aren't incredibly sculpted. Already, some of the faster, more talented painters in the community are posting their finished models to social media, and there is no shortage of jaw-dropping paint jobs, from traditional gold to non-metallic-metal armour.
There is also an Ironskull's Boyz and a Sepulchral Guard war band in the near future, giving Destruction and Death some love. If the rulebook is anything to go off, we'll also be seeing a Fyreslayer, Skaven (yes!) Blood Warrior-based and Stormcast Hunter-based war band in the pipeline.
The more I think about Shadespire, the more impressive this product becomes. It's a great plug & play game, where Games Workshop could release a new war band or two periodically, and completely change the dynamic of the game. Not only that, but the war bands are all at that perfect size for us Hobby Butterflies to crush one out and finish it in its entirety before the next shiny piece of glass catches our undivided attention. They're all essentially character packs, allowing the creative team to stretch their legs and create a set of models based around a theme that could otherwise never support an entire Battletome in the main game.
And just when you think it couldn't top itself, the Warhammer Community website dropped Matched Play war scrolls and profiles for the war bands currently available, setting a really positive pretence for the rest of the war bands to come!
If this game turns out to be everything we're expecting it to be, I have the feeling that we may be on the brink of a brand new realm of competitive table top gaming. I'm about to assemble and prime my own set, and as soon as they are painted, I'll be posting a Arena Report (or three!).
Are you getting into Shadespire? What war band will be holding your banner aloft?
As always, thanks for reading.
Gabe
Sunday, 15 October 2017
#105: Time waits for no man...
Time.
One of the least forgiving factors when it comes to games of Age of Sigmar. Whether it's tactical decisions, moving a hundred and fifty models or rolling dozens and dozens of dice complete with re-rolls, triggers and extra abilities, this can all take time. And while in a casual environment, it's probably not an issue, if it's in the setting of a tournament where there is allocated window of time to fit your game in with your opponent, it can be disastrous.
Some games, time just gets away from both of you, and that's sometimes how the chips fall. But, what I want to focus on in this evening's post is the dilemma that we as gamers sometimes come across where one player grinds the game to a snails pace and either results in claiming an unfair portion of the time allowed, or worse, runs the clock down, costing either them or their opponent the opportunity to stretch their army's legs and claim a convincing win. While some armies win games in the first two turns with dominant alpha strike or precise movement tricks, other armies depend on the long game, setting up for a powerful end-game play or simply win by attrition (which usually, by definition, takes time), and it's a shame when those armies are robbed by Father Time of the chance to work how they are meant to.
This was my biggest concern with my recent foray into the exciting, whacky, and admittedly numerous forces of the Skaven. My 2000 point Pestilens list contains no less than 120 infantry, with more dice modifiers and re-rolls than you can poke a stick at, as well as an in-depth hero phase, and my biggest concern was that I'd be short-changing my opponent purely based on everything that I had to fit into my turn.
Time management during your game is something that I believe every player should give consideration thought to, regardless of what army they play. If you're playing elite Stormcast or Beastclaw Raiders, you will have potentially very fast turns, and time management may not even be an issue as your game turns will be lucky to push ten minutes. That's not to say that low-model-count armies are immune to slow play, but they definitely have factors in their favour.
The true challenge of time management at tournaments lies primarily with players who have chosen armies that don't naturally lend themselves to fast play. Whether it's rolling the sheer volume of dice that Kunnin' Rukks need to be operating at their full potential, or moving rank upon rank (upon rank) of masses of infantry, every army has its strengths that can be accentuated. But sometimes those strengths on the table can be a weakness in time management as well. But we are a resourceful lot, and there's not many challenges that a gamer can't overcome in order to field a powerful army that they connect with and enjoy playing.
So, when I decided to take Pestilens on their maiden outing to a tournament (great idea, right?), I was so worried about being a slow player. But I had one tool that I would recommend to any player entering a battle with an intricate army; a cheat sheet.
My cheat sheet is broken into phases and has dot points to remind me of every trigger, once-per-game ability, or buff that was relevant to that phase. Whether it's remembering that my Verminlord has a shooting attack or that the Plague Monk unit champions carry a Book of Woes that can potentially kick out a handful of mortal wounds if used well, it means that simply by working my way quickly through a list, my army operates at full potential, taking advantage of every little percentage of power, without having to flick back and forth through a book or the app checking scrolls.
I also have a chart on the back that includes every unit with quick references to their movement, bravery, saves (or lack thereof) as well as their weapon profiles. This means that I barely need to even look in the Battletome or the App during my game.
The simple matter of the fact is that some armies take longer to play than others, based purely on their play style and army construction. And that is something to keep in mind when playing your game. Games are a social contract, and while players have a responsibility to play in a timely manner, there is a lot to be said for the sportsmanship of players who use elite, fast-playing army that give lenience and grace to players that perhaps need a little more time.
This is a challenge that I'll continue to face as I continue to play Skaven, but I genuinely believe that with practice, knowledge of the army and a cheat sheet, any army can be played well within time constraints.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
One of the least forgiving factors when it comes to games of Age of Sigmar. Whether it's tactical decisions, moving a hundred and fifty models or rolling dozens and dozens of dice complete with re-rolls, triggers and extra abilities, this can all take time. And while in a casual environment, it's probably not an issue, if it's in the setting of a tournament where there is allocated window of time to fit your game in with your opponent, it can be disastrous.
Some games, time just gets away from both of you, and that's sometimes how the chips fall. But, what I want to focus on in this evening's post is the dilemma that we as gamers sometimes come across where one player grinds the game to a snails pace and either results in claiming an unfair portion of the time allowed, or worse, runs the clock down, costing either them or their opponent the opportunity to stretch their army's legs and claim a convincing win. While some armies win games in the first two turns with dominant alpha strike or precise movement tricks, other armies depend on the long game, setting up for a powerful end-game play or simply win by attrition (which usually, by definition, takes time), and it's a shame when those armies are robbed by Father Time of the chance to work how they are meant to.
This was my biggest concern with my recent foray into the exciting, whacky, and admittedly numerous forces of the Skaven. My 2000 point Pestilens list contains no less than 120 infantry, with more dice modifiers and re-rolls than you can poke a stick at, as well as an in-depth hero phase, and my biggest concern was that I'd be short-changing my opponent purely based on everything that I had to fit into my turn.
Time management during your game is something that I believe every player should give consideration thought to, regardless of what army they play. If you're playing elite Stormcast or Beastclaw Raiders, you will have potentially very fast turns, and time management may not even be an issue as your game turns will be lucky to push ten minutes. That's not to say that low-model-count armies are immune to slow play, but they definitely have factors in their favour.
The true challenge of time management at tournaments lies primarily with players who have chosen armies that don't naturally lend themselves to fast play. Whether it's rolling the sheer volume of dice that Kunnin' Rukks need to be operating at their full potential, or moving rank upon rank (upon rank) of masses of infantry, every army has its strengths that can be accentuated. But sometimes those strengths on the table can be a weakness in time management as well. But we are a resourceful lot, and there's not many challenges that a gamer can't overcome in order to field a powerful army that they connect with and enjoy playing.
So, when I decided to take Pestilens on their maiden outing to a tournament (great idea, right?), I was so worried about being a slow player. But I had one tool that I would recommend to any player entering a battle with an intricate army; a cheat sheet.
My cheat sheet is broken into phases and has dot points to remind me of every trigger, once-per-game ability, or buff that was relevant to that phase. Whether it's remembering that my Verminlord has a shooting attack or that the Plague Monk unit champions carry a Book of Woes that can potentially kick out a handful of mortal wounds if used well, it means that simply by working my way quickly through a list, my army operates at full potential, taking advantage of every little percentage of power, without having to flick back and forth through a book or the app checking scrolls.
I also have a chart on the back that includes every unit with quick references to their movement, bravery, saves (or lack thereof) as well as their weapon profiles. This means that I barely need to even look in the Battletome or the App during my game.
The simple matter of the fact is that some armies take longer to play than others, based purely on their play style and army construction. And that is something to keep in mind when playing your game. Games are a social contract, and while players have a responsibility to play in a timely manner, there is a lot to be said for the sportsmanship of players who use elite, fast-playing army that give lenience and grace to players that perhaps need a little more time.
This is a challenge that I'll continue to face as I continue to play Skaven, but I genuinely believe that with practice, knowledge of the army and a cheat sheet, any army can be played well within time constraints.
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
Sunday, 8 October 2017
#104: Silver linings on billowing smoke...
Today's post is not a light-hearted one. It's a little bit more serious than usual, and is in a little bit of a different format for those reasons.
As some of you will know (if you're a Brisbane local, particularly), at the start of the week, the Warhammer Capalaba store was burnt to the ground. The fire gutted the entire tenancy, indiscriminately destroying everything inside, while also damaging adjoining small businesses.
It's never news that you want to wake up to, and several patrons of the store lost armies that were displayed in the cabinets. The full weight of the blow landed on the manager, Blake, however. Not only has his store been destroyed, but all of his gorgeous gaming tables and several of his armies (including the Skyfire-heavy army featured in the Game 1 Battle Report from BCGT) were reduced to ashes. He was understandably devastated by the news.
But this is where the silver lining began to shine through. Blake (and his partner in crime, Alistair from the Brisbane City store) have put blood, sweat and tears into contributing to the gaming community and nurturing a culture of sportsmanship and competition within their stores. It was all of this hard work that has resulting in an overwhelming response from the community. I've seen people opening their homes, offering tables and terrain to facilitate events and game nights, and altogether getting behind a member of our community that has been dealt a cruel hand. The local community, while all still feeling the loss of their spiritual gaming home, have picked up the slack and not missed a beat, organising themselves to adapt to this tragedy in the space of about three days. For a group of grizzled veterans and cunning generals, gamers have come out and shown a great deal of respect, support and compassion for a very well-respected member of our scene, and (without getting too warm and fuzzy), its been great to see!
Games Workshop has also not wasted time in finding him a different store to settle into while insurance and flow on effects play out.
Losing your store is a horrible thing to happen, and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy, but I have no doubt that Blake and the community will bounce back bigger and better than ever, gritting their teeth and refusing to let this defeat them. It's easy to fall into the trap of looking at the event through jaded eyes, but at the end of the day, this is less about stock and armies, models and terrain, as it is about real life people. Our community is not defined by a store or a location. It is the people. And the people are still here and still passionate about the hobby and the game, and not afraid to get alongside their mates.
I have no doubt that Blake will have no shortage of support, both in his professional and personal life following this disastrous event.
Gabe
As some of you will know (if you're a Brisbane local, particularly), at the start of the week, the Warhammer Capalaba store was burnt to the ground. The fire gutted the entire tenancy, indiscriminately destroying everything inside, while also damaging adjoining small businesses.
It's never news that you want to wake up to, and several patrons of the store lost armies that were displayed in the cabinets. The full weight of the blow landed on the manager, Blake, however. Not only has his store been destroyed, but all of his gorgeous gaming tables and several of his armies (including the Skyfire-heavy army featured in the Game 1 Battle Report from BCGT) were reduced to ashes. He was understandably devastated by the news.
But this is where the silver lining began to shine through. Blake (and his partner in crime, Alistair from the Brisbane City store) have put blood, sweat and tears into contributing to the gaming community and nurturing a culture of sportsmanship and competition within their stores. It was all of this hard work that has resulting in an overwhelming response from the community. I've seen people opening their homes, offering tables and terrain to facilitate events and game nights, and altogether getting behind a member of our community that has been dealt a cruel hand. The local community, while all still feeling the loss of their spiritual gaming home, have picked up the slack and not missed a beat, organising themselves to adapt to this tragedy in the space of about three days. For a group of grizzled veterans and cunning generals, gamers have come out and shown a great deal of respect, support and compassion for a very well-respected member of our scene, and (without getting too warm and fuzzy), its been great to see!
Games Workshop has also not wasted time in finding him a different store to settle into while insurance and flow on effects play out.
Losing your store is a horrible thing to happen, and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy, but I have no doubt that Blake and the community will bounce back bigger and better than ever, gritting their teeth and refusing to let this defeat them. It's easy to fall into the trap of looking at the event through jaded eyes, but at the end of the day, this is less about stock and armies, models and terrain, as it is about real life people. Our community is not defined by a store or a location. It is the people. And the people are still here and still passionate about the hobby and the game, and not afraid to get alongside their mates.
I have no doubt that Blake will have no shortage of support, both in his professional and personal life following this disastrous event.
Gabe
Sunday, 1 October 2017
#103: Vectorium Assemble!
I'll admit, since the release of General's Handbook 2017, it's been hard to motivate myself to work on 40k content; not because 8th Edition is bad, but that Age of Sigmar is just so good!
But if one army was going to do it, it was gonna be Death Guard.
I'd always intended to build a Death Guard army, and was meticulously working my way through all the models from Dark Imperium, but in the time between Dark Imperium's release and the eventual Death Guard range hitting the shelves, my attention span (which, for those of you who have been following my hobby journey for any length of time will know, is not a force to be reckoned with by any stretch) led me in other directions.
But then I received a casual invite by a group of local gamers to join a slow-grow army building challenge. And if there is one aspect of the hobby I can't resist, its army builders! The challenge of hitting those incremental goals that culminates in finishing the process with a fully painted army is incredibly satisfying. It was also not going to be at a breakneck speed, which is great for me, as it allows me to chip away at the army at a pace that still allows me to enjoy the process, because for me, painting models is very enjoyable. In the frantic madness and mayhem of work, life and parenthood, those times where I can sit at my desk, put on a podcast or tv show and just slow down, really help me to wind down at the end of a hectic day.
The choice for me was simple. It was always going to be Death Guard! With new models hitting the shelves week after week, it was a no-brainer for me.
One thing that caught me a little off-guard, and was at first a little awkward, was the use of Power Levels instead of traditional points. The organisers of the army builder had chosen this for a variety of reasons. The Builder was not going to be a power-gaming, points-scraping win at all costs process, and so the simplified army building process naturally leant itself better toward what they wanted to achieve. It also meant that each incremental jump was easier to plan. Stages would be in 25 Power Level chunks, which isn't actually very much, especially in the context of Death Guard, a traditionally low-model-count elite army. The first 25 points would be pretty flexible, but at 50 Power Levels, the army must be Battle Forged. There would be a gaming element introduced once we hit Battle Forged at 50PL. There were no rules around using models in my army that had already been painted, so that would further assist me, having already painted a handful of models. With the structure of the challenge laid out before me, and a shiny new codex in hand, I wasted no time in planning out my first two stages.
First thing's first, I needed to settle on the Warlord. I decided to go with a Nurgle Daemon Prince, as not only is he tough as nails (made tougher by the Plate), he also gives me some psychic support, a really useful aura, and combat abilities that give me a healthy amount of punch should he make it to the front line. To make sure that he didn't end up with a smoking crater where his body used to be, I also included three Deathshrouds! I've just finished assembling these bodyguards and they… are… HUGE! They stand head and shoulders over most other models in the range! This gave me two seriously intimidating combat threats, but I'd need more than four models to win games. So, having spent almost 20 Power Points already, I focused on creating a tough, defensive element in my army.
The first stop was two units of seven Plague Marines, one kitted out with Blight Launchers, the other with Plasma Guns. This gave me some reach and mid-range fire power to be able to damage elements that are either terrifying in combat or will end up pinning down my combat elements in less than ideal situations.
Being well aware that Death Guard draws their strength from combinations and layering buffs over buffs, I chose to add a Blight Hauler and a Foul Blightspawn. The Hauler not only gives me some long-ranged anti tank shooting, but essentially acts as mobile cover for my Plague Marines, bumping their already respectable save up to a 2+. It also happens to be one of my favourite models in the new range! The Blightspawn was a unit I really hadn't given much attention to until an impulse purchase resulted in him joining my collection. His ranged weapon (albeit short ranged) is incredibly powerful, but his real strength comes from his stench, which cripples the offensive capabilities of oncoming assaults. These two would form the core of my Nurgle Apple, allowing all fourteen Plague Marines to benefit from both auras, and creating a tough-as-nails moving fire base.
I think that this formation will be the foundation of the entire army in later stages. I fully intend to add another two Haulers to increase the area covered by their cover aura, but also to add to the potential and reliability of the unit! And I'm sure there will be a few more Plague Marines added to the fold!
Has 8th Edition inspired you to start a new army? or build upon an existing one?
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
But if one army was going to do it, it was gonna be Death Guard.
I'd always intended to build a Death Guard army, and was meticulously working my way through all the models from Dark Imperium, but in the time between Dark Imperium's release and the eventual Death Guard range hitting the shelves, my attention span (which, for those of you who have been following my hobby journey for any length of time will know, is not a force to be reckoned with by any stretch) led me in other directions.
But then I received a casual invite by a group of local gamers to join a slow-grow army building challenge. And if there is one aspect of the hobby I can't resist, its army builders! The challenge of hitting those incremental goals that culminates in finishing the process with a fully painted army is incredibly satisfying. It was also not going to be at a breakneck speed, which is great for me, as it allows me to chip away at the army at a pace that still allows me to enjoy the process, because for me, painting models is very enjoyable. In the frantic madness and mayhem of work, life and parenthood, those times where I can sit at my desk, put on a podcast or tv show and just slow down, really help me to wind down at the end of a hectic day.
The choice for me was simple. It was always going to be Death Guard! With new models hitting the shelves week after week, it was a no-brainer for me.
One thing that caught me a little off-guard, and was at first a little awkward, was the use of Power Levels instead of traditional points. The organisers of the army builder had chosen this for a variety of reasons. The Builder was not going to be a power-gaming, points-scraping win at all costs process, and so the simplified army building process naturally leant itself better toward what they wanted to achieve. It also meant that each incremental jump was easier to plan. Stages would be in 25 Power Level chunks, which isn't actually very much, especially in the context of Death Guard, a traditionally low-model-count elite army. The first 25 points would be pretty flexible, but at 50 Power Levels, the army must be Battle Forged. There would be a gaming element introduced once we hit Battle Forged at 50PL. There were no rules around using models in my army that had already been painted, so that would further assist me, having already painted a handful of models. With the structure of the challenge laid out before me, and a shiny new codex in hand, I wasted no time in planning out my first two stages.
First thing's first, I needed to settle on the Warlord. I decided to go with a Nurgle Daemon Prince, as not only is he tough as nails (made tougher by the Plate), he also gives me some psychic support, a really useful aura, and combat abilities that give me a healthy amount of punch should he make it to the front line. To make sure that he didn't end up with a smoking crater where his body used to be, I also included three Deathshrouds! I've just finished assembling these bodyguards and they… are… HUGE! They stand head and shoulders over most other models in the range! This gave me two seriously intimidating combat threats, but I'd need more than four models to win games. So, having spent almost 20 Power Points already, I focused on creating a tough, defensive element in my army.
The first stop was two units of seven Plague Marines, one kitted out with Blight Launchers, the other with Plasma Guns. This gave me some reach and mid-range fire power to be able to damage elements that are either terrifying in combat or will end up pinning down my combat elements in less than ideal situations.
Being well aware that Death Guard draws their strength from combinations and layering buffs over buffs, I chose to add a Blight Hauler and a Foul Blightspawn. The Hauler not only gives me some long-ranged anti tank shooting, but essentially acts as mobile cover for my Plague Marines, bumping their already respectable save up to a 2+. It also happens to be one of my favourite models in the new range! The Blightspawn was a unit I really hadn't given much attention to until an impulse purchase resulted in him joining my collection. His ranged weapon (albeit short ranged) is incredibly powerful, but his real strength comes from his stench, which cripples the offensive capabilities of oncoming assaults. These two would form the core of my Nurgle Apple, allowing all fourteen Plague Marines to benefit from both auras, and creating a tough-as-nails moving fire base.
I think that this formation will be the foundation of the entire army in later stages. I fully intend to add another two Haulers to increase the area covered by their cover aura, but also to add to the potential and reliability of the unit! And I'm sure there will be a few more Plague Marines added to the fold!
Has 8th Edition inspired you to start a new army? or build upon an existing one?
Thanks for reading,
Gabe
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