Ok, it's perhaps more green than I would have liked, but like looks alright, and it certainly doesn't suffer form my usual problem of being too dark.
So now I have to do the weapons, trousers and the detail work.
peace:)
Friday, 4 June 2010
Monday, 31 May 2010
Bully For You
So I have started on the Ogres.
I did think that maybe I should change the title of the blog - since I am in the process of selling off the Wood Elves - and my two armies are now Ogres and Space Orks... but since no one reads this anyway, I hardly thought it worth the effort.
Anywho...
I have finsihed the base coat on my first unit of Bulls.
And here is the picture to prove it....
I have gone for a dark sand base skin tone as it give a more oriental feel, and then I intend on blending green with light flesh for the highlights.
Once the bulls are finsihed, it's onto the gnoblars, and hopefully by then I will have some dentist tools so I can start doing some conversions.
peace:)
I did think that maybe I should change the title of the blog - since I am in the process of selling off the Wood Elves - and my two armies are now Ogres and Space Orks... but since no one reads this anyway, I hardly thought it worth the effort.
Anywho...
I have finsihed the base coat on my first unit of Bulls.
And here is the picture to prove it....
I have gone for a dark sand base skin tone as it give a more oriental feel, and then I intend on blending green with light flesh for the highlights.
Once the bulls are finsihed, it's onto the gnoblars, and hopefully by then I will have some dentist tools so I can start doing some conversions.
peace:)
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
The King Is Dead - Elvis Found Dead On The Toilet
So 40K Radio is no more.
Things have unravelled over the past few weeks in a rather public manner. One of the hosts Spencer lost a child, then there was the return of Ja Ja, then a dispute between Spencer and co-hosts Scott and Chipley and the finally Spencer received threats and an insult about his being responsible for his wife's miscarriage - supposeldy the death of the child was karma for the return of Ja Ja.
To be frank the Ja Ja affair was one of the stoopidest affairs I can think of in recent times - and not just in the world of internut podcasting.
During a marathon fund raising show Ja Ja uttered the 'N' word. This resulted in shrill cries of racism. Now in truth I was as shocked as anyone else to hear this incident, but I can't go along with the notion that mere use of the word automatically makes some one a racist. But apparently if you say 'nigger' then you should be banned from all podcasts now and forever.
Though quite how this justifies the attack on an unborn child - or makes Spencer, his wife and that child a racist - I am not sure.
It is odd that somehow the santimonious types who make these decisions on behalf of the rest of us feel able to justify themselves.
Speaking of which fingers are now being pointed at Dice Like Thunder, or someone connected with Dice Like Thunder as the source of the abusive email.
The theory runs that the author of the email is a certain Stephen Hope/Stephen H, who has recently sponsored episodes of DLT. This has prompted DLT to issue a statement - and in some ways a rather odd statement, since it makes all the right noises of shock and apology, but also has a crass undertone of 'get over it' there are more important things than a miscarriage - toy soldiers. In effect 'so you lost your baby, pull your cardigan over you knees and get on with it.'
Even more bizarre is this part of the statement:
"To the rumor mill: You have our official response. Your services are no longer required. We will delete posts about this topic from our forums that involve any name calling or attacks on anyone who might be involved."
Sure they don't want their forums filled with squabblers on this matter - indeed they have already shut down threads discussing the matter - but it is odd to say on the one hand that they are not involved and sympathetic, and on the other to say that are seeking to protect the sender of the viole email.
The problem for DLT, and particularly Fantsay Flight Games employee Miggidy Mack, is that they have form in this area.
During Mack's brief period in California he hosted a version of the show co-hosted by Ian. Who in response to a DLT listener having twins started cracking jokes about dead babies. Now fair enough the Chicago end of the operation were rightly outraged at this event, but Mack dismissed it as yet another example of Ian's 'humour'. But then Mack was always at pains to say what a good guy Ian is and how funny he is etc - though listeners to DLT might have differing opinions.
Supposedly DLT are having an investigation as to whether they are in anyway connected to this email.
The problem here is that tall poppy syndrome appears to have been at work.
40k Radio was perhaps the biggest of the podcasts, and certainly had it's detractors. DLT has placed themselves in the unfortunate position of becoming somewhat of a mouthpiece for this criticism - going so far as to highlight a couple of blogs in a recent episode that had been attacking 40k Radio - one of which Blood of Kittens was a principle cheer leader and inciter of the 'anti-racists' - and must take some responsibility for this email - if for no other reason than it's editorial appeared to believe that JaJa's use of the 'n' word gave people carte blanche to say what they like.
Now fair enough we are talking about a very small world, and thus you might argue that DLT are right to report the 'news'.
But I can't help wondering why they felt the need to ever comment on any other podcast. There is plenty enough to talk about in the hobby without rubbishing the opposition.
Having said all of this, it may well be that 40K Radio was finished anyway - and it may well be that the email is not genuine and an excuse - but the fact remains that this whole affair has left a sour taste in the mouth and has been a salutory lesson to others who might think of setting up a podcast.
The irony is that the emailer claimed to be contacting the shows sponsors to get them to pull the plug.
Because I can't help thinking that one of the mistakes 40k Radio made was to lead the way with sponsorship. It seems that every podcast has gone down this route now. Of course I understand that podcasting is not a cheap hobby - at least in the set up stage - but I can't help feeling that this commercialism becomes an end in itself, with people forgetting the reason they started podcasting in the first place, with the combined problem of forgetting what it was about their show that people like.
Which perhaps explains why my favourite podcast is the Waarghcast.
peace:)
Things have unravelled over the past few weeks in a rather public manner. One of the hosts Spencer lost a child, then there was the return of Ja Ja, then a dispute between Spencer and co-hosts Scott and Chipley and the finally Spencer received threats and an insult about his being responsible for his wife's miscarriage - supposeldy the death of the child was karma for the return of Ja Ja.
To be frank the Ja Ja affair was one of the stoopidest affairs I can think of in recent times - and not just in the world of internut podcasting.
During a marathon fund raising show Ja Ja uttered the 'N' word. This resulted in shrill cries of racism. Now in truth I was as shocked as anyone else to hear this incident, but I can't go along with the notion that mere use of the word automatically makes some one a racist. But apparently if you say 'nigger' then you should be banned from all podcasts now and forever.
Though quite how this justifies the attack on an unborn child - or makes Spencer, his wife and that child a racist - I am not sure.
It is odd that somehow the santimonious types who make these decisions on behalf of the rest of us feel able to justify themselves.
Speaking of which fingers are now being pointed at Dice Like Thunder, or someone connected with Dice Like Thunder as the source of the abusive email.
The theory runs that the author of the email is a certain Stephen Hope/Stephen H, who has recently sponsored episodes of DLT. This has prompted DLT to issue a statement - and in some ways a rather odd statement, since it makes all the right noises of shock and apology, but also has a crass undertone of 'get over it' there are more important things than a miscarriage - toy soldiers. In effect 'so you lost your baby, pull your cardigan over you knees and get on with it.'
Even more bizarre is this part of the statement:
"To the rumor mill: You have our official response. Your services are no longer required. We will delete posts about this topic from our forums that involve any name calling or attacks on anyone who might be involved."
Sure they don't want their forums filled with squabblers on this matter - indeed they have already shut down threads discussing the matter - but it is odd to say on the one hand that they are not involved and sympathetic, and on the other to say that are seeking to protect the sender of the viole email.
The problem for DLT, and particularly Fantsay Flight Games employee Miggidy Mack, is that they have form in this area.
During Mack's brief period in California he hosted a version of the show co-hosted by Ian. Who in response to a DLT listener having twins started cracking jokes about dead babies. Now fair enough the Chicago end of the operation were rightly outraged at this event, but Mack dismissed it as yet another example of Ian's 'humour'. But then Mack was always at pains to say what a good guy Ian is and how funny he is etc - though listeners to DLT might have differing opinions.
Supposedly DLT are having an investigation as to whether they are in anyway connected to this email.
The problem here is that tall poppy syndrome appears to have been at work.
40k Radio was perhaps the biggest of the podcasts, and certainly had it's detractors. DLT has placed themselves in the unfortunate position of becoming somewhat of a mouthpiece for this criticism - going so far as to highlight a couple of blogs in a recent episode that had been attacking 40k Radio - one of which Blood of Kittens was a principle cheer leader and inciter of the 'anti-racists' - and must take some responsibility for this email - if for no other reason than it's editorial appeared to believe that JaJa's use of the 'n' word gave people carte blanche to say what they like.
Now fair enough we are talking about a very small world, and thus you might argue that DLT are right to report the 'news'.
But I can't help wondering why they felt the need to ever comment on any other podcast. There is plenty enough to talk about in the hobby without rubbishing the opposition.
Having said all of this, it may well be that 40K Radio was finished anyway - and it may well be that the email is not genuine and an excuse - but the fact remains that this whole affair has left a sour taste in the mouth and has been a salutory lesson to others who might think of setting up a podcast.
The irony is that the emailer claimed to be contacting the shows sponsors to get them to pull the plug.
Because I can't help thinking that one of the mistakes 40k Radio made was to lead the way with sponsorship. It seems that every podcast has gone down this route now. Of course I understand that podcasting is not a cheap hobby - at least in the set up stage - but I can't help feeling that this commercialism becomes an end in itself, with people forgetting the reason they started podcasting in the first place, with the combined problem of forgetting what it was about their show that people like.
Which perhaps explains why my favourite podcast is the Waarghcast.
peace:)
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Excited About 8th
I have to admit that I getting quite excited at the prospect of 8th edition.
Ok, no one knows for sure what the rules will be and how they will work, but if the rumours are true then it does seem that the game will move away from rock/paper/scissors, cookie cutter lists etc.
Well maybe not entirely, but it does strike me that if the points size for the 'standard' game is to increase, and the percentage limits are set correctly, then it will allow for more flexibility in list building. Especially if it is true that magic is being beefed up - but toned down, by making miscasts more deadly - since it is a bugbeer of mine that magic is just too powerful at present.
Indeed it will be a test of the new system if players will be able to dispense with a magic user entirely, and go for a comabt build. Perhaps it would take WFB more in the direction of 40k, but it strikes me that it wouldn't be so much of a bad thing.
In other news I have been steadily selling off my Vampires on ebay - nothing to do with 8th edition - simply that I don't like the way they paly and better to sell them than have them gather dust. And am about to start selling my Wood Elves.
In a way this is going to be a rather sad excercise, but I have taken an executive decision that I really am the mythical hobbyist and would rather collect an army that I really want. Thus I have decided to opt for Ogres.
Having said that I notice that apparently Ogres are due a new book later int he year and the rumour is that Ogres are about to go from underpowered and unreliable to overpowered. hich I suppose opens me to charges of bandwagon jumping, but I can live with that.
My plan at present to build a clan of giant catchers - i.e a double giant list, with lots of gnoblars and big unit of iron guts with lots of magic resistance.
However if the rumour of the new book is true, then perhaps the rumour of plastic rhinox riders is also true which could well lead me to change my plans to include some of these magnificent beasts - certainly if they are on a par with the Forgeworld models - allowing of course for transition from resin to plastic.
And of course if there are new rhinox riders then the chances are there might be a new scraplauncher model - which is perhaps more than a possibility, given that the model is only availablke through GW and if 8th edition does lead to massive infantry blocks, and the removal of the S7 rule fro chariots then the scraplauncher is going to be a must in Ogre armies.
Not that must have models equates to new releases in the GW world - as we have seen recently with Tyranids and Beasts.
It will be interesting to see how 8th changes the game.
Personally I would love it if the changes levelled the playing field.
OK I know there is a lot of carping that a move towards large units is coupled with the latest round of price rises.
At which point it is obligatory to point out that no one is forcing you to play - but that aside - I was looking through an old WD and noticed that a large number of the units that are being subjected to the price rises have not changed for five years or more. Also that many of them are old metal models, which will no doubt be released in the future as three model plastics for £27, which appears to be the way things are going.
I should mention that I am also in the process of selling my Orks. I am still in two minds as to what to buy instead. As I am currently reading Guants Ghosts, I am leaning towards a IG army - but equally I like the Space Wolves.
I guess it's a case of seeing how the Ogre porject goes and then see what happens after that.
peace:)
Ok, no one knows for sure what the rules will be and how they will work, but if the rumours are true then it does seem that the game will move away from rock/paper/scissors, cookie cutter lists etc.
Well maybe not entirely, but it does strike me that if the points size for the 'standard' game is to increase, and the percentage limits are set correctly, then it will allow for more flexibility in list building. Especially if it is true that magic is being beefed up - but toned down, by making miscasts more deadly - since it is a bugbeer of mine that magic is just too powerful at present.
Indeed it will be a test of the new system if players will be able to dispense with a magic user entirely, and go for a comabt build. Perhaps it would take WFB more in the direction of 40k, but it strikes me that it wouldn't be so much of a bad thing.
In other news I have been steadily selling off my Vampires on ebay - nothing to do with 8th edition - simply that I don't like the way they paly and better to sell them than have them gather dust. And am about to start selling my Wood Elves.
In a way this is going to be a rather sad excercise, but I have taken an executive decision that I really am the mythical hobbyist and would rather collect an army that I really want. Thus I have decided to opt for Ogres.
Having said that I notice that apparently Ogres are due a new book later int he year and the rumour is that Ogres are about to go from underpowered and unreliable to overpowered. hich I suppose opens me to charges of bandwagon jumping, but I can live with that.
My plan at present to build a clan of giant catchers - i.e a double giant list, with lots of gnoblars and big unit of iron guts with lots of magic resistance.
However if the rumour of the new book is true, then perhaps the rumour of plastic rhinox riders is also true which could well lead me to change my plans to include some of these magnificent beasts - certainly if they are on a par with the Forgeworld models - allowing of course for transition from resin to plastic.
And of course if there are new rhinox riders then the chances are there might be a new scraplauncher model - which is perhaps more than a possibility, given that the model is only availablke through GW and if 8th edition does lead to massive infantry blocks, and the removal of the S7 rule fro chariots then the scraplauncher is going to be a must in Ogre armies.
Not that must have models equates to new releases in the GW world - as we have seen recently with Tyranids and Beasts.
It will be interesting to see how 8th changes the game.
Personally I would love it if the changes levelled the playing field.
OK I know there is a lot of carping that a move towards large units is coupled with the latest round of price rises.
At which point it is obligatory to point out that no one is forcing you to play - but that aside - I was looking through an old WD and noticed that a large number of the units that are being subjected to the price rises have not changed for five years or more. Also that many of them are old metal models, which will no doubt be released in the future as three model plastics for £27, which appears to be the way things are going.
I should mention that I am also in the process of selling my Orks. I am still in two minds as to what to buy instead. As I am currently reading Guants Ghosts, I am leaning towards a IG army - but equally I like the Space Wolves.
I guess it's a case of seeing how the Ogre porject goes and then see what happens after that.
peace:)
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Battle Foam Bullying
Recently I was looking for a carry case.
And as I listen to various podcasts, I of course found myself salivating at the prospect of buying a Battlefoam case. However when I looked into it I found myself bauking firstly at the price and secondly at the limited range on offer for what I was expected to pay.
In the end I bought a case from KR Multicase and am delighted with it - not least because it was more that half the price that Battlefoam wanted to gouge out of me.
So I am not surprised to learn that Romeo at Battlefoam has brought out another product - in line with various other 'corporations' - namely the spurious and bullying law suit. And not only the spurious law suit, but the chimpers on the net to defend his spurious action - or more precisely to prevent his underhand business tactics being exposed.
It will be interesting to see how the Battlefoam sponsored 40k Radio handle the situation, seeing as they have taken a stand against this sort of thing before, but having taken Romeo's shilling I guess they will be all for him in his action against Foam Corps - or whatever the name of the company is he is suing.
What interests me about Battlefoam as a company is that Romeo is protrayed as this bloke who is all for the hobby - yet I seem to recall that he had to pull one of his infomercials because it attacked a competitor, and his customers comlained that it was unnecessary. And I have to say that laughed at his largesse when he announced a price cut because he didn't want to be one of those comanies that exploit the gamer - which explains why his products are sold in the UK at a pound for dollar price (the classic corporate rip off) and he appears to actively discourage direct ordering from anyone but his Amercian customers. Apparently it is impossible for him to calculate a postal rate for the rest of the world and sell direct.
Still it is nice of him to highlight the products of Foam Corps/Outrider Hobbies.
Who knows, maybe they will turn out not to be a company that rips people off and uses the tactics of the corporate bully to protect their rip off.
peace:)
And as I listen to various podcasts, I of course found myself salivating at the prospect of buying a Battlefoam case. However when I looked into it I found myself bauking firstly at the price and secondly at the limited range on offer for what I was expected to pay.
In the end I bought a case from KR Multicase and am delighted with it - not least because it was more that half the price that Battlefoam wanted to gouge out of me.
So I am not surprised to learn that Romeo at Battlefoam has brought out another product - in line with various other 'corporations' - namely the spurious and bullying law suit. And not only the spurious law suit, but the chimpers on the net to defend his spurious action - or more precisely to prevent his underhand business tactics being exposed.
It will be interesting to see how the Battlefoam sponsored 40k Radio handle the situation, seeing as they have taken a stand against this sort of thing before, but having taken Romeo's shilling I guess they will be all for him in his action against Foam Corps - or whatever the name of the company is he is suing.
What interests me about Battlefoam as a company is that Romeo is protrayed as this bloke who is all for the hobby - yet I seem to recall that he had to pull one of his infomercials because it attacked a competitor, and his customers comlained that it was unnecessary. And I have to say that laughed at his largesse when he announced a price cut because he didn't want to be one of those comanies that exploit the gamer - which explains why his products are sold in the UK at a pound for dollar price (the classic corporate rip off) and he appears to actively discourage direct ordering from anyone but his Amercian customers. Apparently it is impossible for him to calculate a postal rate for the rest of the world and sell direct.
Still it is nice of him to highlight the products of Foam Corps/Outrider Hobbies.
Who knows, maybe they will turn out not to be a company that rips people off and uses the tactics of the corporate bully to protect their rip off.
peace:)
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
The Cost Of Winning
For all it's drawbacks WFB does mask the gamer's personality - in part because of the imbalances between the armies.
40k being a more balanced game the personalty of the gamer comes to the fore.
Last week I faced the cheesemonger, and this week it was the win at all costs powergamer.
Ok it was partly my fault. I haven't read the rules for ages, and there are parts f the rules I haven't read at all. So we get to set up the tabe and that was were the disagreements started. I wanted walls and barbed wire and lots of cover, he didn't - so we didn't.
The set up took ages as he insisted on showing me his painting skills. Now fair enough everyone thinks their minis are wonderful - and his were nice - but I can do without having to bil and coo over stuff I couldn't give a shit about. I mean conversions are nice enough but they are rather overrated imo - or rather it is something for the other player to notice and admire, not something to be rammed down their throat.
Oh and then he picked up one of my minis and says, 'oh you've gone for the blobby camo,' in a disparaging manner, which I point put is a based on German WWII camo, which illicts a speach on how he used a 5 layer sponge technique. Now not wishing to be unkind, because his army was nicely painted, but to be honest his camo was brown, and it wasn't camo, it was mottled brown.
So after an eternity, he finishes setting up. So I start setting up. Which provoked the next round of carping from my opponent. Apparently I had deployed 2mm over the line - which in fact I hadn't, the dice marking the centre of the board was on a slight angle. So instead he started going on about where the deliation was between two 30 boyz mobs. Now fair enough this might be an issue, but frankly it was in deployment, and it might be an issue that crops up on forums as a cheat tactic in tournaments, but let's be honest this was a 'friendly' game, and I knew where the line was, and as soon as they moved it would become obvious.
But the point was that even before the game he was trying to pay wuth my troops as well as his own.
And let's put this game into a proper context. He has three battlewagons, and I have no AT except for the rokkits on the copters, and a combi-rokkit with the bikers -unless I can get a side shot from the looters. So the game basically boils down to my having to footslog it over to his tanks, assualt them, blow them up and then withstand the counter attack.
Anywho, the game gets under way and by turn two the disagreements have started again. This time it is about the nob bikers, which are kitted out to maximise wound allocation, which he says is cheating - yeah right - he then starts waffling on about whther or not I have done this bu accident - which of course I haven't - why would I? I try to point out that I have done it because I have just started the army and the megaforce comes with 9 bikerz - which unless it had I wouldn't have had bikerz at all, and since I have the figures I have maxed them out to get an army big enough to play with - he doesn't listen to this and continues arguing about the matter and calling me a cheat.
The second argument breaks out when my trukk blows up. As he thinks he is playing my army and I am just there to enjoy watching his skill at 40k, he immediately removes the trukk and starts putting out the figures, which I of course object to, since he shouldn't be handling my minis without my permission and because we are now in the inevitable position of having an arguement of where the trukk was when it blew up.
Anywho, as mentioned above the game went the way predicted above with me blowing up the battlewagons on the charge and he winningthe counter attacks. At which point he apologises for making such a fuss about the bikerz.
It was an interesting game in that I learned a little more about the Orks but it certainly wasn't a fun game.
Still I have a plan to get him back - very Orky - which whilst bound to cause a row, will hopefully remind people that Warhammer is suposed to be a fun role playing battle system.
Oh and aparently the fluff for my army is wrong - lol.
peace:)
40k being a more balanced game the personalty of the gamer comes to the fore.
Last week I faced the cheesemonger, and this week it was the win at all costs powergamer.
Ok it was partly my fault. I haven't read the rules for ages, and there are parts f the rules I haven't read at all. So we get to set up the tabe and that was were the disagreements started. I wanted walls and barbed wire and lots of cover, he didn't - so we didn't.
The set up took ages as he insisted on showing me his painting skills. Now fair enough everyone thinks their minis are wonderful - and his were nice - but I can do without having to bil and coo over stuff I couldn't give a shit about. I mean conversions are nice enough but they are rather overrated imo - or rather it is something for the other player to notice and admire, not something to be rammed down their throat.
Oh and then he picked up one of my minis and says, 'oh you've gone for the blobby camo,' in a disparaging manner, which I point put is a based on German WWII camo, which illicts a speach on how he used a 5 layer sponge technique. Now not wishing to be unkind, because his army was nicely painted, but to be honest his camo was brown, and it wasn't camo, it was mottled brown.
So after an eternity, he finishes setting up. So I start setting up. Which provoked the next round of carping from my opponent. Apparently I had deployed 2mm over the line - which in fact I hadn't, the dice marking the centre of the board was on a slight angle. So instead he started going on about where the deliation was between two 30 boyz mobs. Now fair enough this might be an issue, but frankly it was in deployment, and it might be an issue that crops up on forums as a cheat tactic in tournaments, but let's be honest this was a 'friendly' game, and I knew where the line was, and as soon as they moved it would become obvious.
But the point was that even before the game he was trying to pay wuth my troops as well as his own.
And let's put this game into a proper context. He has three battlewagons, and I have no AT except for the rokkits on the copters, and a combi-rokkit with the bikers -unless I can get a side shot from the looters. So the game basically boils down to my having to footslog it over to his tanks, assualt them, blow them up and then withstand the counter attack.
Anywho, the game gets under way and by turn two the disagreements have started again. This time it is about the nob bikers, which are kitted out to maximise wound allocation, which he says is cheating - yeah right - he then starts waffling on about whther or not I have done this bu accident - which of course I haven't - why would I? I try to point out that I have done it because I have just started the army and the megaforce comes with 9 bikerz - which unless it had I wouldn't have had bikerz at all, and since I have the figures I have maxed them out to get an army big enough to play with - he doesn't listen to this and continues arguing about the matter and calling me a cheat.
The second argument breaks out when my trukk blows up. As he thinks he is playing my army and I am just there to enjoy watching his skill at 40k, he immediately removes the trukk and starts putting out the figures, which I of course object to, since he shouldn't be handling my minis without my permission and because we are now in the inevitable position of having an arguement of where the trukk was when it blew up.
Anywho, as mentioned above the game went the way predicted above with me blowing up the battlewagons on the charge and he winningthe counter attacks. At which point he apologises for making such a fuss about the bikerz.
It was an interesting game in that I learned a little more about the Orks but it certainly wasn't a fun game.
Still I have a plan to get him back - very Orky - which whilst bound to cause a row, will hopefully remind people that Warhammer is suposed to be a fun role playing battle system.
Oh and aparently the fluff for my army is wrong - lol.
peace:)
Monday, 8 March 2010
Waargh
The Orks got their first run out yesterday.
They won thank you for asking.
To be honest it wasn't a particularly fun game due to the opponent.
Now ignore the opponent was playing Nids, and had a maxed out cheesy list - oh he'd and won a tournament last week and was therefore in full douchebag mode - the reason the game was not that enjoyable was that the opponent had all the drawbacks of the power gamer.
For instance his measurement was 'flexible' to say the least - but he argued about everything to do with my measuring.
But what was more annoying was that he said stuff like - 'oh I'm just trying stuff out and I wouldn't normally have done that' - in a situation in which had he not thrown a big gribbly into with a bunch of small stuff to attack a squad of nobs, the nobs would have chewing through his line and killed the big gribbly the next turn anyway - and as it turned out the gribbly meant that he managed to save the combat but one of the small things remaining alive due to my having to split the attacks.
But as I say I won - we pretty much wiped each other off the table - and seeing as he was maxed out cheese and the Nids list is pretty much the epitome of what is wrong with GW at the moment - lots of stoopid rules designed seemingly to remove the fun from the game.
peace:)
They won thank you for asking.
To be honest it wasn't a particularly fun game due to the opponent.
Now ignore the opponent was playing Nids, and had a maxed out cheesy list - oh he'd and won a tournament last week and was therefore in full douchebag mode - the reason the game was not that enjoyable was that the opponent had all the drawbacks of the power gamer.
For instance his measurement was 'flexible' to say the least - but he argued about everything to do with my measuring.
But what was more annoying was that he said stuff like - 'oh I'm just trying stuff out and I wouldn't normally have done that' - in a situation in which had he not thrown a big gribbly into with a bunch of small stuff to attack a squad of nobs, the nobs would have chewing through his line and killed the big gribbly the next turn anyway - and as it turned out the gribbly meant that he managed to save the combat but one of the small things remaining alive due to my having to split the attacks.
But as I say I won - we pretty much wiped each other off the table - and seeing as he was maxed out cheese and the Nids list is pretty much the epitome of what is wrong with GW at the moment - lots of stoopid rules designed seemingly to remove the fun from the game.
peace:)
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Risky Business
With the rumours of 8th edition coming out in the summer, the internet is rife with chatter as to what changes will be made.
The general feeling is that the magic phase is too strong - something I wholeheartedly agree with. It isn't that the mechanism is flawed, indeed the game design and rationale behind the magic phase is sound, it's just that it massively favours certain armies and certain spells - and in doing so unbalances the game.
My main problem with the magic phase is that it is too certain.
Personally I would like to have some sort of mechanism that makes the winds of magic, just that - like the wind. I'm not suggesting that it go so far as the charts and dials incumbent in naval wargaming, but I can't help feeling that making magic more chancey would not only improve the game but it would instantly balance the game more.
The simplest method would be in the magic phase each mage wishing to cast has to take leadership test to see if they have tapped into the magical winds. If they suceed then they proceed as usual. If they fail then they have to roll on a miscast table that ranges from on a 1 that side loses all magic for the game, 2 loses magic for that turn, 3 all casting values 3+, 4 3+ added to all dispel rolls, 5 mage loses one level of magic, 6 all spells cast that turn by the mage are irrestible on any double.
Added to this change all magical creatures - demons, vampires, forest spirits etc - require the winds of magic. Should an army lose the winds of magic then they would have to take crumble tests or an equivilent as the magic drains from them.
Also it might be applied to magical weapons. The first time they are used the wielder has to test, and if it is failed then it turns out they have been sold a pup and it is just a mundane weapon.
I feel that this would place magic in a proper context, without nerfing it, of support and place troops back at the centre of the game.
peace:)
The general feeling is that the magic phase is too strong - something I wholeheartedly agree with. It isn't that the mechanism is flawed, indeed the game design and rationale behind the magic phase is sound, it's just that it massively favours certain armies and certain spells - and in doing so unbalances the game.
My main problem with the magic phase is that it is too certain.
Personally I would like to have some sort of mechanism that makes the winds of magic, just that - like the wind. I'm not suggesting that it go so far as the charts and dials incumbent in naval wargaming, but I can't help feeling that making magic more chancey would not only improve the game but it would instantly balance the game more.
The simplest method would be in the magic phase each mage wishing to cast has to take leadership test to see if they have tapped into the magical winds. If they suceed then they proceed as usual. If they fail then they have to roll on a miscast table that ranges from on a 1 that side loses all magic for the game, 2 loses magic for that turn, 3 all casting values 3+, 4 3+ added to all dispel rolls, 5 mage loses one level of magic, 6 all spells cast that turn by the mage are irrestible on any double.
Added to this change all magical creatures - demons, vampires, forest spirits etc - require the winds of magic. Should an army lose the winds of magic then they would have to take crumble tests or an equivilent as the magic drains from them.
Also it might be applied to magical weapons. The first time they are used the wielder has to test, and if it is failed then it turns out they have been sold a pup and it is just a mundane weapon.
I feel that this would place magic in a proper context, without nerfing it, of support and place troops back at the centre of the game.
peace:)
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