Hey folks, its Shawn again from the Durham region. Recently renamed as the East Enders, the new collective of Warmachine and Hordes gaming co-ordinators have really taken off this fall with some great events.
Our first two steam roller events were great! I wasn't able to attend one of them due toa family adventure that had been a long time coming, but Keith and Rob told me that it was a great event with some visitors from our friends on the west end of Toronto. I don't really remember who took what place but it was a great time. October saw the first Longest Night event, which was..to be honest, a bit of a bust, primarily because I don't know how to advertise properly, so I ended up doing demos with zombies which was fun.
We had our second steam roller a few weeks ago and it went off beautifully. Hosted primarily by Rob, I was able to play in one for the first time and throughly enjoyed it. I came in Not last..actually I came in middle of the pack, so I actually did fairly well! We had visitors from Toronto as well as some friends of ours staying in Kitchener (read as Travis and Brandon, as well as Justin from T.O). It made for a great set of games, and just ton of fun as we smashed our way to our respective victories.
But now to the real meat of the article. FOODMACHINE!!
Foodmachine is the annual food drive tournament for Warmachine and Hordes and was developed by one of my Press Ganger colleagues, Adam Vogel. A favourite of Privateer Press staff , Press Gangers and Players, Foodmachine collects both monetary donations and canned goods for the Christmas food drive, and allows us to raise funds for the same thing. It become something of a big deal in North America lately as Foodmachine has really taken off with amounts collected ranging from $15- to over $1000 (if I recall correctly from the larger metas). All of this going towards getting food to those that need it, especially as the cold weather starts to slowly creep in. The Warmachine Community has always been pretty awesome with working with charities ,ranging from food and toy drives to the Breast cancer warmachine brawl, where PP has even created pink - themed caster cards in celebration of the event, but Foodmachine seems to really resonate with people. Maybe its because of Thanksgiving being so close to Christmas and so many folks in need of a good meal, or maybe its just the spirit of the event bringing out the best in everyone, it seems to really bring people together. Because we are a smaller meta and in a quieter part of Ontario, I don't know what to expect yet with our foodmachine tournament, but I can say this: It will be an awesome event with some great prizes and trophies.
For any of you that are interested, our Foodmachine tournament is on December 6th. If you're interested, get your name in soon, as spots are filling up and we have a very limited amount of spots for play. For more information, email me at the official East Enders email address, or post on the Durham Region Ontario Warmachine and Hordes Facebook page.
I'm looking forward to seeing you all there! For more events and news, stay tuned here on the blog, as in a few days (or if i'm lucky, even today or tomorrow) I'll be discussing the Secret Santa, as well as opening the floor to thoughts on some hobby related details!
Until next time, Warlocks and Casters!
- Shawn, your friendly neighborhood Press Ganger
Thursday 26 November 2015
Wednesday 23 September 2015
Treading in worn shoes
Good evening everyone, its Shawn from The Durham Region Ontario Warmachine and Hordes Club, and I have a confession to make.
I love Role Playing games. I always have. From the day I lay my hands on my Dad's copy of the original Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st edition ruleset to today and beyond, I have played a multitude of Role Playing games. I've run and Played Dungeons and Dragons since I was 11, on that fateful day that I went into the closet under the stairs and found an entire collection of 1st ed. D&D books belonging to my old man. I have seen Dungeons and Dragons through many of its iterations with an uncontained excitement that at some point in the near future I might have a chance to hit up 5th ed, but my experience has not been localized to that. I've played extensively in the old World of Darkness game system with Vampire, Werewolf and Hunter; I've played All Flesh must be Eaten and more recently, I've been involved in a handful of games of Shadowrun and 7th Sea (both hosted by a good friend of mine, Jason, who has had years of experience with roleplaying storytelling, and left an indelible mark on me with his Shadowrun Stories). Most recently, and in the spirit of my work with Privateer Press, I have recently taken stock and started running an Iron Kingdoms RPG based on their new rule set.
Over the past while, I haven't been able to head out to Worlds Collide for our regular Warmachine and Hordes night due to my work schedule. So, rather than mope about it (it's been a few months since I've played a game of Warmachine or Hordes that wasn't a demo), I opted to use this as an opportunity to explore the IKRPG and feel out what it has to offer as an RPG experience. And so far I'm not disappointed. The Iron Kingdoms RPG, in the non-D20 iteration is almost a direct port from the Warmachine and Hordes rule set. It uses many of the same rules and terms, with much of the structure still intact. One would argue that this particular approach to the creation of the RPG is almost a natural progression of the system and universe as a whole, as the gameplay structure allows for a seamless transition from one medium to another with little difficulty. The only real variant is the emphasis put on donning the outfit of your character, but in that vein is where we see something of a divorce from its previous iteration in the D20 OGL platform, as this new iteration of the game seems more character driven than stats and dice driven. The characters aren't so much a motley crew of Drizzt Do'Urdens, Elminsters, Raistlins or Caramons, but rather characters that are a bit more true to life in a setting that lends to a grittier fantasy setting. I recommend reading Darker Days Iron Kingdoms Summary, as the author does a really good job of setting the expectation for new players considering the Iron Kingdoms as their new Role Playing Universe. It's certainly more character driven than more traditional Hackenslash RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, but less charater dependant than, say Old World of Darkness, where the game relies heavily on the social interaction, and checks are used more as amplifiers to already established player actions. It especailly lends itself to some solid roleplaying opportunities with the history (and it is a very rich one that has only been scratched in the volumes of 2 400+ page content books) and cultural portfolios of the different societies in the setting. Most especially through the use of the Iosans and Nyss in the Core book, and the Skorne in the new supplement for the Hordes side of the RPG, Unleashed, can a player really delve into the skin of something fundamentally different. The roleplaying opportunities for these games are really something, and checking them out would be a cool way of spending an afternoon or evening with friends or fellow roleplayers.
Because of my shifting schedule at work, the Iron Kingdoms RPG has kind of been my product du jour in supporting the Privateer Press community as of late, and has been the reason behind my next point. Since my shedule has been really bad at letting me play with my army men, we've changed things up a bit. Starting in July, a few of us had a meeting with some of our friends in the east end of Toronto, and we were given an idea as to how to regulate gameplay and presence, which led to a pretty neat change. I am no longer looking after the Privateer Press Community as a solo act, smply because doing so has been unproductive due to both a summer off due to surgery, and an unreliable schedule. As of July, a group was put together with two of my fellow OTC partners. So we now have an operative crew to help expand. I will be taking care of the Iron Kingdoms Experience. Keith Drake will now be managing Monday night free play and leagues; and Robert Kovac will be taking care of Saturday Steamrollers happening once a month. I will also host special events based on my availability, and may include different games such as Warmachine and Hordes, High Command and the IKRPG (of which a few of which will be mentioned momentarily). By creating this group, we hope to reach out to more players and support a variety of different levels of play with the aim of creating a more unified community through a variety of opportunities to show off your gameplay tricks.
With that being said, here is where we're looking at gong over the next few months.
Sept 26th-27th: Phantasm Gaming Convention and Expo, Peterborough Library, Peterborough Ontario. This will be my third year attending a a demo operator for Warmachine and Hordes, but in order to simplify the learning experience, I will only be demoing Warmachine. I will also be hosting my first Iron Kingdoms session with a campaign that I've written, intent on bringing some Hallowe'en spirit by tapping into one of my favourite stories. Sunday, I will be hosting the Unleashed Adventure Kit.
October 3rd: STEAMROLLER!!!! - Robert Kovac will be running the first Monthly Steamroller tournament at Worlds Collide (80 Simcoe St. N. Oshawa Ontario). 50 points, 2 lists with a buy in of $15. Awesome!!!!
October 24th: Longest Night - My first themed event. Bring your 50 point army and fend off against the Undead army. Will Alexia Ciannor be your saviour, or the instrument of your undoing?? More to come as developments come to light, but there will be points and awards for coming in costume, especially if you come as an Iron Kingdoms character!!!
Breastmachine Brawl: A modified Steamroller event for Breast Cancer awareness. projected date is Nov 7th, but more to come. Buying support tickets allows for a variety of in game purchases, and przes include Paint it Pink custom Warcaster cards provided by Privateer Press as well as regular prize support. We'll Keep you posted.
Foodmachine: December. Another modified steamroller where donating money or canned goods can lend you one shot power ups and opportunities. More to come...
Annual Secret Santa: An annual event where you put your name in a hat, and draw someone elses. the person you draw has a small list of models that you can choose from to purchase. the draw is done 2 weeks before the exchange, in case someone wants to paint the model they're gifting. this will be the third year of the annual Secret Santa. Gift cap is $20-$30. If someone gets a Colossal, someone ain't doin it right...Or maybe they are *snicker*.
With that being said, more will be posted as we get closer to some of these dates. Again if there are any questions, let me know at meatandmetaldurham@gmail.com.
With that, I'm signing off because its fucking 1am and I have to be up in 6 hours. Next time, I'll be going over my phantasm experience specifically with the Iron Kingdoms RPG and the adventure I'm running for the Saturday.
Wish me luck.
- Shawn
I love Role Playing games. I always have. From the day I lay my hands on my Dad's copy of the original Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st edition ruleset to today and beyond, I have played a multitude of Role Playing games. I've run and Played Dungeons and Dragons since I was 11, on that fateful day that I went into the closet under the stairs and found an entire collection of 1st ed. D&D books belonging to my old man. I have seen Dungeons and Dragons through many of its iterations with an uncontained excitement that at some point in the near future I might have a chance to hit up 5th ed, but my experience has not been localized to that. I've played extensively in the old World of Darkness game system with Vampire, Werewolf and Hunter; I've played All Flesh must be Eaten and more recently, I've been involved in a handful of games of Shadowrun and 7th Sea (both hosted by a good friend of mine, Jason, who has had years of experience with roleplaying storytelling, and left an indelible mark on me with his Shadowrun Stories). Most recently, and in the spirit of my work with Privateer Press, I have recently taken stock and started running an Iron Kingdoms RPG based on their new rule set.
Over the past while, I haven't been able to head out to Worlds Collide for our regular Warmachine and Hordes night due to my work schedule. So, rather than mope about it (it's been a few months since I've played a game of Warmachine or Hordes that wasn't a demo), I opted to use this as an opportunity to explore the IKRPG and feel out what it has to offer as an RPG experience. And so far I'm not disappointed. The Iron Kingdoms RPG, in the non-D20 iteration is almost a direct port from the Warmachine and Hordes rule set. It uses many of the same rules and terms, with much of the structure still intact. One would argue that this particular approach to the creation of the RPG is almost a natural progression of the system and universe as a whole, as the gameplay structure allows for a seamless transition from one medium to another with little difficulty. The only real variant is the emphasis put on donning the outfit of your character, but in that vein is where we see something of a divorce from its previous iteration in the D20 OGL platform, as this new iteration of the game seems more character driven than stats and dice driven. The characters aren't so much a motley crew of Drizzt Do'Urdens, Elminsters, Raistlins or Caramons, but rather characters that are a bit more true to life in a setting that lends to a grittier fantasy setting. I recommend reading Darker Days Iron Kingdoms Summary, as the author does a really good job of setting the expectation for new players considering the Iron Kingdoms as their new Role Playing Universe. It's certainly more character driven than more traditional Hackenslash RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, but less charater dependant than, say Old World of Darkness, where the game relies heavily on the social interaction, and checks are used more as amplifiers to already established player actions. It especailly lends itself to some solid roleplaying opportunities with the history (and it is a very rich one that has only been scratched in the volumes of 2 400+ page content books) and cultural portfolios of the different societies in the setting. Most especially through the use of the Iosans and Nyss in the Core book, and the Skorne in the new supplement for the Hordes side of the RPG, Unleashed, can a player really delve into the skin of something fundamentally different. The roleplaying opportunities for these games are really something, and checking them out would be a cool way of spending an afternoon or evening with friends or fellow roleplayers.
Because of my shifting schedule at work, the Iron Kingdoms RPG has kind of been my product du jour in supporting the Privateer Press community as of late, and has been the reason behind my next point. Since my shedule has been really bad at letting me play with my army men, we've changed things up a bit. Starting in July, a few of us had a meeting with some of our friends in the east end of Toronto, and we were given an idea as to how to regulate gameplay and presence, which led to a pretty neat change. I am no longer looking after the Privateer Press Community as a solo act, smply because doing so has been unproductive due to both a summer off due to surgery, and an unreliable schedule. As of July, a group was put together with two of my fellow OTC partners. So we now have an operative crew to help expand. I will be taking care of the Iron Kingdoms Experience. Keith Drake will now be managing Monday night free play and leagues; and Robert Kovac will be taking care of Saturday Steamrollers happening once a month. I will also host special events based on my availability, and may include different games such as Warmachine and Hordes, High Command and the IKRPG (of which a few of which will be mentioned momentarily). By creating this group, we hope to reach out to more players and support a variety of different levels of play with the aim of creating a more unified community through a variety of opportunities to show off your gameplay tricks.
With that being said, here is where we're looking at gong over the next few months.
Sept 26th-27th: Phantasm Gaming Convention and Expo, Peterborough Library, Peterborough Ontario. This will be my third year attending a a demo operator for Warmachine and Hordes, but in order to simplify the learning experience, I will only be demoing Warmachine. I will also be hosting my first Iron Kingdoms session with a campaign that I've written, intent on bringing some Hallowe'en spirit by tapping into one of my favourite stories. Sunday, I will be hosting the Unleashed Adventure Kit.
October 3rd: STEAMROLLER!!!! - Robert Kovac will be running the first Monthly Steamroller tournament at Worlds Collide (80 Simcoe St. N. Oshawa Ontario). 50 points, 2 lists with a buy in of $15. Awesome!!!!
October 24th: Longest Night - My first themed event. Bring your 50 point army and fend off against the Undead army. Will Alexia Ciannor be your saviour, or the instrument of your undoing?? More to come as developments come to light, but there will be points and awards for coming in costume, especially if you come as an Iron Kingdoms character!!!
Breastmachine Brawl: A modified Steamroller event for Breast Cancer awareness. projected date is Nov 7th, but more to come. Buying support tickets allows for a variety of in game purchases, and przes include Paint it Pink custom Warcaster cards provided by Privateer Press as well as regular prize support. We'll Keep you posted.
Foodmachine: December. Another modified steamroller where donating money or canned goods can lend you one shot power ups and opportunities. More to come...
Annual Secret Santa: An annual event where you put your name in a hat, and draw someone elses. the person you draw has a small list of models that you can choose from to purchase. the draw is done 2 weeks before the exchange, in case someone wants to paint the model they're gifting. this will be the third year of the annual Secret Santa. Gift cap is $20-$30. If someone gets a Colossal, someone ain't doin it right...Or maybe they are *snicker*.
With that being said, more will be posted as we get closer to some of these dates. Again if there are any questions, let me know at meatandmetaldurham@gmail.com.
With that, I'm signing off because its fucking 1am and I have to be up in 6 hours. Next time, I'll be going over my phantasm experience specifically with the Iron Kingdoms RPG and the adventure I'm running for the Saturday.
Wish me luck.
- Shawn
Road to War III: CHHAAAAAAARRRRGGGEEEEE
So, it's the day after the OTC.
Well, I will say, that I haven't had so much fun in such a long time...
And we lost EVERY game we played. We lost horribly, beaten to a pulp, and with grace. If there was a silver plate, our teams asses would be on it. we only got second last because our last game was dropped due to our opposition dropping from the tournament after round 3.
We loved every second of it. we were shot, stabbed, hung stretched, disembowelled, drawn and quartered. We were shown No Quarter in combat, and it was the best time I've had in a long time.
The first thing I would suggest, is that the night before, don't touch your models except to pack them up. At this point, if you're worried about your game, its too late. Just go out there tomorrow and have fun. The night before, we got together at Roberts house, looked at some of the lists the opposition had and just chatted about it over a couple of beers. it was in no way a serious conversation, but instead just a look at what people were fielding, and otherwise, just a night of laughs and jokes. After a bit, we chatted about the store and other non related things. We just shot the breeze. I hopped home and went to bed at around 11. try to get a good nights sleep. I didn't because of the anticipation of excitement. After all, we had been preparing for this for months. As for the morning, a good breakfast is never a bad idea. we waited until we got out to Burlington and hit up a breakfast joint in town where we got a first glimpse of some of our opponents, laughing and shooting the breeze over bacon and eggs...yeah... I think this is a tradition for any team game, and its members. We chatted, discussed how we were approaching the day, and just sat, drinking coffee like Tom Waits in a Jim Jarmusch film. Breakfast came and went, and soon enough we were stacking our armies on our docking plates. It was not long after that we found our table, and started preparing for some hard gaming.
Secondly, make sure you guys are on the same page when it comes to your goals. Ideally, this should've been established in the beginning. A competitive player in a team of casuals is likely going to have a bad day if the player feels that they are holding up the team. Likewise, a casual player is likely going to piss off a bunch of competitives that are fighting the hard fight, and the one guy is just washing game after game, but is making friends with each opponent. It doesn't hurt to mix it up, but make sure you don't have unrealistic expectations for your team mates. In the beginning we were aiming for a hardcore game, but about a month in, we had a meeting and asked ourselves "Why are we going to this?", and most of us had the same answer, and none of them were "to win". I was going out because I was intent on pressing the flesh with my fellow PP'ers, be it gamers, or Press Gangers or judges. Also, because I wanted to put us on the map. Make ourselves known. I didn't care if we lost every game, but i was going to show that Durham region has a meta, and that we can be small, but we can also be mighty. Everyone else basically stated that it was making new friends, learning more about the factions, and just having fun. When you go out for breakfast that morning before the game, its a great time to just quickly assess that the goals are the same or if they've changed, then to re-establish what everyone else is aiming for so as to keep the expectations realistic. we were on the same page from the get go, but it never hurts to just make sure.
Lastly, is a reiteration of the Friday night. If you aren't ready by now, then you aren't ready. So go out there and just put boot to ass and see what happens. If you're reviewing opponents lists with great scrutiny 2 hours before the event, you're going to have a bad day because you're likely going to stress about the match ups. If you aren't going full tilt competitive, then you really shouldn't be worrying about it anyway. Remember, at the end of the day, we're grown ups playing with army men. This isn't the U.S War Room.
So less talk about the prep, and more about the event then!
As Murphy would have it, we had a bit of a hiccup with our team support. Our sub AND our 5th player both got pulled into work and couldn't dodge it, so we were on the short-list for players. Luck would have it that Scott (one of the EO's for the OTC) had an on-deck list of players who were last minute looking for spots to fill. And as we would have it, we ended up on-boarding a member of the Syndicate of gaming by the name of Herb. Now, Herb was a great fit for our approach. Herb is a big guy and is full of mirth, and was completely in tune with our "who cares if we lose" attitude. Actually, he took to ripping into his regular team-mates which made for a really funny sort of grudge competition with a team we never ended up playing against. Of the teams we did play, we met some more competitive players, and a few casual players, and otherwise just a bunch of really friendly people that we all shared our mutual interest in. Again, never having been to a large scale event for a game, it was nothing short of a delight to be in the company of so many likeminded individuals. Many of these folks we knew from our online presence and respective meta pages on Facebook, but to shake the hands of these otherwise faceless folks was exactly what I had been looking forward to.
Over the course of the day, we lost as a team against each of them (Although I believe Rob won a game and I think Herb won one or two, but as a team we did not do well at all lol). we got second last place because the last team we were supposed to face took leave, so we were given a bye. while I wanted to redeem myself, I couldn't help but feel relieved because at least three of us were feeling mentally drained. Worse still, was there was no coffee on site or close by. If there had at least been a Tim Hortons nearby, I could've fake-awaked myself into playing a last game, but it wasn't to be. The event was really cool, they hosted a few draws for models as well as swag from the Party foul store (Shirts, etc). After that, we bailed. I wasn't about to be a slug on the way home and the drive was over an hour, and I had to take Mike back to Oshawa before I went on home. After dropping off Mike and Keith, I was done. IN the door and head touched pillow.
As my first time going to one of these events, I can honestly say that it was something that I'd gladly do every year. we had a great time, with many hands shaken and friendships made, it was a memorable occasion at its worst, and phenomenal at its best.
Well, I will say, that I haven't had so much fun in such a long time...
And we lost EVERY game we played. We lost horribly, beaten to a pulp, and with grace. If there was a silver plate, our teams asses would be on it. we only got second last because our last game was dropped due to our opposition dropping from the tournament after round 3.
We loved every second of it. we were shot, stabbed, hung stretched, disembowelled, drawn and quartered. We were shown No Quarter in combat, and it was the best time I've had in a long time.
The first thing I would suggest, is that the night before, don't touch your models except to pack them up. At this point, if you're worried about your game, its too late. Just go out there tomorrow and have fun. The night before, we got together at Roberts house, looked at some of the lists the opposition had and just chatted about it over a couple of beers. it was in no way a serious conversation, but instead just a look at what people were fielding, and otherwise, just a night of laughs and jokes. After a bit, we chatted about the store and other non related things. We just shot the breeze. I hopped home and went to bed at around 11. try to get a good nights sleep. I didn't because of the anticipation of excitement. After all, we had been preparing for this for months. As for the morning, a good breakfast is never a bad idea. we waited until we got out to Burlington and hit up a breakfast joint in town where we got a first glimpse of some of our opponents, laughing and shooting the breeze over bacon and eggs...yeah... I think this is a tradition for any team game, and its members. We chatted, discussed how we were approaching the day, and just sat, drinking coffee like Tom Waits in a Jim Jarmusch film. Breakfast came and went, and soon enough we were stacking our armies on our docking plates. It was not long after that we found our table, and started preparing for some hard gaming.
Secondly, make sure you guys are on the same page when it comes to your goals. Ideally, this should've been established in the beginning. A competitive player in a team of casuals is likely going to have a bad day if the player feels that they are holding up the team. Likewise, a casual player is likely going to piss off a bunch of competitives that are fighting the hard fight, and the one guy is just washing game after game, but is making friends with each opponent. It doesn't hurt to mix it up, but make sure you don't have unrealistic expectations for your team mates. In the beginning we were aiming for a hardcore game, but about a month in, we had a meeting and asked ourselves "Why are we going to this?", and most of us had the same answer, and none of them were "to win". I was going out because I was intent on pressing the flesh with my fellow PP'ers, be it gamers, or Press Gangers or judges. Also, because I wanted to put us on the map. Make ourselves known. I didn't care if we lost every game, but i was going to show that Durham region has a meta, and that we can be small, but we can also be mighty. Everyone else basically stated that it was making new friends, learning more about the factions, and just having fun. When you go out for breakfast that morning before the game, its a great time to just quickly assess that the goals are the same or if they've changed, then to re-establish what everyone else is aiming for so as to keep the expectations realistic. we were on the same page from the get go, but it never hurts to just make sure.
Lastly, is a reiteration of the Friday night. If you aren't ready by now, then you aren't ready. So go out there and just put boot to ass and see what happens. If you're reviewing opponents lists with great scrutiny 2 hours before the event, you're going to have a bad day because you're likely going to stress about the match ups. If you aren't going full tilt competitive, then you really shouldn't be worrying about it anyway. Remember, at the end of the day, we're grown ups playing with army men. This isn't the U.S War Room.
So less talk about the prep, and more about the event then!
As Murphy would have it, we had a bit of a hiccup with our team support. Our sub AND our 5th player both got pulled into work and couldn't dodge it, so we were on the short-list for players. Luck would have it that Scott (one of the EO's for the OTC) had an on-deck list of players who were last minute looking for spots to fill. And as we would have it, we ended up on-boarding a member of the Syndicate of gaming by the name of Herb. Now, Herb was a great fit for our approach. Herb is a big guy and is full of mirth, and was completely in tune with our "who cares if we lose" attitude. Actually, he took to ripping into his regular team-mates which made for a really funny sort of grudge competition with a team we never ended up playing against. Of the teams we did play, we met some more competitive players, and a few casual players, and otherwise just a bunch of really friendly people that we all shared our mutual interest in. Again, never having been to a large scale event for a game, it was nothing short of a delight to be in the company of so many likeminded individuals. Many of these folks we knew from our online presence and respective meta pages on Facebook, but to shake the hands of these otherwise faceless folks was exactly what I had been looking forward to.
Over the course of the day, we lost as a team against each of them (Although I believe Rob won a game and I think Herb won one or two, but as a team we did not do well at all lol). we got second last place because the last team we were supposed to face took leave, so we were given a bye. while I wanted to redeem myself, I couldn't help but feel relieved because at least three of us were feeling mentally drained. Worse still, was there was no coffee on site or close by. If there had at least been a Tim Hortons nearby, I could've fake-awaked myself into playing a last game, but it wasn't to be. The event was really cool, they hosted a few draws for models as well as swag from the Party foul store (Shirts, etc). After that, we bailed. I wasn't about to be a slug on the way home and the drive was over an hour, and I had to take Mike back to Oshawa before I went on home. After dropping off Mike and Keith, I was done. IN the door and head touched pillow.
As my first time going to one of these events, I can honestly say that it was something that I'd gladly do every year. we had a great time, with many hands shaken and friendships made, it was a memorable occasion at its worst, and phenomenal at its best.
Monday 30 March 2015
The Road to War Pt 2: Assembling on the Field of Battle
My word... Its been a few weeks since my last article in the Road to War series. So, last time I discussed my list and my intents for each, and the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the lists. This time around I wanted to talk about some of the developments in using those lists, and talk a bit more about how we've been developing as a team in preparation for the OTC tournament.
Prepare for Combat!
So, we've been running our lists as tirelessly as we can based on our availability. I've been freeing up my Thursday nights for game play with the team, and so far its been moderately successful. Two of our team mates have been out regularly, with the other ones understandably busy with important matters such as family, work, etc., so we make do on our Thursday rows. We've only been playing each other and a handful of folks in our regular meta, so we haven't had a lot of experience, but the experience that we have been getting has been pretty good, and a lot of fun. This is the most amount of time I've committed to the use of any single caster over the past few months, so its interesting actually developing a strategy with a caster you're building tenure with. The Xerxis Fist of Halaak tier is kind of self explanatory but still needs work just to get the "feel" for it, but so far I haven't lost a game with it. So as we plug along, it's been cool watching the strategy unfold as we play.
What has been a question since we've started practising, is what are we going there for? Are we going there to carve names into our bats, or are we there to have a good time, meet new people. etc? Initially, with this being my first tournament, I was keen on the first impression and kicking some ass. But as we got further down the rabbit hole, I've realised that we don't necessarily have the mindset to be a competitive force. We don't have the resources to be constantly challenged with new armies, as we have a smaller meta and we like the lists we have. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, because we're all casual gamers, but as we have been gearing up, I think some of us have it in our heads that we're going to really beat down our opposition. As I've carried on, I've realized that this is less an opportunity for me specifically, to get some beats down, but rather to meet some of the folks in our wider-reaching Ontario Provincial Meta. Folks that have been rolling out for a while and have a larger group of people and better resources to support the hobby. My game has lightened up since realizing this, and while I have every intention to play a good game, It's all about meeting our boys and girls holding down the western front. I think the guys have come to this realization as well. I've noticed that our practice games have taken more of a Beermachine feel and less a grueling knuckle dragging brute force to win sort of vibe. The tournament is only a few weeks away, so I think now the focus is more about just figuring out the mechanics of our own lists and let the games play themselves.
I know, its not a very exciting entry, but the middle volume of every trilogy is a little dry....
- S
Prepare for Combat!
So, we've been running our lists as tirelessly as we can based on our availability. I've been freeing up my Thursday nights for game play with the team, and so far its been moderately successful. Two of our team mates have been out regularly, with the other ones understandably busy with important matters such as family, work, etc., so we make do on our Thursday rows. We've only been playing each other and a handful of folks in our regular meta, so we haven't had a lot of experience, but the experience that we have been getting has been pretty good, and a lot of fun. This is the most amount of time I've committed to the use of any single caster over the past few months, so its interesting actually developing a strategy with a caster you're building tenure with. The Xerxis Fist of Halaak tier is kind of self explanatory but still needs work just to get the "feel" for it, but so far I haven't lost a game with it. So as we plug along, it's been cool watching the strategy unfold as we play.
What has been a question since we've started practising, is what are we going there for? Are we going there to carve names into our bats, or are we there to have a good time, meet new people. etc? Initially, with this being my first tournament, I was keen on the first impression and kicking some ass. But as we got further down the rabbit hole, I've realised that we don't necessarily have the mindset to be a competitive force. We don't have the resources to be constantly challenged with new armies, as we have a smaller meta and we like the lists we have. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, because we're all casual gamers, but as we have been gearing up, I think some of us have it in our heads that we're going to really beat down our opposition. As I've carried on, I've realized that this is less an opportunity for me specifically, to get some beats down, but rather to meet some of the folks in our wider-reaching Ontario Provincial Meta. Folks that have been rolling out for a while and have a larger group of people and better resources to support the hobby. My game has lightened up since realizing this, and while I have every intention to play a good game, It's all about meeting our boys and girls holding down the western front. I think the guys have come to this realization as well. I've noticed that our practice games have taken more of a Beermachine feel and less a grueling knuckle dragging brute force to win sort of vibe. The tournament is only a few weeks away, so I think now the focus is more about just figuring out the mechanics of our own lists and let the games play themselves.
I know, its not a very exciting entry, but the middle volume of every trilogy is a little dry....
- S
Thursday 12 March 2015
The Road to War I: Marching Orders
And so here we are...
I've been thinking, over these past few days... The path to the OTC is becoming an interesting one. Having never done *any* competitive circuit, this has been an exciting experience. I've finally found myself hosting games at my own home, playing on average twice a week, and determining that one of the most powerful and popular lists in the meta right now is actually kind of easy for me, based on one of my lists (I do say that with a sense of reserved trepidation for obvious reasons. I've only played one person with the list, and while he seems to have a good handle on the strategy, I don't know how long he's been playing it for, but Bradigus has been known to the public since I think,July or August so really it could be anywhere between the two. I've been playing at least twice a week now (which is to say, I've been doing two nights a week, not two games a week ;)) so there's been a lot of experience gained in preparation of this event, and we six players seem to be getting pretty close to sorting our armies out. I've even been able to use this tournament as an opportunity to buy some new models, and try out some new strategies.
So I want to open by talking about my lists.
My first list, which is kind of obvious when playing Skorne is the Fist of Halaak, Prime Xerxis list, but mine is a little different than most
Xerxis
Bronzeback Titan
Archidon
Cataphract Cetrati min
Tyrant Vorkesh
Cataphract Cetrati Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Tyrant Commander and Standard Bearer
Venator Catapult
Venator Catapult
Pain Giver Beast Handler Min
The oddity in this is the usage of catapults whereas the 6 points could've covered a bigger cataphract presence. The intent was to have an immediate answer to low armor infantry with a range 18 catapult with Advance Deploy under Xerxis' tier 3 benefit (All Venator light artillery gets advance deploy). Thats a threat range of 24 inches at deployment (21 if you go first).
The second list is a bit more mechanically odd. This was developed almost exclusively as an Assassination list designed with Circle's Bradigus Wold War tier in mind, but I realized later on in the game that i had missed an opportunity to make it really awesome by not adding 2 Extoller Soulwards to deny cocealment, Camoflage and blocking LOS benefits for Brad's usage of Manakins for popping forests. It's still a pretty good list, but the extollers would've really made it shine. However, in usage, it still proved to be pretty solid. It sucks for taking objectives becasue it has only a handful of models, but each model does something specific.
Makeda and the Exalted Court
Aptimus Marketh
Reptile hound
Cyclops Shaman
Bronzeback Titan
Molik Karn
Tyrant Zaadesh
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Cataphract Arcuarii Max
PainGiver Beast handlers Max
In Hindsight, I think the Arcuarii could've been removed for something a little more versatile. Initially they were meant to be a grab and grind for the manakins or any other small or medium based model to get ripped apart by a bunch of pow 11 Weapon masters after being dragged into the maw of the beast. Problem is that they're really only effective on round 2 due to the short range of their Harpoons. I think that the points would've been more effective, say with Nihilators or Incindiarii... The idea of having continuous fire as a potential threat while holding an objective may not necessarily be a bad idea, and is a bit more flexible in dealing damage... Meanwhile, the concept behind this was the idea that three reptile hounds with Tyrant Zaadesh is a really scary thought. with Tag Team, and one of them having grievous wounds up and all of them within .5 inches of each other means that they are mat 7 and P+S 10 with 5 dice damage on the charge. Anyone who knows this knows that this combo in combat range is a guaranteed killer of almost anything, except maybe a colossal or gargantuan, and with Grievous wounds, Tough doesn't exist. so this serves as a strike force...except it doesn't. This is meant to draw fire and divert attention from the bigger threat which is the collection of the rest of the stuff coming along the warpath. It draws attention because it moves fast, so it buys a round of movement, and can likely take out something substantial. Why do I use it to divert attention instead of attaching it to the main force? Because I can't think of any other way to get them into combat to be honest. I figured that if I can't throw them at something, then I can at least bring them within range of an assault and try to leave a solid mark. To date they have killed one Bane Rider and one Troll Axer. Not much...but hey...
Before I forget, the Arcuarii Serve a second purpose... They can drag small and medium models with their harpoons. While this brings the models over to get slaughtered, they also remove obstructions to a charge lane for Molik Karn or Makeda. So far this has gotten both up close and personal with Bradigus, but has been just shy of taking his head in a manner most foul. Of course, Its a tricky list to play and I'm not comfortable with her yet, but I'm looking forward to getting the kinks out and showing what she can do.
Of course... I've focused on my Assassination list... Why Fist of Halaak for my other? Well to put it succinctly it works. If you look a the list of any Skorne player in the tournament list, you'll notice that all but one uses the Fist of Halaak tier with Xerxis. The tier gets shit done. the weapons deal out a lot of damage, and they are awesome at holding objectives and "the Line", especially on Xerxis' feat turn. This list, I don't think will get old for a while, as I'm curious as to how the different applications would apply. It's definetly not as interesting as its sister list, but it still does some cool stuff, and if you tweak it certain ways, it gets even more intriguing (Like with the Catapults). This is serving as my go to, acting as my security blanket if i need to cower behind an armor line at the tournament. Which is extremely likely to happen, being the twinky little runt in the tournament lol.
Of course, you'd have to ask, why am I doing this? Moreover, why am I making such a display of a simple tournament. Well, basically...
this is my very first tournament for any competitive game I have ever played. I've never been to a M:TG tournament, nor have I been to one for the old Star Wars CCG. I've never been to a 40K tournament either (A game that I never felt wholly comfortable with, but enjoyed for the short time I played it) so this is a bit of a big deal for me. I'm also hoping that some of the younger (or older) players who are just cutting their teeth on this game can get a taste of what to expect in the tournament scene. I think a part of me never having gone to one of these is due to me being nervous about not having the skill necessary to compete with better players... I've always played against people who had a much higher skill level and because of that, I've always been reserved about it. I'm hoping that through the "Road to War" Segments which will be in three parts (maybe more) will inspire players to consider the tournament scene to see what they can learn and what to do to prepare.
The other reason, Well, I'm also looking forward to reaching out and shaking the hands with other members of the gaming community. As I understand, a large number of the bgger names in the Ontario meta are coming out. Teams like "Combo Smite", "Syndicate of Gaming" and "Chain Attack" are going to be coming out, (the event is being hosted by the Party Foul guys) and so this will give us a chance to meet these guys and pick their brains a bit and hopefully make some new friends. For me, specifically, I've been a Press Ganger for 6 months now and am pumped at the opportunity to meet some of my fellow Press Gangers from all around Ontario and some from Buffalo on the stateside. Theres a hell of a network out there, and its about time we became a part of it.
In any event, thats it for me tonight. Part two will likely be about some of the practice that we're hoping to get in over the next few weeks and see how we are, and how sick we're going to be with our lists.
*A Note By the way...Yes this article is dated almost a week after the OTC, but the Road to War was composed in its real time. I just got wrapped up with a bunch of things and wanted to edit the entire series prior to publication. This article was originally written on February 21,2015.*
I've been thinking, over these past few days... The path to the OTC is becoming an interesting one. Having never done *any* competitive circuit, this has been an exciting experience. I've finally found myself hosting games at my own home, playing on average twice a week, and determining that one of the most powerful and popular lists in the meta right now is actually kind of easy for me, based on one of my lists (I do say that with a sense of reserved trepidation for obvious reasons. I've only played one person with the list, and while he seems to have a good handle on the strategy, I don't know how long he's been playing it for, but Bradigus has been known to the public since I think,July or August so really it could be anywhere between the two. I've been playing at least twice a week now (which is to say, I've been doing two nights a week, not two games a week ;)) so there's been a lot of experience gained in preparation of this event, and we six players seem to be getting pretty close to sorting our armies out. I've even been able to use this tournament as an opportunity to buy some new models, and try out some new strategies.
So I want to open by talking about my lists.
My first list, which is kind of obvious when playing Skorne is the Fist of Halaak, Prime Xerxis list, but mine is a little different than most
Xerxis
Bronzeback Titan
Archidon
Cataphract Cetrati min
Tyrant Vorkesh
Cataphract Cetrati Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Tyrant Commander and Standard Bearer
Venator Catapult
Venator Catapult
Pain Giver Beast Handler Min
The oddity in this is the usage of catapults whereas the 6 points could've covered a bigger cataphract presence. The intent was to have an immediate answer to low armor infantry with a range 18 catapult with Advance Deploy under Xerxis' tier 3 benefit (All Venator light artillery gets advance deploy). Thats a threat range of 24 inches at deployment (21 if you go first).
The second list is a bit more mechanically odd. This was developed almost exclusively as an Assassination list designed with Circle's Bradigus Wold War tier in mind, but I realized later on in the game that i had missed an opportunity to make it really awesome by not adding 2 Extoller Soulwards to deny cocealment, Camoflage and blocking LOS benefits for Brad's usage of Manakins for popping forests. It's still a pretty good list, but the extollers would've really made it shine. However, in usage, it still proved to be pretty solid. It sucks for taking objectives becasue it has only a handful of models, but each model does something specific.
Makeda and the Exalted Court
Aptimus Marketh
Reptile hound
Cyclops Shaman
Bronzeback Titan
Molik Karn
Tyrant Zaadesh
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Cataphract Arcuarii Max
PainGiver Beast handlers Max
In Hindsight, I think the Arcuarii could've been removed for something a little more versatile. Initially they were meant to be a grab and grind for the manakins or any other small or medium based model to get ripped apart by a bunch of pow 11 Weapon masters after being dragged into the maw of the beast. Problem is that they're really only effective on round 2 due to the short range of their Harpoons. I think that the points would've been more effective, say with Nihilators or Incindiarii... The idea of having continuous fire as a potential threat while holding an objective may not necessarily be a bad idea, and is a bit more flexible in dealing damage... Meanwhile, the concept behind this was the idea that three reptile hounds with Tyrant Zaadesh is a really scary thought. with Tag Team, and one of them having grievous wounds up and all of them within .5 inches of each other means that they are mat 7 and P+S 10 with 5 dice damage on the charge. Anyone who knows this knows that this combo in combat range is a guaranteed killer of almost anything, except maybe a colossal or gargantuan, and with Grievous wounds, Tough doesn't exist. so this serves as a strike force...except it doesn't. This is meant to draw fire and divert attention from the bigger threat which is the collection of the rest of the stuff coming along the warpath. It draws attention because it moves fast, so it buys a round of movement, and can likely take out something substantial. Why do I use it to divert attention instead of attaching it to the main force? Because I can't think of any other way to get them into combat to be honest. I figured that if I can't throw them at something, then I can at least bring them within range of an assault and try to leave a solid mark. To date they have killed one Bane Rider and one Troll Axer. Not much...but hey...
Before I forget, the Arcuarii Serve a second purpose... They can drag small and medium models with their harpoons. While this brings the models over to get slaughtered, they also remove obstructions to a charge lane for Molik Karn or Makeda. So far this has gotten both up close and personal with Bradigus, but has been just shy of taking his head in a manner most foul. Of course, Its a tricky list to play and I'm not comfortable with her yet, but I'm looking forward to getting the kinks out and showing what she can do.
Of course... I've focused on my Assassination list... Why Fist of Halaak for my other? Well to put it succinctly it works. If you look a the list of any Skorne player in the tournament list, you'll notice that all but one uses the Fist of Halaak tier with Xerxis. The tier gets shit done. the weapons deal out a lot of damage, and they are awesome at holding objectives and "the Line", especially on Xerxis' feat turn. This list, I don't think will get old for a while, as I'm curious as to how the different applications would apply. It's definetly not as interesting as its sister list, but it still does some cool stuff, and if you tweak it certain ways, it gets even more intriguing (Like with the Catapults). This is serving as my go to, acting as my security blanket if i need to cower behind an armor line at the tournament. Which is extremely likely to happen, being the twinky little runt in the tournament lol.
Of course, you'd have to ask, why am I doing this? Moreover, why am I making such a display of a simple tournament. Well, basically...
this is my very first tournament for any competitive game I have ever played. I've never been to a M:TG tournament, nor have I been to one for the old Star Wars CCG. I've never been to a 40K tournament either (A game that I never felt wholly comfortable with, but enjoyed for the short time I played it) so this is a bit of a big deal for me. I'm also hoping that some of the younger (or older) players who are just cutting their teeth on this game can get a taste of what to expect in the tournament scene. I think a part of me never having gone to one of these is due to me being nervous about not having the skill necessary to compete with better players... I've always played against people who had a much higher skill level and because of that, I've always been reserved about it. I'm hoping that through the "Road to War" Segments which will be in three parts (maybe more) will inspire players to consider the tournament scene to see what they can learn and what to do to prepare.
The other reason, Well, I'm also looking forward to reaching out and shaking the hands with other members of the gaming community. As I understand, a large number of the bgger names in the Ontario meta are coming out. Teams like "Combo Smite", "Syndicate of Gaming" and "Chain Attack" are going to be coming out, (the event is being hosted by the Party Foul guys) and so this will give us a chance to meet these guys and pick their brains a bit and hopefully make some new friends. For me, specifically, I've been a Press Ganger for 6 months now and am pumped at the opportunity to meet some of my fellow Press Gangers from all around Ontario and some from Buffalo on the stateside. Theres a hell of a network out there, and its about time we became a part of it.
In any event, thats it for me tonight. Part two will likely be about some of the practice that we're hoping to get in over the next few weeks and see how we are, and how sick we're going to be with our lists.
*A Note By the way...Yes this article is dated almost a week after the OTC, but the Road to War was composed in its real time. I just got wrapped up with a bunch of things and wanted to edit the entire series prior to publication. This article was originally written on February 21,2015.*
Wednesday 4 February 2015
The Road To War Prelude
So, as I've mentioned, myself and a few of my fellow Warmachine and Hordes players have enrolled in the Ontario Team Championships being hosted by the guys from Party Foul (Great guys by the way... check out their web page at http://partyfoulwmh.com/wp/ ) The road to get there ahs been interesting and has been quite the journey. I plan on documenting it in this little "Road To War" series which will likely be 2-4 entries long.
So, really, why am I documenting this? Its just a tournament..What's so special about that? The truth of it is manifold. I'm hoping that ambitious new players who are a little hesitant about jumping into competitive play have a bit of a primer, and are aware that they're not alone. Also, I will admit, a bit of it is self discovery. Never having played in anything outside of my local stores and "Basement-Machine", this has become a neat opportunity to see the game in a wider spectrum. There are a plethora of reasons, including some I probably haven't realised yet. but, onwards and upwards, as they say!!!
So, A long time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Miniature wargaming. As I started to get into it, we got into a discussion about the competitive circuit, and he told me that it was a completely different animal from casual play. The folks there are more cutthroat and aggressive. I suspect its because in the competitive circuit, there is a goal that extends beyond the parameters of the game. Some folks take it in stride, and some throw themselves right into it. Of course, in light of this, I have upped my approach to my game. Those that know me know that I tend to play with a bit of a flight of fancy. I've played this game for about two years now, and I've never been particular about who I use. Hell I've been known to ad lib lists at the drop of a hat with very little structure and theme. Of course as we've joined the OTC, that game has changed significantly. Since we've joined, I've played two lists exclusively (If you're curious to see, go to the Ontario Team championships section of Party Foul's web page and look for the Motor City Maniacs Team roster and lists. I'm the Skorne player). It's been extremely rewarding playing these two lists repeatedly. I was worried that they would get tedious and boring, but I've found that discovering your own weaknesses is just as intriguing as finding your opponents', and really opns you up to the experience of the game. I guess its this sort of thing that drives people to play at this level because the level of game experience is a whole new level. I have every pretense that my ass will be handed to me at almost every game but i'm looking forward to getting all the dishing available. But what I really like is that its a team championship. It' not just you vs them, but rather your crack team of players against other crack teams. One of the things I've really enjoyed has been the discussions we've had at "team meetings" (which is a tight term for a loose get together of whoevers available) where we look at the tactica or each list. I was uber excited when I realized that I have a list that can easily break one of the most sought after Circle of Orboros' lists (even though the unlocking key to this was discovered by me after my list had been submitted). Also learning about other army strengths based on list build has been really cool as we've discussed how each of our builds is in terms of what we have to offer and what to look out for. I'm finding some solid rewards in preparing for the OTC, and some cool ideas have come to mind when it comes to preparation, and i'd like to share them...
A) Have a rudimentary idea of what you want to play: Do you want to play a beast rush/Jack rush? Are you a "Dude-spammer" (Do you prefer to run infantry heavy)? Are you a synergist? Know what and how you want to play.
B) Think of a list that caters to your playstyle. Then think about what breaks it. Then play against the crap that breaks it to see how well you can hold up against it.
C) Play a list thats out of your comfort zone. My second list for OTC is an Assassination Run list and I have never run assassination Run...the idea scares the shit out of me, but i run it anyway. I suggest this becuase as you see how other models work, you nay see a pattern or ability that you may not have considered that complements your list. (As a point of reference, by doing this, I was able to figure out how to beat that circle list by doing this, and was amazed at what I discovered)
D) Play Play Play! rack up experience. Play different people playing different armies. you don't necessarily need to eat sleep and shit Warmahordes (depending on your goals) but if you hope to do well, sitting on your ass reading Time Life Magazine is not going to pay dividends in victory (unless you plan on distracting your opponents with current events discussion).
E) If you're playing on a team, communicate with your membership. see what they're playing and what challenges they are prepared for and which ones are truly difficult for them. If you're not on a team, talk to other players about their lists and factions. Become knowledgeable in how they work. It gives you a distinct advantage.
Once you have this on deck...You're ready to start working! Eyes open kids, The Road to War begins here!
So, really, why am I documenting this? Its just a tournament..What's so special about that? The truth of it is manifold. I'm hoping that ambitious new players who are a little hesitant about jumping into competitive play have a bit of a primer, and are aware that they're not alone. Also, I will admit, a bit of it is self discovery. Never having played in anything outside of my local stores and "Basement-Machine", this has become a neat opportunity to see the game in a wider spectrum. There are a plethora of reasons, including some I probably haven't realised yet. but, onwards and upwards, as they say!!!
So, A long time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Miniature wargaming. As I started to get into it, we got into a discussion about the competitive circuit, and he told me that it was a completely different animal from casual play. The folks there are more cutthroat and aggressive. I suspect its because in the competitive circuit, there is a goal that extends beyond the parameters of the game. Some folks take it in stride, and some throw themselves right into it. Of course, in light of this, I have upped my approach to my game. Those that know me know that I tend to play with a bit of a flight of fancy. I've played this game for about two years now, and I've never been particular about who I use. Hell I've been known to ad lib lists at the drop of a hat with very little structure and theme. Of course as we've joined the OTC, that game has changed significantly. Since we've joined, I've played two lists exclusively (If you're curious to see, go to the Ontario Team championships section of Party Foul's web page and look for the Motor City Maniacs Team roster and lists. I'm the Skorne player). It's been extremely rewarding playing these two lists repeatedly. I was worried that they would get tedious and boring, but I've found that discovering your own weaknesses is just as intriguing as finding your opponents', and really opns you up to the experience of the game. I guess its this sort of thing that drives people to play at this level because the level of game experience is a whole new level. I have every pretense that my ass will be handed to me at almost every game but i'm looking forward to getting all the dishing available. But what I really like is that its a team championship. It' not just you vs them, but rather your crack team of players against other crack teams. One of the things I've really enjoyed has been the discussions we've had at "team meetings" (which is a tight term for a loose get together of whoevers available) where we look at the tactica or each list. I was uber excited when I realized that I have a list that can easily break one of the most sought after Circle of Orboros' lists (even though the unlocking key to this was discovered by me after my list had been submitted). Also learning about other army strengths based on list build has been really cool as we've discussed how each of our builds is in terms of what we have to offer and what to look out for. I'm finding some solid rewards in preparing for the OTC, and some cool ideas have come to mind when it comes to preparation, and i'd like to share them...
A) Have a rudimentary idea of what you want to play: Do you want to play a beast rush/Jack rush? Are you a "Dude-spammer" (Do you prefer to run infantry heavy)? Are you a synergist? Know what and how you want to play.
B) Think of a list that caters to your playstyle. Then think about what breaks it. Then play against the crap that breaks it to see how well you can hold up against it.
C) Play a list thats out of your comfort zone. My second list for OTC is an Assassination Run list and I have never run assassination Run...the idea scares the shit out of me, but i run it anyway. I suggest this becuase as you see how other models work, you nay see a pattern or ability that you may not have considered that complements your list. (As a point of reference, by doing this, I was able to figure out how to beat that circle list by doing this, and was amazed at what I discovered)
D) Play Play Play! rack up experience. Play different people playing different armies. you don't necessarily need to eat sleep and shit Warmahordes (depending on your goals) but if you hope to do well, sitting on your ass reading Time Life Magazine is not going to pay dividends in victory (unless you plan on distracting your opponents with current events discussion).
E) If you're playing on a team, communicate with your membership. see what they're playing and what challenges they are prepared for and which ones are truly difficult for them. If you're not on a team, talk to other players about their lists and factions. Become knowledgeable in how they work. It gives you a distinct advantage.
Once you have this on deck...You're ready to start working! Eyes open kids, The Road to War begins here!
Tuesday 27 January 2015
A haunting short...
Good evening, Viewers (in my best Hitchcock voice)
The following was a short written by Jason Mallory, one of the Cygnar players in our fold. Jason has a knack of turning battle reports into really well-put together narratives that really capture the essence of the played factions. While the following is not based on a battle report, it certainly gives you a taste of his style...
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The acrid stench of mud, burning coal and gunpowder filled Kieran's nostrils. He absently wiped his forehead with back of his hand, merely streaking the mud that was there with more mud from his hand. His regiment had been stationed on Cygnar's eastern borders for weeks. While they had been moved here to counter the Skorne menace, it was now incursions by the Menites that had seen him calling these muddy trenches home for the past three days.
“How's it looking out there?”
Kieran slid back down into the trench and shook his head. “Can't see much out there between the darkness and the smoke. No signs of any of those damned Menites.”
A fellow Trencher, James strode over to Kieran and pulled his helmet off. Breathing a sigh of relief, he absent his stubble-covered jaw with his hand and reached into a pocket, pulling out a hand-rolled cigarette. Using flint from his jacket James lit his cigarette and took a long drag. The cigarette accented his sunken features and scars that showed just how long James had fought in the trenches.
“I guess we've earned a break,” James said. “Bout time. Was starting to think that they emptied their precious Protectorate...”
Plucking the cigarette from James' lips, Kieran took a long pull before handing it back to its owner. “Break or no break, I'm leaving the helmet on. You think they've retreated?”
“Not likely. Probably just redeploying. Enjoy the silence while it lasts, my friend. Morrow only knows when they'll push in again.”
“Ever the optimist, huh? I hope that they've had enough for...”
The ground shook beneath their feet, subtly at first, but each tremor was heavier and louder than the last. James threw his helmet back on and readied his rifle. “Incoming warjack!” he called out. “Any idea whose it is?”
Kieran stepped up to the trench's edge and peered out over the darkened landscape. He made out the eyes burning in the distance first, but couldn't make out any other details. “It's a heavy jack... can't tell anything yet...”
The smell reached him first... coal, oil and the nearly saccharine sweetness of incense that clung to all things Menite. “It's a Menoth jack! Take up defensive positions!”
Striding out of the smoke and darkness was a Crusader. It had seen battle already, but its Inferno Mace was still tightly clenched in its hand as it neared the trenches.
“We can't take down something like that,” James said under his breath. “We need to get out of here.”
Kieran was realizing the same thing and was about to give the order to withdraw when another large shadow barrelled out of the smoke and through a blue armored shoulder into the Crusader. The trenchers cheered as the Ironclad knocked the Crusader off balance and kept up its momentum with a swing of the Quake Hammer. The air filled with a shockwave as the hammer let out a seismic blast that knocked the Cygnaran soldiers back into the trench and drove the Crusader to its knee. With a massive overhead swing, the hammer fell again, tearing off the boiler on the back of the warjack and sending it face down into the dirt.
A cheer of victory rose from the filthy men and women in the mud as the Ironclad scanned the horizon and moved off to engage other threats.
“Never been so glad to see one of those hunks-of-junk,” James said with a lopsided grin.
Kieran smiled and nodded, but paused and turned back toward the field of battle. He could see less now than before with the smoldering wreck of the Crusader not far away, but he felt he could see something out in the darkness beyond.
“Something up?” James asked, the celebration instantly dropped from his voice.
“Not sure. I think there's more inbound.”
Cheers turned to cries of agony to Kieran's right and he instantly shouldered his rifle. Pouring over the edge of the trench came the Knights Exemplar. The white armor was streaked with dirt and the blood of previous opponents as they came down on the Cynaran line. There was no war cry, only the sound of death wrought by the enforcers of their merciless God.
Kieran side stepped the knight that came down on him blade first and struck the Menite with the butt of his rifle, pushing him away just far enough to bring the gun up and get a shot off, sending the Menoth soldier into the dirt.
Readying his rifle, he tried to quickly reload as James struggled with another Exemplar. James was driven to the ground, using his rifle to parry the incoming swings. The relic blade spit the barrel in half in one swing and with another swing, the sword came down on James' chest.
“James!” Kieran yelled, forgetting trying to reload his rifle. He charged in, raising his bayonet. The knight turned, with his blade at the ready. The relic blade came around and Kieran attempted to dodge. The two soldiers collided and Kieran felt a smug satisfaction as he saw his bayonet slide under the helmet of the knight, puncturing the Menite's neck, but felt the sharp bite of the Exemplar's sword cutting his flesh. They collapsed to the floor of the trench and Kieran passed out from the pain, listening to the Menoth soldier's gurgling last breath.
***
Kieran came to to find the field of battle silent. He was cold and weak and his uniform clung to him like a second skin, thanks to the drying blood clinging to his injury. The bodies of Cygnarans and Mintes alike lined the trench. It was unclear by the body count whether either side could have claimed victory.
Cluthing his side where the Exemplar cut him, Kieran limped to the side of the trench and tried to climb out of the damp hole in the ground. He could see dawn's light over the edge and he was eager to get out of the wet earth. As he pulled himself up onto the grass, he felt even colder than when he had been standing ankle deep in rainwater. Standing at the center of the battlefield, as a figured wrapped in tattered robes, his iron skeleton standing with arms wide. A green glow seemed to ooze from his frame, as the souls of the fallen were extracted and absorbed by the lich lord that had found his way to the bloodstained ground.
Kieran's eyes shot open, as he felt the cold steel of a bayonet pierce his back. Gasping for air, he fell to his knees. He turned back to see James looming overhead, his intestines visible through the slash in his body, his eyes glowing with a dull green light, as he was puppeted by his new Cryxian masters. James wrenched the bayonet free and Kieran fell onto the grass. The pain he had felt a moment before was rapidly fading away to numbness and cold.
As the daylight faded from his eyes, he was filled with new purpose. No longer encumbered by something as mortal as pain, Kieran stood and turned to his new master, ready to serve.
The following was a short written by Jason Mallory, one of the Cygnar players in our fold. Jason has a knack of turning battle reports into really well-put together narratives that really capture the essence of the played factions. While the following is not based on a battle report, it certainly gives you a taste of his style...
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The acrid stench of mud, burning coal and gunpowder filled Kieran's nostrils. He absently wiped his forehead with back of his hand, merely streaking the mud that was there with more mud from his hand. His regiment had been stationed on Cygnar's eastern borders for weeks. While they had been moved here to counter the Skorne menace, it was now incursions by the Menites that had seen him calling these muddy trenches home for the past three days.
“How's it looking out there?”
Kieran slid back down into the trench and shook his head. “Can't see much out there between the darkness and the smoke. No signs of any of those damned Menites.”
A fellow Trencher, James strode over to Kieran and pulled his helmet off. Breathing a sigh of relief, he absent his stubble-covered jaw with his hand and reached into a pocket, pulling out a hand-rolled cigarette. Using flint from his jacket James lit his cigarette and took a long drag. The cigarette accented his sunken features and scars that showed just how long James had fought in the trenches.
“I guess we've earned a break,” James said. “Bout time. Was starting to think that they emptied their precious Protectorate...”
Plucking the cigarette from James' lips, Kieran took a long pull before handing it back to its owner. “Break or no break, I'm leaving the helmet on. You think they've retreated?”
“Not likely. Probably just redeploying. Enjoy the silence while it lasts, my friend. Morrow only knows when they'll push in again.”
“Ever the optimist, huh? I hope that they've had enough for...”
The ground shook beneath their feet, subtly at first, but each tremor was heavier and louder than the last. James threw his helmet back on and readied his rifle. “Incoming warjack!” he called out. “Any idea whose it is?”
Kieran stepped up to the trench's edge and peered out over the darkened landscape. He made out the eyes burning in the distance first, but couldn't make out any other details. “It's a heavy jack... can't tell anything yet...”
The smell reached him first... coal, oil and the nearly saccharine sweetness of incense that clung to all things Menite. “It's a Menoth jack! Take up defensive positions!”
Striding out of the smoke and darkness was a Crusader. It had seen battle already, but its Inferno Mace was still tightly clenched in its hand as it neared the trenches.
“We can't take down something like that,” James said under his breath. “We need to get out of here.”
Kieran was realizing the same thing and was about to give the order to withdraw when another large shadow barrelled out of the smoke and through a blue armored shoulder into the Crusader. The trenchers cheered as the Ironclad knocked the Crusader off balance and kept up its momentum with a swing of the Quake Hammer. The air filled with a shockwave as the hammer let out a seismic blast that knocked the Cygnaran soldiers back into the trench and drove the Crusader to its knee. With a massive overhead swing, the hammer fell again, tearing off the boiler on the back of the warjack and sending it face down into the dirt.
A cheer of victory rose from the filthy men and women in the mud as the Ironclad scanned the horizon and moved off to engage other threats.
“Never been so glad to see one of those hunks-of-junk,” James said with a lopsided grin.
Kieran smiled and nodded, but paused and turned back toward the field of battle. He could see less now than before with the smoldering wreck of the Crusader not far away, but he felt he could see something out in the darkness beyond.
“Something up?” James asked, the celebration instantly dropped from his voice.
“Not sure. I think there's more inbound.”
Cheers turned to cries of agony to Kieran's right and he instantly shouldered his rifle. Pouring over the edge of the trench came the Knights Exemplar. The white armor was streaked with dirt and the blood of previous opponents as they came down on the Cynaran line. There was no war cry, only the sound of death wrought by the enforcers of their merciless God.
Kieran side stepped the knight that came down on him blade first and struck the Menite with the butt of his rifle, pushing him away just far enough to bring the gun up and get a shot off, sending the Menoth soldier into the dirt.
Readying his rifle, he tried to quickly reload as James struggled with another Exemplar. James was driven to the ground, using his rifle to parry the incoming swings. The relic blade spit the barrel in half in one swing and with another swing, the sword came down on James' chest.
“James!” Kieran yelled, forgetting trying to reload his rifle. He charged in, raising his bayonet. The knight turned, with his blade at the ready. The relic blade came around and Kieran attempted to dodge. The two soldiers collided and Kieran felt a smug satisfaction as he saw his bayonet slide under the helmet of the knight, puncturing the Menite's neck, but felt the sharp bite of the Exemplar's sword cutting his flesh. They collapsed to the floor of the trench and Kieran passed out from the pain, listening to the Menoth soldier's gurgling last breath.
***
Kieran came to to find the field of battle silent. He was cold and weak and his uniform clung to him like a second skin, thanks to the drying blood clinging to his injury. The bodies of Cygnarans and Mintes alike lined the trench. It was unclear by the body count whether either side could have claimed victory.
Cluthing his side where the Exemplar cut him, Kieran limped to the side of the trench and tried to climb out of the damp hole in the ground. He could see dawn's light over the edge and he was eager to get out of the wet earth. As he pulled himself up onto the grass, he felt even colder than when he had been standing ankle deep in rainwater. Standing at the center of the battlefield, as a figured wrapped in tattered robes, his iron skeleton standing with arms wide. A green glow seemed to ooze from his frame, as the souls of the fallen were extracted and absorbed by the lich lord that had found his way to the bloodstained ground.
Kieran's eyes shot open, as he felt the cold steel of a bayonet pierce his back. Gasping for air, he fell to his knees. He turned back to see James looming overhead, his intestines visible through the slash in his body, his eyes glowing with a dull green light, as he was puppeted by his new Cryxian masters. James wrenched the bayonet free and Kieran fell onto the grass. The pain he had felt a moment before was rapidly fading away to numbness and cold.
As the daylight faded from his eyes, he was filled with new purpose. No longer encumbered by something as mortal as pain, Kieran stood and turned to his new master, ready to serve.
Thursday 1 January 2015
Much ado about much...
So, its been an interesting time since my last post. I tried to use a different medium for a time which dissipated like a fart in the wind, so im back to using ol'' reliable: Blogger.
I did a re-read of some of my last posts and it has been many months since my last post and there has been a great deal happening around the meta. We've had a few snags offset by really cool moments and changes.
A) The Meat and Metal group facebook name has been changed to "Durham Region Ontario Warmachine and Hordes" due to a change in our meta, highlited in"B". The point is to ensure that we are an official group rather than a bunch of people with some "Group name". This has created a sense of authenticity. While, internally, we are the Meat and Metal group of Durham, the DROWoH moniker seems more...legit...
B) Durham region now has a Press Ganger, and you're currently reading his Meta blog. In September, I was officially inducted into the Press Gang for PP. (For those not in the know, a Press Ganger is the official volunteer representative of Privateer Press. the position generally means that I can run Privateer Press events under the sanction of PP directly, and serve as a sort of focal point between Privateer Press and the meta of my region.) So far, as a PG, Not much has happened as my PG status came in just at the cusp of the start of my busy season, which came in handy for both Phantasm, and the Exigence release event. (I'll have a separate entry for Phantasm a little later. If any locals are reading this, Phantasm is definitely worth checking out...). But the 2015 year holds a LOT of promise...
C) Holy hell have I done a lot of painting...and have gotten much better for it. I had to pass up a weekend course with Meg Maples because I couldn't afford it nor could I get the time off work, but I did manage to have a few brief conversations with her online and got some good tips for priming and basing. If any of you get the chance, check out her Arcane Paintworks Blog and gallery. she's damned good. It's no wonder PP picked her up for her mad skillz. Shes quite easy to talk to, and doesn't mind talking shop if shes not busy. Some of my headline projects this year have been Tyrant Zaadesh from the Exigence release; My Cygnar battlebox jacks; the two Khador Heavies from the starter box (Juggernaut and Destroyer); Most of my Four Star Battlebox (With Magnus); and most recently, my entry for the Press Gang Secret Santa, Thrullg. Also, over the years that i have been doing phantasm, I have had some support from some great people, and for their help, I have offered to paint minis as a thanks. This year, I have opted to do a battle box for my friends Circle of Orboros army, and have further offered to help her paint the rest of her army to build up my portfolio (I mean, its not like I don't have models...HAH!). Its fallen a bit on the backburner, but with the start of 2015, I aim to pick it back up and hopefully have the BB done by end of january to mid February. Some of my work will likely get posted in the next few days as I try to play pick up with some of the articles I've been meaning to write over the past few months. I've gotten far enough in my painting to start offering a bit of commission work to help pay for this crack addiction that is Miniature war gaming.
Most interestingly, though, is the stepping up of our game. Recently I was asked to participate in the Ontario Team Championships by some friends in my meta. Never having really participated in a large tournament like this, I am, understandably, in a combined state of panic and delight. I'm primarily excited because I'll finally get to shake hands with some of my fellow Press Gangers who have been around for years. there's a lot of experience to draw upon, and some new friends to be made, and for that I am absolutely excited, and looking forward to really jumping into the pool that is this community. Now I just have to play like I know the game...HAH! I've spent so much time organizing lately that I haven't played in months. its taken me forever to generate my lists for the tournament, but I think I'll be ready at least enough to know my game and hopefully score a few wins. I'm also going to try and get some time in working at the Southern Ontario Open, one of the biggest tournaments in Ontario, and usually the priming grounds for the Masters and the World Champion Circuit. That is sure to be one hell of an experience, and one I can't wait for.
And so as I've been bantering about the bigger news, time to retract and discuss the more domestic.I am aiming to host a few hobby nights this month to kind of reacquaint others with the hobby, and drum up some interest. If all works out, then this will hopefully be the lead in for the first Journeyman league this coming February. I just need to clear it with the store.If I time it right, the journeyman will link right into the 2015 league story arc and allow players to jump right into league play, and roll each other out on the tarmac. From there, hopefully, we'll get some new players and some interesting new meta opportunities...and from there..who knows?
I am more than sure that 2015 will yield some amazing opportunities. The real question is to you: Are you going to sit on the sidelines, or are you going to carve your name into the plaque of challengers?
Hoep to see you there ;)
- Shawn aka PG_Keldin
I did a re-read of some of my last posts and it has been many months since my last post and there has been a great deal happening around the meta. We've had a few snags offset by really cool moments and changes.
A) The Meat and Metal group facebook name has been changed to "Durham Region Ontario Warmachine and Hordes" due to a change in our meta, highlited in"B". The point is to ensure that we are an official group rather than a bunch of people with some "Group name". This has created a sense of authenticity. While, internally, we are the Meat and Metal group of Durham, the DROWoH moniker seems more...legit...
B) Durham region now has a Press Ganger, and you're currently reading his Meta blog. In September, I was officially inducted into the Press Gang for PP. (For those not in the know, a Press Ganger is the official volunteer representative of Privateer Press. the position generally means that I can run Privateer Press events under the sanction of PP directly, and serve as a sort of focal point between Privateer Press and the meta of my region.) So far, as a PG, Not much has happened as my PG status came in just at the cusp of the start of my busy season, which came in handy for both Phantasm, and the Exigence release event. (I'll have a separate entry for Phantasm a little later. If any locals are reading this, Phantasm is definitely worth checking out...). But the 2015 year holds a LOT of promise...
C) Holy hell have I done a lot of painting...and have gotten much better for it. I had to pass up a weekend course with Meg Maples because I couldn't afford it nor could I get the time off work, but I did manage to have a few brief conversations with her online and got some good tips for priming and basing. If any of you get the chance, check out her Arcane Paintworks Blog and gallery. she's damned good. It's no wonder PP picked her up for her mad skillz. Shes quite easy to talk to, and doesn't mind talking shop if shes not busy. Some of my headline projects this year have been Tyrant Zaadesh from the Exigence release; My Cygnar battlebox jacks; the two Khador Heavies from the starter box (Juggernaut and Destroyer); Most of my Four Star Battlebox (With Magnus); and most recently, my entry for the Press Gang Secret Santa, Thrullg. Also, over the years that i have been doing phantasm, I have had some support from some great people, and for their help, I have offered to paint minis as a thanks. This year, I have opted to do a battle box for my friends Circle of Orboros army, and have further offered to help her paint the rest of her army to build up my portfolio (I mean, its not like I don't have models...HAH!). Its fallen a bit on the backburner, but with the start of 2015, I aim to pick it back up and hopefully have the BB done by end of january to mid February. Some of my work will likely get posted in the next few days as I try to play pick up with some of the articles I've been meaning to write over the past few months. I've gotten far enough in my painting to start offering a bit of commission work to help pay for this crack addiction that is Miniature war gaming.
Most interestingly, though, is the stepping up of our game. Recently I was asked to participate in the Ontario Team Championships by some friends in my meta. Never having really participated in a large tournament like this, I am, understandably, in a combined state of panic and delight. I'm primarily excited because I'll finally get to shake hands with some of my fellow Press Gangers who have been around for years. there's a lot of experience to draw upon, and some new friends to be made, and for that I am absolutely excited, and looking forward to really jumping into the pool that is this community. Now I just have to play like I know the game...HAH! I've spent so much time organizing lately that I haven't played in months. its taken me forever to generate my lists for the tournament, but I think I'll be ready at least enough to know my game and hopefully score a few wins. I'm also going to try and get some time in working at the Southern Ontario Open, one of the biggest tournaments in Ontario, and usually the priming grounds for the Masters and the World Champion Circuit. That is sure to be one hell of an experience, and one I can't wait for.
And so as I've been bantering about the bigger news, time to retract and discuss the more domestic.I am aiming to host a few hobby nights this month to kind of reacquaint others with the hobby, and drum up some interest. If all works out, then this will hopefully be the lead in for the first Journeyman league this coming February. I just need to clear it with the store.If I time it right, the journeyman will link right into the 2015 league story arc and allow players to jump right into league play, and roll each other out on the tarmac. From there, hopefully, we'll get some new players and some interesting new meta opportunities...and from there..who knows?
I am more than sure that 2015 will yield some amazing opportunities. The real question is to you: Are you going to sit on the sidelines, or are you going to carve your name into the plaque of challengers?
Hoep to see you there ;)
- Shawn aka PG_Keldin
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