Wargamers bunker

[HairyHeretic]

Figured I'd kick off a thread for general purpose wargames chat, since there seem to be a few of us around. New models, new armies, new games, painting or converting, whatever you want to talk about.

[RedFang]

Sweet, well I paint Warhammer 40,000, and here is the story for my current army.

*takes in a deep breath and explains*

The Blood Wolves were created from a Wolf Brother (A 2nd Generation Space Wolf Chapter that failed due to mutation), the Wolf Brother escaped during the culling(systematic extermination of the entire Wolf Brothers Chapter, by the Space Wolves) He floated in space capsule for ten years until he crash landed on a Jungle Planet.  The mutation starts to turn him Wulfen, but not all the way, and he becomes a feared beast of the jungle.  During a routine hunt for some Orks the Blood Angels land on the same Planet.  Scout units report that droves of Ork corpses are found, and a hunt is underway to find the source, seeing at the Orks were clawed and their throats ripped out.

They find the Wolf Brother and are about to kill him as another beast when Chief Librarian Mephiston orders his capture.  Back abord their Battle Barg on the way to Baal Mephiston using his Physic Powers to pry into the mind of the Wolf Brother.  After ten days without food or water Mephiston emerges from the room, covered in blood and scares.  The Wolf Brother walks out, one eye gold, one blue.  He doesn't remember anything about the culling or his time on the Jungle Planet.  Yet he knows once they reach Baal that he isn't like the others.

The Blood Angel Surgens and Priest were able to remove the Mutation, over the course of weeks of painful surgery.  Yet Mephiston was always there keeping the Wolf Brother, who was now know as Tyrian, focused and alive.  While on Baal he wasn't permitted to join the Blood Angels and the Arostrocricy despized him.  He was a loud and prone to starting fights over food.  This lead to him being put into a gladiatorial match, in hoping it would kill him off.  Yet in the end he stood victorious.

He spent his next five years fighting and become champion of Baal.  Yet he started to have dreams, terrible dreams of someone he kept calling Father, a god like man, in a desperate battle against demons(His dreams are of Russ, and the Demons are Warp Spawn).  He meets with Mephiston and Dante and request that he go after his dreams, that he cannot stay on Baal when his Father is out their lost and in need of help.  They agree, but they will not send him alone.  They also cannot afford to send him with any Blood Angels.

"Give me an army." He requests, and Dante smiles.  Over the next ten years Tyrian and Dante search space for the most inhospitable planets and recruit for his new army.  Given Tyrians now cleansed Gene Seed a Chapter is Formed, the Blood Wolves.  The name is created after Mephiston reveals Tyrians past to him, in the form of a armored shoulder pad with the Wolf Brothers Icon on it.

Having been raised around the Red Armor he adopts it as his own, and pains on the Wolf Icon.  Then he and his new Chapter set out on their Battle Barg and search all of Space for Russ.  While on a planet helping the local Imperial Forces fight off some Dark Elder Tyrian hears of "his brothers in Blue".  After some investigation thinking he had found his father he plots a course for Feneris(Space Wolf Homeworld).

There he is greated by his former brothers who are unsure where the Wolf and his Chapter come from, but welcome them as Space Marines non the less.  With a great feast and mass amount of drinking Tyrian explains to the Great Wolf what he is doing.  The Great Wolf blesses his quest and the next day the Blood Wolves are off again.  Yet a Rune Priest comes up to the Great Wolf and says,"He is the Lost Brother, what should we do?"

"We let the Lost Son find the Lost Father." The Great Wolf spoke.

If I get around to it I will post my current army list.

[madpsyker]

Ah, wargames.  For the moment they're a little too much for my blood but that might change...  I've had my eye wandering towards AT-42, particularly the UNA and Red Bloc figures.  For 40k... Guard all the way, probably Catachan, but you know how it goes.  You need the pieces, then the glue, then the rack of paint bottles...

[Avi]

Oh, how I wish there was an online service to play Warhammer/Warhammer 40K over the internet with people.  Just submit an army list, select a paint scheme, make your formations, build the battleground... it would be awesome.  Of course, one could exist, and I just don't know about it. >_>  I used to play High Elves in Fantasy and the Tau Empire in 40K.  I don't have the time for it now, and my armies are gathering dust.  Alas.

[HairyHeretic]

You've got 2 options there, though neither is perfect. Dawn of War you can play online. Yes, it's 40k, but it's not quite the same. The's also Vassal. I *think* there's a 40k mod. There's definitely a BfG one. And if you like Bloodbowl there's fumbbl.

[madpsyker]

So what about the other games like Mutant Chronicals and Rezolution?  Or are there not alot of players for those games?

[HairyHeretic]

You talking the older Warzone, or the new one that just came out?

One of the guys in my club tries to push it every so often, but the interest isn't really there.

The main games over here are 40k and Warmachine .. we had a fun Apoc game there week or so back, Orks on Marines at 15,000 points. We're talking about doing one every few months ... might try for Eldar / Bugs and refight the assault on Iyanden. We're also going to do the Macharian Crsuade off Bell of Lost Souls, and will have an Apocalypse game to finish that off.

We also have a Bloodbowl league on the go, and are talking about Necromunda. Some of the lads are playing some new skirmish game as well, with Conquistadors going into Hell. Can't think the name of it offhand.

[madpsyker]

You talking the older Warzone, or the new one that just came out?

One of the guys in my club tries to push it every so often, but the interest isn't really there.

Eh, I'm talking about the older one from the 90's.  I managed to get the core book from my FLGS's used and discontinued rack.  Haven't looked into the new one yet but you're still doing better then me, I'd be surprised if I even found 40k interest up here.

[HairyHeretic]

I think the new ones is more of a heroclix kinda thing. I haven't looked into it really.

The older one has some nice rules. Minis are ok, but it just didn't get the market penetration around here. There's maybe half a dozen of us with armies (I have Mishima), but it rarely gets dusted off.

[madpsyker]

I think the new ones is more of a heroclix kinda thing. I haven't looked into it really.

The older one has some nice rules. Minis are ok, but it just didn't get the market penetration around here. There's maybe half a dozen of us with armies (I have Mishima), but it rarely gets dusted off.

The rules are nice, but I haven't collected the minis for... anything really.  Still looking for that one game to really convince me to join.  Warmachine came close though...

[HairyHeretic]

Warmachine is a lot of fun. Hordes is good as well, and when you know one rule set you're most of the way to knowing the other.

Like any wargame, its not that cheap to get into, though the starter box gives you about 350 points, which is the smallest force games tend to be played with. Locally we tend to do 750, which gets you a couple of hours worth of play.

Plus PP are supposed to be moving to plastics for the unit box sets, so that should help. I prefer plastics over metals, as they're a lot easier to convert.

[madpsyker]

Yeah, Warmachine can be a lot of fun.  A friend at college once let me play with one of his starter armies and it was close, I only won because the dice favored me just when we were down to our warcasters and one mech each...
I consider waiting until information for Warlands starts coming out, I like post-apocalyptic settings.

[HairyHeretic]

Not sure I know that one. Got a link?

One that I've spotted recently is Secrets of the Third Recih:1949

Its an alternate history WW2, obviously. The Germans perfected and released a zombie gas that kinda messed up Europe (possibly other places, via V series rockets as well, I can't remember for sure). It plays up the occult and mad science angles as well.

Looking at the German forces as an example, you have primitive power armoured paratroops, walking light mechs, zombies, a mad scientist (probably complete with beautiful daughter), and werewolves.

It looks like it'd be a lot of fun, but I'm finding it hard to track down a copy of the rules from any of the places I normally browse.

[madpsyker]

Not sure I know that one. Got a link?

One that I've spotted recently is Secrets of the Third Recih:1949

Its an alternate history WW2, obviously. The Germans perfected and released a zombie gas that kinda messed up Europe (possibly other places, via V series rockets as well, I can't remember for sure). It plays up the occult and mad science angles as well.

Looking at the German forces as an example, you have primitive power armoured paratroops, walking light mechs, zombies, a mad scientist (probably complete with beautiful daughter), and werewolves.

It looks like it'd be a lot of fun, but I'm finding it hard to track down a copy of the rules from any of the places I normally browse.

http://www.aberrantgames.com/war/

Figures the day I went to get a link is the day they start updating it.
Never heard of Secrets of the Third Reich, I'll have to look into it sometime.

[HairyHeretic]

Hmm .. looks like someone's dusting off Dark Future :) That takes me back a ways. Second game I ever got, just after the original red box Blood Bowl

http://www.sotr1949.com/

is the link for mine. West Wind are the ones that do the game and minis, and there's a link to their site there as well.

[The Overlord]

With three MMO's I play (well, OK four but I'm not really active in Vanguard) I can confess to the crowd that I'm a genuine MMO addict, but I do step into my wargaming every so often.

I own two bookshelves full of painted minis, mostly Dungons&Dragons and Battletech, including a fair amount of Ral Partha and Ironwind classics.

Mechwarrior 4 Mercencaries is always on my hard drive and when the fit takes me I fire up the old fusion reactor and head out onto the battlefield.

I also own Silent Hunter III tweaked with the Grey Wolves Expansion, which is of course a full-tilt Nazi U-boat simulator.

[HairyHeretic]

My Battletech forces are House Kurita (2nd Sword of Light) and Clan Nova Cat.

[madpsyker]

Hmm .. looks like someone's dusting off Dark Future :) That takes me back a ways. Second game I ever got, just after the original red box Blood Bowl

http://www.sotr1949.com/

is the link for mine. West Wind are the ones that do the game and minis, and there's a link to their site there as well.

Thanks, I'll check it out.  And while I've heard of Battletech and leafed through a few books for it, I never saw any minis or really did much reading into it.  Know of any good places to start reading up on it?

[HairyHeretic]

Considering just how much battletech stuff there is, go with google. You'll be overloaded with links. Explaining even half the timeline would take me hours :)

[madpsyker]

Considering just how much battletech stuff there is, go with google. You'll be overloaded with links. Explaining even half the timeline would take me hours :)

Oh, that warning reminds me of how long it took me to dive into the 40k lore.  :P  Eh, I'll get through it when I find the time.

[HairyHeretic]

They're probably comparable. Battletech has been going at least 20 years and probably more. You've got about .. 60 years maybe .. of goings on from when it started til the time of the Jihad, and then the Dark Ages stuff after that, but I've never bothered with it myself.

[NikitaFirestar]

Can anyone in here help me with information on Shadowblade assassin, in seventh edition?

[The Overlord]

My Battletech forces are House Kurita (2nd Sword of Light) and Clan Nova Cat.

I did a mix of Clan and House units, including combined arms over the years. Our mercenary campaign went for a good year in the Chaos March and had a couple mixed tonnage lances, supported by a vehicle platoon anchored by an Alacorn Gauss carrier.

For something different we ran a Goliath Scorpion second-line unit, that went on the Seeker path within the Inner Sphere in search of Star League relics. With the prior notice and cooperation of Wolf's Dragoons, we masqueraded as the 7th Scorpion Dragoons, a Clan-equipped merc unit. Lot of good times there.

Considering just how much battletech stuff there is, go with google. You'll be overloaded with links. Explaining even half the timeline would take me hours :)

That's OK, I already know it.  :P

[HairyHeretic]

Can anyone in here help me with information on Shadowblade assassin, in seventh edition?

Thats the Dark Elf assassin, yeah? I think I might have a copy of the Dark Elf book about. I'll check when I get back in this evening.

[NikitaFirestar]

Thanks! My buddy is trying to study the Shadowblade seventh edition guy because he's going up against him in battle on Wednesday. Anything at all is great!

[Aether]

I cut my teeth on FASA's Battle Tech in '93.  I have been addicted to tactical table top ever since.  Historical or otherwsie.  I have played it all, space, air, dirtside.  Rules?  beer and pretzels comes to mind, though its been too long to recall much more.  Centurion. Interceptor. Leviathan.  Battletech.  Heavy gear.  Crimson Skys.  Battle Fleet Gothic.  And lots of other rule sets I cant hope to name that were historical vs fantastic.

[HairyHeretic]

One thing I would like to find, and haven't so far, is a tabletop game of the 4X computer game genre.

Ideally a space based one, building up from a single planet, exploring, developing new tech, and being able to engage in fleet actions against enemy players that had some degree of tactical worth.

Unfortunately the ones I know about, they tend too heavily towards the strategic at the expense of the tactical, or vice versa.

Anyone know any games that might fit my bill?

[HairyHeretic]

Probably a long shot, but what the heck ...

I've decided to do my IG force as Adeptus Mechanicus, and am looking for Rogue Trader era robots to put into it. I expect the chances of anyone having any of these, and being willing to part with them, is pretty slim, but you never know :)

Don't suppose anyone has any hiding around that they're not using?

[HairyHeretic]

So very, very wrong  ;D

[The Overlord]

Mecha-jackal-bunny?

[HairyHeretic]

Pikachu the ork stompa

[The Overlord]

It's like Warhammer 40K meets my neighborhood crack dealer.  :o

[Cherri Tart]

i'd play war games if i could have giant yellow bunny mechs like that! :D

[HairyHeretic]

Bunny mechs are few and far between .. that one stands about a foot tall .. though I do recall seeing a Playboy Bunnys type bloodbowl team.

[Aether]

*longs for any miniature based combat game just about now*

[HairyHeretic]

What have you played, or want to play?

[DrakeCaven]

I'm quite a 40k player myself, though I must admit to bein' somewhat awful. I favor the Tau myself, and if anyone 'ere has Vassal I'd be glad to play.

[HairyHeretic]

I've been playing 40k since Rogue Trader days :)

I'm not playing much at the moment though, but have 3 different Chaos forces, Tau, IG and Orks. I started on the Orks after the renegades codex screwed up my Chaos armies. Never tried Vassal though.

[Aether]

Hehe

I was going through old posts and read through this and was gettin ancy just reading it.  I have rules for battle tech (FASA circa 80-90s), Centurion/Interceptor/Leviathan, and this wonderfully little generic minis game...

Havin people to play across from is the struggle.

[Polymorph]

Well, I know this is an old thread, but...

Putting together a fantasy army based on Greek myths. The core is Amazon hoplites, supported by female Greek mythological races. Finished three units so far. Satyr, Minotaur and Harpy units still need painting.

[HairyHeretic]

Not bad. Who produces those models?

[Polymorph]

The rank and file of the phalanxes are Wargames Factory, the command figures and Centaurs are from Shadowforge. Other figures still to be painted are from more from Shadowforge and units of Wargames foundry, Hasslefree and Games workshop.

[HairyHeretic]

Most of my stuff is GW, but I have some of Mongooses old B5 stuff, and Spartan Games Firestorm Armada. The Dystopian Wars looks nice, but I want to compare it to Leviathans before starting something else.

[HairyHeretic]

6th ed 40k rumours

No idea of the validity of them, but some interesting concepts at least

http://bloodofkittens.com/network/members/rideroftheerk/

I was told in privacy but can’t vouch for the accuracy. Corrected some
spelling errors from icq conversation:
>>I am really pissed! The recent shift in GW’s marketing strategy is only the beginning. The goal is to completely control every bit of information that is going out and make every advance sneak peek look like an accidental leak. Think of Apple and you know what they are trying to achieve. They simultaneously try to keep the internet crowd happy with some leaked bits here and there and the store crowded focused on the next release. Prepare for more of these infamous “you see one eighth of the miniature and should stand in awe” pictures. The restructured White Dwarf will be the only place for “official” news. The days when Games Days were a good source for exciting news are gone. No more seminars. Independent shop owners will get the info at the same time as the public. From autumn on product codes will be chiffres and retailers have to order bulk packages for new releases without knowing what is in it if they want to get the releases on the first day. If they want to buy the boxes individually they have to wait two weeks until GW releases the chiffres. Mail Orders won’t arrive on the day of release, they will be SENT on the day of release. So no more accidental early arrivals. If you want to buy a product on the day of release you have to go to a GW store or one of the shops that have bought the release package. There is no chance to get the products via an online store on time. The retail embargo for the southern hemisphere were initially planned for every single country, so no more exports from UK to continental Europa, but GW’s law division stopped this as it would have violated EU laws. So now they will introduce two boxes for every release with exactly the same content but different boxes. One is for the retail in a single country and comes at the standard wholesale price. The other box has all the necessary taxation and regulatory clearances for export. These boxes are virtually the same but GW is charging an extra fee for them. Online shops can choose to stop exports or accept a serious blow to their profit margins.
We, the gamers, are sitting on the receiving end of this dishonest
policy once more. We are treated like children and that is exactly the
goal of these changes. So here are some of their plans, as long as the
info is available, to spoil some of their surprises:

* first 6th edition codexes, but release before or with rulebook,
small release with single or two waves: Black Templars (1 waves: 2x
plactic, 2x Finecast), Tau (1 wave: 3x plastic boxes, 4x Finecast),
Necrons (2 waves)

* first real 6th edition codex: Codex Chaos Legions, really big
release in three waves, doesn’t invalidate Codex Chaos Space Marines
which gets extensive White Dwarf update as Codex Renegade Space
Marines

* two starter sets, each with rules, dices, movement markers, mission
booklet, one with Dark Angels and fitting scenery, the other with
Black Legion and Chaos scenery. You can combine both to play the
campaign or use one set alone to play a selection of dumbed down
scenarios against every other force, first starter set that comes with
a model for a well established special character

* 6th edition is finished rulewise for some time now, the overall goal
is to fix some of the long time problems of the game system. Expect a
lot more fundamental improvements than last edition. The rules were
even more ambitious at some stage of development, but didn’t get
approved as they were too far away from the established rules. The
main designer left company and his successors brought the rules back
in line with the existing codexes. The rules are nonetheless a bigger
step forward than from 4th to 5th. Changes are so big that the next
edition relies partial on erratas to fix old codexes. Development
relied heavily on feedback of veteran playtesters. You can see some
results of this new approach by the way the FAQs were handled in the
last months. All codexes since Codex Tyranids were written with the
new rules in mind, especially the new mission and reserve structure.

* The main design goals are: one book to rule them all, heroic
characters, visceral combat, streamlined mechanism, cleaned up
presentation and strategy before chance

* strong narrative focus on Chaos, perspective shifting from the
Empire to the struggle between free races and the Warp

* the biggest rule changes:
- similar ballistic to hit chart as wound chart: compare BS to
target’s speed and unit type. BS 3 hits moving infantry on 4+, but
lightning fast jetbikes on 6+ and stationary tank on 2+… HUGE
- victory points are back, but with another twist: you get two victory
points if an unit holds an objective for an entire game turn, if a
scoring unit holds one, you get three and one if you destroy a squad
leader or vehicle
- before the game there is a bidding contest for the opportunity of
the first turn, if you bid more strategic points you can go first, but
the enemy can spent these points on stratagems as in Cities of Death:
22 generic stratagems – for example for one point you can decide on
night fighting or place an automatic gun, for four you can shift your
reserves, most expensive stratagems are at 12 points and are really
drastic, every unspent point can be used once a game for a reroll
- new turn sequence: prepare-movement-assault-shooting-consolidate
new phase “consolidate” phase for random movements, jetpack movements,
pursuits, morale checks/effects and resolving shooting reactions
assault before shooting – big units are real roadblocks!<<

Some more examples for the development doctrines
One rulebook for all:
- flyer rules are incorporated in the main rules
- narrative rule section that expands core rules: formations, super
heavies, gaining experience
- modular rules, core rules can easily be expanded by narratives rules
or another expansion set

Heroic characters:
- independent characters more powerful, armour save and invulnerable
save at the same time
- squad leaders more important, no more 50% rallying threshold, unit
can rally as long as squad leader lives
- independent characters can snipe

More visceral combat:
- standard cover only 5+ now, Feel No Pain (1) only on 5+
- slow slogging units very vulnerable
- some weapon types are specialized in taking out specific unit types
and are incredible good at doing this (sniper vs. infantry without
armour), but on the other hand ordnance vs flyer isn’t going to do
much

streamlined:
- no more random movement at all
- 5 general types of psychic powers
- wound allocation like 4th edition on unit basis, but attacker can
chose every 5th wound to go to a single model (sniper weapon every
second wound)
- artillery is normal immobile vehicle squadron, crew has no other
game purpose than to be a counter for rate of fire and attacks

clean up of combusted rules:
- there are tiers for most of the special rules. Instant Death (2)
circumvents Eternal Warrior (1) for example. Feel No Pain (1) is 5+,
Feel No Pain (2) is 4+ and Feel No Pain (3) is 3+. If no value is
given, the special rule is tier 1.
- no more difference between leadership test and morale test
- terrain rules on a single page, true line of sight, non-vehicles
models are ignored altogether, rules for special terrain like bunkers,
ruins or deathworld mangroves in narrative rule section

less randomness, more strategic options:
- more elaborate reserve rules, can nominate turn of arrvial and has
only small change to arrive earlier or later, or can intervene behind
enemy lines, arrives randomly but can hinder enemy reserves, must be
distributed evenly between turn two and three, later arrivals only
randomly
-no more random game length
-no roll for first turn
-deep striking units more than 18” from enemy away don’t scatter, but
landing in 6” is much more dangerous
- movement impairing effects from pinning weapons even if morale check
is passed (if roll is above halved Ld), Fearless not immune to this,
but only effected if rolled over full Ld
- more reactions to shooting than going to the ground depending on
unit type and special rules. bikes can evade (3+ cover as same as
before, but cannot assault or shoot next turn), jump troops can fly
high, units with Stealth can attempt to vanish, …

[Craz]

*looks at some of the 6th ed stuff*

Could be cool. I used to play 40K. But it got too ridiculously competitive for me. Now I play Flames of War(ground based company level WW2 gaming), Victory at Sea(Naval World War 2), Mordheim, and I have an Uncharted Seas Fleet on my painting table waiting for me to use it.

[Hemingway]

Tau!

I got so depressed when my Tau got completely butchered by ridiculously overpowered Tyranids, due to the difference in editions. Maybe I can get some payback ... err, in a while.