Holiday times = slow gaming = random thoughts

Now that the holidays are in full swing, the gaming bug is once again put on ice due to busy schedules and time spent with the families.. by any means necessary, normally under threats of violence..

I am still looking for Warmachine and hordes games. Definitely my favorite system at the present and I haven't gotten to the point where the games are routine or I've run out of all the idea's I could try.

I think that is why I'm a big fan of games that actually have some extra complex rules to the armies and troops. It does make each thing unique and then you have to figure out where it goes and what it works best with. It's another reason I like the Flames of War system. Each army is very unique. The individual stands and troops, not so much. A rifle team fires 16" no matter what army but the Army rules makes it different.

With 40k.. I just don't feel it anymore. They have all the right elements except for a rule system complex enough to make me like it anymore. Everyone moves 6".. but the Eldar are suppose to be a fast moving race.. well, then fleet of foot.. but then I can't shoot.. Can't be fast and shoot! Huh?? I think 40k would be a lot better with some of those annoying things people complained about. Range modifiers, Cover modifiers, armor modifiers (I find this AP stuff to be annoying as hell honestly.. it's one reason I name my armies as AP3 army or AP5 army instead of Fast assault army, or all aspect army.. Fluff doesn't matter in army building.. only the armor and the AP) Different movement stats. Things to make the races and armies and weapons more unique...

Hell, even Fantasy is more complex and that is a game of mass troops. But the Skaven army has a few pages of rules that make them unique, instead of just being hairy empire troops with weaker AP...

Of course the flip side brings in the more complex rules means more chances for the annoying rule lawyers/benders/power gamers. I'm luck in the fact that I have not meet many of them when playing Warmachine/Hordes. "yea, I agree Vilmon is totally broken but I'm tired of coming in second so I'm going to take him every game". It's that attitude I don't really like to see in games. Overall, nice guy but bad attitude on the game I think.

Enough random thoughts for now. Besides my painting projects over the holiday's, I think I'll update my warmachine and hordes counters. I'm liking the ones I've been using for the Trolls but they haven't been updated in a while. Going to work on them.

Pygmy Tribesman

Gen Con challenge resolved!

Since Gen Con, a challenge has been going around.. 1k trollblood vs circle 15 minute turns.. That challenge was settled on Saturday.. recorded in the Book of Grudges.. Congrats to Rob on a well played and hard earned victory!

Well, we did the 1k trollblood vs circle but not the 15 minute turns because it was a long ass game.

In one of the best Hordes games I have played, Rob and I faced off on saturday night. At first, we had a scenario we were going to play but after a little confusion on the scoring we said, hell with it and just went to kill.. This gave rob a little edge since I was spread out to take the scenario and he was just going for the kill.

We both started the game with 1k points.. I think we both ended the game around 150 points left on the table in the final turn. Everything was dying! It was great...

Last turn saw me with Borka, the keg, and a mauled unit of champions. Rob was left with Baldur, Morvahna (hurt), and a mauled woldwarden. Rob had forested walked Baldur to get behind the champions and hit Borka but failed to kill him. On the next turn, Borka only had the 3 fury that was reaved from the dead winter troll... after using all the fury.. Baldur was left with 1 life!! At which point, Baldur finished off Borka.

The game was pretty brutal. Rob took pretty much his full force against the group I set up with Grissel, 1 impaler, 1 axer, 1 DTM, 1 unit of champions, 1 fell caller. That force did a pretty good job of laying down some good hurting before coming down to the superior numbers.

A few highlights

• Pureblood Warpwolf 2hand throwing a regular warpwolf with the can't be knocked down spell to get the charge on Borka and that hurt...
• Bog Trogs.. Oh yes.. Bog Trogs.. I could have used them better I think to possible go after the warlocks but I see the potential.
• Pureblood Warpwolf spaming Ravenous... I hate that thing.. Rob loved it.. Miss.. Reroll! HIT!
• FellCaller with liquid courage.. To bad he missed on the charge.. 5 dice for damage on Morvahna... but instead 4 dice and not a good roll but made Rob worry
• Lord of the Feasts actually getting in and hitting something!

Lessons learned

• FellCaller on liquid courage can be nasty.. if they don't blow the rolls.
• Winter Troll and Mosh Pit are as useful for the distraction as they are for the abilities
• Rob used a power attack to do some good! Maybe it's a start of a trend.
• Rob needs to learn to use Cav better
• I need to figure out how to get the keg killed at the right time.

I'm already planning the next game..

The Season of Giving

As we approach yet another goddamn holiday season, it's too easy to let the BAH HUMBUG that lives inside each and every one of us rule. I myself live that way most of the time, but now that I'm old and wise, I believe in giving back to the youngsters, so they can take care of me when I'm old and REALLY crotchety.

To that end, I remind of you a damn fine charity: http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

This charity was formed by the guys at Penny Arcade (my heroes) and does good work - video games and toys for sick and even dying kids at major hospitals across the country (and WORLD now) - including two in our area.

So, while we enjoy the onset of cold that turns our blood to warlust, feel free to give a kid the gift of some bloodthirsty game to take their lives off the fact that they are stuck in a hospital, which, frankly, sucks no matter WHAT age you are.

Amen.