Fantasy: 2000 pts WoC vs Empire (I got smashed) battle overview.

Hi, today I played a game at the GW and well, I got smashed.

I made a mistake with my screening fact cav and he got an ace shot with a warmachine which dropped some knights then the turn after he took my hero on jugger off. I also made a mistake because I forgot my jugger guy waas a hero and not a lord so used him wrong. The other problem was that in my army I had 1 unit ofknights and 1 unit of warriors then the rest was just cav making a really small list.

So, I bought 5 more knights so I canplay more ballanced and the marauders will be getting another look in, also maybe another small unit of 10 warriors.

I'm going to build those knights now,thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Painting: commisioning, do you lose out on the hobby.

So, I have been looking around at all of these different mini painting companies and James has just set a really cheap one up to. I don't want to use them but for all the people that do. Do you think it detracts from the hobby when perople go, nice paint job mate and you have to go 'yea, it was done by... not me' I thik that definatlely young and new gamers should give painting it theselves a try first. then maybe if you don't want to paint 72 termagaunts then you can send them away.

So, what do you think, discuss, thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Fellow Bloggers: a mates new blog, check it out.

Hi, today i wanted to point you towards a mates blog called Paint brush and clippers James is a good friend of mine and is doing a massive scratch built warlord titan, read hos blog and add it to your blogroll, he wouold really appreciate it.

Tactics: over rated or not, that is the question?

So, last time I went to GW we were playing a game and when I put down I was pretty shore I was going to lose, not that I was put down because I usually lose fantasy because of my lack of experience. That to me was a good game because I learned a bit more.

Now part of the reason he won and I lost was 'tactics' but really, a lot of the time he didn't need his 'tactics' because he knew how my stuff would work etc. So generally in my experience tactics only matter when your armies power level + your skill level balances out to be the same compared to your opponents.

So, I know I'm being blunt but I put it to you, in some cases (not all), do you think that the game is less about tactics and more about whether your luck is average, good or bad and how much of an effect you can have on that (i.e. how many 2+ armor save guys with thunder hammers are next to the trygon!).

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

A Tale Of 4 Gamers: a tale of 4 gamers online, anybody interested?

So I was reading back over the old and new a tale of 4 gamers and was wondering if anybody was interested I was thinking something like this:

• month 1 20 models
• month 2 500 pts army
• month 3 750 points
• month 4 1000 points
• month 5 (optional) 1250 pts
• month 6 (optional) 1500 pts

If you complete your goal for the month the 3 points, pick your two top game scores for the month, a win is 3 points a draw is 1 point and a loss 0 points. Please be honest with game scores.

You can start a new army or continue with an old one. If your models are already built then you can just add 50 points to each level or try and get them to above your normal standard.

For showing this off then you can do it on your blog but if you could I would like some pics and maybe a few of paragraphs (1-6) so I can do a monthly post. Tell us what you think and if you have any suggestions there is comments and email (see left column)


I'm going to do it so 3 spots left, comment on this post to get in, if there is a lot of interest then I may extend it to a tale of ... gamers.

Please vote on my latest poll, thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Theming: Getting the ballance right.

So, I have been looking around and have been trying to take my armies up to the next level. so expect some none metallic metal and lighting sources to come. I have also looked at themes, this is a big thing for lots of people out there. I'm not talking about just a simple colour scheme compared to a complex one but full on themes like converting all your marines into halo esque models or having an orc army with scratch built trucks so they look like monster trucks.

the think I've found is that you have to find the balance, to much theme and you lose the fell of the army, to little and it is just lost after a couple of people saying ''cool conversion'' and ''nice job''.

So I thought up a few simple, if vague guidelines:

1. Don't change the weapons too much unless they are already registered as weapons by GW (like converting lasguns to autorifles).
2. the level/quality of armor should stay similar, so no giving guardsmen 'power armor'.
3. Don't go too wacky or it will become a joke that is hard to understand.
4. Don't use a theme to make your job easier, it should enhance the model and normally will take more work than just straight out the box guys.

If you think of any more please tell me.

thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Thoughts: Is cheating within the rules cheating?

So, I was thinking, people are always saying how broken things are and how the latest combos will affect the game. Now some of these things were meant to be and GW just got points values a little wrong etc. But sometimes these are picking hairs at GW's rules.

I mean sometimes it is obvious what GW means but they have not FAQ'd it and have not made the rule exactly precise. this is when people start to not just use they vagueness to their advantage but tear these loose ends apart. this is what I call cheating within the rules and whilst it is legal, would they game not be better. Now it wouldn't solve the fact that some armies are just better than others but it would help to rule out some cases where no (or little) tactical accumen is required. I personally think the anwer is yea and I think that you will agree.

So, assuming that is correct would you call someone a 'cheater' for trying to pull loose ends and bend rules? You decide.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Tutorials: Battle Report pt1, the components and layout.

So, time for pt 1 in a series of tutorials for writing battle reports.

Components:
Pictures: very important, they should tell the story whether through clever photoshopping or just clearness. not to many though or they will bog the post down.
Explanatory text: this goes under each picture explaining what is going on.
main body of text: this comes here and there telling the story of the report as a whole. these shoudl tell the main overview and the explanatory text the details.
fluff(optional): either at the start the end or tiny bits interjected in italics this is telling the'story'.

Layout: the report should come in a layout of something like this:

introduction:

turn 1
picture
explanation
overview

turn 2
picture
explanation
overview

etc

summary
picture
closing thoughts.

Now obviously that is very vague but it is a rough idea.

Tell us what you think and if i've missed anything,

Thanks for reading,

Jacob

Battle Reports: Great reads or to long posts? (poll related)

When I first got into this hobby I used to love reading the battle reports in white dwarf so I looked online and found This Site and then when I had read all of those I moved onto Lone pilgrims battle reports then I started looking at his main blog then FTW and finaly I started my own blog. After a while I found that I didn't really have time to read a big long battle reports just like I only skim big posts. I do like mine battle overviews just not a full in depth ones. When I do read big ones they are great-amazing but I just don't have time. I was think though is it just me? I am planning on doing some more battle reports. Maybe a mix between long and short ones.

So, do you think battle reports are worth it? Poll, left column NOW!

Blood Bowl: New blog and sorry for the break.

First off I want to appologise for taking so long over coming out with this post. I have been on holiday for the last week which explains my break. i did play a lot of PC Bloodbowl though and even started a new blog! the ling is now in the side bar!

thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Reviews: Eisenhorn, book 2 review.

So, today I finished the second Eisenhorn book and I must say what a great read. It was gripping all the way through and I always wanted to read on. I won't go through the details because it was a ton of linked subplots and all sorts of of things happened. What I will say it is 50-100 years on which means we have some really developed characters which I have really grown to like.

All in all I would reccomend this book to anybody providing they have read the previous (just as good) Eisenhorn book.

10/10 stars!

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Tuesday Gaming: Space Hulk.

Hi, today I had gaming club but dark Heresy was off so i played space huld. We played the escape mission with the chalice and I won. i was teaching a guy how to play but still it was only my 4-5 game and he was good. I made some mistakes with poistioning but in the end I managed to hold off the nidz (I was marines with libby, lightning claws guy, flamer and 2 regulars) with force barriers some guard and the flamer. I beat his guys back with psychic storm then flamed the room before getting my libby with chalice into and out of the room. It was great fun! Can any of you tell me about your space hulk experiences.

thanks for reading,

Jacob.

P.S. The movie marines will be an occasional thing as both me and James have other long term commitments.

Painting: the insides of vehicles.

So, I was finishing my last rhino and thought, how many people paint the insides of vehicles, I used to but now I want to get stuff done so I just leave it. How do you do it?

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Overviews: Cool Mini Or Not (CMoN)

So, over the last few weeks I have been looking and cool mini or not (CMoN for the rest of this post) and have found numerous painting techniques which I will post about shortly but today I was wondering whether people like cool mini or not. On there people bash a lot of 'good' paint jobs and you really have to be top notch to get good reviews. I like it as a resource but for average painters like myself I don't think you would get much constructive criticism.

What are you thoughts, thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: What race would you be?

So, time for this weaks proper discussion. I told you it would be similar to yesterdays. this time we will be talking about what race and who in it would you be. Now I know lots of you want to be tyranafexs but hey you can do the same as last time with an I want to be and I would be:

I would like to be: A titan driver (stay relatively safe, look awesome and wreak havoc!) or an inquisitor (read isnhorn if you don't know much)

I would be: A data geek (like Amos in Eisenhorn), probably serving an inquisitor or someone quite high up.

So, what would you be.

thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: What marine chapter would you be in?

So, just thought I'd put up this discussion as well as tomorrows.

What marine chapter would you be in. Would you be a ferocious space wolf or a vamparic Blood Angel.

I would like to be: A Death Watch kill team member or a Grey Knight.

I would be: A resourceful Relictor.

So, what would be your chapter. Tomorows discussion will be along the same lines as this. I won't spoil it.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob

Tuesday Gaming: Dark heresy and Movie marines campaign!

So, tonight we played dark heresy and me and one of the wizards were punished for being bad (remember we were in jail) we both had this necron item placed in our cell and he lost his powers (not permanently) and I lost my see in the dark ability (permanently) then we were both tortured which costs no hit points but he got his teeth and tongue ripped out do he can't talk (he may respawn them later). We were then told to go on this dark eldar mission but we would have to lose a fight and get taken as slaves by the dark eldar, the thing is we had to lose by enough to get knocked out but not killed. We did not get to the drop though just told about the mission. We were also all given retractable big claws and our leader (he already had mini claws) had massive ones. the guy who had been with me was stupid and lost his claws and movie marine game with James. We both had 10 normal movie marines and there were loads of orcs (more I tried practising on a wall and one of my claws broke off oh well). then I went on to have a special keep coming on and ones we kill respawn. the idea was for us to kill each other but to get better weapons we had to kill orcs. it cost 3 orcs to upgrade 1 marine to a sergeant, 4 for a missile launcher or flamer. all orcs killed respawned in a building complex and d6 orcs very 2 turns came on. Nobz were worth 2 orcs and war bosses 6. A new marine was 10 points. It was a great warm up game for a campaign w will be starting.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Army Lists: not everyone takes the toughest builds you know!

I have been playing for quite a while now and have played against multiple armies in both fantsy and 40k and you know what. Just because a book is not that great doesn't always affect it. So, for instance. A reletively good player round my area started darke elves with bolt throwers and found that they just were not very usefu;. Now that was partly down to his tactical accumen but as well because bolt throwers are really good at taking down things like dragons and not many people run big mostrocities round my area.

In 40k guard are not that good because no body is taking the super-uber-killy-you-can't-kill-me-death-list. I'm not saying these armies are not good but just that when everybody is just playing for fun and with any list it redresses the ballance quite a lot. Now daemons in fantasy are still over hard so not many people play them, I think about 1 person in my local GW still has an army which he never uses apart from if somebody asks him.

So, just think, next time you have a gaming night why not say to everyone. Lets play some comped down lists or lets play with the restrictions that a certain (soft) tournament gives you.

So, thanks for reading,

Jacob.