Wall of Fire, MkII Style
When MkII was released Privateer Press resized the "wall template" used by some spells, making the fold-up cards that came with models like Feora and Gorten obsolete. Although I liked the fold-up wall for ease of handling, I decided to make a new flat set so models could be placed directly on them if necessary.
Buh-bye now
Protectorate of Menoth Tokens, Take 2
I've never been a big fan of GF9's tokens, and Privateer Press' don't work for me either. Both companies' designs have some shortcomings that caused me to stay away from their products. At first I used Youngwolf7's tokens, but by the time I picked up the Legion of Everblight I had started making my own.
Samples, Pre- and Post-assembly
Now that the Forces of Warmachine: Protectorate of Menoth book has been released I finally sat down between applying coats of primer to some miniatures to put together some tokens for my Protectorate force. I still had my set from MkI but enough abilities were renamed for me to decide to redesign a new set instead of using Youngwolf7's design.
I did a little editing to the graphic used on the Privateer Press gallery page to create the background for my tokens, and added some text layers to create what's pictured above. I used .75" cubes or .75" faux scrabble tiles I picked up at the local craft store to give the tokens some width and heft. They can usually be found in the woodworking and scrapbooking departments respectively. Mosaic tiles are another option, but those are concave and/or have an irregular surface, making these better surfaces for gluing.
Since I started this post talking about the issues I have with the PP and GF9's offerings, I suppose I should go into a little more detail on what I think makes good tokens.
Holy Plate Mail Ninja, Batman!
Exemplar Errant Seneschal
I was expecting to see the Exemplar Errant UA in the new No Quarter, but not a new synergy solo for the unit. Granting Hunter to Errants, as well as having both Hunter and Pathfinder himself, really makes him feel like a Strider Deathstalker type model... but clad in white heavy armor?
Don't get me wrong, I think this guy has some very nice rules that can be especially difficult for an opponent in scenario play. He can sit just out-of-sight behind/in forests and take pot shots, and since he can sacrifice Errants when he dies, stay in an area far longer than a single 5-wound solo would normally be able to.
I’m Jinxing it
Exemplar Errant UA
That's right; I'm doing it. Even after the last two disappointing Protectorate previews I'm going to talk about my hopes for the upcoming Exemplar Errant Officer and Standard Bearer. Errant themselves are solid, and if the Temple Flameguard are any precedent their UA will boost them into the realm of teh win.
In Mk I, Errant were known for their outrageous point costs but now a Protectorate only pays a whopping 5 points for a minimum unit or 8 for a max. For that point cost you can field an efficient jack-of-all-trades unit with at least one ability to help them fill any roll on the table:
St. Louis Privateer Weekend III: June 4th – 6th, 2010
Ye be warned... For the past 2 years the best players from around the nation have descended on St. Louis to participate in one of the most intense and grueling Warmachine and Hordes competitions known to man and beast, including the first official MkII Hardcore tournament. The St. Louis Riverdogs are pleased to announce our third annual Privateer Weekend at DieCon X June 4th through the 6th. This will be the premiere event for the Midwest prior to Gen Con 2010. Privateer Weekend consists of 3 days of spine crushing, cortex smashing fun coursing over more than 7 events. The terrain is amazing. The competitors are top tier in both skill and personality. Here lies the ultimate in gaming. Featured events over the weekend include a specially designed train event by the Iron Agenda podcast, two Steamroller 2010 competitions, an ongoing Tide of War competition, Iron Kingdoms knowledge tests hosted by Capt. Saultydog, and our main event, the first official Mark II Hardcore tournament on Saturday. If this wasn't enough, the weekend will also feature various painting competitions and a diorama competition.
Complete schedule and details are available on our site, or keep up to date by following us on Twitter. See all the fun-filled convention activities and preregister at the DieCon home page. Registration for DieCon X is only $26.00 until April 15th. After that, registration increases to $31.00 – still an amazing bargain. Online payments will be accepted via PayPal. Those particpating in Hardcore will have an additional 5 dollar fee which goes towards a personalized 2010 Official Hardcore dogtag. Remember to select "PP Hardcore" under the list of Saturday events to reserve your spot today and enter your requested personalization at that time. Our schedule is listed below…
Packing Away the Cards
With the release of Prime MkII, I finally went through my MkI faction decks and gold card collections. They've all been packed away into a three ring binder. I'm not sure what use I'm ever actually going to get out of the collection again but my packratitis makes it so I can't just toss 'em.
The Fallacy of Risk vs. Resource Resource Management
Most of the time when an experienced player is trying to explain Warmachine and Hordes to a potential new player, they'll use a common phrase to compare and contrast the focus and fury mechanics that drive the two games:
"Hordes is Risk Management, where Warmachine is Resource Management."
I cringe every time I hear that.
The Missing Piece
I've talked before here and on the Iron Agenda about being more than ready for the arrival of MkII, but I'm still hesitant. I've finally realized why I haven't been willing to forsake MkI completely - the lack of official stat cards. That in turn made me realize just how convenient stat cards are for play.
>> Read More...
Field Test Eve
Tomorrow the Hordes communities will be whipped up into a frenzy with the release of the Hordes Field Test Rules. While there will undoubtedly be players dissecting the rules and identifying the merits and flaws of various models logically, the amount of outcry promises to be very entertaining. I can't wait for the circus to start.
A First and a Last in St. Louis
Although Warmachine MkII has brought positive changes to the Warmachine community, it unfortunately coincides with the closing of Game On!, a game store that has always been a strong supporter of the Warmachine community. On Wednesday the 14th, we had a last blast 35-point Mangled Metal MkII event - our first MkII event in St. Louis.
After throwing around a few possible casters, I decided on some of my lesser-used options to see how they changed in MkII. I was curious to see if they and their battlegroups would fit my playstyle better now, or if I would be able to change my playstyle to better suit their abilities.
>> Read More...
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