May 2015 | Talk Wargaming - Original Wargaming Stories

Editorial: A Beginners Guide To Kings Of War

Peter Harrison beginners, Fantasy, Kings Of War, Mantic Games, Peter Harrison, wargaming

<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2V5Y-pddA-Y/VWXF6cOi9mI/AAAAAAAADUk/b9SeumE1eDg/s1600/kings-of-war.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2V5Y-pddA-Y/VWXF6cOi9mI/AAAAAAAADUk/b9SeumE1eDg/s320/kings-of-war.jpg" width="320"></a>First of all lets get the semantics right here, when I say a Beginners Guide I mean a guide by a beginner. I have clocked up a mighty two games of Kings of War and have only recently completed building my first full sized army. I am also entering the northern regionals of the Kings of War tournament in just over two weeks time. Yes you read that correctly. Two games under my belt and I'm entering a tournament.<br>
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Those of you who are more familiar with Warhammer Fantasy will probably consider me either over confident or just plain crazy. Well allow me to take this opportunity to prove my sanity and explain why it isn't that strange after all.<br>

Editorial: A Beginners Guide To Kings Of War

First of all lets get the semantics right here, when I say a Beginners Guide I mean a guide by a beginner. I have clocked up a mighty two ga...

Reaper Miniatures -The return of Mr Bones

Peter Lyberth Peter Lyberth, Product Reviews, Reaper Miniatures

Reaper Miniatures -The return of Mr Bones

Reaper made quite a splash some time ago, when they launched one of the most successful kickstarters our little hobby has ever seen. Of co...

Product Review: Cthulhu Skirmish with Uncle Mike’s Strange Aeons

Ilan Mitchell-Smith Cthulhu, game review, historical, Horror, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Pulp Gaming, pulp monsters, skirmish

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Uncle Mike’s is an independent publisher, and their main product is </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Strange Aeons</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">, a small-scale, 2-player horror skirmish game set in the early 20</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> century.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">  </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">The setting is basically Cthulhu, but (to the designers credit) the horror world of Lovecraft has been expanded, and the game features a more skirmish-friendly narrative (no one wants to play a game in which all the characters die except one, who goes insane).</span><br>
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Product Review: Cthulhu Skirmish with Uncle Mike’s Strange Aeons

Uncle Mike’s is an independent publisher, and their main product is Strange Aeons , a small-scale, 2-player horror skirmish game set in the...

Army Selection: Are Craftworld Eldar Right For You?

Michael Fisher #a, Army Selection, Editorial, Eldar, Michael Fisher, Warhammer 40k

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If you have been interested in getting into playing Warhammer 40K, or are looking to add another army to your collection, one of the challenges you will have is deciding which force to collect, paint, and play. How do you go about picking an army? Common advice is to go with whatever looks the best to you on the tabletop and whose background you enjoy most, since competitiveness comes and goes with updates, rules changes, and edition shifts. However, some simple play-style features are worth considering as well, regardless of their current standing in the competitive pecking order. One force you can choose is the Eldar, an ancient race that once spanned the galaxy but fell to ruin due to their hubris and arrogance. If Eldar don’t happen to be your cup of tea, you can check out <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/search/label/Army%20Selection" target="_blank">other army selection options here</a><span id="goog_18878965"></span><span id="goog_18878966"></span>, but for now let’s dive in to one of the most iconic races of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.<br>

Army Selection: Are Craftworld Eldar Right For You?

If you have been interested in getting into playing Warhammer 40K, or are looking to add another army to your collection, one of the cha...

Editorial: The Value of Smaller Games

Michael Fisher 1, Editorial, Michael Fisher, Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy

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Many people seem to use a similar points level every time they play a game of 40K or <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/2015/05/editorial-wait-for-warhammer-fantasy.html" target="_blank">Fantasy</a>. This keeps you from having to rewrite lists and allows you to become proficient in a certain list you have built, but can lead to some stagnation in your game play. Many tournaments run at 1850 points in 40K or 2000-3000 for Fantasy, so most players tend to gravitate toward these as the semi-official points levels to play at, and I believe many players could benefit from a change in the points values that they use.<br />
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New Challenges</h3>
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Playing smaller points values can be a good way to mix up your gaming cause different scenarios to arise throughout your missions. Generally speaking, playing at a lower points limit is going to mean you have fewer units and models at your disposal and you will have fewer upgrades available for the characters and units that you do happen to take. This can force you to change your playstyle and strategy simply because of the different composition of your list, and it can be a wonderful tool to break any monotony you may have been experiencing in your gameplay. It also adds a level of excitement as some different options are available to you: Do you play more aggressively because opponent has less to punish you with, or do you play more conservatively because each unit lost is more detrimental to you? How you choose to adapt your strategies are up to you, but if nothing else the change in scale of your battles can bring nothing but new challenges to explore on the tabletop.<br />
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In addition, there is the added value each of your actions has in a smaller scope of gaming. The individual heroics of a single model mean more in terms of the full game and can make for fun fluffy play, and each failed charge or missed spell has a magnified impact, increasing the ‘randomness’ of the games to a degree since there is less of a supporting force to balance out the occasional bit of bad luck you run into. These will all add to the experience and make for a wild game that is sure to be remembered for a long time. There is even the possibility of changes in missions and entirely new scenarios available to you as a lower point limit that would be unwieldy at the traditional higher values – Adepticon each year has been running a Combat Patrol event that has been met with a lot of community enthusiasm, the rules for which can be found <a href="http://www.adepticon.org/wpfiles/2013/40KCP2.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Altered Balance</h3>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MOHzGsvSuKE/VVEznMUTm0I/AAAAAAAAAJE/jFRh8lx0Pys/s1600/1430936124021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MOHzGsvSuKE/VVEznMUTm0I/AAAAAAAAAJE/jFRh8lx0Pys/s320/1430936124021.jpg" width="260" /></a>Game balance changes at different points values and you might find reasons to take a unit you normally wouldn’t, or find that an army you considered ‘lower tier’ can compete more readily. Some of the toughest units, vehicles, or deathstar HQs wont’s be viable at such a low points cost, which means that certain ‘mandatory’ or ‘abusive’ units you run into in almost all lists are less likely to be present since they will not fit as easily into a smaller list. Some rules changes or FOC tweaks can also be introduced to restrict abusive things at this point level, if desired. Conversely, if you do decide to throw everything into a single huge unit or commander, you can go wild and see just how hard Be’lakor can hit with nothing to threaten him.<br />
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The change in army composition and general lowering of supporting units does open up your ability to play with some units you have been putting off for lack of competitiveness, despite how it may seem. A player who has always wanted to field fluffy units that got blown off the table generally kept those models on the shelf, but in a smaller game your opponent doesn’t have the same offensive ability and you may find that there is finally a home in your list for that <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/2015/05/tactics-making-most-of-terminators.html" target="_blank">unit of Terminators</a> or the footslogging Burna Boyz you have been dying to use.<br />
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Intimate Arenas</h3>
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<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br />
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Having a lower point limit means you are going to end up with fewer models in almost every situation. This allows for a smaller table to be used, and players often find that reducing their playing surface to 4’x4’ can really change how a game moves. With less room to maneuver, it is harder kitestring opponents along and remain evasive, as I often want to do with my Dark Eldar, but it also means that units with considerable speed or ranged shooting have magnified the advantage that gives them as a greater portion of the table is open to them at any given moment.<br />
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Additionally, the reduction in force size allows for a change of scenery not normally available to us. Perhaps you could use more densely packed terrain and attempt fight within a large building, dense jungle, packed city street or some other interesting locale. This means line of sight and cover mechanics can be quite different, and can bring variety to game play in an era where too many of us seem to line up opposite each other in a grassy open field and march headlong toward the one wall, hill, or stand of trees on the map.<br />
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More Games, More Fun</h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QChjjGvejoA/VVE0gVcM6JI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/EFcwp7bkCFs/s1600/1431014919973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QChjjGvejoA/VVE0gVcM6JI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/EFcwp7bkCFs/s400/1431014919973.jpg" width="196" /></a><br />
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Fewer units and models mean faster turns and faster games, allowing you to fit more in over a session. At higher point values, a game can take upwards of three hours to complete, and for many of us this is not a desirable or even a viable option. If you work long hours or have kids at home, schoolwork to attend to, or simply a limited attention span, it can be difficult to squeeze in a game which means for some of us a game of <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/2015/05/editorial-wait-for-warhammer-fantasy.html" target="_blank">Warhammer Fantasy Battle</a> or 40K comes far too rarely for our tastes. At lower points values, games can be over in under an hour and with less to set up, move around, roll on, and account for, games are more easily managed and can be played more frequently. If you are fortunate enough to be able to take a whole weekend and roll some dice with your friends at <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/2015/05/the-importance-of-supporting-your-local.html" target="_blank">your local game shop</a>, smaller points values allow you to play multiple games in the time you previously would have only completed one, opening up the possibility of playing multiple opponents in a single gaming session.<br />
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Smaller games also affords you the opportunity you to <a href="http://www.talkwargaming.com/search/label/Army%20Selection" target="_blank">play with newer armies</a> and test out if you would be interested in investing in a full force of some new faction you don’t own much/any of yet. It can be difficult, time consuming, and cost prohibitive for many tabletop wargamers to get a new army off the ground and so it is sometimes forgone in favor of adding another box of minis to an army that already has enough. If you and your gaming group start playing some smaller games, you will have much more opportunity to test out new units without committing too much to them, or even building up a small force from a new faction and get them on the table sooner than you would have, without needing to take them as hangers-on or allies to an established army in your collection.<br />
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<span 11.0pt="" 12.0pt="" ar-sa="" calibri="" en-us="" minor-bidi="" minor-latin="" new="" roman="" serif="" times=""><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKrSIjZgX-0/VVE1Imks6KI/AAAAAAAAAJY/os2o4b8juFA/s1600/p91Jmz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKrSIjZgX-0/VVE1Imks6KI/AAAAAAAAAJY/os2o4b8juFA/s400/p91Jmz3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<b>Have you and your group had enjoyable experiences with smaller games? What are your favorite ways to game smaller?</b></div>

Editorial: The Value of Smaller Games

Many people seem to use a similar points level every time they play a game of 40K or Fantasy . This keeps you from having to rewrite lis...

Product Review: Mounted Sergeants from Fireforge Games

Ilan Mitchell-Smith Bretonnians, Hail Caesar, historical, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Lion Rampant, Medieval, Reviews, skirmish

Product Review: Mounted Sergeants from Fireforge Games

Product Review: Fireforge Games’ Mounted Sergeants

Editorial - Knights and Knights, We Are All Robot-Jox Now!

jez keeley 40k, 7th edition, craftworlds, Editorial, Eldar, Eldrad, guard, Imperial, Knight, Maelstrom, Robots, strength D, wraith

Editorial - Knights and Knights, We Are All Robot-Jox Now!

It's been a long time, or so it feels, but I have finally gotten my first game in with the new Eldar book, and I am delighted to s...

Roundup: Imperial Knights, Cult Mechanicus, Warlord Titan and Fantasy Latest!!

Lee Jerrum cult mechanicus, Forgeworld, imperial knights, News, Rumors, Warhammer Fantasy, warlord titan

Roundup: Imperial Knights, Cult Mechanicus, Warlord Titan and Fantasy Latest!!

A selection of news and rumor pieces of the last few days.

Kickstarter and Me

Lee Jerrum Editorial, Kickstarter, Vman

Kickstarter and Me

Like most people I have heard a lot about Kickstarter and the impact this, and crowdfunding in general, has had on tabletopgaming. I’ve ...

Editorial: The Wait For Warhammer Fantasy 9th Edition

Michael Fisher Editorial, guide, Hobby Project, Michael Fisher, Warhammer 9th edition, Warhammer Fantasy

Editorial: The Wait For Warhammer Fantasy 9th Edition

Fantasy players and prospective new players are unfortunately caught in somewhat of a limbo position at the moment while we wait for 9 th e...

News: Battlefleet Gothic Armada Teaser Video

Lee Jerrum armada, battlefleet gothic, bfg, News, Video Game

News: Battlefleet Gothic Armada Teaser Video

Time for another video game adaptation of one of Games Workshops awesome games! This time out Focus Interactive are working on BFG - c...

Army Selection: Are AdMech/Skitarii Right For You?

Michael Fisher #a, 1, Adeptus Mechanicus, Army Selection, Codex: Skitarii, Editorial, Michael Fisher, skitarii, Warhammer 40k

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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOsvQ0neR3g/VUufK6pzCXI/AAAAAAAAAHY/weasBgJFhxw/s1600/1429796649137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOsvQ0neR3g/VUufK6pzCXI/AAAAAAAAAHY/weasBgJFhxw/s320/1429796649137.jpg" width="239"></a>Perhaps you have been interested in starting Warhammer 40K,
or are looking to add another army to your collection. How do you go about
picking a force? Generally, the best advice is to go with whatever looks the
best to you on the tabletop and whose background you enjoy most, since
competitiveness comes and goes with updates, rules changes, and edition shifts.
However, some simple play-style features are worth considering as
well, regardless of their current standing in the competitive pecking order.
With that in mind, let’s take a look into a faction with the newest models but some
of the longest standing backgrounds in the Warhammer 40,000 universe and see if
The Adeptus Mechanicus is a good fit for you.</div>
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Army Selection: Are AdMech/Skitarii Right For You?

Perhaps you have been interested in starting Warhammer 40K, or are looking to add another army to your collection. How do you go about ...

Editorial: Eldar, Dont Get Cocky Kids!

jez keeley 28mm, 40k, Community Feedback, Dark Angels, Eldar, Jetbikes, Lords of War, Space Wolves

Editorial: Eldar, Dont Get Cocky Kids!

Well blow me down, if I didn't pick a bad time to try a new army out. This time I'm going down the rabbit hole of community, gaming,...

RUMOR ROUNDUP: Imperial Knights, Cult Mechanicus, Genestealer Cult, Tzeentch and Fantasy 9th LATEST

Lee Jerrum 40k, 40k Rumors, cult mechanicus, Fantasy, Fantasy Rumors, Imperial Knight, Rumors

RUMOR ROUNDUP: Imperial Knights, Cult Mechanicus, Genestealer Cult, Tzeentch and Fantasy 9th LATEST

I almost collapsed when I saw how much news, rumors and related material has dropped over the last few days. GULP!

Editorial: What Tabletop Wargames Taught Me

Lord Rarkthor 1, Editorial, Tutorial, wargaming

Editorial: What Tabletop Wargames Taught Me

This is a bit of a deviation from some of my normal topics, but as a public school teacher, it is worth it to me to share some of these ide...

News: Imagine 3D - Fully Customizable 3D Printed Miniatures

Peter Harrison 3d Printing, Fantasy, Imagine 3D, Miniatures, News, Peter Harrison

<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aujKAtZOBE8/VUphROsK5UI/AAAAAAAADT8/qHtYoIdiAig/s1600/I3D2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aujKAtZOBE8/VUphROsK5UI/AAAAAAAADT8/qHtYoIdiAig/s1600/I3D2.jpg" width="320"></a>3D printing is certainly one of the more interesting fields of industry that is currently going from strength to strength. Not only has it seen applications in medicine and industry it has also seen attention from the Wargaming market. Until now 3D printing has been reserved for companies looking to create a physical copy of their virtual designs and then to be cast from there or private designers who wanted there personal creations brought to life.<br>
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However, Imagine 3D Miniatures hands over control to you with their Mounted Heroes project. With this you get to create your own miniature and have it printed up to your specs. Think of it as a character creation screen from an RPG that has a physical mini as an end result.<br>

News: Imagine 3D - Fully Customizable 3D Printed Miniatures

3D printing is certainly one of the more interesting fields of industry that is currently going from strength to strength. Not only has it s...

Tutorial: How to Paint Eversor Assassins

Peter Harrison #a, 11, Citadel, Eversor Assassin, Games Workshop, How to Paint, Officio Assassinorum, Painting, Peter Harrison, Tutorial, Warhammer 40k

Tutorial: How to Paint Eversor Assassins

Following the release of the new plastic Imperial Assassins I take a look at the drug crazed killing machine known as the Eversor in this ho...

Editorial: Making The Most Of Your Old Codexes

Lee Jerrum 1, Amazon, Codex, Editorial, guide, Vman

Editorial: Making The Most Of Your Old Codexes

It feels like the end of something. When I pressed print on the postage label from Amazon’s Trade in service I wondered whether it was th...

Rumors: Warlord Titan

Michael Fisher 40k Rumors, Games Workshop, GW Rumors, Leaks, titan

Rumors: Warlord Titan

The next little teaser for the Warlord Titan seems to have arrived, and it is looking absolutely massive. It seems GW is committed to leak...

Tactics: Making The Most Of Terminators

Michael Fisher 40k, Michael Fisher, Space Marines, Tactics, Terminators

Tactics: Making The Most Of Terminators

Normally terminators are too expensive to be worth it in a normal game. Everyone loves the idea of terminators but we don’t see them perf...

QUICK TIPS: How To Add A Roaring Fire To Your Miniature Flamethrower

Evan Evaronio Conversions, evan, Hobby, Quick Tips, Tutorial, Tutorials

QUICK TIPS: How To Add A Roaring Fire To Your Miniature Flamethrower

Hi again, today we're going to do something easy that adds a nice aesthetic touch to any flamer/flamethrower. All you need is a sharp...

Roundup: Kastelan Robot Rules, Space Marine Rumors, Knightly Heirlooms and the PVP Space Wolf Game Update

Lee Jerrum cult mechanicus, kastelan robots, News, Releases, Rumors, Space Marines

Roundup: Kastelan Robot Rules, Space Marine Rumors, Knightly Heirlooms and the PVP Space Wolf Game Update

Following a weekend of excess, debauchery and the consumption of a ridiculous amount of alcohol I feel it's time I sit down and recap o...

Narratives Workshop: How To Breathe Life Into Your Gaming

Lee Jerrum 1, 40k, Editorial, micheal fisher, Warhammer 40k

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So  you've found yourself staring across the table at yet another netlist.  You have min-maxed your force, optimized every upgrade and applied force  organization chart trick you know, and you're sure that your opponent  has done the same. He's the same person you play every Friday, or she's  your foe for the first round of this tournament. you roll the dice, push  your toy soldiers around the field, and at the end of the game, it  feels a little stale. How many times have you played this same mission?  Sighing at your defeat to the most recent codex-creep flavor of the  month power army, you begin packing up your army. Slowly, your mind  starts to flirt with the idea of just watching some movies next weekend  and saving yourself the hassle.</div>
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