Thoughts of Sigmar

I really believed this.

So, Age of Sigmar is about to get a points system- an official one, where GW has playtested the rules and values associated as well as gotten input from, and changed things based on the input of, tournament organizers. I am thrilled.

Until now I have been trying the game out, and it is a pretty slick system. I've picked up some ideas, some tactics (it matters which models you use and how you deploy / move them). The PPC system seems pretty good. It too is community tested, and seems balanced enough. The games I have lost have been due to poor tactics on my part. I have discovered this by watching tactics articles online that show how to utilize things like the pile-in move to your advantage. I have read articles on which weapons work best on which model, and why (This concerns me a bit, but I see uses for all the kit Stormcast have). The game has some combos, and they all help out, but none are game breaking.

That said, I am worried.

My worry is, of course, about an "official" set of points. While I look forward to (and have ordered) a copy of the General's Handbook, I worry about things slipping through playtesting cracks. Rules don't get truly checked out until they're released "into the wild", where gamers hell-bent on breaking them look for any playtesting "oopsie" they can find, and pounce on it. Power gamers, and I feel I can call them out as I once was one, are going to sit down, grab a calculator, and crunch the numbers to come up with the best bang for the point. While no system is perfect (looking for that is a fool's errand, as I have mentioned before), some systems are better than others. Only a select few people have seen the actual system, so what do I know?

This is... a thing?

...Then a picture got leaked. Supposedly it is a picture of the new points system for Age of Sigmar. Looking at it, which you can do as well if you gaze to the right, there are some questions right off the bat. The "Min" and "Max" columns are pretty straightforward. You can take from (Min) to (Max) models in a unit. No surprise there.

Next you have the point costs themselves. The values seem a bit high for a per-model value. Word is games are still 2,000 point affairs, and High Elf archers are clocking in at a double-digit cost. What that is can't really be determined unfortunately. So, is this a "per grouping" cost? Say, for X points you get Y models?

Finally, the names of things. There are no "Lizardmen" (second purple header), there are "Seraphon". There are no "Elves", there are "Aelves". There are no "Ogres", there are "Ogors". Seems odd to me that GW would miss that. Then again, there are a bunch of legacy unit names there. Teclis, High Elf Archers, The Shadow King... This could be some of the point values for the old lists. The models not in the Grand Alliance books.

If only the picture weren't so blurry! That, however, is the way of hoax postings on the internet. Make something up, take a really bad picture of it, throw it to the drooling masses, and lulz as the masses go wild.

As you can most likely tell from my tone, I don't believe that the above image actually is legit. As a person that loves skepticism, I attempt to use it as often as possible in my life. I have chosen to deploy that tool here, so I shall go with my old mantra; "I'll believe it when I see it". When I'm holding the actual published book, am leafing through it, and find this chart, I will believe. Until then, it's just a blurry picture of...

Something.

Nothing other than that.

Blurry thing that doesn't exist plays AoS using blurry point values that are just as fake.

I've Been Pretty Bad at This Blogging Thing Recently...

Etna does not approve of my neglect.

Once again, not dead, busy.

I just moved house from Fairfax to Manassas. For those who don't know, I basically moved further away from Washington, DC down I-66 (renowned as having some of the worst traffic in the United States) in order to save money on rent. Northern Virginia has some of the worst over-inflated rent in the nation, and I had the misfortune to be born there...

That said, I have been playing some Age of Sigmar against Demitra. His blog is dead, so I'm not linking to it any more. I have discovered one thing- swarms in AoS are deadly. Seriously, even the most pathetic Free Peoples units can decimate you with barely a thought.

The fact that he won't re-base his minis (a decision I begrudgingly respect) doesn't help. Those 20mm bases get a lot more spears / halberds in range than you would expect.

After having the "Age of Balance" system accidentally broken over my head (40 Daemonettes wins games) we switched to the PPC system. The fact that it's in Battlescribe certainly helps, as I can fiddle with lists at lunch.

I have, despite myself, fallen in love with the Stormcast Eternals. The "Sigmarines" have kind of cliche' fluff, but they're just fantasy Space Marines, so I find it funny that people will rag on Stormcast fluff, imagery, and rules while they paint up their eight billionth Space Marine. Get a grip, guys. Stormcast are fantasy Space Marines. That's their deal. So, what?

Rant abated, here is my progress.

Lightning hammers go BOOM!

First up, a squad! these are three of the starter set Retributors, with two of the normal boxed minis atted in. Yes, the minis should have tassels on their helmets. I was not paying attention. The Decimators I'm making should have heads that I'll swap out from another kit. In fact, I have a fair few Stormcast on the way.

My sword! It squiggles!!!

Next up, my Lord Celestant. His head is from the Retributor box, and his sword is from the long since discontinued Mordheim weapon frame.The rest is, obviously, a Lord Relictor. He turned out prety OK.

Lastly, the actual Lord Relictor. I decided to go with a more "40k-ish" look to him, painting him up in Chaplain colors. The teal on his shoulders, along with the limited color palette, connect him visually to the rest of the army.

I intend to get some battle reports in soon. My new game room is a bit cramped, but it is mine, and I can do whatever I want with the space. Sometimes moving to a smaller town farther away from the action adds benefits (for instance, more space).

Hobby Nirvana.

Until next time, I leave you with a shot of my new hobby area. new desk, computer readily at hand, baby fan to keep cool, Oh, and also an awesome speaker system (not pictured) for podcasts and music.

Here's hoping I post again in the next month. 2016 has been a rough year for this blog.